Thursday, May 31, 2012
Chicago Sports: Chicago Sports on the Cubs
Chicago Sports: Chicago Sports on the Cubs: All things Cubs from the all things Chicago guys In case you all missed Darwin Barney's breakout game the other day, here's the highlight...
Do you really read this?
So, it has been some time from my last post to this one. I spent a great deal of time "redesigning" the site. I thought if I made it prettier then people will check it out more. Well that kind of worked, but I wanted more. So I began looking at other areas to generate views... Keywords? Well not exactly sure about this yet as it seems to be more for ad generation, and paying the good folks at Google x amount of dollars, when they have the dollars I already want to get.
But hell I'm going to try something. I will pimp whore this post out using all the "Super Keywords" that came back. Which in a nutshell means, what these sites tell me is most searched for is what I will tag this post with. Sure to work, right? Well we shall see.
What I do ask is this.
If you visit, click on the buttons below. They should be; Funny, Interesting, Cool
Also, post a comment. Search around to some of the other stories and post a comment on those. Share articles on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or Blogger. I want to see how many of you actually read this, and I would like some friends, family, supporters, and followers to get the page out there a bit more. It would be a tremendous help!
Also... I am thinking of adding some additional content to the page. One idea I had was doing a weekly podcast, set up in a sports radio like format. I could have multiple people on, guests (which would be friends or family), and some other surprises. Another idea would be some video posts, or what the cool kids call, Vlogs...?
Either way I want to expand this a little bit as I have fun with this, but I want to make sure the people that I subject my madness to also enjoys it. So please let me know, post comments on THIS page to tell me what you like, dislike, and what you would like to see more or less of.
Thanks, that's all I gots.
But hell I'm going to try something. I will pimp whore this post out using all the "Super Keywords" that came back. Which in a nutshell means, what these sites tell me is most searched for is what I will tag this post with. Sure to work, right? Well we shall see.
What I do ask is this.
If you visit, click on the buttons below. They should be; Funny, Interesting, Cool
Also, post a comment. Search around to some of the other stories and post a comment on those. Share articles on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or Blogger. I want to see how many of you actually read this, and I would like some friends, family, supporters, and followers to get the page out there a bit more. It would be a tremendous help!
Also... I am thinking of adding some additional content to the page. One idea I had was doing a weekly podcast, set up in a sports radio like format. I could have multiple people on, guests (which would be friends or family), and some other surprises. Another idea would be some video posts, or what the cool kids call, Vlogs...?
Either way I want to expand this a little bit as I have fun with this, but I want to make sure the people that I subject my madness to also enjoys it. So please let me know, post comments on THIS page to tell me what you like, dislike, and what you would like to see more or less of.
Thanks, that's all I gots.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Delicate truth
The world certainly ha taken over the "pussifacation" approach to many things. Guys walking around worried about their hair and only drinking bottled water. Less and less people moving into trades and into desk or retail positions. Sports becoming, well less manly.
We have seen it across the board in all sports. In basketball players could get away with more physical play to keep the offense out of the lane. Baseball pitchers are no longer allowed to pitch inside for fear of hitting someone. Hockey hits to the head and from behind are serious infractions. In football likewise, head shots are filling the commissioners office with likely fines.
People ask for a return to the good old days, when a middle linebacker could be mean and clotheslined any puny receiver crossing his space, with or without the ball. People long for the days when a hockey player with his head down was a big hit waiting to happen. People want you ace pitcher to be able to control the inside corner and put a batter on his arse if he crowed the plate. People want this, but it's just not smart any longer.
With the long term effects on head injuries, what we know about them now, and why we learn everyday, we know these leave lasting dangerous effects on people. Dave Duerson's suicide in February of 2011 a little more was learned. These players are leaving the game mentally irregular. We have read in certain publications that our great Walter Payton suffered from depression and had thoughts of suicide. Now with the news of Junior Seau's apparent suicide this news ha jumped to the forefront.
Some will tell you that these are grown men who make the conscience decision to do what they do. Well what about the 21 year old Penn State football player Owen Thomas, who was found dead hung in his dorm room? Did he make that conscience decision? Was he old enough to determine living the rest of his life with CTE (disease linked to impulse control and depression found in multiple NFL players)?
It is time for the world to notice this. With athletes being unprepared to step foot into retired life, let alone deal with mental defects caused by their sport, things need to change. Sports leagues need to prepare players from the beginning of their careers till the end on how to cope without sport. Equally important is the need to put equipment in locker rooms which will protect their heads from the effects of repeated trauma over and over. We are a delicate species, we see it at birth, we see it at death, we must now see it in-between.
We have seen it across the board in all sports. In basketball players could get away with more physical play to keep the offense out of the lane. Baseball pitchers are no longer allowed to pitch inside for fear of hitting someone. Hockey hits to the head and from behind are serious infractions. In football likewise, head shots are filling the commissioners office with likely fines.
People ask for a return to the good old days, when a middle linebacker could be mean and clotheslined any puny receiver crossing his space, with or without the ball. People long for the days when a hockey player with his head down was a big hit waiting to happen. People want you ace pitcher to be able to control the inside corner and put a batter on his arse if he crowed the plate. People want this, but it's just not smart any longer.
With the long term effects on head injuries, what we know about them now, and why we learn everyday, we know these leave lasting dangerous effects on people. Dave Duerson's suicide in February of 2011 a little more was learned. These players are leaving the game mentally irregular. We have read in certain publications that our great Walter Payton suffered from depression and had thoughts of suicide. Now with the news of Junior Seau's apparent suicide this news ha jumped to the forefront.
Some will tell you that these are grown men who make the conscience decision to do what they do. Well what about the 21 year old Penn State football player Owen Thomas, who was found dead hung in his dorm room? Did he make that conscience decision? Was he old enough to determine living the rest of his life with CTE (disease linked to impulse control and depression found in multiple NFL players)?
It is time for the world to notice this. With athletes being unprepared to step foot into retired life, let alone deal with mental defects caused by their sport, things need to change. Sports leagues need to prepare players from the beginning of their careers till the end on how to cope without sport. Equally important is the need to put equipment in locker rooms which will protect their heads from the effects of repeated trauma over and over. We are a delicate species, we see it at birth, we see it at death, we must now see it in-between.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
What it means to be a fan
I have noticed throughout the years that people tend to judge others in their fandom. "Oh I went to this many more games than you" or "I know everything about their 4th string Short Stop in Double A so I'm a bigger fan that you."
It seems that a part of enjoying sports never left second grade? "My dad can beat up your dad."
The way I see it, you just had more money and free time than I do. Sure I know a great deal about the sports I follow, I would gather to say I know more than most people I know. I also know one thing some don't, it doesn't matter who you root for, who you know, or how much you know, it only matters that you root.
People need something else in their lives, with mountains of bills, gas prices, housing crisis, wars, presidents that have lost touch with the people, your boss breathing down your neck for those damn TPS reports! URGH!
Sports are here for our enjoyment, and to take us away from our everyday stresses. Sure our local sports team can cause more stress, but it's a different stress. I would rather worry about the Bulls chances without Derrick Rose than worry about a clients internal mess that's somehow my fault. We need options to distract us from dirty diapers and traffic. We need places to turn to remember the joy of being young and running around the bases. We need these things.
I don't care if it is sports, soap operas, or searching the Internet for your favorite celebrity and their most recent cell phone pic that was stolen. Distractions are distractions, and they help.
There is a healthy level of being a fan. LA, you're doing it wrong. We should never revert to violence, or even dressing as one of those Raider-whatchamacallit's. I like the Cubs, I will not change my mind, but with friends we will joke about who sucks more, Cubs or Sox (the answers Sox by the way). I've never hit someone because they are a Sox fan (although it's been close for a couple of you, you know who you are), and I never will. Why should my choice of stress distraction cause me more stress, and the impending ass whooping I'd surely get? It just doesn't make sense.
I have seen too many times, drunks getting foolish at a game, starts a fight, and their kid who is at his first game is forced to sit through it all. That's the impression of sport you will leave.
I was just at the Cubs vs Cardinals game a few weeks ago. Carlos Marmol blew the save and fans went ahead and boo'd him. That's their right, but I had to explain why to my 6 year old who is just really learning baseball. What was worse is, I had to also tell him to not pay attention to the loud mouthed drunk 22 year old that was screaming profanities towards the field, like he heard you from your $3 ticket in the outfield terrace reserved section... What topped that was, Cardinal fans that made the trip from St Louis were telling him to quiet down because of the kids nearby. Classy.
I wish and hope that everyone finds a way to be a fan of something, but do it right. There needs to be an application to make sure fans and sports don't let that guy in section 204 row 22 seat 8 in. He can follow wrestling.
It seems that a part of enjoying sports never left second grade? "My dad can beat up your dad."
The way I see it, you just had more money and free time than I do. Sure I know a great deal about the sports I follow, I would gather to say I know more than most people I know. I also know one thing some don't, it doesn't matter who you root for, who you know, or how much you know, it only matters that you root.
People need something else in their lives, with mountains of bills, gas prices, housing crisis, wars, presidents that have lost touch with the people, your boss breathing down your neck for those damn TPS reports! URGH!
Sports are here for our enjoyment, and to take us away from our everyday stresses. Sure our local sports team can cause more stress, but it's a different stress. I would rather worry about the Bulls chances without Derrick Rose than worry about a clients internal mess that's somehow my fault. We need options to distract us from dirty diapers and traffic. We need places to turn to remember the joy of being young and running around the bases. We need these things.
I don't care if it is sports, soap operas, or searching the Internet for your favorite celebrity and their most recent cell phone pic that was stolen. Distractions are distractions, and they help.
There is a healthy level of being a fan. LA, you're doing it wrong. We should never revert to violence, or even dressing as one of those Raider-whatchamacallit's. I like the Cubs, I will not change my mind, but with friends we will joke about who sucks more, Cubs or Sox (the answers Sox by the way). I've never hit someone because they are a Sox fan (although it's been close for a couple of you, you know who you are), and I never will. Why should my choice of stress distraction cause me more stress, and the impending ass whooping I'd surely get? It just doesn't make sense.
I have seen too many times, drunks getting foolish at a game, starts a fight, and their kid who is at his first game is forced to sit through it all. That's the impression of sport you will leave.
I was just at the Cubs vs Cardinals game a few weeks ago. Carlos Marmol blew the save and fans went ahead and boo'd him. That's their right, but I had to explain why to my 6 year old who is just really learning baseball. What was worse is, I had to also tell him to not pay attention to the loud mouthed drunk 22 year old that was screaming profanities towards the field, like he heard you from your $3 ticket in the outfield terrace reserved section... What topped that was, Cardinal fans that made the trip from St Louis were telling him to quiet down because of the kids nearby. Classy.
I wish and hope that everyone finds a way to be a fan of something, but do it right. There needs to be an application to make sure fans and sports don't let that guy in section 204 row 22 seat 8 in. He can follow wrestling.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Most unspectacular star
Born in Worcester, Massachusetts in November of '82, Bryan LaHair played baseball and basketball for Holy Name Central Catholic and then went on to play baseball at St. Petersburg Junior College. Soon after he was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 39th round.
Bryan spent 5 years in the Seattle minor league system, which saw him make an All-Star team in 2005, he finally earned a mid season call up after the Mariners released Richie Sexson in 2008. This was finally LaHair's opportunity to show he can hit at the MLB level, and do so like he has at all other stops along the way. After 136 at bats Bryan failed to impress, hitting .250 with 7 extra base hits including 3 HRs. He was back in Triple A Tacoma that next season.
Following the 2009 season LaHair faced another setback, the Mariners did not resign LaHair and for the first time in his professional baseball career there was uncertainty if, where, and when he will play again. That is where the Cubs came into the picture. Knowing Bryan had all world power, a tendency to get onbase, and had hit for average along the way, the Chicago Cubs offered LaHair a contract and an invite to Spring Training.
During that Spring tryout, LaHair won over a lot of Cubs fans with a couple of majestic bombs. However the Cubs brass thought other players in the system were just ahead of him keeping LaHair at Iowa for the next 2 seasons. With players like Derrek Lee and Carlos Pena locking down the everyday first base jobs, and players like Tyler Colvin seemingly waiting in the wings, LaHair's chances at the big league roster in Chicago seemed fairly dim as well. Knowing this, LaHair went on to produce some extremely prolific seasons out in Iowa, hitting 25 and 38 homers in his 2 years there, and added another 15 homers last season in the Winter League.
Even through the recent success wild rumors of the Cubs being involved in Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder sweepstakes, and the trade to bring Anthony Rizzo to Chicago made even this confident hitter question if his dream of playing everyday in the Majors would ever actually happen. But current Cubs manager, Dale Sveum, anointed LaHair the guy to man first base, thus making his dream finally come true.
Through LaHair's first month as the Cubs first baseman he certainly hasn't disappointed. Leading the ball club with 5 HRs, and coming through in the clutch on multiple occasions. LaHair has also proven a lot of critics wrong as he finishes his first month as a regular with a .390 average and committing 1 error. His .471 OBP and his 1.251 OPS show that he has been patient and has found pitches he has been able to drive hard.
Even if LaHair's days are technically numbered as the Chicago Cubs first baseman, he is quickly proving to the Cubs, their fans, and the baseball world that he belongs in the majors, and will find a way into a lineup on an everyday basis. Anthony Rizzo just might be the future at first, but LaHair has finally succeeded.
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