Recently, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya ran a marathon that shattered the world record. His time of 2 hours and 25 seconds was more than two and a half minutes better than the old record.
But it won't count.
Why?
Because of dumb rules. The official sanctioning body said this race was run in too much of a "controlled environment". Well then. Let's look at some of the reasons they cited.
The temperature was a rather cool 52 degrees. Should that matter? Typically, the Boston Marathon, perhaps the most famous of them all -- is run in April. The temperatures in Beantown at that time of year are pretty cool as well.
The track was a consistent asphalt surface. What's wrong with that? They're not supposed to have to run over broken glass, through gravel, or a mine field -- though the latter would certainly add an element of suspense. BOOM!! "Oops, #52 seems to be experiencing some serious physical difficulty and has fallen off the pace." On second thought, nix that idea. We don't need that.
The authorities said Kipchoge had rotating pace-setters throughout the race to keep him clipping along at world-record pace. What difference does it make? It's still the same guy running the same distance. And besides, all marathoners wear watches to keep track of their times at certain points in the race.
Ah, but the pace-setters were in triangular formations behind the pace car (did they need a pace car when they have so many pace setters?), which broke the wind resistance for Kipchoge.
This is patently ridiculous. In NASCAR or Indy racing, closely tail-gating another car (drafting) has a lot to do with less wind resistance, hence the trailing car uses less horsepower -- and fuel -- to keep up. But that only comes in to play at high speeds. Do the math on how fast even a world class marathoner runs. Roughly 26 miles in roughly 2 hours. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that equates to about 13 MPH. A snail's pace by comparison. Does anybody really believe the atmosphere hasn't replaced itself in the time between when a lead runner breaks through it until the the following runner gets there? It takes a small fraction of a second at best. So scrap that stupid theory. It doesn't apply.
They said the track was level without sharp turns. If it's all downhill for 26 miles, that's one thing. But how much fairer could a level track be? And no sharp turns? Ever seen a sanctioned marathon yet without gradual sweeping changes of direction? It's not like these guys (and gals) are running pylon drills at the NFL combine. Let's toss that flimsy excuse too.
Oh, that's right. Kipchoge was wearing the latest in fancy athletic shoe technology. Well gee. Don't they think all high level football, hockey, baseball, basketball, tennis, and soccer players do the same thing? Hello? Would you disqualify one of them if they set a record? Of course not. Sure the gear keeps getting better. So what?
Thing is, it's only a matter of time before the two hour barrier in the marathon is broken. Ages ago, the four-minute mile was thought unattainable. That mark fell way back in the 1950s, and any decent miler routinely runs under it these days, sometimes by quite a bit.
There is also some serious hypocrisy afoot here. In certain races, a runner is deemed ineligible for any sort of record if they had too much wind at his/her back.
But what do you think would happen if an NFL place kicker booted a 70 yard field goal, shattering the existing record of 64, even though he had a 40 MPH tail wind helping his kick? Would they still count it?
You betcha they would.
So get rid of all these stupid rules. If somebody sets a record -- dammit -- it's a record.
Just because the conditions weren't conforming to archaic "standards" shouldn't matter one bit.
Somebody else will come along, at just the right time, and in optimum conditions themselves, to better it again.
Whoever thought funny cars and rails would run a quarter mile in under 4 seconds at speeds well over 300 MPH? Nowadays, it's routine.
In other words, in the time it takes the texting nitwit in front of you to realize the light has turned green and it's time to go, the hot rod folks have already run a full quarter mile. Pretty incredible when one stops to think about it. Their gear keeps getting better too. Hear anybody ever objecting to THAT?
So spare me the nit-picking details, rules, and regs about how Eliud Kipchoge's marathon time wasn't "official". The dude ran the same distance in, by far, the fastest time ever. And nary a whisper about any sort of performance enhancing drugs being in play. You just KNOW he got tested both before and after the race.
He set a record and it should count as such. Period.
So what's the problem?
Maybe they should start drug testing the people that keep coming up with all these silly rules.
2:00:25 is getting close to knocking on the door of the once unheard of two hour mark.
A mere 25 seconds -- or probably roughly the time it takes a marathoner to run the length of your average soccer field. Over the course of 26+ miles, it doesn't seem like much at all.
Oh yeah, it's going to happen someday......
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Cleveland and Golden State. Catbird seats
While the Cleveland Cavaliers have so far breezed through the playoffs, so have the Golden State Warriors.
The former swept the Indiana Pacers and then the Toronto Raptors. Eight games up, eight wins.
The latter did the same to the Portland Trail Blazers and then the Utah Jazz. 8-0 so far.
Meanwhile, the other two series continue.
The Boston Celtics are in quite a battle with the Washington Wizards. It could well go the full seven games.
Same with the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets. Two heavyweights slugging it out in Texas.
Who will win either of these series' remains to be seen. But one thing's for sure. They're going to be a whole lot more gassed than the Cavs or Warriors for the next series.
Those guys get to sit around, let the little bumps, bruises, and strains heal up, go through easy practices, and study both their possible future opponents while they're beating each other's brains out on the court.
True, they are many that have long thought a Cleveland/Golden State III -- a rubber match if you will -- has long been a foregone conclusion. And it may very well come to that.
Also true is Golden State still has home court advantage throughout the playoffs, up to and including the Finals. Yet they had that last year, but fell to Cleveland -- even after leading the series 3 games to 1.
On the other side, Boston, somewhat surprisingly, overtook Cleveland for the best regular season record in the East. If they can dispatch that pesky Wiz, advantage Beaners in the eastern finals. Or maybe not. Last time Cleveland went to Boston, they spanked them rather handily. And does anybody really want to bet against Lebron and Co. when the playoffs start?
Still, it doesn't seem fair that the two overwhelming favorites get some serious R and R while their future competition is wearing each other out.
The Spurs/Rockets hardly have the luxury of studying the Warriors on TV while they remain locked in a battle themselves. Same for the Celtics/Wizards regarding the Cavaliers.
But that's just how it goes sometimes. As has been mentioned in this space in the past, Gregg Popovich has always been right about one thing. It's time for "big boy" basketball.
When the bell rings, ya gotta answer it and come out fighting. Any excuses about being tired, beat up, or ceding home court advantage matter not one whit.
Champions sometimes have to overcome all such obstacles.
But if I'm Cleveland or Golden State, I rather like the position I'm in right now. The catbird seat, as it were. Let the other guys keep slugging it out.
We'll be there waiting for them when the time comes.
For either of these teams to get knocked off in their respective conference finals would be huge upsets indeed.
But ya never know......
Regardless, it raises an interesting possibility. Could both Cleveland and Golden State "sweep" their way into the NBA Finals with 12-0 playoff records? Maybe, though whatever competition emerges from the other series' is going to be a definite step up from what they've seen so far. Still, it could happen.
But then something would have to give in a big way.
Because no matter how you slice it or dice it, either Cleveland or Golden State is going to lose four games in the Finals -- if they get there.
Somebody's going to be happy, hoist the championship trophy, and have a parade in their home town. Fair enough.
But somebody else is going to wonder what the hell happened and how did the wheels fall off so fast?
The former swept the Indiana Pacers and then the Toronto Raptors. Eight games up, eight wins.
The latter did the same to the Portland Trail Blazers and then the Utah Jazz. 8-0 so far.
Meanwhile, the other two series continue.
The Boston Celtics are in quite a battle with the Washington Wizards. It could well go the full seven games.
Same with the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets. Two heavyweights slugging it out in Texas.
Who will win either of these series' remains to be seen. But one thing's for sure. They're going to be a whole lot more gassed than the Cavs or Warriors for the next series.
Those guys get to sit around, let the little bumps, bruises, and strains heal up, go through easy practices, and study both their possible future opponents while they're beating each other's brains out on the court.
True, they are many that have long thought a Cleveland/Golden State III -- a rubber match if you will -- has long been a foregone conclusion. And it may very well come to that.
Also true is Golden State still has home court advantage throughout the playoffs, up to and including the Finals. Yet they had that last year, but fell to Cleveland -- even after leading the series 3 games to 1.
On the other side, Boston, somewhat surprisingly, overtook Cleveland for the best regular season record in the East. If they can dispatch that pesky Wiz, advantage Beaners in the eastern finals. Or maybe not. Last time Cleveland went to Boston, they spanked them rather handily. And does anybody really want to bet against Lebron and Co. when the playoffs start?
Still, it doesn't seem fair that the two overwhelming favorites get some serious R and R while their future competition is wearing each other out.
The Spurs/Rockets hardly have the luxury of studying the Warriors on TV while they remain locked in a battle themselves. Same for the Celtics/Wizards regarding the Cavaliers.
But that's just how it goes sometimes. As has been mentioned in this space in the past, Gregg Popovich has always been right about one thing. It's time for "big boy" basketball.
When the bell rings, ya gotta answer it and come out fighting. Any excuses about being tired, beat up, or ceding home court advantage matter not one whit.
Champions sometimes have to overcome all such obstacles.
But if I'm Cleveland or Golden State, I rather like the position I'm in right now. The catbird seat, as it were. Let the other guys keep slugging it out.
We'll be there waiting for them when the time comes.
For either of these teams to get knocked off in their respective conference finals would be huge upsets indeed.
But ya never know......
Regardless, it raises an interesting possibility. Could both Cleveland and Golden State "sweep" their way into the NBA Finals with 12-0 playoff records? Maybe, though whatever competition emerges from the other series' is going to be a definite step up from what they've seen so far. Still, it could happen.
But then something would have to give in a big way.
Because no matter how you slice it or dice it, either Cleveland or Golden State is going to lose four games in the Finals -- if they get there.
Somebody's going to be happy, hoist the championship trophy, and have a parade in their home town. Fair enough.
But somebody else is going to wonder what the hell happened and how did the wheels fall off so fast?
Monday, May 8, 2017
Pondering the NBA playoffs
Sometimes one can't help but wonder whether the playoff format has grown too big. After all, 8 teams from each conference qualify.
Sure, I get it. Everybody wants to be in the playoffs. Bazillions of dollars stand to be made by owners, players, staffs, and the networks lick their lips over the big time advertising money that will pour in. It's the American way.
Still, some match-ups are foregone conclusions before the first game even starts. Witness Cleveland brooming Indiana, and then Toronto. See Golden State do the same to both Portland and Utah. There was no chance -- ZERO -- that any of these underdog teams would be able to pull an upset in a seven game series.
True, hard core fans in such cities really want to believe that anything is possible, but it's really not. They can root, root, root all they want, and likely forego a house payment to attend one of the games at ridiculous jacked-up prices, but their team has about the same chance as a Republican politician would in San Fran or LA. Spend all the money they want but, forget winning, it ain't gonna happen. The other guys are just that much better.
For the most part, the first couple rounds of the playoffs are just to get the riff-raff out of the way. Maybe a team here or there will "steal" a single game from a vastly superior opponent (yours truly thought the Raptors and Jazz might -- MIGHT -- do so). But no, they were unceremoniously swept aside.
But it will start to get interesting shortly. Whichever team emerges from the San Antonio/Houston series will be, by far, the toughest competition Golden State has seen yet. Could either conceivably knock off the Warriors? Unlikely. The Spurs have already lost point guard Tony Parker, and the Rockets big man Nene. To knock off the Oakland boys, especially already ceding home court advantage, either of these teams would need to be at full strength and play their absolute best A games during the series. A mighty tall order even BEFORE the injuries. The Warriors appear to have rounded back into their juggernaut selves and appear virtually unbeatable, barring any key injuries of their own. Ya never know about that stuff.
In the East, few think the Boston Celtics, even holding home court advantage (and assuming they finally dispatch those pesky Washington Wizards), pose much of a threat to Lebron and the Cavaliers in the eastern finals.
Idle thought in the "This dude has a lot of nerve department".
Golden State's Draymond Green recently came out and said he considers Boston's Kelly Olnyk to be a "dirty" player. Really? Isn't this the same Draymond Green that kept delivering thunderous kicks to the groins of opposing players last year? The very same clown that finally got rightfully suspended for a game for taking yet another swipe at Lebron's "junk" in the Finals last year? Let's not forget that happened in Game 4 of the Finals last year. Afterwards, Golden State would lead 3-1. But without Draymond in Game 5, AT Golden State, the tide turned. The Cavs won a game few thought they could or would. Then came games 6 and 7. The momentum had clearly shifted and we know how it turned out. Nobody wants to talk about it, especially Draymond, but it could be argued the GS loss in the Finals last year was squarely his fault -- from his own thuggish play. And he has the utter audacity to call Kelly Olnyk dirty? The hypocrisy is mind-numbing.
Interesting how some of the "experts" say Golden State has a whopping 93% chance of knocking off Cleveland in the Finals. That seems like a pretty high number. Last time I looked, the Cavs, with Lebron, Kyrie, Kevin, and Co. were rolling right along themselves. And they weren't supposed to win last year either -- remember?
We shall see indeed, but first things first. The Celtics aren't exactly patsies, nor are the Spurs or Rockets. They all got some serious game. It's no slam dunk the Cavs and Warriors will dispatch them in the conference finals. And even if they do, they will be hard fought series. Again, who knows when the injury monster might rear his ugly head? Could happen to anybody at any time.
One can also wonder whether interim GS head coach Mike Brown, subbing for Steve Kerr who remains out with back problems, will be able to keep the Warriors purring along. In other words, not doing something stupid to screw it up. Brown has a history of being a failure elsewhere in years past when the pressure got ratcheted up. Let's just say he's no stranger to being fired as an underachieving head coach.
So yep, it will be getting down to the nitty-gritty pretty quick now.
As San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich has been known to say --- it's time for "Big Boy" basketball.
Bring it on.......
Sure, I get it. Everybody wants to be in the playoffs. Bazillions of dollars stand to be made by owners, players, staffs, and the networks lick their lips over the big time advertising money that will pour in. It's the American way.
Still, some match-ups are foregone conclusions before the first game even starts. Witness Cleveland brooming Indiana, and then Toronto. See Golden State do the same to both Portland and Utah. There was no chance -- ZERO -- that any of these underdog teams would be able to pull an upset in a seven game series.
True, hard core fans in such cities really want to believe that anything is possible, but it's really not. They can root, root, root all they want, and likely forego a house payment to attend one of the games at ridiculous jacked-up prices, but their team has about the same chance as a Republican politician would in San Fran or LA. Spend all the money they want but, forget winning, it ain't gonna happen. The other guys are just that much better.
For the most part, the first couple rounds of the playoffs are just to get the riff-raff out of the way. Maybe a team here or there will "steal" a single game from a vastly superior opponent (yours truly thought the Raptors and Jazz might -- MIGHT -- do so). But no, they were unceremoniously swept aside.
But it will start to get interesting shortly. Whichever team emerges from the San Antonio/Houston series will be, by far, the toughest competition Golden State has seen yet. Could either conceivably knock off the Warriors? Unlikely. The Spurs have already lost point guard Tony Parker, and the Rockets big man Nene. To knock off the Oakland boys, especially already ceding home court advantage, either of these teams would need to be at full strength and play their absolute best A games during the series. A mighty tall order even BEFORE the injuries. The Warriors appear to have rounded back into their juggernaut selves and appear virtually unbeatable, barring any key injuries of their own. Ya never know about that stuff.
In the East, few think the Boston Celtics, even holding home court advantage (and assuming they finally dispatch those pesky Washington Wizards), pose much of a threat to Lebron and the Cavaliers in the eastern finals.
Idle thought in the "This dude has a lot of nerve department".
Golden State's Draymond Green recently came out and said he considers Boston's Kelly Olnyk to be a "dirty" player. Really? Isn't this the same Draymond Green that kept delivering thunderous kicks to the groins of opposing players last year? The very same clown that finally got rightfully suspended for a game for taking yet another swipe at Lebron's "junk" in the Finals last year? Let's not forget that happened in Game 4 of the Finals last year. Afterwards, Golden State would lead 3-1. But without Draymond in Game 5, AT Golden State, the tide turned. The Cavs won a game few thought they could or would. Then came games 6 and 7. The momentum had clearly shifted and we know how it turned out. Nobody wants to talk about it, especially Draymond, but it could be argued the GS loss in the Finals last year was squarely his fault -- from his own thuggish play. And he has the utter audacity to call Kelly Olnyk dirty? The hypocrisy is mind-numbing.
Interesting how some of the "experts" say Golden State has a whopping 93% chance of knocking off Cleveland in the Finals. That seems like a pretty high number. Last time I looked, the Cavs, with Lebron, Kyrie, Kevin, and Co. were rolling right along themselves. And they weren't supposed to win last year either -- remember?
We shall see indeed, but first things first. The Celtics aren't exactly patsies, nor are the Spurs or Rockets. They all got some serious game. It's no slam dunk the Cavs and Warriors will dispatch them in the conference finals. And even if they do, they will be hard fought series. Again, who knows when the injury monster might rear his ugly head? Could happen to anybody at any time.
One can also wonder whether interim GS head coach Mike Brown, subbing for Steve Kerr who remains out with back problems, will be able to keep the Warriors purring along. In other words, not doing something stupid to screw it up. Brown has a history of being a failure elsewhere in years past when the pressure got ratcheted up. Let's just say he's no stranger to being fired as an underachieving head coach.
So yep, it will be getting down to the nitty-gritty pretty quick now.
As San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich has been known to say --- it's time for "Big Boy" basketball.
Bring it on.......
Sunday, May 7, 2017
The DC jinx
Unless yours truly missed something, which would be a first (LOL), the Washington Wizards play at the Verizon Center in DC. So while watching an earlier game between them and the Boston Celtics, what was up with the big "CIC" painted on the floor at center court? What could it possibly stand for?
Hmm. Choke In Clutch? That would seem to be appropriate given their recent history. Uh oh, what's that? They knocked off the Celts to even the series at 2-2? Never fear, they'll fold, because they always do.
Could it have stood for Commander In Chief? That Donald guy? Well, his primary residence these days IS in the neighborhood. So why not put his mug on the floor in all it's orange splendor instead of silly initials?
Perhaps that "I" was a lower case "ell" instead. ClC. Hmm. Continually lose Composure? Could have been. And, oh yeah, these guys are going down. They're not going to beat the Beaners two out of three, especially ceding home court advantage.
And now a word from our sponsors.
A recent commercial spot claims it takes 15 years to become a Heineken brew-master. Could be, though that seems like an awful long apprenticeship when the same formula has been pretty much set in stone for quite some time. How difficult can it be to mix in the same ingredients in the same proportions time after time?
While that might take 15 years to get the hang of, it appears being a TV spokesman for this company only takes maybe 15 minutes of training. Have you seen the dork doing the commercials? That skinny little runt could make Urkel look like Rambo by comparison. This dude would be better served advertising sissy drinks (Pink Squirrels would be perfect) -- but not beer. ANYTHING but beer. C'mon. Whatzamattuh with these people?
Back to DC. It's not just the Wizards. The Capitals of the NHL have a long history of choking as well come playoff time. Once again this year, they won the President's Cup for putting up the most points in the regular season. And it's entirely possible, even highly probable, the Caps will be getting kicked to the curb (again) by the Pittsburgh Penguins, who lead the series 3-2, when it returns to Pitt for game 6.
Same for the Washington Nationals in Major League Baseball. They have talent galore. Sluggers, premier pitchers, defense, speed, the works. And they currently have, by far, the best record in the major leagues. But you just know what's going to happen in October. The usual swoon.
Which is also pretty much the same thing Congress typically does when faced with a tough problem. They'll hedge, dodge, flip-flop, and otherwise evade the issue at hand as long as possible. Anything but making a hard decision and sticking to it. In the end, little is ever accomplished.
Huh. It must be something in the air in DC.
Hope it ain't catchy......
Hmm. Choke In Clutch? That would seem to be appropriate given their recent history. Uh oh, what's that? They knocked off the Celts to even the series at 2-2? Never fear, they'll fold, because they always do.
Could it have stood for Commander In Chief? That Donald guy? Well, his primary residence these days IS in the neighborhood. So why not put his mug on the floor in all it's orange splendor instead of silly initials?
Perhaps that "I" was a lower case "ell" instead. ClC. Hmm. Continually lose Composure? Could have been. And, oh yeah, these guys are going down. They're not going to beat the Beaners two out of three, especially ceding home court advantage.
And now a word from our sponsors.
A recent commercial spot claims it takes 15 years to become a Heineken brew-master. Could be, though that seems like an awful long apprenticeship when the same formula has been pretty much set in stone for quite some time. How difficult can it be to mix in the same ingredients in the same proportions time after time?
While that might take 15 years to get the hang of, it appears being a TV spokesman for this company only takes maybe 15 minutes of training. Have you seen the dork doing the commercials? That skinny little runt could make Urkel look like Rambo by comparison. This dude would be better served advertising sissy drinks (Pink Squirrels would be perfect) -- but not beer. ANYTHING but beer. C'mon. Whatzamattuh with these people?
Back to DC. It's not just the Wizards. The Capitals of the NHL have a long history of choking as well come playoff time. Once again this year, they won the President's Cup for putting up the most points in the regular season. And it's entirely possible, even highly probable, the Caps will be getting kicked to the curb (again) by the Pittsburgh Penguins, who lead the series 3-2, when it returns to Pitt for game 6.
Same for the Washington Nationals in Major League Baseball. They have talent galore. Sluggers, premier pitchers, defense, speed, the works. And they currently have, by far, the best record in the major leagues. But you just know what's going to happen in October. The usual swoon.
Which is also pretty much the same thing Congress typically does when faced with a tough problem. They'll hedge, dodge, flip-flop, and otherwise evade the issue at hand as long as possible. Anything but making a hard decision and sticking to it. In the end, little is ever accomplished.
Huh. It must be something in the air in DC.
Hope it ain't catchy......
Friday, May 5, 2017
On-going silliness. Well then
The TV talking heads, and particularly game announcers, seem to be a breed unto themselves. These people can and do get all worked up over the silliest of things. One way or the other, they'll always come up with a "first".
Did you know that particular point guard is the FIRST one to be exactly 6 feet, 2 and 3/4 inches tall, score ten points in a game, have a 75 year old great-aunt named Gertrude that lives in Peoria that once won a quilting bee at the tender age of 43, and to this very day still not only has a veggie garden, but somehow, incredibly, never misses watching her grand-nephew playing in televised games?
Holy miracle, will decry their partner. This is a notable first indeed.
Please.
Well then. That would seem to beg two questions.
The most obvious would be -- WHO CARES?
The second would be, who are the geeks that actually research this sort of nonsense, and how do they find it?
Wake me up when something worthwhile might be on the horizon. Like -- a major leaguer having a 55 game hitting streak -- one shy of Joe D's all-time record. No, not 40, or even 50. Fifty five. Or another having 70 home runs with a couple weeks still left to play in the regular season. I don't want to hear about some guy getting hot in May or June belting out a dozen dingers. Lots of people have done that. This is not big news.
Predictably, the Toronto Raptors are quickly succumbing to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Yet the TV folks just have to show the viewers a pep talk head coach Dwane Casey was giving his team. The Captain of the Titanic could have rallied his troops as well, but there was no escaping the inevitable. They're going down.
Observation. A noticeable trait of the good Mr. Casey was his long pointed ears. Almost Mr. Spock-like of the Star Trek series.
Well then. Does trying to convince his team otherwise sound "logical"? May Casey and the Raptors live long and prosper indeed, but they're not getting anywhere near an NBA title any year soon. Who's kidding who here?
LaVar Bell, the father of three up and coming athletes, noticeably Lorenzo of UCLA hoop fame, wanted a BILLION dollar shoe contract for his young-uns. Also predictably, he didn't get it. There were likely many guffaws in the board rooms of such manufacturers. Who does this guy think he is anyway?
The question has been posed as to whether daddy's act is hurting Lorenzo's draft stock. Of course it is.
Well then. Put yourself in the shoes, no pun intended, of any NBA team. Your scouts have checked out Zo and you've watched enough film to know what he is or is not capable of at the next level. One question remains.
Do you really want to draft this kid, knowing the jive turkey, self-entitiled clown act dad will likely come with the package? You'd better be convinced the young Bell is the next coming of Kawhi Leonard, Steph Curry, or James Harden if you're going to risk bringing the circus to town. True, crazy parents of NBA players have been there before, but this guy seems to be breaking new ground in the looney-tune department on a daily basis. Yes, the local media can typically be counted on to be "homers", but don't think they won't turn on you if your franchise gets turned into a Moe, Larry, cheese, slapstick act. Even they have their limits. Careful with this one.
Speaking of homers, it was comical to read a Detroit area writer wondering whether Tigers' designated hitter Victor Martinez might be getting close to the end of the road.
Well then. Let's see. Can anybody even remember if and when V-Mart was able to field a position? He's pushing 40 years old, can't field, can't throw, is slower than molasses on the base paths, and his only apparent function over the past few years as been as a DH. He's currently batting around .230. This is the Tigers' idea of a designated hitter? Really?
What yon scribe quite likely should have addressed is whether former stars Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, and Ian Kinsler will be fading away soon, if they haven't begun so already. JV's lost a couple MPH on his fastball and no longer even bothers to try and throw his once devastating split-finger pitch. Miggy keeps getting more and more injury prone, and his Triple Crown season a while back seems like a long time ago. His stats have dropped off dramatically. Same with Kinsler.
The Detroit Tigers' long term prognosis looks poor indeed.
Sports channel surfing during the afternoon has become almost unbearable. See Rachel on one show yammering away. She'll typically go into a 5 minute op-ed piece before finally throwing out a question to her panel-mates. Then she'll quickly interrupt their answer with even more yappiness. Michelle is much the same way. Always bubbly and blathering on. If one can suck it up and watch the whole telecast, when it's over, it's kind of like Seinfeld used to be. A show about nothing but dopey people talking to each other.
Yet the coup-de-grace has to be First Take. Mercifully, they finally broomed the nails on the chalkboard Skip Bayless. That man could drive the Pope into strapping on a suicide vest of explosives.
And Stephen A. Smith, the yappy little fella that gets more and more wound up as the show goes on -- does he have a hidden IV drip of "speed" while on the air? -- typically loses all manner of composure somewhere along the line. Quite a load -- that guy. Drip, drip, drip.
So who did they put in Skip's place? The one and only Max Kellerman. The same guy that got broomed from Around the Horn due to sagging ratings, and replaced with Toni Reali.
Just when you thought Stephen A. had a lack of objectivity -- see bias -- the Maxster has certainly gone him one better.
Kellerman is not only the paragon of "political correctness", he's taken it to a whole new level. This dude is apologizing for athletes before they've even done anything wrong.
On the subject of Lebron James, Kellerman states if the Cleveland Cavaliers win another NBA title this year, James should be hailed as a hero. Well, OK.
But then he goes on to say if the Cavs come up short, Lebron shouldn't take any of the blame. After all, they're not SUPPOSED to win with the Golden State Warriors having added Kevin Durant to their already potent line-up.
Well then. In other words, according to Max, it's heads Lebron wins, and tails he can't lose.
Put the two of them together, combine with Rachel and Michelle, throw in Ryen Russillo and his inane TV/radio program, whatever it is, and you've got yourself the makings of some seriously boring afternoon sportscasts.
Of course, Dan LeBatard and Bomani Jones follow it up with a "Highly Questionable" program indeed. It's only redeeming value seems to be the input of "Poppy", Dan's father. Want to make it even semi-interesting? Stop censoring (bleeping) the old man when he goes off. If whatever he's saying is good enough to get the other guys laughing, let us hear it too. And what words can he possibly say we haven't all heard before at least a thousand times? Please.
As evening approaches, we're greeted by Toni and his roving band of talking heads. Sometimes worthwhile, but mostly not.
Then on to Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon. Pardon the interruption? OK, for a few minutes, if you guys have anything new to add, rather than the same old rehashed tripe we've already heard in hours past on the same network(s).
The last insult comes with the tag-team of Michael Smith and Jemele Hill on the "Six". The powers that be have hyped this show to the max with incredibly stupid commercial spots and, yep, it's pretty well proven out to be much of the same. With any luck, the Six will get the Deep Six, and the sooner the better.
Well then. You think the ongoing political battles will drive you crazy?
Tune into the 4-letter network for a whole afternoon of this nonsense, and one might start thinking those lovable Dems/Reps, libs/cons, lefties/righties, and their whole gangs of childish, insulting, partisan, accomplish nothing nitwits are quite entertaining by comparison.
Tis a sad state of affairs indeed. WAY too many talking heads and, of those, precious few that have anything worthwhile to say.
Alas....
Did you know that particular point guard is the FIRST one to be exactly 6 feet, 2 and 3/4 inches tall, score ten points in a game, have a 75 year old great-aunt named Gertrude that lives in Peoria that once won a quilting bee at the tender age of 43, and to this very day still not only has a veggie garden, but somehow, incredibly, never misses watching her grand-nephew playing in televised games?
Holy miracle, will decry their partner. This is a notable first indeed.
Please.
Well then. That would seem to beg two questions.
The most obvious would be -- WHO CARES?
The second would be, who are the geeks that actually research this sort of nonsense, and how do they find it?
Wake me up when something worthwhile might be on the horizon. Like -- a major leaguer having a 55 game hitting streak -- one shy of Joe D's all-time record. No, not 40, or even 50. Fifty five. Or another having 70 home runs with a couple weeks still left to play in the regular season. I don't want to hear about some guy getting hot in May or June belting out a dozen dingers. Lots of people have done that. This is not big news.
Predictably, the Toronto Raptors are quickly succumbing to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Yet the TV folks just have to show the viewers a pep talk head coach Dwane Casey was giving his team. The Captain of the Titanic could have rallied his troops as well, but there was no escaping the inevitable. They're going down.
Observation. A noticeable trait of the good Mr. Casey was his long pointed ears. Almost Mr. Spock-like of the Star Trek series.
Well then. Does trying to convince his team otherwise sound "logical"? May Casey and the Raptors live long and prosper indeed, but they're not getting anywhere near an NBA title any year soon. Who's kidding who here?
LaVar Bell, the father of three up and coming athletes, noticeably Lorenzo of UCLA hoop fame, wanted a BILLION dollar shoe contract for his young-uns. Also predictably, he didn't get it. There were likely many guffaws in the board rooms of such manufacturers. Who does this guy think he is anyway?
The question has been posed as to whether daddy's act is hurting Lorenzo's draft stock. Of course it is.
Well then. Put yourself in the shoes, no pun intended, of any NBA team. Your scouts have checked out Zo and you've watched enough film to know what he is or is not capable of at the next level. One question remains.
Do you really want to draft this kid, knowing the jive turkey, self-entitiled clown act dad will likely come with the package? You'd better be convinced the young Bell is the next coming of Kawhi Leonard, Steph Curry, or James Harden if you're going to risk bringing the circus to town. True, crazy parents of NBA players have been there before, but this guy seems to be breaking new ground in the looney-tune department on a daily basis. Yes, the local media can typically be counted on to be "homers", but don't think they won't turn on you if your franchise gets turned into a Moe, Larry, cheese, slapstick act. Even they have their limits. Careful with this one.
Speaking of homers, it was comical to read a Detroit area writer wondering whether Tigers' designated hitter Victor Martinez might be getting close to the end of the road.
Well then. Let's see. Can anybody even remember if and when V-Mart was able to field a position? He's pushing 40 years old, can't field, can't throw, is slower than molasses on the base paths, and his only apparent function over the past few years as been as a DH. He's currently batting around .230. This is the Tigers' idea of a designated hitter? Really?
What yon scribe quite likely should have addressed is whether former stars Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, and Ian Kinsler will be fading away soon, if they haven't begun so already. JV's lost a couple MPH on his fastball and no longer even bothers to try and throw his once devastating split-finger pitch. Miggy keeps getting more and more injury prone, and his Triple Crown season a while back seems like a long time ago. His stats have dropped off dramatically. Same with Kinsler.
The Detroit Tigers' long term prognosis looks poor indeed.
Sports channel surfing during the afternoon has become almost unbearable. See Rachel on one show yammering away. She'll typically go into a 5 minute op-ed piece before finally throwing out a question to her panel-mates. Then she'll quickly interrupt their answer with even more yappiness. Michelle is much the same way. Always bubbly and blathering on. If one can suck it up and watch the whole telecast, when it's over, it's kind of like Seinfeld used to be. A show about nothing but dopey people talking to each other.
Yet the coup-de-grace has to be First Take. Mercifully, they finally broomed the nails on the chalkboard Skip Bayless. That man could drive the Pope into strapping on a suicide vest of explosives.
And Stephen A. Smith, the yappy little fella that gets more and more wound up as the show goes on -- does he have a hidden IV drip of "speed" while on the air? -- typically loses all manner of composure somewhere along the line. Quite a load -- that guy. Drip, drip, drip.
So who did they put in Skip's place? The one and only Max Kellerman. The same guy that got broomed from Around the Horn due to sagging ratings, and replaced with Toni Reali.
Just when you thought Stephen A. had a lack of objectivity -- see bias -- the Maxster has certainly gone him one better.
Kellerman is not only the paragon of "political correctness", he's taken it to a whole new level. This dude is apologizing for athletes before they've even done anything wrong.
On the subject of Lebron James, Kellerman states if the Cleveland Cavaliers win another NBA title this year, James should be hailed as a hero. Well, OK.
But then he goes on to say if the Cavs come up short, Lebron shouldn't take any of the blame. After all, they're not SUPPOSED to win with the Golden State Warriors having added Kevin Durant to their already potent line-up.
Well then. In other words, according to Max, it's heads Lebron wins, and tails he can't lose.
Put the two of them together, combine with Rachel and Michelle, throw in Ryen Russillo and his inane TV/radio program, whatever it is, and you've got yourself the makings of some seriously boring afternoon sportscasts.
Of course, Dan LeBatard and Bomani Jones follow it up with a "Highly Questionable" program indeed. It's only redeeming value seems to be the input of "Poppy", Dan's father. Want to make it even semi-interesting? Stop censoring (bleeping) the old man when he goes off. If whatever he's saying is good enough to get the other guys laughing, let us hear it too. And what words can he possibly say we haven't all heard before at least a thousand times? Please.
As evening approaches, we're greeted by Toni and his roving band of talking heads. Sometimes worthwhile, but mostly not.
Then on to Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon. Pardon the interruption? OK, for a few minutes, if you guys have anything new to add, rather than the same old rehashed tripe we've already heard in hours past on the same network(s).
The last insult comes with the tag-team of Michael Smith and Jemele Hill on the "Six". The powers that be have hyped this show to the max with incredibly stupid commercial spots and, yep, it's pretty well proven out to be much of the same. With any luck, the Six will get the Deep Six, and the sooner the better.
Well then. You think the ongoing political battles will drive you crazy?
Tune into the 4-letter network for a whole afternoon of this nonsense, and one might start thinking those lovable Dems/Reps, libs/cons, lefties/righties, and their whole gangs of childish, insulting, partisan, accomplish nothing nitwits are quite entertaining by comparison.
Tis a sad state of affairs indeed. WAY too many talking heads and, of those, precious few that have anything worthwhile to say.
Alas....
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Condensing the NBA playoffs
OK, we still have 8 teams theoretically in the mix, but at least three of them have no shot -- NONE -- of winning the championship. Consider the series' match-ups right now....
Cleveland and Toronto.
Lebron and the Cavs have shown vulnerability this year, but the Raptors beating them? Not a chance.
Golden State and Utah.
The Jazz bounced the always overrated Clippers, but they might -- MIGHT -- salvage a single win in this series. At most, it goes 5 games. The Warriors roll on. Easily.
Boston and Washington.
A bit more interesting, but not that much. Like every other Washington team, the Capitals, Nats, and even (especially) Congress, you just know the Wiz are going to choke when the pressure is on. The Celtics may not win it all this year, but make no mistake. They will be a force to be reckoned with in the future, and quite likely for some time to come. GM Danny Ainge has done a masterful job of rebuilding the Beaners, and has a brilliant young head coach in Brad Stevens. The newest diminutive version of Isaiah Thomas is the real deal. Look out for these guys in a year or two. I'm just saying.....
That's three in and three out for the semis.
The last match-up is quite intriguing.
San Antonio and Houston.
Though the Spurs have long been a model of excellence and class under Coach Pop, it could be fairly said they ain't what they used to be. Tim Duncan is gone. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are getting old. The latter just went down with what could be a serious leg injury. Lamarcus Aldridge was a great free-agent signing, but hasn't torn it up like many thought he might. Kawhi Leonard is arguably the best all-around player in the league. Yet despite their usual impressive regular season record, the Spurs appear to be a bit wobbly.
In two home games against Houston, they were blown out in the first and returned the favor in the second. The series stands tied at 1-1.
The Rockets are a bit like the Celtics in the East. They're really good and are coming on strong. It would be a mistake to underestimate the enormous capabilities and talents of James Hardin. How and why Oklahoma City ever let him get away in free agency remains a baffling question.
This series could swing either way. If Houston holds serve during the next two games at home, color the Spurs good-bye. But if San Antonio, road warriors themselves, can steal at least one game at Houston to even the series -- well..... If they win them both, unlikely, then color the Rockets good-bye. We'll see. But this is the most competitive series of the bunch.
Prediction.
Cleveland and Boston are almost no-brainers to meet for the East title. The Celtics will have home court advantage. Is Boston ready to take the next step? Probably not. It's mighty tough to bet against Lebon, Kyrie, Kevin, and that bunch in the playoffs, home court or not.
Golden State is a shoo-in. Whether it's San Antonio or Houston to face them in the Western finals remains to be seen. But given the heartbreak of blowing a 3-1 lead in the Finals last year, and also given the Warriors are healthy, who would dare bet against them getting back to the Big Dance one more time? True, head coach Steve Kerr is still out with back problems, and interim coach Mike Brown might be clueless -- but these guys can run on auto-pilot as long as they stay healthy.
Though anything can happen, see injuries to key players, it sure looks to be shaping up to be a Golden State/Cleveland III Finals. A rubber match, if you will.
If either of them were to get knocked off in the interim, it would be big news indeed.
But that's why they play the games -- right? Ya just never know how it might turn out.....
Cleveland and Toronto.
Lebron and the Cavs have shown vulnerability this year, but the Raptors beating them? Not a chance.
Golden State and Utah.
The Jazz bounced the always overrated Clippers, but they might -- MIGHT -- salvage a single win in this series. At most, it goes 5 games. The Warriors roll on. Easily.
Boston and Washington.
A bit more interesting, but not that much. Like every other Washington team, the Capitals, Nats, and even (especially) Congress, you just know the Wiz are going to choke when the pressure is on. The Celtics may not win it all this year, but make no mistake. They will be a force to be reckoned with in the future, and quite likely for some time to come. GM Danny Ainge has done a masterful job of rebuilding the Beaners, and has a brilliant young head coach in Brad Stevens. The newest diminutive version of Isaiah Thomas is the real deal. Look out for these guys in a year or two. I'm just saying.....
That's three in and three out for the semis.
The last match-up is quite intriguing.
San Antonio and Houston.
Though the Spurs have long been a model of excellence and class under Coach Pop, it could be fairly said they ain't what they used to be. Tim Duncan is gone. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are getting old. The latter just went down with what could be a serious leg injury. Lamarcus Aldridge was a great free-agent signing, but hasn't torn it up like many thought he might. Kawhi Leonard is arguably the best all-around player in the league. Yet despite their usual impressive regular season record, the Spurs appear to be a bit wobbly.
In two home games against Houston, they were blown out in the first and returned the favor in the second. The series stands tied at 1-1.
The Rockets are a bit like the Celtics in the East. They're really good and are coming on strong. It would be a mistake to underestimate the enormous capabilities and talents of James Hardin. How and why Oklahoma City ever let him get away in free agency remains a baffling question.
This series could swing either way. If Houston holds serve during the next two games at home, color the Spurs good-bye. But if San Antonio, road warriors themselves, can steal at least one game at Houston to even the series -- well..... If they win them both, unlikely, then color the Rockets good-bye. We'll see. But this is the most competitive series of the bunch.
Prediction.
Cleveland and Boston are almost no-brainers to meet for the East title. The Celtics will have home court advantage. Is Boston ready to take the next step? Probably not. It's mighty tough to bet against Lebon, Kyrie, Kevin, and that bunch in the playoffs, home court or not.
Golden State is a shoo-in. Whether it's San Antonio or Houston to face them in the Western finals remains to be seen. But given the heartbreak of blowing a 3-1 lead in the Finals last year, and also given the Warriors are healthy, who would dare bet against them getting back to the Big Dance one more time? True, head coach Steve Kerr is still out with back problems, and interim coach Mike Brown might be clueless -- but these guys can run on auto-pilot as long as they stay healthy.
Though anything can happen, see injuries to key players, it sure looks to be shaping up to be a Golden State/Cleveland III Finals. A rubber match, if you will.
If either of them were to get knocked off in the interim, it would be big news indeed.
But that's why they play the games -- right? Ya just never know how it might turn out.....
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Adam Jones and the "n" word
As a young child I grew up in what could be called a "Leave it to Beaver" neighborhood. There was no crime, save for a few of us hooligans that soaped some windows on Devil's night. Well OK, some of the same "thugs" may have had the audacity to throw a snowball or three at cars during the winter months. Call us a regular gang of vandals. Guilty, Your Honor.
Though I was a "city boy", in a diverse one at that, my early life was quite sheltered by fate placing me in such a neighborhood. There was the "other side of town", but none of us ever ventured there. Basically, we were ignorant of the ways of others.
Not until junior high school did I get a taste of "diversity". It was like a whole new world opening up and everybody pretty much got along, no matter where they were from.
That all changed in high school. Back then, my school was roughly split evenly between blacks and whites, with a smattering of Latinos and Asians added to the mix. I didn't want any problems, just go to school, study some, goof off some, try and impress a girl here and there -- just the usual teenager stuff.
But that wasn't going to work. For whatever reasons, there were those -- on both sides -- that hated each other, just because they happened to be of a different color. The reality of racial tension, and sometimes the resulting violence, became very real, very fast in my world. Trying to "turn the other cheek" from the taunts and physical provocations merely labelled one as an "easy mark", that could be abused at will. Not a good scenario for an adolescent boy to be in.
So like it or not, one had to learn how to fight back or be swarmed under. Looking back, not for one second do I think any of it was right -- but it was the reality of the times. Therefore, I wound up taking a few whuppings, but also dishing them out. I never went looking for trouble, but got to the point where I wasn't afraid to confront it either. It was the "respect" factor, and had to be earned, which oftentimes came with some pain and injury, both given and taken. To this day, I still don't think my parents were ever fully aware of some of the things that transpired in the stairwells, locker rooms, parking lots, and surrounding areas of that high school. Things quite often got ugly for no other apparent reason than people of different colors and backgrounds wanting to wreak havoc on each other. Blind, ignorant hatred at it's finest -- or worst.
I suspect it has always been that way among the human species, and likely always will be. This faction hates that faction, for no apparent reason other than they always have. How many movies have been made with the cowboys and indians hating each other? The jews vs arabs is a feud that goes back centuries -- though they're both originally from the same "tribe". Why is it that Mexicans and Puerto Ricans seemingly despise each other? Among Islamics, millions have died over a difference of opinion regarding their same book of worship, and continue to do so. Republicans hate Democrats and vice-versa. Liberals hate conservatives. Ditto. The list of hatred between this tribe or that is long indeed. They probably don't even know why. They just do. And while few might hate Sara Lee, unless they had an allergic reaction to a cheesecake or something, it's likely also true that not everybody exactly "loved Raymond" either.
Enter Adam Jones, of the Baltimore Orioles. He's doing some major whining, with the ever-present politically correct media jumping on the bandwagon, because he was subjected to racial slurs while at Fenway Park, home of the Bosox. Somebody even allegedly threw a bag of peanuts at him.
Well, guess what, buddy? Welcome to the real world. And stop with the "n-word" stuff already. We all have long known it's short for "nigger", a derogatory term for black people. Other such slurs have long existed for whites, Italians, Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Latinos, Jews, and most certainly Arabs, along with several others. I needn't list them here. You know what they are.
To pretend they're going away any time soon is pure folly. There will always be those that use these terms, whether others like it or not. To tell people they can't say certain words is pretty much a guarantee they will do exactly that. Such is the nature of the species. Always has been.
Have I ever used any of these words myself in the past? Sure, but not so much anymore. No need. I grew up and realized the absurdity of it. It's merely debasing another while accomplishing absolutely nothing except perpetuating hard feelings. I dare say we have more than enough of those going around these days in the world. On that note, I've experienced my own share of taunts and slurs in times past. Nowadays, when they occur, I'm able to laugh them off. Sticks and stones, etc, no big deal.
Though the media will always be quick to jump on whatever "sensational" story of the day they can get (tis the nature of the beast), people like Adam Jones need to realize that the world isn't always a fair place, much less politically correct. In other words, get used to it, because it isn't going away any time soon. The haters will always be out there, and that's just the way it is and has always been.
Besides, what's the big problem with somebody throwing a bag of peanuts in his direction? If the idiot was willing to chuck his/her $8-10 dollar ball park investment in a bag of nuts worth maybe a quarter of that -- obviously he/she wasn't wrapped too tight in the first place.
And hey, it could have been a lot worse. Some maniac could have come charging out the stands with a club, shiv, or other weapon to do him bodily harm.
I saw more than my fair share of that in high school as well, and have scars to this day as a result.
But Adams Jones is outraged over a little name-calling and a bag of peanuts being thrown at him?
Sheesh, I wish it would have been that simple and harmless for yours truly back in the day.
This dude doesn't have the faintest clue how fortunate he is........
Though I was a "city boy", in a diverse one at that, my early life was quite sheltered by fate placing me in such a neighborhood. There was the "other side of town", but none of us ever ventured there. Basically, we were ignorant of the ways of others.
Not until junior high school did I get a taste of "diversity". It was like a whole new world opening up and everybody pretty much got along, no matter where they were from.
That all changed in high school. Back then, my school was roughly split evenly between blacks and whites, with a smattering of Latinos and Asians added to the mix. I didn't want any problems, just go to school, study some, goof off some, try and impress a girl here and there -- just the usual teenager stuff.
But that wasn't going to work. For whatever reasons, there were those -- on both sides -- that hated each other, just because they happened to be of a different color. The reality of racial tension, and sometimes the resulting violence, became very real, very fast in my world. Trying to "turn the other cheek" from the taunts and physical provocations merely labelled one as an "easy mark", that could be abused at will. Not a good scenario for an adolescent boy to be in.
So like it or not, one had to learn how to fight back or be swarmed under. Looking back, not for one second do I think any of it was right -- but it was the reality of the times. Therefore, I wound up taking a few whuppings, but also dishing them out. I never went looking for trouble, but got to the point where I wasn't afraid to confront it either. It was the "respect" factor, and had to be earned, which oftentimes came with some pain and injury, both given and taken. To this day, I still don't think my parents were ever fully aware of some of the things that transpired in the stairwells, locker rooms, parking lots, and surrounding areas of that high school. Things quite often got ugly for no other apparent reason than people of different colors and backgrounds wanting to wreak havoc on each other. Blind, ignorant hatred at it's finest -- or worst.
I suspect it has always been that way among the human species, and likely always will be. This faction hates that faction, for no apparent reason other than they always have. How many movies have been made with the cowboys and indians hating each other? The jews vs arabs is a feud that goes back centuries -- though they're both originally from the same "tribe". Why is it that Mexicans and Puerto Ricans seemingly despise each other? Among Islamics, millions have died over a difference of opinion regarding their same book of worship, and continue to do so. Republicans hate Democrats and vice-versa. Liberals hate conservatives. Ditto. The list of hatred between this tribe or that is long indeed. They probably don't even know why. They just do. And while few might hate Sara Lee, unless they had an allergic reaction to a cheesecake or something, it's likely also true that not everybody exactly "loved Raymond" either.
Enter Adam Jones, of the Baltimore Orioles. He's doing some major whining, with the ever-present politically correct media jumping on the bandwagon, because he was subjected to racial slurs while at Fenway Park, home of the Bosox. Somebody even allegedly threw a bag of peanuts at him.
Well, guess what, buddy? Welcome to the real world. And stop with the "n-word" stuff already. We all have long known it's short for "nigger", a derogatory term for black people. Other such slurs have long existed for whites, Italians, Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Latinos, Jews, and most certainly Arabs, along with several others. I needn't list them here. You know what they are.
To pretend they're going away any time soon is pure folly. There will always be those that use these terms, whether others like it or not. To tell people they can't say certain words is pretty much a guarantee they will do exactly that. Such is the nature of the species. Always has been.
Have I ever used any of these words myself in the past? Sure, but not so much anymore. No need. I grew up and realized the absurdity of it. It's merely debasing another while accomplishing absolutely nothing except perpetuating hard feelings. I dare say we have more than enough of those going around these days in the world. On that note, I've experienced my own share of taunts and slurs in times past. Nowadays, when they occur, I'm able to laugh them off. Sticks and stones, etc, no big deal.
Though the media will always be quick to jump on whatever "sensational" story of the day they can get (tis the nature of the beast), people like Adam Jones need to realize that the world isn't always a fair place, much less politically correct. In other words, get used to it, because it isn't going away any time soon. The haters will always be out there, and that's just the way it is and has always been.
Besides, what's the big problem with somebody throwing a bag of peanuts in his direction? If the idiot was willing to chuck his/her $8-10 dollar ball park investment in a bag of nuts worth maybe a quarter of that -- obviously he/she wasn't wrapped too tight in the first place.
And hey, it could have been a lot worse. Some maniac could have come charging out the stands with a club, shiv, or other weapon to do him bodily harm.
I saw more than my fair share of that in high school as well, and have scars to this day as a result.
But Adams Jones is outraged over a little name-calling and a bag of peanuts being thrown at him?
Sheesh, I wish it would have been that simple and harmless for yours truly back in the day.
This dude doesn't have the faintest clue how fortunate he is........
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