So says a source, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, because she was not authorized to officially discuss the sensitive nature of the negotiations. Sound familiar? More about that after this commercial break, that may ring a bell....
If some maniac intentionally jumps in front of my car while I'm going down the road, and slamming on the brakes means I'll get whacked by a few other vehicles -- to hell with that. I'm going to run his ass over. He shouldn't have done that.
Recently, former NFL running back Marshall Faulk said Matthew Stafford was "nothin' special" just cuz he threw for over 5000 yards last season. Nationally, chances are most would agree with him. Further, former receiver Cris Carter said Lions' current receiver Calvin Johnson wasn't in the top 5 in the NFL. That's certainly debatable. But in the Detroit area -- oh my. From scribes, to talking heads, to fans -- they were/are outraged. They're tweeting away like somebody put steroids in the birdseed at the Detroit Zoo aviary exhibit.
And that's the thing. The Lions have been a laughingstock for decades, and now that they're finally respectable, their followers are blowing it by being so sensitive to the least little bit of criticism from others. They should be proud. Instead, they come off as still being insecure. In doing so, they only continue to make themselves fodder for critics. Confident teams, individual players, their local media, and fans, shrug off criticism from others because they KNOW they're good. Conversely, the Lions and their faithful seem stuck in the Rodney Dangerfield mode of getting no respect. While no doubt well intentioned, they continue to shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to perception in the bigger picture. Now another word from our sponsors.
I'm out here stranded with a wrecked car, and it's going to be 97 minutes before I talk to a claim representative on my cell phone? If I live through this and ever make it into your office, repairing the car will be the least of your worries. You wanted a jihad? You got it.
Faulk and Carter can say whatever they want. The former is already a Hall of Famer and the latter is on the cusp of being enshrined. People from the Detroit area can write and tweet, and talk all they want about Faulk not knowing anything about being a quarterback, or Carter having a case of sour grapes with Johnson. It only shows their continuing insecurity to remain so touchy about what others say. Perhaps some day they can get past that, because it's only hurting their team. As long as they're still whining and crying about no respect -- the Lions won't get any. That's just the way it works. You'd think they'd figure that out, but not yet. They can say what they will about Faulk and Carter, but those guys both played the game at a very high level for a very long time.
Faulk probably knows more about being an NFL quarterback than the average fan or scribe knows about their own kids. Same with Carter. If he took Johnson aside to give him a couple tips -- do you think the Megatron would listen? Damn right, he would. A short pause and we'll be right back....
Oh no. The barbarians are back and still want to know what I have in my wallet. Can the cavemen be far behind?
All of which brings me back to the beginning. The possible Stafford for Tebow trade.
While Lions' fans may howl about such a suggestion, perhaps they should consider the upside, if only for 3 reasons.
In only a partial first year as a starting QB, Tebow won a playoff game against the always formidable Steelers. Stafford? Nada, after 3 years.
Tebow brings instant national attention, not the least being amongst millions of pretty girls. Yours truly thinks a mere few thousand more pretty girls at Ford Field would be a good thing.
The most important one should be obvious. No one doubts Tebow is a man of deep Christian faith.
He'd be a natural for Detroit Lions' fans. If there's one thing they've learned over the last half century or so -- it's how to pray.
I miss Yogi and the duck. Don't remember what they were advertising, but at least it was fun to watch.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Best teams champions? Not always
The Detroit Red Wings recently set the all-time record for most consecutive wins on their "home ice". Some will say that mark may be tainted because of overtime and shoot-out wins along the way. In the old days, those games would have been considered a tie and the streak broken long before they approached the record. That's certainly debatable, but given the modern day sports world, where the geeks invent stats for just about everything, particularly in baseball, while the average fan understands about half of them, let's at least give credit to the Wings for being on a remarkable roll at home. They currently find themselves on top of the NHL point standings, but not by that much, because of their not-so-good road record. Nevertheless, they have a majority of their remaining games at home, which means they have a pretty good shot at winning the President's trophy for being the best regular season team.
Claiming that honor would mean the Red Wings will enjoy home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. But what does it REALLY mean? Not much. Once the playoffs start, what happened in the regular season does't matter; it's a different brand of hockey, everything tightens up, and it's basically a crap shoot. Hockey fans in Detroit likely remember that the Wings have been in that position before -- only to get bounced out of the playoffs in the early rounds. Translation? When the pressure got cranked up -- they got beat at home, somewhere along the way.
The so-called "best" team doesn't always prevail. Look at the New York Giants, current Super Bowl champs. They barely made the playoffs with a 9-7 record. Defeating the Atlanta Falcons on the road was one thing. Waltzing into Lambeau Field and putting a beat-down on the mighty Packers was quite another. Then off to San Fran, where Jim Harbaugh had the 49ers playing smash-mouth football, to win yet again. Who amongst you would have wagered the Giants could run that gauntlet and survive, much less beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl? But it happened. Four years ago, when the Patriots were 18-0, nobody gave the Giants a chance at beating them in the Super Bowl. But it happened.
Last year the St. Louis Cardinals barely made the playoffs. We know who eventually won the World Series.
Weird things have happened to determine titles in the past. The Miracle Mets. The late Jim Valvano's NC State squad winning the NCAA hoops tourney. It could be the best example is the 1980 "Miracle On Ice", where the US olympic squad, made up of a bunch of college kids, defeated the formidable Russian Red Army team. (That same team, from the then USSR, had breezed through many NHL teams while touring North America.) If that would have been a best of 7 series, I doubt many would question the Red Army team would have embarrassed those kids for the next 4 games. The guys in red were obviously the vastly superior team and shouldn't have lost. But they did.
Most times, heavily favored teams win, but not always. Once in a while an underdog comes through with an unforeseen spectacular performance and pulls an upset.
In baseball, the difference between a slugger hitting a grand slam home run, a pop-up, or grounding into an inning ending double play is probably about half an inch either way in how the bat strikes the ball. Hockey? A deflected puck here, clanging the goal post there, and who knows? Similar comparisons could be made about basketball, football, golf, tennis, soccer, you name it.
Sometimes it might involve hundreds of feet -- and other times it's a game where a fraction of an inch can be crucial.
That's the best part about sports. Nobody knows what's going to happen -- until it happens.
Come to think of it, that's pretty much what goes on around here most of the time. But this is a sports blog, so I'll leave it right there.
Claiming that honor would mean the Red Wings will enjoy home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. But what does it REALLY mean? Not much. Once the playoffs start, what happened in the regular season does't matter; it's a different brand of hockey, everything tightens up, and it's basically a crap shoot. Hockey fans in Detroit likely remember that the Wings have been in that position before -- only to get bounced out of the playoffs in the early rounds. Translation? When the pressure got cranked up -- they got beat at home, somewhere along the way.
The so-called "best" team doesn't always prevail. Look at the New York Giants, current Super Bowl champs. They barely made the playoffs with a 9-7 record. Defeating the Atlanta Falcons on the road was one thing. Waltzing into Lambeau Field and putting a beat-down on the mighty Packers was quite another. Then off to San Fran, where Jim Harbaugh had the 49ers playing smash-mouth football, to win yet again. Who amongst you would have wagered the Giants could run that gauntlet and survive, much less beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl? But it happened. Four years ago, when the Patriots were 18-0, nobody gave the Giants a chance at beating them in the Super Bowl. But it happened.
Last year the St. Louis Cardinals barely made the playoffs. We know who eventually won the World Series.
Weird things have happened to determine titles in the past. The Miracle Mets. The late Jim Valvano's NC State squad winning the NCAA hoops tourney. It could be the best example is the 1980 "Miracle On Ice", where the US olympic squad, made up of a bunch of college kids, defeated the formidable Russian Red Army team. (That same team, from the then USSR, had breezed through many NHL teams while touring North America.) If that would have been a best of 7 series, I doubt many would question the Red Army team would have embarrassed those kids for the next 4 games. The guys in red were obviously the vastly superior team and shouldn't have lost. But they did.
Most times, heavily favored teams win, but not always. Once in a while an underdog comes through with an unforeseen spectacular performance and pulls an upset.
In baseball, the difference between a slugger hitting a grand slam home run, a pop-up, or grounding into an inning ending double play is probably about half an inch either way in how the bat strikes the ball. Hockey? A deflected puck here, clanging the goal post there, and who knows? Similar comparisons could be made about basketball, football, golf, tennis, soccer, you name it.
Sometimes it might involve hundreds of feet -- and other times it's a game where a fraction of an inch can be crucial.
That's the best part about sports. Nobody knows what's going to happen -- until it happens.
Come to think of it, that's pretty much what goes on around here most of the time. But this is a sports blog, so I'll leave it right there.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Randy Moss and the Detroit Lions
Moss just announced his intention to come out of retirement and play again in the NFL. Near as I can tell, he's an unrestricted free agent and can pretty much entertain any and all offers from various teams.
No doubt, many are wondering if Moss still has anything left in his "tank" to once again compete at that level. After all, he just turned 35 years old -- not exactly still in his prime -- but what if he's still got it?
Few would question that back in his day, Moss was the freak of all freaks when it came to the wide receiver position. He had speed, length, athleticism, hands of glue, toughness/durability, and definitely big play capability on any given down. Sure, he had his mood swings, but as a pure talent as a receiver on the field, I can't think of anyone who was a bigger nightmare for defensive coordinators, let alone defensive backs. Calvin Johnson of the Lions? I'll get back to that.
Assuming Moss still has a couple of good years left in him, it's likely he wouldn't play for just anybody. He'd want to go someplace where a team was "on the rise", not quite Super Bowl ready yet, but perhaps he could put them over the top and get them there. What better way to cement his legacy then going out on top with a "ring"?
That's why I think the Lions' brain trust should think long and hard about this guy. The least they could do would be ask him in for a workout, and if he's still showing some of the old magic, float a one or two year contract offer.
Look at it from Randy's possible point of view. The Lions are pretty good, getting closer to championship caliber, and will likely get better. In Matthew Stafford, he'd have a QB that can make all the throws, and certainly isn't shy about doing so. Though Detroit as a city may have it's shortcomings, the football fans there remain fanatical and have been craving a winner for seemingly eons. If he's the guy that gets them to promised land -- he'd become an icon.
But the best thing? Another freak named Calvin Johnson would be lined up on the other side of the field.
It's a numbers reality. One of them would certainly draw double coverage, but the other would be licking his chops in one-on-one. Zones? Wouldn't matter. The corners and safeties have to commit to a certain area. Throw in a third or fourth receiver, possibly a tight end running a pattern, and maybe a running back coming out of the backfield -- and somebody's going to be wide open somewhere.
Matthew Stafford has enough experience under his belt where he would quickly figure that out. He threw for over 5000 yards last year -- which puts him in elite company. He can get it done. Other than Johnson, most of that was accomplished with an underwhelming group of wide receivers.
Imagine if he had another freak in his arsenal, if only for a year or two.
People can talk all they want about rebuilding this and future draft choices that, but let's not kid ourselves. In pro sports, nothing else matters except winning championships. Sometimes the window is only open for a short while to get a title, and then it closes. Some teams throw caution to the wind and go for it NOW. Others are more conservative and hope their building blocks pay dividends in the future. Many times that future never comes.
Here's an example. Remember that so-called trouble making locker room cancer that Joe Dumars of the Pistons took a wild gamble on about a decade ago? His name was Rasheed Wallace. He put them over the top and the Pistons won a world championship.
So why not Moss? Go for it NOW. What do they have to lose?
No doubt, many are wondering if Moss still has anything left in his "tank" to once again compete at that level. After all, he just turned 35 years old -- not exactly still in his prime -- but what if he's still got it?
Few would question that back in his day, Moss was the freak of all freaks when it came to the wide receiver position. He had speed, length, athleticism, hands of glue, toughness/durability, and definitely big play capability on any given down. Sure, he had his mood swings, but as a pure talent as a receiver on the field, I can't think of anyone who was a bigger nightmare for defensive coordinators, let alone defensive backs. Calvin Johnson of the Lions? I'll get back to that.
Assuming Moss still has a couple of good years left in him, it's likely he wouldn't play for just anybody. He'd want to go someplace where a team was "on the rise", not quite Super Bowl ready yet, but perhaps he could put them over the top and get them there. What better way to cement his legacy then going out on top with a "ring"?
That's why I think the Lions' brain trust should think long and hard about this guy. The least they could do would be ask him in for a workout, and if he's still showing some of the old magic, float a one or two year contract offer.
Look at it from Randy's possible point of view. The Lions are pretty good, getting closer to championship caliber, and will likely get better. In Matthew Stafford, he'd have a QB that can make all the throws, and certainly isn't shy about doing so. Though Detroit as a city may have it's shortcomings, the football fans there remain fanatical and have been craving a winner for seemingly eons. If he's the guy that gets them to promised land -- he'd become an icon.
But the best thing? Another freak named Calvin Johnson would be lined up on the other side of the field.
It's a numbers reality. One of them would certainly draw double coverage, but the other would be licking his chops in one-on-one. Zones? Wouldn't matter. The corners and safeties have to commit to a certain area. Throw in a third or fourth receiver, possibly a tight end running a pattern, and maybe a running back coming out of the backfield -- and somebody's going to be wide open somewhere.
Matthew Stafford has enough experience under his belt where he would quickly figure that out. He threw for over 5000 yards last year -- which puts him in elite company. He can get it done. Other than Johnson, most of that was accomplished with an underwhelming group of wide receivers.
Imagine if he had another freak in his arsenal, if only for a year or two.
People can talk all they want about rebuilding this and future draft choices that, but let's not kid ourselves. In pro sports, nothing else matters except winning championships. Sometimes the window is only open for a short while to get a title, and then it closes. Some teams throw caution to the wind and go for it NOW. Others are more conservative and hope their building blocks pay dividends in the future. Many times that future never comes.
Here's an example. Remember that so-called trouble making locker room cancer that Joe Dumars of the Pistons took a wild gamble on about a decade ago? His name was Rasheed Wallace. He put them over the top and the Pistons won a world championship.
So why not Moss? Go for it NOW. What do they have to lose?
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Pebble Beach. Mr. Bill and the Tiger show
I don't get it. Unless it's one of the "major" tournaments, which this is not, normally most golf fans don't get interested in a tournament until after the "cut" is made and the real competition starts on the weekend with the TV coverage.
It seems this one is different. Why? Tiger Woods and Bill Murray were on the course.
Don't get me wrong. Murray is a funny guy -- or at least he used to be. Yet, at Pebble Beach, he's just another "celebrity" getting a chance to hang out with the real golf pros while hacking around the course. One would think some of their antics would drive the pros crazy. After all, the PGA guys are trying to concentrate on their game to do well in the tournament. It may be amateur hour to some, but it's not to THEM. Further, of all people, I'm not sure why Murray's allowed on that course, or any other one, for that matter, after what he did to hallowed Bushwood in Caddyshack with his plastic explosives. That was only make-believe you say? Well, OK, I'll begrudgingly admit that, but I still think he poses a "clear and present danger". At any rate, I don't understand why the TV people think Murray's wise-cracking on a golf course is worthy of air time.
And then there's Tiger. He's back. Sort of. Eldrick hasn't won squat yet, but just the fact that he's playing seems to be good enough for the media hounds -- not to mention hordes of his adoring lemming fans. He could be flailing away near the bottom of the field but, by god, the replays will be coming at ya.
See Tiger drive. See Tiger take a divot. See Tiger putt. See Tiger make a birdie. See Tiger 6 strokes back. It doesn't matter. The dude's going to be everywhere on the tube. Uh oh. Tiger's making a charge. Sound the trumpets. Now he's only 4 strokes back, in 4th place.
Thankfully, the TV people finally deigned to mention who was actually leading the tournament -- but only briefly. Who's in 2nd and 3rd place ahead of Tiger? Nobody knows, because it doesn't matter. It's the Tiger Woods show. Roll his highlights again, and again -- and again.
No doubt, Tiger was once the King of the golfing world. He struck fear into others when he donned the red shirt and black pants on Sunday afternoon. There was a time when many would take Tiger over the entire field in a wager.
But here's the little dirty secret. Those days are gone. Tiger's 36 years old. Like it or not, he's on the down side of his "prime", in the pro golfing world. From Peyton Manning, to Roger Federer, to Michael Jordan, to every other superstar in pro sports -- Father Time is unrelenting. Many jocks have reached the mountain top -- and even stayed there for a while -- but eventually there's only one way to go.
What's even worse for Tiger is he doesn't intimidate anybody anymore. There's young guns popping up from all over the world that couldn't care less about him, his past achievements, and legacy. These guys are really good and will get better. To them, Tiger's just another old dude in the way between them and glory. It's also no secret that Tiger has been recently stared down by some of these young guns on Sunday afternoon, and folded. That's what Tiger used to do to THEM. Now they're doing it to HIM.
Will any of them emerge to rule the sport like Tiger once did? Who knows? When Jack Nicklaus set his record for winning "majors" nobody thought somebody like Tiger Woods would come around to challenge it. It happened then, and it could happen again.
But that's the thing. There's so many of them these days that are not only great players, but have the confidence of a winner. It only takes one to get hot in any given tournament -- and Tiger can't win.
The Masters' in April will tell us something about Tiger's stature in the pro golf world, but far from all. If he gets blasted out of that tournament, it will not be a good omen for his golfing future. But that won't be his true test. After all, a player has to have won something to even qualify for that tournament. Many of the young guns won't be there.
The true test will be the other tournaments, specifically the British and US Opens, and the PGA. The hot shots will likely be there to strut their stuff.
And make no mistake, they're not only coming on now, but will continue to multiply in the future.
This does not bode well for Tiger.
Yours truly has never quite understood the phenomenon behind Tigermania, but I started to get sick of all the media hype a few years back. Enough is enough, especially for a guy that can't seem to win anymore. Now watch, just because I said that, he'll storm back and win at Pebble Beach.
If so, there will be countless millions that will hyperventilate in their excitement, and the replays will go into ridiculous mode.
But I suggest Tiger fans don't get too used to it.
Like Father Time, those other guys aren't going away either.
It seems this one is different. Why? Tiger Woods and Bill Murray were on the course.
Don't get me wrong. Murray is a funny guy -- or at least he used to be. Yet, at Pebble Beach, he's just another "celebrity" getting a chance to hang out with the real golf pros while hacking around the course. One would think some of their antics would drive the pros crazy. After all, the PGA guys are trying to concentrate on their game to do well in the tournament. It may be amateur hour to some, but it's not to THEM. Further, of all people, I'm not sure why Murray's allowed on that course, or any other one, for that matter, after what he did to hallowed Bushwood in Caddyshack with his plastic explosives. That was only make-believe you say? Well, OK, I'll begrudgingly admit that, but I still think he poses a "clear and present danger". At any rate, I don't understand why the TV people think Murray's wise-cracking on a golf course is worthy of air time.
And then there's Tiger. He's back. Sort of. Eldrick hasn't won squat yet, but just the fact that he's playing seems to be good enough for the media hounds -- not to mention hordes of his adoring lemming fans. He could be flailing away near the bottom of the field but, by god, the replays will be coming at ya.
See Tiger drive. See Tiger take a divot. See Tiger putt. See Tiger make a birdie. See Tiger 6 strokes back. It doesn't matter. The dude's going to be everywhere on the tube. Uh oh. Tiger's making a charge. Sound the trumpets. Now he's only 4 strokes back, in 4th place.
Thankfully, the TV people finally deigned to mention who was actually leading the tournament -- but only briefly. Who's in 2nd and 3rd place ahead of Tiger? Nobody knows, because it doesn't matter. It's the Tiger Woods show. Roll his highlights again, and again -- and again.
No doubt, Tiger was once the King of the golfing world. He struck fear into others when he donned the red shirt and black pants on Sunday afternoon. There was a time when many would take Tiger over the entire field in a wager.
But here's the little dirty secret. Those days are gone. Tiger's 36 years old. Like it or not, he's on the down side of his "prime", in the pro golfing world. From Peyton Manning, to Roger Federer, to Michael Jordan, to every other superstar in pro sports -- Father Time is unrelenting. Many jocks have reached the mountain top -- and even stayed there for a while -- but eventually there's only one way to go.
What's even worse for Tiger is he doesn't intimidate anybody anymore. There's young guns popping up from all over the world that couldn't care less about him, his past achievements, and legacy. These guys are really good and will get better. To them, Tiger's just another old dude in the way between them and glory. It's also no secret that Tiger has been recently stared down by some of these young guns on Sunday afternoon, and folded. That's what Tiger used to do to THEM. Now they're doing it to HIM.
Will any of them emerge to rule the sport like Tiger once did? Who knows? When Jack Nicklaus set his record for winning "majors" nobody thought somebody like Tiger Woods would come around to challenge it. It happened then, and it could happen again.
But that's the thing. There's so many of them these days that are not only great players, but have the confidence of a winner. It only takes one to get hot in any given tournament -- and Tiger can't win.
The Masters' in April will tell us something about Tiger's stature in the pro golf world, but far from all. If he gets blasted out of that tournament, it will not be a good omen for his golfing future. But that won't be his true test. After all, a player has to have won something to even qualify for that tournament. Many of the young guns won't be there.
The true test will be the other tournaments, specifically the British and US Opens, and the PGA. The hot shots will likely be there to strut their stuff.
And make no mistake, they're not only coming on now, but will continue to multiply in the future.
This does not bode well for Tiger.
Yours truly has never quite understood the phenomenon behind Tigermania, but I started to get sick of all the media hype a few years back. Enough is enough, especially for a guy that can't seem to win anymore. Now watch, just because I said that, he'll storm back and win at Pebble Beach.
If so, there will be countless millions that will hyperventilate in their excitement, and the replays will go into ridiculous mode.
But I suggest Tiger fans don't get too used to it.
Like Father Time, those other guys aren't going away either.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Ndahmukong Suh. Hero, villain, and....
In my opinion, Paula Pasche, the Oakland Press beat writer for the Detroit Lions, does a terrific job of covering them. Paula reported that Suh, after being enormously popular last year, was currently the 4th most disliked athlete in pro sports, according to a recent Forbes survey. So with apologies to Ms. Pasche, I'm going to take her original idea and delve into it a little further.
As she noted, Michael Vick topped the list, followed by Tiger Woods, Plaxico Burress, and then Suh. All of which begs the question -- why these guys?
Certainly they're all black men, but I find it extremely difficult to believe the results of such a poll could possibly be racially motivated. Is there a common thread? Perhaps. Let's examine how each probably attained notoriety.
Michael Vick. That's obvious. Millions of people were outraged, including myself, over the dog-fighting thing. When all was said and done, Vick had to do some "hard time" for that in prison, and justifiably so. Some people bought into Vick eventually showing remorse, and some thought it was all an act. Hard to say what was in the man's heart, but it's likely a fair statement to say many dog-lovers will never forgive him. Yet all that happened "off the field".
Tiger Woods. Since he first burst onto the PGA scene about 15 years ago, I dare say Eldrick has been a polarizing figure. It seemed most golf fans loved him -- but don't kid yourself -- there were many that felt exactly the opposite. Racial? Maybe. Let's get real. A black man dominating a predominantly white man's game is going to have his detractors. Did I agree with it? No. Did I understand it? Yes. Like it or not, that's just the real world. Prejudices have always been there among some, and always will be. It's just the nature of our species. But what ultimately landed Woods as the #2 villain? His infidelity to his wife. Opinions vary as to how many women may have been involved, but it's probably a safe statement to say this wasn't exactly a one-night-stand, with just one woman. Throw in the fact he and his wife had 2 little children and, well, good luck with that when the story comes out. But again, all this happened "off the course".
Plaxico Buress. Why he ranks #3 is a total mystery to me. Near as I can tell, he got in trouble with the court of public opinion for accidentally shooting himself in the leg at a nightclub. Stupid? Definitely. He had to go to prison as well, though to this day I don't quite understand that. It's not like he was there to do bodily harm to someone else. Did he ruffle feathers amongst fans with some of his on-field antics during NFL games? Sure. But there's lots of guys that do, or have done that. Thing is, he eventually owned it, and whether you believed his "remorse" or not, which seems to be mandatory these days for another reason I don't understand (if you do the crime and do the time, then it should be over, no begging necessary), it didn't happen on the gridiron.
That's where Suh is different. People tend to forget his earlier flagrant attempts to cause bodily harm to an opposing player on the field, for apparently no other reason than being a thug. He was fined a few times for those infractions and, luckily, no serious injury, or worse, resulted. What led Suh from favorite son to #4 villain was obviously the Thanksgiving day "stomp".
The difference? I dare say not too many sports fans have seen actual footage of what may have gone on at Michael Vick's dog compounds. It's also highly doubtful that whatever Tiger Woods was doing with other women was ever captured on video, must less uploaded to a web site for those so inclined to peruse at their leisure. Even if it had been on film, what's to see about the Plaxico Burress incident? A guy reaches into his pocket, something goes bang, and then he limps out. Not exactly the stuff of Academy Awards.
But Suh did it on Thanksgiving day in an exclusively televised NFL game, when hundreds of millions of people the world over were watching. Bad, bad, BAD idea. Then he wouldn't own up to it. That added fuel to the fire.
In the end, I agree with Paula. Suh's still young and hopefully has enough time to turn his reputation around.
After all, he's only #4. It could be a lot worse.
Imagine a video showing Suh stomping Vick's dogs when they were down and finally putting them out of their misery with Burress' gun. If digital eyes caught him abusing the "bitches", as some have suggested about Tiger Woods, then Suh would not be merely #4 on the bad guy list.
Oh no. As they say in the sporting world, the man would have reached a whole new level.
Like #1.
As she noted, Michael Vick topped the list, followed by Tiger Woods, Plaxico Burress, and then Suh. All of which begs the question -- why these guys?
Certainly they're all black men, but I find it extremely difficult to believe the results of such a poll could possibly be racially motivated. Is there a common thread? Perhaps. Let's examine how each probably attained notoriety.
Michael Vick. That's obvious. Millions of people were outraged, including myself, over the dog-fighting thing. When all was said and done, Vick had to do some "hard time" for that in prison, and justifiably so. Some people bought into Vick eventually showing remorse, and some thought it was all an act. Hard to say what was in the man's heart, but it's likely a fair statement to say many dog-lovers will never forgive him. Yet all that happened "off the field".
Tiger Woods. Since he first burst onto the PGA scene about 15 years ago, I dare say Eldrick has been a polarizing figure. It seemed most golf fans loved him -- but don't kid yourself -- there were many that felt exactly the opposite. Racial? Maybe. Let's get real. A black man dominating a predominantly white man's game is going to have his detractors. Did I agree with it? No. Did I understand it? Yes. Like it or not, that's just the real world. Prejudices have always been there among some, and always will be. It's just the nature of our species. But what ultimately landed Woods as the #2 villain? His infidelity to his wife. Opinions vary as to how many women may have been involved, but it's probably a safe statement to say this wasn't exactly a one-night-stand, with just one woman. Throw in the fact he and his wife had 2 little children and, well, good luck with that when the story comes out. But again, all this happened "off the course".
Plaxico Buress. Why he ranks #3 is a total mystery to me. Near as I can tell, he got in trouble with the court of public opinion for accidentally shooting himself in the leg at a nightclub. Stupid? Definitely. He had to go to prison as well, though to this day I don't quite understand that. It's not like he was there to do bodily harm to someone else. Did he ruffle feathers amongst fans with some of his on-field antics during NFL games? Sure. But there's lots of guys that do, or have done that. Thing is, he eventually owned it, and whether you believed his "remorse" or not, which seems to be mandatory these days for another reason I don't understand (if you do the crime and do the time, then it should be over, no begging necessary), it didn't happen on the gridiron.
That's where Suh is different. People tend to forget his earlier flagrant attempts to cause bodily harm to an opposing player on the field, for apparently no other reason than being a thug. He was fined a few times for those infractions and, luckily, no serious injury, or worse, resulted. What led Suh from favorite son to #4 villain was obviously the Thanksgiving day "stomp".
The difference? I dare say not too many sports fans have seen actual footage of what may have gone on at Michael Vick's dog compounds. It's also highly doubtful that whatever Tiger Woods was doing with other women was ever captured on video, must less uploaded to a web site for those so inclined to peruse at their leisure. Even if it had been on film, what's to see about the Plaxico Burress incident? A guy reaches into his pocket, something goes bang, and then he limps out. Not exactly the stuff of Academy Awards.
But Suh did it on Thanksgiving day in an exclusively televised NFL game, when hundreds of millions of people the world over were watching. Bad, bad, BAD idea. Then he wouldn't own up to it. That added fuel to the fire.
In the end, I agree with Paula. Suh's still young and hopefully has enough time to turn his reputation around.
After all, he's only #4. It could be a lot worse.
Imagine a video showing Suh stomping Vick's dogs when they were down and finally putting them out of their misery with Burress' gun. If digital eyes caught him abusing the "bitches", as some have suggested about Tiger Woods, then Suh would not be merely #4 on the bad guy list.
Oh no. As they say in the sporting world, the man would have reached a whole new level.
Like #1.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Gisele Bundchen. Stand by your man
So the Patriots lost the Super Bowl. Contrary to what some may think, this is not the end of the world.
Was Gisele Bunchen, Tom Brady's wife, out of line for comments about New England wide receivers dropping balls they should have caught? Of course not. Anybody that watched the game knows that happened. Further, she can say whatever she damn well feels like. That's her right.
Of course, there's a few details about her husband bungling a few plays as well during the course of the contest, which she seemed to have overlooked, but hey, she's just standing by her man.
Conversely, Brandon Jacobs, a member of the victorious New York Giants, apparently responded with something about Bundchen being cute, but she should shut up. It seems likely Jacobs was implying that the lovely Gisele should "know her place", keep out of it, and let the players do the talking. Jacobs immediately came under fire and apologized for his statement. I don't see why. He had the same right to express his opinion as she did. The motives and logic on both sides for their statements should be irrelevant. Short of being outright slanderous or threatening, Gisele, Brandon, and everybody else are free to say whatever they want. Some people will agree, and some will disagree. That's just the way it is. So what's the problem here?
On a related note, former Patriot defensive back Rodney Harrison is dumping all over Rob Gronkowski, for partying after his team lost the Super Bowl. Where have I heard that story line before?
Harrison was "old school". It's all about being pissed and holding grudges -- forever. Personally, the only thing I can see that results in is jacking up one's own blood pressure, while accomplishing nothing.
If I could send a message to Mr. Harrison it would be this -- there's a time and a place for adrenaline and getting jacked-up. On the field during the game. When it's over, let it go, and enjoy the other things you have been blessed with in life. Or perhaps you're still stewing because you never won a "ring". Beats me, but it isn't cool to rag on an upcoming star that plays for the same team you used to, just because he's having a good time off the field.
Judging by the feedback I've seen, Rodney might want to quit with his current rhetoric, put on a too tight red tie, and do stand up comedy. There was another guy with that first name that didn't get too much respect either....
I have a right too, ya know.
Was Gisele Bunchen, Tom Brady's wife, out of line for comments about New England wide receivers dropping balls they should have caught? Of course not. Anybody that watched the game knows that happened. Further, she can say whatever she damn well feels like. That's her right.
Of course, there's a few details about her husband bungling a few plays as well during the course of the contest, which she seemed to have overlooked, but hey, she's just standing by her man.
Conversely, Brandon Jacobs, a member of the victorious New York Giants, apparently responded with something about Bundchen being cute, but she should shut up. It seems likely Jacobs was implying that the lovely Gisele should "know her place", keep out of it, and let the players do the talking. Jacobs immediately came under fire and apologized for his statement. I don't see why. He had the same right to express his opinion as she did. The motives and logic on both sides for their statements should be irrelevant. Short of being outright slanderous or threatening, Gisele, Brandon, and everybody else are free to say whatever they want. Some people will agree, and some will disagree. That's just the way it is. So what's the problem here?
On a related note, former Patriot defensive back Rodney Harrison is dumping all over Rob Gronkowski, for partying after his team lost the Super Bowl. Where have I heard that story line before?
Harrison was "old school". It's all about being pissed and holding grudges -- forever. Personally, the only thing I can see that results in is jacking up one's own blood pressure, while accomplishing nothing.
If I could send a message to Mr. Harrison it would be this -- there's a time and a place for adrenaline and getting jacked-up. On the field during the game. When it's over, let it go, and enjoy the other things you have been blessed with in life. Or perhaps you're still stewing because you never won a "ring". Beats me, but it isn't cool to rag on an upcoming star that plays for the same team you used to, just because he's having a good time off the field.
Judging by the feedback I've seen, Rodney might want to quit with his current rhetoric, put on a too tight red tie, and do stand up comedy. There was another guy with that first name that didn't get too much respect either....
I have a right too, ya know.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Party on Rob Gronkowski
Some people are criticizing Rob Gronkowski, the All-World tight end of the New England Patriots, for dancing at a club shortly after his team lost the Super Bowl. How could he possibly be dancing after such a heart-breaking loss, they ask.
Well, what is the man supposed to do?
Sob uncontrollably in front of the TV cameras?
Go meditate on top of a mountain in Tibet for a few months begging for forgiveness from a higher power?
Here's a weird thought. How about considering that he might be just a man. One hell of a football player that gave it all he had, but he and his team came up short in the Super Bowl. Yet, in the end, still a man.
Others chime in with such inane comments as, "I thought his ankle was hurt. Didn't look like it on the dance floor". For anyone to equate playing in an NFL game to dancing only shows their ignorance. It's one thing to tango, rumba, and whatever the night away, but I dare say most of them have never experienced engaging a rushing defensive end, going head-to-head with a linebacker, or catching a football in full stride when a hard-charging safety has every intent of knocking them into nowhere land a millisecond after the ball gets there. The 2-step is a great dance in a club, but sometimes after catching the football in the NFL, a guy only gets one. Then he finds himself looking out of the earhole of his helmet wondering what just hit him. Just a slight difference.
At that, Gronkowski suited up for the game, and while he gave it all he had, it was obvious he wasn't at 100%. Playing through injuries in the NFL happens all the time. Players attempt to get through it and do the best they can, but few of the ever-present critics seem to realize, or care, how tough that really is on them, much less what they go through after the game is over.
Compared to that, dancing in a club is probably like re-hab for an ankle injury.
Party on Rob, and see you next year.
Besides, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't meet too many pretty girls on mountaintops.
Well, what is the man supposed to do?
Sob uncontrollably in front of the TV cameras?
Go meditate on top of a mountain in Tibet for a few months begging for forgiveness from a higher power?
Here's a weird thought. How about considering that he might be just a man. One hell of a football player that gave it all he had, but he and his team came up short in the Super Bowl. Yet, in the end, still a man.
Others chime in with such inane comments as, "I thought his ankle was hurt. Didn't look like it on the dance floor". For anyone to equate playing in an NFL game to dancing only shows their ignorance. It's one thing to tango, rumba, and whatever the night away, but I dare say most of them have never experienced engaging a rushing defensive end, going head-to-head with a linebacker, or catching a football in full stride when a hard-charging safety has every intent of knocking them into nowhere land a millisecond after the ball gets there. The 2-step is a great dance in a club, but sometimes after catching the football in the NFL, a guy only gets one. Then he finds himself looking out of the earhole of his helmet wondering what just hit him. Just a slight difference.
At that, Gronkowski suited up for the game, and while he gave it all he had, it was obvious he wasn't at 100%. Playing through injuries in the NFL happens all the time. Players attempt to get through it and do the best they can, but few of the ever-present critics seem to realize, or care, how tough that really is on them, much less what they go through after the game is over.
Compared to that, dancing in a club is probably like re-hab for an ankle injury.
Party on Rob, and see you next year.
Besides, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't meet too many pretty girls on mountaintops.
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