Mountain Climbing: Is The Risk Worth The Reward?

I've always thought it would be cool to climb Mt. Rainier. As a Seattle native the mountain to the South is one of the areas most distinguished icons and a monument millions of people think of when they think of the city. I picture myself getting into incredible shape, going to REI to pick up my equipment, outfitting myself in the latest Helly Hansen gear, and climbing to the top. I imagine myself at the top of the 14,110 foot mountain looking down on the world from God's view and patting myself on the back for achieving such a great accomplishment. Then I remember the risks involved in embarking on such an ambitious endeavor.

Even for the most accomplished of mountain climbers getting to the top of such a colossal structure is no easy task. Unlike other sports (or recreational activities) there is no help if you find yourself in an adverse situation. If you break a bone half way up the mountain there is no immediate response. If your partner begins to suffer from hypothermia there is no easy way to turn back. If a climber gets lost or incapacitated it takes rescue teams by helicopter DAYS ON END to find the stranded climber. I'm a thrill seeker, but only to a point. In the grand scheme of things I don't see where the reward outweighs the risk. It would be nice to say I did it, but I don't want to risk my life doing it.

Truth be told, I'm kind of spoiled. I'd prefer room service, Vegas lights, chauffeurs, and manicures over a 60 mile hike and bonding with nature. I understand why people climb mountains and I don't shun them for their ambition. Mountain climbing is an activity that gives you a tremendous adrenaline rush and a life changing experience (so I've heard). Maybe someday I'll change my mind , but for now the risk of injury (or worse) and the physical/psychological demand on your body is too much for me. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, I'm just saying I wouldn't do it. Your thoughts.

Trevor Bayne: The Re-incarnation Of Ricky Bobby

Trevor Bayne just wanted to drive fast. At the tender age of 20 Trevor shocked the NASCAR world by winning the historic Daytona 500 in dramatic fashion. The young kid was so green he didn't even know where victory lane was. It's impossible to act like you've been there when you've never been there before. Trevor Bayne proved you don't need expensive sponsorship or years of experience to win NASCAR's biggest race, just nerves of steel and the will to win. The real question is what does this surprise victory say about the sport as a whole?

Some people will argue that the win validates the claim that race car driving isn't really a sport. How could someone that's had their drivers license less than 4 years and can't even order a drink at a bar get on the race track with the big boys and beat them at their own game? How much skill does it really take to drive around in a circle for a couple of hours? I for one won't discredit the sport as a whole, but it makes you wonder what the criteria for becoming a champion is. If nothing else Trevor Bayne's win at Daytona dispels the myth that it takes more than desire and determination to get it done. Of course it takes a certain amount of luck and the crashes didn't hurt his chances either.

It's too early in the NASCAR season to tell if Trevor Bayne is a once in a lifetime feel good story or a force to be reckoned with for years to come. It's not often that a young upstart shocks the sports world with a surprise victory. Now that Trevor's in the spotlight we'll see how he handles the scrutiny and the expectation of a champion. Facebook, twitter, and you tube should be interesting in the next few months. Good luck Trevor, stay out of trouble!

The Confessions Of Young Sam Rothstein

Sometimes you lose your way. Sometimes you lose your nerve. Sometimes you second guess yourself. Sometimes you predict things will happen in a certain way because you want or need them to happen that way. This is the landscape I have painted for myself. Instead of following the gambler's code and the rules I've established over the last two decades (my sportsbook betting manual is coming out this summer) I started throwing good money after bad and dug a hole for myself. It wouldn't be the first time and fortunately I know where the shovels are kept.

The key is to be patient. There will be plenty of opportunities coming up in the next few weeks with college basketball conference tournaments and the big dance. I will have to exercise some discipline by staying away from the NBA completely (there are always exceptions of course). After yesterday's whirlwind of trades it will take at least a month before teams get settled and learn to play with one another. It will be difficult to fight the temptation to bet on Carmelo Anthony at the garden though. He's already feeding off the New York crowd like Bill Compton feeds off Sookie Stackhouse on True Blood. No spread is safe in my opinion, but I won't risk it (probably). I must stay focused and wager on sure things.

It's time to go into sniper mode. I'll pick off a few games here and there if I catch a blip on the radar. If the spread is lees than 10 points on Sunday I'll take the Huskies over WSU. Cleveland at New York next Friday and Sacramento at San Antonio may tempt me, but other than that I'm banking on the college kids and the magic that is the tourney. The pressure is on. I got a couple past due bills (I won't get specific), but the March Madness will set everything straight. The sportsbook is the ultimate reality show. Watch me get rich or die trying.

Does Football Make You Suicidal?

The 2010 NFL season is the first time the NFL really emphasized the dangers and long term effects of multiple blows to the head. The league went out of its way in taking precautionary measures to ensure player safety and monitor the progress of those players who suffered a concussion. Although I applaud the efforts of the NFL going forward the outlook for former players who have suffered multiple concussions looks down right frightening.

Recently former NFL player Dave Duerson took his own life at the age of 50. Experts have speculated he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition brought on by multiple blows to the head. CTE can lead to depression, anxiety, and even suicidal tendencies. The list of former players that suffer from CTE is unknown, but it's safe to say that the diagnosis of this condition wasn't a priority 20 years ago. There are probably thousands of former players that have the same symptoms Duerson had, but will go untreated because of a lack of medical benefits or knowledge of the problem. Couple that with addiction to painkillers, injuries that will never heal, and adjusting to life without football, former NFL players a multitude of issues to deal with when their playing days are over.

The information concerning the long term effects of playing football is inconclusive. Until the NFL has the ability to track and monitor former players for a long period of time we won't have a definitive answer. This does not provide resolution for the current pool of former NFL players that may need treatment. Hopefully future players that suffer from CTE won't go undetected and end up like Dave Duerson, but don't be surprised if you hear this tragic set of circumstances again.

Matt Millen The Dumb Ass

Matt Millen was a hell of a linebacker in his day. His instinctive play helped the Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, and Washington Redskins all win Super Bowls. When the Detroit Lions hired him in 2001 to be the president and CEO of the franchise the theory was those football instincts would translate into personnel moves that would help turn their fortunes around. Instead he used his instincts to draft four wide receivers in the top 10 and quarterback Joey Harrington. After 8 long seasons of losing the Lions finally parted ways with the former linebacker.

At first I felt sorry for Matt. I thought the underachieving players were to blame for the Lions lack of success. Why not have 3 pro bowl wide receivers and a strong armed quarterback to get them the ball? Why not have the league's most explosive offense? Never mind neglecting every other position on the field if a wide receiver is the best player on the draft board when you make your selection. The wide open offense could have worked if the players were capable of executing the plan.

I thought all of this until I listened to Matt Millen talk about the NFL combine last night. When asked about the importance of the combine Matt's response was,"The combine is just to validate what you already know about a player. The real analysis comes from watching film and the interview process." FALSE! TOTALLY FALSE! The NFL combine was established so that presidents and GM's could expose the strengths and weaknesses of potential NFL players. Watching film doesn't tell you how strong a player is or how fast they run. Watching film only tells you how a player performs when their the best player on the field. No wonder Matt Millen drafted all those receivers. He probably didn't take the time to realize they looked good on film because the corners they were playing against were small and slow. The combine reveals those types of things and good presidents and GM's use that information in their selection process.

As a fantasy football participant I am convinced that I could have done a better job of running the Detroit Lions than Matt Millen did. The Ford family should be ashamed of themselves for allowing an incompetent fool to run their organization for 8 years. It is clear that his storied playing career had no influence an his talent assessment abilities. After watching Matt Millen talk about how unimportant the NFL combine is I completely disregard anything he has to say. ESPN and the NFL Network need to let that guy go. Hopefully other NFL teams have learned their lesson about the Millen "philosophy" and we won't have to go through the Detroit experience again. That guy is no Pete Carroll!

Carmelo In The Garden

He won't wear his famed #15 ( that number is retired for Earl "The Pearl" Monroe), but Carmelo Anthony is officially a New York Knick! This comes as no surprise considering Carmelo has been campaigning to play in NYC since the summer, but the deal took longer to materialize than expected. After the dust settled everyone got what they wanted (even Denver) and now it's time to look towards the future.

Make no mistake about it, Carmelo Anthony doesn't make the New York Knicks a championship contender. Miami, Boston, Orlando, and Chicago all have better teams and play as a cohesive unit. The Knicks have 28 games left to mesh and get to know one another. That's not enough time to come together and make a serious playoff run. If you were expecting Carmelo to turn the Knicks around this year or next year you were sadly mistaken. The good news is Carmelo will be revitalized and hungry and the New York fans will give him energy and encouragement. The bad news is the Knicks had to gut their team to acquire him and the rebuilding process will take a year or two.

This is the biggest homecoming since Isaiah brought Stephon Marbury back to the Garden. The NBA is breathing a sigh of relief because the #1 media market is relevant again. The level of expectation is through the roof now, but I feel Carmelo is up to the challenge. Like Spike Lee, Derek Jeter, Patrick Ewing, Jadakiss, and Jay-Z Carmelo is ready to put New York on his back and see how how far he can carry them. The future of the NBA is looking brighter every day so lets hurry up and get that collective bargaining agreement hammered out. This is no time for a work stoppage. Good luck Carmelo, you got your wish!

Do Lefties Have An Advantage?

In some countries the word left means wrong or stupid. Students are discouraged from using their left hand whenever possible and left handers are frowned upon in society. In the sports world lefties are considered a much more interesting commodity. Only 10% of the US population is left handed and that percentage drops even further for athletics. Do lefties have an advantage over their right handed counterparts?

It depends on the sport. I grew up playing tennis and basketball (yes I'm left handed) and there was a distinct advantage to being left handed. For one the spin of the ball is different and secondly your opponents forget which side is your strong side. Competitors get used to playing a certain way and it is difficult for them to adjust to a different style. Baseball is by far the most in depth sport when it comes to right handed vs left handed players. Pitching substitutions, pinch hitters, and fielders are all determined based on match ups and scenarios. We always hear about bringing in this guy to face the lefty or pinch hitting this guy because he hits righties well. It's obvious the right hand/left hand dynamic plays a major role in the strategy of the game. On the other hand there is no advantage to being left handed in swimming, track and field, rowing, cycling, hockey, or soccer. Those are sports that require a total body effort as opposed to mostly arms and hands.

I wouldn't go so far as to say left handed people are better athletes than right handed people, but the unorthodox style and the infrequency with which you compete against left handers makes it a challenge to adjust. Even left handed athletes don't want to compete against other left handers. It's confusing when one of your strengths is used against you and becomes a disadvantage. The pendulum swings both ways. Ultimately talent prevails, but being left handed gives you a split second advantage by being different from the norm.