Wow!!! What an exciting ending to the 2011 MLB regular season! The St Louis Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Rays both clinched wild card berths in game 162 with the aid of historic collapses by the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox (respectively). We all can only hope that the thrilling late inning drama of those games can carry over into the post season which is about to start.
The National League Divisional Series features the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies vs. the St Louis Cardinals. The surprise of the year Diamondbacks I think will continue shock with their pitching and move past the Brewers, who may be playing their last set of significant games with Prince Fielder (who they may lose in the off season). The Fielder factor may give the Brewers a sense of urgency and some positive emotion but I think they will fall short to the Dbacks. The Phillies are debatably the best team in the majors and their 102 victories in the regular season back up their argument. But the Phillies are built to win the World Series not the regular season - anything short of a championship would be a huge disappointment. I don't think they will be upset in the NLDS; they will beat the Cardinals. I look forward to seeing their all-world pitching rotation featuring Roy Halladay this post season.
The American League Divisional Series features the New York Yankees vs. the Detroit Tigers and the Texas Rangers vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees are not the "Big Bad Wolves" that they used to be but they still have a very talented team. The Tigers boast the best pitcher in the majors in Justin Verlander but he is matched against the Yankees C.C. Sabathia who isn't so shabby himself. I think the Yankees talent and experience will push them to the next round. The defending American League champion Rangers are looking to go all the way this year but the team that they defeated in the ALDS last year is looking for some revenge. The Tampa Bay Rays have lost a lot of their talented players from last year when they were favored to beat the Rangers. But this year I think they will get a little payback and defeat the more talented Texas team.
Let the playoff games begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Ladies, Let Your Man Watch Football!!!
Ahhh football. Just saying the word football gives a lot of men a sense of excitement and ironically a sense of relaxation. It is a game that a lot of men played as boys whether it was in school, Pop Warner leagues or just "pick up" games in the street. Things like tossing a football with their father or gathering with family and friends tailgating at football stadiums or having Thanksgiving underscored with this game are all traditions that have a connection with a lot of guys. The love of football usually stays with fellas for a lifetime. IT is a part of them. Now ladies, why would you want to sully something like that?
First, let me clear up a couple of things. Obviously I am NOT talking about ALL ladies. There are plenty of women out there who love football just as much as men do and will watch with or without their partners. There are also some females who are not crazy about football but do not try to obstruct their men from watching. But to my surprise, there are still women who have a problem with their significant other watching football. Over the years I have spoken to a lot of different ladies about this subject and I would say about half (non-scientific of course) are these type of females. I once dated a lady who "threatened" that she was going to get naked and pose in front of the television when a game I wanted to watch was coming on. And according to her, my response had better be the right one! Although that "showdown" didn't come to fruition (empty threat), she was still a bit upset that I wanted to watch this game. She somehow felt that I thought the game was more important to me than she was; she actually felt threatened by the game. I found through my conversations that this wasn't an uncommon (nor was the naked tatic) thought; other women that I have spoken to that were candid with me expressed similiar feelings. Journalist Roland Martin recently shared a tweet he received from a female follower of his that revealed that she desired a husband that didn't like football and she "prayed on it" - God answered her prayers and she now has a husband that was listening to music with her (at the time of her tweet) while Martin was connecting with people through Twitter around the country watching football. Different strokes for different folks but wow, somebody actually prayed to have a husband that didn't like football? I thought women usually prayed for men that were kindhearted, intelligent and assertive. I'm sure she had her reasons and but I hope she didn't lose out in the end on a great guy because he loved football. I also get a kick out a commercial that McDonalds airs on television. In the ad, a couple appears to be getting to know each other on a breakfast date at McDonalds. The woman makes a comment that her sister's boyfriend feels that Sundays are just for football. The statement was made to gauge the guy's feelings about the matter. He feels pressured to come up with the right thing to say, so he calls the sister's boyfriend a jerk which appeases the young lady with him. Really? So because a guy likes to watch football on Sundays he's a jerk? And that's what she wanted to hear? I know it's a fictional commercial but I'm sure thoughts and conversations in that framework has taken place millions of times.
I know some guys can get obsessive about football. Some will watch college football all day Saturday and then watch NFL football all day Sunday. That surely over time will make a gal feel neglected if she wants to do other things. And if a guy neglects other important responsibilities in lieu of football that is a problem as well. But if a guy picks a game or two to watch and still goes out with you and do things you want to do, what's wrong with that? A little compromise can go a very long way. I would even recommend learning the game and watching a few them with him. You'd be a surprise how much of a turn on that is to guys (just don't go spouting how "hot" some of the players are in their tight pants). If you have no tolerance for the game, then let him watch in peace. Remember in most cases, he doesn't love football more than you; it's not even close. You can then carry out your threat to "distract" him when he's giving you his undivided attention.
First, let me clear up a couple of things. Obviously I am NOT talking about ALL ladies. There are plenty of women out there who love football just as much as men do and will watch with or without their partners. There are also some females who are not crazy about football but do not try to obstruct their men from watching. But to my surprise, there are still women who have a problem with their significant other watching football. Over the years I have spoken to a lot of different ladies about this subject and I would say about half (non-scientific of course) are these type of females. I once dated a lady who "threatened" that she was going to get naked and pose in front of the television when a game I wanted to watch was coming on. And according to her, my response had better be the right one! Although that "showdown" didn't come to fruition (empty threat), she was still a bit upset that I wanted to watch this game. She somehow felt that I thought the game was more important to me than she was; she actually felt threatened by the game. I found through my conversations that this wasn't an uncommon (nor was the naked tatic) thought; other women that I have spoken to that were candid with me expressed similiar feelings. Journalist Roland Martin recently shared a tweet he received from a female follower of his that revealed that she desired a husband that didn't like football and she "prayed on it" - God answered her prayers and she now has a husband that was listening to music with her (at the time of her tweet) while Martin was connecting with people through Twitter around the country watching football. Different strokes for different folks but wow, somebody actually prayed to have a husband that didn't like football? I thought women usually prayed for men that were kindhearted, intelligent and assertive. I'm sure she had her reasons and but I hope she didn't lose out in the end on a great guy because he loved football. I also get a kick out a commercial that McDonalds airs on television. In the ad, a couple appears to be getting to know each other on a breakfast date at McDonalds. The woman makes a comment that her sister's boyfriend feels that Sundays are just for football. The statement was made to gauge the guy's feelings about the matter. He feels pressured to come up with the right thing to say, so he calls the sister's boyfriend a jerk which appeases the young lady with him. Really? So because a guy likes to watch football on Sundays he's a jerk? And that's what she wanted to hear? I know it's a fictional commercial but I'm sure thoughts and conversations in that framework has taken place millions of times.
I know some guys can get obsessive about football. Some will watch college football all day Saturday and then watch NFL football all day Sunday. That surely over time will make a gal feel neglected if she wants to do other things. And if a guy neglects other important responsibilities in lieu of football that is a problem as well. But if a guy picks a game or two to watch and still goes out with you and do things you want to do, what's wrong with that? A little compromise can go a very long way. I would even recommend learning the game and watching a few them with him. You'd be a surprise how much of a turn on that is to guys (just don't go spouting how "hot" some of the players are in their tight pants). If you have no tolerance for the game, then let him watch in peace. Remember in most cases, he doesn't love football more than you; it's not even close. You can then carry out your threat to "distract" him when he's giving you his undivided attention.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
2011 NFL Preview - NFC Outlook
Here's my outlook on how things will shake out in the NFC:
NFC EAST
1. Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles definitely won the trade and free agent “off-season” in the NFL. Now they have to win games on the field during the “real” season. The Eagles were a talented team before their new acquisitions; with the addition of their newbies, they should repeat as NFC East champs. But chemistry can be a funny thing……
2. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas was not as bad as their 6 – 10 record last season (hush Bill Parcells). After getting off to a bad start, the season snowballed into disaster territory low-lighted by a season ending injury to Tony Romo. The current Cowboy team seems to play better when expectations are not high which bodes well for them this season. Combining all of that with a “weaker” schedule and the Jason Garrett led Cowboys could make a lot of noise this season.
3. New York Giants
The G-Men have been devastated by injuries in the preseason. They also lost two of Eli Manning’s favorite targets (Steve Smith, Kevin Boss) to free agency. The Giants never seem to be on the radar for post season predictions but they have a knack for making themselves relevant. This season I think that mountain may be too high to climb for them. Expect a bit more of a slip for New York.
4. Washington Redskins
Although Washington had a decent preseason, I don’t see them winning a lot in the regular season. The Redskins believe that they can win with John Beck or Rex Grossman at QB; almost everyone outside of their camp doesn’t share their enthusiasm. Mike Shanahan’s club should be competitive against their divisional foes but I don’t expect them to compete for the division title.
NFC NORTH
1. Green Bay Packers
The Super Bowl defending champions are a very tough team to beat. They will win a bunch of games this year and will compete again in the playoffs. But the Pack are beatable; I already heard someone try to compare them to the Patriots of 2007, thinking they may run the table in the regular season. That’s not going to happen; they’ll even have a tough time winning the division.
2. Chicago Bears
Chicago won the NFC North last year and will be in the thick of it to repeat. The Bears have a championship caliber squad. They have a tough as nails defense; if they ever get that running game back in shape again and if Jay Cutler can live up to his potential – look out! The Bears could have a special season.
3. Detroit Lions
I agree with pretty much everything I’ve heard about the Lions this season: this will be an exciting team to watch, they will make more strides forward this year and they’ll probably fall just short of the postseason. Hopefully Matthew Stafford will have a healthy 2011 season.4. Minnesota Vikings
The fact that I’m picking the Vikings to finish last convinces me that the NFC North is probably the best division in the NFL. I think the Vikings have a good team. They debatably have the best running back in football (Adrian Peterson) and have added veteran QB Donovan McNabb. But the defense has lost some of its strut over the last couple of seasons and McNabb finds himself in another situation without a elite receiver. Vikings will win some but not enough to make the playoffs.
NFC SOUTH
1. New Orleans Saints
You figure the Saints have to be hungry this year after their untimely exit in the playoffs last season. New Orleans is still one of the most explosive teams in the NFL. Drew Brees is still a top flight QB and he still has a good amount of weapons. Expect to see the Saints battle to get the Lombardi trophy back.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Just like the Lions, The Bucs are a young exciting team on the rise. Coming off a season in which they won 10 games but still missed the playoffs, I expect the young Bucs to come close to their unexpected success. Josh Freeman, Legarrette Blount and Mike Williams could be the new “triplets”.3. Atlanta Falcons
I know a lot folks may think I’m crazy, but I think the Falcons will take a step back this season. I don’t see them pulling out the close victories they did last year. I like their new weapon on offense Julio Jones who they drafted in the first round this year. He should help to open up the offense some this year but I don’t think it’ll be enough.
4. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers are coming off of a bad season. They have a brand new coaching staff. They have a brand new rookie starting QB (#1 overall draft pick Cam Newton). Their defense still has some good players and they still have a decent running attack but I think this will be a transition year for Carolina.NFC WEST
1. St. Louis Rams
See Lions. See Bucs. The Rams are similar to those two in being a young up and coming team. But unlike those two, St. Louis will win their division. Sam Bradford is one of the best young QB’s in the game and we should see him make more progress this year. Rams also may have the league’s most unsung defense. The Rams finished under .500 and missed the playoffs by one game last year. This season they make the playoffs and will be over .500.
2 Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals should improve from their disappointing 2010 season. They are counting on newly acquired Kevin Kolb to turn into the QB the Eagles thought he would be last year. Can Beanie Wells carry the load at RB? How will the defense fair after swapping in rookie Patrick Peterson and swapping out Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie? Larry Fitzgerald will help to make them competitive but I don’t expect to see them reach the postseason.
3. Seattle Seahawks
Defending NFC West champion Seahawks drew the ire of many after winning the division last year with a losing record and “earning” a home playoff game. They quickly hushed up their critics by defeating the defending Super Bowl champion Saints in the first round of the playoffs. I don’t expect the Seahawks to turn that magic this season. It could be another losing season for the Seahawks but they won’t make the playoffs this time.
4. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have a new head coach (Jim Harbaugh) but will still start their old QB (Alex Smith). Many feel the source of the 49ers problems starts with Smith. Can Harbaugh pull out the talent in Smith? The 49ers still boast some nice pieces on offense (Frank Gore, Vernon Davis) and may have one of the league’s best defenders (Patrick Willis) but I don’t expect to see Joe Montana or Jerry Rice to walk through locker room door for them this season.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
2011 NFL Preview - AFC Outlook
The 2011 NFL season has finally arrived! Here is my outlook for teams in the AFC:
AFC EAST
1. New York Jets
Jets defense keeps the pressure on again this season. Mark Sanchez and the offense take another baby step towards opening up. Rex Ryan finally gets his squad a division title and a home playoff game.2. New England Patriots
Bill Belichick & company have done some retooling and this team still has the potential to reach the mountaintop. But I think this will be the beginning of the Tom Brady “window” closing.3. Miami Dolphins
Great defense + questionable offense = a lot of heartache in South Florida. I see the Dolphins on the losing end of a lot of close battles. If Chad Henne and Reggie Bush step up the Fins could surprise the division.4. Buffalo Bills
The Bills have a few nice pieces here and there but can they “connect those dots”? If Ryan Fitzpatrick can mirror his triumphs from last season and if Shawne Merriman can capture his Chargers glory back, the Bills will compete for a higher position in the division. Chan Gailey needs to find touches for C.J. Spiller.AFC NORTH
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
The defending AFC champions will not miss a beat this season. Expect to see the same Steeler formula of tough defense and timely offense to secure Pittsburgh another division title. One question about Dick LeBeau’s defense though: did the Packers expose a chink in the armor during the Super Bowl?2. Baltimore Ravens
There’s a lot to like about the Ravens; great defense, potential on offense – they are primed to finally get over the Steeler hurdle. We know they will continue to have epic battles with their division rivals but I won’t believe in them going the distance until I see it. Negative whispers about Joe Flacco will grow into screams this season if the young QB doesn’t take it to the next level.3. Cleveland Browns
Browns’ fans must be excited about their young budding team in 2011. Colt McCoy showed he could play on the professional level last season and looks to progress more this year. But with a new coaching staff in place, a lack of a true offseason and young players I don’t expect the Browns to excel this season. They will be an improved team though.4. Cincinnati Bengals
Cincy looks like they are totally in rebuilding mode. The team purged a few veterans, most notably Chad Ochocinco , and is looking to give fresh faces a chance to represent the organization. 2011 draft picks Andy Dalton and A.J. Green should see a ton of playing time. This could possibly be an old 2 – 3 win “Bungal” season.AFC SOUTH
1. Houston Texans
I am not totally confident in picking the Texans to win the division; it is almost a pick by default. The Texans are one of those teams that I don’t believe in their success until I see it. This talented offensive team added Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator to steward one of the league’s most porous defenses. There should be a vast improvement on that side ball. Mix that with Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson & Arian Foster on offense and that should spell many victories for the Texans. Will they live up to their potential?2. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are a difficult team to read with Peyton Manning’s neck injury; no one knows just how long he will be out of the lineup. I’m one to believe that even with a healthy Manning, the Colts are beginning to decline. His absence will only accelerate the Colts slide. Hopefully, he won’t miss many games.3. Jacksonville Jaguars
I was all ready to pick the Jaguars to win the AFC South and then they cut David Garrard. By no means was Garrard lighting up the league but I think this cost saving move just "cost" the Jags their season. They still have good players on this team particularly Maurice Jones-Drew but I feel that Garrard was the right guy to lead the Jags to a division title. Hopefully rookie Blaine Gabbert will take over the reins soon and give Jacksonville the value they are looking for.4. Tennessee Titans
Although the Titans have some gifted players on offense and defense, I think they have gone through too many changes in key areas (head coach, quarterback) to have a winning season. By no means do I think they will be doormats but I do foresee a bit of a struggle for them. Coming over from Seattle, Matt Hasselbeck looks to give the offense stability along with dynamic running back Chris Johnson. They’ll be competitive just not victorious.AFC WEST
1. San Diego Chargers
Last year the Chargers led the league in offense and defense but failed to make the playoffs. That will not be the case this season. San Diego is the most talented team in the AFC West and this year they will benefit from it. Phillip Rivers is as good as they come at the QB position and he’ll have Vincent Jackson to throw to all season unlike he did last year. The Chargers will miss Darren Sproles (now on the Saints) but I expect them to still make strides this year. They are championship contenders.2. Oakland Raiders
I like the Oakland Raiders and I think they will build on their success from last season. A little stability for Jason Campbell should help him be more consistent on the field. The Raiders certainly are keeping their fingers crossed that Darren McFadden can repeat his on field performance from a season ago. While I don’t expect the Raiders to sweep the division again, I do expect them to battle for a Wild Card spot.3. Kansas City Chiefs
Defending AFC West champion Chiefs snuck up on a few folks last year; that won’t be the case this season. Jamaal Charles should have another outstanding season and like the Raiders, the Chiefs will probably battle for a Wild Card spot. Although I can see a winning season from KC I think they will miss the post season this year.4. Denver Broncos
While I think holding on to Kyle Orton was the right move, I don’t think he will be able to steer the Broncos to a successful season this year. I like that the Broncos hired John Fox as their new head coach and I think he will help make Denver competitive. Fox’s defensive brilliance should lift up an already talented defense that was decimated by injuries last year, particularly Elvis Dumervil who returns after missing the entire 2010 season. Also rookie Von Miller should immediately help this defense. The Broncos will make the division tougher than most anticipate as they should battle and finish near an 8 – 8 record.Wednesday, August 3, 2011
The Philadelphia Eagles Are No Dream Team or Miami Heat
Impressive. What the Philadelphia Eagles front office has done since the lockout was lifted has been simply impressive. Not only did they shock the world by adding top free agent prize CB Nnamdi Asomugha, but they acquired a few more nice pieces; most notably CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (via trade), RB Ronnie Brown and DT Cullen Jenkins. They also upgraded their backup QB position by adding Vince Young (who in my opinion is better than a bunch of QB's around the league who will be starters this year). The Eagles even got a 2012 2nd round pick from the Arizona Cardinals in the Rodgers-Cromartie trade (QB Kevin Kolb was delivered from Eagles). But adding the current bodies to the already talented Eagles team, which boasts such studs as Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson and Trent Cole, is what has some people already calling them the "Dream Team". Some have even started comparing this Eagles team to the 2010 - 2011 Miami Heat of the NBA. Really??? Slow it down folks - these comparisons are way off base.
First of all, you really can't compare football teams to basketball teams; it's a classic apples vs. oranges scenerio. In basketball, one great player has a lot more impact on a team than one great player does in football. It's basic math; basketball teams have only five players that are starters while football teams have twenty-two players that are starters (exluding special teams). As good as the players are that the Eagles acquired, none of them (for the slight except of Asomugha) are considered the best in the league. The "Dream Team" which was the moniker given to the 1992 USA Basketball Olympic team, were not only made up of some of the best players in the league, it was made up of some of the best players in world of all time! Probably never in the history of sports has a nickname fit a team so perfectly. So lets stop that comparison immediately. The Heat - Eagles comparison is a bad one also for very similiar reasons. LeBron James and Chris Bosh joining Dwyane Wade in Miami created a team which boasted three starters which are considered to be the three of the top players in the NBA. Now while Vick and Asomugha may be hailed by some as elite NFL players, I don't see anyone calling Rodgers-Cromartie, Jenkins, Jason Babin or any of the remaining new Philly starters as best in the league. Also the Heat pretty much had to retool their whole team to accommodate their new star players. The Eagles team will still have most of their personnel from last year's campaign.
Now I know that some of this talk was started by some of the new Eagles (Young & Babin) but I think the media and fans have run with their words. The Eagles acquisitions have been great copy for training camp and the "Dream Team" "Miami Heat" chatter has been an excellent complementary piece. But the bottom line is neither title is accurate no matter how Philadelphia's season will play out.
First of all, you really can't compare football teams to basketball teams; it's a classic apples vs. oranges scenerio. In basketball, one great player has a lot more impact on a team than one great player does in football. It's basic math; basketball teams have only five players that are starters while football teams have twenty-two players that are starters (exluding special teams). As good as the players are that the Eagles acquired, none of them (for the slight except of Asomugha) are considered the best in the league. The "Dream Team" which was the moniker given to the 1992 USA Basketball Olympic team, were not only made up of some of the best players in the league, it was made up of some of the best players in world of all time! Probably never in the history of sports has a nickname fit a team so perfectly. So lets stop that comparison immediately. The Heat - Eagles comparison is a bad one also for very similiar reasons. LeBron James and Chris Bosh joining Dwyane Wade in Miami created a team which boasted three starters which are considered to be the three of the top players in the NBA. Now while Vick and Asomugha may be hailed by some as elite NFL players, I don't see anyone calling Rodgers-Cromartie, Jenkins, Jason Babin or any of the remaining new Philly starters as best in the league. Also the Heat pretty much had to retool their whole team to accommodate their new star players. The Eagles team will still have most of their personnel from last year's campaign.
Now I know that some of this talk was started by some of the new Eagles (Young & Babin) but I think the media and fans have run with their words. The Eagles acquisitions have been great copy for training camp and the "Dream Team" "Miami Heat" chatter has been an excellent complementary piece. But the bottom line is neither title is accurate no matter how Philadelphia's season will play out.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
NFL Lockout Is Over!! Oh-No Flag On The Play....
Are you ready for some football??? I know the answer to that question. Everyone is about "done" with the current NFL lockout. The labor dispute was seemingly coming to an end this past Thursday when 31 of the 32 NFL owners agreed on a deal that the media reported would be approved by the players. It didn't happen...yet. I think most of us is confident from what we are hearing that an agreement really is around the corner and the NFL season more than likely will start on time. But the bottom line is most strike/lockout related situations, no matter what the industry, are not resolved until the 11th hour. Also when your talking about BILLIONS of dollars being divided, it is going to take time to work everything out. Even though there may be some posturing going on by the players at this time, you can't blame them for wanting to make sure they understand this complex deal that they will commit to for ten years. Let's face it, this is not like a month to month lease agreement that they will try to take to Judge Greg Mathis for a small claims settlement if an issue arises. Ten years is a long commitment; most of the players in the league today will not see the life of this agreement and scores more will enter and exit the league within that time period. Nothing is more important than getting it right, right now.
The media is doing a great job keeping us up to date on all the breaking labor dispute news. But hearing every detail, in detail, is part of what is making this issue a little anxious for fans. In no way am I knocking sports journalists for doing their job. The reality is, that in an attempt to resolve a dispute, there are going to be peaks and valleys. In a moment it will look like a touchdown is going to be scored, and just as fast, there will be a fumble out of that endzone for a touchback. So some of the developments of the past couple of days should not be a surprise. In a few more days (hopefully) we will all wipe our brows and scream "finally!!" because the dispute will be over. That's when sports journalist can get back to reporting on what they would rather be informing us about: actual football matters on the field. And then we can put most of the legal and labor minutiae behind us.
The media is doing a great job keeping us up to date on all the breaking labor dispute news. But hearing every detail, in detail, is part of what is making this issue a little anxious for fans. In no way am I knocking sports journalists for doing their job. The reality is, that in an attempt to resolve a dispute, there are going to be peaks and valleys. In a moment it will look like a touchdown is going to be scored, and just as fast, there will be a fumble out of that endzone for a touchback. So some of the developments of the past couple of days should not be a surprise. In a few more days (hopefully) we will all wipe our brows and scream "finally!!" because the dispute will be over. That's when sports journalist can get back to reporting on what they would rather be informing us about: actual football matters on the field. And then we can put most of the legal and labor minutiae behind us.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Unruly and Violent Fans at a Stadium Near You?
Nowadays, it is tough to be a true fan in sports. It's harder the stay in love with our favorite teams since they seem to have more turnover on their rosters than McDonald's has with its entry level employees. Ticket prices to games have ballooned to absurd levels; compound that with astronomical concession stand and parking prices and it makes it very difficult for folks to make it to a game as much as they would like. On top of it all we currently have two leagues, the NFL and the NBA, that are in labor disputes which could possibly cost fans the opportunity to see games (NFL dispute is ending soon - hopefully). It is all enough to drive us a little batty. But one thing that really puts a damper on the true fan experience is actually caused by fans themselves. Unruly, violent and out of control fans at sporting venues are a bit out of hand. This subject is not discussed nearly enough and I hope that something is finally done about it - soon.
Some fans are really taking the fun out of going to ballparks, stadiums and arenas. Over the years I have witnessed countless verbal abuse, heated arguments and physical fights at sporting events. A couple of years ago I was at a New York Mets home game against the Florida Marlins. A young female arrived late and sat a few rows ahead of me donning a Boston Red Sox cap. A fool in front of her noticed her and just started berating her with uncalled for, nasty language because of her cap. Now mind you, this was a Mets fan not a Yankees fan (not that it would have made it alright if it was a Yankees fan and he clearly had forgotten that Bill Buckner had made it cool for Red Sox fans to visit Flushing). She could not have been anymore than 16 or 17 years old and this "jerk" decides to unload on her as if she had just killed his family. Thankfully, another male fan in her row got him to hush up. If only he would have just kept his focus on the game in front of him, he would not of had to see the Red Sox hat that drew his ire. Instead he disturbs the whole section, which had a decent amount of kids in it and possibly turned off a young lady from coming to the park ever again. All because he had no self control and no respect for others in this public space. Another verbal abuse incident that I witnessed was a bit in reverse, at an NFL game in Philadelphia. As the Philadelphia Eagles were crushing the Dallas Cowboys on the field, I was walking towards a concourse area and heard a loud voice just scolding a Cowboys fan; all kinds of curse words just flying all over the place. I wasn't really too surprised being it was in Philadelphia but as I approached the piercing voice and the Cowboys fan I was shocked to see the orator of these "fine" words was a kid! This girl had to be about 12 years old! And there was what looked to be her parents, right next to her, grinning with pride. I wonder where she learned that behavior??? Now it may be debatable whether this Cowboys fan should have been dressed in Cowboys gear from head to toe in Philadelphia. But what is not debatable is a grown man being subjected to such language from a kid while her parents condone the action. There is nothing wrong with some friendly, consensual verbal jabbing at a game; that actually makes it a little more fun. But if a fan is not a willing participant in your jousting, leave him/her alone.
What's more fun than witnessing someone getting verbally abused? Well of course, it is two or more people screaming obscenities at each other! Yay! I'm sure you've seen and heard these conflicts before. You know, the ones where folks are standing up shouting at each other to the left and behind you; then you just can't help but look to see what's going on even though the game is to your right and in front of you. You have to watch because hey, who knows what's coming next? Maybe a fight? Seriously, I can truly do without this nonsense as well. And 99.9% of the time its over something really, really stupid. And usually these shouting matches are in an earshot of children. But who cares? I'm going to get my point across anyway right? "Your team sucks $^&**@". "Well you can suck *&*$#" "F*** you A##$4$$" - and a lot of times, a fight follows that exchange. Punches thrown, bodies slammed over rows of seats....yea exactly what I had in mind when I came to see this baseball game. Heck, a fight even broke out in the stands at a tennis match in the US Open last year (and I thought tennis spectators were suppose to be sophisticated and civilized - LOL). Major League Baseball's opening day at Dodgers Stadium this year may have showcased one of the worst fan altercations ever. After the game between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers, Giants fan Bryan Stow was beaten into a coma in the stadium's parking lot. Stow, was allegedly beaten by some Dodgers fans because he was wearing Giants gear. Nearly four months later, Stow is still hospitalized and suffering from a brain injury. All because of what??? Though not as serious, I certainly have seen my share of physical altercations at sporting events. I even was a victim of a beer shower (more like a nice sprinkle) from a hurled cup that was intended for a guy a couple of rows ahead of me. Silly me; I was actually watching the game and suddenly felt a little wet. Thanks guy - I appreciated the free brew - not! And now, with technology being what is today, a lot of these incidents are being taped and posted online. If you went to YouTube right now and searched "fans fight" and plug your favorite team next to it, I'm pretty sure you will find at least one (if not more) fight that was recorded and posted that involved fans of your favorite team. I don't know about you but I'm not looking for an undercard for the game I actually paid to see. The professionals on the field will do just fine thank you.
And speaking of the professionals on the field, my fellow fans, can we "bring it down a thousand" with them too? As paying fans you have every right to boo and jeer players, and if your smart, you'll strategically help your team gain that all important home field advantage. What you don't have the right to do is be overly abusive with the language, throw stuff at players (and onto the field) and run on the field of play. It is unbelievable how many cowards live out among us. They yell and throw stuff at players behind the shield of anonymity in the crowd and also "the shield" that players will not want to get in trouble for retaliating if they can spot them out. Just because we pay for tickets, it does not give us the right to cross the line; it only gives us the right to be entertained. If you feel like you're not being entertained, boo or after awhile don't spend your hard earned money anymore at the games. The infamous NBA fight that broke out at the Palace at Auburn Hills back in 2004 was a benchmark "event" initiated by fans. While visiting Indiana Pacers' player Ron Artest and some of his teammates had absolutely no right and no business fighting up in the stands with Detroit Pistons fans, the whole melee never would have happened if Artest didn't have a drink thrown on him (from a fan). And for those fans that love running out onto the field, you do it at your own risk. Fifteen minutes of "stupidity" is not worth being tased or tackled and arrested. But I guess the highlights of it broadcasted around the world (and it going viral) is worth it, in your mind.
Last season, the NFL acknowledged that more fans were enjoying the "home" experience of watching games. The general feeling was that more people own large, HD flat screen televisions and with the success of the NFL's own programming (such as NFL Red Zone and NFL Sunday TIcket) fans now have a competing option to attending games in person. Though there is some truth to this, I think a growing number of fans are actually just more comfortable watching the game at home. While the out of pocket expense aspect of attending a game in person in a tough economy may actually be the leading reason for more fans staying home, dealing with crowds and unruly behavior I believe has to be a factor in that decision as well. If you have vile acts occurring at stadiums, like the fan last year at a Philadelphia Phillies game who purposely vomitted on an 11 year old girl and her father, why would you want to come out and "enjoy" a contest? No doubt alcohol plays a part in some of this disruptive behavior but some of it is just straight selfish attitude. The feeling that some fans get is that the "world" revolves around them regardless of the fact that there are 55,000 other fans at the game as well. It is a mere reflection of our society, a lack of comprehension that we should share space and respect others in public venues. I often hear fans criticize athletes for being selfish and arrogant; it's time for some them to look in the mirror. Come out to the games and have a good time; stop spoiling it for others with your selfish, arrogant and immature attitudes. Nowhere on the back of a game ticket does it say other fans should be subjected to it.
Some fans are really taking the fun out of going to ballparks, stadiums and arenas. Over the years I have witnessed countless verbal abuse, heated arguments and physical fights at sporting events. A couple of years ago I was at a New York Mets home game against the Florida Marlins. A young female arrived late and sat a few rows ahead of me donning a Boston Red Sox cap. A fool in front of her noticed her and just started berating her with uncalled for, nasty language because of her cap. Now mind you, this was a Mets fan not a Yankees fan (not that it would have made it alright if it was a Yankees fan and he clearly had forgotten that Bill Buckner had made it cool for Red Sox fans to visit Flushing). She could not have been anymore than 16 or 17 years old and this "jerk" decides to unload on her as if she had just killed his family. Thankfully, another male fan in her row got him to hush up. If only he would have just kept his focus on the game in front of him, he would not of had to see the Red Sox hat that drew his ire. Instead he disturbs the whole section, which had a decent amount of kids in it and possibly turned off a young lady from coming to the park ever again. All because he had no self control and no respect for others in this public space. Another verbal abuse incident that I witnessed was a bit in reverse, at an NFL game in Philadelphia. As the Philadelphia Eagles were crushing the Dallas Cowboys on the field, I was walking towards a concourse area and heard a loud voice just scolding a Cowboys fan; all kinds of curse words just flying all over the place. I wasn't really too surprised being it was in Philadelphia but as I approached the piercing voice and the Cowboys fan I was shocked to see the orator of these "fine" words was a kid! This girl had to be about 12 years old! And there was what looked to be her parents, right next to her, grinning with pride. I wonder where she learned that behavior??? Now it may be debatable whether this Cowboys fan should have been dressed in Cowboys gear from head to toe in Philadelphia. But what is not debatable is a grown man being subjected to such language from a kid while her parents condone the action. There is nothing wrong with some friendly, consensual verbal jabbing at a game; that actually makes it a little more fun. But if a fan is not a willing participant in your jousting, leave him/her alone.
What's more fun than witnessing someone getting verbally abused? Well of course, it is two or more people screaming obscenities at each other! Yay! I'm sure you've seen and heard these conflicts before. You know, the ones where folks are standing up shouting at each other to the left and behind you; then you just can't help but look to see what's going on even though the game is to your right and in front of you. You have to watch because hey, who knows what's coming next? Maybe a fight? Seriously, I can truly do without this nonsense as well. And 99.9% of the time its over something really, really stupid. And usually these shouting matches are in an earshot of children. But who cares? I'm going to get my point across anyway right? "Your team sucks $^&**@". "Well you can suck *&*$#" "F*** you A##$4$$" - and a lot of times, a fight follows that exchange. Punches thrown, bodies slammed over rows of seats....yea exactly what I had in mind when I came to see this baseball game. Heck, a fight even broke out in the stands at a tennis match in the US Open last year (and I thought tennis spectators were suppose to be sophisticated and civilized - LOL). Major League Baseball's opening day at Dodgers Stadium this year may have showcased one of the worst fan altercations ever. After the game between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers, Giants fan Bryan Stow was beaten into a coma in the stadium's parking lot. Stow, was allegedly beaten by some Dodgers fans because he was wearing Giants gear. Nearly four months later, Stow is still hospitalized and suffering from a brain injury. All because of what??? Though not as serious, I certainly have seen my share of physical altercations at sporting events. I even was a victim of a beer shower (more like a nice sprinkle) from a hurled cup that was intended for a guy a couple of rows ahead of me. Silly me; I was actually watching the game and suddenly felt a little wet. Thanks guy - I appreciated the free brew - not! And now, with technology being what is today, a lot of these incidents are being taped and posted online. If you went to YouTube right now and searched "fans fight" and plug your favorite team next to it, I'm pretty sure you will find at least one (if not more) fight that was recorded and posted that involved fans of your favorite team. I don't know about you but I'm not looking for an undercard for the game I actually paid to see. The professionals on the field will do just fine thank you.
And speaking of the professionals on the field, my fellow fans, can we "bring it down a thousand" with them too? As paying fans you have every right to boo and jeer players, and if your smart, you'll strategically help your team gain that all important home field advantage. What you don't have the right to do is be overly abusive with the language, throw stuff at players (and onto the field) and run on the field of play. It is unbelievable how many cowards live out among us. They yell and throw stuff at players behind the shield of anonymity in the crowd and also "the shield" that players will not want to get in trouble for retaliating if they can spot them out. Just because we pay for tickets, it does not give us the right to cross the line; it only gives us the right to be entertained. If you feel like you're not being entertained, boo or after awhile don't spend your hard earned money anymore at the games. The infamous NBA fight that broke out at the Palace at Auburn Hills back in 2004 was a benchmark "event" initiated by fans. While visiting Indiana Pacers' player Ron Artest and some of his teammates had absolutely no right and no business fighting up in the stands with Detroit Pistons fans, the whole melee never would have happened if Artest didn't have a drink thrown on him (from a fan). And for those fans that love running out onto the field, you do it at your own risk. Fifteen minutes of "stupidity" is not worth being tased or tackled and arrested. But I guess the highlights of it broadcasted around the world (and it going viral) is worth it, in your mind.
Last season, the NFL acknowledged that more fans were enjoying the "home" experience of watching games. The general feeling was that more people own large, HD flat screen televisions and with the success of the NFL's own programming (such as NFL Red Zone and NFL Sunday TIcket) fans now have a competing option to attending games in person. Though there is some truth to this, I think a growing number of fans are actually just more comfortable watching the game at home. While the out of pocket expense aspect of attending a game in person in a tough economy may actually be the leading reason for more fans staying home, dealing with crowds and unruly behavior I believe has to be a factor in that decision as well. If you have vile acts occurring at stadiums, like the fan last year at a Philadelphia Phillies game who purposely vomitted on an 11 year old girl and her father, why would you want to come out and "enjoy" a contest? No doubt alcohol plays a part in some of this disruptive behavior but some of it is just straight selfish attitude. The feeling that some fans get is that the "world" revolves around them regardless of the fact that there are 55,000 other fans at the game as well. It is a mere reflection of our society, a lack of comprehension that we should share space and respect others in public venues. I often hear fans criticize athletes for being selfish and arrogant; it's time for some them to look in the mirror. Come out to the games and have a good time; stop spoiling it for others with your selfish, arrogant and immature attitudes. Nowhere on the back of a game ticket does it say other fans should be subjected to it.
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