Before i rant, I will say that I am using a computer at the library so posting photos of the athletes i talk about is missing from my blogs.. I miss showing my creativity.. (I Digress)
The question today is why? I will talk about a few sports and maybe you will ask me why not? I am confused about of a ton of life mysteries. One of the things I am confused about is players in the N.F.L. getting franchised tags put on them and then a team not signing them to along deal or the furor created about players who eventually get signed. Franchising a player means that a team his a one year exclusivity right to negotiate with a player who could become an unrestricted free agent. Drew Brees, Matt Forte, and Ray Rice are three of the best football players in the world and any team would be foolish to part ways with. The Saints, Bears and Ravens eventually stepped up and paid these men contracts and the sports universe should be happy. Now don't get me wrong, Brees, Rice, and Forte were going to get paid beaucoup dollars this season just to play one year and I am not crying for these players at all. I just don't understand the logic behind franchise tagging players at all. Especially players who when healthy do more than contribute to victories and the upliftment(if that is a word) of said team. I understand what the players gripe are. They want long term stability. They want to know that a team wants them, appreciates them, and is willing to stand by them. The team is concerned about injury, image, and salary cap room. That to me is a disgrace. Wes Welker is why. He is the best slot receiver in football bar none. He has caught over 550 since he became a Patriot and is first in the league in several other categories in his six years with the Pats. He has been a perennial pro bowler and is simply Tom Brady's go to man. The simple fact that he gets hurt or the fact that he dropped a difficult pass in the super bowl last year is not good enough for me. I understand that players age and may lose a step or two over the years, but his risk has been a huge reward for the Patriots. He is not replacable. Other players may be. Josh Scobee is a kicker and a kicker value is only missed when the replacement kicker starts missing field goals or the average starting position on the field is not good. Dwayne Bowe is the only receiving threat worth anything on the Chiefs but maybe the Chiefs are going to try and re-live 2010 where they led the league in rushing. You still need to pass the ball to set up the run at times in the games so I dont know what the Chiefs are thinking about. The Lions think that they have a plethora of defensive line players and that Mr. Avril is expendable. He may be but didn't the Giants just win the Super Bowl because their defensive line had a plethora of players who could rush the passer?
My other why has to do with Tiger Woods. Why does the sports media spend so much time eulogizing him when he is not dead or done? The biggest deal in sports isn't sports itself it is the speculation and innuendo created by people who can't play any sports. Rick Reilly has been writing sports for almost 30 years and i respect his knowledge and creativity but the most recent Tiger piece was offensive and an attempt to call attention to himself. Last year the golfing world said Tiger was done winning tournaments. He has won 3 already this year. He hasn't won a major since the U.S. Open in 2009. We get it. Roger Federer is showing the world how to age gracefully and win major titles and maybe Tiger will learn from him. So many more stories to talk about in sports. Tiger Woods has 14 years left on the PGA tour before he goes to the Senior Tour. That means he has 54 chances to win 5 major tournaments to pass Jack. If he wins 100 tournaments and not the 18 majors that everyone wants him to do, is his career a failure? Let him play golf and enjoy the ride, resurgence, and skill level. I guess Federer was done too until he won Wimbeldon right?
Ihave some other why's but I will save them for a rainy day..
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Nothing still beats Boxing
I watched with wide open eyes last night the fight between Amir Khan and Danny Garcia last night and nothing still gives me a rush like a quality knockout like boxing. I know the world is falling madly in love with mixed martial arts but nothing beats a simple butt kicking in boxing. Khan was absolutely "bombing" Garcia last night. Garcia was getting hit with the kitchen sink, garage sink, bath tub, walk in closet, pet gold fish, and recliner. All three of the announcers kept warning that Khan has a soft chin and that his over aggressive tactics may get him caught because "Garcia is tough as nails". They listened in to Garcia's corner and Garcia's dad, who is his trainer said that the left hook was there and the upper cut if Garcia would just take a step back. Khan was on the attack and Garcia took a step back and absolutely flattened him. Khan never saw the punch because he was already engaged in throwing a punch. He actually landed the punch he threw but got absolutely "mollywhopped" with the left hand and was done. Yes Khan showed some toughness and "heart" because he fought hard in the next round before he was dropped twice and the ref stopped the fight. I give him credit for being valiant. The decision to stop the fight was correct. I can't believe that I witnessed what i saw. Boxing is always critcized for tainted outcomes. I am excited that fight left no reason for doubt.
MMA last week had Anderson Silva TKO Sonen and it wasn't nearly as compelling. Yes Sonen nearly beat Silva in the last fight and talked a great fight before they met, but c'mon, did you really think Silva was not going to be prepared and hungry to shut Sonen up? Silva hasn't lost in a decade and he left no doubt that he wont be losing any time soon. Then the worst injustice happen in the Ortiz/Griffin fight just before. Griffin himself said it was at least a draw. Ortiz dominated him in the second and third round and was even with him in the other rounds. Boxing isnt the only sports that have b.s. results. MMA at least makes these fight again to shut up all speculation. However, Ortiz was inducted into the MMA hall of fame that day and deserved a bit more respect and a victory.
I am just saying for me boxing is simply better when you get a decisive result and a star is born. Did you see the Heavyweight fight when David Haye knocked the other Brit out in the 5th round? This fight only happened becausethese two men got into a fight after Haye whipped his butt at a post fight conference. Only in boxing could an insignifcant fight happen between two guys that don't mean anything to anyone but the two fighters, and not only get worldwide attention but make millions of dollars for both involved. MMA fights dont get paid nearly as well as boxers do. Plus right now MMA needs an infusion of new blood. The old champs keep on winning and the re-matches are getting old and uninteresting. What next for boxing? Some good title fights in the fall. New faces and new champs. Floyd will be out soon. Manny needs to regain his belt. Yes Iknow he was robbed, but maybe Manny needs to do like Garcia and not leave it up to a judge in order to get his result.. That is why the knockout is the most dominant form of destruction in sports right?
MMA last week had Anderson Silva TKO Sonen and it wasn't nearly as compelling. Yes Sonen nearly beat Silva in the last fight and talked a great fight before they met, but c'mon, did you really think Silva was not going to be prepared and hungry to shut Sonen up? Silva hasn't lost in a decade and he left no doubt that he wont be losing any time soon. Then the worst injustice happen in the Ortiz/Griffin fight just before. Griffin himself said it was at least a draw. Ortiz dominated him in the second and third round and was even with him in the other rounds. Boxing isnt the only sports that have b.s. results. MMA at least makes these fight again to shut up all speculation. However, Ortiz was inducted into the MMA hall of fame that day and deserved a bit more respect and a victory.
I am just saying for me boxing is simply better when you get a decisive result and a star is born. Did you see the Heavyweight fight when David Haye knocked the other Brit out in the 5th round? This fight only happened becausethese two men got into a fight after Haye whipped his butt at a post fight conference. Only in boxing could an insignifcant fight happen between two guys that don't mean anything to anyone but the two fighters, and not only get worldwide attention but make millions of dollars for both involved. MMA fights dont get paid nearly as well as boxers do. Plus right now MMA needs an infusion of new blood. The old champs keep on winning and the re-matches are getting old and uninteresting. What next for boxing? Some good title fights in the fall. New faces and new champs. Floyd will be out soon. Manny needs to regain his belt. Yes Iknow he was robbed, but maybe Manny needs to do like Garcia and not leave it up to a judge in order to get his result.. That is why the knockout is the most dominant form of destruction in sports right?
Thursday, July 12, 2012
What to expect in the second half..
The first half of the baseball season was extremely confusing and exciting, We saw no-hitters thrown by Weaver, Santana, Humber, the Mariners staff, and of course the Perfecto by Matt Cain. We saw Josh Hamilton hit 4 homeruns in a game. Matt Kemp electrify the month of April. The Dodgers, Pirates, and Nationals lead the divisions. Mike Trout and Bryce Harper amaze us with their bats, legs, and gloves. Edwin Encarnacion, James Mcdonald, A.J. Burnett, Johnny Cueto and Brandon Phillips get snubbedd from the all star game. R.A. Dickey dazzle, and the Yankees and Rangers show dominance in the American League. We saw Jamie Moyer at age 49 get a win for the Rockies before he got released. Ozzie get in trouble for his Castro comments. Strasburg just being filthy. Beltran find the fountain of youth. Bobby V. treated like a villain in his local team market. Linncecum and Pujols struggle, the Phillies start to implode right in front of eyes, and Adam Dunn find his homerun stroke again. That is a lot to digest and a lot to recall.
How can the second half live up to all of that plus with 2 wild cards this year give us the same thrills and chills? Well several things will have to happen. Firstly, the Phillies got Utley and Howard back and they still keep losing. They get Roy Halliday back next week and with Cliff Lee finally getting a win, maybe they have the team that can put together a 10 game streak to send notice to everyone that they are not done. They have way too many good players to be this bad and with no one playing in the All star game too significantly, this team can get it done. As a Met fan, I am afraid. If I was Charlie Manuel, I would call a team meeting today and ask his team "who is all in with me"? Way too many great players with big contracts to be sub par.
Secondly are the Red Sox. I hate to keep giving the east coast teams so much publicity but they really do control the balance of power in all sports. The Red Sox got rid of Kevin Youklis and now he is flourishing in Chicago. This team gets back Ellsbury, Crawford, and if they can get a true closer, they too can make a run for the post season. Most people concede that the Angels are going to have one of the wild card spots so the Rays, Red Sox, Tigers, and Indians are going to have to step up their games and fight. The Red Sox could field an entire new team on the field that would surpass the underachieving one that has played in the first half. The Tigers just need to start to perform. Delmon Young is too good to being barely hitting .250 with only 10 homeruns. Prince Fielder showed his prowess at the all star game and with only 14 dingers, he must match Miguel Cabrera or this team is done. If the Rays get back Evan Longoria they have the pitching to get it done. We shall see.
The other huge story are the Pirates and Nats. Both teams are young and have potential to be a big pain for a lot of teams this second half. Last year the Pirates hung around until mid July and then after a blown call by the homeplate umpire, they went into the tank. They have solid starting pitching and the best closer in the N.L. and they have the league M.V.P. thus far in McCutcheon. Teams would be wise to make other guys beat them but if LaRoche and Alvarez keep getting clutch hits they may have enough to hold off the Reds and Cards. Joey Votto may have a lot to do with what team comes out of the Central. He too is having an M.V.P. season but the Reds tend to wilt in the hot Cinncinati sun. St. Louis is having a great season without Carpenter and Pujols. They need more from Craig and Freese if they intend on staying in the race.
Now the Nats have the biggest problem. They have announced to the world that Strasburg will be shut down after 160 innings. On the pace he is on, that could mean some time in August. Is he supposed to tank games so he can pitch in the meaningful September games? Bryce Harper has yet to hit the rookie wall. They haven't had their entire team all season either and would be devastating if they collapse in September because of no Strasburg and fatigue of Harper. Jason Werth and both Zimmerman's have not been around alot this year and they are still in first place. Will they make a move? They have two weeks to figure out who they are. The Mets still cant spend money. The Braves are giving Ben Sheets a chance. The Marlins just picked up Carlos Lee. Standing pat may not get it done for the Nats, but it will be fun to see how it unfolds.
The Dodgers, Giants, and Diamondbacks are getting ready for a war. Matt hopes to be healthy and restore order in the division. Colorado plays best in the second half and have not played well since Tulowitski was put on D.L. The Angels are hoping that Pujols can get his number up to normal and that their pitching can hold up in the heat of the O.C. A very tough 10 games to start the second half for them could bury them. (Yankees,Tigers, and Rangers) Will more than two players hit 50 homers? Will we see more no hitters? I hope so.. Cant wait!!!
How can the second half live up to all of that plus with 2 wild cards this year give us the same thrills and chills? Well several things will have to happen. Firstly, the Phillies got Utley and Howard back and they still keep losing. They get Roy Halliday back next week and with Cliff Lee finally getting a win, maybe they have the team that can put together a 10 game streak to send notice to everyone that they are not done. They have way too many good players to be this bad and with no one playing in the All star game too significantly, this team can get it done. As a Met fan, I am afraid. If I was Charlie Manuel, I would call a team meeting today and ask his team "who is all in with me"? Way too many great players with big contracts to be sub par.
Secondly are the Red Sox. I hate to keep giving the east coast teams so much publicity but they really do control the balance of power in all sports. The Red Sox got rid of Kevin Youklis and now he is flourishing in Chicago. This team gets back Ellsbury, Crawford, and if they can get a true closer, they too can make a run for the post season. Most people concede that the Angels are going to have one of the wild card spots so the Rays, Red Sox, Tigers, and Indians are going to have to step up their games and fight. The Red Sox could field an entire new team on the field that would surpass the underachieving one that has played in the first half. The Tigers just need to start to perform. Delmon Young is too good to being barely hitting .250 with only 10 homeruns. Prince Fielder showed his prowess at the all star game and with only 14 dingers, he must match Miguel Cabrera or this team is done. If the Rays get back Evan Longoria they have the pitching to get it done. We shall see.
The other huge story are the Pirates and Nats. Both teams are young and have potential to be a big pain for a lot of teams this second half. Last year the Pirates hung around until mid July and then after a blown call by the homeplate umpire, they went into the tank. They have solid starting pitching and the best closer in the N.L. and they have the league M.V.P. thus far in McCutcheon. Teams would be wise to make other guys beat them but if LaRoche and Alvarez keep getting clutch hits they may have enough to hold off the Reds and Cards. Joey Votto may have a lot to do with what team comes out of the Central. He too is having an M.V.P. season but the Reds tend to wilt in the hot Cinncinati sun. St. Louis is having a great season without Carpenter and Pujols. They need more from Craig and Freese if they intend on staying in the race.
Now the Nats have the biggest problem. They have announced to the world that Strasburg will be shut down after 160 innings. On the pace he is on, that could mean some time in August. Is he supposed to tank games so he can pitch in the meaningful September games? Bryce Harper has yet to hit the rookie wall. They haven't had their entire team all season either and would be devastating if they collapse in September because of no Strasburg and fatigue of Harper. Jason Werth and both Zimmerman's have not been around alot this year and they are still in first place. Will they make a move? They have two weeks to figure out who they are. The Mets still cant spend money. The Braves are giving Ben Sheets a chance. The Marlins just picked up Carlos Lee. Standing pat may not get it done for the Nats, but it will be fun to see how it unfolds.
The Dodgers, Giants, and Diamondbacks are getting ready for a war. Matt hopes to be healthy and restore order in the division. Colorado plays best in the second half and have not played well since Tulowitski was put on D.L. The Angels are hoping that Pujols can get his number up to normal and that their pitching can hold up in the heat of the O.C. A very tough 10 games to start the second half for them could bury them. (Yankees,Tigers, and Rangers) Will more than two players hit 50 homers? Will we see more no hitters? I hope so.. Cant wait!!!
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Kobe Bryant says this current team could beat original dream team..
Kobe Bean Bryant has been one of my favorite players in the NBA over the last 16 years. He is tough, extremely talented, gutsy, venomous, and a winner. He has five titles to his credit and he has a ton of street cred when he plays or speaks. I think he may have stepped on a land mine when he said that this current team could beat the "DreamTeam" if they played. I heard last night that a team of current all stars of college players defeated the current team. I know that it happened 20 years ago but Chuck Daly stopped the game as the "Dream Team" was making a comeback. He wanted them to know that they could be beat. The very next scrimmage the college team got absolutely obliterated and no team got closer than 32 points against the "Dream Team".
Lets break down the rosters. First, Micheal Jordan has no equal. Kobe Bryant and Lebron James are players who try and emulate their games to Micheal Jordan. Jordan was 29 in 1992 and was at the apex of his dominance. Ask Toni Kukoc about how good his defense was and the utter humiliation that he was put under at the Olympics. Kobe and Lebron are great. Micheal Jordan would wear both of them out. Who is going to guard Magic? Magic was 33 and had an entire year off from the league because of the H.I.V. scare and just was named M.V.P of the all star game. Back in those days, they defended you 94 feet and he would have had a fast break field day against this team that has no defensive stand outs. Lets talk about the center position. Tyson Chandler is athletic and quick. David Robinson and Patrick Ewing could score on him at will and get him in foul trouble before he was able to get a grasp of what was happening to him. I love Blake Griffin and Kevin Love but Malone and Barkley would destroy then. Not only that, Griffin and Love are this teams current back up centers. Ewing and Robinson have at least 5 inches on both of them. It would be a disaster. I haven't even mentioned Drexler and Pippen and Stockton. The players today can't even spell screen and roll. The defense that Pippen and Clyde would put on Durant and Lebron would be humiliating. Even after all of that Chris Mullin would shoot the lights out if that is what the team needed that day. Do I need to say more?
I dont even have to mention Christian Laetner. He is one of the 10 greatest college basketball players ever to play the game. Even he would get at least 15 points against this team. They won every game except the final game by 40 plus points. In fact only maybe three players on the current dream team would make this roster. I haven't even mentioned Larry Bird. Yeah he had a bad back but he could still post and shoot on anyone in the league at that time, this time, or anytime. I love ya Kobe.. But this current team would lose by at least 20 points. This current team is missing several key players and even they wouldn't impact the butt whipping they would get. The current is younger and maybe more athletic, but they are still just learning how to play the game. Plus Kobe himself is 34. he doesn't have the same "magic" in his legs as he did as a younger player. I saw that Vegas has the line at 8 points. It wouldnt be close unless Coach K. went Princeton offense.
Lets break down the rosters. First, Micheal Jordan has no equal. Kobe Bryant and Lebron James are players who try and emulate their games to Micheal Jordan. Jordan was 29 in 1992 and was at the apex of his dominance. Ask Toni Kukoc about how good his defense was and the utter humiliation that he was put under at the Olympics. Kobe and Lebron are great. Micheal Jordan would wear both of them out. Who is going to guard Magic? Magic was 33 and had an entire year off from the league because of the H.I.V. scare and just was named M.V.P of the all star game. Back in those days, they defended you 94 feet and he would have had a fast break field day against this team that has no defensive stand outs. Lets talk about the center position. Tyson Chandler is athletic and quick. David Robinson and Patrick Ewing could score on him at will and get him in foul trouble before he was able to get a grasp of what was happening to him. I love Blake Griffin and Kevin Love but Malone and Barkley would destroy then. Not only that, Griffin and Love are this teams current back up centers. Ewing and Robinson have at least 5 inches on both of them. It would be a disaster. I haven't even mentioned Drexler and Pippen and Stockton. The players today can't even spell screen and roll. The defense that Pippen and Clyde would put on Durant and Lebron would be humiliating. Even after all of that Chris Mullin would shoot the lights out if that is what the team needed that day. Do I need to say more?
I dont even have to mention Christian Laetner. He is one of the 10 greatest college basketball players ever to play the game. Even he would get at least 15 points against this team. They won every game except the final game by 40 plus points. In fact only maybe three players on the current dream team would make this roster. I haven't even mentioned Larry Bird. Yeah he had a bad back but he could still post and shoot on anyone in the league at that time, this time, or anytime. I love ya Kobe.. But this current team would lose by at least 20 points. This current team is missing several key players and even they wouldn't impact the butt whipping they would get. The current is younger and maybe more athletic, but they are still just learning how to play the game. Plus Kobe himself is 34. he doesn't have the same "magic" in his legs as he did as a younger player. I saw that Vegas has the line at 8 points. It wouldnt be close unless Coach K. went Princeton offense.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
I love the lists that these networks keep putting out..
The NFL network put out a list a few weeks ago where the players rated the 100 best players in the NFL. ESPN and Ron Jaworski just put out a lit of the top 30 quarterbacks in the league. Doesn't that get you fired up for the upcoming season in football? Everyone's favorite darling, Tim Tebow made both lists and Aaron Rodgers topped both lists. I was extremely surprised at Rodgers ranking because he did not have the best stats, the best team and they did not win the best prize. Everey day we watch sports all we hear about is the ring. They play for the ring in basketball, football, and baseball. All we are inundated with is commentary about how winning the ring is the most important thing and individual accomplishments dont mean a thing. Well guess what? I guess that talk is only to fill in time on the 24 hour news services and networks because Aaron Rodgers did not win the ring. Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning did not either. How Eli Manning is not a top of both lists is a joke to me and heres why..
The Nfl Network poll of top 100 players rated Eli Manning 30th on their list. 30th? He threw for over 4900 yards. He led the Giants to several fourth quarter comeback and victories. He beat Rodgers once and Brady twice, He plays in the most difficult division in pro football and in the most difficult city to play sports in. He ended the Patriots 21 game home win streak. In the playoffs, he led the Giants to victory over Atlanta who won more than 10 games, Green Bay who won more than 13 games, San Francisco who who won more than 13 games and then New England who won more than 13 games. He won all of these games except Atlanta on the road and the Giants were underdogs in all of the games. What does the man have to do to get his respect. He proclaimed last year that he is in the class of Brady and his brother Peyton. What was he supposed to say? "No, I suck and I got lucky to win a ring?" Every network ran that story and laughed in his face for saying that. Well guess who has the hardware basedon the 2012 season? Guess who outplayed everyone of the quaterbacks rated ahead of him? Guess who has more rings than Rodgers, Brees, and Peyton Manning?
The Ron Jaworski rating is even more comical because Peyton Manning did not even play a single down last year. We don't know what we are going to get from Peyton Manning this year. He look impressive on tape and on youtube, but what happens when he gets hit? Eli doesn't even get mention in New York. Every story is about Tebow and Sanchez. Tebow and Sanchez have as many Super Bowl wins as i have. They also have as many Super Bowl appearances as I have. My friend David Karatz has more super appearances than Tebow and Sanchez. The Jets haven't been to the Super Bowl since I was 1 year old. They belong on VH-1 as a reality television show as opposed to a football team. Tony Romo and Mike Vick get all of the talk in the NFC east. Neither of them have a SuperBowl ring either.
So what does this all mean? It means nothing to Eli Manning. He made his statement last year and looks forward to defending his title this year. What it means to me is that the ring is what they play for and if you win the ring and are the reason that you won the ring then you should be on top of every list. Isn't that what we hear every day? I will defend Eli Manning every day. We are born on the same day and Capricorns rule..
The Nfl Network poll of top 100 players rated Eli Manning 30th on their list. 30th? He threw for over 4900 yards. He led the Giants to several fourth quarter comeback and victories. He beat Rodgers once and Brady twice, He plays in the most difficult division in pro football and in the most difficult city to play sports in. He ended the Patriots 21 game home win streak. In the playoffs, he led the Giants to victory over Atlanta who won more than 10 games, Green Bay who won more than 13 games, San Francisco who who won more than 13 games and then New England who won more than 13 games. He won all of these games except Atlanta on the road and the Giants were underdogs in all of the games. What does the man have to do to get his respect. He proclaimed last year that he is in the class of Brady and his brother Peyton. What was he supposed to say? "No, I suck and I got lucky to win a ring?" Every network ran that story and laughed in his face for saying that. Well guess who has the hardware basedon the 2012 season? Guess who outplayed everyone of the quaterbacks rated ahead of him? Guess who has more rings than Rodgers, Brees, and Peyton Manning?
The Ron Jaworski rating is even more comical because Peyton Manning did not even play a single down last year. We don't know what we are going to get from Peyton Manning this year. He look impressive on tape and on youtube, but what happens when he gets hit? Eli doesn't even get mention in New York. Every story is about Tebow and Sanchez. Tebow and Sanchez have as many Super Bowl wins as i have. They also have as many Super Bowl appearances as I have. My friend David Karatz has more super appearances than Tebow and Sanchez. The Jets haven't been to the Super Bowl since I was 1 year old. They belong on VH-1 as a reality television show as opposed to a football team. Tony Romo and Mike Vick get all of the talk in the NFC east. Neither of them have a SuperBowl ring either.
So what does this all mean? It means nothing to Eli Manning. He made his statement last year and looks forward to defending his title this year. What it means to me is that the ring is what they play for and if you win the ring and are the reason that you won the ring then you should be on top of every list. Isn't that what we hear every day? I will defend Eli Manning every day. We are born on the same day and Capricorns rule..
Federer is simply the best..
Just when you thought that 2012 was going to be the year of vindication and triumph for all athletes, something happens that makes you realize that some thing just may not be meant to be. Spain defeated Portugal and denied Christian Ronaldo a chance to be a champion in a year where he is clearly been defined as Europes best footballer. He has had a magical year and leading his country to the Eurocup would have been quite a topping on his iced cream cone. This year so far we have seen Tiger win three times after hearing that he may never win again. Serena Williams winning Wimbeldon after being elimnated in the first round at the French and being deemed over the hill. We have seen Lebron win his first title. Coach Cal lead Kentucky to a title. Maria Sharapova ascend to number 1 in the world and complete the career grand slam. We have seen Dale Earnhardt Jr. win a NASCAR race and the Los Angeles Kings win the Stanly Cup. Andy Murray could not unfortunately join this vindication group however. The reason is tha Roger Federer was seeking his own vindication and validation.
Roger Federer has won more major titles in his sport than any individual has in their sport in this generation. Serena has 14. Tiger has 14, Kobe has 5. Marty Brodeur has a handful. Derek Jeter has 5. Is he the greatest tennis player to live? Most say yes because of some of the records he has posted. The consecutive streak at number 1 is amazing. The records for consecutive grand slam semi-finals and quarter finals will never be duplicated. He has made tennis more than relevant world wide and has elevated the play on the court. I have never seen someone have a reply for every type of shot hit or every type of style. I mean, he hits winning shots off of winning shots. He "holds" shots on his racket and then strikes with precision of a surgeon. He makes great players look silly and he has been doing this for many, many years. He has beaten Sampras and Agassi. He has an all court game that translates on all surfaces. What else can one say?
The only problem for me is that he has only one French Open title because Rafael Nadal is just a better dirt baller. I never saw Rod Laver play and so I cannot say that Federer was better than he. Laver is the only man to win the grand slam of tennis. He actually did it twice. Laver had grace and finesse around the net and I often wonder what would Federer have done to off set his game. The reason Nadal gets him on clay every time is the spin and kick of Nadals ball to Federer back hand give him fits. Laver was a lefty and may have used the "crafty" lefty ways to defeat Federer. We will of course never know but i wonder if they could C.G.I the match just to see what would happen. Nadal actually beat Federer on grass a couple of years ago and made everyone speculate that the torch was about to be passed. Federer continues to show that he is not ready to relinquish anything and beating Murray in Wimbeldon, he reminds us that he still has game.
Federer is now the number 1 ranked player in the world again. The Olympics will be yet another stage where he shows us how great he is. I really wanted Murray to win the other morning because he truly is carrying the wait of the United Kingdom on his shoulders. The Olympics are in London and maybe Murray will get another chance to play for the gold. I just hope that he is not in Federers draw, because if he is, he will most certainly be defeated..
Roger Federer has won more major titles in his sport than any individual has in their sport in this generation. Serena has 14. Tiger has 14, Kobe has 5. Marty Brodeur has a handful. Derek Jeter has 5. Is he the greatest tennis player to live? Most say yes because of some of the records he has posted. The consecutive streak at number 1 is amazing. The records for consecutive grand slam semi-finals and quarter finals will never be duplicated. He has made tennis more than relevant world wide and has elevated the play on the court. I have never seen someone have a reply for every type of shot hit or every type of style. I mean, he hits winning shots off of winning shots. He "holds" shots on his racket and then strikes with precision of a surgeon. He makes great players look silly and he has been doing this for many, many years. He has beaten Sampras and Agassi. He has an all court game that translates on all surfaces. What else can one say?
The only problem for me is that he has only one French Open title because Rafael Nadal is just a better dirt baller. I never saw Rod Laver play and so I cannot say that Federer was better than he. Laver is the only man to win the grand slam of tennis. He actually did it twice. Laver had grace and finesse around the net and I often wonder what would Federer have done to off set his game. The reason Nadal gets him on clay every time is the spin and kick of Nadals ball to Federer back hand give him fits. Laver was a lefty and may have used the "crafty" lefty ways to defeat Federer. We will of course never know but i wonder if they could C.G.I the match just to see what would happen. Nadal actually beat Federer on grass a couple of years ago and made everyone speculate that the torch was about to be passed. Federer continues to show that he is not ready to relinquish anything and beating Murray in Wimbeldon, he reminds us that he still has game.
Federer is now the number 1 ranked player in the world again. The Olympics will be yet another stage where he shows us how great he is. I really wanted Murray to win the other morning because he truly is carrying the wait of the United Kingdom on his shoulders. The Olympics are in London and maybe Murray will get another chance to play for the gold. I just hope that he is not in Federers draw, because if he is, he will most certainly be defeated..
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Nash and Kidd hoping for walkoff into the sunset
What can I say? Jason Kidd is about to become a Knick. Steve Nash a Laker. Both guys are pushing 40. Kidd has been around since 1994. Nash been around since 1996. I have had the pleasure of meeting both and find them extremely cool and pleasant when talking to them. Kidd has had so much drama in his hall of fame career. Remember the Jim Jackson, Toni Braxton, and Kidd love triangle? Remember the drama with his wife and Phoenix and the New Jersey? He has his title so I just expected him to ride off into the sunset and wait for his coronation into the hall of fame. This past season was not spectacular for him in Dallas. Top ten in assists is normal. Scoring average was nothing to write home about. He is moving up on career assist and three point shot records. But what did he really do this past season. Dallas in my opinion got their ring and acted as if they were taking the year off. They have since lost Tyson Chandler, Desean Stevenson, J.J. Barrera, Jason Terry is now a Celtic, Caron Butler is a Clipper and now Kidd. Mark Cuban has a paln in place i guess but I haven't seen a dismantling of team like this since 2003 when the Florida Marlins did it in baseball. They did it for financial reason. They could barely make payroll and lost everyone, and everything that was not bolted to the floor.
Kidd is a great teammate based on everything that i have ever read about him and heard. Is he better than Jeremy Lin? Lin torched Dallas and Kidd for 38 points in a game last year. Lin is being wooed by other teams in the league as he too is a free agent. I think the Knicks will have them both in the fold because in my opinion Lin is not a leading point guard. He is great off the bench to provide a spark. Yes he had brilliant games against several teams last year and the Knicks had a great record with him in the lineup, but i could get 15 on him (if i was in shape). Neither guy is a defensive stopper, but Kidd is maybe the right guy to lead this team because he believes in the pass first, shoot third mantra. Kidd will do whatever is necessary to win. He is what the Knicks need right now. With J.R. Smith, Carmelo, and Amare all wanting the ball, they need a point guard who will give it up and not care about the consequences. Sorry Lin fans. The Knicks will be his team in the future soon enough.
Nash to the Lakers is funny to me. Dont you love it when people say that they wont play for this team or that team and then they are on that team? Nash was going to be a Knick, but in the 23rd hour, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers said not so fast my friend. Nash has made millionaires out everyone he plays with. Joe Johnson got paid in Atlanta. Amare got paid in New York. He is the prototypical guy who makes everyone better(and richer). Kobe has never had a guard likethis in his 16 year career. They were in the same draft and respect each other games. I wonder if the league owned Phoenix would they have allowed this trade to go through? This could have been Chris Paul.(should have been Chris Paul). I am confused as to why no one is clamoring about this trade like last year. Can this team stop Oklahoma City or the Spurs, Nuggets? The answer is definitely no. Can they outscore those teams now with a NBA all star at every position? Probably. If Gasol and Bynum dont get better because of this trade, then they dont have a basketball I.Q. worth anything. If Ron Artest does not get better because of this trade, then he does not have a basketball clue either. Nash and Coach Brown may have to become like Ditka and Buddy. Buddy was the defense guy and Ditka was the offense guy. Brown's strength is defense and would be wise to trust Nash to run the offense as he sees it. If he doesn't this could be an absolute disaster.
Both men dont need validation for their careers to be hall worthy. Obviously as a Knick fan I want Kidd to succeed and win a title immediately. Nash has probaly an easier task because the East will be better than the west for the first time in a long time. Shane rode off into the sunset and got shot. Lets hope both men continue to bring the excitement to the game and maybe meet in the finals. This going to be a wild summer in the NBA.
Kidd is a great teammate based on everything that i have ever read about him and heard. Is he better than Jeremy Lin? Lin torched Dallas and Kidd for 38 points in a game last year. Lin is being wooed by other teams in the league as he too is a free agent. I think the Knicks will have them both in the fold because in my opinion Lin is not a leading point guard. He is great off the bench to provide a spark. Yes he had brilliant games against several teams last year and the Knicks had a great record with him in the lineup, but i could get 15 on him (if i was in shape). Neither guy is a defensive stopper, but Kidd is maybe the right guy to lead this team because he believes in the pass first, shoot third mantra. Kidd will do whatever is necessary to win. He is what the Knicks need right now. With J.R. Smith, Carmelo, and Amare all wanting the ball, they need a point guard who will give it up and not care about the consequences. Sorry Lin fans. The Knicks will be his team in the future soon enough.
Nash to the Lakers is funny to me. Dont you love it when people say that they wont play for this team or that team and then they are on that team? Nash was going to be a Knick, but in the 23rd hour, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers said not so fast my friend. Nash has made millionaires out everyone he plays with. Joe Johnson got paid in Atlanta. Amare got paid in New York. He is the prototypical guy who makes everyone better(and richer). Kobe has never had a guard likethis in his 16 year career. They were in the same draft and respect each other games. I wonder if the league owned Phoenix would they have allowed this trade to go through? This could have been Chris Paul.(should have been Chris Paul). I am confused as to why no one is clamoring about this trade like last year. Can this team stop Oklahoma City or the Spurs, Nuggets? The answer is definitely no. Can they outscore those teams now with a NBA all star at every position? Probably. If Gasol and Bynum dont get better because of this trade, then they dont have a basketball I.Q. worth anything. If Ron Artest does not get better because of this trade, then he does not have a basketball clue either. Nash and Coach Brown may have to become like Ditka and Buddy. Buddy was the defense guy and Ditka was the offense guy. Brown's strength is defense and would be wise to trust Nash to run the offense as he sees it. If he doesn't this could be an absolute disaster.
Both men dont need validation for their careers to be hall worthy. Obviously as a Knick fan I want Kidd to succeed and win a title immediately. Nash has probaly an easier task because the East will be better than the west for the first time in a long time. Shane rode off into the sunset and got shot. Lets hope both men continue to bring the excitement to the game and maybe meet in the finals. This going to be a wild summer in the NBA.
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