Bruins: Finally Big Bad Boston Bruins

The Vancouver Canucks lost the Stanley Cup when they didn't bother to show up in game six at TD Garden; goalie, Ruberto Luongo's, inconsistent play was a key reason the Canucks lost the series.Meanwhile, the speedy Canucks seem to ware down as the series progressed; also the toll from injuries - especially to Vancouver defense men-  paralyzed their ability to stave off Boston's puck possession game. 

Will Dwight Howard Follow Shaq Out of Town?

The year was 1996 and Shaq had to weigh an offer to stay in Orlando, or move to the glamorus Hollywood Hills. We know the ending to that story: in the prime of his career, Shaq turned down a boatload of Amway money for the Los Angeles Lakers. Now years later, all the Gilbert Arenas and Hedo Turkuglos may not be able to put Dwight Howard back together again in a Magic uniform. Howard will be in the same free agent class as savy, Chris Paul, or possibly Carmelo Anthony; therefore don't be surprise if they act like a cartel in seeking the higest bidder. Despite what you may think, Lebron James and Chris Bosch set a dangerous new precedent when they collaborated with D.Wade to join Miami Heat. For James, money wasn't the object; like most athletes nowadays, he commands far more in endorsements than salary. hence an organization like Nike can influence where he goes; as far as the shoe maker is concern, "JUST Do IT" means just win titles baby. So go figure; if Melo lands in the Big Apple and Paul follows him there, Howard could be the missing piece in a mega superstar advertising market like basketball starved New York. Magic general manager, Otis Smith, is to be commended for trying everything within reason to convince Howard to stay; but Arenas looks past his prime, Turgolu can't play defense, and Howard is more exposed since backup Martin Gortat was traded away. It will take General Patton's army to stop the Heat from winning the East or a team consisting of Melo, Paul, or well you add in the next name.

Would Madden Have rested Joe Dimaggio?

Tell me: would Rays manager, Joe Madden, have sat down the great Joe DiMaggio during his 56 game hitting streak? Would he have done it to get Gabe Kapler into the line up? These questions come to mind while watching the Rays...particularly when several of their stars are replaced by lesser know players. Let's take slugger, Matt Joyce, whose electrifying bat is one reason the Rays are challenging the Yankees; yet after sparking the team with three impressive home runs plus nine RBI, Joyce was on the bench  Sunday. That's like telling Mickey Mantle after a home run, "Okay pal take a seat; let's see what Gabe Kapler can do;" duh?
What makes this even more compelling, Joyce is a Tampa native; for a team complaining about attendance, how much sense does that make? Call me stupid, but these hot young players get on a roll while Rays fans expect to see them starting only to be disappointed in the end. I mean let's face it who is paying tickets to see Gabe Kapler...a 240 hitter. If the Rays want to increase their fan base, the organization cannot allow Madden to continue tinkering with the roster; furthermore, it's beginning to appear Tampa Bay is winning despite their obstinate manager. For example after trying two consecutive bunts, shortstop, Jason Bartlett, was down in the count 0-2. Bartlett looked for the sign, but he was startled to see the bunt was still on. Following the next pitch, Bartlett struck out trying to sacrifice ;  the Rays, meanwhile, lost an excellent opportunity to blow the game open. This is vintage Joe Maddon always trying to out smart the other guy...even to his own detriment. If this talented team fails to make the playoffs - or the post season opportunity is short lived - the Rays should bench their coach, permanently.
RecoveryClash of the Titans [Blu-ray]The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Hey SEC and ACC Conferences, Look Out!

Look for the University of Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and yes, Texas AM to announce Tuesday they are joining the Pac 10 conference. Don't believe those rampant rumors about Texas AM joining the Southeastern Conference. Everyone in College Station realizes where Texas goes, AM must follow: Why? Do the math: when the Longhorns come to town they bring about $106 million dollars to the local economy. I don't think, on the other hand, very many Aggie fans are going to spend that kinda cache on a beat down ala  Alabama 56, Texas AM 0. You could probably say the same thing when Florida, LSU, and Georgia also visit. The Aggies can't be blamed  for wanting to move out of arch rival Texas' shadow by entertaining offers from the SEC. In the long run, however, money talks especially when it flows like rich Texas crude. Another reason AM comes on board is they know the Kansas Jay Hawks would love to take their place alongside their old Big 12 buddies. The SEC, meanwhile, should be looking over their shoulders. Don't think Florida athletic director, Jeremy Foley, for example, isn't saying, "Boy it sure would be nice to get away from  Alabama; and Alabama is wondering what it would be like not facing LSU; while LSU is saying the same thing about Georgia. In this scenario, a  move to ACC would please any of those schools. A likely state of affairs, therefore, could potentially include Florida and Tennessee moving to the ACC, or Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee moving northeast to reap the benefits of all the lucrative television households of the Atlantic Coast. In this situation, the football rich SEC might be its own worst enemy with teams seeking realignment in much the same way the Rays would love to ditch the moneyed Yankees; the Rays, in fact, will tell you, "We will go anywhere, anywhere! just get us away from these guys."

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Happy Mothers Day, but?

Tomorrow, major league baseball will celebrate Mothers Day in traditional fashion by having players use pink bats, gloves, as well as pink sweat bands. The real purpose behind this colorful display is breast cancer awareness. By all means, I would like the Susan G. Komen foundation to find a cure; yet the troubling fact is cancer research is fueled by donations and the lions share is gobbled up by breast cancer. This is happening despite the fact prostate cancer kills more men than breast cancer kills women. More importantly, lung cancer kills more women and men than any other form of  cancer. Yet, lung, colorectal, as well as bronchus cancer are greatly underfunded. Conversely, I'm  aware of  the sexual symbolism society attaches to breast, but for every dollar Americans give to breast cancer, they should make an equal pledge to the fight in general against cancer. This is the only way scientist can wage an equitable war against this ravaging disease. With so many love ones dying from all forms of cancer, it just seems disingenuous for professional sports leagues to only focus awareness on breast cancer.

Like General Sherman, the Orlando Magic are torching everything in sight as they march towards an inevitable showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers; unlike the Cavs, however, the Magic have only faced token opposition from the Charlotte Hornets and the Atlanta Hawks. Both those teams were disorganized posers who let the Magic shoot them into oblivion. As for Cleveland, Shaq looks more like a jester in a clown suit than the agile unstoppable big man dominating the NBA for two decades. With an inevitable  showdown between these two looming  on the horizon my money is on Lebron.

In hockey, its good to see the Montreal Canadians advancing in the Stanley Cup playoffs: those uniforms are the best in sports especially the fashionable red sweater with the blue pants. The Habs march will probably end against the talented Penguins but it's great to see this classy organization back where it belongs fighting for the  Stanley Cup.

Look for my new book, "Call Waiting," this Fall.

Texas and Texas AM Joining the Southeastern Conference

The super conferences in the BCS are preparing to make a major land grab. Just as the Big 10 announces plans to absorb Syracuse, Pitt, also Rutgers, the Southeastern conference is not sitting still. While the Big 10 hankers after the Atlantic seaboard schools for it's lucrative television market, the Southeastern conference would respond by adding Texas also Texas AM. The Pac 10, meanwhile, will also expand perhaps taking Brigham Young, Colorado, along with the Air Force Academy; but Texas and AM have to be very careful. Their prestigious academic ratings could be hurt by joining the laissez faire Southeastern conference: In Bubba land, scholarly pursuits are a distinct second to winning football games: to quote South Carolina's, Steve Spurrier, "If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying." Of course, Auburn, Vanderbilt, and Florida have outstanding academic reputations, the other universities, however, are considered nothing more than football factories. Imagine a Nobel prize winner singing, "Rocky Top," Tennessee's obnoxious fight song. Syracuse basketball coach, Jim Boheim, nevertheless, is already lamenting the possibility New York recruits will be unwilling to play in gyms like Iowa or Ohio State. Which ever way this all plays out, football is the engine driving these defections. So much money can be earned by belonging to a 16 member BCS conference - all the others sports basketball included - will have to take a back seat to football.

Who Dat Gonna Beat them Saints?

Handicapping Super Bowl XLIV is extremely difficult especially when you consider the early favorite, the Indianapolis Colts. Under general manager, Bill Polian, Indy resembles the Oakland Raiders: a team drafting well enough during the 70's to be competitive, yet hardly a dynasty like their predecessor, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Raiders would fill the vacuum whenever the Steelers were too injured to truthfully compete. So far unlike the New England Patriots, the Colts do not appear to be a dominant team; but here they are poised to take advantage of the absence of the early season favorites Pittsburgh, New England, and San Diego. It's the way Indy arrived, however, which makes this contest a toss up. Consider the Colts path to the Super Bowl. They vanquished the Ravens who arguably had one of the worst offenses in the league. The Jets, meanwhile, with their anemic scoring touch were never really capable of challenging the quick, yet vulnerable Colt defense. Quarterback, Payton Manning, though, cut through the impregnable New York defense like butter. A coach on the field, Manning gives the Colts their best chance at winning; and when he's hot, Manning can single handily put a game out of reach; but unlike Baltimore and New York, the Saints are a proficient offensive team although they struggled showing it against the Minnesota Vikings. All things considered,I expect Saints running back, Reggie Bush, to have a monster game possibly resulting in MVP consideration. Bush gives New Orleans a significant advantage on special teams; moreover, it's doubtful the Colts porous defense will be able to match up with Bush coming out of the backfield. Despite the offensive prowess of both these clubs, this game may well be decided by special teams. Its very difficult, nevertheless, to bet against Manning especially if the Saints decide to blitz. Perhaps more than anyone in history, Manning disrupts pressure by throwing to his lighting quick receivers flooding vacant terrain; stilll if the Saints offense eats up a lot of clock, Manning may not have enough processions to outscore New Orleans. The huge throng supporting the Saints could also pay huge dividends for a team making its first Super Bowl appearance. Personally, I think the New Orleans Saints have the better offense which should produce an upset.

New Orleans-28 Indianapolis-24

Big Ten to Add Rutgers, Pitt, and Syracuse

In an effort to reduce mounting budget deficits, the Big Ten is planning to expand its membership by adding Rutgers, Pitt, also Syracuse.

All three of those schools currently belong to the Big East Conference,however a switch to the Big Ten would increase their academic prestige; on the flip side, by adding Rutgers and Syracuse, the Big Ten would finally have inroads into the nations largest television market, New York. This is a major setback for the remaining members of the Big East which is already under fire by the College Football Association for barely fielding competitive football teams. Big Ten expansion could have a ripple effect on the other conferences like the Pac Ten and Big 12. In order to keep pace, those conferences will be force to increase their membership as well. For example, the Pac Ten would have to consider swiping the University of Colorado from the Big 12. Unlike the Southeastern Conference, the Big 10, Big 12, and the Pac 10 belong to the prestiges University Association requiring schools to have viable research graduate programs to enhance their academic reputations.

Sadly, "Gators really are the Big Fish in the Pond."

The next time you watch the Florida Gators consider this: the University of Florida is laying off faculty; cutting back on textbooks; and reducing admissions for incoming freshman. On the flip side, the Florida Gator football team - through financial endowments - has been able to expand scholarships; get brand new Nike uniforms; and build a fresh 31-million dollar athletic complex. More importantly, spending on athletics at UF out paces undergraduate expenditures 3-1. Of course, Florida isn't alone in this category; across the board, head football coaches along with their assistants are increasingly becoming the highest paid employees on campus. Head coach, Urban Myer, for example, earns roughly 3.4 million dollars while University of Florida President, J Bernard Machen, makes $411.000 annually. How did all this happen? Probably the same way Hannah Montana and Brittany Spears became the most widely researched individuals on Google. Beating out my favorite, of course, Madonna. In all candor though, America's mania over college football is occurring during a time when thousands of adolescents will be denied an opportunity to attend college. These same universities crying broke during the recession are expanding luxuries boxes, football stadiums, and weight rooms. By limiting freshmen admissions, however, state universities are taking away the only ladder available for poor children to climb out of poverty; but since they are not politically connected, not one congressman would be willing to tax athletic revenue to create educational opportunities for the disadvantaged. Clearly if we are not more deliberate in appropriating all college revenue, this issue can easily become a national disgrace...and that's something mot even a gator can stomach.

New Orleans over New England
Pittsburgh over Baltimore
Carolina over New York
Jacksonville over San Francisco
Upset Special
Alabama over Florida

For Black Coaches, a Referee's Body Language Speaks Volumes

Growing up black in the United States teaches you how to recognize an essential element of survival: body language. This is abundantly clear regardless of walking down the gang infected streets of Compton, or the sterling towers on Wall Street. But what about the gridiron? During the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, referee, Tony Corrente's, crew made a glaring mistake. When Tampa Bay wide out, Michael Clayton, made a catch, he fell on his back; and from all appearances, Clayton was down by contact. While lying on the ground, Dolphin defender, Jason Taylor, ripped the ball from Clayton then jogged into the end zone. The official, however, hesitated before ruling no catch. Bucs coach, Raheem Morris, challenged the ruling on the field since instant replay revealed Clayton secured the ball when his elbow hit the ground. After reviewing the rerun, Corrente surprisingly ruled a fumble giving Miami a first down at the Tampa 13 yard line; the Dolphins, meanwhile, scored. Morris, justifiably staggered by the terrible call, voiced his displeasure to the a white official who flagged him for unsportsmanlike conduct. It was the body language of official, though, which caught my attention. Rather than approaching Morris in a non confrontational manner, he stood his ground, hunched his shoulders, and tossed the flag high into the air. With such a posture, African Americans hear a white man yelling loud and clear, "Don't raise your voice at me boy!" Morris backed off immediately, but looking through a class prism, you wonder if coaches like Bill Parcells, Jeff Fisher, or Tom Coughlin would have been allowed to argue their points? The Bucs are a bad football team, more importantly, officials are inclined to believe there is a good reason for their mediocrity; consequently, referees are less likely to tolerate any lip. In this case, however, a young black coach may have been put in his place by more than just lip service.

Bucs hold the fate of two coaches

In a bit of irony, the fate of two coaches could be determined Sunday when the Buccaneers play the Carolina Panthers. If favored Carolina wins, they could salvaged something from a disappointing year by breaking even with a victory next week over hapless Buffalo. With a loss to the Panthers, Tampa Bay could go winless since they won't be favored in any of their remaining games. Although Panthers coach, John Fox, has guided Carolina to a Super Bowl, the team usually follows winning seasons with losing spells; and this year is no different. Following last season's 12-4 record, Carolina is 1-3. To make matters worse, there is turmoil in the Panthers' front office with owner, Jerry Richardson's, two sons leaving after fighting over a successor. The founder is recovering from a heart transplant; meanwhile rumors persist his daughter may take over the club, or the Panthers could be sold. None of this helps Fox as Panther fans continue to blame him for this season's collapse. A lost to the rival Bucs would probably determine Fox destiny in Carolina. Bucs coach, Raheem Morris, on the other hand, would be hard pressed to keep his job if Tampa Bay goes 0-16. Consider this: during training camp, Morris pointed to the Panthers as a model franchise replete with the kind of players the Bucs should emulate. Perhaps, Morris was listening to the same guy who convinced the Indians to sell their land for 0.10 cents an acre. Of course, not all of this falls on Morris: Discontent is simmering over general manager, Mark Dominick's, decision to hire defensive coordinator, Jim Bates, whose Denver Broncos defense ranked 29Th in the league; and true to form, the Buccaneers are 29Th. Bates came under more criticism when former Buccaneer, Steve White, questioned why a coach would have former defensive end, Gaines Adams, line up on the left side for two plays, and then switch him over to right side on third down. According to White, a defensive end spends his first two plays setting up the offensive tackle for an unexpected move on third down. Clearly like so many others including Jeff Jagodinski, Bates was not thoroughly vetted during the hiring process. For all intents and purposes, the owners of the Buccaneers, the Glazers, should not get a free pass either. The family is deeply in debt after using mostly junk bonds to finance their acquisition of soccer power, Manchester United. The Glazers, moreover, have refused to sign free agents and cut payroll during the off season by releasing Derrick Brooks, Ike Hillard, as well as Cato June. More than likely, the Panthers win 24-14, and Fox lives on to fight another day. Morris, though, should spend some of his free time updating his resume.

Bettors note

I like the Giants to win in New Orleans, and Atlanta over the Chicago Bears.

Top 5
New York Giants
New Orleans Saints
Indianapolis Colts
Minnesota Vikings
Denver Broncos

The Bucs; Raheem Morris; and Stepin Fecthit?

For those of you too young to remember, old school actor,Stepin Fecthit, was the lazy character portrayed by Lincoln Perry in the 1929 film, "Show Boat." Although Fecthit's role as a listless African-American humming"Ole Man River" still haunts black men, Fecthit laughed all the way to the bank. While no one is indirectly lampooning coach, Raheem Morris, he is, in a round about way, turning the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into a parody. The organization is by all standards a joke. Let's begin with the abrupt firing of former coach, John Gruden. One of the owners, Joel Glazer, insists he fired Gruden because he listens to the fans; it turns out, however, the Glazers terminated their feisty coach when he berated them for asking him to change the offense. The Glazers, furthermore, say its not about the money; so why did they release Cato June, Derrick Brooks, and several more holdovers just before they were due million dollar signing bonuses? But this gets better still, the Tampa Bay media joined in the feeding frenzy by demanding Gruden's head: naturally, they assumed the Bucs would hire former Steeler coach, Bill Cowher or Mike Shananhan. The Glazers, though, doubled crossed everyone by renting Raheem. Consequently, Morris tries to explain away this winless state affairs by insisting his team has to grow up. Gruden, for all his drawbacks, was able to work around the penny-pinching Glazers by employing troubled free agents like Antonio Bryant also Jeff Garcia. These guys became quick fixes by allowing the Bucs to stay competitive while other teams were busy retooling. Similar to Stepin Fecthit, Raheem minces words and stutters while trying to describe a team constantly being spoofed in the local press. To be honest, things don't get any better this week when
Tampa Bay plays the Philadelphia Eagles; only a hoodlum would allow his children to witness this iminent bloodletting. In the end, the sad thing about Stepin Fecthit: despite making millions, he went bankrupt; but unfortunately for Raheem Morris, time isn't money.

In Miami, The Numbers Don't Add Up.

I was recently touched by a radio commentator bragging about the number of pro football players coming out of Miami Dade county: I ponder, on the other hand, why he failed to mention a more telling statistic: the amount of young African American males from Miami Dade county going to prison: about one out of three. The sum just doesn't add up. For every black male making it to the National Football League, there are hundreds more being shackled. On the flip side,there are no men in the NFL from New York's heavily Jewish Westchester county, yet they have plenty of guys in law school, Med School, and Ivy League graduate schools. So you tell me, what's wrong with this picture? Perhaps one explanation comes from the U.S. Census Department showing 40% of African American males are unemployed; well I can see why when the leading employer is the NFL and NBA; sure, they're just begging for job applicants. The trouble is some black fathers excoriate their sons when they fumble a football or miss a layup, but they could care less when the kid doesn't turn in his homework, or cusses out his teacher. At least these dads, nevertheless, are showing up for something beyond a prison work detail. Still, this disparity may explain why New York's graduation rate for blacks is a paltry 26%. You know what else is the pits; according to a recent study, the financial plight of African Americans is nothing short of abysmal; consider this: 1/200,000 have a chance of playing in the NBA. 1/3,000 will earn a Ph.D 1/400 will become a doctor, while 1/20 will be incarcerated. So what is the NFL doing to turn these numbers around, absolutely nothing. Oh occassionaly, a player may visit an inner city school while reading to a few kids during a swank photo shoot, but that's extent of it. While we look on with pride at all the players from football producing states like Florida, California, also Texas, Rome is burning, and one day, we may all end up choking on the smoke.

Is Quarterback, Mark Sanchez, all hype?

Before the NFL draft, ESPN analyst and former Raven, Trent Dilfer, was touting USC signal caller, Mark Sanchez, as the second coming of Joe Namath; according to Dilfer, Sanchez was the only can't miss hope in the draft. All these revelations from a former player who couldn't throw a pea into the ocean...much less a football. If this is all true, nevertheless, why is Sanchez struggling to beat out unheralded, Kellen Clemons? Following reports out of Jets training camp, Sanchez struggles with reads while throwing untimely interceptions; hardly sounds like John Unitas to me. Making matters worse though, even if Clemons out performs Sanchez in preseason, the Jets are obligated to start him since he inked a five year sixty million dollar deal; but this kind of quandary just highlights why the NFL needs to institute a rookie salary cap during the next collective bargaining session. Sanchez's stock rose during involuntary workouts at USC where he wasn't facing the likes of Jared Allen, Joey Porter, or Demarcus Ware. Now, Its becoming very clear many agents are colluding with these so called forecasters to drive up the price of untested prospects. Consider this, of the 28 players who made the NFL All Rookie team, 12 were drafted in the first round. The remaining athletes were taken in the later rounds including the Chiefs, Brandon Carr: the 140th pick. Fullback, Payton Hillis was 227th overall selection while Defensive end, Jason Jones was 54th, and Desean Jackson 49th. Drafting, therefore, is an inexact science; clearly, the best gems are discovered in the later rounds. Of course, this isn't to say Mark Sanchez will not develop into an outstanding professional football player; however committing 60-million dollars to an athlete who struggled to beat out several also rans at USC begs the question: are the blind leading the blind.

When Confronting McNair, What's A Girl to Do?

Looking back on the McNair tragedy, it's easy to argue that men are genetically predisposed to mate with as many females as possible; but, "This night out on the town backfired." Focus on her frame of mind for a minute. When a 36-year old athlete hands a youngster the keys to his Bentley, what's a girl to do? When a man co-signs for your brand new Cadillac Escalade, what's a girl to do? When a man takes you to his small hometown and parades you around in front of his family, what's a girl to do? When a rich man gives you the keys to his luxury condominium, what's a girl to do? When a man promises you he's divorcing his wife while leaving behind four young sons, what's a girl to do? In order to entice this kid, McNair allegedly did all these things. Of course, no one expected 20-year Sahel Kazemi to take her life, let alone, McNair's, but she did. Suicide, unfortunately, is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 20-24. Taking one's life, moreover, isn't something old people normally do since they have the life experiences to know tough times don't last forever. By the time you become an adult, most men realize women give sex in exchange for love, and males give love in exchange for sex. Any man risks a woman's fury when he shortchanges her by making promises he can't keep. Regardless of how you feel about this young lady, suicide prevention experts say particularly for young people: relationship breakups are one of the leading causes of suicides, followed by social struggles, and drug addiction. Sahel was toiling with all three. Sure, the young lady made a poor choice, but McNair - a man with a loving wife plus four young sons - didn't help the situation. In Sahel's defense, portraying her as a rebuffed gold digger misses the point on the importance of mentoring our youth. A womanizer like McNair should not have been trying to take advantage of naivete. With all her problems, Sahel never asked anyone to push her over the cliff, instead she really needed a helping hand to pull her back into reality. Perhaps in death, Sahel may have taught us a lesson: Sometimes life does follow the script.

For NRA: McNair was Target Practice

In wake of Steve McNair's murder, the National Rifle Association is apt to say, "Guns don't kill people; people kill people." Of course they never add that "People kill people with guns." Once again, another individual is executed by a weapon they probably kept in their home. In case you've been living on Mars, former quarterback, Steve McNair along with his 20-year girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi, were found dead in a condominium jointly owned by McNair also sporting goods magnet, Wayne Neely. In a bit of irony, a friend of Sahel was planning on taking her to a shooting gallery since she was afraid to be alone at night. Kazemi declined the invitation, however, because she said McNair had plenty of guns lying around. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, guns are rarely used against an intruder; in most cases, the bullets find their way into the flesh of an acquaintance. One man, for example, was so trigger happy, he shot his wife while mistaking her for a late night prowler...at least that's what he told police. Even experienced marksmen, moreover, will tell you they have to practice weekly to hit a moving target. Yet, people in this country prolong the arms race by buying assault rifles, revolvers, as well as semi automatic weapons. Aware of the carnage in Chicago's city streets, President Obama promised to confront the gun lobby in Washington, but like most of his rhetoric, it's all talk with very little action. The NRA, meanwhile, continues to promote the notion there is a big dangerous black man lurking around the corner, so shoot first. The concept is so prevalent- according to the New York Times - even black undercover police officers are mistakenly gunned down by their peers. In conclusion, I don't know who Sahel Kazemi saw in her final moments with McNair: after all, he is a big black guy; yet in the eyes of society, Steve McNair may as well had a bulls eye on his forehead.

Rays Attendance: It's the announcer, stupid.

The Rays attendance woes can be traced to several factors: the excuses vary from the team being perennial losers; to people hanging out at Florida's pristine beaches; to other entertainment options vying for a sparse dollar; To a degree, all of the aforementioned is true, but one rarely mentioned point is the momentous role a radio/television announcer plays in creating fan interest; on this principle, the Rays have failed miserably. The exciting pace of football, basketball, and hockey, allow fans to interpret the action for themselves. In those sports, broadcasters are a luxury, rather than a necessity. Baseball, however, is slow; and like a good book, the announcer reads it to the fan the same way a mother narrates a bedtime story. Consider the pleasant sounding voice of the Dodgers, Vince Scully: he became a legendary broadcaster by blending play by play with anecdotal information about players. In between pitches, he could tell what a manager can, or cannot say to an umpire that results in an ejection; in addition, he may inform you Babe Ruth's mother was a fourth generation slave. Over time, legions of new fans on the West Coast became Dodger enthusiast. On the other hand, who will ever forget the St. Louis Cardinals, Jack Buck, describing Kurt Gibson theatrical home run with the memorable phrase, "Folks, I don't believe what I just saw!" Buck like Scully, created legions of Cardinal fans throughout the Midwest with his episodic play by play; baseball became our national past time since it closely mirrors our collective evolution as a nation. No teacher can discuss segregation without mentioning Jackie Robinson in the same breath as Rosa Parks. Film maker, Ken Burns's, epic documentary reveals how much baseball is elaborately woven into the fabric of sporting Americana. An announcer's ability, therefore, to express this sport in the context of our culture conveys our heritage. So regarding Rays attendance, what's all the fuss about? Currently, Tampa Bay is ranked 23rd in attendance averaging 22,000 a game. On some nights, the figures are less than 13,000. The season began with high expectations because the club won the pennant last year. So who's the blame? Initially, former announcer, Paul Olden, was so lame, he's currently the public address announcer for the Washington Nationals. The current broadcaster, Wayne Statts, needs a good color commentator as Statts does little more than tell corny jokes. Baseball, meanwhile, becomes dreary when the announcer does not understand the subtle intricacies of the game. Of course not everyone is a Vince Scully, Red Barber, Jack Buck, or Bob Costas, but if they're not in this category, they must substitute background information with an astute analysis of the game. No one likes second guessing a baseball manager more than aficionados; the presenter, meanwhile, must be able to motivate a baseball enthusiast by calling into question a coach's strategy. If the Rays are to stay in Tampa Bay while building fan interest, they must look for an anchor who incorporates all these qualities. Otherwise, Floridians will remain content watching leggy bikini clad blonds prance around Clearwater beach.

NBA: Is this where Amazing Happens?

For many people, hating on the NBA has become habitual; for example, some common grumbles: the league is too black, too thuggish, and too hip hop. On top of that, Commissioner, David Stern's, alleged insistence on promoting only Kobe, LeBron, and Dwayne Wade, have led to accusations of games being fixed; the new National Basketball Association is a far cry from days of white standouts like Boston's, John Havelichek, Philly's, Billy Cunningham, as well as, New York's Dave DeBusschere. Nowadays, the league is 80% African American; the players flaunt their tattoos; and trash talking is the norm. To counter that perception, the NBA shows lots of public service commercials of players helping low income children, and plenty of cameo shots of white girls holding signs asking Paul Pierce to marry them. Of course, this is a far cry from the not too long ago days of guard, Ron Artest, provoking a fan riot in Detroit, or a fuming Rasheed Wallace brandishing his 9.millimeter in the face of a teammate. To say the league has come a long way baby, is a bit presumptive; but some measure of redemption is occurring. The new slogan, "Where amazing happens," was clearly palpable when LeBron James nailed a last second unbelievable three pointer against Orlando. The Denver Nuggets, meanwhile, refuse to lay down for the star studded Lakers. With games this exciting, the NBA could be making a comeback on national television where ratings have been
leaky. If its stars can stay out of trouble - Uh, Kobe Bryant's "Last Tango" in Eagle, CO - there is no reason the NBA can't make a run at the NFL's television dominance. People forget, the Lakers and Sacramento Kings garnered a 21.0 rating for their game 7 in 2000. That's comparable to the numbers the NFL gets for the NFC championship; but first, people have to stop hating on the league while giving these amazing athletes a chance...is that asking too much?

Can this be Danica Patrick's Day?

It used to be every Memorial Day, you listened to the radio to see if Al Unser won the Indianapolis 500; today, however, you eavesdrop to see if Danica Patrick has the mettle to finish first. The nexus of man and machine has made this an event chockful of testosterone; but all that changed in 2005 when Danica became the first woman to lead this historic race. As a rookie, she was only six laps short of the finish line when St. Petersburg's, Dan Wheldon, roared past her: Low on fuel, she had to slow down. Yet, Danica still finished fourth; Today, her task is even more daunting as she starts four rows behind the favorite, Helio Castroneves. He drives for Roger Penske who has prevailed in this race a record setting 14 times. Castroneves won the pole position by accelerating around the oval at 224 mph. When Danica, however, raced for the Rahal/Letterman team, she posted a similar time; yet Danica didn't win the race. Patrick knows the Indy 500 is based on endurance rather than speed. Although she is starting in the middle of the pack, Danica has to resist the nervous jockeying occurring in the middle of the horde. If she can emerge unscathed from all the early yellow flags, this can be her day. There will be millions of little girls listening to the radio to see if she can hoist the Borg Warner trophy and proclaim, " Hey guys, anything you can do, I can do better!"

March of the Penguins, Not?

While the NBA playoffs troll along with catatonic blowouts and flagrant fouls, the quest for the Stanley Cup is nothing short of fantastic. Since its existence, the crusade for Lord Stanley's Cup has always pushed athletes to the edge of human endurance; but this year's hunt is matchless. In the past, anticipation was tempered because many of hockey's best players were on the same team; for example, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Yari Kuri, and Grant Fuhr were all teammates on the vaunted Edmonton Oilers. The Montreal Canadians featured the flower, Guy Lafluer, and Larry Robinson. The Boston Bruins had the great, Bobby Orr plus perennial goal scorer, Phil Esposito. The Pittsburgh Penguins, furthermore, paired Jamir Jagr alongside Mario Lemieux. All of those squads won multiple Stanley Cups. For the first time in many years, however, the best hockey players are spread out among different teams. The memorable series between Washington and Pittsburgh has been dominated by Alexander Ovechkin also Sidney Crosby. The surprising Carolina Hurricanes, meanwhile, are being pushed by speedy, Eric Stall, and cat quick net minder, Cam Ward. The Red Wings have a talent laden squad of Russian All Stars as well as the dependable, Nicholas Lindstrom. Although the Penguins were Stanley Cup finalist last year, their goal tending appears to be too shaky for them to beat Carolina or Boston. The Capitals, on the other hand, don't know how to handle the puck in their own end, so it's doubtful they'll advance beyond the conference final. The Red Wings are the most balanced team remaining in the playoffs; but they must rid themselves of the Ducks before inscribing their names on the cup; in the past, you always knew the Boston Bruins would win the fights, but the Montreal Canadians would parade around with the cup; now thanks to an infusion of new players, nothing rivals the intensity and expectations of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"To Live and Die in L.A."

Things are not looking up for the Los Angeles Angels: on opening day, a fan, Brian Powers, was beat to death; meanwhile this morning, promising 22-year old pitcher, Nick Adenhart, along with two others, was killed by a suspected drunk driver. "To Live and Die in L.A." is more than just a cult movie; it's a stark reality. Recently, Cal State Northridge basketball coach, Bobby Braswell, barely survived an auto collision; meanwhile in an unrelated pile up, one of his players, Josh Jenkins, was injured while his traveling companion was killed. My nephew, Ryan Mcelrath, was slaughtered by a motorist. The war on the streets in Los Angeles, however, is not only pandemic gang violence, but stressed out commuters navigating gridlocked streets. As the Angels mourn Adenhart, the anarchy on the avenues will continue unabated until traffic engineers and politicians devise tougher laws for drunks plus unlicensed drivers. A native of Baltimore MD, Adenhart was too good to die young; and in the "City of the Angels," no one should be allowed to drive like a bat out of hell!