It's a sad day in Blazers Nation

As I sit here writing this, I am heartbroken.  I have spent the last day reading every article and every quote possible, and crying.  Because it is now official.  Brandon Roy, at the age of 27, has retired.  The fact that he has no cartilage in his knees, and that if he kept playing he would eventually be unable to walk, has taken him from the game that he loves.  And with the fact of how hurt and upset I am about this announcement, I can't even imagine how BRoy is feeling.  Yes, everyone is saying he will still get his money, but that's not what it is about for Roy.  I can guarantee that he is devastated that he can no longer play the game that he loves.

No one can deny what Brandon Roy has done for the Blazers on the court.  He was our superstar.  And even when he was hurt, he played better than most.  There is no doubt that we are going to miss his play.  But I think what Blazers fans (and I know I) will miss the most is his heart.  He gave 200% in everything he did, on and off the court.  He wasn't just a basketball player, he was the face of our franchise, and he took pride in that.  For so long, Portland didn't care about basketball, as our players were in and out of jail.  But Brandon changed that for us.  He saved basketball in Portland.  He knew that being our superstar meant he had added responsibility, and he wanted to do well by us.  He took the weight of Portland on his shoulders and didn't disappoint us.  He took the "Jail Blazers" and transformed them into not only a team that was respected, but a team that was feared.  And you know you're respected when you have some of the biggest names in the game saying basketball is losing one of it's greats.

Personally, I hope to never see any future Blazer in the number 7 jersey.  He may have only played a few short years, but what he has done for Portland and the Blazers franchise is immeasurable.  He was our golden boy, and he will be truly, deeply missed.

Should There Be Instant Replay?

In almost every sport, there is instant replay.  The referees can review the play and ensure they made the right decision.  Baseball, however, has decided to remain true to it's roots and have very limited instant replay.  You can use instant replay to determine if a ball was a home run or not, but is that enough?  Or is it too much?

 

Many people say that instant replay would affect the flow of the game, that baseball is already long enough, why do we want to do something else to slow it down?  But there have also been many cases that lean towards instant replay.  The infamous Steve Bartman incident.  The near perfect game for Armando Galarraga, where Jim Joyce admits he blew that call.  And now, in the 2011 World Series, calling Matt Holliday safe in game 3, which could have very easily affected the outcome of the game.

 

So what is too much instant replay, and what is being too hard headed to change with the changing times?  In regular season games, I say don't mess with instant replay too much.  Keep it to determine whether a ball is a home run or not.  Maybe expand it to determine if a ball is fair or foul.  But we don't need it for every little play.  However in the post season, and most importantly the World Series, Major League Baseball might want to do a little more to ensure the right calls are made.  It has been brought up during this series, that it may be beneficial for another umpire to sit in the press box and review the plays that are made.  That would not "slow down the game" too much, as people are worried about.  I don't see an umpire with a specific job of watching the review slowing down the game any more than a manager arguing a call, the umpire on the field reversing that call, and the other manager arguing the reversal.  Yes, that provides entertainment, but wouldn't we rather have the right calls made in the most important games of the season?

 

In my opinion, expanded replay in the regular season is a waste of time.  But in the World Series, it needs to be explored.  As a baseball fan, I would rather the team who truly won the series, to win the series.

 

Who Do These Lockouts Really Affect???

Once again, in the span of less than a year, we are in the middle of another lockout of professional sports.  However, unlike the lockout of the NFL, the NBA lockout does not appear to be ending any time soon.  The players and owners cannot agree on how to split basketball related revenue.  Both want a bigger percentage than the other.  But while they sit in their fancy conference rooms and drive home in their fancy cars to their fancy houses, they are forgetting about the two groups of people who are truly going to be affected by this lockout:  the little people who's income depends on the NBA season and the fans.

 

The NBA is more than the players and owners.  It involves so many more people from the front office of the organization to the ticket takers to the ushers to the parking attendants to so many more people.  If there is no season, these people can't work.  People are depending on there to be a season in order to make a living.  And while the owners and players can support their families even if there isn't a season, a lot of these people can't.  These are the people the lockout should be focused on.

 

The other group of people this lockout is really going to affect is the fans.  While it probably will not affect their ability to make money (it could actually probably save some fans some money), it is going to affect how the fans see the sport.  They are going to lose trust in the NBA.  All they see in the media are a bunch of millionaires arguing about who is going to get a bigger percentage of billions of dollars.  That's not what the fans want to see.  And when a season finally does start, the fans aren't going to want to give their hard earned money to these greedy owners and players.  If it doesn't hurt viewership, it will definitely hurt attendance.

 

In no way is this lockout a good thing for anyone involved.  Games have already been cancelled.  The season is in serious jeopardy.  I agree that things should be fair for everyone involved, but let's clearly think about who everyone involved is.  Settle your differences and let's get this over with.

Manny being Manny?

First, earlier this season, instead of dealing with the repercussions of a second positive test for performance enhancing drugs, Manny Ramirez decided to retire.  Now, in the same season he decided to retire, he has been arrested for domestic battery for slapping his wife across the face.

 

Back in 2004, Manny Ramirez was a hero.  He was a major factor in the Boston Red Sox winning the World Series that season.  Yes, he still had his intricacies, where it was just "Manny being Manny," but most of those things were able to be swept under the rug because of who Manny Ramirez was to baseball fans.  He still had the personality that made him loveable, and baseball fans either loved him, or loved to hate him.

 

But now, fans are tired of Manny Ramirez.  He's lost that sparkle that made him so lovable, and now, to put it frankly, people are tired of putting up with his crap.  I think that some people were happy that he retired, rather than being suspended for 100 games, because then they knew he couldn't come back and pull even more stunts like he had in seasons past.  But instead, while retired, he decides to abuse his wife and ends up being arrested for it, and of course that makes headlines.  I think everyone, including myself, is ready for Manny Ramirez to simply go away.  Yes, he was a great player.  Yes, for a while he was fun to watch.  But that's over now.  But he won't be elected in to the hall of fame, especially after the second positive test.  No one wants Manny to be Manny anymore, because no one cares.  Do everyone a favor and disappear.

The Tragedies Need to End...

I've been reading a lot about the recent deaths of professional athletes.  The really sad thing is that a lot of these deaths have been because of suicide.  Now I know, as a former athlete (although never close to the professional level) that athletes put a lot of pressure on themselves to be great, not only in their sport but in their life.  That pressure mounts when you are told that you are good at what you do.  You constantly want to be seen in that way.  So when you feel like you aren't living up to your expectations, it hits you very hard.  Something needs to be done.  We need to find a way to help these athletes.  Before competing in any sport, you have to have a physical check-up, but what about a mental one?  Does that not affect your game as well?  Athletes are dying, by taking their own lives.  Is there no way to help them?  To see that there is something wrong?  To get them help?  It is tragic, and if it can some how be prevented, it needs to be.  These deaths not only affect their family and friends, but the whole sports community.  We need to stop the pain.  We need to prevent this.  We need to help.

Brian Stow

I haven't written about this yet, because there hasn't been a lot to say, besides what a tragedy it was.  On Opening Day in LA, after a Dodgers/Giants game, Brian Stow was beaten in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium simply because he was a Giants fan.  Having been at Dodger Stadium (and also rooting for the visiting team) I can say from experience that it can be a very scary place.  Dodger fans love their team and they will make sure you know that, and know you are wrong if you are not rooting for them.  However, they sometimes cross the line.  You are supposed to be there for the love of the game, not to assault the visiting team's fans.

Since that day, Brian Stow has been in a medically induced coma.  He was finally able to be transported back to San Francisco from LA, but he is still in the coma.  That's almost 2 whole months.  He has swelling in his brain and they are using the coma to prevent seizures.  Many people, including Barry Bonds and Tim Lincecum have donated to his fund, and the Dodgers and the city of LA donated money towards the reward of finding the person responsible for this.  In the past week, the LAPD has arrested a person they believe to be responsible for this horrific beating.  Hopefully in the near future they catch the other person responsible.

The one thing that I'm not sure I agree with on this, is that the Stow family is suing the Dodgers for negligence.  They are basically saying that the Dodgers are responsible for this and did not do enough to protect Brian Stow.  Having worked in sports and having been to many different sports venues, I would say that unfortunately there isn't much more that can be done.  When you have tens of thousands of people at an event, and especially when alcohol is served, it is nearly impossible to make sure every single person at that event is alright, without having a security person for every one there.  While I was at Dodger Stadium, I saw a very strong police presence.  The people the Stow family need to focus their anger on are the two people who used their fists to assault this person, simply because he was wearing a Giants jersey.

With all of that being said, all of my sympathy goes out to Brian Stow and his family.  I pray for a full recovery and that  you will get to see many more Giants games in your future.

Have we learned nothing?

Once again, a basketball player used an anti-gay slur and was caught on camera.  Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls said something to a fan during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.  Last month it was Kobe, and now this.  Did we learn nothing from the Kobe incident?  You can't say things like that, especially during the playoffs and not expect it to be noticed.  I honestly do not care what the fan was saying to Noah.  Yes, the fan may have been out of line (I have no clue...I haven't watched a clip of the incident) but as a professional basketball player, you have become a public figure and you cannot say things like that.  The NBA had taken such a great step forward last week with the president and CEO of the Phoenix Suns had come out, and now it feels as if we had taken a step back.  Joakim Noah needs to be treated exactly as Kobe was.  He needs to be fined, and he needs to make a public apology.  I know he has already said he was sorry and was out of line, but honestly, it's not enough.  I've said it before and I'll keep saying it...if we keep letting people get away with saying things like this, then the hate will never stop.  We need these athletes, as well as every other public figure, to let people know that this is not okay.  The F word or "gay" should never be used as an insult.  And until they stop, no one else will.

Jorge pulls himself from lineup...wrong on so many levels

So before yesterday's Red Sox/Yankees game, Jorge Posada saw that he was batting ninth, and decided to remove himself from the lineup.  He apparently told Joe Girardi that he needed a mental day off.  During the game, his wife tweeted that he had a stiff back.  And of course, all the media outlets have reported that he is batting less than .200.  The only person who knows the truth, is Jorge Posada.

Now here is one of the reasons this is wrong.  Unless you are injured, you play.  You are Jorge Posada.  You have been with the Yankees since '95/'96.  The only way to get out of a slump and improve your batting average, is to play.  You can't get hits sitting on the bench.  Have some respect for your fans, your team, and yourself.  If you don't want to play because you don't think you can hit, then it's time to retire.  Especially when you are the designated hitter.  If you don't want to hit, there is no point to being on the team.  You can't help them.

Now the other reason why this is wrong.  Brian Cashman, why did you decide to make this known to the public.  You are the general manager of this team, do your job.  Protect your team.  There is no need to bring this to the media's attention.  You just created a firestorm or questions and scrutiny.  Maybe you did it because you wanted people talking about your team, and I get that.  But the Yankees already have so many haters, you don't need any more.  If you want people talking about your team, you need it to be in a positive light.

So here's my take on it.  If you are a baseball player, you play.  Simple as that.  And if you are front office staff, you keep clubhouse issues in the clubhouse.

THE LAKERS LOSE!!!

Yesterday, one of the best things happened.  The Lakers not only were knocked out of the postseason, but they were swept.  No, I'm not a fan of the Dallas Mavericks, but I would pick anyone over the Lakers.  And not only did the Lakers lose, they did it with absolutely no class.  Never mind that your coach is one of the most highly respected coaches in all of basketball.  Never mind that you are one of the most storied franchises in the NBA.  You saw that you were going to lose, and you decided to play schoolyard basketball, and show people that you truly do not have any class.  Lamar Odom being ejected was one thing.  No, the shove to Dirk was not okay and should not have happened, however I'm not sure he should have been ejected for that.  (Granted, I did not see it live...I only saw YouTube videos of it.)  But Bynum...are you freaking kidding me?  You acted like a child.  You knew you were out of the postseason, so you threw a fit.  He's all of five feet tall, you're probably a foot taller than him, and you elbow him in the chest when he's going up for a shot.  You just showed your fans, Mavs fans, basketball fans in general, and the world that you are a classless little bitch.  And then the Lakers in general...you lost by 36 points.  You're supposed to be the team to beat, the reigning champs, the best in the league.  Your coach is retiring at the end of the season, and that was how you reward him?  You gave up.  You could have done more.  You should have done more.  Even if you were going to lose, you should have played to show respect to your coach, your fans, and yourself.  But you didn't.  And that, I will just add to the list of the reasons why I hate you.

B-Roy baby!

I am so sick of hearing about how Brandon Roy isn't the same player he used to be and can't help our team.  He has no cartilage in either of his knees, of course he's not the same player he used to be.  But he can't help our team because of that?  Absolutely false.  Look at his performance in games 3 and 4 of this playoff series vs. Dallas, specifically game 4.  If it were not for him, we would be down 3-1 heading into Dallas tonight.  But we're not.  We're tied 2-2 with all of the momentum on our side.  While we can't expect these plays every game (other people have to have their superstar moments too), but he knows when he needs to step up.  After game 2 he said he was disappointed in how little he played.  And for some reason, people in Portland seemed upset by that.  But he had a point.  He carried this team up until this year, and has done every single thing the organization has asked of him.  Why shouldn't he be hurt?  We should show him the same amount of respect he has shown us.  He has taken his role as a bench player seriously and has done everything he can this season to help the team reach the point we have, while still letting LaMarcus and other's shine.

So for all the Brandon Roy haters out there, I'm pretty sure he shut you up after the last game.  And if not, then I'm pretty sure you need to turn in your Trailblazers fan card.  If you are a Blazers fan, you are a B-Roy fan, plain and simple.

Kobe and the F Word

So recently, my "favorite" NBA player in the world has been in the news.  Not for his play.  Not for his team going to the playoffs.  But for his choice of words he yelled at a referee after receiving a technical foul.  Kobe decided to use the F word, and I'm not talking about fuck.  He used a very derogative term used to describe homosexuals.

First of all, I want to say how much respect for David Stern, commissioner of the NBA.  He immediately fined Kobe $100,000 and said that phrases like that will not be tolerated in the NBA, and should not be tolerated in life.  I think it is amazing at how quickly he reacted.  Yes, something obviously had to be done, but Kobe being the "superstar" that he is, most would have expected a stern, public talking to.  The fact that he was fined as much as he was, although I'm sure it's not that much money, it still shows the world that the NBA will not tolerate that in their league.

Now let's talk about Kobe.  He apologized immediately, of course.  Said what he said was not supposed to be taken literally.  Excuse me?  Not supposed to be taken literally?  No.  It should not have been said AT ALL.  You are a role model.  Millions of people would kill to be you.  Children look up to you and want to be like you, and that is the word you choose to use?  Never once have you said, "I was wrong and should never have used that word."  How do you think a young, gay man felt when that was the word you chose to use to air out your frustration?  What would you have done if the referee had turned back to you and used the N word?  There is absolutely no way you would have been okay with that.  I'm not saying that is how the referee should have responded, but it shows the similarities in the two words.  I know you were angry, but that word should not be in your vocabulary, period.  As a world famous athlete, it is now your job to try and eliminate that word from everyone's vocabulary, especially the people who you just showed it was okay to use.

So Kobe, if you thought I hated you before, guess what...I have you even more.  I think you are a poor excuse for a role model.  You have A LOT to do to repair your image, and I know for some, myself included, there is nothing you can do to fix it.

The Start of Baseball Season

Okay, so I'm a little late for the start of baseball season, but I needed to give it a little time before I commented on anything really.  So here goes...

We'll start off with something bittersweet, but something positive.  On Friday, the Mariners celebrated the life of their former announcer, Dave Niehaus, who died this offseason.  Dave had been the voice of the Mariners since Diego Segui threw that first pitch in 1977.  He breathed Mariners baseball.  He suffered a heart attack, and Mariners fans lost a member of their family.  He had been around for so long, and you were so used to hearing him when watching games on TV or listening to the radio, that it's still hard to realize that he is gone.  So before the home opener, the mariners paid tribute to the voice.  They had a special performance of a song called "My Oh My," his signature catch phrase, put a banner up over the broadcast booth, put patches on one of the sleeves on the Mariners uniform, and had his family come out on to the field so his wife could throw out the ceremonial first pitch.  His family has such poise, it is one of the most impressive things I have ever seen.  When his widow went to the mound for that pitch, she got one of the best standing ovations I have ever seen at Safeco Field.  Instead of breaking into tears like any woman who recently lost her husband would be more than allowed to do, she smiled so brightly and waved to the fans who loved her husband almost as much as she did.  She has all of my respect, and that of the Mariners family as well.  Dave, we miss you, will always miss you, and I hope grandma broke out the rye bread and mustard, and you are enjoying some grand salami's wherever you are.  My oh my.

Okay, now to get to the business of the Mariners play.  What the fuck?  We win our first two, get all excited, and lose every game after.  And for the home opener, the day we are supposed to be honoring Dave Niehaus, we lose 12-3 to the Indians.  Are you fucking kidding me?  Now, I love the Mariners.  I love them with all of my heart.  But I always compare it to an abusive relationship.  I give them my love, and they don't do anything to love me back.  I watch and am constantly disappointed with how they play.  I've actually come to expect them to lose, which is pathetic.  I am shocked when they win.  I mean, honestly, look at our pitching rotation.  Yes we have 2010 Cy Young winner, King Felix, and thank god for that.  Think of how bad we would be if we didn't have him.  And Erik Bedard, seriously?  That was the worst trade in Mariners history and we sign him again?  You have to be kidding me.  I know they say he is healthy this year and it will be his come back year, but I've heard that all before.  I'm just waiting for the shoulder to go once again and him to spend yet another season on the DL.  Even if he does pitch this year, think of all the talent we gave up to get him, and think of how often he has pitched in those seasons we've had him.  Was it really worth it?  In my mind, no.  If we were going to give up all that talent, I want someone who is going to play continuously.

Trust me, I will be a Mariners fan until the day I die, but I know I'm not the only one in saying you guys are major league baseball players.  You get paid how much money to play a game?  You are better than most everyone in the world and have a job that millions of people envy.  Get your shit together and win some games.  Thank you.

Reasons why I hate the Lakers...

Yes, I am a Blazers fan.  Yes, all Blazers fans hate the Lakers.  I have never been to a Blazers game where the energy tops that of a Blazers/Lakers game, and that includes season openers and playoff games.  But the reasons why I hate the Lakers are not just because I am a Blazers fan.  Here's why I hate them...

Number one.  Kobe Bryant.  I hate Kobe.  I hate everything about Kobe.  Yes, I'm a girl, but I don't hate him because of the rape accusations (although that doesn't reflect that greatly on him.)  I am 100% a team girl.  My favorite players are those that do everything they can to make themselves, their team, and their sport better.  Kobe is not one of those players.  Kobe is a little bitch.  He is one of the most selfish players I have ever seen.  Just because someone on the other team touches you, does not mean it's a foul.  And you are not perfect.  Sometimes, you foul players too.  And stop telling the refs how to call the game.  You are not the commissioner...you are a player.  So shut the fuck up and play the damn game the way it's supposed to be played, as a team sport.

Number two.  Ron Artest.  Yet again, a little bitch.  I'm fine with being an aggressive player.  I think that makes the game more fun and you a better player.  It brings intensity to the game that a lot of teams lack.  But there is a line between being aggressive and being an asshole.  Ron Artest crosses that line.  Trying to start fights with any player on the other team is just pathetic.  And fouling LaMarcus Aldridge when there is less than a second less and it's obvious you are going to lose?  Really?  Embarrassing.

Number three.  Phil Jackson and his tall chair.  Just annoying.

Number four.  Pau Gasol.  You forget the L at the end of your name.

And number five.  The most important.  Little bitch ass Laker fans.  I am all for supporting your team.  If that truly is your team, I will give you all the respect in the world.  My best friend is a Lakers fan.  But if you are a Lakers fan because you think it's cool and because they are good, then you need a smack to the head.  If you want to talk shit to other fans, that's fine, but have the statistics and facts to back it up.  And when someone schools you on the sport, be gracious and take it.  Kobe automatically gets MVP because the Lakers have back to back championships?  You sound like a moron.  And to the little Rob Kardashian wannabe that was sitting two rows in front of us at the Lakers/Blazers game in February...when other Lakers fans are telling you to shut up and stop swearing because there are kids around...you may want to shut your mouth.  Just a thought.

I could probably come up with a million more reasons as to why I hate the Lakers (they are the Yankees of the NBA...and you don't want to get me started on why I hate the Yankees), but I think five is enough for now.  And let me end it with the Blazers beat the Lakers today in one of the best games I have seen this season.  So proud of my boys.

Blazers vs Jazz - The 3 Goggles

During tonight's game against the Utah Jazz on TNT, the commentator (not Reggie Miller but the other guy) was talking about the three goggles.  He said it was created by Wes Matthews and Rudy Fernandez.  Um...if you are talking about something on national television, shouldn't you have your facts straight???  Here is the real origin of the three goggles:

Patty Mills and Rudy Fernandez are good friends.  Patty noticed that Rudy had trouble focusing on objects from far away, however at the time, Rudy was one of our leading 3 point scorers.  Rudy would also hold up a "3" with his fingers after making a 3 point shot.  So Patty put a little flavor into that.  He created the three goggles.  He said that even though Rudy couldn't see things far away, he was able to see when he shot the three, so he had his three goggles on.

And that sir, is how the three goggles with the Blazers truly originated.  And also, they are not the "stupid symbol that you see in college games."  It is something that has helped to unite our team and let them have fun.  Have you seen how many injuries we've had?  And do you see that we're still going to the playoffs?  Why don't you just let us have our fun?  Okay, thanks.