Why YOU Should Watch Baseball This Year
I have a love/hate relationship with baseball. I love all the memories it brings; from the Rally Monkey to a Dodgerdog, from the hot tub in Tampa to the pool in Arizona, every trip to the ballpark is a unique experience. I hate watching five hours of commercials and guys standing around watching two dudes play catch for a sac-fly in the fifth to be the reward. I love how the average Joe can become a star. I hate how he can then get paid $15 million a year into his forties to do what the average Joe could. Still, Opening Day came and I felt myself a bit giddy with anticipation, and all of a sudden I was flipping between games like it was March Madness. Look, I say I hate watching baseball as much as the next guy who’s seen a football or basketball game before; but deep down I still WANT to want to watch. If there was ever a time in the last decade to start getting back into baseball, it’s now. So without further adieu, my Top-3 Reasons to Watch the MLB This Season:
1. Bright Young (American) Stars- Not saying there is anything wrong with foreign-born stars, but there had been a noticeable absence of American position players among the league’s elite. All of a sudden we have the last two NL MVPs in Ryan Braun and Buster Posey, an all-natural bomber in Giancarlo Stanton, a five-tool stud in Andrew McCutchen the best pair of sub-21 stars anyone can remember in Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, and a plethora of more young talent in the minors poised to explode onto the scene this season.
2. Legendary Pitching- Speaking of young superstars, have you heard of some kid named Stephen Strasburg? With the innings limited lifted, he is ready to be unleashed at full force. Add him to fellow young stars approaching or in the prime of their careers, such as Clayton Kershaw, Jered Weaver, David Price, Matt Cain, ‘King Felix’ Hernandez, and some guy called Justin Verlander, and there’s as much to be excited about on the mound as there is at the plate.
3. Parity- When even the so-called experts have no clue who the best team is, that’s true parity. Unlike most of the professional sports leagues (yea, I’m talking about your league Mr. Stern), the tenth best team in the MLB has as good of a shot at a championship as the top club. Even the worst teams that may have no hope of reaching the World Series (sorry Astros fans, if any still exist) have a fair shot in any individual game- just don’t count on them winning a series anytime soon. One stat can sum up baseball’s parity pretty easily: the players on the New York Yankees’ DL (Disabled List) have a higher payroll than the entire Tamps Bay Rays team… and the Rays are the ones contending for a championship!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
1. Bright Young (American) Stars- Not saying there is anything wrong with foreign-born stars, but there had been a noticeable absence of American position players among the league’s elite. All of a sudden we have the last two NL MVPs in Ryan Braun and Buster Posey, an all-natural bomber in Giancarlo Stanton, a five-tool stud in Andrew McCutchen the best pair of sub-21 stars anyone can remember in Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, and a plethora of more young talent in the minors poised to explode onto the scene this season.
2. Legendary Pitching- Speaking of young superstars, have you heard of some kid named Stephen Strasburg? With the innings limited lifted, he is ready to be unleashed at full force. Add him to fellow young stars approaching or in the prime of their careers, such as Clayton Kershaw, Jered Weaver, David Price, Matt Cain, ‘King Felix’ Hernandez, and some guy called Justin Verlander, and there’s as much to be excited about on the mound as there is at the plate.
3. Parity- When even the so-called experts have no clue who the best team is, that’s true parity. Unlike most of the professional sports leagues (yea, I’m talking about your league Mr. Stern), the tenth best team in the MLB has as good of a shot at a championship as the top club. Even the worst teams that may have no hope of reaching the World Series (sorry Astros fans, if any still exist) have a fair shot in any individual game- just don’t count on them winning a series anytime soon. One stat can sum up baseball’s parity pretty easily: the players on the New York Yankees’ DL (Disabled List) have a higher payroll than the entire Tamps Bay Rays team… and the Rays are the ones contending for a championship!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
Different Types of Heroes
Anyone can be a hero. Raise a boy to become a man and he will always see you as not just his father, but his hero. Do your duty when called upon- rush into a burning building to save a life- and that person will feel forever indebted to you. Anytime you make a lasting impression on a child’s life, they forever look up to you. How is it, then, that so often our heroes are sports figures? Save for a select few who have the unique opportunity to be directly impacted by an athlete, most superstars become heroes simply by doing what they love. Entire cities worship at their feet because of their ability to play a game.
Sports heroes come in two forms: those we revere and those we love. What causes this difference? The presence of flaws. It is much easier to love an athlete when we think of them as no different than ourselves. Sure, they are far superior physical specimens than we could ever dream of being; but take them out of their sphere of dominance- take them off of the basketball court- and they are just like everyone else.
Larry Bird was one of the most loved athletes ever, but not just because of what he accomplished on the hardwood. What set Larry Legend apart was his vulnerability. When the season ended, he didn’t go to his mansion in the Hollywood Hills and party like a playboy. No, instead Larry simply went home. He went home to his farm in Indiana and returned to being the Hick from French Lick. He got on his tractor and mowed his lawn, like he was just a normal guy. People loved Larry’s game because of his sweet stroke and uncanny court vision. People loved Larry because they saw themselves in him.
Magic Johnson didn’t go back to his home in Michigan. He went to those parties at the Playboy Mansion that Bird missed out on. Magic was the typical Hollywood star. Even with that great smile and love for the game, not everyone liked him- just ask any Boston fan in the ’80’s. And then he contracted the HIV virus. All of a sudden, Magic was human. He was normal, just as vulnerable as you and me. He was Magic, but he was also still Earvin. Now it is almost impossible to find a person who doesn’t like Earvin Magic Johnson. Before his mortality became evident he was revered, worshiped even. Once people realized he was mortal, he became loved by all.
Sure, you say, everyone loved Bird and Magic- that’s because they never gave people a reason not to. Maybe they weren’t loved for their flaws, but just because of their greatness. Then take a look at the career path of LeBron James. LeBron was the first athlete to enter a professional sport already carrying the burden of being expected to become the greatest of all-time. Somehow, he rose to the challenge and became everything we expected and more. He was lovable, yet even he still had his doubters- people who simply didn’t want to see him reach Jordan’s level of immortality. Then he made ‘The Decision’, and he became the biggest villain in sports. He didn’t cheat on his wife, didn’t spit on a child in the stands, didn’t gamble on a game, didn’t get caught taking steroids, didn’t start a brawl. For all we know LeBron James has never even run a red light. Yet we hated him because he chose to do what anyone would have: leave his current job- when his contract ended, no less- for one with better co-workers, a higher upside, and a better climate (and you better believe anyone living in Cleveland would bolt for Miami faster than they could say “I’m taking my talents to South Beach” if they had that opportunity).
LeBron went from savior to Satan, and he hated it. You could see it in his face and the way he played, there was a rage building inside him that was never there before. He struggled, and the world relished in it. His old team was terrible, so his hometown began adopting whoever was playing against as their new team. They went so far as to burn his jersey in the streets. It hurt him, and it showed. Yet he still fought through it all and led his new team to the NBA Finals in their first season together, and then the best thing that ever happened to him occurred: they lost. In the days and weeks after the Dallas Mavericks snatched the championship from his grasp one can only imagine what was going on in LeBron’s mind. Finally he emerged from his darkest days and he decided he had to change. Starting with those lockout mixtapes, you could see the difference- LeBron was having fun again. With a new mentality, LeBron led his team back to the Finals. This time, we wouldn’t be denied- he put in a performance for the ages, securing that elusive first title. Then he led his country into London and brought back a gold medal. Since then he hasn’t looked back, playing the best basketball of his life… and maybe the best we’ve ever seen.
Can you guess what has happened since his rededication? Those haters, at once seemingly as numerous as fish off the Florida coast, began to disappear. Now even the fans in Cleveland, the very same ones who burned his jersey and cursed his name, are talking about the potential of the return of the King. After seeing him at his most vulnerable, just as miserable as any of us would be in his position, it became almost impossible not to feel for him.
After all that has happened, no matter how many banners he raises, he will never be worshiped in Miami like he would have been in Cleveland. But he will be loved, and maybe that’s all he ever wanted.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
Sports heroes come in two forms: those we revere and those we love. What causes this difference? The presence of flaws. It is much easier to love an athlete when we think of them as no different than ourselves. Sure, they are far superior physical specimens than we could ever dream of being; but take them out of their sphere of dominance- take them off of the basketball court- and they are just like everyone else.
Larry Bird was one of the most loved athletes ever, but not just because of what he accomplished on the hardwood. What set Larry Legend apart was his vulnerability. When the season ended, he didn’t go to his mansion in the Hollywood Hills and party like a playboy. No, instead Larry simply went home. He went home to his farm in Indiana and returned to being the Hick from French Lick. He got on his tractor and mowed his lawn, like he was just a normal guy. People loved Larry’s game because of his sweet stroke and uncanny court vision. People loved Larry because they saw themselves in him.
Magic Johnson didn’t go back to his home in Michigan. He went to those parties at the Playboy Mansion that Bird missed out on. Magic was the typical Hollywood star. Even with that great smile and love for the game, not everyone liked him- just ask any Boston fan in the ’80’s. And then he contracted the HIV virus. All of a sudden, Magic was human. He was normal, just as vulnerable as you and me. He was Magic, but he was also still Earvin. Now it is almost impossible to find a person who doesn’t like Earvin Magic Johnson. Before his mortality became evident he was revered, worshiped even. Once people realized he was mortal, he became loved by all.
Sure, you say, everyone loved Bird and Magic- that’s because they never gave people a reason not to. Maybe they weren’t loved for their flaws, but just because of their greatness. Then take a look at the career path of LeBron James. LeBron was the first athlete to enter a professional sport already carrying the burden of being expected to become the greatest of all-time. Somehow, he rose to the challenge and became everything we expected and more. He was lovable, yet even he still had his doubters- people who simply didn’t want to see him reach Jordan’s level of immortality. Then he made ‘The Decision’, and he became the biggest villain in sports. He didn’t cheat on his wife, didn’t spit on a child in the stands, didn’t gamble on a game, didn’t get caught taking steroids, didn’t start a brawl. For all we know LeBron James has never even run a red light. Yet we hated him because he chose to do what anyone would have: leave his current job- when his contract ended, no less- for one with better co-workers, a higher upside, and a better climate (and you better believe anyone living in Cleveland would bolt for Miami faster than they could say “I’m taking my talents to South Beach” if they had that opportunity).
LeBron went from savior to Satan, and he hated it. You could see it in his face and the way he played, there was a rage building inside him that was never there before. He struggled, and the world relished in it. His old team was terrible, so his hometown began adopting whoever was playing against as their new team. They went so far as to burn his jersey in the streets. It hurt him, and it showed. Yet he still fought through it all and led his new team to the NBA Finals in their first season together, and then the best thing that ever happened to him occurred: they lost. In the days and weeks after the Dallas Mavericks snatched the championship from his grasp one can only imagine what was going on in LeBron’s mind. Finally he emerged from his darkest days and he decided he had to change. Starting with those lockout mixtapes, you could see the difference- LeBron was having fun again. With a new mentality, LeBron led his team back to the Finals. This time, we wouldn’t be denied- he put in a performance for the ages, securing that elusive first title. Then he led his country into London and brought back a gold medal. Since then he hasn’t looked back, playing the best basketball of his life… and maybe the best we’ve ever seen.
Can you guess what has happened since his rededication? Those haters, at once seemingly as numerous as fish off the Florida coast, began to disappear. Now even the fans in Cleveland, the very same ones who burned his jersey and cursed his name, are talking about the potential of the return of the King. After seeing him at his most vulnerable, just as miserable as any of us would be in his position, it became almost impossible not to feel for him.
After all that has happened, no matter how many banners he raises, he will never be worshiped in Miami like he would have been in Cleveland. But he will be loved, and maybe that’s all he ever wanted.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
The Impact of Emotions
We laugh and we cry. Our brains’ flood with dopamine as we celebrate our greatest achievements, while our hearts plummet as we anguish in our most miserable defeats. Both the best and worst are brought out in us when our body fills with anger, a furious and uncontrollable rage. There is no place where our expansive range of emotions is more evident than the world of athletic competition.
Anyone who has played a game of pick-up basketball at their local gym has seen someone overreact to a seemingly harmless play in a meaningless game of three-on-three. From that point on the game changes, as the subsequent play is determined by each players’ reaction to the influx of hormones now flowing through their veins. Some players use this as a spark to dominate their competition- think Kobe Bryant- while others can let this conflict deteriorate their skills for the duration of the game. While we think of trash talking and getting in an opponent’s head as a tactic reserved for games at the park down the street, the effect of these mental games is not limited to streetball.
As we saw in the now-infamous confrontation between the Celtics’ Kevin Garnett and Knick’s Carmelo Anthony earlier this year, the NBA is not immune to these emotional conflicts, and they certainly have an impact on the performance of those involved. There are the guys like Garnett and Rasheed Wallace, whose trash-talk is a weapon in their arsenal just as effective as their mid-range J. Then there are the guys who don’t usually partake in the trash-talk, but become even more deadly when they do they- ever wonder why no one talks trash to Kobe anymore? Finally, there are those who lose all effectiveness once they get that rush of testosterone- ‘Melo didn’t go cold after KG’s “honey nut cheerios” comment just by coincidence.
With emotions playing such an important role, it is incredibly interesting to take a closer look at how last year’s NBA Finals participants, and the favorites to meet in a rematch this year, have channeled their emotions to reach the level they are at.
The Heat, for all their showmanship upon the formation of the ‘Big Three’, took an unexpected and unique approach on their quest for a championship. After riding the proverbial roller coaster of emotions as the villains of the NBA, before being upset in the Finals by the Dallas Mavericks during their first year together, the Heat decided to press mute on their emotions. That meant no more LeBron getting frustrated by all his critics, no more Wade and James mocking Dirk’s illness, and no more Bosh crumpling to the floor in tears. Instead, LeBron refused to retaliate to the Pacers’ attempts to frustrate him both physically and mentally in last year’s playoffs, Wade became stoic, no longer finding the humor in losing, and Bosh began to channel that emotionally intensity to the court.
Then they won a championship, and they haven’t looked back. Sure, they have plenty of fun off the court, from Bosh’s postgame photo bombing to the team’s very own version of the “Harlem Shake”, but when they’re on the court, all that matters is the score.
Emotions are inevitable in sports, but the Heat have learned to control theirs. No longer do they let others’ opinions or actions affect their play, rather their emotions go only where they allow them to. The Heat can be beat, although even that proposition is beginning to seem questionable, but the Heat will not beat themselves anymore.
The Heat’s counterpart, the Oklahoma City Thunder, are often compared to them in almost every way possible- from the way they were formed to the big-market/small-market dichotomy. However the most striking, and perhaps surprising, difference between the teams lies in their emotional output. The Thunder, as polar opposites of the Heat, may be the NBA’s most emotional team. This is obviously apparent in players like Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Perkins, known for their tantrums and technicals as much as their screens and scoring, but is becoming subtly evident in their most even-keeled players as well. The casual fan might be shocked to find out that, like his commercials say, Kevin Durant really isn’t nice (he is currently second in the league in technical fouls, trailing only- who else?- Kobe Bryant).
Oh, and don’t forget about Serge Ibaka karate-chopping Blake Griffin in the groin region last weekend. Whether ‘Melo was right about there being some things you just don’t say to another man is debatable, what’s not debatable is that there are some places you don’t touch another man- and Ibaka definitely hit that place on Griffin (in fairness to Serge, I don’t think he was attempting to nut-check Blake. I think he meant to hit Blake in the wrist to break his grip on Serge’s shorts but Blake let go just as Serge’s arm was coming down. Either way, it was definitely a vicious blow).
This doesn’t make the Thunder dirty or mean players, but it is evidence of just how emotional they can be- something that comes with all their collective youth. Westbrook is incredibly explosive and can use his emotions to propel him to new heights- metaphorically and literally- but he is yet to figure out how to harness his emotions and they can negatively affect his performance at times. Ibaka and Perkins are both prone to these detrimental types of outbursts as well. Even Durant has become vulnerable to losing control this year- something most Thunder fans accept since it comes with an added aggression that has allowed him to take the next step as a player.
The Thunder are an emotional team, and that’s not changing anytime soon. This is part of what makes them so deadly, raising their ceiling when channeled correctly, but also can be their Achilles’ heel, as self-destruction can be the only thing holding them back.
Two great teams, two completely different approaches to their own emotions. Yet, somehow, they have both been able to find enormous amounts of success.
Sports are the ultimate competition- a combination of challenges equal parts physical and psychological. Emotions play an enormous role in who is successful and who comes up just short, and there is no clear-cut way one must deal with their emotions in order to win. There is just one thing a champion must do with regards to his emotions: as Laird Hamilton said, “Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your own two ears.”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
Anyone who has played a game of pick-up basketball at their local gym has seen someone overreact to a seemingly harmless play in a meaningless game of three-on-three. From that point on the game changes, as the subsequent play is determined by each players’ reaction to the influx of hormones now flowing through their veins. Some players use this as a spark to dominate their competition- think Kobe Bryant- while others can let this conflict deteriorate their skills for the duration of the game. While we think of trash talking and getting in an opponent’s head as a tactic reserved for games at the park down the street, the effect of these mental games is not limited to streetball.
As we saw in the now-infamous confrontation between the Celtics’ Kevin Garnett and Knick’s Carmelo Anthony earlier this year, the NBA is not immune to these emotional conflicts, and they certainly have an impact on the performance of those involved. There are the guys like Garnett and Rasheed Wallace, whose trash-talk is a weapon in their arsenal just as effective as their mid-range J. Then there are the guys who don’t usually partake in the trash-talk, but become even more deadly when they do they- ever wonder why no one talks trash to Kobe anymore? Finally, there are those who lose all effectiveness once they get that rush of testosterone- ‘Melo didn’t go cold after KG’s “honey nut cheerios” comment just by coincidence.
With emotions playing such an important role, it is incredibly interesting to take a closer look at how last year’s NBA Finals participants, and the favorites to meet in a rematch this year, have channeled their emotions to reach the level they are at.
The Heat, for all their showmanship upon the formation of the ‘Big Three’, took an unexpected and unique approach on their quest for a championship. After riding the proverbial roller coaster of emotions as the villains of the NBA, before being upset in the Finals by the Dallas Mavericks during their first year together, the Heat decided to press mute on their emotions. That meant no more LeBron getting frustrated by all his critics, no more Wade and James mocking Dirk’s illness, and no more Bosh crumpling to the floor in tears. Instead, LeBron refused to retaliate to the Pacers’ attempts to frustrate him both physically and mentally in last year’s playoffs, Wade became stoic, no longer finding the humor in losing, and Bosh began to channel that emotionally intensity to the court.
Then they won a championship, and they haven’t looked back. Sure, they have plenty of fun off the court, from Bosh’s postgame photo bombing to the team’s very own version of the “Harlem Shake”, but when they’re on the court, all that matters is the score.
Emotions are inevitable in sports, but the Heat have learned to control theirs. No longer do they let others’ opinions or actions affect their play, rather their emotions go only where they allow them to. The Heat can be beat, although even that proposition is beginning to seem questionable, but the Heat will not beat themselves anymore.
The Heat’s counterpart, the Oklahoma City Thunder, are often compared to them in almost every way possible- from the way they were formed to the big-market/small-market dichotomy. However the most striking, and perhaps surprising, difference between the teams lies in their emotional output. The Thunder, as polar opposites of the Heat, may be the NBA’s most emotional team. This is obviously apparent in players like Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Perkins, known for their tantrums and technicals as much as their screens and scoring, but is becoming subtly evident in their most even-keeled players as well. The casual fan might be shocked to find out that, like his commercials say, Kevin Durant really isn’t nice (he is currently second in the league in technical fouls, trailing only- who else?- Kobe Bryant).
Oh, and don’t forget about Serge Ibaka karate-chopping Blake Griffin in the groin region last weekend. Whether ‘Melo was right about there being some things you just don’t say to another man is debatable, what’s not debatable is that there are some places you don’t touch another man- and Ibaka definitely hit that place on Griffin (in fairness to Serge, I don’t think he was attempting to nut-check Blake. I think he meant to hit Blake in the wrist to break his grip on Serge’s shorts but Blake let go just as Serge’s arm was coming down. Either way, it was definitely a vicious blow).
This doesn’t make the Thunder dirty or mean players, but it is evidence of just how emotional they can be- something that comes with all their collective youth. Westbrook is incredibly explosive and can use his emotions to propel him to new heights- metaphorically and literally- but he is yet to figure out how to harness his emotions and they can negatively affect his performance at times. Ibaka and Perkins are both prone to these detrimental types of outbursts as well. Even Durant has become vulnerable to losing control this year- something most Thunder fans accept since it comes with an added aggression that has allowed him to take the next step as a player.
The Thunder are an emotional team, and that’s not changing anytime soon. This is part of what makes them so deadly, raising their ceiling when channeled correctly, but also can be their Achilles’ heel, as self-destruction can be the only thing holding them back.
Two great teams, two completely different approaches to their own emotions. Yet, somehow, they have both been able to find enormous amounts of success.
Sports are the ultimate competition- a combination of challenges equal parts physical and psychological. Emotions play an enormous role in who is successful and who comes up just short, and there is no clear-cut way one must deal with their emotions in order to win. There is just one thing a champion must do with regards to his emotions: as Laird Hamilton said, “Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your own two ears.”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
This Must End
“No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do… Can't be with that sweet stuff. Nah… can't be… in the locker room man. Nah.”
Those were the highly publicized words of San Francisco 49ers’ cornerback Chris Culliver during media day in the lead-up to this year’s Super Bowl. Now, multiple players are revealing that team representatives are questioning players’ sexual orientation during the interview process at the NFL Scouting Combine. Besides being extremely unethical, this practice is also highly illegal- and it is part of a disturbing trend in our culture.
In the four major American sports- football, basketball, baseball, and hockey- not a single active player has come out as being anything other than heterosexual. In our society it is difficult for even the average Joe to come out, much less someone in the national spotlight who knows they will face unlimited scrutiny by doing so. Yet this barrier is being broken down in many other areas of entertainment that were formerly thought to exclude homosexuals- Frank Ocean, for instance, coming out as bisexual in the formerly hardcore, masculine world of rap and hip-hop.
So are we really expected to believe that of the thousands, if not millions, of professional athletes, not a single one has been gay? Considering most studies conservatively estimate that around 3.5 percent of the population (over 11 million Americans) identify as part of the LGBT community, it would be quite remarkable for this percentage to drop to zero for professional athletes.
Could it be that there is something intrinsically different about homosexuals, which prevents them from making it to the highest level of athletic competition? Could Culliver have been on to something with his reference to “that sweet stuff”? Some may argue that being homosexual makes one too soft to compete in such aggressive activities. An easy cop-out, but fundamentally flawed- as anyone who has ever competed with or against a gay player can attest to.
In my playing career I have faced off against only one opponent who I would later discover to be gay- and he put on perhaps the most amazing performance I have ever witnessed first-hand. On muddy turf that played more like an ice rink than a football field, this kid not only rushed for over 200 yards, but created a personal highlight film most players couldn’t compile in an entire season- including a Reggie Bush-like cross field cut-back and a play in which he stiff-armed one defender in the backfield before leaping over another, in stride, like an Olympic hurdler. In short, no, one’s sexual orientation does not hinder their athletic performance.
Unfortunately, the LGBT community will never be fully accepted as a part of mainstream culture until they are accepted as part of the sports culture. It is no coincidence that the Civil Rights movement of the mid-1900’s coincided with the integration of African-Americans to the sporting world. Sports both affect and reflect the views of our society, whether we like it or not- lest we forget that many African-Americans were once thought to lack the intellectual capabilities necessary to compete with the “superior” white athletes. These views of intellectual inferiority in the general population began to diminish around the same time they were being exploited as ludicrous in the sphere of sports. Now, thanks to the immaculate contributions of pioneers like Jackie Robinson, it would be ridiculous to question the ability of a player like LeBron James or Adrian Peterson simply because of the color of his skin.
Hopefully, one day soon, the LGBT community will have their own Jackie Robinson, and no player will ever have their ability questioned or face exclusion from participating due to their sexual orientation again.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
Those were the highly publicized words of San Francisco 49ers’ cornerback Chris Culliver during media day in the lead-up to this year’s Super Bowl. Now, multiple players are revealing that team representatives are questioning players’ sexual orientation during the interview process at the NFL Scouting Combine. Besides being extremely unethical, this practice is also highly illegal- and it is part of a disturbing trend in our culture.
In the four major American sports- football, basketball, baseball, and hockey- not a single active player has come out as being anything other than heterosexual. In our society it is difficult for even the average Joe to come out, much less someone in the national spotlight who knows they will face unlimited scrutiny by doing so. Yet this barrier is being broken down in many other areas of entertainment that were formerly thought to exclude homosexuals- Frank Ocean, for instance, coming out as bisexual in the formerly hardcore, masculine world of rap and hip-hop.
So are we really expected to believe that of the thousands, if not millions, of professional athletes, not a single one has been gay? Considering most studies conservatively estimate that around 3.5 percent of the population (over 11 million Americans) identify as part of the LGBT community, it would be quite remarkable for this percentage to drop to zero for professional athletes.
Could it be that there is something intrinsically different about homosexuals, which prevents them from making it to the highest level of athletic competition? Could Culliver have been on to something with his reference to “that sweet stuff”? Some may argue that being homosexual makes one too soft to compete in such aggressive activities. An easy cop-out, but fundamentally flawed- as anyone who has ever competed with or against a gay player can attest to.
In my playing career I have faced off against only one opponent who I would later discover to be gay- and he put on perhaps the most amazing performance I have ever witnessed first-hand. On muddy turf that played more like an ice rink than a football field, this kid not only rushed for over 200 yards, but created a personal highlight film most players couldn’t compile in an entire season- including a Reggie Bush-like cross field cut-back and a play in which he stiff-armed one defender in the backfield before leaping over another, in stride, like an Olympic hurdler. In short, no, one’s sexual orientation does not hinder their athletic performance.
Unfortunately, the LGBT community will never be fully accepted as a part of mainstream culture until they are accepted as part of the sports culture. It is no coincidence that the Civil Rights movement of the mid-1900’s coincided with the integration of African-Americans to the sporting world. Sports both affect and reflect the views of our society, whether we like it or not- lest we forget that many African-Americans were once thought to lack the intellectual capabilities necessary to compete with the “superior” white athletes. These views of intellectual inferiority in the general population began to diminish around the same time they were being exploited as ludicrous in the sphere of sports. Now, thanks to the immaculate contributions of pioneers like Jackie Robinson, it would be ridiculous to question the ability of a player like LeBron James or Adrian Peterson simply because of the color of his skin.
Hopefully, one day soon, the LGBT community will have their own Jackie Robinson, and no player will ever have their ability questioned or face exclusion from participating due to their sexual orientation again.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
What’s All the Fuss About?
Rondel Melendez, Justin Ernest, Gerald Sensabaugh, Kevin Kasper, Jeffrey Maehl, and Scott Starks. What do these names have in common? Or, the question you may really be thinking, who the hell are these people? For those of you who aren’t scholars of the history of the NFL Scouting Combine, these are the names of the men who hold at least a share of the record in each event at the NFL Draft’s most celebrated evaluation event.
Now, in the days following the combine, some players will shoot up draft boards due to their otherworldly workouts in Indianapolis. Remember Vernon Gholston blowing up the event in 2008? A 6-foot 3-inch, 266-pound beast of a man couldn’t possibly put up 37 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, walk over and record a 41-inch vertical, then calmly saunter over run a scorching 4.6 40-yard dash. Those very measurables made Gholston a can’t-miss prospect, and the Jets felt lucky to pick up the next Lawrence Taylor with the sixth overall selection in the 2008 draft. Only after three fairly unproductive years, the Jets released Gholston after realizing he actually had to play football on Sundays, not just work out.
(The site of the NFL combine in Indianapolis. http://prod.images.patriots.clubs.nflcdn.com/image-web/NFL/CDA/data/deployed/prod/PATRIOTS/assets/images/imported/NE/photos/clubimages/2013/02-February/tempfieldAP387300272641--nfl_mezz_1280_1024.jpg?width=620&height=465)
Gholston is just one example of players that got a huge boost from their performance in Indy. Matt Jones, Darrius Heyward-Bey, and Mike Mamula are just a few more examples of players who didn’t quite turn into the players that their combine performance promised scouts they would be. At this point, it almost seems like scouts would be better off looking for these all-world performers and crossing them off their draft boards all together.
But then this very thing does happen, and, of course, that player turns into an all-pro and no one can understand why so many teams passed on him. For every Vernon Gholston there is a Chris Johnson. Johnson, coming out of little East Carolina, was known for the holes he burned in his shoes with his blazing speed but projected to fall outside of the first round due to questions about his durability and just how much that speed would help him against other elite athletes in the NFL. Then he went out and ran a combine-record-tying 4.24 40.
While cementing his spot in the first round, Johnson’s performance was still not enough to make him the first running back selected. In fact, he ended up being the fifth back selected, at number 24 overall, immediately after watching the Cowboys select Felix Jones and the Steelers opt for Rashard Mendenhall over him. If Gohlston could raise his linebacker stock so much by running, jumping, and lifting so well, how come Johnson’s sprinting ability couldn’t improve his value at a position where running is even in the name?
This is the crazy part of the NFL combine, and why we must stop taking the results so seriously. This year, it was former Texas wide receiver Marquise Goodwin who awed the scouts with his Usain Bolt-like 4.27 40-yard dash. Surely he will now hear his name called far sooner in April’s draft than he ever expected before his trip to Indy. But his ability to run in a straight line really fast has not changed his ability to run a route, get free form a defender, catch a pass, and, you know, actually play football.
If these scouts really want to know how his speed will translate the NFL, here’s an idea: go watch the tape.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
Now, in the days following the combine, some players will shoot up draft boards due to their otherworldly workouts in Indianapolis. Remember Vernon Gholston blowing up the event in 2008? A 6-foot 3-inch, 266-pound beast of a man couldn’t possibly put up 37 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, walk over and record a 41-inch vertical, then calmly saunter over run a scorching 4.6 40-yard dash. Those very measurables made Gholston a can’t-miss prospect, and the Jets felt lucky to pick up the next Lawrence Taylor with the sixth overall selection in the 2008 draft. Only after three fairly unproductive years, the Jets released Gholston after realizing he actually had to play football on Sundays, not just work out.
(The site of the NFL combine in Indianapolis. http://prod.images.patriots.clubs.nflcdn.com/image-web/NFL/CDA/data/deployed/prod/PATRIOTS/assets/images/imported/NE/photos/clubimages/2013/02-February/tempfieldAP387300272641--nfl_mezz_1280_1024.jpg?width=620&height=465)
Gholston is just one example of players that got a huge boost from their performance in Indy. Matt Jones, Darrius Heyward-Bey, and Mike Mamula are just a few more examples of players who didn’t quite turn into the players that their combine performance promised scouts they would be. At this point, it almost seems like scouts would be better off looking for these all-world performers and crossing them off their draft boards all together.
But then this very thing does happen, and, of course, that player turns into an all-pro and no one can understand why so many teams passed on him. For every Vernon Gholston there is a Chris Johnson. Johnson, coming out of little East Carolina, was known for the holes he burned in his shoes with his blazing speed but projected to fall outside of the first round due to questions about his durability and just how much that speed would help him against other elite athletes in the NFL. Then he went out and ran a combine-record-tying 4.24 40.
While cementing his spot in the first round, Johnson’s performance was still not enough to make him the first running back selected. In fact, he ended up being the fifth back selected, at number 24 overall, immediately after watching the Cowboys select Felix Jones and the Steelers opt for Rashard Mendenhall over him. If Gohlston could raise his linebacker stock so much by running, jumping, and lifting so well, how come Johnson’s sprinting ability couldn’t improve his value at a position where running is even in the name?
This is the crazy part of the NFL combine, and why we must stop taking the results so seriously. This year, it was former Texas wide receiver Marquise Goodwin who awed the scouts with his Usain Bolt-like 4.27 40-yard dash. Surely he will now hear his name called far sooner in April’s draft than he ever expected before his trip to Indy. But his ability to run in a straight line really fast has not changed his ability to run a route, get free form a defender, catch a pass, and, you know, actually play football.
If these scouts really want to know how his speed will translate the NFL, here’s an idea: go watch the tape.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
Redefining Greatness
When you see it, you just know. Greatness is sometimes that simple, because it comes in so many different forms. Wilt’s greatness looked a lot different than Magic’s greatness, just as Bird’s looked so different from Michael’s. We as a society have a tendency to compare the latest form of greatness with those from the past. In the midst of LeBron’s latest historic stretch of play, we need not try to compare it to Jordan’s best stretch, or Kobe’s, or Magic’s. Instead, take a breath, sit back, and enjoy a form of greatness we have never before seen.
Late in their game Tuesday night against the Blazers, James sized up his man at the top of the key, jabbed left, drove right, rose up amongst three defenders and… passed. At first glance, there was nothing great about this play. Jordan would’ve switched hands mid-air and kissed the ball off the glass. Kobe would’ve drawn a foul and thrown up a shot no one else would dare attempt, and it would go in half the time. But this is what makes James’ greatness so unique. Instead of shooting, James floated in the air a second longer than anyone else and flung the ball over his head to the corner just before his feet returned to the ground. Standing in the corner all alone, Ray Allen caught the pass, rose up, and drained it from behind the arc for the 2,793rd time in his career. We’ve seen this sequence so many times that it no longer seems special. But that overlooks the placement of LeBron’s pass. James placed the ball in between the ‘E’ and ‘A’ on Allen’s jersey, allowing him to catch and shoot in one motion just before the defender, who was drawn off of Allen by James’ drive, was able to contest.
We often hear how great players make their teammates better. Often, this is by demanding more of them, making them raise their play to reach the star’s level. LeBron makes his teammates better by making the game easier for them. In Boston, Allen won a championship by running around screens, catching passes in awkward positions, and hitting contested threes. Now? He stands in a corner and shoots wide-open threes like it’s pregame shoot around. This is not to diminish the greatness of Allen’s teammates in Boston like KG, Paul Pierce, or Rondo. Rather, this sequence illustrates the uniqueness of what makes James great.
Minutes after Allen’s corner three, James made another greatness-defining play. As the game approached its climax, the Heat were clinging to a two possession lead when a Blazer player broke down the defense and seemed poised to finish an easy lay-in. Then, from seemingly out of nowhere (and from out of the picture for those watching on TV), LeBron soared over and thwarted the shot attempt, sparking a fast break that would seal the Heat victory. It is widely known by now that LeBron is one of the best defenders this league has ever seen, possessing otherworldly size and speed that allows him to guard virtually anyone on the court. What seems to fly under the radar is James’ clutch play on this end of the floor. Too often he is criticized for his lack of a clutch gene on the offensive end without anyone addressing his ability to shut down the opposing team’s best player in these crucial situations. Anyone remember the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals? That was when he locked down MVP Derrick Rose in the fourth quarter for four straight games as the Heat cruised to a 4-1 series victory. Of course this was quickly forgotten by his lack of game-winners on the offensive side of the ball against the Mavs in the Finals. But who is to say that scoring points is more important than stopping the opponent from doing so? We give it more value because our heroes’ (Magic, Bird, MJ, Shaq, Kobe, Dirk, etc.) have been defined by their accolades on the offensive end. James accomplishments are no less great; he is simply redefining our idea of greatness.
But the spectrum of LeBron’s greatness does not stop with his passing skills and defensive ability, lest we forget that he is now in the midst of a six game stretch of scoring 30+ points on 60% shooting, after finishing 11-for-15 with 30 points Tuesday night in Miami. James is redefining greatness, but that hasn’t stopped him from being incredible in all the traditional ways as well. So for now, let’s not keep comparing LeBron to the greats of the past and analyzing where he will stand among them when his career comes to an end. Instead, sit back, relax, and enjoy all the nuances of LeBron’s unique form of greatness.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
Late in their game Tuesday night against the Blazers, James sized up his man at the top of the key, jabbed left, drove right, rose up amongst three defenders and… passed. At first glance, there was nothing great about this play. Jordan would’ve switched hands mid-air and kissed the ball off the glass. Kobe would’ve drawn a foul and thrown up a shot no one else would dare attempt, and it would go in half the time. But this is what makes James’ greatness so unique. Instead of shooting, James floated in the air a second longer than anyone else and flung the ball over his head to the corner just before his feet returned to the ground. Standing in the corner all alone, Ray Allen caught the pass, rose up, and drained it from behind the arc for the 2,793rd time in his career. We’ve seen this sequence so many times that it no longer seems special. But that overlooks the placement of LeBron’s pass. James placed the ball in between the ‘E’ and ‘A’ on Allen’s jersey, allowing him to catch and shoot in one motion just before the defender, who was drawn off of Allen by James’ drive, was able to contest.
We often hear how great players make their teammates better. Often, this is by demanding more of them, making them raise their play to reach the star’s level. LeBron makes his teammates better by making the game easier for them. In Boston, Allen won a championship by running around screens, catching passes in awkward positions, and hitting contested threes. Now? He stands in a corner and shoots wide-open threes like it’s pregame shoot around. This is not to diminish the greatness of Allen’s teammates in Boston like KG, Paul Pierce, or Rondo. Rather, this sequence illustrates the uniqueness of what makes James great.
Minutes after Allen’s corner three, James made another greatness-defining play. As the game approached its climax, the Heat were clinging to a two possession lead when a Blazer player broke down the defense and seemed poised to finish an easy lay-in. Then, from seemingly out of nowhere (and from out of the picture for those watching on TV), LeBron soared over and thwarted the shot attempt, sparking a fast break that would seal the Heat victory. It is widely known by now that LeBron is one of the best defenders this league has ever seen, possessing otherworldly size and speed that allows him to guard virtually anyone on the court. What seems to fly under the radar is James’ clutch play on this end of the floor. Too often he is criticized for his lack of a clutch gene on the offensive end without anyone addressing his ability to shut down the opposing team’s best player in these crucial situations. Anyone remember the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals? That was when he locked down MVP Derrick Rose in the fourth quarter for four straight games as the Heat cruised to a 4-1 series victory. Of course this was quickly forgotten by his lack of game-winners on the offensive side of the ball against the Mavs in the Finals. But who is to say that scoring points is more important than stopping the opponent from doing so? We give it more value because our heroes’ (Magic, Bird, MJ, Shaq, Kobe, Dirk, etc.) have been defined by their accolades on the offensive end. James accomplishments are no less great; he is simply redefining our idea of greatness.
But the spectrum of LeBron’s greatness does not stop with his passing skills and defensive ability, lest we forget that he is now in the midst of a six game stretch of scoring 30+ points on 60% shooting, after finishing 11-for-15 with 30 points Tuesday night in Miami. James is redefining greatness, but that hasn’t stopped him from being incredible in all the traditional ways as well. So for now, let’s not keep comparing LeBron to the greats of the past and analyzing where he will stand among them when his career comes to an end. Instead, sit back, relax, and enjoy all the nuances of LeBron’s unique form of greatness.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
The Fate of Kobe Bean Bryant's Legacy
Kobe Bean Bryant is, without a doubt, one of the top-10 players in the history of the National Basketball Association. Even his most vehement haters must concede this point. There is a very real possibility that he will end his career in the top-5 of this list. Hell, if things fall into place for him and his Laker teammates the next couple of years (a possibility that seems less and less likely by the day, unfortunately) he could have a legitimate claim to MJ’s throne as the greatest player of all-time. Now this may seem sacrilegious (it sure does seem wrong to type that), but the stats don’t lie. Kobe and Michael already have the same number of All-Star appearances (13), and Kobe will surely pass MJ Thursday when this year’s All-Star starters are announced. Kobe has more All-Star game MVP’s than Jordan (4 for Kobe, 3 for MJ). Now many will dismiss that stat, claiming All-Star games are simply exhibitions for the fans that don’t matter, and this may be true to the majority of players and fans. However, that overlooks the competitive nature of both Jordan and Kobe that makes them who they are. Sure, guys like LeBron, Dwight Howard, and Blake Griffin might treat these games like a show more than an actual competition, but that doesn’t mean that Kobe does. If you think Jordan, Kobe, and other players wired like them (Magic Johnson) don’t go into each of those games with the intention of being the best player on the court and taking home the MVP, then you simply do not understand just how much winning matters to them. The All-Star game is a dick-swinging contest to these guys (the best players in the world at the same place showing off just how good they are), and you better believe Kobe and Jordan both want everyone to know that theirs is the biggest. As far as All-NBA selections, a slightly more reliable measurement of a player’s performance, Kobe already has as many first-team selections (10) as MJ, and one more second-team selection than Jordan. And Kobe is still going!
Statistically, Kobe is closing in on Jordan’s career numbers as well. He is within two-thousand points of Jordan’s career total now (that works out to 25 points per game, for 80 games. That means he can take the rest of this year off, come back next year and put up 25 a night- something he’s done every year since ’03-’04- then retire and still pass MJ. So I’d say there’s a pretty good chance of that happening). In terms of playoff numbers, he needs just one or two decent playoff series to pass Jordan in career playoff points and rebounds and, get this, he already has more playoff assists than MJ! (Not too shabby for a guy widely regarded as a ball-hog) Lastly, as everyone knows by now, Kobe needs just one more NBA championship to tie Jordan, and that’s where the rest of his legacy remains to be written in the next few years.
(To be fair to his Airness, Jordan’s career averages in points, rebounds, assists, field goal percentage, and total Finals and regular season MVP awards are significantly greater than Bryant’s. Will Kobe surpass MJ for the G.O.A.T. title? Highly doubtful, but he has a chance to join the conversation at least.)
(There can only be one G.O.A.T. Does Kobe have what it takes to challenge Jordan for the throne?
http://blacksportsonline.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Kobe-Jordan.jpg)
Now that I’ve thrown a ton of stats at you, it is important to remember that stats don’t always tell the entire story. Wilt Chamberlain was statistically far superior to Bill Russell, yet every time they met in the playoffs Russell seemed to have Chamberlain’s number. That’s why Russell has eleven championships to Wilt’s two. As far as Kobe’s image is concerned, he has both positive and negative feats going for him. First, he is unquestionably the most competitive player since Jordan. No player dedicates his entire life to the game of basketball as much as Kobe Bryant. He is, almost literally, psychotic in his approach to the game. I am fairly certain he would dunk on his own mother if it meant he could win another championship (this is where Kobe and MJ differ, as I believe that is as far as Kobe would go, while I think Jordan might have at least considered slitting someone’s throat in order to win- and if that someone was Isiah Thomas I think he would’ve done it in a heartbeat). Maybe as a result of this competitiveness, and maybe completely unrelated, is the fact that Kobe has hit more clutch shots than I can count. Again, he is definitely the most clutch player since MJ. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, Kobe wants the ball in his hands, and he’s going to shoot it. Here’s the thing about Kobe’s clutch factor: it doesn’t matter that he’ll miss it as much as he makes it. When the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Finals two years ago, they faced Kobe and the Lakers in the second round. The series turned into a sweep, but early on it was a tightly contested match-up. I vividly remember Game 1 coming down to the final seconds, with the Mavs up by 2 and possession belonging to the Lakers. The Lakers ran an inbounds play setting up Kobe for a fade-away, contested 3-pointer. It was defended well and the shot ended up missing- as it probably would have nine times out of ten due to the degree of difficulty. As a Mavs fan, I had never been so relieved in my life. This is what makes Kobe so incredible- no matter how many times he misses, when he’s playing your team you are always sure it’s going to go in. I remember talking myself into the game being a moral victory for the Mavs- a close loss on the road, it’s only Game 1, etc.- before they even inbounded the ball! Other players might have better percentages or even be more ‘clutch’ than Kobe based on someone’s definition of the word. But there is one fact that I think we can all agree on: no one else is as FEARED in the final seconds with the game on the line as Kobe Bryant. He is the first and only player that I can think of since Jordan to have this effect. Durant is on his way, and may well get there one day, but as of right now Kobe is in a class of his own.
So what’s the knock on Kobe that the stats don’t show? Many people would say his defense, and if I had to answer in one word that is what I would say, too. But this answer is far too simple, I believe, because the fact is Kobe is not a bad defender, necessarily. He made multiple All-Defensive Teams earlier in his career (even though some of those may not have been warranted, you can’t get on those teams as a truly bad defender). No, it has never been his ability on that end that has held him back. Instead, it is Kobe’s approach that limits him. Kobe decided, pretty early on, that he was going to do what he does (score points) at an elite level and that it was up to his teammates to do the rest of the things that good teams need to win games and championships (i.e. rebound, pass, play defense, etc.). This is not to say that Kobe doesn’t do any of these things (he is actually a fairly good rebounder for his position, a better-than-advertised passer, and an above-average defender [for most of his career]), but he has seemed resistant to sacrifice his scoring in order to put extra effort into any of these other areas. This is what makes guys like Jordan and LeBron so special: they have the ability to be the best player on BOTH ends of the floor, every night. When they need to score 30 to get the victory they can. If they need to lock down the opponent’s best player the next night, they can do that too! Kobe has never been this player; every night his goal is to score as many points as it takes for his team to win. This has been his tendency for his entire career. This season is the perfect example of this tendency: Kobe decided he was going to go out and drop 30 a night, and if they lost, well, you couldn’t say he wasn’t doing his part. Classic Kobe.
Then, less than a week ago, something miraculous happened: Kobe decided to take it upon himself to guard the other teams best player, regardless of position. He limited Kyrie Irving to 15 points and 7 assists in his first game as a defensive specialist. Then, he held Brandon Jennings to 12 points, on 4 of 14 shooting, with just one assist. Meanwhile, Kobe still managed to score 23 on 9 of 14 shooting against the Cavs and 31 on 12 of 19 versus the Bucks. Oh, and the Lakers won both of those games by double figures (not a small feat as they were on a 6-game losing streak heading into the Cavs game). This marked, as far as I can tell, the first time Kobe has sacrificed shots in favor of playing defense. And guess what?! He still put up 54 points in two games! And he made over two-thirds of his shots! By sacrificing his offensive game, he made his team better defensively (much needed) AND allowed his teammates to become more involved on offense. All of a sudden, we are seeing the Steve Nash we saw in Phoenix and the Dwight Howard from Orlando. This takes the pressure off Kobe on the offensive end and has allowed him to get more open looks and score at a frighteningly efficient rate.
This change in mentality has opened the door for Kobe to climb the ranks on the All-time list. Playing the way he always had would have allowed him to be a top-5 player ever. He could’ve won a scoring title at 34 years old (insane) and maybe lead this Laker team to a first round upset, if they made the playoffs. But that was about their peak if they stayed the course. By making this little sacrifice, he has made the Lakers a dangerous team again. Am I overreacting to a two game stretch against bad teams? Possibly. But I know one thing: they weren’t winning a title the way things were going. Now, I’m scared of them again, and that starts with Kobe Bryant.
At his age, with as many miles as his body has on it already, can he keep this up night after night? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. But if he can, the Lakers can contend. That’s the only way they can win a title this year, with this roster. Kobe knows this. He also knows that if he wants to challenge Michael, he needs at least one more ‘ship. And as competitive as he is, you can bet he’ll do whatever it takes to get it. If I know one thing about number 24 it is this: never count out Kobe Bean Bryant.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
Statistically, Kobe is closing in on Jordan’s career numbers as well. He is within two-thousand points of Jordan’s career total now (that works out to 25 points per game, for 80 games. That means he can take the rest of this year off, come back next year and put up 25 a night- something he’s done every year since ’03-’04- then retire and still pass MJ. So I’d say there’s a pretty good chance of that happening). In terms of playoff numbers, he needs just one or two decent playoff series to pass Jordan in career playoff points and rebounds and, get this, he already has more playoff assists than MJ! (Not too shabby for a guy widely regarded as a ball-hog) Lastly, as everyone knows by now, Kobe needs just one more NBA championship to tie Jordan, and that’s where the rest of his legacy remains to be written in the next few years.
(To be fair to his Airness, Jordan’s career averages in points, rebounds, assists, field goal percentage, and total Finals and regular season MVP awards are significantly greater than Bryant’s. Will Kobe surpass MJ for the G.O.A.T. title? Highly doubtful, but he has a chance to join the conversation at least.)
(There can only be one G.O.A.T. Does Kobe have what it takes to challenge Jordan for the throne?
http://blacksportsonline.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Kobe-Jordan.jpg)
Now that I’ve thrown a ton of stats at you, it is important to remember that stats don’t always tell the entire story. Wilt Chamberlain was statistically far superior to Bill Russell, yet every time they met in the playoffs Russell seemed to have Chamberlain’s number. That’s why Russell has eleven championships to Wilt’s two. As far as Kobe’s image is concerned, he has both positive and negative feats going for him. First, he is unquestionably the most competitive player since Jordan. No player dedicates his entire life to the game of basketball as much as Kobe Bryant. He is, almost literally, psychotic in his approach to the game. I am fairly certain he would dunk on his own mother if it meant he could win another championship (this is where Kobe and MJ differ, as I believe that is as far as Kobe would go, while I think Jordan might have at least considered slitting someone’s throat in order to win- and if that someone was Isiah Thomas I think he would’ve done it in a heartbeat). Maybe as a result of this competitiveness, and maybe completely unrelated, is the fact that Kobe has hit more clutch shots than I can count. Again, he is definitely the most clutch player since MJ. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, Kobe wants the ball in his hands, and he’s going to shoot it. Here’s the thing about Kobe’s clutch factor: it doesn’t matter that he’ll miss it as much as he makes it. When the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Finals two years ago, they faced Kobe and the Lakers in the second round. The series turned into a sweep, but early on it was a tightly contested match-up. I vividly remember Game 1 coming down to the final seconds, with the Mavs up by 2 and possession belonging to the Lakers. The Lakers ran an inbounds play setting up Kobe for a fade-away, contested 3-pointer. It was defended well and the shot ended up missing- as it probably would have nine times out of ten due to the degree of difficulty. As a Mavs fan, I had never been so relieved in my life. This is what makes Kobe so incredible- no matter how many times he misses, when he’s playing your team you are always sure it’s going to go in. I remember talking myself into the game being a moral victory for the Mavs- a close loss on the road, it’s only Game 1, etc.- before they even inbounded the ball! Other players might have better percentages or even be more ‘clutch’ than Kobe based on someone’s definition of the word. But there is one fact that I think we can all agree on: no one else is as FEARED in the final seconds with the game on the line as Kobe Bryant. He is the first and only player that I can think of since Jordan to have this effect. Durant is on his way, and may well get there one day, but as of right now Kobe is in a class of his own.
So what’s the knock on Kobe that the stats don’t show? Many people would say his defense, and if I had to answer in one word that is what I would say, too. But this answer is far too simple, I believe, because the fact is Kobe is not a bad defender, necessarily. He made multiple All-Defensive Teams earlier in his career (even though some of those may not have been warranted, you can’t get on those teams as a truly bad defender). No, it has never been his ability on that end that has held him back. Instead, it is Kobe’s approach that limits him. Kobe decided, pretty early on, that he was going to do what he does (score points) at an elite level and that it was up to his teammates to do the rest of the things that good teams need to win games and championships (i.e. rebound, pass, play defense, etc.). This is not to say that Kobe doesn’t do any of these things (he is actually a fairly good rebounder for his position, a better-than-advertised passer, and an above-average defender [for most of his career]), but he has seemed resistant to sacrifice his scoring in order to put extra effort into any of these other areas. This is what makes guys like Jordan and LeBron so special: they have the ability to be the best player on BOTH ends of the floor, every night. When they need to score 30 to get the victory they can. If they need to lock down the opponent’s best player the next night, they can do that too! Kobe has never been this player; every night his goal is to score as many points as it takes for his team to win. This has been his tendency for his entire career. This season is the perfect example of this tendency: Kobe decided he was going to go out and drop 30 a night, and if they lost, well, you couldn’t say he wasn’t doing his part. Classic Kobe.
Then, less than a week ago, something miraculous happened: Kobe decided to take it upon himself to guard the other teams best player, regardless of position. He limited Kyrie Irving to 15 points and 7 assists in his first game as a defensive specialist. Then, he held Brandon Jennings to 12 points, on 4 of 14 shooting, with just one assist. Meanwhile, Kobe still managed to score 23 on 9 of 14 shooting against the Cavs and 31 on 12 of 19 versus the Bucks. Oh, and the Lakers won both of those games by double figures (not a small feat as they were on a 6-game losing streak heading into the Cavs game). This marked, as far as I can tell, the first time Kobe has sacrificed shots in favor of playing defense. And guess what?! He still put up 54 points in two games! And he made over two-thirds of his shots! By sacrificing his offensive game, he made his team better defensively (much needed) AND allowed his teammates to become more involved on offense. All of a sudden, we are seeing the Steve Nash we saw in Phoenix and the Dwight Howard from Orlando. This takes the pressure off Kobe on the offensive end and has allowed him to get more open looks and score at a frighteningly efficient rate.
This change in mentality has opened the door for Kobe to climb the ranks on the All-time list. Playing the way he always had would have allowed him to be a top-5 player ever. He could’ve won a scoring title at 34 years old (insane) and maybe lead this Laker team to a first round upset, if they made the playoffs. But that was about their peak if they stayed the course. By making this little sacrifice, he has made the Lakers a dangerous team again. Am I overreacting to a two game stretch against bad teams? Possibly. But I know one thing: they weren’t winning a title the way things were going. Now, I’m scared of them again, and that starts with Kobe Bryant.
At his age, with as many miles as his body has on it already, can he keep this up night after night? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. But if he can, the Lakers can contend. That’s the only way they can win a title this year, with this roster. Kobe knows this. He also knows that if he wants to challenge Michael, he needs at least one more ‘ship. And as competitive as he is, you can bet he’ll do whatever it takes to get it. If I know one thing about number 24 it is this: never count out Kobe Bean Bryant.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
The Seven People you meet in Fandom
With the storied fan bases of Alabama and Notre Dame set to square off tonight for the National Championship, what better time than now to sort out all the different types of fans you may encounter?
Check out what type of fan you are!
http://www.ted-payne.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/sports_fans.jpg
The Spoiled Fan
Teams- Yankees, Patriots, Lakers, USC football
These fans see anything less than a championship as a failure. They are often cocky, but mostly because they simply can’t remember what it is like to miss the playoffs. They rarely, if ever, have down years and their fans love showing off their success- which makes it so easy for everyone else to root against them. While they have some of the most loyal and die-hard fans, they also have a ton of ‘haters’. For many, it is almost as fun and important to root against these teams as it is to root for their own team.
The Heart-broken Fan
Teams- Vikings, Cubs, Bills, Cavs
These fans are like hardened veterans- they’ve been through and seen it all. They’ve come so close and had defeat snatched from the jaws of victory. While these fans are as loyal as they come, they are always prepared for the worst. After all the suffering they’ve been through they have to see it to believe it- because it is probably too good to be true. They’ve learned to enjoy the individual victories and cherish every playoff appearance, as they never know when the next one will come.
The Traditional Fan
Teams- Packers, Celtics, Cardinals, Notre Dame Football, UCLA Basketball
These teams are loaded with history and tradition- and their fans know all about it. These fans take pride in ‘the good ol’ days’ as much as the present- which is often pretty good itself. They are not starved of championships (not by a long stretch), but they have had their ups and downs- enough downs to keep them from expecting championships year in and year out at least. They connect with their fans in a way most large market teams cannot- making their fans feel like a part of the team.
The Delusional Fan
Teams- Raiders, Chiefs, Warriors, Royals
These fans are as emotionally invested as the rest of them, but it seems almost painful at this point. They’ve won championships in the past, but those days seem further and further away. High (often unrealistic) hopes regardless of the roster often make the pleasure of the season’s results minimal, so they have learned to enjoy each win like it is a championship. At this point, a playoff victory would seem almost as sweet as a championship to their starved fans.
The Underdog Fan
Teams- Texans, Rays, Thunder, Boise State Football
These fans love an underdog! These teams were irrelevant (or non-existent) up until the last few years, and have seemingly stolen the hearts of thousands out of nowhere. With elite young talent, these teams have a bright future and a lot to look forward to- so these fans may not stay in this category for long.
The Secure Fan
Teams- Spurs, Colts, SF Giants
These may be the luckiest fans out there, because they never have to worry- their teams aren’t the flashiest, but year after year they find ways to compete for it all, no matter who is on the roster. They’ve built a foundation of success from the top down, ensuring that they will always be relevant- and allowing their fans to be comfortable knowing they can fully trust any moves the front office makes.
The Forgotten Fan
Teams- Sonics, New Jersey Nets, Expos, L.A. Rams
Oh wait, these fans don’t have teams anymore! For whatever reason their town’s franchise was stolen away from them, and each fan deals with it in a different way. Some will continue to root for them, some find a new team, and others stop following the sport all together. Regardless of the option they choose, they can never fully get over their loss.
Check out what type of fan you are!
http://www.ted-payne.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/sports_fans.jpg
The Spoiled Fan
Teams- Yankees, Patriots, Lakers, USC football
These fans see anything less than a championship as a failure. They are often cocky, but mostly because they simply can’t remember what it is like to miss the playoffs. They rarely, if ever, have down years and their fans love showing off their success- which makes it so easy for everyone else to root against them. While they have some of the most loyal and die-hard fans, they also have a ton of ‘haters’. For many, it is almost as fun and important to root against these teams as it is to root for their own team.
The Heart-broken Fan
Teams- Vikings, Cubs, Bills, Cavs
These fans are like hardened veterans- they’ve been through and seen it all. They’ve come so close and had defeat snatched from the jaws of victory. While these fans are as loyal as they come, they are always prepared for the worst. After all the suffering they’ve been through they have to see it to believe it- because it is probably too good to be true. They’ve learned to enjoy the individual victories and cherish every playoff appearance, as they never know when the next one will come.
The Traditional Fan
Teams- Packers, Celtics, Cardinals, Notre Dame Football, UCLA Basketball
These teams are loaded with history and tradition- and their fans know all about it. These fans take pride in ‘the good ol’ days’ as much as the present- which is often pretty good itself. They are not starved of championships (not by a long stretch), but they have had their ups and downs- enough downs to keep them from expecting championships year in and year out at least. They connect with their fans in a way most large market teams cannot- making their fans feel like a part of the team.
The Delusional Fan
Teams- Raiders, Chiefs, Warriors, Royals
These fans are as emotionally invested as the rest of them, but it seems almost painful at this point. They’ve won championships in the past, but those days seem further and further away. High (often unrealistic) hopes regardless of the roster often make the pleasure of the season’s results minimal, so they have learned to enjoy each win like it is a championship. At this point, a playoff victory would seem almost as sweet as a championship to their starved fans.
The Underdog Fan
Teams- Texans, Rays, Thunder, Boise State Football
These fans love an underdog! These teams were irrelevant (or non-existent) up until the last few years, and have seemingly stolen the hearts of thousands out of nowhere. With elite young talent, these teams have a bright future and a lot to look forward to- so these fans may not stay in this category for long.
The Secure Fan
Teams- Spurs, Colts, SF Giants
These may be the luckiest fans out there, because they never have to worry- their teams aren’t the flashiest, but year after year they find ways to compete for it all, no matter who is on the roster. They’ve built a foundation of success from the top down, ensuring that they will always be relevant- and allowing their fans to be comfortable knowing they can fully trust any moves the front office makes.
The Forgotten Fan
Teams- Sonics, New Jersey Nets, Expos, L.A. Rams
Oh wait, these fans don’t have teams anymore! For whatever reason their town’s franchise was stolen away from them, and each fan deals with it in a different way. Some will continue to root for them, some find a new team, and others stop following the sport all together. Regardless of the option they choose, they can never fully get over their loss.
America’s REAL Entitlement Problem
Leading up to the presidential election this year, one of the major topics of debate was entitlement programs and the general feeling of entitlement amongst many Americans… I’m not touching that subject with a ten-foot pole. However, I believe there is another issue regarding entitlements which needs to be addressed: the entitlement of professional athletes. Now let me be clear about this before I begin; I do NOT believe all athletes fall into this category! In fact, I feel that many or most professional athletes are hard-working, dedicated individuals who earn everything that they accomplish. I love sports and athletes (heck, I once was one), so I hate the idea of stereotyping all athletes as the same. In my dream future, I would be covering sports as my job- so I obviously have nothing against athletes in general. However, there is a minority that abuses both the power we bestow upon athletes as roll-models and the lifestyle we provide them as being ‘above’ the rest of us.
If you’ve ever been a part of a sports team or hung around one for long enough, you know that there is one constant on all teams: starting at a very young age (often as young as pee-wee football) we treat the best athletes differently than the rest. Because of one’s ability to run fast, throw far, or hit hard we raise them above their teammates; it is almost natural now for coaches, teachers, and even peers to give these players the benefit of the doubt and make life easier for them. I’m sure every former or current athlete can think of at least one experience like this off the top of their head, and each instance can have a very different effect. Many of these superior athletes end up going on to do great things in other fields besides sports, but, unfortunately, some carry on through their lives riding this wave of entitlement. That is, until they run into others of the same or greater talent than them…
Last summer I was sitting in a warehouse, sweating in the oversized football pads I had been given for the shoot. I was an extra for the show Sports Science, and, like most extras, I was largely ignored when I was not being told where to go and what to do for the shoot. Meanwhile, on the other side of the warehouse, two players were sitting in a cool, air-conditioned movie theater waiting for their time to come out, get the shoot over with, and go home. This was a pre- NFL Draft edition, so both players were rookies getting ready to find out where they would be playing for the next X amount of years. One of the guys was D.J. Williams, a tight end coming out of Arkansas who was extremely productive in college but little-known to the casual fan. The other? Titus Young, a slightly better known wide receiver, likely because he was coming out of America’s darling Boise State. Boise had already been on the map thanks to the likes on Ian Johnson and their Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma years ago, but Young was one of the first Boise products to turn into a legitimate NFL prospect. The two could be seen walking in and out of their waiting room laughing and conversing quite casually; they seemed to get along fine and be fairly similar. Then they came out to do the shoot, and they couldn’t have been any different.
(As great of a talent Titus Young was coming out of Boise State, it hasn't been his on-field play that has hurt him with the Lions. Personal issues stemming from a culture of entitlement have hurt Young's career so far.
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20101223181352/collegefootballmania/images/5/52/Titus_Young.jpg
D.J. was the first to do his segment, and he was as nice and down-to-earth as you could imagine. He made it easy to work with him. He was so good in the drills that he rarely missed a pass; and when I made a bad pass he even took the blame for it! I distinctly remember one pass sailing a bit high (a pass that would’ve been tough for Yao Ming to catch) and, as D.J. jumped as high as he could just to get a fingertip on the ball, me immediately feeling bad about it. Instead of getting upset or even not saying anything, D.J. walked over and apologized for dropping the pass. Really? You just made one of the most athletic plays I’ve ever seen just to get close and you’re apologizing to me? This was just one moment, but between takes he would ask me simple things about my life and actually made the effort to connect with me. He could have gone back into the waiting room, but chose to interact with those he was working with.
As great as it was working with D.J., it was equally terrible having to work with Titus. He never came out of that room except to do the shoot, and even when he did he didn’t interact with anyone. In fact, he actually told his agent (a white haired, elderly white man who I couldn’t help but think Young wouldn’t be caught dead with in the street) messages to relay on to the workers, on multiple occasions. It was as if interacting with ‘commoners’ was beneath him. When it was time to shoot, my job was to lob the pass over Titus’s head so that he could dive onto a bunch of pads and catch the ball- essentially the exact same thing I would do with my Dad on our couches when I was five. However, this proved to be more difficult than one would expect- timing up the pass with his route perfectly so that he could catch it while fully extended was easier said than done. At first, he kept stopping just before the pads, jumping off two feet instead of in full stride. Once he finally got the jump down it took him a couple tries to be able to locate the ball and make the catch in the air. Now, I don’t mean to insult his ability to do the drill- it was tough and he eventually got it beautifully. However, his attitude the entire time could be described as abrasive, at best. He was, in every way, the complete opposite of D.J. Instead of telling me where he wanted the ball thrown, he would simply look at his agent and give him a look of disgust; at which point the agent would proceed to bitch at me about the throw. While a couple of the passes were admittedly bad(we are all human, after all), there were many others that Titus simply dropped. Nevertheless, this old man kept blaming me over and over (to the point that I wanted to tell him to get off his old ass and do it himself if it was that easy). I left that day with a bad taste in my mouth; how could a future NFL player, one about to get paid millions of dollars to play a game and be a roll-model for thousands of young kids everywhere, be so anti-social? In a fateful outcome, D.J. Williams was drafted by my favorite team, the Green Bay Packers, while Titus Young went to their division rivals, the Detroit Lions.
I quickly moved on from this experience, putting it in the back of my mind but not completely forgetting about it. Then, I ran into an article about the Detroit Lions calendar for next year. While the title was innocent enough, this article provided tons of evidence to support my experience with Young. I found the following passage immensely revealing about the person Young is, regardless of his on-field play:
“Young started his downhill slide when he sucker-punched safety Louis Delmas -- his own teammate -- in a May minicamp practice. In the team's Week 11 loss to the Green Bay Packers, he was actually lining up in the wrong places and running the wrong routes ... on purpose. Last week, center Dominic Raiola summed up his own feelings about Young very succinctly.
‘It's not a distraction, because we have moved on from him,’ Raiola said. ‘If he wants to be an [expletive], let him be an [expletive]. It's not my problem. What we can control is the guys who want to be here. I want people who want to be here and I think everybody else wants the same thing.’
Young was recently placed on season-ending IR with a knee injury, and Schwartz said that he would undergo surgery ‘if he shows up for it.’” (Farrar, "There are a Few...").
Wow… that was my initial thought after reading that. How does someone like that survive in the world? There is only one conclusion I could come to: entitlement. People like Young grow up having everything handed to them and being able to get away with whatever they want because of one redeeming quality (in this case, athletic ability). Coaches, administrators, and teammates do players like Young a disservice by allowing them to skate by because of their selfish reasons: coaches want to win to keep their jobs, players want to win so, they sacrifice to their more talented teammates. But then, one day, Young was no longer looked at and treated the same way- he was just another player on the team. No longer being handed everything that he was used to, Young had no clue what to do- leading to the incidents mentioned above.
Titus Young isn’t the only NFL player in this situation, either. Let’s look at a much bigger and well-known name: Cam Newton. There is always a bunch of buzz around Newton for a variety of reasons, but no one really knows much besides rumors. Here’s some hard evidence:
“‘[Cam] was a total [expletive],’ one AFC player told Prisco. ‘Who did he think he was? He acted like the big [expletive]. Here he was at his first game and he acted like he was the star. Guys didn't like that.’” (Farrar, "Cam Newton’s…").
Players don’t say these kinds of things about other players without reasons. Multiple players don’t make comments like these unwarranted. But why don’t these players realize what is being said about them? Do they not care? As humans, we are not built to simply ignore the fact that most of the people closest to us hate us; we want and need companionship. So are these players all just sociopaths? That’s one idea, but I have another solution: they have so many fans they choose to look at them as determining their worth rather than what those closest to them think. For the average person, we value what our closest friends and relatives think about us more than what strangers may think. But what if you have millions of strangers that called you their hero? A little easier to forget what your friends think and be happy about the strangers’ opinions, huh?
By allowing these kids to get away with whatever they want when they are young (however little it may be), we are encouraging a culture of entitlement in which these young men grow up thinking they can get away with anything. It may seem like it’s not a big deal at the time, but it can snowball so much that they take everything for granted- not appreciating anything they have and not wanting to put in the work to achieve anything more.
References:
Farrar, Doug. "Cam Newton’s Attitude Didn’t Win Him Any Friends at the Pro Bowl." Web log post. Shutdown Corner. Yahoo, 5 Dec. 2012. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. <http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/cam-newton-attitude-didn-t-win-him-friends-225644136--nfl.html>.
Farrar, Doug. "There Are a Few Major Problems with the Detroit Lions’ 2013 Calendar." Web log post. Shutdown Corner. Yahoo, 6 Dec. 2012. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. <http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/few-major-problems-detroit-lions-2013-calendar-134608581--nfl.html>.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
If you’ve ever been a part of a sports team or hung around one for long enough, you know that there is one constant on all teams: starting at a very young age (often as young as pee-wee football) we treat the best athletes differently than the rest. Because of one’s ability to run fast, throw far, or hit hard we raise them above their teammates; it is almost natural now for coaches, teachers, and even peers to give these players the benefit of the doubt and make life easier for them. I’m sure every former or current athlete can think of at least one experience like this off the top of their head, and each instance can have a very different effect. Many of these superior athletes end up going on to do great things in other fields besides sports, but, unfortunately, some carry on through their lives riding this wave of entitlement. That is, until they run into others of the same or greater talent than them…
Last summer I was sitting in a warehouse, sweating in the oversized football pads I had been given for the shoot. I was an extra for the show Sports Science, and, like most extras, I was largely ignored when I was not being told where to go and what to do for the shoot. Meanwhile, on the other side of the warehouse, two players were sitting in a cool, air-conditioned movie theater waiting for their time to come out, get the shoot over with, and go home. This was a pre- NFL Draft edition, so both players were rookies getting ready to find out where they would be playing for the next X amount of years. One of the guys was D.J. Williams, a tight end coming out of Arkansas who was extremely productive in college but little-known to the casual fan. The other? Titus Young, a slightly better known wide receiver, likely because he was coming out of America’s darling Boise State. Boise had already been on the map thanks to the likes on Ian Johnson and their Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma years ago, but Young was one of the first Boise products to turn into a legitimate NFL prospect. The two could be seen walking in and out of their waiting room laughing and conversing quite casually; they seemed to get along fine and be fairly similar. Then they came out to do the shoot, and they couldn’t have been any different.
(As great of a talent Titus Young was coming out of Boise State, it hasn't been his on-field play that has hurt him with the Lions. Personal issues stemming from a culture of entitlement have hurt Young's career so far.
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20101223181352/collegefootballmania/images/5/52/Titus_Young.jpg
D.J. was the first to do his segment, and he was as nice and down-to-earth as you could imagine. He made it easy to work with him. He was so good in the drills that he rarely missed a pass; and when I made a bad pass he even took the blame for it! I distinctly remember one pass sailing a bit high (a pass that would’ve been tough for Yao Ming to catch) and, as D.J. jumped as high as he could just to get a fingertip on the ball, me immediately feeling bad about it. Instead of getting upset or even not saying anything, D.J. walked over and apologized for dropping the pass. Really? You just made one of the most athletic plays I’ve ever seen just to get close and you’re apologizing to me? This was just one moment, but between takes he would ask me simple things about my life and actually made the effort to connect with me. He could have gone back into the waiting room, but chose to interact with those he was working with.
As great as it was working with D.J., it was equally terrible having to work with Titus. He never came out of that room except to do the shoot, and even when he did he didn’t interact with anyone. In fact, he actually told his agent (a white haired, elderly white man who I couldn’t help but think Young wouldn’t be caught dead with in the street) messages to relay on to the workers, on multiple occasions. It was as if interacting with ‘commoners’ was beneath him. When it was time to shoot, my job was to lob the pass over Titus’s head so that he could dive onto a bunch of pads and catch the ball- essentially the exact same thing I would do with my Dad on our couches when I was five. However, this proved to be more difficult than one would expect- timing up the pass with his route perfectly so that he could catch it while fully extended was easier said than done. At first, he kept stopping just before the pads, jumping off two feet instead of in full stride. Once he finally got the jump down it took him a couple tries to be able to locate the ball and make the catch in the air. Now, I don’t mean to insult his ability to do the drill- it was tough and he eventually got it beautifully. However, his attitude the entire time could be described as abrasive, at best. He was, in every way, the complete opposite of D.J. Instead of telling me where he wanted the ball thrown, he would simply look at his agent and give him a look of disgust; at which point the agent would proceed to bitch at me about the throw. While a couple of the passes were admittedly bad(we are all human, after all), there were many others that Titus simply dropped. Nevertheless, this old man kept blaming me over and over (to the point that I wanted to tell him to get off his old ass and do it himself if it was that easy). I left that day with a bad taste in my mouth; how could a future NFL player, one about to get paid millions of dollars to play a game and be a roll-model for thousands of young kids everywhere, be so anti-social? In a fateful outcome, D.J. Williams was drafted by my favorite team, the Green Bay Packers, while Titus Young went to their division rivals, the Detroit Lions.
I quickly moved on from this experience, putting it in the back of my mind but not completely forgetting about it. Then, I ran into an article about the Detroit Lions calendar for next year. While the title was innocent enough, this article provided tons of evidence to support my experience with Young. I found the following passage immensely revealing about the person Young is, regardless of his on-field play:
“Young started his downhill slide when he sucker-punched safety Louis Delmas -- his own teammate -- in a May minicamp practice. In the team's Week 11 loss to the Green Bay Packers, he was actually lining up in the wrong places and running the wrong routes ... on purpose. Last week, center Dominic Raiola summed up his own feelings about Young very succinctly.
‘It's not a distraction, because we have moved on from him,’ Raiola said. ‘If he wants to be an [expletive], let him be an [expletive]. It's not my problem. What we can control is the guys who want to be here. I want people who want to be here and I think everybody else wants the same thing.’
Young was recently placed on season-ending IR with a knee injury, and Schwartz said that he would undergo surgery ‘if he shows up for it.’” (Farrar, "There are a Few...").
Wow… that was my initial thought after reading that. How does someone like that survive in the world? There is only one conclusion I could come to: entitlement. People like Young grow up having everything handed to them and being able to get away with whatever they want because of one redeeming quality (in this case, athletic ability). Coaches, administrators, and teammates do players like Young a disservice by allowing them to skate by because of their selfish reasons: coaches want to win to keep their jobs, players want to win so, they sacrifice to their more talented teammates. But then, one day, Young was no longer looked at and treated the same way- he was just another player on the team. No longer being handed everything that he was used to, Young had no clue what to do- leading to the incidents mentioned above.
Titus Young isn’t the only NFL player in this situation, either. Let’s look at a much bigger and well-known name: Cam Newton. There is always a bunch of buzz around Newton for a variety of reasons, but no one really knows much besides rumors. Here’s some hard evidence:
“‘[Cam] was a total [expletive],’ one AFC player told Prisco. ‘Who did he think he was? He acted like the big [expletive]. Here he was at his first game and he acted like he was the star. Guys didn't like that.’” (Farrar, "Cam Newton’s…").
Players don’t say these kinds of things about other players without reasons. Multiple players don’t make comments like these unwarranted. But why don’t these players realize what is being said about them? Do they not care? As humans, we are not built to simply ignore the fact that most of the people closest to us hate us; we want and need companionship. So are these players all just sociopaths? That’s one idea, but I have another solution: they have so many fans they choose to look at them as determining their worth rather than what those closest to them think. For the average person, we value what our closest friends and relatives think about us more than what strangers may think. But what if you have millions of strangers that called you their hero? A little easier to forget what your friends think and be happy about the strangers’ opinions, huh?
By allowing these kids to get away with whatever they want when they are young (however little it may be), we are encouraging a culture of entitlement in which these young men grow up thinking they can get away with anything. It may seem like it’s not a big deal at the time, but it can snowball so much that they take everything for granted- not appreciating anything they have and not wanting to put in the work to achieve anything more.
References:
Farrar, Doug. "Cam Newton’s Attitude Didn’t Win Him Any Friends at the Pro Bowl." Web log post. Shutdown Corner. Yahoo, 5 Dec. 2012. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. <http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/cam-newton-attitude-didn-t-win-him-friends-225644136--nfl.html>.
Farrar, Doug. "There Are a Few Major Problems with the Detroit Lions’ 2013 Calendar." Web log post. Shutdown Corner. Yahoo, 6 Dec. 2012. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. <http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/few-major-problems-detroit-lions-2013-calendar-134608581--nfl.html>.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
NFL Sunday Recap & Reactions - Week 13
With Finals just around the corner for many college students, I know most of you probably have less free time to spend reading my column (I know I have less time to write it). Thus, I will try (emphasis on the TRY) to give just a very brief review of each game and team so that you can read through real quick and get back to studying! (Or watching episodes of Breaking Bad on Netflix, whatever it is you may actually be doing)
Jets 7, Cardinals 6
Quite possibly the worst game of the season (or the century, for that matter). Just looking at the score can give you a pretty good idea of how boring this game was, but that doesn’t even do it justice. The easiest way to sum up this game is naming the quarterbacks who finished the game for both teams: Greg McElroy vs. Ryan Lindley. When no quarterback from either team passes for more than 100 yards, that’s probably not a good sign. The NFL should really think of refunding every fan who had to sit through this abomination…
Patriots 23, Dolphins 16
The Dolphins always seem to play the Pats tough, but it wasn’t enough to pull the upset this time around. At this point in the season, I think we can safely say the top 3 teams in the AFC (Texans, Pats, and Broncos) aren’t losing to anyone else in the AFC when they’re fully healthy (the Ravens would be on the list if not for all their injuries). After a slow start, the Pats are back to running the AFC East, and the Dolphins look like they are still a year or two away from challenging them for that title.
Rams 16, 49ers 13 (OT)
What the hell?! Why can’t the ‘Niners beat the Rams this year? For a moment there, it looked like they might actually tie for the second time in a month’s span (how weird would THAT have been?). The ‘Niners can take down the Bears and Saints in back-to-back weeks like they are college teams, then get dominated by the Rams? I just don’t get it. I give up, the NFL is just way too confusing for me.
Chiefs 27, Panthers 21
After the tragedy that occurred this week, the Chiefs needed this win. The ‘Chuckstrong game’ for the Colts, the Saints’ Superdome reopener after Katrina, the Pats after 9/11, the list goes on and on… When a tragedy occurs, it seems like teams always find a way to rally around it and win. It almost never fails! It is awful that these things happen, but there is something wonderful in knowing the power of unity- that a group of men can come together around a common bond and become more than the sum of their parts.
(The Chiefs got a much-needed victory Sunday, just days after the death of teammate Javon Belcher.
http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2012/12/02/chiefs-coach-AP234739101912_620x350.jpg)
Jets 7, Cardinals 6
Quite possibly the worst game of the season (or the century, for that matter). Just looking at the score can give you a pretty good idea of how boring this game was, but that doesn’t even do it justice. The easiest way to sum up this game is naming the quarterbacks who finished the game for both teams: Greg McElroy vs. Ryan Lindley. When no quarterback from either team passes for more than 100 yards, that’s probably not a good sign. The NFL should really think of refunding every fan who had to sit through this abomination…
Patriots 23, Dolphins 16
The Dolphins always seem to play the Pats tough, but it wasn’t enough to pull the upset this time around. At this point in the season, I think we can safely say the top 3 teams in the AFC (Texans, Pats, and Broncos) aren’t losing to anyone else in the AFC when they’re fully healthy (the Ravens would be on the list if not for all their injuries). After a slow start, the Pats are back to running the AFC East, and the Dolphins look like they are still a year or two away from challenging them for that title.
Rams 16, 49ers 13 (OT)
What the hell?! Why can’t the ‘Niners beat the Rams this year? For a moment there, it looked like they might actually tie for the second time in a month’s span (how weird would THAT have been?). The ‘Niners can take down the Bears and Saints in back-to-back weeks like they are college teams, then get dominated by the Rams? I just don’t get it. I give up, the NFL is just way too confusing for me.
Chiefs 27, Panthers 21
After the tragedy that occurred this week, the Chiefs needed this win. The ‘Chuckstrong game’ for the Colts, the Saints’ Superdome reopener after Katrina, the Pats after 9/11, the list goes on and on… When a tragedy occurs, it seems like teams always find a way to rally around it and win. It almost never fails! It is awful that these things happen, but there is something wonderful in knowing the power of unity- that a group of men can come together around a common bond and become more than the sum of their parts.
(The Chiefs got a much-needed victory Sunday, just days after the death of teammate Javon Belcher.
http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2012/12/02/chiefs-coach-AP234739101912_620x350.jpg)
Texans Keep Rolling
Texans 24, Titans 10
The story remains the same for the Texans- week-in and week-out they take care of business, winning comfortably over teams they are better than, but without drawing too much attention. They are sort of the NFL equivalent to Notre Dame this year; they don’t earn a ton of style points, but they get it done when it counts. Don’t forget about them come playoff time, because the road to New Orleans will be going through Houston.
Packers 23, Vikings 14
This was a good bounce-back win for the Pack, after being embarrassed by the G-Men last weekend. The best sign: the defense stepped up and help an opponent to under 20 points. They aren’t the juggernaut they were last year, but then again flying under-the-radar may be a better path to the Super Bowl (let’s just hope they don’t have to play the damn Giants in the playoffs). As for the Vikings, it was a nice surprise season, but it now looks unlikely that they’ll make the playoffs. On the bright side, they still have Adrian Peterson, and he looks like he’s established his place as the best back of his era (and it’s not even remotely close).
Colts 35, Lions 33
What a comeback! Think the Colts regret letting go of that guy who talks to his car like it’s a freaking offensive line in every other commercial? Yea, me neither. Andrew Luck has proven, yet again, why he was the highest rated quarterback prospect since Elway. Getting a Colts team that struggled to win a game last year all the way to eight wins should be considered a minor miracle… and he still has four games left! As for the Lions, yikes. This game pretty much sums up their season, as it has slowly slipped away.
(Andrew Luck added to what is already one of the best seasons by a rookie quarterback ever, throwing the game-winning touchdown as time expired.
http://l.yimg.com/os/en/blogs/sptusnflexperts/uspw_6810658.jpg)
Seahawks 23, Bears 17 (OT)
I don’t know if he’s just the luckiest guy ever, but Russell Wilson seems to pull more out of his a** than a busted drug smuggler. I don’t get it, all I know is I wouldn’t want to see him in a close playoff game. With him, it seems like anything can happen- he has an almost (dare I say it?) Tebow-like effect on this ‘Hawks team. The Bears, on the other hand, are stumbling at the wrong time. I once thought they were the scariest team in the NFC. Now, they might be the least threatening of the teams currently in the NFC playoff field. Can you name one good team they’ve beaten? Go ahead, I’ll wait…
Bills 34, Jaguars 18
We’ve seen this before, haven’t we? Bills blow out bad team, people think they’re good, get blown out by good team, people realize they’re not, repeat. The Bills are a middling team and need a couple more additions here and there to make them a serious playoff team. Unfortunately for the Jags, there isn’t one thing to point to- they suck. They need a lot of work through the draft and free agency the next couple of years to get back on track.
Broncos 31, Buccaneers 23
This game really wasn’t as close as the score- a late score by the Bucs made it a one score game, but the result was never in doubt. The Broncos are getting good, and I mean real good. Manning is back to his old form- finally getting comfortable with his neck after surgery and his new team. They are a scary team, as is any quarterbacked by Manning. This is a tough loss for the Bucs, but they still look like a very dangerous team. If they can sneak into the playoffs somehow, there isn’t a team out there that would want to see them.
The story remains the same for the Texans- week-in and week-out they take care of business, winning comfortably over teams they are better than, but without drawing too much attention. They are sort of the NFL equivalent to Notre Dame this year; they don’t earn a ton of style points, but they get it done when it counts. Don’t forget about them come playoff time, because the road to New Orleans will be going through Houston.
Packers 23, Vikings 14
This was a good bounce-back win for the Pack, after being embarrassed by the G-Men last weekend. The best sign: the defense stepped up and help an opponent to under 20 points. They aren’t the juggernaut they were last year, but then again flying under-the-radar may be a better path to the Super Bowl (let’s just hope they don’t have to play the damn Giants in the playoffs). As for the Vikings, it was a nice surprise season, but it now looks unlikely that they’ll make the playoffs. On the bright side, they still have Adrian Peterson, and he looks like he’s established his place as the best back of his era (and it’s not even remotely close).
Colts 35, Lions 33
What a comeback! Think the Colts regret letting go of that guy who talks to his car like it’s a freaking offensive line in every other commercial? Yea, me neither. Andrew Luck has proven, yet again, why he was the highest rated quarterback prospect since Elway. Getting a Colts team that struggled to win a game last year all the way to eight wins should be considered a minor miracle… and he still has four games left! As for the Lions, yikes. This game pretty much sums up their season, as it has slowly slipped away.
(Andrew Luck added to what is already one of the best seasons by a rookie quarterback ever, throwing the game-winning touchdown as time expired.
http://l.yimg.com/os/en/blogs/sptusnflexperts/uspw_6810658.jpg)
Seahawks 23, Bears 17 (OT)
I don’t know if he’s just the luckiest guy ever, but Russell Wilson seems to pull more out of his a** than a busted drug smuggler. I don’t get it, all I know is I wouldn’t want to see him in a close playoff game. With him, it seems like anything can happen- he has an almost (dare I say it?) Tebow-like effect on this ‘Hawks team. The Bears, on the other hand, are stumbling at the wrong time. I once thought they were the scariest team in the NFC. Now, they might be the least threatening of the teams currently in the NFC playoff field. Can you name one good team they’ve beaten? Go ahead, I’ll wait…
Bills 34, Jaguars 18
We’ve seen this before, haven’t we? Bills blow out bad team, people think they’re good, get blown out by good team, people realize they’re not, repeat. The Bills are a middling team and need a couple more additions here and there to make them a serious playoff team. Unfortunately for the Jags, there isn’t one thing to point to- they suck. They need a lot of work through the draft and free agency the next couple of years to get back on track.
Broncos 31, Buccaneers 23
This game really wasn’t as close as the score- a late score by the Bucs made it a one score game, but the result was never in doubt. The Broncos are getting good, and I mean real good. Manning is back to his old form- finally getting comfortable with his neck after surgery and his new team. They are a scary team, as is any quarterbacked by Manning. This is a tough loss for the Bucs, but they still look like a very dangerous team. If they can sneak into the playoffs somehow, there isn’t a team out there that would want to see them.
The Heroics of the Great Charlie Batch
Steelers 23, Ravens 20
Is it just me, or is Charlie Batch good for one replacement win a year for an injured ‘Big Ben’? He played just about as well as you can expect a 3rd stringer to (minus one errant throw to Mike Wallace, wipe open in the back of the endzone, that looked like it was intended for the Concessions vendor selling popcorn five rows up in the stands). Batch’s Annual Miracle kept the Steelers playoff hopes alive, but it also exposed the Ravens. If they don’t get healthy soon, they have no chance of doing any damage come playoff time.
(Charlie Batch, seen embracing 'Big Ben' after the game, helped lead the Steelers to a big win over their division rival Ravens.
http://boringpittsburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/charlie-batch-hugging-big-ben-roethlisberger-steelers.jpg)
Bengals 20, Chargers 13
The Bengals got a much needed win and kept themselves in decent shape to make a playoff run, even though it certainly wasn’t the dominant performance they would like. The Chargers are pretty bad, yet somehow always seem to lose close games. Maybe they aren’t as bad as we think, or the Bengals and Ravens are just worse than most thought. Right now, I’d lean towards that conclusion. Rivers is still a good quarterback, but he desperately needs a change of scenery. He looks like he simply doesn’t care in San Diego.
Browns 20, Raiders 17
This is one of those games where it might actually be better to lose. Neither has a hope of making the playoffs, and losing gives you a better spot in the draft. Obviously grown men playing for their jobs won’t lose on purpose, but this might be the best thing to happen to both teams. The Browns could use the confidence a few wins to end the season would give them, and the Raiders could really use a high draft pick.
Cowboys 38, Eagles 33
Honestly, I’m shocked it was this close. Dez Bryant finally played to his potential, and if he continues to do so the Cowboys will have a good shot. The Eagles have essentially thrown in the towel this season and, as shocking as it sounds, the ‘Boys are only a game out of the lead in the East. It will be an interesting four weeks to see who can claim the title between the ‘Boys, ‘Skins, and G-Men.
Monday Night Monster
Redskins 17, Giants 16
How did the Giants blow out the Packers then lose this one? I’m not sure, but it seems to fit their trend for both this season and the last couple. The Redskins have turned their franchise around quicker than almost anyone expected, largely thanks to RGIII. Will they be able to take the next step and unseat the reigning Super Bowl Champions from their throne atop the division? Only time will tell…
Thursday Night Rewind
Falcons 23, Saints 13
What happened here?! Maybe we were underrating the Falcons, because not only did they end Drew Brees’ streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass, they also picked him off five times! FIVE TIMES!! How many teams can claim to have their QB throw five picks in on game, then pick off the opposing QB five times in another game in one season? Oh, and they won both games! Don’t be distracted by the fact that they’ve lost early in the playoffs the last few years, this is a different team… and they’re damn good.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
Is it just me, or is Charlie Batch good for one replacement win a year for an injured ‘Big Ben’? He played just about as well as you can expect a 3rd stringer to (minus one errant throw to Mike Wallace, wipe open in the back of the endzone, that looked like it was intended for the Concessions vendor selling popcorn five rows up in the stands). Batch’s Annual Miracle kept the Steelers playoff hopes alive, but it also exposed the Ravens. If they don’t get healthy soon, they have no chance of doing any damage come playoff time.
(Charlie Batch, seen embracing 'Big Ben' after the game, helped lead the Steelers to a big win over their division rival Ravens.
http://boringpittsburgh.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/charlie-batch-hugging-big-ben-roethlisberger-steelers.jpg)
Bengals 20, Chargers 13
The Bengals got a much needed win and kept themselves in decent shape to make a playoff run, even though it certainly wasn’t the dominant performance they would like. The Chargers are pretty bad, yet somehow always seem to lose close games. Maybe they aren’t as bad as we think, or the Bengals and Ravens are just worse than most thought. Right now, I’d lean towards that conclusion. Rivers is still a good quarterback, but he desperately needs a change of scenery. He looks like he simply doesn’t care in San Diego.
Browns 20, Raiders 17
This is one of those games where it might actually be better to lose. Neither has a hope of making the playoffs, and losing gives you a better spot in the draft. Obviously grown men playing for their jobs won’t lose on purpose, but this might be the best thing to happen to both teams. The Browns could use the confidence a few wins to end the season would give them, and the Raiders could really use a high draft pick.
Cowboys 38, Eagles 33
Honestly, I’m shocked it was this close. Dez Bryant finally played to his potential, and if he continues to do so the Cowboys will have a good shot. The Eagles have essentially thrown in the towel this season and, as shocking as it sounds, the ‘Boys are only a game out of the lead in the East. It will be an interesting four weeks to see who can claim the title between the ‘Boys, ‘Skins, and G-Men.
Monday Night Monster
Redskins 17, Giants 16
How did the Giants blow out the Packers then lose this one? I’m not sure, but it seems to fit their trend for both this season and the last couple. The Redskins have turned their franchise around quicker than almost anyone expected, largely thanks to RGIII. Will they be able to take the next step and unseat the reigning Super Bowl Champions from their throne atop the division? Only time will tell…
Thursday Night Rewind
Falcons 23, Saints 13
What happened here?! Maybe we were underrating the Falcons, because not only did they end Drew Brees’ streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass, they also picked him off five times! FIVE TIMES!! How many teams can claim to have their QB throw five picks in on game, then pick off the opposing QB five times in another game in one season? Oh, and they won both games! Don’t be distracted by the fact that they’ve lost early in the playoffs the last few years, this is a different team… and they’re damn good.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
Thanksgiving Weekend Special!
As I write this, I am sitting in an airport terminal- not unlike many others have been or will be this Thanksgiving week. Unfortunately, my circumstances are slightly different than most. Has our flight been cancelled? Not exactly, but this fate may be even worse. Our flight, originally scheduled for 5:50pm, has been pushed back more times than Baylor’s pathetic defense- at this point, it would be hard for Kendrick Perkins not to score on us (and for anyone who has seen a Thunder game the last two years, that’s saying something). Making things worse, our connecting flight from San Francisco to Eugene, Oregon has also been fluctuating departure times. Luckily, as of right now, the powers that be are fighting back- our flight has been bumped up to 9:30pm (it was set for 11pm as recently as fifteen minutes ago) and the flight from S.F. to Eugene has been moved back- hopefully allowing us to make the connection. Could this be a San Francisco “Giant”-sized comeback? Only time will tell (but I don’t see any Reds or Cardinals getting in our way either). In the meantime, I needed to find something to help me relax, hope, and pray in quiet. So here I sit, in a deserted airport terminal doing the only thing I could think to do in a situation like this- talk about sports!
(The empty terminal I sat in while writing this column)
This won’t be a column about a specific event or game or even sports- it will simply be a musing of my sports thought from the last exciting week.
(The empty terminal I sat in while writing this column)
This won’t be a column about a specific event or game or even sports- it will simply be a musing of my sports thought from the last exciting week.
What a Weekend in Westwood!
I’ll start with the best weekend UCLA has had this millennium. And yes, it was unquestionably the best weekend for the Bruins since the turn of the century. Upsetting top-ranked USC in ’06? Nope. Three straight Final Fours? Not quite. This past weekend was the best weekend of the 2000s in Westwood for one sole reason- it had an impact today AND for the future. Let’s start Thursday night, with the Beat ‘SC bonfire (which I, admittedly, did not attend). This is an annual tradition before the big rivalry game against USC. However, this year was different. These are many of the same players that got embarrassed last year in the Coliseum to the same USC squad; but they didn’t look like it before this game. They were ranked higher, yes, but most people still questioned their ability to compete with their ‘big brother’ Trojans. At the bonfire and around campus, starting with new coach Jim Mora, the entire team just gave off an aura that made it seem like not only did they think they could win- they thought they SHOULD win. And THAT- for anyone who has played sports- is a huge difference. Yes, the saying goes Any Given Sunday, but it takes a team that believes that this is their Sunday to actually pull it off (especially in a rivalry game). After the bonfire, the players and coaches had the entire city of Westwood giddy to see what would happen Saturday afternoon…
Shortly after the bonfire was lit, across campus in the beautiful brand-new Pauley Pavilion the baby Bruins (and I say baby Bruins because they are so young) were getting set to tip off against the unheard-of group from James Madison. They were supposed to win this game, but coming off of an OT victory over tiny UC-Irvine many people (and even a fair amount of ever-optimistic students) were worried that this UCLA team wasn’t quite ready to be compared to past great team to play on the legendary Wooden Court. However, a dominant display quickly made everyone forget about Tuesday night’s squeaker (highlight-reel dunks from Norman Powell and lights-out shooting from Jordan Adams can help do that). Needless to say, Thursday night ended with a lot of anticipation in Westwood…
Friday was supposed to be a down day before the big showdown at the Rose Bowl- but then something magnificent happened. After much questioning and investigation- as well as calls for his “freeing” from students and celebrities alike- UCLA prized recruit Shabazz Muhammad was cleared by the NCAA to join his fellow baby Bruins on the court- immediately! The consensus top-2 recruit in the nation- and highest ranked recruit UCLA has had in years- would finally be suiting up in Blue & Gold. What a magical way to kick off rivalry weekend! Muhammad wasn’t just a scoring machine in high school (and he was), but he brought everything UCLA seemed to be missing- firepower, hustle, work ethic, and most importantly leadership (from a freshman!). He would allow Kyle Anderson to play the distributing style of game that earned him a top-5 recruit ranking instead of having to carry a scoring load, he’d free up Jordan Adams to get more open looks from deep (as if he needed anymore, after becoming the first freshman in UCLA’s storied history to score 20+ points in his first four games), and he’d space the floor to open it up inside for the Ware twins, big Josh Smith (who actually seemed to be hustling this season for a change), and the last of the prized freshmen recruits Tony Parker. Obviously this team would not fall into place overnight, but that is sure how it felt once the calls to ‘Free Shabazz’ were finally heard…
Waking up the next morning was a little ominous, as the forecast for rain cast some doubt over the UCLA-USC game at noon. Which team would the rain hurt more? Would the Trojan faithful use the weather as an excuse should they lose? Many questions abound before the game even kicked off. But then the game did kick off, and all the questions went out the window. Without a drop of rain falling yet, on the first play from scrimmage Matt Barkley dropped back and looked for his favorite target, sophomore sensation Marquis Lee. Instead of finding him, however, the ball sailed right into the arms of ‘Sticks’- the nickname for UCLA’s lanky DB Sheldon Price. Sticks had a shot to take it to the house, but stumbled for seemingly no reason. Not to worry, however, because Freshman phenom QB Brett Hundley would punch it in from a yard out just a few plays later. 7-0 Bruins, and they never looked back from there. They attacked early, building a 24-0 lead in the first half that they would never lose. USC had to play catch-up the rest of the way, and it took a bizarre defensive touchdown due to the pouring rain at the start of the second half for the Trojans to even get within one possession again. This wasn’t an upset where everything went right for the Bruins (a la 2006). If anything, things seemed to keep giving USC life and Mora’s squad kept overcoming the obstacles. That fluke defensive touchdown could have started a meltdown, instead the Bruins marched right back down the field and extended the lead. Throughout the second half, the rain seemed to pour when the Bruins had the ball and then miraculously come to a halt just long enough for the Trojans’ next possession (I’m not kidding- it was freaky. I know Lane Kiffin likes to cheat, but can he control the weather too?! Deflating balls is one thing, but stopping the rain?!). Still, the Bruins came out victorious (and watching the ‘proud’ Trojan fans- to put it nicely- sulk out of the stadium made up for years of torment). The best thing about the victory- this didn’t feel like an upset. It felt like it was supposed to happen; and with Mora at the helm these kinds of wins may just become the norm in Westwood…
(Jim Mora has led one of the biggest turn-arounds in the country at UCLA, culminating in a 38-28 victory over rival USC
http://www.fancloud.com/rumors/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/uspw_6757390-640x504.jpg)
Nothing that could happen in the following days, weeks, or months could take away these feelings Bruin fans shared- Shabazz was free and Bruin basketball was back, the monopoly of L.A. football was officially over (Neuheisel just got his dates confused when he proclaimed so in ‘08), and things were as good as they’d ever been in Westwood.
Shortly after the bonfire was lit, across campus in the beautiful brand-new Pauley Pavilion the baby Bruins (and I say baby Bruins because they are so young) were getting set to tip off against the unheard-of group from James Madison. They were supposed to win this game, but coming off of an OT victory over tiny UC-Irvine many people (and even a fair amount of ever-optimistic students) were worried that this UCLA team wasn’t quite ready to be compared to past great team to play on the legendary Wooden Court. However, a dominant display quickly made everyone forget about Tuesday night’s squeaker (highlight-reel dunks from Norman Powell and lights-out shooting from Jordan Adams can help do that). Needless to say, Thursday night ended with a lot of anticipation in Westwood…
Friday was supposed to be a down day before the big showdown at the Rose Bowl- but then something magnificent happened. After much questioning and investigation- as well as calls for his “freeing” from students and celebrities alike- UCLA prized recruit Shabazz Muhammad was cleared by the NCAA to join his fellow baby Bruins on the court- immediately! The consensus top-2 recruit in the nation- and highest ranked recruit UCLA has had in years- would finally be suiting up in Blue & Gold. What a magical way to kick off rivalry weekend! Muhammad wasn’t just a scoring machine in high school (and he was), but he brought everything UCLA seemed to be missing- firepower, hustle, work ethic, and most importantly leadership (from a freshman!). He would allow Kyle Anderson to play the distributing style of game that earned him a top-5 recruit ranking instead of having to carry a scoring load, he’d free up Jordan Adams to get more open looks from deep (as if he needed anymore, after becoming the first freshman in UCLA’s storied history to score 20+ points in his first four games), and he’d space the floor to open it up inside for the Ware twins, big Josh Smith (who actually seemed to be hustling this season for a change), and the last of the prized freshmen recruits Tony Parker. Obviously this team would not fall into place overnight, but that is sure how it felt once the calls to ‘Free Shabazz’ were finally heard…
Waking up the next morning was a little ominous, as the forecast for rain cast some doubt over the UCLA-USC game at noon. Which team would the rain hurt more? Would the Trojan faithful use the weather as an excuse should they lose? Many questions abound before the game even kicked off. But then the game did kick off, and all the questions went out the window. Without a drop of rain falling yet, on the first play from scrimmage Matt Barkley dropped back and looked for his favorite target, sophomore sensation Marquis Lee. Instead of finding him, however, the ball sailed right into the arms of ‘Sticks’- the nickname for UCLA’s lanky DB Sheldon Price. Sticks had a shot to take it to the house, but stumbled for seemingly no reason. Not to worry, however, because Freshman phenom QB Brett Hundley would punch it in from a yard out just a few plays later. 7-0 Bruins, and they never looked back from there. They attacked early, building a 24-0 lead in the first half that they would never lose. USC had to play catch-up the rest of the way, and it took a bizarre defensive touchdown due to the pouring rain at the start of the second half for the Trojans to even get within one possession again. This wasn’t an upset where everything went right for the Bruins (a la 2006). If anything, things seemed to keep giving USC life and Mora’s squad kept overcoming the obstacles. That fluke defensive touchdown could have started a meltdown, instead the Bruins marched right back down the field and extended the lead. Throughout the second half, the rain seemed to pour when the Bruins had the ball and then miraculously come to a halt just long enough for the Trojans’ next possession (I’m not kidding- it was freaky. I know Lane Kiffin likes to cheat, but can he control the weather too?! Deflating balls is one thing, but stopping the rain?!). Still, the Bruins came out victorious (and watching the ‘proud’ Trojan fans- to put it nicely- sulk out of the stadium made up for years of torment). The best thing about the victory- this didn’t feel like an upset. It felt like it was supposed to happen; and with Mora at the helm these kinds of wins may just become the norm in Westwood…
(Jim Mora has led one of the biggest turn-arounds in the country at UCLA, culminating in a 38-28 victory over rival USC
http://www.fancloud.com/rumors/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/uspw_6757390-640x504.jpg)
Nothing that could happen in the following days, weeks, or months could take away these feelings Bruin fans shared- Shabazz was free and Bruin basketball was back, the monopoly of L.A. football was officially over (Neuheisel just got his dates confused when he proclaimed so in ‘08), and things were as good as they’d ever been in Westwood.
Congrats to who?/Shame on you
In a new segment, I’ll be dolling out congratulations to those who deserve it (often the unsung or previously unheard-of heroes of the week) while casting shame on those who disappointed despite their big names and fame.
Congrats to who? UCLA Football Fans- For years, the Bruin faithful have been a laughing stock of-sorts for their inability to fill up the Rose Bowl and quietness during games- making the Bruins lack a true home field advantage. But this weekend was different. From the first pick Barkley threw to the blocked kicked to seal the game, the Rose Bowl was a rockin’. I’ve been to many games in the Rose Bowl, both UCLA home games and actual Rose Bowl games (Oklahoma-Wazzu, Michigan-Texas, Wisconsin-TCU, and Wisconsin-Oregon just last year), and this Saturday against USC was arguably the most packed and loudest I have ever heard the place. The only game that comes close is the Michigan-Texas Rose Bowl game, when Vince Young put on a one-man show; which would set the stage for his encore a year later against USC in the National Championship. That one was deafeningly loud in the fourth quarter, but that was because of how close the game was and the incredible plays being made by Young, Braylon Edwards, and others. For an entire game, last Saturday was at a level Bruin fans should strive to reach every weekend if they want to be on the level of the Alabama’s and Oregon’s of the world.
(UCLA fans finally showed up and got the Rose Bowl rockin' against USC. Even the rain wasn't going to keep the Bruins from celebrating their first victory over their rivals since 2006.)
Shame on you Alejandro Maldonado, Kicker, Oregon- It’s hard to single out one player as the reason for a team’s loss, but when you miss two crucial field goals two years in a row that cost your team a shot at a National Title you’re going to hear about it. Poor kid must be hearing that ‘clank’ of the ball hitting the goalpost in his nightmares, but I’m sure the rest of his teammates and coaches are too- not to mention the fans.
Congrats to who? Baylor Bears- What a performance! Robert Griffin III resurrected this program with his unforgettable play the last few years, but they’re fairing just fine without him. The offense is a juggernaut, their problem is they haven’t been able to stop a pee-wee team so far this year. That all changed Saturday, as the defensive coordinator deserves a ton of praise for coming up with a game plan to slow down dual-threat QB Colin Klein and the #1 Kansas State Wildcats. They didn’t just upset the ‘Cats, they embarrassed them- blowing them out and spoiling their ‘One Shining Moment’ atop the BCS.
Congrats to who? UCLA Football Fans- For years, the Bruin faithful have been a laughing stock of-sorts for their inability to fill up the Rose Bowl and quietness during games- making the Bruins lack a true home field advantage. But this weekend was different. From the first pick Barkley threw to the blocked kicked to seal the game, the Rose Bowl was a rockin’. I’ve been to many games in the Rose Bowl, both UCLA home games and actual Rose Bowl games (Oklahoma-Wazzu, Michigan-Texas, Wisconsin-TCU, and Wisconsin-Oregon just last year), and this Saturday against USC was arguably the most packed and loudest I have ever heard the place. The only game that comes close is the Michigan-Texas Rose Bowl game, when Vince Young put on a one-man show; which would set the stage for his encore a year later against USC in the National Championship. That one was deafeningly loud in the fourth quarter, but that was because of how close the game was and the incredible plays being made by Young, Braylon Edwards, and others. For an entire game, last Saturday was at a level Bruin fans should strive to reach every weekend if they want to be on the level of the Alabama’s and Oregon’s of the world.
(UCLA fans finally showed up and got the Rose Bowl rockin' against USC. Even the rain wasn't going to keep the Bruins from celebrating their first victory over their rivals since 2006.)
Shame on you Alejandro Maldonado, Kicker, Oregon- It’s hard to single out one player as the reason for a team’s loss, but when you miss two crucial field goals two years in a row that cost your team a shot at a National Title you’re going to hear about it. Poor kid must be hearing that ‘clank’ of the ball hitting the goalpost in his nightmares, but I’m sure the rest of his teammates and coaches are too- not to mention the fans.
Congrats to who? Baylor Bears- What a performance! Robert Griffin III resurrected this program with his unforgettable play the last few years, but they’re fairing just fine without him. The offense is a juggernaut, their problem is they haven’t been able to stop a pee-wee team so far this year. That all changed Saturday, as the defensive coordinator deserves a ton of praise for coming up with a game plan to slow down dual-threat QB Colin Klein and the #1 Kansas State Wildcats. They didn’t just upset the ‘Cats, they embarrassed them- blowing them out and spoiling their ‘One Shining Moment’ atop the BCS.
More Congrats, and Plenty More Shame
Shame on you Chip Kelly, Head Coach, Oregon- Was it his fault his Ducks lost in overtime to the Cardinal (by the way, when the hell are they going to fix that mascot? A color as your team name is pretty bad, but having your mascot be a dancing tree is just plain embarrassing)? Of course not, he’s a football genius and has done so much to have Oregon even in the position they were in. However, you’d think with all those great athletes they’ve been able to recruit that they could find a slot on the team for a half-decent kicker. It must be heart-breaking to know a position so often taken for granted has cost you a spot in the National Championship game in back-to-back years. After that, I wouldn’t be surprised if he signs three kickers to his next recruiting class- and frankly, I wouldn’t blame him.
Congrats to who? Colin Kapernick, Quarterback, ‘Niners- Wow! Did you see this kid play Monday night? Oh, and that was the vaunted Bears defense out there, not the University of Hawaii anymore. He’s come a long way since he was tearing WAC opponents up out of the pistol at Nevada. The dirty secret about this kid that no one seemed to know was he can freaking throw the ball! He was dropping deep corner routes on the dime like Justin Verlander pitching against little-leaguers- the defense didn’t even have a chance to stop it. So you’re telling me this whole time the ‘Niners have had a fast, athletic quarterback they’ve been saving for designed run plays who can actually throw it better than their starter, they just haven’t wanted to show everyone how good he is yet? Uh-oh. The rest of the NFL better watch out- if that defense gets a playmaker like that a QB the ‘Niners are going to be terrifying. The rest of the league, you’ve just been put on notice.
Shame on you Matt Ryan, Quarterback, Falcons- Has a player ever went from MVP front-runner to not even in consideration as fast as Ryan just did? After looking mostly amazing through the first eight games of the season, Ryan and his Falcons lost their unbeaten record last week. How’d they bounce back this week? They saw their QB throw five picks against the struggling Cardinals (now there’s an understatement). That wasn’t a typo, by the way- he really threw 5 picks!! To put it in perspective, a quarterback hasn’t thrown 5 interceptions in a game without a touchdown pass and won in over 50 years! Now you could say it shows the character of the team that they still managed to pull out the victory, but that would be like saying the glass is half full and loaded with nutrient when, in fact, it’s just a bottle someone pissed in on the car ride. Getting the victory had nothing to do with the Falcons and everything to do with the incompetence of Cardinal quarterbacks.
Congrats to who? Aqib Talib, Cornerback, Patriots- Well that’s one way to get your new home fans to like you- just pick off rookie sensation Andrew Luck and run it all the way back for a pick-six. If he does nothing more the rest of the year, he still may be the best DB on the Patriots this season. The Pats’ secondary has been atrocious, and adding a player of Talib’s skill and athleticism was a much-needed upgrade (although he comes with a ton of off-the-field questions; but for the Pats this season, he was worth the gamble).
Shame on you Georgia, Florida, and Alabama- Georgia Southern? Jacksonville State? Really? These are the teams you schedule while Oregon is out battling Stanford and K-State has to face Baylor? I know the others faced their cupcakes too, just earlier in the schedule. But still, it seems unfair that they get the week off essentially while the other top teams face their toughest tests.
Congrats to who? Jack Taylor, Shooting Guard, Grinnell College- The shooting guard from Grinnell College (Division III) set the NCAA record Tuesday night with 138 points in a win over Faith Baptist Bible. You read that right, he had 138 points!!! What’s even more incredible is that he hadn’t been that high of a scorer coming into the game. Somehow, he amassed an incredible stat-line that included shooting 52 for 108 from the field (yes, he took 108 shots. I don’t understand how this is even possible, but it happened) and draining 27of 71 from long-range. This feat is mind-boggling in and of itself, but add to it the fact that he was just 6 for 34 from deep coming into the game and this seems like a script from a Hollywood movie- and I doubt any producers would find the story believable enough to even make it to the big screen. Oh, and he only made seven free throws on the night! One-hundred and thirty eight points and only seven on freebies? That deserves a huge CONGRATULATIONS!
(Would you believe me if I told you this kid scored the most points in a single game in NCAA history? Well believe it! He dropped 138 (yes, 138 points!) in a game earlier this week for Grinnell College in Iowa. http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2012/11/21/11-21-2012-jack-taylor3-3_4_r560.jpg?f061b7ce9937c38b702e6f308816ac2a14e2a4ec)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
Congrats to who? Colin Kapernick, Quarterback, ‘Niners- Wow! Did you see this kid play Monday night? Oh, and that was the vaunted Bears defense out there, not the University of Hawaii anymore. He’s come a long way since he was tearing WAC opponents up out of the pistol at Nevada. The dirty secret about this kid that no one seemed to know was he can freaking throw the ball! He was dropping deep corner routes on the dime like Justin Verlander pitching against little-leaguers- the defense didn’t even have a chance to stop it. So you’re telling me this whole time the ‘Niners have had a fast, athletic quarterback they’ve been saving for designed run plays who can actually throw it better than their starter, they just haven’t wanted to show everyone how good he is yet? Uh-oh. The rest of the NFL better watch out- if that defense gets a playmaker like that a QB the ‘Niners are going to be terrifying. The rest of the league, you’ve just been put on notice.
Shame on you Matt Ryan, Quarterback, Falcons- Has a player ever went from MVP front-runner to not even in consideration as fast as Ryan just did? After looking mostly amazing through the first eight games of the season, Ryan and his Falcons lost their unbeaten record last week. How’d they bounce back this week? They saw their QB throw five picks against the struggling Cardinals (now there’s an understatement). That wasn’t a typo, by the way- he really threw 5 picks!! To put it in perspective, a quarterback hasn’t thrown 5 interceptions in a game without a touchdown pass and won in over 50 years! Now you could say it shows the character of the team that they still managed to pull out the victory, but that would be like saying the glass is half full and loaded with nutrient when, in fact, it’s just a bottle someone pissed in on the car ride. Getting the victory had nothing to do with the Falcons and everything to do with the incompetence of Cardinal quarterbacks.
Congrats to who? Aqib Talib, Cornerback, Patriots- Well that’s one way to get your new home fans to like you- just pick off rookie sensation Andrew Luck and run it all the way back for a pick-six. If he does nothing more the rest of the year, he still may be the best DB on the Patriots this season. The Pats’ secondary has been atrocious, and adding a player of Talib’s skill and athleticism was a much-needed upgrade (although he comes with a ton of off-the-field questions; but for the Pats this season, he was worth the gamble).
Shame on you Georgia, Florida, and Alabama- Georgia Southern? Jacksonville State? Really? These are the teams you schedule while Oregon is out battling Stanford and K-State has to face Baylor? I know the others faced their cupcakes too, just earlier in the schedule. But still, it seems unfair that they get the week off essentially while the other top teams face their toughest tests.
Congrats to who? Jack Taylor, Shooting Guard, Grinnell College- The shooting guard from Grinnell College (Division III) set the NCAA record Tuesday night with 138 points in a win over Faith Baptist Bible. You read that right, he had 138 points!!! What’s even more incredible is that he hadn’t been that high of a scorer coming into the game. Somehow, he amassed an incredible stat-line that included shooting 52 for 108 from the field (yes, he took 108 shots. I don’t understand how this is even possible, but it happened) and draining 27of 71 from long-range. This feat is mind-boggling in and of itself, but add to it the fact that he was just 6 for 34 from deep coming into the game and this seems like a script from a Hollywood movie- and I doubt any producers would find the story believable enough to even make it to the big screen. Oh, and he only made seven free throws on the night! One-hundred and thirty eight points and only seven on freebies? That deserves a huge CONGRATULATIONS!
(Would you believe me if I told you this kid scored the most points in a single game in NCAA history? Well believe it! He dropped 138 (yes, 138 points!) in a game earlier this week for Grinnell College in Iowa. http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2012/11/21/11-21-2012-jack-taylor3-3_4_r560.jpg?f061b7ce9937c38b702e6f308816ac2a14e2a4ec)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
What Went Wrong IN Lakerland?
What happened to the Lakers’ front office? Weren’t they known as the league’s most brilliant group of manipulators (how else do you talk teams into Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown and a nice pile of crap)? Weren’t they the ones that refused to panic (even when Kobe demanded a trade they didn’t give in, then when Kobe demanded they trade for Jermaine O’Neil they still refused to rush into anything and ended up stealing Pau- imagine having O’Neil over Gasol now)? So what in the name of Mitch Kupchak just happened?!
Let’s start with the firing of coach Mike Brown… just five games into the season! No reasoning (short of Brown kicking the owner in the balls and spitting on him while he rolls around on the ground) is good enough to warrant a firing as fast as Kobe can jack up a fall-away jumper. Speaking of Kobe, what no one seems to realize is that this is all his fault!! Maybe I exaggerated things a bit there, but the Princeton offense was his idea! That’s right, the terrible offensive system, which was the main reasoning for Brown’s firing, was suggested to him by the one and only Kobe Bean Bryant; and let’s be honest, was he really going to say ‘no’ to Kobe? Still, the offense wasn’t even that bad! It didn’t look as aesthetically pleasing as the 6th-best offense in the league (it’s statistical ranking), but it certainly wasn’t bad. It was definitely an upgrade from last year’s offense of stand-around-and-wait-for-Kobe-to-do-something. In fact, Kobe had been playing as efficiently as ever in the Princeton system (Laker-haters were getting scared they wouldn’t be able to make Kobe jokes anymore). Add in Gasol being the perfect big man for the system and Howard being the perfect guy to catch lobs and the system actually looked like it could work. The biggest issue was what Nash would be doing, as he seemed to be wasting his talent standing around in the first two games. But don’t forget, Nash only played in one and a half games!! You’re telling me one of the all-time best point guards wouldn’t be able to figure out the offense and start running a few more pick-and-rolls by season’s end? Was this system perfect? No. But a firing this soon in the season is unheard of, and completely contrary to the Lakers’ tendency not to panic. However, Brown probably wasn’t the right hire a year ago anyway (he just didn’t fit with this team), so I can excuse them for this.
(Will Mike D'Antoni be able to lead these four superstars to a title? Only time will tell...http://cdn2.elitedaily.com/elite/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/elite-daily-mike-dantoni-lakers1.jpg)
The next puzzling move in this bizarre sequence was the hiring of Mike D’Antoni as the next Lakers head coach. Many (most?) Laker fans were extremely upset he was hired instead of that tall guy that used to coach in L.A.- what’s his name again? Oh well, I’ll figure it out by the time we get to him (By the way, was anyone else half-expecting Laker fans to riot in the streets? If they do it for winning why don’t they do it when things go bad, too?). However, as those fans who really follow the game of basketball know, D’Antoni may have been the perfect fit for this team. He has a link to most of their key players- he coached Dwight in the ’08 Olympics, was Kobe’s idol in the Italian League while Kobe was a kid in Italy, and everyone already knows how Nash flourished playing under him in Phoenix. D’Antoni’s offense will utilize the skills of all these players, plus those of Gasol- the perfect Euro big D’Antoni never had in Phoenix. Compare these Lakers to the best Suns teams, the ones that reached the Conference Finals and should have gone further: Nash is on both teams, so that’s a wash. In the backcourt with him you replace Joe Johnson with Kobe Bryant- like trading in a Honda Civic for a Ferrari. Shawn Marion gets switched out for Metta World Peace- a pretty fair trade seeing as both are strong, powerful small forwards who are elite defenders. Then change out Boris Diaw and slide Pau Gasol into the power forward spot- yea, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that’s an improvement. Finally, if you thought Amare was good playing with Nash in D’Antoni’s system, just wait until you see what Dwight Howard can do- it may actually be unfair. Seriously, Stern needs to make a rule against this (and I wouldn’t be surprised if he did, either). Even though he may not have been the most popular choice, the X’s and O’s work out with D’Antoni at the helm and they should still be able to compete for a championship, so I can excuse them for this, too.
What makes the D’Antoni hire so disappointing for Laker fans is the possibility of who they could have had. I still can’t remember his name, let me look this up… That’s right, it was Phil Jackson! Now, everyone needs to realize one thing- Phil’s system was not the perfect fit for this team. In the Triangle, Nash would end up becoming a spot up shooter and many of the same problems that arose in the Princeton offense would arise in the Triangle. But, the Triangle isn’t what makes Phil so great- he does so much more than just X’s and O’s. With so many egos on one team [and if you think a team with Howard (couldn’t choose what he wants for breakfast), Kobe (fiery competitor), Pau (softer than a baby’s bottom), Nash (used to the ball in his hands 24/7), and Metta (throwing elbows and thanking his therapist) won’t run into some chemistry problems then you’re as crazy as World Peace], Phil would have been the perfect fit. He is arguably the best coach ever anyway, but it is inarguable that he is the best coach at meshing personalities together on championship teams. Just look at his track record: in Chicago, he brought Jordan (an insane competitor- so much so that he made many teammates hate playing with him) and Pippen together with players like Dennis Rodman (everyone knows about how crazy this guy was) and Toni Kukoc (a player that Jordan and Pippen despised so much before he came from overseas that they tortured him in the ’92 Olympics) to win six championships. Then in L.A. he got Kobe and Shaq to get along long enough to win three championships in a row (and as soon as that was over we all found out how hard that must have been), and did so again with Kobe (the craziest competitor since Jordan), Gasol (a soft and sensitive personality), Bynum (who acts like a moody 5-year old), and Artest (a guy who once tried to fight an entire arena full of people) to win two more. There is a reason he is called the Zen Master. D’Antoni may have the better on-court system, but he can’t compare to all the little things Jackson could do to turn this team into champions (here’s how I know Jackson was the right guy for the job: Laker-haters were terrified of having Phil back on the Lakers sidelines. If a guy inspires fear in opponents, that’s usually a good sign for your team). Phil was the right guy for the job; that is almost inarguable.
More important than the fact that they made the wrong decision was how they went about it. This was a man that has raised five championship banners for you- this is how you treat him? He already came out of retirement to save your asses once- and ended up winning two more championships. Now he was willing to do it again and you lead him on then screw him over? Good luck ever getting help from him again. The most interesting dynamic in play here, I believe, is who Phil Jackson is dating- that would be Jeanie Buss, daughter of former owner Jerry Buss and sister of current owner Jim Buss. How awkward is that Thanksgiving dinner going to be?
In the end, the intentions of the front office were excusable, how they went about executing their plan was not.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!
Let’s start with the firing of coach Mike Brown… just five games into the season! No reasoning (short of Brown kicking the owner in the balls and spitting on him while he rolls around on the ground) is good enough to warrant a firing as fast as Kobe can jack up a fall-away jumper. Speaking of Kobe, what no one seems to realize is that this is all his fault!! Maybe I exaggerated things a bit there, but the Princeton offense was his idea! That’s right, the terrible offensive system, which was the main reasoning for Brown’s firing, was suggested to him by the one and only Kobe Bean Bryant; and let’s be honest, was he really going to say ‘no’ to Kobe? Still, the offense wasn’t even that bad! It didn’t look as aesthetically pleasing as the 6th-best offense in the league (it’s statistical ranking), but it certainly wasn’t bad. It was definitely an upgrade from last year’s offense of stand-around-and-wait-for-Kobe-to-do-something. In fact, Kobe had been playing as efficiently as ever in the Princeton system (Laker-haters were getting scared they wouldn’t be able to make Kobe jokes anymore). Add in Gasol being the perfect big man for the system and Howard being the perfect guy to catch lobs and the system actually looked like it could work. The biggest issue was what Nash would be doing, as he seemed to be wasting his talent standing around in the first two games. But don’t forget, Nash only played in one and a half games!! You’re telling me one of the all-time best point guards wouldn’t be able to figure out the offense and start running a few more pick-and-rolls by season’s end? Was this system perfect? No. But a firing this soon in the season is unheard of, and completely contrary to the Lakers’ tendency not to panic. However, Brown probably wasn’t the right hire a year ago anyway (he just didn’t fit with this team), so I can excuse them for this.
(Will Mike D'Antoni be able to lead these four superstars to a title? Only time will tell...http://cdn2.elitedaily.com/elite/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/elite-daily-mike-dantoni-lakers1.jpg)
The next puzzling move in this bizarre sequence was the hiring of Mike D’Antoni as the next Lakers head coach. Many (most?) Laker fans were extremely upset he was hired instead of that tall guy that used to coach in L.A.- what’s his name again? Oh well, I’ll figure it out by the time we get to him (By the way, was anyone else half-expecting Laker fans to riot in the streets? If they do it for winning why don’t they do it when things go bad, too?). However, as those fans who really follow the game of basketball know, D’Antoni may have been the perfect fit for this team. He has a link to most of their key players- he coached Dwight in the ’08 Olympics, was Kobe’s idol in the Italian League while Kobe was a kid in Italy, and everyone already knows how Nash flourished playing under him in Phoenix. D’Antoni’s offense will utilize the skills of all these players, plus those of Gasol- the perfect Euro big D’Antoni never had in Phoenix. Compare these Lakers to the best Suns teams, the ones that reached the Conference Finals and should have gone further: Nash is on both teams, so that’s a wash. In the backcourt with him you replace Joe Johnson with Kobe Bryant- like trading in a Honda Civic for a Ferrari. Shawn Marion gets switched out for Metta World Peace- a pretty fair trade seeing as both are strong, powerful small forwards who are elite defenders. Then change out Boris Diaw and slide Pau Gasol into the power forward spot- yea, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that’s an improvement. Finally, if you thought Amare was good playing with Nash in D’Antoni’s system, just wait until you see what Dwight Howard can do- it may actually be unfair. Seriously, Stern needs to make a rule against this (and I wouldn’t be surprised if he did, either). Even though he may not have been the most popular choice, the X’s and O’s work out with D’Antoni at the helm and they should still be able to compete for a championship, so I can excuse them for this, too.
What makes the D’Antoni hire so disappointing for Laker fans is the possibility of who they could have had. I still can’t remember his name, let me look this up… That’s right, it was Phil Jackson! Now, everyone needs to realize one thing- Phil’s system was not the perfect fit for this team. In the Triangle, Nash would end up becoming a spot up shooter and many of the same problems that arose in the Princeton offense would arise in the Triangle. But, the Triangle isn’t what makes Phil so great- he does so much more than just X’s and O’s. With so many egos on one team [and if you think a team with Howard (couldn’t choose what he wants for breakfast), Kobe (fiery competitor), Pau (softer than a baby’s bottom), Nash (used to the ball in his hands 24/7), and Metta (throwing elbows and thanking his therapist) won’t run into some chemistry problems then you’re as crazy as World Peace], Phil would have been the perfect fit. He is arguably the best coach ever anyway, but it is inarguable that he is the best coach at meshing personalities together on championship teams. Just look at his track record: in Chicago, he brought Jordan (an insane competitor- so much so that he made many teammates hate playing with him) and Pippen together with players like Dennis Rodman (everyone knows about how crazy this guy was) and Toni Kukoc (a player that Jordan and Pippen despised so much before he came from overseas that they tortured him in the ’92 Olympics) to win six championships. Then in L.A. he got Kobe and Shaq to get along long enough to win three championships in a row (and as soon as that was over we all found out how hard that must have been), and did so again with Kobe (the craziest competitor since Jordan), Gasol (a soft and sensitive personality), Bynum (who acts like a moody 5-year old), and Artest (a guy who once tried to fight an entire arena full of people) to win two more. There is a reason he is called the Zen Master. D’Antoni may have the better on-court system, but he can’t compare to all the little things Jackson could do to turn this team into champions (here’s how I know Jackson was the right guy for the job: Laker-haters were terrified of having Phil back on the Lakers sidelines. If a guy inspires fear in opponents, that’s usually a good sign for your team). Phil was the right guy for the job; that is almost inarguable.
More important than the fact that they made the wrong decision was how they went about it. This was a man that has raised five championship banners for you- this is how you treat him? He already came out of retirement to save your asses once- and ended up winning two more championships. Now he was willing to do it again and you lead him on then screw him over? Good luck ever getting help from him again. The most interesting dynamic in play here, I believe, is who Phil Jackson is dating- that would be Jeanie Buss, daughter of former owner Jerry Buss and sister of current owner Jim Buss. How awkward is that Thanksgiving dinner going to be?
In the end, the intentions of the front office were excusable, how they went about executing their plan was not.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you enjoyed reading! If you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions on how to improve the column or any other topic feel free to contact me at my email address [email protected], on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/adam.colman.9 or on Twitter @AdamRColman.
Thanks for the support!