Losing a Pantheon of Football

Texas Stadium is gone, forever lost in it's lore. It's physical being lies on the ground like a puzzle piece. More than 20,000 spectators gathered to watch the stadium that has created so many memories. For 38 seasons, the Dallas Cowboys won 213 out of 313 regular & postseason games at the stadium. They won 5 Super Bowls with Texas Stadium as its home. Texas Stadium was known for the giant hole in its roof, fans would say "so God can watch his team." Aside from Lambeau field, there are few other football venues that come close to the legacy of Texas Stadium. I cringed a little when I watched the demolition of the stadium on television, it will forever be revered, respected & remembered.

The call of the Tiger

Aside from his questionable Nike commercial involving his fathers voice, Tiger Woods has been impressive in his return to professional golf. Amidst the controversy surrounding him, he's had a warm reception in Augusta. He has also been more interactive with the fans, smiling routinely & tipping his cap more. In rounds 1 & 2, Woods shot a 68 & 70 respectively which are his best scores in those rounds career wise. In what may have been a media circus, has been rounds of great golf. In his road to forgiveness, a strong finish by Tiger will help win back fans. A victory at the Masters would help him regain his legacy as the greatest golfer to ever play the game.

Raider fans deserve better.

The Oakland Raiders have the best fans in the NFL, I am one of them. We deserve better than what owner, Al Davis, is bringing to the NFL playgrounds every year. We blame everything on Al Davis, who has lost his sense of football. The man who has shrouded himself in questionable draft picks, miserable coaching decisions & a negative compulsion to keep running the show the way he wants it to be run needs to step down soon. We deserve much better than Al Davis now. Thank you for all that you've done for the Raiders, it's time for someone who knows football the way you used to. Mr. Davis, you need to go.

Lebron James is a classless act.

I am a fan of Lebron James, the most talented physical specimen to ever grace the NBA hardwood. He can control the game whenever he wishes. He can pound the opposition at will with his bodybuilder body. He can outrun the defender with his cheetah-like bursts. He has also become an Einstein-like mind of the game. However, he remains a classless act. From not shaking Dwight Howard's hand at the end of the 2009 Eastern Conference playoffs to him claiming in an ESPN report that "he could win the scoring title every year." I don't want to forget his habit of wearing an NY Yankees cap at public events insulting the city of Cleveland who will do anything to make sure he stays in a Cavaliers uniform. His on-court theatrics with his teammates are often over the top & a display of his lack of professionalism. For a man who doesn't have an NBA title ring, he talks way too much but still needs to clean up his act.

Can the switch be turned on?

The Los Angeles Lakers are playing lasidasical basketball. It's nowhere near championship level. The way they are playing almost guarantees them an early playoff exit. A first round match-up with the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder would be a tough challenge for the Lakers if they continue their recent play. The popular theory is that the Lakers can turn on the "on" switch when the playoffs begin, which some of their players attest to. The ideal situation for a championship contending team is to go into the playoffs with momentum. These Lakers are in a difficult situation with Bynum, Odom, Walton & others with injuries. They struggle finding rhythm on offense at times & don't have a sense of urgency at the moment. However, this is still the most talented team in the NBA with arguably the best player in the game & the best coach in the game. If there is a team that can turn the "on" switch & win the NBA title, it is these Los Angeles Lakers.

Avoiding Infamy

On Friday, March 26, the New Jersey Nets defeated the Detroit Pistons 118-110 bringing their record to an unimpressive 9-63. However, this record avoids great embarrassment as the New Jersey Nets avoided having the worst record in NBA history held by the 72-73 Philadelphia 76ers at 9-73. The New Jersey Nets on paper are not a terrible basketball team. They have great back court talent & a franchise center in Brook Lopez. They should have a better record than the one they currently have. The Nets suffer from poor chemistry & lack of discipline to the worse degree. They fired a terrific coach in Lawrence Frank at the beginning of the season, there are issues in their front office & half of their roster is full of underachieving talent. They will need one more win to avoid a tie, but New Jersey faces quite an uncertain future. At least they avoid infamy.

Your turn, Barry.

Several months ago, Mark McGwire confirmed the long suspicions of MLB fans as he admitted to his use of steroids during a hall of fame career. Such acts are coward but I commend Mr. McGwire for coming out with the truth. It will damper his chances of getting in to the MLB Hall of Fame but I imagine that he now sleeps better every night. As the new batting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals, he also gains the respect of his players & the reconciliation process is already underway.

There is now one more hall of fame career whose word we await, Barry Bonds. Unlike Mark McGwire, who never denied steroid use (just actively chose to never discuss it), Barry Bonds has furiously denied steroid use. His career numbers are representative of a player who received a "significant boost" towards the end of his career. He claims "hard work" was the reason for consecutive MLB seasons. We will see, but we expect an explanation soon.

Were still waiting for the dress to come off.