Goodbye George, Thank you!

I have cursed you, I have called you every name in the book and I have thought ill of you and your family. Today, I know I will miss you and that, as a fan of (what) baseball (should be), I know you were one of the giants.

You bought my team for $10 million in 1973, today it's worth $1.6 Billion. I guess we can forego any discussion of your acumen and skill.

You fired people that I admire and even loved, you tore down people who were great, even legendary. You spent money like it was going out of style. Some people think you're the worst thing that ever happened to baseball, I think the opposite, you saved it from itself. I may not have agreed with you buying the World Series, but I damn sure loved the ride! And who am I to argue... I have exactly 0% of the pennants/series that you do.

Other owners spend money now and then, and pocketed the results, maybe a pennant here, a series there. Not you, you put the money back into the team. You demanded alot, maybe too much, and you never accepted failure.

You did it all to win. Well George, no matter what anyone says about you, you will be remembered as a winner. You did what you felt had to be done. More power to ya. I met you once and you said hi, even to a nobody like me, just a fan. You cared about your team, your brand and the people that lived up to your standards, even Billy. (Come on, admit it, you liked Billy alot!!! :)

Rest in peace, George. Maybe the field of dreams needs new management?

John Cleese - Absolutely Brilliant discussion of Football...

You don't need my words for this one... enjoy

John Cleese discusses American football...

Newsflash! France Surrenders Again! (to itself...)

Ok, so the USA, for the first time since 1930 has won a group!  Even though they tried very hard to deny us advancement, we made it.  I am sure FIFA was looking for some way to overrule that goal too, but to no avail.  This ought to get soccer some notice in the greater scheme of things...

We have been on the receiving end of the world cup's worst officiating, and we still made it.  Bully for us.

I wonder, will we remember soccer this time next month?

And this just in from the international news desk.

France has surrendered again, in world cup soccer, to itself!

South Africa, 23 June.  After getting mad enough to hurl really bad words at it's coach, the French team has reportedly ceased practicing and played an incredibly desultory match against South Africa, which they then lost, finalizing their surrender.  From the team that was #2 in the last world cup to scoring 1 goal in three games, how the mighty have fallen.  All because Anelka made the coach sad by telling him to fornicate himself...

So, in effect, they have surrendered yet again.  When the going got rough, they gave up, as men (errr Frenchmen)  will sometimes do!

Amazing!

Just when you think humans are all too evil...

You come across a story like this.

Forget the inner city vs suburban slant, this was a group of young ladies, coaches and fans that realize there is more to High School Sports than winning and losing, sometimes, it really is all about how you play the game!

I'm not going to drone on about it, read the article and you decide.  For me, I'll go to be a little more peaceful tonight!

We live in a world where Peyton Manning walks off the Super Bowl field without shaking anybody's hand. Where Tiger Woods leaves the Masters without a word of thanks to the fans or congratulations to the winner. Where NFL lineman Albert Haynesworth kicks a man's helmetless head without a thought.

So if you think sportsmanship is toast, this next story is an all-you-can-eat buffet to a starving man.

It happened at a junior varsity girls' softball game in Indianapolis this spring. After an inning and a half, Roncalli was womanhandling inner-city Marshall Community. Marshall pitchers had already walked nine Roncalli batters. The game could've been 50-0 with no problem.

Yes, a team that hadn't lost a game in 2½ years, a team that was going to win in a landslide purposely offered to declare defeat. Why? Because Roncalli wanted to spend the two hours teaching the Marshall girls how to get better, not how to get humiliated.

It's no wonder. This was the first softball game in Marshall history. A middle school trying to move up to include grades 6 through 12, Marshall showed up to the game with five balls, two bats, no helmets, no sliding pads, no cleats, 16 players who'd never played before, and a coach who'd never even seen a game.

One Marshall player asked, "Which one is first base?" Another: "How do I hold this bat?" They didn't know where to stand in the batter's box. Their coaches had to be shown where the first- and third-base coaching boxes were.

That's when Roncalli did something crazy. It offered to forfeit.

Yes, a team that hadn't lost a game in 2½ years, a team that was going to win in a landslide purposely offered to declare defeat. Why? Because Roncalli wanted to spend the two hours teaching the Marshall girls how to get better, not how to get humiliated.

"The Marshall players did NOT want to quit," wrote Roncalli JV coach Jeff Traylor, in recalling the incident. "They were willing to lose 100 to 0 if it meant they finished their first game." But the Marshall players finally decided if Roncalli was willing to forfeit for them, they should do it for themselves. They decided that maybe -- this one time -- losing was actually winning.

That's about when the weirdest scene broke out all over the field: Roncalli kids teaching Marshall kids the right batting stance, throwing them soft-toss in the outfield, teaching them how to play catch. They showed them how to put on catching gear, how to pitch, and how to run the bases. Even the umps stuck around to watch.

"One at a time the Marshall girls would come in to hit off of the [Roncalli] pitchers," Traylor recalled. "As they hit the ball their faces LIT UP! They were high fiving and hugging the girls from Roncalli, thanking them for teaching to them the game."

This is the kind of thing that can backfire with teenagers -- the rich kids taking pity on the inner-city kids kind of thing. Traylor was afraid of it, too.

"One wrong attitude, one babying approach from our players would shut down the Marshall team, who already were down," wrote Traylor. "But our girls made me as proud as I have ever been. ... [By the end], you could tell they were having a blast. The change from the beginning of the game to the end of the practice was amazing."

Roncalli wasn't done. Traylor asked all the parents of his players and anybody else he knew for more help for Marshall -- used bats, gloves, helmets, money for cleats, gloves, sliders, socks and team shirts. They came up with $2,500 and worked with Marshall on the best way to help the program with that money. Roncalli also connected Marshall with former Bishop Chatard coach Kim Wright, who will advise the program.

"We probably got to some things 10 years quicker than we would have had without Roncalli," says Marshall principal Michael Sullivan.

And that was just the appetizer. A rep from Reebok called Sullivan and said, "What do you need? We'll get it for you." A man who owns an indoor batting cage facility has offered free time in the winter. The Cincinnati Reds are donating good dirt for the new field Marshall will play on.

"This could've been a thing where our kids had too much pride," says Sullivan. "You know, 'I'm not going to listen to anybody.' But our kids are really thirsty to learn."

And they are. Marshall never won a game, but actually had leads in its last three games. In fact, it went so well, the players and their parents asked if they could extend the season, so they're looking to play AAU summer softball.

Just a thought: Major League Baseball is pulling hamstrings trying to figure out how to bring baseball back to the inner city. Maybe it should put the Roncalli and Marshall girls in charge?

Anyway, it's not an important story, just one that squirts apple juice right in your face. And who knows? Maybe someday, Marshall will be beating Roncalli in the final inning, realize how far it has come, and forfeit again, just as a thank you.

Rock on!

Here is the link to the ESPN Original Story...

See ya' round, Brett Favre

Wow, it is the end of an era.

There are so many things that come to mind when you think of Brett Favre...

1. He is the classiest football player I have ever heard of.  Nobody, on the field or off, speaks ill of him.  Every player in the league seems to respect him.


2. He is a real role model (yes, even with his addiction problem).  He played the game for what it meant to win.  He wanted to give his best whenever he stepped onto the field, and it showed.


3. How in the hell do you get FARV when it should be pronounced FAVER???  I mean, I can SEE where the R is... it’s AFTER the V.  maybe I shud hav gon to a gooder skool.


4. NEWS FLASH - DATELINE 2013 - BRETT FAVRE ENSHRINED IN HALL OF FAME ON FIRST VOTE - DUH!!!!!


5. No matter who they played, or when, you knew watching number 4 was going to be enjoyable.  I do think, however, that the legacy of Brett Favre will live on more in the football follies reels that they have compiled over the years.  His banter with other players, other team players, coaches and refs are the stuff that legends are made from.  He’s hilarious.  He might have a future in comedy?


6. Manning and Brady may have the spotlight now, but it’s longevity that matters.  They’ll be remembered for the rings and the seasons, Favre will be remembered as a “Player of the game of football”


7. I think it was a great call to walk out on top of his game.  He had a GREAT year and it will make his leaving that much more memorable.  Had he left last year, people might have said, “Well he stayed past his useful life”.  Now, they can say he left on top of the game of football - where he belongs, with the legends!

See ya round, Brett.  Take care and thanks for 17 years of sharing a part of your life with us non professional athletes.  Good on ya!