In the most recent playoff game against the Boston Celtics, see Lebron James catch the ball to the left of the basket. See Lebron dribble twice while pivoting right. Oops. blocked off there and he picked up his dribble. See him pivot left and dribble twice more for an easy dunk. The basket counts and play on.
It was a blatant double dribble, but no call was made. It's hard to believe three NBA referees who triangulate on every play, all the time, could have missed something so obvious. Why was it not called? Because it was Lebron James.
Pick your superstar and watch them routinely commit travelling violations. See the same Lebron (present), Kobe Bryant (recent past), or Michael Jordan,(further back) take WAY too many steps on the way in for a dunk. Be it the NBA, college, high school, or even kindergarten basketball, the rule is the same. Once the dribble has been picked up, a step and a half (jump) are allowed. Anything more is "travelling". See these players routinely take, 3,4, 5 steps but not get whistled for a violation. How does this happen? Because they're Lebron, Kobe, and Michael. So what's the point of the rule if it's not going to be enforced equally for all?
See any NBA player "palm" the ball on just about every dribble. They routinely catch the ball on the up-bounce and turn their wrist over before bouncing it downward again. It's blatant palming. Even more blatant are behind the back dribbles from one hand to the other. It's physically impossible to do so without palming the ball. Has that rule been eliminated or is it just ignored these days?
See Shaquille O'Neal of years past catch the ball about 6 feet away from the basket. See him lower his shoulder into a stationary defender and shove him back a foot. See him do it again. Another foot. And a third time. Now all he has to do is turn around and dunk. The basket will count, but Shaq had committed three blatant offensive fouls in the process. So why weren't they called? Because it was Shaq.
Conversely, see Bill Laimbeer of the former "Bad Boy" Detroit Pistons establish position as a defender, stick his arms straight up in the air, without jumping, and otherwise not move a muscle. See the offensive player lean into his shot, making contact with Laimbeer. See Laimbeer get called for the foul. Over and over again. How could that happen? A double standard.
See Tiger Woods, through his agent, recently claim he "hasn't felt this good in years". That's great. See it be big news which the media trumpets to the heavens. It is entirely likely that if and when Eldrick ever finds his way back out on tour, the current field of hot-shots will eat him alive, like he once did the previous generation. There will be coverage galore when Woods make his next grand appearance. Replays of past highlights up the wazoo. But if he crashes and burns again, missing the cut by 6-10 strokes or worse, this will NOT be big news. It will be buried. So, hey, if they want to idolize somebody, so be it. But give him the same attention in a negative way when he stinks it up. Why won't this happen? Because in the politically correct world, only praise is allowed -- not criticism, the current President being the obvious exception. But that's politics -- not sports. A whole different animal.
Former SF 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick remains unsigned and many continue to wonder why.
Could it be his "sit downs" while the national anthem was playing last year has made him a bit "radioactive"? Maybe.
Let's not forget, NFL teams are owned by billionaires who are typically at least in their 50s or 60s, if not older. No head coach or general manager would dare bring CK on board without the owner's permission. Those of that generation tend to be of the conservative, flag waving type nature. As do most NFL fans. They love their patriotic stuff and good for them. Kaepernick could well pose a PR problem to a franchise. That's one possible reason.
Another is most NFL teams are pretty much set at QB, be it existing roster players, other free agents already acquired, or those taken in the draft.
But here's the one nobody wants to talk about. It might just be that NFL folks have taken a long look at Kaepernick and come to the conclusion that he isn't any good anymore. Didn't he go 1-10 last year? Oops, that would violate the PC rule stated above, so they can't come out and say that.
While CK had every right to do what he did regarding the anthem -- and perhaps him pursuing a higher cause is even to be commended -- in the end it accomplished but one thing. No, society hasn't changed one bit. All he did was bring much attention to himself in a not so good way,. and perhaps torpedo whatever football career he might have had remaining. What do you think the chances are that if CK had it to do all over again, he might have chosen a more "conventional" tactic?
On a bit of a lighter note, Tom Brady's wife Giselle has stated #12 suffered a concussion last year which was never reported to his team or the NFL. Brady says he can't remember that happening. Yuk, yuk.
And Odell Beckham is back in the news. The agent of the NY Giant receiver says his client's recent on-field theatrics have proven him to be an "icon".
That's one way of looking at it.
Another would be his childish, temper-tantrum, fit-throwing, look-at-me shenanigans have proven him to be an "idiot". Couple that with his ridiculous blond hairdo that would likely make anybody not named Dennis Rodman blush, and just who, pray tell, does OB come across as an icon to?
Hmm. On second thought, whoever they are, would you really want to hang with people that look up to a petulant, man-child clown like this as some kind of role model?
Only in America......
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