Changing History

 

Five starting QB’s were NFL rookies in week one. Indianapolis' Andrew Luck, Miami's Ryan Tannehill, Cleveland's Brandon Weeden and Seattle's Russell Wilson, all four lost their debut game and Washington’s Robert Griffin III won. 

 Here's the Summary:

2012 Rookie	Pass	Total	Rushing				QB
QB Debut	Complete	Yards	Yards	TD	INT	FUM	Rating
RG3	19 of 26	320	42	2	0	0	139.9
Russell Wilson	18 of 34	153	0	1	1	1	62.5
Andrew Luck	23 of 45	309	0	1	3	1	52.9
Ryan Tannenhill	20 of36	219	0	0	3	0	39
Brandon Weeden	12 of 35	118	0	0	4	0	5.1

Tebow who? Jesus was wearing an RG3 jersey on Sunday!

Going into this game the Redskins had a 15-8 all time record against the Saints and winning three of the last five matchups. Shanahan is 3-1 against the Saints and he has a 14-4 record in week one games; the winningest of active head coaches.

We all have heard about bounty-gate in New Orleans, where head Coach Sean Payton has been banned from team activity for one year. Payton’s presence is still visible with the huge banner of his face giving off that scary eyed look that has the caption “Do Your Job”. On Friday the appeals panel reinstated defensive end Will Smith and linebacker Jon Vilma who were suspended for their roles in the bounty scandal. Smith started on Sunday. Vilma was on the sidelines due to off season knee surgery. But that wasn’t enough for the Who Dat nation and I’m sure they will all have nightmares of the Sean Payton stare.

Even with the Redskins history against the Saints and the Saints in franchise mayhem, Vegas still had RG3 and the Skins as the underdog. But in typical Dan Snyder fashion, he managed to give Vegas another reason to hate the Redskins and left most football fans shocked as the Redskins beat the Saints 40-32 in the Superdome. Since Shanahan took over as the Redskins head coach in 2010, this is the first time the team scored 40 points.

RG3 found WR Pierre Garcon in the middle for an 88-yard TD, tying the second-longest scoring pass by a quarterback making his NFL debut and the longest offensive TD for the Skins since 1987. RG3 finished the first half with a perfect 158.3 passer rating; the first time a rookie has done that with 10 or more attempts.

I just hope RG3 isn’t so good that Shanahan decides he needs to shut him down. No pun intended Davey Johnson, no pun intended…

History continued when my neighbor only knocked on my wall twice (their way of telling me to stop hooting and hollering) and the concierge didn’t call me to ask me to tone it down. Clearly, they must not have been home the entire game- I was going nuts! What a turn around for Washington.

Peter King gave the Redskins a 6-10 prediction and most of the “experts” had even less faith. It’s still early, but just knowing that this team can throw, catch AND score is a fundamental breath of fresh air in the Nations Capital. Now, that’s the real change we’ve been waiting for. 

And how about those Foot Locker employees, I mean the replacement refs. I like these guys! For once the Redskins are getting the calls and getting them on the road too!

More history was made on Sunday as Shannon Eastin became the first women to be a line judge in an official regular-season game for the St. Louis-Detroit matchup. This is the first time in eleven years that replacement officials have been called up while the regular officials are locked out. I just wish she wouldn’t have tucked her ponytail under her cap after the national anthem. Girl, you earned your spot, don’t be scared to show off your ponytail! Wear it with pride and know you’re the best looking official in the game.

Yes, week one made the history books, but it’s only one chapter for the 2012 season. The key for Shanahan’s Redskins will be to finish each game. Seeing is believing, and we saw on Sunday that the talent is there- we just have to finish writing the history book one chapter at a time.

LIVESTRONG

Lance Armstrong is one of the most recognized athletes in the world. Refusing to become a statistic, he fought to beat the slim odds of testicular cancer and then used the same determination to cross the finish line and win the Tour de France seven times in a row.

But in today’s world, it’s believed by some that if you’re a great athlete in any sport then you must be doping. It’s as if we no longer believe that there are those athletes who are born great athletes and whose drive and dedication to maximize their God-given talent simply can not exist. Yes, I’m talking to you Travis Tygart.

Travis Tygart, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s chief executive, announced that Armstrong would be punched with a lifetime ban from cycling. The USADA also said that they will strip Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles, surrender his bronze medal from the 2000 Olympics, and any awards, event titles and cash earning after Armstrong dropped his legal fight against doping charges and accusations.

"It is a sad day for all of us who love sports and athletes," Tygart said. "It's a heartbreaking example of win at all costs overtaking the fair and safe option. There's no success in cheating to win."

I’m sorry, what did Tygart just say? He’s been on a witch hunt to take down Armstrong for years. He is not sad; he’s taking steroid shots to his ego. Tygart tests positive for being a jealous bully, driven by dollar signs and the realization that he wasn’t blessed with the physical attributes to make him a world famous athlete.

This crusade to take down the unparalleled seven time Tour de France title holder at all cost and for allegedly making deals with other riders that skirt around their own rules just as long as those riders say Armstrong cheated is simply sick. These are positive signs of mental illness for Tygart and entire USADA.

IF YOU HAVE NO PROVEN EVIDENCE YOU ARE NOT GUILTY!

“USADA has broken the law, turned its back on its own rules, and stiff-armed those who have tried to persuade USADA to honor its obligations. At every turn, USADA has played the role of a bully, threatening everyone in its way and challenging the good faith of anyone who questions its motives or its methods, all at U.S. taxpayers’ expense.”

“The idea that athletes can be convicted today without positive A and B samples, under the same rules and procedures that apply to athletes with positive tests, perverts the system and creates a process where any begrudged ex-teammate can open a USADA case out of spite or for personal gain or a cheating cyclist can cut a sweetheart deal for themselves. It’s an unfair approach, applied selectively, in opposition to all the rules. It’s just not right.”

1999-2005 is now marked with an asterisk according to the USADA, but we all know that Lance Armstrong is still the greatest cyclist of all time.

On Thursday, Armstrong made a public statement that enough was enough and he would end his battle with Tygart and the USADA. But his real fight is now focusing on his cancer foundation which has raised nearly $500 million for the fight against cancer. The symbolic yellow LIVESTRONG wristband has been a world symbol of hope and inspiration to those affected by cancer.

Individuals like Tygart take joy out of stripping away titles. And then there are individuals like Lance Armstrong who commit their life to beating the odds and believing that we can all LIVESTRONG.

Star Spangled Awesome!

 Team USA Gymnastics Winning Team Gold

The 2012 Summer Olympics ended with stars and stripes dominating the London games. The United States left with 104 medals; 46 gold, 29 silver and 29 bronze. China came in second with 88 total medals (38 gold, 27 silver, and 23 bronze) followed by Russia with 82 total medals (24 gold, 26 sliver, and 32 bronze). In a total of 47 Olympic Games (both winter and summer) the Untied States of America leads the world in total medals with 2,642 (1,061 gold, 852 sliver, and 739 bronze). The Soviet Union ranks second with 1,204 combined medals and then Germany with 1,143 medals. No other country has over a thousand medals. While there’s no evidence to support the statement that America is the greatest country in the world, the total number of Olympic medals makes the United States of America Star Spangled Awesome!

At age 27, Michael Phelps retired after the London 2012 games as the all time most decorated Olympian. With 16 medals going into the London Games, Phelps became the Aqua Man winning 6 more medals, the most medals of any other Olympic athlete. Phelps will hang up his goggles with 22 total Olympic medals (18 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze). 

But who really runs the world? Girls! America knows how to produce some of the most beautiful athletes to ever wear the red, white, and blue! From women’s gymnastics, swimming, track, beach volleyball, basketball, soccer and more- it was all golden!

For the first time, every competing nation sent female participants to London. Also a first for American women was winning more gold medals than American men.

Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber, McKayla Maroney, Alexandra Raisman, and Kyla Ross make up the “Fierce Five” representing Team USA in women’s gymnastics and winning the ultimate Olympic prize- Team Gold, their first Olympic team gold since the "Magnificent Seven" in 1996. And what’s more American than rocking the messy bun hairdo?

Women’s gymnastics broke barriers when Gabby became the first African American to win all around gold. Jordyn shocked the world when she didn’t qualify to compete for the individual gold, but being the champion she is, she was the first to compete for team gold. McKayla proves why she owns the vault in qualifying and Aly won individual gold on floor and bronze on the beam. With the team age from 15 to 18 they make up one of the youngest women’s teams and we are rooting that they will be competing in Rio for summer games in 2016. I just have one question for these ladies: How do they not get wedgies?

Melissa Franklin is now a four time Olympic gold medalist. She also earned one bronze medal in the Aquatic Center and she is still in high school. She has refused prize money and any endorsements so that she can maintain her amateur status if she chooses to swim at the collegiate level.

After a 7^th place finish in the Beijing Olympics Lolo Jones under went spinal surgery and fought to compete in London. The controversy over her endorsement deals for her looks over her talent caused some media outlets to focus on Lolo as a pretty face and not a champion. She has won two World Indoor Championships. She was ready for redemption, ready to prove why she is a track goddess on and off the track. We were all heartbroken when Lolo placed 4^th in the 100 meter hurdles. Run to Rio Lolo, third time is a charm!

Remember that “coin toss” earlier this summer between Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh? Luck was on Felix’s side as she competed in 4 events. The 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and 4x400m relay, placing 5th in the 100m and winning gold in the other three and became the first American woman to win three gold medals in athletics at an Olympics since Florence Griffith-Joyner at the 1988 Summer Olympics.

Beach Volleyball may never see a pair this talented. Misty May Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings win their third straight and final Olympic gold medal with an unbeaten streak to 21 in a row -through Athens, Beijing and now London by defeating Jennifer Kessy and April Ross 21-16, 21-16 in an all-American final.

Women’s basketball earned their fifth consecutive gold medal with their second half domination on the court. France didn’t have a prayer in the second half. And with former Lady VOL Candace Parker on the court, she scored 21 points, including eight straight during the game-changing run in the second quarter as the U.S. took command of the game.

Is there a team with more personality than the Women’s soccer team? What a fun bunch of female athletes! Redemption vs. Japan for the loss at the World Cup in a shootout and it was a GOLDEN Redemption! USA beat Japan 2-1. Lloyd was on fire as she punished both goals to the back of the net. The team played with heart, pride and Solo! Hope Solo proved again why she is the best goalkeeper in the Women’s game. But with out Alex Morgan’s game-winning goal in the 123rd minute semifinals against Canada this game may have not happened.

With presidential elections around the corner, it can bring out the worst in American’s as friends are divided by party affiliations. But every time I watched Team USA stand on the top of medal stand and heard the National Anthem, I got chills. For those moments we all are united on the same team. I’m a proud American and our Olympic Athletes make America Star Spangled Awesome!

WE ARE! .... Screwed!

 Joe Paterno's statue now removed

The Freeh report concluded their motive was to shield the university and its football program from negative publicity. Wrong! The Freeh report only escalated the problem to a panicked reaction from Penn State. 

“That the president, the athletic director and the board of trustees accepted this unprecedented action by the NCAA without requiring a full due process hearing before the Committee on Infractions is an abdication of their responsibilities.”

On Sunday, Penn State president Rodney Erickson announced that the Joe Paterno statue would be removed. It was as if he died all over again. Only this time, (and from the current location of where the statue once stood) it looks like someone opened-fire and killed a once honored and respected Coach and program. I will never understand how removing a statue will help serve justice for Sandusky’s crime. 

I know; it’s not the crime, it’s the cover up. I just don’t fully trust the Freeh report. I believe that with the information Joe Paterno was given (and clearly it wasn’t close to the whole story), the generation that JoePa still lived in (he didn’t have a cell phone, he didn’t have an email that HE used and he probably didn’t realize that TV shows were shown in color or that Chris Hansen had a TV show about child predators) that JoePa did what he thought was right. What we’ve learned is that JoePa is the only one who has said that he wishes he could have done more. No one supports the sick actions of Sandusky, but how victim’s parents knew their child was a victim and didn’t stop this monster from preying on other children will never make sense to me.

There’s more to the cover up and it’s not just from Penn State. In the Grand Jury report, the mom of victim #1 knew what happened to her child and you’re saying it took 15 years to file a police investigation? What was more important to keep a mother from protecting her child? Money? Promised scholarships? Please, tell me!

My point is that the cover up is deeper than Penn State. The whole scandal is just so complex, but at the center of it all is Sandusky who will live in denial for the rest of his life behind bars. JoePa was fired and the University is doing everything to erase the memory of the man who was the single most significant pioneer for Penn State.

NCAA President, Mark Emmert announced that Penn State would be fined $60M, vacated Paterno’s 111 wins from 1998-2011, serve a four-year bowl ban and lose 40 scholarships over the next four years.

Where does $60M even go?

With Paterno’s 111 wins vacated, that makes 409 career wins to 298 wins. Paterno will drop to 12^th on the winningest NCAA football coach list. Six bowl wins and two conference championships will also be erased. Will they refund all the money from ticket and merchandise sales for the fans that were there too? If Emmert is saying the games “never happened” then fans never spent their money. Will fans receive refund checks in the mail?

Really, let’s put an asterisk next to JoePa’s wins and make everything all better. We all know he will be the winningest coach in Division 1 football FOREVER, but if adding an asterisk somehow serves justice for the crime Sandusky committed then go ahead and add a big asterisk. And no real coach wants to move up on the wins list that way.

“Any current or incoming football players are free to immediately transfer and compete at another school.” Mr. Emmert, pleeeeeas tell me how this is practical. In case you forgot, practice starts next week and no where is a kid going to find a school that happens to have a scholarship just hanging in an empty locker when the NCAA continues to take scholarships away because someone else bought them lunch.

Who really is screwed in this are the students and the student athletes. I say the students because once victim lawsuits come flooding in, Penn State will be broke and tuition will be the only source of economic income. That $220M TV contract won’t last long.

At least the death penalty would have been a shorter way to rip off the band aid. The NCAA’s penalties are actions that just lead to a slow and painful death of a football program and University that was built on so much more. The actions of one sick man, Jerry Sandusky have screwed an entire program and university of its past, present and future.

I’ve had a JoePa statue/figure on my desk for years. It’s one of my favorite gifts from my twin brother and I thank the sports gods that Rodney Erickson and Mark Emmert can not remove it.  

The statue of Joe Paterno on my desk

Changing of the Guard

Jeremy Lin has been the best personal story of the NBA in years!  The phenomenon of Linsanity gave the Knicks and the NBA a feel good story that had the world rooting for the underdog.

The twenty-three year old point guard received zero athletic scholarships out of high school, became a walk-on for Harvard, graduated, went undrafted in the NBA, and then reached a small contract deal with the Golden State Warriors; his hometown team. With little playing time his rookie season he bounced back and forth from the D-League before making a roster spot with the New York Knicks for the 2011-2012 season.

It was no surprise when sports fans voted for Jeremy Lin as the Best Breakthrough Athlete at the 2012 ESPY awards.

In the 35 games that Lin was healthy, he averaged 14.6 points, 6.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds with 25 starts before he had surgery on his knee to repair torn cartilage and earned a $788,000 paycheck as a restricted free agent.

Knicks coach Mike Woodson said Lin would be the starting point guard next season. But after acquiring point guard Raymond Felton in a multiple trade with the Blazers and then on July 5^th the Knicks signed a three-year deal with point guard Jason Kidd making the Knicks look Lin-sane.  

The Houston Rockets have offered Lin a three-year, $25 million offer that give the Knicks 72 hours to match the deal to keep him. Fellow/former teammate, Carmelo Anthony called Lin’s deal “ridiculous”. 

Are the Knicks Linsane or are the Rockets Linsane? According to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith the Knicks will not be matching Houston’s offer. As a fan, I liked Lin in a Knicks jersey. This is a 6’3 kid and an Ivy League graduate who started off 2011 sleeping on his brother’s couch in a one bedroom apartment on the lower eastside of Manhattan. And according to Forbes, the overnight sensation earned the Knicks an extra $10-$20 million in revenue. So I think what Melo was trying to say is that Jeremy Lin has earned a Lin-diculous offer.

The debate that Jeremy Lin hasn’t “proven” himself will be the new LeBron story for next season. What surprises me most about the Lin-sane Knicks is forgetting that in the world of sports you can win and lose in the same game. Points can win the game and sold out games are a win for the franchise. The hype of Linsanity alone filled seats, moved merchandise, made media headlines, and gave Knicks fans a reason to be Lin-sational. Even if next season is Lin-barrassing, the franchise that recognizes how Jeremy Lin can Lin-pact a team from a revenue stand point will be bal-Lin. Jeremy Lin is Win-Lin deal.

                   

Heads or Tails?

Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh both crossing the finish line at 11.068 seconds

Heads or Tails? This is a common method I use to decide what’s for dinner or what color nail polish to choose. My parents even used a coin toss to decide which parent would attend my college graduation. (My twin brother and I graduated college on the same day, at the same time in different states, 300 miles apart.) For my parents, it was the only logical way to solve the problem. But a coin toss is never the answer to serious problems like what shoes I should wear, who I should start in my fantasy lineup or who should represent America in the London Games.


The coin toss is also used in sporting events to decide who starts on offense or defense. Funny, I can’t find anywhere where a coin toss decided the outcome of any game, but a coin toss could be the deciding factor for the women’s USA Track and Field team. There seems to be a third-place tie between Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh in the women’s 100 meters and with no protocol for tiebreakers, both athletes get to choose between a coin toss or they can race again to see who will complete the final spot and represent the USA in London. Both athletes must agree on the toss or the race, but if they disagree, they will race to the finish line.


Can you hear the world laughing at us now? Seriously, A COIN TOSS? Geeeez, just give everyone a gold medal and a cookie and tell them thanks for coming to London.


This is terrible! All of your training comes down to luck? Please, this can’t be true- did a Russian judge make this rule? It’s simple, in sports you play until you win or you lose- there’s no situation where a tie game should ever end with a coin toss to determine the winner and loser- NEVER!


Sudden death, overtime, extra innings- whatever the sport is you keep playing until there is a clear winner. There’s the rare occasion when a regular season game could end in a tie, but never in a playoff game! And isn’t this what the Olympic trials are- like a playoff match, more like a Runoff? There are no ties in runoffs! NO TIES- RUN AGAIN!


The US officials want to have the team set by July 1st- so we’ll have to wait and see if the 100 meters is completed with luck or speed. Until then, Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh will be focusing on the 200 meters finals this week.

Game of Thrones

So many Kingdoms but there can only be one king.


In the West it’s Kobe, in the Midwest it’s Durant, in the North it’s Rose, in the East it’s Carmelo, and in the South it’s LeBron.

In this Game of Thrones LeBron James will always be looked at as the hand of the king until he wins an NBA Championship. He has the talent and there’s a blood line to the throne in Miami, but the battle has to be won in all four quarters for King James to finally sit on his iron throne with his hand crowned with ring.

People hate LBJ for The Decision- I don’t. Yea, if I was in LBJ’s entourage maybe there would have been less drama, but the decision still would have been the same. It’s not like LBJ sprayed a bottle of Cristal and yelled “South Beach Baby” while covered in confetti during the Decision. ESPN and advertisers knew this was a decision we all wanted to witness and by watching it we all supported the Decision. What I don’t understand why LBJ haters can’t move past the Decision? Let-It-Go!


LBJ made one NBA finals appearance during his seven years with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007. He returned to the NBA finals last year during his first season with the Miami Heat, but he only averaged three points in the fourth quarter of the series- LBJ took the heat for the failure to finish and the ring to throne was gone in six games.

Now in season two with his talents in South Beach, LBJ is taking his team to back-to-back finals appearances- third times a charm, right? It’s going to take more than luck to stop Durant, Westbrook, Sefolosha, and the Beard. The Thunder may have youth, but the Heat knows how much losing hurts.

With the Heat and the Thunder battling for the heir to the throne we have the prefect storm brewing in this Game of Thrones.


The Heat lead the Thunder 2-1.

The Summitt

It has come to the attention of Vol Nation that the Athletic Director Dave Hart has plans to “rebrand” the University of Tennessee Athletics and unite both the men’s and women’s athletic department. Unless this “rebranding” plan is the blue print for a Football National Championship in the immediate future then Hart should spend his time fixing something that’s not broken.

Allegedly, the “Lady Vols” logo used in women’s athletic department will no longer represent women’s athletics. The powder blue will fade from the women’s uniforms and “the Summitt” on the center court of Thompson-Boling Arena will be pushed to the baseline. Hart’s rebranding plan lacks any heart for the Lady Vols. Who are you Dave Hart? He’s acting like an Alabama spy with a questionable Florida State past who has completely lost his mind!

Why would you take away the “Lady VOLS” logo- what’s the point? If it’s really about team unity then are you are going to have the girls and boys locker rooms become one locker room too? Lady Vols is a marketing goldmine and it has a nice ring to it. It works- and it shows every other athletic program that the University of Tennessee stands behind and supports women’s athletics.

The powder blue was started by the men’s team in the mid 70’s- it wasn’t just a “girl” thing. If Hart seriously believes that removing a color from the women’s uniforms will unite the men’s and women’s athletic departments then there is a full blown delusional psychopath running the athletic asylum.

And moving “the Summitt” from the basketball court…WHAT? Are you going to move the 8 National Championship banners too? Someone call 911- there’s an emergency in Knoxville!

Dear Dave Hart, take your meds and take your ridiculous rebranding plan to a school that has no branding, zero championship banners and lacks in attendance. Is this an SEC undercover terrorists attack on UT? It’s as if Hart is trying to be hated by VOL nation and exiled like Lane Kiffin?

Is your ego that big and your stones are that small that you want to challenge The Summitt to make your mark on UT? Pat Summitt will ALWAYS be a part of UT and 100 years from now the Summit will still be there. Dave Hart however, will be remembered as the AD who ended up in a straight jacket during his short time at the University of Tennessee.

If Hart honestly thinks this rebranding is about “unity” he is clearly are not a Tennessee VOL! The power T is branded in the heart of every student, athlete and fan- both men and women, but it’s the University of Tennessee that unites the VOLS!

Birthday Bombs

My eighteenth birthday was the last birthday I spent with my twin brother. I’ll take the blame for this. Using vacation time to go Roanoke, VA (where I’m from) sounds like an oxymoron. So naturally I don’t make a big deal out of birthdays or plan anything. Instead, the baseball gods did all the party planning.

Being a Texas Ranger’s fan and living in the Washington, DC area without the MLB package limits the amount of full games my neighbors have to listen to me hoot and holler. (My cable provider doesn’t have the MLB package in HD. Maybe I’m spoiled or maybe it’s just my vision at this old age reminding me that I can only watch sports in HD.) So the baseball gods sent my Texas Rangers to Baltimore during the week of my birthday!

Who needs a birthday cake with candles when you can watch Josh Hamilton drop bombs live in Baltimore? Tuesday’s game was like watching Home Run Derby and this time, Hamilton was crowned King! The outfielder went 5 for 5 (a career high) and eight RBI’s. Dropping bombs in the first, third, seventh and in the eighth off former team mate Darren O’Day made Hamilton the 16th player in MLB history to hit four home runs in a single game. (He had a double in the fifth that was inches away from being a souvenir ball.) Hamilton’s 18 total bases set a new American League single-game record.

Ranger’s fans were not the only ones cheering when Hamilton took the field. Oriole’s fans gave the slugger a standing ovation. It was a moment you don’t see that often, but to experience that moment where the opponent respects the game more than the score will give you chills.

Carlos Delgado (the last player to hit four home runs in a game on September 25th 2003 for Toronto) welcomed Hamilton with a “welcome to the club” tweet.

Wednesday’s game was rained out and that set up a doubleheader for Thursday- my actual birthday. Thanks to my twin brother I had tickets behind the Rangers dugout for both games. The Ranger’s lost the first game 6-5 but in Texas Rangers fashion, history was made again. Colby Lewis gave up five hits; all of them were bombs, but Lewis also had 12 strikeouts- a career high. That hasn’t happened since 1918!

Ranger’s shortstop Elvis Andrus went into game 2 tied with Curtis Granderson for the major league high for safely reaching base in 28 straight games. Andrus also kept a 10-game hitting streak alive.

I’ve known Elvis for years. He’s younger than I am so I’ve always called him my little brother and he calls me his little sister because I’m shorter. It was only fitting that he tossed me a game ball. (Well, he tossed me two balls- I gave one to a little kid in a Rangers jersey.) And then he signed the ball after the game. To all the little kids wanting autographs; I’m sorry- this ball is for my twin brother.

Hamilton is a beast and the Rangers are playing the best baseball in the MLB. It’s a long season, but if the Ranger’s and Hamilton stay healthy Hamilton will be on his way to winning the AL Triple Crown.

With every failure comes new opportunity. With every new at bat comes new hope. With every new season comes a chance at redemption. There’s a saying in the Ranger’s dugout when someone hits a homerun “is that all you got”? And there’s a saying that Ranger’s fans believe: Third times a charm. Let’s Go Rangers!

Thank you my friends, family, and the baseball gods for making this a great birthday!

The Draft

Steve (Anheuser-Busch), Me & Colt (BK Miller Meats & Liquors)

The Friday before the draft I received a phone call from Dan Snyder asking me to fly on his private jet to New York City for the 2012 draft. Thanks to my father, I’ve been a Redskins fan my entire life- Mr. Snyder knows my loyalty to the team and with my almost perfect attendance for home games, he knows my dedication to the team too. It was only fitting that he needed me to chaperone one of the most important drafts of his career as the owner of the Washington Redskins. Without hesitation I said Hail Yes!

Okay, Mr. Snyder didn’t really call me… but Anheuser-Busch did and we did fly to NYC on his private jet. Usually one of two things happen when I’m in moving transportation that I’m not driving: I get sick or I fall asleep. My parents would be so proud to know that this was the first flight where I flew as a real adult. Thank you Mr. Snyder, Thank You!

We land and head to the Redskins war room suite. Not the players War Room, but the suite that Denzel Washington filmed American Gangster- where we had dinner and adult beverages. How did I get this lucky again?

A short walk across the street and hello Radio City! Let the 2012 Draft begin!

It was packed with die-hard football fans from face paint and jerseys to suits and ties. I’m still amazed that so many rivals were in the same room and every one was happy. Fan comedians were out in full-force. Goodell was booed every time he walked out, a Dallas Sucks chant broke out and it wasn’t started by the Redskin fans, Jets fans mocking Andrew Luck’s cheesy/dorky smile and still they applauded when the Colts took him as the overall number one draft pick.

But the most important pick of the draft wasn’t the number one pick, but the number two pick: Welcome to Washington Robert Griffin III. RG3 wore burgundy and gold striped socks with a message “Go Catch Your Dream” – ironic, Redskin fans have been dreaming about a franchise QB for a loooooong time. We don’t expect RG3 to win a super bowl this year, but if we can make a playoff appearance this kid might be the savior of the Nations Capital.

Besides laughing at fans in the audience, I couldn’t stop noticing how Roger Goodell was embracing the rookie class. There were no half hugs with pats on the back; they were all moments between Goodell and the kid holding the jersey. At one point, I thought I needed a permission slip when the Kansas City Chiefs selected Dontari Poe as the 11th overall pick. The commish and Poe’s face were nose to nose with their eyes closed. Maybe this is a softer side of Goodell or maybe he just wants the new class of NFL players to know he really does care about them.

Believe it or not, but in Washington we care about winning and with the CAPS in the conference semifinals, the Nationals leading the NL East, and now the arrival of RG3; this is a whole new era of Washington sports- it’s time to make history.

THANK YOU Anheuser-Busch for asking me to a part of this experience!

Escape From Reality

Rangers Ballpark Arlinton, Texas

TV networks are flooded with these so-called “reality” and “voting” shows that are so terrible, we can’t stop watching.

I admit my fifth grade sense of humor takes pure enjoyment out of watching more of these shows than I’ll ever confess to watching. After multiple seasons of watching those shows where the viewers vote chooses the outcome, I believe that you should never trust a show that doesn’t show you the results.

I’ll explain- I struggle to trust that the winner is really chosen at the season finale. I’ve always questioned any show that prides themselves by claiming that “your vote” counts, but then they never actually tell you the scores of the votes. They just announce who is going home that week. If the show is based on “your vote” then show the real scores… just saying.

This is just another reason why I vote for sports. There’s a score that results in a win or a loss. The numbers are posted on huge jumbo-trons in ballparks, stadiums and arenas, TV screens, websites and announcers remind you play-by-play. There’s no results show where only the producers know the score (number of callers/voters) and then decide what “scores” they want to announce. In sports you see the score; you can hear the score and your butterflies and adrenalin rushes are reminders that you can feel the score.

The vote that really matters in America is deciding the team you will call your team. This is usually a vote that is cast early on in ones life and regardless weekly performances or the season record- you continue to support your team. Even when your team loses back-to-back World Series you still believe in next year.

So thank you sports gods for 162 days of baseball and 4,860 regular season games of Major League Baseball! Now that its baseball season again, there’s always something better on TV: baseball- a true escape from reality TV.

Joy Ridding

A sunny day and long blond hair blowing in the wind- it’s all fun and games until you lose control of the ride that ultimately gets you fired.

Was this an April Fools joke? Nope, it was just the ride of his life for the former University of Arkansas head football Coach Bobby Petrino. Most men who are 51 years-old would fantasize about escorting a beautiful 25 year-old blond on the back of his Harley. Shift gears and Petrino’s joy ride ended with four broken ribs, a cracked vertebra and more skid marks on his face than the pavement.

Jeff Long, the school's athletics director said Tuesday that Petrino's lack of candor about his "personal and professional relationship" with a female employee (Jessica Dorrell) who was riding with him on a motorcycle was the key to the decision to fire Petrino.

"Coach Petrino knowingly misled the athletic department and the university about the circumstances related to his accident," Long said in a news conference at the university's basketball arena in Fayetteville. Petrino had "multiple opportunities" over four days after the accident to be forthcoming, "he chose not to."

Maybe Petrino was just trying to protect his wife Becky, his four children, and his mistress by misleading Long and the University about the investigation. If it was just a joy ride with a pretty girl who may have never been on a motorcycle and just wanted to go for a ride then no big deal. (Maybe some could find the age difference slightly awkward, but if this was his daughter, sister or even just a friend- all platonic relationships, this wouldn’t seem so creepy.)

The difference is that Petrino maintained an inappropriate relationship with Dorrell and according to Long the relationship with Dorrell had been for a “significant” amount of time and Petrino had given her $20,000. He would not disclose details of the payment, or when the money changed hands, but said both parties confirmed the "gift." Kevin Trainor, a spokesman for Long, said the money came from Petrino, not university funds.

Petrino has held 15 jobs for 11 different programs/organizations in 24 seasons. Ding, Ding, RED FLAG Becky! If your husband has commitment issues on the field, he probably has them off the field. However, there’s no excuse for Petrino’s infidelity and his failure to disclose the truth.

I’m sure his ego from building a program in just four seasons that ranked in the top five college teams in the nation and coming off an 11-2 record with a Cotton Bowl victory could make any SEC coach feel like they were Tiger Woods or Jack Dawson. We all know how well it worked out for Tiger and Dawson was just a fictional character that went down with the ship.

NCAA violations are never ending, but ethics and moral violations can end everything.

How does Otha Peters feel now? He was a top inside linebacker recruit who decommitted from Tennessee to sign with Arkansas over concerns about the coaching stability of Derek Dooley after his losing records in his first two seasons. Great sales pitch Petrino- karma is a biotch.

Knight School

I’ll be honest- my favorite moment from this year’s March Madness festivities was listening to all the mass media attention that focused on The General, my hero- Coach Bob Knight. While most people only know Coach Knight as the coach who moved a chair out of his way during a college basketball game or being the master of a four letter word, others of us know Coach Knight as being a basketball genius, a what you see is what you get kind of guy and a man who proved that doing things his way isn’t so bad after all.

Coach Knight’s basketball success is a product of running a clean program and placing value on his players graduating. Funny, how those two important standards and keys to success seem to be non-factors in college sports today. Knowing where The General stands and his sense of humor- are you really surprised he refused to say the word “Kentucky”? Instead he referred to the Wildcats as “the team playing from the SEC”. HA- Classic Knightisms!

John Calipari is known for running a “one and done” program in Lexington and who seems to recruit for the NBA and not the classroom makes Calipari a coach and a program that would not pass in the Coach Knight School of basketball. It’s simple people- Coach Knight respects the game of college basketball. And I happen to respect his sense of humor.

Kentucky is the first team to win the NCAA National Championship with a team loaded with one and done players- proving now that it can be done. But how is this good for the game of college basketball? At first, I thought that maybe Calipari has commitment issues. According to VH1’s Basketball Wives- it’s a common characteristic in the NBA. His track record of one and done is pretty impressive unless you are a Wizard’s fan.

We can all assume that NCAA rules were broken in the Calipari strategy to be crowned king at the dance, but what happens if there’s an investigation and players were paid, they never went to class or what if they exchanged merchandise for tattoos? The players will be gone and Calipari might even be Knicks too. Ultimately, the team playing from the SEC wins and history is left with an asterisk. Take notes- this is the new model for an ego driven program of short success, but college basketball should really consider taking Knight Classes.

March MADness!

NO Drexel, NO University of Tennessee- it’s March MADness!

Selection Sunday is a Sports Holiday. However, this year it was like being on Santa’s “good list” only to wake up on Christmas Day with a stocking full of reindeer poop.

Most of my madness comes from Iona and BYU getting an at-large bid. Yes, it was fun to Jimmer Jammer last year, but THIS year how does a 25-7 Iona and a 23-8 BYU get in over a 27-6 Drexel from the CAA (Colonial Athletic Association)?

Two teams from the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) Iona and Loyola (Md.) and two teams from WCC (West Coast Conference) BYU and St. Mary’s. And only one team from the CAA- (who I like to call the Cinderella Athletic Association)? The selection committee must be made up of wicked step-sisters (and brothers). Iona lost to Loyola (Md.) in February and BUY only played St. Mary’s once during the season and got crushed 66-80. Don’t tell me it came down to strength of schedule. Individual teams can’t control who they play- the conference determines the schedule and when it comes to non-conference schedules other conferences wont play the CAA.

The CAA is considered a mid-major conference mostly because they recruit players who eat at McDonalds- not McDonald’s All-Americans. No one wants to play the CAA because they are really considered a threat to college basketball. They beat up on each other throughout the season playing each other and they beg to play the major conferences on the road and still the CAA only got the automatic conference bid.

South Florida went 19-13 and ranked 57th in non-conference play and lost to VCU 46-69. ODU went 20-13 and ranked 16th in non-conference matchups and beat South Florida 66-68, but somehow none of those stats mattered in all that calculating that those goes on in the selection room- I’d like a re-count.

To make it worse, those wicked step sisters (and brothers) take their Cinderella-hating further by matching mid-majors against mid-majors every year in the bracket. Last year it was Butler and ODU. ODU lost in the final seconds and Butler went on to the Championship game for the second straight year. This year it’s the 12th seed VCU vs. 5th seed Wichita State. The only answer I have is that the selection committee is more scared of Cinderella’s than the ACC.

Of course I have to fight for the VOLS. I know they needed a miracle to get in this year, but seeing Vanderbilt- the armpit of the SEC get in with Bama, Florida and Kentucky just stings. Wait- Alabama has a basketball team? UT beat Florida- twice. UT got the #1 seed in the NIT tournament. At least UT got in a tournament.

Oh the madness of the bracket. I haven’t filled out my bracket yet, but I’m rooting for VCU and Creighton to show the selection committee just how magical the bracket can be.

Choose wisely.

BalLIN, Bubbles and Brackets OhMy!

Let me sum up the NBA by saying one word: BalLIN!

Jeremy Lin has been the best thing that has happened to the NBA. The only other news worthy stories are Dwayne Wade’s reach around foul on Kobe Bryant that broke Kobe’s nose during the NBA All-Star game. HA- and who said there is no defense in the All-Star game? The other juicy gossip in the NBA has more to do with reality TV than triple-doubles. Dear Kris Humphries; please take your warm-ups and go back to the bench. We only know your name because of your 72 day marriage to Kim Kardashian. America voted and we want a long term relationship with Jeremy Lin. He came out of no where and the Linsanity has given the NBA and New York Knicks something to cheer for.

The University of Tennessee beat #11 UCONN and #7 ranked Florida twice. 10-6 in SEC ball but the VOLS scored a 7-1 record in the month of February. Cuonzo Martin: round of applause. No one expected this after the roller coaster with Bruce Pearl last season. The fans loved Pearl, but they loved UT more. The VOLS ended the regular season with a sellout crowd (22,172) and placed them nationally in attendance. Averaging over seventeen thousand per home game made this the seventh straight year the VOLS have placed in the top five for attendance nationally. If we were talking about college football it would be a no brainer for UT to be putting on their dancing shoes, but because the NCAA bracket isn’t run by advertising sponsor’s CEO’s that select teams based on a team’s attendance, the VOLS are still a bubble team… It’s true- I’m biased but how can you leave the University of Tennessee out of the top 64 with way they ended the regular season?

Tick-tock, tick-tock…. Come-On Selection Sunday! I’ve always considered Selection Sunday a National Holiday. I mean who doesn’t… banks and schools are closed and most people have the day off. There’s only one school that I’ve heard isn’t a fan of Selection Sunday and that’s only because those birds just can’t seem to fly higher than their egos.

It’s one of the most popular topics at the office water cooler and it’s a chance for Cinderella to take home a National Championship banner. And so we have to wait just a few more days to find out who will be this years Cinderella and who can dance their way through the bracket.

The bracket sums up college basketball. It’s madness, it’s magical- it’s March!

Another Tennessee Upset....

On Friday February 3rd 2012 my heart was broken by my radio boyfriend; Alex Anderson. He announced that it would be his last show on the Alex Anderson Show- a daily talk show on Tennessee Sports Radio. Weeks later, I’m still sulking in my loneliness.

Trying to fill the 1:00-2:00 void in my life I did what any normal girl who is going through a bad breakup would do- I packed my bags and booked a flight to Mexico to drown my sorrows in adult beverages surrounded by friends to help me get through such a difficult time.

Watching the Super Bowl in Spanish was entertaining, but I really didn’t care who won. I was clearly at rock bottom. I lost my rocky top; the fastest growing sports radio show in Tennessee and quite possibly the entire world. I even tried to re-friend an old college friend- Tequila. That friendship ended a long time ago for a reason and trying to be friends again was an epic fail. And then I watched Duke’s comeback in Chapel Hill, also in Spanish, and it gave me hope that maybe, just maybe Alex would come back too.

Alex, how could you do this to me, to us? I still remember the first night I met you. I took one look at this lanky kid who was wearing sunglasses inside a bar at midnight and I thought, what a D-bag. Then as I was rolling my eyes I caught a glimpse of your orange UT hat and I did a double take. I knew at that point my judgments may be wrong and I felt the need to see if you were really a UT fan or if it was time to kick you out of the bar for wearing sunglasses inside a bar at midnight. (Really, who wears sunglasses inside a bar at midnight?) Then I learned you were simply trying to disguise your celebrity status. My heart skipped a beat as we talked UT sports and I’m still laughing about that prank call- don’t worry it’s our secret. Meeting Alex Anderson was one of the best days of my life.

We had moments. All those inappropriate texts I sent that could only be read on the Ferrall show just to make you laugh. I took you to your first NFL game to see your Miami Dolphins play the Ravens and I made sure we had a 6’3, 300 pound former high school All-American football Defensive Tackle as a bodyguard to protect you. I couldn’t be in Knoxville for your birthday so I had a pizza delivered to you during the show. All I’ve ever wanted in life was to make you as happy as you have made me over the past three years. Where did I go wrong?

Alex, how could you breakup with me this close to Valentine’s Day? And I found out through social media that I’m clearly not the only one who is left feeling empty, depressed and as the infamous caller from Vinton, VA Barney would say “I’m not mad, I’m Pissed!”. I know, we talked about all of this for hours and while we both shed tears I understand when you say “It’s not you, it’s me”. But seriously, how could my dream of being on “The Real Housewives of Sports Radio Hosts’ be over? How could we be over so soon?

What am I going to do without you, just write for Tony? HA I don’t think Basilio even reads my page on his website. He hasn’t even accepted my facebook friend request. Basilio is a great mentor but Alex; YOU have captivated a new audience by creating a talk show that’s fresh, rich with comedy, passion and a long list of left field antics. No one can take your place on the air or put back the pieces of the hearts you shattered the day you left all your groupies and TSR to sell used cars to Vanderbilt alumni. Way to show your true colors as the 12th fan.

*This blog may have been embellished… just a little. To all of AA’s groupies, please don’t send me messages that threaten my life or my shoe closet. HA Alex, I love you and thank you for being awesome and one of the funniest people I know. Our sarcasm and ADHD have a real connection that few will ever understand. Thank your for giving me a platform to write for your show and taking a chance on a girl trying to follow a dream. I know this isn’t the end of your sports career. You are too talented and too entertaining to hide behind your sunglasses. I believe in comebacks and I believe in you.

We have a date this fall in Knoxville, GO VOLS!

Eat More Chicken

I’m still trying to understand why Washington hasn’t declared National Signing Day a National holiday or why I’m too chicken to call in “sick” to work so I can watch the famous hats tricks live on National Signing Day.

My twin brother has used a vacation day for as long as I can remember to ensure that he doesn’t miss a minute of National Signing Day action. Lucky for me, he sent me text updates just in case I wasn’t by a computer or even awake. Sure enough at 7:30AM I received the text “and we’re off! WR Jason Croom is the first to fax in his LOI this morning- go VOLS” to start the day.

A few text later and then BOOOOOM! JUCO WR, Cordarrelle Patterson- the 6-foot-3, 200-pound All-American honors at Hutchinson, Kansas Community College made the BEST decision of his life by choosing the University of Tennessee over Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss.

UT had a live camera on the fax machine that streamed on line. More that 54,000 viewers watched as the faxes came in. 6 foot 6, 375-pound DT from Georgia Military College, Daniel McCullers is on my prospect list. McCullers chose UT over Alabama and Mississippi State and with his “Gigantous” size Dooley might have found a way to keep his job after this season. He was so excited to become a VOL that he was a guest on the Alex Anderson show. His deep southern voice has a touch of hood- he’s the definition of a perfect UT recruit. He’s looking forward to his classroom experience and said he has to “do good and get my studies right”. Well, I’m looking forward to watching this gentle giant go full beast mode on Florida- watch out Muschamp! Welcome to UT kid!

The VOLS missed out on DL Korren Kirven as he picked Alabama. At least he didn’t make the worst decision of his life and sign with Virginia Tech. But even without Kirven and UT coming off a terrible 5-7season, UT still pulled in the 17th best recruiting class according to Rivals.com. Overall, it was a great day.

And then it was the sign of apocalypse…

The Chick-fil-a kickoff game between Auburn and Clemson is now on a whole new playing field. Four-star LB Cassanova McKinzy from Birmingham, Alabama picked Auburn over Clemson because Clemson didn’t have a Chick-fil-a! HAHA Kids say the darndest things. But really, is he serious? This is something I would do. I’m a regular at Chick-fil-a and its location is completely out of my way- I call it loyalty. Who said kids from the south were not as smart as kids from the north? Clearly this McKinzy boy is a genius with great taste.

Wait… will the NCAA try to punish Chick-fil-a for being a recruiting violation?

The NCAA should learn from McKinzy and enjoy the simple treasures in life like “eat more chicken” and not focus on all the petty and blown out of proportion rules violations that force kids to leave college football early for the NFL. We the fans need great college football and if that means eating more Chik-fil-a- sign me up!

No! Pack No!

A month ago the Green Bay Packers were unbeaten and seemed unstoppable in their mission to win back to back Super Bowl Titles. On Monday, the defending champs were cleaning out their lockers.

Their 15 regular-season wins are the most ever for a divisional-round loser, but they’re the fourth No. 1 seed in the NFC in the last five years to go down in their first playoff game. The Packers loss to the Giants was their first home loss in 15 months and only their second loss in 23 games. Giant’s fans saw this streak coming to an end. The Packers are 2-4 in the last 6 home playoff games. But Aaron Rodger’s fans expected to see the “Discount Double Check” and instead we saw those beautiful blue eyes full of sadness during the post game interview after the NFC Divisional loss.

The winter weather in Green Bay is brutal, but it was worse watching Eli and crew manhandle Rodgers and his Pack. Who cut the cheese in Green Bay? This wasn’t the same team we’ve watched dominate teams the last two seasons. Where did all the dropped passes, fumbles, failing on 4th down, missed blocks and a defense with more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese come from? Was Green Bay exposed? Are the Giants that good? Eli had a postgame career high with 330 yards and scoring 17 points in the 4th quarter was more numbing than they the temperature in Lambeau.

Funny, my Redskins beat the Packers last season and two of the five wins from this season were against the Giants. If only we had a solid QB and offense coordinator… While Eli is surrounded by players, coaches and the Manning legacy- if he ever played in Washington he wouldn’t be as successful. But big brother Peyton…talk about killing two birds with one stone- a solid QB and an OC. I’d take my chances on his neck issue, at least we’d still have an OC and as a Redskins fans, our expectations are pretty low. Maybe next year, maybe next year…

The Redskins didn’t have a prayer for post season action and the Packers literally dropped the ball so now the question is who to root for. No one wants to watch the Giants vs. Patriots in Super Bowl rematch (except NY and NE fans). The rest of us want to see reality TV at it’s best by seeing little brother Jim Harbaugh take on his big brother John Harbaugh in another 49ers vs. Ravens rematch- well everyone except their parents.

These are the Moments

2011 was a year of sports moments that had more disappointments than highlights and full of moments where I was left asking the sports gods WWWHHHHYYYY???

My Texas Rangers lost the World Series, AGAIN! Oh Nelly, how did you miss that fly ball? It still hurts to talk about and I can’t even imagine how Nelson, Nolan and the team feel.

The University of Tennessee football had another losing season and ended a 26 year winning streak against Kentucky in one of the most disappointing losses of Dooley’s career.

As long as Rex Grossman is the starting QB and Kyle Shanahan is the offensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins they will continue their 4th place finish in the NFC East.

JoPa is no longer the head coach of Penn State and he’s still alive. I always thought his last moments with us would be spent standing on the sideline in rolled up khakis and an oversized sweater. JoPa was the heart of PSU and now we all are left with one of the most disgusting scandals in college sports. I still defend JoPa and think he should have been able to coach the last home game so we all could take a moment and say goodbye to the icon.

CCU president David DeCenzo and AD Hunter Yurachek made one of the worst decisions of the year and maybe even in the history of Coastal Carolina University by relieving head football Coach David Bennett of all duties. Wait until next year, DeCenzo and Yurachek will be eating crow.

I figured 2012 couldn’t be worse than 2011 and then I watched the BCS bowl games and if this is any indication of the year to come in sports then I just want to fast forward to 2013.

It’s no secret, the BCS system is a joke. Those little birds in Blacksburg remain 1-5 in BCS bowl games and the Sugar bowl was one of the worst college footballs games I’ve ever watched. WVU crushed Clemson 70-33 for the most points scored in a bowl game. The rematch for LSU and Alabama was 21-0 shutout and without a kicking game it would have been 6-0. The Bama defense came to play. LSU had 5 first downs the whole game and went 2-12 on third downs. The Tigers had a month to prepare for a team they already beat in OT. How was LSU able to take that Shady start to a 13-0 team to just hand Nick Saban his 3rd National Title? The current BCS system HAS to change. Fans need better football games.

In all my disappointments this year there was one shared moment that was historic and so special in college sports. Watching my idol, Coach Knight, embrace Coach Krzyzewski as Coach K passed Coach Knight with 903 wins and became the all-time winningest coach in division 1 college basketball. Watching the two fight tears as they were arm in arm gave Special K a whole new meaning. It’s not often that a former coach can witness the historic achievements of his former player on the hallowed ground of Madison Square Garden. You don’t have to be a Duke fan or a Coach Knight fan to know that was a moment that may never happen again in college basketball. It was truly a great moment.

BCS, BS... they mean the same thing

I’ve said it before and it’s never been clearer how corrupt the BCS is. It’s not about matching up the #3 team with the #4 team it’s all about the Benjamin’s!

I like the #1 and #2 matchup between LSU and Alabama and as an SEC fan this is going to be another great game of elite college football. What I don’t like is how LSU has to beat Bama AGAIN to hold the crystal ball and make snow angels on a field covered in confetti.

LSU coach Les Miles- coach of the year? He has my vote. The Shady start turns into a 13-0 SEC title and one win away from the BCS National Championship- not easy to do. And with mostly freshman and sophomores; LSU is not going anywhere anytime soon.

LSU is the National Champion. How is it fair that LSU has to beat Alabama twice to win the BCS (LSU beat Bama in the regular season at Bama in OT), but Alabama only has to beat LSU once to win the BCS Championship, how is that fair?

The other BCS matchups are:
Michigan vs. Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl
Clemson vs. West Virginia in the Orange Bowl
Oregon vs. Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl
Oklahoma vs. Stanford Fiesta Bowl

Arkansas got screwed! (No conference can have more than two teams in BCS bowl games- even when four SEC teams are in the top nine of BCS standings.) Arkansas’s losses were on the road to LSU and Alabama.

VT is 1-4 in BCS Bowl appearances. They got CRUSHED by Clemson, twice- once in Lane Stadium. The Jokies season didn’t start until October 1 and combined ten points gave VT wins over Miami (6-6), Duke (3-9) and UNC (7-5). The BCS should be embarrassed, but instead they gave VT the at-large bid because they “travel well” HAHA. Yes, in Blacksburg they draw a crowd only because there is NOTHING else to do in Blacksburg. Remember last year’s Orange Bowl between Stanford and VT; the stands were empty or the Boise State matchup in FedEx field that was basically a home game for VT. Both games the Jokies failed to “travel well” but they succeeded in their streak for being the biggest fraud in college football. Beamer makes no apologies for their Sugar Bowl selection or for the check he must have written to Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan.

A 10-2 Michigan team- I’m on the fence about their bowl game selection, but I have no hesitation about who I’m rooting for: GO BIG BLUE!

A 10-3 Clemson team, an 11-2 VT team and a 9-3 West Virginia team get BCS games over a 10-2 South Carolina team, a 10-2 Arkansas team, an 11-1 Boise State team and an 11-1 Kansas State team. BS! BS! BS! Yes, I’m an SEC fan and there’s something about Boise that I really like and want to see them in a game where every game really counts. But because the BSC is really run by the sponsor’s CEO the focus is on racks on racks on racks and not the BEST matchups in college football.

College football wonders why there’s so much talk about paying players or why players would ever think of accepting “gifts”… as long as the sponsor’s CEO’s are deciding who plays in the BCS- the BCS and BS will mean the same thing…

Say It Isn't So Joe!

It’s a sad, sad time for college football. For the first time in more that 45 years Joe Paterno is not the coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions.

I’ve been a JoePa fan for as long as I can remember. I have a small statue of him on my desk. A part of me is in denial because of my love and respect for JoePa and the other part of me is still trying to put the pieces together and gain an understanding of this story.

No one is going to defend Jerry Sandusky’s actions of child molestation. Jerry Sandusky is a sick, SICK man and he will meet his match in prison. What happened to these victims is repulsing. I read the Grand Jury Report, but I think there are a few pages missing…

Why almost 15 years later are we just now hearing about these awful events? Were promised scholarships not fulfilled, hush money stopped being deposited or something else…? What happened to the victims is awful and now we have to figure out how it went on for so long, the campus cover up and how to make sure this never happens again.

I can only speak for myself- I know how embarrassing I was as a child to my parents by just being me. The first time I heard the word penis, I said it over and over and over… along with every other “bad” word. I laughed when we walked by Victoria’s Secret because they had manikins in their underwear. I went to a hearing specialist for a year where my parents learned that my hearing was fine, I just didn’t listen. My point is that if I was fondled in any inappropriate way I would have told everyone just for being a kid, not because I knew it was a crime. Even if I was told not to tell, I would have “forgotten” and still said something…. I just feel like these victims said something and the mom of victim #1 even reported it- it’s in the Grand Jury report and nothing happened? Again, I’m not in any way defending San-disgust-me, but I’m trying to understand why we are hearing about it 15 years later.

The Penn State cover up is so deeeeeep and disturbing. I believe JoePa when he was notified by Mike McQueary of “fondling and horsing around” that he went to the AD, Tim Curley. McQueary SAW the shower incident of victim #2 and didn’t go to the police! He didn’t even try to intervene! WTH is wrong with McQueary? At the time, McQueary was 28 years old and a graduate assistant and from what we know, he is the only eye witness and he didn’t go the police. Isn’t that failure to report a crime?

Continue reading Sandusky’s Grand Jury Report and you learn that what McQueary saw and reported to JoePa, Curley and senior VP of business and finance Gary Schultz, were different stories. You could blame all them of being guilty of failure to report a crime that they didn’t witness. Police need indisputable evidence to pursue a crime not “he said, she said”. McQueary is the only one of those who could testify to the police what he witnessed, but instead he took a full time coaching position with Penn State… It’s funny how that timeline worked out for him. After what he saw, how could he work with Sandusky? Was he not scared every time he dropped a pen when Sandusky was in the room?

The reaction of Facebook and Twitter is the lack of empathy from Penn State students and fans towards the victims and criticism of Penn State students for the riots and the support they have shown for JoePa. But here’s the issue; no one supports child molestation and JoePa is not the one accused of the charges.

Students and fans were outraged by John Surma and the Board of Trustees decision to fire JoePa by saying it is in the “best interest of the university”. Shut the front door! How can you make that statement and then follow with “we don’t know all the facts”. In America, you are innocent until proven guilty. How do you fire the man who IS your University, who announced to his team he would retire at the end of season just days before his last home game after 45 years of commitment and dedication to the University when you “don’t know all the facts”??? But the one fact we all know is that McQueary witnessed the crime, didn’t go to the police and it took days later for the Board to announce he would not be coaching Saturday’s game and that he is in protective custody.. Penn State hasn’t fired him, but they fired the BEST tradition, a living legend, the heart of Penn State; JoePa and they think the fans would be okay with that decision? Wrong again. The Board of Trustees should be embarrassed for the way they have handled this sick, sick scandal.

I don’t even have to hope that Penn State doesn’t win another football game, without JoePa- what is Penn State’s selling point? And to go out like this is just sad. Say it isn’t so Joe! Joe Paterno should have been able to coach his last home game. The seniors deserved it, the team deserved it and JoePa fans needed a way to say thank you and good bye. John Surma- you just planned the funeral of not just Penn State Football but for Penn State University.

Joe Paterno: YOU ARE PENN STATE.

"Embrace the Suck"

It’s been a bad few weeks for sports teams… No really, it’s been a BAD few weeks.

It’s no secret that I’d rather be called the Tin Man than the Scarecrow and lately I’ve been reminded on just about every Saturday and Sunday when my football teams lose that deep down, there is a broken heart… Every week I trick myself into believing that THIS week is going to be different. It’s as if I’ve been living a sports version of the movie Groundhog Day and the losing just keeps replaying and yet I keep watching and rooting.

Texas Rangers
I can’t even talk about game six or game seven without feeling like the Sports Gods hate the Texas Rangers. WHHHHY? This is a team that makes baseball fun to watch and a franchise that deserves the Commissioner’s Trophy in Arlington, Texas.

Back-to-back heartbreak for a blue collar team that plays with more heart than any other team; it just hurts. I’m still nauseous thinking about it. They lost; they lost game six and they lost game seven in St. Louis when the games should have been played in Arlington. Bud thinks the league winner of MLB All-Star game is the only way to decide who gets home field advantage and this is a situation where the National League clearly had home field advantage.

Game six will define this World Series as a scar on the hearts of Ranger fans for year’s maybe even decades…

Tennessee VOLS
Let’s be honest, the only thing bright in Knoxville is Dooley’s pants. Star Justin Hunter ended his season on a non-contact play, QB Tyler Bray hurt his hand but he has no problem tweeting and this list can go on and on and on and on.. It’s beyond frustrating to watch an SEC team lose at home and they only score by kicking a field goal. It’s so embarrassing that’s almost comical.

Washington Redskins
I know.. I should be use to losing as a Redskins fan and I am. But some how I still think every year is going to be the year! HA- it’s more like the decade of the worst QB in Washington. Seriously, I don’t know how much more of this I can take. Let Ovechkin run the pocket- at least he can win in the regular season. I’ve have the same beer guy in my section for the past three seasons, but I’ve had eight QB’s and six head coaches in 12 seasons. With that turnover, who would want the starting job in Washington??

On Sunday, I’m missing my first home game in three seasons. Not because I’m scared I’ll be escorted out of FedEx for yelling obscenities at Kyle Shanahan, but because I’ll be on a flight to Sin City. I should land at half time which means I’m going to miss the game because the Redskins haven’t played a full game in years! And somehow I’ll still rock my BANKS jersey from DC to Vegas as if it’s going to be our lucky day. Pathetic- I know.

So after the past week of being in a sports depression I was given some much needed advice when listening to the Double A Show on TSR 1180; “Embrace the Suck”. It’s as if the stars aligned and fireworks went off- it all made sense. I picked my teams and I’m going to be a fan for the good and for all the bad, really bad, terrible, disappointing, depressing, embarrassing and heartbreaking seasons. My new motto is “Embrace the Suck” Thanks AA!

Wash it Out

The butterflies are multiplying in my stomach while I was watching game five of the World Series. Of course, I had to work so I was on my best “fan behavior” although being quiet and staying still are etiquettes that do not apply to me. My bartenders have learned to root for my teams because when they score, I let them take shots! But with Chris Carpenter on the mound for the Cardinals, they too were worried it would be a sober night…

Thank you sports Gods for the Year of the Napoli! Rangers Catcher Mike Napoli dropped a bomb off Carpenter in Game one of the World Series and then BOOOOM- he hit a game winning double in the 8th to give Texas a 4-2 lead.

But the story that’s been on the sports headlines ALLLL DAY is the “miscommunication” of Tony La Russa to the bullpen. We all know La Russa is one of the best brains in baseball. Personally- I think he was trying to save closer Jason Motte and when he realized his backup plan didn’t go as planned- he blamed the bullpen phone. They still make phones with cords? In a world of more tech-communication devices then we know what to do with, there’s NO EXCUSE. Even if the power goes out, hold up a poster board with random pictures like the Oregon Ducks to communicate to your team. Or have your daughter tweet who you want, well- that tweet might get removed…

“Miscommunication” was clearly the topic of discussion in the world of sports on Tuesday, but no one was talking about what was clearly communicated by St. Louis pitcher Chris Carpenter while heading to a commercial after the sixth inning.

Adrenalin… tourettes… anger management… nope. It’s just another Carpenter profanity outburst directed to Napoli that’s as dirty and nasty as his sinker.

The G-rated translation went something like this: "BEEEP YOU!" "You piece of BEEEEP! BEEEEP YOU!"

Who knew you needed a permission slip to watch game five of the World Series.

Is this an unseen trailer of the Situation and Ronnie on the Jersey Shore? Show some class Carpenter! I get it if you’re emotions are getting the best of you and sometimes the F-bomb is the only word that delivers any verbal justice. But to attack Napoli by calling him a piece of beeeep is like pretending to fist pump and then sucker punching someone in the face. NOT COOL BRO, NOT COOL!

The Texas Rangers- now that’s a cool team and what a fun team to watch. I’m partial, shortstop Elvis Andrus is a good friend of mine- he’s like a lil brother. But I’ve been a Ranger’s fan before Elvis arrived in Texas. Seriously, how can you root against the most energetic Skipper, Ron Washington and his signature “The Wash” move? Every time the Rangers make a key play he looks like he’s playing a running/track game on the Nintendo Power Pad and it’s simply awesome! Who ever said baseball is not fun to watch clearly hasn’t been watching the Texas Rangers all season.

Carpenter, you can have your dirty mouth and I’ll watch Ron Washington’s Rangers “Wash” it out!

Click here to see the YouTube video of “The Wash”.

Click here if you want to watch a replay of Carpenter I found on YouTube, but you will need a permission slip for this one…