Saddened, but not shocked

I can't say I am shocked about the untimely death of the King of Pop. For a generation, Michael Jackson changed pop music and became the first entertainer to mix upbeat pop music and dance moves never seen before. How many times did I play Thriller? I am pretty sure the tape is worn out. As amazing of a performer as Michael Jackson was, in his personal life, he was one weird dude.

He transformed from a good looking Black guy to a scary looking white guy and that was just the tip of the ice berg. From Never Land Ranch to Deprivation chambers to dangling his baby over a balcony, Michael Jackson definitely had some issues he needed to resolve.

When all is said and done, I will remember Michael Jackson belting out Beat It or Leading the zombies in the greatest video of all time, Thriller. There will never be another like the King of Pop.

PEDs in Baseball

This might be one of my favorite topics - Performance Enhancement Drugs in Baseball. After lots of thoughts on this topic, it simply comes down to the Hall of Fame. We as fans have a problem with guys who have the numbers to go to Cooperstown, but did it on the shady side. If we go back through the current members of Baseball's HOF, how many of these guys cheated? Used something they shouldn't have? Done something that may not have been so Kosher? I am willing to bet 10-15% did.

The thing about the HOF that bothers me the most, is how baseball players get inducted - by Writers. Think about it, a writer holds the key to whether or not Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Alex Rodriguez gets inducted into the Hall of Fame, that is ridiculous! Can you believe there are some writers who actually did not vote for Babe Ruth to get in? Sandy Koufax! Jackie Robinson! Those writers who didn't vote those guys in, should lose their voting PRIVILEGES.

I feel the HOF should be based on a point system (I Can't Take Credit for this idea, but I will expand upon it.) Bench Marks need to be set and this is how the HOF now inducts it's players.

This is just a rough draft:

For Each 162 regular season game, they get 1 point
For Each 10 Post Season games, they get 1 point
For Each 300 batting season, 1 point, For every 40 home run, 1 point, For every 100 rbi's, 1 point, For every 15 wins, 1 point, etc.

About 35 points or so and you are a Hall of Famer, no writers. And starting now, if you are caught with PEDs or breaking rules, no Hall, If you got through it in the past, so are lucky.

Just something to think about.

15 years ago today...

I am sure you were glued in front of the television, watching the White Ford Bronco driving on the LA Freeway. Where has the time gone? I remember watching OJ and this whole ordeal thinking, how can someone like OJ Murder his ex wife and her friend, it was impossible. Celebrities don't do this kind of stuff. Oh how Cynical I have become 15 years later. Maybe it was because of OJ I lost my compassion for most people? I'd like to think OJ Simpson opened my eyes to the world I live in and now I don't believe everything I see and hear. So, OJ, your once glorious, now pathetic excuse for a life has done one thing, it has knocked some sense into me.

The Police Blotter

We are just a shade over a month away of NFL training camps beginning and almost all is quiet on the NFL Front. In the next several weeks, all of the draft picks will be signed and ready for camp. TO and his ego will be in Buffalo, smiling and cracking jokes and hugging his new best friend, Trent Edwards (5:1 this relationship goes down like all of the others by week 3.) Michael Vick will be done with his home confinement and looking for a new job, I don't know who will be the one to take a chance on him?

And than there are Dante Stallworth and Plaxico Burress. Stallworth pleaded guilty to dui manslaughter and will serve a 30 day jail sentence, He also settled with the family, terms undisclosed. It sucked Stallworth had to go through all of this, but serves him right for killing someone while under the influence. Stallworth was at least man enough to get this ordeal over with and for that, I give him credit. He took his punishment like a man and I believe he deserves a second chance.

Plax on the other hand is stalling. Hoping he can play another season before he gets looked up in the clink. So lets get this straight, Plax, the responsible person he is, goes to a Manhattan Night Club along with his gun because he doesn't feel safe. He puts the gun in his elastic waistband of his warm up suit and gets drunk. The gun slips down his pants and when he grabs it, he shots himself in the leg. After the alleged coverup, Plax is charged with gun charges, etc. NYC wants to make an example of Plax and will not plea anything without jail time. Plax keeps stalling hoping he won't go to the big house. Now it looks like Plax won't stand trial until after this season and because he has a "clean" record, the NFL and Roger Goddell cannot suspend him until there is a judgement on his case. Is it fair, nope. I just hope NFL owners think long and hard about this guy before signing him and show some class and let him serve his jail time before he resumes a professional football career.

A Friday's Random Thoughts...

It's kind of funny, during the stretch run of past two seasons, the New York Mets choked. There's no other way to candy coat it, the New York Mets choked! Over the last 3 nights, I had to listen to Keith Hernandez and the Met broadcast team try to paint a rosy picture and if it wasn't happening. Hey Boys, let's call a spade a spade, the Mets felt their weakness over the last two seasons was their bull pen and they addressed it by adding JJ Putz and Francisco Rodriguez and how did that work out for the Mets? Their bull pen collapsed, losing two games against their rivals. I don't think the Phillies are playing that well, but as long as the Mets show they beat a reeling team, I say the Mets are going to choke again this fall.

Speaking of choking, the Yankees spent a lot of money in the off season on Sabathia, Burnett and Texiera. These acquisitions and the loss of Manny, was suppose to add up to the Yankees blowing everyone away in the AL East. So far this year, the Sox are 8-0 against their rivals. This isn't going to turn out well for GM Brian Cashman and Manager Joe Girardi if the Yankees repeat what they did last year. The Red Sox have to be flying high, they are doing it with Big Papi on the decline, Matsuska injured most of the year and the retirement of Schilling.

Part of me is cheering against Washington Nationals first round pick and number 1 pick overall, Stephen Strasburg. The money his agent Scott Boras is gonna command will put a team like the Nationals out of business. And if this guy fails, how many teams will want to take chances on guys like this? I don't see this guy being the next Roy Halladay or Cole Hamels, who was the last prospect of this caliber to actually pay off?

The NBA finals is going on... (If I have nothing nice to say about something, I will just keep my mouth shut.)

Tonight is game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in Detroit. Call me crazy, but I have this strange feeling Pittsburgh will shock the world and win the Cup. I am pulling for Crosby and Malkin, it's what the NHL needs, young team and players to market the sport around.

Guys like Tim Floyd should be prosecuted. They come into Universities and take advantage of their position, illegally recruit, get caught "resign" and the school pays the price. The School is put on probation, the Athletes who are there get penalized because they are stuck in a program that will probably be post season ineligible, they have to sit out a year before they transfer. The guilty player isn't there long enough to be punished (OJ Mayo) and the Coach gets off Scott Free with a Million Dollar Buyout. So I say guys like Floyd should be arrested and fined for fraud.

Is there a tougher pound for pound guy than WEC's Urijah Faber? He fought 4+ rounds with a severed finger.

Donovan McNabb Signed an extension, hopefully keeping him as a life long Eagle. Is there a guy who gets more crap than spewed on him than McNabb? First from that Communist Druggie Rush Limbaugh, than from the Philly Press and Fans. You may not like the guy, but you can't question his ability and he will go down as one of the top QB in NFL history. I hope he wins a championship to cement his legacy amongst the elite.

And Now Brett Favre (see my comments on the NBA Finals and that's how I feel about Favre.) I just wish he would retire already!