Category Archive: Opinion Spot

Apr 08

College Footballs Top-5 Worst Fans

Categories:

NCAA, Opinion Spot

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College football is awesome; some of the fans who choose to show up, not so much. If you have attended a college football game, you understand that you will have the privilege to observe human-nature at its finest. When this human-nature is put on display, college football fans transform into what we refer to as “tool-bags”.  If you haven’t attended a college football game and haven’t had the extraordinary pleasure to experience these tool-bags for yourself. Don’t worry, we will highlight the Top- 5 to better prepare you. They are as follows:

 The Frat Boy

The “Frat Boy” is a perfect mixture of being young, absolutely stupid, topped off with being totally smashed. He looks as if he is coherent, but is speaking in tongues about the other team. He continually brags about how cool he is because he managed to sneak in his PBR in an undisclosed location. He rarely misses the opportunity to remove his shirt while displaying his fraternity on his chest with his ex-girlfriends lipstick. He is usually displaying someone else’s vomit on his skinny-jeans combined with trying to act tough. His girl pants, excuse me “skinny-jeans” appear to have a small steady stream of what looks like pee flowing downward toward his Abercrombie flip-flops. He loudly declares that he’d rather be watching a game of beer pong, and then, with almost no warning, passes out cold on the concrete steps. Then the game kicks off and one of his “boys” repeats the above sequence until they run out of dudes or the game ends, whichever comes first.

The Second-Guesser 

The “Second-Guesser” aka my dad earns a top-five spot. You won’t be able to pick him out in a crowd. He is a pleasant sociable individual who can carry on a conversation with anyone. He is also the hardest on the list to identify, by the time you figure out you’re dealing with him; it is too late. His favorite inject is “where is the flag” or “that is a block in the back”. Play after play is vociferously second guessed. If the team runs the ball and it goes for no yards, he’ll point out why they should have passed. If a pass falls incomplete, he’ll gloat about how he would have called a running play. If the team is forced to punt, he will state why they should have gone for it on 4th and 20.  You don’t even want to know what he does when an onside kick fails. Next time you encounter the second-guesser, tell him you agree and love all the actions which draw a penalty. Back this statement up by explaining that you believe in punting on third down. Then calmly hold your ground as he tries to explain the flaws in yours and the rest of America’s reasoning.

 The Hot Drunk Girl 

The “Hot Drunk Girl” always demands attention from everyone while attending the sporting event. This earns her a spot in the Top- 5 showing this list has no gender barrier. We all know this girl; she always travels in a pack of girls who are slightly less attractive then her improving her overall appearance. This is also the same girl who beer-bonged a 40 ounce PBR coupled with a half dozen teamed colored Jello shots. She constantly shouts “Whoo”, with no idea why. Her outburst is during inappropriate times and it carries a piercing, cackling laugh that makes you want to shove her smuggled PBR down her throat so that she can no longer make that annoying and appalling “Whoo”. This is an example of the above display; I once attended a sporting event where a row of hot drunk girls were sitting behind my father and I. After my father interjected his flawless play we begin to overhear the conversation taking place behind us. This conversation ultimately dropped my IQ by 17 points in a matter of seconds when I heard one say to the others, “Did you know a Stingray is bigger than a Blue Whale?” Really it is? What version of Discovery channel have you been watching? My father and I rightfully began to applaud their stupidity. To add to this public display of senselessness, the mastermind proceeded to explain to a stranger on how to operate a cowbell which had no bell in it.

The Lightweight

The “Lightweight” is not to be confused with the “Frat Boy”. He appears to be just as stupid, but has a reason for it. He just turned 18 and just moved into his sweet dorm room. He has attended local dorm parties and feels as if he is up for his first full day of all day drinking. Lucky for you he has chosen to put public drinking on display at the game you’re attending. Now he’s a raging binge drinker and sitting right behind you. He kicks your seat, drops food on your head and speaks at a volume two times louder than necessary. You politely ask him to get his feet off your seat, quit spilling food and to shut the f@ck up. Next your dad and friends or my case both, are begging you not to punch his front teeth in. He continues to not pay attention to the game and go on and on about how awesome his smuggled in PBR is. It is only a matter of time before he throws up right onto your head. You can’t punch him in his face so you have to take the more mature route of belittling him by proving he knows nothing about the team or game he is attending. Sure, he’ll be unable to defend himself and might end up crying in front of his new friends, but at least it will teach him a valuable lesson about controlling his liquor.

The “Bandwagoner”

The “Bandwagoner” is the worst of them all. We all know this guy or girl. Never have they spoke about a college football team or game before. Suddenly they show up with their newest Wal –Mart apparel on display expressing their undying love for their team. Their tool-bag tendencies aren’t subject to just game day. Common knowledge tells you it’s okay to root for your Alma matter or your family’s hometown team. Notice the biggest keyword mentioned, “Hometown”. This has got to be one of the most irritable and ignorant situations in sports. If you’re from a non-sport affiliated city, it’s acceptable to adopt a sports team of your own. However, if you’re from a state or city who is affiliated with a team and you choose to hop on a team’s bandwagon, you’re an idiot! There is nothing more frustrating than a person who has never been a fan of team, or knows nothing about their team and choices to be a fan. To add to the witlessness bandwagoner’s stupidity is when they chose to climb on board after a winning season. This is a common sight at SEC games and it is an embarrassment to the universities they choose to support.  Their constant yapping about how big of fan they are can easily be shut up with a simple question. What question? Anything about the team they have chosen to wear a shirt of.

 

This is your dummies guide to spotting “tool-bags”. Keep it close to you and refer to it when needed.

 

12 comments

Dec 23

Johnson Passes Rice: Proof that Modern NFL is Watering Down it’s own Product

Categories:

NFL, Opinion Spot

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megatronWe witnessed history as Calvin Johnson passed the fabled Jerry Rice in the NFL record book to become the league’s all time leader for receiving yards in a season.. Passing the name Jerry Rice is an honor to any wide receiver; however, does the record have the same meaning as it did when Rice set it back in 1995?

 

Today’s NFL is designed to give the passing game every advantage you can think. Stricter enforcement on contact penalties, regulating hitting, and even breathing on a receiver is now considered pass interference. The atrocity in some of the pass interference calls makes you yearn for the replacement refs.

 

Nothing taken away from Megatron, but the rules allowed for this record to be broken.

 

It seems as if this is an epidemic in all of sports.

 

As a society it seems we are getting softer in all aspects. There are words that were acceptable ten years that aren’t now. People can’t even take a simple stance on a political issue without receiving hell in return. The gall of a Christian-based fast food chain that is famously closed on Sundays  to even have a CEO that would be against gay marriage is an egregious foul against human decency, altogether. Let’s not eat there since we live in a society where we are now completely unable to tolerate someone with opposing views as me!

 

Rush Limbaugh calls it, “the wussification of America,” and it’s beginning to take place across the sports landscape.

 

In 2001, the NBA legalized the zone defense and it has allowed the skill of man-to-man guarding to become a lost art. Teams with defensive flaws are able to mask them and the creativity of the game has been compromised.

Controversial political radio host, Rush Limbaugh, has claimed that our society has been suffering from "wussification" for years. Is this apparent in modern sports?

Controversial political radio host, Rush Limbaugh, has claimed that our society has been suffering from “wussification” for years. Is this apparent in modern sports?

 

David Stern has even taken steps to minimize the physicality in his league. Ramping up penalties for fighting and increasing the number of flagrant fouls called over the past few seasons. The NBA is a league that is fighting an image crisis; however, fans reminisce to the days of the 90’s where the league was filled with physical rivalries and venom.

 

Unimpeded dunks create ESPN highlights. Hatred and emotion create interest.

 

It’s no secret that most professional sports leagues are softening their product to create more scoring. The diehard fan appreciates defense and sound technical play; however, the casual fan loves the highlight reel plays and games that end 45- 42. Who do the leagues need to do a little extra selling too? The casual fan.

 

Ever since the Indianapolis Colts complained about the New England Patriots and their defensive backs’”extracurricular activities” after losing to them handily in the 2004 AFC championship game, the NFL has changed the rules to make the league more friendly to pass-first teams.

 

We all drooled over the passing numbers of last season as Drew Brees destroyed Dan Marino’s single-season mark for passing yards. As Brees passed Johnny Unitas this season to become the NFL record holder for most consecutive games with at least one TD pass, we all stood in amazement. But should we?

 

The wussification of sports are allowing records to fall left and right as they become more easily obtained.

 

Not to take away from the amazing physical gifts of Calvin Johnson and Drew Brees but these achievements weren’t achieved back when the league was actually allowed to play defense. Marino and Rice set their marks back when press coverages were common and roughing the quarterback was just apart of the game.

 

Despite his dislike for Roger Goodell, Brees's records would probably have not been attained if not for his rule changes and policies on injuries.

Despite his dislike for Roger Goodell, Brees’s records would probably have not been attained if not for his rule changes and policies on injuries.

Despite all the records being smashed this season, the one that is probably most impressive is Adrian Peterson’s run at Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record. A-Pete is doing it in a league where quarterbacks are designed to shine and on a team that has zero presence in the passing game. Constantly facing eight men in a box, week in and week out, Adrian defies the odds and carries his team to victory.

 

Given the incredible nature that Peterson is making an assault on this thirty year old record, we must keep a perspective about what is really happening in today’s NFL. Kids are simply not being taught to tackle. College and pro teams do not tackle in practice. The art of tackling is a skill that is fading with each and every season, mostly in part to the lack of practice. Watch a Vikings game and look at all the poor tackling angles and whiffs made by defenders. Some of those are in part of the greatness of Peterson but some can just be noted as bad tackling. Eric Dickerson set his mark in an era where defenses tackled in practice.

 

The fear of getting hurt has made sports into a shell of itself. It’s exciting to see records fall and watch high-flying passing attacks all over the league; however, are we sacrificing the challenge it is to reach these heights in the process? When you lower the bar, the meaning gets watered down. This is a sad predicament for the state of sports.

 

Could Brees, Megatron, and Adrian Peterson all break or challenge for records in the NFL of yesteryear? Nobody will ever know; however, they wouldn’t have achieved it with any help from the rule makers.

 

 

 

5 comments

Dec 20

Top 20 All-Time Major League Baseball Uniforms

Categories:

MLB, Opinion Spot

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If you’re a diehard baseball fan like myself and are hoping Santa will bring you new jersey for Christmas, here some you should to add to your list. From the current classics to the classics of old, here are my top 20 baseball uniforms of all-time.

 

Expos20. Montreal Expos (1969-1991) Red, white and “powder blue”. The Expos’ uniforms of the of the ’70s and ’80′s were ridiculously awesome. The tri-colored “M” logo was great.

 

 

 

White Sox19. Chicago White Sox (c. 1912-1929)  Some would argue this one is only recognizable because of the 1919 World Series “Black Sox Scandal”, but the Big S with the O and X in between was f***ing cool. Plus they actually wore white socks!

 

 

Orioles18. Baltimore Orioles (1954-present)  The main appeal is the fittingly black and orange color scheme with the cursive “Orioles” across the chest. Although the traditional “Oriole” logo was established in 1954, the cartoon logo is much more popular.

 

 

Mets17. New York Mets (circa 1969 and occasionally today)  The blue and orange mix from the their New York ancestors, along with the pinstripes adopted from another New York team, brings nothing but “classic” stamped all over it.

 

 

Brewers16. Milwaukee Brewers (1978 to 1993)  From ’78 to ’93 the Brewers sported the yellow and blue pinstripes at home and the powder blue on the road. I loved the “M & B” logo on their hat that looked like a glove. Think Rolle Fingers.

 

 

Phillies15. Philadelphia Phillies (1970-1991)  Another uniform to be transformed with the times was the Phillies’ of the ’70′s.  For nearly two decades they had the powder blue on the road and the maroon pinstripes at home with the “P” logo on the chest.

 

 

Pirates Black14. Pittsburgh Pirates (1977-1984)  The black and yellow hats with the stripes were insane! Not to mention the yellow and black alternate uniforms! Any variation of these colors made the world champion Pirates of the late ’70′s the hippest looking athletes around.

 

 

Cubs13. Chicago Cubs (1908 to present)  Along with the blue and red color scheme, the Cubs “C” first appeared in 1908, the last year they won it all. The rise of Ernie Banks and the addition of pinstripes in the late ’50′s made this a recognizable uniform.

 

 

Astros12. Houston Astros  (1975-1992)  It wasn’t the simplicity of the H in front of the star logo. It was the ridiculousness of the orange, red, and yellow stripes on their home jerseys. As crazy as they were, everyone remembers them.

 

 

Pirates11. Pittsburgh Pirates (1960′s-present)  More or less since Bill Mazeroski and Roberto Clemente, the black and yellow (yes yellow and not gold) uniforms have retained their simplicity, uniqueness, and appeal. Sleeveless were the best.

 

 

Braves10. Boston / Atlanta Braves (1946-1963 / 1987-present)  Despite the recent popularity of “throwbacks”, particularly the Braves’ uniforms of the ’70′s (all due thanks to Hank Aaron), the “tomahawk” underneath the cursive “Braves” is iconic. From Warren Spahn to the Atlanta dynasty of the ’90′s, this is a very distinct look.

 

A's9. Kansas City / Oakland Athletics (1963-1984) Thanks to the colorful owner, Charlie Finley, the Kansas City A’s wore yellow and green uniforms for the first time in ’64. They also retained the classic “A” logo brought from Philadelphia creating one of the more recognizable uniforms in sports.

 

Giants8. New York / San Fransico Giants (1933-1935 / 1949-present)  The classic “NY” logo had been in place for years when the black and orange color scheme first appeared in the early ’30′s. The colors lasted a few seasons but were brought back in ’49.  Since Bobby Thompson hit the “shot heard round the world” in the ’51 playoff and Willie Mays’ catch in the ’54 World Series, the Giants home uniform is legendary. 

 

cardinals blue7. St. Louis Cardinals (1973-1984)  The best of the “powder blues”, the Cardinals’ road uniforms of the ’70′s and ’80′s is the most memorable retro look ever. Thanks to Ozzie Smith and the renaissance of retro sports fashion, the classic “cardinals on the bat” logo across a blue jersey has been immortalized.

 

Reds6. Cincinnati Reds (forever)  The oldest “professional” team in history, the Reds have worn their classic red and white uniforms since the beginning. Like the Cubs, they have also worn a “C”on their chest. Over the years they’ve had red pinstripes and even blue or black outlines. The sleeveless jerseys of the ’50′s and ’60′s were badass!

 

Red Sox shirt5. Boston Red Sox (1908-present)  After the 1907 season the old National League club in Boston changed their primary color from red to blue. The owner of the American League club, John Taylor, then adopted red as their new color, along with a new nickname; “Red Sox”. With legendary players such as Ted Williams and Carl Yastremski, the classic “Red Sox” on the shirt and “B” on the hat has been almost synonymous with baseball and forever linked to another all-time great uniform.

 

tigers shirt4. Detroit Tigers (1905-present) The Tigers have worn the same, old english, “D” on their hats and home shirts since Ty Cobb. A classic uniform like this deserves to be in my top five for it’s historically elegant look. The old cursive blue “Detroit” across the front of their roads deserves my liking as well.

 

st-louis-cardinals-jersey-home3. St Louis Cardinals (1922-present)  The Cardinals have always worn the appropriate red and white uniforms but it’s the “birds on the bat” logo that has to be one of the most famous and recognizable images in all of sports. Whether in their home whites or in their road grays, you will always see those two birds perched on a bat with the cursive “Cardinals” underneath. Beautiful!

 

dodgers shirt2. Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers (1938-present)  “Dodger Blue”;  Although the club started wearing blue with the old Brooklyn “B” logo as far back as 1915, it wasn’t until 1938 that the classic “Dodger Blue” hats and lettering became the permanent design. Even after the team moved to Los Angeles in ’57 the Dodger uniform has been synonymous with baseball. Almost my number one, but then you have the…..

 

yankees shirt1. New York Yankees (1920-present)  As a Red Sox fan, I hate to say that the best uniform of all-time has to be the Yankee pinstripes. No other uniform in all of sports is more recognizable. People all around the world wear Yankee hats with the classic interlocking “NY”. When you hear the word “pinstripes” you think New York Yankees. From Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, to Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter, this uniform has been worn by more legends than any other uniform in all of sports it’s not even funny. Hands down!

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Dec 17

Nick Saban’s Wife Terri States “Nick No Longer Feels The Joy Of Winning.”

Categories:

NCAA, Opinion Spot

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Recent reports have surfaced that Nick Saban is no longer feeling challenged by the college game.

According to his wife Terri, “Nick no longer feels the joy of winning.” A strong statement from the person who has the most access to the man’s innermost intimate thoughts and feelings.

The recent quotes have Crimson Tide fans panicking like a moonshiner who just saw headlights in the bushes and has given journalists fuel to add to the fire that is the NFL coaching carousel.

However, those who believe Nick Saban is considering a return to the pro game (unless he says he won’t be the San Diego coach, then he’s basically a Charger)  are going to be in for a surprise when the greatest college coach since Bear Bryant spurns pursuing suitors.

Saban was so unhappy in his first NFL stint that he began to search for college jobs just six weeks into his second season.

Saban was so unhappy in his first NFL stint that he began to search for college jobs just six weeks into his second season.

If Alabama defeats Notre Dame next month in the BCS Championship game, Nick Saban will retire from coaching altogether.

Why would Saban go out so soon? Simple, the man isn’t stupid.

“But why wouldn’t he give one more crack at the pro game?” Well, let me answer this question with a question. Why did Saban go back to college football? That answer is because he was unhappy in the NFL. So why would a man who is unhappy where he is just go back to the unhappy place that drove him there to begin with?

Saban’s personality is flawed to where he is a control freak. They call him the Nicktator for a reason.

During his only stint in the NFL, he demanded full control of the Miami Dolphins from the on-field operations, all the way up to making the final personnel decisions. Along with total control, he demanded unlimited access to then owner, Wayne Huizenga’s personal jet.

The amount of power and demands were something that was characteristic of a big time college coach. Successful college coaches are big fishes in what are usually smaller ponds. Towns like Tuscaloosa, Alabama, South Bend, Indiana, State College, Pennsylvania, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana all fit this description and when the football program is running on all cylinders, the head football coach is more influential than the state governor.

The coach in these communities are often times unquestioned (See Penn State child abuse case) and worshiped like Gods. When Saban brought LSU it’s first national title since the 1950’s in 2003, his legacy in the state of Louisiana had already been written for him and all the way up to his great grandchildren.

 

 

College football icons like Bear Bryant (pictured) are viewed as Gods as opposed to football coaches. These men can't handle being questioned.

College football icons like Bear Bryant (pictured) are viewed as Gods as opposed to football coaches. These men can’t handle being questioned.

The NFL is a much more unforgiving business. When teams fail to compete on the field or don’t live up to expectation even just once—the head coach is held accountable. The media outlets in the smaller college towns don’t have the balls to test the patience and anger of a Nick Saban as the larger newspapers in Miami, New York, and Chicago could care less if you’re Nick Saban, Bill Belicheck, or the Cookie Monster.

If you upset the coach in a college town, there is fear you will be ostracized and not allowed into future press conferences. A radio reporter in Arkansas was fired because she forgot her Razorbacks hat and wore a Gators hat in the rain instead. The reporter was a graduate of the University of Florida and after a phone call from Bobby Petrino, the poor young lady was fired. That’s the kind of power these men hold. The NFL doesn’t allow a coach to bar any member of the media from press conferences. No matter how much they may agitate them.

Saban’s ego would also have him demand full control of the rosters once again. You don’t want that. Look at his draft history. In two drafts, only three of his players remain in the NFL. None are starters and only one of them made a pro bowl that many people believe he didn’t deserve (Ronnie Brown 2008).

Need a quarterback? Don’t let Saban find him. In the 2005 draft, Saban passed on Aaron Rodgers in favor of Auburn runningback, Ronnie Brown. After the Dolphins finished a surprising 9-7 on the heels of a dominant defense, he turned his attention to finding a franchise quarterback. Two quarterbacks coming off injury were available for the Dolphins taking: Daunte Culpepper and Drew Brees.

Despite Brees begging Saban to offer him a contract, Saban decided to go with Culpepper who was coming of a completely restructured knee as opposed to a quarterback who was coming of a shoulder injury. We all know how that story ended.

Don’t get me wrong, there is no coach who is better at X’s and O’s on the defensive side of the ball than Saban. Ask Tom Brady, whose last shutout came at the hands of the Nicktator’s Dolphins defense in 2006. Unfortunately for Saban, the duties of being an effective NFL head coach are much deeper than just X’s and O’s. You must be the CEO of the team, delegate responsibilities, trust your employees, and give them some freedom. Saban is completely incapable of that.

Nick Saban's statue already joined those of previous Bama coaches who won national titles. What else does he have to accomplish?

Nick Saban’s statue already joined those of previous Bama coaches who won national titles. What else does he have to accomplish?

If  the Crimson Tide follow the script and bring home their third national title in four years, then Nick Saban will have to look in the mirror and figure out the next step in his life.

Four titles in ten years would easily make him crowned the best coach since the Bear retired in 1982; however, if Saban is unhappy and not finding joy in coaching the college game then it may be time for him to search for that elsewhere.

Whether it may mean a couple years away from the game or a permanent retreat from coaching altogether, we are certain that he won’t find that happiness in National Football League.

A place where control freaks either quit or end up fired.  And you better believe Nick Saban’s last gig won’t end with him being shown the door. No way in Hell. He simply won’t let it.

The man is in complete control.

4 comments

Dec 05

What’s In A Name?

Categories:

NBA, Opinion Spot

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As early as next season the New Orleans Hornets may become the New Orleans Pelicans. I repeat, Pelicans. Doesn’t it have a nice ring to it? It just rolls right off the tongue. And what could be more intimidating than a Pelican? Owner Tom Benson will also be changing their colors from teal and purple to red, gold and navy blue. And he’ll also be signing Will Ferrell.

Throughout sports history there have been some pretty lame team nicknames. And even today, the college and minor league landscape is full of them. But for a professional basketball team to name themselves the Pelicans really just tells me we’re running out of ideas, or at least people with any good ones.

We all know that sports is also business and any owner can change their name and uniforms as they like or even relocate just as any business owner has the right to. But for the rest of us this leads to a continuously confusing game of musical chairs between franchises and fan bases, that forever throws the sports-universe out of whack.

I know it will never happen, but in a perfect world, New Orleans, Charlotte and Utah would all swap names. That way the Jazz would be back in the Big Easy, the Hornets and their bee-hive court would be back in Charlotte and, sorry Utah, you’d get the Bobcats. At least a cat name there would be believable. Name one Jazz musician from Utah.

But since we don’t live in a perfect world, there should be some guidelines for team nicknames. Here are just three simple suggestions that would hopefully prevent lame names:

1. It has to be relevant to the city or region where the team is located. At least the New Orleans Pelicans fits this criteria, for the brown pelican is the Louisiana state bird. (Sorry Laker fans, but how many lakes are in LA again?)

2. Unless your team has a classic name like the Celtics or Lakers it ought to sound tough and intimidating or at least cool. After all sports is all about mental and physical toughness. Even some 5-year-olds playing t-ball would be ashamed to wear a pelicans jersey. What are you, a bunch of pelicans?! Get out there!

3. This one wouldn’t be a must, but it would be better if teams stuck to plural names. If you have no idea what your mascot or logo would be, then you probably shouldn’t name your team after it. Thunder, Magic, Heat etc. And the WNBA is full of these names. The Fever, Storm, Sky etc. Also, what do you call a player on one of these teams? Are Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu magicians?

I guess the obvious reason for all these lame new names is that all the good ones are taken. We’ve pretty much exhausted the entire animal kingdom. We’ve used up almost every type of warrior, soldier etc. And we’ve even used up ones like rockets and pistons or any other kind of machine that kicks ass.

So now we’re getting teams like the Pelicans because all of the cool bird names are taken. But at least we’re not getting another team named after some kind of cat. I think we have enough of those. For the love of God, no more cat names!

To finish off this rant, here are a few other undeserving professional sports nicknames that shouldn’t make the cut:

Toronto Raptors (Jurassic Park was hip at the time. You had to be there)

Washington Wizards (this even worse than magicians)

Calgary Flames (this is an oxymoron if I’ve ever heard one)

Nashville Predators (this is extremely vague)

Minnesota Wild (again vague but even lamer)

1 comment

Nov 14

The Lie and PR Disaster that is the Miami Marlins….

Categories:

MLB, Opinion Spot

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The Dolphins are no longer the most dysfunctional team in their city and for once it appears Miami has the brightest young prospect in the city with rookie Ryan Tannehill. Today the Miami Marlins are being laughed at from fans and MLB organizations all around the country.

I myself laughed for a brief moment at this team’s despair; however, we need to acknowledge how many hoops and favors were done to keep this team in Miami. The ten plus year fight to get this team a new stadium came at the sacrifice of the taxpayers and maybe Miami’s most treasured landmark: the Orange Bowl. An unpopular decision that risked many political careers and arguably hurt one of the most storied program’s in college football.

By this horrible trade that we all should know by now, the Miami Marlins owe an apology, not just one but several.

If you aren’t aware of the trade which transpired by now, then let me break some news to you. The Marlins just traded Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, John Buck, and Emilio Bonifacio for a washing machine, six pack of Molson’s, and a VHS version of Cool Runnings.

As a condition in building this new ummmm…. night club of a baseball stadium (let’s be real and call it how we see it), the fish had to spend more cash and that they did. Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Heath Bell, and Ozzie Guillen were all bought in to make the Marlins the splash of the 2012 season.

Instead, the Marlins never really got on track. Heath Bell forgot how to close a game, Reyes forgot how to hit, and Ozzie spent most of his time catching up on the teachings of Karl Marx. Bunch that in with injuries (JJ and Giancarlo “Mike” Stanton) and the Marlins once promising season turned into a disaster. Things got so bad in Miami that HBO canceled it’s reality show “The Season” as it tried to capture the day to day drama of a Major League Baseball team.

Jeffrey Loria lied to his fans and the politicians of the state of Florida. Sacrificing the Orange Bowl and Miami’s heritage in the process.

By trading away all these assets for a washing machine, six pack of Molson, and a VHS version of Cool Runnings we are all well within our right to demand an apology.

Why? Because we all paid something to see this sorry excuse of a team get it’s precious new stadium. As a Dolphins fan you were forced to give up several games where you witnessed this awful infield in the field of play. In the 2003 playoff run, the Dolphins lost a turning point game against New England in which Olindo Mare missed two potential game-winning field goals off the infield dirt. Any kicker will tell you that the dirt makes kicking a football substantially more difficult.

As part of our Florida’s heritage we saw the Orange Bowl (OB) crumble to the Dade County ground. The sport of football in Florida lost a cathedral. Sixty bowl games, the 1972 perfect Miami Dolphins, Super Bowls, state championship games, the NCAA’s longest ever home winning streak, National Championships won, wide right’s two and three, wide left, and the game that changed pro football forever: Super Bowl III (Namath’s guarantee) all took place in that building, and it was tore down for a horrible MLB team that couldn’t outdraw AAA teams or the ECHL’s Florida Everblades.

How bout the simple fact that tax dollars were used to build this eyesore? Fans deserve an apology from this team.

Jeffrey Loria lied to his fans and the politicians of the state of Florida. Sacrificing the Orange Bowl and Miami’s heritage in the process. Florida is waiting for Jeffrey Loria to issue a apology. When, or if he does issue an apology, the only question should be is, why couldn’t you get the Jays to take Billy the Marlin, too?

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Oct 26

How To Fix The Yankees In Two Months

Categories:

MLB, Opinion Spot

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These aren’t your dad’s Yankees. No, these aren’t even your older brother’s Yankees. These New York Yankees are a shell of the franchise we had grown to expect to contend for a World Series title each October. Since the epic collapse in 2004, it seems we have grown more and more accustomed to the Yankees falling short of payroll expectations.

These disappointments have become the norm in the Bronx. Who’s to blame? Is it Alex Rodriguez for failing to deliver despite his monstrous contract? Is it Curtis Granderson who hit 40+ home runs? Is it C.C. Sabathia who got smacked like a misbehaving kid in a Wal-Mart in game 4 of the ALCS? Is it the baseball Gods for injuring Derek Jeter? Or is it GM, Brian Cashman? The answer is all of the above.

It’s clear the Yankees don’t just need a facelift. They need a brand new face. Like John Travolta and Nicholas Cage in Face/Off drastic. Yes I get it, Mr. typical Yankees fan, “trade A-Rod”?! But that doesn’t solve all your issues. Your problems are philosophical. A a drastic change must be made. And changes are coming anyway with the Steinbrenner’s desire to get their payroll below $180 million. Here is a plan, though, that won’t slash payroll for the sake of saving dough.

While playing in Chicago, Kevin Youkilis proved that he still is one of the game’s most disciplined hitters

Trade A-Rod to the Miami Marlins for nothing. Yes nothing. Even dish out $80 million to pay his contract. If all the Marlins offer are Billy the Marlin and a Cuban sandwich then you take it. This frees up third base where you sign likely free agent, Kevin Youkilis. While playing in the ghetto of Chicago, Youk proved that he still is one of the game’s most disciplined hitters.His glove and bat would be an upgrade over A-Rod. And you could sign him to two or three years for a fraction of the price. And oh yeah, the whole sticking it to Boston thing rocks, too.

They should try to trade Granderson too, but the odds are that you won’t get what he’s worth. Baseball is beginning to frown on guys who hit .220 but still have a lot of pop. It doesn’t matter what park you play in. If you can’t get what he’s worth then pay the $2 million to decline his option and test the market. You won’t replace his power but you can get somebody who does the little-things more effectively.

Next I propose my most radical change. Trade Robinson Cano. I get it, New Yorkers, you’re choking on your slice of Famous Ray’s right now, but breathe slowly and don’t forget to chew. Have a Manhattan Special to wash it down. Cano is the best second baseman in baseball. He’s also in the last year of his deal and will want around $25 million a year. Not real prudent for a franchise that wants to shed salary. Cano would command two elite pitching prospects from a team with boatloads of money that has a lust for superstars (cough…Dodgers…cough).

The solid hitting, Marco Scutaro, is gold glove-caliber

The Yankees need pitching, but spending now may not be the best way to go. Remember in 2007, when the Yankees top pitching prospects where Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, and Joba Chamberlain? Well, Kennedy is now in Arizona where he’s been helter-skelter, Hughes has been up-and-down but nothing close to ace-worthy, and Chamberlain is still made of carbon paper. The Yanks need to reload with a couple of power arms while they have just enough to win now.

With all three outfield positions filled and open salary, all that remains is second-base. The Yanks need to find players who have offensive versatility, patience, speed and a glove to make their team more complete. At second base they should sign either Marco Scutaro or Orlando Hudson to a one-year-deal. Both are solid hitters with gold-glove-caliber defense.

In the outfield is a cheaper and more specified short-term solution. Go after Shane Victorino, Angel Pagan, and Cody Ross. Build a trio of solid defenders who are multicapable on the base-paths and have pop in their bats. Couple that with the short right-field porch and Yanks fans will be hearing the home-run siren all season long.

As well as a solid outfielder, Shane Victorino, is multi-capable on the base paths

HSH has filled out every lineup spot except for one and this is the wildcard pick. This player has been injury plagued his whole career while playing a physically demanding centerfield. His bat, however, is still stud-city. The Yankees should make a one year offer for Grady Sizemore to play DH. Overpay for him if you must, but this move could pay off dividends to the sound of a .290 batting average, 25-30 home-runs, and 90-100 runs-batted-in. A change of scenery and the short right-field fence could forge a beautiful marriage between Grady and the City that Never Sleeps.

If it were for moves made by HSH, the lineup would look like this:

  1. Victorino
  2. Jeter
  3. Youkilis
  4. Texeira
  5. Sizemore
  6. Ross
  7. Pagan
  8. Martin
  9. Scutaro/ Odawg

This a lineup that would win the AL East, given the Tampa Bay Rays are going to lose James Shields. The Baltimore Orioles are an exciting team but a record of 77-0 in regular-season games when leading after seven innings won’t happen again next year.

All of this would let the new young guys develop in the minors while the now, dimensional Yanks, compete with a more balanced lineup. One more aspect to cover is that is that all of these new additions are professionals and good clubhouse guys. It seems that the Yankees have been missing this kind of leadership for a while now. Jeter can’t do it alone and guys like Youkilis, Ross, and Victorino would definitely provide that. The Yankees can be fixed but it will require some clever thinking and open-mindedness from Brian Cashman. Can he deliver? We’ll find out.

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Oct 25

Week 8 Waiver Wire Wizardry

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NFL, Opinion Spot

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It’s week 8 of the NFL season which means we’re right in the heart of bye weeks. We’re also starting to see some key injuries as the season progresses. All of us fantasy owners are starting to notice glaring holes in our starting roster. A few astute owners drafted well and have good replacement options on their bench, but for the rest of us we find ourselves scouring the waiver wire for, at the very least, someone who won’t entirely screw up our week. There are gems to be had if you know where to look.

Quarterback

1. Sam Bradford STL – Although Bradford hasn’t lived up to his expectations quite yet, and he lost his favorite target in Danny Amendola to injury, he offers us fantasy owners something no other QB can offer this week, a chance to sling the ball around against the sad secondary of the New England Patriots. The Pats secondary is ranked 29th and made Mark Sanchez look like Broadway Joe. I see 20 – 25 points at least.

Running Back

1. Rashad Jennings JAX – This is an easy one. Maurice Jones-Drew went down with an injury that could derail him for weeks if not the entire year. Since the offence went through MJD it will now go through Jennings. Injuries and being stuck behind MJD on the depth chart has made Jennings first 4 years difficult, but now it’s his turn to make an impact. He faces a Packers team ranked 17th against the run. He will also catch some balls out of the backfield making him PPR friendly.

2. Phillip Tanner DAL – Not a lot of information is out yet on DeMarco Murray’s foot injury, however one thing is becoming clearer as the week progresses. Murray won’t be playing Sunday against the Giants. That leaves Felix Jones and Phillip Tanner. Jones is also battling injuries so Tanner could very well steal the touch battle against a Giants team who could be a little tired still from chasing RGIII around.

Wide Receiver

1. Santana Moss WAS – Who would have guessed the 12th year pro out of Miami would still have game? Not me, but Robert Griffin III is one heck of a quarterback, and he’s losing weapons faster than a surrendering army. Moss will benefit, in terms of looks, the most from the Fred Davis injury. A consistent 15 – 20 points a game in a PPR league isn’t crazy talk.

2. Chris Givens STL – Someone is going to catch some deep balls against the Patriots often exploited secondary. Givens is St. Louis’ homerun hitting deep threat. He might not pull down 10 catches but the few he does could go for big yards and touchdown celebrations.

Tight Ends

1. Jacob Tamme DEN– Anytime you get Drew Brees and Peyton Manning throwing lasers back and forth its fantasy point magic. This has all the makings of a shootout and Peyton likes his TE’s in the red zone. The Saints defense has been vulnerable up the middle so Tamme is a good play here.

2. Martellus Bennett NYG – Anytime you get a chance to walk onto your former boss’ fancy expensive field and stick it to him, you seize that opportunity, especially if your former boss is Jerry Jones. Bennett seems to have shaken off some early season injuries and hand a nice week last week (5 catches, 79 yards).

With that said, none of these pickups alone will win this week for you, so don’t blame HSH if you lose. But  if you need to fill out your lineup, we suggest you look at these guys.

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Oct 20

Wyoming Coach Mistakes Military Apprecation Night for Military Depreciation Night

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NCAA, Opinion Spot

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It’s been a while since we’ve heard a brutal coaching meltdown. Well, video has just surfaced of what can only be described as a cataclysm of sportsmanship. Air Force beat Wyoming last Saturday by a score of 28-27. At some point in the game, Air Force players took to the ritual which every football team in history has taken a part in, faking an injury to buy your team some time. This happens too often, especially when a team is running the no huddle offense. A defensive player will fake an injury to give the big guys on the line a break, or to sub out someone who’s exhausted. Think of it as the “flopping” of football.

Dave Christensen, Wyoming’s head coach, wasn’t having it. He exploded in an expletive laced rant directed towards Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun as the two met to shake hands after the game.

Well, actually, the video starts with the Wyoming coach turning and giving a nice “F you!” to a passing Air Force player.

Stay classy, coach!

There were many F-bombs dropped, and it was actually pretty funny. Any time a grown man screams at another “Look at me, Mr. F-ing Howdy Doody!” it’s a video worth watching. Towards the end of the rant, Christensen’s daughter actually comes to restrain him, but that doesn’t work out to well. By this point, the Wyoming coach was already retreating towards his team’s locker room. Of course, the whole time he was moving away from Calhoun, he was screaming at him to do the same. It was like a scene straight from the play ground at my elementary school. One kid yelling at another while walking away screaming “Hold me back! Hold me back!”

The video took a turn for the even worse.

Christensen then dropped the biggest bomb of them all. Now, the remark he made was aimed souly at Calhoun, but what he said can be seen as disrespectful to everyone who has ever been in the Air Force, and I would imagine, to some degree, every branch of the military. By telling Calhoun to “Go give your f-ing press conference, fly boy!” on military appreciation night no less, you have just pissed off at minimum, the nearly 500,000 members of the USAF, not to mention their families and friends. It crossed the line.

Way to disrespect an entire branch of the military that protects your freedoms every day, Coach. That’s something you want to show your grand kids someday, right? “Look, there’s Grandpa offending half a million people with 2 words.”

One of the main points Christensen harks on during his rant is the lack of ethics shown by Air Force. You shouldn’t do your best to match that lack of ethics after the game, coach. Lead by example. Ever heard of it? You’re only a head coach of a NCAA football team. Maybe that lesson slipped past you.

The video is below and contains graphic language.

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Oct 12

The Yankees Postseason Drama is Starting to Heat Up

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MLB, Opinion Spot

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As a Yankees fan, the past two nights have been a roller coaster. Wednesday night was like riding up the initial incline. The game was moving so slow, with no real action. Derek Jeter got hurt and I nearly soiled myself. But, he’s The Captain, so of course he stayed in. Until he didn’t stay in, late in the game, replaced by Jayson Nix. Now we’re nearing the top of the incline, ready to climb over the hill and start the thrill of loopty loops. The lump in my throat was about the size of a watermelon. I was actually nervous. I mean, yeah, it’s the Yankees, and they’re SUPPOSED to have the Yankee magic show up late in games, especially in the playoffs. Still, I was a wreck.

In the bottom of the 9th, Yankees skipper Joe Girardi pinch hit for Alex Rodriguez, who, at the time was boasting an amazing .111 batting average in the playoffs and I thought, “He can’t be serious, right? I mean I know he’s struggling, but it’s A-Rod. The guy with 647 career home runs. The guy with a .300 career batting average. The guy who craps the bed every time he has an opportunity to make a big play when his team needs him the most. Screw it. Raaauuuuuuuuuuuul!”

Girardi’s move was genius. Raul Ibanez’s two HRs? The 2nd in walk off fashion? So clutch. So unbelievably clutch. He earned his pin stripes with two swings. He could have been 0 for the rest of the year, hit those two home runs, and still be considered clutch.

Hands up. Smile on my face. Ready for the camera to take my picture so I can pay the $15 that amusement parks get you for those roller coaster pictures. At this point, I’d pay $50.

Thursday night was the low end. I thought for sure the Yankees would come out and treat the Orioles like they were the Orioles and send them back to Baltimore riding in the bed of the “Buck Truck.” Not so fast. We had ourselves another barn burner, tied 1-1 going in to the bottom of the 9th. This time, A-Rod wouldn’t come up. He did in the 11th, and grounded out to short. How exciting. So, we move in to extras, and the O’s take a one run lead in the top of the 13th on a double by JJ Hardy.

That was the part of the ride when you realize you just did 2 flips, and you’re getting close to the end of the ride. There could be one more big surprise coming, but you’re pretty sure around the next turn is the loading area for the next group of passengers.

Girardi’s response? Let Eric Chavez hit for A-Rod. ERIC CHAVEZ? The guy hitting .000 in the playoffs? I mean I know A-Rod is struggling, but even he’s batting .125. But ERIC CHAVEZ? I’m one of the biggest supporters of giving yourself the best chance to win, even if that means taking a top 5 player of the last 15 years out of the game. But ERIC CHAVEZ? The last time he was anything closely related to good was 15 years ago!

With two outs in the bottom of the 13th and down to their final out of the game, Chavez did exactly what everyone except Eric Chavez expected him to do. Hit it right at somebody. Game over. Series tied.

That’s the part o the ride where you’re getting off the roller coaster and you realized that you were so excited for a ride that you stood in line for 2 hours for, and the entirety of the actual ride was 30 seconds. I felt gypped.

The thing that really sticks out to me from these two games is the trust that no one has in A-Rod. No one questioned Girardi’s pinch hitting for one of the best hitters of all time on Wednesday because it worked. But what if it hadn’t? What if Raul Ibanez grounded out to 2nd? Would Girardi still have taken Rodriguez out of game 4 in extra innings?

Yankee fans already don’t know what to think about A-Rod anymore. Admitting he juiced seems to have really taken a toll on him. He’s definitely on the decline, which is normal for a baseball player who’s 37 years old, who’s been in the Majors since he was 18. But he’s also been one of the best players in the league, and arguably of all time over 15 of those 19 years.

Does he deserve to go out on his own terms, a la Chipper Jones? Do the Yankees owe that to him? He won two of this three MVPs while playing for the Bombers. He won a ring in 2009, the first year in the new Yankee Stadium. But, he’s Mr. Un-Clutch, always disappearing when the team needs him the most. It’s unfortunate that’s what he’ll likely be remembered for, especially by Yankee fans. He’s had a great career, but it’s coming to a close a lot quicker than he or a lot of us Yankee fans would have like to see. It almost came out of nowhere. In 2010, he hit 30 HRs and had 125 RBIs. That’s a year that any player would like to have. Then, the bottom fell out from underneath him.

Injuries had a lot to do with it. Age had a lot to do with it. His mental makeup had a lot to do with it. It’s almost like he finally “got it” in 2009, only to get it too much by 2011. He used to want the spot light too much. Now, he doesn’t want it enough.

The sun is setting on Alex Rodriguez’s career. It probably has been the past 2 seasons. Instead of sitting back and enjoying the beauty of the sunset, and realizing how powerful that sun was, we’re criticizing how fast the sun is setting. Once the lower portion of the sun hits the horizon, it’s like a free fall, and we don’t have a lot of time to admire it’s beauty. Now’s the time to admire the beauty that was A-Rod’s peak years.

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