A Winter Classic

The wait is almost over!

I can honestly say that I have never made plans to watch an All-Star game. When I know it’s on I’ll watch it, but I have never made the game an event on my calendar or set my DVR to record any All-Star game. But on New Years Day, I have made plans to watch the National Hockey League’s biggest All-Star game.

I have been counting down the days to watch the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburg Penguins- who are arguably the biggest NHL rivals- take center ice for the 2011 Bridgestone Winter Classic on New Years Day. Heinz Field will transcend into an outdoor ice rink with over 65,000 hockey fans in attendance for a game that ultimately means nothing to the NHL standings, but for the Capitals and the Penguins this game means everything.

The past three Wednesday’s HBO’s 24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic has been recorded to my DVR. (I added HBO to my cable bill just so I could watch the NHL’s version of the NFL’s series Hard Knocks.) Two things I have learned about hockey from the show is that all hockey players are bilingual when it comes to dropping the F-bomb and Sidney Crosby’s mustache should be on Dateline NBC’s to catch a predator’s list- it’s so creeeeeepy!

Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau dropped the F-bomb 15 times in one minute making Rex Ryan look like a little school girl. I can handle looking at the side of Penguin’s defensemen -Ben Lovejoy’s face after he took a puck to his face and still be able to stomach the visual of what looks like a puck growing out of his face caused by the air pressure on a flight. But what really scares me is the sight of Crosby’s mustache. It’s so awful and disturbing- if Sid-the-Kid trying to be a man…it’s not working.

The Capitals fell into an eight game losing streak while Crosby scored in 25 consecutive games leading the Penguins on a twelve game winning streak. Injuries affect both teams but the uncertainty of who will defend the goal between Semyon Varlamov or Michael Neuvirth for the Capitals remains a game by game decision by Boudrea. Marc-Andre Fleury remains a confident choice for Dan Bylsma.

In this inside look, there is no denying that the Capitals and Penguins can’t stand each other and when the two teams faceoff, it’s a game sports fans are going to watch. This might have been the best marketing between the NHL and HBO to showcase the best two hockey players in the world; Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.

The National Football League may own Thanksgiving Day but the National Hockey League now owns New Years Day. January 1, 2011 will be a Winter Classic!

A Little BANKS: A Big Return

Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is a Brandon Banks jersey.

If you have to ask who is Brandon Banks, you are getting coal in your stocking.

While most fans have been too absorbed in the inconsistency of McNabb or Albert Haynseworth’s salary, I have kept my eyes on the undrafted wide receiver from Kansas State. A 5’7, 150 pound (his hair could account for 10 lbs) speedster rookie; Brandon Banks! There’s just something about him that is electrifying and brings a hope to the Washington Redskins and to the NFL. Every time he comes on to the field I feel his energy, I see his passion and I want him to win!

I can’t help but jump out of my seat and yell for him. At Sunday’s game I was yelling “COME ON LIL MAN” and the Vikings fan that sat in front of me told me I like Banks because he is little- like me (I’m only 5’0 and like Banks I’ve never felt as short as people say I am). I responded that I like Banks because he is The Man! He continued to cover his ears every time Banks was on the filed.

When Banks had a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown during the fourth quarter that was called back for an illegal block in the back from rookie linebacker Perry Riley, my heart broke. Not just because it could have been the game winning TD, but because this was the second time in the past four games a touchdown has been taken away from Banks.

In the NFL there is about a 1 in 165 odds of converting a punt return into a touchdown and a 1 and 269 odds that a kickoff return will result into a touchdown. The average NFL player is over six feet tall and averages 248 pounds. Brandon Banks’ size may not have attracted a lot of NFL scouts, but he is certainly getting a double take from special team’s coordinators as they prepare for the Redskins.

Among the NFL’s punt return yards leaders, Banks ranks 4th and he ranks 9th in returning yards. Against the Lions, Banks set a franchise record by earning 271 return yards. But in the fourth quarter his 96-yard kickoff return was his first career touchdown and the first for the Redskins in last seventy games.

Brandon Banks is definitely a weapon for the Redskins. If he has the ball and sees an opening, put your money on Banks- he is fearless and his speed gives a little Brandon Banks the Washington Redskin’s the best chance for a big return.

It’s Always Chilly in Minnesota

There isn’t a meteorologist who could have predicted this cold front in Minnesota.

The 2009 season for the Minnesota Vikings ended with a Favre interception and an NFC Championship loss to the New Orleans Saints. The Vikings season was over and we all knew Favre wasn’t going to end his career on pick. Despite the rumors that Favre would not return to the Vikings for the 2010 season, we just had to wait until after training camp to see Favre in the huddle and return to the second highest scoring offense in the NFL.


With Jared Allen- who lead the NFL in sacks and Pat and Kevin Williams all back on defense; the Vikings roster looked more like a heat wave in Minnesota.
The 2010 regular season started with Favre in the pocket and a 14-9 loss to the New Orleans Saints and then a loss to the Miami Dolphins in week two. The first win didn’t come until week three. But a 24-20 win over the Detroit Lions was a cold win that questioned the temperature of team that was forecasted to win the AFC Championship.

In October, the arrival of star wide receiver- Randy Moss in an exchange for a third-round draft pick in 2011, gave Vikings fans the hope of seeing a meteor shower in week five against the Jets. However, this turned into a media shower as allegations of Brett Favre and sexting with a former Jets employee and a 29-20 loss. The season high came after a 24-21 win over the Dallas Cowboys but after a 28-24 loss to the Green Bay Packers the temperature in Minnesota dropped to a season low.

The media shower continued after a 28-18 loss to the New England Patriots followed by the Randy Moss post game interview that ended with a salute to his former head coach- Bill Belichick. The following Monday, Childress announced that Moss was no longer with them. Teammates, Vikings owner-Zygi Wilf and Vikings fans were all frozen and wanted answers from Childress. Childress remained silent. This was the calm before the storm…

The Chicago Sun Times asked Vikings players what they thought of Childress. While the comments were made anonymously, players didn’t hide their feelings for their coach.

“We know that Childress doesn’t have our backs, so why should we have his?”

“We’re playing for us, and we’re winning despite him.”

“He has absolutely no people skills” referring to the way Childress bashes players publically.

One player even said “As much as I hate Childress, I will keep playing.”

In week nine, the Vikings played the Arizona Cardinals at home and won 27-24 in overtime. Childress still tried to make Favre jokes. It was a chilly move for a head coach with a future Hall of Fame QB who just threw for a career high 446 yards.

Then on Friday, Childress again proved he has ice water in his veins as he attacked the NFL’s rising star wide receiver- Percy Harvin. It was reported the argument started from Childress questioning Harvin's effort during practice after recovering from anther migraine attack.

Will someone please give Brad Childress a hug or fill the Gatorade cooler with hot water and pour it on him- Vikings fans, get your snuggies ready… as long as Brad Childress is the head coach in Minnesota, it’s going be a chilly season.

Hard Knocks on Defense

Watching the Redskins each week is part of my cardio exercise for the week. I can run for miles on the treadmill but all that running doesn’t get my heart rate as high and low as watching the Redskins; the defense causing a high heart rate and the offense bringing my heart rate to a low.

Obviously, the NFL stat guy isn’t watching the Redskins on Sunday. Washington is ranked last in the league in yards allowed- it’s a good thing games are won by how many points a team scores and not by how many yards are given up. Shanahan’s new 3-4 defense may look disappointing on paper but have you looked at the damage the defense is causing to opposing teams offense? In the past four matchups the Washington defense has not only impacted the game but also the active roster of the opposing team’s next game.

Eagles QB, Michael Vick hasn’t played a down since he was sandwiched by DeAngelo Hall and Kareem Moore and he is still suffering from a rib cartilage injury. It was later reported that running back LeSean McCoy played through a broken rib and both Riley Cooper and Asante Samuel experienced mild concussions.

Packers tight end, Jermichael Finley was carted off in the fist quarter with knee injury and he is out for the season. Aaron Rodgers suffered a concussion.

The Colts and the leagues top receiving tight end, Dallas Clark, has been placed on injured reserve and he will undergo surgery on his wrist this week. A bye week doesn’t look like enough time for running back Joseph Addai’s shoulder injury to recover from hard hit by London Fletcher.

The Ego of Chicago’s QB Jay Cutler may have taken the worst beating of all as he threw four picks to DeAngelo Hall and the Bears were 0-0 on 4th downs at Soldier Field.

Talk about Hard Knocks…. Have you seen the size of LaRon Landry’s biceps? With 158 consecutive starts, London Fletcher hasn’t missed a game start since 1998. Both Landry and Fletcher are in the leagues top five for most tackles. DeAngelo Hall leads the league with five interceptions and Brian Orakpo is fifth in sacks.

When you consider a team with a 4-3 start, ranks eighth in the league for toughest schedule, a new coaching staff and basically a brand new team playing in the NFC east, I say-Hail Yeah!

So to the NFL stat guy: yards given up affect your fantasy points. Points scored affect the outcome of the game.

Racy Move

On Tuesday, CNBC published The Q Scores Co-a general polling company, which ranked LeBron James as the sixth most-disliked athlete in American sports. According to the report, James is considered a positive public figure by only 14 percent; a 77 percent decline from when he was with Cleveland. CNN correspondent Soledad O'Brien asked if race played a role in the decline of the LeBron James brand. James responded with “I think so at times. It's always, you know, a race factor." Maverick Cater, the 28 year-old who is the CEO of the LBJ brand said race "definitely played a role in some of the stuff coming out of the media, things that were written for sure."

Sounds like these kids have a lot to learn. LeBron and his camp blame race for his decline while the rest of us on planet Earth blame “The Decision” for his popularity decline. Most blame him for how he made the decision and not really the outcome of his decision.

LBJ: Stop playing the race card and start learning how to dribble.

The whole idea of The Decision- LeBron’s free agency announcement plus the circus in American Airline Arena- was it expected; yes. Was it ridiculous; Yes! Did we all watch; YES! We allowed the brand of LBJ to be created and now with this race card comment…. did we create a monster; Yes!

I’ve always been a LeBron fan even with his decision, but the race card. C’OME ON MAN! At this point we all know LeBron is one of the most dominate athletes in the NBA, but with this whole media debacle and hype in Miami the Heat is on and a Championship ring might be his only shot to save his throne as KingJames.

Incase you want to know who the other disliked athletes are:

When I saw the other top five disliked athletes, I laughed at all but one. I completely agree with Michael Vick being on the list and I can see why Tiger Woods is on the list for now, but he won’t retire from golf on and still be on the list. Terrell Owens, Chad Ocho Cinco and Kobe Bryant are all on the list because they are hated for being great athletes with a comedian personality or for delivering a great one liner to the media-"These young guys are playing checkers. I'm out there playing chess."

Week One: Rival Week!

The Washington Redskins against the Dallas Cowboys for the first Sunday night game: OhMy! The emotions of fans who just want a winning team back in Washington, DC, the excitement for the start of football season and most hated rivals in the NFL faceoff. Tailgating started at noon, eight hours before kickoff and for the most part, fans of both teams behaved. As you entered the stadium, the chants started and the tension grew and no one in Vegas placed bets on that feeling that was in FedEx that gave Skins fans goose bumps before the game.

Flash backs from RFK stadium and highlights from those whose names are now in the Washington Ring of Fame brought back memories of the good ole days and for others they were images that made you flash-forward to when you can take your children to a game and say “I was at that game” or “I remember that moment”. I couldn’t help but wonder if I would ever witness those moments where years from now they will be played back and those moments will be remembered forever.

The very next image on the big screen was bundled up older man named Charlie White. Talk about a moment… After a moving tribute for his 72 years of ushering for the Washington Redskins- he has seen virtually every Washington home game- the 86 year old is a piece of Washington Redskins history. (Read Dan Steinberg’s story on White)
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2008/12/meet_charlie_white_the_redskin.html

Maybe it was the tension building from tailgating to the stadium. Maybe it was an 86 year old fan and usher that made every Redskin fan in FedEx glossy-eyed as he was living proof that a true fan is a fan for life. Maybe it was all the disappointing seasons and years of never knowing what Snyder is going to do next that was building the emotions in FedEx. You could just feel it… And then, the stadium erupted when the big screens zoomed in on Chief Zee wearing the headdress as he chanted: WE Want Dallas! WE WANT Dallas! WE WANT DALLAS! FedEx has never been that loud and the intensity for a win has never been more clear.

The fans never left the game and with each down there was restored hope that we can win. I'm pretty sure this game took a year off my life and I woke up on Monday with no voice. As a Skins fan; a W is a W, no matter what the stats show

If I was Coach Shanahan I would have given the Redskins defense off from practice on Monday, Special teams half a day practice, the offense would have two-a-days all week. The yellow pants that matched the flags on the field would be worn every game in hopes that the calls go for the Redskins! But even if the Skins lose every other game this season, the emotion, loyalty and a restored hope that started from the image of a 86 year old man on the big screen and ended with 13-7 HAIL TO THE REDSKINS is a moment that will last my life time.

Rivals: Come Together!

It’s the first NFL game of the 2010 season and the New Orleans Saints are taking on the Minnesota Vikings- its just one of those games where every football fan was watching.

Before the game, both teams walked towards each other on the field, in a row and held up their right index finger as way to make a statement to the NFL and the owners. The statement the Satins and the Vikings made went beyond the rivalry of an NFC Championship game but as way to unite the National Football League players union.

The National Football League player’s union was formed in 1956 when football players on the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns together demanded that the organizations provide players with a minimum league-wide salary and per diem pay, uniforms and equipment paid for and maintained at the clubs' expense and continued payment of their salaries while they were injured and unable to play. Don Shula of the Baltimore Colts, John Gordy of the Detroit Lions, Frank Gifford and Sam Huff of the New York Giants, and Norm Van Brocklin of the Los Angeles Rams led the organizing drive. (Thank you Wikipedia)

So.. what’s the big deal? Basically, the owners and the players can not agree on the percent of leagues revenue that is shared between team owners and the players, the rookie salaries and contracts, the length of the season (will they extend to 18 games), health coverage for family and retirement and the use of drug testing. Will the owners of the most watched sport in the United States lock out players for 2011 season because they are negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement for the league’s 1,700 players?

Honestly, let the individual teams deal with the issues of salaries and contracts and besides the extension of a regular season schedule, the rest should be the leagues responsibility to provide health care and instill drug testing. Take away professional football from millions of die hard, crazy fans and the NFL will not only be called the No Football League but the rivalry will no longer be between the owners and the players, but between the fans and the NFL.

FIGURE IT OUT GOODELL!

I just want to know that in 2011 I will still have a holy day of football and my excuse to my boss for why I am unable to work on Sunday’s. This is a rivalry that needs to end before March 2011 and it is the one rivalry that the owners and players do not want the fans to be against them.

The Wait Continues in Washington…

Tommy John surgery- ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery on the elbow named after former Dodger pitcher, Tommy John who was the first to have the surgery in 1974.

The word ‘surgery’ is just a scary word and then on Friday we heard surgery and Strasburg in the same sentence. National fans had to take a deep breath and accept that maybe those three words are no longer a death sentence for pitchers or teams.

Stephen Strasburg was a gift to the Washington Nationals from the baseball gods with efforts to replace the mascot/president’s race -that’s announced as the ‘main event’ to highlight the baseball game as the main reason for dealing with DC traffic to attend a Nationals game.

On Thursday, the Nationals first pick in the 2010 draft, Bryce Harper- at 17 year-old who has the talent and hype of Strasburg, showed off his Nationals jersey for the first time at Nationals Park. The Nationals also beat the Cardinals after 13 innings 11-10. But most of the public didn’t hear about these highlights as the shock of Strasburg claimed the headlines.

The Nationals are in 5th place in their division for the 5th time in the past six years. At this point not even Strasburg’s nasty curve could give the Nationals a chance to contend for a 2010 wildcard.

So how did this happen? Strasburg was carefully monitored and we haven’t heard any stories about rookie hazing. The Nationals did everything by the book to protect their $15.1 million dollar investment. But we continue to learn that innings pitched and pitch counts are not highly related to this injury, just ask Nolan Ryan who pushes his pitchers to pitch more than most teams. There’s the argument that pitchers come back a better pitcher post-surgery which could only mean that pitching injuries come down to pitching mechanics. Have you ever watched a pitcher in slow motion or viewed pictures of a pitcher pitching? The range of motion isn’t what most of us consider a normal movement and the facial expressions give a whole new meaning to the “Scheyer face”.

But maybe there’s some good to come out of this situation… We all witnessed LeBron talk about how he couldn’t win a championship alone, maybe this is a sign from the baseball gods letting us know that even Strasburg can’t win alone. With Bryce Harper on track to make a 2012 appearance in the show, giving Strasburg time to recover and Harper a year in minors- get your popcorn ready; we could be in for some real fireworks in the Nations Capital in 2012.

Bunker Bummer!

Dustin Johnson; Penalized two strokes on the 18th hole of the PGA Championship for grounding in the bunker at Whistling Straits.

I’m rooting for my friend and former classmate from college who is battling for his first major and you can just see the determination on his face that he’s going to win! Then, I heard the ruling.

Why is the gallery in the bunker? Why is there trash in the bunker? And where’s the rake? Talk about a hazard… Maybe it was a bunker at the beginning of the week, but it wasn’t a bunker on Sunday evening. Yes, I understand that there were memos all around the club house, but how do you determine a bunker when the gallery is standing over it? Does the rules official have to tell Johnson that he’s in a bunker, no. But could he have told him, YES! Given the circumstances and the unidentifiable lines of the bunker, why didn’t he tell Johnson he was in a bunker? Why wouldn’t Price have asked the crowed to move back?

The rules official for the final group on Sunday was David Price, who is also the head golf professional at Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas. He had to break the news to Johnson. Price said "I'm going to let him play out the hole so that it doesn't change the way he plays a shot or anything like that in case there wasn't a violation. As he's putting I'm thinking, 'I could be going up to the PGA champion to tell him he's not really the champion.' He missed the putt, which didn't make it any better, but I immediately went up to talk to him." Price had to tell Johnson immediately so Johnson would not sign the score card. If Johnson would have signed the score card he would have been disqualified and that would have cost Johnson thousands of dollars in prize money.

Some argued that the other players didn’t break the rule all week, well… at least not that we know of. Each golfer didn’t have a personal camera man following them all week and still no one is able to tell how many bunkers are on the course. Mr. Dye, there’s a reason spectators are not standing in the bunkers at Augusta National and there’s a reason grown men break down in tears looking down Magnolia Lane, but there’s no reason for an over designed course where players can not break down the bunkers from the dirt.

Dustin was a class act in how he handled the situation. He remained calm and once he was told the area of sand was a bunker he admitted that he had grounded in the bunker. Even with a Major title on the line Dustin never blamed anyone for the mistake. You have to admire that the future of golf is going to remain as classy as those who have pioneered the game. He took the high road and made Coastal Carolina Alumni proud to be a Chanticleer and he won the hearts of popularity in the gallery. Dustin, we are all rooting for you!

Dustin Johnson just became the Armando Galarraga of golf and the player we will remember from the 2010 PGA Championship.

Favre From Over....

When I heard that Brett Favre was retiring for the third time, I laughed.

I honestly think Brett was practicing with the high school kids in Mississippi and one of the kids said something about the Bengal’s or all these ridiculous rookie contracts which lead to, no one is talking about Brett Favre… So anther kid says oh, watch this, we can get Brett back in the spot light. This can only mean that one of the high school kids must have sent the text message to someone in Brett’s contact list and just like that, the word was out. The news and sports reporters went crazy trying to break the real story. (Again, I have no idea how the word got out but it’s more comical to think of it this way.)

The Vikings have offered Brett Favre $16 million guaranteed plus $4 million in incentives to play the 2010 season. We all know Brett isn’t the athlete who has dreams of making it rain in a rap video but really… How many pairs of Wranglers can he have? It’s obvious that Brett hates camp and while he might be the NFL’s only grandfather, he still plays football on pure adrenalin with a passion for the game and with the innocence of a child that continues to prove that having fun will always be the heart of his the game.

I was in Milwaukee when Brett announced his first retirement in 2008. Talk about a somber state… The whole state of Wisconsin fell into a deep depression. Every where I went, Packer fans were begging their hero not to go. Just about every business that had an outside sign had a message for Favre. Everything from, Thanks for memories Brett, You will be missed, Favre for President, Favre: We Need You and Brett Favre is our religion. Once Brett announced he would be playing the 2008 season with the Jets, a church sign read, God will never leave you for the Jets.

Then in 2009 we heard it again… and Favre fans everywhere didn’t want to believe he was walking away. A few days later, Childress was picking Favre up from the airport and for the first time in 18 years, Favre wasn’t wearing a green jersey. Favre fans learned a new color that day and football fans everywhere realized how much football needed Brett Favre.

At the age of 40, he had one of his best seasons and proving to Ted Thomas why Brett Favre has earned the right to call the plays on and off the field.

I’m no medical doctor, but I used to have my ankle taped in cheerleading and it made it almost impossible to point my toes or even move my ankle at all. It might as well have been a cast made out of pre-wrap and athletic tape. Brett, you still have your arm and your heart. Tape your ankle, get a brace, take some Advil and just be on the field September 9th (and November 28th because I’ll there when you play in Washington)! Brett, your career is Favre from over!

NCAA Investigations: the Real Violations

NCAA vs Sports Agents and paying college athletes, what's the real violation?

NCAA rules prohibit players from accepting gifts or improper benefits from agents or their representatives. What if the college athlete doesn’t have an agent or a representative? Does that mean college athletes can not accept friends request from Sports Agents on facebook? What if a fraternity is throwing the best party on campus and everyone who attends, including the college athletes, are not charged to drink the Jungle Juice (or Tim Tebow for the fruit punch) is that considered an improper gift?

A South Beach party at Club Liv in the Fontainebleau hotel in May has been the subject of an investigation by the NCAA and several high profile schools, including defending National Champion Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. These investigations will only lead to punishment for the schools and the current players. But in the USC investigations, the punishment for violating NCAA agent rules affected the current players who were not even students at USC when the violations took place.

The only punishment that is consistent is that the agent is never the victim and agents are never punished for going after top prospects. According to the NCAA, only 39 states have a law that can punish the misbehavior of agents. However, these laws are rarely applied. So who is really violated? College students meet with future employers about future jobs. Future employers can fly out future employees to interviews or any company function that might persuade the future employee. How is a student interview different from student athletes interviewing future Sport Agents?

What is different is paying current student athletes with a paycheck to play the sport. They are paid: it’s called a college education without student loans. I hate to say it, but I disagree with one my favorite sports reporters, John Saunders and the rest of the sports reporters on this issue. On Sunday’s edition of the show the lead story was about the NCAA and agents and if players should be paid to play. Saunders ended the segment by saying; “room, board, books and tuition; there should be a little more money going around I think..” I’m guessing that he and Mike Lupica, Mitch Albom, and Pedro Gomez didn’t have student loans when they graduated from college.

There are brain surgeons who will graduate medical school over a hundred thousand in debt. Reggie Bush left college with zero debt, maybe a Range Rover and the skills on the field to make millions. Yes, Reggie Bush made USC millions from his jersey sales and the hype of watching him play, but USC gave Reggie Bush the opportunity and the branding that lead to Reggie Bush signing a NFL contract and earning millions. He was paid, just not in paper presidents and so were all the athletes who proved themselves in professional sports.

Any college student is going to be tempted to anything that’s “free”. In my opinion, if the University isn’t writing the check for any legal, “free” gifts or trips I don’t see the big violation. Paying student athletes to play is a violation to all students. When non-athletes are paying thousands of dollars in tuition and will graduate with 30 years of debt so that the student athletes can leave college without ever owing the University a penny, is enough. Paying athletes would only lead to an increase in student’s tuition and that should be considered a real NCAA violation.

Witness the Biggest BreakUp

LeBron James didn’t choose to grow up in Ohio. He never had a national signing day and he’s never be able to choose where he would play. Cleveland crowned him the Chosen One to build a seven year relationship that was based on hope he could save a city. LeBron James didn’t choose to save Cleveland.

The idea of a national TV special to announce his decision of free agency is not shocking. I can’t be the only one who expected this type to attention on a day that we all saw coming.

LeBron James is more than an athlete, he’s an international brand! Of course the world wanted to ‘witness’ HIS decision. The problem is that the city of Cleveland took it as a public breakup and a slap in the face of un-loyalty. I would argue that the city of Cleveland is the crazy ex-girlfriend in this breakup. Burning LBJ’s jersey, riots, and the deepest burn came from the nasty words of Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert. This isn’t Lane Kiffin, this is a six time all-star and a two time MVP. He played his heart out in a Cavalier jersey! If he wanted to “rub it in” he would have sat behind a table lined with team hats, smiled and cheered while yelling “South Beach baby”. Instead, he made it a charity opportunity, had a conversation -not a press conference and held back tears as he announced he would be heading down south.

The pressure of his decision was written on his tired face and shown in his glossy eyes. He carried the weight of not only a franchise, but the weight of an entire city. No one would choose that pressure and no one could succeed alone. It takes a team to win a championship and a team to save a city.

Even when LeBron showed signs that he had an interest in other cities, Cleveland fans sill worshiped him. Remember when he wore a Yankees hat to an Indians game? He has openly stated that yes, he grew up in Ohio, but he also grew up a Yankees fan, a Dallas Cowboy fan and a Chicago Bulls fan-why else would he wear “23”?

He didn’t breakup with Cleveland for more money. He’s said all along that he plays to win. Seven years of sell-out games and ESPN highlights without a championship in a Cavaliers jersey can only leave LeBron the one with a broken heart. So yes, breaking up is hard to do.

I respect LeBron more for admitting that it’s not about the money and that he can’t do it alone. By joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh- the Miami Heat just got hotter. Professional sports are fueled by ego’s and dollar signs. To see a team that chooses to ban together to build a team fueled by passion and teamwork is almost an unheard of relationship. A team that has chosen to give up their individual net worth to build the teams net worth is so rare and inspiring –and quite possibly the best illustration of teamwork in the NBA. Now, we can only count down the days until we witness a championship team.

The Donovan Affect

I’m not going to lie, watching ninety minutes of running made me tired. I even called my cable provider because there was an annoying buzzing sound coming form my TV. When the customer service representative told me that my cable connection was fine I started to believe a fly was stuck in my ear.

I’m a huge sports fan, but when it comes to the most popular sport in the world, something is missing in American soccer. I think American fans are too ADD (attention deficit disorder) to watch a ninety minute game with such low scoring. Fans need more instant gratification to keep their eye on the ball and their debit cards in the stadiums. Sports fans have so many choices when it comes to which sports to watch and support. Teams that already have championship banners to confirm success have captured fans for their life time. Besides, Americans are too competitive to invest in a sport that can end in a tie. Seriously, all that running for a tie!!!??

The United States has Americanized the sport football by naming it soccer. Why did we stop there? Maybe we should have Americanized the game more towards corporate entertainment to drive a fan base of consumer spending. A large TV audience and a strong, supporting fan base are the fundamentals for a successful team/league. In a sport with no time outs, there’s no time for commercials- only a fifteen minute break at halftime. Don’t get me wrong; I have satellite radio in my car because I can’t stand commercials so watching a game without interruption is great. The down side is that the sports that have altered rules of their game to become more TV friendly have created a billion dollar industry that is a house hold brand-except soccer.

Deep down, I’m a dork and there are not enough stats for me to tell who on the field is a star and who is a superstar. I know of Clint Dempsey because of story Jeremy Schapp showed on E:60. Until an ESPN commercial with Landon Donovan and a copy machine, I was unaware that he is the all-time leader in scoring and assists for the United States national team. In 2007 the Beckham Effect was Major League Soccer’s plan to be in the same league as the NFL, MLB, NBA and the NHL. Temporally, it created hype and when Beckham actually played, the plan worked. However, the Beckham Effect didn’t pack a local bar at 8:00AM for an afternoon soccer game like a United States World Cup game.

The best moment for the United States during the World Cup was seeing the excitement that the team created among Americans. Maybe it was just the red, white and blue that united sports fans on a field where no one, including the World Cup referees wanted the United States to be successful. But, I have hope that Landon Donovan’s game winning goal against Algeria was the play that years from now we will look back and say that was the goal that created the Donovan Affect on American soccer.

P.S. Vuvuzelas should be banned in the United States.

A Perfect Ending

There have been only 20 official perfect games over the past 135 years of Major League Baseball. Last year, White Sox pitcher-Mark Buehrle became the only pitcher to throw a perfect game in the past five years. This year, both Dallas Braden and Roy Holladay have pitched perfect games. With one out to go last Wednesday, Cooperstown was clearing room to add Armando Galarraga to the perfect game hall of fame.

In only a crowd of 17,738 in Detroit with one out to go, Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera moved to field the grounder by Jason Donald and fired to Galarraga covering first-base for out 27. The crowd was cheering for the first perfect game in Tigers history the announcers called Donald out and then umpire Jim Joyce yelled “safe”. The cheers quickly became boo’s, a franchise record quickly became a nightmare and a pitcher just smiled.

As a fan of the game you find yourself rooting for Galarraga even if you’re not a Tigers fan. The caliber and prestige of a perfect game makes you a fan of baseball and everyone watching wanted to pass down the memory of the night they witnessed a perfect game. But what I will remember from the game is the reaction of Galarraga. He just smiled while the world of baseball called Joyce every name in the book. He didn’t go for an ejection, he didn’t throw his hat/glove; he just smiled and finished his game.

Joyce tearfully spoke to the media after he watched the re-play and he admitted that he made a mistake that cost Garlarraga a perfect game. It was the biggest call of his career and he blew it. He spoke to Garlarraga and apologized in person. "You don't see an umpire after the game come out and say, `Hey, let me tell you I'm sorry,'" Galarraga said.

Baseball fans needed more than a night to walk off the fury for the blown call. As Jim Joyce walked on the field for Thursday’s game, his emotions were shown in the bags under his eyes. Death threats didn’t stop him from being a man and facing a crowd of boo’s and the player whose dream he took away. Tigers manager Jim Leyland had Galarraga present the lineup up card as a way to defuse the uproar of the pervious night

When Jim Joyce and Armando Galarraga shook hands, Jim Joyce wasn’t the only one with tears. When most fans wanted to punch Joyce, Galarraga shook his hand and kept a smile on his face. It might be one the classiest moment in sports. I give Joyce, Galarraga and Leyland all a standing ovation for handling the situation with such character and class. In the game of sportsmanship- baseball won.

King of What?

Have you checked the LeBron Tracker on ESPN.com? It’s a full page dedicated to what the two time MVP, LeBron James will do with free agency. The opinions and polls are endless and vary from one reference to the next. For the next 44 days the LaBron Tracker will continue to update with any news about if the King will stay in Cleveland or build his castle in a bigger city.

KINGJAMES23 is the name of the fantasy basketball league I play in. I couldn’t help but ask the league manager (my twin brother) what is KingJames King of? His response was that in the world of baseketball, LeBron is the King. Yes, I remember him on the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was a sophomore in high school and I know that he skipped the experience of playing at the college level to be the number one draft pick in 2003. The state of Ohio and SI appointed LeBron as the Chosen 1. As a three-time “Mr. Basketball” recipient of Ohio high school basketball, they nicked named him “King James”. So what will we call him if he actually wins a ring…? KingGodJames..? KingHasARingJames..?

Don’t get me wrong, I love LBJ and I’m pretty sure he would beat me in a game of horse. But, Charles Barkley and Steve Nash are some of the past league’s MVP’s and they never held a Championship trophy. They were (are) superstars but we didn’t call them King, maybe Sir, but they played the in the league and earned their Super-Star status. LeBron was the King of the NBA before he graduated high school.

With six more weeks of speculation, I just want to know that LeBron isn’t going to pull a Ricky Williams and that he will be playing in the NBA next season. All this New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Cleveland; it’s more like Jay Z vs Obama vs Ohio. If President Obama thinks “LeBron will look great in a Bulls uniform” and when anything is “speculated” from John Calipari’s reps it’s a pretty good sign that the Chicago Bulls are turning into Looking at Lucky in this race.

I just hope that one day my twin brother and I can WITNESS King James with Ring.


PS: Phil Jackson: Nash didn’t carry the ball.

Is Washington, DC on the ineligible list for a Championship?

Dear Sports Gods:
Please remove Washington, DC from the list of teams banned from winning a Championship. Thanks, -Alison

The Washington Capitals won the Presidents Cup, Strasburg should make his major league début this month and Dan Snyder still has more money than God. Sounds like championship city, but the Capitals haven’t held the Stanley Cup, the Nationals haven’t celebrated a World Series win and Dan Snyder still can’t buy a Super Bowl ring.

The city is still morning the loss of the NHL conference quarterfinals. The Capitals lost to the Canadians and some say it was the biggest sports upset in Washington. There was no Obama bailout for the Caps and the number seven doesn’t seem so lucky in Washington, DC. How dose the best team in the league lose in the first round? Is Halak on HGH? Can Ovechkin win in the post season? Some questions may remain unanswered, but all the talent of: Ovechkin, Green, Backstorm, and Semin will return next year and the feelings from game seven will skate the Capitals back to the playoffs.

I always laugh when I hear “And now for the main event…The President’s race” at the Washington National’s games. Is that the main reason to spend $8.00 on a bottle of domestic beer? For the first time in five years the Nat’s have a winning percentage above 500 and a $15.1 million dollar draft pick who has a fastball clocking 100 miles per hour.. maybe there’s a prospect for a winning future…

Mr. Snyder Sir, money buys championships for the Yankees. However, it’s not paying off for the Redskins. Jason Taylor and McNabb are just a few of the over paid superstars whose careers have already peaked and are full of disappointment. I wouldn’t say you are the worst owner in the NFL, but I can’t say you’re the smartest either.

I’ve met Mr. Snyder before and I will admit he wasn’t the jerk he’s made out to be. I enjoyed the conversation and I know he’s better than a 80-90 record. Honestly, I think he’s just as frustrated with the team and at least he is trying to buy wins. Just invest in draft picks, not the leftovers.

Washington, DC has talented athletes, an investment in a fastball, the money to win championships and still the Capitals and the Nationals remain on the banned list and the Redskins have been put on the ineligible list for the past 18 years.

If you believe in Sports, pray. If you believe in God, pray. Sports in Washington, DC need a lot of prayer for a Championship team.

Do you believe in Magic?

An NHL hat trick is the term for a player that scores three goals in a single game. To honor the player the fans litter the ice with hats -“hat trick”. This tradition dates back to the 1950’s.

But what happens when the player scores four goals in a single game? Personally, I think the hats should be replaced with toy rabbits- (watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat). Who doesn’t love a magic trick?

Now, for some real magic… The Capitals dream of Stanley.

Alex Ovechkin said Saturday’s win was because Montreal’s Halak was suffering from some playoff jitters… I hope Ovechkin’s hockey stick becomes a magic wand for the playoffs.

The Washington Capitals have Alex Ovechkin- arguably the best player in the NHL, the best fans in hockey and consecutive sellouts for all their home games, but they haven’t tasted champagne from the top bowl of the Stanley Cup trophy. Will this be the year that for the first time in team history “Washington Capitals” is engraved on the Stanly Cup? If you believe in magic; Rock the Red or Rock the Hawk- and just believe in the C-A-P-S CAPS! CAPS! CAPS!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Brackets are busted, the azalea’s are in bloom and hot dogs just taste better this time of year: It’s the most wonderful time of year in sports.

Tomorrow is the NCAA men’s Championship game between number one seed Duke and number five seed Butler. While Duke is the number one seed, no one was talking about taking the Blue Devils to the Championship game. And I wouldn’t call Butler the underdog if center- Matt Howard stays out of foul trouble. The name Duke has a ring to it. To say “91’, 92’, 2001 and 2010 NCAA National Champions” is a phrase that just sounds right.

I’ve always said that college is where the heart is. The words team and coach have a different meaning and every game played is about building a stronger team. No one is worried about a paycheck; they just worry about each other. The heart of the game was apparent as everyone who watched WVU’s coach Huggins fall to his knees to console an in-pain Da’Sean Butler. It didn’t matter who you were rooting for, we all felt their emotions. The reaction by Huggins to Butler was like a father and his only son. Their interaction broke the hearts of everyone watching. Referees are always trying to speed up the game, but for those moments on the court no one was worried about the clock, just the broken hearts that embraced on the floor.

In sports, there’s no off season. When one season ends, another one begins.

The Masters begins tomorrow and the tournament goes beyond golf and becomes The Master of tradition. Not much has changed since Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts dreamed of having the most prestigious tournament in golf. It’s one of the few sporting events that is rich in the tradition of the game and not rich in the media. There’s meaning on every inch of the grounds. The walk through Magnolia Lane that leads to Founders Circle and then meets at the clubhouse is beginning of the sincerity for the next eighteen holes. Amen Corner is landmark for being able to lift an embedded ball and drop it without penalty. President Eisenhower suggested the perfect place for a pond and Roberts named it Ike’s Pond.

Tiger will return and with limited media coverage, it’s just how the Masters should be: Only about The Maters.

The sounds of summer are back. There are no other sounds that are more associated with sports than the crack of the wooden bat and a 90 mile an hour fastball going deep into left field. The sound of a change-up hitting the catcher’s mitt while the batter swings and miss. The deep voice of an umpire calling a strike and hot dogs taste better when you hear “HotttttDogs! Get your HOTDogs!” It’s a long season, but once you hear the sounds of summer, you’ll know it’s the most wonderful time of year.

The Last ONE Standing

Out of the number one seeds from each region 86% of the brackets picked Kansas, 65% picked Syracuse, 67.1% picked Kentucky and 56.1 % of the 5.4 million brackets completed on ESPN.com picked Duke to reach the final four.

The Blue Devils are the last one standing.

Baylor’s size worried Duke Fans. Baylor’s average size outranked Duke by five inches. That’s a huge size difference and an advantage in college basketball. If this was baseball, Baylor would have been mentioned in the Mitchell Report.

The Bear’s held junior Kyle Singler to just five points the whole game. The close game back and forth had Duke fans praying to Christian Laettner Gods. No coincidence that it was the 18th anniversary of his game-winner that beat Kentucky in 1992. But the Laettner Gods didn’t send a miracle, instead they sent an untouchable Nolan Smith who scored 29 points- a career high.

It came down to last three minutes of the game and Baylor’s size didn’t matter as Nolan Smith hit a 3-pointer and John Scheyer followed putting Duke on top 67-61.

Duke won 78-71 and will return to the final four for the first time since 2004.

O-D-Who?

The first game of NCAA tournament and we are already on upset alert!

But was it really an upset? Of the brackets completed on ESPN, only 14.9 percent of them picked ODU to advance although they were the slight favorite.

The 11th seed Old Dominion University Monarchs knocked off the 6th seed fighting Irish of Notre Dame. The luck of the Irish held for most of the game until a 3-point attempt from Carleton Scott in the closing seconds that rolled off the rim and the Monarchs to a 51-50 victory and a second round game.

But for those of us who know anything about college basketball we know that the CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) is a conference that can make a lot a noise. Remember the Cinderella story of 2006? We were all cheering for George Mason as they upset Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State and Connecticut.

VCU upset Duke in the first round of last year’s tournament (only the second time Duke has ever lost in the first round in the last 25 years).

In the last six seasons, ODU won 145 games; a school record and the most wins among Virginia’s division I schools. No wonder Virginia Tech’s Seth Greenberg ended their contract to play Blaine Taylor’s Monarchs; the Monarchs are 4-1 over the Hokies.

Greenberg knows the chant goes O-D-U!

The beauty of March Madness is when your brackets are busted! Who would have thought the Sweet 16 would be without Georgetown, Villanova AND number one seed Kansas? Who would have thought Cornell and St. Mary’s looked so sweet? I LOVE it!

I admit, I’ve been a DUKE fan for as long as I can remember and I expect them to play smart and to shoot well. To me, Cameron indoor is one of the 8th wonders of the world and it’s an experience that any college basketball fan should add to their bucket list. But, the next best thing in college basketball is the MADNESS of March Madness.

Today is my favorite holiday: Selection Sunday!

This is the time of year when suddenly, EVERYONE becomes a college basketball fan. And while I love that March Madness brings out seasonal fans, I know that the true fans were apart of the madness that took place all season.

Finally, DUKE swept a 16-16 UNC and reclaimed the ACC Championship! John Scheyer’s facial expressions became the official hazing banner for all ACC home games and the defending Champs- UNC didn’t do much defending or scoring the whole season.
Maryland fans still fear the classroom as their only crowd chant is the F bomb followed by the visiting school’s name or player(s) name. Clemson, Georgia Teach, Wake Forest, and Florida State all proved they are still competitors in the ACC.

But does being a fan the whole season boost your bracketology? There’s always that one person in your office bracket that didn’t watch a game all season and they pull off the biggest upset of the year by selecting who has the best dancing shoes.

I like to treat Selection Sunday as a national holiday and I dedicate the entire day to bracketology. Before the teams are announced I wonder if the best 65 teams will get an invitation to the big dance and why isn’t Coach Knight on the selection committee? While most of the committee members are college Athletic Directors, have they had time to really watch the season outside of their conference games?

As the teams are announced I start thinking: Will Wofford (who upset South Carolina and George and almost pulled off the upset on Pitt) be this years Cinderella story? Or could Siena, Cornell or ODU be the mid-major upset? No one wants their brackets to bust, but it’s so exciting to see a mid-major upset!

Can Tennessee standout more than Pearl’s orange blazer? Can Syracuse and their seven starters get their endurance back; will Kansas State knock them off? Will DUKE’s shooting and coaching outrank Villanova’s athleticism or Kentucky’s size?

So many possible outcomes and only one bracket: let the Madness Begin!

The State of Sports

On Friday, the world came to a pause as Tiger Woods addressed the media. All three major news networks covered his public statement and millions of viewers were waiting to hear what Tiger was going to say. The world paused for a 13 minute speech from Tiger Woods; not the President, not the Pope but for the man who has dominated the game of golf for the past decade. I couldn’t help but wonder… can an athlete impact our lives the way they impact the game?

Yes, they can.

I too was one of those viewers and yes, I rescheduled a meeting so I could view his speech live. I can’t say I've ever rescheduled any part of my life for a State of the Union address, but when it comes to the State of Sports, I can’t take my eye off the ball.

I knew Tiger was sorry. I just wanted to know when he would return to golf. I felt like Tiger just made a bogy when his speech was over. The word golf was only mentioned twice. I’m awestruck by Tiger’s ability to play the game of golf, not for his ability to play the field. Unlike most women, I see Tiger as the most successful golfer to ever play the sport and not as the world’s worst husband.

I’m not saying that I agree or support his game off the course, but I’m not surprised either. Not that I thought Tiger was a bad husband before Thanksgiving, but given his fame and fortune Tiger had no one telling him "No". His wife has a dozes reasons to call him a cheater. As a fan of golf, I’m not calling him a cheater because he never cheated the game of golf.

I do believe that Tiger will return to golf and when he wins his next PGA Championship we all will be calling Tiger a winner.

For the Love of the Game

Today is Valentine’s Day and I dedicate this blog to the true love of my life: SPORTS!

Thank you for always giving me a reason to believe that you can love something more than yourself. No one else can bring out my emotions the way Zorn calls a fake field goal or the sight of an 83 year old Yogi Berra saying goodbye for the last time in pinstripes.

JoePa smiles and I see that our love will never be too old. You’ve taught me that Coach Knight’s passion, intelligence and sense of humor are the keys to finding love. And if I’m honest and play smart, I can find love my way.

Ted Williams and Charles Barkley remind me that love comes from each season. Sometimes even the best to ever play the game find that true love is in the game itself and not in the prize at the end.

With every George Mason and Appalachian State you remind me that love is blind and yes, mid major upsets inspire us all to believe that a little love can go a long way.

My love for you continues to grow every time DUKE beats UNC in Chapel Hill and no one will ever come between my love for 762* and 162.

So tonight while couples are out to dinner, I will stay home with you and listen to our song, DaNuhNuh DaNuhNuh and enjoy my HD view of just how clear our love is.