Searching for the Truth
Archive for The Past is always Present
August 28, 2007 at 6:25 am · Filed under The Past is always Present
From the Cameron Citizen-Observer
Taken from Aug. 28, 2001
Quote of the week:
“I was 11. I got straight A’s, had two recesses a day, had the cutest girlfriend and won 32 tournaments. Everything’s been downhill since.”
-Tiger Woods, on when he was the happiest.
THIS JUST IN: The New York Mets are just a 19 game winning streak away from being right back in the hunt and I would take Kevin Appier (7-10, 3.98 ERA) and Steve Trachsel (7-11, 5.05) over Mike Hampton (13-10, 5.14) and Bobby J. Jones (8-15, 4.58) all day, every day and twice on Sunday…
I’m rooting for Barry Bonds more than ever these days after reading Rick Reilly’s column in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated. It’s an essay on how Barry Bonds has his own television by his locker in the clubhouse and doesn’t eat the same post game meal as his teammates. Jeff Kent, the Giants second baseman who edged out Bonds for the National League MVP award last year, says if Bonds leaves as a free agent next season, he won’t be missed. You know what, who cares?
Who cares what Jeff Kent thinks or if Bonds has a personal trainer and nutritionist? Who cares what Bonds does off the field, because this just in folks, he’s clearly capable of doing whatever he wants on it.
If it weren’t for sportswriters in love with a worst to first story in 1991, Bonds would have four MVP awards, instead of Terry Pendleton having one.
Mark McGuire is the best home run hitter I’ve ever seen, but he’s one-dimensional. When’s the last time you saw him leg out a double? Pedro Martinez and Greg Maddux are the most dominant pitchers of our generation, but they play once, maybe twice a week. Sammy Sosa is the best player in baseball right now, but where was he in 1993?
Yeah, he hit 33 home runs, stole 36 bases and knocked in 93 RBIs. But he batted .261, his fielding percentage is too horrible to mention and he struck out 135 times. Meanwhile, Bonds was hitting .336 with 46 home runs, 123 RBIs, 124 runs and 29 stolen bases. He won his third MVP in his first year with San Francisco, as they fell one game short to Atlanta in the NL West.
Bonds is the best player of my generation. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, fans would argue over Mays and Mantle. In St. Louis, they’ll probably remind you about Stan Musial. But today, there is no argument. And if he wants to have his own public relations man and not hang out with his teammates, I say let him. Last time I checked, it’s still a free country and that means you can do whatever you want. As long as he gives it his all on the field, Bonds can spit on his teammates for all I care and he’ll still go down as a better player than all of them. Period.
I watch the NBA for the same reason I watch the WWF – Introductions. In high school, I was the in-house voice of the Teaneck Highwaymen. Calling out scores and who committed a foul was fun, but the introductions were the reason I took the job.
Michael Nurse, who played for Iowa State with Marcus Fizer, was a year behind me at THS. During a summer all-star league, I once caught a game where he struck out 18 in seven innings, but that’s another story…
Nurse wanted me to call our home gym different names, but the head coach wouldn’t allow it. But they did let me announce his name like this:
“At guard, a six foot junior. number 53, ‘The Boogieman’ Michael Nurse.”
It sounds a lot better than it looks on paper, but the point is, I have things like that stored in my memory banks because that was one of the best times of my life.
Nevertheless, I was never the one getting called out. I never sat on the bench, waiting for my name to be called. When Reggie Miller was in the playoffs a couple of years ago, he and Mark Jackson would do a quick Michael Jackson impersonation before they got to the final huddle.
I wish NBC and TNT would always show when they drop the lights in the arena and start playing ‘The Final Countdown’ or some other motivational music.
Which brings me to wrestling. They took a great idea and ran with it, leaping hurdles of good taste in some cases to reach the grand entrances we see today. Who doesn’t get shivers when the glass breaks and the Rattlesnake starts stomping his way to the ring? I waited about four months just to hear “If you smell…” Well, you can’t really hear the rest over the ovations from the millions and millions of The Rock’s fans.
One of my personal favorites was The New Age Outlaws. To this day, I still catch myself saying, “Oh, you didn’t know? Well, you better call somebody!” These days I’m usually humming the tune to Booker T’s intro. I like the way the video pauses during breaks in his song, but I still think he should be posing with a cheesy grin on his face when it does.
Some of you might think less of me, but to quote The Great One, “It doesn’t matter what you think!” Seriously though, now that I’ve crossed off mechanical bull riding on my list of things to do before I die, walking into a dark and crowded arena, with 15,000 people screaming is now high on the list. I don’t care if I’m cheered or jeered because if they were silent, then it would mean they didn’t care at all.
Last week, NASCAR released a 293-page report on the death of Dale Earnhardt that costs one million dollars to produce. The final analysis is what any mongrel moron could have figured out for 20 cents. That anyone driving a car at 160 miles per hour, and then swerving into another car and a concrete wall is dangerous and could lead to loss of life.
Now I’m not a racing fan at all, but I do have my opinion on Earnhardt’s death. If I remember correctly, Earnhardt was running third with his son and a member of his racing team in front. This was at the Daytona 500, which, if I remember the movie ‘Days of Thunder’ correctly, is the Super Bowl of NASCAR. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you win there.
So here’s my theory. You’ve got one of the greatest race car drivers ever on the most storied track in the sport. His racing team and his son are going to finish in the top three. To some it’s an evil thought, to me it’s beautiful to believe that ‘The Intimidator’ saw an opportunity and took it, just look at the highlights again for proof. Twenty years from now, after all this stupidity has faded away, people will look in history books and see that Earnhardt went out at the top of his game, doing what he was known for.
I say he meant not to walk away from that crash last February, that he decided to die doing what he loves and that’s the truth.
August 24, 2007 at 6:05 am · Filed under The Past is always Present
From the Cameron Citizen-Observer
Taken from Aug. 24, 2001
THIS JUST IN: I hate the media just as much as the next guy, in fact probably more. I went to college to learn how to become a journalist, but all that really teaches you is how horrible the current version is. When it comes to sports, reporters are treated like the flu – a disease that one must deal with, but will go away in good time. Barry Bonds is chasing the Mark, but he’s still chasing away reporters that ask him stupid questions.
So I can completely understand Cameron football coach Roy Harden Jr., dogging my requests to learn more about the particulars of his ‘multiple formations offense’. He’s not the first coach to sidestep and dance around my questions, and if he’s the last, then I’m a distant relative of Fred Astaire.
Sometimes I wonder if there’s a handbook that everyone gets when they begin their coaching career. It would have motivational tactics, punishment exercises and a section on how to talk to the media. Ask any coach how they feel their team will do and although you might take a different path, you’ll always end up in the same place. It sounds something like this:
“We just want to go out and give it 110 percent and leave nothing in the locker room. If we can execute what we want to do and make the proper adjustments to our opponents, then we should be competitive and have a chance to win. The players have worked hard in practice and they’re looking forward to getting out there and showcasing their talent.”
That statement can be applied to any coach in any sport in any language. It sounds about the same after the game as well. The winning coach talks about the effort of the opposing team, then ‘starts preparing for the next game’. I’ve seen coaches win by 50 and say they were lucky to win, that the pieces just fell into place. On the other hand, losing coaches will sing the praises of their opponent, like they just played the 1927 New York Yankees. Granted, sometimes you’ll see a coach go ballistic after a loss, but there’s always an ulterior motive to their outburst. Either to motivate their players for next week or get on the television news that night to create some more exposure for their team.
Now, I’m not saying I have a problem with any of this. It’s just as a reporter, I get frustrated when I speak with a coach for 30 minutes and leave with less information then I came in with. It’s getting so bad that it’s filtered down to the players. More and more, they’re starting to answer easy questions with ambiguous answers that have no real meaning. I won’t name anyone, but you all know who you are…
So what’s the point of this rant? It’s hard to do a preview on a new team with a new head coach when you don’t know what to expect. That’s the point of a preview, to show the public what’s going on behind the scenes and give them some insight for the upcoming season. Without details from the coaching staff, that job is made a lot harder. Then again, if they gave out the playbook to anyone that asked, they probably wouldn’t have a successful season. Which puts me between a rock and a hard place.
When I hear multiple formations, my first thoughts are to last year’s New York Giants. Offensive coordinator Sean Payton designed an offense to fit the players he had, but regardless of who was out there, the play calling was similar. The same running plays that got Ron Dayne three yards became big runs for Tiki Barber. The formation they used out of the huddle was seldom the formation they snapped the ball out of, using shifts and motion to confuse the defense. That’s one of the main goals - to confuse the defense by showing something different each time out, even though you’re running the same base plays.
The state of Missouri thrives on running the football, maybe not the University of Missouri, but just look at the Nebraska Cornhuskers. I can only assume that the proximity to such a successful program breeds imitation. I can still remember the first time I saw the wing T offense.
I’m a freshman defensive lineman playing an exhibition game against Randolph High School in New Jersey. We lined up; they snapped the ball and the fakes began. I was looking in the backfield, amazed as backs and slot receives ran around behind the line.
Needless to say, they ran us off the field. They were one of the few programs in northern New Jersey to strictly run the option when I was in school. But here in northwest Missouri, it’s harder to find a spread offense like Maysville High School will run this year.
Therefore, the first priority on defense must be stopping the run and forcing offenses into third and long situations. Then again, that’s the goal of just about every defense since the game evolved to four downs until loss of possession. Regardless, in a league that had six 1,000-yard rushers and eight players with nine or more rushing touchdowns, shutting down the running game is even more essential. Platte County allowed 89 rushing yards a game last year and didn’t lose a game. Coincidence? I think not.
The Dragons already had a tough cavern to climb out of and it was made a little deeper with Rob Bowers leaving so late into the summer. Harden has a long and bumpy road to travel, but I feel he’s going to be fine. If he’s willing to put in the extra work and dedicate himself to this team, then I’m sure they’ll be able to prosper in these adverse conditions. They’re going to have to concentrate on each play and take it one game at a time. If they’re able to give a team effort each week and compete each time out, they’ll have a successful season and that’s the truth.
August 21, 2007 at 6:02 am · Filed under The Past is always Present
From the Cameron Citizen-Observer
Taken from August 21, 2001
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“3:30 in the morning with not a soul in sight. We sat four deep at a traffic light. Talking about how dumb and brainwashed sour of our brothers and sisters are. While we wait for a green light to tell us when to go.”
- Taken from the album “Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star”
THIS JUST IN: To paraphrase the great Bob Uecker from ‘Major League’: In case you weren’t watching, and judging by the television ratings, you haven’t, the Little League World Series started this week in Williamsport, Pa..
The only thing you might have heard about is Danny Almonte of Bronx, N.Y., or the Little Unit according to ESPN. In the finals of the Mid-Atlantic region, Almonte threw a no-hitter, striking out 16 of the 18 batters he sat down. This week, Almonte pitched only the third perfect game in Little League World Series history against Apopka, Fla.
But the real story was the 15 straight strikeouts that he recorded. The first two batters in the sixth tried to bunt for a base hit and were thrown out, before the final batter struck out to end the game.
Why do I mention all this? Because the youthful stars of today become the superstars of tomorrow. Nine years ago, a big-boned Sean Burroughs led Long Beach, California to the championship. Now, he’s a highly touted prospect, last seen in the San Diego Padres organization. In 1989, the team from Trumbull, Conn., ended a five-year reign by the Far East. One of the stars on that team was Chris Drury, who played a big part in Ray Bourque getting his hands on the Stanley Cup this past spring. Drury is a star forward for the Colorado Avalanche and was a Hobby Baker winner in 1998.
Since 1981, the Hobby Baker Award is given to the best collegiate hockey player in the nation and Drury brought the award to where it belongs, his alma mater and mine, Boston University (cheap plug). After the 25 NCAA tournament appearances (1st all time) and the four national championships that hang high from the rafters (cheap plug), it’s great to know that the alumni of a great school, such as Boston University, can continue to reach the highest level of excellence in their field of choice…
P.S. – Those are the best words I have ever said about the rattrap of a college I went to; at least until I’m done paying back my student loans. Does anyone want to lend me their first-born?
Now that Eric Lindros has decided to resume his career with the New York Rangers, can Michael Jordan please make a decision on his future? Lindros hasn’t played since Scott Stevens put him into a new zip code with an open ice shoulder check in Game Seven of the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals. Which might be as close as Lindros ever gets to kissing the Cup…
I got off the bandwagon about a week ago, but one more thing on my miserable Mets. Who is more pathetic: The defending National League champions, only three games away from the sewer of the National League East, a team with the fifth best ERA in the NL but the worst team batting average in baseball at .244. Or, the pathetic excuse of a fan that still believed two weeks ago they could contend for the division title if they just could hit the baseball. I heard the most anger-inducing stat last week and that was when I knew it was over. The Mets were one for 30 with the bases loaded. That’s a .033 batting average in a situation where a bloop hit, a Texas Leaguer, a ground ball with eyes, even a long fly out scores a run. And that’s why my Mets are losing ball games, not because Rey Ordonez is batting .232 in the eight hole. If I hear another commentator discuss Rey’s inability to hit, I will probably jump off my couch. Or something higher…
For the first time in WNBA history, the Houston Comets were eliminated from the playoffs. In the four-year existence of the league, the Comets were four time champions. Even last year as the lowest seed in the playoffs, they were barely challenged on their way to the title. My question is; is it good to have a dynasty at the beginning, like Houston, or smack dab in the middle, like the Chicago Bulls?
I’ve gone out to the double-rimmed courts next to CMS, looking for a game. When I first got here, I was under the impression that this was a basketball town. I know it’s not a baseball town and every small town loves its football team without fail. But every time I drive past the courts, they’re empty. It’s a central location, but more cars park at the golf course on a rainy day then ever stop at the basketball courts. I don’t take much stock in what I see in the mirror, but I’m getting a little pudgy around the edges. When I first came to this town, I was a size two, but now I can’t even get into my evening gown…
All joking aside, I need to find an outlet for this pent up energy. I didn’t want to say it, but I’m a pick-up baller in an 18-hole town. I’m actually considering driving to Chillicothe just to get a game and that’s the truth.
August 14, 2007 at 6:37 am · Filed under The Past is always Present
From the Cameron Citizen-Observer
Taken from August 21, 2001
THIS JUST IN: Most people would call me a loser because I spend most weekends on my couch with a remote in hand. I call myself happy because I’m able to lie on my couch and watch sports all weekend. And we’re getting close to the best part of the year. Hank Williams Jr. and John Madden are warming up in the back, because soon, they will take center stage. Autumn afternoons will always spark memories of falling leaves and Keith Jackson’s legendary voice. He sounds off until December and then takes a month’s rest while the NFL figures out the playoff chase. New Year’s bowl games and the Super Bowl make up January. Then, conference play in college basketball and March Madness. The NBA and NHL start their championship runs in April, right about the same time pitchers and catchers report to hotter climates. Then, the finals and the finality of the summer sun on your face as you cheer from the bleachers. With the fading sun, the cool breeze reminds me of the presence of fall. Yes, the season will soon be upon us and I know I’m ready for some, well, you know…
Most games get postponed for inclement weather: rain, snow, lighting and gale-force winds, hurricanes and tornados. What happened Monday night in Philadelphia has to be a modern record then, when the Eagles/Ravens preseason game was cancelled due to a poor playing surface. Veterans Stadium has long been noted for its horrible Astroturf and the many players that have blown their knees while playing there. It’s one of the cookie-cutter stadiums of the 1970s that looks horrible on the outside and inside. The main purpose was the ability to play both football and baseball in the same facility, hence the turf. In recent years, older stadiums like Giants Stadium in New Jersey have switched from Astroturf to grass. The Phillies are one of the few teams in baseball playing on outdoor turf. But if it were up to me, no team, even the Phillies, would play on artificial grass…
With the Washington Wizards set to play the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden to open the 2001-2002 NBA season, is there no doubt that Michael Jordan will return?
Is it fair to pick a preseason favorite in college football, when each year the teams change and with one loss, they’re out of the running anyway?
Are there really similarities between The Beatles and The Backstreet Boys?
If the Cubs and the Red Sox make the World Series, can’t they both win and save the world from apocalyptic disaster?
I know he’s out for at least a year, but what exactly would you do with The Game if he came back tomorrow?
Is it just me or are the questions for this year’s ‘ESPN’s 2-Minute Drill’ easier than last year?
Speaking of game shows, why don’t they bring back Nipsy Russell and ‘The $100,000 Pyramid’?
The first lockout threat of the new millennium is not in baseball, but the NFL, where the league and referees can’t seem to get along. Can’t the rich just share with those that help them keep the money?
Is it too early to think about basketball?
Is it too early to forget about hockey?
Should a secretary have an answering machine?
I’ve been here for three months and this is the ivory anniversary of this column. Although the picture is on unlucky 13, I’m only one week away from crystal, so that’s good for something.
It won’t, however, help answer the question I’m still answering: What are you doing here? I was thinking about it the other day and I’m doing exactly what I want to do. I could be waiting tables at a fancy restaurant in a big city and make twice the money (no offense, boss). But I would be working for a living, cleaning tables and sweeping floors and other things that I get enough of at home. I worked in food service for three years and there’s no clamor for me to go back. I like my job well enough. I talk, write and think about sports all day and someone pays me to do it. That’s good enough for me.
Now, I thought I grew up in a small town in New Jersey, but knew I lived in the shadow of Gotham City. When I moved away, I lived in cities, but none that could match the size of N.Y.C. Nevertheless, moving here is a huge step back in population numbers that I’m used to. Which is what makes the amount of athletic talent so amazing. There are stories everywhere and it’s my fault that I can’t get to them all.
I have yet to met someone that I wouldn’t introduce to my mother, if I were the kind of person that introduces people to his mother, which I’m not. No one has picked on me or any other stereotypical fears that a stranger in a strange place would have. I have been treated like a person and for that, I am grateful.
With that said, I thank everyone for their compliments and hope in the future, I can receive criticism, if only to better serve you, the reader. As a journalist, I am only the scribe for this scarred civilization. May my words be remembered longer than me, because I don’t plan to outlive them and that’s the truth.
August 7, 2007 at 4:59 pm · Filed under The Past is always Present
From the Cameron Citizen-Observer
Taken from Aug. 6, 2001
THIS JUST IN: I watched my first WUSA game this weekend, Atlanta at Washington. Here’s another league where the best players in the world play every week to vast amounts of empty seats and no viewers. It certainly not for a lack of action. It might be an isolated game, but the women were clearly more physical than their male counterparts. I saw three yellow cards in 20 minutes and the ref could have handed out a lot more. Although the play was sloppy at times, it reminded me more of the European game than MLS. Back flicks, battles in the air and accurate crosses stood out like sore thumbs after watching the Wizards. The WUSA has legitimate stars. Granted they’re from other countries like China, Brazil and Norway, but isn’t that what this country is based on? Sun Wen of Atlanta was a star for the Chinese national team in the 1999 World Cup. She’s been battling a knee injury for most of this season, but with her team down 1-0, she entered the game in the 75th minute. Her first touch was poor, but then she changed the game around. Atlanta tied the game with Wen providing a nice ball off a corner kick. They took the lead seconds later when Washington was clearly marking Wen, allowing another forward to slip past the defense. Atlanta won and will be in the playoffs, but who will watch? Once again, soccer is blooming, but flowers grow in good conditions. If teams were given to smaller cities like Portland, OR and Rochester, NY, the stands would be packed. Like they are in the A-League and other smaller soccer leagues around the country. But I guess you can’t broadcast a game from Richmond, VA on national TV. Speaking of which, when will announcers learn that sports like baseball and soccer are better broadcasts when the announcer isn’t filling air with useless chatter. If you watch a English Premier League game, they allow the viewer to watch the game, only speaking when necessary. But then again, if people only spoke when necessary, there would be a lot of people that never spoke…
The MLB trading deadline has passed and now, I can make my predictions for the playoffs. My original picks, made way back in March, had the Mets winning the NL East and the Oakland A’s winning the AL West. I did have Ichiro winning the AL Rookie of the Year though…
American League Playoffs: Seattle vs. Boston – The Mariners could play .500 ball the rest of the year and still win 100 games. They’re a can’t miss to make the playoffs, but I don’t see them doing much after that. True, pitching and defense wins playoff games, but the Red Sox have the best pitcher in baseball in Pedro Martinez. With Nomar, Manny and Crazy Carl in the middle of the order, the Red Sox will be tough in September, when they play Tampa Bay and Baltimore to close out the season. They’ll be tougher in October.
Red Sox in four games.
New York vs. Cleveland – I’d love to say Minnesota will pitch their way to the AL Central title, but the safe bet is to go with the bats of Cleveland. Travis Fryman could bat cleanup for most teams, but he bats eighth in the Indians order. Truthfully though, it’s not going to matter to the Yankees. This team was built for October and last year was a perfect example. They had the worst record of all the playoff teams last year and look what happened. They got Clemens a ring two years ago and this year might be for Mike Mussina.
Yankees in four games.
National League Playoffs: Atlanta vs. Arizona – I’d love to put down that the Mets will win 15 straight and get back into the race, but reality has set in and ‘Wait till next year’ can be heard around Shea Stadium. The Braves are the Braves and Greg Maddux is a first ballot Hall of Famer toying with batters. They don’t have a great bullpen, but in a race with Philadelphia and Florida, I’ll take the guys that have been there before. I don’t see Arizona taking the NL West, but they’ll be the scariest wild card team since my 99’ Mets took the Braves to six games in the NLCS. Luis Gonzalez should win the NL MVP, but be certain the Cy Young winner will pitch in this series. It’s just a question of what team he’ll be on. Randy Johnson and Curt Shilling will pitch in at least three of the five games, therefore…
Arizona in five games.
Chicago vs. San Francisco – The Cubs have the lowest E.R.A. in the National League and that won’t change much. The addition of Fred McGriff means people have to pitch to Sammy Sosa, which is bad news. Houston will make a run, but St. Louis is all done. I had the Giants winning the West at the beginning of the season, and I’m sticking to it. Bonds might reach 70 home runs this year, but I can’t see him reaching the second round of the playoffs…
Chicago in four games.
I want to say that the Red Sox and the Cubs will make the World Series and end a curse, one way or the other. But to say that would mean that I’m wishing for the end of the world, because regardless of who wins that series, both cities will end up with riots. And there are enough Yankee fans that have vowed that the world will end before the Sox win the Series. I’d love to see the D’Backs and the Yankees for the pitching match-ups, but I don’t want to see the Yanks win another and I don’t think the people of Arizona deserve a world title in a major sport. So I am at an impasse, but no prediction is complete without calling the big game…
New York over Chicago in six games.
The USA Today ESPN Coaches’ Poll released its preseason poll last week with the University of Florida receiving the top spot. First of all, the poll is made up of a 60 coach-voting panel and I’d be surprised if 20 of them actually filled it out. Most coaches are too busy planning for the next game or coaching their own to watch other teams, yet alone teams outside their conference and not on their schedule. When I was at the University of South Carolina, I knew the guy that filled out the poll and it wasn’t Lou Holtz…
There are six teams in the top 25 from the SEC and I can guarantee that half of them won’t be there in December. Tennessee is ranked seven, but they’re more like a two. Mississippi State is ranked 19, but reality will set in once they hit the regular season. Oklahoma is number three and Nebraska is number four. Both schools will run up the score against Kansas and that’s a good thing, isn’t it? Virginia Tech received a gift ranking of nine, or was that to boost Miami’s number two ranking when they meet? The quarterback controversy at number six Texas will continue throughout the year, with the people getting what they want with Chris Simms as the starter. Major Applewhite was Offensive Player of the year as a freshman for Texas and that clearly wasn’t good enough. But Florida State is sitting pretty at number five. It may seem strange, but I’ve been a Florida State fan since ‘Wide Right’. I would have gone to school there, but Boston University gave me more money and that’s the truth.
July 30, 2007 at 7:12 am · Filed under The Past is always Present
Taken from the Cameron Citizen-Observer
Published on July 24, 2001
THIS JUST IN: I had forgotten how much fun football practice could be. As long as you’re not the one running the drills, wearing oversized pads in humidity. Summer camps and two-a-days are great for a laugh, if you find looks of exhaustion funny.
In four years of football, I never went through two-a-days. Freshman weren’t required to run in the August heat, so I spent those two weeks doing what I do best: waking up around midday and goofing around the rest of the time. When the season started, I was 5’3 and over 170 pounds. I looked more like a half-keg than a halfback and I can understand why the coaching staff put me on the line.
All through Peewee football, I played center and nose guard. But that was against kids our age and our size. My high school was in Group 4, 4A around here. Our league was full of small cities and Catholic schools that recruited blue-chip talent from around the tri-state area. I realized very fast that I was too small for the line and asked to be moved to inside linebacker.
I’ve always had a quick first step and for three glorious days, I proved just that with the other linebackers. But after three days, they moved me back to the line. At the end of that season, I quit playing football.
Well, let me rephrase that. I quit playing football with pads and helmets. I’m still the best tight end I’ve ever seen run the square out to the first down marker. I know the Run-n-Shoot and can run the two-minute drill like John Elway in a playoff game. So if anyone is looking for another body for a pickup game, don’t hesitate to call…
Some of your children are average. Some of everybody’s children are average. It’s the law of averages. But just because they’re average doesn’t mean they should be told so. I believe one of the main goals of youth sports is to build confidence. If I were to blast young players in print, I would be destroying confidence.
The averageness of others should not be spotlighted in one’s youth. There’s ample time when one is highly paid for averageness and in the public spotlight. That last part is important because you’ll never see an average teacher on Sportscenter, but the brief on Clarence Weatherspoon getting $27 million over five years is.
As the NBA Summer League plays out on ESPN, ask yourself this: How many of these guys could start at Duke University? During a Wizards-Celtics game, I counted three. Joe Forte, Kwame Brown and Kalid El-Amin. Yes, that was just a passing glance, but there wasn’t much better on the bench.
The averageness of the NBA is on full view because there are only 12 men on a roster. In football, the average pros are called special teams. In baseball, they’re called bullpen catchers and middle relievers. In the NBA, there’s no helmet or bullpen to hide averageness.
In fact, they have the audacity to give their average players contracts for outrageous amounts of money. Examples include, but aren’t excluded to:
Avery Johnson – three years, $15 million from Denver
Corliss Williamson – six years, $32.5 million from Detroit
Jerome Williams – seven years, $40.8 million from Toronto
Christian Laettner – four years, $21 million from Washington
Todd MacCulloch – six years, 33.75 million from New Jersey
Ladies and gentleman, I present the All-Average All-Stars.
The averageness of professional sports is an epidemic that can’t be helped, partially because youth strive to be superstars. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, however, 12 chiefs can’t cook a soup or win in the playoffs.
Before my time, there was no ESPN and no cable television. Fans followed their favorite players on the radio and in the daily paper. You only saw your team when they were at home and that’s if you could get into the building. Fans loved everyone on the team, from superstar to scrub. Maybe because they knew the players would be back next year, not bolt for the no-tax sanctity of Florida.
When I was young, my favorite player was Wally Backman and he still is today. Backman was a scrappy, small-ball hitter who’s stance I would imitate to my friends. My first year in Little League, I played second base and wore number six, just like Backman.
In 1986, Backman batted .320 in 124 games, batting second for the New York Mets. He was on second base in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the NLCS when Lenny Dykstra hit his game winning home run off Dave Smith of the Houston Astros.
Backman played 14 years with 5 teams. His career batting average was .275 with a .975 fielding percentage. This just in, folks: he was average.
So what’s the moral to the story? If you asked Wally Backman about his professional career, he’d probably flash his World Series ring. But I’m 99.84 percent sure he would tell you he was an average major leaguer. He wouldn’t have asked for $27 million over five years because he wouldn’t have got it and that’s the truth.
July 17, 2007 at 9:06 am · Filed under The Past is always Present
From The Cameron Citizen-Observer
Taken from July 16, 2001
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“I’m not concerned about that at all. I just want to play basketball.”
- DeShawn Stevenson, who faces a statutory rape charge in California. Stevenson, 20, is accused of having consensual sex with a 14-year-old girl. If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison.
THIS JUST IN: The Bowl Championship Series has adjusted their formula for selecting the national championship game, once again. After last year’s ‘controversy’ with Florida State playing Oklahoma instead of Miami, there was going to be changes, but until there is a tournament, there will always be controversy.
Here’s the funny thing, with everything I’ve read about the changes, no one mentions the University of Washington. Last year, they had the same record as Miami and Florida State. The Huskies won the Pac-10 title and their one loss was to Oregon State, who was selected to a BCS game. Oh yeah, they also beat Miami, but everyone seems to forget that, especially now…
Two words: mechanical bull. My legs are still sore from this past weekend, but I can definitely say it was worth it and I can take that off the list of things to do. Next up, in no particular order: watch the Running of the Bulls in Spain, get a part in a movie or radio show, learn to dance salsa and meringue and walk the Great Wall of China, which leads me to…
I graduated from college with a minor in history, which is so important; they don’t put it on your diploma. But I do consider myself somewhat of a buff. I try to watch Jeopardy and occasionally I even read a book, but I digress…
The Greeks came up with the Olympics way back when they thought they were the dominant civilization in the world. It was a competition between men from all over to determine who was the best. I say from all over because it included everyone.
NO one boycotted the games because the Americans or Russians were going to be there as well. In fact, the Greeks would put wars on hold for the Games. Armies would sign papers of truce and then send off soldiers to compete in the games. They also didn’t’ fight during the winter, but once again, I digress…
With Beijing, China winning the right to host the 2008 Olympic games, a bevy of controversy from groups all over the world will commence. Some groups in Taiwan and Hong Kong are already crying. I heard one U.S. politician make a rather vague comment, denouncing the Olympic Selection Committee for its selection. Then again, I could have heard somebody’s supermarket shopping list. You never can tell with politicians…
The point is, after the recent ‘snafu’ between the US and China, the Olympics are the perfect symbol to show diplomacy between nations. But why do I feel as the date comes closer, the voices will grow louder?
I really hope I’m wrong. They’ve done TV specials on the sport complexes the Chinese are talking about building. It would be a shame if American athletes didn’t get to use them. They look amazing and why not. That’s the job of the Olympics now. To force structural change to a city, induce commerce and increase population. Just look at Atlanta, they’re still feeling the boom from 1996. I drove through Salt Lake City last year and there is construction everywhere. I think they were making a new highway system around the city in anticipation of 2002. And the same goes for Athens, Greece and Beijing in the future.
Commercial money, new constructions and tons of temporary jobs. At least the kids will have a great complex once all the ‘amateurs’ are finished…
The NCAA has tweaked the tournament so teams no longer have to travel as far in the first and second rounds, which makes sense. An East coast team getting a 2-seed out West deserves something and there’s usually a willing arena closer. That way, you also get area crowds with vested interests in the games. But the idea that shorting the distance will give student-athletes more time for their studies is just ridiculous.
They have more than enough time in study hall, and what do you think the plane ride is for? Also, most major Division I athletic programs charter planes and fly the team. Sometimes they fly fans, mostly rich, booster club alumni of the university and high-level staff, but they do get their own plane. Once again, I digress…
When the NCAA is talking about shorter distances, they’re not talking about the Division II schools that bus their teams to all their games. They’re talking about the rich, obnoxious universities that plaster their logo on everything and sell it at the mall to unsuspecting teenagers. This way, more people wearing school stuff can show up at the games, making the school look that much better. Meanwhile, the percentage of students trying to get a degree and play a sport goes down and the percentage of athletes taking two years to showcase their skills for future employers goes up.
All the time, university presidents and network executives light up cigars with $20 bills. But that’s just my misguided take on the sports world I cover and that’s the truth.
July 10, 2007 at 9:06 pm · Filed under The Past is always Present
From the Cameron Citizen-Observer
Taken from July 10, 2001
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“You know my favorite play in baseball? The bean ball. It’s great, isn’t it? It’s dramatic, especially if the guy is really hurt. Sometimes the ball hits the helmet and you feel kind of disappointed. Even though it makes a good loud noise.”
- George Carlin, Napalm & Silly Putty
THIS JUST IN: Once America is done watching well-lit game shows and ‘reality-based TV’, the next step will be putting celebrities on distant islands with little to eat. They’re already doing it with the game shows. Then again, if you watch old game shows, they used to do it all the time, so it’s no big deal. But when the oldest son from ‘Home Improvement’ is arguing with the new cover-model from Maxim, that’s a Nielson rating dream just waiting to happen…
I heard David Stern tell the media at the NBA State of Address that sports are the first reality TV. The sad thing is, he’s right. I’m mad at Stern because he graduated from my high school and our gym is tacky, but the truth is the truth. That’s why sports fans watch, because anything can happen and usually does.
I’ve noticed that I’ve been talking a lot of baseball in the past weeks, and that’s because I love the sport. Watching the Mets and the Cubs on July 4, with Bobby Valentine and Don Baylor trying to out-manage the other. In my opinion, that’s baseball at it’s best. The Mets won 2-1 on a suicide squeeze in the second inning; how much more can a true baseball fan ask for. Nevertheless, I feel I should take a break from the game I love. I’m alienating other sports and the Mets are in last place, so what can you do? You win some, you lose some, and sometimes, it rains…
As I see it, baseball is dying slowing, not only locally, but also across the nation. There is no blame to be placed on anyone or anything, although the strike in 1994 was an albatross. Whether it’s the expanding technological advances that continue to make life faster and faster or the emergence of other sports, baseball is slowly dying. A sport to be watched and admired only by those that understand it, like chess or auto racing…
I grew up playing video games, from Atari to N64. There was a time when all of my friends had finished ‘King’s Quest’ and ‘Leisure Suit Larry’, but now I feel out of place with my hands on a Playstation controller. To this day, all I play are sports games. ‘Madden 2001’ has a franchise feature, which allows you to play GM for 30 years. I’m surprised the game still works, the amount of time me and my roommate played it last year. But that never stopped us from watching the real thing, paying attention to every team in every league because, hey, you never know when that kind of useless information might be necessary. Someone might want to know the all time career leaders in triples. It’s a great icebreaker…
But that is my sad and pathetic life and times have clearly changed. I used to listen to AM radio late at night to hear the score; today, kids can find updated sports tickers on their favorite Web browser. It’s a different time, and maybe, baseball is for an older generation. Not that I’m old, but an older way of thinking, perhaps. All I can do is attempt to stimulate and encourage the ‘national past time’ as dearly as I hold it in my heart. Believe me, some of you are missing a beautiful thing…
For the ladies: After watching ‘Bull Durham’, how lucky is Susan Sarandon, fooling around with Kevin Costner and then marrying Tim Robbins?
How good is Ichiro?
Doesn’t the field where the CHS soccer team will practice need a name?
Am I the only one that thinks Donavan McNabb will win the NFL MVP this year?
How many people in this country know who Tiffeny Milbrett and Kasey Keller are?
When their team is out of the playoff picture, do baseball fans become football fans?
Why do teachers make 30 thousand a year and the 12th man on an NBA bench make 125 thousand?
Is our society spoiled or pampered?
Why should the Cardinals get a new stadium and not the Royals?
Speaking of which, do you think Kansas City could support an NBA team?
Will John Stockton and Karl Malone really retire without a ring?
Why is a ring so important anyway?
Is it just me, or has music gone downhill slowly since the 60’s, hitting rock bottom with what MTV plays today?
Is it too early to start talking NFL?
When exactly does a novelty wear off?
Does anyone care about the Beanpot outside of Boston?
What happened to the heavyweight boxing division anyway?
And am I the only one routing for a Roy Jones Jr. – Felix Trinidad fight and against Oscar De La Hoya?
Won’t the Rose Bowl be tarnished this year with Nebraska playing Florida for the national championship?
Is Phil Jackson a really good coach or a coach with the best players in the world?
And where was I when a traffic violation became a $175 charge?
Finally, by the time Allen Iverson is done, he will go down in history as one of the greatest players in basketball history and that’s the truth.
July 3, 2007 at 9:06 pm · Filed under The Past is always Present
From the Cameron Citizen-Observer
Taken from July 2, 2001
THIS JUST IN: Independence, freedom and the pursuit of happiness. When I think of the Fourth of July, these aren’t the things that enter my mind. Maybe it’s because I think about these things everyday, therefore I don’t use the yearly reminder to reminisce.
I’m not a big fan of holidays. My sister was born on Halloween and I was born on Christmas Eve, so holidays have always had a different significance for me. I see them more as an opportunity for people to relax and take the day off. Some people use holidays as an excuse to drink, like St. Patrick’s Day, but I’m sure Patrick didn’t want people to throw up green in his name. Well, I don’t need an excuse to drink and I relax every day. So exactly what is the Fourth of July to me?
The last couple of years, it’s been a television treat, with baseball games from Philadelphia to Phoenix. They play in the afternoon, just like they used to before I was born; when baseball was like shooting fireworks on the Fourth. In my neighborhood, kids would fight with bottle rockets and M-80’s, then play on the same team the next day.
Maybe baseball was beaten into our heads. Maybe there were too many fathers/coaches in my town. Guys that made sure their son would win by teaching the other kids in the neighborhood, kids like me who’s father wasn’t there. But we would have played anyway, regardless of outside influences. Similar to the Dominican Republic, we didn’t need organized leagues to play in; the street was good enough.
When I think of the Fourth of July, I first think of baseball. Other thoughts might squeak in, but it’s only temporary…
The first five picks in the NBA Draft couldn’t celebrate their newfound wealth with champagne, but I’m sure they did. Nevertheless, that wasn’t the cool thing. Someone opened the floodgates and point guards with nicknames like J-Will, ason Kidd (he used to have no J) and Starbury suddenly had new teams. Don’t forget: fishing season for free agents opens July 18. Unfortunately, there are mostly guppies out there, only a few worth pulling out and taking a picture of. Chris Webber and Michael Finley are about it. Allan Houston has a player option, but he doesn’t take over games. Mutombo and Aaron ‘6th Man of the Year’ McKie are out there, but they’re not dropping 25 a night. Maybe that’s why everyone went young in the draft…
The 2001 MLB All Star game in Seattle is coming up and the Mariners might have seven starters. Granted, they are 58-21 as of Monday, but is Mike Cameron one of the three best outfielders in the AL? I can think of five off the top of my head that are better…
Did anybody watch the NFL Europe World Bowl last Saturday? Wait, here’s a better question, did anyone know it was even going on? I thought the XFL would last a little longer and become the NFL minor league, eliminating Europe. But with the shot-in-the-dark success of Kurt Warner, quarterbacks like Jonathan Quinn and Jarious Jackson will continue to take European summer vacations in Berlin, Barcelona and Amsterdam…
Speaking of the NFL, does anyone remember who’s supposed to be the favorite going into this season? The Ravens has Elvis now, but all Chiefs fans will tell you that doesn’t mean that much. The Giants won the NFC last year, but I’m sure experts will have them winning eight games next year. The Raiders won’t match last year’s win total, but then again, Green Bay won’t either. Tampa Bay and Tennessee have amazing defenses, but they both have problems moving the ball. Minnesota and St. Louis can score on anybody, but they can’t stop anyone. And the AFC East is the biggest tossup in the league. The only reason I bring it up is training camp starts this month…
In the next couple of weeks, the most important activity in sports will take place. Negotiations for television broadcast rights for the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, the PGA Tour and the NBA begin this week. Back in 1993, Fox shocked the sports world by outbidding CBS for the NFC/NFL package. Since then, NASCAR got a $300 million dollar increase to move from ESPN to NBC and Turner Sports and CBS paid $545 million to keep the NCAA men’s tourney. This year, the rumor is ESPN will make a push at the NBA cable contract, currently owned by Turner. This doesn’t mean that much to any of us, but this is where all the money comes from. The networks give the leagues millions and the leagues give their players millions and the advertisers give the networks millions to give to the leagues. It’s a money cycle that your three dollars for a dog at the game doesn’t effect and that’s the truth.
June 29, 2007 at 7:26 am · Filed under The Past is always Present
From the Cameron Citizen-Observer
From June 26, 2001
THIS JUST IN: Has anyone noticed the gas prices falling like the Phillies out of first place in the NL East? Speaking of which, the Braves decided they didn’t want to win this year by trading John Rocker. I don’t care if he insulted the Pope on MTV, playoff teams don’t trade a 26-year old left handed closer with two A-plus pitches. Reality check, people: Baseball players have been stupid for years and there are still racist people living in this country. Anyone who tells you different is selling something…
I was born in 1977 and that year, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Before I was born, the NBA handed out 21 MVP Awards; 17 were given to centers. So it makes sense that the NBA Draft has been littered with seven footers, from Ralph Sampson to Yinka Dare. Since 1985, when the NBA first did a lottery for the first pick, only three players under 6’9 have gone number one: Larry Johnson, who played like a 6’10 power forward before his back blew out, Glenn Robinson, who’s 6’9 and Allen Iverson. The last two top picks, Elton Brand and Kenyon Martin, are undersized centers at 6’9 and 6’10, respectively. In this year’s draft, there are 20 players listed at 6’9 or taller – and that’s just the underclassmen. That doesn’t include international players like Pau Gasol from Spain, a 21-year-old 7 foot small forward! Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with kids who can’t drink or overrated college sophomores like Jamison Brewer from Auburn declaring for the NBA Draft. That’s the beauty of it all: Anyone can declare for the NBA Draft. You could declare for the draft, it’s only filling out paperwork and sending it in. But there’s no way you’ll be drafted, like Jamison Brewer, which is the problem: Anyone can declare for the NBA Draft. With thanks to comedian Lewis Black and knowledge that the draft will be over when you read this, here are some names to remember. If your team gets one of these players, consider yourself lucky.
Shane Battier – This isn’t exact, but I’m pretty sure Battier played 148 games at Duke. They won 133 of them. You can’t teach winning like that. He’s a good defensive player now, which is rare coming out of college. As a freshman, he shot 16 percent from three-point land. Last year, he shot 41 percent from downtown. He will improve, regardless whether he goes first or twenty-first.
Michael Bradley – Without any real national attention, he led the NCAA in field goal percentage. His game is in the post, but he can step out from 15 feet and face up. He’s a great boarder, can run the floor and has a mean streak that all good inside players have. He might not go high, but he will make an impact.
Jason Collins – With his twin staying at Stanford, Collins will go to the league on his own. Considered soft on the boards, he’ll have to prove himself inside. But he’s got a nice touch around the basket and can step outside with his jumper. He’ll go late, but a couple of years from now, he’ll be considered a steal in this draft.
Joseph Forte – He’s a guard from North Carolina, which means he will hit the outside shot. I have questions about his defense, but with the rule changes in the NBA, his ability to hit the open jumper matters more. He can be another UNC guard that scores in the NBA like Jerry Stackhouse, Vince Carter, Kenny Smith, Michael Jordan…
Troy Murphy – He was the quietest back-to-back Big East Player of the Year I’ve ever seen. He’s 6’11 and there is very little he can’t do offensively. He can play the post, but will excel at the small forward position. Granted, he won’t be able to defend the faster forwards, but he’ll score 18, grab nine boards and not even sweat.
Eddie Griffin – He might go number one and there’s little reason why he shouldn’t. Listed at 6’9, he drains threes like he’s shooting free throws. He’s a great shot blocker and anyone who watched a Seton Hall game last year knows he can run the floor. He fights for rebounds and it doesn’t stop there, his fight with teammate Ty Shine cost Seton Hall a NCAA tourney berth last year. But this is the NBA, where you choke your coach, take a year off, get a new contract and never face a penalty. Or you dominant undersized 16 year olds for a couple of years, go to the prom and decide ‘I’m ready for the NBA’. Either way, it’s a big joke and that’s the truth.
June 20, 2007 at 6:39 am · Filed under The Past is always Present
From the Cameron Citizen-Observer
June 12, 2001
THIS JUST IN: Last Saturday, I officially became a part of the working press, attending my first professional game from the press box of Arrowhead Stadium.
OK, it was a Wizards game, so the professional label is questionable. Especially after watching a 16 year old score two goals in less than 10 minutes.
While one reporter tried to find out if Santino Quaranta could speak English (he’s from Baltimore), I got my first glimpse of Chiefs new head coach Dick Vermeil.
He walked into the press box with a quizzical smile on his face, looked around and left. I’m not sure if no one noticed or if they just didn’t care. Either way, I notice when an almost certain member of the NFL Hall of Fame walks into a room and that’s all that matters…
- For the next two weeks, everyone is going to talk about the Lakers and how this is the beginning of a dynasty. At the start of training camp next year, I guarantee everyone is going to talk about Derek Fisher and how important he is.
Just remember, he’s still Derek Fisher, an average at best point guard. Nothing more.
- This past Saturday, the US National Soccer Team went down to Jamaica and left with an important draw. By the time this paper prints, they could be a win away from clinching a spot in the 2002 World Cup.
This is, by far, the best US soccer team ever. I remember three years ago when they finished dead last in France and the USSF set a plan in motion, stating a goal of winning the World Cup in 2010.
I remember laughing. It’s not quite so funny now.
- Watching American Legion baseball games at the Parkview Baseball Complex this past weekend makes me wish I grew up in Cameron.
Like I’ve said before, I played baseball in high school. My home field was 325 to left, 450 to center and 420 to right. Granted, we played on a rectangle, but if I played ball at CHS, I would strike out 50 percent of the time.
There’s no way I’m not swinging for the fences every time up. The longest part of the field is 310 to straight away center field?
This is no one person’s fault and the wheels to fix Field 4 have been set in motion. But if they need some oil, just watch an 18 year old hit an opposite field home run 295 feet. That’s just ridiculous.
- I’m just wondering, does it still hurt to see highlights from that MU-Nebraska football game? You know, the one that goes to overtime when the guy catches the ball off his feet?
I know I disavow all knowledge of the 1989 NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Giants and the Rams. It’s like it never happened.
- With the baseball season in full swing, I hate to bring up the fact that another work stoppage might be on the horizon. The labor agreement that ended the stupidity of 1994 ends this November and the two sides are as entrenched as ever.
Commissioner Bud Selig has been criticized for the wild card and interleague play, but none of that will matter if the game stops again. I will always love baseball, no matter what they do (unless that means introducing the DH in the National League).
But the rest of the country was just coming back. To ruin that with another work stoppage is a thought that keeps me up at night.
- I was this close to throwing away the season. It was Sunday night and the Mets were down 7-2 to those damn Yankees going into the bottom of the eighth.
I had already turned the channel and had resorted to flipping between the game and ‘200 Cigarettes’. Then, they started to remind me of my team - the team that never quits.
An error by Derek Jeter. A walk by Rey Ordonez. A clutch hit by Benny Agbayani. Tsuyoshi Shinjo nearly breaking his leg to keep the inning alive. Then Mike Piazza lost one into the Flushing night and all was right in the world.
Armando ‘Smoke’ Benitez goes 1-2-3 in the ninth, then gets another save on Monday night. I had forgotten they were 10 games out in August in 1973. But the same battle cry then is prevalent now: You Gotta Believe. Once again, I do believe and that’s the truth.
June 12, 2007 at 6:32 am · Filed under The Past is always Present
From the Cameron Citizen-Observer
June 12, 2001
THIS JUST IN: While wondering where I can get my hair done and what happened to youth baseball in this town…
Whether you’re watching the NBA Finals for the concerts or the game shows, get used to it. Not only will NBC continue to avoid boring analysis from washed up coaches and over-zealous reporters, it will also continue to broadcast the Sixers and the Lakers in the NBA Finals for the foreseeable future. They are the two best teams in basketball and neither one is getting any worse.
As long as Shaq and Kobe play on the same team, it won’t matter if they’re on the same page. They are the two best basketball players in the world, period. I could be running the point for LA and we’d still win 50 games.
Philadelphia, on the other hand, is the best team in basketball because they have the best coach. If Matt Geiger, George Lynch and last year’s first round pick, Speedy Claxton (out all season with a torn ACL) were healthy, the Sixers wouldn’t have lost a playoff game until the Finals.
So let people tell you about the emergence of the Dallas Mavericks. Let people say the Milwaukee Bucks will be tough next year. That Chris Webber, whether he ends up in Houston or New York, will make a difference. Let people tell you that Michael Jordan will return and win his seventh ring.
Let people talk all they want. Just remember next year, when you’re watching Bill Walton vote President Clinton off the island during halftime of the Finals, you’ll still be watching Philly and LA.
Derek Jeter is 26. Last week, Allen Iverson turned 26. Jennifer Capriati and Tiger Woods are 25. All are at the top of their sports, but which one is considered old? Here’s a hint: She just won the French Open.
For every high school senior or college freshman that declares for the NBA Draft, there are five 14 year olds that leave home to join a tennis academy or junior ice hockey program. No one said a word when Martina Hingis was winning Grand Slam events before she could drive a car, but everyone makes noise when an 18 year old decides he doesn’t want to wait three years to make his first million.
My friend always points out the case of Terrance Morris of Maryland. Two years ago, after his sophomore year, he was a guaranteed lottery pick. Now, he’ll be lucky if he gets drafted in the first round. Sure, he might have gotten his degree, but it’s not going to help in his chosen profession.
At 13, Capriati had her profession chosen for her: the savior of women’s tennis. With Chris Evert’s retirement the year before, Capriati became the poster child for the sport. She was good enough to make the semifinal of the French Open, but not good enough to handle the pressure. Then again, maybe she just wasn’t old enough.
She flamed out and became the poster child for talent wasted, ending up in drug rehabilitation after getting caught shoplifting. To see her jumping for joy last Saturday was the bright spot of my weekend. To rise and fall that far, only to get up and rise again is like a Greek myth, only she didn’t have to die in the end to achieve eternal happiness.
Ray Bourque is about as old as a Greek myth. Alex Tanguay of the Colorado Avalanche was six weeks old when Bourque started his career. It took two decades, but one of hockey’s greatest defensemen finally got to drink from Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Living in Boston for four years, I know first hand how much Bourque meant to that city. They love losers like no other city in America, just look at the Red Sox.
But Bourque was a winner and they knew it. When he was traded to Colorado, it was only because the Bruins were nowhere near winning the Cup. One Boston radio station actually put a billboard up in Denver, telling the team to win it for Beantown.
When the final horn sounded last Saturday night, a cheer went up in Denver, but it was louder in Boston and that’s the truth.
May 27, 2007 at 6:17 am · Filed under The Past is always Present
From the Cameron Citizen-Observer
From May 27, 2001
THIS JUST IN: Growing up, I watched Patrick Ewing battle Chris Mullin in college. I became a Hoya fan when Alonzo Morning and Dikembe Mutombo were the Twin Towers.
Allen Iverson was the first Hoya that I followed into the NBA. I’ve been rooting for the 76er’s all season long, predicting an NBA Finals appearance. I’m here to officially announce that I’m off the bandwagon. For this year.
The Los Angeles Lakers are going to destroy whoever has the misfortune to join them on the court. The Sixers would give it a valiant effort, but with all their injuries and lack of another offensive threat, they might not come within 20 points.
The Milwaukee Bucks, on the other hand, have a winning record against the Lakers this year and they have the shooters to put up a good fight. Iverson will have other chances for his ring, like next year. The Bucks will not. I hope they get one shining moment this year, before reality sets in with Scott Williams, Ervin Johnson and Jason Caffey.
Baseball has numbers that act like nouns. 4,192. 61. 714. They have names, dates, places and history attached to them. Fumbling through old VHS tapes last week, I stumbled onto an old Sportscenter featuring one of those numbers.
Robin Yount was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame a couple of years back because he was a consistent All-Star for years. On this edition of Sportscenter, Yount joined 16 other men in baseball history with 3,000 hits. He was the third youngest player to reach the mythical number, a guaranteed ticket to Cooperstown.
But the shocking thing was the treatment by my favorite channel. Yeah, it started the show, but they teased a US Open upset before getting to it. They showed Yount’s first three at bats against Jose Mesa of the Cleveland Indians, then added Bob Uecker’s radio call for the historic hit.
After flashing the final score, they returned to show two quotes from Yount’s press conference. The whole piece was two minutes thirty seconds, which comes out to about 11 percent of the show.
So what’s shocking? First off, the video feed was from BrewerVision, meaning there was no local television coverage. In fact, that means the nation watched the same high angle shot. No close ups on tearful family and cheering teammates.
Also, they spent 11 percent of 30 minutes. On today’s hour long Sportscenter, they would have came back to the top story at least twice. There wasn’t even a reporter at Milwaukee County Stadium to cover it live and this was only 1992!
The increase in media coverage has jumped leaps and bounds. Remember McGuire and Sosa a couple of summers back? We knew what Sosa was eating for breakfast and what color underwear McGuire’s son was wearing.
Unfortunately, it’s not just sports. If Elian Gonzalez were from Haiti, we never would have known his name. School shooting are horrible events, but they were going on for years in New York City and Detroit without CNN and MSNBC stopping their regularly scheduled babble to bring you the latest helicopter shot of kids running for their lives.
We have come to a point where technology allows you access to more than ever. In less than a decade, we have jumped some line drawn in the sands on sanity. We pay too much attention to items and events that don’t deserve the consideration.
There are Japanese ‘media organizations’ that will pay one million dollars for a naked picture of Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki. National sports reporters admit that because Barry Bonds is surly with the media, he won’t go down in history as one of the greatest ever; regardless of his 500 home runs and three MVP awards. Ken Griffey Jr. says he’s actually terrified of the media.
I don’t have any answers, especially since I haven’t asked any questions. Tomorrow, I’ll turn on ESPN again and continue to watch trivial stories like a broken seatbelt or the latest Anna Kournikova sighting take precedent.
I’ll still go to sleep, dreaming of a day when people care enough to give their very best in everything they do. But I‘ll wake up knowing that day is long away. And that’s the truth.
May 21, 2007 at 5:32 pm · Filed under The Past is always Present
From The Cameron Citizen-Observer
May 22, 2001
I grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey; a suburban township of 40,000 people, about 10 minutes outside New York City. There was a dead end street right near my house that was our playground.
Labor Day was the first day of street football for us. We would play everyday, regardless of cars, numbers or weather. But when the ground cleared up, it was baseball season.
We would practice with someone hitting grounders and pop-ups. We would play games with no pitcher, just a bouncing tennis ball. We would play Stoopball, turning somebody’s front steps into a playing field. But the best of all worlds was Stickball.
I lived two blocks away from the high school. In the parking lot, there was a wall. About 200 feet away, there was a 25-foot chain-link fence. A box spray painted on the wall was the strike zone. The pitching mound was 60 feet, 6 inches away and I learned you could do some wicked things with a tennis ball. This is where I was most at home.
I remember one day we went up to the high school to “play two”. After the fifth inning of game one, we all looked up and realized the sky was ready to open up. We got to the seventh before we ran home soaked from head to toe. When the summer shower was over, we changed clothes and finished the game.
I played Little League and Babe Ruth and high school baseball, but never with the same energy and happiness that I played Stickball. By my junior year of high school, my friends had moved to basketball. I concentrated on making the varsity and getting into a good school.
Every college sport in Boston has a Beanpot Tournament and Fenway Park hosts the baseball version. I planned to walk on the Boston University team and hopefully, by my senior year, be good enough to swing at “the Green Monster”.
But 1994-1995 was the last season for baseball at my alma mater. Due to Title 9, the baseball program was dropped and women’s soccer became a varsity sport.
I can’t remember my last organized baseball game because I never thought it would be my last. When I got to college, I played basketball because you could always find a game. It’s a little harder to find 17 people, bats, gloves and a field.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t miss the game. Miss taking grounders off my chest and diving aimlessly after base hits. Miss taking an inside pitch the other way for a double in the gap. I miss running the bases and soft toss and cleaning my cleats with my bat.
So I have this piece of advice to the youth of the world. Play the games you love while you still can because they get harder to find, as you get older.
THIS JUST IN: Television is playing a tug-of-war with true sports fan right now. On one side you got the season finales of your favorite shows. On the other side, if you don’t watch a playoff game, you might miss a historic performance.
Tomorrow night might be the night the NBA single game scoring record might break. If you watch the ‘ER’ finale, you might miss an overtime goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Even baseball, early in its long season, is providing drama on a near-nightly basis.
From A.J. Burnett’s no-hitter to Joe Randa’s walk-off grand slam to Sammy Sosa’s 400th career home run; America’s pastime looks better than the season finale of “The Sopranos” to me. Besides, HBO will play it again eight times in the next week and that’s the truth.
May 14, 2007 at 5:16 pm · Filed under The Past is always Present
From The Cameron Citizen-Observer
May 16, 2001
There have been some great individual performances in the past couple of weeks. Randy Johnson striking out 20 batters in nine innings. A.J. Burnett of the Florida Marlins, allowing no hits but walking nine. Three Game 7’s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vince Carter hitting his first eight three-pointers, on his way to 50 points. But to watch Allen Iverson score 54 points in Game 2 of the Toronto-Philadelphia series is remarkable.
At 6 feet, Iverson is regularly outsized and overmatched physically. True, there is no one as fast as him, but basketball is a tall man’s game. For him to be able to dominate is a testament not only to his ability, but also to his teammates and his coach, Larry Brown.
Brown has designed this team for Iverson to shine, surrounding him with role players. Scorers like Jerry Stackhouse and Larry Hughes were traded for this reason. Players like Eric Snow and Tyrone Hill start for this reason.
Regardless if Iverson is named the MVP this year, Larry Brown should be Coach of the Year for building and guiding this team as one cohesive unit towards one goal.
Fortunately, that goal was not back up vocals on Iverson’s CD, which, thankfully, has been pushed back since the season started. Few remember the chaos that nearly erupted at the start of this season, but even less know that Iverson is a poor rapper at best.
His attempt to join the ranks of other successful athletes in the music industry fell short because there are no successful athletes in the music industry. Wayland Tisdale tops the list and he hasn’t topped anything except scales since college.
Music is the soundtrack to life and sporting events are no exception. With the proposed rule changes in the NBA, the major difference between professional and college basketball next year will be organist vs. marching band.
That’s why I enjoy college basketball more than the pros. An organist or stadium DJ can hype up a crowd during long unnecessary breaks, like commercials. Unless the commercial is the Nike campaign, where pros and playground stars dribbling and dancing to a break beat.
Go to a soccer (or football) game in Jamaica, Brazil or Italy. There is a sound; a constant beat that accompanies the match.
Normally, you just watch a game, but music adds the need for another sense. That’s what I think Vince McMahon was going after with the XFL. They wanted a sensory overload with each broadcast.
Strippers, I mean, cheerleaders and fireworks and on-field cameras and microphones to pick up every bone-breaking hit. It was a good idea. There is a lull in the sports season right after the Super Bowl. March Madness is weeks away and the NBA and NHL seasons are slowly coming to a close. The XFL ratings were not that bad, when compared to Major League Soccer and the NHL. You know, sports people don’t watch.
Their major problem, however, was the national media coverage and their inability to separate WWF entertainment and XFL second-rate football.
Right now, my New York Mets are playing second-rate baseball. But as the defending National League Champions, once Fox starts it’s Saturday Game of the Week, they will be on TV. But it’s the rare occasions like last Saturday that I really appreciate.
The New York Mets were at the San Francisco Giants on FX Saturday Baseball. And I was covering the Cameron Track team at Platte City.
I have no regrets. It was my first track meet and I was pleased to see our young team perform well. But everyone I meet keeps asking me, “Why did you come here?”
The problem is, there doesn’t seem to be a correct answer. At least, an answer that will put the question to bed.
My answer is, I came here to cover high school track meets. I came here to see the smile of Tausha Cook after winning her 300-meter hurdles race. The cheers of support from teammates that can’t be heard across the football field, but still seem to reach their mark.
I came here to see and live in the Midwest. I came here to become a part of a community, by writing and reporting for its newspaper. I came here so I can raise my cat Smokey in a nice neighborhood.
As you can read, I have many varied opinions about the world of sports and I’m not afraid to share them. The topics may vary but it will always be within the world of sports. I’m not smart enough, yet, to talk politics.
But most importantly, I’m here to report on any sporting event that affects Cameron and its people, like a district track meet in Platte City. Whether the Mets are on TV or not; I can always watch Sportscenter and that’s the truth.
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