This Is Why Politics & Sports Don't Mix!!

Okay.  Being that I know soldiers, I know actual oppressed people, and I had two grandfathers fight in World War II to preserve America & all the things it stands for/offers to people, I HAD to say something.  I have contemplated all weekend whether or not to write about it because I don't write about political things.  But I wrote about HB2 & the All-Star Game being pulled from our city, so here it goes:

Regarding the Colin Kaepernick situation from the American Flag, disrespecting our country, ignoring/sitting during the singing of our National Anthem, refusing to acknowledge the country that gives him & others the opportunity to make millions while playing a game situation.....THIS IS WHY I DON'T TALK ABOUT POLITICS!

Sports are supposed to take our minds off of real world problems! That's the beauty of sports!  I don't watch ESPN for the activism, I'll leave that business to CNN.  If he did something during the off-season, fine.  If you're a politician or activist, great.  But why during a game?!

MY personal opinion is that Kaepernick's career hit a dead-end after one season, he rides the bench & this act of stupidity was the only way he could or would get his name out there.  He can't play well anymore, so this was all he had.  The guy makes MILLIONS & all he has to do is show up to games & sit on a bench.

In what other country is that possible?!

Yet he chose to stand against our great country while he takes advantage of all of it's opportunities.  He also simultaneously (maybe inadvertently, I'll give him that) took advantage of ALL the victims & the truly oppressed people that have actual problems by acting as though he knows what it's like just to make a publicity move.

That's all it was, people, a publicity stunt!!

I'm sure Kaepernick thought he was doing something bold & making a statement, but what he did wasn't helpful.  It was just offensive.  If he wants to help, donate some of those millions to the families of the victims he "stands for", but don't disrespect a country that gives you the opportunity to make an honest living, be on magazine covers, get paid for wearing Beats headphones while drinking Gatorade, etc.

I've tried to understand it, but it's impossible to see a good thing from his actions.  If you want to make a statement or take a stand, then why not do it in game 1 of the preseason?  Why not during his Super Bowl appearance?  I'll tell you why: because he found out that he'll be spending another season on the bench & wanted attention.  So he did something childish.  And, like any child does, he did something dumb to get attention.

For videos & explanations from Kaepernick & the 49ers organization, click the link below:

NFL.com/colin-kaepernick-explains-why-he-sat-during-national-anthem

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Olympic Gold Medals Or NBA Titles....Which Is More Important?

Since the US Men's National Basketball Team recently won their 3rd straight Olympic Gold medal in Rio, an NBA superstar named Carmelo Anthony became the 1st player in Olympic basketball history to win three Gold Medals.  Since Carmelo Anthony, or Melo, has never won an NBA title, everyone has asked which is more important: An NBA Title or an Olympic Gold Medal?

I like to take all arguments & comparisons to their core.  So let's break it down.

First and foremost, in the Olympics you represent your country & compete against other countries to see who has the best team & players on the planet.  In the NBA, there are franchises that give money to players to join their team.  So the 1st thing to point out is that playing in the Olympics is about pride.  Playing in the NBA is about a paycheck.

The NBA is a basketball organization, albeit with foreign players, that is based in America.  The Olympic Games are played on a global scale (as far as competition) usually on neutral ground.  Also, Olympic teams have tryouts and only the best players can represent their country.  The NBA selects their teams based on salary capabilities & their ability to get available players.  So, in my mind, the Olympic level is more selective & exclusive.

There are at least five players in my lifetime who deserved to win an NBA Title who didn't.  They did, however, win Olympic Gold medals during their careers.  So I would have to say the Olympics mean more as far as a career achievement than an NBA Title.  But the recent 2016 Summer Olympics, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, had one player representing the USA that has won both now: Kyrie Erving.  This is what he has to say:

Interesting.  Straight from the horse's mouth.  However Kyrie Erving has won an NBA Title (including Finals MVP) & an Olympic Gold Medal in the last 6 months.  Maybe the exclusivity is lost on him.  Maybe not.  His 2016 Olympic teammate DeAndre Jordan has not yet won an NBA Title.  Let's hear his opinion:

Is it because Jordan hasn't won an NBA Title that he said that?  You be the judge.

However, I have to stand by my argument. The selectivity & rarity of Olympic Gold (given every four years to the best country in the world) as opposed to an NBA Title (given to the best team every year in one organization) should speak for itself.  The key word I consider is "exclusive".  There are many bench warmers who have NBA Titles & Hall of Fame players that don't.  But ALL the Hall of Fame players from the NBA that have participated in the Olympics have an Olympic Gold Medal.

This is really a tough call & there are no wrong answers.  I simply have my opinions & I stand by them.  Despite Kyrie Erving's opinions,  I think pride beats money every time or why would these players play in the Olympics at all?  However, I encourage you to be the judge & leave your comments below.

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Carolina Panthers vs. Tennessee Titans: BREAKDOWN

Big play offense. Ball hawking defense. Carolina Panthers football is back!

After the 1st preseason game against the Ravens, the Panthers looked unimpressive at best. But the thing to keep in mind is that the 1st team offense and defense only played for 2 drives. So we did not get a look at what the Panthers would bring to the table as a regular season team. But against the Titans, we did.

QB Cam Newton only played for 1 and a half quarters but did some damage in 20 minutes and showed his progression as an NFL quarterback. On the team's 1st drive, Newton connected with speedy WR Ted Ginn Jr. for a 61 yd. touchdown putting the Panthers up 7-0 early. Throughout his 20 minutes of play, Newton did not look to run (which we will see more of in the regular season, I’m sure) but instead held himself in the pocket as long as possible while looking for open receivers downfield. Basically, he took advantage of what the preseason is for: a warm-up.

Then, the defenses’ 1st drive let the Titans' 1st team offense drive to the Carolina 30yd line only to have a pass intercepted by 2nd year CB Bene Benwikere. Thomas Davis Sr. & Luke Kuechly looked impressive as always, but the young cornerbacks looked especially sharp as did the defensive line. In the last two minutes of the 2nd quarter, rookie CB Zack Sanchez intercepted a pass as well showing the potential of a young secondary that the Panthers are relying on to be dependable this season.  The defense finished the game with 3 turnovers (2 interceptions, 1 fumble) leading to 10 points.

What really stood out to me was Cam. At one point, showing his 5th year maturity and MVP status, QB Cam Newton went for a 3rd down scramble that came up short due to a rough tackle. 3rd year, Pro-Bowl G Tre Turner wanted to go after the tackler to protect his QB during a preseason game that ultimately didn't matter.  But Cam knew better.  He pulled his G away from the tackler and said to Turner “Come on, man".  Now that’s a leader.

The things to take away are this: Our starters are impressive to say the least. Both the offense & defense made big plays on their 1st drives, respectively, and showed the Carolina Panthers fans what to look forward to this year. Another thing to take away from the game is this young secondary led by veteran safety Kurt Coleman is aggressive, motivated & only getting better.  The last thing is that our back-up players seem to have a high IQ.  They learned from the 1st game which should add depth in case of injury later this season.

The Panthers ultimately won the team’s 2nd preseason game 26-16 with the starters only playing for about a third of the game. But when the starters were playing, the Panthers jumped to an early 10-0 lead and never looked back. Looking good and looking to complete a mission they came up short on last season: Winning the Super Bowl.  BLACK & BLUE!!!

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21 Would Be 82...

Hall of Fame slugger Roberto Clemente died almost 44 years ago on New Year's Eve, 1972. You probably already know a lot of the background. Clemente was killed with four others in a plane crash as they tried to get food and other supplies from his native Puerto Rico to earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua. He was just 38 years old and finished with exactly 3,000 hits in his Major League Baseball career.

Clemente's premature death is the equivalent to "Day the Music Died" for baseball fans. Even if you didn't have a chance to see Clemente play, it chokes you up. It certainly makes you wonder what might have been, if he had lived. The Hall of Fame waived its five-year waiting period — something previously done only for Lou Gehrig — and Clemente was admitted to Cooperstown the summer following his death. Being the first big baseball star from Latin America, Clemente is considered a Jackie Robinson-type figure to many Latino players today.

But did you also know that Neil Walker, the former Pirates second baseman now playing for the New York Mets, might not be here today if not for Clemente?

Among those interviewed in the video below — along with the likes of countryman Orlando Cepeda and teammate Steve Blass — was Tom Walker, a friend of Clemente who played with him in winter ball and who wanted to help Clemente get supplies to Nicaragua on New Year's Eve 1972.  This is his statement made following the 40th anniversary of Clemente's death:

"Forty years later, I think of a man that, probably, saved my life," Tom Walker said. "He said, ‘No, you need to go back and enjoy the evening.’ And I can’t help but think about that now. I’ve had four wonderful children and, it turns out that one of them is the second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates. And if you look at the right-field wall (at PNC Park), it’s the Clemente Wall. It’s got his number, 21, and I’m sure that my son Neil comes out of the dugout and goes out to second base … he’s got to see that wall everyday."


Neil Walker commented on this link during the 2012 season.

Tom Walker had been a 23-year-old rookie with the Montreal Expos the year Clemente died. He pitched for three other teams — the Angels, Cardinals and Tigers — over parts of six seasons. By 1978, his baseball career was over.

But in 1985, he and his wife welcomed Neil Walker into the world. And, as Tom Walker mentioned, they had three other kids as well — all people that wouldn't have been here if Clemente accepted Tom Walker's offer on New Year's Eve 1972.

Roberto Clemente is a hero to many and broke the mold for Hispanic and Latin American Major League Baseball players. With out Clemente, we would not have David Ortiz, Melky Cabrera, Alex Rodriguez, and the list goes on throughout the list of All-Stars that Roberto paved the way for. And they know it. His number was retired by the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and will soon be retired by Major League Baseball, I'm sure. The rebuilt stadium for the Pirates, PNC Park, features a 21 foot wall in right field (Roberto Clemente's position) to honor him. All I can say is thank you Roberto for teaching us this:

I know that Roberto would be happy that an '86 kid, like me, knows who he is as a person first and not a player.  You're legacy lives on 21.  Here's the most crazy sentence I may ever write:  Happy Birthday and R.I.P. Roberto Clemente.

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BIG OLYMPIC SHOCK!!

WOW!  Brazil's Women's Beach Volleyball team pulled off a huge upset by beating the US team in straight sets.  Kerri Walsh Jennings & April Ross were the undeniable favorites to win Gold in the event going into Rio.  But Brazil had other plans as Barbara Seixas & Agatha Bednarczuk beat the US Team in stunning fashion.  Now Brazil's team is the undeniable favorite going into the Gold medal match.

The most debilitating statistic for the U.S team is that their loss to Brazil in the semi-finals match was Kerri Walsh Jennings' 1st Olympic loss.  She had a 26-0 Olympic record going into the match against the Brazilian team.  Now that record has a blemish.  But nobody is perfect.  Walsh Jennings hinted at retirement before the Olympics started.  With this loss, however, we may see her in Tokyo after all.

An Olympic Bronze Medal is nothing to shake a stick at though.  But with her perfect record gone, Kerri Walsh Jennings must be in total shock right now.  I hope the loss doesn't carry over into the Bronze Medal match.  Her teammate April Ross will be ready no matter what.  But that first Olympic loss has to be a bitter pill to swallow for Walsh Jennings.

I knew all day that the USA vs. Brazil match would be THE event to watch.  It sure delivered too.  Both sets were very close.  The intensity was incredible to watch especially if you were rooting for the US team.  But the better team won.  Since the Olympics are in Rio de Janeiro, it's only fitting that the home team gets a shot at a Gold medal, especially in upset fashion.


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The Greatest American Athlete? YES!!

What more can be said about Michael Phelps?  He is, by far, the greatest American athlete that has ever lived.  From the age of 15 until the age of 31, he made more marks in Summer Olympic history than anyone else on the planet.  He competed in 5 Summer Olympic events.  He won more medals than anyone in history.  He IS history, a living legend.  With August 13th, 2016 being his potential last appearance in Olympic events, let's recap some of the standout statistics from Phelps with an illustration:

 Need a little more? Here you go: 

From bottom to top:

• 2 Bronze, 6 Gold, totaling 8 Olympic Medals from the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece (He broke 2 World Records and 3 Olympic Records)
• 8 Gold Medals from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China (He broke 7 World records and 1 Olympic Record)
• 2 Silver and 4 Gold Medals from the 2012 Olympics in London, England
• 1 Silver and 5 Gold Medals from 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (He broke an Olympic Record)

Now that is crazy, insane, bananas, etc.  Call it what you will, the point is: Michael Phelps is the greatest athlete to compete in any sporting event, PERIOD!  If his swimming career is over after the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, then he will go down in history with these record breaking statistics as well:

• He broke Leonidas of Rhodes' record set in 152 B.C. of winning Gold in 12 individual titles at the Olympics.  Phelps won 13 individual events for Olympic Gold Medals.
• He reached the finals in 30 Olympic Events earning 28 Olympic Medals in those finals.
• His 28 Olympic Medals and 23 Gold Medals are an Olympic record.
• He's the 1st Olympian to earn an Olympic Gold Medal in 4 straight Olympic Games.
• The 23 Gold medals he has are 14 more than anyone else has won.
• Phelps broke Mark Spitz's record for most Gold Medals in a single Olympic event in 2008 with 8 1st place finishes to Spitz's 7.
• Michael Phelps has won more Gold Medals (23) than over 100 countries and would be the 32nd ranked country (if Phelps was a country) among all-time Gold Medal winners.

Need anything else?!  Now that's what I call G.O.A.T. status.  When you can boast those stats and start a country, I mean come on!  However, Yahoo Sports writer Frank Schwab thinks that he is NOT the greatest American athlete of all time.  Schwab says it's because athletes like Michael Jordan, Jerry Rice and Babe Ruth all had to play their respective sports against some kind of defense.  Schwab also hinted that there is no defense for Michael Phelps in the sport of swimming.

Now let me tell you what I would say to Schwab if he were standing in front of me: 

1. I would tell him that he is simply a journalist that refuses to acknowledge the greatness he just witnessed and his defense argument is weak, at best.  
2. He was reaching, clawing for a way to write a negative article disputing what every American already knows: Michael Phelps just made WORLD sports history, not just American.
3. That he was writing a fluff piece just to get his name out there as "The Guy That Disputed Phelps".  

What about the other swimmers in the pool?  They swim beside him, gaining on him, which makes him swim harder, right?  Well if I was playing football as Jerry Rice and the DB was right beside me, I would run a little faster to gain an advantage and catch the ball, right?  And, in comparison, the catching of a football is the same as the stride of a swimmer: both must be perfect in order to complete your goal.  That, to me, is playing against defense.

The same thing can be said about Michael Jordan and playing basketball.  He would have to dribble up the court faster to beat his opponent and making the shot is the same as the stride of a swimmer and the catching of a football by comparison, right?  I'm not even going to acknowledge that baseball has a "defensive" aspect if you're Babe Ruth swinging a bat.  It is only if your team is playing defense, if you are the defenseman, that there is defense in baseball.  Nobody has ever tried to swat a baseball away from a batter. (Last time I checked anyway)  Frank Schwab's argument is soft.  It's fluffy and has no weight.  It's a dust-in-the-wind statement made toward the greatest American athlete, or world athlete, we may see for another 2,000 years.  Click here for a link to his "story" if you want to hear him out:   sports.yahoo.com/news/the-biggest-reason-michael-phelps-is-not-the-greatest-athlete-ever-171803346.html

People, we have just witnessed history, make no mistake about it.  We will be telling our children, our grandchildren and maybe even our great-grandchildren (if we're lucky) about Michael Phelps and how we watched him perform live.  How we watched him break the records he broke for over a decade.  How we watched him represent the United States of America in a foreign land and get a standing ovation from the crowd while he received his last Gold Medal.  

After standing on the podium for the last time, he was quoted, saying "My swimming career might be over, but I have the future ahead of me."  If this is the end of his swimming career, I say to the American icon named Michael Phelps God bless and have a fun ride.  Life is short, but your legacy lives forever despite what the Frank Schwab's in the world might say.  Above all, I say thank you for one more Olympic outing that rewrote history and made the world drop its jaw in respect.  And thank you Michael Phelps for showing the world that an American was the best.

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Who's The Better Fielder?

A shock was given to the sports world when Prince Fielder, son of the legendary Cecil Fielder, had to retire suddenly on August 10th, 2016 because of injury.  Considering he was the MLB's "Iron Man" at one point, playing in 547 consecutive games, it is almost ironic (no pun intended) Prince Fielder had a great career cut short like that.  Prince Fielder only played 12 seasons and could have done a lot more in his baseball career.  He was well on his way to hitting the coveted 500 home run mark and could have won a World Series ring at some point.  But, that will never happen now.

So now the comparisons between father and son begin:

Both Cecil and Prince Fielder were known for their burly physique and hitting power.  Both players were home run machines.  They also made their career marks in the MLB playing for the Detroit Tigers (For Cecil, professionally and Prince, financially).  They even shared the same positions at 1st base and as designated hitters.

In 1990, in his 5th season and playing as a Detroit Tiger, Cecil Fielder was the 1st player to hit 50 home runs in a season since George Foster did it for the Cincinnati Reds in 1977.  Prince, however, did it three years into his career.

Prince Fielder made MLB history by being the 1st player to win the Home Run Derby as a National and American League MVP.  Also, he was only the 3rd player to win it more than once.  His father Cecil never won an MVP and never won a Home Run Derby either.  Prince was also a 6x All-Star while his father Cecil was a 3x All-Star, half of his son's number of appearances.

The biggest difference to me is the fact that Cecil Fielder won The World Series with the New York Yankees in 1996.  While Prince Fielder went to the World Series in 2012 as a Detroit Tiger, they never won a game and he only went 1-14 at bat.  To me, championships are the ONLY thing that matter in any sport; they are the best statistic you can have.  As far as individual statistics go, Prince was better than his father Cecil.  But Cecil has a championship.  This is why I am torn.

Take a look at the images below and you will see a very uncanny and even spooky resemblance to each player's career statistics.  Judge for yourself then comment below (at the bottom of the page).  I can't make up my mind.  They were both great ballplayers and I think Prince would have been better if he got to play longer.  But, as it stands, I really can't say.  They're both great.

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Almost Time!

We're 48 hours away from preseason football with the Carolina Panthers meeting the Baltimore Ravens.  I am excited to see football, of course, but with a rookie filled secondary on the Panthers' defense we should get a good glimpse of some future starters.  Throughout training camp, these young and unproven players have been hitting their stride and making plays already.

Shaq Thompson is going into his second year and was a starter last season as a rookie.  This year should give us a really good look at what Shaq can do.  Now, with all these rookie cornerbacks, I have to say I am probably over-optimistic just because of what Shaq Thompson was able to do last year.  But, maybe not.

I have followed training camp closely and these young, inexperienced corners are looking good!  They have awareness that is uncanny and good vision of the ball.  Kurt Coleman seems to be leading that secondary which is also exciting considering his Pro-Bowl caliber performance last season (although he was snubbed) coming in 2nd in the league in interceptions.  Some of the Kelvin Benjamin pictures that have floated around of him catching the ball over some poor defender is because it is, after all, Kelvin Benjamin: a 6-5', 250lb. monster with great hands.  I'm not fooled.  Those catches are going to happen to our opponents all season long.  With that said, there is a lot to feel good about when you see these young corners play.  I can't wait to see these rookies perform in a game situation.

Now, I have to talk offense.  Kelvin Benjamin, the Panthers' star receiver, spent last season injured when he tore his ACL during a routine drill in training camp.  Because we had a makeshift offensive line and our receiving core was headed by 11 year veteran Jericho Cotchery, who is a #3 reciever at best, we were hardly a "sexy" offense to watch in the beginning.  But that changed by the season's end.  With last year's offense and Cam Newton's MVP season, we made it to the Super Bowl.

Now we have a healthy Kelvin Benjamin as our #1 receiver which can only improve Cam's performance.  We have an offensive line that has spent one full season and two training camps together.  We also have a 2nd year, 6-4' receiver named Devin Funchess alongside K.B to help the passing attack.  Jonathan Stewart is a bowling ball type of running back and our starter.  But Cameron Artis-Payne is also going into his 2nd season and should be improved.  Fozzy Whittaker is a 3rd option for us and a scat-back type of runner who can be paired effectively with the brute force style of Stewart's.  Basically, this potent offense that people were unsure about going into the 2015 season is back and better than ever.

As a whole, The Carolina Panthers are a better team this year.  Coach Ron Rivera has been consistently telling the team that things won't be like last year and that this group of guys has to earn every win.  I subscribe to the theory "In Gettleman We Trust" so I am ready to see these guys go to work under Rivera's leadership.

I know that preseason games don't count toward the regular season.  For true fans, however, they give us a glimpse of what kind of depth we have.  They also give us a glimpse of the future.  Lest we forget that Josh Norman was playing in the 4th quarter in 2014 and didn't start until 2015 in his 4th season.  That is why I watch.  I knew Norman would start and make a difference eventually and look what happened.  For me, Thursday can't come soon enough.

BLACK AND BLUE!!!


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Does More NBA Players Make A Better Olympic Basketball Team?

Team USA always has most of the world's top basketball players filling their rosters, both NBA and WNBA.  But Spain is always a tough team to get past and this year's Summer Olympic Team is no exception.  The Spanish Olympic Basketball Team has always been a thorn in the side of our USA Men's Basketball Team and at this year's Olympics, Spain will have the 2nd most NBA players in the world representing their country.  But in my opinion, it doesn't really matter.

While Team USA has an impressive 12 NBA players on their roster, there are 34 other NBA stars playing for their native countries, an Olympic record.  Spain is 2nd in the world with 7 active NBA players and 3 retired players totaling 10.  Brazil, Australia and France each have 5 NBA players respectively.  Argentina is playing with 4.  The other 5 players are scattered across various countries' rosters.  China and Venezuela are the only two teams without active NBA players.  But Spain is always the one team to give us trouble and, usually, close games as well.  In past years, it was always the Spanish Men's Olympic Team that knocked the wind out of Team USA's sails and with 10 NBA players, they seem threatening.  To me, the fact that Spain has NBA talent doesn't matter.

The only reason this is even a topic for me is because the U.S. Men's Basketball Team is EXPECTED to bring home gold medals.  From as far back as the 1970's, to the 'Dream Team" in 1992.  This lasted for decades, until the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.  That Summer Olympic team for the U.S. was loaded with NBA All-Stars, but it didn't matter.

In 2004 the promising, young USA Men's Basketball Team had Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Carmelo Anthony (among other superstars) playing on their roster.  With Larry Brown as head coach and Greg Popovich, Oliver Purnell and Roy Williams as the assistants, we looked poised to dominate the world.  However, we were anything but "dominate".  Team USA's Men's Basketball Team lost games we shouldn't have.  Then we won games against tough teams like Spain in close fashion.  In the end, the men's team had a disappointing 5-3 record and a roster wearing bronze medals.  That effort in the Olympics begged the question: Do NBA "Superstars" playing on the same roster equal an actual "superstar" team?

After 2004, Team USA's Men's Basketball team was intent on getting back on track.  They kept the same core of young players but switched their coaching staff and, in turn, switched their attitude. They became focused toward living up to their self-proclaimed "Redeem Team" name.  The coaching staff completely changed.  Larry Brown was replaced by Duke University's Mike Krzyzewski.  A college coach was just what the doctor ordered as "Coach K" brought Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim along with NBA coaches Nate McMillan and Mike D'Antoni on board serving as assistant coaches.

The 2008 "Redeem Team" won all of their games, took home the gold and lived up to their name.  The same coaching staff and almost every major player from the 2008 "Redeem Team" returned for the 2012 Olympics in London winning more gold medals.  Meanwhile, the U.S. Women's Teams have yet to bring home anything less than gold medals.  WNBA players don't have the same egos that most NBA superstars have.  They play like a team which equals victory in ANY team sport.  That's what "Coach K" did to these "Superstars": made them play as a team.  That is why this new record of 34 NBA players playing for other countries doesn't scare me.

History has shown us, especially here in America, that star-power does not equal victories in the Olympics when it comes to basketball and other team sports.  That is one of the reasons I love the Olympics.  The Olympic games will expose teams to their core and test the limits of true teamwork.  So, to be honest, other people may be scared that more countries have finally gotten NBA-caliber players to represent them in Olympic Basketball games, but I'm not.

We have leadership that is unmatched with our coaching and veteran players.  We also have an amazing group of guys on the Men's roster that are very talented, will play unselfishly and are willing to win by any means necessary.  The number of NBA players on your team DOES NOT mean you will automatically be good.  It means you have talent and talent alone is not enough.  As we have learned here in America, you have to earn the right to be called "gold medal talent" by playing like a gold medal team!


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Five Essential Sports Added To 2020 Olympics In Tokyo

I love the Olympics both Summer and Winter.  When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that five new sports were to be added in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo I was ecstatic.  According to CNN, baseball, softball, karate, surfing and skateboarding are going to be featured during the Summer Olympics in four years.  I'm excited to see these sports featured on a global scale.  However, I could only think one thing: WHY didn't this happen a long time ago?!

Baseball and Softball were both in the Olympics up until 2008.  They were removed and replaced with Rugby and Golf at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.  In 2013, the IOC almost got rid of wrestling as well!  But, at least common sense prevailed and they backed out of that horrible decision.  Now, not only do we have baseball and softball back, but two other sports I feel are essential because they are globally relevant: skateboarding and surfing.

Karate, of course, is an exciting addition to the Olympic Games.  Official karate tournaments being televised?!  That's just awesome. (I fantasize about Mr. Miyagi being a coach and getting Ralph Macchio out of retirement....CRANE KICK!)  But skateboarding and surfing should have been added a decade ago!  Back when Tony Hawk was doing impossible things on the slab like the unthinkable 900 degree spin in the vert competition at the X-Games.  Surfing is the same way.  Kelly Slater was chasing waves back in the late '90s and early 2000s.  If you had both snowboarding and skiing in the Winter Olympics for so long, then why hasn't skateboarding and surfing been considered for the Summer Olympics until now?

Either way, I guess complaining is irrelevant as these sports are now officially in the Olympics.  Not this year in Rio, but still, it's coming.  As I said, I love the Olympics, but now I am almost waiting for the 2016 games to be over with and get to the 2020 games in Tokyo.  With the Zika virus, the Russian teams doping and just the general unhappiness of most of the athletes representing their countries, "The Land of the Rising Sun" looks so much more promising in four years than Rio does in 2016.  And with these new additions to the 2020 Summer Olympics, I say:  "Domo Arigato, Tokyo!"


For full details, click the link below for CNN's article:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/04/sport/olympics-new-sports-ioc-skateboarding-surfing-karate-baseball-softball-climbing/


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The Two Most Underrated Fighters? Dem Boyz From Stockton, Yo!

They're back!  

The bad boys of MMA, Nick and Nate Diaz, are finally back at the same time, in the same organization: The UFC.  The Gracie Jiu-Jitsu blackbelts are renowned for their indifferent demeanor toward opponents and fearlessness toward any fighter they face.  The two MMA fighters have a bond that is rare and feed off each other as training partners and, of course, as brothers.  Nate has been fighting in the UFC since his career began to take off, never leaving the organization.  But Nick has been in and out of the UFC over his career, mostly due to his marijuana use.  He recently got done serving his 18-month suspension from fighting after he tested positive for marijuana in January 2015.

I have been watching Nick Diaz for over a decade now and have always loved his swagger.  This guy would seemingly give his opponents no respect by talking crazy amounts of trash before a fight; trash talking that was almost always full of expletives.  Then he would make fun of opponents during fights as well, cursing and taunting them throughout.  Then, usually, Nick would knock out or submit his opponent.  But!  He would always shake hands and give respect when the fight was over.  I have seen him TKO an opponent. help him up, hug him and give the man he just beat down verbally and physically a peace offering in the form of a bow.  Until Nick Diaz, I had never seen anyone like him in the fight game.

Until Nate Diaz was introduced.

When Nick's younger brother Nate Diaz was competing on The Ultimate Fighter Season 5, I had a feeling about him before they even mentioned his name.  I remember turning to my friend and saying "Man, that dude looks like he could be Nick Diaz' brother or something!"  As it turns out, I was right.  As soon as his name was unveiled and he himself confirmed he was Nick's brother, I knew he was going to walk away with that season's contract.  Nate Diaz finished all of his fights on TUF-5, talked trash throughout his stay in the competition, making it obvious and, oftentimes, blatantly clear that he was not there to make friends.  In the end he was rewarded with a 6-figure contract to fight in the UFC.  They fought the same way too, had the same style.  Almost as if Nate Diaz was a doppelganger of Nick Diaz.  Still, I couldn't help but wonder: where was Nick?

I hadn't seen Nick Diaz compete in the UFC for a few years by then.  I found out later that Dana White, the UFC president, didn't particularly like Nick Diaz personally.  On top of that, Nick had failed drug tests multiple times over the years, refusing to quit smoking marijuana saying it was for his anxiety and pain.  When the TUF-5 finale was airing, Nick Diaz was seen in his brother Nate's corner.  Nick gave his brother water between rounds and shouted advice during the fight (which Nate won by submission).  But all the while I was thinking Nick must have retired or something.  When the official decision was made by Bruce Buffer at the end of the fight, Joe Rogan interviewed Nate Diaz.  Rogan always interviews the winner (and sometimes the loser) after a fight so there was no shock there.  The real shock is what Nate said to Joe Rogan.

Nate thanked Dana White and the UFC for the opportunity, his coaches, his team, and of course his older brother Nick.  He made it VERY clear that the UFC had basically blackballed Nick Diaz.  Nate said security wouldn't let Nick into the building to help as his cornerman that night.  He went on to say that Nick got no respect from the UFC as a whole and that the security team working the event didn't even know who Nick Diaz was which is hard to believe for two reasons: 1. The Diaz brothers look almost like identical twins.  2. As a UFC fighter, Nick Diaz had some pretty amazing fights including an upset, highlight reel KO over Robbie Lawler.

Nick ultimately went to Strikeforce, a different MMA organization, and dominated for over 5 years while holding the welterweight title.  When the UFC bought Strikeforce in 2011, they were left with no options but to let the reigning Strikeforce champion fight in the UFC.  Nick Diaz was back with aspirations to win the UFC's welterweight belt.  His first fight back in the UFC was against the legendary former champion B.J. Penn.  In dominate fashion, Nick outboxed B.J. Penn (which nobody had ever done) and went on to win by Unanimous Decision.

Now the two brothers were finally fighting in the same organization.  For me, it was amazing because they are basically the same fighter in different divisions (lightweight for Nate and welterweight for Nick).  They are both phenomenal at boxing, amazing at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, plus they have the same swagger, attitude and personality.  But, most important, they both had a patented move: "The Stockton Slap".

The brothers are from Stockton, California and are proud of it!  If you haven't seen the move, it's exactly how it sounds.  The two brothers use "The Stockton Slap" as a jab, measuring distance between themselves and their opponent.  Unlike a jab, however, it really doesn't cause any significant damage. (Needless to say, it really pisses off their opponents during a fight.)  When a boxer can gauge distance, the punching combinations start flowing.  That's the Diaz style.  Nobody else does it.  It wasn't ever used as an intentional maneuver, either.  It's just how they fight.

Nate had been in the UFC for awhile by the time Nick came back to the Octagon, making his own mark as a top lightweight contender while his older brother Nick was racking up victories in Strikeforce.  Nate had almost double-digit wins but only one title shot since he won TUF-5.  Nate lost that lightweight title fight by decision.  Nick went on to fight for the welterweight title, but he lost by Unanimous Decision to then champion Georges St. Pierre.  After the fight, Nick was flagged for failing his pre-fight and post-fight drug tests.  There was marijuana found in his samples.  He was suspended for 18 months from professional fighting in ANY form.  No boxing or MMA.

For a Nick Diaz fan, this was obviously devastating.  He just got back to the most prestigious MMA organization in the world only to be suspended and kicked out again.  So many athletes get caught using steroids and get suspended, but marijuana should not warrant any kind of suspension especially when he lives in a state where medicinal marijuana is legal.  Nate was put on a backburner of sorts, winning and losing equally while fluctuating weight classes between 155 pounds (lightweight) and 170 pounds (welterweight).

On August 1st, 2016, Nick Diaz was officially reinstated after serving his suspension and is eager to fight soon.  While suspended, Nick's brother Nate has become one of the best known names in MMA. The reason for Nate's heightened popularity is for winning a fight which happened to be one of the biggest upsets in combat sports history.  So Nate Diaz is now on talk shows, ESPN, everywhere because he beat the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world who happens to be the featherweight champion and the rematch is on everybody's mind.  Now that Nick is back, the UFC has two brothers that carry the Diaz moniker (and all that comes with it) and can possibly hold titles in their respective divisions.

Whether you love them or hate them, one thing is certain: There is nobody in any sport like Nick and Nate Diaz.  I, personally, can't wait to see them fight every time they step inside the cage.  They are world-class fighters, world-class brothers, and world-class trash talkers.  Everyone else from Chael Sonnen to Conor McGregor don't come off as sincere as Nick and Nate.  They come off like WWE wrestlers or something; FAKE.  The Diaz brothers don't talk trash to sell tickets like everyone else,  they do it because they can.  Plus they mean every (often expletive) word they say.  A wise man once said "It ain't being cocky if you can back it up".  So what would you call Diaz trash talk?  I call it truth.  It's not fake and never forced.  It's always just another speech from "Dem Boyz From Stockton, Yo!"


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