We are inclined that if we watch a football game or baseball game, we have taken part in it. -John F. Kennedy

It's a really good day in the world, when a girl can stay at home on her birthday and watch football all day. That being said, it's been a month since I posted last. While there's been any number of interesting or titillating stories going on in the Wide World of Sports, nothing really caught my eye as being enough for me to write about. I had originally planned on coming on here today and writing something about the use of social media/technology in today's sports world, as there have been any number of instances lately where athletes have been caught with their proverbial pants down (you KNOW who I'm speaking of in that respect) and then realized, what really can I add? I can't reiterate any more than anyone else has how stupid the Favre thing is, and how IF it is true, how it tarnishes the on field legacy in a way that his mediocre play of late hasn't. I could write how silly I think it is that players insist on tweeting BS within the confines of the NFL rules for social media and then complaining they got fined 'two Bugatti payments' for it, when there are people here that can't fathom what it's like to own a vehicle that costs that much.

Instead, I'm going to write about something a little different from that. Yesterday, Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand lowered his head to make a hit against an opposing Army player. And just like that, his football career was over. Just like that, he was paralyzed from the neck down. Buffalo fans will remember how it felt to watch Kevin Everett lay on the field unmoving in 2007, and how wonderful it was to see him walk on the field again. Unfortunately, recoveries like that are anything but the norm. Sabres fans watched as Jason Pominville was leveled into the boards by Blackhawks player Niklas Hjarmalsson earlier this week. Luckily, he escaped with a cut and a concussion, but it's easy to see how that could have a had a very different outcome.

This isn't me writing about how players shouldn't play the games they love. Actually, it's the exact opposite. This is me writing about how grateful I am to be able to watch the sports I do. Each and every one of us has the right to do what we want, and that includes to continue playing a sport that is by definition dangerous. I know players play the games they play for many reasons, including money and fame, but I also know some play for the sheer love of the game. Without getting into the touchy subject of money, I can say there's nothing more amazing than feeling like you're a part of the game along with those players, whether it's by being in the stadium, or arena, or by sharing the time with friends, family and strangers. There is nothing better than sitting here on my birthday and watching football and honestly, feeling very grateful to the players for providing me with something I love.

Youth is fleeting. There will always be another player. There will always be the next up and comer looking to storm the sports universe. And then, there will always be those players that for whatever reason, don't get to play anymore. I don't mean to be sappy in any way because those who know me, know that is not the first or last thing that would come to mind when describing me. But I'd like to take this moment and say thank you to the players out there putting there bodies on the line in order to entertain me on my birthday. It's a good birthday to be able to do the things you love.

Difficult things take a long time, impossible things a little longer.

Hyperdictionary.com defines fan as an enthusiastic devotee of sports.

Full disclosure, part one: I'm a season ticket holder of the Buffalo Bills. Have been for 7 seasons now. Each year, we receive a renewal notice in the mail, and each year, our payment is made and we get our tickets in the mail. Each year, we sit in the heat, or the snow, and watch the games. So I would state pretty certainly you could consider us fans.

Second part of full disclosure: The Bills have been bad for a long time now. It's been since 1999 that they were in the playoffs. Management of the team has taken it in a direction that can only be considered faltering at best. Drafts have been weak, player development has been lacking, and the product on the field has been a mere shadow. . . with the occasional glimpse at what could be. There have been bright spots; no doubt. Unfortunately, those bright spots are few and far between.

I can say this as a fan. I can say this as someone who invests time, money and effort in being a fan. I am not, nor will I ever be, one of the fans who finds their day lacking if they aren't castigating the team for everything. I am certainly no optimist. But I am also not a fair weather fan. I find it difficult, for lack of a better word, to listen to the doomsayers on the radio who call in because they need let everyone know they hate this, or so and so sucks. I find it just as difficult conversely, to listen to glossed over discussions of what is and isn't right and wrong with the team.

Enthusiastic devotee of sports. I wonder if most of the people I hear criticizing the Bills or the Sabres or whatever team on a daily basis could be considered enthusiastic devotees of sports. Most are certainly enthusiastic, if yelling and screaming like little children can be defined as such. But I find myself questioning truly how devoted most of these people are to these teams.

So am I right, and the fans who scream obscenities at the team at the Ralph on Sundays wrong?

How I would love to say yes. But I can't. I can't be someone who goes to the game only to talk about how much I hate the team, hate the product, hate the experience. But those people are at the game too, so they're putting in the time, money and effort, just as I am, albeit with more color perhaps. So, based on the definition, the person who screams how much Trent sucks, or how the line can't block, or how the secondary can't cover, is just as much of a fan I am, someone who hopes year after year that things WILL in fact turnaround for the best. I know we're bad. I'm not stupid. I consider myself to be rather educated when it comes to sports, perhaps more than some and obviously less than others. The main difference between myself and that fan, is my hope comes in the form of not only continuing to buy the tickets, and the gear, but in a sort of faith that the management isn't stupid either. I know that seems to be an oxymoron based on the way the last 10 seasons have ended. I even know that sounds rather idealistic even. Who am I to NOT criticize something I have a vested interest in? Isn't that what we as fans do?

There is no waiting list for season tickets. In fact, tickets sales were down this season as compared to last for the Bills. Are we Buffalo sports fans so jaded, so cold, that we find we can do nothing more than belabor the same points year after year? Would we rather not have the teams here? Would our heartache be lessened by the absence of the teams we claim to love so much, or would it be greater knowing we're no longer special?

I have said this before, and I will again reiterate this point. We, in Buffalo, are lucky. We have a football team, which only 30 other cities can state. We have a hockey team. We even have a baseball team. We have a lacrosse team. We are a small market who literally adore our sports. People of Buffalo, and Buffalo fans, I do not ask you to not have an opinion. I do not ask you not to be disappointed and tired by the poor performances. I do not ask that you stop singing the Mr. Softie song on the WGR whiner line, even though we have the best goalie in the league. And as much as it honestly pains me to say this, I do not, and will not ask you to stop yelling at Captain Checkdown, or Marshawn Inch.

All I ask is that you continue to believe. Don't give up the fight.

All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.

For several hundred NFL athletes, tonight may be the last night of a dream.

A dream they had when they were kids. Something started as a wish on a star on a clear night.

One they held tightly to their chests during first cuts in high school, and through two-a-days in the dog days of summer.

A dream which became more tangible as they went to college and stepped onto a stage bigger than any other they had been on.

A prayer to a power mightier than any other, or a whispered 'Please.' A bowed head on draft day with a finger pointed to the sky.

A hug from a parent when the phone call finally came.

You made it.

You're in the NFL.

Tonight may possibly be the shortest night of their lives. Dawn brings a realization that the years they've devoted to their dream, may not be enough to keep it alive. And I'd bet to others, it comes as a surprise. The call from the coach to bring your playbook to the stadium can only mean one thing. Some will get picked up by other teams needing players to fill roster spots left open by injuries. And others will go gently into that good night.

It's the end of a lifestyle. The end of being a teammate. The end of being part of something bigger than yourself. Football defined them. They went from being just another football player, to a someone who made it to the big game. The hometown hero maybe. A part of history, whether it be good or bad. Some don't get over losing that part of their identity. A piece of them has been irrevocably lost, never to return again.

Others take their fame and use it for good. They take a negative, and turn it into a positive. A move into charity work, or a new career. They go back to school and become again something more. They have more time to spend with friends and family and while they miss the days when they were playing, they don't miss the long days, the losses, and the pain.

C.S. Lewis said you are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. To all those players who find themselves facing a life which might not include football after tomorrow, I wish for you the wisdom to realize as one dream ends, so many more are just waiting to begin. Good luck to you all.

Selfless vs. Selfish

I was going to write an article about Matt Leinart's whining about not being appreciated by his team today.

And then I was going to write about Plaxico's bid for work release being shot down. (pun intended)

And then I read about Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope. I realized today would be a good day to write about someone doing something for other people instead of complaining about something going wrong in their lives.

I had heard about Terry Fox several years ago while dealing with my father's battle with cancer. It's ironic really, you don't really realize how much you learn about something until you're staring directly at it. Having to deal with something like cancer on a daily basis really makes you stop and try to learn everything you can about it, in the hopes that knowledge really is power. Terry Fox believed awareness and money would help out cancer research. So, in 1980, after losing his right leg to osteosarcoma, he started to run across Canada with a goal of raising a million dollars.

You read that right. He wanted to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. With one leg. In order to reach the most populated areas, he ran along the Canada/US border, running the equivalent of a marathon's distance daily. Once he began, he changed his goal to reflect the population of Canada; he wanted to raise $1 for each person who lived in Canada at the time, a total of 24,000,000 people. That's a mind boggling thought now, let alone 30 years ago. It's also stunning to think Terry was 22 years old when he decided to begin the run.

At age 22, what were you doing? Going out with your friends? Just graduated from college maybe? Hitting the clubs and drinking? All of the above probably. I know I was. It's difficult to imagine living life as an amputee, and being considered disabled by the world you live in. It's even more incredible to realize this young man, wanted to do more than just walk through life with the hand he'd been dealt. He realized people saw him as less than what they were. He refused to be considered disabled. Terry Fox ran for 143 days. He ran 3,339 miles. And he stopped only when he could no longer breathe well enough to keep running. It was on September 1, 1980, Terry Fox was taken to a hospital and told the cancer that took his leg had spread to his lungs.

There was no happy ending for Terry Fox. Despite wanting to finish the run, he was unable to overcome the physical effects of the cancer treatments, eventually passing away in June of 1981. By the time he was no longer able to run, he had singlehandedly raised $1.7 million. In the coming days, a national telethon was held, bringing the total amount raised to over $10 million. A year later, over $23 million had been raised.

Since his death, cancer awareness is unfortunately all too common. More people are affected by the disease now than ever before, and a feat like Terry Fox's has slipped out of the daily consciousness. But each year, there is a memorial road race in Terry's name, whose sole goal is to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. To date, over $500 million has been raised in Terry Fox's name.

$500 million for cancer research. All from a 22 year old kid with an amputated leg who wanted to let people know what cancer really looked like. What cancer really did to a person. And what a person could do despite it.

Terry Fox was an amazing athlete and an incredibly selfless person. And on the day he couldn't run any further, I write this to salute him.

The huddled masses

Too many times in sports, the viewing public is enamored by the violence of the game. Whether it's a segment on 'Jacked Up', countless replays of a knockout in MMA or a shoulder lowering hit in the boards, we sit awestruck by the sheer aggression displayed. The harder the hit, the louder we cheer. Unless, of course, the player doesn't get up or the fighter lays on the mat not moving. Then, it's not so funny anymore.

An article was recently released by the New York Times, and subsequently re-posted and rehashed by all the different news outlets regarding the idea that Lou Gehrig may not have died of the disease nicknamed after him, ALS, but rather a form of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Further reading shows there is a strong likelihood there is a distinct link between concussive syndromes like CTE (currently being studied in the NFL and other hard hitting sports), and ALS.

CTE in the barest of terms is brain damage caused by multiple concussions. Repeated brain injuries cause a protein to become defective and accumulate, replacing healthy brain tissue with tissue that instead shows up like black spongy dots on scans. It manifests itself by leaving a person with memory loss, aggression, confusion and depression, some of which happens almost immediately after the trauma, or may not appear until years later. A person with CTE will likely deal with thoughts of suicide, as well as alcohol or drug abuse. CTE has also been linked to PTSD in soldiers after IED attacks.

For those unfamiliar, ALS is a wicked and nasty disease. It attacks the central nervous system in a way that causes muscle function to decrease in stages until it become non-existent. A person with the disease will eventually lose the ability to move in any way, including the ability to breathe, while remaining mentally cognizant. People have compared it to being buried alive. (The most famous living person with ALS is Professor Stephen Hawking.) ALS starts off insipidly, leaving a person weaker, with some minor twitching and cramping of the muscles as well as general stiffness. In most cases, they have difficulty speaking, and eventually lose the ability completely as their airway and tongue become atrophied. ALS is 100% fatal, with half of it's sufferers dying in the first 3 years after diagnosis, and over 90% within 6 years. In very rare cases, people with the disease live longer than that, locked inside their body unable to function as they used to.

Scary thought, isn't it? Well it's rare, right? Most of us will never come in contact with someone with ALS, and most people are even unaware of what the disease is. The recent studies of traumatic head injuries in sports is bringing this disease into the spotlight though and making it hit home a little harder than it had in the past. We've been hearing about recent deaths in the sporting world being attributed to brain damage caused by playing football, hockey and even wrestling. Chris Henry was found to be suffering from CTE at the time of his death. Reggie Fleming who played in the NHL had it. Chris Benoit of WWE fame was found to be suffering from CTE, after he murdered his wife and son, and committed suicide. So we're finding out about all these brain injuries now after decades of players throwing their bodies out there for the fun of the game. For the sport. . . Did these players ever think they'd be laying down their lives? Maybe. Some of the older players did play for their paychecks, some of which were less than what you and I make. There were no multi-million dollar contracts with shoe deals. The NFL still pays the legends who built the league from the ground up pensions in triple digits. You read that right. Not thousands, not hundreds of thousands, but hundreds. Some old timers are on welfare, their broken bodies unable to support them. Some are unable to remember the glory days of playing football, or baseball, or hockey because their brains are literally mush.

So what's my point? How many people put their children into Little League programs in this country without a second thought? How many high school programs are running two-a-days in full pads right now? How many kids go home after practice with a headache? I have no doubt programs of all sorts all across the country are becoming more vigilant in asking the questions of their players as to how they're feeling and monitoring player health more closely. But is that enough? How many inner-city programs are playing with second and third hand equipment, which wouldn't get past the city line into the suburbs? And how many of those kids would play through anything to get their shot at getting a college scholarship, because it's their way out? This isn't just a major league issue. This isn't just a professional sports problem. It's not even just something that needs to be addressed starting at the college or high school levels. Kids are bigger, faster and stronger now than they ever were. I am in NO way advocating we shouldn't have Little League programs. I am in NO way saying kids should be pulled out of playing sports because we are concerned with something that COULD happen. What I am saying is there needs to be a greater vigilance to be aware of the symptoms of concussive syndromes IN ALL LEVELS OF ALL SPORTS. I know Little League coaches are normally unpaid volunteers, but unpaid does not have to equate to ignorance. I know some cities live and breathe their high school sports, but it shouldn't be at the expense of the children playing them and their futures. Education for this type of injury shouldn't just be something you hear about on the news when another childhood hero dies as a result of playing the game he or she loved.

Maybe what I'm saying isn't getting through. Chris Henry was 26 years old when he died. That's almost 6 years younger than I am. He wasn't known as a big hitter, and he wasn't known to suffer from concussions. He was young and in the prime of his life and living his dream, and was found to have this after he passed away. This isn't something they can diagnose conclusively until AFTER DEATH. Maybe having CTE caused some of his behavioral issues. Maybe it didn't. But how many athletes are suffering from this right now, without knowing, because there was no education on proper ways to deal with concussions? How many people don't have any idea what a concussion even is or what it might feel like? How many times have we heard someone say they got their 'bell rung' and not thought anything of it? Do we wait until someone big is diagnosed with ALS caused by CTE before we have these discussions? I know I sound alarmist. I don't mean to. I've only had a concussion once in my life, from fall while skiing. Truth be told, I never want to get one again. I wasn't wearing a helmet and my face bounced off the snow and ice pack twice. I can't imagine that happening even with a helmet on and it NOT hurting. And I'd be willing to bet that's exactly what a 'Jacked Up' style hit in football, or a punch to the face in MMA or boxing, or a baseball to the batting helmet feels like. I've gone to Little League games where kids are applauded for making a big hit and a great tackle. I've watched high school and college sports where players get a slap on the ass for a good job after they popped up from a bone crushing hit. And I wonder how many of them go home with a headache. And how many times that's happened. And I watch the headlines for the next big name we'll read. And we will. This problem is going to get worse before it gets better.

Well. . . it's just the preseason right?

It's taken me two days to sit back and objectively look at Friday night's Bills preseason debut. If I had written this Friday night after the game, or even yesterday, my expletive filled tirade may have scared off anyone actually reading this.

So I'm going to start off with the good things that happened Friday night. Stick with me, because I'm sure the bad will far outweigh the good, and you might get some of those expletives anyway.

Steve Tasker was in mid-season form already. While Tasker doesn't have the flash some of the other color guys do, he makes up for it with concise descriptions of what's going on in the game. (For those who watched the Redskins broadcast on NFL Network and didn't see him, you really missed a great analytical and fair representation of what happened.) Tasker didn't pull any punches when it came to what the Bills did wrong, despite being an ex-Bill. Too many times, ex-players exhort the virtues of their team as they're commentating, and instead of being unbiased.

Brian Moorman. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. He's the best player on the Bills. It's a shame more people don't place a value on special teams. Moorman consistently punts well under pressure. He averaged 52.4 yard per kick Friday night, with a long of 64, and 3 inside the 20. The man is a machine.

Chad Simpson and Joique Bell looked good. Of course, that's with Marshawn out with an ankle injury, Freddie out with a hand injury, and CJ barely playing, as well as being against 2nd and 3rd string players. 7 rushes, 67 yards for Simpson and 5 for 52 for Bell isn't bad. I'd like to see them tag team in the same way they use Freddie and Marshawn to see if they're the real deal, or just lucky against the scrubs.

Ok, I will do my best not to be too vulgar. No guarantees.

Trent Edwards needs to stop looking like Justin Beiber and learn to play football. Is all the hair in that helmet causing him to make the same stupid errors he did last season? This is our number one guy, and he's throwing 50% with nothing down field? Plus that horrific pick. . . really he's lucky that didn't go for 6. This is supposed to be a new system but honestly, if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and keeps throwing ducks, pull him. I'd rather have Brohm in there.

3/5 of the starting offensive line was out Friday night. You could blame that on Trent playing like. . . well Trent, but honestly none of the QB's got sacked or even really pressured ALL that much. I understand the need to keep the injured players out until you're sure they are capable of handling the rigors of game play, but I still believe they should have played at least a series.

Receivers. Why are veteran guys dropping the ball? WHY?! WHY?! Ugh.

QB's as a whole. NOT ONE PASS OVER 15 YARDS. Two QB's with ratings UNDER 30. (Trent - 29.2, Levi - 14.9. Fitzpatrick had a 97.6 against second teamers.) Two QB's 50% or less completion percentage. If that happens on Thursday, I swear to you, what I was screaming at the TV on Friday will look like a sermon.

I hold a special place in my heart for the Special Teams. I proudly wear the punter's jersey and a special teams hat to the games, and Tasker was my favorite player as a kid. That being said, what the hell was that MESS on Friday night? Run north and south, stop dancing. BLOCK, please. If I have to beg I will. There was only one great special teams punt return by hometown boy Naiman Roosevelt on Friday night with a couple of great blocks. Kick team coverage was better, but nothing like some of the breakouts last year.

Defense, you looked great in the first series. And then it looked like you forgot to go after the guy with the ball. Maybin looked like he was getting into a groove towards the later part of the game, and McCargo surprised me with how quick he was. But there was little help in the secondary, and no pressure on any of the receivers who were running all over the field. Still need to get gelled there, I think.


I tried to think positively about this yesterday. First preseason game, so there is going to be rust. There are going to be mistakes made. There are even going to be people who just aren't going to perform in a real game the way they played on the practice field. The husband mentioned he wondered if Chan was pulling a Jimmy Johnson and intentionally tanking the season to pick up Jake Locker. While the thought of having Locker on the team gives me a little gleam in my eye, it'll make for one hell of a long season out there at the Ralph. I can't see that happening. I don't want to believe that's what Chan's doing. I honestly believe it's just knocking out the cobwebs from the old regime. I hope that's all it is. Guess we'll see on Thursday.

So much to say. . . so little time!

Sorry it's been a couple days since my last post. . . you could say life got in the way a bit! I've got so many different opinions on some things which have been going on recently, but wanted to touch on something my faithful reader Brian brought up to me. The gist of Brian's diatribe by private message, is basically the double standard he sees being set by our utter disdain for what Lebron James did. Brian stated in his first couple paragraphs how we all love Shaq, despite him flitting around to 6 different teams, but how we hate Lebron for leaving Cleveland.

Brian's last paragraph is the real heart of the issue:
I guess my main question here is this: are we upset with Lebron because he left the team that drafted him out of high school to go win a championship elsewhere with other stars, or are we mad at Lebron for leaving Cleveland??? Think about it: would we be up-in-arms if Lebron went to Miami after leaving Golden State?!?!?! Vancouver/Memphis?!?!?! Seattle/Oklahoma City?!?!?! I think we've all kinda hoped that Lebron could bring a championship to the city that can't win a championship (or one of the cities anyway...*sigh*) and we just pile on his signing with Miami as another black eye for Cleveland...thus making him the universal enemy of everyone who has somewhat of an interest in the NBA.

To answer the question in a nutshell, and obviously keeping in mind this is my own (and perhaps, uneducated) opinion; we are mad at Lebron for the way he handled the situation. He could have just opted out, and found another team quietly, but instead made it a spectacle. He didn't have to make the DECISION on ESPN, in front of little children, under the guise of donating the money he was making to them. He could have just donated money. To that end, he was the hometown boy, literally the FACE of the franchise in every way. Cleveland's entire marketing plan focused on Lebron. Most of their season ticket base can be attributed to having him on the court. He signed a second contract with Cleveland after his rookie contract was done with, and appeared to be in it with Cleveland for the long haul. BUT, like most athletes lately, the almighty dollar and the desire to be part of something greater than where he was, called him away. My biggest problem with that is he could have easily done it at some point in the future. He's young. He could have played another couple of years with Cleveland, and made more of an effort in the playoffs instead of laughing it up like this year. Instead, he went for the money grab and down in infamy like Benedict Arnold.

Shaq, on the other hand, wasn't from Orlando. He was drafted out of LSU, and while being a major player on the Magic and each subsequent team he was on, was never the only draw for the teams he played on. (*Magic had Penny Hardaway starting his second season, and Shaq was only in Orlando for 4 years) He was never the hometown guy. Not only that, but while in it for himself, he was also known to pick out young talent and form partnerships which brought wins to the teams he played on. Shaq always seemed to be a part of a tandem; Shaq and Kobe, Shaq and D Wade, Shaq and Lebron even. He even went to Cleveland to "Win a Ring for the King" referring to Lebron. He was a presence on the court, and people love him. Lebron doesn't have Shaq's ease around people, that sparkle that sets him apart from other players.

So Brian, the answer to your question isn't as easy as hating Lebron because he left Cleveland or hating him because he left the team that drafted him out of high school. The answer is yes to both. This wasn't LA. This wasn't Chicago. This was blue collar Cleveland, a city who backed a hometown boy not just because they believed in him, but because he was one of their own. Someone who knew their struggle for identity in a league filled with teams and cities bigger than life. Lebron took their love and made them a laughing stock on a national level. He knew he wasn't coming back to Cleveland well before the DECISION. He disrespected the team who drafted him, absolutely. And he disrespected Cleveland, absolutely. He might win a title in Miami, but it won't be their first and it won't have quite the meaning it would have if he had won it in Cleveland. Not to sound trite, but Lebron gave up a shot at immortality when he left.

But, in the grand scheme of things, does he care? Probably not. If he left for the money and the chance to win now, he doesn't care what he left behind him. And that's what people REALLY hate him for.

2010's show of morality or is that mortality?

Previous to Thanksgiving weekend 2009, Tiger Woods was an icon. A family man with a beautiful wife, and two adorable children. A consummate professional who showed his joy on the course when he played well. A smart businessman, who turned a talent at golf into a multi-billion dollar marketing empire. We all know how the house of cards came tumbling down that night. After that weekend, the carefully composed Tiger was shown to be fallible. The mistresses came out of the woodwork. One by one, the sponsors backed out, leaving only a few to stand with him as he weathered the hurricane his life became. He took a break from golf, purportedly to get his life back together. But then he came back after a relatively short respite from the game. He tied for 4th at his return to the Masters, and didn't get higher than that all season. In fact, he missed the cut in his second tourney back and posted double digit finishes in each of the rest of the outings this season.

This weekend, Tiger posted his worst professional showing ever. Actually, it was like watching an amateur. The talk has gotten progressively louder about whether or not Tiger's lost it. If the worries of the past 9 months or so has finally distracted him to the point of being unable to play golf the way he used to. Media outlets have made millions of dollars dissecting the odds of Tiger remaining married, or how much he'll lose to Elin in the divorce, where Elin is going to live, and whether or not Tiger will share custody. Is it any wonder why he can't golf? Previous to all of this mess, Tiger had some missteps in his career, like changing his swing coach, switching out various clubs/balls and the occasional vulgarity during tournaments. Nothing like this, of course. So, why didn't he just take the year off? Get the tattered remnants of his life together, maybe play golf for the joy of playing, instead of for the ego boost and the money. I guess the reason he didn't take the year off, is the reason he cheated on his wife. Because he could. Tiger is a control freak. Every single thing that happened as a result of his actions, took the control he held in his iron fist, and wrenched it away from him. Playing golf was the only thing he could still control. . . and it appears he's losing that too.

Tiger was asked about playing on the Ryder cup this year, and said he wouldn't play if he weren't sure he wouldn't hurt the team by doing so. I guess that's the first unselfish thing he's done in the past several months. That being said, Tiger needs to stop and reevaluate his life, his career and his future. I'm not saying he should stop playing golf. But he should stop playing this year. His legacy of being the family man and all around good guy is already ruined. If he takes the rest of the year off of golf, perhaps he can salvage what's left of his legacy of being one of the greatest golfers that ever lived. People will forgive, and may even forget he wasn't a saint off the course. By remaining in the public eye and playing poorly, the public is just feasting off of the carrion that remains of his life. People love to watch a hero become mortal. And they love seeing someone who lost it all, come back in a blaze of glory. Tiger needs to fade away, so he can be reborn like the phoenix.

Not gonna do it!

I am not writing about Brett until he makes up his mind!

That being said, I read an amazing article today on Yahoo News. Granted, it was about a BoSox fan, but I can go ahead and forgive that because of what the guy was doing. The article was titled "Little Fenway a big hit for players and charity." Pat O'Connor in Essex, Vermont wanted to have his own Fenway. The guy could have just made his own Field of Dreams. (Which of course is his favorite movie) But he made his Fenway as close to the real one as possible, and then decided to host a charity wiffle ball tourney after the September 11th attacks. What started as a couple teams coming to play and raise some money while they were doing it, turned into a 3 day charity extravaganza which now raises money for Travis Roy's foundation. (For those unfamiliar, Travis Roy broke his neck in his first college hockey game. Buffalo Sabres fans know the story because Chris Drury was a teammate of his at Boston University, and brought the Stanley Cup to him when he won it with Colorado. The NY Times did a profile about Drury during the 2006 Playoffs detailing the friendship. O'Connor decided to use the tournament to raise funds for his foundation after reading his book "Eleven Seconds.") When the single field wasn't enough, he built a second, modeled after Wrigley Field in order to accommodate all the teams wanting to play in the annual tournament.

So let me just recap this. A random guy builds a baseball field in his backyard. He then hosts a charity tournament on a whim to raise money for the NY disaster relief. And if that wasn't enough, he decided to use the wiffle ball tournament to raise funds for a charity for someone he never met. And when there was a waiting list for the tournament, he built a second field. There's still a waiting list too. Over $715,000 has been raised for Travis Roy's charity to date.

Over the last couple days, I've blogged about a 19 year old who went to arbitration because his $880,000 contract wasn't enough for him. I've blogged about a 40 year old QB who is damn near getting a blank check from Zygi Wilf in order to come back and be the "savior" for a team left with little other option to lead them. I've blogged about a draft pick of the Bills who is one of only two in league left to sign, likely due to some minutia in the contract language not giving him this or that. But Pat O'Connor used his own money to make a ball field. And once he built it, the players came, just like in his favorite movie. But more than that, they came and played, not for the money, but to have fun. In their quest to have fun, they raise a whole boatload of money for a great charity. Really puts things into perspective, doesn't it? And gave me a welcome respite from the greed and insanity of the sports world, even for just a moment.

Thanks Pat, for giving me hope that sports isn't just about the all-mighty dollar.

Well hell, Brett. . . .

As referenced earlier in this blog, big Brett Favre fan here. I got 4 phone calls, 7 tweets, half a dozen text messages, and 3 or 4 emails at last count, asking how I was doing today after hearing the news that Brett was retiring. Again. For the third time. *Sigh* First time I heard this two years ago, I was devastated. Last year, I was a little more reluctant to get upset about the retirement, which was, of course, warranted because he came back with the Vikes. This year, I admit to being slightly annoyed. And by slightly annoyed, I mean enough already! I understand the difficulty in deciding what you want to do with the rest of your life. Trust me, I've been there, done that, albeit it not to the extent Brett is. But in his case, his decision doesn't just affect his wife and his family, the way my decision affects my family. His decision affects his team. It affects the players, the coaches, the front office, and it affects his fans. It affects TV scheduling, it affects marketing plans. I am not saying that this decision is earth shattering by any stretch. I also don't mean to insinuate this decision is one that we can't go on without knowing. I guess what I am saying is I'm sick of Brett being selfish. If you can't make the decision, then a decision, has in essence been made. The NFL is on a very strict schedule. Draft, OTAs, training camp, pre-season, regular season, and post season. It's the same thing every year. Brett's had how many months to decide, and honestly, I'm a little tired of the uncertainty. A 40 year old quarterback who plays the way Brett is literally an accident waiting to happen. Last year it was the ankle, the year before the shoulder. What will it be this year? Is it worth it to put the legacy on the line for another year?

I just don't know what to say anymore. I'm still a fan. I'm still going to watch him if he plays. And I still will have my autographed helmet and football displayed proudly in my game room. But I'm really just so tired of the drama at this point.

One quick football note. . .

Hey Buffalo, can we please sign CJ Spiller? Everyone has been slotted before and after him. . . I know you say you're trying, but honestly, getting slightly tired of reading all the posts on twitter** touting our inability to get the deal done. And oddly, CJ has been quiet on twitter lately too. New regime, new way of practicing in camp, how about we have a new way of dealing with out players and that's getting the contract DONE!

**I only have a twitter for sports stuff. It's like reading ESPN without ALL the annoying advertising!

You can't always get what you want. Or can you?

I was going to voice my considerable opinion about Rick Pitino and the mess made of his life, and then the Sabres released Tim Kennedy. Since that's a little more home town, I thought I'd offer my two cents on that. Which of course, is considerably less than he wanted in arbitration.

For those unfamiliar, let me fill you in. Tim Kennedy (South Buffalo's own. . . blah blah blah) requested arbitration for his salary in the upcoming year. (He made $880K last year. NOT CHUMP CHANGE IN BUFFALO.) He was awarded $1 million. The Sabres weren't able to release him prior to this, because he didn't make the minimum contract amount needed for there to be no arbitration. (confused yet? There is a rule that you have to hit a salary minimum of $1.6 million in order to release a player with no arbitration ruling if he's restricted.) So they go to arbitration, he gets his cool million, and they decide to release him today. No one has really said why, but there are any number of reasons why it could be. The kid is 19 years old. He's 5'10" and maybe 160lbs soaking wet. (I'm 5'6", and in 3 inch heels, he was just a shade taller than I was, if you don't count the curls on his head.) Scored 10 goals last year. And was making $880,000 in the blue collar town he grew up in. He didn't play enough to deserve arbitration, and I'd be surprised if going to arbitration at this point in his career endeared him to some of his more veteran colleagues. (which is just about everyone on the team.) He wound up getting $120K more than if he had played out his contract, which means by the time his agent took his cut, and the IRS took theirs, he'd see about 60 grand. Was it worth it? Probably not, unless it was his intention to piss off the Sabres so they would release him. EXCEPT, this really doesn't do well for his image with the rest of the league if he were to care about that sort of thing. It's one thing to be Sidney Crosby and go to arbitration if the Pens weren't paying you your due. But Tim Kennedy is literally a no name in the grand scheme of the NHL, who got a mite big for his britches in my mind. Again, my opinion literally means nothing, and Tim Kennedy just got paid out a third of his contract for doing nothing, so he definitely comes out ahead in this deal. And for all we know, he could clear waivers and be sitting there without a team. $880,000 looks mighty good when you don't have a team to play on, doesn't it? Guess we'll see how this one plays out in the days to come.

*See, it's not all football!

A New Dawn for Buffalo Football?

First of all, I promise, I do care about other sports. I know the last couple posts have been a little pigskin-centric, and I apologize for that. We are getting into my favorite time of the year though, so I would ask for a little forgiveness regarding the plethora of football related posts.

That being said, went to training camp last night at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, NY, about an hour drive east of here. Great night for watching football practice; not too hot, not too chilly, and the sound of pads popping on the field. You heard me right. There were pads on the players on Day 2 of a Buffalo Bills training camp. And I have to tell you, there were really no instances of players standing around with twiddling their thumbs like in years past either. BOTH fields were being used; offense and special teams on one, and defense on the other, which was a huge shift from the Dick Jauron era. (For those unfamiliar, the special teamers used the practice field and basically kicked for 2 hours every practice, while the offense and defense shared the main field, leaving most of them to stand around and watch. Silly really.) I have to say, the practice had a completely different feel than it had. There were several instances where players got a little engrossed in what they were doing and perhaps hit a little harder than they normally would, and that certainly elicited oohs and ahs from the crowd. Those of us who go to camp every single year were definitely taken aback by the intensity in the practice. There were few lobbed balls, and every single receiver and running back ran through to the end zone even if the play was called. It really was refreshing to see. That's not to say there weren't a couple moments where the mood was a little lighter. We saw Corey McIntyre practicing his golf swing with one of the training stakes, and Rian Lindell practicing kicks down the sideline to the screams of 'Laces Out.' And on the subject of McIntyre, can I just say the man looks like a bowling ball on legs?! And I stand by my previous assertation that Marshawn Lynch was an Uruk Hai from the Lord of the Rings in a former life. (No disrespect meant in any way. The man deserves the moniker Beast Mode. . . he's a scary looking dude.)

All in all, I have to say I can't wait for the first preseason game. I'm not going to be as pessimistic as some of my friends and say 4 wins. . . I could say I could see 10-6, if the O-line gels well and the QB of choice is able to get the ball down the field a little more than last year. And in case you wondered, I'm pulling for Brohm. Boy had Brett Favre ahead of him. That's gotta count for something!

Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks?

I keep writing about athlete entitlement and how I wish that people would go back to their roots and do things the right way instead of the quick and easy way. Yesterday, I was honestly delighted to learn that Maurice Clarett re-enrolled at Ohio State this week after serving 3 1/2 years behind bars for being stupid. I'm well aware his prison sentence was due to two incidents in 2006, and he was released early from what could have been a seven and a half year sentence. But really, he was sent to jail for being stupid. Maurice felt like he was the king of the world when he helps OSU win the national championship in 2002. In the offseason, he was, let's say, less than academic, and was suspended for the entire 2003 season. At that point, someone in his life, obviously looking out for his best interests, told him to declare for the NFL draft despite not having been out of high school for 3 years. David decided to take on the Goliath (NFL) and fight the powers that were keeping him from realizing his dream as an NFL running back. . . except by the time the court case was all said and done, he was looking at the 2005 draft after being declared ineligible for 2004. (Note to MC: The idea of time stopping for no man would have been covered at some point in your junior years of college HAD you attended.) Despite already being known as a problem child, the Broncos took a chance and drafted him in the third round. And his football career lasted less than 30 days. (Note to MC: Math and Logic would have been classes which would have helped you realize that wasting two years of fighting the NFL instead of going to college does not in fact equal a 30 day NFL career.) So no education, since he didn't graduate. No job, since he washed out of the Broncos prior to training camp. And no money, because the contract that he signed guaranteed him nothing. What did Maurice learn in his year of college? Rob those more fortunate of their items, in the hopes to further his own financial situation? Run from the police? (Note to MC: The Police are NOT, I repeat, NOT like the defenders you evaded while on the football team. You had mad skills as a running back and juked your way through them like a hot knife through butter. Police officers have guns. Again with the logic. . .) So Maurice winds up in prison. It's truly a shame, because he was pure talent on the football field and an utter joy to watch weaving in and out of players like they were standing still. The SMARTEST thing he could have done was go back to college. Unfortunately, he's 7 years older than he was when he won the national championship, and without any NCAA eligibility. Perhaps this time, Maurice can focus on something else other than the glitz and glam of Tier 1 college football, and learn some lessons that will help him beyond the football field. Best wishes to him.

You want me to do what now?

The sports universe as we all know it was flipped on it's head last night with the news that Dez Bryant didn't carry Roy William's shoulder pads after practice. *GASP* What's that? A rookie refusing a veteran*? (*Veteran as defined by this article - someone who has been in the league for more than one season, even if his stats for the last several seasons don't really indicate that.) Not only that, but a rookie that has what appears to be a lot to prove, after all the hullabaloo that happened with him pre-draft? The chutzpah! How dare he!

I'm still laughing over here, because honestly, I don't blame Dez Bryant for not carrying Roy Williams shoulder pads. Maybe if Williams actually used them to play a little more, then I could understand the uproar. But Roy Williams is on the verge of being foisted out of Dallas, just like he was foisted out of Detroit for being all talk and no action. For all intents and purposes, Williams should have been the next Michael Irvin. (Or at least the next guy who could talk the same game as Michael Irvin, since Dallas has been lacking that kind of production since Irvin left.) He's got the size, he certainly has the talent, but a lot of what Williams lacks is what he can't be taught. He can't be taught drive. He can't be taught self-motivation. Instead, his sense of entitlement is going to find him on the unemployment line because this hot shot rookie Bryant is on his heels and coming up fast. Bryant wasted NO time being signed. His show of determination since prior to the draft made the Cowboys make the reach at the time to pick him in the first round. Bryant's quote after the whole "Shoulder pad-gate" says it all.

"I feel like I was drafted to play football, not carry another player’s pads."

It's a novel concept this playing football thing, because that's what you were drafted for. Williams has had one good year since he was drafted in 2004, and that was in 2006. . .his stats from the 4 seasons since then look positively anemic at best: 2007 - 838 yds, 2008 (Lions) - 232 yds, 2008 (Cowboys) - 198 yds, 2009 - 596 yds. (Granted, he was with the Lions, so I guess I can give him a little break.) Since he's been in the league, he's caught 37 touchdowns. That's a shade over 6 touchdowns a year. He's only caught 8 TDs since being with the Cowboys. He's caught 319 passes, for 4678 yards. It's a decent average at a touch over 14, but when you calculate that he's supposed to have the talent of a number one receiver, he's averaging only 53 catches a year. (As a point of reference, Terrell Owens caught 55 passes, for 829 yards and 5 TDs on a Buffalo Bills team as the number two receiver with a QB rotisserie, offensive lines issues, and a brain dead head coach with zero play calling skills.)

I understand the need and the tradition of rookie hazing. But I also am a firm believer that respect has to be earned, not embarrassed, humiliated or threatened out of you. Make him sing his alma mater's fight song in front of the team. Have him buy everyone dinner. Roy, you've done nothing on the field to make Dez Bryant respect you. Your attitude on and off the field isn't conducive to being the number one, go-to receiver for your team. Maybe you should take a page out of Dez's book and play football.



On a completely separate note, condolences to the Cowher and Siegel families. Both Kaye Cowher and Leah Siegel were in the prime of their lives, and taken down by a disease that unfortunately is indiscriminate. As someone who's lost family too soon due to cancer, my thoughts are with you.

It's not how big you are, it's how big you play

I've been reading up on a story I first heard about back in 2009, about a female little league baseball player who threw a perfect game. Big deal, right? Well, she was playing against the boys, on a team of boys. Still, pretty cool, but not really a huge deal. Oh, it was in an all-star game too. And did I mention she just did it again? And pitched her team to a 12-0 record this season? And I guess I should say she's being scouted by a former MLB GM. Chelsea Baker doesn't want to play softball, and I don't blame her. I always felt it was demeaning in a way, that girls had to play with a bigger, heavier ball, and throw it underhand. Of course it's not going to go as far. Of course they aren't going to throw 100mph fast balls, or knuckleballs. Most of the time when a girl first picks up a softball, she has to put down a baseball, because there aren't any baseball teams for her to play on. Chelsea Baker has been playing with the boys since she was old enough to. Check out these stats. She hasn't lost a sanctioned game in 4 YEARS. Her team is 95-8-2 in 4 years with 3 championships. She's struck out 127 batters in 60 innings this year. I know MILB and MLB team owners and GMs who would weep with gratitude for stats like that. And that's playing against boys who are bigger, stronger and in some cases, older than she is.

Strasburg who?

I know, I know, it's early to say that Chelsea will still be playing when she's his age. But at 13, she's entering an age where plans for the future start to form. She's planning on trying out for the baseball team when she enters high school in a year. She's already throwing 60+mph with her fastball and is becoming an accomplished knuckleballer. If she's 13, and throwing better than the boys, who's to say that can't and won't continue? Currently, there is only one female player who is playing professional ball in a development league in Cali. Who's to say that a female couldn't pitch in the minors or majors though? The gender barrier hasn't really been tested in baseball yet. Once in a while you'll hear the errant story of a girl playing little league football and then for her high school team, and then silence. And women playing hockey just aren't as quick as the men playing the same game. And it's easy to understand why. Physically speaking, female physiques aren't able to get the mass and size of male physiques. But as a pitcher on a baseball team, technique could mean more than size and could overcome gender.

Marilyn Monroe said 'Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.' I think Chelsea just wants to play baseball. And it just so happens that she plays with the boys, and plays well. She said she'll play as long as she keeps winning. I'm hoping she does.

End run around the Salary Cap

My follower has requested I blog about my opinions of Ilya Kovalchuk's recent contract. So I'll begin by saying I was surprised the NHL took a stand for a change. Lately, the NHL has played Devil's advocate (truly no pun intended there) with their procedures and policies, placating the masses, while still trying to keep the product on the ice relevant. That being said, the NHL has always been a player's league. Suspensions for on-ice and off-ice conduct have been notoriously light, or non-existent, contract arbitrations are historically player friendly, and the NHL has been loathe to rein in their more colorful representatives. Kovalchuk's contract was so abhorrently obvious in what it was attempting to do, that to ignore it, the NHL would have set a precedent it couldn't have done anything about.

Let's think about this logically. Players of Kovalchuk's talent level are more common than they used to be. The kids being drafted now are stronger, faster and more ready to play in a professional setting than even those of 5 or 10 years ago. Players of a more advanced age, to be politically correct, are more likely to play less than 10 minutes per game, and act more of a on ice coach than an actual go-to guy. I admit that your Sidney Crosbys and the Staal brothers are more anomalies than the norm, but the talent levels just keep increasing. Not only that, but it's easy to turn and burn these kind of players. (Which is not something I advocate by any stretch.) Get them on the team young, let them build their rep all while winning the team games, and then find the next young stud in the following year's draft if the talent is unwilling to stay. While it's understandable to get a guy of Kovalchuk's talent level on your team in his prime, it was begging the NHL to question the veracity of the deal by issuing it in the form of a 17 year contract. Over 40 year old players are hard to come by in today's hard hitting, fast paced game. Chris Chelios is very possibly a freak of nature by playing at his age. So the Devils' honestly couldn't have been shocked by the NHL's decision. No one involved in this signing believed for one moment that Ilya would be playing through the end of the deal. So honestly, why the ruse? I would have to believe that someone in that room said there might be an issue with the league. I'd also imagine it was because of the more recent contracts which have passed inspection by the powers that be that led them to think they could skate this one by. They let Hossa's deal stand, didn't blink at Luongo's 12 year deal, and Pronger's deal with the Flyer's was close to laughable. None of them though, were quite as ridiculous as this one.

While I wouldn't normally applaud the NHL for much lately, I have to say it was about damn time they put their reading glasses on and actually looked at the contract in front of them. Of course in this case as in so many others, the NHLPA can step in, the lawyers will come into play, and the League can hem and haw but will eventually let something almost as asinine slip through. And Kovalchuk will be smiling as the Brinks truck backs up to his house. Welcome to today's NHL.

In Sports, as in Life

During the Espys last night, High School football coach Ed Thomas' family was honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. During the video presentation, a quote by Ed Thomas was shown.

"If all I have taught you was to block and tackle, then I have failed you as a coach."

Despite the fact an ex-player was convicted of murdering the coach, those words are something I wish more high school coaches believed in. Something more college coaches thought was important. Something even professional organizations prized more than championships and money. Lately, we hear continuous talk of the various shenanigans professional athletes get into, some of which turn into acts more sinister and illegal. The sense of entitlement which comes with being a professional athlete today is overpowering the common sense, and perhaps the lessons they were taught from the time they learned to play the game. Honestly, if more players were to go back to their roots; to the place where they first learned to love the game, we might not have hour long ESPN specials to tell us where Lebron James was going to play basketball next year. We might not have Pacman Jones making it rain in a Las Vegas strip club. Rae Carruth's girlfriend might still be alive. Obviously, there are going to be bad apples in every bunch of fruit, whether it's football players, basketball players, hockey players, or whether it's Joe Schmoe down the street. Everyday there are cases of the average Joe getting in trouble with the law. What makes it worse as an athlete, is the attention given before, during, and after something bad happens. These players aren't always being punished the same way the average citizen would be punished for the same crime. We, as a society, elevate these men and women to a position above ourselves, because of their abilities. Unfortunately, some of these people don't believe the rules we all are bidden to follow apply to them. If more players absorbed not just the lessons of the game, but the life lessons as well, and applied the discipline they use to be elite at their sport to their entire lives, we might not have the Ben Roethlisberger spectacle. Kobe might not have been in the hotel room. I don't mean to get up on the soap box against the evils of professional sports. I guess my point is this: in sports, as in life, we are all held to a standard. Sports do not supersede our responsibilities as humans. Ed Thomas tried to impart something a little more important than how to block and tackle to his players. He asked that you choose to live right and be your best everyday, both on the field and off the field. Every player of every sport should heed his legacy.

An open letter to the city of Cleveland

Dear Cleveland,

I'm sorry you've been waiting for the past year to find out if your beloved Lebron James is going to re-sign with the Cavs. It's a damn shame that he's strung you along for so many months. But Cleveland, while I can understand the need to bring him back into the fold, let me ask you if you honestly believe you couldn't do better. This is the guy that took plays off during the post season this year. Don't tell me you didn't see it. He was laughing on the court while the Cavs were down. Kobe wouldn't do that. Jordan certainly wouldn't have, and that's who Lebron wants you to think he's like. He wears Jordan's number, but he doesn't have Jordan's heart, his drive, his utter desire. He calls himself King James, but he's not translating any bibles. He's driving a wedge between the people of Cleveland SO desperate to win, that they'll give up any semblance of pride in order to do so. Is he worth it? Couldn't you find 3 or 4 or 5 players willing to play for your team for the same money Lebron wants, and who want to play for you? Honestly, if he so badly wanted to play for the Cavs, the money wouldn't matter. Lebron had his agent play town crier across the NBA and brought the masses into your city to court the King. That's like showing up for prom and realizing you weren't the only one bringing a corsage to your date. And while yours might have cost more, maybe one of the others smells better. Looks a little nicer. Maybe it'll last longer. Puts a sour taste in your mouth, doesn't it, Cleveland? If King James doesn't bring the title to Cleveland, how long will it take for the coup d'état? How long till you can't stomach the sight of him? I'd imagine it'd be like watching the Browns year after year. . . sorry, had to get that in there.

So Cleveland, I hope you aren't disappointed tomorrow night. And if you aren't, I hope you aren't setting yourself up for a future revolt. For some reason, I liken King James to another famous king. . . King Henry the VIII. The first wife wasn't good enough, and well, neither was the second, or the third or the fourth, etc. Henry cut off most of their heads. . . let's hope Lebron will be a little more benevolent to you.

Love, Nikki

P.S. One more thing. Jake Delhomme?? Really?

Sure you do. . .

Ok, I will be the first person to admit that I am not the hugest soccer fan. I appreciate the talent it takes to play the game, admire (for lack of a better word) the players, and think honestly, there are worse sports out there. That being said, I admit to being a little tired of the bandwagon jumpers who pop out of the woodwork every 4 years when the World Cup is on. Really? You can't name a player on any team, but you root for some random European nation once the US is out. You can't even tell me you can name a player on team USA that's not Landon Donovan. Seriously, I like to look at the hot soccer players just as much as the next girl, but if you're going to claim to be a huge fan of the Dutch team, don't you think you should at least be able to tell me who they last played, and at least their goalie's name? Or, you're rooting for Portugal JUST because Cristiano Ronaldo is a stunning piece of humanity. Shouldn't you at least be able to tell me how many minutes are in the game?* Or what a yellow card is?** I understand it's a huge event not just for people who know soccer, but people around the world because it's another global event like the Olympics. But please, don't purport to like a team, just because the US isn't in it anymore. Don't say you know such and such country was going to go far, because honestly, you didn't. Two of the teams that were in the semis last time are out, and a ragtag team from Uruguay is in. YOU DID NOT KNOW THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. And if you don't even know who was involved in the Hand of God play, you should take your vuvuzuela and shove it.*** And don't tell me you're rooting for Russia. . . or England, because that's where David Beckham is from. Ok. . . I feel (slightly) better now.



*I put the question about how many minutes are in the game, and then realized, hell, half the time the refs don't know, the fans at the stadium certainly don't know, and most of the TV broadcasts have it wrong. So I guess you don't NEED to know how many minutes are in the game. . . but you should know how many minutes SHOULD be in the game if the stars align and there's no overtime or injury minutes or whatever halfcocked excuse the refs came up with to cause the game to go over it's regularly scheduled time.

**Seriously, they should give out freaking OSCARS to some of these guys rolling around on the ground. It's better acting than most of the twits out there in Lala land now. . .

***It was Diego Maradona. He's also the coach of the Argentinian team. Wiki it.

****And no, Russia didn't even field a team this year, and David Beckham didn't play for England. Seriously, there ARE other soccer players in the world who actually PLAY soccer instead of prance around from country to country admiring his Armani billboards!

As a nation celebrates, we reflect. . .

This weekend, we as a nation stop what we're doing and commemorate our independence. We celebrate our freedom by singing our national anthem at any number of sporting events. We take our hats off, hold them over our hearts and salute our nation's soldiers for fighting for something we all take for granted. For some, removing their hat is just something that's supposed to be done. For me, as it always was, it's also a salute in my own way to my dad and something ingrained in me from the time I was very young. You see, my dad wasn't a great athlete, or the smartest man. He wasn't even the best man he could have been sometimes. But, to me, he was the best dad he could be. He was a soldier in Vietnam and fiercely patriotic till the day he passed away. He also loved every sporting event imaginable. We watched hours of boxing, and auto racing, and football, and hockey. He went to every track meet I ran at, taught me to bowl, and came to all my tournaments. He even came to my pick up basketball games when I didn't score a point. I'm not telling you this as a dissertation of what a dad should do, or even what my dad did. I say this because at every meet, every tournament, every game on TV, EVERY time, my father removed his hat and held it over his heart when the national anthem came on. And it was taught that regardless of whether or not a girl had to remove her hat, it was something I should do to show my thanks. If not for the soldiers who fought in wars on this continent and others, I wouldn't have the luxury and freedom to play or watch the sports I did. To remove my hat, and sing the anthem is more than something I should do just because. It's a very small token of my appreciation for having the freedom to do so.

This weekend, I'm sure there will be parents at games cheering on their children as only a parent is able. And there will be the singing of our national anthem as teams peewee to big league take the field of play or as cars prepare to race. For those freedoms, removing your hat is not only something which should be done, but a privilege. It's my hope that every father's child looks up to their dad, sees him remove his hat, and know to do the same as a show of gratitude.


***As a sign of respect to my mother, I learned the Canadian national anthem as well. (Although anyone who frequents Sabres games can probably say the same.)

A very happy belated Canada Day to my family and friends to the North.***

Thank you for your opinion. Now please shut up.

There was an article in today's Buffalo News from a gentleman named Bob Tortorici called 'Money-hungry NFL has lost its true magic.' I started reading it, expecting to hear about how players salaries have increased exponentially, while the product on the field has stayed relatively the same, or how the multibillion dollar NFL with it's far reaching tentacles has saturated every part of our lives. Instead, Mr. Tortorici stated, as many have before him, how expensive it is to attend a game. Not that he's unable to afford it, but that he begrudges spending the money to feed "the greed machine" because of the deplorable actions of the players and fans, and lack of players who play for the love of the game anymore. I wonder if Mr. Tortorici is aware that there are any number of other cities in this country with citizens literally grasping at straws in order to get a team in their city. I think some people in this area forget at times, is that Buffalo is one of only 32 cities to have a professional football franchise bestowed upon them. It's a contentious battle, I'd imagine, for Ralph Wilson to wage regularly in order to keep the team here. Ralph has gone to bat not only for the team, but for this area and it's fans on countless occasions, in a concerted effort to keep the team here. We are part of a special history. The Bills were there at the inception of the NFL. We have one of the founding fathers of professional football fighting tooth and nail to keep the team in Buffalo AND to keep it viable in the day and age where the almighty dollar is king. It's no secret the NFL is an all powerful being with the ability to decide Buffalo is no longer deserving of a franchise. It's articles like Mr. Tortorici's which lend credence to the idea that Buffalo shouldn't have the Bills. Unfortunately, prices rise. Inflation happens. It's a moot point to continue to discuss the economic recession and likely depression when there are people across the country willing to pay the prices in order to have a team in their city. My family was in no way able to afford tickets to a Bills game. I, myself didn't attend one until I was 20 years old.

Secondly, there are still players who play for the love of the game. It's unfortunate today's media only discusses those who are out to be celebrities or who aren't able to abide by the rules and laws like the rest of us. Those players out to make a name for themselves for their antics, rather than their game play do take away from the game. That is a universal problem with ALL sports, across ALL levels of play. There are college soccer players punching opposing players on the field and yanking their hair. There are also little league parents who start fights with opposing fans and coaches. There are hooligans overseas. It's called sports. From the littlest of the little leagues to the elitist of the big leagues, it happens. Regardless of all of that extraneous fluff, there are people at the games each and every week spending their hard earned dollars, taking time out of their lives supporting the teams they bleed for. I'm sorry that experience isn't worth the $250 or $300 you would spend at a Bills game. I'm sorry your son won't feel the energy in the air when the players rush out onto the field amid fireworks and flames. I'm sorry he won't be able to sing the national anthem along with 74,000 others and watch a flyover in wonder. I'm sorry he won't be able to experience the absolute thrill as everyone in the stadium stands, cheering on the Bills when they score. THAT is what you're paying for. THAT is what you are missing. The money is secondary. It's honestly disgusting to me that you and I are both considered Buffalonians, because honestly, Mr. Tortorici, you lack that which makes a true Buffalonian. To wish and hope that we would lose our franchises, because you are unwilling to pay for that privilege is unconscionable. There are so many people here who are not only willing and able, but grateful for the opportunity in this area, especially when they look back at their lives and are able to say 'I was there when. . .' I'm sorry you don't see the value in that. I could go on. But honestly, what I'd really like to say is speak for yourself and NOT for Buffalo. Your opinion is duly noted.

Okay Brett, time to make a decision

Anyone who knows me, knows I am huge Brett Favre fan. Huge enough to get teary eyed at work when I heard word of his first retirement, and huge enough to stomach watching that dreck they called football when he played for the Jets. And huge enough to now consider getting a purple #4 jersey if he decides to come back and play for the Vikes this year. There is a very small handful of people who are allowed to dictate what they will and won't do within the confines of the "rules" of their sports. Favre is one of those people. If he comes back, it's with the full understanding he won't participate in minicamps and most likely training camp. Bruce Smith would do the same thing and he's in the hall of fame. A lot of people don't agree with what Bruce did, but no one can question his play making ability. While it seems unfair to those guys who are at OTA's in May and June, and minicamps, and then training camp, it's also a sign of just how talented these people are. (Yes, I know Peyton Manning goes to training camp. I'm not saying Peyton is any less talented than Brett is. In fact, if anyone could hit Brett's accolades, it'll be Peyton Manning. BUT, Peyton is also years younger than Brett.) In essence, Brett can toss the ball up to whichever receiver is running the routes. It's really the receiver who needs to learn the cadence, the way he throws, and the way the QB directs the game which is something that can come through regular practices and in the preseason. Brett's been around for 20 years, he knows how to read the defenses, and no minicamp or training camp is going to be able to teach him anything he hasn't seen before. Like a true gunslinger, he's going to go out there and do what he does best, and that's make plays. Both good and bad. That's what makes him the best quarterback who's played the game. That's why he's the ironman. It's his utter love of the game that keeps him coming back, and if he doesn't have to put himself through the drudge work, (for lack of a better way of saying it) he'll be the guy that brings you to the post season. Personally, I can't wait for opening night.


***Yes, my opinion on Brett is very definitely colored by the fact that he's my favorite player and my hero. Yes, I said hero. EVERYONE should be so lucky to be able to go to work each and every day with such a love for what they do, that even through the crappy times, they still come back the next day, the next week, the next month, and the next year and go at it again with the same intensity. We can all wish to have that in our lives. I know I do. The game will be missing something when Brett's not playing anymore.***

Well fine then!

I think the husband is tired of hearing my opinions. He tells me, "Start a blog. That way you can share your opinions with more people." Translation: I don't want to hear it anymore!

So here I am. I'm ridiculously opinionated, slightly more (or more than slightly) sports savvy than most of the women I know, and I have several letters after my last name which should give me the ability to come across both intelligently and sensibly about pretty much anything I want. I chose sports. It's a curse. While women in sports related professions are becoming more common, they are still a rarity compared to the number of men. There are a small handful of women actually sportscasting or commentating, and even fewer sports writers who are women. Well no one ever said I liked to make things easy on myself. I plan on updating this frequently, which of course may be more or less frequent depending on the season. Football season seems to bring out the best (or worst) in me, so I'd imagine once training camps start up, I'll be posting on here more often. One note of caution: my opinions are just that; MINE. You can agree, disagree, care, not care, get angry, happy, sad or melancholy. Nothing I say is meant to be taken as the be all and end all opinion on any given topic. I will admit readily when I am wrong if you can prove I am. Otherwise, I'm pretty happy believing what I want to believe. I would love hearing reciprocating opinions, because according to the husband, I love starting fights.