Big Sexy's Sports Rant of the Week

[Big Sexy]

I love to rant about sports so I figure why not start a thread where I can talk about an event or events that occurred and rant about them on a weekly basis. Feel free to comment on the subject in my rants, the rant itself, or contribute one of your own. Now onto the first rant:

Player X​

Today on ESPN.com a blog entry was on the main page where an NBA player known as "Player X" discussed the lack of trash talking in the NBA. He also took some shots at current players in the league, in particular Kevin Garnett. I do not mind at all the things that this player said and some of the things about Garnett and others I actually agree with. However, to come out anonymously is a complete bitch move on this players part. He says in the blog that he would say these same things to Garnett's face but I don't buy that for a second. If you're going to say these things then you have to put your name on it. Man up and stand by your statements. By not putting your name on the blog I get the feeling that this player is probably just some role player who most likely isn't in the playoffs. I'd have respect for a guy who speaks his mind and mans up to the comments but I have no respect for a guy who hides behind an alias just to stir shit up. My advice to "Player X": Get the tampon out of your ass and stop being such a bitch.

 

[People's Champ]

I agree with your thoughts on this "player x". I've read a couple of those and found myself more irratated than anything else. I really don't like seeing people make big statements and hide behind a name or whatever. If you want to make some comments about another player then stand behind it and put your name out there with it.

 

[CH David]

As I'm not an ESPN insider, I can't read the whole article. However, after a little bit of research, what is apparent is that there are at least two Player Xs writing for ESPN. There was one writing about the NFL who I believe started in '09, but I could be wrong, and the one writing about the NBA. I'm going to take the other side of this and not blame Player X for saying these in an anonymous article. Sure, a player can always say this during a post game conference, but I don't think you guys are talking about that, and instead are focusing on the articles themselves. To that I am going to say that it is ESPN who is behind it all. Obviously a player is writing it, but it's ESPN who is asking them to do it, not some NBA player who is just going out there and submitting it to ESPN asking for anonymity. If I were an insider I would highly enjoy this, not because some random professional athlete is talking trash behind an alias, but because it's getting insight from a pro without the media making a huge fiasco about it. I mean think if it was Kobe, everybody and their mother would be going insane!!! I like the idea, and don't mind it. Player X is Player X thanks to ESPN, not because of that player.

 

[Big Sexy]

As I'm not an ESPN insider, I can't read the whole article. However, after a little bit of research, what is apparent is that there are at least two Player Xs writing for ESPN. There was one writing about the NFL who I believe started in '09, but I could be wrong, and the one writing about the NBA. I'm going to take the other side of this and not blame Player X for saying these in an anonymous article. Sure, a player can always say this during a post game conference, but I don't think you guys are talking about that, and instead are focusing on the articles themselves. To that I am going to say that it is ESPN who is behind it all. Obviously a player is writing it, but it's ESPN who is asking them to do it, not some NBA player who is just going out there and submitting it to ESPN asking for anonymity. If I were an insider I would highly enjoy this, not because some random professional athlete is talking trash behind an alias, but because it's getting insight from a pro without the media making a huge fiasco about it. I mean think if it was Kobe, everybody and their mother would be going insane!!! I like the idea, and don't mind it. Player X is Player X thanks to ESPN, not because of that player.

The player X thing has been done by ESPN for multiple sports and they've also had coaches do it. I don't have a problem with most of the other blogs because they never take these types of shots at fellow players. As far as the ESPN is asking them to do this thing goes, I guarantee ESPN would much rather have the player reveal himself rather then do this blog. It is a smart thing for ESPN to do because they can go to random players and have them write something like this without the player using a filter because they know it is anonymous. However, for this particular player with this particular blog, he just comes off as a bitch. If you're going to say the things he said then man up and put your name to it. Even if he came out today and revealed who he was then I wouldn't have a problem with the blog and what he said, but I doubt we will be seeing that.

 

[ITurnGirlsGay]

I personally have no problem with Player X. As Bomani Jones and Kevin Blackistone said, disdain for Garnett is well documented throughout the league. I can understand people who say "if you have something to say, say it to their face," as I am of this philosophy as well, but journalists have used anonymous sources all the time when breaking major stories. Not that I'm even calling this a major story, but I'd have a hard time saying one is acceptable while the other is not. Insight into the lives of players is something I value and I understand if they have no desire to reveal who they are because a lot of Player X stories give juicy details about previously unknown aspects of being an athlete in major sports. I'd have said it to KG's face, but I'm not gonna care if someone wants to remain anonymous.

That being said, I'm going to rant on something entirely different since you gave us the platform to do so.

The NCAA issued their LOA against tOSU today. After the Dispatch provided ample evidence of Tressel's misconduct vis-a-vis the Tattoo 5. Clearly tOSU had a lack of institutional control and this is the 3rd major story regarding Ohio St. and their shady practices in the last decade; Clarett and Troy Smith were the other two. The list of violations include the following:

>> Tressel was guilty of ethical misconduct when he knowingly provided false information to the NCAA in certifying that he knew of no potential violations by his players and failed to

>> Ohio State fielded ineligible players last season when starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor and others competed despite Tressel's knowledge of their misconduct. NCAA bylaws call for immediate suspensions.

>>The NCAA letter details what those five current players and one former player did: Improperly sold Big Ten championship rings, "gold pants" charms from Michigan wins, game-worn equipment and other items to tattoo-parlor owner Ed Rife for $9,480

>>Players, whose names were redacted by Ohio State citing a federal privacy law, also received 13 free or discounted tattoos. In addition, one player received a $2,420 discount toward the purchase of a used vehicle from Rife, as well as an $800 loan for vehicle repairs, the NCAA reported.

>>Tressel knew that at least two players were selling memorabilia or football awards to Rife. Those transactions made the players ineligible to compete under NCAA rules, the letter states.

>>However, Tressel never reported the violations to OSU officials and certified to the NCAA he was unaware of any potential problems.

The time has come for the NCAA to take severe action against tOSU university. I understand that E. Gordon Gee and Jim Delany have had their mouths around the the BCS's and NCAA's junk for quite sometime, but enough is enough. The NCAA did not hesitate to hammer USC with FAR less evidence ACTUALLY tying Reggie Bush to that money than they have against tOSU and Tressel. USC received some extremely stiff penalties based off of circumstantial evidence at best, and even Jay Bilas wrote an article detailing the lack of concrete evidence and shady practices the NCAA used to administer their ruling.

It's clear that tOSU has a lack of institutional control and that those wins (including their Sugar Bowl) blatantly came while playing ineligible players. They need to be vacated from the time of ineligibility, the players need to be immediately ruled ineligible for amateur competition and be forced to apply for reinstatement upon the completion of the conditions of amateur status.

Furthermore, anything less than probation, reduction of scholarships, and a two year bowl ban is an absolute slap in the face to the student-athletes at USC who are suffering from things that occurred when most of them were in Jr. High. Not only was there egregious misconduct, but there was a blatant attempt to cover these actions up and lying to investigators in the process. Nevermind that tOSU has been the subject of several investigations in the 2000's alone regarding improper benefits to athletes.

If this isn't lack of institutional control, I don't know what is. The COI still has to rule on this matter, but if the NCAA accepts tOSU's joke of a self-imposed punishment, I will basically lose all respect for their investigative process (not that there's much there to begin with) and I will seriously consider not watching CFB until these matters of LOIC, Runners, and soliciting pay for play are resolved in the by-laws permenantly.

 

[Big Sexy]

Coincidentally, ITG, that was going to be my next rant and I couldn't agree more. Either OSU needs to fire Jim Tressel or they need to get the fucking book thrown at them. I've suspected some dirty things going on in that program ever since the Maurice Clarett thing early in Tressel's time at the University.

I can count the names of coaches on one hand who wouldn't get fired after all this shit came out. Tressel may be one of them but that is going to screw OSU over. I believe that they deserve a more severe punishment then USC and what USC got was pretty severe. I'm a huge Michigan fan so my opinion may be a little biased but something major needs to be done to OSU in terms of punishment and Tressel deserves a more severe punishment as well if he isn't fired.

 

[ITurnGirlsGay]

Coincidentally, ITG, that was going to be my next rant and I couldn't agree more. Either OSU needs to fire Jim Tressel or they need to get the fucking book thrown at them. I've suspected some dirty things going on in that program ever since the Maurice Clarett thing early in Tressel's time at the University.

I can count the names of coaches on one hand who wouldn't get fired after all this shit came out. Tressel may be one of them but that is going to screw OSU over. I believe that they deserve a more severe punishment then USC and what USC got was pretty severe. I'm a huge Michigan fan so my opinion may be a little biased but something major needs to be done to OSU in terms of punishment and Tressel deserves a more severe punishment as well if he isn't fired.

I had a sneaking suspicion that you were going to make this your next rant. I jumped on top of it because of the sanctions that were handed to my Trojans and the impact it's had on my friends who play there. The list for tOSU just keeps growing longer and longer about what they knew, what they chose not to report, who was involved, and the length of these improper benefits.

I didn't just suspect dirty things since Clarett's time there, there's been alleged improprieties written about in ESPN the magazine. If I remember correctly, some odd years back they had a featured article about the football players being allowed to take bullshit classes like "TV and VCR Programming." This was well after the advent of DVD technology so the class, even on paper, was complete fucking bullshit. It was clearly created as a Mickey Mouse course to enable athletes to get an A and maintain academic eligibility.

Additionally, I'm pretty sure that Clarett was under investigation for receiving rental cars (something Pryor magically got away with as well), but he tried to declare early for the NFL draft and then began his epic shit-show so I think they dropped the investigation.

I completely agree that Tressel needs to be fired and tOSU hammered. At LEAST as much as USC was hammered. That being said, I think Gee and Delany's influence and support of the Bullshit Computer Series will prevent major sanctions from happening. I fully suspect that the NCAA will accept tOSU's punishments, an AD or a couple of coaches lose their jobs, and everybody moves the hell on. Beebe and Delany are the last two people that the BCS or the NCAA wants opposing them given Slive's stance on a playoff and that Pat Haden is proving to be quite the rebel.

Couple that with Utah's AG "anti-trust" lawsuit that was recently filed and the alleged pay-for-play scheme featured on HBO Real Sports and the NCAA is going to be cleaning up their mess for quite some time.

Enough is fucking enough. Be fair and be consistent. It would be a lot easier for me to swallow the sanctions as a Trojans fan if I even felt that the NCAA was trying to be consistent with their eligibility rulings. As someone more than familiar with the by-laws and the process for eligibility, I can tell you, first hand, they arbitrarily enforce the language written.

 

[Chardee Macdennis]

Big Sexy - I will certainly be looking forward to reading these on a weekly basis.

On the topic of "Player x", I'd also like to see him put a name to the comments. It does come off as a bitch move. Plus, anytime someone says, "and I'd say it to their face too if I had to", that usually means they be shitting thier pants if they had to do so. I'd be inclined to agree with your assesment that it's probably just some role/bench player and no one of particular significance. The first thought that popped into my head reagarding the whole aninimoty (sp) was that the players have certainly been asked by ESPN to remain anonimous because of the access they have. If locker rooms caught wind of who "player x" was, they be less likely to speak freely around them. It's almost like having a spy amongst the soldiers.

 

[Big Sexy]

Colin Cowherd​

Move over Skip Bayless, ESPN has a new village idiot. There are many ESPN personalities who I dislike and who I think lack a lot of sports knowledge, however, Colin Cowherd is by far the worst. When Sports Nation came out I was never a fan of his. I thought the show was decent for what it was but I thought Cowherd sucked. At that point, because of the nature of the show, I let it pass. It wasn't until a few months ago that my hatred for him grew to new heights.

Back in November I got a new car. The tape player was broken so I couldn't listen to my MP3 player and the FM radio did not work either. I get a few AM stations and thankfully one of them is ESPN Radio. With my work and class schedule I'm almost always in my car during the heart of Cowherd's radio show. I find myself disagreeing with about 90% of his opinions. Not just slightly disagreeing either, I usually think the complete opposite of everything he is saying. The mans knowledge of sports just isn't up to par with where it should be and he is one of the more arrogant people I've ever heard. Even when he is shown to be wrong he still continues to argue as if he is correct.

I understand why he has a job because he is very well spoken and often has controversial opinions that attract viewers, but I am baffled when people call in and agree with him or say what big fans they are of him. How anyone could actually listen to him and think the majority of his views are right is astounding to me. I would love to get in a one on one debate with the guy to call him out on all of his bullshit. After listening to him on the radio he has definitely surpassed Skip Bayless as the biggest idiot employed by ESPN.

 

[Big Sexy]

Classless End to this LA Dynasty​

The LA Lakers were trying to make their 4th straight NBA Finals appearance this season and they were trying to win their 3rd straight title. Instead their season ended with poor effort and classlessness. In the 4th quarter with the game all but over, both Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum were ejected within a minute of each other. Odom was ejected after randomly charging into Dirk Nowitzki when he didn't even have the ball. Bynum was ejected after a forearm to the chest of a driving, mid air JJ Barea. Both flagrant fouls were completely unnecessary and put a black mark on one of the NBA's most storied franchises.

To make it worse, this is probably the last game that Phil Jackson will ever coach. In 20 years as an NBA coach, Phil Jackson always finished with a record above .500, only three times did he ever finish with under 50 wins, and he won a total of 11 NBA Championships. He is arguably the greatest coach of all time and this Lakers team was led by one of the greatest NBA players of all time in Kobe Bryant. Bryant and Jackson stayed classy throughout the entire series but not everyone followed suit. The Lakers as a team played uninspired basketball throughout the series and the actions of Bynum, Odom, and also Ron Artest (from game 2) were inexcusable.

Unlike many people, I don't consider myself a Laker hater. In fact I've actually rooted for them in certain situations over the past few years. I like and respect Kobe Bryant as well as Phil Jackson. The fact that some of the other notable players from this team couldn't follow the examples of their leaders is sad. Even in the old school NBA where confrontations and hard fouls were commonplace, these actions would not have been tolerated. The actions from these players have not only disgraced the current team, they have disgraced the franchise as a whole. That includes all of the history with names like Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul Jabaar, Magic Johnson, and James Worthy. The Lakers still have the talent to compete next year and who knows what will happen this off season, but for right now certain individuals on this team need to be embarrassed for their play and their actions.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I didn't really have a problem with Odom or Bynum's fouls but I bet Stern is more angry about Bynum taking off his jersey at halfcourt more than anything. I can understand the frustration because Barea was just driving to the lane at will and no one else was stopping him. I just saw it as Bynum trying to inject a bit of toughness that the Lakers lacked all series.

 

[Big Sexy]

I love the old school NBA and wish there were more hard fouls and toughness injected into games nowadays but Odom and Bynum's fouls were nothing but cheap shots. With Odom, Dirk didn't even have the ball and he just straight charged into him behind the 3 point line no less. With Bynum I wouldn't have minded a hard foul but you can't just forearm a guy right in the chest while he is in mid air. Both fouls were cheap, classless moves.

 

[Davi323]

There is a difference between a hard foul and a cheap shot. What Bynum did was a cheap shot. You want hard fouls, go watch reruns of any of the Bulls/Pistons series during the Bad Boys era. Bynum was just frustrated, and decided to attack for no other reason than to be a douche. There was absolutely no strategic value in it, it was irrelevant to the outcome of the game. If this were hockey, Bynum would be called a goon. One of those guys who tries to pick a fight at the end of a 9-1 ass whipping.

I have a little less animosity for Odom's, while it was also about frustration, it was just a shove. A violent shove, but just a shove. Bynum's was an elbow with a deliberate intent to injure. It was a douchebag move, plain and simple.

 

[Big Sexy]

Phil Jackson.... Underrated?​

Now until recently I was never one to say that Phil Jackson was underrated. I never put him as the greatest NBA coach of all time but I wouldn't necessarily argue too much with people who did. At the very least he is easily top 3. With the recent talk of his retirement I've been hearing tons of people saying that Phil only won because of all the superstars that he coached and that anybody could have won with those teams. To all of that I say, bullshit. There are tons of great coaches who have had teams with stars that were not able to come close to the success that Phil had. Phil coached only 20 years and in those 20 years he never once missed the playoffs, never had a record of .500 or below, only failed to win 50 games 3 times, went to 13 NBA Finals, and he won 11 NBA Championships.

"But Big Sexy he had Michael Jordan, he had Shaq, he had Kobe, those championships were easy for him to win." Fuck no they weren't. It takes a lot to win an NBA title no matter who you have on your team. Doug Collins got to coach MJ for 3 years and he had both Jordan and Pippen for 2 years and he never won a title with them. The year Phil took over, the team improved their win total by 8 games and in Phil's second year there they won the NBA title. Del Harris coached Shaq and Kobe in LA for two years, Kurt Rambis had them for the majority of a third year (after Harris was fired) and neither was able to even take the Lakers to the finals. The first year Phil Jackson took over in LA they won the NBA title.

When Phil won his 6 titles in Chicago people said he did it because of Jordan and Pippen. Then he won 3 titles in his first LA stint and people said it was because of Shaq and Kobe. The he won 2 more titles in his second LA stint and people again talk about the talent he had. Now Kobe Bryant is the number one or two guy in the league but those teams weren't exactly stocked with ridiculous talent. Pau Gasol is very good but he's not a superstar. Bynum was injured most of the time during those runs and while Lamar Odom is a good player he hasn't even ever been an all star. The ONE consistent during all of Phil's title runs is him. Every time he has come to a new situation whether it be a new team or the same team with a different roster after a few years off, he has won. Not only has he won but he has won multiple championships.

I never thought I'd say Phil Jackson was underrated but after listening to some people talk about him this past week I'm beginning to think that maybe he is.

 

[Big Sexy]

Dallas Mavericks​

This isn't really a rant but I figured I'd put it in here anyways. The Dallas Mavericks are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2006 and they are more focused then ever. That focus is being personified by their best player and leader, Dirk Nowitzki. There was no focusing on the conference championship win by Dirk because he knows what lies ahead, as do his teammates. It seems like a certainty that the Mavs will meet up with the Heat in Finals this year. It is the same Heat franchise that shocked the Mavs in 2006 after falling behind to Dallas 2-0 in the series and trailing big in game 3. The Heat came back to win that game and won 3 more games in a row to take the series.

This Mavericks team, however, is different. They are a roster filled with veterans who know that this opportunity doesn't come around very often. It's a team that knows this may be their last chance to achieve greatness and stand atop the NBA as champions. On a team full of veterans, not one has ever won an NBA title. Now there are some veterans on the Heat who deserve a title like Juwan Howard, Mike Bibby, and Big Z. LeBron James may not be old but he has been in the league a while as well and I wouldn't mind seeing him win one.

However, when it comes to this year I want to see the Mavericks win the NBA title. I want to see Dirk, Jason Terry, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, and Peja Stojkovic win a title. I want veteran role players like DeShawn Stevenson, Brendan Haywood, and Tyson Chandler win a ring. I want an underrated coach in Rick Carlisle to get his first championship as a coach. I even want to see Mark Cuban be able to say he owned a championship team. It isn't going to be easy but I personally would love to see the Mavs win it all.

 

[Big Sexy]

The Miami Heat: The Four Horsemen of the NBA​

The Four Horsemen were a group of great superstars that drew big in NWA not because of the fact that everyone loved them, but because everyone wanted to see them get their asses kicked. That is what we witnessed all year long with the Heat and it was no more evident then during the NBA Finals.

Many people don't like the Miami Heat and did not want them to win the title this year (me included) but one thing that can't be argued is the fact that they draw. This was one of the higher rated NBA finals in recent memory and it sure as fuck wasn't because of the Mavericks. People were tuning in with the hope of watching the Miami Heat lose. You substitute any Eastern Conference team in place of the Heat and I guarantee the ratings go down. You substitute any Western Conference team in place of the Mavericks, and as long as the series is competitive, the ratings would be about the same if not higher in some cases.

At least in terms of ratings, the forming of this Heat super team was good for the NBA. You can talk about how it hurts the competitive balance but the NBA has been, and will more then likely continue to be, the least competitive of the four major sports leagues no matter what happened this last off season. Dallas has become just the 9th franchise in the last 32 years to win an NBA title. Six of those nine have won at least two titles in that time period and five of those nine have won at least three titles in that time period.

Hate on the Heat all you want (I know I certainly will continue to do so) but remember that while you may hate them, they are a major draw and are making the NBA a ton of money.

 

[Big Sexy]

John Mackey​

John Mackey is arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history. He played 10 NFL seasons, nine with the Baltimore Colts. He was a five time pro bowler, three time all pro, and a Super Bowl Champion. After his immaculate playing career he became the first president of the NFLPA. As president he earned the players $11 million in pensions and benefits. Mackey was a tremendous influence in the NFL both on and off the field. His contributions were great yet in return the league failed to treat him with the respect he deserved.

Mackey suffered from frontotemporal dementia which made him overly protective of his possessions and he would become very suspicious of anyone who would try to control his actions. This was no doubt caused by brain damage from his football career yet the NFL refused to acknowledge this and help him. In 2007 his disease became so bad that he had to live in an assisted living facility full time. The very same NFLPA that Mackey had once turned around and led at first refused to pay him a disability income.

Eventually the league and the NFLPA partnered together to form the "88 Plan" which provides $88,000 a year for nursing home care and up to $50,000 a year for adult day care. This is a great start to support retired players but it is only that; A start.

The retired NFL players have recently filed a lawsuit seeking a seat at the bargaining table between owners and players. While this may not be granted the NFL needs to provide more care for their retired players. These players risked their own well being to make the game of football great and put in on the map. The fact that they have been treated so poorly by the league is absolutely unacceptable. These guys who played back in the 50's, 60's, and 70's didn't have what current players have. The salaries were relatively nothing in comparison to today, the protection of players on the field was far from a pressing issue, and players didn't have the luxury of free agency. The owners were in complete control of the league until guys like John Mackey started to fight for the players getting them things like more benefits. He also started the fight for free agency which the players didn't fully receive until 1993.

John Mackey passed away two days ago on July 6th at the age of 69. His death is tragic and it needs to be a wake up call to owners and players. The players of the past are what made this game the great sport it is today. The league and the NFLPA needs to take all of the necessary actions to take care of those former players. They put their well being on the line for the sport and the sport needs to pay them back in return. The retired players not only need but deserve better benefits and better benefits. They deserve to be taken care of. The stories of legends like Mackey and Earl Campbell, who at the age of 56 moves around like he's 80, need to remind everyone the importance of taking care of the past. The owners and players are close to reaching a new collective bargaining agreement which is great for the current state of the league and the current players. We can only hope that the past players benefit from the new deal just as much.

 

[Big Sexy]

Soccer Sucks.... But Go USA​

The game of soccer is not a popular sport in the United States and it's highly doubtful that it ever will be. Yet for some reason every couple years we always here about the emergence of it in the US. The reason basically every single time for this talk is because of Team USA in International play. Whether it be men's or women's soccer, people love to pull for their country.

It's crazy to me how people can despise a sport nearly all year round and then all of the sudden start watching it like it's one of their favorites for a few week period. Any time the United States does something good and makes a run the same thing happens. People rush to watch, showing off their National pride in the process. At the same time you hear rumblings of "soccer is starting to grow on me" and "this is exciting action." However, the second USA is eliminated from International play, all of that talk goes with it. When the countries pride is no longer apart of the equation then neither is the interest. I'm not knocking the fact that people do this because I'm guilty of it a little myself. When the USA is making a run I watch the games and I cheer for them to win. A sport I hate all of the sudden becomes something that I actually want to watch.

I'm not here to knock the people who show pride for their country. I'm here to knock all of the people who are constantly trying to say that soccer is starting to emerge and will soon become popular in the US. USA makes a run and all of the sudden people think soccer is going to become a major player on the American sports scene. It doesn't work like that. For the most part no one cares about soccer leagues in the US. Hardly anyone cares about the MLS and if there are any other pro leagues out there then it's obvious no one gives a shit about them either. Soccer outside of the occasional international tournament means nothing in the US and no miracle comeback or World Cup title is going to change that.

Go ahead and enjoy this time. Root for the US and the players representing it. I know I will be. But for the love of God, please don't blow this out of proportion like so many people seem to always do. Soccer is not emerging in the US and it sure as fuck isn't going to reach the levels of the four major American sports. Here in the US it is nothing more then another tool to show National pride. Don't try looking for something that isn't there. Enjoy your moment now soccer fans because in a few days the sport is going back to the bottom of the totem pole here in the US and that fact is inevitable.

 

[People's Champ]

Haven't people been saying soccer is about to be huge in America for the past 20, 25 years? It hasn't happened , and its not going to happen. If the men's run in the World Cup couldn't get people into soccer, why would the women's? That's not a knock on the women's team, but women's sports just aren't big here. So to think they are going to usher this new era where we all love soccer is rather rediculous. Nice run, but the effects will always be the same-we will talk about it the day they win, then go back to not caring.

 

[Big Sexy]

Tim Tebow​

Tim Tebow is proof that hard work and determination can only take you so far. Yes he was a winner in college and yes he is one of the greatest players to ever play college football. What he did at Florida was nothing short of remarkable. He led and willed his team to victory on numerous occasions.

However, when it comes to the NFL all of that means jack shit. There have been tons of college football legends and Heisman Trophy winners who have been complete failures in the NFL. The reason? It is a completely different game. The things that made Tebow successful in college have not and are not going to transition to the NFL game. He does not have the talent to be a successful starting quarterback in the NFL. He has been in the league for two years and made 5 career starts yet I have seen absolutely zero progression from him as a passer.

Tebow is inaccurate on nearly every throw and he is constantly making horrible decisions. You can blame the O line and the talent around him all you want but the fact of the matter is, he is no better talent wise then his teammates. He has had plenty of open receivers that he has missed because of inaccuracy. He has had plenty of missed opportunities because of horrible reads. Any success he has had in his last two starts has come at the end of the games because of the type of defense that teams switch to.

His Miami comeback was nice but was made a whole hell of a lot easier due to the "prevent us from winning" defense the Dolphins played. And while Tebow threw two td passes at the end of the game lets not act like he was making miraculous throws in tight spaces. He was making easy throws to his play makers who did the rest. Nice comeback and nice win but against the win less Dolphins and their secondary which is one of the worst in the league, I'm not impressed by the overall performance.

Against an actual good team in Detroit he was abysmal. The protection wasn't great but that's again more excuses for him. He still had open receivers that he missed. He still made poor reads, and he still held the ball for too long. He had plenty of chances to make plays but he failed to do so because of one reason. HE IS NOT A GOOD NFL QUARTERBACK. In fact he isn't even an average NFL quarterback. Again his his stats were somewhat padded because of the late game situation. This time it was mostly Lions backups playing base defense.

I'm not saying he doesn't have talent as a football player and I'm not saying he can't be a productive player in this league. I'm just pointing out the obvious and that is that he is never going to be a productive qb. The best thing for Tebow is to get out of Denver, go to a team with veteran leadership, and make the switch to an H back/tight end hybrid. The sooner everyone realizes that this just isn't going to work out the better. It takes a special talent both physically and mentally to be a successful qb in the NFL. Tebow may be the second coming of Christ as a human being and a talented athlete but none of that is going to make him a good quarterback.

 

[GI Cake]

I am going to have to disagree with you here Big sexy, I think Tim Tebow has all the tools needed to become a great Quarterback. Remember when Big Ben was drafted to the Steelers? No one thought this over-sized, strong armed, inaccurate quarterback was going to be able to become a winner and win 2 Superbowls with the Steelers. Look at him now, he is one of the top Quarterbacks in the NFL and is leading a high-powered passing offense with Mike Wallice, another underrated player who is breaking out big.

And you say that Tebow's competitive nature doesn't mean shit in the NFL is stupid. If that is the case, Josh Freeman would not have been the 4th quarter savior he is now. Tebow needs what every great Quarterback has as well, a great Defense. Ben Rothisberger had time to grow as a Quarterback because he didn't need to go out there and throw 4 touchdown passes to win the game for Pittsburgh, he had to limit the mistakes on the Offense and let the defense win games. Tebow does not have the luxury of a great defense behind him. Give him some more time, Detroit is a very good team this year and has both an explosive offense and scary Defense.

I believe Tim Tebow can be a productive Quarterback one day, he just needs some time and the game around him will slow down for him.

 

[Big Sexy]

I am going to have to disagree with you here Big sexy, I think Tim Tebow has all the tools needed to become a great Quarterback. Remember when Big Ben was drafted to the Steelers? No one thought this over-sized, strong armed, inaccurate quarterback was going to be able to become a winner and win 2 Superbowls with the Steelers. Look at him now, he is one of the top Quarterbacks in the NFL and is leading a high-powered passing offense with Mike Wallice, another underrated player who is breaking out big.

Two completely different situations. Big Ben came in right away as a rookie and showed that he had the tools to be a very good NFL quarterback. Tim Tebow has not done that.

And you say that Tebow's competitive nature doesn't mean shit in the NFL is stupid. If that is the case, Josh Freeman would not have been the 4th quarter savior he is now. Tebow needs what every great Quarterback has as well, a great Defense. Ben Rothisberger had time to grow as a Quarterback because he didn't need to go out there and throw 4 touchdown passes to win the game for Pittsburgh, he had to limit the mistakes on the Offense and let the defense win games. Tebow does not have the luxury of a great defense behind him. Give him some more time, Detroit is a very good team this year and has both an explosive offense and scary Defense.

I never said his competitive nature didn't mean shit. I'm saying that his competitive nature without the tools and ability an NFL qb needs, doesn't mean shit. He can be the most competitive person in the world, that alone isn't going to make him a good qb. It's not just Detroit that he has looked bad against. He hasn't looked good in any of his 5 career starts and he hasn't shown much improvement either.

 

[RicoLen]

Tim Tebow​

Tim Tebow is proof that hard work and determination can only take you so far. Yes he was a winner in college and yes he is one of the greatest players to ever play college football. What he did at Florida was nothing short of remarkable. He led and willed his team to victory on numerous occasions.

However, when it comes to the NFL all of that means jack shit. There have been tons of college football legends and Heisman Trophy winners who have been complete failures in the NFL. The reason? It is a completely different game. The things that made Tebow successful in college have not and are not going to transition to the NFL game. He does not have the talent to be a successful starting quarterback in the NFL. He has been in the league for two years and made 5 career starts yet I have seen absolutely zero progression from him as a passer.

Tebow is inaccurate on nearly every throw and he is constantly making horrible decisions. You can blame the O line and the talent around him all you want but the fact of the matter is, he is no better talent wise then his teammates. He has had plenty of open receivers that he has missed because of inaccuracy. He has had plenty of missed opportunities because of horrible reads. Any success he has had in his last two starts has come at the end of the games because of the type of defense that teams switch to.

His Miami comeback was nice but was made a whole hell of a lot easier due to the "prevent us from winning" defense the Dolphins played. And while Tebow threw two td passes at the end of the game lets not act like he was making miraculous throws in tight spaces. He was making easy throws to his play makers who did the rest. Nice comeback and nice win but against the win less Dolphins and their secondary which is one of the worst in the league, I'm not impressed by the overall performance.

Against an actual good team in Detroit he was abysmal. The protection wasn't great but that's again more excuses for him. He still had open receivers that he missed. He still made poor reads, and he still held the ball for too long. He had plenty of chances to make plays but he failed to do so because of one reason. HE IS NOT A GOOD NFL QUARTERBACK. In fact he isn't even an average NFL quarterback. Again his his stats were somewhat padded because of the late game situation. This time it was mostly Lions backups playing base defense.

I'm not saying he doesn't have talent as a football player and I'm not saying he can't be a productive player in this league. I'm just pointing out the obvious and that is that he is never going to be a productive qb. The best thing for Tebow is to get out of Denver, go to a team with veteran leadership, and make the switch to an H back/tight end hybrid. The sooner everyone realizes that this just isn't going to work out the better. It takes a special talent both physically and mentally to be a successful qb in the NFL. Tebow may be the second coming of Christ as a human being and a talented athlete but none of that is going to make him a good quarterback.

This sounds like the exact same rant I had a few years ago about Matt Leinart & Reggie Bush. All this talk about how USC was so damned good they could probably beat the winless Detroit Lions... I would have killed to have seen that game take place, just to throw it in their faces when the Lions stomped all over USC. I had some respect for Lendale White in that he was a soft spoken workhorse that put up better numbers than Bush did, but even he didn't last in the NFL. Bush is mediocre at best, and I couldn't even tell you what team Matt Leinart is 2nd/3rd string on.

That's why I was reserving judgment when everyone this year was crapping all over Cam Newton and why he would be the next Ryan Leaf. You really just can't tell, because it's a whole new game. Tom Brady was a 6th round pick for crying out loud.

Sit back watch their rookie year play out and THEN you can start talking, until then you just don't know a thing.

 

[ITurnGirlsGay]

If Big Sexy's rant of the week isn't about the horrific and disturbing Penn State allegations, I'd be shocked. I can't wait to see what he has to say about this stuff and I'm going to hold my tongue until he launches into those bastards at PSU.

 

[Big Sexy]

David Stern​

The lockout in the NBA is over but relationships are from perfect between players and the league. On Thursday night a three team trade was on the table between the Lakers, Rockets, and Hornets, and all 3 parties involved were happy with the deal. One person, however, was not happy. That happened to be the one person who could void the trade, NBA commissioner David Stern. Whether it was his own doing completely or under the pressure from a group of owners, Stern took roster matters into his own hands and stopped the trade from happening. He essentially screwed over all 3 franchise involved as well as all 6 players involved. The trade was more then fair for everyone and would given fans the opportunity to see a back court of Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant. It also would have given the Rockets the all star big man they have coveted since the injuries to Yao started and it would have given the Hornets a nice return on a player who is all but guaranteed to leave the franchise after this season.

People think the NBA is the worse of all the leagues because of the lack of parity and the fact that superstars only go to big markets. I say that is a load of crap. The NBA is no different from MLB with the fact that superstars want to play in bigger markets and they want to play in places that give them the best chance to win. The only reason the parity in the NBA seems less then other leagues is because the impact superstar players make in the NBA is greater then that of any other sport. Superstars can play pretty much every meaningful minute of every meaningful game in the NBA. That can't be said anywhere else. In baseball ace pitchers start once every 4 or 5 days and hitters get about 4 at bats a game in a 9 inning ball game. In hockey even the players with the highest ice time will play maybe half the game. In football your star qb's only play on one side of the ball. The only exception to this rule is goaltenders in hockey and, surprise, a hot goalie is the most important part to a Stanley Cup run.

There is no way to really change this trend in sports. One way or another, superstar players will eventually find there way to a bigger market at some point if that is what they want. Trying to stop it is just going to cause more problems and have more of a negative affect then a positive one. The NBA has a salary cap which usually keeps a team to a max of two superstar players. The Miami Heat situation was a once in a blue moon type of thing where virtually everyone on their roster was a free agent giving them a ton of money during the best free agency year in NBA history. Even then they were defeated by an actual team with just one superstar in the NBA Finals.

There is no way to make everyone happy. Haters are always going to hate regardless. Stern is only going to do more harm then good by taking this much of a hands on approach to roster changes. The biggest storyline and all of the high ratings last year were mainly because people either loved the Heat's big three or they loved to see them get beat. In the end the perfect scenario of team basketball triumphing over superstars occurred. The best thing Stern can do is just chill out, sit back, and enjoy the show.