Reaction to Catching Hell

ESPN Films continues to impress with it's recent line of documentaries and "Catching Hell," directed by Alex Gibney, could be the best yet. The two hour show discussed everything that went into that unfortunate night when Steve Bartman, like any fan would, reached for a foul ball that the Cubs' Moises Alou might have caught during the 8th inning of Game 6 in the 2003 NLCS. Alou didn't catch the ball and the Cubs' collapsed, giving up eight runs in the inning, and went on to lose Games 6 and 7. The Florida Marlins would beat the New York Yankees and Cubs' players, executives and fans were left to ponder what might have been. Gibney's film tugged at the heart and made me truly feel for Bartman, a man whose life has been ruined because of the unintentional incident. It was truly one of the saddest shows I have ever seen.

We all know what happened in that moment and the events that took place afterwards. However, what I didn't know was the immediate threats and chants that were made in Bartman's direction. Unless you were at Wrigley Field that night you can't understand how awful that scene must have been. I sat on the couch watching the segment of the film and I could feel anger swelling up in me. Some time during the madness the fans at "The Friendly Confines" forgot how to behave and they also didn't stop and think about what they would have done in Bartman's place. Any fan would have reached for the ball. Yet, the thousands who weren't in position to reach for it let a game become more than it ever should and Bartman was showered with beer, food and profanity laced tirades. And what did he do? He sat in his seat and didn't say a word. He was walked out of the park and people were able to see his face and scream at him, curse him and threaten to kill him. Kill him. That part stunned me. People actually stood there and yelled "Kill him!" and "Put a gun to his head!!" When does a game or a play become more than it should?

People have changed their opinions of the Bartman incident and some no longer put the blame on him. Others still see that play as the one that ruined the Cubs' chances for the NLCS. It was disgusting to watch the one fan who threw a beer on him sit there in his interview and smirk as he talked about what he did, not an ounce of remorse in his voice. Funny thing is, he would have done the exact same thing and I can guarantee that. It's instinct to reach for a foul ball and you don't consider the player coming at you or the situation in the game.

However, like the film said, we need a scapegoat. Somebody to point a finger at and somebody to pin the blame on. That play was shown so many times and it was easy to peg Bartman as the man at fault. I have always wondered how Alex Gonzalez feels about that. It was he who really started the mess on the field yet his error is forgotten. He literally would have been crucified in the same way Bill Buckner was but instead Bartman was thrown into the fire. The Cubs have nobody to blame but themselves for losing that series and I don't see why the fans didn't, and still can't, see that. Gonzalez made the error and then the pitching fell apart. They lost Game 6 because of it. Still, Game 7 was a new game and the Cubs even had the lead with Kerry Wood on the mound. They couldn't keep that lead and Bartman had nothing to do with that. But it was Bartman's fault to Cubs' fans and some of the media.

His life is ruined and there will never be another day of 'normal' for him. It's the saddest thing ever. Steve Bartman could never go back to a Cubs game with the way people treated him that night. I thought the best line in the film was at the end when Gibney said, "We're not waiting for fans to forgive Bartman. We're waiting for Bartman to forgive the fans." That is so true and I don't know if we will ever see that happen. To walk out of that stadium with your clothes drenched in beer and to hear people shout death threats and curse words in your face is something that seems unforgivable. And what was all of that for? One play in a Major League Baseball game. It seems fans are prone to blowing sports games and plays out of proportion.

After watching that film I don't know how anybody could still blame Bartman or even be mad at him for it. Gibney did a phenomenal job and his underlying message was a jab at the fans who were relentless in their venom towards Bartman on October 14th, 2003. The Cubs have yet to win a World Series and with the way the team looks now it seems that there isn't a championship coming anytime soon. However, a championship would be the best thing for this situation because once the trophy comes to Chicago the healing can begin. It's unfortunate that it's like that but it's the truth. Fans will not begin to forget Bartman until a championship is won. Time has lessened the anger towards Leon Durham and maybe the same can be said for Bartman, but neither man will be welcomed back to Chicago with open arms until the Cubs break the curse.

Fans have a tendency to put a little too much emotion into their favorite team's games and this is at the forefront of that discussion. Steve Bartman didn't want to interfere with Moises Alou but he did. And what does he have to show for it? A life that's been ruined because of thousands of pathetic "fans."

The Heartwrenching Story of Steve Bartman

Tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern time ESPN will air "Catching Hell," it's newest installment in the recent boom of ESPN films. The film discusses Steve Bartman, the now infamous Chicago Cubs fan, and how he became the scapegoat for the Cubs' choke in the 2003 NLCS against the Florida Marlins. It was the Cubs best chance to go to the World Series in a long time, but instead the Marlins defeated the Yankees and partied down in South Beach. It bugs me to no end that Bartman is blamed for the Cubs collapse that year and I can't understand how people can really believe that. One man in one moment does not make the outcome for a seven-game, 67-inning series yet no one can talk about the 2003 NLCS without saying, "Oh yeah, the Bartman series."

The ball traveled up into the air down the left-field side. Obviously it was hit into foul territory but it appeared that the Cubs' Moises Alou might have a play on the ball. The ball came down, heading for the first row of seats in mid-left field, Alou leaped for the ball with his glove fully extended into the stands. As he did, three men lunged for the ball in hopes of catching a playoff foul ball. The fan in the middle, wearing a sweatshirt, ball cap and headphones reached for it, blocking Alou's glove from the ball. The ball richocheted off the fan's hands and fell to the concrete. Just a strike. Alou screamed and threw a fit while other Cubs stood stunned. Steve Stone said on the air, "If a fan just gets his hand out of the way, Moises makes the catch." That fan was Steve Bartman and Steve Bartman instantly became the most infamous fan in sports history.

There is the billy goat, the black cat and then Steve Bartman. All three have one thing in common: they are symbols of The Curse on the Chicago Cubs. A symbol is just one way to describe Bartman these days. Some say scapegoat while others tab him as a villain. He is a forgotten man in a physical sense because no one ever sees him in public but in the minds of sports fans, and especially Chicago fans, he will never be forgotten. How fair is that? Not fair at all but that's the way it is. Steve Bartman didn't make Alex Gonzalez commit an error a few plays later, nor did he make the Cubs lose Game 7 at Wrigley Field. He can not be blamed for the outcome of the series but, like the film will explain tonight, we all need someone to point a finger at.

Every fan in the general area made an attempt for that foul ball and no one can sit here and say today that they wouldn't have tried to grab it because they knew Alou might catch it. Yeah right. In the moment, any man on the face of the Earth would have attempted to catch that foul ball. Steve Bartman is no villain. He was simply being a normal fan. Who knows if Alou would have even caught the ball. It is sad that some fans still want to put the Cubs PLAYERS mistakes on a fan and, because of that, his life is ruined. He can never set foot in Wrigley Field again and he probably doesn't even consider it a possiblilty. That's the saddest thing I have ever witnessed in sports. I'm a die-hard Cardinals fan but I feel for this guy because he was a fan of the Cubs and that was taken away from him basically. I can not think of a more appropriate film title than "Catching Hell." Who knew, eight years later, we would still be talking about that moment?

Once again, the film will be on ESPN tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern time and should be very interesting and really tug at viewers' emotions. To see previews go to Youtube or ESPN.com.

The November Classic??

A snowy World Series may be a more common sight if MLB decides to
keep the regular season at 162 games

The MLB playoff races are coming to a close and it is hard to tear your eyes away with the Wild Card races so tight. The St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays are making a late postseason push while the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox try to hold them off. If the Cardinals win today they will close within one game of the Braves and St. Louis has a much more favorable schedule the rest of the way. However, by the time the regular season is over with it will be September 28th. The playoffs will begin in early October and the World Series may not conclude until October 27th. That's awfully late in the year and it could be an awfully cold Series if, say, the Yankees and Phillies go head-to-head. What's worse is that baseball is now talking about expanding the playoffs to include more teams (we are in the time of expansion you know) and if they do that then the regular season must be shortened.

Since 1961 the MLB has had a 162-game season, as opposed to the 154-game schedule they had prior to that. The Wild Card was introduced 1995 which allowed four teams per league to qualify for the playoffs and I am in full agreement with that move. It would be a shame if the Red Sox and Yankees could never play each other in the playoffs or a team like the Braves, who has had a great year but just happens to be in the same division as the Phillies, got left out of October baseball. The Wild Card teams have always been very successful and it's usually because they HAD to win at the end of the regular season so they come in hot. Now, Bud Selig and the Gang want to expand the playoffs to ten teams which means two Wild Cards in each league.

I will agree with the playoff expansion if, and only if, MLB realizes that it needs a shorter regular season. 162 games is a ton of games and players break down after awhile. Also, the Cubs and Astros don't need to still be playing right now. It's absurd and it just prolongs the agony of a terrible season. I recently read a column by Sports Illustrated's Joe Posnanski and he suggested that the schedule be shortened back to 154 games. I could not agree more with that. Obviously there would be disputes with the record book because, for a long time, players had eight more games to compile statistics. That's something that would have to be figured out but it's a no-brainer that the schedule must be shortened.

The game has changed over time. 15 wins is what 20 wins was back in the day. Saves and holds are more important than ever and 30 home runs is a common sight. What MLB can't be worried about is the statistics and numbers. Yes, with eight fewer games there probably won't be many 20-game winners and less home runs will be hit along with fewer RBIs. It's not about any of that though. Less games means the players will be better at the end of the year and that means more fans in the stands and better games televised nationally. Thus, MLB puts out a better product. Also, if the season stayed at 162 games and the playoff were expanded that would push the Fall Classic into November. That can't happen for two huge reasons. One would be the weather. The other, and most important, is that MLB couldn't compete with the NFL and the start of the NBA. The World Series hasn't been getting good ratings and the longer the baseball season drags on, the longer they must compete with the NFL. That's fighting a losing battle.

There has been no mention of shortening the schedule but the playoffs will be expanded for sure. Bud Selig has been highly criticized during his time in office but if he were to make this move it might go down as the best move during his tenure. It's better for the players. It's better for the fans and, most importantly, it's best for the game of baseball.

The Conference Landscape in 2020 (Maybe Earlier)

Raise your hand if you saw that Syracuse and Pittsburgh move coming. I don't think anybody did and what was most puzzling about it was that both schools cited "instability" in the Big East as their reason for departure. The reason there is instability in the Big East is because two of it's most important members just bailed out and two more are going to leave soon (possibly UConn?). The ACC, which wasn't involved in any expansion rumors, is now one step closer to being a super conference with 16 teams. The Big 12 is all but dead and the Big East is headed that way as well. The conference landscape has changed, and is changing, so much that I feel the NCAA needs to step in. Since rivalries, tradition and all that is important to collegiate athletics apparently don't matter anymore then let's at least make some sense out of this mess and arrange the teams by region. That way there will still be traditional border wars and in-state rivalries. Here is what I would take to the NCAA and propose. *=not an FBS football program

New England Region
Syracuse Orange (Syracuse, New York)
Connecticut Huskies (Storrs, Connecticut)
Pittsburgh Panthers (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Penn State Nittany Lions (State College, Pennsylvania)
Georgetown Hoyas (Washington, D.C.)*
Boston College Eagles (Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts)
Maryland Terrapins (College Park, Maryland)
Villanova Wildcats (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)*
West Virginia Mountaineers (Morgantown, West Virginia)
Providence Friars (Providence, Rhode Island)*
St. John's Red Storm (New York, New York)*
Seton Hall Pirates (South Orange, New Jersey)*
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Piscataway, New Jersey)
8 Football Schools and 13 Basketball Schools

Atlantic Region
North Carolina Tar Heels (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)
Duke Blue Devils (Durham, North Carolina)
North Carolina State Wolfpack (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
South Carolina Gamecocks (Columbia, South Carolina)
Clemson Tigers (Clemson, South Carolina)
South Florida Bulls (Tampa Bay, Florida)
Virginia Cavaliers (Charlottesville, Virginia)
Virginia Tech Hokies (Blacksburg, Virginia)
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Atlanta, Georgia)
10 Football and Basketball Schools

South Region
Alabama Crimson Tide (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)
Auburn Tigers (Auburn, Alabama)
Florida Gators (Gainesville, Florida)
Florida State Seminoles (Tallahassee, Florida)
Miami Hurricanes (Miami, Florida)
Tennessee Volunteers (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Vanderbilt Commodores (Nashville, Tennessee)
Mississippi Rebels (Oxford, Mississippi)
Mississippi State Bulldogs (Starkville, Mississippi)
Arkansas Razorbacks (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
Georgia Bulldogs (Athens, Georgia)
LSU Tigers (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
12 Football and Basketball Schools

Great Lakes Region
Illinois Fighting Illini (Champaign, Illinois)
Northwestern Wildcats (Evanston, Illinois)
Indiana Hoosiers (Bloomington, Indiana)
Purdue Boilermakers (West Lafayette, Indiana)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (South Bend, Indiana)
Ohio State Buckeyes (Columbus, Ohio)
Cincinnati Bearcats (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Michigan Wolverines (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Michigan State Spartans (East Lansing, Michigan)
Kentucky Wildcats (Lexington, Kentucky)
Louisville Cardinals (Louisville, Kentucky)
DePaul Blue Demons (Chicago, Illinois)*
Marquette Golden Eagles (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)*
Memphis Tigers (Memphis, Tennessee)
Minnesota Golden Gophers (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Wisconsin Badgers (Madison, Wisconsin)
14 Football Schools and 16 Basketball Schools

Midwest Region
Iowa Hawkeyes (Iowa City, Iowa)
Iowa State Cyclones (Ames, Iowa)
Missouri Tigers (Columbia, Missouri)
Nebraska Cornhuskers (Lincoln, Nebraska)
Kansas Jayhawks (Lawrence, Kansas)
Kansas State Wildcats (Manhattan, Kansas)
Texas Longhorns (Austin, Texas)
Texas Tech Red Raiders (Lubbock, Texas)
Texas A&M Aggies (College Station, Texas)
Baylor Bears (Waco, Texas)
TCU Horned Frogs (Fort Worth, Texas)
Oklahoma Sooners (Norman, Oklahoma)
Oklahoma State Cowboys (Stillwater, Oklahoma)
Colorado Buffaloes (Boulder, Colorado)
14 Football and Basketball Schools

West Region
USC Trojans (Los Angeles, California)
UCLA Bruins (Los Angeles, California)
Stanford Cardinal (Palo Alto, California)
California Golden Bears (Berkeley, California)
Oregon Ducks (Eugene, Oregon)
Oregon State Beavers (Corvallis, Oregon)
Washington Huskies (Seattle, Washington)
Washington State Cougars (Pullman, Washington)
Gonzaga Bulldogs (Spokane, Washington)*
Arizona Wildcats (Tucson, Arizona)
Arizona State Sun Devils (Tempe, Arizona)
BYU Cougars (Provo, Utah)
Utah Utes (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Boise State Broncos (Boise, Idaho)
13 Football Schools and 14 Basketball Schools

As you can see this makes the most geographical sense. There are border wars and in-state rivalries. For the regions that have three schools in the same state (Indiana, Illinois, Florida, Washington) I would like to see them play a round-robin sort of tournament every year for the state crown. That would bring fan interest almost like a bowl game in midseason. The number of schools in each conference works out best for basketball but for some football is even too. I can't say this will ever happen but with the way things are now in the NCAA, I almost feel this would be best. And that's a sad statement to make...

Ranking the NFL Uniforms

The NFL season is just around the corner, with the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints kicking it all off this coming Thursday. This season promises to be a good one and I decided to start the football season off I would do a fun exercise by ranking the teams in terms of best uniforms. This debate, as I found out during a lunchroom argument, can get heated but it's all in fun. Here is how I broke down the teams: I looked at every uniform the team currently wears and every outfit factored into the ranking. Some are tied because it's pretty hard to rank 32 different teams and not like any the same amount. Hope you enjoy!

1. San Francisco 49ers

There is not a better combo than the red tops with the gold bottoms. It's just a clean, classic look and the colors look phenomenal together. The white uniforms also look sharp and the helmets are just as cool. Many Hall of Famers have put on the red and gold.

2-6 (tie). Bears, Packers, Steelers, Cowboys, Chiefs
These four teams, like the 49ers, all have one thing in common and that is the classic feel. The jerseys don't change and neither does the franchise. With the exception of a few years, we can expect these four teams to be in playoff contention and they churn out the wins year after year. There is nothing better than a Bears-Packers game. The jerseys just look great.

7. Oakland Raiders
The black and silver just has that bad boy feel to it and the Raiders usually give off that same bad boy feel. The colors look great together and the shiny, silver helmets are awesome. However, the colors were maybe too appealing while the Raiders played in Los Angeles as they became the symbol for many LA gangs. Nevertheless, I love these unis! (sidenote: if you haven't seen the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary "Straight Outta LA" I strongly reccommend it.)

8. Indianapolis Colts

Sharp. That's the one word that comes to mind here. The Colts look sharp when they wear the blue tops with white bottoms. Top it off with those beautiful white helmets that have the blue horseshoe on them and you have a great outfit head to toe. Indy is also one of two teams in the NFL that looks just as good in all white.

9-10 (tie). Bills, Chargers
These are two teams that figured it out. They had great uniforms back in the day and felt the need to change them. Neither change was for the better and now they have both reverted back to their old colors and spinoffs of past outfits. The Chargers look great in their light blue jerseys with the white helmets and the Bills look 10x better since the switch.

11. New York Jets
Personally, I hate the color green but the J-E-T-S! Jets, Jets, Jets! wear it well. I love the green jerseys that have the white shoulders and, if you haven't noticed by now, I am a fan of white helmets. They, along with the Colts, look superb in all white as well. The Jets are another team that has kept the same look for forever and that has to be respected.

12. Washington Redskins
It doesn't matter what the Redskins wear they just look good. They have the most combinations that look good from their normal home and away uniforms to the throwbacks with the yellow helmets to the retro ones with the spear on the helmet. It doesn't matter what they put on, they just look great. Not a whole lot of teams can say that.

13. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins have some odd colors but they pull them off real well. Those teal jerseys somehow look good on them and I would love to put Miami higher up on the list but they lost points whenever they decided wearing those orange jerseys was a good idea.

14-15 (tie). Saints, Falcons

Two teams in the same division that are well-dressed. The Falcons are one of the few teams who updated their jerseys and came out looking better. They threw in more red and the red jerseys are the best looking ones they have now. The Saints are one of the select few that can wear all black and look good, but my favorite combo is the black tops, gold bottoms.

16. Houston Texans
The Texans entered the league when many teams were changing their uniforms and I was worried they would end up looking like the Bills or the Patriots but they have some nice uniforms. They have added the red ones but I would recommend not wearing red on red. Not a good look.

17. Cincinnati Bengals
Okay forget the Halloween jokes for a minute and just look at how awesome the Bengals look. Are their jerseys a little busy? Sure, but they look pretty cool and their helmets have to be near the top for the league. The tiger stripes on the shoulders look great and my personal favorite is the black jersey.

18-19 (tie). Broncos, Buccaneers
I would say the Broncos are lucky to be up this high. The navy and orange is always a great combination and I do like the helmet logo but I love the old uniforms. However, they still look good and I'm a fan of the navy tops with the white bottoms. The Bucs actually made a great change when they got rid of the creamsicle jerseys but that old logo is one of the best.

20-22 (tie). Lions, Vikings, Cardinals
These are three teams that had it just right with their jerseys back in the day but changed slightly and now they aren't as good looking. All three look the same for the most part but I'm just all about classic uniforms and I wish they would all go back, especially Detroit.

23-24 (tie). Giants, Ravens

This is probably too low for the Giants. I do love the red, white and blue but the thing that ruins it for me is the gray pants. Not a good look. The Ravens have those fierce black jerseys that look great and to be honest they really belong higher up.

25. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers uniforms are growing on me but they still aren't in the top half of the league. They also have a super ugly logo which loses points with me.

26. St. Louis Rams
This is way too low for a team that looks really good on the field and has some of the best helmets in the NFL but they are this low as a protest. Go back to the royal blue and gold! That was awesome! They still look great but I'm not a fan of dark colors and the Rams looked better in their old uniforms.

27-30 (tie). Patriots, Seahawks, Eagles, Titans

These are four teams that used to have awesome uniforms and/or colors. Yet, they have switched for the worse. They all have picked worse color combos and their jerseys are just flat out ugly. I want all of these teams to go back to their old uniforms. Then life would be better.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars

No. These uniforms are bad. Somehow the Dolphins can pull off the teal color but not the Jaguars. They just don't look good and I still can't figure out why there is a NFL franchise in Jacksonville and not in LA.

32. Cleveland Browns

For as long as the world turns, orange and brown will never look good. Nuff said.

So, that's my list. Obviously this is all opinion and I would love to get comments on who is your top five, what the best retro jersey is or what you think about new jersey designs.

Doing the NCAA Conference Shakeup

Texas vs. Texas A&M could be another rivalry lost

Have you ever played the game of Dominoes? Line them up, push one over and watch them all fall down. None of them will be left standing. With Texas A&M's recent announcement, it seems the Big 12 conference has become a game of Dominoes. Colorado was the first, then Nebraska and now the Aggies are determined to get out. They have set July 2012 as their deadline to leave and the preferred destination would be the football juggernaut, SEC. With only nine teams left, the most pertinent question is not where will A&M end up, but what will happen to the Big 12 conference? It is one of the most storied conferences in America and is rich with rivalries and great teams, both in basketball and football. One rivalry (Oklahoma-Nebraska) has already been lost and, with A&M's departure, it seems that the century-old Texas-Texas A&M in-state battle will be lost. The Big 12 isn't the only conference that has seen change, but it has taken the hardest hit from all the shuffling. The madness has to stop somewhere but the end doesn't seem to be near.

Money is the driving factor in all these conference moves. It's sad that rivalries and tradition seem to be lost and conferences really mean nothing anymore. Nebraska-Indiana will be such a good rivalry and everyone will want to watch that game. Yeah right. Take a look at the Huskers football schedule this year and you won't see Oklahoma. The two teams first played each other in 1912 and it developed into one of the biggest rivalries in the Midwest. Last year was the last meeting between the two and now Nebraska will begin their inaugural season in the Big Ten conference (which has 12 teams). Sure, the Huskers matchups against Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan are appealing but it's not the same as games against Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri.

Go ahead and quiz your parents and see if they can name all the schools in the six major conferences. Things have changed so much I doubt anybody could do it. The Big Ten has twelve teams while the Big 12 currently has ten teams. The Pac-10 is all of a sudden the Pac-12 and the ACC went from nine to twelve teams a few years back. The Big East now has 17 teams that somehow all fit into one division. Talk about a scheduling nightmare for some poor guy. And then there are the geographical head scratchers that these moves have done. Here are a few for you to ponder:

• TCU recently joined the Big East despite being located in Fort Worth, Texas. They will now have to travel 1,700+ miles to Providence, Rhode Island to play the Friars.
• The Pac-12 used to be made up of teams that were located on, where else, the Pacific Coast. Now it stretches all the way to Boulder, Colorado
• The Atlantic-10 actually consists of 14 teams and stretches all the way to Saint Louis, Missouri
• Louisiana Tech is in the same conference as Hawai'i which makes for one of the farthest travels in college sports

Some of these things just make no sense at all. Why the changes? If it ain't broke don't fix it. Yet these schools feel the constant need for change and it hurts the game. Notre Dame has rejected offers from the Big Ten multiple times to join the conference as the 12th member and I, personally, applaud them for that. They can stay independent for football and maintain all their rivalries they have today. It's better for them and it's better for their opponents. It's too bad schools like Nebraska and A&M don't see that way.

I can't say I'm excited about any of these moves but this is the way it is so here is what I propose. The Big 12 needs to dissolve because there aren't three teams out there in a smaller conference worthy of the Big 12. Utah, TCU and Boise State would be the only ones but they have all recently moved and are under other contracts. Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma will move to the Pac-12 giving it 16 teams and Missouri, Iowa State, Kansas State and Kansas will go to the Big Ten, giving it 16 teams as well. That leaves Baylor to find another conference and who knows what that will be. It's all a jumbled mess and it's taken some of the magic from college football and basketball. Good thing I can flip on ESPN Classic to see the past that I loved.

How NBA Players Should Handle the Lockout

Players like Anthony, Rose, Bryant and James should play
somewhere, but where?

The NFL lockout sent chills down fans' spines as they pondered what they would do on a Sunday afternoon without football. Thankfully the league worked out a deal just in time and on September 8th the NFL season will get under way and it promises to be a great year. NBA fans don't have that comfort yet as the two sides do battle this offseason. Some players say they are optimistic that the season will be played as planned but others seem unsure. After such an electric 2010-2011 season the NBA would be making a HUGE mistake if they couldn't come to an agreement. However, the players seem to be set on playing this year even if that means going overseas. Wilson Chandler was the most recent player to ink a deal with a club overseas and Deron Williams is the biggest name to have signed. Much has been made about whether players should play for another team and it is a risky move but this is their job. Who wants to be laid off for a year?

If the NBA players were to go play somewhere else for the year they would obviously put themselves at risk of injury which could damage their NBA career. The organizations can't be too keen about their players going to play for another organization, but I am on the players' side about this. However, here is what I would love to see happen: led by Kobe Bryant, the 2012 U.S. Olympic team should barnstorm around the world playing teams. I had heard a rumor about this a while back but it seems to be far from true. Yet, I can't help but think how amazing and beneficial this would be. If the European or Chinese teams paid Team NBA a decent sum of money they could split that evenly and the teams overseas would benefit because their arenas would be filled to capacity every night the NBA players took the court. It would be like the Harlem Globetrotters and if ESPN put the games on tape delay during primetime here in the States fans would still tune in.

For those who aren't a part of the that squad they can make their own team and do the same thing. The main thing is, and this shouldn't be hard for players to do, is to find competition. They can't find anything close to the NBA but the European game does offer some good ball and that's all fans really want, the chance to see their favorite players play. Whether that be in America or Europe, they deserve that. Do I think my idea will happen? No, but it would be great if it did. I doubt we will see the biggest names, like Kobe, LeBron and DRose, sign with another team. Instead I think it will be a year of working out and playing structured pickup ball with other stars.

This is all worst-case scenario though because the owners and players must work out their differences. After the Jordan-era the NBA sort of fell on rough times. Last year was fantastic to watch as the young stars emerged and the competition was fierce. It should just be the beginning though, and a year off would hinder that rise in popularity from happening. The NBA has become relevant again and it can't afford to miss a year. The NFL figured it out and now it's time for the NBA to as well.

The Good and Bad of Sports Stars

Hello everybody! After a nice summer break I am back at school and that means back to blogging. What better way to start the year than discuss a topic that I get pretty heated about? News broke today that the Charlotte Bobcats' Javaris Crittenton is wanted for murder. You may remember that name but it's nothing he did on the court that would remind you of him. Crittenton is the ex-Washington Wizard who was suspended for bringing a gun into the Wizards' locker room, making him "the other guy" involved in the Gilbert Arenas mess. Crittenton should be banned from te league after his latest blunder and he has, once again, given the NBA a black eye. He is the most recent player to make a fool of himself and fail as a role model, despite making millions of dollars and having the chance to play sports for a living.

Jim Thome is at the tail end of his playing days and, earlier this week, waived his no-trade clause so that he could finish his illustrious career with the Cleveland Indians. Thome started his career in Cleveland and it is a well-deserved homecoming for him. Thome recently bashed his 600th home run making him just the eighth player in MLB history to do so. Thome is a classic good guy. As the MLB continues to heal from the Steroid Era, Thome is a shining light for the game. Never once has he been brought up in steroid or PED talk and he is respected as a true gentleman of the game. Now he gets the chance to finish his career where he started it and help a contending Indians team. He is an example of what is right in sports.

The contrast between the two examples is so great and it is unbelievable how some athletes can mess up their lives so bad. Charles Barkley once said he was not a role model and some athletes think they aren't. I strongly disagree and I think that when an athlete is drafted and signs his contract he should know what else comes with the fame and riches. There are kids who are watching and, obviously, no man should ever murder another, but for an athlete in the spotlight to do something so violent and wrong is scary because more kids hear about it.

Crittenton isn't the first guy to mess up, nor will he be the last but he is the latest and that makes him the current poster child. Athletes like Randy Moss, Jason Williams and Tiger Woods have all had run-ins with the law or been involved with scandals. Why do athletes mess up? It's hard to say. It's not a white or black issue and I don't think playing time matters either. The two factors that drive athletes to these bad decisions is money and fame. With money anything is possible. You can buy whatever you want and you can live lavishly and tempation comes with that. Also, when somebody has money they feel they need protection. Why else would many athletes purchase guns? Then there is the fame issue. When you are famous people try to get involved with your life. Athletes are offered drugs and other illegal things like it's candy and it's hard to turn down. That's where many of the drug charges come in.

The temptations are great for athletes but not all succumb to them. People like Jim Thome, Derek Jeter and Larry Fitzgerald are athletes who have resisted the tempations and have become great role models along with being Hall of Fame-caliber players. It's great to see but we always know in the back of our minds that when something great happens like Thome's 600th homer, we can expect to be disappointed by someone like Javaris Crittenton. That's the way sports are and they always will be.

Maybe LeBron's Not Who We Thought He Was

Who could forget Arizona Cardinals' coach Dennis Green yelling at the media that the Chicago Bears "are who we thought they were!!" That line has become quite popular but in this case it must be changed around a bit because could it be that LeBron James isn't who we thought he was? It sure seems that way after watching his disastrous fourth quarter performances and his ill-advised comments in the postgame press conference. The pressure that James has been under this year is unlike any other that we have seen. Tiger Woods, Michael Vick and Kobe Bryant were all under the microscope, but that stems from off-the-field problems. In LBJ's case he technically did nothing off the court to keep people from liking him, but he has taken a series of actions that have greatly affected his reputation to the fans and media. After another failed attempt at an NBA title it is time to re-evaluate how we perceive LeBron and what we think he will become.

There has been much discussion, and it's pointless arguing, about whether James is already better than Michael Jordan or if he will ever be considered better. Scottie Pippen offered his opinion and was blasted for saying such blasphemy. However, then we took a step back and thought maybe Scottie knows what he's talking about. After all, the guy played with Jordan every day and knows him very well. On top of that, LeBron was a monster in the Eastern Conference Finals against Chicago. He looked so dominant and was on top of the basketball world for the time being. And then the Finals came...and we immediately knew that James will probably never reach the heights of His Airness. The great ones bring it in the fourth quarter. That's when it's Winning Time and the best players know how to close a game out. Sure, MJ or Kobe can't be a hero every game (see Game 4 of the 1996 Finals or Game 7 of the 2010 Finals) but nearly every game they TAKE and MAKE the big shots. With James we were left scratching our heads because, at times, it appeared he didn't even want the ball late in the game. If you go by the name of King you should never defer to somebody else. Jordan never deferred and Kobe never deferred. Neither LeBron nor Wade wanted to take the big shot and, as a result, the ball looked like a hot potato in the fourth quarter of Game 7.

I'll say this, LeBron James is a great athlete and he can be a great player. However, he doesn't have some of the skills, such as a reliable shot, nor does he have the intangibles. By intangibles I'm talking about that assassin mentality. When it's the fourth quarter you would like to see the fire in his eyes that says, "I'm going to make sure we win this game." In the series against Chicago that's exactly what he did and he routinely buried the Bulls late in the game. In the Finals Miami would have been better off with him on the bench for the final period. LeBron averaged only 2.2 points in the fourth quarter of the Finals and most of his buckets came when the game didn't matter because Dallas had sealed the deal. That simply cannot happen from James. For a man who is supposed to be the best player that we have today, he has routinely disappointed us with his disappearance in playoff games. This is the second time it has happened along with the Boston series last year and it begs the question: What is wrong with him?

There has to be some psychological problem with him and sports psychologists will try to figure it out this summer. It's something that we haven't seen before. We are so used to seeing the greatest athletes hit the big shot, make the perfect pass, blast the game winning homer or sink the tough putt under the highest pressure situations. For so long the media has put LeBron in that group but it is clear he is not on that level. His poor performances have hurt his image on the court but his off the court, yet still basketball related, antics will ultimately be his biggest downfall.

No one will ever forget last summer when they think about LeBron James or the Miami Heat franchise.It was two moments of selfishness and ego that brought about the strong backlash against James and the Heat. Kevin Durant went on Twitter to announce he was staying in OKC and others called a simple press conference to announce their decisions. That's all fine and good, but to take an hour television spot on ESPN and dub the event The Decision is way over the top. That right there lost him thousands of fans and that was before the South Beach party with James, Wade and Chris Bosh. The three stomped around stage, shirt-popping and screaming before sitting down to discuss the future. That was when James predicted not 5...not 6....not 7 championships!! And not only would they win, but it was going to be easy! Why would somebody say that?? I still can't figure out why he would say that. He couldn't have been thinking when the words left his mouth. Talk about putting a target on your back.

It's fitting that he closed the season with another soundbyte that left people scratching their heads. LeBron basically said that his life was better than all of ours so he was just going to be happy and live how he wants while we had to go back to our daily problems. He has since apologized, and I commend him for that, but he still said it. Whoever is advising LeBron is doing a terrible job. He needs a PR person because he isn't good around a microphone and he is constantly digging himself a deeper hole.

Is LeBron a bad player? Not by any means. He is still a dominant player but the knock on him is that he is a different kind of player in crunch time. He isn't the closer we expected him to be and he has behaved very childish off the court, perhaps a testament to the company he keeps that advises him. LeBron is still young and he is on a very good team. They will win a championship soon but LeBron must figure out his fourth quarter failures and he must work to improve his image as a selfish guy. When he does that maybe then we can finally open our arms and accept him as one of the greats.

Read Tom Haberstroh's article on LeBron's fourth quarter performances by clicking the link below:
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/miamiheat/post/_/id/8778/the-lebron-james-4th-quarter-experience