What If Steriods Were Now Legal?

This is how the conversation would go, “Coach I’m sorry, I know I would’ve tried to hit my fifth Home run of the game, but I had to bunt and advance the runner.” I think it would go something like that.

Let’s say starting tomorrow, it was not illegal to use performance enhancing drugs.

It would actually be encouraged and it would not hurt your reputation because it is now legal. Would it be good for sports, or would it be a bad thing? I think that it would be good for sports as a whole. There would be increases in sales, revenue and overall ratings for every sport. It would actually be pretty cool, it would be something new. That being said, I would never condone the use of any performance enhancing drugs, unless it was medically cleared to use. I am against all kinds of drugs, but that being said. Let’s just dive into it though, just for fun!

I think baseball would benefit the most with the legalization of steroids compared to any other sport. There were so many players who played in the so-called “steroid era” and their overall numbers were inflated due to the use of steroids. When Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa were hitting 50 home runs a year it was must watch television. It was awesome to see these guys hitting the ball out of the park, steroid-ed or not, it was fun to watch. Of course, now looking back at it, it was not fair that these guys had an unfair advantage, but fans go to the ball park to watch someone hit a home run. The chicks dig the long ball, c’mon its obvious.

Imagine handing the ball off to someone this size of The Hulk and watching him knock down defenders on his way to scoring his seventh touchdown of the game. It would be pretty crazy. Football is already a game of big hits and excitement. Just imagine what would go on if these players were all three of four times the size that they are now. Kickers could kick 100 yard field goals and punters could probably kick the ball out of the stadium, it would be pretty freaking epic.

For some sports, it might be pretty difficult. Especially sports that include that finesse factor like golf. Sure they would be able to drive the ball down the green and get in putting range in one stroke. But, what about trying to actually putt the ball. It would be a scene straight out of the popular golf movie Happy Gilmore. I could just picture a huge 250 lb golfer getting mad because he can’t sink an easy three-foot putt, but could drive the ball over 500 yards down the course. Also, what about a sport like bowling? Huge guys throwing a bowling ball down a lane at over 100 mph is much-watch television. I would not want to be a pin in the way of a bowling ball coming that fast straight at me.

Will this crazy idea ever happen? Probably and hopefully not. If sports ratings drop down to all time lows, you never know though. I’m just kidding, but hey it would something if it actually ever happened!

The Voice Behind the Game

The next time you watch a sporting event on television put the television on mute. Now try watching the game without the voice of the announcers, while only listening to the sounds of the game. Now tell me, would it be the same? What if there was no announcer  for each team? All you would here was the crack of the bat or the squeaks on the basketball court. Would watching or listening to a game be the same without the announcers?

Many people take announcers for granted. They tell a story, they are like the narrator in a movie.  Announcers keep the action in a game going along, while giving you play by-play updates at the same time. What if there was an amazing upset and the underdog just scored the game winning goal or touchdown? Sure, you would hear the crowd cheer and the players jump up and down, but it’s just not the same. A classic-line like, “Do you believe in Miracles?” was said by Marv Albert when the United States hockey team defeated Russia in the Olympics. This one line alone summed up a game and a story all in one sentence. Classic lines like this are what make a game memorable.

Take away the announcer and all you have is a game with no emotion. Sure, you have the fans, but for someone sitting at home they can’t feel what it is like sitting in a stadium. Even when you go to a game live it really doesn’t have the same feel as watching it at home. Sure, it is cool to go watch your players live and actually be there when your team wins or loses, but it just feels like there is something missing. That is why there are announcers to set up the stage and make you feel like you are in the game. They put the emotion in a game, for someone not in the stadium. They hit you with those classic one-liners that they are known for and share their excitement with the fans watching at home.

Announcers usually come in pairs. Vin Sculley is one announcer who calls the game by himself.

The clock is ticking down, this shot will send the New York Knicks to the NBA Finals, a place where they have not been in over ten years. The ball goes out to Carmelo Anthony, he looks right, dribbles down the lane and puts it up! The ball bounces on the rim and it goes in and the New York Knicks are going to the Finals! Just try to compare that to the sounds effects of a ball going through the net, just to hear a crowds reaction . It is also said that most fans who go to live games are not even die-hard fans. They are the fans who have enough money to go to the games on a daily basis.

Without the Vin Scully’s of the world sports would be not even close to the same as it is now. Announcers are a small part of sports that go unnoticed. There are still some annoying announcers out there who get overly excited when nothing dramatic really happened and  end up trying too hard to come up with some exciting commentary, but you can’t blame them because they are just trying to put some emotion in the game.

The next time you watch your favorite team play, take some time to listen to the announcer. Try and turn off the television and turn on the radio and listen to the game, like how it was listened to back in the day. If you would listen to sports on the radio without the live picture you will really appreciate how these announcers can really paint a picture with words. Without their voice the game wouldn’t be the same.

Celebrity Status

A celebrity is a status that many want to reach. Once this status is reached, the fame is something that many people tend to shy away from, while others embrace. The obsession over this celebrity status has altered some people’s lives and has also changed them as a person. Is the flashing lights and cameras all worth it?

Fans line up and pay their hard-earned money to watch these so-called “celebrities” on television or live at an events. There are all kinds of celebrities ranging from Dick Clark and Donald Trump all the way to Justin Bieber and Mike “The Situation” from the Jersey Shore. When you become a celebrity you take on the responsibility to become a role model. Like it or not, there are young kids and teens who look up to you. They see your name in lights and they want to be in the position that you are in. For some celebrities, they embrace their status and use it as a way to give back, but for others they just live in the moment and don’t care about the impact that they are having on others.

What actually makes Kim Kardashian earn the “celebrity” title?

Some celebrities deserve to have the spot light that they do, but there are so many who don’t. There are actors and sports figures who deserve the spotlight because they actually have this one attribute that makes them earn that status, that one attribute is talent. Talent is something that you are either born with or is something that you develop over time. People who have this actually use this ability and can make a difference. Some can make a difference on the baseball diamond and others can make a difference on the big screen and deliver award-winning performances. Those are the kind of celebrities I have respect for.

Many celebrities are just celebrities because of their name or their appearance on television. There are so many people who become famous because they do something that draws attention on television and people become automatically intrigued by them. Reality television stars, and most main stream musicians fall under this category.

Turn on the radio and all you hear is a catchy beat followed by some lyrics. These lyrics have no meaning behind them, no positive message and best of all probably weren’t even written by the music artist. Yet, they are there because they are spoken by an attractive figure who can bring in the money. Reality television stars are the same way. Can someone please tell me where is their talent? What do they do that is different from anyone else? They live life and have a camera follow them around all day. The funny thing is that they live a scripted live, they don’t actually live the life that is portrayed on television, it is mostly just for show.

A celebrity is someone who the media pushes on us and tells us that they are a celebrity. That is my definition of what a celebrity is in our day and age. Way back in the 1970′s and 1980′s, to get in the spotlight is something that was earned. Something that people fought for everyday and dedicated their life goals for. The next time you hear the word celebrity, just be able to separate the people who actually earned that status and the people who were given that status.

Fantasy Draft Turned Reality

Imagine it’s the fourth quarter and Tom Brady drops back for the pass. He looks to the right, but Percy Harvin is covered, then looks left and hits Greg Jennings in the back of the end zone for the game winning catch and the New York Jets win the 2015 Super Bowl.

Just imagine this crazy scenario taking place. My proposal is that the NFL or any sport of that matter, should take the popular online game fantasy football game and turn it into a reality. It can be done just like it’s done online, every team will go into a lottery system where the first team would get the first pick and so on. It would spark a brand new interest into the game of football.

All of those fans who have had years of bad luck can get a brand new jump start with the addition of someone like Drew Brees on their team. There would be a new line of revenue from all of the new players switching teams and the jersey sales would be through the roof.

Things would be a lot different if LeBron ended up somewhere else. New York anyone? Well one could only dream.

Each team would have a hard salary cap to all of them on the same playing grounds when it came to money. There could be rules implemented such as teams using a franchise tag on only one player they want to keep, before the rest go into the fantasy draft. The options are endless to the fun and excitement of making fantasy football a reality. Coaches could even be thrown into the mix as well, maybe even team announcers, they can make it as entertaining and as crazy as they want.

I know when I watch football sometimes it seems boring watching the same players on the same team year after year. When your team plays Aaron Rodgers they know he is going to dominate and take over the game like always, but what if he was on a team with a bad supporting cast, it would really show if he has the actual ability to still be a superstar quarterback. Just imagine LeBron James not having Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh by his side or the big bad New York Yankees not be the same prestigious team that they are now.

The world is always changing and people are looking for something new and exciting. I think this would really shake up the world of sports. Even other sports could attempt a similar fantasy draft like the one that I proposed here. Now that would be something.

Just think the years of pain and anguish of being a Cleveland Browns fan may be over. Think about the cocky and stuck up Los Angeles Lakers fans, they can finally be humbled by having someone other than Kobe Bryant hitting game winning shot after shot for them.

Playing Sports with the Boys

Behind every great man there is a woman. In the United States, it says that there is fair and equal opportunity for all. The land of the free and the home of the brave. I believe if a woman has the ability to hold a “man’s job” of being president then women should also be able to play sports against men. Women and men should be able to do whatever the other one can do. It is only fair that both are given an equal chance.

Men and women have their own sport leagues, separate for each gender. There is the NBA for men and the WNBA or women. I think that there should be no barrier between these leagues. If a girl wanted to play with the boys, I think that she should be able to. There are some girls who are better at their sports than men. Brittney Griner of Baylor University can dunk a basketball. That is an amazing accomplishment as a girl. She has the attributes and the talent to hang with the boys on the court. She is 6’8 and dominated in college. I think that she could stand head to head with some NBA players. I’m not talking about someone like Kobe Bryant. But I think she could put up a fight against some players who sit on NBA benches and are just there collect their paychecks. We will never know though!

Danica Patrick is a woman who is defying all of the odds against the men. She holds the finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 race, coming in 3rd place. You can not take away from any of her accomplishments because she is breaking boundaries for women and showing that they can hang with the men.

My problem with Danica Patrick is what she does away from the track.  She is a model and a spokesperson for Go Daddy. By becoming a model and appearing in risqué Go Daddy commercials it takes away from her accomplishments on the track taken seriously. As much she is setting an example for why women should be able to play men’s sports, she is also hurting it the same time. She is becoming the stereotype of just another pretty face. Something that women have been fighting  against for hundreds of years. Patrick is using her looks to cash in rather than setting the standard of  what women should strive for.

Stop trying to be a model. Start trying to be a role model.

The same can be said for Hope Solo.

She was an outstanding goalie for the U.S girls soccer team. She has the same talent, if not more than some guys. But once again, instead of setting an example for female sport figures, she cashes in on her looks just like Danica Patrick. Posing half-naked in magazines trying to become popular and gain attention off the field.

Many female athletes aren’t like Patrick and Solo, that is the problem. These two athletes happen to be two of the most popular and they are the two who are abusing their popularity and setting a bad reputation for other female athletes. It is a shame too because many female athletes carry themselves off the field as role models, but there are still a few who continue to set a bad name.

There was a girls football league called the lingerie league and now there is a new bikini hockey league that was recently announced.  This is pretty much just an insult to girls who play professional sports. It’s just a bunch of half-naked girls running around playing sports. It is an easy cash in and a way to degrade women athletics and bring in easy money. It is so hard to break stereotypes when there is women who go out and play in this. If they really wanted to make a change, they would not participate, but I guess it’s easy money for them as well.

I understand that there are athletes who like to play against their same gender because it is an equal level of competition. I also think if there is a women who has the ability to play against the men, then let her play. We broke the barriers of race in sports over a hundred of years ago and I think it is time to break the barrier of gender as well.

What if LeBron James Finally Wins a Championship?

“In this fall, I’m going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat.” Those were the famous words that were spoken by LeBron James during an ESPN special titled “The Decision”.

July 8, 2010 changed the game of basketball forever. This was the first time an athlete had a show, just for them to announce where they were going to sign as a free agent.  After “The Decision” James was instantly looked upon as a villain. James said if he could do it all over again, he would have not made such a big deal of his free agent signing and probably wouldn’t have televised it. James left behind his hometown of Cleveland in order to join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in his pursuit of his first NBA championship.

Let’s clear this up, LeBron James is the most talented athlete in if not all of basketball, then all of sports. He is 6’8 and is 240 lbs, he could play linebacker for a football team if he wanted to. When James went to the Heat, many saw this as an easy way out. By moving from Cleveland to Miami, James admitted that he could not win on his own and needed help. An athlete of his caliber should be able to win on his own, he shouldn’t need help from two all-stars in order to do so.

During the 2010-2011 NBA season LeBron put up his typical dominate LeBron like numbers. But he fell short of winning a championship, making it to game six of the finals against the Mavericks, but not reaching the ultimate goal. James is having an MVP type season once again this year, but the problem with James is that he doesn’t step up in the 4th quarter of big games. Sure he is a great regular season player, but in order to be considered an all time great you have to hit the big shot. James often passes the ball off and plays Robin to Dwayne Wade’s Batman.

All of that aside, what happens if LeBron James wins his first ring? Will he no longer be the villain or will basketball fans hate of him grow even more? If James does get his first ring, then a second and third, he needs to be considered among the all time greats. Legends are measured by how many rings they have. James has the talent of a NBA Legend and Hall of Famer, but he doesn’t have the rings yet. He has to get at least one to be in the talk among the legends.

LeBron James is going to be taking his talents to the Hall of Fame, hate him or not. He averages almost a triple double every game and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Moving from Cleveland to Miami might have hurt his reputation as a player, but not as a basketball player. He does however need to win some championships, before we claim him one of the greatest of all time.

Predictions for the 2012 NBA Playoffs

A shortened season made basketball a lot more exciting to watch. More games on less nights is what every fan wants to see. It might not have been as fun for NBA players though. Here are my predictions.

Eastern Conference

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers

Prediction- Bulls in 4

Analysis: I think the Bulls and 76ers play very similar styles. They are both strong on the defensive side of the ball. The difference here is talent. The  76ers have depth, but they don’t have a go to player on the offensive side of the ball. If Derrick Rose can play can shake off his injury problems and play at an elite level. This series will be a wrap. The 76ers will keep it close each game, but I just think they don’t have the offense to keep up with the Bulls.

(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks

Prediction- Heat in 7

Analysis: This is probably the most exciting series in the playoffs. There is so much star power on the court when these two teams go head to head. The Heat pretty much owned the Knicks in the regular season going 3-0 against them. I think the Heat are too good to overcome though. They play solid defense to go along with the big three on offense. Carmelo will need to play at an elite level in order for the Knicks in order to upset the Heat and pull off this series. The Knicks bench will need to step up and outplay the Heat’s bench in order to keep each game close. The Knicks better hope that they can hit the 3-ball from downtown and not run cold.

(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Orlando Magic

Prediction- Pacers in 5

Analysis: If only the Magic had Dwight Howard. The Pacers might be the most underrated team in the playoffs. They play solid defense and have just enough offense to pull of wins. I think that they are very similar to the 76ers in terms of how they play. They just happened to get lucky with their first round match up. Danny Granger has been hot and cold all season and the Pacers need him to step up in order for the Pacers to go far in the playoffs. A Magic team without Howard, lacks a defensive and offensive presence under the hoop. If Howard was healthy and playing I would pick the Magic to win this series.

(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks

Prediction- Hawks in 7

Analysis: The Celtics are getting older and their time to win a championship is running out. When Allen, Pierce and Garnett retire the Celtics will be in big trouble. For now, they are a team with a lot of veteran leadership and still can score the ball. Besides Rondo, they still lack speed and athleticism on the defensive and offensive ball. The problem for them is that the Hawks are one of the most athletic teams in the league. Josh Smith is going to have a huge series. He does it all, pair him with Joe Johnson and they are a dangerous combo. The Hawks always make the playoffs, but never really make a push. I think this is the year they finally win a round and advance.

Semi-Finals

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks

Prediction- Bulls in 5

Analysis: I think this is where the Hawks will meet their match. They match up well against the Celtics, but I just think the Bulls will figure out how to shut them down. It comes down to defense and that is where the Bulls shine. They will figure out how to match up against Johnson and Smith. The Bulls have a deep bench and that is where they will out produce the Hawks when the starters are off the court. I’ll take defense over the athleticism of the Hawks.

(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Indiana Pacers

Prediction- Heat in 5

Analysis: It comes down to talent and the Heat have way too much of that compared to the Pacers. The Pacers don’t have the offensive fire power to compete with the Heat. They will play solid defense against the Heat and limit their scoring, but it’s just too much to overcome. Lebron and company will move on here with not much trouble.

Conference Finals

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (2) Miami Heat

Prediction- Miami in 7

Analysis: Here it is the match up that fans have been dying to see. It will be interesting how the Heat will match up against the Bulls. It is defense vs. defense here and it is going to be a battle. I want to see who they match up on Derrick Rose because they are going to have to put LeBron or Wade on him. I think that Bosh will need to step up here. The Bulls will try to take away two of the big three and Bosh will need to step up and I think he will. Bosh played will against the Mavericks in the finals last year and he will play well against the Bulls. It’s hard to pick against the Heat and all of their talent. If the Heat can shut down Rose and Deng they can really make it hard for the Bulls to put up points. This will be an amazing series and I see the Heat moving on in a close, hard-fought match up.

Western Conference

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz (8)

Prediction- Spurs in 5

Analysis: Al Jefferson is going to put up points in the middle for the Jazz. He is a beast and no one can stop him. Besides from Al Jefferson I just think that the Spurs are stronger at every position. The Spurs just keep finding a way to win as they get older. I think that Tony Parker has a big series and help the Spurs move on to the next round. The Jazz just don’t have the playoff experience to put up any kind of fight against the Spurs.

(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks

Prediction- Thunder in 6

Analysis: Kevin Durant and the Thunder get a tough early round match up. That being said, the Thunder are far too talented at every aspect of the game. They have the 6th man of the year on the bench and a MVP candidate in Durant. The Mavericks will defiantly step up in the playoffs, after a not so great regular season. Dirk Nowitzki has not been has former self, but started to round into for as the season came to an end. I think the loss JJ Barea and Tyson Chandler really hurt them and they will see that as they fall short to the Thunder.

(3) L.A Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets

Prediction- Lakers in 5

Analysis: The Lakers have had many negative story lines develop around them as the season went on. They ran very hot and cold this season and there had been times when the locker room has been in disarray. They lose Ron Artest for the first round of the playoffs and that will hurt them. Artest was playing some good ball before getting suspended. The Nuggets have a solid all around team. Lawson, Galo, Harrington can all score the ball. They play fast and will run the Lakers up and down the court. That being said I have four words, Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum. Well, it was five fords, but those two will dominate.

(4) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (5) L.A Clippers

Prediction- Grizzlies in 6

Analysis: I think a key player in this series will be Zach Randolph. He has been hurt all season and shows flashes of his old self. If he can play at his usual level, paired with Marc Gasol could be dangerous. Rudy Gay will provide balance on both side of the ball. He is one of the most underrated players in the NBA and this kid can ball. The Clippers lack any kind of depth on the bench and that will hurt them big time. Paul and Griffin will put up monster numbers, but I don’t think that it will be enough. I like the Grizzlies to pull off this series here, they are a balanced, deeper team than the Clippers.

Semi-Finals

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (4) Memphis Grizzlies

Prediction- Grizzlies in 7

Analysis: The Grizzlies are a younger version of the Spurs. They have the same kind of style that the Spurs have and I am going to take them to pull off the upset here. Mayo needs to step up off the bench and provide some scoring. He is going need to be a top scoring option, kind of like the Ginobili for the Grizzlies. Kind of put a little humor in that one right there, never mind. The Grizzlies will outlast the Spurs here and they have the younger, quicker players to keep the Spurs off balanced. I am going to take the youth over the experience here.

(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (3) L.A Lakers

Prediction- Thunder in 7

Analysis: This is going to be a great series. Kobe vs. Durant is going to be like Magic vs. Bird. They can never be as good as that rivalry. I kind of got carried away there, but you get the point. The Thunder are going to need to stop Bynum and I think they will figure out how to. Ibaka and Perkins are good defenders and he will cause Bynum some trouble in the low post. I don’t think that the Lakers can keep up with the Thunder as they try to push the Lakers up and down the court. Derick Fisher will have a surprisingly good series here to get some revenge on the Lakers for letting him go.

Conference Finals

(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (4) Memphis Grizzlies

Prediction- Thunder in 6

Analysis: Here are two teams who are going to be a top the Western Conference for years to come. The Thunder and Grizzlies general managers know how draft and build teams. This will be one of many match ups between these two in the future. It is going to be youth vs. youth here and both teams are going to run and gun, maybe the Thunder more than the Grizzles. Here I am going to take the star power. The Grizzles have a lot of team players and not many stars. When you’re in the playoffs you need your stars to step up and Durant and Westbrook will. The Grizzles show that they are making strides, by making it this far in the playoffs, but can’t over come the odds here.

2012 NBA FINALS

(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (2) Miami Heat

Prediction- Oklahoma City Thunder in 6

Analysis: Here are my 2012 NBA Finals! Will the Heat finally win their first title or will Durant and Westbrook take home the gold? It is going to be a great series, but I am going to take the Thunder. I see LeBron playing well, but falling short of his expectations like always. The key player in this series is going to be James Harden off the bench. The Heat are going to be outmatched when he is out there against their back ups. Westbrook needs to play smart ball, not throw up unnecessary shots and watch his turnovers. I think the Thunder will be too much to handle for the Heat. Westbrook is very hard to guard and he will cause trouble for Miami’s defense. After this series, the Heat will be hoping for Steve Nash to take his talents to South Beach. The Oklahoma City Thunder win it all!

Update! My predictions were before the Derrick Rose injury!  Rose is out for the playoffs with an ACL injury. Now Iman Shumpert is out for the Knicks as well. Add Amare Stoudemire to the list. The injuries are piling up!

Stay Classy Deron Williams, Stay Classy

“I didn’t ask to be here. I got traded, I didn’t come here being a free agent. This is the first time that I’m a free agent in my career.”

Derron Williams is the perfect stereotype of a professional athlete. When the team is doing bad, the star player on the team immediately blames the others around him. If he is a “star” of a player as many think he is, including himself. He wouldn’t need to tell management, without actually saying it, get me Dwight Howard or I am leaving.

Williams said that he probably would’ve stayed with the Nets if they acquired Dwight Howard.

“Oh yeah, it defiantly would have changed things. I’ve already made it known that if he would have come I probably would’ve stayed.”

I can’t begin on how much this angers me as a sports fan. If I was a Nets fan, I would not want this guy on my team. Sure he gives the fans the attraction to come and buy ticket, but he is not a team player and is not loyal to the team.

A so-called leader and “star” player doesn’t start lobbying for the team to go and trade for another player mid-season. If this player is as good as everyone says he is, he would have the ability to lead the team on his own and make the other players around him better. It’s not like the Nets have no one around him, they have a top 5 center in Brook Lopez and a great forward in Gerald Wallace along with, up and coming rookie MarShon Brooks.

Deron go to Dallas, where you want to go, play along another super star. Go and play assistant to Dirk Nowitzki and take the easy way out like LeBron did. It once again shows that a star is not a star if he needs help from someone else in order to achieve an NBA title. The 99′ 03′ 05′ 07′ Spurs and the 04′ Pistons showed you don’t need multiple stars to win in the league. But I guess some of these current NBA “stars” now need help in order to succeed.

UPDATE: D-Will eventually decided to stay with the Nets. This was only after they got Joe Johnson though. My post still stands true!