LeBron James has a championship ring.
I don't know why so many people dislike LeBron James so intensely. What did he ever do to engender so much hostility? "The Decision?" As over the top, and ridiculous as that was, how many people REALLY think that was his idea? Was it abandoning small market Cleveland for the excitement of Miami? I don't know that either of those two things should be enough to make people proclaim hate for him. (sports hate, not hate hate) I mean really, how many players in any sport have left smaller markets for bigger contracts? Too many to count. As for "The Decision" I put that at the feet of ESPN and it's need to televise everything sport. Not in any imagination can I see a player pitch that idea. "OK - how about you follow me around while I make my decision on signing, and televise it? Whadaya think?"
Everyone loved Michael Jordan. When the Bulls finally beat the Lakers for the 1st of the 6 titles they would win in the Jordan era there could not have been more love sent his way. Why the difference? Well, Jordan never switched teams. He was faithful to the Bull fans, and the city of Chicago many people will say. True, but also kinda easy. Chicago is way bigger than Cleveland. There was no way any team could have lured him away with a more lucrative deal. Could the Knicks or Lakers have found more to pay him than the Bulls? No way. Jordan was always gonna get paid in Chicago, and there was zero chance he'd ever leave. of course I am discounting his 2nd un-retirement from the Wizard front office to the Wizard backcourt. Hardly counts as leaving a team via free-agency.
They are each the definitively most talented, dominant players in the league of their eras. He's been playing the best basketball on the planet for at least the past 3 seasons. LeBron has not had any scandalous behavior surface. No illegal narcotics, no illegitimate children, no beaten girlfriends. Nothing. Even Jordan had his golf gambling to overcome - such as it was.
So why? LeBron - you're awesome. Well done. Congratulations. You earned it.
Was that so hard?
Friday, June 22, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Retire Brett Favre's Number
I've been stirring on this for a few weeks. The seed was planted when, during the Packers Tailgate Tour, the question of when Brett Favre's number would be retired was posed to Mark Murphy. His answer was that it would be in a year or two, when it's meaningful to Brett.
I'm not sure what that means. Does that mean Brett is still pissed at Ted Thompson, and Mike McCarthy for not letting him come back as the started when he changed his mind about retiring? Does it mean Brett has hurt feelings about how he was booed by Packer fans at Packer-Viking games. I don't know. What I will say is the next number the Green Bay Packers should be retiring is #4. There should not be another number retired until Brett's #4 is retired. There, I said it. I did not like it when Brett went to play for the Minnesota Vikings. I never loved Brett as a player any less. I never turned on Brett in playoff failures, or after horrible games, or bonehead throws that ended up in the arms of a defender. But Brett put on the wrong shirt, and worse Brett maneuvered himself into that purple shirt as a "up yours" to Ted Thompson for not letting him come back when he changed his mind about retiring. And I cheered against the Vikings. Not because of Brett's presence, but because they're the Vikings. This guy is a Packer fan, and does not cheer for Vikings except in rare circumstances when their victory will be good for the Packers.
Having said that, retire the number. And when they do nobody should be booing. NO-BODY. If Brett doesn't play in 92 with a separated left shoulder he doesn't impress Reggie White, and Reggie does not come to Green Bay the next season. Reggie White said one of the reasons he signed with the Packers, aside from God's guidance, was he believed in Brett Favre's leadership as being key to the Packers being a place where he would be on a winning team. No Brett, no Reggie. No Reggie, very few of the other key additions through free agency that Ron Wolf brought in. Brett was the first domino of the players that led to the resurgence of the Green Bay Packers in the 1990s. So remember that when it comes time for #4 to be retired. When the day comes when Brett stands on the "G" at the 50 yard line of Lambeau Field at halftime of some primetime game remember that Brett Favre is the most significant reason that the Green Bay Packers became a perrenial winner. That day should be a cascade of cheers. The stadium should be resplendent with signage professing fan love and appreciation.
I think "meaningful to Brett" is a poor choice of words. Haw can it not be meaningful to Brett? Elite athletes have big egos. They always have, and always will. A stadium of cheers, even with the boos mixed in feed that ego. The truth is that it should be done when it's meaningful to the vast majority of fan. When those who will boo now, will not. That's when it should be done. I want to see Brett at midfield as the stadium roars. I want Brett to call Lambeau "my house!" and the stadium to roar. I want to hear a lone voice shoud "Love ya Brett!!" at a pause, and another roar. Retiring that number means as much to us as fans as it does to him as a player.
I hope it's meaningful to those yahoos soon.
I'm not sure what that means. Does that mean Brett is still pissed at Ted Thompson, and Mike McCarthy for not letting him come back as the started when he changed his mind about retiring? Does it mean Brett has hurt feelings about how he was booed by Packer fans at Packer-Viking games. I don't know. What I will say is the next number the Green Bay Packers should be retiring is #4. There should not be another number retired until Brett's #4 is retired. There, I said it. I did not like it when Brett went to play for the Minnesota Vikings. I never loved Brett as a player any less. I never turned on Brett in playoff failures, or after horrible games, or bonehead throws that ended up in the arms of a defender. But Brett put on the wrong shirt, and worse Brett maneuvered himself into that purple shirt as a "up yours" to Ted Thompson for not letting him come back when he changed his mind about retiring. And I cheered against the Vikings. Not because of Brett's presence, but because they're the Vikings. This guy is a Packer fan, and does not cheer for Vikings except in rare circumstances when their victory will be good for the Packers.
Having said that, retire the number. And when they do nobody should be booing. NO-BODY. If Brett doesn't play in 92 with a separated left shoulder he doesn't impress Reggie White, and Reggie does not come to Green Bay the next season. Reggie White said one of the reasons he signed with the Packers, aside from God's guidance, was he believed in Brett Favre's leadership as being key to the Packers being a place where he would be on a winning team. No Brett, no Reggie. No Reggie, very few of the other key additions through free agency that Ron Wolf brought in. Brett was the first domino of the players that led to the resurgence of the Green Bay Packers in the 1990s. So remember that when it comes time for #4 to be retired. When the day comes when Brett stands on the "G" at the 50 yard line of Lambeau Field at halftime of some primetime game remember that Brett Favre is the most significant reason that the Green Bay Packers became a perrenial winner. That day should be a cascade of cheers. The stadium should be resplendent with signage professing fan love and appreciation.
I think "meaningful to Brett" is a poor choice of words. Haw can it not be meaningful to Brett? Elite athletes have big egos. They always have, and always will. A stadium of cheers, even with the boos mixed in feed that ego. The truth is that it should be done when it's meaningful to the vast majority of fan. When those who will boo now, will not. That's when it should be done. I want to see Brett at midfield as the stadium roars. I want Brett to call Lambeau "my house!" and the stadium to roar. I want to hear a lone voice shoud "Love ya Brett!!" at a pause, and another roar. Retiring that number means as much to us as fans as it does to him as a player.
I hope it's meaningful to those yahoos soon.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
June 5th 2012 - Recall Day in Wisconsin
It's 8:30 on election day for the Gubernatorial recall. I've not watched news coverage, and don't know who's polling ahead, and if anyone has projected a winner I don't know.
It's been quite a time here in Cheeselandistan since the Budget Repair Bill saga of last winter. Political, and partisan passions have been pretty intense since then. Just looking at that, and it looks like an understatement. Anyone who's posted a comment on a news service message board, blog, Facebook can attest to that intensity.
As I watch the Brewers play the Cubs here I about how the game of baseball is called the "National Pastime." Seems the State pastime these past 15 months has been soapboxing our political opinions in any way available. There has been much said by friends, acquaintances, and strangers today about looking forward to the end of the campaign, and the ads, and the phone calls. Really? I hope so, but I'm a little less optimistic. Realistically we're looking at a neck and neck election, so whoever wins the tonight it's not "over." Dollars to doughnuts there's a recount - automatic or otherwise. You can also bet that if there's a recount the postings, and partisan noise will continue through that. That's been the Wisconsin pastime since Act 10. At the end of the day it's a good thing to have an opinion, and it's a good thing to express it, but that reminds me of something my father the sailor said. "Opinions are like assholes; everyone has one, and nobody thinks their own stinks."
There are things we know because we observe them, and there are things that are a result of deeply held beliefs. Some of them we will see something that changes our mind, and others we will never recant. Knowing that this is not over means that more of us will share our perspectives passionately. Mark Twain once said “The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” That's a really nice way to state another thing my Dad said: "You're as full of shit as anyone else." Remember that the next time you read something one of your friends says, or some stranger has posted on a message board, or news comment board. Before you satisfy that personal need to "put them in their place," remember you're as full of shit as they are. You just aren't aware of it. Maybe with that realization a basic amount of respect for another persons' attachment to their own convictions will lead to a respectful exchange of ideas, mutual respect, and maybe an appreciation that we're all in this together. Maybe then the partisan divide that seems so vast might reveal itself to be closer than it looks.
It's 9:15 now, and the Cubs are killing the Brewers. At least we can all get behind how sucky that is. (except for those jackass Cub fans)
It's been quite a time here in Cheeselandistan since the Budget Repair Bill saga of last winter. Political, and partisan passions have been pretty intense since then. Just looking at that, and it looks like an understatement. Anyone who's posted a comment on a news service message board, blog, Facebook can attest to that intensity.
As I watch the Brewers play the Cubs here I about how the game of baseball is called the "National Pastime." Seems the State pastime these past 15 months has been soapboxing our political opinions in any way available. There has been much said by friends, acquaintances, and strangers today about looking forward to the end of the campaign, and the ads, and the phone calls. Really? I hope so, but I'm a little less optimistic. Realistically we're looking at a neck and neck election, so whoever wins the tonight it's not "over." Dollars to doughnuts there's a recount - automatic or otherwise. You can also bet that if there's a recount the postings, and partisan noise will continue through that. That's been the Wisconsin pastime since Act 10. At the end of the day it's a good thing to have an opinion, and it's a good thing to express it, but that reminds me of something my father the sailor said. "Opinions are like assholes; everyone has one, and nobody thinks their own stinks."
There are things we know because we observe them, and there are things that are a result of deeply held beliefs. Some of them we will see something that changes our mind, and others we will never recant. Knowing that this is not over means that more of us will share our perspectives passionately. Mark Twain once said “The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” That's a really nice way to state another thing my Dad said: "You're as full of shit as anyone else." Remember that the next time you read something one of your friends says, or some stranger has posted on a message board, or news comment board. Before you satisfy that personal need to "put them in their place," remember you're as full of shit as they are. You just aren't aware of it. Maybe with that realization a basic amount of respect for another persons' attachment to their own convictions will lead to a respectful exchange of ideas, mutual respect, and maybe an appreciation that we're all in this together. Maybe then the partisan divide that seems so vast might reveal itself to be closer than it looks.
It's 9:15 now, and the Cubs are killing the Brewers. At least we can all get behind how sucky that is. (except for those jackass Cub fans)
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