Allow Me To Re-introduce Myself

Sports fans are inundated with so much information, news, stats, and analysis we sometimes forget who the messenger is. Charles Barkley is so goofy and such a colorful character that we forget he is one of the 50 greatest players to ever pick up a basketball. We watch Terry Bradshaw on Fox gameday and listen to him yuck it up like a good old fashioned southern boy, but truth be told Terry Bradshaw is one of only 2 NFL quarterbacks to win 4 Super Bowls and played on arguably the greatest football team of all time. John Madden is coming out with the 20th cover of Madden football this year. How many gamers do you think know John Madden is a hall of fame coach and not just the tough actin tinactin guy? It's good to see former athletes and coaches parlay their personality off the field into a career after sports. Their accomplishments give them credibility to get their foot in the door but after that it's all up to them. We embrace them initially because of their expertise, but we continue to follow them because they make the game fun and give us a unique perspective. There are a lot of so called experts who never played the game yet give us their opinion like it's the gospel. It's different to listen to someone who has actually experienced what we are watching. If your personality overshadows your hall of fame credentials you done a great job of re-inventing yourself.

Training Camp Decides The Super Bowl

Although I picked the Oakland Raiders to win the AFC West yesterday there's really no way to predict who will win anything until after training camp is over. Too many critical injuries happen to key players before the season even gets started. In fact a team coming out of training camp healthy is the #1 indicator of whether they have a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl or not. With that logic we can already take Denver and Baltimore out of the equation. As cruel as that may sound football is a very unforgiving sport and luck (or bad luck) is a key component to a teams success or failure. Training camp is a necessary evil however. Recently I've heard talk that training camp should be shortened or eliminated all together. Nothing could be further from the truth. You have to have some way of assessing talent and getting players into game shape. If you go out on the field fearing injury then you're better off not going at all. Injuries are part of football and the absence of training camp won't change that. Training camp is the only time coaches get to evaluate players running their schemes and competing for jobs. I wish there was a better method but there's not. Just cross your fingers and pray that your favorite team comes out of training camp unscathed.

The Oracle Predicts: Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders will win the AFC West this season. Don't get me wrong, the Raiders are still dysfunctional and Al Davis is a little old in the tooth but the rest of the division stinks. San Diego is mired in holdout negotiations and nobody knows how much Shawn Merriman has left in the tank. The Chiefs are improving and Eric Berry should help the defensive secondary but their still 2 years away from turning the corner and their receivers are subpar. The Broncos lost their best defensive player Elvis Dumervil for the season and the fans of Denver will pressure the organization to start rookie Tim Tebow. It's a risky proposition to start a rookie on any team let alone a squad decimated with injuries. In addition Tim Tebow's not really an NFL quarterback and will struggle mightily. He'll make a good coach someday though. By process of elimination the Raiders win the division by taking advantage of a weak schedule and a strange set of circumstances. 9-7 should get it done. Raider Nation stand up! It's been a long time coming.

Weed Is Not Crack

I am not condoning the use of illegal drugs by professional athletes, but I do want to point out that some drugs are more harmful than others. If your star running back gets pulled over with a kilo of cocaine panic. If your starting point guard gets on a plane with a brick of heroin panic. If your ace reliever has a meth lab at their house panic. If your star quarterback gets stopped with a half a gram of weed........ Marijuana is an illegal drug, but to put it in the same category as other illicit drugs is unfair. It is not as harmful on the body, not as physically addictive, and certainly not performance enhancing. Anything done in excess can lead to problems, but the recreational use of pot shouldn't be compared to the recreational use of crack. In the news we hear countless reports of star athletes stopped at the airport or pulled over on a routine traffic violation with half a joint or a piece of weed smaller than the size of a quarter. The media then blows the situation completely out of proportion and makes the athlete sound like Tony Montana. Just because someone smokes a little weed now and again doesn't make them a full blown drug addict. Taking a puff to relieve the stress that comes with $35,000,000 is a lot different than snorting an 8 ball of coke. Food for thought.

Biggie, Jay-Z, or Nas

There is no right or wrong answer to this question. The battle has raged on for decades now and each MC has a legitimate claim of victory. The styles are unique and each artist had displayed greatness and dominance in their own way. Here's how the argument shakes out:

The Notorious B.I.G. The Gayle Sayers of the group. His illustrious run at the top was cut short by his tragic death. There is no telling what he might have been able to accomplish in his career but while he was here there was nobody better. Although his material is limited the music is classic and will live on forever.

Nas The Pee Wee Kirkland of the group. A supremely talented lyricist and storyteller that has the ear of the streets. He's a legend in the 5 boroughs and will always be in their hearts. He's stayed away from the glamour and the spotlight but true hip-hop fans know what he's capable of.

Jay-Z The Michael Phelps of the group. He didn't start out at the top, but there's no denying he's there now. His longevity coupled with his extensive body of work, accolades, and sustained dominance has put the crown out of reach. That being said it's not out of the realm of possibility that Nas or Biggie couldn't surpass him (lyrically) in their primes.

Pick your favorite. You can't lose with any of these guys.

Fantasy Is Reality

I've been chomping at the bit for fantasy football to start for weeks now! I can't wait to show off my general managerial skills and blow away anyone who steps in my path. I'm in 3 leagues this year. The first is a professional league that is all about the dough. It's a tight knit bunch that rarely has an opening. I'll keep the trash talking to a minimum. The second league is more recreational. There are some members that don't really pay close attention to their squad and suffer from memory lapses. I should cruise to victory in that league. The last league is personal, oh so personal. They actually had the nerve to ban me for the last 2 years. The commish said it was an oversight on his part, but who really knows. The important thing is that I'm back this year! This is the equivalent of John Rambo going back to Vietnam. I'm out for blood! The rivalries run deep in this league and the trash talking often goes off the charts. I'm making it a point to rub my dominance in their faces (Rufus?). It will be a lot of fun this year and you'll get to hear the commentary every week. Enjoy.

Wakamatsu Must Go

It would be a shame if Don Wakamatsu makes it through the week as the skipper for the Seattle Mariners. Things have gone from bad to worse all season for this ball club. There is no effort, no energy, and no sense of urgency to turn things around. The players have tuned the coach out and no longer respond to his leadership. It's not all Wak's fault. He doesn't do any of the fielding, pitching, or hitting, but he is responsible for getting his team ready to play. With 2 months of the season left the Mariners need fresh blood and a new voice. The Mariners are on the brink of creating a losing environment and a losing culture that is hard to break free of. Once you start expecting to lose and accept losing as a way of life you end up like the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Kansas City Royals. I would hate to see that kind of apathetic attitude take over Seattle. The solution isn't fair, but it's simple and necessary. The manager must go and the sooner the better. Seattle sports fans know only too well what can happen if you keep a coach or manager around too long just because they're a nice guy. As ugly as it's been there are still almost 60 games left and this situation could turn into a nightmare. Spare us the horror story and let Don Wakamatsu go. Sorry Wak.