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When the word got out that Cincinnati's biggest superstar was taking his talents to Bill Belicheat's New England Patriots, there were folks that were genuinely sad to see him leave and genuinely happy to see him go. To the people in that latter group, you might as well be a communist, a party-pooper. Your favorite snack is a saltine cracker, and you always drive the speed limit.
Chad Javon Ochocinco Johnson brought life to a conservative city, and now the life of the party has officially "chucked the deuce."
Barry Sanders is by far the best running back I have ever seen.
This is coming from a man whose favorite team has the running back who holds the all-time rushing record. It is also coming from a man who has seen plenty of outstanding and versatile backs in my day. However, there is no one who ever made football fans, in my lifetime, get more excited by carrying a football than Barry Sanders.
There is also no one who ever provided the biggest “wow” factor before training camp than Barry Sanders. It was on this day, 12 years ago, when he abruptly charged it to the game and retired from the NFL.
One can make the case that Barry Sanders, as beloved as he is by the football public, is still underappreciated. This is a man who was on his way to shattering the all-time rushing record held by The Great Jim Brown, but he left the game before doing so. Back then, as a wild-eyed high schooler, I didn’t totally understand why Sanders would leave the game when he was in his prime.
Per Kenny Masenda, its Eddie Maisonet appreciation day due to it being Ed's birthday on the 28th. However, we'll focus the majority of our time talking football. From free-agency going beserk, to superstars already holding out for that money, to callers calling in to talk about their teams and players.
I'd suggest listening to us while working out, cleaning your house, or on your morning commute to work. Download and enjoy!
It's a given that when you fully invest yourself in sports, you're sure to see some things that will last a lifetime. You'll remember where you were when a certain game went down, or when someone won their first championship, when someone choked, etc. It's a given in this life we as sports fans live. We wouldn't have it any other way.
There are also things that will make you laugh and that will always be funny. No matter what's going on or what mood you're in, when someone starts a sentence with "You remember when," a riot of comedic proportions is likely to follow. If the event is something that has lived over a long period of time, there's no telling how bastardized the story has become. Sure, the event did occur, but with any event that's comedic in nature, there is sure to be some embellishment.
It's no different from if you got whuppings as a child, or if you got cussed out by your girl in public (not that something like that has happened to me), or if your mama came and put on a show in front of all your friends, because you were somewhere you weren't supposed to be. Tell any of those stories in the present, and they're likely not to resemble exactly what happened, but since it's something you can laugh about now, it's okay to play it up a little bit. In the case of these particular instances, the shoe definitely fits.
If you would have told me five years ago that the 2004 and the 2005 Heisman Trophy winners from USC would be a fledgling backup quarterback (Matt Leinart) and a free agent running back who no one seems to really want (Reggie Bush) I would have called you a liar, a drunkard, a fool, and a moron. Yet, as the 2011 NFL football season finally beckons us we've resigned Leinart and Bush as mere afterthoughts. To take it one step further, their best wideout (Dwyane Jarrett) is on no one's NFL roster, USC's all-time leading touchdown scorer (LenDale White) has played for three different teams and is 4th on the Broncos depth chart behind...a blank space. Even the head man Pete Carroll had to get the hell up outta dodge and high tail it to the Pacific Northwest before the mudslide hit.
Maybe these Trojans need another "push" in their life.
Every hardcore sports fan has done it at least one time. No matter how willing they are to admit it, no matter the reason why they did it, no matter the age...if you love sports, you've done it at least once.
Every sports fan has shed a tear over a game.
Far be it from me to say the great Jimmy Dugan was wrong, but a young Ed was in fact "crying about baseball." Its a moment I can point to anytime I think about the beginning of my sports fanhood, where at that moment I can remember my life changing. Putting up posters on my wall, buying baseball cards, falling asleep to ESPN, and having grown man conversations as a little boy with the old men in my family.
It was the 1991 World Series between my Atlanta Braves and the Minnesota Twins, and a little 8-year old boy from Oklahoma began a kickin' and a cussin' and a yellin' and a cryin' over a damn baseball game.
Regardless of what we have heard over the last couple of days about the NFL lockout potentially ending, I've moved past the point of waiting for the lockout to end and am just going to assume that the lockout will end soon. Is that a tad foolish? Probably, but there's too much hanging in the balance not to address the fact that there are some elite players currently sitting in free agency that could really help your favorite NFL team make a legit playoff run this winter.
So after doing some crack research (google) and hitting up a few of my sources (via twitter) I came up with the five players and five teams that need to unite in 2011.
Growing up, sports fans tend to become attached to certain players. A fan may have gone crazy for a player in college and followed his career to the NBA.
In the event that some did not attend college, fans followed their high school path immediately to the NBA. Regardless of how the players got there, basketball fans paid attention.
For me, I can remember being in middle school and seeing a friend of mine with an Allen Iverson Georgetown jersey. Iverson was already one of my favorite players at the time, his play took care of itself, but seeing that jersey gave me something else to draw from. That was 16 years ago and it is something that I will never forget. That’s the thing that helps make sports so amazing. An event like that has stuck with me for over half of my life, and anyone connected to the game can say something similar as well.
Some people remember playing games in high school and trying to go behind-the-back and finish at the rim like Webber, or go hard to the rim on a fast break like T-Mac did on some poor soul in his high school days. They remember Yao Ming coming into the NBA with questions swirling around him and wondering if he would be worth a damn. Others can recall Steve Nash initially being behind two great point guards in Kevin Johnson and Jason Kidd in Phoenix, and they may have been led to conclude that his road to NBA stardom was too daunting to travel.
This post is inspired from a conversation that took place between some respected folks on Twitter, as well as on The UC Show last night. It is easy to say certain players belong in the Hall of Fame, but what about the guys who are on the fringe, so to speak? What about players where a fan really has to get their hands dirty and be totally prepared to make a case for?
On this edition of The Unsportsmanlike Conduct Show, the fellas will chop it up former 2-time NFL pro bowler LeCharles Bentley as we discuss what's going to happen "post-lockout", addresses Bart Scott's claim that not having two-a-days is "wimping out", and how NFL rookies will adjust to the upcoming season. Plus, we'll have an in-depth discussion about the NBA stars we watched growing up as youngins and question their chances in getting in the Hall of Fame in Springfield.
A great episode, great guest, and great listeners. Check us out.
That damn boy is dumber than a wristwatch.
-Kenny Masenda
You know how stupid you have to be for Ken to publicly say that a Rolex’s cognitive abilities are superior to yours? Yeah, pretty damn stupid.
And that’s where we currently are with Marc Tyler, USC’s running back who made comments about USC players being paid more than the pros. According to a drunk Tyler, USC is “breaking bread” and is the “University of Sexual Ballers.” I’m going to ignore that the acronym doesn’t quite add up, but point out the fact that this is exactly the opposite publicity USC needs at the point.
The Trojans are going into their second season with a scholarship reduction and a ban on all bowl games because of scandals involving the once prolific Reggie Bush. With nothing to really play for outside of pride, you’d assume the boys from Southern Cal -- especially the upperclassmen -- would understand that being on their best behavior with the NFL calling. Nah, ole buddy went out, got drunk and told TMZ that USC was paying him Arab Money.
Saturday mornings in the fall begin around 8 AM. Either my breakfast will consist of a bowl of cereal, or if I move quickly enough, a trip to Shipley’s to get a box of donuts and a bottle of 2% milk. Then it’s time to settle in, turn on ESPN, and get ready to take in the college pre-game show that’s gotten me ready for some football every Saturday for years.
For three hours, all attention is paid to the set of College Gameday. From the fans who help make every Saturday on location incredible, to Chris Fowler doing his best to keep everyone in line, to Erin Andrews, all the way to Lee Corso putting on the headgear, the show can be counted on to make you get even more excited about the day's slate of games than you already were.
"That's not what was supposed to happen."
"What in the hell just happened?"
"We gave the game away, we should've won that game."
"It just wasn't meant to be, the sports Gods weren't with us today."
The previous quotes were all heard over my buddy Chanta's crib this weekend, with the fourth quote was my own quote. Emotions ranged from anger to denial after a devastating loss and a phenomenal win as Japan defeated the United States 3-1 in penalty kicks after playing 120 minutes on the pitch to a 2-2 draw in the 2011 Women's World Cup. In what was one of the most magical World Cup's I've ever seen, this championship match featured as many peaks and valleys as any of the great games in the tournament. Moreover, if you watched the entire match it seemed that the U.S. women's soccer squad had the game in control versus their Japanese counterparts.
However, for what the sports Gods giveth...they will most assuredly taketh away.
I watched the MLB All-Star game on Tuesday. Other than Prince Fielder blistering the ball in the 3rd inning off of CJ Wilson, and Heath Bell sprinting in from the bullpen and sliding onto the pitcher's mound, that game was a yawn-fest. There used to be a day when I would get genuinely excited to see certain players play, hear them talk, and be captivated to watch them on the baseball diamond. Maybe that's my childhood coming out of me, and maybe I'm just a grumpy old man now.
However, can you say that there are real "personalities" in baseball today? Say what you want about Barry Bonds, but he was at least charismatic (in a brutish sort of way) and baseball's biggest selling point in the earlier days was just that...the personalities of baseball. Its something that's missing in today's game, and I can think of five players that could help move the needle if only they were 15 years younger and could play in 2011.
Note from Kenny: about two years ago, we ran a post about women and their love for football, and over time, it's been amazing to see just how many female fans there are that truly love the game.
One of the biggest NFL fans I know is none other than The NFL Chick, a Baltimore Ravens fan to the core. Today, she takes the baton and shares the gospel of women and the game we all love.
I'm a woman. I love shopping, purses and martinis. It's a part of my feminine DNA.
I'm also a rabid football fan and a Ravens season ticket holder, and I'm damn proud of it.
Rabid may an understatement. I live, eat, sleep and breathe football. There's nothing in the world like it to me. Not only do I love the pigskin, I'm pretty damn knowledgeable when it comes to it.
You see, I come from a long line of footballers. My grandfather played before he was sent to fight in World War II. My father played in the Big 8 (now known as the Big 12), and had the legendary Hank Stram call him and offer him a chance to try out for the Kansas City Chiefs. My uncle was All-City in his heyday. Football is in my blood. It's a part of who I am and there's no denying it.
Question for you all....what in the hell is going on in the mind of one Mr. James Harrison. Has the dudes lost his damn mind or is he really speaking some truth while brandishing guns and throwing rattlesnakes over his head? We'll chop it up with Richard Boadu and CJ Clayborne of 6Magazine as well, to talk about their experience at the Nike 7ON tournament at the Nike HQ in Beaverton, Oregon. Hell, we'll talk about soccer, baseball and boxing too, why? Because we're versatile around here.
Download and enjoy.
I intended on writing about the 1971 MLB All-Star game for today’s post, but when I sat down to jot some thoughts down, the only thing I had burning in the back of my mind was Yao Ming’s retirement. For many, the news was old just as it was new, and they moved on with their lives and didn’t think twice about it. For others, it forced them to sit back and reminisce about a career that was and what it should have been.
I belong to the latter group, because I always appreciated the big man. While some of us took his retirement as a platform to discuss his hall of fame worthiness, I just want to take some time out of my life to sit back and appreciate him for who he was and who he would have definitely been had injuries not cut his career way too short.
Milestone
- An important event, as in a person's career, the history of a nation, or the advancement of knowledge in a field; a turning point.
Memory
- The mental faculty of retaining and recalling past experience.
Definitions courtesy of The Free Dictionary.
When the time came to do this post, excitement and anticipation ran through my head, and I imagine it ran through Ed's as well. We knew over the weekend that the time would come where the responsibility would fall on one of us to tell a story about this milestone. How it would be done would pretty much be left to whoever had to write it, which in this case, ended up being me.
However, as the day came, and Ed took to Twitter to let the masses know that 800 would be coming and that it would be on me to sum it up, my mind drew a blank. I had nothing. It was strange, and in a way, maddening. How can one be a part of something for years, have hundreds of conversations, even more debates, and come up with nothing?
After taking a nap and turning on my Isley Brothers Inspirational Tape, the wheels started turning. Granted, they didn't begin turning until after 3 in the morning, but they did turn, and in the words of The Great Willie Beamen, "Once I turn it on, I'm gone."
Unsportsmanlike Conduct is an ongoing series in which Ed brings you the 12 important events, happenings, individuals, and shenanigans over the past weekend, so that you can be thoroughly entertained...kind of like when you heard that Dancing with the Stars legend Hines Ward got arrested for a DUI and Adam "Pacman" Jones was arrested for the 234,897th time for scrapping in the club, then you immediately asked yourself if Ray Lewis was right about "the crime rate going up"...yep.
12 points to discuss. You ready? Lets go.
I shed a real tear this morning.
As I was waking up and contemplating on attending church service at New Prospect Baptist church or Bedside Baptist, (Bedside obviously won) I was confronted by SportsCenter doing a special on the 1999 US Women's World Cup team. The 1999 Women's World Cup, held in the U.S., was the successor to the 1994 Men's World Cup that was hosted in States as well. It was a time where fans were prideful and patriotic, people wanted a reason to watch soccer, and the one key difference of the men's '94 team and this women's '99 team was a stark one.
That men's team wasn't worth a damn, this women's team was the best in the world.
In my heart of hearts, the one person I honestly feel took "The Decision" harder than anyone outside of dudes who write in Comic Sans MS font is Month Williams. People can talk about how much the economy was affected both positively and negatively pre and post "The Decision" you could also debate the way we view Month Williams has been affected in the same manner. From being just another dude in Milwaukee who was low-key one of the most under appreciated players in the league to being traded to Cleveland and instantly being the second best player on the squad on a title contender. This is the boost any player would want...right?
"Oh when it all...it all falls down..." - Syleena Johnson
The man went from being Batman's Robin to being a straight up herb before our very eyes. In the span of 11 months Month Williams went from tweeting this...
"Congrats to my homie @kingjames. Love u homie. It’s been great." - July 8th, 2010 from @mogotti2
To...
"Dallas just healed my HEART........" - June 11th, 2011 from @mogotti25
What goes through the mind of Month Williams? How does one man go from a nobody in the league to being the Virgil to The Million Dollar Man LeBron DiBiase to being a nobody in the league again with a broken heart? Well....
Part of what makes being a sports fan so exciting is being in the atmosphere of the action. When it comes to football, fans can go out to the stadium, and you know you will get three hours of football; rain, shine, or snow.
At a ballpark, a fan can partake in the seventh inning stretch, the wave, talking crazy to the opposing team’s outfielders, the whole nine. A tennis match is something to respect to the fullest as well. The action is constant, and when the games are really good, a fan becomes engrossed and can have the time of their life.
Go to an arena for a basketball game, and there are traditions unique to a fan’s experience for that game. The same goes for soccer and hockey. Have you seen fans at soccer and hockey games? They help provide some of the most ruckus-filled, exciting, and intense settings in all of sports.
When a fan attends any of these sporting events, or when they watch them on television, or listen to them on the radio, a fan knows they are about to be treated to athletic excellence in some of its finest form. It's understood, either because one has played the game on some level, been exposed to players long enough to know they have to be in peak physical condition to compete, or from plain common sense.
The same can’t be said for golf, and that is exactly why it is not looked at in the same regard as the ones I listed, and it’s also why I don’t view golf as a sport.
Sometimes in life, you gotta go through some things. For Ed, he got hacked....and by hacked he means that someone decided to go savage life on his twitter account. Yep, its as bad as you might imagine...but Ken brings on the superfriends to lighten the mood and raise Ed's spirits. Listen up and enjoy.
One of the biggest challenges for any sports fan is arguing for your guy without coming off biased. I’ve become an expert at this growing up a Lakers fan. After years of fair criticism and due praise of Kobe, I’ve been told by numerous folks that I’m “The most tolerable Lakers fan that I know.” I’ve become accustomed to this kind of argument, because it’s been an easy one to make. He’s a great perimeter player on a championship team who makes some glaring mistakes from time to time -- but despite his “flaws,” I’m always able to point to the fact that his ways have won championships (I know, I sound like THAT guy right now.)
Now how do I make the same argument for a guy whose team has not finished a regular season over .500 for his whole career? How do I convince you that he’s just as good as the guy who was voted a top-three player, and the highest rated at their respective positions? How do I make you understand that what Nnamdi Asomugha does is just as impressive as what Darrelle Revis does without coming off as the bitter Raiders fan who thinks his guy should be in the ETSF Top Ten?
As far as I’m concerned, it can’t be done.
This summer seems like its very different than all the other NFL off-seasons. Its the first-time as a fan that our NFL livelihood as been put at risk and for whatever reason its just been plain weird.
I write this blog because its fun, and I get the chance to interact with folks in real life and online about football who were players, who are writers, or are just fans. The conversations that follow are just plain dope.
When I noticed the NFL started cataloging the 100 best players of all-time, I was captivated. Further, when I noticed that the NFL started surveying their players on who the 100 best players in the NFL currently are, it gave me life. The NFL Network over the last ten weeks have been breaking down the list from 100-11. This past Sunday, they announced the final ten (the list is at the end of this post.) I knew I was going to disagree with it, and I knew I wasn't going to be the only one who felt that way.
So I decided to ask the people to help me with our own list.
Big thanks to all the contributors who helped in making this happen, especially over the course of the 4th of July weekend. Be sure to check them out and give them a follow when you can.
Contributors:
Richard Boadu - 6 Magazine, bloggerBlythe Brumleve - Guys Girl, blogge
Alfie Crow - Big Cat Country, SBNation editor
Mike Felder - In The Bleachers, former college football player
Reeta H. - The NFL Chick, blogger
James "Trey" McCray - Real McCoy Sports, blogger
Roderick Morrow - The Black Guy Who Tips, radio host
Anthony Ramsey - Los That Sports Blog, blogger
Malik Spann - Blitz Magazine, editor
Steve White - Passing on the Game, retired NFL pro
Oh, and yours truly...Ed. Here we go with the people's countdown.
It is officially July, in my opinion the worst and greatest month of the year. It is the worst month of the year as a sports fan, because unless you've got your head in baseball or we're blessed to have the World Cup/Olympics hit the calendar at the right time...there is literally nothing else going on. However, its great because July is my birth month (28th, please send gifts...thanks) and its generally a time where I can vacation and get away from all the evil that is my day job.
But let's be real, what are we really sitting here talking about right now with sports in 2011? Lockouts. It is possible, that we could get into a situation where if the NFL doesn't figure it out, that by November the three major American sports leagues could all be in owner-player labor hell. Our lives would be ruined, we'd be forced to be productive with our lives, or the crime rate will go up.
The fact of the matter is this, we are with a single point of failure with pro sports, and if they take away the NFL, the NBA, or MLB...there is no real substitute, and as a sports fan there is nothing that could happen for me to forgive the owners and players of such a heinous act.
