Keeping up with Lamar

Did you ever notice how often we use the word interesting? We throw that word around as frequently as we do the word “the.” It will be interesting. That’s interesting. Or we use the word interesting by itself. Well let me say without any doubt, Lamar Odom is an interesting person. There are parts of his life that are very much like we have heard about other athletes. Born in Queens, NY. Dad is a drug addict. Mom died while Lamar was still a kid. Raised by grandma. Throw in the common story that he went to three high schools and was heavily recruited out of high school to play at some of the best college basketball programs in the country. He was also named as Parade Magazine’s high school basketball player of the year in 1997. He committed to playing at UNLV, but was busted for illegally taking money from boosters, and was forced to transfer to the University of Rhode Island. In just one year, he led them to the Elite 8 of March Madness. Odom was then selected as the fourth overall player in the NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. If the story ends here, it’s the typical Horatio Alger tale. Young upstart faces many challenges, defies the odds and achieves beyond anyone’s expectations. In real life, it’s never that clean or easy.

Ahh yes, real life. Lamar can be brilliant, Lamar can be high on candy (and not candy as a code word for drugs, I actually mean candy). Lamar can be flat out, well, Lamar. Any basketball fan has said these words, “Lamar Odom has as much talent as anyone in the NBA.” But then it’s followed up with something like, “If only he had the heart or work ethic.” Well let me say this, Lamar Odom definitely has heart. I got a chance to see him up close briefly at the 2000 NBA All-Star weekend in Oakland. Most people remember that weekend as the Vince Carter Slam Dunk Show. I remember plenty of things, most memorable being meeting Magic Johnson. I also watched as John Thompson walked up to and kissed some of the most beautiful women in the world. I saw Allan Iverson walk past me and realized he was maybe an inch or two taller than me. I also remember two rookies, Steve Francis and Lamar Odom. While Francis, who also had some talent, was very unmemorable, Odom was holding court with many other players in the league. He was also respectful of the legends at the extravaganza and understood the food chain of the NBA. 

In 2004, Odom was traded from the Miami Heat to the Los Angeles Lakers. Right away he became a fan favorite. No question he became the 2^nd most popular player on the team. He was asked to be the Robin to Kobe Bryant’s Batman. But along the way, everyone could see something missing. There were nights where Odom would put up solid 20-point, 10-rebound games and do so with incredible ease. Other nights he just looked uninterested or unable to rise to the occasion of a pressure situation. He was struggling to be even the 2^nd option, let alone a star. It’s hard to decide whether Odom wearing his emotions on his sleeve is a good thing or a bad thing. We want our players to be cold heart killers at times and not let the pressure of the moment get too big for them. However, there are times us as fans love to see the player unable control their emotions when on cloud nine after a big play. That’s what Odom can do at times but on an inconsistent basis. 

And I guess that is another good word to describe Lamar Odom, inconsistent. His life has been inconsistent, from the tragic death of his six month old infant due to SIDS disease, to his helping the Lakers to win back-to-back NBA championships in 2009 and 2010. In fact, it was after the 2^nd championship that Lamar met his wife, Khloe Kardashian. What was it, six days before they became engaged? I guess that sort of thing is on par with Lamar Odom’s life. You never know what is going to come next. Odom certainly didn’t know that the Lakers were going to try to trade him to the New Orleans Hornets. We all know that’s what comes with the territory. It can be normal life for an NBA player. But in a radio interview, Odom all but wept on the air for all of southern California to hear. Even though he was saying other things about being shocked about the decision and not being told about it up front, let’s read between the lines. What he was really trying to say is how much he loves the city of Los Angeles and loves the Lakers organization. He took less money to be on a winning team. He even sacrificed a starting role and playing time to come off the bench and do what was best for the team. In the end, I guess it just wasn’t enough. Lamar Odom has been a great player for the Lakers. He should fit in very well with his new team, the Dallas Mavericks. Good luck to Lamar and we look forward to seeing him and Khloe do Dallas on the E! Network. It should be interesting.

A Long December

For many of us, December is an exciting time of year. There’s the obvious holidays and seasonal cheer. College football prepares for bowl season and the NBA is now giving us a great Christmas present. And of course, the NFL playoff picture is rounding into shape. Maybe your team clinches a playoff spot. Maybe your team clinches home field advantage. December always gives us something. For Tony Romo however, December is something else.

Let’s just put it out there, Tony Romo’s career statistics are very good. I’ll also say this; Tony Romo has a good win-loss record. He is very athletic, can extend plays and has the pressure of playing in a city that demands their quarterback be a star and also perform like one. Tony Romo has a career record of 46-27, including a strong 19-2 record in the month of November and a career QB rating of 95.8. With Sunday’s loss to the lowly Arizona Cardinals, his career record in the month of December/January is now 8-11. If you include the 2008 regular season finale vs Philadelphia, which was a “win and you’re in” game, his playoff record is 1-4. He has completed less than 60% of his passes in his playoff games and his QB rating is a pedestrian 80.8. Does Tony Romo deserve all the blame? No. I think we all can give some of the blame to former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones deserves some heat as well. But in a league that protects its stars and adjusts rules to protect its quarterbacks, Tony Romo has to be held accountable for his winter shortcomings. In looking back to last Sunday’s loss at Arizona, Romo put up solid numbers: 28-for-42 in completions, 299 yards passing, one TD with no interceptions. But most people watching probably wondered what Romo was thinking or wasn’t thinking on what should have been the game winning drive. Romo completed a pass to WR Dez Bryant with 25 seconds to go and two timeouts. Tick tick tick tick tick; all the way down to seven seconds before they spike the ball and settle for a 49 yard field goal attempt. How many Cowboys fans around the country were yelling at the TV, “Take a timeout! You have two timeouts.” Why didn’t Romo take a timeout, save about ten seconds and run one or two more plays to get his kicker a closer field goal attempt?

It is plays like that, and like his botched hold on a winning field goal attempt in the playoffs against Seattle, that always leave you scratching your head when it comes to Tony Romo in the clutch. Or at the very least it causes you to question his leadership.

Are we just nit picking here or do we demand more from the “so called” stars of the NFL? We love Tom Brady, not just because he is married to a supermodel, but because he wins when it matters (34-4 record in the month of December). Now if we compared most quarterbacks to Tom Brady, they would fall short. But the Dallas Cowboys franchise is an organization that can say they have had Don Meredith, Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman at quarterback. Romo is supposed to be next in line. He is no longer a kid. This is his seventh season as a starting quarterback in the NFL and the time should be now. Lucky for him, Romo and his Cowboys control their own destiny this season. Win enough games and the NFC East is his for the taking. But if we look at the past, Romo and the Cowboys are far from a lock to make the playoffs. Tony Romo is a very good quarterback. Just not when it matters most.

Denver's Prayer

Our Quarterback, who art in Denver,

Tebow be thy name

His arm no good

Not as it should

Not close to good ol’ number seven

Give us this Sunday another win,

And let him complete a few more passes

As we defend against those who pass better against us.

And lead us not into mediocrity,

But deliver us to January.

Though he has wisdom,

He lacks the power,

And the ability

God help us forever and ever.

Amen

Giving Thanks

It’s this time of the year when we should all stop, reflect and give thanks for all we have. Now here is a list of sports related personnel, events and other things that I have to be thankful for:

I give thanks for John Wooden: the one sports figure I would want my children to have as a role model.

I give thanks for Wilt & Russ, Ali & Frazier, Magic & Bird, Martina & Chrissy: enemies and friends who put winning above all else.

I give thanks for Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant and Derek Jeter: simply the best and even better when it matters most.

I give thanks for Lambeau Field, Yankee Stadium and the Rose Bowl: some of the greatest moments in sports at some of the most majestic sights.

I give thanks for Murderer’s Row, the Steel Curtain and the Showtime Lakers: style and substance made them all-time greats.

I give thanks for Joe Dumars, Wayne Gretzky and Yogi Berra: nice guys don’t always finish last.

I give thanks for Mary Lou Retton, Michael Johnson and Michael Phelps: the world watched and they delivered.

I give thanks for Roger Maris and Henry Aaron: the single season and career homerun record holders by those NOT on steroids.

I give thanks for Vin Scully, Al Michaels and Keith Jackson: they painted masterpieces with their words.

I give thanks for John McEnroe and Charles Barkley: you have to play with intensity.

I give thanks for Steve Prefontaine and Bo Jackson: explosive in just a short time, what if?

I give thanks for Jackie Robinson: courage under fire.

Here are more that other people are thankful for:

“I give thanks for the Catch. Montana to Clark began a dynasty.” – Joe, San Francisco, CA

“I give thanks for the Leprechaun. Now there’s a steal by Bird! Underneath to DJ who lays it in!” Adam, Denver, CO

“I give thanks for Walter Payton. Pure Sweetness.” Tommy, Boise, ID

“I give thanks for Marcus Allen. His switchback run in Super Bowl XVIII made me bleed Silver and Black.” Ian, Ventura, CA

“I give thanks for US soccer fans. No one shoots and kills our players when we score an own goal.” Rudy, Eugene, OR

“I give thanks for Tyus Edney and his mad dash buzzer beater. It makes March Madness so memorable.” Eric, Lake Havasu City, AZ

“I give thanks for NFL Redzone. I’ll never again miss a Steelers touchdown.” Kirstan, Los Angeles, CA

Let me tell you what I don’t like

I just had to steal a phrase from talk show host Jim Rome. There are plenty of issues, players, and rules that sports today clearly needs to adjust or change. With the BCS rankings being adjusted and the scandals arising, here is a list of what I don’t like in the sports world today:

The BCS – Clearly I’m not alone here. I acknowledge that it has worked a couple times, with USC/Texas in 2006 or Auburn/Oregon in 2011. However, a playoff format is a must. You can’t tell me a computer is a better way to decide who will play in the national championship than having an eight-team playoff. You can still incorporate the bowl games in the final seven games to decide the clear cut number one. BCS, it’s time to go. I don’t like it.

Yankees/Red Sox match-ups – First let me say, as a purest, I love baseball games. However, I hate nine inning games that last four hours, which is what you seem to get when the Yankees/Red Sox meet every time in the regular season, or in their case, eighteen times per season. I mean, a four hour playoff game that goes fourteen innings would probably be a masterpiece. I don’t need eighteen regular season meetings, all of which are going nine innings and are dragged along for dramatic purposes. Furthermore, IT’S NOT A RIVARLY! It can’t be when one team has won 27 World Series Championships and the other has won 7 World Series Championships. When you have one team over a long period of time that you know is going to beat the other team more often than not, it cannot be considered a rivalry. I don’t like it.

Baseball’s home field advantage – Congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals and their remarkable run to the World Series flag. Now that the parade is done and the smoke is gone, do people remember that these Cardinals hosted game seven of the World Series… as a wild card team? You cannot reward a second place team with a home game seven over a team who has won their division and may have the best record in all of baseball. I don’t like it. What’s wrong with best record deciding that advantage? Which leads me to my next gripe…

MLB All-Star Game – It should be and has in the past been the best of all the professional all-star games. Today, it is a joke, especially when the Homerun Derby is more popular than the game itself. Two things need to change. One, the obvious change is to get rid of the winner deciding the home field advantage in the World Series. Second, allow players to re-enter the game. Some of the best moments in MLB All-star game history have involved big names like Ted Williams, Pete Rose and Tony Gwynn. Players playing the entire game used to be normal. Nowadays, no way. But can you imagine Mariano Rivera trying to close it out for the American League and up stepping Albert Pujols, who gets to re-enter the game for one AB? This should be a no-brainer. I don’t like it.

College Sports scandals – USC, Ohio State, Penn State: they used to be associated with storied college football programs. Now they have a black eye because people have lost their values, or never had them to begin with. John Calipari, Jerry Tarkanian and UCONN men’s basketball have also stained their sport. It should not be about the money. It should be about the kids and the integrity of amateur sports. I don’t like it.

Hatred towards Duke Men's Basketball - Great coach and leader. Great kids who graduate from one of the top institutions in the US. They are great examples of how to succeed on and off the court. They know how to win (four NCAA titles in 20 seasons), know how to compete and are rarely seen in a negative light. Coach K, Jay Bilas, Christian Laettner, Grant Hill, Shane Battier, Chris Duhon, J.J. Redick: What's not to like? Why are there so many haters? I don't like it

California sports fans – Yes, I am one of these and there are probably other states that are just as bad, but I hope it doesn’t get any worse for us fans in the Golden State. In the last year alone we have seen a stabbing at the USC/UCLA football game, a shooting at a 49ers/Raiders preseason game, a stabbing at a Chargers/Raiders game, and, of course, the unfortunate beating of Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium on Opening day 2011. Forget the concept of banning alcohol; it’s just not going to happen. So you fans, clean it up. Trash talk? Yes. Take it to another level like beating, stabbing and guns? No. I don’t like it.

Twitter – Is it a nice idea to be able to follow your favorite athlete and have more access to them than you would twenty years ago? Sure. But do we need to know every single thing LeBron James is doing? Do we really care? This is one of those “less is more” situations. Athletes, tone it down with Twitter. I don’t like it.

The NBA lockout – Obviously, this is a tough time of year. No Kobe Bryant. No Dwight Howard. No Blake Griffin. This is the one time I feel sorry for Mark Cuban. He and his Mavericks have yet to raise their banner and host their ring ceremony. Hey players, take a vote. A full vote of all 450 players and take the 50-50 deal because I just have a feeling the worst may be yet to come. By worst I mean a full season gone and perhaps contraction. I don’t like it.

The Super Bowl in New York – New York City is one of the greatest and most exciting cities in the world. Madison Square Garden and the New York Yankees both have their place in the sporting world. However, can you picture the San Diego Chargers battling the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a few years in the coldest Super Bowl ever? Some of you football die hards love watching two teams battling it out in the sleet or other strenuous weather. I don’t blame Steeler fans or Packer fans reveling in having home field advantage, especially when you are playing a team like the Chargers or Bucs. But the Super Bowl is so big and so famous and such an enormous event. It needs to be in a dome with perfect weather conditions. It needs to be in a city like Miami or Tempe or perhaps even Los Angeles. Cold weather and the Super Bowl just isn’t a good match. I don’t like it.

Despite all of these things, we still watch sports on a daily basis. So my question for you, what don’t you like?

A Tale of Two Eulogies

Reverend Palmer: Thank you to everyone for coming. Let us bow our heads in prayer. Lord, we want to thank you for watching over us and thank you for the life we are celebrating today. He was everything to everyone in attendance today and we know he is better now at your side. He has suffered and is now at peace, although before his time. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Amen

Pat Riley: Earvin came into my life and instantly made it better. He made me a better person and made me a better coach. Watching him on the court, leading our team not only with his words but with his actions, he was everything that is right in the world of team sports. It pained me to see his physical attributes wear thin, although his infectious smile never did. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Cookie, and to the entire Johnson family.

Jerry West: Earvin came into my life and instantly made it better. He made me a better person and made me a better executive. There were things on the court that only Earvin could do. Things only he could see. He was a winner in every sense of the word. High school, college, the NBA, the Olympics, he accomplished it all. I ask God why he had to cut his time on this earth so short. We still need him. His family still needs him. I still need him.

Jerry Buss: Earvin came into my life and instantly made it better. He made me a better person and made me a better owner. When signing Earvin, it was clear he was about winning and being the ultimate teammate. He did more for me than he knew. He put the Lakers on his back and in some ways put the entire city of Los Angeles on his back. When he made that announcement, I cried. When he was unable to continue speaking at Lakers events, I cried. When Cookie called me to tell me he passed away, I cried. 

Kareem Abdul-Jabaar: Earvin came into my life and instantly made it better. He made me a better person and made me a better player. It really was Magical timing when he came into my life. My career was extended in so many ways. That press conference was so tough to take. In my mind, it just wasn’t the way the hero was supposed to ride off into the sunset. Life just isn’t fair sometimes and Earvin’s life is proof of that. But I love him and I am going to miss seeing him at Lakers games. I’m going to miss seeing him anywhere. He was a true friend.

Larry Bird: Earvin came into my life and instantly made it hell. But he made me a better person and although I would never admit it at the time, he made me a better player. To steal a line from my speech at Earvin’s Hall of Fame Induction, “I was going to speak from my heart, but damn it, he broke my heart so many times I don’t know if I have any heart left.” The day of that press conference, we were playing Atlanta and that was the only time I didn’t feel like being at the arena. And from that day on, I valued every moment that I spent with Earvin. I always felt good whenever I knew I was going to see him. I just can’t believe I’ll never have that feeling again.

Cookie Johnson:  Earvin came in to my life and instantly made it better. He made me a better person and made me a better wife and mother. Most people would have thought I felt lucky to be married to Magic Johnson. But I felt luckier to be married to Earvin Johnson. The outside world has no idea the moments he and I shared. I cherished every one of them over the past 20 years. I guess I should be thankful I had  that long with him. There were days I laughed so hard I cried, and there were days I cried so hard until he made me laugh again. I would give anything to have the world feel the way I did with Earvin. He truly was my best friend. I’m sorry I just can’t continue.

Earvin Johnson Sr.: That day, November 7, 1991, it was a day that will live in infamy for me and my family. Now here we are twenty years later and I can’t believe he’s gone. A parent should never have to outlive their child. You may have known him as Buck, or famously, Magic, but to me he was simply Jr. I thank you all for coming and being such great friends to my son. He loved you all.

___________________________________________________________

Reverend Oliver:  Thank you to everyone for coming; let us bow our heads in prayer. Lord, we want to thank you for watching over us and thank you for the life we are celebrating today. He was everything to everyone in attendance today and we know he is better now at your side. Everyone thought his life would be cut short on the day he made that announcement, yet here we are decades later, celebrating his long life as an inspiration and great family man to his friends, family, wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. This is how he would want us to remember him. Today we praise you Earvin Johnson. Amen

James Worthy: Earvin came into my life and instantly made it better. He made me a better person and made me a better player. I have to say in a selfish way that I benefited on the court more than any other player by playing alongside Earvin. But it was more than just teammates with Earvin. I was honored to call him my friend. I also called him the godfather of my first born grandson. I will miss him dearly and thank him for the lifetime of memories.

Kobe Bryant: Earvin came into my life and instantly made it better. He made me a better person and made me a better player. Growing up in Italy, I would have my grandparents tape NBA games and send them over so I could watch my favorite player. Magic Johnson is the reason I became a basketball player. When playing for the Lakers, I always felt I was responsible for carrying on the greatness of the franchise, the greatness he started, continued and passed on to me and those after me. Never has there been a better ambassador for the great game of basketball. I appreciated his kind words at my jersey retirement ceremony. I appreciated all the times we spent at NBA events. More than anything I appreciated the man he was. I am honored that I was asked to speak today and am thankful that it is Kobe Bryant “the old man” that gets to do it.

Derek Fisher:  Earvin came into my life and instantly made it better. He made me a better person and made me a better commissioner. It was he who was instrumental at the end of my playing career battling the owners and executives in the strike of 2011. It was also Earvin who advised me during my tenure as head coach of the Lakers. Earvin also convinced me to become commissioner of the NBA after my coaching days. Most remember his accomplishments on the court. I remember him as much, if not more, for his accomplishments off the court. His work in the community, his business savvy, his willingness to make things better for everyone: those are the things that will stick with me the most.

Shaquille O’Neal: Earvin came into my life and instantly made it better. He made me a better person and made me a better player. He was a major reason for me coming to Los Angeles and winning three championships. I had worked out with him before I was drafted and he taught me about the life of an NBA superstar. He prepared me for a career as a player, but also as a businessman.  Way back when Kobe and I weren’t getting along, it was Magic who showed me both sides. We talked about how he and Kareem co-existed. I wish I had listened to him more. Now look, today Kobe and I are good friends and I have Magic to thank for that. Magic, I love you. There will never be another.
 

Elisa Johnson: My father came into my life and instantly made it better. He made me a better person and made me a better family member. I did not know my dad as the great basketball player, but I did know him as the world’s best father. He was loving, fun, inspirational and taught me so much. For those who are unaware, he and mom adopted me at a young age. While dad was overseeing many business ventures, working within the Lakers organization, doing his media gigs and everything else, he always made time for me and made sure I knew he loved me. Nobody loved and appreciated that smile more than me. I love you daddy and want to say thank you for all you have done, especially for loving mommy.

Cookie Johnson: A long, long time ago, the world thought my husband was going to die a very slow and painful death. I’m not going to lie, the days, weeks and months after that day in November 1991, were extremely difficult. We had only been married a couple months and I was pregnant with our son Earvin the 3^rd. The press and media killed him and it killed me to hear and see it. But he was strong and it allowed me to be strong and it made our marriage and our relationship stronger. He always said he was “going to beat this thing.” In some way, I always knew he would. But he not only took it upon himself to beat the virus, he became a spokesman on the issue. He became one of the first people to speak out about sex and teach the youth of America what schools and the communities were not teaching. Lest we not forget, the man could play basketball. I got to see him from the beginning in the green and white at Michigan State. I had a boyfriend in high school prior to Earvin who begged me not to go to Michigan State because he believed I was going to meet Magic Johnson and fall in love. I still smile when I think about that story. Speaking of a smile, I just melted when Earvin smiled. He could solve everything with his smile. He won five championships with his intensity and work ethic, but he won the hearts of the sporting world with his smile. He gave all he had to everyone he loved. I am so thankful that Earvin lived a full life. No one, and I truly mean no one, lived life to the fullest like my husband. Let me leave you with this; Earvin Johnson was funny. He was warm and caring. He was a great basketball player. He was a successful businessman. And now that he has passed away as a wrinkled old man, he passed away happy, thus giving us his greatest accomplishment. In the game of life, Earvin Johnson was the best ever.

The New Steelers' Way

As you may have read in an earlier blog, today’s NFL is highly quarterback driven. More than ever, the stars of the game play that position. Recently, we have heard so much about so many different quarterbacks and the kinds of years they are having. Just in case you haven’t been following along, we have heard about Cam Newton and his amazing debut in the NFL. What about Tim Tebow? Is he an NFL quarterback? We can’t forget about Aaron Rodgers, today’s king of the world in the NFL. What’s going on with Joe Flacco, completing barely half of his passes? It seems that the whole world has heard about Andrew Luck, the virtual lock to be the number one overall pick in next year’s draft. We have even heard about Curtis Painter, how he and no one else can play like Peyton Manning. Then there is the golden boy, Tom Brady. He is having a good season, but nothing he hasn’t done before. In looking at his game Sunday, he wasn’t terrible but he wasn’t great, wasn’t quite “Brady-esque.” And in a very rare instance, he wasn’t as good as the other quarterback on the field. In case you were saying, oh yeah, what about Big Ben? You would not be the only one. The fact that Ben isn’t making any front page news is not a bad thing. We remember how the season started last year: a four-game suspension due to his alleged actions with a woman. It seems that most have forgotten about it. The main reason: winning.

Ben Roethlisberger statistically has had better games than Sunday. He has played and won bigger games on bigger stages. Despite this, Sunday’s 25-17 Steelers victory over the Patriots will go down as one of the most important games in his already successful career. Let’s look at what we already know. Until yesterday, Tom Brady was 6-1 lifetime vs. the Steel Curtain, with not all but most against Big Ben. Looking back at most of those Patriot games, Brady cut apart the vaunted Steelers’ defense, destroying every game plan that Hall of Fame defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau drew up. Brady’s offense was able to spread out the defense, take 3 step drops, threw short passes and marched down the field with precision and almost perfection. That changed Sunday. What really happened is that the roles reversed, and that is what Roethlisberger did to the Patriots. In doing so, Ben may have found a way to not only slay the big bad Patriots, but may have also changed the culture of one of the most successful franchises in all of sports. Today’s Steelers are not your father’s Steelers, or my father-in-law’s Steelers. Here is a clip of the Steelers of the past, the ones my father-in-law so frequently reflects upon:

Just to catch you up on who the Steelers have always been, the Steelers have won six Super Bowls, four in the 1970’s when they would dominate defensively with Jack Lambert, “Mean” Joe Greene, Mel Blount and many others. They would wear you down and control the clock with Franco Harris. They would really need only a couple of big throws from Terry Bradshaw, which he made, probably to John Stallworth or Lynn Swann. The franchise also kept the players and the success within the Rooney Family. They’ve drafted well and rarely have they signed free agents. In the past 32 years, there have only been three head coaches: Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin. The Steelers won their last two rings this past decade. Yet something has changed. Maybe it started last year, but it is very evident this year and yinz fans in the ‘Burgh should get used to it because these changes will likely continue into the future. All I have heard this season is how old and slow the Steelers have become. Last time I checked, Ben is 29 years-old and in the prime of his career. Mike Wallace, only 25, isn’t quite Calvin Johnson, but he is lightning in a bottle and can explode at any moment. Rashard Mendenhall is only 24 and is coming off back-to-back 1000 yard seasons. It seems like Heath Miller has been around forever, but he hasn’t reached age 30 yet and is always a reliable and formidable tight end. And the up and comers, Antonio Brown, 25, and Emmanuel Sanders, 28, look ready to produce game-in and game-out.

You may have noticed that I haven’t mentioned any defensive players. Two reasons: one, while they are still good enough to keep them in games, the defense is no longer the main focus. Two, the defense no longer needs to be as dominant due to the more productive offense. The Steelers’ best player is no longer on the defensive side of the ball. Ben Roethlisberger just threw for 300 yards in back-to-back games for the first time in his NFL career. The way he did it Sunday is what makes all the difference. He distributed the ball to nine different wide receivers. While he did make “Big Ben” plays by avoiding the rush and extending the play, for the most part he was able to sit in the pocket and make quality throws left, center and right. The most important part of Sunday’s game is that, while throwing the ball 50 times, he led 5 drives of 10 plays or more that not only gave his team points, but kept Tom Brady off the field. It wasn’t that Brady was bad; he just wasn’t on the field much. Ben and the Steelers took what Tom Brady’s Patriots have always done and threw it right back in their faces. Ben kept his Steelers offense on the field for over 39 minutes. As long as he has his offensive line to give him some protection, this is how Ben and the Steelers should attack the Patriots in the future. This is how they should attack the Baltimore Ravens next week. This is how the Pittsburgh Steelers should game plan for the rest of the season. That’s how they have been winning games in 2011. And did anyone notice that at 6-2, the Steelers have the best record in AFC? And in an important situation, shouldn’t every team put the ball in the hands of their best player? That’s what the Black and Gold are doing these days, leaning on Big Ben Roethlisberger, the leader of the new Steelers Way.

Sounds of the Postseason

When you have a game or pastime as long as baseball has been around, you’re bound to come across some prophets. Ok, maybe not prophets, but people who have sounded like them. Or better yet, people who have been quoted so often it becomes a part of everyday culture. We have all heard the Yogi-isms such as “90% of the game is half mental” or “Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded” and of course “It’s déjà vu all over again.” With fall upon us, and when I say fall I mean Fall Classic, I thought it would be fun to look back at some of the greatest quotes regarding baseball’s postseason play. So in no particular order here are a handful of quips that deserve to be mentioned and recognized:

“Don’t let us win this game tonight. Then they get Petey and then they get Schill game 6. And game 7, anything happens” – Kevin Millar, whose team was down three games to none before game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, Yankees vs. Red Sox.

“I’ll have to deal with it. But don’t expect me to curl up and hide from people because I gave up a homerun in the World Series. Life’s a bitch. I could be digging ditches somewhere. Well, I’m not” – Mitch Williams after giving up the World Series clinching homerun to Joe Carter, game 6 of the 1993 World Series, Phillies vs. Blue Jays.

“That’s the guy that killed Donnie Moore” – Dave Henderson, speaking about the whispers he still gets in public regarding his homerun off Moore, game 5 of the 1986 ALCS, Red Sox vs. Angels. Donnie Moore committed suicide three years later.

“Derek Jeter shook my hand. I went right to the clubhouse and like a 12 year old little leaguer I buried my face in the towel and I balled my eyes out” - David Cone, speaking about being lifted after walking in the tying run, game 5 of the 1995 ALDS, Yankees vs. Mariners.

“And now the only question was, could he make it around the base pads unassisted?” - Vin Scully, describing the replay of Kirk Gibson’s game winning homerun, game 1 of the 1988 World Series, A’s vs. Dodgers.

“Mariano’s up and Mariano’s in and my managing decisions are over for this year” – Joe Torre, speaking about putting Mariano Rivera in to protect a 2-1 lead, game 7 of the 2001 World Series, Yankees vs. Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks came back to win 3-2.

“One thing I remember running around the bases is telling myself to look around and take all of this in –“ Aaron Boone, speaking about his thoughts after his series clinching homerun, game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, Red Sox vs. Yankees.

“So I want Barry (Bonds) to have the best opportunity to throw him out. So when I motion him in, he turned to me and gave me the international peace sign” Andy Van Slyke, speaking about trying to move Barry Bonds in just seconds before Francisco Cabrera’s series clinching single, game 7 of the NLCS, Pirates vs. Braves.

“And these chimes mean it is November. For the first time in the history of Major League Baseball, playing the World Series during the month of November” - Joe Buck, seconds after the clock struck midnight, November 1^st, just seconds before Derek Jeter’s game winning homerun, game 4 of the 2001 World Series, Diamondbacks vs. Yankees.

 

“Let’s make him famous. Let’s make him famous” – Mark Redmond’s comments from the Marlins’ dugout about a fan that interfered with Moises Alou’s attempt to catch a foul ball near the stands, game 6 of the 2003 ALCS, Marlins vs. Cubs. Redmond, wish granted.

With all of these quotes, sometimes you have to hear it to experience the excitement for yourself. Below is a clip that shows some of the greatest moments in baseball history: