Friday, October 28, 2011

Hoping for the NBA to cancel the season.


It seems that the NBA owners and NBAPA may reach an agreement soon after a 15 hour 'sit-down' last night. This ruins my dream of a cancelled NBA season. That would be the best year of my sports watching life. Why you ask? BECAUSE I HATE THE NBA!!!!!!!!!! I really do. I cant stand to watch what it is today. It's awful to me. And yes, I am one of those bitter I loved the Jordan years brothers. Yep that's me who loved when players actually hated each other and taking it to the rim meant possible bodily harm. I miss the Pistons D, Charles Oakley, and the Showtime Lakers. And most of all, I do miss watching Jordan who was pissed off at everybody and tried to embarrass anyone who dared to play against him. Now, we have that dude pictured above doing what he does best - crying. You have players now who can't play making tons of cash and being made celebrities. Hit 12 points a game and you can have your own TV show.

Not that these dudes are not athletic. The NBA players now a day are so unbelievably gifted. The athleticism and speed of Dwayne Wade is just blinding. Looking at Blake Griffin jump and move is so powerful, yet graceful. But they are playing in a age when you can go to the hole unmolested and just dunk. No one attempts to block a shot or put a forearm to the ribs. These dudes don't want to be 'postorized' or put on sports highlights. They want to be as Le Bron wants to be, 'A global icon'. WTF (excuse my language). No passion, nor desire to be a champion, just being seen and making cash. If they win a championship along the way, then that helps with their marketability.

 The MVP of the all talent/no heart team

Thank God for Kobe. I don't know him, and maybe wouldn't even like him as a person, but for my money, he is the only dude i would watch play basketball - I'm sure I will talk about Kobe and Jordan at some point in the future. If I was blessed with Dwayne Wades athleticism, I would score 25 points a game also. Now what if Wade had Jordan's heart and killer instinct?  And how about a player who defines the term 'wasted talent'' - Shaq O''neal? If I was blessed with his size and athleticism, I'd dunk on everybody also. Have any of you seen Shaq in person? He is huge. Think what he could have been i he stayed his fat azz in shape and dedicated himself to the game? He would be, unquestionably, thee best player in NBA history - BAR NONE!


going, going gone fat


But instead, his out of shape, worthless, wanna rap, can't act, can't talk, butt is out of the league and in need of some serious cash which leads me to why I wanted to see a lockout. I am not a so-called playa hater in the sense that these dudes are getting paid a lot of money and I don't like it. They are making what the market has called for them to make. It's not their fault that the networks are stupid and buys the rights to showcase the bad product. It's also not the players fault that companies pay an enormous amount of cash to show their commercials during games because the fans are so much in need of something, anything, to do that they waste time watching a very bad product. The players are just reaping the benefits of societies stupidity.

What I do have a problem with is the arrogance and self promotion and lack of passion and lack of respect for the game that these dudes exhibit. Most of all I hate the way a lot of them carry themselves off the court. For every Kevin Durant, there are 20 Rasheed Wallace's. For every Grant Hill, there is a Ron Artest. You know the, look at me, I need attention types of players. I know it's been said a million times, but they seem to live as though its their right to play basketball and not an honor.

This is my reason to hope for a season long lockout. First I'd like some of these players to realize that they only play basketball. There is nothing special about what they do. I've always said that an athlete really has no special place in my heart unless i know them personally. They are there to entertain me for the time I am looking at a game and when they are gone, then someone else will  entertain me. Yes, I miss watching Jordan, Magic, and Bird play but I am not going sit here and cry because they no longer play. I use something else to entertain me for the moment and move on. Thus, say if a ball player as special as Kobe tears his knee up. I don't feel much of anything for Kobe because he was there just to entertain me. I don't know him, his family, or his next of kin. My life moves on. Do you think he really cares about a season ticket holder who loses their job and needs to let go their tickets. Do you really think Kobe, or any other player really cares? They don't know you so why should they. Fans have adored athletes so much that the athlete truly thinks that they are special - NOT.

The second reason I would like to see a lockout is that these brothers, IN MY MIND, have a responsibility financially to give back to causes that positively change peoples lives. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that they shouldn't enjoy the money they've made. Please go out and but a nice home and a beautiful car or two, but the crap that I see (Check out D-Wades home (Wade)) and ask yourself, is all this necessary? And this isn't the worse of the offenders. And then there is the spending of my lease favorite player Shaq, who if he was out a job for a year he would be bankrupt. Look at the break down of his finances (Fat Boy). $850,0000 a month expenses? Really?

Latrell Sprewell's foreclosed home - You go boy!

Instead of showing young brothers how to improperly live, and women a false sense of success to measure a man they need to reaize the responsibilty of being a pro athlete. I am not much of a Charles Barkley fan and he is famous for making the most idiotic statement ever on a commercial when he said 'he is not a role model'. Damn skippy Chuck! Not to my kid you aren't. I know his point was to say that a parent should be the role model. You are right big boy, but a lot of these kids have no fathers in their lives and they look to idiots like you as a measure. And what do they see? You drunk, fighting,  and gambling away money because you don't care. They think it's cool. Now here is the worst part Chaz. The white people you are hanging out with entertaining aren't laughing with you, they are really laughing at you.

I do think these athletes should realize their place as fiscal role models and show kids how to correctly manage money instead of being the Latrell Sprewell's, the Antoine Walkers, and a countless amount of other 'ballers' who spent their way to bankruptcy even after earning $50-150 million during their careers.

I think that the NBA players ARE over paid for the product that's on the court and the way to punish them is where it hurts which is financially as well as all of the talking heads who make a living during the NBA season. Everybody needs to feel it. The players need to realize it's the owners who hold the cards. Have you seen the net worth of some of these dudes: Charles Dolan (NY Knicks) $3.3 billion, Richard Devos (The Magic) $4.2 billion, Mickey Arison (Miami Heat) $5.9 billion, Paul Allen (Portland Trail Blazers) $13.2 billion, and the list goes on. Do you really think these dudes will not be able to keep the insurance on their 20 cars, or have trouble paying child support like some of these NBA players?



I say lets make these players suffer and learn what an honor it is for them to make millions of dollars just to play basketball. A few years ago Allen Iverson said he may have to sell some cars during the last lockout in the NBA to feed his family. Do you realize that he may have not been joking. How can a man making millions not be able to pay bills? Stupidity and lack of respect for the people who look up to them as examples.

Hopefully I get my dream come true and these dudes learn, but on the other hand, Wall Street hasn't learned their lessons on excess either. But that's a whole other story.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

D-South College Football and the BCS

Uf2008CoachesTrophy.jpgLSU-Alabama-Oklahoma-Oklahoma St. 1, 2, 3, & 4. I think that's a pretty fair ranking by the BCS system. Obviously, since a playoff is out the question, this is about as good as we get. Besides, seeing that the SEC has taken the last 5 championships it really doesn't matter what the rankings are. In fact, let me make a suggestion to the BCS people. Take the SEC champion, no matter what the record, and make that an automatic bid  and everyone else should be fighting for a spot, which leads me to this question. What happens if the next best team is another SEC team. Should two SEC teams play for the BCS title. In a perfect world..........hecks yeah.in fact, I'd take the two best SEC teams and put them up against any team. In fact, we may see that this year with LSU and Alabama.

November 5th 2011 marks the real championship when the #1 LSU Tigers goes on the road to play #2 Alabama. Now, lets look at some scenarios and the implications:

* LSU or Alabama wins, and they will be number one and wins out the rest of their games
* LSU or Alabama wins but they lose a game before the SEC championship.
* LSU or Alabama wins and wins out the regular season, but they lose in the SEC championship

As a caveat, lets assume the loser in the Nov 5th BCS real championship game goes on to win out.

Now lets review what I feel are the 'should be' outcomes.

In the first scenario, the winner goes to the BCS championship game, BUT who do they play? I think Oklahoma and Oklahoma St are good teams, and as I said, I have no issue with them 3rd and 4th in the rankings. BUT, do you really think that either of these teams are better than the loser of the LSU/Bama game? This will be especially dicey if LSU loses and wins out. A team with wins against Oregon (weak coast darling), West Virginia, and one SEC loss to Alabama (who will be #1) will be not allowed to compete for the crystal ball? If Bama loses, the argument doesn't change much.

Either way, if the Nov 5th game is close, especially if it's a classic, and the loser wins out, there is no way they should not replay the game on January 9th, 2012. I  really don't care who comes out of the Big 12 undefeated. There are not two better teams in the country. I can hear Michigan fans belly aching about when they lost to Ohio State in 2006 and didn't get a second shot at the Buckeyes. First of all, it's only the Big 10 and second, the college football world witnessed what happens when you put a Big 10 school up against the speed, depth, darkness and power of the SEC. Going undefeated in the Big 10 does not in any way carry the same weight as doing it in he SEC.
DARKNESS BABY


For the second scenario, if either LSU or Bama wins and then loses a game before the SEC championship and still wins the championship game, I can see one of them being omitted, but in the end, an SEC team would beat either Oklahoma or Oklahoma State, or better yet, a Stanford or Wisconsin team - easily.

The third scenario is a possibility, but even then, I still think that whoever it is, either LSU or Bama STILL should be in the championship.

Are you getting the theme? NO MATTER WHO DOES WHAT OR WHO LOSES TO WHO, OR WHAT THE RANKINGS ARE, AN SEC TEAM SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE INCLUDED IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

If the BCS can't get a playoff system, this should be there next goal.

All you need to know about the World Series

WHO CARES. It's mid-October and we are starting the World Series. Baseball has really headed south - like mostly all pro sports. There are way too many meaningless games, way too many average players (by MLB standards) getting paid a lot of money, and way too much commercialism - THANKS ESPN.

I don't think I will be watching any of it so if you were looking for some insight to the series go somewhere else.

Peace

Friday, October 14, 2011

NFL Rankings Week 6

The top 5 teams have not changed from the prior week and it's because not only did those teams handle their business, they are also the most consistent teams so far this year. Two teams, Tampa and NY Giants, went on the road and got their butts handed to them. It just shows that these teams are good, but lack that week-in week-out consistency that top teams have. It seems like there is always a lot of shuffling in the bottom half every week because a team has a gawd awful week. To lose is one thing, but to get beat down is a completely different story.



1. Green Bay Packers 5-0 (prv 1): No doubt here. Aaron Rogers has been the second best QB in the league and gets better weekly

2. Detroit Lions 5-0 (prv 2): I can assume we all know they are not Super Bowl ready but at 5-0 they are making huge strides. They continue to remind me of the Cowboys of the early 90's when Jerry and Jimmy was piecing that team together.

3. THEE New Orleans Saints 4-1 (prv 3): The quest to win the NFC South began last week and will continue with a trip to a Tampa team looking to prove themselves.

4. New England Patriots 4-1 (prv 4): Straight up man handled the Jets at the line of scrimmage as well as on the coaching headset. Brady-Welker is working even on Revis Island.

5. Baltimore Ravens 3-1 (prv 5): Hopefully Joe Flacco's issues have been somewhat resolved over the bye.

6. Buffalo Bills 4-1 (prv 9): Big win against the dream team and now their tour through the NFC East continues with a big game against the Giants at MetLife Stadium.

7. San Diego Chargers 4-1 (prv 10): For some reason, and maybe it's a bias of the west coast, but this team does not impress me though they are very talented.A bye week may actually drop them in the rankings - out of sight, out of mind.

8. San Francisco 49ers 4-1 (prv NR): Who would have thought that Alex Smith would be 4-1, IN THE NFL, not during a strike season playing with scabs?

9. Washington Redskins 4-1 (prv NR): Just like the 49ers, this team is all about coaching. As long as the skins can run the ball effectively, Rex Grossman will play well and the wins will add up.

10. Oakland Raiders 3-2 (prv NR): If you are old school like me, you may have not liked the Raiders in the 1970's but you enjoyed watching them and respected what Al built. The Silver and Black seems they have moved from the 'Committment to Excrement' back to the 'Committment to Excelllence' motto Al created.

11. NY Giants 3-2 (prv 6): Just when you think Eli has turned the corner he drops an egg against Seattle.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers 3-2 (prv  NR): Good to have Tomlin and the boys back in the rankings. Maybe Big Ben plays better hurt.

Others receiving votes:
Tennessee Titans 3-2, Dallas Cowboys 2-2,  Houston Texans 3-2, Tampa Bay Bucs 3-2.

Game of the Week: Buffalo vs NY Giants - though some think the Pats vs  the Boys is the big game because of the star power, but with the Giants needing to keep pace with the Redskins and the Bills needing to continue to prove themselves this will be more hard fought than any other game.

Friday, October 7, 2011

NFL Rankings Week 5

Though it's still early, you can definitely see some signs of who is and who isn't for real and who still have some major question marks and some players who I thought was ready to make the leap are really showing their true colors - see pic below of Mr. Romo
.

1. Green Bay Packers 4-0  (prev 1): Still the class of the league. As the defense improves they will be unbeatable.

2. Detroit Lions 4-0 (prev 2): Great comeback on the road for a young team. Seven of the last 12 games are at home where the crowd will be smelling playoffs.

3. Thee New Orleans Saints 3-1 (prev 3): An uneventful win with an lackluster effort. This will not cut it in the NFC South. The running game must begin to take some pressure off of the best QB in the league (bias opinion of course)

4. New England Patriots 3-1 (prev 5): A very good win against an improved Raiders team with a rowdy crowd backing them. Wes Welker is on an unbelievable pace that will be challenged against the Pats #1 nemesis this week.

5. Baltimore 3-1 (prev 6): At some point in time Flacco will have to step up. They gave him all the weapons he needs but he still has not made that leap from manager of a game to being the star of the game. That is the difference between 13-3 and a Super Bowl run and 10-6 and a wild card loss

6. N.Y Giants 3-1 (prev 11): New York makes the jump because Eli seems as though he is making the jump from a level 2.5 QB to a 1.5 QB. At some time all of the injuries may catch up to the G-Men.

7. Houston Texans 3-1 (prev 12a): If their defense continues to fight and scratch like they did against the Steelers, they can walk through a weak AFC South.

8. Tennessee Titans 3-1 (prev NR): Who knew Matt Hasselbeck would be as efficient as he has played. Once Mr. Holdout Chris Johnson gets his legs under him the offense will be able to move the ball on anyone.

9. Orchard Park Bills 3-1 (prev 7): Too much publicity for catching a good team on a very bad day. Now teams are getting up to play the Bills and with such a young team, they could struggle in a lot of games.

10. San Diego Chargers 3-1 (prev NR): A quiet start in a weak division. The Chargers must begin beating lesser teams more definitive.

11. Tampa Bay Bucs 3-1 (prev NR): I love Josh Freeman and Raheem Morris and how they just win. At San Fran and then hosting THEE New Orleans Saints will tell us a lot about the Bucs over the next 2 weeks.

12a. Washington Redskins 3-1 (prev NR): In the words of Gomer Pile, 'Surprise Surprise'. One of the best head coaches of our era, Mike Shanahan, has REX GROSSMAN playing smart and with a stingy defense, they could actually be pretty decent this year.

12b. LSU Tigers 5-0 (prev 12b): SEC! Enuff Said. If Bama and LSU wins out, Nov 5th will be the de facto National Championship

Dropped out: Oakland (could be back with a big win on the road vs the Texans): Pittsburgh (Still believing in Tomlin): N.Y Jets (Sanchez): Dallas (Romo)