Always Moving

Many of my readers have not hear of Colin Curtis (not pictured).

And to be honest with you, until Monday night, neither had I.

But at around 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, I got to watch Colin Curtis live out his dream.

I must admit I was deeply moved.
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Curtis was the Yankees' 4th round pick in 2006 out of Arizona State.

And at around 12:15, Curtis drove a ball over the Arizona Diamondbacks' centerfielder to drive home a pair of runs for the Yankees.

But the story begins 10 years earlier.

At the age of 15, Curtis was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Can you imagine?

According to his wiki page (so it must be true), Colin was given a book by Lance Armstrong that inspired him (hopefully it wasn't "how to dope").
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But back to the magical moment.

I have to admit, there are certain events that ALWAYS move me.

I'm a mess at weddings.

I will often be moved at movies.

And yes, when I see someone get their first big-league hit, it's always touching.
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After his double, they cut back to a shot of Curtis in the dugout.

The entire Yankees team was waiting for him.

AROD gave him a hug.

Teixeira told him 'good job.'

Girardi gave him a fist-bump.

And Colin looked up in the stands where his brother could be seen mouthing "**CK Yeah", while his dad stood and applauded, and his mom was high-fiving and then texting.

After the game, his father walked down the stands to take pictures of his son being interviewed.

Does it get any better than that?
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That's why I love sports.

Here we are.

It's the 8th inning of a Diamondbacks-Yankees game that has long since been decided.

The kid is pinch hitting.

And boom.

This incredible, life-changing, life-affirming moment.

Everything Colin Curtis went through in his life, beating cancer, those bus rides in the minor leagues... POOF.

All the struggle was gone in one swing of the bat.

He was now officially a New York Yankee.

It's always great to see someone's dream come true right before your eyes.

Or maybe I'm just trying to justify paying $180 a year for the Direct TV baseball package...

Swallow Your Whistle...

I don't know all the rules of soccer, but I do know that Koman Coulibaly (not pictured) called an AWFUL game on Friday.

The ref from Mali blew a CRITICAL call that cost the US a win in the World Cup.

Now, technically, because England's been so dreadful in the World Cup, the US can win its last match of the opening round and advance to the Round of 16. (the only highlight of England's performance so far has been David Beckham's suits, the man can dress).

That's fine.

But the match I watched on Friday was an absolute disgrace to sport, and this knucklehead should never be allowed on a pitch again.
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I kid you not, I really think the match was fixed.

There's one of two culprits.

Either, the ref had a POLITICAL reason to hate the US (not out of the realm of possibilities--- although my knowledge of US-Mali relations is limited) *OR* this guy was on the take.

THROUGHOUT the match, it was called ONE WAY, and some of the calls were absurd.

A key US player received a yellow card for what appears to be breathing.

Short of putting on one of the Slovenia jerseys (which looked like they were designed by Charlie Brown), the ref COULD NOT have been more biased.
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The number one objective of good officiating is to make yourself invisitble.

That goes IN PARTICULAR for the end of game situations.

In the 4th quarter, 9th inning, 85th minute...

That's not time for you to "step up" refs, it's time for you to stand down.

Sports should be decided by the combatants.

That's why we watch.

Nobody wants to see a contest decided by a whistle, especially an errant, ignorant one.
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I feel for the US players.

I really do.

They busted their asses to make a tremendous comeback down 2-nil and HAD the chance to walk away with a win.

That win was taken away.

Saturday FIFA is reviewing his performance.

Not much to review.

He sucked.

Now it's time to take away this guy's whistle.

In Defense Of The Vuvuzela...

There's controversy surrounding the World Cup because of a noisemaker called the Vuvuzela (not pictured).

If you've watched any of the games, it essentially sounds like there's a perpetual buzz.

In fact, while watching the United States' final friendly against Australia, my girlfriend was first convinced that there were bees in my apartment, and then kindly asked me to mute the TV.
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It's gotten so bad that on Sunday, the organizer of the World Cup said they are considering banning them from the games.

Now you would think, being a neophyte to the sport, I'd be all for this decision.

You'd be wrong.
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During the World Cup, we're guests of the country of South Africa.

This month is for that country to showcase its cultural and traditions.

For one month every four years, I take an intense interest in the beautiful game, and then it falls to the backburner (like many Americans who are casual soccer fans).

But while I'm in that world, who am I to start dictating how people enjoy themselves?

It's not my sport.

It's not my country.

My job is to observe, to learn, to appreciate.

Not to start calling the shots.

If that's the tradition, that's the tradition.

Would I like someone from abroad to come here and end "the wave" (of course I would, it's godawful, but that's not really part of my rhetorical argument)?
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Soccer and sports are about expressions of who you are and what you want to be.

If that's how the fans of South Africa and from around the world want to enjoy their game: cool.
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I was a Cameron Crazy in college.

We had strange chants, rituals, face-paintings.

We were a bunch of nerds who slept out in the cold for 6 weeks, to try to heckle North Carolina's basketball players.

It was strange and bizarre.

If I were an outsider in Cameron, I'd think, what an annoying freakshow (that was always the point).

As a Cameron crazy, I wouldn't want someone telling me how to or how not to cheer.
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So if that's what makes the fans in South Africa happy, I say, Vuvuzela away my friends.

It's better than letting Bieber sing. (callback!)

Cut And Run Carroll

I'll begin this blog with a simple question:

What the ***K has happened to college sports?

There were TWO major stories on Thursday and I believe they're related.

The first is that USC was sanctioned for what happened on the watch of Pete Carroll (not pictured--- look closely at the bottle to get this one).

The second is that schools are moving and shaking to different conferences.
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I'll begin with the West Coast's answer to Nick Saban, Pete Carroll.

There's no doubt he sold himself as "cool."

USC was the school that let Snoop Dogg and Will Ferrell hang out at practice.

Pete twittered.

He recruited the best players.

They hung out in the California sun (playing nobody) and built a dynasty.
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One problem: the program was dirty.

Yes, this all stems from Reggie Bush.

But it's like a guy who gets a DUI, was that REALLY the first time you've ever had too much to drink and gotten into the car?

Please.

Pete Carroll KNEW.

That's why the wimp cut and run.

He RAN to the NFL right before the hammer dropped down on his program.

I'll ask the Ronald Reagan question: Is your program better now than it was 4 years ago?

Nope.

Pete Carroll screwed USC and didn't even bother to use a Trojan.

He makes BP look accountable.
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That's fine though.

The guy who took over for Carroll is an equally unlikable character.

Lane Kiffin keeps failing up.

He sucked in Oakland.

He was average in Tennessee.

And now his dream job is a pile of poo.

I'm glad.

He's shady.

Enjoy those 6-6 seasons.
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As for realignment, I have NO freaking idea what's going on.

I mean, I get the big picture.

College sports is stacking these SUPERCONFERENCES.

Why?

The same reason anything else happens in this world: money.

Everyone is rushing for cash.

Forget traditional matchups, forget loyalty to conference.

It's musical chairs and if you're not well-alligned when the music stops, you are S-O-L.
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Which brings me back to USC's scandal.

There are some who say that college football should pay players.

If they do, perhaps Reggie Bush was ahead of the game.

But, what I find funny is the hypocracy.

On the one hand, you're saying TISK, TISK USC, you shouldn't allow players to have ANY money.

On the other, academic institutions are EACH running with their hands out to split the millions that sports generate.
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I'm glad USC's empire fell.

Unlike Miami's success in the 80's and 90's, Southern Cal's dynasty proved to be a Trojan horse.

89-Year Old Journalists Say The Darndest Things...

Many people are outraged about the remarks of Helen Thomas (not pictured).

There is no question that some of what she said was downright antisemitic.

You can't say, of Jews in Israel, "They should go home... To Poland, to Germany"... and not expect fallout.
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I'm not opposed to Helen Thomas questioning Israel's actions.

That's her job.

As a journalist, her responsibility is ask probing questions to help us all find truth.

She's supposed to take the most important decision-maker in the world (The President) to task about his thoughts, beliefs, actions, policies... and on and on.

When you have that esteemed front-row seat near the President, the bar is even higher.

So if she wanted to question the recent attack on the water, I would've been for her right to free speech.
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But, the woman is almost 90, and not such a fan of jews.

There's a very popular website called ***t my dad says.

It's a guy who posts funny, odd, off-the-wall statements by his father, who may or may not be senile.

I wish I could file this under that category.

I just can't.
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Helen Thomas was born in 1920.

She graduated from college in 1942.

That means, while the atrocities of the Holocaust were taking place, this was a college-educated woman.

As such, she probably had a PRETTY good idea that sending jews "back to Germany" is somewhat loaded verbiage.

As someone who made her living with words for 60-plus years, she knows better, or should.
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Helen Thomas isn't the first person to say something ignorant and hurtful, nor is she the last.

The sad aspect to this story, is that before her little David Duke moment, she was an esteemed trailblazer.

That's a tough gig to get.

So now, she'll make her journey from working for Hearst to her hearse.

Shalom.

Three Cheers For Yuri...

This is a blog entry about boxing.

But it's really about Jewish identity.

I wanted to give props to a wonderful performance put on Saturday night by Yuri Foreman (not pictured and I believe no relation).

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I was intrigued by the Foreman-Cotto fight because of the venue.

I would LOVE to see a boxing match at new Yankee Stadium, would've paid to have seen one at OLD Yankee Stadium.

So already, I thought it was cool.
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Then, just for the heck of it, I decided to look up Foreman for a bit.

I was really impressed to learn that he the Super Welterweight Champ, and was also studying to be a Rabbi.

I think back to my hebrew school days at Beth Shalom and Temple Sinai of Hollywood, don't remember seeing many fights and-or potential fighters.

The worst confrontation was when someone threw a fireball (the old candy) at another kid (and it stuck to his head)... now that was funny!

My high school was mostly Jewish, and it was my understanding that we didn't have a football team because of insurance purposes.
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Jewish culture hasn't traditionally emphasized sports.

We are taught to celebrate the fact that Sandy Koufax refused to pitch in the World Series because it was Yom Kippur, a lot more than we are taught to recognize that he's one of the most dominant left-handed pitchers in baseball history.

Back in the day, I'm talking Ellis Island Days, there were great Jewish fighters. It's like Chris Rock said, your status on the socioeconomic ladder has a direct correlation to how many successful boxers you produce.

The sweet science wasn't emphasized. Regular science, sure. Becoming a doctor or lawyer was more of a priority.
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So, on the rare occassions when a Jewish sports star shines bright, there's a little extra pride that kicks in.

That guy had a bar mitzvah.

That guy went to Hebrew School.

That guy's mother probably calls him 12 times a day.

It's a shared cultural heritage, in an arena that's not familiar.
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Here's how rare it is: I'm writing this glowing blog, and Foreman was actually knocked out in the 9th round.

As my Bubby might say, What he should win every fight?

Do The Right Thing Bud...

There seems to be a perfect game motif to this blog.

Bud Selig (not pictured) has an opportunity to right a wrong.

He has an opportunity to provide justice in an unjust world.

He has a chance to make things right.

Bud Selig neeeds to overturn that atrocious call at first, and give Armando Galarraga his perfect game.
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By all accounts, Bud Selig has been an awful custodian of the game of the baseball.

The steroid era happened on his watch.

Competitive balance ran amock.

He had an all-star game that was a tie.

And overall, he's kind of a doof.

But, I don't think EVERYTHING that he's done has been bad.

I like interleague play.
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But love him or hate him, here's a chance for Bud Selig to do the right thing.

A perfect game is retiring 27 out of 27 batters.

Galarraga did that.

Jim Joyce CLEARLY messed up the last call.

SO, Galarraga got the 28th batter.

Just admit the call was wrong, and let history books reflect that 21 perfect games have been thrown.

We all saw it.

Who among us would object?
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Jim Joyce isn't the first ump or ref to blow a call.

Backjudge Terry Porter cost the Miami Hurricanes a National Championship.

October 26, 1985, Don Denkinger blows a call at first, the Royals go on to beat the Cardinals in the World Series.

1996 Yankees fan Jeffrey Maier reaches over the right field wall and steals the ball from Tony Torasco, allowing Derek Jeter a pivotal home run (thank god he did).


Bad calls are a part of baseball.
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This just feels so different.

What's the point of being commissioner if you can't take action for the "good of the game."

Sometimes you need to throw out the rule books and use common sense.

ANYONE who watched it, saw the highlights, or is reading this knows, the kid pitched a perfect game.

Why not get it right for once, bud?

Do the moral thing.

Just this one time.

Make a decision that you can be proud of.

Besides, the Marlins have been planning on selling ticket stubs to the Detroit-Cleveland game.