With the beginning of the NBA season also begins the debate of (again) who's better...Kobe or Labron. For purposes of the discussion, I am not including any other players, who include the pre-season MVP Kevin Durant. These two guys are at the top of the conversational food chain.
First the new jack. Bron-Bron opened his season with a 31 point performance against one of the tougher defensive teams in the Boston Celtics. Personally, I saw shades of a Magic Johnson with James bringing the ball up and facilitating. The difference was that James was going to the hoop. He is no longer a man child. This is his eight season in the league and it may be his time. This was around the time that one Michael Jordan started collecting his championship rings. With all the talk about D Wade (my guy) and Chris "Cross" Bosh, I do feel the championship will have to run through him for the Heat to get it. For all around stuff (rebounding, passing and scoring), it's hard to go against James.
What can you say about Kobe Bryant that hasn't been already been said? Five championships, including two MVP finals awards. Twelve time all-star, including three all-star game MVP awards. Two international gold medals. Even eight first team all-defensive awards. Last year, he made six last second game winning shots. Talk about being like Mike. I personally feel that no other player in the game has more of the killer instinct then Bryant. I always have to preface this by saying that I am not a Lakers fan.
In comparing the two, in some ways they are alike and in other ways, they are like night and day. Both are great individual players who want to win championships. Coming from someone who has tasted his own kool-aid of personal championships (for those who know, The Group and Urban City Marauders for example), you never get tired of winning championships. Would you? While Labron has not got to that level yet, I do feel his time is coming. But, for me, and you all have heard this from me before, two things: 1 - In my dream pickup game of active players, if I got the first pick, I'm picking Kobe in part because he's got the winning thing down and 2 - If I'm down one with ten seconds to go, he gets the ball.
Who do you like ?
For the Friday Freeze Jukebox - who else? Whodini
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtoWsqgP_vQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Narq3fqINiw
Have a great weekend!!!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Random Thoughts
While I thinking about what to talk about today, there was just too much to focus on just one thing. While this may seem like a rant, it's not. Let's start with....
- The NFL officials. Depending who was your favorite team, you felt really abused if you were a Bills or Dolphins fan this past weekend. With 5-6 officials on the field and more than ten cameras focused on the field, you tell me that the officials could not determine who recovered Roethlisberger's fumble? Like Chris Carter says in the ESPN commercial, "Come on, man!!". The quote of the day was by Steeler head coach Mike Tomlin, who told the reporters after the game to hurry up with the questions because the bus was warming up. And while I'm a Ravens fan (second string), that was a tough call on the forward progress (or lack of) call in the Ravens/Bills game. Sports fans and fair play aside, another reason why this is such a big deal is the gambling angle. Literally millions of dollars were changed when those calls were made. I do believe in things that go bump in the night, and I do believe that when the refs get together on calls, they talk about more than the calls.
- Got to give a shout-out to my first string NFL team, the Skins, who showed some character of their own in beating the Bears. There is a different between a gunslinger (see Brett Farve) and just a shooter like Jay Cutler. The Skins have already equaled their win total from last year and are currently in the hunt for a, dare I say it, playoff spot. It just shows how far a team can go with a solid head coach/quarterback leadership team. While D Nabb is not lighting it up statistically, he is guiding the ship with a steady hand.
- The National Basketball Association begins it's 64th season tonight with the marquee game being the old guard (Boston Celtics)going up against the new jack Miami Heat, led by it's big three, King (or is it Prince?) James, D Wade and Chris "Cross" Bosh. A team hasn't been this hyped up like this in a while. While they are getting most of the pre-season hype, you can not forget about the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, still led by the Black Mamba (Kobe Bryant). The story for me is will head coach Phil Jackson three peat for the THIRD time in his coaching career. Wow. I will also keep an eye on my pick for Rookie of the Year, Wiz John Wall, who is already a team captain. Competition for the award will be tough between him and the guy who I said in a previous blog we should have drafted, Wall's teammate at Kentucky, Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins, who averaged 16.4 ppg and just under ten rebounds (9.6) in the pre-season.
- The Dallas Cowboys. Nah, that's allright.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Pushback
How ya doin sports fans? Today's blog is bought to you by GAJ Consultants, ending it's second decade of providing quality products and services to it's customers. It's never too early to shop for XMAS.
This is a follow up to my last blog regarding the physical play in the NFL. The latest from the league office regarding clarification of legal tackling is that it will immediately begin suspending players for "egregious and elevated hits". They have already hit the pocketbooks of some players from last week's conduct to the tune of almost 200K. It almost made some players, such as Steeler James Harrision (who was fined for the second time this year for $75,000) have second thoughts about continuing to earn his 51 million contract that he signed last season. Right.
If you believe the comments that some of the players have made since the announcement of the league comments, the "jacked up" hits have only begun. Dolphin LB Channing Crowder said that "If I get a chance to knock somebody out, I'm going to knock them out and take what they give me. "They give me a helmet, I'm going to use it." The pushback doesn't stop there. Players on both sides seem to say, like agent Maxwell Smart said, they knew the job was dangerous when they took it.
This outcry also points at the leadership (or lack of) at the league office level. What exactly is a egregious or elevated hit? This tells me that there are going to be a lot of fines (and suspensions) after this week's games doled out by guys that have never played the game. While the league has sent teams films showing examples of illegal hits, will it make that player pull up before making that tackle? This is where I say that I don't want to see any players "cracked" legally or illegally, but contact in the NFL is inevitable like death and taxes. You know what I mean.
Have a great weekend!!!
Today's Friday Freeze jukebox is dedicated to Method Man:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Xro3Cc_xk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcGHTWKKHvo&u=HStSLkDL0H0&list=FL&feature=BF
This is a follow up to my last blog regarding the physical play in the NFL. The latest from the league office regarding clarification of legal tackling is that it will immediately begin suspending players for "egregious and elevated hits". They have already hit the pocketbooks of some players from last week's conduct to the tune of almost 200K. It almost made some players, such as Steeler James Harrision (who was fined for the second time this year for $75,000) have second thoughts about continuing to earn his 51 million contract that he signed last season. Right.
If you believe the comments that some of the players have made since the announcement of the league comments, the "jacked up" hits have only begun. Dolphin LB Channing Crowder said that "If I get a chance to knock somebody out, I'm going to knock them out and take what they give me. "They give me a helmet, I'm going to use it." The pushback doesn't stop there. Players on both sides seem to say, like agent Maxwell Smart said, they knew the job was dangerous when they took it.
This outcry also points at the leadership (or lack of) at the league office level. What exactly is a egregious or elevated hit? This tells me that there are going to be a lot of fines (and suspensions) after this week's games doled out by guys that have never played the game. While the league has sent teams films showing examples of illegal hits, will it make that player pull up before making that tackle? This is where I say that I don't want to see any players "cracked" legally or illegally, but contact in the NFL is inevitable like death and taxes. You know what I mean.
Have a great weekend!!!
Today's Friday Freeze jukebox is dedicated to Method Man:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Xro3Cc_xk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcGHTWKKHvo&u=HStSLkDL0H0&list=FL&feature=BF
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Physicality
How ya doin sports fans. Excuse the break from the page; I was helping to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday and as always, she helps me smell the roses. So, after completing my boyfriend duties, I am back and raring to go.
First, a correction. One of my bloggers noted that I inferred in my last blog that Earl Monroe played for the Washington Bullets. He did not; he went straight to the Knicks from the Baltimore Bullets in 1971. That what I love about my readers. They always keep me on point. Thanks CLW.
Now to football. This year has already been more brutal that usual. More players have been diagnosed with concussions this year to date than in recent memory. This week alone had at least four or more players knocked out of games due to these head injuries. This includes last night's game in which Jacksonville's QB had to leave the game due to a head injury. While football is a violent sport anyway, there is a unusual viciousness in the hits this year. I believe the word is "headhunter", especially in the case of the Desean Jackson hit.
The NFL did a study in which collected data over the six seasons between 1996 through 2001, reported 61 instances of a player’s being rendered unconscious; only 9 returned to play that day, 2 of them before the next snap. It reported no subsequent neuropsychological problems for those players, a finding that helped shape individual team policy. In another survey, more than 61 per cent of former NFL players had concussions during their playing days, and most of them said they were not sidelined after their injuries, according to a study issued Wednesday. The report was based on a survey of 1,094 former players, ages 27 to 86, conducted in 1995-96 by the NFL Players Association. The study also found that 49 per cent of the former players had numbness or tingling; 28 per cent had neck or cervical spine arthritis; 31 per cent had difficulty with memory; 16 per cent were unable to dress themselves; and 11 per cent were unable to feed themselves. Eight were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Call my research skills weak, but I couldn't find any recent studies regarding this.
The other problem consists of players who don't report their state of mind. Redskin Chris Cooley said yesterday that he took a shot during the Skins/Colts game Sunday night but didn't report it. He now has to be evaluated by a concussion expert to see if he can play this week.
How can this be controlled? First and foremost, it has to start from the league itself. There are already penalties in place to address this illegal conduct in the form of fines and penalties. If you want to get players attention, the wallet is a good place to start. It's funny how NFL Czar Goodell was so quick to penalize off-field contact, but slow to address this. I feel now he has no choice; the "product" is now being impacted. I don't really see any imput coming from the players. Especially after Steeler OLB James Harrision comments in which he said when he sees players down on the turf, like the two players he clocked in this week's game against the Browns (Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi), he feels that he has done his job. The third component of this is well, us. Just speaking for myself, the fan in me enjoys the contact. These are grown a-- men we are talkin about who make the choices that they feel are best for themselves and their families. It's just a rough way to make a living.
First, a correction. One of my bloggers noted that I inferred in my last blog that Earl Monroe played for the Washington Bullets. He did not; he went straight to the Knicks from the Baltimore Bullets in 1971. That what I love about my readers. They always keep me on point. Thanks CLW.
Now to football. This year has already been more brutal that usual. More players have been diagnosed with concussions this year to date than in recent memory. This week alone had at least four or more players knocked out of games due to these head injuries. This includes last night's game in which Jacksonville's QB had to leave the game due to a head injury. While football is a violent sport anyway, there is a unusual viciousness in the hits this year. I believe the word is "headhunter", especially in the case of the Desean Jackson hit.
The NFL did a study in which collected data over the six seasons between 1996 through 2001, reported 61 instances of a player’s being rendered unconscious; only 9 returned to play that day, 2 of them before the next snap. It reported no subsequent neuropsychological problems for those players, a finding that helped shape individual team policy. In another survey, more than 61 per cent of former NFL players had concussions during their playing days, and most of them said they were not sidelined after their injuries, according to a study issued Wednesday. The report was based on a survey of 1,094 former players, ages 27 to 86, conducted in 1995-96 by the NFL Players Association. The study also found that 49 per cent of the former players had numbness or tingling; 28 per cent had neck or cervical spine arthritis; 31 per cent had difficulty with memory; 16 per cent were unable to dress themselves; and 11 per cent were unable to feed themselves. Eight were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Call my research skills weak, but I couldn't find any recent studies regarding this.
The other problem consists of players who don't report their state of mind. Redskin Chris Cooley said yesterday that he took a shot during the Skins/Colts game Sunday night but didn't report it. He now has to be evaluated by a concussion expert to see if he can play this week.
How can this be controlled? First and foremost, it has to start from the league itself. There are already penalties in place to address this illegal conduct in the form of fines and penalties. If you want to get players attention, the wallet is a good place to start. It's funny how NFL Czar Goodell was so quick to penalize off-field contact, but slow to address this. I feel now he has no choice; the "product" is now being impacted. I don't really see any imput coming from the players. Especially after Steeler OLB James Harrision comments in which he said when he sees players down on the turf, like the two players he clocked in this week's game against the Browns (Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi), he feels that he has done his job. The third component of this is well, us. Just speaking for myself, the fan in me enjoys the contact. These are grown a-- men we are talkin about who make the choices that they feel are best for themselves and their families. It's just a rough way to make a living.
Friday, October 8, 2010
What's in a Name?
The latest talk in DC, surprisingly, is not about the Redskins or about the upcoming Congressional elections. It's not even about the end of the "Real Housewives of DC", which ended it's run this week. The talk in town is about changing the name of our NBA franchise from the Washington Wizards back to it's previous name, Bullets.
The Washington team was called the Bullets a year after they moved to their Landover Maryland location called the Capital Centre. It was also during this period (1974-1997) that this franchise had some of it's major successes. The 1975 team went 60-22 and made it to the league finals where they were upset by the Golden State Warriors, led by Hall-of-Famer Rick Barry. Three years later, the Bullets won their only team championship led by our own Hall of Famers Elvin (EEEEEE!!!) Hayes and Wes Unseld, still only one of three players that won both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards in the same year. It was Washington's first title in 36 years.
In 1995 then owner Abe Pollin (respect) announced that he was changing the name of the team because of his increased distress with the name given the high homicide and crime rates that were plaguing DC in the 1990's. Holding a contest, the finalists were the Dragons, Express, Stallions, Sea Dogs and Wizards. Sea Dogs? I digress. On May 15, 1997, the Bullets officially became the Washington Wizards. While we have brief success here and there, it's nowhere close to the glory days.
This past year, ownership has changed to the personable Ted Leonsis (read my blog 7/23, The New Guy), who is already creating change in the organization. One major change is his attempt to reconnect the past with the present. For the last couple of weeks, he has been making attempts to integrate the players from our storied past such as Hayes, Unseld and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe with our current players. If you are John Wall, our first #1 pick in almost a decade, imagine getting tips on guard play from "The Pearl". Nothing formal, just talking.
I for one can't wait for the name change. As I said in my previous blog, one block at a time.
Have a safe and positive weekend!!! Here's this week's Friday Freeze jukebox. Another double dose (couldn't decide):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpGvipmIHNw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIjng2KQjww&feature=related
The Washington team was called the Bullets a year after they moved to their Landover Maryland location called the Capital Centre. It was also during this period (1974-1997) that this franchise had some of it's major successes. The 1975 team went 60-22 and made it to the league finals where they were upset by the Golden State Warriors, led by Hall-of-Famer Rick Barry. Three years later, the Bullets won their only team championship led by our own Hall of Famers Elvin (EEEEEE!!!) Hayes and Wes Unseld, still only one of three players that won both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards in the same year. It was Washington's first title in 36 years.
In 1995 then owner Abe Pollin (respect) announced that he was changing the name of the team because of his increased distress with the name given the high homicide and crime rates that were plaguing DC in the 1990's. Holding a contest, the finalists were the Dragons, Express, Stallions, Sea Dogs and Wizards. Sea Dogs? I digress. On May 15, 1997, the Bullets officially became the Washington Wizards. While we have brief success here and there, it's nowhere close to the glory days.
This past year, ownership has changed to the personable Ted Leonsis (read my blog 7/23, The New Guy), who is already creating change in the organization. One major change is his attempt to reconnect the past with the present. For the last couple of weeks, he has been making attempts to integrate the players from our storied past such as Hayes, Unseld and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe with our current players. If you are John Wall, our first #1 pick in almost a decade, imagine getting tips on guard play from "The Pearl". Nothing formal, just talking.
I for one can't wait for the name change. As I said in my previous blog, one block at a time.
Have a safe and positive weekend!!! Here's this week's Friday Freeze jukebox. Another double dose (couldn't decide):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpGvipmIHNw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIjng2KQjww&feature=related
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Whew!!!
I don't know where to begin. It's been a hectic last couple of days in my otherwise boring life.
It started Sunday in one of my favorite hangouts, Baltimore, where I enjoyed the hospitality of one of my good friends who had a crew over for the Ravens-Steelers game. It was what one of my friends would call a "slobberknocker" as it did come down to the wire. But, as I did get one of my few predictions right, the Ravens rolled into Pittsburgh and took another tough game on the road. It was too much like right when future HOF Ray Lewis, who always talks about "shut up and strap it up", picked off a Batch pass to seal the win. It only got better as my Skins rolled into another Pennsylvania town and beat down both Michael Vick and Eagles to go undefeated in the division. It really doesn't get any better than that.
Yesterday, I attended a "Get Motivated" seminar at the Verizon Center in which a wide range of speakers spoke about how to get motivated. While the speakers were great, it also included what I would call live infomercials offering a wide range of products and services. The one related to this blog was Hall of Fame Quarterback Terry Bradshaw. He is a real folksy speaker who joked about how today's quarterbacks are pampered because everything is spoon fed to them while he had to call his own plays. He also admitted how he loves his mama like the Intruders and how he is the highest paid guy at the Fox roundtable. Very enjoyable.
On top of all this, I wake up this morning to find out Randy Moss gets traded back to the place where it all started for him, the Vikings. This trade puts Minnesota back into the "deep into the playoffs" conversation. Don't forget that they still got Adrian Peterson, who runs the rock like a madman.
So, what's been up with you?
It started Sunday in one of my favorite hangouts, Baltimore, where I enjoyed the hospitality of one of my good friends who had a crew over for the Ravens-Steelers game. It was what one of my friends would call a "slobberknocker" as it did come down to the wire. But, as I did get one of my few predictions right, the Ravens rolled into Pittsburgh and took another tough game on the road. It was too much like right when future HOF Ray Lewis, who always talks about "shut up and strap it up", picked off a Batch pass to seal the win. It only got better as my Skins rolled into another Pennsylvania town and beat down both Michael Vick and Eagles to go undefeated in the division. It really doesn't get any better than that.
Yesterday, I attended a "Get Motivated" seminar at the Verizon Center in which a wide range of speakers spoke about how to get motivated. While the speakers were great, it also included what I would call live infomercials offering a wide range of products and services. The one related to this blog was Hall of Fame Quarterback Terry Bradshaw. He is a real folksy speaker who joked about how today's quarterbacks are pampered because everything is spoon fed to them while he had to call his own plays. He also admitted how he loves his mama like the Intruders and how he is the highest paid guy at the Fox roundtable. Very enjoyable.
On top of all this, I wake up this morning to find out Randy Moss gets traded back to the place where it all started for him, the Vikings. This trade puts Minnesota back into the "deep into the playoffs" conversation. Don't forget that they still got Adrian Peterson, who runs the rock like a madman.
So, what's been up with you?
Friday, October 1, 2010
It's Game Time
It's game day in Baltimore. Smoke is pouring out of the machines. Out comes the team mascot. The crowd is getting hyped. When the intensity reaches a fever pitch, coming out the tunnel is not Ray Lewis, but...cornerback Heather Perez of the Baltimore Charm from the, wait for it...Lingerie Football League. That's right, beautiful women in scantly clad outfits hit the field to try to knock each others head off.
If you are still reading this blog, hear me out. They have the helmets, the shoulder pads and the clear visors across the helmets. Just not much else. Say what you want about this league, but in just it's second year of existence the 10-team league already has a nationwide cable television broadcast partner; corporate sponsors for everything from Rofé lingerie to Cutters, the sports performance gloves; and is finalizing a contract for a reality television series next summer. If you believe the fledging owner, Centreville native Mitchell Mortaza, they have already made a profit.
Who are these players? They include Baltimore starting wide receiver Brittany Tegeler, who was a captain and star on the University of Connecticut's women's soccer team. Her teammate, running back Ida Bernstein, ran track and played soccer at Syracuse, made the Big East All-Academic Team and is now in graduate school and plays for the women's national rugby team. Philadelphia's Dana Kent, a mom and, at 32, one of the oldest players in the league, was a record-setting lacrosse player at Division 3 College of New Jersey, leading her team to a 17-0 record and a pair of national titles. Talk about getting your cardio on.
Love it, hate it, but the fans have been coming out. Your Tube editing aside, the people that come to these games are into it. Crowd sizes are in the thousands. My opinion? Just seeing the highlights, it's no cakewalk. I do see a intensity level out there. Looking at some of those hits, you better eat your Wheaties. It's just those other body parts that get in the way.
I'm not getting paid for this, but there is a game in Baltimore tonight, if so inclined. Only in America.
Have a great weekend!!!
By popular demand (by one of my favorite people in the world) the Friday Freeze jukebox is back with a double dose:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwOEf05Lryk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI7x0bTOHd8
If you are still reading this blog, hear me out. They have the helmets, the shoulder pads and the clear visors across the helmets. Just not much else. Say what you want about this league, but in just it's second year of existence the 10-team league already has a nationwide cable television broadcast partner; corporate sponsors for everything from Rofé lingerie to Cutters, the sports performance gloves; and is finalizing a contract for a reality television series next summer. If you believe the fledging owner, Centreville native Mitchell Mortaza, they have already made a profit.
Who are these players? They include Baltimore starting wide receiver Brittany Tegeler, who was a captain and star on the University of Connecticut's women's soccer team. Her teammate, running back Ida Bernstein, ran track and played soccer at Syracuse, made the Big East All-Academic Team and is now in graduate school and plays for the women's national rugby team. Philadelphia's Dana Kent, a mom and, at 32, one of the oldest players in the league, was a record-setting lacrosse player at Division 3 College of New Jersey, leading her team to a 17-0 record and a pair of national titles. Talk about getting your cardio on.
Love it, hate it, but the fans have been coming out. Your Tube editing aside, the people that come to these games are into it. Crowd sizes are in the thousands. My opinion? Just seeing the highlights, it's no cakewalk. I do see a intensity level out there. Looking at some of those hits, you better eat your Wheaties. It's just those other body parts that get in the way.
I'm not getting paid for this, but there is a game in Baltimore tonight, if so inclined. Only in America.
Have a great weekend!!!
By popular demand (by one of my favorite people in the world) the Friday Freeze jukebox is back with a double dose:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwOEf05Lryk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI7x0bTOHd8
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