Loyalty in Question

Most sports fans would say they are loyal to their favorite team or athletes. We buy team apparel, attend events, download apps on our iPhone, follow on Twitter, etc. When “our team” is doing well, we are on cloud-nine and cocky like we ourselves have aided in their triumphant efforts. It is easy to love the loveable, we all know that. Where then does our loyalty go when success is a mere memory of last year…or last decade?
The Chicago Blackhawks won the 2010 Stanley Cup. The start of the 2010-2011 season was rough for us Blackhawks fans though. Fear set in that Chicago would not be making it to the 2011 NHL Playoffs, and I personally found it difficult to find the interest to watch hockey. I was able to attend the Chicago vs. Dallas St. Patrick’s Day game at the AA Center in Dallas. Luck was not on the side of the Blackhawks, as I witnessed the Stars beat my boys 5-0. However, with a record of 44-29-9, the Blackhawks squeezed into the Western Conference playoff battle. During the first-round match-up against the Vancouver Canucks, I was feeling the spirit again and wearing my Patrick Sharp #10 jersey with pride! The 2011 season didn’t end with a Stanley Cup, as it did in 2010 for Chicago. However, I was so proud to be a fan of a team that came back from a 3-0 deficit in the series to force overtime in game seven against the NHL’s top-ranked team. I know I will stay tuned-in and interested the entire 2012 season…as I now have a greater respect for my team’s resiliency and fight.
In golf there are ebbs and flows with every round of a tournament. You have to be” in it for the long haul” if you are a fan of any tour professional. You have to understand how things work in golf too. Just like basketball fans know you don’t get emotionally invested in a 10-point lead…you similarly don’t get too confident or discouraged in a three or four stroke differential in golf. A win on tour does not guarantee a made cut the next week, nor is a missed cut cause for too much concern. Consistency over several weeks is the true indicator of a season, but even then a career is not defined. Guys bounce back after a couple of bad years. Ask Adam Scott or Sergio Garcia. There is a reason you place tour pros on your radar…keep them there longer than a few missed cuts.
Every sport has its crazy loyal fans. Perhaps none with a stronger passion than those found in baseball. Yankee fans don’t stop watching (or cussing) till the last pitch of the season is thrown. A friend of mine is a massive Boston fan and let me know that his team WOULD be winning the World Series this year. That was in week six when Boston had a record of 17-18 and were ranked 14th in the MLB Power Rankings…they now lead the AL East by two games over the Yankees. I am a Twins fan…most of you know that. The Twins have a .400 winning percentage and are nine games back from the AL Central lead. This decade the Twins have dominated the AL Central, winning the division in six of those ten years ('02, '03, '04, '06, '09 and '10.) It is hard for a Twins fan to enjoy baseball right now. Last week’s injury report included the following staples to the lineup: Mauer, Thome, Nishioka, Span, Kubel, Nathan, Perkins and Slowey…with Morneau far from 100%. Are you kidding me?! That is almost every key player in Minnesota! Manager Ron Gardenhire has submitted 56 lineups in 60 games. How do you stay faithful to watching and supporting a team that is barely functioning? Not to mention, my very favorite baseball player is one of those names listed on the disabled list and was seriously struggling beforehand. Joe Nathan was the former All-Star closer for the Twins. The 37-year-old Houston native is a four-time MLB All-Star and has a career ERA of 2.85 in 700.1 innings pitched with 250 saves. In his returning season from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, Nathan has a 7.63 ERA in 15.1 innings pitched with only 3 saves. Due to inconsistency Nathan relinquished his closer position himself to Matt Capps earlier this season. It is frustrating as a fan to see one of best closers in baseball struggle. Prior to his absence of the 2010 season, each time Joe Nathan would take the mound a feeling of peace would take over me. The odds of a win or a save were great, which is a certainty and comfort I am now missing. During a trip to Kauffman Stadium to watch a divisional game between the Royals and the Twins, I was able to witness Nathan go through his bull pen warm-up and take the mound as a reliever. Though the Twins lost 11-2 that night I realized something. I still love my boys and I am still a loyal fan of the great Joe Nathan. What he provided Twins fans from 2004-2009 was pure greatness and I will not give up hope that there is still some of that left for him to deliver.
I’ve found ways to stay loyal to my teams and favorite athletes. Mostly, I realize that just as I turn my back there are glimpses or even monumental episodes of greatness that reel me back in. Moments like overtime in game seven…a no-hitter (Twins had the first of the 2011 season)…a PGA tour victory. So hang in there sports fans. You will regret it if you don’t! Now you can rejoice that Dirk finally does have that NBA Championship ring…and you were watching the whole time.

Why So Serious?

Let’s be honest. Sometimes we sports fans get a little umm…too intense. We tend to forget that sport is intended to be fun, entertaining, a recreational activity and a way to de-stress. You know as well as I do that for the true sports fan it is virtually impossible to take our favorite sports lightly…especially during playoffs season! I am always wrapped up in a complete zone of tension over the sport event of the moment: NBA Playoffs, NHL Playoffs, PGA Tour event of the week, the latest Twins loss. Then there is the intrigue over the latest news development or topic of interest: Shaq’s retirement, should “fill-in-the blank” get suspended, was Tressel really forced to trade in that iconic vest and tie of his!? Enough already. After recent events such as the heartbreaking Blackhawk’s loss in round one of the NHL Playoffs to the Canucks, the elimination of the OKC Thunder from the NBA Playoffs and the thrilling playoff victory by my friend Keegan Bradley at the HP Byron Nelson Championship this past weekend… I have decided to mellow out a bit.
Surely there is a way to take in the laid back joy of sport, right?! My recreational sand volleyball league starts June 12. However, anyone that knows me knows or has seen me play volleyball, knows I will likely be yelling at someone for poor play at some point during that first match. At the very least someone will get hit in the face by one of my serves and I will merely mutter, “meh.” Maybe I will go watch my buddy play in his adult hockey league at the local Dr Pepper Stars Center. It is always entertaining to watch the Shockers Hockey team in action…and my buddy in the penalty box! Plus, a good friend of mine will be in town tonight to play some minor-league baseball. See…there…it can be done. I am willing and able to enjoy sports in a healthy and balanced way. Wait…Rory McIlroy is tied for the lead at the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village….he is starting on my fantasy golf team this week!!! Padding my lead Rory! That a boy!! On second thought…I am a lost cause.

Why Golf?!

Maybe I like watching paint dry! Actually, I am completely drawn to the sport of golf. As my devotion to golf becomes increasingly intense, I have more and more people ask me why I like golf. I thought I would try to tackle this question, as well as, make a few comments about the recent Masters. Though I do really enjoy hockey and college football, and yes annual events such as the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, my passion lies with two sports that are actually quite similar. If you had to describe what makes baseball unique what would you say? The long, rich tradition? The mental aspect of the game and superstitions held by players? The hot boys…well that particular point is not exactly unique to baseball. These are certainly reasons to appreciate baseball. The title of this post is why golf not why baseball, however, the reasons are basically the same. Seems my true interest lies with the two sports that many people claim they can barely tolerate…especially on TV. Slow doesn’t necessarily equal boring, you just have to learn what you are watching for, what to appreciate, and just as importantly… who to appreciate. The game of golf has many traditions and many legends most sports fans recognize: Palmer, Hogan, Player and Nicklaus. Fantastic, however, they have no bearing on why we should care about the tour today. So who is there to watch? Why watch if Tiger and Mickelson are not even in the field that week right? So wrong. I won’t start rambling on about those two. As a matter of fact, it isn’t even really about a like or dislike of the two most recognized figures in golf. The point is, there are tons of other guys on the PGA tour that are just as exciting to watch, and even a few on the European Tour that join in and quite often end up winning majors. Once you get to know who is on the tour, their stories, their personalities…it draws you in. Does anyone know who Jason Kubel is? Probably only Minnesota Twins fans would have heard of this designated hitter, but he is one of the reasons I wear a Twins hat! You have to know who is playing in order to have a vested interest in watching. Look for guys on the PGA Tour like Nick Watney, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar. Watch for European Tour members playing in the major championships like Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer, former and current number one ranked golfers in the world. It is so easy to become interested in each of these guys enough to want to appreciate their golf game. They are young, funny and extremely talented. They open themselves up publicly and connect with their fans via the social media unabashedly. These golfers also have a comradery not often found in sports. The way they pull for each other and spend time together socially, teasing and pranking…. is not unlike guys in a baseball clubhouse. Take for instance the support shown by fellow Northern Ireland friend and Ryder Cup teammate Graeme McDowell toward Rory McIlroy during and after McIlroy’s devastating play at the 2011 Masters. McIlroy lost the lead he held for three days and nine holes to finish tied for 15th. Friends like McDowell, Poulter and Westwood publicly displayed their support and encouragement of McIlroy. I appreciate that. This open display of support makes me want to watch these guys fight for a win each week…it goes beyond competition, it is a community and a brotherhood worth paying attention to.
Watching the Masters also reminded me of the huge impact the mental aspect of the game has on the outcome of a tournament. Whereas, in other sports speed and reaction are key factors, one’s ability to remain confident and focused shot after shot will determine success in golf. Similar to a pitcher having an off night on the mound or an all-star going hitless in a series, golfers can self-destruct quickly if their mental game is not completely intact. Conversely, mental toughness is what wins championships….it is what carried Charl Schwartzel to a green jacket on Sunday. Even amidst the roars at Augusta National he birdied his last four holes to victory. It is intriguing and sometimes painful to watch these athletes battle their mind during competition, but I thoroughly enjoy it.
Recently I have found that the superstitions and repetitions of each players game peaks my interest, as well. You know how you can watch a hitter go up to the plate in a baseball game and he does the same thing each time? The player may step out of the box a certain number of times, check his wrist guards and go through all his “rituals” before taking each swing? This is often criticized because it drags out the game, but I like it. These little superstitious patterns make that players game his own. It is the same on the golf course. This is a part of the game that you only see in person. I have really picked up on it and it is so interesting. Specific movements prior to addressing the ball, lucky head covers, ball marking, colors worn on Sundays and endless superstitions can be found on the tour and help each individual player stand out.
So maybe you think watching golf is worse than watching paint dry, or grass grow, or your grandma brush her dentures. There are reasons I became interested in golf and reasons such as tournament visits, fantasy golf and even waking up to the Golf Channel’s Morning Drive each morning, that keep me excited about it. Take a second look, give it a try, get familiar with golfers you have never heard of. Often, you walk away from the zoo talking about the monkeys not the tigers….sure tigers are cool to look at…but they are not the only attraction.

Grime Report: The Not-So-Glam Guys

There is a lot of glitz and glam in sports. Sure, sports is competition, aggression, and raw athleticism. However, you don’t get on MTV Cribs without some glam. You don’t get your own reality TV series either…not one…nor two as in the case of Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco. Along with anything glamorous, there is always a side that is a bit less-attractive. Suspect, distasteful, or grimy if you will. Here are a few examples that come to mind:

Evan Longoria: has an AK-47. Well, he did till it got stolen from his spring training apartment in Port Charlotte, Fla. Not sure why Longoria had an AK-47?! The Rays third baseman probably purchased it after his 1967 Camaro was stolen earlier this month, or maybe after that guy stole his hat! Wait…that was just a commercial. I should mention this AK-47 was owned legally by Longoria. Camaros and AK-47s. Sounds like a movie that would star Jason Statham doesn’t it? At least Longoria was driving a classic Camaro, which is much more glam than some of the vehicles driven by other players to spring training. Mark Buerhle of the White Sox was spotted with a vehicle parked in the lot that literally resembled a mini-semi truck and dwarfed the Tahoe beside it. Jason Werth (Nationals) has driven a truck to Florida that, I was told, was every bit as obnoxious as his unkempt beard and louder than a whole monster truck rally! These MLB stars use spring training for two things: a time to prepare for the season, and a time to let the wild, grimy boy in them out. Back to work boys!!

Hockey Thugs: On February 11th, the New York Islanders beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 9-3. Notable grime here? There was a total of 346 penalty minutes in the hockey game and ten ejections. If you are unfamiliar with the game of hockey…that is not normal. That is far uglier than the normal cross-checking, high sticking and occasional break-out fight or two. That kind of display is not even hockey, but an ugly bash that makes the street fight scene in Anchorman look low key. Know your sport…the object is still supposed to be scoring goals. The sport of hockey gets uglier by the week, and injuries are getting far worse than just bad breaks.

Geno Auriemma: Connecticut women’s basketball coach, Geno Auriemma, is one of the most accomplished coaches in division one basketball. Unfortunately, he is also one of the most cold, condescending and unapproachable. On March 22nd, the Huskies beat Purdue in round two of the NCAA tournament, before a crowd of 5,729 in their own Gampel Pavilion, which seats a total of 10,027. It was the smallest crowd to see the UConn women’s team play since 1994. Auriemma was upset about the small attendance. In the post-game press conference he stated, “I think we have a real spoiled group of fans. I think free parking and handouts at the game would help. Letting some of the fans participate in coaching the team, since they always volunteer to do that.” I understand being spoiled, and I also understand it was an NCAA tournament game, but that is still a decent number of fans for women’s basketball. The University of Oklahoma women’s basketball team (20-10 regular season), which may not be UConn but is still considered a top-level program, averaged about 4,000 in attendance this season. The OU men’s team only averaged about 10,500 at Lloyd Noble Center with a capacity of 12,000. Though these comments are no surprise to anyone who is familiar with Coach Auriemma, they don’t exactly motivate fans to come on out and support the Huskies. I had a personal encounter with Coach Auriemma’s ugly attitude in December of 1999. UConn visited Norman to play the Sooners, winning 84-68. Since I was working for the University of Oklahoma Athletic Media Relations, I knew I would have the opportunity to meet the coach. In high school, I was a big Rebecca Lobo fan. She had played for Connecticut and had written a book with her mother who had battled breast cancer. Lobo had signed my copy of the book when I met her in 1996, and since Geno Auriemma had written the forward, I wanted him to sign it as well. I looked forward to this moment and to chatting with him for a bit. After the post-game press conference in Norman I approached Auiremma. Ouch! I was met with a cold and rude coach that was barely willing to sign my book, much less offer any kind words to a young college student. I ended my admiration of the Connecticut head coach precisely at that moment. I had the privilege of meeting many coaches while at OU, and he was by far the most disdainful. I consider Roy Williams every bit of, if not more so, the basketball legend Auriemma is. Williams took ample time to visit with me and make me feel appreciated as a fan. What is so hard about that Geno?!

Dez Bryant: Finally, a short word about the less-than-stellar wardrobe of some professional athletes. If you live in Dallas you probably know that Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant was issued a criminal trespass warning by off-duty Dallas PD officers working at North Park Center last week. Bryant was given this warning because he began using profanity after he and his entourage were asked to pull their pants up by the officers. That is right folks…sagging pants worn by a first round draft pick who signed a $12.05 million over five years contract in 2010. Bryant went to Oklahoma State…you would have thought the Cowboys in Stillwater would have taught him to wear better fitting jeans!

The Upset

What is your favorite weekend out of the year? I have two: the weekend of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, and the weekend of rounds one and two of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Wait…correction…rounds two and three of the tournament. This year the NCAA decided that instead of a pool of 64 they would allow 68 teams into the tournament. There was also an extra “round” added. The first two nights would consist of two games each, determining the four additional teams that would be added to the tournament. So, in other words, play-in games. This was no round one. Call a spade a spade. Doug Gottlieb, ESPN Basketball Analyst, illustrated quite effectively that it was like his wife getting an invite to the neighborhood barbeque. The invitation says it starts at 7’oclock…and she actually wants to show up at 7’olock. You don’t show up to the party at seven. You show up around 7:30…8:00…8:30. Everyone knows that…everyone but the NCAA apparently. Don’t call play-in games round one and don’t expect us to watch them. We will show up when the dance really starts...and we won’t stop partying till closing time!
I don’t really know why year after year March Madness gets my total attention, but I can assure you that it has me wrapped around its finger like a controlling boyfriend, demanding all my attention and dictating my schedule. I have filled out a bracket since I was about twelve years old. I get super competitive about my picks and highly frustrated when things don’t go my way, and they usually don’t. I mean who picks Morehead State to beat Louisville...that knows anything about basketball?! The best part about filling out a bracket for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is that no matter how much you know, or how much research you do, you will most likely be stunned, frustrated and humbled within a day of the tournament. However, every now and they you get it right, and it is so satisfying. In 1998, my brother-in-law took me to the Midwest Regional first round games at the Myriad Convention Center in Oklahoma City. I was big Kansas Basketball fan growing up so I went to see Kansas play Prairie View. The game prior was Valparaiso vs. Ole Miss. I was the only one in our section cheering for Valpo because I had picked them in my bracket. With a Bryce Drew buzzer beater 3-point shot, Valpo advanced! It was an incredible moment, and one that is mentioned every year during the ESPN Bracketology special…a note as to what could happen. It happens every year…it is what literally makes March such madness…it is why we even care. Upsets make sports thrilling, whether we are benefiting or barely able to stomach them.

If You Can't Beat Em' Join Em'

I never really thought much about the week leading up to the Super Bowl. I never thought about the entourage the big game would bring to the host city, the media frenzy, the nightly parties, nor the mass of fans that would visit. Then again, I have never had a reason to. This is the first year I have lived in the host city for a Super Bowl. Sunday, Super Bowl XLV was held in Arlington, Texas. However, for the entire week prior, all of Dallas-Fort Worth was overtaken with NFL hype. I am not a big fan of the National Football League. I try to follow the Cowboys and I do follow quite a bit of NFL conversation during my daily ESPN Radio fix. I just wouldn’t say I am a fan and I certainly don’t get excited about it. I have always taken a lot of heat for that. I have many friends that do not understand my apathy toward the sport, claiming that the NFL is far more entertaining than college football. I must admit I took on somewhat of an “if you can’t beat em’ join em’” approach last week. I tried to get into the spirit and even spent an evening in Packers Territory (downtown Las Colinas) amongst the players and fans.
Ironically, one evening last week, I came across a GQ article from September of 1999, listing “50 Reasons Why Pro Football is Better than College Football.” I often tear out articles I want to read and put them in a pile. Obviously, the pile is slow moving, but the timeliness of this particular article was perfect. No doubt, I saved this article to compare it to the arguments I am frequently presented from friends. Below are the 10 points I feel are most worthy of notation (direct quotes from the article and in no particular order) and would add value to a conversation on the subject. I still wouldn’t pass up an Oklahoma Football game for any match-up the NFL has to offer, though.
1. No male megaphone-toting cheerleaders.
2. Real play-offs.
3. Tailgating the way it ought to be, by fat guys in sweats, not moms straight out of the Talbots catalog.
4. You can give a pro player a Cadillac and two new suits and not go to jail for it.
5. We all know what a Lion is. What the hell is a Nittany Lion?
6. Of Miami’s two professional teams, the Dolphins draw twice as many fans as the Hurricanes and half the felonies.
7. No pimply-faced, cable-holding teenager following the head coach around the sideline.
8. Division III?
9. Papa Bear Halas-player, coach, owner. Let’s see Bobby Bowden do that.
10. Ditka!

What Happens in the Mornings....

Every morning I wake up and watch Mike & Mike in the Morning on ESPN2. This week…due to some tennis tournament…probably a big deal but I don’t know and don’t care what the event was…I have been unable to do so. Since I started my Fantasy Golf (yahoo sports) this week and I am supper pumped about it, I detoured to the Golf Channel’s Morning Drive with Erik Kuselias and Gary Williams. (We will re-visit this topic shortly.) Thursday, John Feinstein was on as a call-in guest. Feinstein, author of Season on the Brink and A Good Walk Spoiled, was blabbing on about how Lee Westwood was a “bogus number one” and other such comments. The topic of conversation was concerning Westwood’s decision not to take part in the 2011 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in May. Let’s quickly look at this decision by Westwood. Simple enough, Westwood does not own a home in the U.S. He has chosen not to be a PGA Tour player this year and instead stick with the European Tour because of his location (supposedly.) This stance in consideration, and since he was a 2009 PGA Tour member, Westwood is allowed to play 10 tournaments in the U.S. and also the Players. That leaves this equation: Four Majors, plus three World Golf events in the U.S, plus the Houston Shell Open before the Masters, plus the Honda Classic in between events and last the FedEx St. Jude Classic the week before the U.S. Open and also where Westwood will be defending. This leaves no opportunity to play stateside the week before The Players, so the world’s number one golfer bowed out. Going back to the Feinstein blasphemy...I was in a state of high irritation. I like Lee Westwood. I really enjoy him as a golfer and as a sports figure in general…he entertains me. It just so happens, that part of this entertainment is from frequent banter on Twitter. At the time of this interview on Morning Drive, Westwood and Poulter were blowing up Twitter from Abu Dhabi, which in turn was blowing up my iPhone. I don’t always pay keen attention to these tweets, but I thought to myself that Westwood was surely not aware of the foul comments Feinstein was sharing to the world. Thus I decided to advise him. Very quickly a response ensued. Needless to say, I was cheered that the world number one decided to acknowledge my informative Tweet with a witty response almost immediately. I do what I can folks…I’m here to take a stand for the golf elite! This was only the start of what seemed an irritating day (evening in Abu Dhabi actually) for Westwood. There were continued comments on Twitter about what Westwood viewed as a non-story of his decision to forgo The Players. However, I tend to agree with Brian Katrek of the PGA Tour Network’s radio show Teed Off, “In order for this not to be a story we would have to say that he is not that important, and that wouldn’t be very polite.”
About this new show on the Golf Channel called Morning Drive. Here is an example of the Golf Channel getting it right in my opinion. The live show debuted on January 3rd and airs from 7-9 A.M. Hosting the show are former ESPN commentator Erik Kuselias and former Mad Dog Radio (Sirius/XM) host Gary Williams. There is a definite ESPN feel to the show, but it works. Popular music going into and coming from commercial breaks, sporadic chatter of football and other pop culture topics, and celebrity guests liven up the show and leave a different feel than typical Golf Channel shows. To my liking, since Kuselias was such a staple on Mike & Mike (filling in for Mike Greenberg), I felt even more content in watching Morning Drive. I may leave it on the Golf Channel for a while.