To me, the worst time to be a sports fan is the two weeks before the Super Bowl and the week after. There's nothing wrong with the game itself. Hell, its called America's Game for a reason & the one they played Sunday was good. Damn good. That said, the rest of it is mind-numbing.
You cannot watch ESPN the two weeks beforehand that magical Sunday. The network digs analysts out of the walls to dissect every aspect of the game. Who has the better pas rush? Who's quarterback is more elite? Which team has the better color scheme? How many first downs should we expect to see? If you had to pick, which team has more of a chance to eat more hamburgers? Okay, some of these are nonsense, but you get the point. ESPN will ignore the rest of the sporting world to talk about one game . . . in two weeks.
Injury news is also annoying during this span. Look at Rob Gronkowski's ankle. True, the injury played an important part of the game, but there where literally 'breaking news' about the status of the tight end's foot joint. My friends knew more about Gronk's busted ankle than the Occupy Pittsburghers getting evicted. Sad.
Now that the game is over, ESPN will over-analyze what happened. They'll play the 'what if' game & critize players for a mistake. Salt in the wound. Merril Hoge'll sy Eli is the best quarterback in the league when six months ago he wouldn't allow him into his top fifteen. Overflowing love for the Giants will pouring out of the television & stain your carpet. Then, they'll talk about if the Giant can repeat or how the Giant can get better in the draft. The draft! That's another story!
Ths is around the time when I cannot wait for NASCAR to start. Daytona 500 in thre weeks, baby!
Congradulations New York Giants
February 6, 2012
February 3, 2012
Josh Hamilton: Role Model
I don't know if any of you know who Josh Hamilton, but he's a athlete you should familiarize yourselves with. Mr. Hamilton is the left fielder for the Texas Rangers. He's 6'4", 240 lbs., and left-handed. Josh is a four-time All-Star, the 2010 AL MVP, and a genuinely nice guy.
He's also (and this is were the story begins) a recovering alcoholic. He'll tell you that without shame.
His tale is a sad one. He began his baseball career in 2001 as a top prospect and a drug/alcohol addict. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays tried to help him, but he successfully drank and used his way out of the MLB by 2004. After being confronted by his grandmother, he entered rehab in 2005.
In 2007, a clean Josh Hamilton returned to baseball as a Cincinnati Red. The next season, the Reds traded him to Texas were his career as taken off and he's one of the most complete players today. But alcoholism is a progressive recovery and one is never wholly cured. Thursday, Hamilton held a press conference and admitted to a recent relapse.
Why did he do this? He could have kept that too himself. I think its because he knows he is a role model to anyone suffering for a addiction. I applaud his candor and strength. It is admirable of him to open up and let others see his weakness. He is brave enough to be the face of addiction.
I openly cheer for Josh Hamilton. The baseball player and the human being.
He's also (and this is were the story begins) a recovering alcoholic. He'll tell you that without shame.
His tale is a sad one. He began his baseball career in 2001 as a top prospect and a drug/alcohol addict. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays tried to help him, but he successfully drank and used his way out of the MLB by 2004. After being confronted by his grandmother, he entered rehab in 2005.
In 2007, a clean Josh Hamilton returned to baseball as a Cincinnati Red. The next season, the Reds traded him to Texas were his career as taken off and he's one of the most complete players today. But alcoholism is a progressive recovery and one is never wholly cured. Thursday, Hamilton held a press conference and admitted to a recent relapse.
Why did he do this? He could have kept that too himself. I think its because he knows he is a role model to anyone suffering for a addiction. I applaud his candor and strength. It is admirable of him to open up and let others see his weakness. He is brave enough to be the face of addiction.
I openly cheer for Josh Hamilton. The baseball player and the human being.
February 1, 2012
Ode to Mascots
What's the purpose of mascots? Do fans really need a Nerf-textured animal inspiring them to cheer?
Is it for the kids? Probably, but do they really care?
Um . . . probably, because they get excited when they see them.
And they like to hug them.
Okay, mascots are cool.
Is it for the kids? Probably, but do they really care?
Um . . . probably, because they get excited when they see them.
And they like to hug them.
WWE Royal Rumble 2012 Highlights - [HQ]
The actual Royal Rumble highlights being at the 4:05 mark. If you're interested . . . I know, you're not :(
Gambling & Sports: Winning Combination
Last Sunday was the beginning of two important (well, important to me anyway) things. It was WWE's Royal Rumble, the starting point to the Road to Wrestlemania. The Royal Rumble is a 30-man match were wrestlers enter at two minute intervals and are eliminated only by being thrown over the top rope. The winner gets to wrestle in the main event of Wrestlemania. The Rumble is pure fun and excitement, but my buddies & I found a way to make it even better.
All you have to do is put money on line.
I credit Ziggy & I for the creation of the Rumble Raffle. We decided to have every one (him, I, our buddies KJ & TJ, my cousin Zack, sister Katherine, and me own mother) put five bucks into a pot and draw three random numbers. If the winner of the Royal Rumble coincides with one of your numbers . . . you win the pot! because there weren't enough of us to pick all thrity numbers, we'd all get our five dollars back if the winner was one of them. Simple gambling at its best!
Thats what makes sports gambling so fun. It gives you a extra thing to care about. To worry over. To hope agianst or for. It hurt when one of my numbers was a guy who clearly wasn't going to win the Rumble. My cousin and sister don't even watch wrestling and they had a blast. Put money up, and you'll care about anything. One time, I went to a Pirates game & a couple rows in front of me where four guys placing two dollar bets on which pierogie would win the race.
So I'd advise all of you to start betting your life's savings on anything with a ball or puck. Go on! Do it! You got nothing to lose . . . kinda . . . I lost the Raffle. My buddy KJ won $35.
All you have to do is put money on line.
I credit Ziggy & I for the creation of the Rumble Raffle. We decided to have every one (him, I, our buddies KJ & TJ, my cousin Zack, sister Katherine, and me own mother) put five bucks into a pot and draw three random numbers. If the winner of the Royal Rumble coincides with one of your numbers . . . you win the pot! because there weren't enough of us to pick all thrity numbers, we'd all get our five dollars back if the winner was one of them. Simple gambling at its best!
Thats what makes sports gambling so fun. It gives you a extra thing to care about. To worry over. To hope agianst or for. It hurt when one of my numbers was a guy who clearly wasn't going to win the Rumble. My cousin and sister don't even watch wrestling and they had a blast. Put money up, and you'll care about anything. One time, I went to a Pirates game & a couple rows in front of me where four guys placing two dollar bets on which pierogie would win the race.
So I'd advise all of you to start betting your life's savings on anything with a ball or puck. Go on! Do it! You got nothing to lose . . . kinda . . . I lost the Raffle. My buddy KJ won $35.
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