Wednesday, April 27, 2011
"The Don" for president...
I have never been this involved, outspoken, and infuriated in politics in 31 years. When Obama ran for president, I did not support him. I voted for McCain. Obama won, good for him. There was nothing I could do to change that, so I decided I would give him the benefit of the doubt and see what happens. His healthcare bill turned out to be a joke. Ok, no big deal. No one's perfect. But the last few months I just get more and more outraged by him. A few weeks ago, in response to the rising gas prices, his comment was, "Just deal with it, and if you don't like it trade in your gas guzzler for a more fuel efficient vehicle." I've been in this situation before. When I lived in Elk City, I had 17 miles one way to work. We ended up having to give up a perfectly good house and move closer to work because it was costing me $10 a day just to drive to work. For arguement sake, let's test Obama's suggestion here. I had a 1985 Chevy pickup that got about 10 mpg. It was definately a gas guzzler. But, it was mine, free and clear. My only expense was very low property taxes, liability only insurance that was about $20 a month, and the gas to get to work. So, for a normal person working 5 days a week, that's $50 a week, $200 a month. Now, say I decided to get a more fuel efficient car. First of all, there's going to be a lein payment, and $300 a month would be the lowest you're gonna get. Then you add full coverage insurance and much higher property taxes. When all that's over, you STILL have to put gas in the car! So you're talking $400-$500 a month now. How is that saving money?? It's that kind of thinking that's made this country what it is today. With unemployment what it is now, what is someone without a job supposed to do?? USA is the greatest country in the world, but we are not very well liked with the rest of the world. Other countries HATE us. I can't say that I blame them right now. The healthcare system in this country is an embarrasment. Most of you know what happened last summer with a very dear friend of mine. Getting hit by that train probably cost millions upon millions of dollars to get him fixed up. Had that happened in Canada, it wouldn't have cost a dime. You can go to Canada, break both arms and legs and get fixed up for FREE. It's getting to the point where someone has to take out a second mortgage on their home just for a damn doctor's visit. Crime and violence is at an all time high. This is the greatest country in the world, and it's getting flushed down the toilet right now. Obama claimed he could fix it. Well, he's finding out that he is no different than any of his predecessors. Then there is the "birth certificate" issue. Everyone knows that to be president you have to be a natural born citizen. There was speculation during his campaign about his birthplace, first raised by the Clinton's. More recently, Donald Trump has gotten involved. At first, I didn't like the idea that Trump was getting involved in politics. But, since that time, I have been convinced. He wanted to put this issue to rest, and since Obama was reluctant to provide proof, he sent people on a mission to uncover the truth. Today, he told Oprah Winfrey that he asked the Hawaiian government to release his birth records. Why, after all this time is he finally doing it now? If he had nothing to hide, why not disclose it way back when the Clinton's wanted to see it? He called this issue "silliness" and that "we need to get to more important things". This silliness would not be an issue if he had shown it when it was first asked for. He created this "silliness" by hiding it for so long. If there is something about me, in this case where I was born, I was born in Dodge City Kansas. And if anyone wants to dispute that, I have no problem whatsoever with providing proof of that. Look at this from a law perspective. If a criminal is withholding evidence in a court case, doesn't that make him appear more guilty? If he has nothing to hide, he would provide the evidence. Concealing information, wether true of not, only makes you look more guilty. If this document is real, then why did he wait for so long to release it? Why didn't he release it from the beginning, and we wouldn't be talking about this!! "We need to get to more important things" is right. Since the birthright issue was taken on by Donald Trump, he has voiced his interest in running for president. I was skeptical at first, but since then, I'm becoming more and more convinced that he is exactly what this country needs. In his official response to the issue today, he made the comment that "we can talk about oil, we can talk about gas prices, we can talk about China ripping off this country, we can talk about OPEC doing numbers in this country like no one's ever done before." Do you think Obama would make a bold statement like that? NO, he would NOT. He's going to try to be too political and keep the peace. Keeping the peace is what got us into this mess in the first place. The president of the United States is supposed to be a representative of the people. He's supposed to support the people. When an issue comes up that troubles the people, he's supposed to resolve the issue. Instead of telling us to deal with rising gas prices, he should be doing something to fix it and bring gas prices back down. This country will never survive on $4 a gallon gas. This country needs someone in that office who will fight for this country and the people in it, not trying to kiss China's ass, or make nice with other countries. China is one of the biggest human rights violators in the world, more than Iraq or Lybia. You don't see Obama going in there and trying to fix that... I was terrified at the idea of having Donald Trump as president at the beginning, but over the past few weeks, it has become clear to me that this country needs a drastic change, and Trump could be just the person to do that. He's got the arrogance it takes to stand up to bullies like China and Russia. He's got his own empire, so there is no need for him to support "special interests". That may be a scary thought to some of you, but if we continue down the path we are now, it's going to be the end of us, and that is a MUCH scarier thought to me. So, I hope Trump decides to run for president in 2012, and I will be one of his biggest supporters...
Sunday, April 24, 2011
We've only just begun...
We are already a month into the baseball season. It seems to be flying by again, as usual. There are a few surprises thus far into the season, but can they hold onto the magic, or will they go in the tank, making way for the traditional powerhouses to come in a clean up the mess. Most years I would say that to be the case, but this season has a different feel to it.
But before I get into my analysis of the first month of the season, I want to bring up somthing I forgot to mention in my last blog about my experience on opening day. I can't believe I left out probably the most thrilling experience of the game. I feel embarrassed and ashamed that I left this part out, so I want to mention it now. As I said, there was a flyover at the end of the national anthem. The jets were from an airbase in Homestead, which is just outside of Miami. Later in the game, they brought the pilots who flew the jets onto the field in between innings. We all hear about the people who speak out against the wars, but we don't always hear the stories of how we support our troops. The people of Miami showed their support in an extraordinary way. When they showed the pilots on the screen and announced them as the pilots for the flyover, that stadium erupted. They gave them a 5 minute standing ovation. They cheered louder and harder for those pilots then they did when John Buck hit his grand slam home run. I can't explain how amazing that was. Goosebumps doesn't even come close. It was by far, hands down, unequivocally the best experience of the night. We don't express our thanks and gratitude to the men and women in uniform enough. The people of Miami have been criticized for not supporting their teams, Marlins included, but one things for sure, they support our troops.
Now, on with business. Probably the biggest surprise so far is the American League Central. It is completely flopped from the way we, myself included, expected it to be. With the changes the White Sox made in the off season to an already good team, we expected them to be on top, with Minnesota trailing closely behind. I expected the standings to be Chicago, Minnesota, Detroit, Kansas City, then Cleveland. Well, one month into the season, just flip those around. Who would have thought Cleveland would be leading with Kansas City and Detroit trailing closely behind, and Minnesota and Chicago at the bottom of the division. Another surprise is the slow starts of a few teams we expected to start at the top and never look back. Tampa Bay, St Louis, and most notably the Boston Red Sox, got off to a very slow start, but as of the last week or so, all 3 of those teams have returned to the form we expected from them, getting back into the thick of things. Another that is a surprise to most people, but not to me is the Florida Marlins. The Marlins are winning the old fashioned way, with solid pitching and good defense. Each time Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez take the mound, they flirt with a no no. Sanchez took a no hitter into the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies, one of the hottest hitting teams in baseball. The game I saw on opening day, Johnson took a no hitter into the seventh inning. They don't have the power hitters like Pujols, Fielder, Howard, or Tulowitzki, but with pitching like that, you can win without them. This team will be in the thick of things, come September. There are a few things we are sure of. Come September, the Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies will be in playoff contention. What I wonder though, is can the Cleveland Indians, and Kansas City Royals keep their early season magic going, or will they go in the tank as they do every other year and make way for the Twins and White Sox to battle for the division as they usually do? I don't know anything about the Indians this far. I have not seen them play, or even followed them much, other than looking at the box score. I am not as familiar with the Royals this season as I usually am, but I have followed them as much as I can. I don't know about anyone else, maybe it's the fact that I'm a third party observer this season, but the Royals have a different feel this year. Midway through last season the Royals canned manager Trey Hillman, and promoted long time Brewers manager Ned Yost as the skipper. His firing in Milwaukee was somewhat controversial as he had the Brewers, who were the Royals of the NL Central, finishing in the basement most seasons, in playoff contention. It caught people off guard to say the least. Yost has plenty of experience as a manager, and he was a good choice for the position. Dayton Moore, the Royals general manager is hoping this move is successful, or it could be his final as manager of the Royals. The problem in KC hasn't been lack of talent. The Royals have THE best farm system in the major leagues. You can watch almost any game and see someone who has at one point in their career, wore a Royals uniform. Their two main problems have been lack of leadership at the Manager position, and the tight wad of an owner, David Glass. He expects the Royals to win with the lowest payroll in baseball. But Ned Yost, as he was forced to do in Milwaukee, is making the best of the situation. The Royals have had solid starts in the past, and faultered, so what makes this solid start different from the others, you ask? Well, I could be wrong, and the Royals may go in the tank as usual, but there are a few stats that stand out for me. The biggest one is the fact that the Royals went 10 games without allowing a single homerun. Considering the pitching woes the Royals have had in recent years, that's a pretty impressive stat. 10 games and not a single homerun. Another stat is the fact that, the first series loss comes in the final weekend of April, to the AL West leading Rangers. Until this weekend they had no lost a series, either winning or tieing every series so far this season, against teams like the Indians, White Sox, Twins, Tigers and Angels. Most managers will tell you that if you win series at home and play .500 ball on the road and you will be in playoff contention 95% of the time, and in the wide open AL Central that is a very likely possibility. Alex Gordon, whose status as a Royal was very much in question last season, spending most of it in the minor leagues, has started the season on fire and currently has an 18 game hitting streak going. The Royals fan inside of me wants this to be for real. But the Royals fan inside of me has put up walls of defense as people do with the opposite sex. They have repeatedly broke your heart, so you come to expect nothing but that, not getting your hopes up in hopes of not getting hurt again. The hopeful, or hopeless romantic Royals fan in me wants this to be for real and wants to see them in the playoffs, but the realistic Royals fan inside me is expecting them to go into the tank any day now. They may not finish in playoff contention, but I do believe they have shown more improvement in these first few weeks than they have shown in the past several years. It may not be the finish we all want, but I do believe we will get something we haven't had in a very long time, the concept of "looking forward to next year." From what I've seen so far makes me believe the Royals do have a positive future. The Rays of a few seasons ago, going from worst to first, doesn't happen very often, so the playoffs may be wishful thinking, but if they can get through the month of May, and still be where they are, it may go from wishful thinking to a slight possibility. Go Royals...
But before I get into my analysis of the first month of the season, I want to bring up somthing I forgot to mention in my last blog about my experience on opening day. I can't believe I left out probably the most thrilling experience of the game. I feel embarrassed and ashamed that I left this part out, so I want to mention it now. As I said, there was a flyover at the end of the national anthem. The jets were from an airbase in Homestead, which is just outside of Miami. Later in the game, they brought the pilots who flew the jets onto the field in between innings. We all hear about the people who speak out against the wars, but we don't always hear the stories of how we support our troops. The people of Miami showed their support in an extraordinary way. When they showed the pilots on the screen and announced them as the pilots for the flyover, that stadium erupted. They gave them a 5 minute standing ovation. They cheered louder and harder for those pilots then they did when John Buck hit his grand slam home run. I can't explain how amazing that was. Goosebumps doesn't even come close. It was by far, hands down, unequivocally the best experience of the night. We don't express our thanks and gratitude to the men and women in uniform enough. The people of Miami have been criticized for not supporting their teams, Marlins included, but one things for sure, they support our troops.
Now, on with business. Probably the biggest surprise so far is the American League Central. It is completely flopped from the way we, myself included, expected it to be. With the changes the White Sox made in the off season to an already good team, we expected them to be on top, with Minnesota trailing closely behind. I expected the standings to be Chicago, Minnesota, Detroit, Kansas City, then Cleveland. Well, one month into the season, just flip those around. Who would have thought Cleveland would be leading with Kansas City and Detroit trailing closely behind, and Minnesota and Chicago at the bottom of the division. Another surprise is the slow starts of a few teams we expected to start at the top and never look back. Tampa Bay, St Louis, and most notably the Boston Red Sox, got off to a very slow start, but as of the last week or so, all 3 of those teams have returned to the form we expected from them, getting back into the thick of things. Another that is a surprise to most people, but not to me is the Florida Marlins. The Marlins are winning the old fashioned way, with solid pitching and good defense. Each time Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez take the mound, they flirt with a no no. Sanchez took a no hitter into the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies, one of the hottest hitting teams in baseball. The game I saw on opening day, Johnson took a no hitter into the seventh inning. They don't have the power hitters like Pujols, Fielder, Howard, or Tulowitzki, but with pitching like that, you can win without them. This team will be in the thick of things, come September. There are a few things we are sure of. Come September, the Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies will be in playoff contention. What I wonder though, is can the Cleveland Indians, and Kansas City Royals keep their early season magic going, or will they go in the tank as they do every other year and make way for the Twins and White Sox to battle for the division as they usually do? I don't know anything about the Indians this far. I have not seen them play, or even followed them much, other than looking at the box score. I am not as familiar with the Royals this season as I usually am, but I have followed them as much as I can. I don't know about anyone else, maybe it's the fact that I'm a third party observer this season, but the Royals have a different feel this year. Midway through last season the Royals canned manager Trey Hillman, and promoted long time Brewers manager Ned Yost as the skipper. His firing in Milwaukee was somewhat controversial as he had the Brewers, who were the Royals of the NL Central, finishing in the basement most seasons, in playoff contention. It caught people off guard to say the least. Yost has plenty of experience as a manager, and he was a good choice for the position. Dayton Moore, the Royals general manager is hoping this move is successful, or it could be his final as manager of the Royals. The problem in KC hasn't been lack of talent. The Royals have THE best farm system in the major leagues. You can watch almost any game and see someone who has at one point in their career, wore a Royals uniform. Their two main problems have been lack of leadership at the Manager position, and the tight wad of an owner, David Glass. He expects the Royals to win with the lowest payroll in baseball. But Ned Yost, as he was forced to do in Milwaukee, is making the best of the situation. The Royals have had solid starts in the past, and faultered, so what makes this solid start different from the others, you ask? Well, I could be wrong, and the Royals may go in the tank as usual, but there are a few stats that stand out for me. The biggest one is the fact that the Royals went 10 games without allowing a single homerun. Considering the pitching woes the Royals have had in recent years, that's a pretty impressive stat. 10 games and not a single homerun. Another stat is the fact that, the first series loss comes in the final weekend of April, to the AL West leading Rangers. Until this weekend they had no lost a series, either winning or tieing every series so far this season, against teams like the Indians, White Sox, Twins, Tigers and Angels. Most managers will tell you that if you win series at home and play .500 ball on the road and you will be in playoff contention 95% of the time, and in the wide open AL Central that is a very likely possibility. Alex Gordon, whose status as a Royal was very much in question last season, spending most of it in the minor leagues, has started the season on fire and currently has an 18 game hitting streak going. The Royals fan inside of me wants this to be for real. But the Royals fan inside of me has put up walls of defense as people do with the opposite sex. They have repeatedly broke your heart, so you come to expect nothing but that, not getting your hopes up in hopes of not getting hurt again. The hopeful, or hopeless romantic Royals fan in me wants this to be for real and wants to see them in the playoffs, but the realistic Royals fan inside me is expecting them to go into the tank any day now. They may not finish in playoff contention, but I do believe they have shown more improvement in these first few weeks than they have shown in the past several years. It may not be the finish we all want, but I do believe we will get something we haven't had in a very long time, the concept of "looking forward to next year." From what I've seen so far makes me believe the Royals do have a positive future. The Rays of a few seasons ago, going from worst to first, doesn't happen very often, so the playoffs may be wishful thinking, but if they can get through the month of May, and still be where they are, it may go from wishful thinking to a slight possibility. Go Royals...
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Finally, the real fun begins...
This is the time of year I've been waiting for. For those that know me, know of my passion for baseball. As far as I'm concerned, it's the best sport. Everyone has their preference, some like basketball or football better, and I respect that. But for me, it's baseball. Opening day is like a holiday for me. There is nothing I love more than to go to a game. It's something that I love, and as many times as I've been, everytime is like my first time. I've been to see the Royals play in Kauffman Stadium many times. The first game I ever saw was the Royals V White Sox. Over the years I've seen the Royals play the Chicago White Sox, Oakland A's, New York Yankees, Anaheim Angels, and most recently the Minnesota Twins. I saw an extra inning game last season at the NEW "K". They have made some pretty impressive improvements and I urge you all to check them out if you have the opportunity. I've also had the opportunity to see the San Francisco Giants take on the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver.
But none of that would even compare to what I got to experience a few weeks ago. Opening Day is like a holiday for me. Its always been a dream of mine to see an opening day game in person. I figured that many years down the road I might get to, and probably at Kauffman Stadium. I never imagined the opportunity I would be presented with this spring. I got the opportunity of a lifetime for me, to see that Florida Marlins host the New York Mets at Sun Life Stadium in Miami. Sun Life Stadium has had many names over the years, but has been the home of the Marlins since their inception in 1993. When Joe Robbie built the stadium for the Dolphins he figured it was inevitable that Miami would get a baseball team, so he ensured it would be able to host baseball games as well. The stadium is also the home for the Miami Dolphins, Miami Hurricanes, as well as the Orange Bowl game. It is an excellent venue for football. It doesn't have the ora of Wrigley Field or Fenway Park, but it was kind of humbling to think of all the history in that Stadium. Some of college and professional football greats have played in that stadium. The Ring of Honor speaks for itself, boasting names like Don Shula, Dan Marino, and other greats in Dolphin history. Robbie's intentions were good, making it able to host baseball games as well, but I would find out later that it's not perfect for baseball. The Marlins have been trying to get a new, baseball-only stadium for years, and after many years of lawsuits and injunctions, they finally got approved for a stadium on the site of the old Orange Bowl Stadium. The Marlins will move into their new home next season. They will also change from Florida, to the Miami Marlins. So, this would be the final Opening Day game at Sun Life Stadium for the Marlins.
They started the night by honoring one of the greats in Florida Marlins history, Mike Lowell. The National Anthem was different from what you would expect. Clarence Clemons was the saxophone player in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. When they brought him out, I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. I've heard instrumental versions of the National Anthem before, but nothing like this. To say that it was amazing and gave me goosebumps would be an understatement. It was definately in the top 10 I've ever heard, and you all know how critical I am of the national anthem. Then to top that off, they had fighter jets from Homestead FL do a flyover. I've seen flyovers on TV before, but never experienced one it person. TV doesn't do it justice. I can't put into words, the feeling I got as the jets flew over. Then came the first pitch. As part of the pregame ceremony to honor Mike Lowell, the had Lowell throw out the first pitch to Mr. Marlin, Jeff Conine. Then came the starting lineups. Most regular season games they kinda fast forward through some of the pre game festivities. It was nice to see them do it all, and do it right. The game featured the "Ace's" of the respective teams, Mike Pelphrey for the Mets, and Josh Johnson for the Marlins. And most of the game was a pitching battle. But the highlight of the night came in the fourth inning as, former Royal, John Buck hit a grand slam to right center field. Josh Johnson had a no hitter going until the top of the 7th inning. Later in the game Buck came a few feet from another homerun, hitting one off the boards in left center field. Logan Morrison finished the scoring with a homerun to the same spot as Buck's grand slam. It was pretty awesome to see a grand slam, in person. Also pretty awesome it was by a formal Royal. The biggest adjustment for me in that game was the massive turnout. I'm used to going to Kauffman Stadium where you can buy a ticket behind the dugout the night of the game, and have plenty of room. Needless to say, it was a full house, as one might expect on Opening Day. The Marlins definately did justice to the final Opening Day game in Sun Life Stadium's great history. To finish off the night, they had a maginificent fireworks display. We almost didn't stay for it, and I'm glad we did. Also one of the best I've ever seen. My only complaint from the game was the view of the feild. Our seats were along the 1st base side behind the dugout. I never thought about the angle of the seats in a stadium until that night. The newer stadiums have the seats angled slightly toward home plate. It's kind of hard to explain in a blog, but the seats faced center field, instead of left center. The person next to me would lean forward a little, so I had to lean forward more to see. It was a minor inconvenience, that you would expect anyway when a crowd actually turns out to support their team. Overall it was an amazing experience that I will never forget. It was an awesome way to kick off a new season of baseball.
But none of that would even compare to what I got to experience a few weeks ago. Opening Day is like a holiday for me. Its always been a dream of mine to see an opening day game in person. I figured that many years down the road I might get to, and probably at Kauffman Stadium. I never imagined the opportunity I would be presented with this spring. I got the opportunity of a lifetime for me, to see that Florida Marlins host the New York Mets at Sun Life Stadium in Miami. Sun Life Stadium has had many names over the years, but has been the home of the Marlins since their inception in 1993. When Joe Robbie built the stadium for the Dolphins he figured it was inevitable that Miami would get a baseball team, so he ensured it would be able to host baseball games as well. The stadium is also the home for the Miami Dolphins, Miami Hurricanes, as well as the Orange Bowl game. It is an excellent venue for football. It doesn't have the ora of Wrigley Field or Fenway Park, but it was kind of humbling to think of all the history in that Stadium. Some of college and professional football greats have played in that stadium. The Ring of Honor speaks for itself, boasting names like Don Shula, Dan Marino, and other greats in Dolphin history. Robbie's intentions were good, making it able to host baseball games as well, but I would find out later that it's not perfect for baseball. The Marlins have been trying to get a new, baseball-only stadium for years, and after many years of lawsuits and injunctions, they finally got approved for a stadium on the site of the old Orange Bowl Stadium. The Marlins will move into their new home next season. They will also change from Florida, to the Miami Marlins. So, this would be the final Opening Day game at Sun Life Stadium for the Marlins.
They started the night by honoring one of the greats in Florida Marlins history, Mike Lowell. The National Anthem was different from what you would expect. Clarence Clemons was the saxophone player in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. When they brought him out, I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. I've heard instrumental versions of the National Anthem before, but nothing like this. To say that it was amazing and gave me goosebumps would be an understatement. It was definately in the top 10 I've ever heard, and you all know how critical I am of the national anthem. Then to top that off, they had fighter jets from Homestead FL do a flyover. I've seen flyovers on TV before, but never experienced one it person. TV doesn't do it justice. I can't put into words, the feeling I got as the jets flew over. Then came the first pitch. As part of the pregame ceremony to honor Mike Lowell, the had Lowell throw out the first pitch to Mr. Marlin, Jeff Conine. Then came the starting lineups. Most regular season games they kinda fast forward through some of the pre game festivities. It was nice to see them do it all, and do it right. The game featured the "Ace's" of the respective teams, Mike Pelphrey for the Mets, and Josh Johnson for the Marlins. And most of the game was a pitching battle. But the highlight of the night came in the fourth inning as, former Royal, John Buck hit a grand slam to right center field. Josh Johnson had a no hitter going until the top of the 7th inning. Later in the game Buck came a few feet from another homerun, hitting one off the boards in left center field. Logan Morrison finished the scoring with a homerun to the same spot as Buck's grand slam. It was pretty awesome to see a grand slam, in person. Also pretty awesome it was by a formal Royal. The biggest adjustment for me in that game was the massive turnout. I'm used to going to Kauffman Stadium where you can buy a ticket behind the dugout the night of the game, and have plenty of room. Needless to say, it was a full house, as one might expect on Opening Day. The Marlins definately did justice to the final Opening Day game in Sun Life Stadium's great history. To finish off the night, they had a maginificent fireworks display. We almost didn't stay for it, and I'm glad we did. Also one of the best I've ever seen. My only complaint from the game was the view of the feild. Our seats were along the 1st base side behind the dugout. I never thought about the angle of the seats in a stadium until that night. The newer stadiums have the seats angled slightly toward home plate. It's kind of hard to explain in a blog, but the seats faced center field, instead of left center. The person next to me would lean forward a little, so I had to lean forward more to see. It was a minor inconvenience, that you would expect anyway when a crowd actually turns out to support their team. Overall it was an amazing experience that I will never forget. It was an awesome way to kick off a new season of baseball.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
SHAME on college basketball
Ok, so I lied. I said the other night I was going to move on from college basketball to the real sport of baseball. Well, I've been checking once a day or so to see if Frank Martin is headed home. The University of Miami is looking for a coach to replace Frank Haith, who left for Missouri last week. The appeared to be after Tommy Amacker from Harvard, but yesterday he turned them down. I know it's hard to say no to home, but if someone wants to stay at Harvard, a school that has never made the NCAA tournament, instead of taking a job in the weaker ACC, that can't be good for Miami. But I wondered if him turning them down, might get them to pursue Martin. As of the other day, no contact has been made, but that may all change now. FAU's Mike Jarvis, formerly of St. Johns is being rumored next, and would be a better fit, but only time will tell. My website of choice for this is the Kansas City Star's website, as they will be the first to know and publish any developments. ESPN would report if Martin takes the job, but talks won't make the "mother ship's" website. Today, while checking for developments I saw something that absolutely infuriated me. And even that is an understatement. There was an article about an idea for them to do with some of the money that college basketball generates. All through and after the tournament analysts were critical of "talent" level of the field. Their reference, of course was to the players leaving early for the NBA. I blogged about this a while back. These players have one thing and one thing only on their minds, and that's getting to the NBA ASAP. It's like being forced to do something. If it's done voluntarily, it's more willingly, but you try to force someone to do something, they are going to fight you the whole way. Forcing someone to do something is not the way to go about it. They think forcing them to stay is going to help college basketball, but it's only going to make it worse, and I wish these idiots would see that. I made reference in that blog to the KSU team with Michael Beasley and Bill Walker. Both were VERY talented players and have done well for themselves in the NBA. But the college team (KSU) barely made the tournament field, and if not for Beasley, probably wouldn't have even been in. The same team, minus Beasley and Walker, the next season, went to the Elite 8. These guys want to go, let them go. While looking in the Star, I found another article that illustrates my point as well. Josh Selby has been MIA since the season ended, missing a team luncheon, while in Vegas trying to decide whether he wants to go pro. These guys don't care about their school, teammates, etc. Who would you rather have on your team, Josh Selby, or Tyler Hansbrough? Selby has left his team and coach hanging, while Hansbrough, while at UNC was the ultimate team player. If they want to go, LET THEM GO. But no, they want to take the money college basketball makes and offer the students, such as Selby, a no interest loan to stay in school. The amount would depend on their draft stock. This would also be on top of their FULL RIDE scholarship. These guys are offered a free education, room and board, etc. while at school. That is something that MANY people would cherish and not take for granted like these guys do. But that's not good enough, they want to pay them now. They would be allowed to spend the loan on whatever they wanted. So, in Selby's case for instance, he would be offered a $30,000 loan to remain at Kansas for another season. Oh, the things I could do with a full ride scholarship and $30,000. Here's what will happen in 90% of the cases. They will blow it on something, like a car, jewelry, etc. and within a few days of getting it, be complaining again about being broke. As if that's not bad enough, wait for the repayment options. If they make the NBA, they pay back the loan with their big signing contract, and if they don't make the NBA, they don't owe a dime. It's wrote off as an investment in the person's future. Really?? Seriously?? That is just asinine. There are SO many people out there that could benefit way more from this. If they want to get athletes to stay in college, here's my suggestion. Talk to Roy Williams. In his tenure at Kansas, the ONLY player to leave early for the NBA was Paul Pierce. Hansbrough stayed and graduated at UNC, and their stars who would easily be first round choices have already announced that they are staying in school. How many Kansas players, under Bill Self, that are currently PLAYING in the NBA have played all 4 years?? And SHAME on Bill Self for supporting this plan. If you want guys to stay in school, talk to the coaches. Why can't these idiots see what will happen to college basketball when they start paying players. It will be exactly like the Yankees and Red Sox are in baseball. The Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, UCLA, etc. will be bigger and better. How are schools like Butler and VCU supposed to compete with that? All that shamefulness aside, you can not tell me these players are not getting anything for what they do? EVERY school does it, I don't care who it is. These boosters find ways to get these athletes compensation. Everyone does it, it's just a matter of not getting caught, like KSU and O(Ohio)SU did. These guys are doing just fine, there is no need to compensate them more than they already are. Shame on Bill Self, and anyone else who supports this idea. This, not players leaving early will ruin college basketball.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
I am going to do one more blog about college basketball before I start concentrating on the real sport, America's Pasttime, baseball. As most of you know, Butler has made the championship game the past two seasons. But, what most of you don't know much about is where Butler University plays their home games at. So, I am going to give you a bit of a history lesson. But before I do, I'd like to propose something I think would be absolutely amazing for college basketball. Most of you know of my dislike and anamosity towards the Kansas Jayhawks, and their home arena, Allen Fieldhouse. But, I would love to see the University of Kansas, and Butler university play a home and home series. Most peole wouldn't even give this a second look. Butler and KU, whoop-d-do. Just another non-conference game, right?? That very well may be, but what would make this such a good and intriguing matchup has nothing to do with the teams and their recent success. Brad Stevens has put Butler on the map with consecutive appearances in the title game, and KU is a perennial contender. But what would make this such an amazing series is the venues they call home. Most of you know of the history and lure of Allen Fieldhouse, from the "Rock Chock, Jayhawk" chant at the end of games, to the banner reading "Pay Heed, All Who Enter. Beware the Phog." Not to mention the court named after the inventor of basketball, and Kansas' first coach, Dr. James Naismith. The building is names after their legendary coach of 39 years, Dr. Forrest C. (Phog) Allen. I have never personally attended a game their, and honestly don't care to. I can't stand to hear that chant on TV, so I really don't want to hear it in person. But to KU fans and impartial fans, it's one of the greatest feelings to be around. It is one of the most historic venues in college basketball.
But there is one arena that tops it, and that's Hinkle Fieldhouse, home of the Butler Bulldogs. There is so much history in this arena I can't fit it all into one blog. It doesn't get the attention of Allen Fieldhouse because Butler is a smaller school in the Horizon League. "Butler Fieldhouse" as it was called in the beginning opened in 1928. It was renamed in 1966 to honor long time coach, Paul D. "Tony" Hinkle who coached at Butler for 41 seasons. When it opened the court ran east to west, but in 1933 they reconfigured it to run north to south because most of the seats were on the ends of the floor. So the floor was placed at a 90 degree angle to the "arch" of the roof. Another way to describe it would be looking across the arena with arches of the roof, and the court going from side to side. It's a little odd looking at first, they pull it off. It hosted the Indiana state basketball tournament from 1928 to 1971, including the "Milan Miracle." I'm sure most of you have seen the movie "Hoosiers." In that era, Indiana only had one state tournament for every school in Indiana. So, a small school with an enrollment of less than a hundred students had to play against the much larger powerhouses in the same tournament. In lamen's terms, it was David v Goliath. And in the case, David beat all odds and the "Goliaths" and won the state tournament. So, it was host to one of the greatest underdog basketball achievements all time. The tournament scenes of the movie "Hoosiers" were also filmed at Hinkle. It was featured in a documentary on ESPN in 2006 entitled, "Indiana's Basketball Cathedral." In 1983 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in '87 was designated as a National Historic Landmark for it's role in college basketball. The Indiana Pacers use it as their practice facility, and along that note it was the inspiration for Conseco Fieldhouse, where the Pacers call home. It's also been the host of many other sporting events, including olympic basketball trials, and the first USSR v USA basketball game, as well as hosting US Presidents. This venue has contibuted a lot for the history of basketball.
Those that know me know that I have two big passions, history and sports. These two historic arenas give a person like me the best of both worlds. I've always been interested in historic sports venues. Some, like Ebbott's field in Brooklyn, and the Polo Grounds in Washington Heights (NY) are long gone, and some, like (old) Yankee stadium more recently. Some, such as Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Lambeau Field, and Soldier Field. I wish I had the opportunity to attend a game at the venues I mentioned that have been raized, and hope that I get an opportunity to visit the ones that are still with us. Well, to see these two teams match up at both venues would be the event of a lifetime. The storyline for this matchup would feature the venues more than the teams. But with Butler's recent rise to prominence would surely make it a good and entertaining game as well. I for one would LOVE to see it, even if it means listening to that god-awful chant at Allen Fieldhouse. It would be the event of a lifetime for an enthusiast like me.
But there is one arena that tops it, and that's Hinkle Fieldhouse, home of the Butler Bulldogs. There is so much history in this arena I can't fit it all into one blog. It doesn't get the attention of Allen Fieldhouse because Butler is a smaller school in the Horizon League. "Butler Fieldhouse" as it was called in the beginning opened in 1928. It was renamed in 1966 to honor long time coach, Paul D. "Tony" Hinkle who coached at Butler for 41 seasons. When it opened the court ran east to west, but in 1933 they reconfigured it to run north to south because most of the seats were on the ends of the floor. So the floor was placed at a 90 degree angle to the "arch" of the roof. Another way to describe it would be looking across the arena with arches of the roof, and the court going from side to side. It's a little odd looking at first, they pull it off. It hosted the Indiana state basketball tournament from 1928 to 1971, including the "Milan Miracle." I'm sure most of you have seen the movie "Hoosiers." In that era, Indiana only had one state tournament for every school in Indiana. So, a small school with an enrollment of less than a hundred students had to play against the much larger powerhouses in the same tournament. In lamen's terms, it was David v Goliath. And in the case, David beat all odds and the "Goliaths" and won the state tournament. So, it was host to one of the greatest underdog basketball achievements all time. The tournament scenes of the movie "Hoosiers" were also filmed at Hinkle. It was featured in a documentary on ESPN in 2006 entitled, "Indiana's Basketball Cathedral." In 1983 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in '87 was designated as a National Historic Landmark for it's role in college basketball. The Indiana Pacers use it as their practice facility, and along that note it was the inspiration for Conseco Fieldhouse, where the Pacers call home. It's also been the host of many other sporting events, including olympic basketball trials, and the first USSR v USA basketball game, as well as hosting US Presidents. This venue has contibuted a lot for the history of basketball.
Those that know me know that I have two big passions, history and sports. These two historic arenas give a person like me the best of both worlds. I've always been interested in historic sports venues. Some, like Ebbott's field in Brooklyn, and the Polo Grounds in Washington Heights (NY) are long gone, and some, like (old) Yankee stadium more recently. Some, such as Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Lambeau Field, and Soldier Field. I wish I had the opportunity to attend a game at the venues I mentioned that have been raized, and hope that I get an opportunity to visit the ones that are still with us. Well, to see these two teams match up at both venues would be the event of a lifetime. The storyline for this matchup would feature the venues more than the teams. But with Butler's recent rise to prominence would surely make it a good and entertaining game as well. I for one would LOVE to see it, even if it means listening to that god-awful chant at Allen Fieldhouse. It would be the event of a lifetime for an enthusiast like me.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Looking Forward...
Well, the NCAA Tournament is over, and a very entertaining one it was. There have been many viewpoints on the tournament and the championship game between Butler and UCONN. Most of the viewpoints have been critical. As soon as the game was over analysts were quick to call the game the worst championship game in tournament history. I think that is a little unfair. One of my role models in high school had a philosophy that most coaches live by. "Offense wins games, defense wins championships." There's no question it was a defensive game. The analysts are just upset because there was no big storylines involved in this game. No coaching controversies. It was just another game for both teams. The only BIG name in this game was Kemba Walker. They didn't have several star players to go on and on about. All the television people care about are the ratings. As far as the game is concerned, it was a close game until the final 5 minutes. It was a very defensive game, but that doesn't make it a bad one. Some even went so far as to say that it tarnished the entire tournament. You can't judge an entire tournament on one game. On this I go again to the analysts being unhappy. They are unhappy there were no #1 or #2 seeds in the final four. Plus the fact that the precious Big East they all talked SO highly about going into the tournament failed to live up to their hype and expectations. Writers and analysts don't want to admit they were wrong about something so they will go to any length to make themselves right, and when they can't do that, point the finger at someone else. They didn't get what they wanted in a championship game so they try to cover that by saying it was a bad game and ruined the tournament. What happened to trying to cover something and make it a positive feel good story. What should be talked about is Jim Calhoun winning his 3rd title, and being undefeated in tournament play this season. (including the Maui Invitational, Big East, and NCAA tournament.) But what they wanted to talk about was his impending suspension and whether his legacy would be tarnished. On the other side, you have Butler. Butler has several good stories. First they have a very young and talented coach. Brad Stevens appears to have a very bright future. He has taken Butler from a mid major, to the chamionship game in consecutive seasons. The job he has done at Butler is more impressive than most give him credit for. Butler is not Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, or Duke. Some coaches have taken over programs and after a few years of success are called great. When you go on a recruiting trip, it helps to have that prestigious school attached to your name. "Hi, I'm Bill Self, coach of the Kansas Jayhawks. Or Hi, I'm John Calipari, coach of the Kentucky Wildcats." sounds a LOT more impressive than, "Hi, I'm Greg Marshall, coach of the Wichita State Shockers, or Hi, I'm Brad Stevens, coach of the Butler Bulldogs." Anyone could take over at Kansas or Kentucky and recruit simply because of the school's name. Calipari did take Memphis from nothingness to the championship game, but Bill Self has been handed good programs in great hands. I would be interested to see if Bill Self could take a program like Butler or VCU and bring them to the stage that Brad Stevens and Shaka Smart have done. While at ORU (Oral Roberts University) a mid major very similar to Butler, his best accomplishment was the NIT in his third year. What did Brad Stevens do in his third year at Butler? Just made it to the championship game. There are SO many good stories about Butler, yet all they wanted to talk about is how Butler apparently tanked in the final game. Some went as far as to say Stevens was responsible for Butler playing the way they did. They all wanted to focus on the negativity instead of taking something good away from it all.
Then you have the sore losers. The fans of teams that didn't make it and don't want to accept that their team got beat. Kansas and Ohio State may have been the best teams, but didn't even make the Final 4. These were very talented teams, but sometimes it's hard to beat a team on a mission. Everyone wants that spot in the final game. Some teams just want it more than others. VCU is a perfect example of that. They took the "Us against the world" thing and rode it to the final four, beating powerhouses Purdue and Kansas along the way. If Kansas and VCU were to play 5 games, Kansas would probably win 4 of the 5 games. But when it counts, all bets are off. All season long I've talked about how good those teams were, but knew none of them would make the Final 4. These good teams coasted through the regular season meeting little resistance. When they did meet resistance they failed. Again I'm only using Kansas as an example because I am most familiar with them. What happened to Thomas Robinson was truely tragic. He lost both grandparents and his mother within a matter of months. Texas came calling that weekend and the Jayhawks were quick to use that as an excuse for the loss. A few weeks later they received the #1 ranking, and only a few hours later Kansas State wiped the floor with them. For Kansas it's just another game they should win. It means a lot more to KSU than Kansas. In the NCAA tournament these teams run into the same thing. These games mean a lot more to VCU, Butler, and Morehead State than Kansas, Pittsburgh and Louisville.
Now that all the hype and drama of the tournament are over, as usual we are looking forward to next season. My prediction for next season is a changing of the guard. There are some major changes that will have more impact that most people realize. Most of it revolves around the Big XII. First of all two up-and-coming teams will be leaving the conference. Colorado has a very impressive tournaround, and got snubbed by the selection committee, to make it to the NIT final 4. Next season Tad Boyle and the improved Buffaloes will be taking their play to the newly formed Pac-12. Nebraska's turnaround wasn't quite as impressive or noticed, but still deserve some attenion. And they will be taking their game to the new Big 10. More recent developments involve the Missouri head coaching position. Missouri lost the bidding war for Mike Anderson to Arkansas. They hired Frank Haith from the U of Miami. Along with the mediocrity Haith will bring to Missouri, he will be loosing two of his star players to the draft, so Missouri will be pretty much irrelevent in the Big XII next year. Then Kansas State could be collateral damage from this. Frank Martin is originally from the Miami area. His biggest and best characteristic is his loyalty. But, it's hard to say no to home. We in Kansas are familiar with that, loosing Roy Williams and Bob Huggins to their home. I want to think that his loyalty and appreciation for KSU will win out, but there is hope with Frank Martin. If there is someone that will choose loyalty and appreciation over home, it is Frank Martin. But, if Frank Martin were to go home to Miami, that would put KSU in the same position as Missouri. Then you have Oklahoma and Texas Tech, in the basement and going through a coaching change. Both coaches, Billy Gilespie at Texas Tech and Lon Kruger at Oklahoma have definate potential and will get those programs turned around, but not instantly. So, it's a possibility that 4 of the 10 schools will be dealing with coaching changes. The way it's looking right now the Big XII will be no better than a mid major. My rambling has a point, and I will get to it. The problem with Duke this year was the weak ACC. They played a weak non conference schedule and their conference play was sub par compared to the Big East, Big 10 and Big XII. Kansas will be this next year. They will not be as good as this year's team but will look better because of the weaker Big XII. The Big East will probably be the same as this year. Built up to be the best, but no better than average. The Big 10 will not be as good either. Ohio State will be in the consideration because of Sullinger returning. Purdue is loosing 2 of their stars, but will have Robbie Hummel back. The SEC and ACC are improving, while the Big XII and Big 10 are going in the wrong direction. Then you have the Pac 10 becoming the Pac 12. Arizona and UCLA suprised a lot of people this season, proving that they are back, while Washington put everyone on notice. They will be gaining Colorado and Utah which should only help them. The teams I will be interested in watching next season will be Kentucky and North Carolina. They both have tremendous returning talent capable of finishing what they started this year. Florida should be considered in the mix and Duke will be because of who they are, much like Kansas and Texas. Preseason rankings put too much weight on past and tradition. When the dust cleared at the end of the season, the Big East was humbled, and Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, and Kentucky proved that they were under rated all season long. Everyone was too busy talking about the Big East and filling the rankings with those teams, that they overlooked these better teams. How many Big East teams made the Elite 8?? Yet all 4 of the above mentioned teams were there. Now before you rush to discredit me and say I don't know what I'm talking about, I want to point out a few things. I said all season the top 4 teams would not make the Final 4. None of them did. Only one made the Elite 8. I'm going to do a little more bragging and talk about my bracket. 3 of my final 4 teams were in the elite 8. My bracket finished in the top 5% of the thousands submitted. I gave these teams the credit they deserved and they didn't let me down. I'm hoping they don't next year either. I do hope I'm wrong about the Big XII though. But there's no question, Kansas and Texas will carry them. If any of you are close with Kansas State or Frank Martin, PLEASE beg him to stay. This means a lot on many levels. College basketball is better off with him at KSU.
Then you have the sore losers. The fans of teams that didn't make it and don't want to accept that their team got beat. Kansas and Ohio State may have been the best teams, but didn't even make the Final 4. These were very talented teams, but sometimes it's hard to beat a team on a mission. Everyone wants that spot in the final game. Some teams just want it more than others. VCU is a perfect example of that. They took the "Us against the world" thing and rode it to the final four, beating powerhouses Purdue and Kansas along the way. If Kansas and VCU were to play 5 games, Kansas would probably win 4 of the 5 games. But when it counts, all bets are off. All season long I've talked about how good those teams were, but knew none of them would make the Final 4. These good teams coasted through the regular season meeting little resistance. When they did meet resistance they failed. Again I'm only using Kansas as an example because I am most familiar with them. What happened to Thomas Robinson was truely tragic. He lost both grandparents and his mother within a matter of months. Texas came calling that weekend and the Jayhawks were quick to use that as an excuse for the loss. A few weeks later they received the #1 ranking, and only a few hours later Kansas State wiped the floor with them. For Kansas it's just another game they should win. It means a lot more to KSU than Kansas. In the NCAA tournament these teams run into the same thing. These games mean a lot more to VCU, Butler, and Morehead State than Kansas, Pittsburgh and Louisville.
Now that all the hype and drama of the tournament are over, as usual we are looking forward to next season. My prediction for next season is a changing of the guard. There are some major changes that will have more impact that most people realize. Most of it revolves around the Big XII. First of all two up-and-coming teams will be leaving the conference. Colorado has a very impressive tournaround, and got snubbed by the selection committee, to make it to the NIT final 4. Next season Tad Boyle and the improved Buffaloes will be taking their play to the newly formed Pac-12. Nebraska's turnaround wasn't quite as impressive or noticed, but still deserve some attenion. And they will be taking their game to the new Big 10. More recent developments involve the Missouri head coaching position. Missouri lost the bidding war for Mike Anderson to Arkansas. They hired Frank Haith from the U of Miami. Along with the mediocrity Haith will bring to Missouri, he will be loosing two of his star players to the draft, so Missouri will be pretty much irrelevent in the Big XII next year. Then Kansas State could be collateral damage from this. Frank Martin is originally from the Miami area. His biggest and best characteristic is his loyalty. But, it's hard to say no to home. We in Kansas are familiar with that, loosing Roy Williams and Bob Huggins to their home. I want to think that his loyalty and appreciation for KSU will win out, but there is hope with Frank Martin. If there is someone that will choose loyalty and appreciation over home, it is Frank Martin. But, if Frank Martin were to go home to Miami, that would put KSU in the same position as Missouri. Then you have Oklahoma and Texas Tech, in the basement and going through a coaching change. Both coaches, Billy Gilespie at Texas Tech and Lon Kruger at Oklahoma have definate potential and will get those programs turned around, but not instantly. So, it's a possibility that 4 of the 10 schools will be dealing with coaching changes. The way it's looking right now the Big XII will be no better than a mid major. My rambling has a point, and I will get to it. The problem with Duke this year was the weak ACC. They played a weak non conference schedule and their conference play was sub par compared to the Big East, Big 10 and Big XII. Kansas will be this next year. They will not be as good as this year's team but will look better because of the weaker Big XII. The Big East will probably be the same as this year. Built up to be the best, but no better than average. The Big 10 will not be as good either. Ohio State will be in the consideration because of Sullinger returning. Purdue is loosing 2 of their stars, but will have Robbie Hummel back. The SEC and ACC are improving, while the Big XII and Big 10 are going in the wrong direction. Then you have the Pac 10 becoming the Pac 12. Arizona and UCLA suprised a lot of people this season, proving that they are back, while Washington put everyone on notice. They will be gaining Colorado and Utah which should only help them. The teams I will be interested in watching next season will be Kentucky and North Carolina. They both have tremendous returning talent capable of finishing what they started this year. Florida should be considered in the mix and Duke will be because of who they are, much like Kansas and Texas. Preseason rankings put too much weight on past and tradition. When the dust cleared at the end of the season, the Big East was humbled, and Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, and Kentucky proved that they were under rated all season long. Everyone was too busy talking about the Big East and filling the rankings with those teams, that they overlooked these better teams. How many Big East teams made the Elite 8?? Yet all 4 of the above mentioned teams were there. Now before you rush to discredit me and say I don't know what I'm talking about, I want to point out a few things. I said all season the top 4 teams would not make the Final 4. None of them did. Only one made the Elite 8. I'm going to do a little more bragging and talk about my bracket. 3 of my final 4 teams were in the elite 8. My bracket finished in the top 5% of the thousands submitted. I gave these teams the credit they deserved and they didn't let me down. I'm hoping they don't next year either. I do hope I'm wrong about the Big XII though. But there's no question, Kansas and Texas will carry them. If any of you are close with Kansas State or Frank Martin, PLEASE beg him to stay. This means a lot on many levels. College basketball is better off with him at KSU.
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