State of...Disappointment!

So I'm sure you saw this coming. After formally admitting that I'd jumped the gun in judging LeBron James he turns in a performance worthy of my dislike.

The few people who read this know how I feel about the post series handshakes. After battling your opponent for 4-7 games I think it shows a tremendous amount of respect when you shake their hands. Win like a champ, lose like a champ.

LeBron, after his Cavaliers lost to the Orlando Magic decided that he was better than the game and didn't have to participate in this time honored tradition. Shame on you "King". Yes, you're young. Yes, you were upset that your team lost. Yes, at that exact moment the last people you wanted to congratulate was the Magic players. You claim to be a "winner"...but winners don't behave like this. At least, not the ones who I want my kids looking up to.

I'm very disappointed in James. I thought that he was better than this. Maybe I was wrong. I hope that some of the great leaders in this sport take it upon themselves to call LeBron and explain what "class" means. Maybe that's what he missed by skipping college?

Bev/Bitch: care to weigh in on this. He's your boy - can you defend this???

State of...Insomnia

I'm a big dork. I get it. And after this post, I won't soon be able to deny it. Oh well, so be it. After the last post I was still awake and began working on my own adaptation of A Visit Before Christmas (or more commonly know as Twas the Night Before Christmas). My apologies to Clement Clarke Moore - at least he's not around to witness the following butchery:

'Twas the night before Stanley when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even Bettman that louse;

The sticks were propped up by the chimney with care,

In anticipation that St. Nik (Lidstrom) soon would be there;

Canadians were nestled so snug in their beds,

While visions of Game Seven double OT danced in our heads...

Mamma in her jersey, and I with a Leafs cap,

Had just settled down to study the Trap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the couch to see what was the matter.

Away to the sofa I flew like Horcoff ‘08,
Threw open the door and unlocked the gate.

The tape on the garage the colour of new-fallen snow
Outlined the image of a goalmouth below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But Alex Ovechkin in his Caps hockey gear.

With a wicked ‘ol wrist shot, so lively and quick,
A tinted half-visor and a curved hockey stick.
His accurate shooting part of his claim to fame,
Then he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now top shelf! Now five hole! Now glove side you Vixen!”
On target! On target! On target and Blitzin’!
To the top of the hash marks he still made the call!
”Now fire away! Fire away! Fire away all!”

I sat there and watched the pucks continue to fly,
When they met with the door they flew to the sky,
So up to the house-top the rubber it flew,
He scored from all angles and blindfolded too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The huffing and puffing I thought was a goof,
I held up my wrist shot, and was turning around,
There stood Leafs GM Burke, a sight to be found.

He was dressed all in blue, from his head to his toe,
And his hair was all messy from his trip from the Joe;
A heavy ol’ bundle he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler about to open his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
Even his gaudy blue suit he must have got from Don Cherry!
An ear-to-ear grin donned a Coach Ron in tow,
And his reason for happiness was starting to show;

The knot on the sack he undid with his teeth,
The object so shiny like a sword from its sheath
It had a wide bottom but a nice slim mid belly,

And a big bowl on top you could fill with grape jelly.

About 4’ and stocky, but seemed to carry itself,
I’ve got a similar trophy that sits on my shelf.
A glint of silver, nothing need more be said,
I grabbed that there trophy and raised over my head;

Burke spoke not a word, but went straight to work,
A Tavares on Draft Day would be quite a perk.
And laying his finger on the side of his nose,
To bring Stanley home, now smelled like a rose;

He sprang to his feet, gave Coach Ron his whistle,
And away they both went at the speed of a missile.
But I heard him shout out, as he flew out of sight,
"We’re keeping Lord Stanley and we’ll put up a fight."



Ho Ho Ho....Merry Stanley Cup Finals!!!

Cheers,
LW

State of...Rematch!

'Twas the night before Stanley when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even Bettman that louse;

The sticks were propped up by the chimney with care,

In anticipation that St. Nik (Lidstrom) soon would be there;

All Canadians were nestled so snug in their beds,

While visions of Game Seven double OT danced in our heads...

The Stanley Cup Finals are upon us!!!

It is shaping up to be the most excitedly anticipated finals that I can remember. Story line after story line after story line. Hossa pursuing the ever elusive Holy Grail in the red and white instead of the black and gold; four of the top five players in the world battling it out for the chance to lift Lord Stanley's mug over top their head; redemption for a Canadian goalie to show that he has what it takes (and the Fleury story isn't bad either); the young rookie coach versus the crafty Wings general; the age old battle between octopus versus penguin; and of course the entire east coast of Canada pulling for their native Kid.

Last year many thought that the Penguins were too green to win the Cup (I was included in this group). Detroit was too experienced, too strategic, too good. This year, all Detroit has done is go out and pick up one of the better offensive players in the game, Marian Hossa. Pittsburgh has gone through a metamorphosis of sorts, from ugly larvae to blooming butterfly. They have added grit and leadership with Bill Guerin, they are a year older, wiser, and more determined. The saying goes, you have to lose in order to learn how to win. The Pens lost last year - let's see if they have indeed learned how to win.

The matchups certainly are more even than last season...let's take a look:

GOALTENDING

Fleury versus Osgood. In terms of pure talent it's not even close; Fleury is the more talented player. But Osgood has three rings on his fingers that gives him the edge here. Osgood knows what it takes to win. Much like Grant Fuhr in the 80's, he knows that it's not about how many saves you make, but when you make them. Fleury is playing with a lot of confidence right now...but this Detroit team has a more consistent attack than what he's seen in the first few rounds. Again, slight edge goes to Osgood.

FORWARDS

WOW...talk about offensive talent! Crosby, Malkin, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, and Hossa. Then you have the secondary talent like Guerin, Cleary, Filppula, Franzen, Fedotenko, Samuelsson, Hudler, and Letang. Detroit has four lines that can score. Pittsburgh has a healthy and hungry Crosby and Malkin. If everyone were healthy I would probably have to give Detroit the edge...but since there are some "upper body injuries" and "lower body injuries" I am actually going to give the edge to Pittsburgh here.

DEFENCE

Of the ten defencemen who will be featured in this series, Detroit owns five of the top six. Lidstrom (who will play in Game 1)and Rafalski are the top two hands down. Gonchar is probably the next best, but Stuart, Kronwall, and Ericsson are the next best. Even an 80% Lidstrom is strong enough to give Detroit the edge in this category. The true question will be, does the Detroit D have enough to overcome the Pittsburgh O?

COACHING

Kudos need to go to Dan Bylsma for the outstanding work he did turning this ship around mid-season. The Pens were a team that was in danger of going from the Cup finals to not even making the playoffs. He brought them back all the way to the Stanley Cup finals with a good chance to win it all. That being said, he has never coached in a Cup finals before. He's never even coached in an NHL playoffs before this year. When he looks across the bench and sees Mike Babcock he sees a coach that he has looked up to for years. He also sees a guy who has proven he knows what to do in a pressure situation. It's hard to put a price on experience...but I can certainly score it; and Babcock wins this one.

So that's three to one Detroit. I think last year I gave Detroit the 4-0 edge. So Pittsburgh is getting better...but are they good enough to win? It's going to come down to just HOW injured the Detroit stars are. This time of year everyone is hurting...but who is willing to step up and battle through the pain? I question whether Detroit has the determination to go through all the agony that is needed to win "another" Cup. At some point success has to get a bit boring, no?

Here's how I see my options: Detroit is too good to lose in anything less than 6 games. If it gets to a 7th game I can't see Detroit losing. Pittsburgh is better than last year (they lost in 6 last year) so they should at least push a game 7. Again, if it goes 7 then I don't see how they can beat the experience of the Wings. So my only real choices are Wings in 7 or Pens in 6.

I'm like all the other Canadians in that timeless Christmas tale...dreams of Game Seven double OT dancing in my head. I really want Pittsburgh to win...but I just don't know if wanting it is enough. I'll be cheering for the black and gold...but I just don't think they are ready to beat the most dominating franchise in the past decade and a half. I hope I'm wrong.

Let's go Pens!!!

State of...Confinement

I don’t think that this term should be able to be used in certain situations. Is Hef “confined” to the playboy mansion? Do kids get “confined” to Disney while on vacation? Not a chance. So why does Michael Vick get “confined” to his house for two months??? His house is valued at close to a million dollars. I’m sure that he has some of the bells and whistles that even my humble little pad has (Wii, X-Box, big screen TV, extensive DVD collection, etc.) and maybe a few more (bowling alley, pool table, arcade, home theatre, etc.).

Under his new release terms Vick is allowed to go to work during the day and come home, but is on "lockdown" from 9pm till 6am. He can go out for church, doctor’s appointments, and other pre-approved necessary trips. While he can’t do some of the fun things that he used to (bowling, bars, parties, dog fights, etc.) I’m sure that he has much of that in his own place. Why go out when you can do that at home?? So basically, Vick is being “confined” to something better than what most people would call everyday life.












This is his current "confinement", but I'm sure that if it's anything like his previous home the inside is acceptable. Good luck with your "punishment" Mr. Vick.

And here is an idea of what his previous home was like:

State of...Showdown!

Dear Non-Hockey Fans,

I understand your frustrations with the sport of hockey; fighting is allowed (and even encouraged), it’s hard to follow the puck (a black puck on white ice certainly blends in), you don’t understand the rules, you don’t identify with the players (I mean honestly, who understands Canadians?!), there’s not enough scoring, and so on and so on. We all have our favourite sports and you either get hockey or you don’t. There is rarely a “casual” hockey fan. We’re either rabid about it or we don’t care. Thankfully, I am rabid about the sport and as such, I feel the need to demonstrate its greatness.

For those of you who have either never watched a game, or who have tuned in only to check it out rather than watching another re-run of Saved By The Bell…PLEASE watch the game 7 finale tomorrow night in Washington. The Washington Capitals will host the Pittsburgh Penguins. To date this series has been back and forth like a tennis match. Washington jumped out to a 2 game lead only to have Pittsburgh jump back into it by winning 3 straight. Washington won in overtime on Monday night to force an exciting winner-take-all game.

Not only has this series been exciting from start to finish, it features the top three leading scorers in the league. It also happens to be a match-up of Superstars. Alexander “The Great” Ovechkin versus Sidney “The Next One” Crosby. The NHL has spent millions of dollars promoting these two players with Crosby clearly the darling of the NHL. He’s a good ol’ Canadian boy who’s made good on the promise he showed as a youngster. Ovechkin on the other hand is a flamboyant high-flying Russian with an attitude. Both players are the cream of the NHL crop and will should lead the league in scoring for the next 10+ years.















Regardless of the outcome of this game, it WILL be exciting. Every time one of these two players touches the puck they can do magical things. Try entering Ovechkin into YouTube.com and see some of his highlight reel goals. He has incredible skills and can score from anywhere on the ice (including on his backside). Crosby can cut through a defense like a hot knife through butter. It’s uncanny what these guys can do at full speed. Through six games Ovechkin and Crosby have 13 and 10 points respectively. They will have at least two breath taking rushes each during this game.
















If you’ve ever considered watching a hockey game, or wondered what all the fuss was about (okay, there’s not much fuss – but surely you know a hockey fan who talks about it non-stop to the point of being annoying), this is the game to watch. Check it out and let me know what you think. And be sure to stick around after the game for the post series handshake lineup – the best tradition in all of sports.

The game goes off at 7pm on Wednesday night (probably on Versus in the US and good ol’ CBC in Canada).

Thanks for your consideration and let me know what you think!

Cheers,

LW

State of...Surprise

Isn’t it great when we have our irrational beliefs and opinions confirmed?! We feel both vindicated and wise (aka “we just KNEW it had to be true”). But what happens when the opposite happens, when our irrational feelings towards someone or something are shown to be inaccurate or just plan wrong. This happened to me twice in the span of 3 hours. So I’m left to ponder who I could have been so wrong all this time. Let me explain both scenarios…

LeBron James. I’ve disliked him since I saw him wearing the #23. That number belongs to His Airness and it always will. Here’s this little cocky kid that thinks he’s the next Jordan. I felt that he was disrespecting Jordan and the game by taking a historic number rather than trying to make a name (number) for himself. I like to think that I would have felt the same if Sidney Crosby had taken the number 99. From that point on I only saw the bad in James. I saw him posing for “pictures” before the game, I saw him showboating with his teammates before tipoff, I saw him try to force “all eyes on me” during his chalk-clap explosion before the game. All these things confirmed what I “knew” to be true. He was a punk that had a Me-First attitude. He would rather be the NBA MVP on a losing team than a leader on an NBA Championship winning team – basically he was the T.O. of the NBA. BUT...in fairness - kudos to Bev and Bitch for sticking by him and preaching to me that he was a great team player. I didn't believe you...till now.

Then this morning I saw an interview that made me reconsider my misguided preconceived beliefs. Airing on ESPN LeBron was asked about winning the league MVP and being “the face of the NBA” and what means to him. Here was a perfect opportunity for him to promote himself…but he didn’t. He spoke humbly about trying to just be the MVP of his team on a nightly basis. He said that being the face of the league wasn’t something for him to say. He just wants to go out and play the game to the best of his ability.

The second question, and the one that really shocked me, was asked if he were a GM who would he pick: LeBron or MJ. Again, a perfect opportunity to promote himself and say that he is better than MJ…but LeBron scoffed at the notion and said that he would take MJ no questions asked. You can see the full interview here, but suffice to say I was left with no other choice but say that I may have been a bit quick to judgment.While he’s not my favourite player just yet…I have taken him off my Hate List. And who knows, maybe after a Championship and a few more interviews he might get bumped up another few notches. Next...

Sidney Crosby. Similar situation to Lebron: talented kid, lots of hype, chosen as the league’s darling child…and for the most part he’s lived up to the hype. Granted he may not even be the best player on his own team, he hasn’t disappointed when it came to performance. He comes from small town, Canada and plays a sport that I love. It was natural for me to like Sid right away. He plays with a bit of an edge and has yet to complain (about his lack of wing-mates) – two things that I certainly admire in a player. Because I liked him right away all his actions moving forward were seen through rose coloured glasses – he could do no wrong. That is, until yesterday.

In this article Sidney shows me some troubling glimpses at his personality. I’ve heard all the rumours about him crying to the refs for this lack of call or that bad call. I’ve dismissed this for the most part. But what I saw yesterday about him asking the refs to make an announcement to fans to stop throwing hats on the ice after Ovechkin scored a hat trick was ridiculous. I’m annoyed on so many levels.

Firstly, if the game were in Pittsburgh and he scored the hat trick you can bet that he wouldn’t have minded on iota. Secondly, this is part of the game. Hats are always thrown on the ice after a hat trick. Who is he to change this tradition? Thirdly, these fans paid good money to come and have a good time. The game is in dire need of passionate fans and nothing says passion like the willingness to throw away a $25 hat to show your support. The alternative would be to have fans sit on their hands all game and turn the game I love into a lifeless tennis match. And lastly, when asked about what he was saying to the refs, why didn’t he just shut his mouth? You know that people say you whine too much. Why give them the added ammunition? The whole thing showed me a lack of class and just plain stupidity. Think before you speak Kid. He’s young, he’ll learn….but maybe not before he alienates even more fans.

Yes, it was an interesting morning alright. While I’m not ready to throw in the towel all my crazy thoughts this certainly made me think a bit about how I get there. And who knows…maybe I will even cheer for the Cavs. Stranger things have happened!!!

Cheers,
LW

State of...Honesty

Joel Zumaya just became one of my favourite baseball players. After working two scoreless innings on Wednesday night against the New York Yankees, Zumaya came out and stated this:

"I can't stand the Yankees, man, and I'm going to go right after them."

Not that I hate the Yankees. I'm certainly not a fan, but I have no real hatred for them. I'm somewhat jealous of their mighty payroll, but that's part of what makes baseball interesting. Some teams can spend money for performance while other teams have to scrounge the bottom of the barrel for all the talent they can find.

Either way, it was refreshing to see a player come out and be as honest as Zumaya was on Wednesday. His comments will surely spark a fierce rivalry between himself and Yankee hitters. The fact that Zumaya has electric stuff and triple digit heat just makes it even more exciting. I wish more baseball players came out with this type of bulletin board material.

Kudos JZ!

State of...Greatness

Special thanks to my friend Bev for the assistance in the development of this topic. We were discussing his mancrush of the moment, LeBron James. He argued that with continued development LeBron could one day become the greatest basketball player to ever live AND one of the top five athletes of ALL TIME!

This brought up the discussion of who were the top five athletes of all time. We went back and forth with different athletes from different sports trying to determine who would qualify and who wouldn't. It became such an interesting discussion that I continued it throughout the rest of the day with several other sports minded folks. Who are the the top athletes of all time?

First we need some form of definition of the term "athlete". I'm not comfortable having Jeff Gordon or Secretariat included in this conversation. Nor am I interested in having great players who didn't fit into the category of "athletic". Or more eloquently put, "if you have man boobs then you shouldn't qualify!"

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ provides this definition of an athlete: "A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts."

This feels too broad. By this definition someone performing heavy lifting could be an "athlete". I might tweak this a bit to something along these lines: "A person possessing the natural or acquired traits and skills INCLUDING strength, agility, and endurance that are necessary for the participation in sports and athletic competitions". Those three items need to be included in any comparison of athletic prowess. I've also taken our "physical exercise" from the previous definition as this enabled too many possibilities.

I've been fortunate enough to see many outstanding athletes. My generation has seen the greatest hockey player to ever lace up a pair of skates (and it's not the one you're thinking of - turn that 99 upside down), the greatest golfer ever (Woods), potentially the greatest tennis player of all time (Federer), one of the best basketball players of all time (Jordan), and plenty of baseball players who would merit consideration for this distinction (A-Rod, Pujols, Henderson, Bonds, Ryan, Rose). We've been very blessed. But do any of these specimens fall into the Top 5 Greatest Athletes of ALL TIME???

There will be plenty of athletes that I will overlook (many for good reason). I encourage your feedback and criticism. Before I get into the Top Five...let's look at the ones who just missed out but certainly deserve recognition:

JESSE OWENS (Track & Field)

Career: 4 Years: 1933 (first World Record in High School) - 1936 (his amateur status was removed after the Olympics when he "turned pro" by receiving endorsements and appearance fees to run against horses).

Crowning Achievement: 4 Gold medals at the 1936 Olympics (100m, 200m, long jump, and 4x100m relay)

Also: The "Buckeye Bullet" won 8 NCAA events (4 each in 1935 and 1936). This achievement would be matched for the first time in 2006.

Rationale: Imagine how good he would have been if he hadn't smoked?! His achievements are tremendous but they are only in one major discipline - running fast. If Usain Bolt decided to make a very long jump at the end of his 100m I'm sure that he would go very far. Carl Lewis also attained the 100m and long jump wins throughout his career. The two events share similar skill sets.

Did You Know: After smoking for 35 years, Owens died of lung cancer in 1980.

MICHAEL JORDAN (Basketball and Baseball)

Career: 16 Years: 1981 as a freshman at UNC - 2003 as a Washington Wizard.
Crowning Achievement: Led the Chicago Bulls to two "three-peats" as winners of the NBA Championships from 1991-1993 and 1996-1998.

Also: A ten time scoring leader of the NBA (including 7 years in a row). Defensive player of the year in 1998. Two time Olympic gold medalist (1988 and 1992). Ranks first all-time in NBA history for his 30.1 career points per game.

Rationale: Jordan dominated the game from an offensive standpoint. While he was a solid contributor on defence it was his scoring that made him known around the world. I want to "Be like Mike" may still be being said in countries around the world. Jordan's legacy was somewhat tarnished twice; the first time when opting to play professional baseball (fairly unsuccessfully) and the second when he made his comeback to the NBA (he put up decent numbers, but he was past his Jordan-esque days).

Did You Know: While his baseball career was FAR from successful, Jordan did show some talent on the base paths. In 436 AB (with a batting avg. of just over .200) he managed to steal 30 bases. Pretty impressive for a rookie who probably didn't have the best "read" on a pitchers delivery.

Jim Brown (Football, Lacrosse, and Basketball)

Career: 14 Years: 1952 as a freshman at Syracuse - 1965 as a Cleveland Brown)

Crowning Achievement: The only player to average over 100 yards rushing per game for his career (104.3 yards per game average).

Also: Brown retired as the leader in both single-season rushing yards and career rushing yards. Led the NFL in all-purpose yards five seasons (a record). Voted to the Pro Bowl in every season he played. As a sophomore he was the second leading scorer on the basketball team (averaging 15 ppg). As a senior he led the NCAA in scoring for lacrosse with 43 goals in 10 games. Is in the College Football Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Rationale: Browne was absolutely dominant in football and was named by Sporting News as the greatest football player in history. His multi-sport success is also impressive - very few athletes are in more than one Hall of Fame.

Did You Know:Even more impressive is that over his 9 years in the NFL he NEVER got to play in a 16-game season. Four times he played in 12 game seasons and 5 times he played in a 14 game season. In essence he missed out on 26 extra games that current players have. His numbers would have been extra ridiculous given almost an additional two seasons.

MARIO LEMIEUX (Ice Hockey)

Career: 17 Years: 1984 - 1993, 1995 - 1996, 2000 - 2005

Crowning Achievement: Led his Pittsburgh Penguins to two Stanley Cup championships, in 1990-91 and 1991-92.

Also: Lemieux owns three Hart Trophies as the league's MVP. He also owns 6 Art Ross awards for leading the league in scoring.

Rationale: Lemieux had the misfortune of playing hockey in the Gretzky era. While the Great One may have put up better numbers throughout his career he had a much stronger supporting cast. Consider that in Lemiuex career year his team mates included Rob Brown, Paul Coffee, Dan Quinn, and Bob Errey. In Gretzky's career year his team mates were Paul Coffee, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, Mark Messier and Mark Napier. The year that would have been Lemieux's crowning achievement was in 1992-93. His team mates that year included Kevin Stevens, Rich Tocchet, Ron Francis, Jaromir Jagr and Larry Murphy. He started the season out with goals in each of his first 12 games. Before that 13th game Lemieux made the announcement that he had been diagnosed with cancer (Hodgkin's Lymphoma) that would require him to undergo agressive radiation treatments. That year he still managed to win the scoring race with an astounding 160 points in 60 games. The numbers he would have put up that year would surely have topped Gretzky's record of 215 points. Beyond the numbers Lemieux brought a more aggressive game that Gretzky. Standing at 6'4" and 235 pounds he was a much more physically dominating player than the smaller Gretzky (he stood at 6'0" and 185 pounds).

Did You Know: Of all his NHL achievements, his greatest feat may have come in Juniors. Playing for the Laval Voisins Lemieux racked up 133 goals and 149 assists for 282 points in just 70 games. That's a clip of 4.03 points per game. Nobody has ever come close to that before or since.

PELE (Soccer)

Career: 25 Years (1952 - 1977)

Crowning Achievement: Led the Brazil national soccer team to three World Cup championships in 1958, 1962, and 1970.

Also: Arguably the greatest soccer player to ever play the game. Pele burst onto the national scene at the age of 16 years old, winning his first World Cup at 17. Pele was instrumental in the increased popularity of soccer in the United States. He played for the New York Cosmos from 1975 - 1977.

Rationale: Over his career Pele scored an unbelievable 1281 goals. This total is recognized by FIFA as the highest total achieved by a professional soccer player. His total dominance in the most popular sport in the world makes him a spectacular athlete. He was the cream of the crop...but the crop was larger than any other in all of sports. He was given the title "Athlete of the Century" by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Did You Know: "Pele" is a nickname. Born Edison Arantes do Nascimento, he was given the nickname Pele for reason that are not completely known. What is known is that he despised the name growing up. But the more he protested the more people used it.

And now the Top Five...

#5. MUHAMMAD ALI (Boxing)

Career: 22 Years (1960 - 1981)

Crowning Achievement: Three-time World Heavyweight Champion.
Also: Won Olympic Gold at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Career record of 56-5 with 37 wins coming by knock out. Named by Sports Illustrated as "Sportsman of the Century" in 1999.

Rationale: Ali's appearance in the top five has more to do with his sport than his over performance. He was a great, GREAT, boxer mind you, but what got him on this list is the sport that he performed in rather than his record. ESPN did a sports ranking of "Degree of Difficulty". It ranked each sport in the following categories: endurance, strength, power, agility, flexibility, nerves, durability, hand-eye coordination, and analytic aptitude. The results, seen here, were somewhat surprising. They ranked boxing as the most "difficult" sport to play. Certainly I hadn't given boxing much consideration as a tough or difficult sport (although I definitely don't want to participate). It would be hard to argue that boxing doesn't require significant levels of each of the above qualities. And Ali demonstrated each with superiority over his rivals.

Did You Know: Ali was so frustrated by not being served at a "whites only" restaurant that he threw his Olympic medal in the Ohio River. Ali was given a "replacement" medal during the opening ceremonies at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA.

#4. WILLIE MAYS (Baseball)

Career: 22 Years (1951 - 1973)

Crowning Achievement: Won a World Series championship with the New York Giants.
Also: Mays was selected to 20 All-Star games throughout his career, tying a major league record for most All-Star appearances. Mays won 12 consecutive Gold Glove awards given tot he top defensive player at each position. His finest year came in 1955 when he hit 51 homers, drove in 127 RBI, and hit .319.

Rationale: Considered to be the best all-around baseball player of all time, Mays currently sits in 4th place all-time in home runs (660), 7th in runs (2062), 10th in RBI (1903), 11th in hits (3283) and 112th in stolen bases (338). During his 22 year career he led the Major Leagues in the following categories for a single season: Hits, Triples, Home Runs, Stolen Bases, Average, On-Base Percentage, Slugging Percentage, and Total Bases. His overall production and speed demonstrates his total athletic ability - he could do it all; speed, power, hand-eye coordination, and outstanding defense. Even when compared to current stars his numbers are astounding. He is one of only four players to have eight consecutive 100-RBI seasons (Mel Ott, Sammy Sosa, and Albert Pujols are the others).
Did You Know: Mays is the only player in history to have hit a home run in every inning from the 1st - 16th.

#3. LANCE ARMSTRONG (Cycling and Triathlon)
Career: 18 Years (1989 - 2005, 2009)
Crowning Achievement: Won an unprecedented 7 Tour de France championships in a row.

Also: At the age of 17 years old Armstrong was national champion for sprint-course triathlon. He repeated at age 18. He also won a total of 22 stages during his run as Champion on the Tour de France.
Rationale: If part of qualifying as an "athlete" is endurance, Lance qualifies with flying colours. Not only did his reign last longer than any other cyclist in the history of the sport - which dates back to 1903, but the actual competition is a test of true athletic endurance. Typically between 3,000 and 4,000 KM (that's between 1,800 and 2,500 miles) the Tour is 20 stages of gruelling competition. The number of competitors varies from year to year but approximately 200 of the world's best cyclists compete. And just to make sure that the Tour is a true test, the stages are of varying difficulty and skill sets. It's not all flat roads - it's roads, mountains, cities, uphill, downhill, etc. There is no faking this race; you're either ready for it or you're not. Lance was ready each and every time. Oh, and did I mention that he also overcame cancer before his run of yellow jerseys? Just three years before his first Tour win he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. After two years of treatment he was back on the bike. The following year he won his first Tour...and he never looked back. And just to make sure that his victories have been on the up and up...Lance is tested up to 24 times per year for performance enhancing drugs.

Did You Know: Part of what makes up Armstrong's incredible ability is his genetic makeup. Apparently his lactic acid levels are significantly lower than other high performing athletes. This allows for a quicker recovery and less muscle fatigue.

#2. MICHAEL PHELPS (Swimming)

Career: 9 Years (2000 - present)

Crowning Achievement: Eight Gold Medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics (4oom IM, 4x100m FR, 200m FR, 200m Fly, 4x200m FR, 200m IM, 100m Fly, 4x100m IM) with seven World Records and one Olympic Record.
Also: At the 2007 World Championships Phelps won seven Gold medals, setting five World Records and one Championship Record. At the 2004 Olympics he won 6 Gold medals and two Bronze medals while setting one World Record, three Olympic Records, and two American Records.

Rationale: In total Phelps was won 16 Olympic medals (14 Gold and 2 Bronze). His 14 Gold medals are the most for any athlete over a career. For those of you who feel that he is just a one-trick pony, the events in which he won were in several different disciplines. He swims Freestyle, Butterfly, and the Individual Medley (which includes all four strokes). He is the fastest human being in these events. That would be like LeBron leading the league in Points, Rebounds, and Assists - not only leading the league but being named as the best EVER in those categories. That would be astounding. Not only this, but at the age of 15 he participated in the 2000 Olympics becoming the youngest male swimmer at an Olympics in 68 years. All he did there was finish 5th in the 200m butterfly. A few months later Phelps became the youngest male to set a swimming World record; at 15 years and 9 months he broke the 200m butterfly record. Phelps was also named World Swimmer of the Year in five of the six years stretching from 2003 - 2008. Even in his "off events" he has some skills. He is ranked 3rd in the world for the 100m and 200m backstroke. If he decided to focus on backstroke and breakstroke there is no doubt in my mind that he could become competitive on the world scene in those events too.

Did You Know: At the Beijing Olympics Phelps was drug tested 9 times for performance enhancing drugs. Those results were all negative.

And the winner is...

#1. JIM THORPE (Football, Baseball, Basketball, Track & Field)

Career: 23 Years (1906 - 1928)

Crowning Achievement: Double gold medalist at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics in the Decathlon and Pentathlon (included disciplines: long jump, javelin throw, 200m dash, discus throw, 1,500m run, 100m dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m, 110m hurdles, and pole vault).
Also: If that weren't enough, Thorpe also played professional football from 1915 to 1928 when he retired at the healthy age of 41 years old. Thorpe also dabbled in professional baseball for several years although with unsectacular numbers (.252, 91 Run, 82 RBI over 289 games). While little is known about his basketball days, he did play professionally; touring the country for at least a couple years.

Rationale: It seems like there wasn't much that Thorpe couldn't do. He was all-world in almost every track and field discipline, he played at the highest level of football, and he played well enough at both baseball and basketball to earn a living. In a time when the country goes crazy for the two-sport phenoms (Bo Jackson and Neon Deion Sanders) Thorpe was a true four-sport star (more if you count individual track & field events). Could you imagine the hype if Bo knew basketball, javelin, high jump, long jump, and pole vault?!?!? Thorpe is also a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. In 1999 the US House of Representatives named Thorpe as "America's Athlete of the Century".

Did You Know: In college, while playing football for Carlisle, Thorpe played running back, defensive back, placekicker and punter and scored every single point in an 18-15 upset over Havard. He also reportedly kicked a wind-assisted 95 yard punt in a championship game in 1919.

So you be the judge...do you think that LeBron will ever get into the top 5? Regardless, it will sure be fun to watch him try.

Cheers,

LW

State of...Nighthawks

Please tell me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “Nighthawk”. Hate right? No? How about racist? Still no? Hmmm…what about anger? If none of these terms seem to immediately apply then please consider yourself a very small part of the country who didn’t know that the term “Nighthawk” refers to security person with the Klu Klux Klan. I had no idea myself.

Now, before I get into the subject at hand, let me give some background into my family (just so we’re on the up and up). I come from a large family with several different cultures. I grew up with foster siblings from all over the place, including Ghana and other parts of Africa. My multi-culture household was a very close, loving, open family. I wouldn’t change my youth for anything as I believe it helped make me who I am today.

So, back to the topic of the day. Normal is a town in central Illinois with a population of about 50,000. They have recently been given a baseball franchise in the Frontier League and have decided to allow the public to help decide on a name. The finalists for the new team were announced last week and they included: Normal Nutz, Normal Cornbelters, Normal Nighthawks, and Normal Coal Bears.

Speculation is/was that the last name was a direct attempt to gain popularity by Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert, host of the Colbert Report (silent “t” on both words). As you can imagine, drama ensued and Normal Coal Bears were flooded with loyal viewers and took an early lead. Then someone apparently hacked into the voting system and voted for Normal Nutz a few hundred thousand times. Both Nighthawks and Cornbelters received only a few votes (3,200 and 540 respectively).

Then, it was brought to the teams attention that the term Nighthawk had ties to the KKK. Enough people raised concerns to team President Steve Malliet that he decided to take the name out of the running. “I am grateful to the good people of Normal West High School and others in the community for letting us know that Night Hawk is a position of responsibility in the Klu Klux Klan,” stated Malliet.

My issue isn’t whether or not Malliet made the right decision to remove the name from the running. I think that he probably DID the right thing here. The term, while not popularly known as a hate word, caused offence to enough people in the town of Normal that it had to be done. These are the people who will support the team during the upcoming seasons. You need to have the town behind you in order to start a professional team, especially a minor league one.

My issue is more about the people who complained about the term Nighthawk. Really?!?! Are you the same people who only bake ‘Gingerbread People’? I had to search to find out that the term had any connection to the hate group. And I went to school in Illinois so it’s not like you can claim it’s a widely popular term in your area. A Nighthawk is an actual bird too. Did you know that? Maybe we should change the name of the bird too? God forbid a birdwatcher vocalizes the “N” word when he sees said bird. No doubt our ears would immediately start to bleed.

We should also petition the Ironwood Ridge High School to change the name of their mascot; currently the Nighthawks. Surely that town is full of racists and they purposely selected that name to show how much hatred they have. What about the Nighthawk Radiology? They participate in the horrific act of “providing high-quality, cost-effective services to radiology groups and hospitals throughout the United States.” GASP! Oh the horror! Or even worse, Nighthawk Energy who is “a dynamic UK registered energy company with a focus on the development of, and production from, hydrocarbon projects in the USA.” I had no idea that the KKK was so prolific and progressive with their technology. Surely we are only moments away from being taken over by these Neanderthals.

The team did the right thing in changing their name. They’re a start up team and didn’t need the picket lines and book burnings that were surely to ensue upon Opening Night. But seriously, isn’t it time that you people moved on with your life and found something productive to do? I hear that the terms “Chaplain”, “Titan”, and “Dragon” are all also terms that have ties to the KKK. That would allow you to shutdown many religions, several sports teams, and fairytails all at once. Go forth and complain!

And oh yeah....PLAY BALL!!!!

State of...Branding

There’s a storm a brewin’ in Toronto today. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is considering a partnership with Future Shop. The deal would see Future Shop outfit two computer labs with state-of-the-art equipment in schools that cannot afford to do so on their own. In return, Future Shop would have the two rooms painted in the company’s signature colours (red and grey), receive a plaque of recognition, and the right to naming rights of the lab (they recently named a Surrey, BC classroom the Future Leaders Tech Lab).

Critics of this proposed deal state that allowing a corporation to come into the schools is to subject the children to waves upon waves of advertising and branding. Um, have you been outside recently? Billboards, bus shelters, movie theatres, ball parks, hockey arenas, subways, they all have advertising embedded into their purpose. Unless these critics are not allowing their children to play outside, or to watch TV, or read a newspaper, or listen to the radio, then they are already being bombarded by branding and advertising.

Critics also claim that allowing this type of partnership conflicts withe the goals of our public education system. The TDSB’s primary concern should be the education of their students. Taken directly from their website, the TDSB’s mission statement is “to enable all students to reach high levels of achievement and to acquire the knowledge, skills, and values they need to become responsible members of a democratic society.”

What these critics don’t understand is that without this funding the school board would be unable to achieve this mission statement. There is a reason that these labs need updated computers and it’s not because the board doesn't WANT to help…they can’t afford it! The money that is being provided by Future Shop, $100,000, would be put to great use and would allow those students the opportunity to “acquire the knowledge, skills, and values…” they need in order to become contributing members of society.

Would critics prefer that these students go without the proper tools they need to grow? It would be one thing if a fast food company wanted to come in and provide the food for all students and brand the cafeteria with golden arches. That could be argued that it was counterproductive to the growth of our youth (except in the girth area). This proposed deal will bring additional education to schools that are unable to provide it under the current budget constraints. How important is computer technology to the youth of today? Do these critics believe that computers are just fads and sure to fade away like beta-max?

I commend Future Shop for using this opportunity to promote their name and recognition. It’s a shame that their name is being chastised by some. They don’t have to make these donations. They could just as easily spend $100,000 on a :30 second commercial on some kids TV show. What they are doing is combining their advertising budget with the goodwill that more corporations should demonstrate. I'm not naive enough to believe that Future Shop is doing this just out of the goodness of their heart. They are certainly getting something out of this (future customers perhaps)...and why not? Why can't there be a 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine' mentality? Nobody is being hurt by this. Quite the opposite actually. These kids will be receiving new skills that they weren't able to acquire before this donation. It's a win-win.

For the cost of some new paint, a plaque, and a new sign these critics are willing to sacrifice the continuing education of our youth?!?! Shame on you!

Future Shop…expect to see me at one of your locations in the very near future! For all your electronics needs go here.



UPDATE:

The full article can be found here...but the TDSB approved the partnership with Future Shop. The one part that I did want to bring attention to was this response:

Don Valley East Trustee Michael Coteau likened the painting to branding the TDSB board room with corporate interests. "To brand a room that children go into to learn is a very dangerous thing," he said. "None of us would agree to have Future Shop come in here and brand this boardroom."

And to that, I call "bulls%$t"! If a company were willing to pay $100,000 to paint the boardroom a different colour then the TDSB should also accept that. In fact, if anyone is willing to pay me to repaint ANY room in our house please call me ASAP! I'm willing to brand the hell out of the place. Want to put a logo on our dog? I'm open to that - for the right price.

They are closing down schools right now due to lack of funding. It is exactly this type of creativity that will keep schools open until the economy can get back on track. Again, shame on these critics for even suggesting that the alternative is a option. In a refreshing twist to most news - this story has a happy ending for everyone! Future Shop gets their branding. Students get their education. The TDSB gets to keep their school open. Great job everyone!!!

State of...Respect

On the eve of the first elimination game for the 2009 NHL Playoffs I want to bring attention to what I think is the greatest tradition in all of sports...the post series handshake line.

For those of you who don't follow the greatest game in the world, let me paint you a picture. Two teams will play a fierce best-of-seven series. Upon determining which team will advance to the next round (or hoist Lord Stanley's mug) both teams line up at center ice to pay respect to the other team. Both teams will skate toward each other and shake each others hand - the ultimate sign of respect to the other.

No other sport does this. In baseball the winning team storms the field while the losers take shelter in their dugout. In basketball the winning team takes to the court to celebrate with each other while embracing the fandemonium. Football and soccer come close; in football many players take the field and form a center circle to offer a quick prayer. In soccer several players share their game worn jersey with their counterpart on the opposing team. Both of these displays are great signs of respect, but neither requires total team participation. In hockey every player offers his hand to the other (except Martin Brodeur to Sean Avery in the 2008 playoffs - and I don't blame him).

These guys have just waged war on one another, many players having been bloodied and beaten at the hands of their opponent. But once the competition is complete they recognize the hard work that each player put forth. This isn't like getting a participation ribbon in pre-school. This isn't about anything other than a quick "good job" or "good luck next round" from one warrior to another. I would love to hear what else is said. No doubt there are many personal wishes passed from friend to friend...but even strangers will take this opportunity to pass along a respectful message.

In the end this is just a game that is played. Nothing more, nothing less. And it's nice to see that the players can keep things in perspective. Be sure to check out the games this week. And while you watch try to remember that these guys have just played at least four games against one another and have got their "hate on" for each other. Then watch their faces as they shake hands. Try to read their lips or listen closely for the whispered words of encouragement. Do this and you will have to agree that this tradition is unrivalled in the sports world.

State of...Intensity

This post is dedicated to a player who I absolutely despised. Until recently. This player is an intensely competitive cocky borderline narcissist. At least that's what I thought.

Alexander Ovechkin is an incredible hockey player - that is not for debate. You may disapprove of his post goal celebration, you may dislike his apparent lack of respect for other players or the game of hockey...but you have to LOVE his intensity. He lives to play hockey and he lives to compete.

If Ovechkin had been born in Peterbrough he would be the second coming of....well, I don't know who to compare him to. He has the edge of Cam "Sea bass" Neely. He has the snap wrist shot of Wendel Clark. He has the desire to win....like nobody I've seen. He is a fun player to watch because you always know that he's going to do something noteworthy. Today was no different.

At Rangers practice this morning (yes, Rangers practice) Ovechkin was spotted on the visitor's bench. He was seen starting down opposing players the way a hawk views a helpless mouse. He says that he did it to "tick off" Rangers coach John Torterella. Either way, he was noticed. About three minutes after he arrived he was quietly asked to leave the bench area. As he left the bench area you can bet that if looks could kill the Rangers would have been down a man or two tonight. When asked if was trying to intimidate the Rangers players, Ovechkin could only smile.

With his team down two games to none Alex the Great was doing everything in his power to intimidate his opponent. And, it worked. The Caps came out guns blazing tonight and but a beat down on the Rangers 4-0. Ovechkin assisted on the first two goals and finished with a +2 rating (he would have been +4 but two goals came on the PP). Like he has done all year Ovechkin took this team under his wing and led his team to victory. Whether his actions this morning had any bearing on the outcome is unknown...but it certainly didn't hurt.

Alex, I apologize for judging you on what little I knew of your actions. You are a truly gifted, gritty, intense, insanely talented player...and I love to watch you play. Keep doing what you do...but try to tone down your goal celebrations (the "hot stick" was a bit much for me).

State of...Messages

It's that time of year again. Time for the top 16 hockey clubs to battle for the right to hoist Lord Stanley's mug over their head. Now, I have a post brewing regarding some NHL traditions, but something has come up that rubbed me the wrong way.

Colin Campbell, the NHL's Senior Executive VP of Business Operations, has come out and made a statement regarding how the final minutes of an NHL game should be, or shouldn't be, played. Here is his statement:

"We had a conference call Monday with the General Managers and Coaches of playoff teams and told them explicitly we would not tolerate attempts by clubs to 'send a message' late in the game when the outcome had been determined. Organizations - players and coaches - will be held accountable for such actions."

This is playoff hockey time. PLAYOFFS!!! It's ALL about sending a message to the other team, regardless of score. Hockey isn't a single-game elimination, it's a seven-game series. It's a battle. First team to four wins WINS. If you aren't going to win a game then your priority should be planning for how you can win the next one. If by 'sending a message' late in a sure loss helps you to intimidate the other team, or fire up your team, then you do it!

What does the NHL want the teams to do, just accept their fate and roll over? Showing the other team that "we may lose the battle, but not the war" is a perfect attitude for a long series. Sending a message late in the game that your team, while losing this game, isn't going to make this series an easy one is totally acceptable.

Now I am not saying that cheap shots should be allowed into the game...but some post whistle pushing, shoving, face washes, and scrapping are totally acceptable. This is hockey. It's a physical game played by physical players. If the players aren't able to tolerate a little roughness then they should quit hockey and get into something a little less offensive - I think that there are some openings on the Frisbee golf team nearby.

Hockey has made some changes over the past few years to try and enhance the game; to make it more entertaining to the US audience. Some changes I agree with, some I don't. But this game has been around for a long time and it's always managed to police itself fairly well. In years past cheap shots were dealt with by that player having to face up to the opposing team's tough guy.

But I digress. The NHL shouldn't be shying away from this 'message sending' for two main reasons. One, the customer wants to see a physical game - that's what hockey is. And two, in a seven-game series sending a message to the other team that you're not going to roll over and die is an absolute must! If things get out of hand then the league can come down hard on those individuals - but they didn't need to come out and make a statement like this. This is playoff time...we should be talking about :12 second overtimes and backup goalies standing on their heads.

Bring on Lord Stanley!

State of...Living Tributes

It was a rough few days for the baseball community. First Nick Adenhart was struck down by a drunk driver and then Harry Kalas, the voice of the Phillies, passed away. As I was watching the memorials and hearing about how the players payed tribute to their fallen brothers I was struck by both the similarities and differences.

The entire baseball world stopped to make mention of these two. The Angels postponed their evening game while the Phillies decided to play on in honor of Kalas (with heavy hearts they 'won one for the gipper'). Both were the right decision by the way. Adenhart was a promising 22 year old pitcher while Kalas was a living legend in the broadcasting community, serving as the voice of the Phillies for nearly 40 years. When players spoke of either Kalas or Adenhart it was with great sadness and passion. You could tell that both were dearly loved and will be sorely missed. Jered Weaver, a teammate of Adenhart, sketched the initials "N.A." into the dirt on the mound during his next start and when leaving the field pointed to heaven; to their newest starting pitcher. John Kruk, another Philadelphia legend, talked about Kalas as a dear friend and father figure. He was moved to tears in the interview.

While I'm sure that both Adenhart and Kalas knew how people felt about them I was saddened that they may not have known just how much outpouring of affection was given to them after their deaths. It made me sit and ponder my own life and the people who are important to me. Do they know how I really feel about them? When was the last time I spoke to my siblings? We get so wrapped up in what we consider important (work deadlines, proposals, deals, etc.) that sometimes we miss what is truly important in our lives (family and friends). It shouldn't take a tragedy like this for people to show how they truly feel about one another. If Kalas and Adenhart can teach us anything it's that we just don't know our expiration dates. Anyone can be struck down by a drunk driver. Don't miss your opportunity; give a "living" tribute to the ones you love!

R.I.P.

Nicholas "Nick" Adenhart

August 24, 1986 - April 9, 2009

R.I.P.

Harold "Harry" Kalas

March 26, 1936 - April 13, 2009

State of...Sportsmanship

Let me first say that this post isn't meant to specifically target Mike Cameron, but the situation that he found himself in yesterday and the discussion that came from it. (If you haven't seen the clip of Joe Martinez getting tagged in the head with a Mike Cameron line drive then check it out on YouTube).

Let me quickly set it up for you. Martinez pitches the ball to Cameron. Cameron hits a line drive back to Martinez and the ball hits him square in the head. The ball rebounds off his head and goes into foul territory (although is still a fair ball). Cameron slowly runs to first base but clearly concerned about the fallen player. The catcher runs out to check on his pitcher and the play seems dead. The stadium is quiet and players all seem to be incredibly concerned (as they should be in this type of situation).

About 30 seconds later the camera shows a clearly concerned and distraught Cameron again. Although this time he is standing on second base. During the time it took for the pitcher get up off the ground and for the equipment manager to wipe up the blood from his head, Cameron actually advanced to second base. Don't get me wrong, Cameron was visibly shaken up by what had happened....just not enough to not take the extra base on the play.

Cameron gave this quote after the game:

"You just hope that the young man is all right, that everything is good and that he's safe first and foremost. I just hope that he gets a chance to go back on the field again. I couldn't stop shaking. It's kind of a helpless feeling. I was just trying to pray for him because I know how dangerous that can be."

Those are very thoughtful and kind words, but didn't Cameron's play show that "first and foremost" Cameron wanted to put his team in a better position to win the game? From everything I have read about Mike Cameron I believe him to be a stand-up guy and a great ambassador of the game. I'm not really questioning Cameron's actions...just the actions that took place in general.

If it were me I like to think that I would stop at first base and show my concern from there and not advance while the other team is clearly worried about a fallen teammate. A pitcher taking a line drive to the noggin is potentially a life threatening incident. I would hope that my conscience wouldn't allow me to take second base while he was in that situation. But that's just me.

My fiancee thinks that I'm wrong. I'm sure that she's not the only one. I open this up to anyone else who has an opinion on this situation.