Ozzie being Ozzie!

I am a Cubs fan, so by default I hate Ozzie Guillen. He is loud, crude, and highly critical of Cubs fans. In fact most of the things he says go down in my book as the worthless meanderings of a man who talks too much. But if you spend that much time talking you are bound to say something that makes sense. Believe it or not Ozzie says something worth listening to every now and again, but hey even a broken clock is right twice a day. So what wisdom did this ridiculous big mouth bestow upon us this time. I will tell you!

If you haven't heard recently retired slugger, Sammy Sosa, tested positive for steroids during the anonymous test in 2003. Like the name of Alex Rodriguez, Sosa's name was leaked from this confidential list of players that tested positive during this test. Now I know that I, and most baseball fans I talked to, where not surprised by this revelation. Sosa was on that list of players with Bonds and McGwire, that we kinda figured was doing steroids.

Since this news broke Sosa has yet to deliver a statement. This is where Ozzie Guillen comes in. Ozzie was a teammate of Sosa's with the White Sox in 1989-90. He said that he hopes Sosa comes clean if the allegations are true. Guillen agrees with the rest of people who know sports saying, "some people are very heartbroken" but he finishes his quote by saying "..... admit it if you are guilty. People will forgive you. But when you admit it, [say it] like you mean it." This is such simple advice, but athletes just don't seem to get it. We as sports fans, especially now, are tired of the steroid nonsense and all we want to hear is that you did it and that you are sorry. You won't hear this very often but Ozzie was right.

The majority of the time Ozzie talks I wish he would shut up. But if he did we wouldn't hear the couple of things that he hits right on the head. Live like no one is watching, and selectively listen to Ozzie Guillen!

Positive? Feedback....

I am not great at taking criticism. It actually makes me angry. But when you are as creative with words as one of my readers, I have to think of it as positive. So here is the email that spawned this blog!

Hey nate. (that's me) I cannot believe you even wasted a fucking paragraph for soccer! You have now mentioned the dumbass confederation cup in two straight blogs. Please do not tell me you are turning into a soccer ###! (that was a homophobic word and I will not post it) I have heard you say what pussies soccer players are now you are writing about it! If i have to read another word about fucking soccer I will puke! I am so pissed right now I cant see straight! I would much rather you write about Brett fucking Farve!

First of all thank you for reading. I am uber impressed that my writing evokes such passion. It is a dream of mine to reach not only the minds and hearts of sports fans but also the gag reflexes. Now with all that said here is some more soccer news!

Later today the United States soccer is team is taking on Brazil in the finals of the Confederation Cup. If you haven't heard America barely advanced past the first round after some strange occurrences due to goal differential. I am not sure what that means but I know that the American team got to the semi-finals and we were to play the number one team in the world, Spain. The Americans put together a gutsy performance. They attacked the goal every chance they got and threw their bodies all over the pitch (that's right that is a soccer word for field) on defense. We beat Spain 2-0. Our opponent in the final is Brazil. They have been dominant throughout the tournament. Brazil even beat America in the first round 3-o. But that was a different American team than we saw against Spain.

The styles of the two teams couldn't be more different. America is a gutsy team, mixed with scrappy veterans like Landon Donovan and high energy young guys like 19 year old Jozy Altidore. When they play at their best they are all over the place, running down loose balls, and out hustling their opponents. Brazil is a very fast athletic team. They are led by international superstar striker, KaKa. The most dangerous part about Brazil is that they are not only scoring by being faster and better than the other team, they have also figured out how to run set plays. This could prove to be a big problem for America, because Brazil is more athletic at almost every position. Tim Howard, American goalkeeper, will have to be prepared because he will be facing a barrage of Brazilian strikes.

I will be watching the game tomorrow surrounded by Brazilians. But I will be rooting my ass off for America. To the soccer critics, shut up. This isn't about soccer. It is about my love for American teams in international competition! Baseball sucks right now, and most of the time, and NASCAR is boring for me. So yes to me there is nothing better to do right now than to root for America's soccer team. But once again thanks for reading buddy, and I hope you don't throw up. Live like no one is watching and always keep an open mind!

Really, weed?

I understand drug testing, really I do. I like the fact that all the major sports organizations try to keep the game clean of performance enhancers, but weed really. The only thing I have ever seen marijuana do is inspire people to get more Funyans. I don't care if my neighbor smokes pot much less the catcher for the Chicago Cubs. But of course I got to hear about it on every sports show today.

If you do not know the story, here it is. Chicago Cubs catcher, Geovany Soto, tested positive for marijuana during the World Baseball Classic back in March. They test every athlete for the Classic, and a few have come under scrutiny for some positive tests. Other than Soto, Sidney Ponson of the Kansas City Royals tested positive for a stimulant. the stimulant happened to be an over the counter weight loss drug, that Ponson had made all parties involved that he was taking. As for MLB it looks like neither of the athletes are going to serve suspensions for the infractions as they are first time offenders. But in Soto's case I know he must miss two years of international play for smoking a doobie!

I have two favorite parts of this story. My first favorite part of this story is the very eloquent apology that Soto issued. Now i know that these guys don't speak for themselves, they have publicists and speech writers that write statements for them. But it wasn't just the fantastically written statement, but the words that were being said. He owned up to every bit of it, saying he was "embarrassed", and letting his family and fans know this was an "isolated incident" and a "lapse of judgement". I can't speak for the fact that it was an isolated incident, but that does sound like the very thing I would say if my dad caught me smoking weed. "Yeah Pops, it's my first time." But the fun doesn't stop there. Lou Piniella, the Cubs skipper, also commented on the incident today, and as always Sweet Lou was fantastic! Lou blew the whole thing off as no big deal even adding "Look I have smoked dope one time in my lifetime." This is exactly why Lou should always be miked for sound.

I have no problem with any athlete smoking pot as long as they own up when the authorities come calling. I believe everyone has smoked a little dope in their day and I am firm advocate for it's legalization. But if you do get caught, own it like Soto did. And if someone you know gets caught, own it like Piniella did. And if your not willing to do either, you will be skipped in the rotation. Live like no one is watching, and put the bong down and get some work done!

America Gets it done!

I am dining on my own crow at this very moment, and it tastes fantastic! I just finished watching the USA soccer team out hustle Spain to advance to the finals of Confederation Cup. I can't say that I am surprised by the outcome, not because I expected America to win, but because after watching the game it couldn't have turned out any other way! Now I am constantly bashing soccer, but I do recognize that it is the biggest sport in the world. If every American could've seen the game today, they might have a better respect for soccer. I am constantly blasting soccer players for flopping and being pansies, but today the American team was gritty. They were flying around everywhere and doing what they had to do to get a win today. That is what any sport is all about. And Landon Donovan played so mistake free today it was close to perfect! So this was just a quick shout out. Congratulations guys. And I can not wait until Sunday. Live like no one is watching and it is your patriotic duty, watch the finals on Sunday!

What did I miss?

I owe a major league apology to all my faithful reader. My internet was down and I have missed some major happenings around the sports world. I am very appreciative to all the texts and in-bar conversations that went on but for those of you who simply read my blog I am truly sorry. I will provide a quick rundown of the few things I missed before I address something that is really irking my tater. This one will be a long one so bear with me!

First of all i would like to provide a quick rundown of some of the very important sports stories I missed. The first and most glaring is the Lakers' win in the NBA championship. Everyone is well aware of my Kobe hatred that usually carries over to the whole Laker team. I was proud of Phil Jackson for setting a record with his 10th NBA championship as a coach. But that is about as far as it goes. The Magic looked horrible and the series itself was pretty much garbage. At the same time that the NBA was flopping, the NHL got its name, at least temporarily, on the map. The NHL championship went seven games and was full of excitement. The best part for the NHL is that their golden boy, Sidney Crosby, won a Stanley Cup. This is great for the NHL. It is the equivalent of Lebron James winning an NBA title. Now we move on to the NFL. Donte Stalworth of the Cleveland Browns was sentenced 30 days in jail and tons of other stuff for killing a man while driving drunk. The judge imposed a "light sentence" due to the remorse shown by Stalworth, as well as the fact that he had no prior record. The family of the victim agreed to the sentence after reaching a financial settlement with the defendant. I am ok with the sentence and the way the case was handled. Stalworth stepped up and took responsibility from the get-go. He has lost his NFL opportunity for who knows how long, and he has to live with the fact that his irresponsibility contributed to the death of another human being. The craziest part of this is that it wasn't celebrity status that got Stalworth a lighter sentence, it was money, and anybody with the financial opportunities that Stalworth has, would've been treated the same. More recently in golf we watched the U.S. Open. It was relatively forgettable. Other than the story and play of Phil Mickelson, everything about this U.S. Open was boring. The weather created sloppy play and delays. Phil made a valiant effort but fell short. The tourney was won by Lucas Glover. Yeah I don't know who he is either. And finally there is soccer. Please don't stop reading. The United States soccer team advanced to the semi-finals in the Confederation Cup on something called goal differential. I don't understand how it really works. All I know is that America is playing Spain in the semi-finals and will have to play more consistently to even make a good showing. I left out a few notable sports stories, like Brett Farve and Sammy Sosa. I am so over the Farve story. And the fact that Sammy Sosa tested positive for steroids surprised no one.

Now on to the story of the day. Jim Brown criticized both Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan for their apparent lack of activism. Now I respect Jim Brown for the things he had done on behalf of the African American community, but to be an activist is his choice. Whether Tiger and Jordan do things for society is irrelevant. Just because they are black men with money and stature doesn't mean they have to champion a cause. They did not get where they are because they are black, so it shouldn't be an issue. They should encourage hard work and dedication, but they shouldn't have to intend that message for any certain group. And if this is the case for these two athletes why are we not challenging more white athletes to be pillars of their community. Nothing should ever be based on race, and until we stop asking only African American athletes to be role models we can never move past this nonsense. I don' think any athlete should have to be a role model, but if they put them selves in that position they better live it everyday.

Sorry again ya'll for missing so much time. I cannot promise that my internet won't go down again, but I promise I will do a better job of getting a blog written. Live like no one is watching and stay current!

The NBA in a mess?

I am sure that David Stern wishes he had fixed a few games to get the Lebron-Kobe match-up that all us wanted to see. With the first two games gone in the NBA finals the Kobe lead Lakers are up 2 to nothing. The first game was a blow out and the Magic missed some key opportunities in game two as the Lakers hung on to win in overtime. The biggest problem with the series is that Dwight Howard has been completely shut down and the Magic are dying by the three point shot rather than living by it as they had in the Eastern Conference Finals. With only one team, the Lakers, having a star worth watching this series seems doomed. If there was something on beside baseball or hockey on the T.V. tonight I would definitely skip watching game 3.

The truth of the matter is I hate the Lakers and Kobe Bryant. I would like to see them lose and continue to hear sports fan question Kobe's ability to win without Shaq. But the Magic are letting me down. Orlando was so gritty in the Celtics and Cav's series and now they look star struck and lost. I don't think that this game matters at all. I think if the Magic win it will only prolong the inevitable and if they lose then they are right on track. It is truly disappointing, I was so hyped to see Lebron James battle Kobe and now I am watching the Magic get owned.

I am not a hater however. If Kobe wins his fourth title, his first without Shaq, I will give him his props, but that doesn't mean I will root for him. If the Magic can not stretch this to a game 6 or 7 this series will be a flop. If Kobe wins this in 4 will probably break my small T. V. The NBA really needed a big performance by Dwight Howard to stretch its star power, but since so far he has been irrelevant this series continues to be a flop. Live like no one is watching and start fixing the game!

Baseball has lost its lore!

I want to start by making plainly clear that this is not about steroids! Call me cold but I have come to accept the fact that in my lifetime steroids have just become a part of the game. I am not sure about how that should affect Hall of fame status and I honestly don't care. Baseball has always been about pageantry and tradition. That all seems to be vanishing slowly as baseball tries to repair its image and erase the huge smudge left by "the steroid era".

These thoughts of nostalgia were evoked by a bar patron and a radio show. Let's start with the radio show. Yesterday on ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning, the Mikes where talking about Randy Johnson playing for his 300th win as a pitcher. They brought up the fact that this may be the last time we see 300 game winner. That is sad. Of the now 24 300 game winner, Randy Johnson got his win tonight, only nine have come in my life time and 5 of those are guys I actually got to see play. With pitchers getting an extra day of rest and relievers coming in earlier, there is no one out there that will reach this milestone, possibly in my life time. It is sad to think that, with all of the extra workout science and performance enhancers, there is no one mentally or physically tough enough to reach the mark.

The patron at my bar is a former baseball player from a different era. He is not a hall of famer or a famous ball player. He does hold a record in major league baseball. I am not sure that I am allowed to use his name so I won't, but in our couple of visits I have learned a lot about the guys from the old school view the sport. He has never mentioned his salary or his perks of playing ball. He only talks about the legends he faced and the guys he played with. Long before 110 million dollar contracts, baseball was played for pride. Nothing reiterates this better than when I asked what the greatest thing about facing Nolan Ryan was, and he said: "A few years ago they listed all the thousands of guys (Nolan Ryan) struck out, and my name was not on that list." Now that is a sense of pride.

Sports today is full of over paid prima donnas. The only pride involved is who has the most zeros. It used to be that we measure a player by the size of his heart, not his paycheck. I love baseball, but not what it has become. I am very happy for Randy Johnson, but it is a sad day when your era ends. Live like one is watching and have some pride!

Lay off the King!

I have constantly made the point that sports stars are not role models. So the fact that Lebron James did something completely unsportsman like is completely irrelevant. We as fans hold these guy to higher standards, and when they fail it sends in to a ranting tizzy! If you do not know what I am talking about bear with me and I will make sure you understand. But first the conversational tone has to be established. We often hold our sports stars to standards that are entirely too lofty, and when they let us down, no matter how trivial the matter, we expect them to attempt to pay complete penance. Is this a realistic standard, or are we complete idiots?

So now the back story, Lebron James exited the court after his game six early exit without congratulating any of the Magic players or talking to the media. Over the last few days the talking heads have gone nuts and labeled Lebron James a bad sportsman. I don't understand this. I remember when I let myself down and disappointed someone else, which is exactly what happened here, the last thing I want to do is tell someone else "Good job" and talk to the people I let down. The media, and me, has been salivating over a Lebron verse Kobe final. With the Vitamin Water and puppet commercials, you would've thought that they had already made it. But then something crazy happened, Lebron played his guts out and his supporting cast disappeared. Poor Lebron was on a team full of witnesses and he couldn't beat the diverse magic by himself. He let himself down due to his own high standards, and he let the media and the NBA down by not giving the much hyped Lakers-Cavs final. Lebron is very competitive and the last thing he wanted to do was stick around and shake hands and field questions. Lebron has been a shining example of how to be a superstar in the NBA. He speaks clearly, he dresses well, and he stays out of trouble. Not to mention all his dancing and goofing off shows me that he loves his job, and what more could you ask? Which leads directly to my next point.

Let's just say for the sake of argument that Lebron did act inappropriately. Why are we chastising one of the few superstars who does things right, over what is really a minuscule mistake. He lost his cool in the heat of passion, hell that will get you off a murder rap so it should damn sure be overlooked in the handshake context. It is no secret that I think highly of Lebron James as is demonstrated by my blog a couple of weeks ago, but I can also say without bias GET OFF THE HATE TRAIN! The more an athlete succeeds the higher we set our expectations, which makes it inevitable for said athlete to fail. I have a great idea, why don't we encourage Lebron to mess up so that way we can praise him when he gets his life turned around, we seem to like those stories better. Lebron made a mistake in the moment, but he is a great sportsman and good for professional sports. Please excuse him for being competitive. Live like no one is watching and stay focused on what matters