Stealing Thunder...

As I sit here watching the Harlem Globetrotters on TV (I'll see them in person someday), I also sit with mixed emotions as Super Bowl XLII looms on the horizon just less than a day away. I am ecstatic that Art Monk finally got elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, joining fellow teammate Darrell Green among others. He sat on the ballot for eight years before he got the call, which was eight years too long. To be able to put up the stats that he did in an era where Jerry Rice was just coming into his prime is truly remarkable. It's about time he was recognized for everything he accomplished during his career. He, along with Green, Pats LB Andre Tippett, Vikes/Broncos OT Gary Zimmerman, Bolts/49ers LB Fred Dean (before my time), and Chiefs CB Emmitt Thomas (also before my time, but I'm sure I'll see him on my Chiefs History DVD) are to be congratulated for this very distinguished honor.
While I am pleased that Monk finally got the call for the Hall, I'm also disappointed that more and more information about the Pats' Spygate incident is coming to light on the eve of Super Bowl XLII, especially when it might involve past incidents. On top of that, U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania is looking to speak with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell regarding the destruction of the Spygate evidence. Let me channel my inner Stephen A. Smith here (I can't help it- I love what he does!!): Who in their everlasting right mind cares THAT much about why some evidence that's already been viewed and addressed, especially during the week leading up to the Super Bowl?? Last I checked, U.S. Senators have a lot more pressing issues to deal with in our country than meeting the NFL's commisioner about some evidence that a good majority of us have forgotten about and could care less about anymore. Here's a word of advice to Sen. Specter: utilize your energy toward issues that really matter to our country, like ending the war in Iraq and Afghanistan or social security. Let the Spygate issue go, get off your high horse, and move on. Join the rest of the country in watching what could the most historical Super Bowl to date. LET IT GO!!
Speaking of the possibility of historical Super Bowl, another issue that's been bothering me, as well as many sportscasters, is the continuing annoyance known as Mercury Morris staying on his high horse proclaiming greatness for his beloved '72 Dolphins' undefeated season. "Don't call me when you're in my neighborhood- call me when you're on my block," or some garbage like that. Just like I mentioned to Sen. Specter- LET IT GO!! Everyone knows what your Dolphins did in '72, and everyone knows that they were the first undefeated team in NFL history. No one is discounting that by any stretch of the imagination. However, as much as I really don't like the Pats, I have to give them credit for making such a historical run up to this point, and you should do the same. Should they win tomorrow, I'll probably smile at the fact they completed what could be considered the most remarkable season in professional sports. What I won't do is start comparing them to your beloved 'Fins. One thing you must always remember, Mr. Morris, is that records are made to be broken. Don't be so full of yourself to the point that you can't take a moment or two to possibly welcome another franchise into that exclusive wire-to-wire club. Your team was one of the best of its era, and should the Pats win, they'll be considered one of the best of this era Like most of us who have a pulse on this planet- embrace change and LET IT GO.
With that being said, it's time to make my Super Bowl pick. Unless I like the favorite going into the game (in this case I don't), I tend to be an underdog guy, which would make you think that I would pick the Giants. However, it's hard to go against a team that was built for a game of this magnitude. I think it will be a great game, but in the end, the Pats finalize their place in history. Pats 31, Giants 24. Until next time...

40 Tips for a Powerful New Year

I know I mentioned in my last blog that I would talk about a pet peeve of mine that I've notice in college and pro football, but I read something today at school that speaks volumes to how we should rededicate ourselves this year. I found this in my mailbox this morning after a relaxing snow day yesterday (Any personal asides to these will be in parenthesis):

40 Tips for a Powerful New Year
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. Buy a TIVO, tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement:
"My purpose is to _____________ today."
5. Live with the 3 E's: Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy.
6. Watch more movies, play more games, and read more books than you did in 2007.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, qigong and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6. (Not a problem- Ethan is 2 and I still have my grandparents to talk to.)
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less foods that are manufactured in plants.
11. Drink green tea & plenty of water and eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12. Try to make at least 3 people smile each day. (Being a teacher, that's easy- as long as they don't cross me!!)
13. Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime. (In my case algebra class never fades away...)
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away. (I wonder just exactly who or what these energy vampires look like...)
18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. (Someone please say that to my 8th-graders!!)
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don't take yourself too seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, and wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
27. Forgive everyone everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business. (AMEN!!)
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
32. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful. (All news about Britney Spears fits in perfectly with this one...)
33. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
34. The best is yet to come. (Where's Tony Bennett to sing this when we need him?!?!)
35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
36. Do the right thing. (Somewhere Spike Lee is smiling at this one...)
37. Call your mother and father often. (I don't do this nearly enough as I should, I'm working hard on this one...)
38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
"I am thankful for _________." "Today I accomplished ___________."
39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed. (Another AMEN!!)
40. Enjoy the ride. Remembe that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

I've read these tips at least five or six times today. I know I'm going to do my best to follow as many as I can, and I challenge you to do the same. Until next time...

Happy New Year!!

As today's blog happily implies- HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I hope everyone celebrated and made it home safe and sound. I also hope some of you were able to take in some of the vast amount of sporting events on TV yesterday. Despite the snow, sleet and freezing rain outside my window, much to my surprise, I was really looking forward to the 2008 NHL Winter Classic in Buffalo from the day I read about it on ESPN.com. Let's just say, as a rare hockey fan in these parts, I was happily pleased with how the game turned out. Although part of me wished I was there braving the elements with the other 71,000 fanatics, I was quite happy sitting in the comfort of my living room in my sweats eating clam chowder. Even though there were quite a few stoppages due to Mother Nature having her way, nothing could've ended this game better than a Sidney Crosby shootout goal to win for the Penguins. I give lots of credit to the NHL for making this happen and hope that they're able to stage one of these events yearly.
As a matter of fact, EJ Hradek from ESPN.com makes an interesting suggestion in his blog today (http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3177176&name=hradek_ej): "Let's scrap the All-Star Game, which is a silly event for any sport that includes physical contact. In its place, let's schedule an annual Winter Classic. If they don't want to play it on New Year's Day, why not schedule it for the weekend between the NFL conference championship games and the Super Bowl? It could be a Winter Classic weekend. You can plan on playing Saturday afternoon with Sunday available as a bad weather makeup date.
Each season, you could have different teams in different venues. For example, I've always wanted to see a hockey game in Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park or Wrigley Field. There are a lot of great cities and memorable venues to choose from." I must say that I agree with this 100%. While I enjoy watching the skills challenge (which could still happen in this proposed concept), I'd rather watch a game being played in the elements, just like the players used to do before the sport became their profession, than watch players try to escape injury, play soft, and run the score up in a meaningless all-star game. This is definitely a brilliant idea that someone should get the ball rolling on.
As I get ready to wrap up this latest blog, I'm catching the tail end of what's been another BCS blowout (currently 48-28 West Virginia in the 4th quarter). I have to give it to the BCS for choosing "worthy" competitors so far- in three BCS games, including tonight, the closest margin is the game that's on right now- and that's 20 points and counting!! I sincerely hope that the last two BCS games have a closer result than the first three, otherwise this year's most important bowls will have done nothing but solidify the blatantly obvious fact that there needs to be a playoff system implemented. There's no telling what would happen if you put USC up against Georgia or West Virginia, or other teams that deserved a BCS bid and got hosed. Anyway, we've got a booth review, which is my cue to call it a night. I'll share my thoughts about another disheartening trend I've noticed in my next blog. Until next time...

Endings and Beginnings...

As we bring 2007 to a close and embark on yet another promising year in 2008, the sports world continues to spin, bringing us constantly to the edge of unpredictability. For example, as the NFL concluded its regular season (and cost me 2 fantasy championships), teams that didn't make the playoffs began their postseason evaluations, sending some into the new year looking for other forms of employment. For example, the Baltimore Ravens went ahead and fired head coach Brian Billick after he confidently told reporters that he would be back a few weeks ago(http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3150074). He then proceeded to lose to the then-winless Dolphins via poor playcalling the very next week, after which he should've been immediately booted, but oh well- at least he didn't pull a Bobby Petrino (it's amazing how one person can become the butt of so many jokes in such a short period of time).
Speaking of those same Dolphins, I don't think anyone expected new executive VP of football ops Bill Parcells to sit very quietly once the 'Fins lost yesterday to cap a miserable 1-15 season. He began his housecleaning by first firing GM Randy Mueller (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3174839), who, based on his previous track record, shouldn't have been hired in the first place. Next on the firing line- head coach Cam Cameron, who had this to say in the same article: "There's going to be an opportunity in the next few days to sit down and talk with Bill," Cameron said. "We'll treat it as an exchange between two guys who want to see the Miami Dolphins be successful, and what it's going to take to do that." As brilliant an offensive mind as Cameron has been perceived to be, what it's going to take for the Dolphins to get back to any sort of respectability is probably getting rid of him and bringing in someone like Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett or Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and seeing what they can do. Not many people are giving Cameron a chance (including myself), but some of his players seem to be a little more optimistic. "God willing," running back Jesse Chatman said. "Coach Cameron is better than people think he is. He needs a chance to show what a good coach he is." He'll get his chance, but it probably won't be on South Beach. If Parcells does let him go, he'll be back as an offensive coordinator somewhere next season.
Being a Chiefs fan, I have to go homer on this next one. Team president and general manager Carl Peterson has decided to return to the organization for a twentieth season despite the team just finishing a disappointing 4-12 season. I'm always optimistic when rooting for my teams (Braves, Chiefs, Seminoles, Stars), but it was awfully difficult this season with RB Larry Johnson being injured more often than not, the retirements of offensive linemen Willie Roaf and Will Shields before the season, and the lack of a solid QB after Trent Green was traded to the Dolphins. It's reassuring to know that someone who has a put a lot of energy into keeping a franchise performing at a high level year after year can continue to stick by the franchise during years like this one. After team owner (and NFL legend) Lamar Hunt passed away last year, Peterson made it his mission to see it all the way through, so I know that Kansas Citians can rest comfortably going into 2008 knowing that the architect who built past Chiefs teams with players like Okoye, Thomas, Neil Smith, and Willie Davis will continue to mold the franchise and turn it around after an off year.
Finally, I would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year. We've witnessed many unpredictable events this past year, which have impacted us in some way, shape or form. Let's resolve to make 2008 a wonderful year, one full of promise, enrichment, and optimism. Until next year...

(Bad) Sign of the Times

So I'm on my computer reading the online edition of the Hartford Courant today (for those of you scoring at home, that's http://www.courant.com) and the following headline catches my eye on my way to the sports section: "Civic's Out: Now It's The XL Center." At first I was puzzled, but when I put it all together a few seconds later, I was hoping it wasn't about one of my favorite hometown landmarks, the Hartford Civic Center, selling out to a corporate bigwig like so many other sports venues across the country. After the first two sentences, however, I was saddened by this unfortunate circumstance: "XL is no longer just a jersey size in Hartford sports.The two letters will anchor a new name for the Hartford Civic Center under an agreement to sell the naming rights of the landmark venue to XL Insurance." The Civic Center, to me, was one of the last regional holdouts of my childhood to not give in to corporate greed, with Giants Stadium, Yankee Stadium, and Fenway Park standing by its side. I can't even fathom walking in there for a Wolf Pack or Huskies game and calling it the "XL Center." I'm too old school, bleeding Whalers green and blue through and through, to sell out and not call it the Civic Center. It's sad that, in this day and age, our major sports have resorted to soliciting high-priced stadium naming deals from corporate America. What happened to the days of Foxboro Stadium, Joe Robbie Stadium, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, and Candlestick Park?? Oh, and I almost forgot the Boston Garden!! Stadium names like these are legendary, names that sports fans around my age and older can appreciate, so if I sound curmudgeonly old school, that's because I am!! Those of you who appreciate old school sports- join me in celebrating the venues of days past- places like the Kingdome, Mile High Stadium, Maple Leaf Gardens, and the ol' Aud in Buffalo. LONG LIVE THE HARTFORD CIVIC CENTER!! Until next time...

Something To Think About...

I happened to come across a link to an editorial on the Baltimore Sun website (http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-sp.steele09dec09,0,7135582.column) after reading a baseball blog on ESPN.com, and it definitely opened my eyes a little. David Steele posed a good point in the wake of the recent Sean Taylor slaying and the court cases of Barry Bonds and Michael Vick, among others. "Strange how a certain worldwide-leading sports network brings out its "legal analysts" when an athlete (Barry Bonds, Michael Vick, Adam "Pacman" Jones, Tank Johnson) is accused of a crime but not when an athlete (Sean Taylor) is the victim," he said. Before I read that, I never really paid attention to when the "legal analysts" showed up on said network programs, but now that he mentioned it, it's actually fairly true. Unless an athlete is somehow involved in some type of criminal activity, those "legal analysts" probably continue doing their real jobs, even when an athlete is the unfortunate victim. If I remember correctly, when Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was gunned down last New Year's Eve, said network sent reporters out to the Denver area to cover the story, but those "legal analysts" seemed to be nowhere to be found. It's amazing what a network will or won't do for ratings, even if they're branded as the "worldwide leader." This point won't stop me from watching said network, but it did persuade me to watch it a little bit differently now. Until next time...

Long Time No See...

It's been a while since I've blogged here, so I thought I'd drop by and spill my guts on a few things:
It's such a travesty what our society has come to with the recent murder of Redskins DB Sean Taylor this week. The sad part is that he was at home with his fiance' and baby daughter when a bunch of teenagers (at least that's what's been reported) decided they wanted to make a point and ended up taking a life. This story hits home to me in two ways: 1) He was only 24 years old- the same age as my lil sister Stephanie, and 2) He was a father to an 18-month-old daughter that will now have to grow up without a significant male presence in her life. Being a father myself, I can't even stomach the notion of my son having to grow up without me being alive to see him follow in my footsteps. This is yet another sad chapter to a story that seems to be rewritten more often than not, taking away not only a gifted athlete respected by his peers and coaches, but also a father, son, fiance', and friend. I wish I could say that there's a solution to this growing problem, but I'm not God, so all I can do is continue living my life and raising my son to have a better quality of life than me.
As the calendar gets set to turn to December, it amazes me how fast 2007 has flown by. I won't start reflecting back on the year right now because we've still got a month left, but so much has happened that I can't even to begin putting it into words. Because I'm fighting a cold that my wife may passed on to me, I'm going to sip my hot lemonade, watch the news on channel 3 (WFSB for you out-of-staters), and turn in early since I have to go pick up a sofa and love seat tomorrow morning. Until next time...