I have been recently struggling with one thing in my life. No that’s not true at all…but one major thing about sports. Attachment. Ok so, I am not a little kid anymore, at least I don’t look like one… yet, why do I find myself struggling so much to say goodbye to players when they’ve been traded? Why do I find myself so attached to players from my favorite sports teams even if they are bad people, and quite frankly substandard, poor-quality, second-rate players? Why do I find myself so upset when Nate Robinson is hauled out of New York like a cheap date on prom night? I mean come on; does a three-time dunk champion not mean anything to you people these days? Why am I so obsessed with human interest stories, why can’t I just root for my team to win?
Well, that is just the thing. I cannot just root for my team to win. I cannot just look at the final score. I cannot just sit back idle when a player on my team dons the colors I bleed, and I don’t even know him. I care about the players. I care who’s friends with who, I care who had to overcome adversity to get to this point, I care who made it back from microfracture knee surgery, and who’s career needs a resurgence to gain the respect of the sports nation once again. I care about potential, about the people, about the emotion.
I little earlier, I was talking to my little sister about the NBA trades that were just made. I explained how Tracy McGrady a two time scoring champion and future hall of famer will be playing for the Knicks for the last 29 games of the season. She asked me, “but, isn’t he upset that he had to leave his team in the middle of the season”? I tried to act as any other sport fan would these days,
“It’s a business,” I said. “The organization has to do what’s best for them.” It was at this exact point in my life that I realized I hated the word “business.” It is the antithesis of human interest; it is the antithesis of everything I root for.
You see, I’ll put it this way, what my favorite team has just subsequently asked me to do, is say goodbye to players I have loved for (some of them) up to five years, say hello to a completely new group of players, learn their ages, colleges, backgrounds, and personalities; and then act as if each jump shot these new players take is the mere difference between life and death for me. Don’t misunderstand me, this is all going to happen, but I don’t like it. For example, the human-interest story of Tracy McGrady is enough for me to still root for alone, but let’s be honest with what’s going to happen here; McGrady is going to play 29 games for the Knicks and in all likelihood be shipped off to a team I hate at the end of the season. I’ll watch him on his new team dejectedly, and repeat in my mind, “man I wish that guy had won a championship here.” It’s usually my go-to line. And, all of this will happen because sports is a “business.” Do you think the Knicks cared about the name on the back of the jersey of the guy whose 22.3 million dollar contract expires at the end of the season? Me neither.
So am I against all trades? Heck no! Trade, trade, trade away if it helps your team, and well of course, the player you’re trading isn’t a fan favorite. Camby can go play for the blazers, and Garnet can play for the Celts, and Jamison for the Cavs, especially if the situation hadn’t been working out before, i.e. Jamison. But seriously, what is Eddie house going to do that Nate Robinson can’t? Can Eddie House even dunk?
In conclusion, the problem here is that I root for the players instead of the team. I always want each player to be the right fit for my team, no matter what his age is, college was, background may have been, or the flaws he may possess. Well, unless of course, they just aren’t good players, i.e. Jonathan Bender. The point here is, it’s time I stop routing for the players; for my health. Players will come, players will go. I need to stop the individuals from sparking my excitement, and stop the individuals from sparking my temper, i.e. Jonathan Bender. Because, when it’s all said and done, there is only one thing left, “the business.”
Then again, the Knicks are on soon…I hope McGrady scores 30.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
This is NOT For Your Health; "it's just what happens when I am restless"
I hope Michael Crabtree re-enters the draft and gets re-drafted by the niners.
I hope Shawn Merriman gets horse collared so bad he can’t play the rest of the year. (lights out)
I wish someone would tell Joe Paterno he doesn’t do anything on the sidelines and maybe he should just leave.
I wish Jake Delhomme and Marc Bulger would get a room together at the “What Happened to my career” motel.
I wish Steven Jackson would call Marshal Faulk and apologize for thinking he could do a better job.
I hope Michael Vick starts the rest of the year and dominates with the Beagles.
I wish someone explained to Charlie Weiss that his team would be fine if he just went on a diet. It’s disgusting.
I wish Tom Brady took over as Coach for the New England Patriots and Belichick never received any false credit again.
I wish Favre gave a heartfelt apology for ruining Sports Center the last two months and then Thomas Jones slapped him for saying Adrian Peterson was the first real running back he ever played with, while Ahman Green then chained him to a small crawl space... with some help from Dorsey Levens.
I wish Eli Manning and Philip Rivers got into a physical altercation resulting in personality manipulation for both of them, and then they become tolerable human beings.
I hope Issac Bruce leads the league in touchdowns and yards, and then moons the Rams front office.
I hope Ricky Rubio never makes it to the NBA.
I wish Roger Federer would beat the Capri’s off Rafeal Nadal, and then steal his racket.
I hope Greg Paulus, at some point this season, attempts a bounce pass.
I hope Greg Paulus attempts a field goal this season and misses…whats new, another missed three.
I wish Serena Williams talked more trash resulting in much more unintentional humor.
I wish Kanye West interrupted the Red Sox Wild Card acceptance. Sorry Texas, the race is over.
I wish the Lions would go 0-16 again. Because Culpepper is the future.
*This is Not for your health*
I hope Shawn Merriman gets horse collared so bad he can’t play the rest of the year. (lights out)
I wish someone would tell Joe Paterno he doesn’t do anything on the sidelines and maybe he should just leave.
I wish Jake Delhomme and Marc Bulger would get a room together at the “What Happened to my career” motel.
I wish Steven Jackson would call Marshal Faulk and apologize for thinking he could do a better job.
I hope Michael Vick starts the rest of the year and dominates with the Beagles.
I wish someone explained to Charlie Weiss that his team would be fine if he just went on a diet. It’s disgusting.
I wish Tom Brady took over as Coach for the New England Patriots and Belichick never received any false credit again.
I wish Favre gave a heartfelt apology for ruining Sports Center the last two months and then Thomas Jones slapped him for saying Adrian Peterson was the first real running back he ever played with, while Ahman Green then chained him to a small crawl space... with some help from Dorsey Levens.
I wish Eli Manning and Philip Rivers got into a physical altercation resulting in personality manipulation for both of them, and then they become tolerable human beings.
I hope Issac Bruce leads the league in touchdowns and yards, and then moons the Rams front office.
I hope Ricky Rubio never makes it to the NBA.
I wish Roger Federer would beat the Capri’s off Rafeal Nadal, and then steal his racket.
I hope Greg Paulus, at some point this season, attempts a bounce pass.
I hope Greg Paulus attempts a field goal this season and misses…whats new, another missed three.
I wish Serena Williams talked more trash resulting in much more unintentional humor.
I wish Kanye West interrupted the Red Sox Wild Card acceptance. Sorry Texas, the race is over.
I wish the Lions would go 0-16 again. Because Culpepper is the future.
*This is Not for your health*
Friday, July 17, 2009
For Your Health; Last Man Standing; Albert Pujols
Baseballs steroid era, the asterisks, the names, the guessing, and the soap opera that has ruined my sanity. I was listening to sports radio the other day, as I find myself doing many times, and one particular call-in guest decided to spark my attention with one phrase that really got me thinking. “There is no one player in baseball that would surprise me in the Mitchell report,” is what he said. No hesitation or resemblance of a pause, just the cold hard fact that not one single baseball player in the Mitchell report would shock him because supposedly, “too many players, who no one ever thought would have, have already come out as steroid users".
Let me first throw this out there; No organization in America (and Toronto?), have ever handled a situation with as much disregard for intellect as the people managing the steroid issue in baseball have. You got a clear problem in an organization, than fix it. If people are breaking a company policy (as well as the law), do something about it. This is honestly not that hard of a concept. It’s literally like placing two hands on the side of my head and squeezing as hard as possible when I think about this. MLB has a list of names and won’t release it? I’m still having trouble fathoming this. Dear commissioner, you want the steroid era discussion to be over? Then release the list of names that exists, and stop the guessing game. Release the list, the users will take what they got coming to them, and a la, steroid era in baseball over.
Oh, and who the in the heck is this Mitchell? (Reveal yourself).
Its times like this that I find myself oddly dreaming about Jose Conseco as the commissioner of baseball. Ah those are the good dreams...nightmares. Obviously the next part of the equation involves the ever so important question pertaining how to place the steroid users in the history books, but I think we can manage that part on a completely different occasion.
So now back to my call-in guest radio friend. Albeit, I will first state that I completely agree, in fact there are some players in baseball that would have no effect on me if they were found as to having used steroids. But this call-in guest is telling me that there is not one player in baseball who would shock him? Not one? Derek Jeter, David Wright, Joe Mauer, Ichiro, Mariano Rivera, Manny Ramirez….ok just kidding about Man Ram, but not one of the other guys?
Well ok, well then let’s take a look at power hitters. Take a second to rack your brain for power hitters in baseball right now. Take a moment to dig deep. Well, there’s Ryan Howard; we could make an argument for absolutely no not ever, but he is still young, let’s see his numbers in the next few seasons just to make sure. Prince Fielder? The guy is a vegetarian; you think he would put steroids in his body? After all, his power numbers have dropped…we could say maybe. Adam Dunn? I think he just swings as hard as he can…but I guess maybe. Oh but there is one that there is no argument for. After all is said and done, one man is left standing. Albert Pujols.
He is the only player in the history of the MLB to have at least 30 home runs in his first 9 seasons. He was voted the most feared hitter in baseball in a poll of all 30 major league managers in 2008. He has never batted below .314, batted in less than 103 runs, hit fewer than 32 home runs in a season, or slugged less than .561
Not a bad first baseman defensively either.
Let’s go beyond the numbers. Pujols adopted a daughter with Downs Syndrome. He owns his own foundation devoted to disabilities; the Pujols Family Foundation, which is dedicated to "the love, care and development of people with Down syndrome and their families," as well as helping the poor in the Dominican Republic. He was the face of the all-star game; he is the face of the MLB.
This guy is the best star we got right now on and off the field.
Now, tell me one more time Pujols wouldn’t surprise you in the Mitchell Report.
P.S- Pujols just hit his second homerun of the night….
Let me first throw this out there; No organization in America (and Toronto?), have ever handled a situation with as much disregard for intellect as the people managing the steroid issue in baseball have. You got a clear problem in an organization, than fix it. If people are breaking a company policy (as well as the law), do something about it. This is honestly not that hard of a concept. It’s literally like placing two hands on the side of my head and squeezing as hard as possible when I think about this. MLB has a list of names and won’t release it? I’m still having trouble fathoming this. Dear commissioner, you want the steroid era discussion to be over? Then release the list of names that exists, and stop the guessing game. Release the list, the users will take what they got coming to them, and a la, steroid era in baseball over.
Oh, and who the in the heck is this Mitchell? (Reveal yourself).
Its times like this that I find myself oddly dreaming about Jose Conseco as the commissioner of baseball. Ah those are the good dreams...nightmares. Obviously the next part of the equation involves the ever so important question pertaining how to place the steroid users in the history books, but I think we can manage that part on a completely different occasion.
So now back to my call-in guest radio friend. Albeit, I will first state that I completely agree, in fact there are some players in baseball that would have no effect on me if they were found as to having used steroids. But this call-in guest is telling me that there is not one player in baseball who would shock him? Not one? Derek Jeter, David Wright, Joe Mauer, Ichiro, Mariano Rivera, Manny Ramirez….ok just kidding about Man Ram, but not one of the other guys?
Well ok, well then let’s take a look at power hitters. Take a second to rack your brain for power hitters in baseball right now. Take a moment to dig deep. Well, there’s Ryan Howard; we could make an argument for absolutely no not ever, but he is still young, let’s see his numbers in the next few seasons just to make sure. Prince Fielder? The guy is a vegetarian; you think he would put steroids in his body? After all, his power numbers have dropped…we could say maybe. Adam Dunn? I think he just swings as hard as he can…but I guess maybe. Oh but there is one that there is no argument for. After all is said and done, one man is left standing. Albert Pujols.
He is the only player in the history of the MLB to have at least 30 home runs in his first 9 seasons. He was voted the most feared hitter in baseball in a poll of all 30 major league managers in 2008. He has never batted below .314, batted in less than 103 runs, hit fewer than 32 home runs in a season, or slugged less than .561
Not a bad first baseman defensively either.
Let’s go beyond the numbers. Pujols adopted a daughter with Downs Syndrome. He owns his own foundation devoted to disabilities; the Pujols Family Foundation, which is dedicated to "the love, care and development of people with Down syndrome and their families," as well as helping the poor in the Dominican Republic. He was the face of the all-star game; he is the face of the MLB.
This guy is the best star we got right now on and off the field.
Now, tell me one more time Pujols wouldn’t surprise you in the Mitchell Report.
P.S- Pujols just hit his second homerun of the night….
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
For Your Health; Lakers Oops! Ariza and Odom
So what’s on my mind this beautiful afternoon? It’s not that I don't care about Richard Jefferson dumping his fiancé the weekend of their wedding and then not letting his friends and guests know about it until a mere two hours before the ceremony; nor do I want to miss the opportunity to talk feverishly about President Obama’s thrilling first rainbow of a pitch in the all-star game which thank God made it to the catcher (better than Bush’s first.) It’s the fact that the Lakers are making some big mistakes right now, and that’s what’s important here.
You want Kobe to win six don’t you? I do. I want Kobe to win at least two more so we can furthermore and realistically debate him as the best ever; at least comparable to “His Airness” (MJ). But then Kobe fans around the world…unite with me on this one issue; what in the heck are the Lakers doing this offseason?
Let’s talk about ingredients to Kobe’s fourth championship for a brief moment, (and the Lakers 15th championship, as if that’s whats important). Well for one, we have Kobe. Oh, and then of course there was Kobe again, the Big Gas (Gasol), Lamar Odom, and ladies and gentleman Mr. Trevor Ariza. Bynum acted his attitude, Fisher pretended he was Robert Horry, and there was some bench play. Am I missing anything? Ok we can include Luke Walton and his eye liner.
So now let’s fast forward only a few weeks down the road. Trevor Ariza will be forced to play with “The Big Injury,” (Tracy McGrady), and “The Bigger Injury,” (Yoa Ming), Lamar Odom and his agent have seemed to forget that the difference between 52 million and 55 million dollars is the mere difference between being a winner and a loser, Kobe has publicly stated he wanted both of those guys back, Ron Artest will pretend that he didn’t almost lose it against Kobe and his ever so jarring elbows in the playoffs, and well yes of course, Luke Walton still dawns the ever so delightful yet peculiar eye liner.
In essence the Lakers have swapped Ariza for Artest, misplaced their negotiation tactics for what seems to be a stalemate with Lamar Odom, and let Derrick Fisher get older.
Artest is a good player; a defensive wizard, at times a good shooter, an alright ball handler, and a player I hate to watch play the game of basketball, let alone make millions of dollars doing so. The swap for Artest was a very bad basketball decision. With Ariza still “a rising” to his maximum potential, and his play this past season, especially in the playoffs, are the Lakers telling me they would rather have an aging, slower, self proclaimed “hood”, (look it up),fallen star rather than playoff hero, and high flyer Trevor Ariza? Well, in point of fact, that is essentially what the Lakers are telling me, and actually have already done.
So I’ll make my point here plain and simple. Artest is, a bad influence, a bad decision, quite frankly a bad person, and a worse fit for the Lakers than Trevor Ariza.
Will I still route for the Lakers when they make it back to the playoffs so Kobe can win his fifth? Well Of course I will, after all its Kobe Bryant. But, at the same time I’m going to be prepared. This is not the same team as last year with Ron Artest and possibly no Lamar Odom. In the time you read this sentence, Derik Fisher just got even older, and Bynum has been bothered by something else.
The Lakers should have focused on one thing this off season; keeping their team together. That means keeping Ariza and Odom. They didn’t. So prepare yourself Kobe fans. Embrace the off season championship feeling, and pray to everything that is almighty that Ron Artest doesn’t come out of the locker room wearing his own version of Luke Walton eye liner. Hey, it’s for your Health.
You want Kobe to win six don’t you? I do. I want Kobe to win at least two more so we can furthermore and realistically debate him as the best ever; at least comparable to “His Airness” (MJ). But then Kobe fans around the world…unite with me on this one issue; what in the heck are the Lakers doing this offseason?
Let’s talk about ingredients to Kobe’s fourth championship for a brief moment, (and the Lakers 15th championship, as if that’s whats important). Well for one, we have Kobe. Oh, and then of course there was Kobe again, the Big Gas (Gasol), Lamar Odom, and ladies and gentleman Mr. Trevor Ariza. Bynum acted his attitude, Fisher pretended he was Robert Horry, and there was some bench play. Am I missing anything? Ok we can include Luke Walton and his eye liner.
So now let’s fast forward only a few weeks down the road. Trevor Ariza will be forced to play with “The Big Injury,” (Tracy McGrady), and “The Bigger Injury,” (Yoa Ming), Lamar Odom and his agent have seemed to forget that the difference between 52 million and 55 million dollars is the mere difference between being a winner and a loser, Kobe has publicly stated he wanted both of those guys back, Ron Artest will pretend that he didn’t almost lose it against Kobe and his ever so jarring elbows in the playoffs, and well yes of course, Luke Walton still dawns the ever so delightful yet peculiar eye liner.
In essence the Lakers have swapped Ariza for Artest, misplaced their negotiation tactics for what seems to be a stalemate with Lamar Odom, and let Derrick Fisher get older.
Artest is a good player; a defensive wizard, at times a good shooter, an alright ball handler, and a player I hate to watch play the game of basketball, let alone make millions of dollars doing so. The swap for Artest was a very bad basketball decision. With Ariza still “a rising” to his maximum potential, and his play this past season, especially in the playoffs, are the Lakers telling me they would rather have an aging, slower, self proclaimed “hood”, (look it up),fallen star rather than playoff hero, and high flyer Trevor Ariza? Well, in point of fact, that is essentially what the Lakers are telling me, and actually have already done.
So I’ll make my point here plain and simple. Artest is, a bad influence, a bad decision, quite frankly a bad person, and a worse fit for the Lakers than Trevor Ariza.
Will I still route for the Lakers when they make it back to the playoffs so Kobe can win his fifth? Well Of course I will, after all its Kobe Bryant. But, at the same time I’m going to be prepared. This is not the same team as last year with Ron Artest and possibly no Lamar Odom. In the time you read this sentence, Derik Fisher just got even older, and Bynum has been bothered by something else.
The Lakers should have focused on one thing this off season; keeping their team together. That means keeping Ariza and Odom. They didn’t. So prepare yourself Kobe fans. Embrace the off season championship feeling, and pray to everything that is almighty that Ron Artest doesn’t come out of the locker room wearing his own version of Luke Walton eye liner. Hey, it’s for your Health.
Monday, July 13, 2009
For Your Health; Beware of Sheed in Green
What’s on my mind at this point in the summer? No indeed it’s not the tofu king winning home run derby's, or in fact the upcoming NFL preseason which I like to refer to as "which NFL super star will end his season early this year," nor the Masters that always seems to remind me of why I don't enjoy watching paint dry... It’s the NBA!
And, with so many fast changes happening in the NBA right now, I think it’s time we stopped and focused on one at a time. Particularly one that may not be getting enough negative attention. That is Rasheed Wallace to the Celtics!!! People.... think about this....Rasheed Wallace, mean and in green! I do not speak of this with high aspirations. In fact this is horrible!
The NBA almost had the one of their biggest premier matchups in finals history last season with the Lakers and Cavs. I don't care who you are a fan of, if Kobe and Lebron are playing each other you’re at least tuning into the highlights. The thought of Kobe facing Lebron in the finals made me squeal with joy... I can only imagine what David Stern was doing. (Nike, your puppet ads were still a true testament to your genius .)
Nonetheless, Rashard Lewis, RaferAlston? some of Dwight Howard, and the other goons in Orlando smashed our hopes and dreams with miraculous three's and something they called Turkey glue?
So onto next year. What do we have to look forward to? The potential dream finals we all are crossing our fingers for with 23 vs. 24? Maybe the potential rematch between the Cavs and the Magic where Lebron can once again get over the hump like he did against the Pistons in stunning fashion? NO NO NO! Think again!!! We have the ugly, already been there done that, annoying, loud mouthed, aging, Celtics!
If you think for a second these guys won't be there at the end of the season you got some re-thinking to do. With Kevin Garnett the only somewhat respectable human being in Boston these days coming back from injury, and mostly the same clowns who played 700 games versus the Bulls in the playoffs last year, plus Rasheed Wallace, get ready for your hopes and dreams to be crushed again.
I promise you I am not a pessimist. In fact anyone who knows me will tell you I am the most devout fan you may ever meet. But this time I'm going to be prepared. Hey, It’s for health reasons.
Rasheed on the Celtics is a huge problem for the East, the league and my life; maybe yours?....(keep reading). This is the same guy who has led the NBA multiple years in technical fouls, the same guy who can be found throwing his shirt off in disgust after losses, the same guy who refuses to shave his head even though he has the most distinguishably infuriating bald spot on a man I have ever seen, (don’t ask me about the Woman’s)... the same guy who has already taken up years of our valuable NBA watching lives winning with the Pistons. The same man who you watch and wonder to yourself “why does that shot seem to consistently go in for him?” Of course, he was not the main ingredient to the Pistons, I believe without Chauncey Billups they would have won nothing. But he was there, and he was just as irritating as he is today.
The main point here being, Sheed on the Celts is horrible for the league and everyone! We saw Garnett win his championship that he wanted ever so badly, while also getting it for Ray Allen, and he who shall not be named in any of my writings….(PP).
Not to mention, why are the Pistons acting so ridiculous? First you ruin years of my life, then you give Billups to the Nuggets, sign Ben Gordon, and Charlie Villanueva, draft a perfectly good Chase Buddinger, and now this?
We have seen Sheed win, we have seen all of Boston win, we have heard enough of the one who speaks toad/frog (Doc Rivers,) and we have seen their slow boring game they bring to the new youthful NBA. And guess what fans, were about to see it again. So Sorry.
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