Best Sports Theme Songs: My Top Five

Often when we watch sporting events, we associate the theme songs with the events themselves.  A good theme song can often be key to event recognition.  After some careful consideration, here are my top five favorite sports theme songs.  Feel free to give us your top five in the comment section below.

5.  Monday Night Football Theme--ABC/ESPN--How can you not get excited for football when you hear "da da da duhhhhh" to start the broadcast.  ESPN cleverly created an ad campaign around the song when it acquired Monday Night Football from parent network ABC a couple years ago because the song is the most recognizable aspect of the product.  You know you're watching football on a Monday night when you hear this song come through your TV speakers.  It's got a powerful sound, and gets you ready for rough and tumble action and excitement to follow:

4.  The Old ESPN SportsCenter Song--I'm not talking about the new one that has a lot of repeated noise.  We're talking old school, Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann mid 1990s SportsCenter with that putrid brown set behind them.  We're talking saxophone blaring, "da duh da, da duh dah" SportsCenter.  Every sports fan older than ten years old remembers how great this song really was.  This was a classic, and if you ask me, ESPN should make the programming decision immediately to return this song to their feature product.

3.  MLB on FOX Theme--There is something majestic about the World Series, and growing up this was the song I always associated with playoff baseball on FOX.  I realize they play this theme for every baseball game they televise, but when the Cubs reached the NLCS in 2003 I remember getting goose-bumps hearing this song as the they faded up on Joe Buck and Tim McCarver in the broadcast booth at Wrigley Field.  And beyond the nostalgic feelings it may bring, it's a pump up song, no?  You could play this in an action movie or in 24 and it would get your heart pumping.

2.  NBA on NBC Theme--When the NBA used to be great, when it used to bring in top ratings, this was the song that lead into the broadcast.  This was the song that brought Marv Albert into our homes for the game of the week, or Bob Costas.  It brought us Ahmad Rashad in studio, or Hannah Storm, or the likes of Peter Vescey.  If we were lucky, we'd even get the "Czar" Mike Fratello.  This was when the NBA was in its hey day, and man did this song get me stoked for some professional basketball.  This song conjures memories of Bulls/Jazz in the Finals, or Bulls/Knicks in a heated Saturday afternoon game.  I still smile when I listen to this song.

1.  CBS College Basketball Theme--There is no song that gets me more excited for any sporting event than this theme for March Madness.  In fact, my buddies and I once drove up to Milwaukee to catch the first couple rounds of the tournament at the Bradley Center in 2004.  When we got to the parking lot we put the windows down in the car and played this song on max volume while driving through the lot, and we continued doing so for about ten straight minutes.  (We made a CD with this song as all twelve tracks.  Yes, I realize we're a bunch of losers.)  When you watch a regular college hoops broadcast on CBS during the regular season, don't you get excited with anticipation about the tournament on the way?  That's how I've felt all day watching the UConn/Notre Dame and the LSU/Kentucky games.  This song is the ultimate sports theme song for me.

Like my list?  Hate my list?  Post comments below, and post your own top five.

The Kansas City Patriots?

Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli was brought in from New England to bring Patriot-like success to Kansas City.  Who knows whether they'll win next season, but at least Pioli is 'patriotizing' the roster.

Yesterday Kansas City traded for linebacker Mike Vrabel.  Today, they have acquired quarterback Matt Cassel.

Cassel had accepted the back-up role to Patriots QB Tom Brady and was going to play for the franchise tag induced $14.65 million salary that he was due to receive.  I know, right?  He was prepared to accept nearly $15 million to be a back up.  What a guy.

But the fact is Cassel was too good last year not to be starting in 2009.  Cassel threw for nearly 3,700 yards last season with 21 touchdowns and only 11 picks for a team not expected to do much after Brady went down.  Granted, New England didn't make the playoffs, but the Patriots went 11-5 and were in the playoff hunt until the last week of the regular season.  Even though he had a lot of weapons to help him on the offense, Cassel was illusive and dynamic, and many Pats fans would say he won them a few of their games by himself.

Will the Chiefs be good this year?  It's hard to tell.  You'd think after the atrocious year they had last season, going 2-14 and earning the third pick in April's draft, they have nowhere to go but up.  Considering they've hired a new coach, Todd Haley, and have acquired a quality quarterback and a good linebacker, they're improving, to say the least.

And it's not like they didn't have talent there this year.  They still have Tony Gonzalez.  They still have Dwayne Bowe.  They still have Larry Johnson.  Most importantly, in a league where it's not only not unheard of but almost expected to go from worst to first, why couldn't K.C. charge towards the playoffs?  After all, the Dolphins were 1-15 in 2007, and then AFC East Champs in 2008.  Is it so crazy to think the Chiefs could be next year's Dolphins?

We'll find out come next winter.  But if I were a Chiefs fan, I'd be feeling pretty good about the direction of my football team.

I Thought This Was Over...

...But instead, it's not.  It appears Barry Bonds won't be heading to jail, or anywhere for that matter for quite a while.  His perjury trial has been delayed indefinitely.

Why?  The government has appealed pretrial rulings by Judge Susan Illston that the failed drug tests, doping calendar and doping ledgers obtained cannot be used as evidence.  The prosecution feels it cannot make its case without the use of the tests.  But since the Judge won't allow it, they're better off with a delayed trial than begin one they can't win.

The truth is, we all know that Bonds is guilty, whether it is proven in court or not.  The fact that this evidence exists means he's guilty no matter what he says in front of a court of law.  The only people who could possibly believe Barry's innocent are the people paid to say so.  

"Barry Bonds is innocent,"  his attorneys said in joint statement.  "Rather than present the evidence to an impartial judge and jury, the government has chosen to appeal Judge Illston's correct and well-reasoned order.  Instead of a trial, the government wants to prolong its six-year obsession with Barry.  It's unfair to him, to the taxpayers, and to the judicial process.  The government's strategy of delay shows what little confidence they have in their own case."

This is what we're dealing with.  Idiotic lawyers for Bonds that are trying to defend an indefensible case.  There is one thing I do agree with in that statement though.  It is unfair to the taxpayers that their money has to be used to charge Bonds when we all know he's guilty as it is.  That's not what these lawyers were trying to say, but we all know that's the truth.

It's annoying that this trial is delayed, because we thought we finally would have this guy put in the slammer.  He could have joined Greg Anderson, who is so disgustingly loyal to Barry that he's willing to stay behind bars instead of testify against him.

The whole situation is a mess.  It could have been over.  We could have had closure.  Instead, we'll have to wait some more.

A Sad Day For Basketball

Yesterday basketball lost two of its legends, Norm Van Lier and Johnny "Red" Kerr. In tribute to both of them, I present these videos.





Truly a sad day for basketball and a sad day for the Chicago Bulls. Both were great for the NBA and will be sorely missed.

Because Joakim Noah Is Funny Looking...

The Chicago Bulls visited with President Obama yesterday.  Here's visual proof...

This picture begs only a few questions.

1)What in the hell is Brad Miller wearing?

2)Did Joakim Noah think Richard Nixon was still in office?

3)How did Anthony Roberson get the spot right next to Barack?

4)Why didn't Jerome James get an invite?

Paul Harris Thinks He's 50 Cent?

My friend Michelle passed this along to me, and so, dear readers, I do the same for you.  

I present to you, a college athlete with too much time on his hands (shocker).  

Anyone that's ever seen Paul Harris before knows that there's no doubt that's him.  Besides it being him, the apartment looks like the ones basketball players would be living in at Syracuse, there are pictures all over the walls with him in it, and he's wearing Syracuse shorts.  

Some things are just too funny...and, other things are better off left on your camera.

This fits into both of those categories.

He Must Not Want to Play

Maybe it's not about the money, after all.

Manny Ramirez rejected the Dodgers latest 2 year, $45 million offer, which leads me to believe that maybe it's not even about the money at this point.  Maybe Manny Ramirez just has no desire to play.

We're already a couple of weeks into spring training.  Games are going on.  And while Manny Ramirez could easily walk in off the street and play opening day and be effective, maybe he just has no itch or desire to play after all.

He and agent Scott Boras continue to claim there are other suitors for his services and he's still waiting for the market to decide his fate.  Unless I'm missing something, there are no other suitors.  The Giants had mild interest but pulled out of the running a while ago.  There is no market for one of the game's greatest hitters and it's because teams are hesitant to pay a lazy jerk with a history of laying down. 

Isn't this pretty clear by now?

"We want Manny back, but we feel we are negotiating against ourselves,"  Dodgers owner Frank McCourt told reporters in a statement.  "When his agent finds those 'serious offers'  from other clubs, we'll be happy to restart the negotiations."

McCourt knows what everyone else knows.  There are no suitors.  They're throwing him a bone, by offering him $45 million when they don't have to offer him any more than fifty cents to be the highest bidder.  But since this prima dona wants to be paid $25 million a year, likely against their better judgment, they've offered it to him anyway.

And he still won't take it.  He must not want to play.

What else could it be?  He wanted out of Boston, played out of his mind in L.A. from August to the National League Championship Series presumably to break the bank.  He wanted a 4-year deal worth $100 million.  He couldn't get it.  And now that he's seen that there's no market for him because of his own doing, maybe he's decided he just doesn't need baseball anymore.

It's not like there hasn't been a love-fest from the players and manager Joe Torre in an effort to entice him to return.  After all, the Dodgers have already publicly admitted they need him, and without him they're considerably worse.  Considering they are in competition with no one and they're still willing to offer him nearly half his original asking price should be a sufficient message of respect.  And he was a mega-star in Hollywood last season.  Every time he strode to the plate they chanted his name at Dodger Stadium.  Trust me, I witnessed it live.

So if he won't go back to the Dodgers, when they're offering him $25 million for this season and $20 million for next season to play baseball in a depressed economy, it must be a lack of motivation.  At this point, he must know he cannot get the contract he desires.  And if he cared so much about returning to baseball, he'd take this deal and head to the locker already reserved for him at the Dodgers new spring training home in Glendale.  

Instead, he's still sitting at home.  And it makes me think maybe he's just tired of baseball.

Best Deal In Sports

Ah how Major League teams love young talent.  Giants 24-year-old ace Tim Lincecum just signed a one year contract worth $650,000.

A little more than half a million dollars for the 2008 Cy Young Award winner.  The man who went 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA and lead the majors with 265 punch-outs in just 227 innings.  

Oh yeah.  Maybe I should also mention that that 2.62 ERA was the third best in the majors and second best in the National League.  And those 18 wins?  Also 2nd in the league.  Only Cliff Lee won more games.  

Granted, after the 2009 campaign Lincecum will be eligible for salary arbitration.  So he'll get his payday soon enough, assuming he continues to pitch like he has.  But what a deal for a guy who's that good.  Gil Meche makes $11 million per year.

Amazing that Lincecum is making just $650,000.  And he's happy to play for that.  Manny Ramirez on the other hand won't settle for $25 million a year.  Unreal, isn't it?

NBA Struggling Too

Yesterday I mentioned the NFL wasn't recession proof.  The NBA is struggling too.  Check out this article from the AP on the economic plight of Scott's favorite league:

Associated Press

NEW YORK-- SportsBusiness Journal reports the NBA plans to borrow $175 million to distribute to teams in need of additional cash.

The deal comes at a time when leagues are laying off staffs and cutting ticket prices.  It will allow the NBA to distribute up to $11.66 million to 15 teams that responded to a league survey gauging interest in the money, SportsBusiness Journal said.

The report says the league plans to borrow the money Thursday.

The report also says JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America arranged the private-placement deal, in which non-banking lenders extend the cash at a fixed rate.  In this case, the interest rate is 8.27 percent for $100 million; 7.45 percent for the remaining $75 million.

Teams can use the money for any purpose.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.

I Know It's Just Spring Training, But Still...

The Cubs were on the radio yesterday. I wasn't going to listen to much, but when I heard Pat Hughes and Ron Santo on the air in the afternoon I couldn't keep myself away.

Granted, the game was boring. I hadn't heard of most of the players. But hey, it was baseball.

There's really no more exciting beginning of any season than the beginning of baseball season. It's in the spring time, or as winter turns to spring, and it's hard not to get excited about the weather and season to come. The baseball season is unique because we feel so connected to it. There are games every day, and it becomes a part of our daily routine.

So listening to the game yesterday, even though it was completely meaningless, made me think about the excitement that has yet to come. Now that I've had a taste of it, there's nothing that sounds more appealing right now than heading out to the ballpark to enjoy a baseball game.

Take me out to the ball game. Ahhh. Only a month or so away.

I Am Not Normal

Most kids grow up adoring the teams and players that their fathers or uncles or brothers followed.

Most kids grow up rooting for teams in their area, teams they can watch on TV all the time, listen to on the radio, and see in person without having to get on an airplane.

I am not most kids.

For what ever reason, I am a San Antonio Spurs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan.  Actually, there is a reason for it.

My father, bless his heart, was once a serious gambler.  Big time.  Because his only favorite team is the Yankees, he'd bet on football and basketball free of fan bias.  Thus, I wasn't able to follow his lead with regards to the NFL or NBA.  

As to how I came to pick the teams, that's mostly just random order, combined with the fact that my parents were happy to see I'd picked guys like Warrick Dunn and David Robinson as idols.

Either way, the point of this post is that yesterday was a defining moment in my fandom.  For the first time ever, I got to hear the Spurs on the radio.  Nearly two decades into my career as a Spurs fan, I hadn't heard my favorite team on the radio.  Prior to last season, I had never seen them on non-national TV.   In the past year plus, I've accomplished both of those.

It wasn't nearly as special as I'd imagine it would be.  Some how I half expected the announcer to say, "And, now, as we rejoin action here in the 2nd quarter, we'd like to say hello to first time listener, long time fan Scott Spinelli of New Jersey.  Welcome, Scott!  We've been waiting 22 years for this day!"

And then the crowd would go wild...

Then, I'd wake up.

Forget that A-Rod Fella, Brett's Are The Real Story Of Yankee Opener

It's clear to me that all of you out there, from Eddie to ESPN to any other sports news source of any sort of repute clearly missed the boat yesterday.  

While all of you fledgling journalists and fans were fawning over this Rodriguez character, I happened to be noticing a greater story line unfold.  Perhaps as dramatic as the era of dual Billy Joe's in New Orleans (though that's still up for debate), a pair of Brett's began their conquest to divide and conquer the 5 Boroughs of New York, beginning with the Bronx.  

Their journey began yesterday in Dunedin.

I speak, naturally, of only two men:   Brett Tomko and Brett Gardner.

Tomko started the game, gave two EXCELLENT innings of work.  Gardner lead off, and bombed the 2nd pitch he saw for a homer.  

Their play begs only one honest question.

Alex, who?

A-Rod Homers Today in First Spring Training Game

Granted, it's spring training.  But there was no booing in this at-bat.  And so much for those who believe A-Rod will buckle under the pressure.  Sure, one game, one at-bat.  But here's a little statement from the man who has been the subject of every baseball conversation over the last few weeks...

Hey, you'd have to figure that was a clean homer.

Even The NFL is Not Recession Proof

Even though the common perception is that the cash cow known as the NFL could never be worried about money, apparently it is.

The league has cut fifteen percent of its staff, meaning 169 jobs were cut through buyouts and layoffs.  NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell even trimmed his own pay by twenty percent.  He was making $11 million dollars, not including bonuses he was set to receive for the 2008 year.

Obviously Goodell rolls in a lot of cash and can afford to give some of it back.  But it says a lot that he's taking a twenty percent pay cut for the good of the league.  The league also froze salaries for all employees for 2009, and expenses have been cut by twenty percent.

The NFL is concerned about whether its sponsors will be shelling out money for next season, and whether the auto industry which pays big money for commercial advertising can afford to continue doing so.  Playoff tickets will be reportedly cut in price by ten percent.  Even here in Chicago the Bears will not raise ticket prices, and maybe lower them to help fans afford to go to games.

If only the NFL made money off the millions of people who wager on their product.

It shows what a tough economic time we live in when even the NFL is struggling.  Kudos to Goodell for doling out some extra cash to help out his league.  But it will be interesting to see how sports are effected by the economic downturn in this country.  

"Someone Catch That Sphere!"

I've never been much of a Conan fan, but this is a piece that he did a while back on a group of people in Long Island that play 1864 baseball with costumes, attitudes and all.

What starts as an interview clearly intended to poke fun at the players caps off with O'Brien actually getting dressed in the attire and playing with them.  His mustache and manner of speech alone are worth watching.

Hump Day Headlines

In this week's Hump Day Headlines, we discuss Tiger's return to the links, the Panthers Pitt-fall, Starbury's potential move to Boston, and Harrison's run in Indy comes to an end...

• The world's best golfer is back.  Today Tiger Woods returns to golf after eight months off recovering from reconstructive knee surgery and the birth of his son to play in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.  This marks his first tournament since his memorable win on one leg in the U.S. Open last June, and Woods enters this tournament tomorrow the defending champ.  He'll face Australian Brendan Jones in his first match.  Tiger says his short game "has gotten a little bit better" and hit every green in regulation yesterday in the practice round.  This likely means doom for the competition.  Anything can happen in match play and often the favorites don't win.  Either way, all eyes will be on Tiger as he revives the interest in Golf worldwide by stepping foot on the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club course this afternoon in Tucson.  I know I'll be watching.
• Yet another team ranked #1 in the country has fallen just days, or in this case, a day after being put into the top spot in the polls.  #1 Pittsburgh won't have that ranking in front of its name after Providence handed them an 81-73 loss in Rhode Island Tuesday night.  What this loss showed is what we already knew:  if DeJuan Blair gets into foul trouble, the Panthers are a very vulnerable team.  Blair had 17 points and 8 rebounds in the loss, but fouled out of last night's contest.  Pitt's loss is the sixth loss this season for a top ranked team.  And by the way, the Friars definitely helped their tournament chances with that win.  Providence is 17-11 on the year but now boasts a 9-7 record in the Big East.  It's their second win against a ranked team.  Their last came against then #15 Syracuse January 28th.
• Stephon Marbury's career with the Knicks is mercifully over.  The two sides finally reached a buyout of Marbury's albatross contract Tuesday afternoon.  Starbury is eligible to play in the post season should he sign with a team headed there because the deal was made before the league deadline Sunday.  Assuming Marbury clears waivers, he could become a member of the Celtics as soon as this Friday.  If so, he could be in the lineup for his first action of the season Friday night in Beantown against Indiana.  Unfortunately there are no more match-ups between Boston and New York this season, because that would certainly have some added flare.  But New Yorkers that want to pay to boo Marbury will have opportunity to do so, as the Celtics visit New Jersey March 4th.  At least this story can finally come to an end.  Marbury is expected to sign for a pro-rated veteran minimum contract.
• His thirteen year run as the Colts star wideout is over.  Marvin Harrison wanted his release and got it yesterday after meeting with Indy boss Jim Irsay.  He was due to earn $13.4 million in 2009, but Indianapolis wanted to restructure his contract.  Harrison decided instead of coming back he'd rather have his release to play elsewhere.  After all, the 36-year-old would have been the third option this season had he returned to Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez.  Harrison will likely go down as one of the top receivers to ever play in the NFL, as he ranks in the top five all-time in receptions (1,102), yards (14,580) and touchdowns (128).  The first round pick from Syracuse in 1996 has been to eight pro-bowls and won Super Bowl XLI as the Colts beat the Bears.  As to where he'll land?  Some speculate a move to Philadelphia since the Eagles need another receiver and Harrison is a Philly native.  ESPN's John Clayton also suggested possible destinations for #88 could be San Francisco or Chicago. 

Who Told Him This Was A Good Idea?

No frills here, Byron Russell says he wants to make a comeback.  The man most known for this...

...says he wants to comeback and play in the NBA and says he can come back and play 20 minutes a night.  Did I miss something here?

The same Byron Russell that, at 38, hasn't played a meaningful game in the Association since 2005.  The same Russell that hasn't played more than 20 minutes a night since 2001-2002. 

Well, actually, let me apologize for my negativity.  He said in an interview that he "works out every day" when talking about his desire to play for the Boston Celtics.  If you put it that way Byron, then I'm sure you can just bop back into the league.  Who am I to think a guy that's been out of the league for two years couldn't come back to a team in March?  If he really has been working out, then that's all I need to know.

Come on.  Working out?  That's all you have to say to prove that you're going to be able to play 20 minutes a night?  And with the Celtics?  Wow, what a sacrifice.

Ultimately, I can't get too mad at Russell.  He's clearly delusional with this idea, but I've always felt bad for the guy.  He had a decent career, was a good defender, but is obviously only remembered for one thing.  

Too bad.

Back And Forth: How Do You Solve A Problem Like Manny?

(Editors Note: Scott often refers to me as Ed or Eddie. He knows my name is Jordan. He can explain the meaning of this nickname.)

Scott: Alright Ed, we've both seen how long this Manny Ramirez saga has been dragging on. As of today, February 24th, Man-Ram has no home to call his own. Spring training continues, and he isn't on a team. We all know how great he is, and how frustrating he can be. IT seems like it's only the Dodgers in the running for the left fielder. If you're L.A., what do you do?

Jordan: Well if I'm L.A., I think it's a tough spot. One way you could look at it is: well, he didn't take either of our last two offers, (2 years, $45 million or 1 year, $25 million) we're not offering him more than that. And no one is bidding against us. So if he doesn't want to sign? Adios. On the other hand though, they really aren't good without him, are they? Don't they need him regardless of how much of a jerk he is?

S: Oh my God do they ever. The only reason, ONLY reason, that they won the division and a playoff series was because of him. Period.

J: I totally agree. Before Manny, they were a mediocre team. That said, what do you do if you're Ned Colletti and the Dodgers? (And, they also won a playoff series because the Cubs are a disgrace. But maybe that's beside the point.

S: Fair enough. I think that James Loney salami is still going. That was him right?

J: Yes. Ugh, yes it was.

S: Anyway, the Dodgers still hold the power here. That's the funny thing about all this, far as I see it. Every other team has pretty much said "Manuel, we're not going to budge." None of this 4-year, $25 mil a year crap. And with that said, the Dodgers are pretty much his only option.

J: Thing is though, is it possible the Dodgers could be better off without Manny's BS? Sure, we agree they wouldn't have gone anywhere without him. But that production hinged on the fact he was trying to get that 4-year, $25 mil per year crap. Will he be as motivated if he only gets a one year deal?

S: I think so. I thinknk to expect him to hit nearly .400 again is insane, but I think to expect him to be a big time offensive player isn't much out of the question. He seemed comfortable there last year, and more than anything else, tht Dodgers need him if they want to compete. And more importantly, he'll put people in the stands.

J: For that reason more than any other you'd have to think this deal gets done. But in either case, if you're the Dodgers, you need to make a decision already. This is a distraction, no matter how the shoothing Joe Torre wants to spin it, so they need to make this happen or not fairly quickly.

S: No doubt. Manny's going to be a Dodger, and frankly, how much does it even matter if he takes part in Spring Training? The guy didn't start playing last year till August, and he turned out fine.

J: True. He's a freak. HE could probably drive up to Chavez Ravine, walk into the park five minutes before game time in street clothes and hit three bombs on opening day.

S: I'll never love the guy, but damn him, I respect the hell out of what he does. Sounds ridiculous, but it's true.

J: I agree.

S: So what's the final verdict here? Sign him, or move on if you're L.A.?

J: Sign him. Just so we don't have to hear about it anymore. In the wofds of the great Dave Chappelle, "Zip it up, and zip it out!" (go to the 3 minute mark)

S: Zippidy Do Da, Eddie.

New BERNing on Sports Podcast Available

Enjoy today's latest installment of the BERNing on Sports Podcast! In today's episode, Scott and I discuss the World Baseball Classic, why in the heck anyone watches NASCAR, and many other topics in the Hail Mary Segment. Check it out!

Click Here to download the newest BERNing On Sports Podcast.

And, as always, consult the red right tab for this podcast and any of the others at any time. If you'd like to comment on anything discussed, do so below.

Enjoy!

Quote of the...Week?

We don't have an official "Quote of the..." segment here on BERNING and I don't suspect that this post will change that.  So, how ever you'd like to rank this quote, be my guest.  

This story comes by way of a number of sources, but directly from the New York Times, in news and notes form.  Apparently, rarely used (at the time) Portland forward Ike Diogu was trying to arrange for a summer internship (yes, you read that right) with EA Sports.  As if the idea of a multi-million dollar athlete roaming the halls as an intern isn't funny enough, the way the NYT treated the issue really made me chuckle.

“I just want to get as much information as I can,” said Diogu, who wants to work in the video-game business after his playing career is over. “I’ve always been a video-game player, from the time I was young, so it just made sense to me.”

Where to begin, where to begin.  First of all, Ike, who said you're playing career isn't over right now? Second, you think because you like video games, you can work with video games?  I've been to known to enjoy an adult film or two (or three or more, depending on how thoroughly you want to comb through my computer), but that doesn't mean you're going to see me in some porno flick.  Speaking of which, here are some hilarious porno names.

So, Ike, stick to playing basketball.  You've been on 5 teams in 4 years.  Work on basketball before you worry about any off-season internships.

(Oh, and by the way, it's not a misrepresentation in the game, you really are that slow and can't jump)

One of the Best NBA Finishes I've Ever Seen

Last night, Nets down by 1 to the Sixers with 1.8 seconds left, having to go the length of the court.  Devin Harris gets the inbounds pass, gets fouled, no call, then puts this up...

WOW.  Can you believe this?

M.J at 45? Still the Greatest

I went on YouTube today and it was recommended I watch this video on the home page.  When I started watching, I started thinking, how lucky are these kids?  They not only got to participate in a basketball clinic with Michael Jordan, but they also got to go one-on-one with him (a couple minutes into the video).

I'm sure they learned a lot by the way, because Michael can execute everything he teaches.  Unlike some coaches that can tell you how to shoot but when they shoot it doesn't go in, everything Michael shot went in.

If I got to play one-on-one with Jordan, I'd probably become so weak in the knees I'd faint before we started playing.  I've always said he's the one person that if I met him face to face I'm not sure I could utter a coherent word or thought.  

For all you basketball fans that miss M.J. and the glory years of the 80s and 90s, during which we were all privileged to watch His Airness and his legendary career, you'll love this.  He's still great even at 45!

Enjoy.

My Mt. Rushmore

On Saturday, Jordan's post about what his sports Mt. Rushmore would be got me thinking. He wanted to know who other people would choose for their mountains, but, since I write for the site and can do basically whatever I want, I decided, the hell with it. I'm making my own post. None of this comment section business for me.

Without further delay...

1. David Robinson - One of the all-time "good guys" in sports. Not to mention, the soon-to-be Hall of Famer could play ball. Would've been even better, far as championships are concerned, if it wasn't for some doofus named Mike.
2. Tim Duncan - Another one of the "good guys", but I love him because he dominates, and doesn't need to shout to do it. Excited when he needs to be, funny in private quarters, Duncan's boring as all hell, but he's the ideal athletic role model on the court, though maybe not the ideal personality off it for the media.
3. Derek Jeter - Come on. How could any Yankee fan near my age not put him here?
4. Warrick Dunn - Another "good guy", catching a theme here? Dunn's always been a favorite of mine as a Buccaneers fan. The fact that he's such a little guy that's had such a good career (one that will almost definitely be overlooked by future NFL fans) really stands out.

Nate Silver From Baseball Prospectus: A-Rod Not a Lock to Become HR King

Sometimes Baseball Prospectus is a little much for me with their complicated statistical analyses, but if anything they definitely provide food for thought for diamond dorks like me.

In Silver's latest work for BP, he argues that while it seems like a foregone conclusion for most that Alex Rodriguez will break baseball all-time home run record, some indicators would argue it's not.

Silver's reasoning against A-Rod hitting the final 210 home runs to pass Barry Bonds is as follows:  (and FYI, at Rodriguez's current pace, he'd break the all-time home run record at the tail end of the 2013 season)

1. According to the aging curve, which evaluates players statistics based on age, the biggest point of decline comes between ages 32 and 34.  A-Rod turns 33 this season.  And consider these numbers he points out:  In 2007, A-Rod hit 30 dingers in the first half of the season, and just 24 in the second half.  Last year, he hit 19 homers in the first half and just 16 after the break.  Those numbers would coincide with the statistical analysis, and could suggest he'll continue to decline.  Silver does point out, however, "that could be just a fluke."
2. A-Rod has never suffered a significant injury, that is, until last season when he missed 24 games.  He hadn't missed that many games in a season in 10 seasons, as his last significant sidelining came in 1999.  Silver points out that players who have taken steroids are more prone to injuries, and when a player reaches his mid-30s "injury problems sometimes can be compounding".
3. Based on a statistical analysis called PECOTA, which "stands for Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm, projects player performance based on comparison with thousands of historical player-seasons, analyzes similarities with past player-seasons based not only on rate statistics, but also height, weight, age and many other factors", according to BP's website, A-Rod will significantly decline from here on out.  Silver argues that based on the 20 most comparable players to A-Rod, and this statistical analysis, A-Rod will hit 730 home runs if he retires in 2019.  He'll hit 33 home runs next year, 30 the year after, and then decline incrementally year after year until he hits one measly dinger in 2019 to finish 32 home runs behind Barry Bonds.

On the other hand, Silver acknowledges there are other factors indicating A-Rod does have a great shot to break Bonds' record:  He's a great athlete, he will earn $30 million in bonuses for every player he passes in pursuit of the record, and based on stats, players who start their careers in a flourish tend to finish them the same way.  So the fan perception that breaking the record is a formality may actually become a reality.

Pretty interesting huh?  Check out the entire article here.

Much Ado About Nothing: The Yankee Years

The buzz, in early February, was all over Joe Torre's new book.  Co-written (read:  written) by Tom Verducci, the book was talked about all over the place, with leaks from different sections of the book securing its description as a "tell-all".

Torre found himself discussing the book just about everywhere.  Sirius Radio, WFAN in New York, ESPN.  Even on Larry King Live.

Every few days leading up to the February 3rd release of the book, new leaks would come out.

Teammates called Alex Rodriguez A-Fraud, Johnny Damon may not have been as good of a teammate as people think, problems with Kevin Brown and Carl Pavano.

It seemed to have all the markings of a juicy, insider's look at one of the most popular franchises during one of its most successful runs in team history.  I was excited. 

Then, I read it.

After over 470 pages, I was left feeling like I'd just seen any Eddie Murphy movie that has come out in the past 15 years.  The previews look great, you think you've got a winner, and once you're leaving the theater, you realize you've seen all the good parts in the preview, and the movie was otherwise lacking.

Not much difference here.

Verducci takes the reader through the 12 "yankee years" of Joe Torre, an interesting look (albeit protracted) at the changes that took place not only in the Yankee clubhouse but also throughout baseball.  Interesting, but not revealing.  Anyone following baseball or having read Moneyball at some point is at least vaguely familiar with the newfound obsession by baseball executives with statistical analysis, niche finding, and market exploitation to compete with the high spenders of the major leagues.  

This is where the book finds its demise.  As a concept, the "changes in baseball" idea isn't that original.  It's been done, several times over.  Not to mention that unless you were a Yankees fan, you wouldn't really care too much about what was going on inside their clubhouse at the time.  But, if you were a Yankee fan, the things you were reading about were pretty much common knowledge.

For instance, no one actually told me that players resented Kyle Farnsworth, Kevin Brown, and Carl Pavano.  But, I think I could've figured that one out of my own.  Did I know for a fact that Randy Johnson's struggles were linked to the pressures of NYC?  No, but pushing away a camera guy on his first day pretty much told me all I needed to know at the time.

There were some interesting stories, though.  One that sticks with me found George Steinbrenner walking through the clubhouse during spring training some years back.  Allen Watson, a mediocre middle reliever for the Yankees, was horsing around and tossed a bagel at a clubhouse attendant.  The errant throw hit Steinbrenner, who demanded to know who had perpetrated the crime.  Watson sheepishly admitted it was him, to which The Boss said, "I thought it was you, Watson, that's why it didn't hurt."

General overview:  Torre felt betrayed by the way the Yankees handled his final few years, the Yankees relied too much on statistics and big free agent signings post 2000, and made a ton of free agent pitching mistakes (not the least of which was Kei Igawa, who bullpen catcher Mike Borzello goes on record as saying he knew was terrible after catching only one session with him in his first February with the team).

Not too shocking.

When It Rains, It Pours

After all the bad press for baseball over the last two weeks, now there's this:  National's GM Jim Bowden is under federal investigation for skimming latin prospects' signing bonuses, according to SI.com.  The probe is investigating Bowden back to 1994.

Oh great, another baseball scandal.  Just what we all need.

According to the report, two baseball sources say that Bowden and one of his Latin American scouts is linked to former pitcher and Bowden special assistant Jose Rijo.  Rijo has ties to two former White Sox Dominican scouts who were fired by GM Kenny Williams in May of 2007 for pocketing money saved for Dominican players' signing bonuses.  Although, Williams was quoted in 2007 as saying the scouts were fired "for actions in Latin America that were violations of club policy and standards".  

The scout linked to Bowden, Jorge Oquendo, worked for Bowden when he was the GM for the Reds in 1994, and also between 2000-2003.  He worked for the the White Sox former director of player personnel, David Wilder in 2006 and 2007.

Good to know that scouts are taking bonus money from players.  

How big a deal is this?  Well, probably not that big a deal for baseball fans.  It's unfair to the players, sure, and it should be stopped.  But at this point baseball fans are likely desensitized to misconduct by anyone in Major League Baseball.  It's not another black eye for the sport like the steroid scandal or the big names coming out in it.

Maybe, though, it's just another smack in the head.

Good To See This Still Happens In Sports

Isn't it great when you find a team that actually likes each other and can play jokes on each other and doesn't have to worry about controversy or bruising egos?

Here's some evidence that still exists:

Sure, everyone knows I've jumped back on the Blackhawks bandwagon.  But with all the scandal and controversy swirling around sports, the Blackhawks are proving this year they're the antithesis to all that negativity.  Their positive energy is a reminder of the good in sports--a likable team that is just as fun off the ice (or court or field) as they are on it.

By the way, if anyone has any good funny prank videos involving athletes, post links!

Who Cares?

Why does anyone care about the NFL Combine?

That's the question I've been asking myself when I've watched every major sports network discuss players' shuttle runs and forty times and various lifts.

The NFL draft is still months away.  It's not until April 25th in New York.  That's 62 days from now.  And is it really important to know that Michael Crabtree won't run the forty because he has a stress fracture in his foot?  It's February!  He doesn't have to run on it until July!

Granted, I'm not addicted to football the way many people are.  But even the biggest football fan in the world must have something better to do than watch prospective NFL draft picks run drills.  Is it interesting to know how high a guy can jump?  Do you care how far a guy can go in the standing long jump?  I don't.

Someone needs to explain this to me, because I won't care about any of this stuff until draft day. 

It's Still Compelling to Me

Most of you who read this probably know that I have a love/hate relationship with the NBA.

So when the ABC "Game of the Week" features the Suns and Celtics, two teams who have lost their best player in the last few days, you'd probably assume there's no way I'd watch this.

Actually, I find it more compelling now.

Sure, it would be better to watch Kevin Garnett, who's out two to three weeks with a knee strain, and Amar'e Stoudemire, who's out for the season with a detached retina.  But it will be more interesting to see how good both these teams are without their fallen big men, particularly the Celtics.

The Suns have had to live with Stoudemire missing time before.  When they run their fast-paced, run-and-gun system, they can usually survive without Amar'e, but they're obviously worse.  We haven't seen what the Celtics look like without KG with the way the team is currently structured.

Last year's champions face their first road block today- a good team without their best defender, and the man most consider the team's "glue guy".  He's the man credited with Boston's renewed commitment to defense, and the man who keyed the Celtics turnaround from worst to first last year.  

Now, without him, how good is Boston really?  And if they're not good, how many games do they lose in the two to three week span he's sidelined?  Does it drop them in the standings to the 3-seed in the East, which would change the playoff landscape?  If they're fine without him, does it devalue KG?  He is having his worst statistical year since the 96-97 season, averaging just 16.3 points and 8.8 boards.  Is he overrated if they string together a bunch of wins without him?

These are all questions I'll be trying to answer as I watch today.  Who said I hate the NBA?  I'm fascinated by it!

UConn Post Game Turns Into Economic Debate

Sometimes reporters do stupid things that make the media look bad. Today after #1 UConn's 64-50 win over South Florida at the XL Center in Hartford, a self proclaimed "freelance journalist" may have asked a pointed question, but picked an inopportune time to ask it.

The man's name is Ken Krayeske, a 36 year old Hartford resident and political activist who apparently has made headlines in the area before. He decided Saturday afternoon to take the post-game press conference with UConn legendary coach Jim Calhoun and turn it into a circus.

Krayeske questioned Coach Calhoun about why the coach at a public university is making 1.6-million dollars when the economy is plummeting across America and especially in Connecticut. The question by itself might not be so outrageous, but it was completely inappropriate to ask him after a game. Considering it was the University of Connecticut that gave him his salary, he probably should have first talked to the administration. Furthermore, if he wanted to talk to Calhoun about this, he should have arranged an interview with him at another time to discuss it.

Calhoun at first jokingly said, "not a dime back" in response to whether he should give money from his contract back to UConn. Krayeske however, continued to fire pointed questions at him about the money he makes, when Calhoun understandibly started to get angry.

"My best advice to you is, shut up," Calhoun yelled back.

Maybe that wasn't the best thing to do. Maybe he should have acted more professionally. But Calhoun is a hot head and this guy was provoking him unfairly.

Then Krayeske threw the rest of the media he was standing with under the bus.

"If these guys covered this stuff, I wouldn't have to do it," he said.

Is this guy kidding? If Krayeske was an actual journalist, or at least one with any class, he'd never call out the rest of his "colleagues". Nor would he choose to make this post-game press conference into a debate. This isn't the time or place for him to be making political commentary.

"Quite frankly, we bring in 12 million [dollars] to the university, nothing to do with state funds, " Calhoun snapped back. "We make 12 million [dollars] a year for this university. Get some facts and come back and see me... Don't throw out salaries and other things... We turn over 12 million [dollars] to the University of Connecticut, which is state-run. Next question."

Calhoun felt the need to defend himself here, but really, he should have ignored this guy. Calhoun is a well respected, excellent basketball coach who is paid handsomely for bringing consistent basketball success to Connecticut. He doesn't decide his salary, and he's worth what the university is willing to pay him. Furthermore, just because the economy is bad and many people are struggling, why does that mean he should give back the money he's earned for success at his job?

Athletes and coaches are generally overpaid when you consider that they're multimillionaires for playing games for a living. There's no question that when you consider that teachers and firemen and policemen don't make even a fraction of the pay that Manny Ramirez gets paid to swing a baseball bat, it's unfair.

But the bottom line is this: people come out in droves to wherever Manny is playing and pay $100 or more per ticket day in and day out. The teams he and these other athletes play for are enormous money making machines beacuse of their performance on the field. Why shouldn't these guys get a piece of the pie? Why should Ramirez or Calhoun any other athlete or coach get paid a salary of a teacher when they are bringing millions upon millions of dollars to their respective teams and universities? Isn't this why we have a free market economy?

If people scalped hundreds of dollars to get tickets to watch firemen, they they could get paid more than they do. Nobody's buying tickets to watch teachers teach biology.

Jim Calhoun is right. Krayeske should shut up. And if he feels so strongly about it, write a column. Talk to the university. But don't blame Calhoun. He's just one of many people in many walks of life that makes more money than he needs. But it's not Krayeske's job to decide Calhoun's salary.

The Mount Rushmore of Sports

Lately on ESPN I've noticed that they're starting to debate who would be on the "Mount Rushmore of Sports" in every state. Sure, you could say it's another corny way to fill programming. But I actually think it's pretty interesting.

Who would you put on your state's Mount Rushmore of sports? Better yet, of the teams of which you're a fan, how would you construct that Mount?

Since I'm writing this post, I'll start. Feel free to comment on mine, but I'd like to see yours. Tell us which teams or state you're choosing from first. And remember, there are four dead presidents on the mount. You can only choose four athletes or coaches to make your mount.

My Teams: Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Blackhawks, Syracuse Orange, Illinois Fighting Illini

My Mount Rushmore: (All these players played in my lifetime)

1. Michael Jordan--Greatest basketball player of all-time, arguably the greatest athlete of all-time, certainly the greatest Bull of all time.
2. Greg Maddux--He didn't play that much of his career with the Cubs, and won just one of his four Cy Youngs in Cubbie blue. But until his retirement this year he was the active leader in wins with 355, and is a first ballot hall of famer.
3. Walter Payton--Until Emmitt Smith, he was the NFL's all-time leading rusher. He helped lead the Bears to their only Super Bowl victory (January 26, 1986 in a 46-10 win over New England).
4. Ryne Sandberg--A hall of fame second baseman that hit the second most home runs among 2nd basemen all time (when he retired he was first). Of course, they didn't win a championship with him there, but they won the division twice, which is good for the Cubs.

Let us know what you think. Post away.

The Tournament Case For Davidson

Around this time of year, it gets called into question which teams will be "bracketbusters" and which teams won't, which teams will make a miraculous run into the field of 65 and which teams will go home to the disappointment of the NIT.

While taking in some College Gameday this morning on ESPN, I noticed in the preview of the game between #22 Butler and Davidson, the analysts on the panel were debating whether the Southern Conference leading Wildcats were still a tournament team if they don't win their conference (and would have to earn one of the 34 at-large selections).

Thankfully, my father doesn't have a vote on this because his belief is that no team from a conference outside of the power six should ever be ranked, and should never make the tournament unless they win their conference. So while he likely hasn't watched Davidson play more than 30 seconds this season that's where his vote goes.

I on the other hand have only seen a handful of Davidson's contests. But here's where they rank in terms of resume:

Entering today's game against the Horizon League's finest, the 22nd-ranked Butler Bulldogs, Davidson has a 22-5 record and a 15-2 record in the So-Con. There are no ranked teams in the So-Con, and there are just two other teams in the conference with more than 15 wins this season.

Davidson's RPI rating is currently 50th in the country (through Sunday, February 15th) and their strength of schedule ranking is a mere 150th in Division I. Their key wins have come at West Virginia (won 68-65 December 9th), and at home against NC State (72-67 December 6th).

Of their five losses, three of them have come against top 15 teams, and all of them came on the road. They lost November 18th at then-#12 Oklahoma by four (82-78), at then-#13 Purdue in Indianapolis by 18 (76-58) and at then-#2 Duke 79-67 at Cameron. Their other two losses came to the College of Charleston and to The Citadel, both at home. But it should be pointed out that the loss to The Citadel came without the services of superstar guard Stephen Curry, who missed the game with a high ankle sprain.

Having digested all that, if they beat Butler, they'd have a win against a ranked team, which certainly would help their cause. But to me, win or lose against the Bulldogs, they're a borderline team. If they win the So-Con, we're not even having this discussion. If they don't, they'll still get in for one reason.

Steph Curry.

Come on, you think if the NCAA tournament committee has the choice of a midly compelling Big East team vs Steph Curry in the tournament again they'd choose against the nation's leading scorer?

I don't think so!

If Curry's in the tournament people are watching. Is it fair? Not really. But it's the fact. I'm definitely watching any game he's in over watching two teams who ranked 7th or 8th in a power conference play against each other.

Curry is a great player, and because he's been hurt for a few games it has hurt Davidson's resume. And while the Wildcats are a bit different this year, we know how good they were last year when given a chance to show it against the big bad "power" conference teams. The tournament doesn't necessarily need Curry in it, but he sure would help ratings.

What do you think? Are they a tournament team? Should they get in just because of Curry? Let us know.

Whether Or Not You Like Mascots...

Everyone thinks mascots getting hurt is funny. Assume that is the case, you'll think this is funny.



Thanks to the Ball Don't Lie Blog for pointing that one out. The Bucks mascot actually tore his ACL from that. Not to mention what that did to his midsection.

This lead me on a Youtube search for other funny mascot bloopers...






And while this one has nothing to do with mascots, I promise if you start watching, you'll laugh.




Oh, the joys of afternoon Youtube surfing.

A Little of This, A Little of That

None of this deserves its own full posting, so I present a smattering (smorgasbord, even?) of some sports related information.

• Amar'e Stoudemire will miss the next 8 to 12 weeks after surgery on his eye.  Talk about coming completely out of no where.  Apparently, Stoudemire got poked in the eye in the 1st quarter of the most recent Suns/Clippers "game".  Then, he proceeded to continue playing, lowering his drawers on the Clippers, and deucing the Donald Sterlings for 42 points.  Imagine how good he'll be against the Clip Crew once he's fully recovered from his superhero eye surgery.
• A semi-pro basketball team in New Jersey, the New Jersey Express, scored 171 points in a regulation game this past Sunday.  The Express, a part of the ABA (yes, it still exists), didn't set any records with that score though.  That belongs to the Detroit Pistons who scored 186 in a 3 OT game over the Nuggets (who pathetically could only muster 183).  In related ABA news, there is a team in the Express' division that is called the New York City Internationalz.  Not a typo.
• The trading deadline in the NBA passed without any real activity of note, besides the Bulls/Kings deal the day before.  Michael Ruffin does get his first crack at life in the Northwest Division, so that's exciting.
• And finally, Alex Rodriguez has announced that nothing he said about steroids was true because it was, in fact, opposite day on the days he met with the media.  But, if it was opposite day, and he's telling us now, does that mean it wasn't not opposite day then?  More lies from A-Rod...

Please click on "opposite" for a laugh and "day" for a history.

A-Rod Does Exclusive Interview with Conan O'Brien

Enjoy.

As If We Needed More Scandal in Sports

I just got a text message from my buddy Steve Gelbs, who along with my friend Eric Rothman writes a blog and does a podcast on NYRangerscast.com. It read:

"Yo check my blog if you want a great story for BERNing. You need to write something up on this!"

Now that I have seen the story, I agree. Thanks Gelbsy.

If you haven't seen this yet, it's likely because you're not a hockey fan. But hockey fan or not, this story is interesting because once again it involves athletes and bad behavior. And we can't get enough of those, can we?

It started when the Montreal Canadiens ordered All-Star Game MVP Alex Kovalev take a two game sabbatical last week to clear his head after playing poorly. Last year Kovalev had 35 goals and 84 points. This year his production has dropped dramatically, as he has scored 13 goals in 57 games. He was reportedly angry by the team's decision to banish him for a couple contests, and rumor has it he spoke out about his teammates' bad behavior off the ice.

Kovalev denied those rumors. However, apparently he was right. It appears now that brothers Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn were partners in an organized crime ring in Montreal. A man arrested connected to them apparently also has ties to street gangs connected to the "Hells Angels".

Pasquale Mangiola was apparently seen often with the Kostitsyn brothers at bars and restaurants all over Montreal. Mangiola has ties to many Montreal street gangs, including the "Syndicate", which apparently is linked to drug trafficking conspiracies. In 2000, Mangiola was charged with fraud, and three years earlier was charged with credit card forgery.

The Kostitsyn brothers have yet to comment on the allegations. But now we've got two hockey players allegedly involved in organized crime. And what an opportune time for more bad news in sports.

Thanks again to NYRangerscast for the tip.

Enough Is Enough

Alex Rodriguez must think we're all idiots. He must think that no matter what he says, we'll believe it because he's A-Rod. He must think that after all that he's gotten away with prior to a couple weeks ago, he can continue to get away with telling lies and we'll just give him another chance.

Maybe we, the media and the public, put blinders on in 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa vaulted their way into baseball's record books on steroids. We only learned later that the reason for their enormous body masses as they blasted baseballs out of the park at prolific rates was due to a series of steroid injections that gave them bodies that resembled The Incredible Hulk.

Maybe we, the media and the public, put blinders on while A-Rod was putting up marvelous numbers year after year because we didn't want to believe that the anti-Bonds was cheating us too.

Not anymore.

It appears A-Rod's press conference Tuesday was filled with more lies. His Cousin Vinny, err, Yuri Sucart, apparently couldn't have provided primobolan to the slugger legally, or over the counter, because the drug could not be acquired legally between 2001-2003 in the Dominican Republic. (It cannot be legally acquired there today either.)

It also appears the only way to obtain primobolan is by finding an underground dealer or through the Internet.

So when A-Roid tried to appeal to the sympathetic by saying he didn't know he was doing anything wrong because he got the drug over the counter in La Republica Dominicana, as they call it there, he lied again.

He also may have lied again, about the time period of his steroid use. The New York Daily News reported today that Rodriguez has had a long standing relationship with a trainer who was banned from baseball in 2001 due to his ties to steroids. The trainer, Angel Presinal, apparently followed the slugger the entire 2007 season with the Yankees. And according to the report, he even stayed in A-Roid's hotel room on the road.

Furthermore, cousin Yuri was apparently Rodriguez driver all of the 2008 season. If he's the guy that was providing A-Rod steroids, as the slugger himself claims, wouldn't it be hard to believe that Alex didn't receive a thing from Yuri last season? Sure, maybe he hasn't tested positive recently, but everyone knows these guys are always one step ahead of the testing.

Stop lying to us, A-Roid. You're teetering on Mark McGwire territory at this point. Everything you've tried to do to help your image has been nixed by your continuous lies. It's ridiculous.

Enough is enough.

A Celebration of The Kid, Griffey Comes Home

There are few things on this earth more beautiful than Ken Griffey Jr.'s swing. I'd suppose the birth of your child, maybe your marriage could rank close. But, when it comes down to it, there isn't much I'd rather see than the Kid absolutely launch one into the right field seats.

Now, he's back with the Mariners, and that just feels right, doesn't it? Of course, if he could take his at-bats in a reconstructed King Dome, then all would be right in the world, but you don't always get what you want.

Highlights of Junior are hard to come by on YouTube, likely due to some sort of ownership over the video. If you'd like to catch some of Griffey's Seattle highlights, check this article out.

But, if you don't feel like leaving the page, here's something you can reminisce over. A time when Griffey was the Kid, when he was fun and young and marketable. Now, a bit older and heavier he might not be the same guy, but this commercial certainly reminds of a time when he was.

If only this were possible...

New BERNing On Sports Podcast Available

If a big blockbuster trade comes down, we'll comment. For now though, here's the newest installment of the BERNing on Sports Podcast.

Click Here for the new BERNing on Sports Podcast

As always, you can find this and every other podcast on the red right tab. Feel free to comment on anything discussed in the podcast below.

Enjoy!

Clippers to Suns: I Think We Get The Point

When I first saw the boxscore from last night's Clippers/Suns game, I assumed it had to be a misprint.  

140 points, again?  No.  Couldn't be.  And against the Clippers, again?  No way.

But my friends, the truth is a sad but definitive, yes way.

For the second consecutive night, the Clippers proved just how awful they truly are.  A team that has been so besieged by injuries (the most recent being Marcus Camby's eardrum caving in on a team flight, prompting Mike Dunleavy to say "We're inventing new ways to get hurt") was just made witness to the first team in nearly two decades to score at least 140 points on back to back nights.

I know it's regular season basketball, and so who cares?  Can you really get impressed by a win over the Clippers, and does that even say much to the possible "re-emergence" of the Suns?  Most likely not. The Clippers stink, and everyone knows it.

But, let's just take a quick look at the numbers.

282 - Total points scored by the Suns in the two games.  In their previous 3 games, they'd scored 290.

170 - Points scored in the paint by the Suns in the two games.  Tuesday's 90 paint points outdid the full game efforts of the Raptors, Sixers, Magic, Nets, Hawks, Pistons, and Sixers (again) over the two day span.

65 - The total amount of points Amar'e Stoudemire scored in the two games (Previous 3 games, 64)

63 - The total amount of points the Clippers were destroyed by in the two games.

2 - Games that Zach Randolph was suspended for.

1 - Fists that Louis Amundson received to his face.

0 - The amount players that played 30 or more minutes in either game for the Suns.

All in all, I think the Clippers have had enough.  Let them go free, and bring on the next worthy challenger for the Suns:  Oklahoma City.  Over/under on that game?  250, 260?  

Alex Ovechkin is Good

If you haven't seen this goal from last night, puckheads, check it out.  Even if you don't like hockey, have never watched it, or don't know what it is, you can appreciate how good this goal is:

WOW.  Alex Ovechkin is absolutely fantastic.  He leads the NHL in goals with 42.  The next highest total is a whopping eight goals behind.  (New Jersey's Zach Parise has 34.)  He's 2nd in the league in points with 75 (only Evgeni Malkin has more, with 82) and his Capitals have the 2nd highest point total in the Eastern Conference, basically thanks to him.

How great is that goal?  He says it's top 10 in his career.  But here's the one he says is the best he's ever scored.

I agree.

Setting The Record Straight

One of the common arguments made by many who discuss the steroid scandal in baseball is this:

"Well, steroids weren't illegal in baseball when these guys were taking it."

I had heard this so much, I believed this was true as well.  Turns out, it's a common misconception that in fact is not true at all.

Sports Illustrated reporter David Epstein, the less publicized writer who helped break the A-Rod story, points out in last week's issue of the magazine that baseball has had a steroid policy since 1971.  The problem, obviously, is that it hasn't been adequately enforced.

In 1971, then commissioner Bowie Kuhn implemented a policy that according to Epstein, "did not explicitly address anabolic steroids, but it did say that baseball personnel must 'comply with federal and state drug laws'.  Federal law at the time mandated that an appropriate prescription be obtained for the use of anabolic steroids."

In 1991, commissioner Fay Vincent updated baseball's drug policy.  In it he wrote, "The possession sale or use of any illegal drug or controlled substance by Major League players or personnel is strictly prohibited...This prohibition applies to all illegal drugs...including steroids or prescription drugs for which the individual in possession of the drug does not have a prescription."

In 1997, Bud Selig reiterated Vincent's standard, but added that players caught using banned substances "risk permanent expulsion from the game" and are subject to additional penalties by their respective teams.

The Mitchell Report in 2007 asserted that this idea that baseball didn't have a drug policy is inaccurate, and the notion that steroids weren't illegal in baseball is completely false.  

Did baseball do everything in its power to stop players from using?  Clearly not.  Was there a big problem, and inadequate testing?  Yes.  For a long time, baseball did not test, and the surveyed players in 2003 (which included A-Rod's test) determined whether a legitimate testing system should be implemented.  What baseball is ultimately guilty of is not testing its players, and therefore not reinforcing its policy.  If you make it a rule not to take steroids, but ultimately never check to see whether players are using, therein lies your problem.

Now we can all stop making the false claim that steroids weren't illegal in baseball in the steroid era.

Hump Day Headlines: Afternoon Edition

In this week's Hump Day Headlines, we discuss good sportsmanship, A-Rod's new memories, Tiger's impending return, and an NBA trade deadline update:

• Amidst all that is wrong with sports right now, kudos to the Dekalb, Illinois High School Boys Basketball team. In February 8th's contest against Milwaukee Madison, WI High School senior Johntell Franklin of MM decided that despite the passing of his mother the night before, he wanted to play in the game. Franklin's coach, Aaron Womack Jr., didn't list Frankin as an eligible player, anticipating Franklin wouldn't play. If Franklin did enter the game, a technical foul would automatically be called against Milwaukee Madison. Dekalb coach Dave Rohlman got word of this, and instructed his team that whoever would shoot the technical free throws would miss on purpose in tribute to Franklin. He didn't want his team to benefit from the opportunity at two points that he felt wouldn't be right. Franklin did enter the game. Madison's Darius McNeal rolled both free throws toward the basket. After this act, the entire crowd stood and clapped for McNeal's gesture towards Franklin. Finally, something in sports to be proud of, and a reminder of one of the biggest reasons we love sports. (Click here for a discussion on this from ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning.
  
• While I was visiting Fenway Park, I know many of you and Scott watched closely as A-Rod re-explained his admission to using performance enhancing drugs. Still, he didn't seem completely contrite and once again there were inconsistencies in his commentary. Convenient to bring in his "cousin" to take some of the fall. All of a sudden, he knew what drugs he was taking. Even though he didn't think he was doing anything wrong, he didn't tell anyone. Yeah. Sure. Today it was a circus at Yankees spring training. ESPN's Hannah Storm said the clubhouse was so full of media that "it felt like a playoff game". We knew with their plethora of big off-season free agent acquisitions, they'd have a lot of attention coming to them this spring as it is. But now guys like C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira will have to learn quickly what it's like to be a Yankee. They can all thank A-Rod for this mess. So with all the alleged support the Yankees are reportedly providing to A-Rod, if I were his teammate I'd be very frustrated.
• Tiger Woods is apparently on his way back, and soon. So here's what I say to you, PGA Tour pros: start getting used to the fact that your year-long reprieve is over. Now that Tiger is "95% of the way there" according to Steve Williams, his caddy, things have suddenly become terribly difficult again for the field. Williams says his swing has been retooled a bit, an he is still having a little trouble walking. But we all know this about Tiger Woods: if he's coming back, he thinks he can win. And that alone is scary for any golfer in the field. Now that Tiger is the father of two, he can get back to work. He reportedly plans to play in a couple of tournaments as a tune-up for the Masters at Augusta National come April.
• As the NBA trade deadline looms in the next day, some teams are already busy. The Thunder has acquired Tyson Chandler from New Orleans. Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith will be heading to the Hornets. In the newest move, Chris Sheridan of ESPN.com reports the Bulls have acquired Brad Miller and John Salmons from the Kings in exchange for Drew Gooden, Andres Nocioni and Cedric Simmons. Both moves were reportedly fueled by opening cap space for the famous 2010 free agent class. BERNing on Sports will have complete coverage of the NBA trade deadline as it approaches and passes.