What would Jackie say...

As major league baseball prepares to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day, I wonder what he would say about baseball today.  I wonder if he would wonder what has happened to his game.  Where are the black faces? What happened to the black managers? Who is Tupac Shakur? Lebron James or RG3? I don't profess to a Robinson historian, but I am sure he would be fascinated by pop culture today. One of his last requests before he died was to see a black face in a dugout managing a team. Today there are two managers. Dusty Baker in Cincinnati. Bo Porter in Houston. Who the heck is Bo Porter? That is another blog another day. Cito Gaston won two world series with Toronto. So Jackie would be happy that that happened. He would excited the Ken Williams is a G.m. in Chicago and led them to a title. But where are the players? That would be the mystery to him.
When Jackie was playing baseball, the NBA was in its infancy. Football was more important in college. Boxing was the sport for most African Americans to try. Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis paved the way for the Cassius Clays of the world.  Jim Brown and Gayle Sayers hadn't wowed the world yet and Bill Russell, Willie Mays and Wilt Chamberlain were just warming up. Jackie brought everyone to baseball. The Negro league had better players than Jackie, but he got the shot. If there were jealousy or anger it was kept quiet in the black community. Can you imagine if that happened today?  I can't. Kids today want to play basketball, rap or play football.  Kids today could tell you more about Tupac than they can about any school topic or even Jackie Robinson. If a kid today did what Jackie did he would be called a sellout or a Tom. Kids today want to fight the power and start revolutions without understanding what it really means. They don't value life or education.  Jackie went to UCLA. He resisted non violently, He just played.  He did his social commentary when it was proper. Kids today think that being a professional athlete is so easy. They have no respect or regard for the commitment it takes to be a pro. They go to college for one semester to gain eligibility and then leave after one year.  They think that they are going to hip hop legends if they emulate the path that Tupac set forth. They don't understand the struggles that he went through. He and Lebron James are once in a lifetime talent. So is Tiger Woods. No one is trying to be like Tiger. To me that is puzzling. Let's talk baseball. The greatest leader in team sports is Derek Jeter. He is the biggest name in the biggest city. Matt Kemp is cut from the same cloth. But kids don't want to be like them on the field. Jeter, Woods,and Kemp are notorious ladies men. Maybe the fact that they are mixed race men too may factor into it for some as well.  I can't explain it...
So what would Jackie say? He probably would say be who you are,but don't forget about others are watching and learning from you along the way. He would be sad that kids are running away from baseball and disappointed that the brainwashing of our youths is real and destroying us as a people. He would psyched that there is a black President, but would be ashamed of the efforts to help inner city youth play baseball. He would be ashamed of the greed. He would be confused about the " me me" mentality of all sports.  He would say ," I created all of this?" He would change the channel....

Are these streaks good for sports or a sign of the lack of talent league wide

When the Chicago Black hawks started the NHL with a 20 plus game winning streak, my first thought was who have they played. Hockey is having a shorter season than normal due to the lockout and I wondered if Chicago's schedule was favorable. I saw that they played Detroit a few times. St. Louis as well. As they were winning so was the Miami Heat. The Miami Heat won 27 straight games and I thought about who they were playing too. The Heat beat the Knicks, Thunder, Celtics on the road. The Clippers won 17 straight in December. The Denver Nuggets won 15 straight in March. Now the Pittsburgh Penguins have gone 15-0-0 for the month of March setting a record for most wins without a tie or shootout in NHL history. Are these streaks happening because of talentless pool or are these teams really good? 
I think these teams are really good. The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup two years ago and underachieved over the last two years. They lost key players who helped them win the cup and it has taken a while for them to gel. The western conference playoffs this year in hockey is going to be epic. The Kings, Ducks, Blackhawks, and Canucks are going to really keep people up late watching to see who can make it to the Stanley Cup finals.
The Miami Heat know that they are the favorite to represent the east, and they also know that they are going to have to earn the title. The Bulls, Pacers, Knicks and Celtics really want to make some history. The Celtics and Knicks are still smarting after blowing huge leads against the Heat during their streak. The Bulls and Pacers believe that they have the blueprint to beat the Heat. During the streak of the Heat they played a lot of teams with losing records, but with Lebron James on the team every opponent is inferior. They are the defending champs for a reason. When the Clippers won 17 straight they beat good teams as well. The Clippers are having a season to remember. They have never won 50 games. They have never won their division. They are on pace to do both things. Denver's style of offense is extremely difficult to play against especially in Denver. They have the best record at home and most impressively have no superstars on their team. George Karl should get a lot of votes for coach of the year.  The Penguins have the two best players in the game on their team. We want Crosby and Malkin healthy and playing at the top of their game. When the best is playing their best it is exciting to see.
As much as I love to condemn sports of today, I have to give credit when credit is due. These win streaks show that when the best players are healthy and their teams understand their roles great things can happen. Chicago has great talent on all four lines. The Clippers have Chris Paul who is the best leader in basketball.  The Heat ha Lebron and D-wade. The Penguins have Crosby and Malkin. The Nuggets have Andre Miller and Ty Lawson who are tremendous leaders. We make sports harder than it should be with over analysis. Instead of just win baby, it should just play. When you have the talent like these teams possess that becomes all you need to do...

Baseball is truly back this year...

Baseball is back and this season is going to be the most memorable ever. Each division has a team that can win the world series. How many times can you actually say that in your life?  No one would be shocked if the Washington Nationals won the World Series. No one would shocked if the Cincinnati Reds won, the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Tigers, or Oakland A's won the World Series either. This season there are more teams that can eat at the "big boy" table than ever before. So who is going to get it done this year? Who is going to win the M.V.P., Cy Young in both leagues? Here we go....
Usually I give lengthy previews of each division. I will spare you that ad give an synopsis of each division. The American League east will go down to the final day of the season. The Orioles last year shocked the baseball world by the season they had. They won't sneak up on anyone this year. The Rays lost Upton and big game James. The Red sox have a chip on their shoulder but have a lot of holes to fill. The BlueJays spent millions and the Yankees are being counted out with all of its injuries and age issues. I like the Blue Jays and Yankees to come out of this division. The Jays stay healthy they could have a special season. They could put out a speed demon team and a team that can hit home runs. Scary. The Yankees have no one in their corner and that makes them dangerous. If they put their everyday lineup on the field for two months after the all star break, they will be in the post season.
The A.L. central is about as interesting as watching paint dry. The Detroit Tigers are loaded. Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander are the best at their position and want revenge for what happened last year in the world series. Getting Victor Martinez back makes this lineup the most difficult to face. They have bullpen issues. No closer,but they could just outscore e everyone.
The A.L west is just the opposite. No one can name a player on the Oakland A's yet theyre the scariest team in baseball. Every year, they make a second half run and no one can stop them u til post season. Texas lost a lot but they just reload. Losing Josh Hamilton and Michael Young will hurt their chemistry, but they can still rake. The Angels lost Greinke and Haren but gained Hamilton. They are hoping to have the real Pujols and that Mike Trout was not a fluke. Seattle has a lot of pieces and won't be an easy stop on anyone's schedule. Michael Morse and Ackley are looking to make a name for themselves. The Angels and A's will represent in the post season.
The Yankees and A's play in the play in game. Detroit and Angels play for the A.L. title. The Angels represent the A.L. Jerad Weaver is your Cy Young and Robinson Cano is your M.V.P.
The National League east is very top heavy. The Mets, Marlins are rebuilding. The Phillies are a mystery. The Braves and Nationals can win it all. The Nationals are scary good now that they have a closer and no restrictions on Super Steve. They have a balanced offense. They need 140 games from Zimmerman on offense. Zimmerman the pitcher could be x factor all season long.  The Braves have said goodbye to Chipper and Bobby Cox over the last two seasons and haven't missed a beat.  The Nationals and Braves will be in post season.
The Central Division in the National league is for real. The Brewers an Pirates have potential to be dangerous. Ryan Braun and Andrew McCutcheon can carry their teams to a title if  pieces fall into place. The Reds and Cardinals have carried the torch for this division over the past few years. Both teams are licking their wounds after the collapses in the playoffs last season. Yadier Molina is a better player than most think. He stops the running game and he is tough in the clutch. Joey Votto has this beautiful swing but is yet to explode in the post season. They both have great bullpens and good enough starting pitchers.  Both will fight for this division and only one will make post season. The Cincinnati Reds.
The National League west is all about the Giants and Dodgers. The Giants need Buster Posey to stay healthy because every year that he does they win the world series. They have a bunch of guys who have been clutch in big spots over the past three seasons.  A pure team. The Dodgers have a 240 million dollar payroll. They have all stars everywhere.  If they stay healthy, they will be difficult to beat. Matt Kemp pledged last year that he could be a 50-50  guy. He has protection in this lineup. Clayton Kershaw is as good a anyone and if Beckett and Greinke can give them 25 starts, the Dodgers will dominate the National league. Colorado and Arizona are a piece or two away from joining the big two. Arizona is like Oakland. Can't name anyone on the team yet they are always competitive. The Rockies needs healthy Tulo and let's see what they can do. The Padres are still rebuilding but have pieces in place for a good future.
The Giants and Braves will play in play in game. Dodgers and Nationals for N.L title. Nationals in the World Series. Matt Kemp is your M.V.P. and Steven Strasburg is your Cy Young.
The Angels and Nationals world Series. Nationals in 6. 

Lebron should not worry about Jordans comments

If I was Lebron James, I would hassve just simply laughed off recent comments made by Michael Jordan. If I am being compared to the greatest player to ever live, i would just take it in stride. Remember Micheal Jordan's career?  He was critcized for everything until he started winning titles.  He had every highlight. He wowed everyone with his prolific scoring games, aerial assaults, participation in slam dunk contests.  Everyone still said that Bird, Magic, Wilt was better until Micheal started winning rings. Mcheal was lumped in with Connie Hawkins, David Thompson, The Doctor, as a player who could wow the crowd. Doctor J won titles, so his aerial assault was appreciated because he won championships. Dominique Wilkins and Micheal were must see tv if you only wanted a show and not a victory.
Lebron did get his ring finally. He got it in seven years like Jordan.  He has been in 3 championships with a losing record. Micheal never lost a championship series. Kobe is 5-2 in title series. In my view all Micheal really said is when Lebron wins his 5 th ring then I will say he is in Kobe's class. He was measured that way.  The only reason no one says Russellwas the greatest player is tnat he was 6'10 and played in an era where he had only one peer. Wilt gets criticized because he was bigger than everybody. He doesn't get credit for his athletcism or dominance. He was supposed to do what he did. Imagine if he made free throws.
Lebron is en route to destroy all of accomplishments of the great payers before him. He is the right age and is playing a brand of baketball never seen. Having Dwayne Wade as a sidekick doesn't hurt either. Jordan for my take was issuing a challenge to Lebron to come join them at their table. When he does the debate will reallyy begin. We will always wonder had Micheal not taken 2 years off would they have won 8 straight titles. Maybe Lebron will try football for a year. He was an all state performer. I want to see if he can catch Kobe and Micheal.

Who wins the Super Bowl today

This is as difficult a super bowl to handicap as there ever has been. The funny thing is why? On paper the San Francisco 49ers have a better team than the Baltimore Ravens. On a 54 or 47 man roster, the 49ers have 17 players who have either been voted to a pro bowl or played in the game at some point. They have the better running game, passing game, rushing defense, and passing defense. They have the premier defensive linebacker's in the game. They have the future superstar pass rusher  on their team. They can maul you on the offensive line, finesse you with the pistol offense, embarrass you with the deep pass. This year clearly, the NFC is far more talented than the AFC. Did you see the Pro Bowl? Did you see how the Packers mauled the Texans? 49ers beat the Patriots? Redskins beat the Ravens. This game shouldn't be close. Right?
The only reason people think this will be a competitive game is people think that there has to be some magic to what the Ravens have done.  They have beaten the Colts, who had their old defense coordinator. They went to Denver and finally beat Peyton Manning in a meaningful game. They beat New England in Foxboro. The Ravens were the only AFC team to defeat the Patriots this season. The Ravens in most people's eyes are an older version of the 49ers on the defensive side of the ball. The Ravens can run the ball and stretch a defense with their passing attack. Joe Flacco can throw a ball from end line to end line. They have so many compelling story lines. The death of the owner Art Modell. The retirement of Ray Lewis. The inspiration of O.J. Brigance and his physical battles. Tory Smith and his brothers untimely death. Is Joe Elite? So many typical cliches to make a team want to overcome. If they did not have all of this baggage  I wonder what the true spread would be. We know that paper doesn't win titles execution does.
The 49ers just simply have been brilliant.  Colin Kaepernick has shown he can win with his arm and he can win with his legs. He ran circles around Green Bay. He set a rushing record by a quarterback in that game. Against the Falcons he rallied his team with his arm and savvy to victory. He could be a trailblazer today if he can win this game. Everyone is ready to see a different style quarterback win the big game. We have seen Steve Young do it as a dual threat guy. Jeff Hostetler do it as dual threat guy. They threw it more in the Super Bowl game. Young threw 6 touchdown passes and could thrown more.
Hoss ran to keep drives alive.
I am taking 49ers to win. Too much offense. Too much defense. 34-17. Sorry Ray

Ray Lewis

For the past months we have been a witness to the proper way a great athlete should go out of a game. We have watch people hang on and win rings, we have watched athletes get knocked out, make the game winning shot, and even get injured crossing finish lines. Ray Lewis is getting his chance today to have a Michael Phelps or Micheal Jordan type ending to his extraordinary career. He makes you laugh. He fires you up. He makes you scream at the television when he makes a play to prevent you from scoring or when makes a big hit. For a decade or more, he has been a thorn in everyone's side at some point. He ripped my team apart in the Super Bowl and won the games most valuable player award. Is he the best linebacker to play the game? For me that honor belongs to Lawrence Taylor. Taylor revolutionized the way defensive football was played. Lewis, Seau, Singletary are probably this generations best linebackers and it is hard to distinguish them. All three were ball hawks and their impact on games were different. Singletary was the brains of the greatest defense of all time. He lead by example and seemed to be in on every tackle. Seau made all of the pays for the Chargers in his hey day. He sacked the quarterback, could cover tight ends and running backs, physical at the line especially at the goal line. He was intense.
A super bowl would have cemented his legacy but the 49ers and Giants did not allow that to happen.
Ray Lewis is probably considered better than those guys because of his performance in the super bowl against the Giants. He is the only player in NFL history with 30 sacks and 40 interceptions. I have watched him injure players with legal hits, intimidate players into dropping sure first downs and touchdowns.  He has the same impact as Seau. He was expected to make every tackle. He hasn't disappointed on the field.  He off the field has left us wondering who the real Ray Lewis is. The extremely rude comments by the wife of Wes Weller let's us know that not everyone is drinking the Ray Lewis kool aid. People criticize him for being amongst people involved n a murder case, deer antler spray and of course his sharing of God with the world. Some people think he is phony and playing for the cameras.
He is a performer in every sense of that word some may say. He delivers on the field and plays it up after  the game. You can what you want about Ray Lewis but if they win today, he will be called champion and no one can take that away from him...

Hall of fame is tough to get in..

Seven men were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Who can you dispute? Larry Allen was an offensive line beast. He would knock your head off if he could. Jonathan Ogden the same. Warren Sapp made the Buccaneers relevant and had the second most sacks as a defensive tackle. Bill Parcells won two Super Bowl titles and lead 4 different teams to the post season over a 19 year career. Chris Carter had 1100 catches and 130 touchdowns. Should have been a first ballot guy. I remember Curley Culp, animal on defense. The other man elected was before my time, Mr. Robinson played for Vince Lombardi and won titles on those teams.  Hard to crack into this club. Should they allow more in per year? Maybe. But going forward the players who didn't get in yesterday could be waiting a while and I am confused why they are not in already.
If you ask any player or any knowledgeable football fan to name the five best defensive players from 1985-2000 they should say Lawrence Taylor, Deion Sanders, Reggie White, Mike Singletary, and Charles Haley.  I know Derek Thomas fans will put him there. He is already in the Hall of Fame. Bruce Smith would probably replace Deion Sanders on most people's list.  Ronnie Lott was at the end of his great career. Charles Haley has five rings. He has over 120 sacks. He was a destructive force of nature. He really must have angered the sports writers over his career. He is better than Richard Dent. He is better than Derek Thomas. He is being punished. A no-brainer hall of fame selection. Ask his contemporaries how difficult he was to prepare for and then block.
How about Andre Reed. Reed was the AFC's version of Micheal Irvin and Jerry Rice. He played in multiple playoff and Super Bowls. He is on every list that Rice and Irvin is on. He played in the craziest playoff comeback game and scored 3 touchdowns. He was the third piece of their big three Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas. He may not have as many receptions as Carter or Tim Brown, but he ha played in the big game 4 times and was a vital contributor to the success and failures
In all of the games. He should be in.
Contributors of the game like Art Modell and Eddie Debartolo should be in for what they have given to the game. Modell help create the legacy of the Baltimore Ravens and of course his Yeats with the Cleveland Browns. He has served the league for over 50 years and deserves his lifetime achievement award for what he has done. Debartolo built the 49ers into a legendary dynasty. He brought in Bill Walsh and signed Montana and the rest of that legendary team. Legal issues marred the end of that team and maybe that is keeping him out.
Jerome Bettis is being left out for reasons that defy logic. He has more yards rushing than Curtis Martin and he has a ring. He was a dominant player even in his Rams days. He wasn't a guy sticking around to pad his stats. He should be in.
Tim Brown has better stats than Michael Irvin and was every good a player as Chris Carter. He was a punt returner, receiver, Mr everything for the Raiders. He had 1000 receptions.
If these men can't get in base on a proven career, how hard is it going to be for guys like Derrick Brooks, Terrell Owens, Micheal Strahan, Andy Reid. Strahan must be shocked that he is not in. A two time champion, the single season record holder for sacks, Strahan was a monster for a decade in this league. Will Shields was a perennial pro bowler. I guess its unfair to compare generations and contribution. Heck Commissioner Tagilabue can't get in even though the league became a financial cash cow during his tenure.
I don't know what the standards are and I know my eyes are getting old, but these men need to be in the hall. Think about this Vinny Testaverde has thrown for over 40,000 yards in his career. He won't get in. Its the toughest club to enter...