A few morning Stories

Apologies to all of you out there, no updates yesterday had a busy day didn’t get around to any new updates. With that said let’s recap some stuff.

I get RSS feeds in my email. Which means every time a site updates, I get a memo about the new story. Coming into work today I read my ESPN updates like a police blotter. I know I have stressed this a thousand time by now, but how far is this going to go. When is this going to stop. Read my first post God Help Us if you need the background of what I’m talking about. The top stories of today and yesterday included the words affidavit, judge, plea, appeal, gun, and so on. The stories are about Sean Taylor’s assailants entering not guilty pleas. 3 or 4 stories about the baseball/steroid investigation, Todd Sauerbrun released for off-field issues, and so on in that order. I’m sick of it, and you all know I’m sick of it.

It seems like everyday something new is coming out in the steroid investigation. And the last two days are no different. Jason Grimsely’s testimony from last year came out and didn’t name the big names that everyone thought it would, to add more to the "he said – he said" aura surrounding this investigation. Yesterday it was reported that players will not be at the hearings, despite now having the power of the law on their side. Today it has been reported that they will. When will we get a straight answer on all of this, well we all know, never.

I don’t know where I stand on Curt Schilling’s comments regarding Clemens. Schilling said that Clemens’ Cy Young’s should be taken away. Though I think if you look at Clemens’ early numbers compared to his Cy Young numbers, Schilling’s got a point, where does it end. MLB is not supporting an asterisk on Bonds’ record (further showing my belief that they secretly supported the steroid era until forced into fighting against it). They are going to have to re-write a lot of record books if they want to remove the steroid era players from their “earned” spots in history.

I love Zo. Always have. He has had such an amazing career, and Wednesday night he tore the patellar tendon in his right knee. If it is in fact his last game (having previously stated that this would be his last season) he went out the way he wanted to go out. Well, almost, “That's not the way I envisioned myself walking off the court (with the help of teammates) for the last time in my career," he said. "I've been through so much in my life. If I had to crawl off the court I would have. Nobody was going to push me off on a stretcher off the court. That wasn't going to happen." You gotta love his will and attitude. The man missed a year for a kidney transplant. He’s got a lot of heart. The earliest timetable for his return would be late April, early May, but that is not common on a 37 year old. With that said, Zo has a ton of heart and I for one wouldn’t be all that amazed if he came back. And if not he can say he ended his career having to be dragged off the court. Once Zo is gone, it’s pretty much down to Shaq holding onto the NBA of my youth. Unless Jordan makes another comeback, he looked pretty good at the Bobcats practice earlier this week.

And in another update, Fast Willie Parker broke his leg last night. This is terrible news for all Steeler fans, and I admit I root for the Stillers occasionally. Without him in their running game making a run at the AFC won’t be easy in the coming months. But in the Silver Lining report, that should open up a spot for an AFC running back in the Pro Bowl. I wonder who t should replace him.

To end on a good note, there will be a special guest in the audience this weekend in Buffalo. My favorite story of the year, Kevin Everett, has said that he will be in attendance this weekend for the Bills finale.
More after the jump...

It's that time of year again to show your loved ones you care...

...by ignoring them and sitting in front of hours of football all day on a Thursday.

It's holiday season again sports fans and guess which one comes 2nd (the 1st being Homecoming passing a couple weeks ago) it's Thanksgiving. So with that it's time to sit back and thank those who have made these last weeks, months, and years so important to me. Here comes my list. of things that I'm thankful for.


Michael Vick going to jail for harming dogs in the name of "sport".
OJ Simpson maybe going to jail for life for conspiracy charges and aggravated kidnapping charges, I just want him locked up the remainder of his life. I don't know how he got off after cutting two people's heads clean off 14 years ago, but hopefully this time around he gets what's coming to him.
The chance that the distinguished Henry Aaron will once again be the Home Run king, maybe Barry will have more, but at least Hank will hold the record for most Home Runs for someone who never served time.
My family and friends.
The fact that this year's Territorial Cup game between the Cats and the Scum Devils in Tempe will be one of the biggest yet, and a Kitty Kat victory means a Bowl Game.
Birthdays at work, Bagels, Cake, or Donuts in the Kitchenette, good stuff, makes the day a little bit better.
Caddyshack, Animal House, Fletch, Boondock Saints and most of the Kevin Smith movies, you cannot be overly thankful for such great things.
Bowl Season.
Kevin Everett walking again, I don't know why I have taken such an interested approach to this story but as I have mentioned in earlier posts this is the story of the year in my book.
Rivalry Week/Rivalry Games.
Tom Emankski's instructional Baseball videos, without them I would never be able to throw a ball into a trashcan at home plate from left center. Thanks Tom. (Did you know that The Crime Dog Fred McGriff supports these videos, and he was one of the all time greats).
Beer, Whiskey, Deep Dish Pizza, Chicken Wings, Hot Dogs (done right), Brats, Sausages, Red Meat, Potatoes, and the invention of the BBQ Grill.
Chicago.
The comedy of Dennis Leary, Brian Regan, Dane Cook's early stuff, Steven Colbert, and the late Mitch Hedberg.
The Stones, The Beatles, CCR, 7 minute long solo's, DMB, Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, acoustic guitars, George Strait, Tracy Lawrence, Garth Brooks, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, and the legendary Man in Black Johnny Cash.
The infield Fly Rule.
No DH in the NL.
2007 College Football season.
Top Chef: specifically Chef Collichio, Padma inferring that Gail Simmons of Food and Wine Magazine (I think that's actually her full name since that's all I've ever heard her called) is a slut, Harold, his Lisa Frank Pencil, "I'm a cook", gritty mushrooms, raw pepper, Dave "Chef Cry", Stephen the Sommolier, "It is what it is", everyone's hatred for Marcel a.k.a. Rocketboy, Cliff, Sam, Mike "Betty Crocker meets Charles Manson", and last but not least C.J. Big Time.
Bruce Willis refusing to let Det. John McLane go, I am all for Die Hard's being made until Bruno is on oxygen between takes.
Boston's MLS team losing (enough Boston teams winning constantly). I don't know what's more annoying, the fact that they are dominating every sport, the fact that they feel the need to let everyone know, constantly, that they're dominating every sport, or the fact they do it with that wicked awful accent.
Rushing the Field.
NOT having to hear John Madden talk about Mutant turkeys and circle yams and pumpkin pies with his telestrator on Thursday.
Turducken.
Seriously Turkey, Duck, Chicken, layers of stuffing in between. Also, there are variations where they throw in a Game Hen or Sausage just to further clog arteries.
Board games and trivia games, I haven't met a worthy adversary in awhile.
ESPN.
TV and Movie Marathons.
The Autumn months where football (NCAA and NFL) can literally be found on TV almost every night, and if it isn't on the World Series is or else there is (NCAA or NBA) basketball on.
Anthony Bourdain: Cook, Author, TV Personality.
Vic Chanko: Tony's alter celebrity ego, Vic doesn't climb mountains.
March Madness.
Spring Break.
The Hansen Brothers puttin on the foil.
Wireless Internet.
The Asterisk *
Tony Romo a.k.a. Bromo taking over the NFC and Jason Whitten scoring TDs sans helmet (and this coming from a guy who hates the Cowboys).
Kevin Costner movies: Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, The Untouchables, and Wyatt Earp, not Dances with Wolves or Waterworld
The slew of jokes that will follow the above statement.
Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Harold Ramis, John Belushi, Dan Akroyd and their followers, Chris Farley, Will Farrell, Vince Vaughn, and sometimes the Wilsons or Stiller.
And of course the people who made me who I am today, through their teachings and morals I have become the man I am Thank You: John Wayne and Mike Ditka.
More after the jump...

God help us...

... A phrase that was uttered...well actually written by my buddy Tanner. It was in regard to an expected addition to my family. Sarcastically (I hope) but I figure it has a more global meaning than he originally intended.

Kevin Garnett's a Celtic...A white guy has been the NBA MVP 3 years in a row...a Canadian and a European...The Colorado Rockies are in the World Series...South Florida was number 2 in the college football polls...5 top ten teams lose one week, 4 the next, and the number 1 and 2 the following week...there is a chance there will not only be a one-loss team in the National Championship but possibly a 2 loss team...sports are upside down all over the place.

The worst part of it all is that not too long ago ESPN and various other news reports discussed sports during their nightly airings. The biggest sports stories were streaks, records, scores, individual performances on the field. Now I listen to sports radio on the way home from work as they discuss the daily Police blotter. The pages of ESPN or FoxSports consist of Pacman Jones "making it rain"...gunfire, and a bouncer at a Las Vegas club will most likely never walk again. More people know the intricate details of that story which ocurred months ago at NBA All-Star weekend in Vegas (a reason Las Vegas should never have a professional sports team) than about the amazing story of Kevin Everett of the Buffalo Bills who began walking last week with assistance when just over a month ago he was in critical condition following an awkward hit in Buffalo's opeing game. These are the off field stories I want to hear about. As much as I rooted against Nebraska in the mid-90's it's hard to forget some of the memorable performances from Lawrence Phillips, of course, all I think about when I hear that name is him throwing his girlfriend down a flight of stairs. The sports magazine TV shows have court reporters and legal correspondants. This is preposterous.

If you make a league minimum (depending on the sport) you make more in a year than I do in 15 at my job, and good for you, the rule is if you can get them to pay it, then you're worth it. I take a cab or walk when I've had too much to drink, why is one of my favorite players, Lance Briggs (Chicago Bear and UA alumn) crashing his Lambo into a tree at 3 AM and fleeing from the scene. You can afford a cab, even with the Franchise tag limiting your funds so. Over a decade ago, when things were different there was an athelete who was ridiculed by some and praised by others for his now famous quote, "I am not a role model". At the time Chuck was a monster on the floor, and twice as brash off of it. I wish we had more players like Sir Charles around today to be role models. Where was Reggie Miller during the Artest "Malace in the Palace" melee a few years back. He wasn't in the stands. He wasn't throwing punches. He was old school, and he knew his place. People are cracking back on Roger Goodell saying he is being too harsh with these players. Maybe Tagliabue should have done something a few years ago so this wouldn't be happening with as much frequency. Children look up to sports stars, all I wanted to do when I was a kid was "be like Mike", like it or not athletes are raising our kids, along with the rest of popular culture, and we need more positive action from them. We need to get rid of this gangsta culture prevalent in todays sports.

One of my all time favorite quotes from a short-lived TV show, Sports Night. Spoken by Casey McCall:

"Look, I got into this because I like getting people to like sports. And I've turned into a PR man for punks and thugs. And any atrocity, no matter how ridiculous, or hideous, or childish, it doesn't matter. I make it sports. Ten-cent bagman whacks a skater's leg with a crowbar, that's sports. Second round draft pick gets cranky in a Houston bar, and that's sports. And let's not forget the mother of all great sports stories - a double homicide in Brentwood. "

Where's Bo, he knew things, he wasn't on the Police Radar (unless it was an ambulance taking him to the hospital after another hip injury or Cops playing Tecmo at the station), Where's Larry Legend playing HORSE with Michael and Earvin (Magic), Who remembers Lil' Penny or Mars Blackmon telling us it's gotta be the shoes, what happened.

Sports used to be about sports, sports facts used to consist of Batting Averages, Field Goal Percentage, and Yards per Carry. Now sports fact consist of suspensions, HGH, and prison sentences.

I'm supposed to raise a child to love sports as much as I do in this culture.

God Help Us.
More after the jump...