Playoffs, Playoffs, Playoffs

It was an eventful weekend in the playoffs.. The Blackhawks and Bruins played two games in one with an exciting triple overtime in game 1 with the Blackhawks winning. Sadly, the Bruins came back over the weekend and tied up the series, winning in OT as well.. No matter who wins this promises to be a fantastic series!!







The Spurs are one of my favorite teams in the NBA.. and the Heat are so NOT.. I love the Spurs because they are a TEAM.. they get that the individual does not matter as much as the team. Excellent coaching and stupendous leadership in the form of Tim Duncan has made this team a quiet winner. Tim easily stands with the greats of basketball but he never proclaims superstardom.. he just goes out there and gets the job done..

The Heat on the other hand represent all that is wrong with the NBA today.. it's me me me.. I am a superstar.. I don't need a TEAM.. Instead of being a team of individuals.. they are individuals that wear the same uniform and call themselves a team.. Oh sure LeBron on a good day can do what it takes an entire team of the Spurs to do.. but what happens when he has a bad day? Oh yeah the team crashes.. While the Spurs just slip in another player to step up and play.. 

I have long detested this form of "team" playing and I consistently blame Phil Jackson for introducing this format with the rise of Michael Jordan. And while there are those who claim that the Bulls went out and got a team for Michael, the proof is.. when he left the team tanked.. So what the team got was a cast of supporting players.. Sort of like when it went from being the Supremes to Diana Ross and the Supremes.. Basketball is not supposed to be about Divas it's supposed to be about a TEAM.. *stepping down from the soapbox* 

I am excited to watch the way both of these series end up.. Sure I am routing for the Hawks but if the Bruins win and the rest of the series is played out like the first two games... then I will be applauding the Bruins.. Because they will have earned that cup.. 

Now if the Spurs loose.. yeah nothing is gonna make me cheer the Heat.. go SPURS

Shauni

Just One More Match!

I seriously love this kid.. ok man.. what an extraordinary match.. I am thinking this semi final is going to stand out for a long long time

Taking it WAY Too Far

I admit it I am a Tebow Fan... this kid does what others can't he wins.. in rather unusual circumstances. It's not that he is that great of a football player it's that he LEADs.. team members have said of him that when he leads they pull something more out of themselves. He pushes those around him to do better.. 

I think the way the Jets treated him was abysmal from the signing right down to the way they released him the day AFTER the draft, making sure that all rosters were full and no one would want to take that second look at him. 

He is a class act whom I would love to have my children (all his peers) emulate.. That being said... I saw this headline today.


Tebow fans plea to President Obama in an effort to sign him with the Jaguars 

Seriously? This is what you think the president of the United States should spend his time on? Tebow has already made more money than some people make in a lifetime. If you are really that worried about helping someone get a job... shoot contact the president for me. But MY president has other issues to see to than seeing that one man gets a job playing a game! 

Shauni

The Reason the "Big" Teams Can't Win without their Stars

Yep, that's right a picture of Phil Jackson.. I personally blame Phil Jackson for ruining the game of basketball. When he created Michael Jordan (and yes I said created, after all had MJ gone to the Lakers or Celtics of that time he would have been another exceptional cog in the wheel NOT the sole superstar) he created a monster. No I am not speaking of MJ as being a monster.. but the concept. No longer was basketball about the team, it was about the star! 

Oh sure there have always been "stars" in basketball but before they were surrounded by a team not sycophants.. Consider this what was Magic Johnson famous for? His free throws? Nope, His shooting? Nope. His Rebounds? Nope. HIS PASSES.. the man could pass a ball like nobodies business. He was a site to behold. To be famous for your passes meant he had to what? That's right PASS the ball! That meant while he had a superior ego (and yes I did meet him once) he also understood the game. And his ego was matched by his talent and his concept of the game. 

Magic also had an amazing cast of athletes surrounding him, they weren't his back up or his posse.. they were his team! Each an integral member of said team. Check out this roster...

Byron Scott	Guard	6'4"	200 lbs.	Mar. 28, 1961	Arizona State, 1983
Magic Johnson	Guard	6'9"	220 lbs.	Aug. 14, 1959	Michigan State, 1979
Ronnie Lester	Guard	6'2"	175 lbs.	Jan. 1, 1959	Iowa, 1980
Michael Cooper	Guard/Forward	6'7"	170 lbs.	Apr. 15, 1956	New Mexico, 1978
A.C. Green	Forward	6'9"	230 lbs.	Oct. 4, 1963	Oregon State, 1985
James Worthy	Forward	6'9"	225 lbs.	Feb. 27, 1961	North Carolina, 1982
Jerome Henderson	Forward	6'11"	230 lbs.	Oct. 5, 1959	New Mexico
Kurt Rambis	Forward	6'8"	215 lbs.	Feb. 25, 1958	Santa Clara, 1980
Larry Spriggs	Forward	6'7"	215 lbs.	Sept. 8, 1959	Howard, 1981
Maurice Lucas	Forward	6'9"	215 lbs.	Feb. 18, 1952	Marquette, 1974
Mike McGee	Forward	6'5"	205 lbs.	July 29, 1959	Michigan, 1981
Mitch Kupchak	Forward	6'9"	230 lbs.	May 24, 1954	North Carolina, 1976
Chuck Nevitt	Center	7'5"	250 lbs.	June 13, 1959	North Carolina State, 1982
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	Center	7'2"	267 lbs.	Aug. 16, 1947	UCLA, 1969
Petur Gudmundsson	Center	7'2"	260 lbs.	Oct. 30, 1958	Washington, 1981

How many of those names do you recognize? Maybe almost 30 years later not many but for the Laker fans of the 80's, believe me we appreciated a lot of those players.. There was so much more to the Lakers than Kareem's skyhook and Magic's infectious smile. They played the game!!!

Ever wonder how it is that the current Chicago Bulls are winning WITHOUT Their star? Guess.. yep you got it they have created a team of players who work together, rely on each others strengths and understands their own weaknesses.. Again, sure there are egos.. shoot they play professional sports in the 12's but they actually play the game. 

When I watch these showboaters, these headline grabbers I think back to a kid who used to play little league with my son. Now my son was not the greatest baseball player.. he might very well have been the worst. BUT he loved being a part of the team.. This other young man was awesome, he could hit, he could throw, he could pitch, he could catch.. Yep that's right he could do it all. What he couldn't do was play on the team. One mother once said.. "I wish my son could play baseball like ______" my response was "why? He doesn't know how to play baseball.. he knows how to hit, catch, pitch and throw. But when he is playing shortstop he shouldn't be making the catch in right field.." needless to say that went over like a ton of bricks.. But my point is, you don't win team games for long without a team. 

Why do the Spurs consistently win? Well, they are a team.. right now the "famous" teams are lacking the concept.. They just aren't getting it. Learn to play the game..not just master the individual skills.. well they all could learn how to shoot a freethrow but that's for another time.

Shauni

Internet Relationships

It's been all over the news.. the story swept the nation. Manti Te'o had a fake girlfriend. He says they had never met and was just as shocked as everyone else that she was not real. A lot of people find this hard to believe. They wonder how could he ever not know she didn't exist.

I think this is a generational thing.. The younger the adult is the more likely they would be to understand it. Today's adult spends a lot of time in social media, they have "friends" on facebook, twitter, pintrest, etc.. People they may have never met. And yet they most likely have had detailed and intense discussions with them. Yes, we warn our children.. we talk about predators but honestly, there are a lot of people on line and most of them are just that, people online. Nothing nefarious about them.. and connections, real connections are made.

It's easy to discuss your thoughts, dreams, hopes and feelings with these people.. to share yourself with a faceless person. Over time you begin to feel a real friendship from them. An intense emotional bonding.. It's easy to get lost in the unreality of that reality.. to almost forget that they are faceless beings on the other side of the internet.. faces that you have created.. you do not connect face to face. You chat..

I think older adults for the most part don't get this.. they are used to a different world and while many may have embraced the internet, they still believe that relationships need to be made and created face to face. And really they should at some point.. but who are we to say what point.

Sadly, Manti is going to be learning a harsh lesson.. first he suffered the humiliation of having a "girlfriend" who didn't really exist. Then everyone in the world found out about it and he has become the butt of all the latest jokes. And finally, his career is questionable.. There is a strong possibility that this charming young man will drop far in the draft and not be able to demand the salary that he might have initially been able to.

Why? Because he is 22 and yes naive.. He has shown that he has a good heart and is a loyal team mate. That he is a skilled athlete.. but right now no one wants to see that, they want to see the fraud, the deception.. and it doesn't help that we are all dealing with the lies that Lance Armstrong has been spewing for years..

So no one is going to give this young man the benefit of the doubt. They are going to judge him as only the self righteous can. Seriously, even if he did it.. the kids is what 22 years old? How many of us did stupid stuff at that age? At least we were allowed to be stupid in private..

Shauni

Class Act

I know many many many people don't like Tim Tebow, I can't figure out why but there it is. I mean to me he seems like the kind of guy I would LOVE for one of my daughters to bring home. Intelligent, goodlooking, athletic and what looks to be a really just good guy. But for all that he is vilified on a regular basis. More so than even those that commit atrocious crimes. I won't mention the obvious ones that have remained in the press but think about Donte Stallworth, killed a person while he was drunk and driving and he gets 30 days and is currently playing for the New England Patriots.. This man, broke the law and committed DUI manslaughter why is it no one has ever said anything about that? And Tim gets reamed why? Oh yeah because he is a man of faith.. Don't tell me that's not why he is getting all the "bad" press.. 

And yet time and time again he steps up to the plate and responds with class.. I read an article by Jay Hart over at Yahoo Sports and really liked his response to the Tebow bashing... here are a few:

"On the field and off, Tebow's most scandalous act has been – wait for it – being himself.

He's not a prototypical quarterback, doesn't have the strongest arm or the best accuracy, and for that he's been castigated for the egregious act of trying. 

What a jerk! 

When a teammate anonymously called him a "terrible" quarterback, Tebow responded by saying, "It's not always fun having people saying negative things about you, but you try to be stronger from it." 

Clearly he has anger management issues. 

When the Denver Broncos kicked him to the curb after rallying a 1-4 team to the playoffs, replacing him with a future, albeit injured Hall of Famer, Tebow lashed back at his former team by saying, "First and foremost, I just want to thank the Denver Broncos for my time there." And then, "I understand what they were going through. You don't get many opportunities to have a chance to sign Peyton Manning. What a great quarterback he is."

What a bitter man Tebow is. 

And when the Jets relegated him to the roll of promotional pawn, parking him on the bench until they decided to utilize him in the wildcat formation in the worst of ways, Tebow agreed to play the upback on the Jets' punt team. 

What a prima donna. 

With nothing but role-model tales to go on, the vultures have taken to bashing Tebow under the guise of critiquing his quarterback ability. But even that's proven to be transparent. 

"Here's what happened in New York: They didn't realize how bad Tim Tebow was," Hoge said in his continued rant. "Once he comes in there and they got to see the sampling, they're like, 'Oh my gosh.' Not only can he not play quarterback, he's not really a good football player." 

What other player gets that kind of "critique," especially one who's coming off a season in which he finished 8-5 as a starter (including a victory in the playoffs)?

Maybe Tebow isn't good enough to be an NFL quarterback, but the "experts" who proclaim to know unequivocally that he isn't don't really know. In fact, the only evidence there is says otherwise. He has won in the NFL. He's done it more times than not, and he's done it despite being set up to fail. Heck, he was the best player on a pair of national championship teams that, last I checked, played in a conference that produces an awful lot of NFL players. 

Truth is, when it comes to hating Tebow, it's never about hating him, because really what is there to hate? He's a nice guy who gives of himself and doesn't have anything bad to say about anybody. Seriously, he's been criticized more than LeBron James' "Decision." "

And with all this the thing that upsets Tim the most? The slander on his character not his football playing.. here is his response

""You work your whole life to build a reputation," Tebow said Wednesday. "Then people try to bring you down when they don't understand even what happened. It's disappointing. You just want to express your side of the story. … You want people to look at what really happened, not what one person said." 

Oh, but this won't stop the vultures. They'll keep swirling, keep their eyes peeled for the next slip up, because, you know, the world just can't stand to have any more Tim Tebows running around. "

Nope they want Donte Stallworth and Michael Vick and... I mean who among us wants our children to grow up to be articulate young men with convictions and morals? 

I have to wonder why the news needs to vilify this young man just doing his best? I have a theory and it isn't a pretty one. It's because he insists upon living up to his faith and proclaiming it! He is an inspiration to those who believe in Christ.. but because we have become a nation that is determined to bash Christians, we can't accept that he is just who and what he says he is. Just days after we celebrated the birth of Jesus it is a shame that we insist upon mocking those who chose to walk in His footsteps..

 

Who Knew that Football was Like Ice Dancing?

It's November and the College Football season is coming to an end. Right now there are three premier teams that are undefeated. The way the system is set up, one of these teams will be S.O.L... why? Because the way they determine a national championship is mind boggling. It brings to mind the former Ice Dancing System. Where basically the only way you could ever win was to be a Russian Team.. You had to wait years for your turn and even then it was almost impossible to break through. Why? Well because it was a judging system held in secret. No one really understood how and why decisions were made.

For years people, men especially, have mocked Ice Dancing.. saying it isn't really a sport because well it's judged and it's subjective. Tell me how is it different from the current system BCS system? How can they decide upon a top team when it's biased? When you can loose out as number one because you lost a game LAST year? When it depends on opinions, polls and some really sketchy computer programs that no one understands. And of course a system that does everything possible to ensure a SEC team gets in the top two? Makes me wanna scream in some man's ear.. hey buddy.. guess what? If we go by your definition.. football isn't a sport.. It's JUDGED.

"The polls themselves are an unquestioned mess. Through the years they’ve proven to be ripe with bias, confusion, groupthink and voters of weak credentials. Coaches regularly admit that media relations directors and secretaries fill out their ballots. Since no coach has the free time to watch any game not involving next week’s opponent, this may actually be a good thing.

The polls also lack a set list of criteria for voters to follow – is it more important how you win, who you beat, how you lose, where you win, etc.? It’s up to whatever each individual voter decides, which adds subjectivity to the subjectivity.

That’s where “style points” come in, which, much to Kelly’s chagrin, tends to be awarded to teams that put up big offensive numbers and sizable margins of victory."

Sound familiar? Yeah me too.. sounds an awful lot like the ice dancing rules of old.

 "figure skating was formerly judged on a 6.0 scale. This scale is sometimes called "the old scale", or "old system". Skaters were judged on "technical merit" (in the free skate), "required elements" (in the short program), and "presentation" (in both programs). The marks for each program ran from 0.0 to 6.0 and were used to determine a preference ranking, or "ordinal", separately for each judge; the judges' preferences were then combined to determine placements for each skater in each program. The placements for the two programs were then combined, with the free skate placement weighted more heavily than the short program. The lowest scoring individual (based on the sum of the weighted placements) was declared the winner."

What's a girl gotta do to get a playoff?

Them's the Rules

As I have proclaimed on more than one occasion I LOVE the Olympics! It is an enduring fantasy of mine to be an Olympian, to raise an Olympian.. shoot to know an Olympian.. I love everything about the Olympics including the glaring mistakes that have created legends..

What I don't understand is how people can compete in something, then get upset because the rules don't suit them. Oh sure, there are things that should be changed but you can't be whining about it during the competition.. at least not during the competition when the rules don't favor you.

I am speaking of course of Jordan Weiber's coach.. NOT Jordan Weiber, while she was clearly devastated she was a wonderful good sport supporting her team mate when obviously all she wanted to do was crawl into a hole and cry.

For those of you who don't know.. Jordan Weiber was the favored going into the Olympics, to win the women's all round gymnastics gold medal. Sadly, due to a rather interesting rule, she didn't make the cut. Gymnastics rules say only two members from each team can go into the all round competition. Jordan came in third for the US.. which would be upsetting but not cause such an uproar had she not had the FOURTH best score over all.. I can hear the wheels spinning now.. she was robbed.. she should be in. Well she wasn't robbed she was outdone. Her team mates put in a better performance. She made critical mistakes and yes she was probably underscored. Sadly, that too is gymnastics. At first I felt pretty bad for her and yes felt she was robbed. Then I started listening..

Jordan was a class act.. she congratulated her team mates.. said all the right things when her heart must have been breaking but she still showed an impeccable sense of sportsmanship.

The rules are not new ones.. they have been in effect for a while.

Other sports have similar rules, just think in swimming only two people from each country can make it onto the Olympic team. Same things right? Well not exactly, once they get here both get to compete for a chance at winning the gold..

The thing is it's devastating.. but how would everyone be reacting if Jordan had won the place to compete and Aly had not? Would everyone be saying poor Aly? Or would they say.. sure just what we expected? Would Aly have been "robbed" under the exact same circumstances? I don't think so..

I hate whiners.. there are rules, accept them or don't play the sport.

Again this is not about Jordan Weiber, she was a classy young lady and I can only hope that my children would behave similarly. But those who are shouting foul need to shut up!

Counting Down

Six days to the Olympics!! I am so excited! I love the Olympics from the first parade of nations until the torch is extinguished.. each moment has so much potential. In our house the TV goes on for the opening ceremony and isn't turned off until the last memory is made!!

Over the next couple of days I will be discussing my favorite memories.. but for today I just want to say.. The OLYMPICS ARE COMING!!

I LOVE THIS WOMAN

If my children ever become famous athletes (not likely so we will go with famous anything).. or ever loose to another person in anything (a bit more likely) I want them to be like Venus

Earlier Wednesday, we analyzed Serena Williams' post-loss press conference and came to the conclusion that it was anything but dignified, despite such proclamations from respected members of the tennis media.

Serena is 29 years old and unlikely to change her habit of ignoring the play of her opponents while talking about her losses. But if she wants to become noble in defeat, she won't have to look far for a role model.

Here's what her sister Venus had to say after her straight-set loss to Agnieszka Radwanska, according to Sports Illustrated's Jon Wertheim: "When I lose a match ... It's just important to give credit to the people who won. And I didn't win."

Disagree with me about Serena all you'd like, but we all know true dignity when we see it. A*from yahoo sports

WOW JUST WOW

After a grueling 5plus hours of tennis Novak Djokavic went to the sidelines, took off his shirt and tossed it to a 14 year old girl.. except a middle age woman literally snatched it away from her.

Of course she is going to say she didn't know.. but Novak made EYE CONTACT with the girl.. it certainly looks like he had intended for her to have it. I don't get some people..

A FANtastic Football Day!

WOW!! What a day for those who love college football.. Every game I watched went down to the wire, overtime and TRIPLE overtime.. for anyone who loves a good game and didn't see these you seriously missed it..

The Outback Bowl

I don't usually watch this game but I was waiting for the Rose Bowl to come on and I was bored so I tuned in. Boy was I glad I did! This game was so intense, so amazing and so absolutely wild I thought it was going to be the highlight of the day. Blond Girl and I were practically riveted to it. Although, I will admit I wanted her to change to the start of the Rose Bowl. She looked at me and said.. "Mom, seriously triple overtime and you want to change the freakin channel? What planet are you on?" a most valid question... I was so happy to see Michigan State win!! This was just an exciting validation to what is a wonderful program.

The Rose Bowl

What can I say? I was raised on this game.. it is the highllight of my new years.. aren't you supposed to sit around the tv eating black eyed peas and cornbread on New Year's day? *grins* I have been an Oregon fan for a few years now.. love their snazzy uniforms and their even snazzier playing. They have really amped up the USC league.. I mean the PAC 10 er 12... And again this game did not disappoint!! The game went right down to the wire ending sadly with poor clock planning.. but with Wisconsin just short of the win. Now I felt a little bad cuz I like Wisconsin.. it's really one of the few Big 10 teams that I like so I did feel bad for them but I was thrilled with Oregon.. it has been a long time coming.

The Fiesta Bowl

The only game I was upset about.. and it wasn't the game itself.. It was that poor Andrew's Luck ran out.. This poor young man with his amazing record lost on a field goal.. ok two missed field goals.. Stanford had a chance to win but missed the field goal and had to go into overtime.. where they again missed a field goal. Luck was perfect!! He literally played a prefect game with amazing numbers. Any other game, these numbers would have had him hoisting the trophy but instead.. he had to watch another do so. Don't feel too bad Andrew.. you will probably going to play for Peyton,, er I mean the Colts, and Peyton Manning never won a bowl game until the Super Bowl...

I know the Championship game between LSU and Alabama should be another good game but I feel it is going to be anti climactic.. how can you top this day of great games? Well if Alabama wins but seriously who thinks that?

This is Just TOO Fun

I always said that if I marry again, the ceremony would be a fun one.. Something to enjoy and maybe goof off a little. Like dancing down the aisle or when asked who gives this woman my children would all stand up and say we do and it's about time.. or finally get her off our hands.. or maybe just a hop to Vegas and an Elvis Impersonator.. not sure but fun!!

I love how this bride chose to incorporate her favorite soccer team into her wedding dress!!

Manchester City are no slouches when it comes to peddling merch: sky blue toothbrushes, gnomes and electric guitars are just some of the random garish nonsense available at the club shop. One area where the club's marketeers have missed a trick, however, is bridal wear. When 38-year-old City fan Karen Bell (presumably no relation to Manchester legend Colin Bell) decided to tie the knot with fellow Citizen Simon, she snubbed the traditional white wedding dress and got creative with some of his old jerseys. The Manchester Evening News reports:

"We wanted to do something different because we have both been married before." Karen spent three weeks at a sewing machine armed with a collection of Simon's Blues shirts from the 80s and onwards.
"It was a labour of love," she said. "I was at the sewing machine six nights a week."

After the ceremony, when most couples might put themselves on a plane pointed towards a luxurious beach resort, Karen and Simon headed straight to the Etihad Stadium, where they watched Kun Aguero and co. put three past Stoke.

Considering it's made of brightly colored sports garments collected over the past 30 years, it actually looks reasonably tasteful. But the look of the dress isn't the entire point: what greater display of commitment is there than for a man to sacrifice his entire collection of beloved football jerseys? *Dirty Tackle, Yahoo Sports

Talk About a Class Act!

I love to read about people living up to their responsibilities.. to find that there are people out there who have been given much... and understand that much is expected of them!! Here is a story about San Fransisco 49ers member, Braylon Edwards...

Braylon Edwards gave 79 students $10,000 for college

By Chris Chase

At 22 college campuses across the country, there are 79 students who may not otherwise be there if not for the generosity of Braylon Edwards.

As a Cleveland Browns rookie in 2005, Edwards announced he'd give $10,000 in scholarships to 100 area eighth graders if they could graduate high school with over a 2.5 GPA and 15 hours community service. Of the 100 who were afforded the opportunity, 79 met the criteria and have begun their first year of college. Many are attending Ohio universities, but the schools represented spread across the country and include Harvard, Cornell and Johns Hopkings.

"Without this scholarship, I probably wouldn't be here," Bowling Green freshman David Gholston told ESPN's Rick Reilly.

Edwards and his mother developed the Advance 100 program as a way to give back. The way they saw it, they were blessed with Edwards' football abilities and felt the need to help out others with their good fortune. Though they didn't expect so many of the students to fit the criteria (only half of Cleveland public school students graduate high school), Edwards didn't shy away from his commitment. In fact, he increased it.

The 79 students were provided with laptops and other supplies to help them out when they arrived on campus.

"I'm supposed to give people a chance like I was given a chance," Edwards said.

Edwards hasn't played for the Browns in two years. He's a member of the San Francisco 49ers this season and is earning a $1 million base salary for the year, just about what he'll pay the those 79 students he promised to help years ago.

Related: Braylon Edwards, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers  

*from yahoo news

Seriously?

I am seriously confused! I live in the Chicago area... you know home of Da Bears? Yesterday they were humiliated by the Seattle Seahawks. Our offense was pathetic, our best receiver was injured.. in a way that could be life altering.. he is having back surgery today and we all know what that means. Oh sure he is expected to recover and play again but still BACK SURGERY. Last week one of our players was arrested because he wanted to become the top drug dealer in the Chicago land area... and what is the top sports news? Tim Tebow lost... 

Not only is that the top news of the day... it's said with glee... he is obviously not the chosen one after all. Ha ha.. he is a looser.. I don't get it. He actually played well and his team fell apart around him.. as opposed to him falling apart and his team held it together. It doesn't matter either way.. It's the malicious glee.. It's the fact that the media wants him to fail in the worst way. It's the fact that a decent hard working Christian Male is slammed... constantly.. He doesn't force his beliefs on the rest of the world.. he just stands by them, tries to live up to them.. He is a good and decent man who works really really hard!! 

Here we finally have a sports figure that SHOULD be used as a role model and the media is too busy gleefully tearing him down.. He goes to work early and stays late. He prepares for his job relentlessly, watches tapes.... does everything he can to get better at his job and all we hear is he is a looser... he will never make it.. he has no chance.. hmmmm... WOW!!! 

Please let's fall at the feet of the Michael Vick's and the Sam Hurds or wait DONTE STOLLWORTH.. he KILLED A MAN!! While driving drunk, he hit a man in a crosswalk and the man died.. Mr Stollworth got 30 days in jail... and is still playing in the NFL.. or how about Braylon Edwards? hmmm 9 days wonder all..

It isn't that I am not a fan of redemption it's just that I resent the desire to tear down a young man who wants nothing more than to do his best, works hard, behaves in a respectful manner and doesn't complain... and then make heroes of these inferior men. How messed up are we? To be so confused? To think that Tim Tebow is bad? That he is lacking? Someone is... I just don't think it's Timmy...

And The Broncos Win!

I LOVE IT!! While I am not a Bronco fan I am a Tim Tebow fan!! No, not one of those crazed people who does the "Tebow" all over the place, nor one who assumes he all but walks on water... nah, I just plain ole like the kid!. He is polite, considerate, a hard worker and committed to his faith... and THAT is the problem.

This young man has been more vilified than anyone in football EVER.. yeah the Penn State fiasco will blow over... OJ Who? Vick, you mean the current football darling? Favre?? yeah all those names get skipped over to insult and defame a young man who not only believes in God.. but does everything he can to live the life. Oh, I am sure he isn't perfect but of all the sports figures out there, this is a young man I have no problem with my children admiring..

I know he is a Christian.. and oh yeah he is HUMAN.. one day he may stumble from his convictions.. make a less than Christlike decision and then I am sure that they haters will dance with glee..

But for now.. The Broncos in a desperate need to win put Timmy in.. and oh how he has delivered. Not with glory but with grace.. ok, inner grace cuz his football is UGLY.. I love listening to everyone say oh yeah sure he's good at you know HS or college football and his style won't work in the NFL.. hey guys? It's working.. Why does it work? Because he makes those around him play better.. He inspires and elevates he has the something.. His team mates have been known to say that when he is in they just play better.. hmmmmm guess it's that intangible that broadcasters can't define.. I hope he continues to develop his skills and becomes that premier football player he should be.. but for now.. yeah I am giggling... Go Timmy

Just Made Me Giggle

Saw this and had to admire the wit and the ability to put things into  a perspective that today's mind understands

We Got Your Back Pat

Earlier this year Univ of Tennessee Women's Basketball Coach Pat Summit announced that she had early onset dementia. Pat has done more for women's sports than any other female EVER.. yeah that may be just my opinion but when she started coaching basketball at Univ of TN.. women's sports were still an after thought..

Patricia "Pat" Head Summitt (born on June 14, 1952 in Clarksville, Tennessee) is an American women's college basketball coach. She is currently the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team. She is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history of either a men's or women's team in any division. She has been coaching since 1974, all with the Lady Vols, winning eight NCAA national championships, second only to the record 10 titles won by UCLA men's coach John Wooden. Summitt is the only coach in NCAA history, and one of three college coaches overall, with 1,000 victories. She was named the Naismith Basketball Coach of the Century in April 2000. In 2009, the Sporting News placed her number 11 on its list of the 50 Greatest Coaches of All Time in all sports; she was the only woman on the list. In 36 years as a coach, she has never had a losing season. (Wikidpedia)

Back when women hardly played sports let alone coached.. Pat stepped up and has changed the world of sports.. She had done it with integrity and grace.. and deserves every moment of praise she receives.. She was back on the court last night coaching her girls.. I hope to see her there for a long long time..

Joe Frazier,RIP

Joe Frazier was a huge part of my childhood... I was raised by an honest to goodness sports enthusiastic. It didn't matter the sport if they were talented.. if they were good then he loved and appreciated them.

My Dad loved Boxing, although I was raised that Mohammed Ali (Cassius Clay, when I was really young) I knew who Joe Frazier was and what he meant to the sport.

In a sport that Americans have triumphed in Olympics after Olympics, Joe Frazier was the ONLY one to win a gold medal in the 1964 Oylmpics. He was the heavy weight world champion from 1970 - 1973 back when people paid attention and cared about boxing..

Who, even non boxing fans, could forget the "thrilla in Manilla"? The iconic Frazier/Ali heavyweight champion fight held in Manilla. The name Joe Frazier meant something... integrity, blue collar... he was the working mans champion.

It is sad to see him go, RIP Joe Frazier.. you made a difference, in the end what more can we ask for?

Joe Paterno and Penn State

Sure he's the winningest coach in college history.. sure he's an example to working octogenarians everywhere.. Sure he even seems like a nice guy.. But he needs to go.

In the late 90's his asst coach, and assumed golden child predecessor was caught molesting a child int he showers of the locker room by a grad student. The student went into his office and called his father who told him to get the heck out of there. When he got home they called the Dean.. not the police the Dean.. who discussed it with his fabulous coach and they decided to let the asst coach go.

Yes that's right they released him from his employment. They made no mention to anyone but the inner sanctum about what he had been caught doing. They didn't tell his charity.. yeah the one that helped out "troubled" boys.. And even though they let him go.. they still allowed him access to the campus and the locker rooms.. They treated him like an honored guest not the criminal that he was.

It has finally come out.. and everyone from the governor on down says that Joe Paterno is not the subject of the investigation. I am appalled..sadly I am not amazed as cover up seems to be the way of the world, if you have money, or can bring money in... The school needs to step up and say.. Joe, you are a nice guy we like you but sorry.. you screwed up big time..

A child's life was RUINED.. and no one did anything because it might have made the school look bad.. WOW.. lovely priorities.. I am glad my child is not looking to attend school there..