Name: Jonathan
Web Site: http://www-sportsnation.blogspot.com
Bio: Name: Jonathan Mathis DOB: 09-06-85 Hometown: Cerritos, California We all have starting points in our lives. Mine, started at Cypress College, where I became a baseball beat writer for the campus newspaper and website, CyChron. Months later, I established a blog site called Sportsnation, invented for the hottest topics in sports. But I now have finally advanced to new heights by joining B/R, and have been given the privilege to share commentary and my perference on sports with all the talented writers here. I want to say to the other writers here at B/R that your unique style makes sports writing fun and interesting, and I couldn't be more elated to be apart of such a brand of talented writers. I'm here to write on anything sports, building upon a future to pursue a career as a national sports columnist. Currently, I'm attending Cypress Community College, and only if I could somehow pass the damn math classes, I'll be well on my way to Cal State Fullerton to work on a bachelor degree in journalism. But here at B/R, I'm seeking to write articles and interest fans who admires sports. Although I'm fair to all sports teams, and write just about all sports, I still have my favorite sports teams. The Lakers and Angels are my favorites, but I show my California love by rooting for the Dodgers. I perfer the Angels, since I just live 20 minutes away from Angel Stadium, well, to some extent. Still, in my point of view, sports is sports my fellow fans and writers. So let's all do what we do best, write on a major sporting event or a major sporting topic.
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The Latest Reality Show: Terrell Owens Drama Airing in Cincinnati
July 28th, 2010
The latest reality show called T.O. Drama hijacks the airwaves in Cincinnati, beyond all the possible circumstances of dividing as a bonding core and plunging mightily at the earliest of September, becoming the epicenter of arguably the biggest tragicomedy in sports.
It’s a risky combination and the most perilous experiment in football, assembling together diva-like receivers with cancerous symptoms of dismantling a franchise’s morale and chemistry. As the most despised NFL star, Terrell Owens is the most controversial receiver with an egomaniacal behavior, demanding the football and crying when he’s not getting enough touches.
It’s baffling that the Cincinnati Bengals are getting the popcorn ready, to witness the most dangerous reality show, to witness a temperamental receiver cause confrontation and isolate a franchise with his self-centered attitude. In the meantime, Owens and Chad Ochocinco’s relationship is unconditional love, of course, as neither has played their first game together, but are evidently close friends and have an amiable bond.
At some point, realizing that Terrible Owens is a curiosity in football either when he’s unemployed or emerging as the famous nuisance on reality shows, we can revisit the previous teams that corroded because of Owens’ dysfunction and development as a saboteur. It’s a marriage of controversy, a relationship expected to weaken early in the regular season as mood swings and infighting chaos are looming ever so quickly.
For all the abuse San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, and somewhat Buffalo took, fans in any other town than Cincinnati are laughing at the clowns of the league for gambling on a dangerous and worthless S.O.B. Once, he was allowed numerous chances to enrich a miserable psyche and polish as the most talented wideout, gifted at running routes and physically bringing in an astonishing catch, but he’s a declining receiver with the knack to launch reality shows on VH1 and be represented as a celebrity bust, rather than a football bust.
So, it’s simple to discern that bringing in Terrible Owens are signs of trouble, and the most horrific blunder by reaching an agreement with a mischief maker. If you don’t think Owens agreeing to a one-year, $2 million contract with a potential $2 million more in incentives is crazy, well, you obviously haven’t seen him yelling at teammates or throwing hissy fits with coaches on the sideline or haven’t seen him generating tirades and blaming all his foolish stunts on the media.
When it comes to Terrible Owens, the arrival of an uncivilized star spells trouble. When it comes to Terrible Owens, reaching a deal is a warning sign of hazardous episodes and the demise of one troubled superstar, engulfed by publicity madness, drama, and baggage to downsize a team’s assurance. By now, we are burned out of Owens’ me-myself-and-I practices, irritating our consciousness and the way we perceive a petulant veteran who usually at times conduct himself as an inexperience rookie, as if he’s still finding his way in the league.
As usual, Owens will drain the executives, coaching staff, and teammates in the Bengals organization, particularly if the team doesn’t compromise within his stingy and greedy demands. Why is he worth the hassle? By entering his 15th NFL season, he has accomplished unforeseen feats, an explosive receiver with inconceivable agility and crafty footwork, ranking third in career receiving yards and touchdowns and sixth in receptions.
The good-case scenario is that he provides veteran leadership and performs at the highest level alongside teammate Ochocinco, to form a receiver tandem in limbo. But the worst-case scenario is that he tears down chemistry and spirit by initiating rampages and havoc inside the locker room for jealousy and insecurity of his peers and teammates, accumulating more touches or regards.
“It’s really, really interesting we can be on the same team and work together,” Ochocinco said Tuesday on ESPN’s SportsCenter.
To refresh everyone’s memory, he lasted two seasons in Philadelphia and always had heated feuds with quarterback Donovan McNabb by verbally attacking teammates and throwing tantrums on the sidelines. Remember, he cried and created a ruckus in Dallas, initiating tiring feuds that were advertised publicly when he feuded with quarterback Tony Romo, irritated because he wasn’t getting enough touches or participating in a high-powered offense.
Remember, his disturbing antics forced loyal owner Jerry Jones to release a problematic Owens, whose babyish disruptions were very ravaging within a franchise. Remember, he spent eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, exploding when he attacked Jeff Garcia and insulted his quarterback by calling him gay.
As a well-known diva, it was a risky move for the Bengals, who advanced to the playoffs last season and had enough talent and problems. It’s bad enough that owner Mike Brown is a dauntless businessman willing to take gambles and lobby for rebellious players. If anything, he’s not concerned with building a depleted franchise with unlawful players, but he prefers to win a significant amount of games and advance to the playoffs, having a troubled Larry Johnson and Matt Jones, including a mobile running back Cedric Benson, who benefited on the field while running into unlawful troubles off the field.
Without carefully considering, Brown accepts a mystic Terrible Owens and welcomes the wideout to the Bengals family, based on talent and not a poor reputation. All of which, quarterback Carson Palmer, who has worked with Owens and has been “highly impressed,” is the victim of T.O. attacks if he loses his mind and self-control.
It figures that Cincinnati is Owens’ last franchise before he announces his retirement, with the aging receiver’s style suddenly declining and approaching the late stages of his disillusioning career. It’s a tremendous opportunity for T.O. to mellow as the innocent sports figure and prove to all the populace that he’s not such a villain or franchise suicide, garnering a sense the world revolves around Terrible Owens.
He must discard all the diva acts, an annoying trend needless within a franchise on a mission, so maybe it’s his last resort for avoiding unemployment and salvaging job security and maybe it’s his last resort at thriving with a championship-caliber team and winning a title.
Then again, maybe he’ll be the crybaby that will mope over the amount of touches and receptions. Then again, maybe at the end of the season Marvin Lewis, who is responsible for babysitting Terrible Owens, may have to stroll to the nearest Babies “R” Us and stick a pacifier in Owens’ mouth for weeping and bickering.
“Yes, people can make mistakes,” said Brown. “It doesn’t mean that they go on the rest of their lives making mistakes. They can get their ship pointed in the right direction. This is a 36-year-old man. He’s been through a lot. He’s proven as a player and as a person.”
He’s a little baby and cries out loud. It’s common that he’ll excel and blend in well at the beginning, but as time carries on, he could become the attention-seeker and create havoc, especially when the team is performing poorly and losing a critical amount of games.
Oftentimes, he has blamed ESPN for defaming a troubled reputation and exposing erroneous images. Now, it’s the worldwide leader in sports fault, if he acts like a foolish dimwit, unwilling and blinded by the truth. It’s the actions of Owens, not a television network or Internet source that he deeply targets and holds accountable.
“The teams I’ve been on, if you ask in that locker room how I’ve been as a teammate and as a person, it’s contradictory to what’s been displayed out there,” Owens said. “I’ve never been in any trouble. I know right from wrong. I try to make the right choices and judgments when I’m out in the public.
“It’s not like I can’t play. There is some type of influence that they’re making in the minds of teams and owners and GMs. I feel like I have enough talent to be a starter on any team. That’s what’s so frustrating.”
At anytime, he could lose his mind, throw a hissy fit, and verbally attack teammates. At anytime, Owens’, Ochocinco’s and Palmer’s egos may helplessly collide. With the poor character of Terrible Owens, anything is possible. You never know.
If you are tuning in to the latest reality show, your regularly scheduled program could be cancelled, allowing Terrible Owens to return to “The T.O. Show,” or even Oprah or Dr. Phil for some advice on how to avoid dysfunction. As we all know, Ochocinco appeared on “Dancing With the Stars” and currently starring in a dating show called “Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch.” It’s easy to postulate that they are obsessed with popularity and attention, but also have mental and personal issues.
There’s a reality show in Cincinnati. It’s called the “Team of Dysfunction.”
Oh, Lord…
Lane Kiffin Welcomes in Sins at USC, But Overlooks Red Flags
July 27th, 2010
Here in the origin of Southern California, a prestigious university is tattered in tremendous dysfunction and tainted with all the latest sanctions and scandals at USC. But it turns out Lane Kiffin is back in the news as horrid headlines surfaced of the scrutinized coach, hated for fleeing a program after recruiting nine prospects and committing allegedly six infractions at Tennessee.
If the pedigree at USC is embracing triumph, then the coveted program must regret ever hiring Kiffin, who has committed dreadful sins and selfishly walked out on Tennessee, departing Rocky Top and traveled to Hollywood. By reputation, however, he’s the most despised citizen in football, an outlandish collegiate coach encountering such litigation as the Tennessee Titans filed a lawsuit against a misbehaved buffoon.
If he endures in flirting with coaches and asking kids to skip out on class sessions to enroll at USC, the scandals and poison will stain a corrupted program. But it’s obvious that his frequent pattern of troubles is incurable, with his arrogance and self-indulgence to run a fraudulent business and rise above the law. In this predicament, though, he’s not enabled to avoid legal actions, or escape the bad karma of leaving a program in a maelstrom.
In all likelihood, the recent sins are a red flag of utter ruination among an elite program. As he arrived to USC with an unproven track record, he was hastily justified as the finest recruiter at a premium, but the Trojans desperately brought aboard Kiffin, blinded of his uncivil departure and immoralities.
Fourteen months spent at Tennessee, he failed to enlighten and lead a program in football’s best conference, and led the Volunteers to merely a 7-6 record with several infractions. Then lastly, he bailed out when a job opportunity opened at USC. It was a joke as the players he recruited meant nothing at Tennessee.
But it’s a hiring the Trojans will regret as his alleged infractions were archetypes of doom and torment, sauntering into a school with traditionally modest standards and pure accomplishments. For instance, he forayed into the Tennessee Titans, a franchise furious of his cowardice and arrogance in stealing an employee on the eve of training camp, and wrongly hired running backs coach Kennedy Pola as his offensive coordinator.
“I am very disappointed in Lane Kiffin’s approach to this,” coach Jeff Fisher told the Tennessean Saturday. “Typically speaking, when coaches are interested in hiring or discussing potential employment from coaches on respective staffs, there is a courtesy call made from the head coach or athletic director indicating there is interest in talking to an assistant.
“So I am very disappointed in the lack of professionalism on behalf of Lane, to call me and leave me a voice mail after Kennedy had informed me he had taken the job. It is just a lack of professionalism.”
All you need to know about Kiffin is that he’s a sham who really isn’t a recruiting expertise, but instead a phony and sordid moron. He indeed plays fast and loose with the rules and violates NCAA principles, which are prohibited or unnecessary.
It’s very abnormal that a lawsuit is filed against a coach, unless its Kiffin crucified and ridiculed for a Lane Violation of breaching the law and protocol regularly. This is the beginning of a controversy and the latest dirt at USC. Pathetically, he lied directly in the faces of trustees during his introduction at Heritage Hall and also pledged that he’d never commit immoralities months ago.
Consider it a red flag, folks.
The hyperbole of iniquities is that he cannot be trusted, and the unlawful attitude won’t cease, either. He’s not aiming for prosperity, but thriving as a way to beat the system and has been very unsuccessful. A few days removed from the university ousting all the dreadful sins of poisoning and tarnishing the etiquette of a school as well as the prestige, USC returned its replica of Reggie Bush’s Heisman trophy, getting rid of the images of a former star tailback.
Just recently, low-keyed, stolid athletic director Mike Garrett was dismissed and replaced with stern Pat Haden, who emphasizes spotless and compliant reversal. But as long as Kiffin is inhuman and tries acting intelligent in bamboozling the system, USC will endure a pattern of infamy and rebelliousness.
The oblivion eventually becomes a clearer understanding as to why the good people dislike Kiffin. First of all, the Titans are suing the fool and USC for “maliciously” hiring Pola, who left the Titans for Southern California, “inducement of breach of contract.”
Secondly, in his tenure at Tennessee, he was hired as the head coach of one of the most prestigious programs in collegiate football, but blew his reputation and had two players booted off the roster for an attempted armed robbery. And thirdly, the NCAA is still investigating whether the program used recruiting hostesses.
“We’re going to have a culture of compliance. We’re going to think about it in the morning, think about it before we go to bed,” Haden said. “We’re going to have issues, but we’ll fess up and be better than the way we have been. We have to do better. We don’t have any choices here. We stub our toe, there’s going to be some problems.”
The least proudest is entering president Max Niklas and begins officially on Aug. 3. But he elaborated on the ongoing burlesque in college football.
“USC, which experiences both the opportunities and challenges involved with a high-profile athletics program at a global hub, will seek to excel in the coming years in a manner that is consistent with the highest values of the academy…The Trojan family honors and respects the USC sporting careers of those persons whose actions did not compromise their athletic program or the opportunities of future USC student-athletes.”
When he previously finished 5-15 in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders, he failed miserably but wasn’t given a chance to predicate a proven capacity, and was accused of deceiving a sullied owner Al Davis, who referred to Kiffin as a “flat-out liar.” And months later, he literally finished with an identical track record and left the Vols in favor of USC.
The athletic director of Tennessee Mike Hamilton was unhappy of his departure, and fans were setting fires and vandalizing city property in the state incensed of his abandonment. The caveat of the recent obstacles is traces of a coaching job in uncertainty and would be jeopardized for all the misconducts, if USC evaluates Kiffin’s latest impurity.
“He is my coach, and I love my coach,” Haden said. “I don’t want to say we’re not going to have any issues. We will. We’re going to have guys whispering in our guys’ ears, but we’re going to do our best. I don’t think we’re going to have a problem with compliance with Lane. I think he knows where we’re coming from.”
Not when he’s committing sins, again. He impetuously stole Pola. So, he’s not an excellent recruiter after all, but a sham. When he was first hired by USC, I actually felt he blended in well as the Trojans head coach, but now he’s a regrettable hiring, one the university needs to carefully consider dismissing.
Andre Dawson Obtains Hall Pass On a Day Worthiness Is Answered
July 26th, 2010
On this heartwarming day, as the raindrops fell softly before a beautiful rainbow glowed overhead at the baseball town known as Cooperstown, maybe it was the endearing, informal speech, or maybe it was his posture when he took the podium humbled, hearing his name enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
There were times, of course, when Andre Dawson wasn’t expected of being acknowledged as a Hall of Famer, omitted by many populace devoted to the game of baseball. It’s a rhetorical understanding that he was always disregarded and had to wait nine elections anxiously for a hallowed moment, a chance to feel the intense gratification of having his name engraved at Cooperstown.
In his playing days, he was an endearing star and stood as an admired icon because of his singular exploits and humility as the finest slugger with the then-Montreal Expos during an accomplished era. In a sense, it worked in his favor, becoming merely the 203rd player in the game’s history inducted into the Hall.
“Thank you for welcoming this rookie to your team” said Dawson, who wore a Montreal uniform for 10 seasons before joining the Chicago Cubs as a free agent. “It’s an honor beyond words. I didn’t play this game with this goal in mind, but I’m living proof that if you love this game, the game will love you back. I am proof that any young person who can hear my voice right now can be standing here as I am.”
The words of inspiration alone tells us he was worthy of an incredible award. So each year, the Baseball Writer’s Association ignored the purity and qualifications of Dawson, especially when it’s a game obsessed with numbers and milestones, a trait and symbolic feature recognized all over the baseball society. However, it was a different notion for the man who appeared in the All-Star Game eight times, with 438 homers, 2,774 hits, 1,591 RBIs and 314 stolen bases in a remarkable career, all while serving a 20-year tenure.
Likewise, he acknowledged that the writers have the leverage in votes.
“You don’t hear any negativity about people in the Hall of Fame,” Dawson said. “How voting goes remains to be seen. You (writers) have always been the experts.”
What man gives credit to the writers? Not many players offer appreciation to writers, but more than anything, are critical of a writer’s stance and demeanor. When he arrived as a rookie in 1977, the hippie era including a phase most wore stylish afros, he was marked as a pseudo in the game and left us suspicious whether he was evidently a juicer at threshold of the Steroid Era.
Things have begun to elicit much questioning and skepticism in the caveat of the “dark side,” warning players about the latent repercussions of the usage of performance-enhancing drugs. To this day, he does garner a sense that the game is on the brink of self-destruction and believes the infected era is slowly receding.
“There’s nothing wrong with the game of baseball,” said Dawson. “Baseball will, from time to time like anything else in life, fall victim to the mistakes that people make. It’s not pleasant and it’s not right. Individuals have chosen the wrong road, and they’re choosing that as their legacy. Those mistakes have hurt the game and taken a toll on all of us.
“Others still have a chance to choose theirs. Do not be lured to the dark side. It’s a stain on the game, a stain gradually being removed.”
He slowly sauntered to the podium and microphone, maintaining open forum and absorbed the audience’s attention during his length speech, a touching moment that showed the classiness and humbleness of a deeply honored outfielder in his time. But unfortunately, Dawson’s numbers were trivial by the seductive home run surge of Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmerio, and Sammy Sosa, with the juiced era spoiling it for the innocent and spotless players.
For the first time since exiting the game, he was given an opportunity to be honored as a worthy player of the Hall and diluted an ascending legacy, a moment in his lifetime he was able to cherish as the Cubs and Expos fans roared and applauded a well-deserved athlete. On a pleasant afternoon, he was eulogized and cheered loudly by fans, accompanied by former manager Whitey Herzog, umpire Doug Harvey, broadcaster Jon Miller, and sportswriter Bill Madden, who all shared the moment and were inducted into the Hall.
In what was a touching tribute, his mellifluous public speaking went a long way, comprising of strong messages. In what was a sentimental ceremony, his eloquent words may have enlightened us. The cadence of his heartfelt, genuine speech was simply impressive, delivering a 15 to 20 minute acceptance message. With ailing knees, he stood tall and reflected on a painful career in which he endured 12 knee surgeries to mark a remarkable career.
“The initial impact was early as a result of high school football injury,” Dawson said. “The wear and tear over those 11 years, favoring that one particular knee, caused me to wear out the other knee. As it turned, I think I had eight surgeries by the time I was out of Montreal. I got to the point where I was more or less bone on bone.”
It’s never easy playing on a badly damaged knee that nearly forced Dawson to retire prematurely after his fourth season in the big leagues with the Expos before he returned to somehow write an extraordinary chapter and lasted 21 seasons in the majors. There were times, particularly following games, when he spent ample hours bathing and soaking his troubled knees, finding ways to heal career-threatening injuries.
And if there was one player who endured severe injuries, Dawson was a tough-minded outfielder with eight Gold Gloves, Most Valuable Player, and Rookie of the Year awards. Anytime a player has become one of only three players in major-league history to finish with at least 400 home runs and 300 stolen bases, he’s worthy of the Hall of Fame. Lastly, he’s in the company of Barry Bonds and Willie Mays to reach such a plateau.
As for the worthy ones elected in the Class of 2010, John Fogerty told the Hall of Famers. “You guys belong up here.”
Dawson certainly did.
Reggie Bush Void of Heisman Because of Greed: Prestige Dwindles at USC
July 24th, 2010Somewhere this week, a gifted running back is dropping his head in shame. With all the sanctions tarnishing USC a once-prestigious atmosphere for exquisite athleticism and higher education is now defaced of self-destruction and embarrassment because of arrogance and indulgence.
But with all the turmoil poisoning a regal university, casting gloom over the spacious campus, it’s elementary to believe USC priorities were glitches as the school alleged it had no awareness of the hypocrisy tainting the program.
However, the essential dismantling of collegiate sports is the manipulation of slimy agents and has emerged as the vernacular in the realm of the NCAA, sadly demolishing spirit and placing ignominy within an elite program.
It’s the ugliest fallout ever, a disgraceful and awful terminal, ousting a historic mark and a noteworthy era where the Trojans relentlessly prevailed each weekend and, as a result, won national titles and were advertised as powerhouses.
But now, the crystal ball trophies are profoundly dirty and blemished with the corruption of Reggie Bush, the star tailback whose attainments bolstered the Trojans to two national titles, while winning a bronze, stiff-armed statue for himself.
If ever there were a time to take accountability and cautionary actions, it would have been a long time ago, but the severe punishment was announced that Southern California was returning its replica of the 2005 Heisman Trophy.
The latest sanctions and annihilation, hazed under farce with four-year probation, postseason forfeits, and now the loss of one’s Heisman award, is the parody of stigma at a program that toyed with academics and the standards of education.
But it’s very mind-blowing and preposterous that the trustees aren’t accountable and somehow weren’t aware of Bush accepting $300,000, or his parents moving from an apartment to a wealthier house when sordid agents offered costless housing. All while attending USC as a “student” athlete, not a professional athlete, Bush was young and mindless.
But around the nation, of course, he’s accused as a disgraceful fraud, and he’s responsible for all the harsh sanctions. With all his achievements, nonetheless, he was unaware of what the sleazy businessmen presented and lavished to him, just as predecessor Mike Garrett had no knowledge whatsoever. The arrogance and forbearance of former athletic director stained legitimacy and a symbolic brand of traditional accomplishments.
So, as anticipated, he was booted and Pat Haden was hired to revamp a treacherous program for which rising stars are becoming fallen stars. The new president of USC Max Nikias is demanding strong character and a spotless image, ready to escape the wicked era of NCAA penalties that toppled a storied program.
The ramifications of fraud were clear, but instead Garrett was in denial and failed to take stricter measures by setting barriers for a disoriented atmosphere.
Doing so, he installed further embarrassment and inconvenience for mishandling the burlesque scandals that better defined a tainted program, battered in a national holocaust of committing infractions and making a mockery of academia.
But the successor of Garrett is handed a tougher task by playing the role of an enforcer to avoid compliance and investigations after amplifying deeply in an athletic department, suffocating under the latest sanctions and with the lack of perspicacity.
In fairness, the Heisman Trust must vacate Garrett’s trophy, too. In his tenure as the overseer of USC athletics, he allowed too much immunity and lacked knowledge. The reality of a dreadful ordeal is that he was too damn apathetic and ruined his credibility within a masterful program harmed with asterisks.
Meanwhile, Bush should be showing remorse instead of denying the truth, secretively refusing to utter the honest evidence of wrongdoing.
He’s obviously guilty of taking money and accepting improprieties, but he’s unwilling to release the truth, arrogantly endangering his wondrous legacy and respectability. It’s very unfair that the entire university is punished and liable of someone else’s wrongdoing, suffering severe penalties for a star athlete who no longer attends USC and a careless athletic director who was recently banished in a significant role.
Five years later, Bush is stripped of the Heisman for obviously taking counterfeit money and having a greedy, arrogant, self-absorbed modus. It doesn’t take long before an innocent paragon becomes the evilest enemy at an illustrious university where he represented a high-powered offense, if not only in the Pac-10, in college football, as one of the singular tailbacks in Trojans history.
Maybe it was appropriate to void his Heisman, in many ways, to avoid any nonsense of athletes bonding with manipulative agents or accepting benefits and gifts. At first, when reports surfaced of his relationship and the alleged infractions, he said that he had no involvement and the accusations were false.
He lied.
That was a common perception of Bush refusing to confess in violating the NCAA rule, which prohibits the acceptance of benefits and improprieties. He crippled his description as the best, most explosive running back in USC history, he ruined believability, and lastly, he ravaged the Trojans, who now have to live and suffer with disgrace as winning national titles are out of the equation.
Surely, he was a national attraction and was highly targeted by agents with the exceptional talent he exposed regularly on the field. The hierarchy of the top running back at USC does not exist, and he’s a forgotten Trojan even when he inflated revenue in advertisements, ticket sales, scholarship funding, and team apparel.
Between a defiant Garrett, whose reign ended so miserably and embarrassingly, and Bush’s greed and unbearable stance in a despicable situation, USC badly plunges and attenuates as a relentless program. By the time Haden arrived, it felt like he transformed the culture instantly, as no one miss the incompetence of Garnett, who left a program in bedlam and nearly on life-support until Haden’s presence revived promise.
It’s very unfortunate that Bush’s spectacular season in 2005 is forgotten. In the aftermath of sanctions and infractions, he brought it on himself.
NCAA Waited Late to Crack Down on Hypocrisy, Conspiracy
July 22nd, 2010
If there is any ultimate hypocrisy denting collegiate sports, it’s because of the apathy and recklessness of the NCAA.
The same committee that allowed much to poison the prestigious image of college football, wasn’t historically stern enough to investigate a repulsive ongoing scandal.
Before the recent revelations of wannabe or legit sports agents lavishing student-athletes with a wealthier style of living, the NCAA was deceived and publicly embarrassed when dishonest college stars were duplicitous and extorting the indulgent system.
But suddenly, the NCAA is imposing severe sanctions for any wrongdoings and infractions, tarnishing the reputation of collegiate sports, and grasping a sense that athletes have had relationships with corrupted agents.
The brand of the NCAA is scams and shams as numerous schools make a mockery of academia, disrespecting the tenor and significance of education.
By now, trustees and the committees are discerned of the average student-athletes’ wishes, unlike decades ago when education represented higher value, rather than lifting to unimaginable heights at the pro level.
But now that we live in the modern age of athletics and reside in a country where the average kid dreams of blossoming as the next acclaimed superstar, it’s realistic to assume kids aren’t attending school to establish a profession as a doctor, lawyer, or even a sports writer.
As of recently, the dark and gloomy times indeed are reducing the aspects of purity and rectitude.
But more than anything, schools aren’t getting involved in the unscrupulous infractions that have created dreaded woes and expunged believability.
Four schools are under investigation for agent-related incidents, and apparently, it is only the beginning of an ugly ordeal maligning its integrity and ignoring the magnitude of amateur refinement.
There’s a nightmare brewing in the SEC with the issue of incongruities and hypocrisy as the NCAA is conducting investigations in the Southern Eastern Conference, aiming to drag down the high-powered and superior conference.
If there are top prospects committing to high-caliber universities, and older adults are capable of influencing the minds of college athletes, it’s very unlikely to jettison the scandals.
But the NCAA waited too late in cracking down on sleazy agents and allowed matters to turn worse. The probing of Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, and South Carolina are warning signs of infringement and it’s the epitome of ignorance and unawareness within an association in denial.
Years ago, the NCAA never reacted to agents or addressed the countless violations destroying a school’s pride and respectability.
Years ago, the so-called business advisers were approaching campuses and athletes awarding uneducated and unprofessional athletes with unlawful gifts and cash. It’s been a fraudulent industry, and rarely were the Infraction Committees proactive in probing misled agents, labeling collegiate sports as a disingenuous business.
Because agents are the sphere of college sports, as are athletic directors for permitting immunity and having no awareness of what strangers are introducing to their student-athletes, it’s disturbing to know that frauds and lies still exist in college sports, looming as the dirtiest crisis in the NCAA.
Greater than coaches recruiting over the phone, overworking players in practice, or hiring hostesses as a way to coax prospects into committing with the program, the NCAA mismanaged conspiracies and negated the poison of a tattered Tank Black—the former sports agent who donated payments to several Florida players.
But eventually he was charged with federal conspiracy and sentenced to seven years in prison. What’s staggering is that the NCAA refused to investigate Black and had access to public records of his payments.
That year, the Gators won the national title with the deepest and talented team in the nation, but considering that Black had a meaningful relationship with Florida, ultimately the finest program in the nation wasn’t legit and tarnished because of the misdeeds.
With all the dismal scandals, the NCAA is finally taking action and helping fortify its own cause for monitoring faulty agents, eroding an industry that profits on high-powered talent, rituals, and image.
If ever there was a time to dismiss college football, it would be a good time now, with all the latest destruction at USC.
It used to be the most prestigious university before turning into the most poisonous University for violating NCAA rules, deciding to return its replica of Reggie’s Bush Heisman trophy, and withdraw all the achievements of Bush and O.J. Mayo.
It took NCAA investigators three years to probe a malicious scandal at USC, accusing the star running back of unlawful deeds. Bush obtained $300,000 from two wannabe agents during his prosperous career with the Trojans, and his parents were given a $757,000 house.
As a way of punishing Bush for embarrassing the program and violating rules, he will be remembered as a forgotten Trojan.
It’s hardly fair to crack down on two players and insulting a pair of prolific stars who aren’t fully accountable for the Trojans infractions.
If the administrators weren’t aware, obviously Bush or Mayo weren’t aware of the scandals becoming a trend and casting hideous facades of pure college football.
Ravaged by shame, Athletic Director Mike Garrett was dismissed of overseeing the ruptured department at USC Tuesday.
The mental state of the Trojans is anything but flawless, and punishing Garrett is a severe lesson as Southern California is essentially trying to remove the indulgence and apathy in their program. His cockiness and stubbornness impaired a well-respected program, as did Pete Carroll, who is in denial and arrogantly denies the violations as well as the sanctions.
Maybe he fled Southern California for Seattle because of the sanctions. Above all, they are on four-year probation, losing recruits and stripped of a Heisman. All of this ruins the opportunities of grabbing the top prospects in the country.
But now, the affliction resides allegedly at the Swamp and Alabama. Mostly at SEC Media day, all the talk circulated the muck agents, a nightmarish situation that threatens a program withheld of accusations.
Mike Slive, commissioner of the SEC, vented on the ongoing obstacles and requested for “national strategy” and “education not enforcement.”
If there was one irate coach harshly ripping agents, it was Alabama’s Nick Saban during the press conference on Wednesday, once Marcel Dareus of the Crimson Tide was reportedly announced ineligible after the university compliance officials investigated his involvement with agents.
It certainly doesn’t mean he’s an asterisk or a criminal, until proven guilty. And even if he’s accused of violating rules, then accuse the agent of influencing the minds of young and inexperienced athletes.
There are accusations pending against Maurkice Pouncey, but the ex-Florida star denies ever accepting $100,000 from the representation of a sordid agent at the Southern Eastern Conference title game and the Sugar Bowl last season.
“I did not accept $100,000, it is an absolutely ridiculous claim. I have completely cooperated with the investigation and answered any and all questions put to me,” Pouncey said in a statement released by his attorney, M. Stephen Stanfield.
Recently, he met with Urban Meyer and Athletic Director Jeremy Foley and told them he’s innocent and never had a relationship or any connections with agents.
“He never lied to me before,” Meyer said.
Isn’t that what we all want to believe?
As much as the nation admires college football, the investigations of involving agent-related inquiries are upsetting and absurd, nauseating our stomachs, and disappointing our consciousness as North and South Carolina’s programs were announced last week to be part of the NCAA investigation.
This isn’t a coincidence or an illusion, but an omen of corruption—something that should have been discovered and handled a long time ago.
With Lou Piniella Calling It Quits, The Cubs Need To Clean House
July 21st, 2010
On a warm sunny afternoon at Wrigley Field, one of the regal venues in America, the wretched times are still delaying an obliterated franchise, visibly entertaining a bellyaching crowd in attendance mainly for the traditional seventh-inning singing or the expensive taste of beer.
It’s almost overwhelming that much activity hasn’t been seen on Waveland Avenue—oddly enough, becoming a quiet street as a depressed population hasn’t bothered attempting to catch a home run ball dropping into the residential zone. But times are hopeless and pathetic these days, yet devastated fanatics attend games for a fun afternoon at the ballpark and a sense of pleasure and sanity, unconcerned with the Chicago Cubs inferior track record.
In truth, the Cubs fans are burned out of the dreadful crisis, known as a hunted curse, which offers a clearer explanation as to why the Cubs are belittled and tormented religiously. This is a hopelessness issue, especially when the famous Cubbies were sadly scourged and deprived of championship worthiness, in position on several occasions to remove all the long-suffering futility.
Among the downcast perception of Steve Bartman, the most hated man ever who sat in Aisle 4, Row 8, and Seat 113, for infamously interfering with a ball, passionate fans are still showing signs of outrage.
Yes, he pathetically may have cost the worthy Cubs a possible World Series bid. But the faithful cannot have any grudges or point the finger directly at the fellow and disowned supporter—obviously not allowed or welcomed to Wrigleyville even when he has vanished from the public.
And still, this reminds us of an irrelevant team, bringing back memories of a three-game postseason sweep, one of the most heartbreaking collapses in sports, completing a tragic ending in 1969. But even in the modern age, the Cubs are overshadowed and have underachieved in disarray with lousy postseason runs and miserable 162-game seasons.
Maybe we can blame some of the Cubs floundering letdowns on Sammy Sosa—you know—the lying performance-enhancer abuser who confronted the ordeal by fabricating to our society that he took Flintstones vitamins instead of steroids until his name was unveiled from the mysterious list of 104 players.
Maybe we can blame some of the painful headaches on Milton Bradley, the former no-good, brainless, psychotic nutcase. Honestly, he was an enigmatic board game none of us ever figured out, spelling out the word “TROUBLE” instead of consistency and blaming issues on teammates, managerial staff and fans.
Beyond all, there are worse issues unhinging and staining the Cubs, labeled as the chaotic joke of baseball for constituting dugout altercations, postgame rants, bringing in psychotic athletes, and filing bankruptcy as the Tribune Co. had difficulty selling the team to the Ricketts family.
At this time, the Cubs are on a pathetic drought. We haven’t seen the disastrous Cubs win a pennant for decades, including a century when the average team player within the organization is overpaid and underachieving.
It’s really embarrassing that the Cubs are doomed in their 102nd consecutive season without a World Series championship solely blinded by demons and ghost. But even scarier is a horror anecdote, as long-scrutinized general manager Jim Hendry is the overseer in flirting with the farm system or dismantling a horrendous club by trading in valuable talent for uninspiring talent.
When Lou Piniella was hired for the managerial role three years ago, he walked into the Cubs clubhouse at a time of a ghastly calamity and accomplished very little in a brief tenure, suddenly calling it quits after this season.
Now that he’s older and mentally drained, maybe the managerial role is too much of a burden, maybe he’s stressed out and pressured to cultivate a disappointing franchise and has the suspicion that he’s held accountable for the Cubs failures.
But, as Piniella is almost in his early 70s, he announced Tuesday that he was retiring as manager at the end of another mediocre season. While the Piniella era isn’t considered a success, he announced his retirement at a bad time and he hasn’t measured up to standards, considering that he’s absolutely burned out.
As the years progress, Piniella knows he’s almost 67, and that placing a tremendous amount of pressure on his shoulders is very stressful. The timing couldn’t be better to escape the displeasure and turmoil, as the mediocrity and languidness continue to shrivel a once-beloved franchise.
“I couldn’t be more appreciative of the Cubs organization for providing me the opportunity to manage this ballclub,” Piniella said in a statement. “I’ve had four wonderful years here that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. I’ve grown to love the city and fans, but at my age it will be time to enter a new phase in my life. It will enable me to spend more valuable time with my family—my wife, my kids and my grandchildren. God has blessed me to have been able to work this many years in the game that I love.”
By using common sense, Piniella wasn’t coming back next season. He apparently had initially planned to retire in the final year of his contract with Chicago, which expires at the end of the season.
There were episodes of Piniella throwing postgame rants and on-the-field tantrums with umpires, regarding a bad call that forced the long-time skipper to explode in one of his crazy temper outbursts. But in the past seasons, he stopped charging the field frequently and kicking dirt onto the umpires shoes. He mellowed out as a manager with experience and wisdom.
Despite the limitless failures and collapses with the Cubs, he’s worthy of the Hall of Fame for leading the Cincinnati Reds to a miraculous World Series sweep over Oakland and winning his only championship.
Now that he retires as a Cub, he’s remembered for a 0-6 drought that could rupture his legacy or Hall of Fame votes. The ramification, for the Cubbies never having postseason success or vanquishing the miserable World Series droughts, should be canning flawed GM Jim Hendry for his faulty mistakes in wastefully spending enormously and squandering much of the team’s payroll.
Let’s reflect back on the errant investments that backfired in the face of Hendry.
For decades, the Cubs have made cartoonish moves, a resemblance of Tom & Jerry cartoons with all the botched maneuvers exploding in the face of Hendry. He lavished an unproven pitcher, Carlos Zambrano, with $91.5 million based on a strong performance level, but has turned out as an indigent bust.
If anything, he has divided a clubhouse by throwing hissy fits and raging in verbal and physical altercations with teammates. It’s also worth noting that Hendry spent rashly when giving a $136 million deal to an overpaid Alfonso Soriano as a way to salvage his formidable livelihood in the majors. If Hendry is running the business, the upsetting fans will very likely experience a 103-year drought and counting.
“Our goal is to win the World Series,” Tom Ricketts said. “Our goal is to put a team on the field that can win a World Series every year. I can’t envision an era without that and still calling it a success, no.”
And now, it is a good time to dismiss Hendry. It’s the only way the Cubs will ever escape the evil curse that ruins all the endless possibilities of the pennant. Until then, he will construct a franchise with needless baggage and drama, which smears the Cubs of angling towards success.
The troubles aren’t on the field, but in the front office, dating back to the dumbest mistake when he signed a disturbed Bradley last year. The next time we see Piniella, he may likely call it as he sees it from the broadcasting press box after accepting a job offer as a commentator, while the Ricketts should remotely consider roster upgrades and trading for some value. Lastly, terminate Hendry, whose helpless revitalizing dismantled the Cubbies and drew teary-eyed, saddened fans.
Honestly, the franchise’s 100-year drought will never end, unless Hendry is removed as lead executive.
If Michael Jordan Rips LeBron James, I’ll Rip Jordan
July 19th, 2010It must be the latest backlash hearing all the crazy, shocking remarks from the legendary Michael Jordan, who directed the Chicago Bulls to six championships and orchestrated one of the most momentous dynasties of all times, recently ripped LeBron James for joining forces with two superstars on the Miami Heat.
It’s highly possible that James is not the royal King, but a former godlike savior of a depressed sports town, who hijacked television in a nationally televised spectacle plotting a megalomaniacal stunt to announce that he was callously departing his hometown to form the superteam in Miami.
But perhaps he’s a villain, the meanest traitor, leaving behind an anguish town after he publicly humiliated Cleveland in “The Decision” infomercial.
It’s not easy watching a superstar, who was utterly adored, walk out on a community after emphasizing the importance of loyalty, but it’s a business and James wants a championship.
You cannot blame a man for wanting to win, right?
The problem remains a national outrage, one week removed from the strangest frenzy in sports history, when sports became one berserk reality show bad enough to make the Kardashians and Terrell Owens gag.
Every since fleeing home, James has been scorned for either leaving or the insane one-hour extravaganza, which disgusted critics as Jame’s loyalty and likability dwindled hastily.
James is immensely talented and may be the best in the NBA, but he still lacks the hardware and has become the NBA’s most hated athlete.
According to some, the two-time reigning most valuable player is worthless and a selfish, egomaniacal demon.
Why? What has he done?
He isn’t a bad human man.
If anything, he defined bravery and courageousness by taking on a risk, teaming up with two superstars and recklessly eluding Cleveland for the chance of winning multiple championships.
The peeving news is that, almost in a week, one of the uncommon and curious stories turned exhausting and publicized vexation, beginning with LeBron’s reality show, following with the angry, disgruntled and teary-eyed fans burning his No. 23 jerseys in the streets of Cleveland when he announced the decision to “take his talents to South Beach.”
In the beginning, the ire Cavs owner Dan Gilbert issued an implacable and juvenile letter, belittling James for his departure and narcissistic circus, adding tension to the inflamed publicity.
And now, the latest news is Jordan questioning LeBron’s move of joining the most dynamic trio in basketball history, now triggering further quarrel and tired debates. James said in an interview with NBC Sports Sunday that in prime, he wouldn’t have joined with a pair of star players of his era.
“There’s no way, in hindsight, I would’ve ever called up Larry (Bird), called up Magic (Johnson) and said, ‘Hey, look, let’s get together and play on one team,’” Jordan said after finishing the American Century Championship golf tournament in Stateline, Nev. “But that’s…things are different. I can’t say that’s a bad thing. It’s an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys.”
Any notion that James verbally announced he will play for the Miami Heat next season, could batter a powerful legacy, adoration and the likelihood of developing as the greatest player of all time.
This is what bravery and adventurous athletes decide, of course, the true athletes.
Either way, James is a true athlete for choosing to sacrifice an impeccable legacy, choosing to subjugate ego and competitive nature in order to win multiple titles.
Either way, he is a fearless superstar willing to relinquish the descriptions of being referred to as the next MJ. When he arrived from high school, James earned the comparisons of Jordan and brought his ambition to a despairing town.
By now, he clearly knows that his presence transforms the landscape in Miami, but he also knows he gave up overwhelming opportunities at Chicago or New York, two high-market teams in which he could have engraved all-time greatness and aimed for championships
So now, the preceding facet of Jordan intruding the debate is pointless, especially when the world is trying to desperately put an exaggerated narrative to rest.
Yes, he’s entitled to state an opinion about something, but in reality, shouldn’t dwell on a lingering, old issue. Never mind that Jordan is a six-time champion with the aid of Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr and Tony Kukoc.
Never mind that he had Phil Jackson, the winningest coach of all-time on the sideline who schemed brilliantly and molded his players with a creative formula that guided the Bulls to victory.
Ready to embark on potentially a charming journey next season, the Heat are the most criticized and hated team because of James.
He is a gifted superstar with individual accolades, but has no championships.
After all, it’s more chatter and criticism circulating the Heat after Wade addressed that he made a wrongly comparison and used aimless analogy as to Miami losing a couple of games and the collapse of the World Trade Center.
Although Wade apologized, the Heat are still catching scorching heat with the arrogance and rashness of Jordan criticizing James for his cleverest, venturous move in a prosperous seven-year career.
As for Jordan himself, perhaps some of us forget to take a closer glance in the mirror before judging someone else’s choices.
How fascinating it is of Jordan to forget about the other four starters on the Bulls, ridiculously offering no credit to the role players that buoyed arguably the greatest player of all-time.
Was it amiss to harshly criticize LeBron?
Yes, because there were clear evidence that he wasn’t surrounded with a substantial supporting cast in Cleveland.
Did Jordan have a supportive cast? Yes.
But he wants us to believe that he attained fulfillment and governed the most intriguing dynasty in sports alone.
Wrong.
As of recently, the retired elders of old school basketball are disappointed in what is the Heats’ unprecedented trio and the most captivating team in NBA history.
“Mike and I are in 100 percent agreement on this,” Charles Barkley told the Arizona Republic. “If you’re the two-time defending NBA MVP, you don’t leave anywhere. They come to you. That’s ridiculous. I like LeBron. He’s a great player. But I don’t think in the history of sports you can find a two-time defending MVP leaving to play with other people.”
Maybe he could be the championship MVP in the future with the Heat.
For ages, people had garnered a dubious assumption that James wasn’t concerned with winning championships, but becoming the world’s greatest icon, the next billionaire celebrity and the global icon. Come now. He’s shown that he doesn’t care about his effulgent legacy as he engulfed it in tremendous doubt and controversy.
More shamelessly and arrogantly, a well-respected legend sounds off frustrated, believing James is taken the easy way out and never will be the greatest of all-time if he needs other stars to bolster the chances of winning titles.
So in other words, if he does win, it would be tainted. I don’t think so. But perhaps, someone does.
Out of all people, Jordan, who grew in the NBA spotlight and became famous around the world, ripped James for making a wise decision in order to win.
In the end, he made a righteous move and must realize that in sports sometimes you hear the harsh and blatant words from former players. In this case, the shoe salesman and the man who stuck out his tongue and one of the greatest competitors in sports.
As for Barkley, he told a Miami radio station that James “will never be Jordan.”
Now, I assume he doesn’t want to follow the footsteps of Jordan.
Tiger Woods Needs a Major Win To Be Greatest, Save Tarnished Legacy
July 18th, 2010
It’s not easy brainwashing thousands of spectators to believe in Tiger Woods at the most storied course, a 600-year-old course, classified as the oldest 18-hole course ever in St. Andrews.
But in a timeless four-day honeymoon, greeted by the Scottish spectators sitting charmingly in the galleries, Woods trailed on the leaderboard again, struggled again, relapsed again and lost again. All you need to know about Tiger is that he wore four outfits, flaunting his expensive wardrobe in the final round.
Never before has he been on a drought so agonizing, mired in the strangest position by dropping his last seven majors, and he’s simply delivering mediocrity on the fairways, vastly deteriorating since the disgraceful sex scandal. Wasn’t he the greatest golfer ever? Yes. Wouldn’t he ever win another major?
No.
There’s an indicator that Woods’ time is running short, suddenly staring at retirement faster than he’ll have his name engraved on the claret jug or fit for another green jacket. The warning signs are upon us when he has never dwindled late into a season without a major title, jeopardizing a precious opportunity of surpassing Jack Nicklaus’ record-setting 14 major titles.
On the final day of the 139th British Open, Woods slowly unleashed signs of a fading regime and continues to diminish as the harmless, non-threatening golfer. With all the personal burdens, beyond his surgically repaired knee, Woods is disrupted by bedlam and never has been the astonishing winner we once referred to as the greatest athlete on the planet.
Fooled by his hideous transgressions and infidelity, we revered him as the spotless and modest human being, but now are stunned with the shoddy performances in every major. He is ultimately in the midst of a dreadful demise, battered for faltering in reclaiming prominence in a sport he once dominated and engraved happiness.
Rather a surprise, he dropped off the leaderboard and nearly managed a top-20 finish in the Open, on an afternoon when he collapsed and never had the momentum or aplomb. Regardless of having the privilege of playing in the Open at the friendly confines of St. Andrews, where he amazingly won the last two British Opens, Woods wilted, stumbled and suffered mortality eternally.
So much for the Americans relishing the savory of glory at the beautiful scenery, a place American golfers have accomplished much greatness. In fairness, the Americans had won six of the last eight Opens at St. Andrews, but it’s a real possibility that the U.S. could be declining if Woods is suddenly becoming a fallen star, once famous in representing not only the States, but golf in general as the bait of a minority sport.
Consider it an ending to an epic sporting story for which he’s no longer the fierce competitor or beloved athlete adored for masterful feats and enticing an unordinary event. Consider it the last of Eldrick Woods?
Exactly, he’s done…just as a jilted lover is with its prior spouse.
From the love affairs, to the alleged divorce and the ridiculous publicity scene as reporters interrogated a petulant Woods during a press conference earlier last week about his personal business, it’s rational to guess he’s feeling much tension and carefully considering leaving the game of golf without reaching a gigantic milestone.
Its amazing that Louis Oosthuizen, a rising star, is upon us, forging a newborn legacy by winning his first ever major and opening a chapter at the Old Course. Nobody expected to hear a mysterious golfer from South Africa rise atop the leaderboard, and better yet, remain balanced and poised in a gratifying win.
His nickname is “Sherk” because of the gap in his front teeth, but now, his nickname is Louis the Great One, admired for maintaining poise and a competitive nature, until the final round ended happily and brought gratification. In the meantime, Woods switched his famous Scotty Cameron putter for a Nike Method 001 and had two horrible days in the final two rounds, collapsing immensely and wasted a convincing first round.
He apparently assumed that his new putter would have better suited him at St. Andrews, where the greens are slower, or maybe even switched it as a good luck charm. Either way, that is, winning a major is incurable and impossible without hitting masterful strokes.
Either way, that is, Woods, the richest athlete who lost everything he ever possessed such as his family, richest and swagger, will never dominate at St. Andrews.
But without a major, an embattled Woods won’t ever solidify or repair a tarnished legacy unless he wins a major title. And of course, a good time was at the Old Course.
Until then, he’s not the greatest golfer, but the greatest disgrace.
Have we seen the last of Tiger? Who knows? Maybe a regime may end all so badly.
Terrible Terrell Owens Unemployed As No One Cares: It’s Bad Karma
July 17th, 2010
Let us never, ever forget that he’s the most annoying athlete in sports, wastefully discarding his talent by becoming the famous nuisance in sports.
His name is Terrell Owens, a gifted wide receiver who has fully jeopardized a once monumental career before it plunged drastically due to his psychotic behavior.
It’s not very often that we witness a mentally disturbed athlete, especially one with much talent and marveled deeds, unless he created T.O. drama and disrupted an entire team with his frequent outbursts and silliness.
For the first time in a problematic career, he won’t have the popcorn ready, still unemployed and unwanted, as most franchises believe he’s more of a troublemaker and wannabe celebrity than a primary star on turf.
As he tends to spend ample time acting on reality TV, becoming Hollywood’s hilarious celeb bust, he’s a bust on the field as well, a worthless tragicomedy that no team wants to take a risk on signing even a multi-year deal. There were times, of course, when he was an unattractive problem child with a disturbing mood that gradually dragged down morale and divided a cohesive locker room.
Knowingly, he always thought every team he played with disowned or picked on him. Turns out he wasn’t the victim, guilty of staining a spirited franchise and elicited diversity, with all his infantile cries and presumptions that all his former teams pointed the finger at him when the team faltered and faded out of contention.
Owens had a perspective that he was never the chemistry saboteur, but the innocent receiver who convincingly tried to help his team win. He had a viewpoint that he was never the agitator, but the impeccable paragon all of us admired.
The most explosive part of an overexposed story is that he’s a risky addition and older, having the audacity to tell the nation that he’s a misunderstood athlete and despised because of his physical capabilities and talent.
In the aftermath of all his fallouts with former franchises, at least for now, all teams are leery and unsure of his morals and actions. In other words, any team is handling his availability with precautionary measures, not in a hurry to sign a cancerous star.
For raising mischief, his disruptive stance allows general mangers and owners to overlook abilities on what he can deliver as a prolific wideout. But the truth is Owens, once widely regarded as the most talented receiver at his position with incredible size and athleticism, is a renegade because of his personal feuds with teammates and coaching staff, the one rebellious buffoon no one prefers taking a gamble on.
According to several executives, he’s abandoned and ignored for poisoning a dysfunctional unit by selfishly yelling during sideline altercations. Will he ever sign, eventually? Given his history in the past, he is a cancer within any organization, but surely someone is courageous enough to take possession of a player with baggage.
For now, he doesn’t even exist in the league whatsoever, patiently waiting for a phone call from team executives. Until then, he’s foolishly adored to some degree for exposing himself as a publicity clown on television in the new season of his VH1 reality show, a full-blown spectacle that started earlier this week.
Maybe he meant to get the popcorn ready for his reality stunt. It’s appealing, in a way, that he’s suffering bad karma with all the executives rebuffing interest and carefully considering before offering a contract. This isn’t so surprising, especially when Owens has a slew of enemies and lost all trustworthiness for harassing former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb with unbearable feuds on the sidelines.
This isn’t so stunning, as usual, when he indiscreetly prompted troubles as a member of the San Francisco 49ers and called then-quarterback Jeff Garcia gay. This isn’t so overwhelming or jolting as the troubled receiver is jobless until a team is desperately depleted in the receiving corps and badly in need of an explosive wideout to solidify an impoverished department.
He certainly isn’t avoided for competence or toughness, but rejected by the league for insecurities and jealousy in many ways, including outbursts on the sidelines that he generates any time he’s not getting enough touches.
While he’s waiting for his phone to ring, at every level of every organization, each is reflecting and weighing options on whether to engage in negotiations and offer a fittingly short-term contract to a destructive, megalomaniacal jackass.
Throughout his merciless career, he has played with four teams without winning a championship but came very close to fulfilling triumph. In those days, he served as a member of the Eagles and rehabbed religiously to heal quickly from a damaging ankle injury and played in Super Bowl XXXIX for Philadelphia, a team he verbally had callous feuds with and fell short of winning a championship with.
If he vows to ripen as a matured teammate and secure the role of a veteran leader, he could be a potential suitor for the New England Patriots. Very fittingly, the Patriots can groom and influence a rebellious Owens after grabbing obliterating receivers.
It’s still easy to envision T.O. drama harming a revamping franchise and quickly irritating teammates with crybaby antics and outrageous stunts as Owens becomes discontent with not getting enough touches. That is exactly how he reacted in a powerful Dallas offense when Tony Romo failed to toss passes in his direction and instead connected with tight end Jason Witten.
That is exactly how he reacted in Philly when McNabb refused to design routes. That is exactly how he responded in San Francisco when Jeff Garcia discovered other routes and threw it in the favor of Owens’ teammates.
He somewhat learned a valuable lesson, I assume, when he signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills before last season. Pressured by the nonstop shouts and temper flares of Owens, Trent Edwards, a young and unproven quarterback, fortunately wasn’t harassed or verbally insulted.
Everywhere he has been affiliated with, Owens has dragged down unity with a disruptive and destructive psyche, one no team could stomach obviously as he sits and waits. He’s currently playing the sit-and-wait game, a hapless game as no one has interest in the one receiver who sabotages chemistry and divides a dispirited locker room on the possible verge of new heights.
So with Terrible Owens jobless, maybe he has learned an important message. Be careful what you wish for, refrain from the toughest ass attitude, and have gratitude for peers and ownership. Hopefully, Owens understand, he has no I in Terrell Owens and must share the wealth unselfishly.
Portrayed as a pompous demon or, even worse, an invincible ghost, he’s not jobless because of his declining talent, but because of his foolish and unnecessary troubles. He’s a quality player for someone, but it’s his acts that matter. He told the Associated Press that he’s a changed man and he’s not a bad guy, blaming ESPN for labeling him as a demon.
Sorry Owens, but you are a bad guy.
Vikings Rides Usual Voyage With All Uncertainty In The Favre Charade
July 16th, 2010
With all the draining drama of “The Decision” saga and parties happening at South Beach, LeBron James left Cleveland as a jilted lover in tears. Shortly after there was the aggravated insanity and stereotypical remarks that sounded out of the mouth of Rev. Jesse Jackson, who went over the top by lashing out about Cavs owner Dan Gilbert’s vindictive comments in a letter, that had to be dealt with.
But it’s now the mid-summer months, a time when the media circus initiate a ruckus in football as the average fanatic speculates on Brett Favre. The indefinite facet is that nobody knows whether he’s returning next season or not, leery to believe him during his summer episodes and eternal deliberations.
Every summer, his decision-making interrupts our sports society and our airwaves, as we guess whether he will retire or un-retire instead of taking a retirement plan and traveling home to the rural areas of Mississippi. The craziness of Favrecenter finally begins to adopt our consciousness in an agitating frenzy, and it normally lasts eternally.
Instead of making up his damn mind, he annoyingly makes a nuisance out of himself, affecting the decisions of other people. With that said, maybe we suffered headaches because of his epic retiring/un-retiring turbulence, largely impelling exhausting debates and vigilant explosion.
All I know is that each summer of the annual adventure involving Favre I suffered severe headaches and needed Tylenol to alleviate pain. The caveat of avoiding possible headaches is to ignore the tiring madness, though it’s very difficult whenever the status of his future remains indefinite.
Mired in uncertainty, Favre is overly dramatic and creates publicity hype for such a narcissistic, egomaniacal and self-loving persona, wearing down all of us jaded with his unknown decision. A little more than two years ago, you probably grew weary of his wishy-washiness. The problem is you’ve never stopped adoring the game of a gunslinger, a damn near perfectionist on Sundays, with unbelievable precision and stylish footwork.
Rarely, if ever, has a future Hall of Famer hurled passes this late in terms of his long-tenure as arguably the greatest quarterback of all-time. Few still are curious to know if he’s planning on making a comeback and possibly engineering the Minnesota Vikings back to the top in the NFC North division. But hearing all the time that Favre is uncertain and won’t inform the Vikings of a potential comeback is tiring.
By all accounts, he’s more concerned with appeasing himself than pleasing Brad Childress, the one coach who willingly brought in Favre and allowed the self-centered, aging veteran to inspire a doomed organization of inconsistencies and uselessness in the mournful quarterback department.
Now is a good time for Favre to weigh options, but, of course, he won’t give a timetable because his ego is larger than a crusader’s voyager, bigger than the land of 10,000 lakes, and bigger than the population in Minnesota. Most notably, though, he’s obviously resisting the disclosure of his status to return or retire in order to avoid mini camp and training camp.
That is exactly his initial plans, with an attitude that preparations or minor workouts in the offseason aren’t mandatory. It’s worth bringing to your attention that explosive running back Adrian Peterson missed mandatory minicamp and traveled home instead of joining teammates. The Vikings give Favre this kind of freedom, without even cringing or raising a fuss, favoring the selfishness of an uncertain veteran demanding for a very patient franchise to wait for a public announcement.
If he decides to return for another season in the league, the Vikings will welcome in the old-timer with a savvy mindset after never compromising and unselfishly informing Childress of his plans next season. If so, it would be an immense boon for an atmosphere truly embracing and adoring Favre, selling tickets and watching television ratings grow.
All the worshippers and cynics are gushing over the diva-like quarterback in the summer, wondering if he will ever return or permanently sit on his couch and ride his tractor to mow grass. Ever since he announced his so-called retirement at an emotional press conference, he hasn’t been able to distance himself from the game, even when he claimed he was mentally and physically drained.
It’s apparent he missed the game that brought fame and gratification, what with his constantly retiring, un-retiring, retiring, un-retiring. The pattern is common, as is our weariness with his wishy-washy psyche, as Favre is seen waffling on his state turning the charade into a publicity dilemma.
He clearly can return for his 20th season in the NFL, but when the season ended so abruptly after suffering the disappointing loss to the Saints in the NFC Championship Game, he said it was “highly unlikely” that he’ll come back. If anything, he owes this to Childress for hiring him as the starting quarterback and having strong confidence that he can orchestrate heroics and lead the Vikings to a long-awaited title.
When no other team pleaded for Favre, Childress was amiable in giving the legendary quarterback a call, asking him whether the Vikings were a precise suitor. It was very feasible at first that the Vikings were the potential frontrunners in landing Favre. Especially after allegedly being accused of tampering before his contract had expired in Green Bay.
Within moments, he was labeled as a traitor for joining the Vikings, the Packers divisional foes and most hated rivals. Last season, he was booed badly for such betrayal in his return to Lambeau Field, akin to what is unfolding in a jilted Cleveland.
He denies ever coming back for revenge, but only out of admiration for the game. We may never know. It’s very unlikely that he will retire and call it quits on a franchise in the position of possibly winning a Super Bowl, surrounded with marquee players and dangerous weapons.
Although he could be unhappy with the way Childress chastised him for skipping mandatory meetings, Peterson is an explosive running back and untouchable if he secures the ball and limits fumbling. Among all things, he could rely on a prolific receiving core by flinging passes to Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin, viable elements that carried the Vikings deep into the playoffs.
The common theory from most perspectives is that he ages moderately, with his grayish beard and streaks of gray hair. There’s a real good feeling that he’s returning. He may be worried about his aching bones, aging body or slower recoveries, but he’s prepared to suit up and emerge from the tunnels for another season.
Being the oldest papa tossing passes in the NFL, he will likely design the playbook by dictating his own plays and calling audibles. This had an unrelenting Childress losing his mind last year. Eventually resulting in a heated confrontation between him and Favre on the sidelines, when he tried yanking his leader in the third quarter.
This is the moment when his critics have ammunition, while he has the leverage to join the team whenever he’s ready. If he doesn’t return, it won’t be for taking on another job in mowing grass or committing time to a laborious task on the farm, but it will be for his surgically repaired ankle. He said his ankle has limited his physical abilities.
With a debilitated ankle that requires a healthy recovery, which hasn’t allowed him to pivot or scramble efficiently, Favre will probably underperform. Thus he is probably carefully considering retirement. He is already the most accomplished quarterback ever, grabbing record-setting plateaus, collecting two MVP awards, and winning a lone Super Bowl title.
What else is there to accomplish? This would be the time to leave the game on top, but knowing Favre, he’ll be back.
Steinbrenner Built the Yankees Empire as the Greatest Owner Ever
July 14th, 2010
ANAHEIM–The words are indescribable of the somber news that stunned all of baseball, unfortunately stealing the spotlight on the day of the All-Star Game. As the most sentimental death ceased the excitement, we lost arguably the craftiest businessman in sports, the savvy owner of the famous New York Yankees.
We lost George Steinbrenner, a controversial chairman with a yearly ritual, demanding legitimacy and delivery from the well-paid players he blessed with enormous profit. The trials of the Boss have initiated much controversy during the longest tenure of any owner in the majors.
Much as he was adored for his charitable work, loyalty among players, and pampering of his players, he was inevitably disliked for his controversial tension and verbal disputes with managers and players.
Ever since he bought the Yankees, he was always in the headlines for indifference, capitalism, or squandering mega dollars to revamp a lowly franchise. If he attained anything less than a World Series title, it was considered a failure as Steinbrenner wasn’t satisfied with early postseason exits or unsuccessful losses.
Those who had a bonding relationship with the Boss would tell you that he was compassionate and impassioned of piling world titles to reach the unprecedented by embodying the tenor of a fervent sporting atmosphere.
Over the course of his regime, he built an empire and inherited billions, representing the sports in a fanatic state that admires baseball and traditional pinstripes.
But the story of baseball wasn’t the Midsummer Classic on the morning the baseball family lost a future Hall of Famer and an insightful merchant who died less than two weeks after his 80th birthday on July 4.
He sadly died of a massive heart attack and suffered in falling health for years, awarding the personnel decisions to his two sons, Hank and Hal, two years ago.
With declining health, he barely traveled with the team and appeared in the press box at Yankee Stadium, including the recent palace the organization spent billions in creations.
In judging his habits, he frequently caused discussion and havoc in the back-page headlines of raging feuds with Billy Martin, who was fired five times after he failed to adhere to guidelines and demands.
Although he greatly became a mentor and father-figure, he was a baseball capitalist by dauntlessly investing in millions, the most adventurous and creator of gambling to construct the most powerful baseball franchise of all-time.
All of his creativity and passion played a key role in the Yankees’ triumphant prosperity, delivering 27 titles, 40 American League pennants, and more championships than any other franchise in North American professional sports history.
But he grabbed headlines for commonly hiring and firing managers, a bombastic pattern that cast misery on his managerial staff and players who had face-to-face feuds, losing respect for the man described as the Boss.
However, of course, Steinbrenner’s character epitomized a fiery competitor who expected to win a pennant each season after investing in talented names.
Because he was the greatest owner in the history of baseball, if not in sports, he was simply endeared for his warmhearted selflessness, even though he was a polarizing and wicked businessman. So what if he called a Japanese pitcher “a fat toad” or changed managers 21 times? He’s the tremendous winner, largely the reason the Yankees have excelled.
He was truly admired outside the clubhouse, but behind closed doors, he was described as an evil boss and scolded his players whenever they performed poorly.
His famous quote described him. “Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing,” he said roughly.
“It’s tough, because he’s more than just an owner to me—he’s a friend of mine,” Yankees captain Derek Jeter said emotionally during pregame interviews before the All-Star Game. “He will be deeply missed.”
Certainly!
Think of the hilarious moments. Remember, he featured on Seinfeld and ordered George Costanza to deliver him calzones, still demanding much as the superior one, the most hated owner in sports history?
Either you loved or loathed him. He never allowed the Yankees tradition to diminish or topple, expanding the hallmark of pinstripes by launching a cable television channel—Yes Network —nine years ago.
As he marketed and produced a large payroll, he offered millions to form the unprecedented like no other, attracting a fervid crowd of Yankees devotees to embrace future Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. Between his players and balance for constantly renovating an unfinished franchise, he inflated a share of revenue in the stands and television ratings.
“His toughness came out in his expectations. I think his expectations carried over into the clubhouse, and we had the same expectations as he did, which I think is the sign of his influence on all of us,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. “I do think winning the World Series meant a lot to him, but the next day, he was always back to work. He was like, OK, how are we going to win next year?
“He enjoyed it, but he stayed the course all the time. We won in 1996, and we were told he was already planning for 1997 when they were planning the parade. He probably felt that it was a huge accomplishment, but he never rested in it.”
Although Larry Lucchino, an owner of the archenemies Boston Red Sox, called the Yankees “the evil empire,” Steinbrenner offered second chances to problematic Dwight Gooden, who had a history of troubles, and gave chances to a corrupted Darryl Strawberry, who ran into unlawful troubles.
And with the highest payroll in baseball at $205 million, the Yanks can possibly win back-to-back, leaving behind a well-conditioned franchise that returned to prominence last season when the Yanks won the fall classic by investing in three premier stars and grabbed CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, and A.J. Burnett.
With all the criticism swirling around the Yankees, it was noticed that the Yankees spend $1.5 billion in stadium creations. Since he purchased the team, the Boss always got what he wanted—until he died at 80 Tuesday morning, remembered for his bravery and gusty moves, for his helpfulness within the communities and willingness to spend dauntlessly on star players.
Back in 1977, he brought the Yankees for a price worth $8.8 million and valued the trademark.
“The thing with the Boss, he’s an old football coach,” said Jeter. “So his way, he sort of looked at the baseball season like we played 12 games and had to win every single day. He really expected to win every night, every day. I remember my first, second year. I was on third base and got doubled off on a line drive in the infield. We won, but after the game, he was yelling at me…He expected perfection.”
That’s why the Yanks have the most titles and are on the verge of another one, possibly.
Big Papi Resurrected in Mesmerizing Slugfest: Red Sox in Chase for Pennant
July 13th, 2010
ANAHEIM–Every time he walked near the dugout finishing his home run round on the nice, breezy summer night at Angel Stadium, the crowds were as wild and terrifying as the craziest attractions at Disneyland.
Parts of the site cheered as others booed David Ortiz, the once-sleazy and deceitful slugger who addressed at length during a press conference his bewilderment of how he tested positive during the league’s 2003 drug testing survey. In truth, given the massive homers that sailed over the walls in Southern California, he’s now steroid-free and authentic in every at-bat by lofting surging shots out of the ballpark with the Steroid Era gradually fading.
All I know is he’s ultimately a charismatic and adorable superstar in Boston, wildly cheered in front of a desirous crowd that sells out at the cozy and traditional confines of Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark currently active. However, much of last season he was a fallen star, disdained when caught for dragging down purity and deceiving the game using performance-enhancing drugs.
Few, if any, trusted the fraudulent so-called Big Papi, though supportive fans at home applauded Ortiz as if he hadn’t committed a shameful crime. But as of recently, he’s no longer the careless saboteur that sadly stained Boston’s World Series pennants, he’s no longer the criminal of baseball, and he’s no longer accused for tainting the Red Sox triumphant moments.
In the beginning of his revelations, he was disliked and ripped heavily for buying supplements and vitamins over the counter, smudging his reputation and spotless batting averages that vastly declined when the accusations developed. Maybe he wasn’t the Big Papi we were familiar with months ago. Maybe he was Big Slumpi, right?
Back then, we saw a disillusioned slugger gripe frequently at the press for criticizing his inefficient batting average and lowly performance. Back then, we saw the bitterness of a poisonous designated hitter with limiting struggles, after he finished the month of April with a .143 batting average, .238 on-base percentage, and only one homer and four RBIs. If you ever wondered about the implications of his languishing capacities, he was propagated as a stigma in baseball.
This is a game of momentum and parity, a game that requires much patience and self-discipline during at-bats. The biggest story in baseball is obviously the sudden improvement and reproduction of Ortiz, who had the befitting mechanics in the annual All-Star Home Run Derby Monday night. He blasted 11 homers in the final round for a total of 32 in the festivities.
In the end, he pulled off a vital comeback with a 13-homer second round to ultimately defeat runner-up Hanley Ramirez of the Florida Marlins. It all started with Milwaukee’s Corey Hart, whose blazing long ball soared over the left-center field wall as he compiled 13 homers in the early rounds to lead all participants.
But usually, if you haven’t noticed, participants lose mechanics, a groove, and hits lacking power following the Derby. All this could obviously lift the assurance of Ortiz, and then, he could uplift the Red Sox to potentially a surge in the second-half of the regular season as they aggressively chase for the pennant.
With all the hyperbolic tension, he has acted like a prima donna, he has cried like a baby for his porous swinging, and he has struck out more than any other batter to hear all the ridiculing and criticism. The outrage easily led Big Papi to believe that fans had personally betrayed and scorned him, devastated by his fraud and phoniness. Here we are a year later, and he’s once again an admirable slugger in the game, forgetting about the erratic or pseudo home runs and clutch shots in the late innings.
Maybe he was a sham no one trusted and lost all credibility while remaining vague about his substance use, but he represented the Red Sox by capping the honors in the Derby and possibly increased the chances of starting the second half on a hitting streak. Maybe he was the biggest disappointment in the game, but he was the biggest star in the All-Star event and remorseful of his diabolical sins.
This time, he validates all the intangibles it takes to polish as a productive hitter at nearly every at-bat and has amassed hits in a resurrection. In contrast, he once ranked 45th among AL players in OPS, but he now currently stands at sixth and has been a factor in Boston’s overall progress. Most obviously, the Red Sox have greatly outplayed their most hated rivals, the Yankees.
That is, of course, when Big Papi has competent appearances at the plate. And rightfully, he lofted the trophy featuring two crossed bats, dedicating a wondrous moment to former Major League pitcher Jose Lima, a Dominican Republic native who died when paramedics discovered him in cardiac arrest at his Southern California home in May.
“This is my fourth time, so I’m just kind of used to the experience,” Ortiz said. “I wanted to come here and make sure the fans enjoy what we do.”
“I’ve been dealing with so many things the past few years,” Ortiz said. “Coming back here (to another All-Star game), I want to thank the players for giving me the opportunity to be here. This is a job that we have, but it’s called a game. That’s what I try to do during the season—have fun with my teammates and make sure everything goes the right way.”
There’s no need for us to feel disappointed or bitter of Big Papi. The fallacies unquestionably were unexpected from a player who once said that he was tired of a sport sullied by performance-enhancers and had a solution for more severe punishment. He clearly believed that all players in the majors should have been tested three or four times a year, and banned for testing positive of substances.
Unfortunately, he was one of those wicked drug users, but he was also one of those beloved and premier sluggers in the game. With the horrible beginning to the regular season, Red Sox manager Terry Francona had options of juggling his batting lineup and benching Ortiz against lefties or even summoning him to pinch hit in late-inning situations.
For a short moment, he had continued his struggles by hitting three-for-33 in June. In other words, he was worse than a Little Leaguer and swung desperately at anything thrown in the strike zone. But then, he batted .480 with seven extra-base hits and 10 RBIs in a seven-game stint to finish off the dreadful start. And he’s currently seeing the ball superbly. It was convincing evidence in the slugfest. You saw it with your own two eyes.
Once again, he’s the most dangerous designated hitter in the American League.
If I were you, I’d encourage your team to walk him.
In Reality, LeBron James Is Sports’ Biggest Villain For Desiring a Championship
July 12th, 2010
There is always a villain and scoundrel within our society we disdain, whether it regards a decision or deceitfulness, despised for all the senseless wrongdoing and publicly humiliating an entire town. Every story in sports media has surrounded LeBron James, once known as the adorable hero, is now known as the scornful villain, perhaps the most hated sports figure in sports history.
With all the hostility in Cleveland, the former town in which he transformed the landscape the last seven years, won’t ever forgive or accept James for fleeing the Cleveland Cavaliers to join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.
The truth is that he’s dislike ever since plotting his “Decision” spectacle, a one-hour reality show that exposed anger, nonsense and suddenly became the most over-hyped and narcissistic drama in the history of television. But the world anxiously glanced at the nearest television screens and gathered in the local sports bars as if they were viewing a traditionally sporting event, when it was only James announcing to the nation that he will join the stars in Miami.
The irony of the surreal transition as oppose to his announcement on airwaves is that he’s misconstrued for subjugating his extensive ego, sacrificing the favorable circumstances of emerging as the unprecedented star in Cleveland, and lastly, relinquished his admirable legacy. And you hate him.
Why?
Whenever a powerful athlete is an unselfish teammate and willing to form an efficient trio, he’s placing the magnitude of winning above global popularity and legacy. In reality, he chose what suited LeBron. He chose what benefited LeBron. He chose to leave home and shattered the hearts of fans for the welfare of winning, but of course, the Cleveland fans are bitter and believes he betrayed them all.
As badly as the divorce ended abruptly, from the rants on the local radio stations, the blatant letter that raging owner Dan Gilbert wrote, to the inane remarks publicity heard ripping LeBron of his independent choice, he wasn’t sorely distraught but ready to move on with the Heat. The amount of anger and the bitterness is almost shocking, simply for what James brought to a depressing site and accomplished in a seven-year stint as a member of the Cavs.
By leaving, he’s portrayed as a coward and traitor and won’t ever attain the claim as greatest all-time. So apparently, he’s not egotistic or concern with grabbing the spotlight as a global superstar. The most interesting thing amid all the peculiar fuss is he’s tormented with insults, all because he desires winning a championship and relish triumphs.
By all standards, he was the coveted free agent and had availability to negotiate with at least five franchises that expressed strong interest before he chose the Heat, after bringing aboard the two-most coveted free agents of the summer. It instantly refines the Heat as primary contenders in the Eastern Conference, easily forming a legitimate threat in pro basketball.
Before he joined the all-time super-team in NBA history, he ruled as the savior in a despairing town and was deeply embraced. Now, he’s suddenly the disloyal pariah in Northeast Ohio, scorned for “cowardly betrayal” and turning against hometown supporters, including a childish executive to amalgamate with productive reinforcements and contend for the gleaming hardware.
The heartbreaking mood, obviously, is felt in Cleveland, a raging town that has withstood the trauma and affliction. Ever since he developed onto the NBA stage as the “Chosen One” and top high school prospect following his departure from high school, a helpless city were reminded constantly about The Shot, The Drive, The Fumble, and now the Decision.
Or is that the “Cowardly Betrayal?” It’s almost a disgrace when disgruntled fans burn jerseys, clearly forgetting that he rose the city out of misery and adverse with all the singular exploits and represented the state as a world-class symbol in sports.
It’s almost juvenile when crude Cavs owner Gilbert was bitter, vindictive, and very unprofessional, mishandling a situation with shame and adding potential corruption within franchise free agents in the near future that may think carefully before considering signing a deal. He acknowledged that James quit on the Cavs. If so, why was he ready to re-sign him to the richer deal, worth $30 million more than the one offered to him in Miami?
What are more striking are his disturbing and infamous quotes.
“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE. You can take it to the bank.”
He cannot be serious…Doesn’t he realize the Heat congregated the most captivating trio in the history of the NBA? Doesn’t he realize Heat’s owner Mickey Airson and president Pat Riley has more self-control and grace? Doesn’t he realize the Heat strengthened a prolific franchise during a masterminded rebuilding mode? I’m sure he does now.
Either way, James is a fallen star, the most hated enemy in sports. Every way, he has fell from grace viewed as an egotistical and overbearing traitor and risked his leadership, legacy, and popularity for a championship. How is he overbearing or egotistic when he basically sacrificed his stardom?
That’s something to think about.
LeBron James Migrates to Paradise but Catches Heat in Angry Cleveland
July 10th, 2010When the world stared at LeBron James, during his egotistical one-hour television spectacle, he announced that he’s a redefined superstar in South Beach.
The most anticipated free agent class ended in Cleveland with much devastation and agony, with the city ending up suffering indignities greater than The Shot, The Drive and The Fumble.
Even worst, he left his native town in tears, heightening the dismay and anguish of an angry town mourning this emotional departure. Whether you like it or not, he will join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to create the a super-team, a Batman/Robin/Superman combo, unlike any other in NBA history. Whether you like it or not, James has moved on with his future.
But ultimately, he disgusted a majority of the nation, seizing power as the biggest free-agent prize for selfishly hijacking television in an ESPN special. Ever since he divorced his fans and region as a hero, a bond became unglued, in a depressing environment thrilled and driven to embrace the former symbol of sporting aspirations in Ohio.
All year, we’ll hear that he’s self-absorbed and narcissistic. Sure, he is. All year, we’ll hear that he’s a traitor and an egomaniac. He’s not. If you are one of those describing him as a disloyal villain, you are wrongly dumbfounded and emotional how it all ended so agonizingly.
It’s very fascinating how the same advocates who anointed him have turned against him, calling him a villain after he spent seven years uplifting and rejuvenating a disastrous franchise in Cleveland.
Without him, the Cleveland Cavaliers wouldn’t have been recognized as a top-tier franchise in a town devoid of a major title since 1964, incompetent with all the catastrophes and failures that stained a lustful sports town.
Notice he brought prominence installing a sense of humanity at home, as he considerably tried delivering a title to a championship-driven city.
By emerging on the scene as a gifted savior in a place battered with economic troubles and without much happiness, he satisfied the heart and soul of fans with his breathtaking heroics and individual awards.
Without him, revenue wouldn’t have inflated. Without him, Cleveland wouldn’t have ever rocked. It’s nice to acknowledge that he’s responsible for the Cavs recent NBA Finals appearance, but unfortunately fell short of winning a championship. It’s nice to know that he carried the Cavs to the Eastern Conference Finals during a seven year stint, and nonetheless, is criticized for leaving Cleveland.
No, this doesn’t make him a coward. It makes him seem wise, selfless and focused on collecting rings instead of individual accolades. Now, winning a title is possible in South Beach, joining Wade and Bosh in Miami as the scariest, meanest, mightiest, biggest trio of all-time.
This is what happens whenever a player migrates to paradise, finding an estate on the shores of South Beach, not only to universally extend popularity, but win multiple titles.
He couldn’t care less about fame and ego, now a mature paragon concern of persevering triumph without asking for the sizable dollars. It’s amazing how the cynics who worshipped James as “The Chosen One” are instantly skeptical of him winning with the Heat for bailing out on what they believed was unfinished business.
At this point, Cleveland is a town filled with anger and disappointed with his self-empowering television announcement, but even more so, enraged by his next residential spot, and feels betrayed and hoodwinked by his independent decision.
The moods of fans will expose mixed emotions in any city other than Miami, either feeling bitterly abandoned, either dwelling on signs of arrogance and ego, or either having a friendly motive after he chose the Heat.
Either way, that is, there’s a backlash in a depressing setting for which fans will have grudges and collectively insult their former savior, ridiculing him for his surreal transition, one of the toughest choices that suits James in the future.
There are still disheartening fans in aftermath of burning his No. 23 jerseys in the street as way to release anger and jettison his merchandise, furious about his commitment of loyalty and bailing out on his home town crowd, to chase his first championship.
He needed a change of scenery, obviously sacrificing his legacy and ego by dangerously putting his reputation on the line to contend for a championship and place higher expectations in Miami. Why express sinister resentment without thanking him? Why burn his No. 23 jerseys without hanging the attire as memorabilia?
It’s a real shame the entire city has denounced and abnormally dismissed James of winning a championship, all because he was driven and decided to move on. Most of all, this is a free country, which means he never owed Cleveland notice in advance or a hint of his next location, or another seven years of his career in one town.
To put it simply, he owed the city nothing. If he meant that much to a town, they’d have cheered him wherever he landed, regardless of the egotistical mannerisms of his decision. It’s a city that will bitterly despise James every time he emerges from the visitor’s tunnel in Cleveland, instead of welcoming the star forward with a standing ovation.
This is how the population repays James? No gratitude? No warm receptions? No good luck wishes? No credit?
WOW! Whatever the people of Cleveland believe, he’s apparently not concerned with the pursuit of his popularity, and he’s obviously not concerned with elevating his ego, and he’s certainly not leaving his hometown for financial principles, but respectively for potential attainments.
In fairness, he wasn’t about money by accepting $30 million less in Miami, knowing that he could have asked for more and earned a larger amount in Cleveland, but he refused to settle for money. Across the world, he’s scorned for nationally making a public scene and placing a burden on Cleveland.
From the world’s most adorable athlete to the world’s most disliked, he’s blamed for downsizing jobs and deflating the profit in his hometown and turning his back on them.
But he never turned his back on them. Unlike the typical player, he followed his instincts and went on an organization that suited his opportunities of winning.
But there’s nothing more shocking or shameless than Cavs majority owner Dan Gilbert, who angrily ripped the former star, forgetting that he revived a futile organization as the virtuous leader and brought much joy to a murky region.
What a shame it really is hearing an owner unprofessionally and harshly bash his former star. It was an outlandish message rarely seen from an executive who normally handles situations with positive character.
“As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier,” he wrote in a letter. “This was announced with a several-day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his ‘decision’ unlike anything ever ‘witnessed’ in the history of sports probably the history of entertainment. Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us. The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.”
He continued…
“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE,” Gilbert wrote. “You can take it to the bank.”
Seriously…how does he figure that? There’s a super-team built in Miami, an unprecedented trio in NBA history with the Three Amigos generating a tropical storm in South Beach.
By migrating to Miami, James assembled the most captivating scene all of us have our eyes set on, willing to join Wade and Bosh for the welfare of tasting his first title.
He could win five titles with this supersized unit. It takes reinforcements and reliable tandems or trios to win these days. Never has one superstar done it alone or dominated without contributions. For instance, Kobe Bryant needed Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan needed David Robinson, Magic Johnson needed Kareem Abdul Jabber, Larry Bird needed Robert Parish and Kevin McHale, and the greatest of all-time Michael Jordan needed, ahem, Scottie Pippen and Steve Kerr.
And now, LeBron needs Wade and Bosh.
The Heat fans are pleased to welcome LeBron and are hopeful the lowly franchise will win more than 47 games next season by possibly winning 75 games, shattering the record for the most wins in a season.
If you are wondering how Miami pulled it off the most historic trio and landed LeBron, it was the cleverness of Pat Riley, who has assembled productive cores as an executive in the front office. He’s wiser than ever, smarter than ever, and he’s even a smooth persuader of luring superstars to join and establish a cohesive and efficient core.
And LeBron followed the stars to South Beach. It was known as Wade Country, but now it’s known as Three Amigo Country. There’s a party at the beach, as people are enraged and weeping over their loss in Cleveland. Pretty soon, they’ll be somber and stick a pacifier in their mouths, while Miami will cheer loudly and appreciate King James.
LeBron James Ignites Heat In Miami As Cleveland Bitterness Rages
July 9th, 2010As the world waited in a heart-stopping, nerve-wracking moment, the biggest free-agent prize in NBA history hijacked airwaves with his egotistical one-hour soap opera to address the nation of his decision.
He grabbed our attention for his narcissistic personality and his full-blown ego.
But the biggest story is that the nation has never witnessed a peculiar stunt, taking over the NBA spotlight in the summer months.
Here we stared at LeBron James, who is now the equivalent of Brett Favre, for leaving Cleveland, Miami, and New York hostage and creating undying drama, until he finally announced that he will join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in South Beach.
At last, as much as we raved and criticized James of his ridiculous saga and one-hour special called “the Decision,” a presentation that ESPN broadcast, he made probably the toughest choice in his lifetime, once known for his loyalty and rejuvenating a lifeless town.
If he would have stayed in Cleveland, his native town, he would persist in a heavy burden and attempt to revive a native franchise.
He was born and raised in Akron, Ohio, and was the symbol of a helpless sporting town bothered with all dismay and indignities that placed a town in gloom.
For the last seven years, he was brought to Cleveland to heighten spirit and thrill a motionless community, as well as renovate a depressing organization.
Within the seven seasons, he became the global superstar and the savior in an entire state as Cleveland hasn’t won a major sporting championship since 1964, but also developed as an egomaniac and megalomaniac.
The masses described James as a diva for focusing strictly on his oversized ego and self-centered personality.
Putting aside the drama and reducing the silence, he decided to declare citizenship nearby the shores of South Beach and join the Miami Heat, following an unproductive chase for the hardware with the Cavaliers.
In the wake of his unhappy ending in Cleveland, he’s emotionally leaving home to contend for a championship.
“I can’t say it was always in my plans, because I never thought it was possible,” James said. “But the things that the Miami Heat franchise have done, to free up cap space and be able to put themselves in a position this summer to have all three of us, it was hard to turn down. Those are two great players, two of the greatest players that we have in this game today.”
All of the sudden he’s willing to sacrifice money and ego, locating to a franchise where he’ll be alongside two prolific superstars after turning down a huge salary, an unprecedented repertoire in the Eastern Conference.
It’s now a supersized core in a town filled with excitement, welcoming King James and suddenly creating the ultimate powerhouse in the Eastern Conference after grabbing the biggest prize this summer.
In the end, the Heat instantly ascends as primary contenders with the unconceivable trio, the unique superteam that wasn’t even expected, and the Batman/Robin/Superman trifecta no one ever imagined.
There were multiple reports Thursday morning that indicated James’ intents were to join Wade and Bosh in Miami.
While there has been much hope that he’d return to Cleveland, he emotionally departed as a villain accommodating in ceding ego and profit. He vindicated the magnitude of winning a title alongside a reliable and coveted force.
“I decided this morning,” he said. “I went day to day, I woke up one morning and it’s one team, I woke up another and it’s that team…This morning, I woke up, had a great conversation with my mom, and once I had that conversation with her, I was set.”
Rarely do three superstars assemble a superteam and sacrifice money and spotlight. By all accounts, it’s the most surreal transition in sports, with an unselfish trio relinquishing much to team up and produce titles and brighten the eminence.
Once known as the beloved sporting figure, he’s now known as a traitor and no longer is pampered or given unconditional love in his home state.
The plotting of his drama extends in an upsetting community, shamefully expressing their unhappiness and bitterness by burning LeBron’s jersey.
But instead, the resentful fans should be applauding, hanging up his jerseys as memorabilia and sending good luck wishes to James for putting the Cavs above the radar, exhilarating an inert franchise with his monumental and captivating accolades, including his traditional baby powder toss during player’s introductions.
As for the biggest loss in Cleveland, of course, the fans express bitterness and feels betrayed, particularly when James always had loyalty and idolatry for his native town.
But even though his astonishing stint comes to an end agonizingly, the Cavs topple for losing a virtuous hero.
In a long-suffering environment, fans poured into the streets in despair, setting No. 23 jerseys on fire and throwing rocks at the 10-story billboard of James.
Then, more shockingly, Cavs’ owner Dan Gilbert sent a harsh email berating the superstar for leaving and his self-absorbed plot, forgetting that James revitalized the landscape and modernized the culture.
It’s a shame he singled out and downgraded his former star player in the aftermath of the spontaneous departure, mishandling the situation juvenile and without class.
By example, as an owner, he should have strong character and not release unpalatable drivel. What a shame.
“As you know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier,” Gilbert wrote. “This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his ‘decision’ unlike anything ever ‘witnessed’ in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment. Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.
“The self-declared former ‘King’ will be taking the ‘curse’ with him down south. And until he does ‘right’ by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.
“Just watch.”
Either way, James’ sudden transition benefits the Heat, who has sole possession of Wade and Bosh. Now, all of the sudden, they reunite since winning gold medals as Olympic teammates in Beijing.
Considering that James, Wade, and Bosh are all competing to deliver a title in Miami, the expectations are immense with the Heat’s intent of building a dynasty.
He can win a championship with the Heat unlike his misfortune in Cleveland, a town suddenly devastated and that despises James, erasing the gratifying moments and uplifting the bad karma.
Remember, it’s the city of The Drive, The Shot, The Fumble, and now “The Decision.”
I almost feel sorry for the town famously known for disappointment and travails, sabotaged by all the misery of sporting franchises.
But this is an unimaginable story for the Heat; putting together the strongest and mightiest trio in the history of the NBA, all the needed ingredients to win a championship. Most of all, it will be very enthralling to watch the deepest and talented empire transform the culture and steer the Heat to the grandest platform relatively in the league.
The most merciful forces are together in the locker room, on the charter flights and on the hardwood, all for one objective—a title. For what was the most overhyped free-agent frenzy in sports history, James emotionally stared at television cameras and informed the entire world of his plans to leave Cleveland for South Beach.
For a superstar who had much pressure and the hardest decision, he’s relieved joining with the dangerous core in place. Much credit belongs to Heat president Pat Riley, the mastermind of building the most dynamic dynasties and congregating the missing pieces.
It’s very clear that James doesn’t admire the game for money or recognition, but a gifted player and plays the game to win championships. The most compelling team resides in South Beach, and as it stands now, teaming up with Wade and Bosh sprouts assurance.
Before the trio came along, Riley wasn’t the smartest or wisest architect, surrounding Wade by the unproven Michael Beasley, who was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the shaky Mario Chalmers. At his early stint of his coaching lapses, Riley still promised the coaching job to Erik Spoelstra, the uncertain name walking the sidelines entering next season.
But unlike last season, the Heat has a talented nucleus and have flexibility with a masterful scenario that never seemed possible.
For turning down the larger markets of New York and Chicago, he showed that he wasn’t about ego. By lighting up the Heat, he showed that he’s about winning.
At last, the long-lasting circus ends in South Beach.
That’s rational.
If Dwyane Wade-Chris Bosh Deal Is Confirmed, Superteam In South Beach Realistic
July 8th, 2010We’re witnessing the prelude of the remodeling stages transpiring in South Beach, at the shores of the tropical scenery near the airy ocean with sunny skies beaming as brighter days are arriving in the near future.
During the biggest free-agent class in NBA history, the focus is on fans nervously begging for LeBron James, the global superstar and mystic free-agent, to either return to Cleveland or migrate to Madison Square Garden and renovate his dignified legacy on Broadway.
With any luck, of course, he could end up joining forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to erect NBA’s superteam, a wild and powerful trio, automatically turning the Miami Heat into lethal contenders. It seems unrealistic whenever a franchise woos a superstar as vigorous as James and tries assembling the icon with two other well-known superstars, given all the ego and financial problems.
Portrayed as a global icon and a remedy in a relentless league that has reproduced much chatter and notability ever since the arrival of top players advertising imposing marvel, James must not squander a wise choice by signing an enormous and ridiculous deal with a misshapen organization.
It has been an ultimate sports tale, and as you carefully speculate and try to determine LeBron’s next location and estate, it’s quite baffling. As it stands, he owns the most leverage in the free-agency frenzy, and has been very mum without revealing plans for his future since his appearance on Larry King Live.
But in all likelihood, he will decide to remain in Cleveland, a town James was born and raised in and began his impressive career. Ardent fans overcrowded the sidewalks and placed black placards that read “HOME” on the concrete, even a crazed fan was pulled over for roaring his engine Saturday.
They were serenading “LBJ! LBJ! LBJ!” as he walked in for his meeting with the Cavaliers dressed casually and wearing his backpack, like he’s the No. 1 high school prospect in the country being recruited. If he goes back to Cleveland, it’s likely because of new coach Byron Scott, who was recently hired to address the coaching vacancy.
Because of his impressive resume, Scott’s presence could keep James in Cleveland, despite all the helpless calamity and bad luck. But although Scott has won three championships and carried the New Jersey Nets to two NBA Finals appearances, a coaching fix won’t guarantee that he’ll re-sign, nor will the loyalty of his beloved fans in his native town.
If James is smart, he’ll accept an offer sheet and shortly after join the Heat, who instantly will reform into top contenders in a drastic turnaround, having the likes of Wade, Bosh and James, three superstars inclined to win a championship. As for the biggest prize on the market, James is expected to announce his next location no later than Thursday night, when he will stare at the entire world from a television camera during a one-hour special on ESPN and notify the masses where he’ll play next season.
It’s understandable that the initiative blueprint is putting together a super sized core, attempting to initiate an unparalleled dynasty, and aiming to rise at a high level by winning titles. If James is planning to leave his hometown, none of it would sound jarring in the modern times when it’s very seldom that a player spends his entire career with one franchise.
With vital star power and the Heat insisting they are looking to build a trio, James’ decision becomes less complicated and mitigates contemplation with all the attention surrounding him. Assuming that he’s not allowing his full-blown ego to brainwash his career in pro sports, he should be willing to co-exist and unselfishly improve the performance level of his teammates, and be a suitable megastar to renovate a franchise around.
It’s better if he tries winning in South Beach, assuring he values multiple titles, but also sacrificing and more concern with becoming a global icon. By now, he has weighed all his options and maybe Hall of Famer Pat Riley, who is a mastermind in rebuilding a depleted franchise and uplifting greatness, has wooed him to join the most invincible tandem and muster the trifecta.
Once upon a time, Riley was too tempting and tried to create a dynamic force, but if James suddenly announces that he’s signing with the Heat, he’ll make Riley look smarter, wiser and even a finesse persuader. This would combine three talented superstars, all riding one mission and having one objective: an NBA championship.
While there has been doubt about whether Wade-James could excel as teammates, the Heat aren’t scared to give it a chance, understanding the possibility of becoming effective and championship-caliber. Down the road, the Heat must prioritize with their underachievers, just as Wade and Bosh must compromise their egos and work as an unselfish core to form a powerful nucleus in South Beach and darken the aspirations of their opponents.
If he takes a paycheck to team up with Wade and Bosh in Miami, then James has a greater chance of grabbing his first championship, knowing he needs a pair of stars after things crumbled agonizingly in Cleveland. There hasn’t been much assurance since the Heat acquired center Shaquille O’Neal last season, or invested their No. 2 overall pick on forward Michael Beasley, two key players who have been factors for their inconsistency and poor performances.
By grabbing Bosh, it immediately rectifies the Heat’s flaws. He is, arguably, one of the most dynamic interior and post-players, a forward taking advantage of his height, and has matured as a pesky nuisance in the middle. Is it almost a Superteam? Indeed.
He makes a good tandem alongside Wade, who will now benefit with Bosh in the lineup because he draws more defenders, which opens the floor and unclogs the driving lines. This is a way to meet priorities for meeting Wade’s demands, but there’s still unfinished business without LeBron in South Beach.
