Just saw this on Yahoo and thought it was pretty good. Why does always seem to be that the best tantrums are in the minor leagues?
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Time to Bail
It's always been my desire to catch a foul ball or better yet a home run ball at a baseball game. In all the games I've been to in the last few years, it has never happened. Most times I'm sitting too high up for a ball to even get there, but still I can hope right?
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Oops He Did it Again...
I do wonder if that is the song Vikings fans will be singing this week (or at least today) with the news breaking that Brett Favre is once again going to retire. It does seem like a very appropriate song for the last three years as far as Favre is concerned.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Messin' Around
So I was watching the Rangers tonight and saw this commercial.
As a guy, I must admit I thought this was pretty hilarious when I saw it. I think pretty much all the Messin' with Sasquatch spots are pretty funny actually, but this one caught me off guard I guess.
Also the Rangers won to go 8 up on the Angels and 8.5 up on the A's. Nelson Cruz smashed a walk-off, 2 run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning for the win.
So in summary, a good ball game, a great win by the Rangers and a pretty funny commercial to boot.
Grace, Peace and Love y'all.
As a guy, I must admit I thought this was pretty hilarious when I saw it. I think pretty much all the Messin' with Sasquatch spots are pretty funny actually, but this one caught me off guard I guess.
Also the Rangers won to go 8 up on the Angels and 8.5 up on the A's. Nelson Cruz smashed a walk-off, 2 run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning for the win.
So in summary, a good ball game, a great win by the Rangers and a pretty funny commercial to boot.
Grace, Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Here Comes the King...But Who Really Cares?
So who really watched "The Decision" tonight on ESPN? Who really cared that much about where LeBron was going to end up signing? To be honest, I lost interest in all of it a long time ago. To me it was just wasn't that big of a thing. So the LeBron is leaving Cleveland via free agency and heading to the Miami Heat. Bully for him, but did we really need an hour long "special" to make that announcement? What did they do for the other 58 minutes that weren't him saying he was going to the Heat? Was there a montage of his life and career up to this point?
This was simply another way for LeBron to draw attention to himself. This was not ESPN's idea from what I understood. It was LeBron's. I really think it is the kind of thing that can backfire on him, if for no other reason than it will become to butt of jokes. Maybe LeBron will be one of the first to make the jokes but I don't know that I see that.
I think the next thing we are going to see like this will be Brett Favre convincing ESPN to give him an hour long special to announce his decision about whether he's going to retire or not. At least that special could have some real intrigue to it. Even Favre wouldn't know how it was going to turn out. And then the next week he could get a second special to reverse his decision from the first special.
In the end this was a self-absorbed and narcissistic display. As many others have written better than me, it was something that simply was not needed. Congratulations Miami, you know have a the "King". Good luck with that.
Peace, Grace and Love y'all.
This was simply another way for LeBron to draw attention to himself. This was not ESPN's idea from what I understood. It was LeBron's. I really think it is the kind of thing that can backfire on him, if for no other reason than it will become to butt of jokes. Maybe LeBron will be one of the first to make the jokes but I don't know that I see that.
I think the next thing we are going to see like this will be Brett Favre convincing ESPN to give him an hour long special to announce his decision about whether he's going to retire or not. At least that special could have some real intrigue to it. Even Favre wouldn't know how it was going to turn out. And then the next week he could get a second special to reverse his decision from the first special.
In the end this was a self-absorbed and narcissistic display. As many others have written better than me, it was something that simply was not needed. Congratulations Miami, you know have a the "King". Good luck with that.
Peace, Grace and Love y'all.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Two Sides to Everything
Well it came to pass once again this year that the Cleveland Cavaliers were knocked out of the NBA playoffs short of their stated goal, which was of course to win the NBA Finals. This is the second straight season that they have had the best regular season record for the entire league and have been the overall number one team, and have been knocked out early. It would be different if they had lost in the Finals, but the last two seasons have seen them go out in the Eastern Conference Finals last year and the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals this season. To be honest, for some teams and fans the second round isn't that bad. My Spurs went out in the second round this year. I'm not too depressed about it though because they were a #7 seed in the West. Those seeds aren't expected to win it all and make deep runs in the playoffs. But the Cavs, oh those Cavs, they are supposed to make a run to the Finals the last couple of seasons as the #1 team, it just didn't happen for them.
There has been a lot talk too about what it was that caused the collapse of the Cavs. ESPN guys talking about it, TNT guys talking about it. I'm sure many folks from Cleveland are talking about it as well. The biggest thing that I hear is that LeBron didn't play up to his potential. He played at only about 3/4 of what he is truly capable of. He wasn't the leader that all the greats who have won championships were. Basically, what they are saying is that LeBron is supposed to be something super.
This got me thinking a little bit about the contradiction that we find in the world of sports. We want a superstar on our team. These are the guys that are the biggest names and the biggest talents. They are the ones who show up in the clutch and in crunch time. These are the guys that the fortunes of our teams rise and fall with. And yet we don't seem to want them to get to be a regular athlete.
We want two things from them:
1) To shoulder the blame when our team does badly and loses- This is what so many talked about LeBron needing to do. To put it on himself as the leader and superstar of the team. No matter how he performed in the game we want him to (and the other "superstars") to be the scapegoat, to take the brunt of the blame. Did a guy off the bench miss the game winning three as time expired? Blame it on the superstar, he should have been the one taking the shot. Did the other teams center score a career high in points that was the difference in the game? Let the superstar take the blame even though he is a point guard and has no business guarding that guy. No what it is, we want and expect our teams superstar to shoulder the blame.
2) We want to guy to the most humble person on the face of the planet when out teams wins- Now should our team pull off the win, then we want to superstar to be as humble as possible. Now rather than take credit for the win, like he took the blame for the loss, he is expected to deflect all the the praise to his teammates. The guy off the bench hit the 3-pointer as time expired to win by 1? Well he made a great shot in the face of the pressure to do so. Forget that the superstar gave the ball up to him. In a win, if the superstar takes the final shot, we would think of him as arrogant or just wanting to hog the glory and/or pad his stats. In the interview room, our superstar, when asked about that last shot that so-and-so made, is supposed to deflect all the praise to that guy by saying things about what a great shooter the guy is (true or not) and how he had complete confidence in him to hit the shot.
We want a leader that is humble in both situations. Humble enough to take the blame but also humble enough to defer praise to others. It is what a leader honestly should be willing to do. The problem though for me is that I would prefer that it be a true humility, something that is a real part of their personality. Because forced humility really isn't humility at all.
Peace and Love y'all.
There has been a lot talk too about what it was that caused the collapse of the Cavs. ESPN guys talking about it, TNT guys talking about it. I'm sure many folks from Cleveland are talking about it as well. The biggest thing that I hear is that LeBron didn't play up to his potential. He played at only about 3/4 of what he is truly capable of. He wasn't the leader that all the greats who have won championships were. Basically, what they are saying is that LeBron is supposed to be something super.
This got me thinking a little bit about the contradiction that we find in the world of sports. We want a superstar on our team. These are the guys that are the biggest names and the biggest talents. They are the ones who show up in the clutch and in crunch time. These are the guys that the fortunes of our teams rise and fall with. And yet we don't seem to want them to get to be a regular athlete.
We want two things from them:
1) To shoulder the blame when our team does badly and loses- This is what so many talked about LeBron needing to do. To put it on himself as the leader and superstar of the team. No matter how he performed in the game we want him to (and the other "superstars") to be the scapegoat, to take the brunt of the blame. Did a guy off the bench miss the game winning three as time expired? Blame it on the superstar, he should have been the one taking the shot. Did the other teams center score a career high in points that was the difference in the game? Let the superstar take the blame even though he is a point guard and has no business guarding that guy. No what it is, we want and expect our teams superstar to shoulder the blame.
2) We want to guy to the most humble person on the face of the planet when out teams wins- Now should our team pull off the win, then we want to superstar to be as humble as possible. Now rather than take credit for the win, like he took the blame for the loss, he is expected to deflect all the the praise to his teammates. The guy off the bench hit the 3-pointer as time expired to win by 1? Well he made a great shot in the face of the pressure to do so. Forget that the superstar gave the ball up to him. In a win, if the superstar takes the final shot, we would think of him as arrogant or just wanting to hog the glory and/or pad his stats. In the interview room, our superstar, when asked about that last shot that so-and-so made, is supposed to deflect all the praise to that guy by saying things about what a great shooter the guy is (true or not) and how he had complete confidence in him to hit the shot.
We want a leader that is humble in both situations. Humble enough to take the blame but also humble enough to defer praise to others. It is what a leader honestly should be willing to do. The problem though for me is that I would prefer that it be a true humility, something that is a real part of their personality. Because forced humility really isn't humility at all.
Peace and Love y'all.
Friday, February 26, 2010
I'd Like That On Ice Please
Sports is something that brings forth a great deal of emotion. ABC's old Saturday afternoon program, The Wide World of Sports, used to touch on this in the opening sequence of every program with the line "The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat." It was and is something that is acknowledged as being a part of doing something that is competitive like a sport.
The emotions that are evoked by sports are powerful things. I remember crying whole heartedly after losing in my final football game. After all the time and effort, all the pain and blood, sweat and tears that go into something like that there is going to be an emotional response from the players. There will be celebrations by the victors and there will be dejection on display when it comes to the defeated. It is Michael Jordan weeping and clutching the NBA Championship trophy after his Bulls won the title on Father's Day the year Jordan's father was murdered; it is the look of exuberance on Tom Brady's face after winning his first Super Bowl. It 's the frustration shown by LeBron James upon losing the Eastern Conference Finals to the Magic by simply walking off the court rather than congratulating the winners.
When we win, we celebrate. This was demonstrated last night in the Olympics when the Canadian Women's Hockey team defeated the USA Women for the gold medal. And their celebration has become a big deal. Not the fact that they reveled in the victory and the accomplishment of winning a Gold medal for their country, but more how they did this. They did not begin their celebration on the ice with the other teams in their presence, thus seeming showy and arrogant. No they were classier about it than that. They waited until the ice had cleared and until the stands had cleared. They waited until it was just them as a team there to celebrate what they had done together. The problem it seems is that there were still some photographers and other media people still around to catch the celebration.
It seems that these women decided to bring the typical locker room celebration onto the ice. So they re-entered the rink and brought with them some beer, champagne and cigars. They then proceeded to partake of these things. And this is where it is a big deal. There were pictures taken of the celebration that were then made public (as tends to happen with this kind of thing). Now Hockey Canada has issued an apology, and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) is doing an investigation. All I have to say is--really?
I can understand it they did this immediately following the win, gloating and rubbing it in the faces of the defeated Americans. But true to Canadian form, they waited a polite amount of time before having this little shindig. Lets be real here: this is the exact same thing that happens in the locker room. The difference is that they brought it out of the locker room, when they felt it was an appropriate time and they could be there alone as a team. I know that there is talk about the one young lady on the team who is 18 being seen drinking a beer (or champagne or whatever) and the legal drinking age being 19. OK, so she is just underage. I don't condone it, but I can understand it. It is part of the emotion that winning brings about.
In the end, I think the apology and the investigation are silly and needless. Let the team celebrate a huge accomplishment and a job well done. Peace and Love y'all.
The emotions that are evoked by sports are powerful things. I remember crying whole heartedly after losing in my final football game. After all the time and effort, all the pain and blood, sweat and tears that go into something like that there is going to be an emotional response from the players. There will be celebrations by the victors and there will be dejection on display when it comes to the defeated. It is Michael Jordan weeping and clutching the NBA Championship trophy after his Bulls won the title on Father's Day the year Jordan's father was murdered; it is the look of exuberance on Tom Brady's face after winning his first Super Bowl. It 's the frustration shown by LeBron James upon losing the Eastern Conference Finals to the Magic by simply walking off the court rather than congratulating the winners.
When we win, we celebrate. This was demonstrated last night in the Olympics when the Canadian Women's Hockey team defeated the USA Women for the gold medal. And their celebration has become a big deal. Not the fact that they reveled in the victory and the accomplishment of winning a Gold medal for their country, but more how they did this. They did not begin their celebration on the ice with the other teams in their presence, thus seeming showy and arrogant. No they were classier about it than that. They waited until the ice had cleared and until the stands had cleared. They waited until it was just them as a team there to celebrate what they had done together. The problem it seems is that there were still some photographers and other media people still around to catch the celebration.
It seems that these women decided to bring the typical locker room celebration onto the ice. So they re-entered the rink and brought with them some beer, champagne and cigars. They then proceeded to partake of these things. And this is where it is a big deal. There were pictures taken of the celebration that were then made public (as tends to happen with this kind of thing). Now Hockey Canada has issued an apology, and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) is doing an investigation. All I have to say is--really?
I can understand it they did this immediately following the win, gloating and rubbing it in the faces of the defeated Americans. But true to Canadian form, they waited a polite amount of time before having this little shindig. Lets be real here: this is the exact same thing that happens in the locker room. The difference is that they brought it out of the locker room, when they felt it was an appropriate time and they could be there alone as a team. I know that there is talk about the one young lady on the team who is 18 being seen drinking a beer (or champagne or whatever) and the legal drinking age being 19. OK, so she is just underage. I don't condone it, but I can understand it. It is part of the emotion that winning brings about.
In the end, I think the apology and the investigation are silly and needless. Let the team celebrate a huge accomplishment and a job well done. Peace and Love y'all.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Super Saints
Well it's all said and done, over with for another year. The Super Bowl has come and gone and we have a new NFL champion. The New Orleans Saints claimed their first championship in franchise history as I'm sure pretty much all of you know. After 42 years of existence they finally have what every team desires, a Super Bowl win. Not only did they finally win the big game, they won it on their first try. They showed last night that the Saints won 3 post season games this season: two leading up to the Super Bowl and then the Super Bowl itself. In thier previous 41 seasons they had managed to win exactly 2 post season games. Pretty remakable stuff if you're a Saints fan. After dealing with years of futility and frustration, it finally all came together. There are now only 4 teams left in the NFL that have not made it to the Super Bowl: The Lions, Browns, Jaguars and Texans. Maybe one of these days it will happen. Last nights Super Bowl game was the most watched TV program EVER with an estimated 106.5 million viewers, just edging out the MASH finale that had 105.97 million viewers. That's another pretty big deal.
Congratulations to Saint fans, both for the win and for thier endurance and patience. Congratulations to the city of New Orleans; it has been four years since Katrina swept through and caused you so much damage and heartache, I hope this win will continue to unify you as a city and help you to reclaim you sense of who you are. Congratulations Louisiana, you finally have something to brag about other than your purchase by Thomas Jefferson from France. All in all it was a great game, a great night and good for the NFL. Peace and Love y'all.
Congratulations to Saint fans, both for the win and for thier endurance and patience. Congratulations to the city of New Orleans; it has been four years since Katrina swept through and caused you so much damage and heartache, I hope this win will continue to unify you as a city and help you to reclaim you sense of who you are. Congratulations Louisiana, you finally have something to brag about other than your purchase by Thomas Jefferson from France. All in all it was a great game, a great night and good for the NFL. Peace and Love y'all.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The "Ain'ts" No More
It has finally happened. The New Orleans Saints have finally gotten to the Super Bowl. It has been a crazy season for them, not to mention a crazy history for them period. In 40+ years of being an NFL franchise, they now have the opportunity to play for a championship. Watching the post game tonight, listening to the reactions of the Saint players, there was a sense of relief. This is a team who's fanned pioneered the game day fashion statement of wearing bags over their heads. And now here they are, two weeks from playing in the biggest sporting event there is.
This is a day that has to have felt as though it would never come. After all the years of losing, of not even being close, this must be a feeling of relief. It was big the fist time they made the playoffs; bigger when they finally won a playoff game; bigger still when four years ago they reached their first ever NFC Championship game; even bigger to have the chance to HOST an NFC Championship game (the first ever in New Orleans), and now to have won that game and be headed to the Super Bowl.
One of the things that makes this even sweeter for the fans of the Saints is that it comes after so much loss and devastation due to Hurricane Katrina four years ago. Sean Payton touched on it tonight when he accepted the trophy, that four years ago the Super Dome had holes in the roof, water on the field, and people being housed there. But it was the way the players stepped up in this time of need, the way that the people of New Orleans embraced this team even through the 3-13 season that immediately followed the devastation, that must make this such a very sweet moment for not only the players but the city as a whole as well.
Yes it is a football game, but it is so much bigger than that. This is relief, this is history this is the turn around that the city not only wanted but needed, this was redemption. They are the Ain'ts no more after today. Peace and Love y'all.
This is a day that has to have felt as though it would never come. After all the years of losing, of not even being close, this must be a feeling of relief. It was big the fist time they made the playoffs; bigger when they finally won a playoff game; bigger still when four years ago they reached their first ever NFC Championship game; even bigger to have the chance to HOST an NFC Championship game (the first ever in New Orleans), and now to have won that game and be headed to the Super Bowl.
One of the things that makes this even sweeter for the fans of the Saints is that it comes after so much loss and devastation due to Hurricane Katrina four years ago. Sean Payton touched on it tonight when he accepted the trophy, that four years ago the Super Dome had holes in the roof, water on the field, and people being housed there. But it was the way the players stepped up in this time of need, the way that the people of New Orleans embraced this team even through the 3-13 season that immediately followed the devastation, that must make this such a very sweet moment for not only the players but the city as a whole as well.
Yes it is a football game, but it is so much bigger than that. This is relief, this is history this is the turn around that the city not only wanted but needed, this was redemption. They are the Ain'ts no more after today. Peace and Love y'all.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Patriot Games
The time has come to start again. I am planning to start writing again on this blog on a regular basis and with daily topics once again. So with that said, the topic for Mondays have in the past been sports, so here we go.
Lots of great stuff in the sports world over the last 5 days it seems like. From the BCS National Championship game in college football (The Alabama Crimson Tide rolled over the Texas Longhorns 37-21 to win their 13th national championship) to the first round of the NFL playoffs (Cowboys won their first playoff game in 13 years; the Cardinals won a shoot-out, 96 combined points, on, of all things, a defensive play in overtime) it was a great 5 days of football (I honestly didn't pay close enough attention to any of the other sports that were going on).
But in all of that there was one thing that did seem to stand out and it happened yesterday. The New England Patriots showed that they are possibly on the downside of being a dynasty when they lost to the Baltimore Ravens 33-14. Not that big of a deal really just to look at the score. The thing that IS a big deal about it is the fact that it was a loss at home for the Patriots. And in the playoffs, well, that just doesn't happen. Not since 1978 at least, which they showed yesterday was over 11,000 days since they last lost a home playoff game.
Lets think about that for a moment. It has been 32 years since the last time these guys lost at home in the playoffs. That's three decades of dominance for them on their home field. I mean what kind of crazy advantage is that? There have been so many things that have happened in that time span. Here is a list of things that have happened in my life alone since the last time the Patriots lost at home in the playoffs:
Lots of great stuff in the sports world over the last 5 days it seems like. From the BCS National Championship game in college football (The Alabama Crimson Tide rolled over the Texas Longhorns 37-21 to win their 13th national championship) to the first round of the NFL playoffs (Cowboys won their first playoff game in 13 years; the Cardinals won a shoot-out, 96 combined points, on, of all things, a defensive play in overtime) it was a great 5 days of football (I honestly didn't pay close enough attention to any of the other sports that were going on).
But in all of that there was one thing that did seem to stand out and it happened yesterday. The New England Patriots showed that they are possibly on the downside of being a dynasty when they lost to the Baltimore Ravens 33-14. Not that big of a deal really just to look at the score. The thing that IS a big deal about it is the fact that it was a loss at home for the Patriots. And in the playoffs, well, that just doesn't happen. Not since 1978 at least, which they showed yesterday was over 11,000 days since they last lost a home playoff game.
Lets think about that for a moment. It has been 32 years since the last time these guys lost at home in the playoffs. That's three decades of dominance for them on their home field. I mean what kind of crazy advantage is that? There have been so many things that have happened in that time span. Here is a list of things that have happened in my life alone since the last time the Patriots lost at home in the playoffs:
- I had three brothers born in that time.
- I went all the way from elementary school through college graduation.
- I got married.
- I had three children.
Monday, August 17, 2009
The Great Vick Debate
Something that I have been thinking about in the last few weeks and days, especially as football season is fast approaching. It is a topic that I'm sure has been covered and then covered a bit more, but it is something that I spent some time thinking about in the last few days in particular. That subject is Michael Vick.
Now I will assume that pretty much everyone who might happen upon this here post will know at least generally what the deal is with Vick. In case you don't....Michael Vick was the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons a couple of seasons ago. He was convicted of bankrolling a dog fighting ring and sentenced to 23 months. He served 20 of those months in prison and the last three under house arrest. He has, in the last month or so, gained his full release. This of course brought about questions concerning what he would do once he was again a free man. Would he be able to return to football? Would there be a team out there that would be wiling to take a chance on young man who was such a phenomenal athlete before missing out on two full seasons in the NFL? One thing was sure, the Falcons would not be welcoming him back.
There was and is still great debate about all of this. Most of the debate seems to center on two things: 1) What team would be willing take a flier on him knowing that it could upset their fan base, and 2) does he even deserve to have another chance in the NFL after what he did?
The first question was answered on Thursday when the Philadelphia Eagles signed Vick to a one year deal worth $1.6 million, with a team option for a second year worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 million. Vick was introduced as an Eagle on Friday. So that answers that question in the debate. The other question is a touch more, well, touchy. Here are my thoughts about if Vick deserves a second chance.
1) As a man- As a person, I would say that yes he deserves a second chance. Let's face it, we have all made mistakes in the past...and will continue to do so in the future. What if every single time we made a mistake, it was held against us from that point on. There would not be a one of us who would be able to say that they deserved anything. With that in mind, how is it that we can look at Vick and say that he does not deserve a second opportunity as a person? What he did, what he was involved in was wrong. He lied about it in the beginning, but he has come to realize where he went wrong. That is the important thing here. Without repentance there is no hint of change. Many people will look at this situation and say to themselves "He has been sufficiently humbled, I suppose he can have another shot." I thought about this last night and what an arrogant statement it seems to be actually. We think that we can decide how much humbleness is a sufficient amount for someone? That if they are not as humble as we think they should be that they don't deserve that second chance. What I notice with Vick is that he went into jail seemingly an arrogant kid, and he has come out as a humble man. I serve a God and a Savior who has given me plenty of second chances. I believe that we are called to do the same in these kinds of situations.
2) As a player- I think that he also deserves to have an opportunity to do what he seems to do best and that is to play football. In all of our lives, we would like to have the chance to do that thing that we are best at and to get payed for it. That is the situation with Vick. What he does best it appears at this point is to play the game of football. Why should he be denied that chance to once again do what he is best at? He has served his time, paid his allotted debt to society, and now it is time for him, and us, to move on.
3) As a quarterback- Ok, so this is where my grace runs out. This is an opinion that I hold that has nothing to do with Vick's crime or the time that he has been away from the game. I have just always thought that he was an awful quarterback. He has a strong arm, and can launch the ball like nobodies business, but that really doesn't mean anything if you can't actually hit your receivers. Granted, he showed some flashes of what it is (old school) to be a QB. But those flashes were few and far between. Vick would be better off, in my opinion, as either a running back or a receiver. With his speed, who would be able to keep up with him if he were to break away? It has always been my feeling that Vick decides to run too soon from the pocket. As soon as he seems to think that he feels pressure, he bolts. With this in mind, I feel like he would be better served at a different position, maybe even as a return man what with his speed.
All in all, I do feel that Vick is more than deserving of his second chances in life, as a person as well as as a football player. I don't think that taking a chance on him as a quarterback at this point (or any other point really) is the greatest idea that a team could have. Peace and Love y'all.
Now I will assume that pretty much everyone who might happen upon this here post will know at least generally what the deal is with Vick. In case you don't....Michael Vick was the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons a couple of seasons ago. He was convicted of bankrolling a dog fighting ring and sentenced to 23 months. He served 20 of those months in prison and the last three under house arrest. He has, in the last month or so, gained his full release. This of course brought about questions concerning what he would do once he was again a free man. Would he be able to return to football? Would there be a team out there that would be wiling to take a chance on young man who was such a phenomenal athlete before missing out on two full seasons in the NFL? One thing was sure, the Falcons would not be welcoming him back.
There was and is still great debate about all of this. Most of the debate seems to center on two things: 1) What team would be willing take a flier on him knowing that it could upset their fan base, and 2) does he even deserve to have another chance in the NFL after what he did?
The first question was answered on Thursday when the Philadelphia Eagles signed Vick to a one year deal worth $1.6 million, with a team option for a second year worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 million. Vick was introduced as an Eagle on Friday. So that answers that question in the debate. The other question is a touch more, well, touchy. Here are my thoughts about if Vick deserves a second chance.
1) As a man- As a person, I would say that yes he deserves a second chance. Let's face it, we have all made mistakes in the past...and will continue to do so in the future. What if every single time we made a mistake, it was held against us from that point on. There would not be a one of us who would be able to say that they deserved anything. With that in mind, how is it that we can look at Vick and say that he does not deserve a second opportunity as a person? What he did, what he was involved in was wrong. He lied about it in the beginning, but he has come to realize where he went wrong. That is the important thing here. Without repentance there is no hint of change. Many people will look at this situation and say to themselves "He has been sufficiently humbled, I suppose he can have another shot." I thought about this last night and what an arrogant statement it seems to be actually. We think that we can decide how much humbleness is a sufficient amount for someone? That if they are not as humble as we think they should be that they don't deserve that second chance. What I notice with Vick is that he went into jail seemingly an arrogant kid, and he has come out as a humble man. I serve a God and a Savior who has given me plenty of second chances. I believe that we are called to do the same in these kinds of situations.
2) As a player- I think that he also deserves to have an opportunity to do what he seems to do best and that is to play football. In all of our lives, we would like to have the chance to do that thing that we are best at and to get payed for it. That is the situation with Vick. What he does best it appears at this point is to play the game of football. Why should he be denied that chance to once again do what he is best at? He has served his time, paid his allotted debt to society, and now it is time for him, and us, to move on.
3) As a quarterback- Ok, so this is where my grace runs out. This is an opinion that I hold that has nothing to do with Vick's crime or the time that he has been away from the game. I have just always thought that he was an awful quarterback. He has a strong arm, and can launch the ball like nobodies business, but that really doesn't mean anything if you can't actually hit your receivers. Granted, he showed some flashes of what it is (old school) to be a QB. But those flashes were few and far between. Vick would be better off, in my opinion, as either a running back or a receiver. With his speed, who would be able to keep up with him if he were to break away? It has always been my feeling that Vick decides to run too soon from the pocket. As soon as he seems to think that he feels pressure, he bolts. With this in mind, I feel like he would be better served at a different position, maybe even as a return man what with his speed.
All in all, I do feel that Vick is more than deserving of his second chances in life, as a person as well as as a football player. I don't think that taking a chance on him as a quarterback at this point (or any other point really) is the greatest idea that a team could have. Peace and Love y'all.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Limping In
Well the NBA season is winding down. Most teams have only about 6 games to go and there were no games this evening due to the NCAA Men's National Championship game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Tar Heels of North Carolina (Carolina won the game).
The thing is, the NBA playoffs start in a little over a week I believe it is and right now the team that I will be rooting for is limping into these playoffs. The Spurs seem to be having a spot of difficulty right now, which isn't good at this point in the season. This is the time of year that if you are a playoff team you want to be gelling and really hitting your stride as a team, not tweaking the line up to find the best fit.
They call the Spurs a "veteran" team, but really that's just code for old. Look at the team: Tim Duncan is in his 12th year (and has been in the playoffs every single season and won 4 championships) and is dealing with sore knees that tend to keep him from playing on back-to-back nights; Tony Parker is in his 7th season and is only 26, but can he bear all the load in the playoffs?; it was discovered today that Manu Ginobili has a fracture in his right ankle and is out for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs; Michael Finley is still a good player, but he is getting old and playing heavy minutes in his earlier years seems to have extracted some kind of toll on him; Bruce Bowen is a great defender and three point shooter, but the guy can't make a free throw usually for anything. Roger Mason has had a fantastic season, but he has been something of a journeyman in his NBA career, so he is an unknown as far as the playoffs go.
When you add up all the parts what you seem to get is a team that is good and can still compete for a fifth title this summer based on experience alone, and yet they are limping in. They have dropped from the number two seed in the West to the number 3 or possibly worse (depends on how these last 6 games shake out). Teams in the conference are getting younger and adding talent to their rosters. The Spurs, to their credit, don't get to make lottery picks in the draft (consequences of always being in the playoffs). In fact the last time that the Spurs picked in the Lottery, they got Tim Duncan (they haven't picked that high since then). They make it work with foreign players and former lottery picks from other teams. It is amazing that they are able to do what they do. They have never failed to win a Finals series that they reached.
That is why it is so hard to see them more or less limping in to the playoffs this season. I love the Spurs-they are possibly my favorite team of all time regardless of the sport-and I am hoping for them to get it done once again. I will say this for them however: no matter how hard it seems right now, no matter how many bumps there are in the road in to the playoffs, Thank God, that at the very least they are not the Dallas Mavericks. Peace and Love y'all.
The thing is, the NBA playoffs start in a little over a week I believe it is and right now the team that I will be rooting for is limping into these playoffs. The Spurs seem to be having a spot of difficulty right now, which isn't good at this point in the season. This is the time of year that if you are a playoff team you want to be gelling and really hitting your stride as a team, not tweaking the line up to find the best fit.
They call the Spurs a "veteran" team, but really that's just code for old. Look at the team: Tim Duncan is in his 12th year (and has been in the playoffs every single season and won 4 championships) and is dealing with sore knees that tend to keep him from playing on back-to-back nights; Tony Parker is in his 7th season and is only 26, but can he bear all the load in the playoffs?; it was discovered today that Manu Ginobili has a fracture in his right ankle and is out for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs; Michael Finley is still a good player, but he is getting old and playing heavy minutes in his earlier years seems to have extracted some kind of toll on him; Bruce Bowen is a great defender and three point shooter, but the guy can't make a free throw usually for anything. Roger Mason has had a fantastic season, but he has been something of a journeyman in his NBA career, so he is an unknown as far as the playoffs go.
When you add up all the parts what you seem to get is a team that is good and can still compete for a fifth title this summer based on experience alone, and yet they are limping in. They have dropped from the number two seed in the West to the number 3 or possibly worse (depends on how these last 6 games shake out). Teams in the conference are getting younger and adding talent to their rosters. The Spurs, to their credit, don't get to make lottery picks in the draft (consequences of always being in the playoffs). In fact the last time that the Spurs picked in the Lottery, they got Tim Duncan (they haven't picked that high since then). They make it work with foreign players and former lottery picks from other teams. It is amazing that they are able to do what they do. They have never failed to win a Finals series that they reached.
That is why it is so hard to see them more or less limping in to the playoffs this season. I love the Spurs-they are possibly my favorite team of all time regardless of the sport-and I am hoping for them to get it done once again. I will say this for them however: no matter how hard it seems right now, no matter how many bumps there are in the road in to the playoffs, Thank God, that at the very least they are not the Dallas Mavericks. Peace and Love y'all.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
With Authority
That's just dang impressive to watch. And the girl actually dunks it with some power and authority. Regardless of if she is 6'8" or not, the most impressive thing about it is the fact that she is a SHE. You don't see it very often. Peace and Love y'all.
Monday, February 16, 2009
12 Feet
This past weekend was the NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix. This is always a weekend that has some cool stuff that happens. Plus the game is usually really high scoring because no one cares too much about playing D. Of course the highlights of the weekend usually seem to be the various individual contests that go on, most notably the Three Point Shoot out and the Slam Dunk Contest.
The video below is of Dwight Howard's second round dunk. The rim is set at 12 feet. In case you didn't know already, the regulation height for the rim is 10 feet.
He made it look too easy. That is how I am able to dunk on an 8 foot goal. It's nice and easy and not really a reach. He even tried to get them to go higher after the one dunk, but they either weren't able to, wouldn't, or he ran out of time. It would have cool to see him do 13 feet though. Peace and Love y'all.
The video below is of Dwight Howard's second round dunk. The rim is set at 12 feet. In case you didn't know already, the regulation height for the rim is 10 feet.
He made it look too easy. That is how I am able to dunk on an 8 foot goal. It's nice and easy and not really a reach. He even tried to get them to go higher after the one dunk, but they either weren't able to, wouldn't, or he ran out of time. It would have cool to see him do 13 feet though. Peace and Love y'all.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Follow the Bouncing Ball
This is an incredible pass here.
Notice how it passed right between Grant Hill's legs. That was incredible to behold. Peace and Love y'all.
Notice how it passed right between Grant Hill's legs. That was incredible to behold. Peace and Love y'all.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Coming Clean
So, A-Rod has admitted to using steroids for three seasons when he was in Texas. He says he felt pressure to perform. Well of course he felt pressure to perform. He was on a last place team and had been signed to the largest contract in the history of sports at $252 million. Is it disappointing to find out? Yeah...mainly because even with the performance enhancers the Rangers were still in last place every year. Maybe there shouldn't be any punishment for A-Rod because I don't think the steroids did their job.
It's hard to be shocked or appalled by this news really. I mean, it isn't like he is the only one from this era in baseball to be juiced. I think that it is getting to be where many in the public will just assume that all the players at this time were taking something. It's sad really. There is the thought that if the players would just come clean about what they had done the public would be forgiving of them. The problem that the public has is that we don't like to feel lied to. Makes it much harder to be trusting and forgiving about the matter.
Finally, I have to say that I agree with Curt Schilling on this issue. He wrote on his blog 38 Pitches that there was a list of 104 players that were to have tested positive at the same time as A-Rod. If they are going to release his name, then they need to release the names of everyone else that is on that list. I'm not a huge A-Rod fan (I think Texas overpaid and he made the team better when he finally went to the Yankees), but it's not fair to target him for positive testing when there are at least 103 others that had the same result. Don't target him just because he is a superstar. If you are going to throw him out there, then do the same with the rest of the list. After all, he wasn't the only one to get caught. He made a mistake, even if he knew he what he was doing. It's only fair. Peace and Love y'all.
It's hard to be shocked or appalled by this news really. I mean, it isn't like he is the only one from this era in baseball to be juiced. I think that it is getting to be where many in the public will just assume that all the players at this time were taking something. It's sad really. There is the thought that if the players would just come clean about what they had done the public would be forgiving of them. The problem that the public has is that we don't like to feel lied to. Makes it much harder to be trusting and forgiving about the matter.
Finally, I have to say that I agree with Curt Schilling on this issue. He wrote on his blog 38 Pitches that there was a list of 104 players that were to have tested positive at the same time as A-Rod. If they are going to release his name, then they need to release the names of everyone else that is on that list. I'm not a huge A-Rod fan (I think Texas overpaid and he made the team better when he finally went to the Yankees), but it's not fair to target him for positive testing when there are at least 103 others that had the same result. Don't target him just because he is a superstar. If you are going to throw him out there, then do the same with the rest of the list. After all, he wasn't the only one to get caught. He made a mistake, even if he knew he what he was doing. It's only fair. Peace and Love y'all.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Thisclose
Well the Cardinals were just thisclose to getting their first Super Bowl win last night. I was disappointed that they lost, not so much because I'm a Cardinals fan--I like them enough to cheer for them when they are playing most anyone other than the Cowboys--but because it meant that the Steelers were the first team in the Super Bowl era to win six of them. I don't mind that they have six, I just didn't want them to be first (I'm a Cowboys fan you might recall).
We had our youth Super Bowl party last night, and I have to say that I really enjoyed it a great deal. It was small no doubt, but it was some of the most fun I have had doing one. There were only six of us there, but it was all guys and we were all actually watching the game (something different). Also we were all actually cheering for the Cardinals to pull it off. It was a good chance to get to hang out with some of the guys who make up our core here in a fun atmosphere.
Some of my thoughts on the game:
We had our youth Super Bowl party last night, and I have to say that I really enjoyed it a great deal. It was small no doubt, but it was some of the most fun I have had doing one. There were only six of us there, but it was all guys and we were all actually watching the game (something different). Also we were all actually cheering for the Cardinals to pull it off. It was a good chance to get to hang out with some of the guys who make up our core here in a fun atmosphere.
Some of my thoughts on the game:
- How do you manage to get three--THREE!!!--personal foul penalties called on your defense...ALL ON THE SAME DRIVE???? That really hurt, and a couple of them were iffy calls I thought.
- When you have a three point lead as the underdog with less than three minutes to go and you have been getting pressure with the blitz and it's been working, you don't stop doing it.
- It helps to actually cover the receivers in the back corners of the end zone.
- I'm a little surprised that James Harrison didn't need a cart to get him off the field for half time...you could tell he had nothing left after the INT return. I guess he forgot to take his 5 Hour Energy shot.
- James Harrison should have been ejected for the cheap shot he delievered to the Cardinal player that was down on the ground.
- The celebration after the Holmes TD was pretty good--the LeBron chalk throw--but it was pointed out that there should have been a flag on that--15 yards that would have been assessed on the kick off--for using the ball as a prop. Hey they called all year, why not in the biggest game of the season?
- The last fumble of the game should have been reviewed. Regardless of if they confirmed that the call on the field was right, it was a close play and had a hand in determining the out caome of the game so it should have gotten a look from upstairs.
- Larry Fitzgerald is a beast.
- The commercials weren't really all that great to cost at least $3 million.
- The three best (in my opinion) were the first Doritos commercial, the career builder list, and the Coke Zero take off of the classic Mean Joe Greene.
- Thanks to Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson's "mishap" a few years ago, the people in charge of planning the half time shows have decided that the way to go is to try to revive the "old school" music scene. In the years following we have had Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Bruce Springsteen...just saying, these aren't exactly young and spry performers.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Finally!!
Yesterday was Championship Sunday in the NFL. There were two games held and each decided who would play in the Super Bowl taking place in two weeks. The results were somewhat surprising to many people.
In the AFC it was the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Baltimore Ravens to determine who got to represent that conference in the big game. In what was a game that featured snow, great defense from both teams and some huge hits (the one on Willis McGhee was scary in fact). In the end it was Pittsburgh who earned the ticket to the Super Bowl.
In the NFC we find the bigger and more improbable story of the day. In the match-up between the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, it was the team from the desert who earned their way into the big game. What makes this so improbable and so unlikely is a couple of things: 1) Since the merger of the NFL and AFL in 1970, every team in the NFC except the Cardinals had at least been to the conference championship game; 2) This was only the second home playoff game that the Cardinals had hosted since 1976 I believe; 3) The Cardinals came from the weakest division in the NFC if not the entire NFL, and yet two of the teams that they beat were from what was considered by many to be the strongest division in the NFC and then finally they beat a team that had lambasted them just 6 weeks earlier. The Cardinals are the oldest team in the NFL and yet this is their first Super Bowl.
The match-up between the Steelers and the Cardinals should be a good one on February 1. It is truely David and Goliath. The Steelers are now going to their 7th overall Super Bowl, 5 from which they have emerged as the victors. The Cardinals on the other hand will be looking at having a draft pick in April that is not in the top 10 (virgin territory for this team really). Each team has a quarterback who has won a Super Bowl. Both have defenses that are playing very well right now. It should be a very interesting game come the 1st of February. I am going to go out on a limb and take the underdog for my pick in this game...the Arizona Cordinals will win their first Super Bowl this year, 35-31 and the MVP honors will be split between Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald. Should be a good game. Peace and Love y'all.
In the AFC it was the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Baltimore Ravens to determine who got to represent that conference in the big game. In what was a game that featured snow, great defense from both teams and some huge hits (the one on Willis McGhee was scary in fact). In the end it was Pittsburgh who earned the ticket to the Super Bowl.
In the NFC we find the bigger and more improbable story of the day. In the match-up between the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, it was the team from the desert who earned their way into the big game. What makes this so improbable and so unlikely is a couple of things: 1) Since the merger of the NFL and AFL in 1970, every team in the NFC except the Cardinals had at least been to the conference championship game; 2) This was only the second home playoff game that the Cardinals had hosted since 1976 I believe; 3) The Cardinals came from the weakest division in the NFC if not the entire NFL, and yet two of the teams that they beat were from what was considered by many to be the strongest division in the NFC and then finally they beat a team that had lambasted them just 6 weeks earlier. The Cardinals are the oldest team in the NFL and yet this is their first Super Bowl.
The match-up between the Steelers and the Cardinals should be a good one on February 1. It is truely David and Goliath. The Steelers are now going to their 7th overall Super Bowl, 5 from which they have emerged as the victors. The Cardinals on the other hand will be looking at having a draft pick in April that is not in the top 10 (virgin territory for this team really). Each team has a quarterback who has won a Super Bowl. Both have defenses that are playing very well right now. It should be a very interesting game come the 1st of February. I am going to go out on a limb and take the underdog for my pick in this game...the Arizona Cordinals will win their first Super Bowl this year, 35-31 and the MVP honors will be split between Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald. Should be a good game. Peace and Love y'all.
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Tradition
One of my favorite things is sports. I like to play sports, watch sports, do fantasy sports (does that make me a fantasy athlete?), write about sports, read about sports and talk about sports. One of the things about sports that I like is the tradition that can be found there.
As a high school athlete, these traditions were important. In the middle of the varsity locker room floor in the field house in Greenwood, there is a circle of smooth painted concrete. It is Columbia blue and has a picture of a Ranger painted in it. Around the Ranger there are the names of all the senior football players from each year. My name is in that circle, and I'm proud of that; proud to have been a part of that tradition. The thing about tradition is that it carries over from one group, one year to the next.
When you look at sports at all levels, you find traditions. Whether it is things that teams do or things that players bring there is that sense of tradition. There are some that even transcend the level of participation and type of sport and find their way into the game. There is one that stands out to me in particular even. It is something that I have seen done at all levels of sport-from early morning pick-up basketball games and Rec League flag football, to professional athletes paid millions of dollars to run and catch and throw and shoot-and in all different sports from football to baseball and everything else. It is long standing.
I will say this about this particular tradition: even though I have taken part in it, I don't really understand where it started, how it started or even why it started. The tradition is that of the Butt-slap after a good effort or play.
What is it that causes these men-big, tough, muscular men (and why is it that it is typically only men)-to slap each other on the rump at the conclusion of an athletic sequence? How did it become that the sign that someone appreciated your effort was to slap them on their rear? And why is it that it is really only in the world of sports that this is acceptable? Every where else in our world it would be thought of as awkward and could even have the makings of legal trouble. Imagine if on Sunday morning as the congregation was filing past the pastor, rather than shaking his hand, they all slapped him on the butt and said something like "Good message, way to bring the Word" or to the ushers after the offering and were like "Way to hustle with the plates man." It just wouldn't really be the same.
I guess that is the joy of tradition in sport though. They don't have to carry over or even make sense in the "real" world. They are things that can be done and people look at them and rarely question it. Still, there are some traditions that should stay in sports. Peace and Love y'all.
As a high school athlete, these traditions were important. In the middle of the varsity locker room floor in the field house in Greenwood, there is a circle of smooth painted concrete. It is Columbia blue and has a picture of a Ranger painted in it. Around the Ranger there are the names of all the senior football players from each year. My name is in that circle, and I'm proud of that; proud to have been a part of that tradition. The thing about tradition is that it carries over from one group, one year to the next.
When you look at sports at all levels, you find traditions. Whether it is things that teams do or things that players bring there is that sense of tradition. There are some that even transcend the level of participation and type of sport and find their way into the game. There is one that stands out to me in particular even. It is something that I have seen done at all levels of sport-from early morning pick-up basketball games and Rec League flag football, to professional athletes paid millions of dollars to run and catch and throw and shoot-and in all different sports from football to baseball and everything else. It is long standing.
I will say this about this particular tradition: even though I have taken part in it, I don't really understand where it started, how it started or even why it started. The tradition is that of the Butt-slap after a good effort or play.
What is it that causes these men-big, tough, muscular men (and why is it that it is typically only men)-to slap each other on the rump at the conclusion of an athletic sequence? How did it become that the sign that someone appreciated your effort was to slap them on their rear? And why is it that it is really only in the world of sports that this is acceptable? Every where else in our world it would be thought of as awkward and could even have the makings of legal trouble. Imagine if on Sunday morning as the congregation was filing past the pastor, rather than shaking his hand, they all slapped him on the butt and said something like "Good message, way to bring the Word" or to the ushers after the offering and were like "Way to hustle with the plates man." It just wouldn't really be the same.
I guess that is the joy of tradition in sport though. They don't have to carry over or even make sense in the "real" world. They are things that can be done and people look at them and rarely question it. Still, there are some traditions that should stay in sports. Peace and Love y'all.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Fiesta Bowl Pick 'Em
Well I know that it has been a while since I've been on here to write anything. To be honest between having company and going to see family and there being two holidays, I haven't really had a whole lot of time (or desire) to write on a daily basis. I intend to rectify that though starting today.
I decided to do a Bowl Pick 'Em on Yahoo this year. Man I have got to say, I've done better. The bowls this year haven't really been kind to me. Out of the 31 bowls that I picked so far, I have gotten 13 correct. That's right 13. I do have 231 points though from those picks so that's good...at least I'm not in dead last.
There is something about this kind of thing that gets my attention. It's not only this, but March Madness, college football games and NFL games. It's just fun to see if I can guess right. Even when I don't do all that well (see the above paragraph) I like to see how it goes.
Tonight is the second from last bowl game of the season. It pits Texas against Ohio State. It's the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ and it should be a good one. The teams have met twice in their histories and the series is split at one win apiece. Tonight, I'm gonna have to say that Texas is my pick to win it. I have faith that they will be my 14th correct pick of the bowl season. If you watch the game I hope it is a good one regardless, and I hope you enjoy it. Well I will be back tomorrow with a new blog, so until then, Peace and Love y'all.
I decided to do a Bowl Pick 'Em on Yahoo this year. Man I have got to say, I've done better. The bowls this year haven't really been kind to me. Out of the 31 bowls that I picked so far, I have gotten 13 correct. That's right 13. I do have 231 points though from those picks so that's good...at least I'm not in dead last.
There is something about this kind of thing that gets my attention. It's not only this, but March Madness, college football games and NFL games. It's just fun to see if I can guess right. Even when I don't do all that well (see the above paragraph) I like to see how it goes.
Tonight is the second from last bowl game of the season. It pits Texas against Ohio State. It's the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ and it should be a good one. The teams have met twice in their histories and the series is split at one win apiece. Tonight, I'm gonna have to say that Texas is my pick to win it. I have faith that they will be my 14th correct pick of the bowl season. If you watch the game I hope it is a good one regardless, and I hope you enjoy it. Well I will be back tomorrow with a new blog, so until then, Peace and Love y'all.
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