And while there were many quotes from Sheen, on this story, that would satisfy a litany of ills, I thought the following would offer just the right amount of  ”huh?” for your day.:

“Let’s just say that I was enhancing my performance a little bit. It was the only time I ever did steroids,” Sheen told Sports Illustrated. “I did them for like six or eight weeks. You can print this… my fastball went from 79 to like 85.”

So, “A-Rod” (I’m so over tough-guy nicknames outside of high school. LOL!) A.K.A. Alex Rodriguez, of the New York Yankees, is about to make crazy history by being in the elite group of power hitters (6 to be exact) who have achieved 600 home runs. He’s currently at 599 and, frankly, seems to be in some sort of hitting rut. He’s taking his time and telling the media that he’s approaching this hit just like any other, but you know somewhere inside that almondy (Yes, “almondy”) skin, he’s itching for that long ball.

I’m not a fan, really, but I can appreciate the quest. It’s really something else when you’ve gotten so close only to be denied what you believe you rightly deserve. A-Rod appears to be a relatively upstanding guy, so for that reason I hope he achieves his goal. I’ve experienced both… the fallen short gloom and the utter glee of achievement, and, well, I gladly prefer the latter. The thing is (And it’s pretty simple!), there is much to be said about the former. Preparation, proactiveness, and passion are things I take along with me on the journey to achieve. Each one has its place and together, I’m pleased to say, you’ll have the perfect formula. You should really take the onus to achieve, but in order for that to happen you have to sketch out a plan(Uh, yes, okay… You can use my formula.)… A-Rod included. It’s doable… but its always a choice.

Now, I won’t assume that everyone knows the biggest differences between the two, but in a nutshell it was the modern-day David and Goliath epic event; with Duke being the conceptual (and financial) giant between the two. Now, if you’ve read any of the Wait Til A Commercial posts, you’ll know that I chat about professional sports. But, as a sports lover in general, I just had to start typing… I had to get it out.

Let me start by saying I’m not a hater, although I will say that teams like Duke are why I don’t watch much of the tournament in general. Seriously! They just dominant everything… I mean, from getting those “ghost” calls or as I’d like to say, “Coach K” calls (As a note, Coach Krzyzewski is like America’s coach, having a championship legacy and was the coach for the NBA Olympic team.), to just the overall “I’m-better-than-you” feeling from a good number of the players that translates onto the court.

Butler gave Duke a run for their money and the Dukies were hating that the refs were actually calling them out instead of giving them their usual carte blanche calls. In the end, Duke won, but barely… I know, I know. A win is, indeed, a win, but David got some really good hits in on Goliath. Watching the game really had me thinking about how you can never give up. No matter what! I know those Butler young men are sad right now, but winning is relative in that they came so far… much further than many expected.

Life is gonna keep coming… a lot of times with no pauses and no let-up moments. You have to be fortified in knowing that you are worthy and you can achieve what you’ve set out to achieve. Don’t be put off by the haters in your life. And sometimes that can even be that voice in your head… Bottom line, you are worthy. Get your sling shot and knock ‘em down… one by one.

What!

I was so shocked by this story that I didn’t really know how to write about it… you know, what stance to take. I mean, come on, we all know wrong is wrong, right (That sentence was funny!)? But, I’m not sure I follow what’s happening here. So, because the manager, of a professional baseball team no less, comes clean before his actions become public knowledge makes him removed from all disciplinary actions? What I think is funny (in a weird and itchy way) is that this guy is like 100 and I just want to know why is he using cocaine? Shouldn’t he be thinking about retirement or spending time with his grandchildren?

What happened to the higher level of accountability with the higher level of responsibility? Where are the values? Let’s not even go there with the impact on children… Now athletes are going to feel like all they have to do is come clean beforehand and everything will be roses. Baseball, for me, with all of its scenarios and untouchables and class system is draining to say the least.

The “move” was being part of a lawsuit that would give players playing freedom (free agency) to play for other teams versus what they were accustomed to (reserve clause), being bound to their teams.

It is important to note that Flood was an African American and during that time had a great deal to lose (which he did) by just speaking out. The point is that today, years after his death, it appears that he’s no closer to being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame than he was then.

I explained in an earlier post just what the Hall requires for induction and Flood seems to fit. He has been noted throughout history as a great player and, I would think that his fight for the rights and justice of all players (of all races and backgrounds) would be acknowledged today as something of some significance.

Above all, I think we should always give respect and honor (his propers!) to those who made it possible for others to benefit from the freedoms they had to fight, suffer, sacrifice, and die for… For me, it’s as simple as that. He didn’t just fight for Blacks or Whites, but everyone. Honor him…

Thanks “Kid” for the heads up on this…

One of the all time hitters in the game of baseball name just resurfaced as a possible candidate for Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Pete Rose, a former Cincinnati Reds, was banned from the game 20 years ago for gambling on the game—his own team to be exact. Apparently, he never wagered against the team, as he believed in their victory, but it was an obvious flaw in judgment since it was a known rule within the sport. Now, with all of today’s scandal and outcry that has whirlwind out of the sport, baseball fans and the powers that be are now asking themselves where does Rose fit in all this…

The grounds for being inducted into the Hall of Fame are pretty clear. It is based on the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played. But wait, this is where I am totally dumbfounded because some of today’s elite Major League Baseball players who are being considered for the Hall are involved in using steroids, corking bats, serving jail time, spousal abuse, and the list goes on and on. So, I simply ask, what is the difference? I mean, put any of the offenses that I just listed up against gambling within the sport and it comes out the same—amoral, illegal, unethical, criminal, and just wrong.

I’m telling you, I’m drained by it all (drained!). There just appears to be no way to gage it. I mean, black is black and white is white, but when you’re dealing in muddied waters, you have to consider gray, right?

I’m not sure how to feel about it… The school of thought on this is that if everyone’s doing it how can we single one person out or demolish the game all together? It’s a big, fat case of spilled milk, huh? I just think there has to be another answer, but I’m not even sure what that is.

What example is it setting?…  Will this trickle into all sports in general? Man, this world is funny at times…

Okay, background information… the Yankees have this new stadium with astronomical prices for the seats, especially the club seats and closer. Well, with the economy and the lax response to purchasing those pricey seats, the Yankees’ organization lowered the prices. Obviously, in hopes of acquiring more patronage.

Still, the seats remain empty.

Wow! How many times do things happen that you’re just not expecting… or further more, just don’t want to deal with (Huh, just name a day of the week, right?)?

MissChatter

So the parents of the Little Leaguers decided to pay the $500 fine and even offered an extra dollar for administrative costs. There are so many directions I could take this in, but I’ll just stop here with this…  The priority of some of professional sports organizations is still surprizingly disappointing with all more serious issues going on within sports today.

Little leaguers yall, little leaguers yall…

The thing is the Yankees loss their home opener…

I really don’t think New Yorkers care too much. I’ve found that they really seem to support one another no matter what the task. What speaks profoundly to this notion is that the actual field looks the same as the old one… a definite shot out to the past.

For me, it’s a great example of remembering what’s important… That you don’t have to leave the memories of the past behind in order to achieve greatness in your tomorrows.