Here we go again...

I havent blogged in 6 months. I wish it was writers block.  There are soooo many topics to talk about.  Life just sometimes gets in the way. Today i am going to talk about the "hype machine" that you and I know as ESPN. ESPN has been my dream destination since i was able to see on cable television in the 80's. They all seemed to have fun doing sports. They were so creative, witty, funny, and always kept me coming back to the television. Whether it was Sportscenter or actual game programming, i honestly thought I was watching and listening to something special every night. They built up everyone. They made athletes bigger than life.  Somehow, in the last 10 years all of that has changed. Athletes are not sports figures anymore. We know what they eat, who they date, what clubs they go to, who they voted for, what kind of underwear they have.  We know that if they have an opinion, it will appear somewhere.  If they insult people, assault people, animals, trees, we will find out. Riley Cooper was at a concert and made racial comments last year and we found out about it. We found out that a football player was taking a fertility  drug to help grant his mothers wish of having a grand child. ESPN doesn't miss a thing. God forbid if they built you up and you fail.  They made Robert Griffin out to be superman and when his knee failed him and his mouth sounded off, he has become a punchline. Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer i ever seen. He is probably the greatest golfer most have seen.  His dominance in the sport is only equaled by a few athletes in other sports. ESPN cannot wait to criticize him.  The guy shot 74 74 last week and the headlines made it seem like he shot 80 and 81. Jon Anderson and Jay Harris took sniper shots at him like he insulted their family. Many great athletes over the last 20 years have had  epic falls. Mike Tyson, Micheal Jordan, Lance Armstrong, Barry Bonds,Marion Jones, Tiger, just to name a few and ESPN pounced on them like a hungry lion. No excuse was good enough. If they apologized, it wasn't contrite enough.  If they blamed someone else for their roles in their scandal, they were throwing the person under a bus. If they took 100 percent accountability they needed to take 1000 percent accountability. ESPN had no shame, embarrassing Jim Harrick, when he was at Georgia, or George O'Leary for embellishing his resume. Now we have Johnny Football about to embark on a career that has bust written all over it.  Blake Bortles will be the one who earns his draft status and make Jacksonville relevant again. Manziel is the new Tebow.  There was so much hype around Tebow that it scared teams from giving him a true chance. How about Micheal Sam? He is gay. Okay.. Can he tackle or rush the quarterback? What changed because he told the world he is gay. He is quick off the ball and once he learns how to take better rush routes he may have a future in the league.  It should have been a story for a day. if at all.
So what my point? My point is today, I cannot watch sports the way i watched it 20 years ago. Sports reporting has become so personal and vindictive. There was a writer in Philly who wrote a story about Nick Foles without even interviewing for the piece. He was asked on the Dan Patrick show why the negative tone and he said matter of factly that he was upset that Foles didn't give him access to him. Really? How about having some fun.  The ranting of Dick Vitale was criticized by so many that he actually toned it down to appease his critics. In fact ESPN added a third man to the booth to almost silence him. Instead of the announcers saying Tiger Woods had back surgery and he shot a respectable 74 today on the difficult course, they say boy Tiger has lost his swagger, he is a shell of himself.  Lets put up a graphic that says he hasn't won a major since 2009. Even though he has moved to second in all time overall wins and if get s healthy again he could possibly pas Sam Snead in the next couple of year. Each story has innuendo and criticism without knowing all of the facts. No one has yet to see the video of Ray Rice striking his wife but yet we are lead to believe that he knocked her out and the District attorney in New Jersey gave him a slap on the wrist and the NFL Commissioner did the same thing.  So instead of criticizing law enforcement for not holding him more accountable, the NFL is supposed to teach him a lesson. The Redskins nickname is offensive but the team is not changing the name. Their fan base doesn't care.  The people who buy the season tickets don't care. How much more noise can you make on this topic?  If the Washington teams games are all sold out, what does that tell you.  In short I just turn the volume down and hope for the best...

Jason Collins

I usually have somthing to say about everything sports related. It doesn't mean I am right or wrong.  What i dislike about debatable topics is the overkill that the sports networks gives its coverage.  Tonight Jason Collins is about to become the "first" openly gay male athlete to play in the major four professional sports. First of all that sentence is not true because there are several athletes who can tell you that they know of several players who have played sports. The Ravens had a player. The Redskins in the 70's had a player. The Utah Jazz had a player. This story is only a story because the "old guard" of sports is stunned that this happening.  Gay people are as talented as hetero people. There is not a person alive who doesn't know a gay person or who doesn't love one. This is crazy. Last year Britney Griner said she was gay. Nobody flinched.  Nobody cares if a woman is gay. Give society the benefit of the doubt. We can handle pretty much everything. 
I am listening to this press conference and I dont understand the questions.  He was just asked how has he changed as a person since he came out? Really?  He doesn't have to change.  No one does. Why don't they just ask the real questions.  "Are you going to check you teammates out?"  Are you going to bring your boyfriend around? When you post up a player or box one out do you get turned on? Thats how stupid the thought process really is. That is how stupid the notion of a what is wrong with a gay player playing sports. Plus no one will ever have the guts to ask those questions.  The reason is obvious. The questions are immature and obnoxiuos. Micheal Sam was not asked any questions about his sexuality during his interview with nfl teams. Everyone is shocked by that. Usually teams ask some of the most disgusting and intrusive questions to their prospects. 
Jason Collins is 35 and can help a team by rebounding and blocking shots. So if you want my true reaction read between the lines or read this... SO WHAT.... I would say 100 percent of the people I know would say the same thing. Dont compare this to Jackie Robinson. That is an insult to Jackie Robinson's legacy. Jason Collins is friends with half of the league. Jackie was all alone in a racist world..

Baseball Hall of fame time.. Shame on you

Every year at this time I rant about the voting of the Hall of fame in baseball. They rarely get it wrong but over the last few years they have left me puzzled.  Today some sports writer announced that he would not vote for anyone who played in the steroid era. What?  He made the same proclamation in 2012.  I don't want to say his name because he is the typical anonymous sports writer that annoys me when voting for these honors comes around.  He is one of these bitter writers who enjoy this power. His one vote was revealed and the person he voted for is Jack Morris.  When did the steroid or p.e.d. period begin?  The 1980's? Jack Morris pitched from the heart of the 80's into the mid to late 90's. He pitched in the 1991 World Series. Remember game 7?  10 inning masterpiece against Atlanta?  Sometimes I think people say things to get on television or to get their 15 seconds of fame. I wonder if he isn't the only one thinks that way.
Greg Maddux should have been a unanimous choice. He has several Cy Young awards, 350 plus wins, 18 gold gloves. He has a world series title. He has appeared in several post season games. He revolutionized his position. He made P.e.d. users look silly. He is the greatest pitcher in the national league over the last 40 years. What a joke. Tom Glavine  should be a high 90 percent guy too. Craig Biggio should have gotten in last year. Mike Piazza too. Neither men had any steroid or p.e.d. allegations tied to their names. Frank Thomas too. Mike Mussina had a ton of wins and probably could have won 300 if baseball mattered to him. He won 20 games in his last season as a Yankee. We know that Clemens and Bonds are going to have to wait. Jeff Bagwell just didn't do enough. Jeff Kent will eventually get in in a few years, but not before Biggio. Biggio has 3000 hits.
I am anxious to see how it all shakes out. I wish I had a vote. I would take the honor seriously. Jack Morris is in his final year of eligibility. He deserves some love. He pitched on two championship teams in Detroit and Minnesota. He won 20 games 3 times. He was the ace of his staff. Was his career better than Dave Stewart who never gets a lot of votes? The answer has to be no. Stewart s knock is he pitched for the Oakland A's team that is link to p.e.d. use.  Was his career better than Bert Blyelven who got in last year? I think it was. Blyelven was consistent but never spectacular. Morris was a horse. He faced every teams best pitcher. There is no criteria. Put Morris and that opens door for Mussina, Stewart, Tommy John. Curt Schilling too. He is a whole new argument. I love baseball. I wish them all luck...

The year in sports

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZjS5pGNg50&feature=youtube_gdata_player

You CANT HAVE It BOTH WAYS..

Robinson Cano just broke the bank in Seattle. Everyone has an opinion. Yankee fans are sad he is gone, but glad that the Yankees didn't give him the key to the kingdom. Baseball is the king of the long term contracts, where players can't possibly be great for 10-12 years. The Dodgers are about to make Kershaw the richest pitcher in history. He is 25 and clearly the games premier hurler. Mike Trout at age 21 has been runner up in the m.v.p. balloting the last 2 years. Strasburg, Fernandez in Florida, Machado in Baltimore, Bryce Harper, Harvey in New York if he comes back healthy are all going to cost teams hundreds of millions of dollars. The only player in recent memory that has lived up to the big contract is Derek Jeter. Jeter had a long hall of fame career and captained five teams to titles.  Pujols did not get the big contract until he left St. Louis. Cabrera has a ring from his Florida days but all he does is rake. Manny Ramirez delivered for Boston two rings. Chipper Jones made it to the playoffs every year. Mike Piazza had a productive career with the Mets. Carlos Beltran did as well.
Here is my point. Media and fans complain that there is no loyalty in sports. Dustin Pedroia might be the last to be on a team for his entire career and get a payday.  David Wright for the Mets might be another. Tulo out here in Colorado? Maybe. Buster Posey? Joe Mauer? The point is you have to pay to keep people around. Seattle has gotten rid of Arod, Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey  Jr., Ichiro!!!! They don't know how to pay for loyalty and commitment to excellence. It is a disgrace that those guys bounced around as much as they did. Jacoby Ellsbury should have been a RedSox for life. Todd Helton may not have won a title but he was a vital part of the growth of baseball in Colorado. Jeff Bag well and Craig Biggio were the reasons to watch Astro Baseball. You can't blame the players. They don't want to leave. Cano wanted to be another Jeter. Long term deals keep fans coming to the stadium. You know when healthy if your star player is going to be there everyday if possible.  Pujols in St Louis. You knew he would hit 3rd and play first. Jeter, Ripken Jr., Helton would be at their positions. Owners make millionaires out of average players and now the world hates a sport where showing longtime loyalty is a foolish gesture ?  I stopped liking the Yankees and became a lifelong Met fan when the Yanks traded away Reggie. I almost abandoned the Mets when they let Strawberry go.  I guess if Peyton Manning and Brett Favre can change teams then anyone can. No one wins in all of this. Unless you are a fair weather fan and can cheer for anybody, then this sports world is for you. Don't cry to me about loyalty anymore. I guess I will be a met,dodger, mariner,angel, yankee, red Sox ,rockies, tigers fan. Go team!!!!

Eastern Conference Basketball isn't fantastic, its anonymous

I haven't written for a while, so I am sorry to post an empty blog. I think my blog is a perfect representation of what is in the way for the heat to repeat as champions. Nothing.. The east has one team other than Miami with a winning record.  The very tall and formidable Indiana pacers. The Bulls will get better as the year progresses. Brooklyn and new York have injuries but have insane talent. They both stink right now. Can anyone name another team in the east? Philly? Boston? Cleveland? Toronto? Do you know that the two team that have longest playoff streak in east?  Not Miami. Not New York. It is Boston and the Atlanta Hawks. If you take away the Heat, Pacers, Nets and Knicks, could you name an All star team. Derek Rose is gone till the playoffs. Rudy Gay is in the witness protection program in Toronto. Kyrie Irving is made of paper mache. He gets hurt more frequently than any person I have ever heard of.  Speaking of Cleveland who is this number one draft pick who sits the bench quite often? Anthony Bennett. He may go down as the most under used number one pick in history.  He is the most anonymous first pick of the last 20 years. The east is so bad that western conference teams are asking for realignment. This could be the first time that several teams make the playoffs with a losing record. Teams are tanking for this great college class? I don't think they could if they tried.
Why are they so bad?  The old teams are just old. Brooklyn and New York can't stay healthy or put two games in a row of consistent basketball together. Other teams have lost star players and are trying to fix problems with unproven talent.  Orlando lost Howard. Atlanta lost Joe Johnson and Josh Smith.  They also fired coaches who could win 50 games a season but fail in the playoffs. They have made terrible trades and have not recovered. The Pistons haven't been the same sine Hamilton and Billups left. Philly got nothing from Bynum and traded Igoudola for nothing but promise.  Cleveland lost Lebron and has the number 1 pick twice in 3 years. Milwaukee lost Bogut and Ellis, and last year Jennings.  Toronto lost Bosh.  Who is Demar Derozen? I know he is a l.a.kid but can he play? These teams are mismanaged for the future. They bring in all of this young potential talent and they are not really ready for the NBA. The west is younger and hungrier. The west has two old teams but they can still play. The Spurs are a top 3 team. The Lakers will be better than most think if Kobe is healthy. The death of the east is the one and done players. The life of the west is the mixture of the old,new, and unproven.  I am a east coast guy and I am dying with this.. We shall see what happens..

Just get over it..

My least favorite quote in the world is "just get over it".  Everyone around the world has problems, issues, or situations that they have to overcome and the best way friends or enemies choose to tell their friends or enemies how to handle something is to simply say "just get over it".  How does this apply to sports? i can give you two major examples.  The first one: USC GOT SCREWED by the NCAA. The University of Miami got a slap on the wrist by the NCAA for its lavish scandal.  For almost a decade players, coaches in multiple sports received impermissible benefits from a booster which is at the core of almost every NCAA investigation.  The school imposed its own sanctions and because they cooperated with NCAA officials only lost 9 scholarships to its football program. The coach of the basketball team who coaching at another university now got a 5 game suspension. The matter is now history.  The NCAA threatened that they may impose the death penalty for the violations by the school.  All they got was a slap on the wrist. USC lost 30 scholarships, lost prestige, prominence, a coach who couldn't overcome the sanctions and have floundered over the last 3 years.  The people involved with the scandal lost a Heisman trophy and banishment from the school. They have been trying to pick up the pieces ever since. To make matters worse, Penn State was rewarded for its compliance with the NCAA and are going to start to get scholarships back as early as next year.  USC was not given a chance to "suck up" or kiss ass to get scholarships back. I guess they pissed off the wrong compliance officer. I guess because they tried to defend themselves and that was a bad thing. I guess they knew that Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo was getting benefits and so they had no right to defend their "lack" of knowledge. What a joke. But I guess USC NEEDS to GET OVER IT.  They can't sue the NCAA for unfair litigation. The NCAA governs itself.  They have fired or had several officers resign over the last five years. The NCAA has punished players for selling their jerseys for tattoos, They have ended a players career for having dinner with Deion Sanders. Just get over it.. Right?
The second one is Steve Bartman.  Bartman is a lifelong Cub fan who needs to come out of hiding  and be human again.  The Cubs just stink. They think the hiring Theo Epstein is going o change their luck and win a world series.  The blame Bartman for interfering with Moises Alou chance for catching a foul ball.  Every fan would have done the same thing. Every fan has done the same thing since the beginning of time. The Cubs haven't won a world series in over 100 years.  Bartman, the billy goat, the black cat, make the story sexy and silly. Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson were once in a lifetime players and couldn't deliver the goods.  Sammy Sosa couldn't either.  They burned out Kerry Wood and Mark Prior.  CUB FANS need to GET OVER IT and leave Bartman alone. They need to realize that everyday they wake up they can change the course of their lives with their own actions. Bartman is still in hiding 10 years after this fiasco. GET OVER IT!!! Let him come home. Red Sox fans and the media forgave Buckner for his blunder in the 86 series. Buckner was a Cub too..