March 10, 2016
July 28, 2011
It Takes Money To Make The Monkey Dance
That's probably not the most accurate title for this post, but it's catchy as hell, so I'll go with it. By now you probably know that Arizona gave up a starting Pro Bowl corner, a 2nd round pick in next year's draft, and $20 million in guaranteed money to put Kevin Kolb in a Cardinals uniform this season. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, given how any sports pundit with access to a computer has written about it these last 4 months. The question is, did Arizona pay too much for an unproven product?
Let me first say that anyone they brought in would've been an improvement over last year's quarterbacking debacle. Hell, Jim Abbott could have at least gotten a start or two. But all summer I've had my doubts about Kolb, especially given the cost to acquire him. My choice was Carson Palmer,since he is a talented, proven veteran who probably wouldn't have cost as much, and could bridge the gap until John Skelton is ready to take over in a year or two. But, since Bengals owner Mike Brown has no interest in improving his team in any way, the idea of Carson Palmer coming to Glendale was just a pipe dream.
Which brings us to Kolb. As I said, I was against it from the get-go, if for no other reason than he is unproven, and I think John Skelton can be a solid quarterback. But it wasn't until I wrote the previous sentence that it occurred me how hypocritical my thinking is. Skelton doesn't even have the resume that Kevin Kolb does, but a lot of us have talked about how good he will be. Did I miss something? If we can see Skelton in 4 games and predict his future, how can we be so unsure of Kolb after 7 games? What I'm trying to say is, this is a total crapshoot. Kolb will be one of three things: a superstar, a solid QB, or a turd. After stepping off the ledge and drinking some red Kool-Aid, I honestly believe he can be a solid QB, especially in the NFC West. And if he doesn't pan out? Then John Skelton gets a chance to be the perennial Pro Bowler we all know he can be.
Now, as for the farm Arizona had to mortgage to get Kolb to the desert, I'm looking at it a couple different ways. As Mike Sando so perfectly noted in his blog earlier today, the price of the deal is "highly overrated. If the Cardinals are right on Kolb, the price won't matter. If they're wrong, the damage done will far outweigh a 185-pound cornerback and the draft pick Arizona included with the deal." I tend to agree with this assessment. The team needed a signal caller, and they went and got one. To be honest, DRC didn't look very good last year, but neither did the defense in general. All told, I guess I can live with this trade, especially if the team wins the West.
My bigger concern in this matter is the rest of free agency. While the Cards have made a couple solid pickups already, there are a couple holes to fill and a couple linemen to re-sign. I like the Daryn Colledge and Jeff King signings, but if the team doesn't bring back Deuce Lutui and Lyle Sendlein, they haven't gained a single thing. Also, regarding the hole left by DRC's departure, I'd be happy with Antonio Cromartie or Nate Clements. Unfortunately, I don't think the team is looking that route. While Patrick Peterson has stud written all over him, he has a steep learning curve ahead of him. And Greg Toler makes me nervous as a starting corner. A good FA pickup fills the roster here well.
As for WR, there is a less pressing need there. Since Steve Breaston isn't coming back, we are looking at Andre Roberts as a number 2 WR, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's still a bit early for him. I'd like to see Malcolm Floyd or James Jones come in, but I'm guessing the front office will find a serviceable veteran to bring in at a reasonable price. Given a probable commitment to the ground game this year, I don't really see the need to overpay for a number 2 WR, when there are some good options on the roster already.
As for my opinion of it all, I think the Kolb trade will work, especially if the Cards pick up another CB in free agency. We have no choice at this point but to think it will.
Thoughts?
Let me first say that anyone they brought in would've been an improvement over last year's quarterbacking debacle. Hell, Jim Abbott could have at least gotten a start or two. But all summer I've had my doubts about Kolb, especially given the cost to acquire him. My choice was Carson Palmer,since he is a talented, proven veteran who probably wouldn't have cost as much, and could bridge the gap until John Skelton is ready to take over in a year or two. But, since Bengals owner Mike Brown has no interest in improving his team in any way, the idea of Carson Palmer coming to Glendale was just a pipe dream.
Which brings us to Kolb. As I said, I was against it from the get-go, if for no other reason than he is unproven, and I think John Skelton can be a solid quarterback. But it wasn't until I wrote the previous sentence that it occurred me how hypocritical my thinking is. Skelton doesn't even have the resume that Kevin Kolb does, but a lot of us have talked about how good he will be. Did I miss something? If we can see Skelton in 4 games and predict his future, how can we be so unsure of Kolb after 7 games? What I'm trying to say is, this is a total crapshoot. Kolb will be one of three things: a superstar, a solid QB, or a turd. After stepping off the ledge and drinking some red Kool-Aid, I honestly believe he can be a solid QB, especially in the NFC West. And if he doesn't pan out? Then John Skelton gets a chance to be the perennial Pro Bowler we all know he can be.
Now, as for the farm Arizona had to mortgage to get Kolb to the desert, I'm looking at it a couple different ways. As Mike Sando so perfectly noted in his blog earlier today, the price of the deal is "highly overrated. If the Cardinals are right on Kolb, the price won't matter. If they're wrong, the damage done will far outweigh a 185-pound cornerback and the draft pick Arizona included with the deal." I tend to agree with this assessment. The team needed a signal caller, and they went and got one. To be honest, DRC didn't look very good last year, but neither did the defense in general. All told, I guess I can live with this trade, especially if the team wins the West.
My bigger concern in this matter is the rest of free agency. While the Cards have made a couple solid pickups already, there are a couple holes to fill and a couple linemen to re-sign. I like the Daryn Colledge and Jeff King signings, but if the team doesn't bring back Deuce Lutui and Lyle Sendlein, they haven't gained a single thing. Also, regarding the hole left by DRC's departure, I'd be happy with Antonio Cromartie or Nate Clements. Unfortunately, I don't think the team is looking that route. While Patrick Peterson has stud written all over him, he has a steep learning curve ahead of him. And Greg Toler makes me nervous as a starting corner. A good FA pickup fills the roster here well.
As for WR, there is a less pressing need there. Since Steve Breaston isn't coming back, we are looking at Andre Roberts as a number 2 WR, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's still a bit early for him. I'd like to see Malcolm Floyd or James Jones come in, but I'm guessing the front office will find a serviceable veteran to bring in at a reasonable price. Given a probable commitment to the ground game this year, I don't really see the need to overpay for a number 2 WR, when there are some good options on the roster already.
As for my opinion of it all, I think the Kolb trade will work, especially if the Cards pick up another CB in free agency. We have no choice at this point but to think it will.
Thoughts?
May 23, 2011
No, I Didn't Lose A Bet (or "How I Became An Arizona Cardinals Fan")
People who know me know I am a huge fan of the Arizona Cardinals, possibly even moreso than I am a fan of the Kentucky Wildcats. It’s debatable, at best. Given that I live in southeast Kentucky, which is a 1,884 mile hop-skip-and-jump from Glendale, Arizona, a lot of these same people have asked me why I chose to root for the Cardinals.
It started in the summer of 2006. I had been following the NFL for about 14 years, and had never declared allegiance to a team. The “local” team is the Bengals, since Cincinnati is about 2 hours north of us; Nashville and Indianapolis are both within 3 hours. There was a brief period from 1999-2003 where I followed the Cleveland Browns, since the quarterback was Tim Couch, of UK fame. It wasn't so much being a huge fan of the team as it was being a huge fan of Couch. The downside to this, besides being a Browns fan, was watching the team shit all over everything Tim Couch did. He had no offensive line, only one good receiver, and a mediocre (at best) running back. Despite all this, he still managed to get them to the playoffs in 2002, breaking his leg in the process and being replaced by Kelly Holcomb.
So, Cleveland was out, and I needed a new team. I had one stipulation for myself: no good teams. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to be considered a bandwagon fan, especially given the overwhelming presence of Red Sox caps after the 2004 World Series. I called a friend to help me, and we made a list of all 32 teams, immediately crossing off all the good ones. Just for good measure, I also eliminated the Bengals and Titans. After this, the Eagles and Dolphins went, since I had other friends who followed them. We eventually narrowed the list to four teams (two from each conference): the Saints, Chiefs, Jaguars, and Cardinals.
The Saints were scratched off the board first, if for no other reason than the hideous logo and color scheme. Granted, I did feel a bit guilty about that, since this was just months after Hurricane Katrina. Next to go were the Jaguars, because they don’t have any fans at all, and I didn’t want to be the first. That left the Chiefs and Cardinals. A buddy of mine from Oklahoma was a big Chiefs fan, and I’ll admit there are few scenes as pretty as Arrowhead Stadium on a sunny afternoon, when the entire crowd is wearing that brilliant red. But that still didn’t do it for me. Wanna know what did? Matt Leinart.
Yeah, that guy. And I’m wincing as I write this. But Matt Leinart is the main reason I’m a Cardinals fan. Here was my logic: the guy was All-everything in college, had the skills and the pedigree, and a long-sucky franchise drafted him to be their man for the next several years. I was thinking I could get in on the ground floor, watch him make Arizona a winning team, and not have to worry about being a bandwagon-jumper. Now, I wasn’t a big fan of Leinart in college, but I really enjoyed watching him play, and I honestly thought he could win at the next level. But more than anything? We are both left-handed. Yes, my allegiance comes from the fact that I write with the same hand as a guy whose NFL career is best known for pictures involving a hot tub, a beer funnel, and several gorgeous women.
While Leinart was the tipping point for my decision, the new stadium had a lot to do with it as well. I was familiar with how miserable Sun Devil Stadium was for the team, and thought indoor facilities would make a difference. Thankfully, I was right. As a throwaway point, my favorite NBA team of all-time is the ‘92-93 Suns, so I figured what the hell, let’s go with Phoenix again. It also helps that I have hated the Cowboys since the early ‘90s.
Looking back, I don’t regret my decision a bit. That first season was a bit rough, as it included an 8-game losing streak, as well as Dennis Green’s infamous meltdown after the team blew a 20-point lead to the Bears on Monday Night Football. Next year was the first for Ken Whishenhunt, and it was readily apparent that the mindset in the desert was changing. As for Matt Leinart, I hate how things turned out, and I even resented Kurt Warner for a short period of time. Thankfully, I only gave about $40 for my Leinart jersey on eBay in 2007.
There are also some other things to be proud of, first and foremost Pat Tillman. While the circumstances around his death are cloudy at best, it takes guts and principles to do what he did, and I almost feel guilty that I wasn’t a fan of the team when he made his decision. Hell, I feel guilty just using his patriotism as a reason to be proud. On a much less meaningful note, the Cardinals are also technically the oldest team in football. And aside from Leinart's shenanigans, no negative behavior is associated with the team. On the contrary, Larry Fitzgerald is one of the finest citizens the league has. Kurt Warner's philanthropy also speaks for itself. Even Darnell Dockett gets in on the action. I'm sure every team has a few upstanding guys, it's just nice to not have any dumbasses on mine getting arrested.
It sucks that I’m 1,900 miles away from my team, but I’ve been able to see them play every couple years. They won in Cincinnati in ’07, when Antrell Rolle had 2 interception returns for a touchdown, and would’ve had a 3rd had it not been for a penalty on the return. In ’09, they lost in Tennessee, when Vince Young led the Titans on a 99-yard drive in the final two minutes, hitting Kenny Britt in the endzone for the winning touchdown. The team plays in Cincinnati again this season, but the game is on Christmas Eve, so unless I convince my family that football is more meaningful than holiday traditions (it is on certain levels, but that’s a different post), then I will be watching that one on TV.
I guess I got lucky. I picked a crappy team to root for, and they made the Super Bowl 3 seasons later. The Cardinals are just good enough to enjoy rooting for, and just bad enough to make each season a roller-coaster ride, and isn’t that suspense one of the best parts of being a fan?
It started in the summer of 2006. I had been following the NFL for about 14 years, and had never declared allegiance to a team. The “local” team is the Bengals, since Cincinnati is about 2 hours north of us; Nashville and Indianapolis are both within 3 hours. There was a brief period from 1999-2003 where I followed the Cleveland Browns, since the quarterback was Tim Couch, of UK fame. It wasn't so much being a huge fan of the team as it was being a huge fan of Couch. The downside to this, besides being a Browns fan, was watching the team shit all over everything Tim Couch did. He had no offensive line, only one good receiver, and a mediocre (at best) running back. Despite all this, he still managed to get them to the playoffs in 2002, breaking his leg in the process and being replaced by Kelly Holcomb.
So, Cleveland was out, and I needed a new team. I had one stipulation for myself: no good teams. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to be considered a bandwagon fan, especially given the overwhelming presence of Red Sox caps after the 2004 World Series. I called a friend to help me, and we made a list of all 32 teams, immediately crossing off all the good ones. Just for good measure, I also eliminated the Bengals and Titans. After this, the Eagles and Dolphins went, since I had other friends who followed them. We eventually narrowed the list to four teams (two from each conference): the Saints, Chiefs, Jaguars, and Cardinals.
The Saints were scratched off the board first, if for no other reason than the hideous logo and color scheme. Granted, I did feel a bit guilty about that, since this was just months after Hurricane Katrina. Next to go were the Jaguars, because they don’t have any fans at all, and I didn’t want to be the first. That left the Chiefs and Cardinals. A buddy of mine from Oklahoma was a big Chiefs fan, and I’ll admit there are few scenes as pretty as Arrowhead Stadium on a sunny afternoon, when the entire crowd is wearing that brilliant red. But that still didn’t do it for me. Wanna know what did? Matt Leinart.
Yeah, that guy. And I’m wincing as I write this. But Matt Leinart is the main reason I’m a Cardinals fan. Here was my logic: the guy was All-everything in college, had the skills and the pedigree, and a long-sucky franchise drafted him to be their man for the next several years. I was thinking I could get in on the ground floor, watch him make Arizona a winning team, and not have to worry about being a bandwagon-jumper. Now, I wasn’t a big fan of Leinart in college, but I really enjoyed watching him play, and I honestly thought he could win at the next level. But more than anything? We are both left-handed. Yes, my allegiance comes from the fact that I write with the same hand as a guy whose NFL career is best known for pictures involving a hot tub, a beer funnel, and several gorgeous women.
While Leinart was the tipping point for my decision, the new stadium had a lot to do with it as well. I was familiar with how miserable Sun Devil Stadium was for the team, and thought indoor facilities would make a difference. Thankfully, I was right. As a throwaway point, my favorite NBA team of all-time is the ‘92-93 Suns, so I figured what the hell, let’s go with Phoenix again. It also helps that I have hated the Cowboys since the early ‘90s.
Looking back, I don’t regret my decision a bit. That first season was a bit rough, as it included an 8-game losing streak, as well as Dennis Green’s infamous meltdown after the team blew a 20-point lead to the Bears on Monday Night Football. Next year was the first for Ken Whishenhunt, and it was readily apparent that the mindset in the desert was changing. As for Matt Leinart, I hate how things turned out, and I even resented Kurt Warner for a short period of time. Thankfully, I only gave about $40 for my Leinart jersey on eBay in 2007.
There are also some other things to be proud of, first and foremost Pat Tillman. While the circumstances around his death are cloudy at best, it takes guts and principles to do what he did, and I almost feel guilty that I wasn’t a fan of the team when he made his decision. Hell, I feel guilty just using his patriotism as a reason to be proud. On a much less meaningful note, the Cardinals are also technically the oldest team in football. And aside from Leinart's shenanigans, no negative behavior is associated with the team. On the contrary, Larry Fitzgerald is one of the finest citizens the league has. Kurt Warner's philanthropy also speaks for itself. Even Darnell Dockett gets in on the action. I'm sure every team has a few upstanding guys, it's just nice to not have any dumbasses on mine getting arrested.
It sucks that I’m 1,900 miles away from my team, but I’ve been able to see them play every couple years. They won in Cincinnati in ’07, when Antrell Rolle had 2 interception returns for a touchdown, and would’ve had a 3rd had it not been for a penalty on the return. In ’09, they lost in Tennessee, when Vince Young led the Titans on a 99-yard drive in the final two minutes, hitting Kenny Britt in the endzone for the winning touchdown. The team plays in Cincinnati again this season, but the game is on Christmas Eve, so unless I convince my family that football is more meaningful than holiday traditions (it is on certain levels, but that’s a different post), then I will be watching that one on TV.
I guess I got lucky. I picked a crappy team to root for, and they made the Super Bowl 3 seasons later. The Cardinals are just good enough to enjoy rooting for, and just bad enough to make each season a roller-coaster ride, and isn’t that suspense one of the best parts of being a fan?
May 13, 2011
ENOUGH WOOD TO KEEP A FIRE RAGING
"Tony Woods is a punk and Louisville deserves him." I remember thinking that last year when I heard about him, and the drama that was associated. I even made a couple smart-ass tweets. That was then. In the last day or so, Tony Woods has met with all the big shots at UK, with the obvious possibility of a basketball scholarship for the upcoming season being thrown around. Now, it seems no one in the UK sports universe wants anything to do with him, and thinks the school is crazy for even being mentioned as a potential destination.
We all know what Tony did: he hit his girlfriend and broke her back. Or did he? Earlier today, I read Jason King's wonderful article about the incident.Here's what it boils down to: minor incident, no proof of harm, simple misunderstanding. (Doesn't that sound like a UK fan's familiar defense?) Even the victim said as much. Read the article, if you haven't already, and come back to me. I'll wait.
After I first heard the news of a UK-Woods wedding, I didn't have an initial reaction. Wanted to see how it played out. After some thought, and a few eye-opening events, here is my reaction:
The University of Kentucky should absolutely give Tony Woods a scholarship, and feel proud that they did.
Why? Because just a few hours ago, I saw the body of a 28-year old woman lowered into the ground. A 28-year old with four small children, children who will spend the rest of their lives wishing they could see their Mommy again, and not knowing why she had to die. I don't know why she had to die, and I'm not here to get into religion, or death, or any of that. We all suffer grief at some point in our lives, and we all deal with it and go on. But what I saw today made me absolutely sure of one thing. In the big picture, sports is absolutely meaningless.
I say that hypocritically, because I used the Tony Woods-UL fiasco as a reason to feel superior to Louisville fans a few months ago, and every fan around has used someone's past as a reason to look down; it's the nature of being a sports fan. Now think back to the funeral I mentioned. Several people who attended will watch baseball tonight, or go play basketball in the morning, as a way to keep their minds off the bad parts of life. But that's all sports is, an escape. There are sportswriters and coaches and personalities and athletes who feed their families through sports. For them, it's a means of survival. But for the fan? It means nothing in the grand scheme of things.
After reading King's article, I immediately thought of second chances. I thought of Tony Woods' young son. And now I think of the four motherless children. I'm not at all trying to say that someone getting arrested and getting a bad reputation is anywhere near as serious as death; I'm not that shallow. But I am using that for perspective.
Here is the perspective: Tony Woods made a fairly serious mistake. Therefore, UK fans (and I include myself here) are saying "this guy is trash, we don't want him. Look at what he did!" How many fans who are saying that have ever been arrested for DUI? Anyone that has has no right to say anything judgmental about him. I've had a DUI, six years ago; blew nearly twice the legal limit. What Tony Woods did is no worse than what I did. Granted, I didn't cause anyone harm, but that is only because I was fortunate enough to go to jail before I hit another car on the interstate. Now, how many people have missed child support payments over the years? Those people need to shut the hell up as well. How many people have ever been consenting party to an abortion? Those people need to shut the hell up as well. How many people have ever screamed at someone, made fun of someone, turned a blind eye to someone's misfortune? Those people need to shut the hell up as well. We are so quick to throw stones at others, but at some point in the rock-throwing, we broke the mirror we need to be using to look at ourselves.
What Tony Woods did was wrong, but it wasn't anymore wrong than anything I listed above. Remember Tony's son? If his father doesn't get a second chance, what message does that send to the boy? That mistakes aren't allowed? That remorse and regret aren't acceptable? What kid needs that pressure on him? I like to think this is a world where second chances are allowed, and given. UK should absolutely take a chance.
I've given the emotional reason for this, now let me give the sports fan reason: If Tony plays at UK, it doesn't change a thing. In twenty years, no one will care, and it won't affect gas prices, or world hunger, or domestic abuse, or drug use. Some talking heads are going to spew ridiculous derogatory bullshit, even if John Calipari signs a homeless quadriplegic deaf-mute who comes from a family of third-world nuns. A Tony Woods signing would only serve to give the snipers more bullets. I've said before, people are going to believe what they want, regardless of what evidence there is to the contrary. This situation is proof of that. I also say that, at the end of the day, who gives a damn if the media thinks UK is the epitome of evil? The media can kiss my ass, and hopefully yours. If Tony doesn't come to UK, people are still going to find something to bitch about. Personally, I think Calipari, and for that matter the school itself, has much more to gain than lose. If he messes up again, it was to be expected and UK keeps hearing the criticism it has always heard. But if he succeeds...Oh man, think of the possibilities! For starters, it would put the school in a positive light for once. It would also take some heat off Calipari, a man who himself is all too familiar with having molehills made into mountains in the press. He is also familiar with making success stories out of questionable characters. And least of all, it would give UK a talented big man with something to prove. But honestly, the team's needs are the furthest thing from my mind. I could care less about whether the team needs him, I care that Kentucky fans lower their collective heads enough so that they no longer have to look down their noses at a human being who made a bad decision.
Want proof UK fans are looking down their noses? How about this one: "Tony Woods deserves a second chance, but not at UK. UK is an elite program." Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt your caviar and champagne, Chauncey Fitzpatrick Pendlethorpe IV. I must've forgot that none of us have ever been appalled at a rich person ignoring the less fortunate. That wasn't us! To me, that's just another reason to bring this young man on board. Set the bar. Show the world that UK isn't too big and precious to take a chance on a guy with a checkered history. I bet all you self-righteous, elite program snobs rooted for the sheriff of Nottingham instead of Robin Hood.
Regardless of what I, or you, or ESPN, or Jason King, or anyone thinks, UK and John Calipari are going to do what they see fit. Here's to hoping they see fit to give a young man with a bad name a second chance. Practically all of us have had them; who are we to tell someone else they don't deserve one?
We all know what Tony did: he hit his girlfriend and broke her back. Or did he? Earlier today, I read Jason King's wonderful article about the incident.Here's what it boils down to: minor incident, no proof of harm, simple misunderstanding. (Doesn't that sound like a UK fan's familiar defense?) Even the victim said as much. Read the article, if you haven't already, and come back to me. I'll wait.
After I first heard the news of a UK-Woods wedding, I didn't have an initial reaction. Wanted to see how it played out. After some thought, and a few eye-opening events, here is my reaction:
The University of Kentucky should absolutely give Tony Woods a scholarship, and feel proud that they did.
Why? Because just a few hours ago, I saw the body of a 28-year old woman lowered into the ground. A 28-year old with four small children, children who will spend the rest of their lives wishing they could see their Mommy again, and not knowing why she had to die. I don't know why she had to die, and I'm not here to get into religion, or death, or any of that. We all suffer grief at some point in our lives, and we all deal with it and go on. But what I saw today made me absolutely sure of one thing. In the big picture, sports is absolutely meaningless.
I say that hypocritically, because I used the Tony Woods-UL fiasco as a reason to feel superior to Louisville fans a few months ago, and every fan around has used someone's past as a reason to look down; it's the nature of being a sports fan. Now think back to the funeral I mentioned. Several people who attended will watch baseball tonight, or go play basketball in the morning, as a way to keep their minds off the bad parts of life. But that's all sports is, an escape. There are sportswriters and coaches and personalities and athletes who feed their families through sports. For them, it's a means of survival. But for the fan? It means nothing in the grand scheme of things.
After reading King's article, I immediately thought of second chances. I thought of Tony Woods' young son. And now I think of the four motherless children. I'm not at all trying to say that someone getting arrested and getting a bad reputation is anywhere near as serious as death; I'm not that shallow. But I am using that for perspective.
Here is the perspective: Tony Woods made a fairly serious mistake. Therefore, UK fans (and I include myself here) are saying "this guy is trash, we don't want him. Look at what he did!" How many fans who are saying that have ever been arrested for DUI? Anyone that has has no right to say anything judgmental about him. I've had a DUI, six years ago; blew nearly twice the legal limit. What Tony Woods did is no worse than what I did. Granted, I didn't cause anyone harm, but that is only because I was fortunate enough to go to jail before I hit another car on the interstate. Now, how many people have missed child support payments over the years? Those people need to shut the hell up as well. How many people have ever been consenting party to an abortion? Those people need to shut the hell up as well. How many people have ever screamed at someone, made fun of someone, turned a blind eye to someone's misfortune? Those people need to shut the hell up as well. We are so quick to throw stones at others, but at some point in the rock-throwing, we broke the mirror we need to be using to look at ourselves.
What Tony Woods did was wrong, but it wasn't anymore wrong than anything I listed above. Remember Tony's son? If his father doesn't get a second chance, what message does that send to the boy? That mistakes aren't allowed? That remorse and regret aren't acceptable? What kid needs that pressure on him? I like to think this is a world where second chances are allowed, and given. UK should absolutely take a chance.
I've given the emotional reason for this, now let me give the sports fan reason: If Tony plays at UK, it doesn't change a thing. In twenty years, no one will care, and it won't affect gas prices, or world hunger, or domestic abuse, or drug use. Some talking heads are going to spew ridiculous derogatory bullshit, even if John Calipari signs a homeless quadriplegic deaf-mute who comes from a family of third-world nuns. A Tony Woods signing would only serve to give the snipers more bullets. I've said before, people are going to believe what they want, regardless of what evidence there is to the contrary. This situation is proof of that. I also say that, at the end of the day, who gives a damn if the media thinks UK is the epitome of evil? The media can kiss my ass, and hopefully yours. If Tony doesn't come to UK, people are still going to find something to bitch about. Personally, I think Calipari, and for that matter the school itself, has much more to gain than lose. If he messes up again, it was to be expected and UK keeps hearing the criticism it has always heard. But if he succeeds...Oh man, think of the possibilities! For starters, it would put the school in a positive light for once. It would also take some heat off Calipari, a man who himself is all too familiar with having molehills made into mountains in the press. He is also familiar with making success stories out of questionable characters. And least of all, it would give UK a talented big man with something to prove. But honestly, the team's needs are the furthest thing from my mind. I could care less about whether the team needs him, I care that Kentucky fans lower their collective heads enough so that they no longer have to look down their noses at a human being who made a bad decision.
Want proof UK fans are looking down their noses? How about this one: "Tony Woods deserves a second chance, but not at UK. UK is an elite program." Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt your caviar and champagne, Chauncey Fitzpatrick Pendlethorpe IV. I must've forgot that none of us have ever been appalled at a rich person ignoring the less fortunate. That wasn't us! To me, that's just another reason to bring this young man on board. Set the bar. Show the world that UK isn't too big and precious to take a chance on a guy with a checkered history. I bet all you self-righteous, elite program snobs rooted for the sheriff of Nottingham instead of Robin Hood.
Regardless of what I, or you, or ESPN, or Jason King, or anyone thinks, UK and John Calipari are going to do what they see fit. Here's to hoping they see fit to give a young man with a bad name a second chance. Practically all of us have had them; who are we to tell someone else they don't deserve one?
April 18, 2011
KNIGHT TIME ISN'T THE RIGHT TIME
I thought I knew how to approach this. When I first heard of Bobby Knight's allegations regarding the entire 2010 UK starting five not attending school the second semester that year, I laughed a bit at the absurdity of it. Then I thought about it, which got me aggravated at what an egregious asshole he is. Next thing I knew, Matt Jones tweeted that it is the goal of Kentucky Sports Radio to force an apology from ESPN on Knight’s behalf. Then I wondered, if KSR was focusing on Bob Knight, who would tend to the children and young adults that aren’t reading? That’s when blog ideas started churning through my head.
Initially, I thought there is no reason to force an ESPN apology regarding Bob Knight. For starters, the comments weren’t even made on ESPN, they were made at a speech in Indiana. Secondly, everyone knows Bob Knight is a grumpy bastard on a good day. My thought process was this: Bob Knight is not senile; he knows what he says. The question is, who heard him say it? If a UK fan heard it, they know it isn’t true, and just another example of “haters hating”. If a non-UK fan heard it, that means one of two things: either they are impartial to UK and don’t care about the remarks, but perhaps frown on the negative happenings of college basketball, OR, they already hate UK, so it doesn’t matter whether the negative remarks were true or not. Therefore, I concluded that his words have no lasting effect either way, with the possible exception of being used against the school in recruiting battles. But then, recruiting is a slimy business anyway, and it’s hard to separate bullshit from lies in a recruit’s living room. So I didn’t think any more about it, other than to think that UK fans shouldn’t worry about it too much, because who cares what Bob Knight says?
But then I started thinking about it again.
And I realized who was saying it. Bob Knight. Class A, USDA-certified steaming asshole. Thrower of chairs, kicker of shins, cusser of students in grocery aisles. As CBSSports.com columnist Gregg Doyel put it, “Bob Knight is a bad guy. Great coach. Valued education. Didn't cheat. But a bad guy.” Pretty much sums it up. It also isn’t the first time Knight has had misgivings about John Calipari-related items. Plus, he got his lunch eaten by UK for the last 10 years or so he was at Indiana. And he had his undefeated season ruined in ’75, causing him to hit Joe B. Hall in the back of the head. He has good reason not to like Kentucky. But he has never done anything so blatant as to outright slander the school.
Yes, he slandered UK.
We all know what slander is: a lie, usually spoken, with the intent of character defamation. This is opposed to libel, which is basically slander, but in a more permanent, tangible form, such as print or recorded audio. Bob Knight defamed the character of John Wall, which is bad enough. But his remarks also defamed Patrick Patterson, who gave his sweat and blood and tears to graduate in three years while being a stud on the basketball court. That’s when I started getting pissed. (Patrick Patterson didn't seem to care for it either). Being slanderous is easy. Just say this out loud: “Bob Knight molests orphan children.” Did anyone hear you? If so, you just slandered Bob Knight. Now, a libelous statement would be if I said
BOB KNIGHT MOLESTS ORPHAN CHILDREN.
See what I did there? That was libel, because we know he doesn’t molest orphan children (or do we?), just as we know that 100% of the 2010 starting lineup went to spring classes. Here, I’ll give you another example of libel:
BOB KNIGHT HAS A TINY PENIS, AND THUSLY FEELS COMPELLED TO RUN DOWN ANYONE WHO DOESN’T LIKE HIM.
Got the hang of it yet? Good. (Bear with me, I have a point in here somewhere). Now, would you like to read a non-slanderous statement?
BOB KNIGHT ONCE SHOT A FRIEND IN THE BACK, AND TRIED TO COVER IT UP. THAT'S THE KIND OF ASSHOLE HE IS.
I’ve pretty much always been of the thinking that peoples’ minds are going to be made up about something, and outside evidence won’t really affect their opinion; that is, if I think Bob Knight is a shitbird, his donating $50,000 to an orphanage (not that he did, but if he does, it's probably to hide the molestation) won’t change my opinion of him. Likewise, anyone who is looking for a reason to dislike Kentucky and Calipari will latch onto the first thing they can, not letting the fact that Calipari and his team washed the feet of underprivileged children in Detroit tell them otherwise. As Jerry Seinfeld (I think; it was either him or George Carlin) once said, “You can take away all the drugs in the world, and people would spin around on their lawns until they fell down and saw God.” That applies here, since we are dealing with reality vs. perception, through the eyes of a man who obviously needs some kind of medication to even his bitter, delusional ass out.
Still with me? Wow, I’m surprised. Now, after all that, here’s the deal: ESPN should either force an apology from Knight or send him packing, if for no other reason than it has to be a serious conflict of interest regarding the SEC TV contract for mouthy pricks such as himself to go around spewing derogatory nonsense. I’m glad Mitch Barnhart got in on the action, because that may help force the network’s hand. At best, Bob Knight is eaten up with petty jealousy, and can’t help himself trying to piss off Kentucky alumni and fans. At worst, he is a hypocrite and a coward, an old man trying to tear down one coach with nothing on his record, while building up another who is serving a suspension next season. He is a coward because, for starters, he won’t set foot in Rupp Arena, since he knows that would be the equivalent of walking into a lion's den wearing pork chop pants. And for this: someone on Twitter noted that Bob Knight has never said anything negative regarding UK unless he is in Indiana. This means he doesn’t have the enlarged guts to go with the enlarged asshole.
Here is my advice to Robert Montgomery Knight. Go away, while you are still at least somewhat relevant. Go away, and spend the remainder of your years shooting friends on hunting trips, and wondering why your eyebrows didn’t grow all the way across your eyes. You aren’t willing to say anything (truthfully) useful on TV, and apparently your speaking engagements reek of shenanigans and bullshit. As much as you have to offer the world, with your coaching intellect and storied past, you instead choose to continually take the low road by being a yellow-bellied coward, a hypocrite, and a shit stain on the silk underwear of life. Oh, and you are a pompous, arrogant asshole. Have I said that yet?
Bob Knight was once lauded for getting a high percentage of his students to finish classes. It’s just too bad that class isn’t a word he knows anything about these days.
Initially, I thought there is no reason to force an ESPN apology regarding Bob Knight. For starters, the comments weren’t even made on ESPN, they were made at a speech in Indiana. Secondly, everyone knows Bob Knight is a grumpy bastard on a good day. My thought process was this: Bob Knight is not senile; he knows what he says. The question is, who heard him say it? If a UK fan heard it, they know it isn’t true, and just another example of “haters hating”. If a non-UK fan heard it, that means one of two things: either they are impartial to UK and don’t care about the remarks, but perhaps frown on the negative happenings of college basketball, OR, they already hate UK, so it doesn’t matter whether the negative remarks were true or not. Therefore, I concluded that his words have no lasting effect either way, with the possible exception of being used against the school in recruiting battles. But then, recruiting is a slimy business anyway, and it’s hard to separate bullshit from lies in a recruit’s living room. So I didn’t think any more about it, other than to think that UK fans shouldn’t worry about it too much, because who cares what Bob Knight says?
But then I started thinking about it again.
And I realized who was saying it. Bob Knight. Class A, USDA-certified steaming asshole. Thrower of chairs, kicker of shins, cusser of students in grocery aisles. As CBSSports.com columnist Gregg Doyel put it, “Bob Knight is a bad guy. Great coach. Valued education. Didn't cheat. But a bad guy.” Pretty much sums it up. It also isn’t the first time Knight has had misgivings about John Calipari-related items. Plus, he got his lunch eaten by UK for the last 10 years or so he was at Indiana. And he had his undefeated season ruined in ’75, causing him to hit Joe B. Hall in the back of the head. He has good reason not to like Kentucky. But he has never done anything so blatant as to outright slander the school.
Yes, he slandered UK.
We all know what slander is: a lie, usually spoken, with the intent of character defamation. This is opposed to libel, which is basically slander, but in a more permanent, tangible form, such as print or recorded audio. Bob Knight defamed the character of John Wall, which is bad enough. But his remarks also defamed Patrick Patterson, who gave his sweat and blood and tears to graduate in three years while being a stud on the basketball court. That’s when I started getting pissed. (Patrick Patterson didn't seem to care for it either). Being slanderous is easy. Just say this out loud: “Bob Knight molests orphan children.” Did anyone hear you? If so, you just slandered Bob Knight. Now, a libelous statement would be if I said
BOB KNIGHT MOLESTS ORPHAN CHILDREN.
See what I did there? That was libel, because we know he doesn’t molest orphan children (or do we?), just as we know that 100% of the 2010 starting lineup went to spring classes. Here, I’ll give you another example of libel:
BOB KNIGHT HAS A TINY PENIS, AND THUSLY FEELS COMPELLED TO RUN DOWN ANYONE WHO DOESN’T LIKE HIM.
Got the hang of it yet? Good. (Bear with me, I have a point in here somewhere). Now, would you like to read a non-slanderous statement?
BOB KNIGHT ONCE SHOT A FRIEND IN THE BACK, AND TRIED TO COVER IT UP. THAT'S THE KIND OF ASSHOLE HE IS.
I’ve pretty much always been of the thinking that peoples’ minds are going to be made up about something, and outside evidence won’t really affect their opinion; that is, if I think Bob Knight is a shitbird, his donating $50,000 to an orphanage (not that he did, but if he does, it's probably to hide the molestation) won’t change my opinion of him. Likewise, anyone who is looking for a reason to dislike Kentucky and Calipari will latch onto the first thing they can, not letting the fact that Calipari and his team washed the feet of underprivileged children in Detroit tell them otherwise. As Jerry Seinfeld (I think; it was either him or George Carlin) once said, “You can take away all the drugs in the world, and people would spin around on their lawns until they fell down and saw God.” That applies here, since we are dealing with reality vs. perception, through the eyes of a man who obviously needs some kind of medication to even his bitter, delusional ass out.
Still with me? Wow, I’m surprised. Now, after all that, here’s the deal: ESPN should either force an apology from Knight or send him packing, if for no other reason than it has to be a serious conflict of interest regarding the SEC TV contract for mouthy pricks such as himself to go around spewing derogatory nonsense. I’m glad Mitch Barnhart got in on the action, because that may help force the network’s hand. At best, Bob Knight is eaten up with petty jealousy, and can’t help himself trying to piss off Kentucky alumni and fans. At worst, he is a hypocrite and a coward, an old man trying to tear down one coach with nothing on his record, while building up another who is serving a suspension next season. He is a coward because, for starters, he won’t set foot in Rupp Arena, since he knows that would be the equivalent of walking into a lion's den wearing pork chop pants. And for this: someone on Twitter noted that Bob Knight has never said anything negative regarding UK unless he is in Indiana. This means he doesn’t have the enlarged guts to go with the enlarged asshole.
Here is my advice to Robert Montgomery Knight. Go away, while you are still at least somewhat relevant. Go away, and spend the remainder of your years shooting friends on hunting trips, and wondering why your eyebrows didn’t grow all the way across your eyes. You aren’t willing to say anything (truthfully) useful on TV, and apparently your speaking engagements reek of shenanigans and bullshit. As much as you have to offer the world, with your coaching intellect and storied past, you instead choose to continually take the low road by being a yellow-bellied coward, a hypocrite, and a shit stain on the silk underwear of life. Oh, and you are a pompous, arrogant asshole. Have I said that yet?
Bob Knight was once lauded for getting a high percentage of his students to finish classes. It’s just too bad that class isn’t a word he knows anything about these days.
April 04, 2011
LODI DODD-Y
I guess most of you have heard by now about the question asked of John Calipari at the Final Four, which went "How does it feel to coach in your first Final Four?" Once you quit slapping your knees at the overwhelming originality and humor of the question, you may have gotten pissed off. Well, the man responsible, Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com, has written a post about it. He basically says he stands by the question. I decided to comment, since I'm trying to get out of writing an argumentative essay for an online class, and was somewhat proud of what I wrote. If you don't feel like reading the article, here is my comment:
I'm as big a Kentucky fan as any other, so I've heard pretty much every insult, slight, and "he said she said" there is to hear, especially regarding the ethics of John Calipari, and for that matter, the University itself. Honestly, I'm past the point of caring or getting upset at someone trying to ruffle the feathers of a particular fan base, be it for hits in an online column, or any other reason. In that regard, I have no problem with you asking, facetiously or not, Calipari about the vacated Final Fours. What bugs me is that you chose the most sophomoric, frat house, "that's what she said", beaten-like-a-dead-horse phrase about it, and tried to pass it off as professional journalism. Hell, I have a nephew in 6th grade who could've come up with the same thing. I get that you guys are paid to be a watchdog of sorts, and that's all fine and good. But I also thought you were paid to tell me something I didn't necessarily know before. In this case, you failed miserably. To me, that particular question, in that format at least, was the equivalent of an average Joe meeting someone whom they had always wanted to meet, just to ask them a burning question. Then, once they meet that person and have a chance to ask, they make a fart noise with their mouth and run off laughing, saying "Haha, I got you good!" It also makes me wonder what kinds of chuckleheads are writing the things I usually enjoy reading, because apparently enough of them agree with you for it to warrant a mention in this column. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you are going to make a point, and aren't terribly concerned about taking the high road to make it, at least come up with something better than "How does it feel to coach in your first Final Four?" Surely there is a journalism degree somewhere in your office/den which proves you are capable.
I'm as big a Kentucky fan as any other, so I've heard pretty much every insult, slight, and "he said she said" there is to hear, especially regarding the ethics of John Calipari, and for that matter, the University itself. Honestly, I'm past the point of caring or getting upset at someone trying to ruffle the feathers of a particular fan base, be it for hits in an online column, or any other reason. In that regard, I have no problem with you asking, facetiously or not, Calipari about the vacated Final Fours. What bugs me is that you chose the most sophomoric, frat house, "that's what she said", beaten-like-a-dead-horse phrase about it, and tried to pass it off as professional journalism. Hell, I have a nephew in 6th grade who could've come up with the same thing. I get that you guys are paid to be a watchdog of sorts, and that's all fine and good. But I also thought you were paid to tell me something I didn't necessarily know before. In this case, you failed miserably. To me, that particular question, in that format at least, was the equivalent of an average Joe meeting someone whom they had always wanted to meet, just to ask them a burning question. Then, once they meet that person and have a chance to ask, they make a fart noise with their mouth and run off laughing, saying "Haha, I got you good!" It also makes me wonder what kinds of chuckleheads are writing the things I usually enjoy reading, because apparently enough of them agree with you for it to warrant a mention in this column. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you are going to make a point, and aren't terribly concerned about taking the high road to make it, at least come up with something better than "How does it feel to coach in your first Final Four?" Surely there is a journalism degree somewhere in your office/den which proves you are capable.
March 26, 2011
THAT WAS FUN
Wow, what a game. A bit closer than I would've liked, and it should've been played in the Elite Eight or Final Four. But for a start to finish barnburner, it was hard to beat. Now, it's on the next one against UNC.
I figured Kentucky's defense would be solid, but damn, that was good. Josh Harrellson continues to force his way into our hearts, not unlike how one would enter a bathroom stall as halftime punishment. I honestly cannot get enough of watching Jorts play right now, and the line drive off of Jared Sullinger's chest added another chapter to his story, and probably sealed his legend at UK. The guy simply refuses to lose, and you can tell it has rubbed off on the rest of the team. I could think of different ways to say the same things over and over again, but it would get cheesy and run a bit long, so I'll sum it up with this: if UK wins it all, I am very likely to cry tears of joy and pride over how far Josh has come this season. I'm sure he realizes how proud he is making the BBN, but it is still hard to put into words. Hopefully I can find a way to sum it up in the next few days.
As for the rest of the team, I'm glad guys have finally decided to step up. I've never been happier to be wrong about something. Brandon Knight continues to amaze me; he has had a huge impact on every game UK has played in the tournament. Not too long ago, I felt pretty good about him returning to school for one more year, due to the likelihood of him being able to graduate as a sophomore. But with the way his play has skyrocketed, I couldn't blame him a bit for leaving after this year, as long as he gets fitted for a ring before he goes.
Now, about tomorrow's game. Early lines have the Cats favored by 1.5, but we all know that Cal is gonna be in his team's ear about the December loss in Chapel Hill. Carolina dominated Kentucky inside in that game, but that isn't gonna be the case this time. The only player I am worried about is John Henson, and that is because he is so long. The Harrellson-Zeller matchup will be a wash, and I believe team defense can keep Harrison Barnes in check. If UK keeps Henson contained, especially on the offensive glass, they win this game. Although, Kentucky's guard/wing play trumps Carolina's, so it may just come down to which team wants it more. Something tells me that team is Kentucky. Josh Harrellson will not let this team go home yet.
Cats by 6.
I figured Kentucky's defense would be solid, but damn, that was good. Josh Harrellson continues to force his way into our hearts, not unlike how one would enter a bathroom stall as halftime punishment. I honestly cannot get enough of watching Jorts play right now, and the line drive off of Jared Sullinger's chest added another chapter to his story, and probably sealed his legend at UK. The guy simply refuses to lose, and you can tell it has rubbed off on the rest of the team. I could think of different ways to say the same things over and over again, but it would get cheesy and run a bit long, so I'll sum it up with this: if UK wins it all, I am very likely to cry tears of joy and pride over how far Josh has come this season. I'm sure he realizes how proud he is making the BBN, but it is still hard to put into words. Hopefully I can find a way to sum it up in the next few days.
As for the rest of the team, I'm glad guys have finally decided to step up. I've never been happier to be wrong about something. Brandon Knight continues to amaze me; he has had a huge impact on every game UK has played in the tournament. Not too long ago, I felt pretty good about him returning to school for one more year, due to the likelihood of him being able to graduate as a sophomore. But with the way his play has skyrocketed, I couldn't blame him a bit for leaving after this year, as long as he gets fitted for a ring before he goes.
Now, about tomorrow's game. Early lines have the Cats favored by 1.5, but we all know that Cal is gonna be in his team's ear about the December loss in Chapel Hill. Carolina dominated Kentucky inside in that game, but that isn't gonna be the case this time. The only player I am worried about is John Henson, and that is because he is so long. The Harrellson-Zeller matchup will be a wash, and I believe team defense can keep Harrison Barnes in check. If UK keeps Henson contained, especially on the offensive glass, they win this game. Although, Kentucky's guard/wing play trumps Carolina's, so it may just come down to which team wants it more. Something tells me that team is Kentucky. Josh Harrellson will not let this team go home yet.
Cats by 6.
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