Get hyped for Game 25!

Here we are, a mere 24 games into the marathon 82 game NBA season, and the ESPN hype wagon is already in overkill mode. Tim Legler, Sage Steele and Chris Broussard all reporting live this morning from sunny, South Florida about how Lebron James sat out practice yesterday with a sprained ankle last and how the Heat might slow down Roy Hibbert (Hmmm...they did this enough to beat them in two consecutive playoff series...I wonder). You would think this was the postseason with all that exposure, but no, it's just another regular season game

Tonight, the best two teams in the Eastern Conference, the Indiana Pacers (20-4) and the Miami Heat (18-6), meet again. They'll be meeting up again in the Eastern Conference Finals a few months from now, barring major injury to either of the teams' big stars. You can write that down now. The East is garbage other than these two squads.

                                                                                               Too soon?

The NBA's season is too long to care this much about a regular season game in December. I know it's all about the money, as it is about in all sports now, but cutting the season down to say 60 games wouldn't hurt. Start the season around Christmas Day or give the players more days off between games.

Call me back in late May when these two teams are playing important games. Thanks, ESPN.

Make football, not war

It's always fun to shock people. Football fans, especially. I've been a New York Jets fan all my life. Why? I don't know. Maybe I like the abuse. The constant frustration. The feeling that I'm going to throw up even after they win a game, like they did today. They beat the Buffalo Bills 27-20, in a game they dominated from a statistical standpoint. Yet they committed a team record 20 penalties that helped keep the Bills in the game until the end.

I was coming home from the sports bar and decided to stop for Wendy's. I'm wearing my Jets #80 Wayne Chrebet jersey, as always, and I get up to the window and the guy inside smiles and says, "Jets fan, huh?' Well, yes, that's fairly clear, I reply. Let me go out on a limb and guess that you are a Dolphins fan, right? This is South Florida after all. He nods. I jump back in and say, "Congratulations, that was a big win today for you guys, Tannehill really pulled through there." He looks at me with this stunned look on his face and just says, "Yeaaah, it was awesome....thanks?"

A good rivalry should be about mocking each other with funny pics.

I used the question mark there since I don't think he expected a Jets fan to be so complimentary. To be honest, I was quite glad he didn't drop my food in shock. Many fans of the Jets can be a little caustic, which may or may not have to do with not making it to the Super Bowl in the last 44 years or knowing that we'll being hearing about the "Butt fumble" for the rest of our lives. You see, I am a Jets fan, but I'm not an asshole. I'm an intelligent sports fan and I take pride in knowing more about the game than most people. The Dolphins proved they are a team to be reckoned with today by rallying late to beat the Atlanta Falcons, a popular Super Bowl by many experts, 27-23. I applaud their success today. I won't if they beat the Jets later in the season, but at least I won't be that typical, angry fan that goes down in defeat by saying that your team sucks right after they beat my team.

It's football. It's supposed to be fun. It gives you a few hours to escape all of life's realities.

Cherish the wins and the people you celebrate them with. Never forget the defeats and your pals who suffered right there with you. Most of all, enjoy the beer and wings.

The Life and Times of A-Fraud

The first time I heard the name Alex Rodriguez was during my sophomore year in high school. I was working as the sports editor of my school newspaper and to say I had an unhealthy obsession with baseball was an understatement.

It was in May of 1993, about a week or so before the annual Major League Baseball Amateur draft, and I was reading an article about Rodriguez, who was a sure fire lock to go first overall. He was a scouts dream. He hit for average and power. He had blazing speed, a great arm and played stellar defense at the premium shortstop position. The Seattle Mariners were the fortunate benefactors, picking first that year, and young Alex would start showing off his abilities at the major league level just two years later.

                                                                    Seattle days: Long before it all went wrong.

At the age of 20, the Mariners anointed Rodriguez their everyday shortstop for the 1996 season and he didn't disappoint. He won the American League batting title with a .358 average. Led the league with 54 doubles, smashed 36 home runs and had 123 runs batted in. Alex's journey to the Hall of Fame seemed well on its way.

He left Seattle after five outstanding seasons via free agency and signed the biggest contract in the history of sports (10 years/$250 million) with the Texas Rangers. His home run totals surged to 52 in '01 with Texas, then 57 in '02 and back down to a humble 47 in '03. Yet the Rangers finished in last place in the NL West all of those years and Rodriguez was still searching for a World Series title to add to his list of accomplishments. Enter the New York Yankees. Texas swapped Rodriguez for Alfonso Soriano and a player-to-be-named-later. The best player in the world was heading to the center of the baseball universe where names like Ruth, DiMaggio, Mantle and Jeter shine forever in immortality. The stars seemed in near perfect alignment.

Rodriguez continued to post gaudy offensive numbers when he arrived in New York. He won two AL MVP awards along the way, but the whispers of performance enhancing drugs around MLB included Rodriguez. He'd vehemently deny using them in 2007 during an interview with Katie Couric on 60 Minutes, but as more and more players around the league admitted their guilt over PED usage, the innuendos would continue around Rodriguez. He would eventually admit to using anabolic steroids during his first three years in Texas. He cited "an enormous amount of pressure to perform" as his reason for using. Later that same year, Rodriguez would help the Yankees win the World Series, gaining him the championship that had eluded him all those years.

Fast forward to today. MLB suspended 13 players linked to the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic for use of PED's. 12 of them received 50 game suspensions. Number 13, and yes that's the number he wears on the back of that pinstriped Yankee jersey coincidentally, was Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez was hit with the harshest sentence of 211 games (the remaining 49 games of this season and the entire 162-game, 2014 season). MLB's statement explained that his discipline was based on the use and possession of numerous forms of performance-enhancing substances, including testosterone and human growth hormone. Furthermore, his discipline under the Basic Agreement is for attempting to cover up his violations of the Program by engaging in a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the Office of the Commisioner's investigation.

                                                                              The Post always says it straight.

Not only a fraud and a liar, but he tried to cover the whole thing up. Truly amazing. Why not try and save your little remaining dignity and just take the suspension and admit everything. Plenty of major leaguers have taken that route, and eventually people will forget. It's the group of players that won't admit it, that will forever be tarnished. Barry Bonds. Roger Clemens. I'm looking at you. Just admit it Alex, you did a lot of wrong. To your fans, to the game of baseball and to the teams that paid you hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. Apologize and maybe, just maybe, you will be forgiven. I doubt it, but I also doubt you would give a truly heart-felt apology anyway.

In typical A-Rod fashion, he immediately appealed the suspension and was in the Yankee lineup for the first time this year tonight, batting clean up. In his first at-bat, he hit a 'clean' single. Unfortunately, for a guy who seemed destined to be a Hall of Famer from the start, there's nothing that will truly ever be considered 'clean' about you again.

This week in stupid: Riley Cooper

For those of you that don't know, Riley Cooper is a wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles and also, as his own words will show you, an ignorant, racist asshat.

                                                                 How long before that first concussion cheap hit?

You see, Cooper was at a Kenny Chesney concert this past June, consuming massive quantities of alcohol throughout the day. He then proceeded to go nuts and drop an N-bomb because he wasn't allowed backstage. I mean, really, who wouldn't let Riley Cooper backstage? His biggest claim to fame thus far is being Tim Tebow's roommate while at the University of Florida. He should have name dropped his old buddy Timmy there and saved himself a boat full of headaches. Pun intended.

Cooper's exact quote was, "I will jump that fence and fight every n****r here." The best part is that he points directly at the camera filming him while saying this. You're in the NFL, you schmuck. The most popular sports league in the United States right now. Did you really think that this wasn't going to land you in a steaming pile of trouble? This rates at the absurdly high end of stupid. How anyone in professional sports that shares their day-to-day with many other athletes from varying walks of life could use a racial slur is beyond me.

The silver lining here, if you could call it that, is that Cooper is going to get blown up eventually by a member of an opposing team's defense. I'd be willing to wager more than once. Marcus Vick, brother of Eagles' quarterback Michael Vick -that's right, Cooper's teammate- offered a $1,000 bounty to the first free or strong safety to light him up.

Moral of this story. If you play a violent, contact sport you should keep your racist thoughts to yourself because they are bound to get you knocked out on the field.

Best player in the NBA? Derrick Rose. Ummm...No.

In an interview yesterday, Chicago Bulls point guard, Derrick Rose was asked who the best player in the NBA is right now. His answer: "Derrick Rose."

Not only an incorrect answer, but speaking in the first person really isn't endearing you to anyone.

Rose won the NBA MVP award three years ago while leading his Bulls to the best record (62-20) during the regular season. His per game averages that year read 25 points on 44.5% shooting, 7.7 assists and 4 rebounds. They won their first two playoff round and then ran into the Miami Heat, who proceeded to stomp the Bulls in the Conference Finals four games to one. In the five games against the Heat, MVP Rose averaged 23.4 points, yet shot a brutal 35% (42-120) from the floor. The following season, Rose once again led the Bulls to the NBA's best record. He then torn the ACL in his knee in the first game of the playoffs against Philadelphia and we haven't seen him on a basketball court since. Correction. We have seen him on the court...in a nice suit on the bench.

                     The Heat in the playoffs again? Hold up on that comeback.

It's good for an athlete to have the confidence to say that he's the best player in the sport even after not playing for an entire season. Sports are all about having an edge over your opponent, and self-confidence is key.

Rose should have said the intelligent thing, maybe shown some humility, and admit that the best player in the NBA, hands down, is LeBron James of the Heat. James has won the league MVP award four of the last five seasons, and the last two Larry O'Brien championship trophies belong to him and the Heat.

Many have been critical of Rose for taking so long to return from injury. Adrian Peterson of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings tore his ACL and MCL on December 24, 2011 yet was able to return to the field just nine months later. Peterson also went on to rush for 2,097 yards, the second most ever in a single season, and won 2012 NFL MVP. Rose hasn't played in a game in since April 28, 2012. That's 15 months and counting. At least when the NBA season tips off again in late October, he should be very well rested.

While Rose is still a great player, he has a ton to prove once he finally gets back on the court. LeBron, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant and a sprinkling of others might have plenty to say to Rose about who is the NBA's best player right now. Rose will have his chance when his Bulls open next season in Miami against the champs.

Good luck with that.

P.E.D. Problems: Ryan Braun joins Rafael Palmeiro in the lying idiot club

"Let me start by telling you this: I have never used steroids, period. I don't know how to say it any more clearly than that. Never." - Rafael Palmeiro while speaking at a Congressional hearing on March 17, 2005.

                                            Pointing a finger angrily at people means NEVER.

Flash forward to August 1, 2005. Palmeiro is suspended by Major League Baseball for testing positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol. During his career, Palmeiro launched 569 home runs and collected 3,020 hits. Both benchmark numbers that typically earn entrance in to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I guess integrity means something to the Baseball Writers of America since Palmeiro's best result in the Hall voting came in 2012 when he garnered 12.6% of the vote. You need 75% to gain election to the Hall, so it's safe to say that Palmeiro won't be joining that club anytime soon.

You would think that today's players might have learned a lesson from Palmeiro. Think again. Yesterday, Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers was suspended for the remaining 65 games of the season for his involvement in the Biogenesis of America performance enhancing drug investigation. Braun is no stranger to failed drug tests. In 2011, he failed a test that measured elevated testosterone level in his system. Braun successfully appealed the results and was never suspended because questions surrounded the way in which the sample was handled. 

Part of Braun's statement after the suspension was overturned included this little gem. "It is the first step in restoring my good name and reputation. We were able to get through this because I am innocent and the truth is on our side." Well, Mr. Braun, considering you just made a behind-the-scenes deal with MLB to suspend you for the remaining 65 games this season even before they released the findings of the Biogenesis investigation, it must mean that the truth is that you also used PED's and suffer from Palmeiro's disease.

        He forgot the finger point. Do not pass go. Do not collect your millions of dollars.

Many more players are going to be suspended in the coming days once the full results of the Biogenesis investigation are revealed. Hopefully, the guilty will just admit they made a mistake and save some of their integrity.

 Are you ready, Alex Rodriguez?

How to annoy a Met fan 101

I take a lot of pride out of being a fan of the New York Mets, which also leads to me taking crap from pretty much everyone, but I digress. This week, Citi Field, home of the Mets, is hosting the Major League Baseball All Star Game and all of the festivities that come along with it.

                                       
            Hey, ESPN. That's the Mets logo, not the Dodgers, Giants or Yankees.


Tonight, ESPN is broadcasting the Home Run Derby and during the introductory highlight package, I suddenly see clips of the Yankees and the Dodgers and Giants mixed in with a couple Mets' moments. Normally, the host team and baseball are celebrated during this mid-season break. I understand that New York is not only home to the Mets and Yankees, and was the former home of the Dodgers and Giants before they both left for California in the late-1950s, but for once I expected the focus to be on Mets baseball. Obviously, they don't have the long winning tradition and championships that the Yankees have. They don't have the mystique that The Bums from Brooklyn had back in the days of Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax and Duke Snider. The Giants had Willie Mays and won seven World Series titles while playing at the Polo Grounds. Yet, this is supposed to be about the Mets, who certainly have enough history of their own to fill an opening montage.

Mike Piazza's post-9/11 homer. Mookie Wilson's ground ball that got through Bill Buckner's legs. Casey Stengel and the Not-so-Amazin' squad of 1962. Doctor K. Jesse Orosco's glove launch after striking out Marty Barrett to win the 1986 World Series. The Franchise, Tom Seaver. The Kid, Gary Carter. Cleon Jones settling under that final fly out in 1969 and sinking to one knee to crown the true Miracle Mets. Robin Ventura's Grand Slam Single. Johan Santana's long over due no-hitter. Darryl Strawberry going deep. Tug McGraw and Ya' Gotta Believe. Keith Hernandez's golden glove. Jose Jose Jose! Captain Wright doing it all, and the promise of a Happy Matt Harvey Day right now, and for years to come. Fine examples, I'd say. Clearly, there is plenty of history from the boys from Queens to fill up a highlight reel.

I will always celebrate New York and the rich baseball history it has, but tonight should have been solely about the Mets and their rich history. Maybe I'm too loyal and being a little selfish here, but the Mets deserve a little bit of the spotlight during this annual display of baseball greatness. With a slight bow to Darren over at The 7 Line here, I'll always stay true to my boys in orange and blue. It's just a shame that ESPN did not.