Category Archives: SPORTS

Riot Act

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This past Monday, the San Francisco Giants won their first World Series title since 1954, when they were the New York Giants. With my beloved Yankees out of contention, I was actually really happy for the team and their fans. But on Tuesday morning, I read in multiple articles about riots and other forms of unruly behavior on the streets of San Fran. Such incidents included broken bottles, several set fires and a crowd attacking a car the driver of it.

As I stated above, I am a Yankee fan and a passionate one at that. I remember the way I felt when the Yankees won the Series in ’96. The last time they had even made it to the championship was in 1981, when I was two years old so to experience it was an emotional thing. When Charlie Hayes caught that foul ball with two outs in the bottom of the 9th in Game 6, I yelled, I screamed… and then I made out with my girlfriend. A lot.

I am not perfect. When the football Giants beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2008, my friend Tamer and I drove straight to Times Square where some fans had gathered. Feeling emotional, I helped steer the mob from a “Let’s Go Giants” chant to “Boston Sucks!” I was unruly. And then I realized how ridiculous it was that a man of almost 30, would get so worked up, so visibly angry over not just a sporting event, but one that went the way I wanted it to. So, I got myself together and promised myself I would never be such an ass again.

San Francisco is thought of a progressive city, known more for hippie gatherings than sports gatherings. That is why I was surprised to see such unruly and uncool behavior the other night. So, in light of this, I say to the fans of San Francisco and all over, get your own life. Let loose and enjoy these games and let them serve as distractions from life’s real problems. You lit fires and assaulted an innocent citizen on the eve of Election day, the  night before you voted for a Governor and on whether or not to legalize marijuana. In hindsight, I think you definitely should have voted to make it legal. There’s a lot of you who could find good in sparking one up, putting on some Grateful Dead and chilling out, maaaaaaaan.

Bob Sheppard: 1910-2010.

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“Now batting, number 23, Don Mattingly. Number 23.” The first time I heard a particular voice say those words over the Yankee Stadium P.A. I think deep down I knew it would come to mean a lot to me as far as a connection to my favorite team. Learning that the proprietor of that voice, Yankee and New York Giants announcer Bob Sheppard, passed away on Sunday just a few months away from his 100th birthday, I realized it meant so much more. In a world that is ever-changing, in a sport that loses more and more innocence with each allegation of steroid use and blockbuster trade, there Bob Sheppard remained as the voice of the Yankees, a role he had since 1951. Even though he’s been retired for three years, his voice can still be heard throughout the game and Derek Jeter uses taped Sheppard intro each time he walks up to the plate. For Jeter, like the rest of us, anyone else doing it just wouldn’t be the same.

Super What?

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Originally posted February 5th.

Though I know what I am about to admit will most likely get my membership in the real man’s club revoked, I have a confession to make. I barely watched the Super Bowl. I wanted to want to watch the big game but when it came down to it, I just didn’t care. If anything, I was most interested in getting a glimpse of Kim Kardashian.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy sports. From March until October, baseball is my life. But other than that, I don’t really have it in me to follow things like I used to. I am a Knicks fan but I’ve seen one game this whole season. Technically, I follow the Rangers but the first time I saw them this whole year was Saturday night, but it was only because they were on at the bar where I was ordering a round of drinks. For football, I am a Giants fan but probably only watched two games this whole season. With them out of the playoffs, I lost interest and once the Jets were out, forget it.

I love to play sports. I run, play softball and the occasional pickup basketball and soccer game. But as far as watching sports on a regular basis, it’s just not the priority it used to be. On a Sunday in the fall, when my friends are watching back to back NFL while downing $2 pints and 25 cent wings, I’d rather walk around the Village, checking out used records and street festivals.

There seems to be this pressure on guys to follow sports. For many of us, we use them as a building block for friendships. “Who do you like in this game?” If we’re ever hanging out and I ask you that question, chances are I could care less who you like, I just don’t know what else to say. And if you don’t watch an event, you feel the pressure to know something, God forbid you get quizzed on it. It’s not that I am saying I’ve lost complete interest in watching sports, I just want to be able to do so on my own terms.

From what I did see, I’d say my favorite part of the Super Bowl was the Dave/Jay/Oprah commercial. If people just aske me about that today, I’ll be golden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcEx767TIas&feature=player_embedded

Another Issue At NBC? No way!

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Warning: This is from January and thus is very outdated.

Who wouldn't want to see this?

And Today’s “No Sh– Sherlock” Story Is….

The Olympics are a little over two weeks away and apparently they’re being overshadowed by NBC’s prime time issues and the whole Conan fiasco. NBC Olympics Overshadowed By Network Problems

Really? Late Night Wars: The Next Generation is drawing more publicity than the Olympics? Maybe it’s because the classic story of a bunch of idiot television executives and a big-chinned jerk screwing over a brilliant late night talk show host will always be more interesting than someone prancing around ice skates to some crappy Celine Dion song. Sorry, it’s the truth.

In fact, I am thinking, let’s do without this whole Olympic thing all together and instead, have the Late Night Games once every four years. Just imagine, Dave and Leno in the ultimate luge showdown. I would definitely reconsider my stance on figure skating if Conan and Andy competed in the pairs. Sadly, Carson Daly would get screwed again, competing in something nobody understands, like curling.

I guess it’s a sad reflection of the state of television but the past few weeks have possibly been the most interesting thing on NBC since the last season of Seinfeld. I hope Dick Ebersol takes my idea to heart. If this works, my next idea is to somehow combine the XFL with some sort of Hoda and Kathie Lee versus Kelly and Rege. Now that’s some Must See TV.