Hello and welcome to another Wednesday of deep thoughts. Damn, I hate getting old. After doing some yard work last weekend, I went to bed Sunday night thinking my back felt a bit tight. When I got up on Monday, it was not any better…but it wasn’t too bad, so I went about business as usual. Tuesday morning, I woke up with a full spasm in the lower back. I don’t know if you have ever experienced this, but it sucks…pure and simple. There is really nothing to do, but rest, ice and drugs… Of course, if my blog sucks today, at least I have an excuse.

With my back out, I spent most of Tuesday sitting in my recliner watching baseball. There were a few things that caught my attention and I think deserve a bit of discussion. Did you see Brett Lawrie get ejected? As this video is on MLB network, the best I can offer is the link: http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120515&content_id=31385244&vkey=news_tor&c_id=tor

I truly believe that most umpires do a great job of getting the calls right, but this ump’s zone was terrible.  Some umps call a wide zone, but what he called strike three was clearly up. You can't call em wide and tall, it is just not right. Now, Lawrie should not have thrown his helmet, but did it look like the ump was doing a bit of acting when the helmet grazed him? He acted like Brett threw hot water on him or something. I am not sure what happened in this game, but it sure seemed like he had it in for Lawrie. There is no doubt that a suspension is coming. How many games do you think that Lawrie will be out?  My guess is 7 games….and that is too bad. This umpire needs to remember that he is best when he is invisible. 

Tuesday was the first time that Bryce Harper and Mike Trout hit HR’s on the same day, but I know there will be many more. After watching these two rookies play for the past week, I think I was wrong in my initial assessment. Both of these guys are ready to play now. Of course they will have rough days, but their talent is obvious. I would not be surprised if Harper hit 20 HRs this year. As I am currently re-reading a book about Willie Mays, I could not help but think that Mays also started professional baseball as a 19 year old. I also have to admit that I have changed my view of Harper. I like the way this kid plays. He plays with a bit of old school intensity. Willie Mays was thrown at frequently. As a high schooler playing in an industrial league, he was drilled in one of his first at bats. As he lay in the dirt crying, his manager barked at him to get up. The advice he gave Mays was to steal 2^nd and 3^rd as quickly as you can…this is the best way to get back at a pitcher. I could not help but think of Mays when Harper stole home on Hamels. Of course it was nice to see Harper’s pitcher hit Hamels, but stealing home was the perfect message to send Hamels. Both of these guys are following the 5 tool path that Mays blazed more than 50 years ago, but of course they have a very long way to go to achieve what Mays did.

I have to give a bit of love to the Orioles. While most think that the AL East will eventually catch and pass the Baltimore, I am beginning to sense that Buck has enough talent to hang tough much of the year. The Orioles were once remembered for hitting the three run home run, pitching and defense. While I have not seen Jim Palmer or Mike Cuellar on the mound for the birds, I do see a power resurgence in Adam Jones, Matt Wieters, JJ Hardy and Chris Davis. Did you know that the Baltimore’s bullpen has an ERA of .228 and possibly baseball’s best closer in Jim Johnson? It is funny, but Showalter is winning with three Ranger castoffs. Chris Davis, Darren O’Day and Pedro Strop are all ex-Rangers. I am not sure that the starting pitching is good enough to stay atop the AL East, but with the Yankees struggling health and the Red Sox troubles, this might be the year that Baltimore stays north of .500. There is plenty of time for them to fade, but this group of birds seems very determined to hang around. Buck Showalter is one great manager…

Most have commented that the NBA is not what it once was. I do have to admit that I thoroughly enjoy the hijinks on TNT. Frequently, I will not watch the game, but tune in to see what Charles, Kenny and Ernie are up to on the game recap. In case you missed the great shirt off on Tuesday evening, here is a video recap of the event. In short, Shaq challenged Barkley to take his shirt off and compare their abs. I think that Shaq had a bit of artistic help with his “six pack”. Funny stuff…

As usual, BOB has inspired me with a topic in his blog that I had to carry over to Wednesday. There have been rumors about Florida State moving to the Big 12. I have always wondered why Florida State was not in the SEC. Their proximity to the SEC would be a natural fit for the Seminoles and Miami for that matter. As I started to read about the situation in the ACC, it was quickly clear that money was at the heart of the discussion to leave the ACC. Apparently the new TV deal that was signed only ads about a million dollars to the current agreement. Although the announced deal sounded much better, the TV dollars are apparently back loaded, which may leave the conference under market by the time the bigger dollars are realized. Florida State is in a pickle. They have admitted to running an operating deficit and may have to trim almost 2.5 million in expenses. The rub for the Seminoles is the quality of competition in the ACC and the difficulty of selling out their 80,000 seat stadium. Here is a look at the Noles 2012 schedule:

9-1      vs   Murray State

9-8      vs   Savannah State

9-15    vs   Wake Forest

9-22    vs   Clemson

9-29    at   USF

10-6    at   NC State

10-13  vs   BC

10-20  at   Miami

10-27  vs  Duke

11-03       OPEN

11-8    at  VT

11-17  at  Maryland

11-24  vs  Florida

12-1         ACC championship game

Obviously, the Big 12 would need to add two teams if they decided to add Florida State. Louisville has been rumored as an option, but perhaps Miami would be a better option? This new conference could be split into an East and West division:

East:  Florida State, West Virginia, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Miami

West: Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State

With a 9 game schedule, each team would play all of their division and four teams from the other division. This would be a very strong conference and would add back a conference championship game for the Big 12. Is this possible? There are some big advantages for the Big 12 to add two teams of the stature of Florida State and Miami. While the Florida teams are not what they once were, it does not take much imagination to see them back to full strength in a few years. Recruiting would be beneficial for all involved. Texas and Florida are both full of high school talent. I am sure that all of the conference schools would be happy to add visits to both states to their travel. Speaking of travel…how will the alumni embrace the added expense of traveling to out of state games? I know that taking a trip to Florida would be much more fun than visiting Morgantown, or at least would offer an easier trip.

There has been a great reshuffling of college football, but my guess is that we have only scratched the surface of changes. Now that a playoff is being discussed, it is only a matter of time before the NCAA realizes just how much money they are leaving on the table. Then, an expanded tournament will surely be next. This will lead to a push for bigger and better conferences. How long before we have “super” conferences? I don’t think anyone could argue that the SEC is the best football conference. I suspect that this is one reason that the Big 12 might consider adding two quality football schools. And of course, there is added TV revenue. But, there is the small problem for the Seminoles of how to leave the ACC. Leaving the ACC will not be free. It will cost Florida State an estimated 20 million or so to head west. How does a school that is operating in the red come up with this kind of money? Also, many Florida State fans despise the power of the Carolinas and think that the ACC is all about Duke and NC basketball. There are many in the Big 12 that complain of the power of Texas. Will Florida State find the same issue? This is a fair concern, but for my eyes, Florida State fits much better in the Big 12 than they do in the ACC. In the current environment, who can rule out anything?

We all have our favorite sports and for different reasons. One of the cool things that I have noticed about baseball is the uniqueness of the umpires. There is no set manner to signal an out. A safe call is pretty universal, but have you ever really watched how different one umpire is from another? Here is a variety of umpires that offer a bit of flair to the job:

As you can see, a good umpire is unique in the way they call a game. I suppose eventually every umpire will need an aspirin to deal with all of the knuckelheads...

That is all I have today, but I will leave you with a bit of Jack Handey:

“Somebody told me it was frightening how much topsoil we are losing each year, but I told the story around the campfire and nobody got scared.”

 “I hope, when they die, cartoon characters have to answer for their sins.”

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a few deep thoughts of your own.

 Hello and welcome to another Wednesday of deep thoughts. As each day passes, it puts us further into 2012. April is gone and we have taken a big bite out of May. I am truly enjoying the MLB season so far, but have become distracted by the spring high school football season. Although I am watching baseball every day, football is stealing time. Last Thursday, I went to check out the Westwood varsity scrimmage. Blake is a senior and will be starting at linebacker. They are trying different sets, to figure out the best combination for the players they have. The team looks good, but as is usual, the defense is much farther along than the offense. Here a few videos of the scrimmage:

Blake knocks down a pass...

Blake takes down Tanner...

Brad Watson goes high for a pick...

It was good to see some football as the high school baseball season left much to be desired. The season ended just more than a week ago. On our last home game we had senior night to honor the seniors on the team. Although, I think everyone was happy the season was finally over, it was truly sad knowing that some of the guys had played their last baseball game. I had a hard time not seeing myself walking across the field in a year…

There was something really special about the game that I had to share. I have a thing for the SSB. It is a tough song, but should be sung correctly if you appear in public. This young lady’s name is Christina Freeman and she is a high school senior. I first heard her sing as an 8^th grader and she continues to improve. I am sorry the video is through the backstop, but it was the best I could do. So many try to do too much with the melody, but Christina has a great feel for how to sing a song. Her ending is better than most professional singers than I have heard. She is simply amazing for a high school singer…

 For whatever reason, I cannot get this video to load in YouTube. Here is the link to view Christina:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNbILjsolJc

The 2012 baseball season is just beginning to take shape, but it has already left us several lasting memories…Humber’s perfect game, Weaver's no hitter and Josh Hamilton’s 4 HRs will stand out regardless of what else happens this year. Tuesday night, Josh Hamilton joined a very elite group of 15 former MLB players that includes Willie Mays and Lou Gehrig. Besides hitting four dingers, Hamilton also added a double and 8 RBIs to complete a very special night at the plate. How good has Josh been this year? He is hitting a scorching .406 with 14 HRs and 36 RBIs. It is no secret that Hamilton will be a free agent after this year. Texas halted negotiations when Hamilton fell off the wagon in February. At 30 years old, Hamilton is an odd situation. He has a difficult time staying on the field. In his five year professional career, Hamilton has played more than 133 games one time. In the past three years, Josh has missed 133 games. Is this simply bad luck or does Hamilton’s past drug use have an effect on Hamilton’s ability to stay healthy? It is clear that health is a huge consideration in signing Josh Hamilton to a long term deal, but I think Hamilton injuries are because he plays reckless, not because of his earlier reckless life style. Texas has begun conversations to extend Hamilton’s contract, so we may never know how much Josh Hamilton is worth on the open market. But, the question is intriguing to say the least.

The discussion regarding concussions and long term health concerns has grown with the death of Junior Seau. I have to admit, as a father of a football player who has experienced a concussion, it is a worry.  In a recent interview with Dan Patrick, Kurt Warner admitted that his sons dream of following his footsteps into the NFL. “When you hear things like the bounties, when you know certain things having played the game, and then obviously when you understand the size, the speed, the violence of the game, and then you couple that with situations like Junior Seau — was that a ramification of all the years playing? And things that go with that. It scares me as a dad. I just wonder — I wonder what the league's going to be like.” As a father, I can understand his thinking…apparently not all ex-players share this sentiment. Merrill Hoge and Amani Toomer strongly disagree with Warner’s comments.

 Here is what Hoge said regarding Warner:

"I think it's irresponsible and unacceptable," Hoge said on ESPN. "He has thrown the game that has been so good to him under the bus. He sounds extremely uneducated ... Head trauma is not the issue here — it's how head trauma is treated. The game is safer than it has ever been because we're being proactive with head trauma. That is the biggest issue."

Hodge is more concerned with kids sitting in front of the TV playing XBox and eating donuts. He thinks that obesity is a bigger problem than concussions. I had to come back and add a few thoughts as I have let Hoge's words resonate in my brain since last night. So, are players supposed to be reassured that the game is safer now than it ever was? If it was not safe at all before and is only marginally better now, what the hell? This makes no sense and this thinking makes him appear to be uneducated not Warner. In no way did Warner throw the game under the bus. Warner expressed concern for his kids playing a game that has proven to provide an early grave for many that play. This is common sense to me...

Toomer had this to say about Warner:

"I'd definitely have my son to play football. That's what the Toomer family does. We all play football. But what this reminds me of is the guy at the basketball court, who once he gets done playing takes the ball and ruins the game for everybody else. I think Kurt Warner needs to keep his opinions to himself when it comes to this. Everything that he's gotten in his life has come from playing football. He works at the NFL Network right now. For him to try and trash the game, it seems to me that it's just a little disingenuous to me."

 Really Amani? Why should Warner keep his opinions to himself? He works for the NFL Network and is paid to give his opinions. I would think that he is very qualified to offer thoughts about concussions as this is what forced him to retire. How is he taking his ball and going home? He is not saying that the game should be stopped, only that he would be fearful if his boys followed his footsteps. This is far from disingenuous. Actually it is a very sincere comment for a change...

Of course Warner had a response to these comments:

"I love this game, and I love what it did for me and my family. I love so many aspects about it that can teach kids and taught me and created who I am today through what I learned in this game. But at the same time, I have concerns ... I want to prolong this game, I want to preserve it for generations to come, but we have to continue to be honest and we have to continue to dialogue about those concerns, those risks and continue to work together as a group. Those that are critics of me, those that don't agree with what I say -- we have to work together as a group along with the commissioner, the NFL, leagues all the way down to those like Pop Warner and say how can we make this game safe. How can we continue to try to eliminate those concerns, or at least minimize those for parents?"

As a fan, we see the new rules as watering down the game that we love to watch. As a parent, it is difficult to argue with Warner’s thinking. When it is your kid, it is your job to protect them. I am sure that Nick Buoniconti has spent a few sleepless nights thinking about his son’s injury. Is it possible to play the game aggressively without risk? It is difficult to resolve the conflict of parent and fan for me. I am sure that a former NFL player has an even tougher time.

That is all I have for today, but I will leave you with a bit of Jack Handey:

“If I had a mine shaft, I don’t think I would just abandon it…there has got to be a better way.”  

“It’s fascinating to think that all around us there’s an invisible world we can’t even see. I’m speaking of course, of the World of Invisible Scary Skeletons.”

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a few deep thoughts of your own…

Hello and welcome to another Wednesday of deep thoughts. It is funny, but generally when I sit down to write a blog, I have no idea what I am going to write about. Of course, sometimes I go with the big story in the sports news, but often I just start going and see what happens. This week, I think I will be veering down a different alley. Most of you know that I have been a mortgage banker for many years. For the most part, I have really enjoyed being a loan officer. I learned long ago that working with people was the best part of my gig. Today, I spent 5 hours disclosing and re-disclosing on a loan that I am trying to get closed. The system is so screwed up that I just laugh. The funny part about the disclosures is that only one has to be signed by my customer. As I talk to folks, I have discovered that the mortgage world is not the only industry that has been afflicted by the compliance crunch. Doctors, insurance guys, high tech sales guys and restaurant managers have recently told me that their jobs suck now too. It is not the work that has changed but the petty details that big brother requires. Of course, I understand that changes were needed, but the sad thing is that all of the disclosures do not even do what they were intended to do; inform the public. I bet if I asked you if your job sucks more now than it did 5 years ago, you would say yes. If your answer is no, please tell me what you do! I suppose the trick is to have your own business, but of course that has it own issues, right Sully?

B.O.B, made the comment on Tuesday that Stern is being pushed around by the players because he is a lame duck commish. I don’t know if I don’t care much about the NBA or have not been paying attention, but the fact that Stern is leaving did not register with me. It got me to thinking about a replacement. Who could the NBA get to replace David Stern? What are the qualities that would make a good NBA commish? This person must be tough but fair. Directness is a must. Of course, a sense of humor would be helpful, right? Last but not least, the player should understand the game. But, on second thought…what is the game? Is the game the contest on the hardwood? Is it the corporate world of advertising? Or, is it the show for the cameras? I suppose today, it is all of the above. Like my job, the sports world has become complicated and needs a person of diverse talent. My suggestion for this job is Charles Barkley. Okay, go ahead and laugh. I initially thought about Shaq, but after careful consideration, realized that Charles combination of humor and directness would be a perfect mix. Can you imagine Rondo sitting down with Charles the Commish? Come on in Rajon, you knucklehead. What are you doing bumping a ref? That is just turrible. You knucklehead, don’t you know that is a recipe for disaster? You are suspended and have to go work with Kenny and Ernie for the rest of the season…well, it beats 7 games.

I read a sad statement today. Vince Young is headed to Buffalo to back up Ryan Fitzpatrick. It seems like only yesterday that the Texans were being abused by the media for not drafting Vince Young instead of Mario Williams. I said at the time that it is impossible to determine a good draft until years later. It was true then, just as it is today. Last year, VY’s stats were not great: 66 completions out of 114 attempts with 9 TDs and 4 interceptions. It is a shame to see how far Vince has fallen. Buffalo looks to be a good fit for Vince, but who would have thought that he would be backing up Ryan Fitzpatrick? I got a kick reading some of the comments to this article. There were actually a few clever thoughts, rather than the normal trolls…here are a few: 

• Is it sad I read this to make sure he wasn't coming to the Jags? And we have Gabbert...
• Get this.....the Eagles cut Young and who do they sign as a backup or 3rd string.....Trent Edwards!!
  GO Figure!!
• I never put my faith in Fitzpatrick. I honestly think Young will be an upgrade if he makes the team. Lord knows we need a change up here
• buffalo could not fill the QB depth ? what a joke ! kellen moore goes undrafted one of ncaa best and they waste time on a head case ! and then the raiders sign matt ? seems some of these general managers need to be replaced !
• Wouldn't those stats put him ahead of Tebow in passing?
• Vince Young is going to be Vince Old soon.
• bring him to the niners

While I am on football, I got a good laugh at the phone call of the Steelers new addition David DeCastro and his new QB. DeCastro got a congratulatory call from Big Ben, but did not realize it was Roethlisberger on the phone. David thought that it was the team’s traveling coordinator on the phone and began to ask, “did you get those flight plans?” Ben got a good chuckle, but promised that the topic would be revisited again. I suspect that camp will be a barrel of laughs for DeCastro!

I meant to mention this last week, but ran out of time. On April 20^th an 8 foot bronze statue of Willie Nelson was dedicated in Austin. I happened to catch the end of the presentation on TV. It was you typical ceremony…several city suits thanking Willie, blah, blah, blah…a few laughed at the coincidence of the dedication being at 4:20 on April 20^th. I really did not get the joke until my son reminded me that it was Bob Marley’s birth day. I guess that would explain the puffs of smoke that occasionally drifted in front of the camera. At first, I thought it was a smoke machine, but now I wonder? Willie did sing a few tunes. He sang the old favorite Whiskey River and then sang a song I did not know. The name of the tune was: When I die, roll me up and smoke me. That is funny and totally appropriate for Willie. A true original!

If you follow baseball, you know that April brings great starts for some players and teams. The early success usually does not last however and reality eventually sets in. May is the beginning of the time when the pretenders begin to transform back to the level of the talent. I saw two teams that have underperformed that may have turned the corner. The Angels took a game tonight 4 to 0 over the Twins and I suspect that we can look back to this week and see that this was the beginning of a winning trend. Torii Hunter led the Angels offense and 5^th starter Jerome Williams pitched a complete game shut out to dominate the Twins. The Angels seem to have been waiting for Pujols to lead the charge, but finally Hunter has stepped up to take charge. Torii is suddenly red hot and is just the jolt that the Angels have been waiting for. This is a talented team filled with experienced players that I suspect will begin their climb as May progresses. It is interesting how adding a talent like Albert Pujols has disrupted the team chemistry. There has been a reshuffling of roles in this clubhouse, but once this group settles in, the game will become fun again. Of course Albert is pressing now. Watch what happens when Pujols quits thinking at the plate and rediscovers his plate discipline. He will quit chasing pitchers pitches and begin to dictate the pitches he hits.

The Washington Nationals started the year on a tear. They are team full of young talent, but I suspected that they were playing above their heads. With Zimmerman on the DL, the Nationals have struggled of late, losing their last 5 games. If there was any doubt about what the Washington brass thought, it should have been made clear when they called up Bryce Harper. I have no doubt that Harper will be a stud, but not yet. Major league pitchers are much better than what Bryce has seen. He will have to make adjustments to succeed. As I expected, fantasy owners scrambled to add Harper to their lineup, and with good reason. This kid is the real deal and so are the Nationals…just not yet. My guess is that when Zimmerman and Morse get healthy, this team will have a nice run and it will prepare Harper for next year and the years to come. This team is very close, but don’t be surprised if they struggle this month. And don’t be surprised if the Marlins start winning a few games. Stanton and Reyes have been very quiet, but this won’t last. The cream always rises to the top and this team has too much talent to stay quiet for long. Of course, it would help if their manager had not put himself in Miami’s dog house. Stanton went yard Tuesday night and most of my fantasy teams have been impatiently waiting for him to erupt…

Congrats to Buck Showalter for winning game 1000 Tuesday. This is quite an accomplishment for a guy that loves the game. I have always respected Showalter’s acumen and wonder if he is not the guy that would have been the perfect fit in Boston? Buck does not seek publicity. He is a no nonsense guy that simply loves baseball and demands his players play hard. He is a very capable manager and it is a tribute to him that the Orioles have been near the top of their division this year. The O’s probably do not have the talent to compete for the entire year, but they will play hard to the last game…because that is how you should play the game. Ask Buck, if you don’t believe me.

I have a friend in the title business that loves music and is very active in the Austin music scene. He has been after me to come see a group called Trombone Shorty. In fact, he is in New Orleans this week at a festival to see Trombone Shorty. I happened to find a bit of the group on You Tube and wanted to share. The video was filmed at Austin City Limits and although a bit long, I hope you check it out. It is difficult to describe…sort of a funky, jazz blues sound. Maybe Carlos Santana meets Blood Sweat and Tears and James Brown?

 I am a big fan of Swamp People. My son and I rarely miss the show and when I found this video, I knew it had to go in my blog. Here’s to you Chubbs!

That is all I have today, but I will leave you with a bit of Jack Handey:

"Frank knew that no man had ever crossed the desert on foot and lived to tell about it. So, he decided to get back in his car and keep driving."

"If I was being executed by injection, I'd clean up my cell real neat. Then, when they came to get me, I'd say, 'Injection? I thought you said `inspection'.' They'd probably feel real bad, and maybe I could get out of it."

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a few deep thoughts of your own...

Hello and welcome to another Wednesday of deep thoughts. April is buzzing by and May will be here before we know it. I as I sit pondering my blog, I realize that this is a great time of year for sports fans. Hockey and basketball are winding down and the MLB season begins to reveal glimpses of the summer ahead.

As kids, we grow up learning to play the games we love. I don't know about hockey, but with baseball, football and basketball...I would watch the games then try to repeat what I saw. Over time, I began to understand the nuances of each game which gives us what I call a sports IQ. When I was coaching, if I said that a player had a high baseball IQ, it meant that they were more than a good player. Kids with a high sports IQ bring an intuition to the sport that other players simply do not have. In a brief discussion with Beeze and Sully regarding hockey, I got to thinking... The NHL is trying to remove hits to the head from the game. This is obviously good for the long term benefit of the players, right? As we have seen with the NFL, rules changes designed to improve the safety for players, often leaves fans lamenting the good old days. If hockey is determined to eliminate hits to the head, why not ban fighting? As I watch hockey fights, it is clear that fighting on skates is limited to punching to the head. I know that there will be howls of disagreement, but think about the sports that you grew up with. Are they as they were when you grew up? Exactly. Football has been reduced to a physical version of touch football. The NBA is determined to eliminate fighting by creating extremely harsh rules and punishment for fighting. Is hockey next?

An old boss of mine had a favorite saying..." you can paint a leopard, but the spots are still there". In other words, people rarely change. Ron Artest has gone to great length to change his reputation. But changing your name does not change who you are. Do you remember the event above? Although Artest tried to make a joke of this by singing he was sorry...who pulls down an opponents shorts? Should we really be surprised that Artest threw the elbow? Metta World Peace is still Ron Artest. I have seen some fans wishing Artest be suspended for the rest of the year. I suspect that a 7 game suspension is about right. But if I was the commish, I would keep him off the court until Harden was able to take the court again.

Sports has become big business. Like it or not, this is a reality today. Dwayne Wade made a comment that athletes should be paid to play for the USA Olympic team. Of course, he is not alone, but the words just do not sound right. The Olympics are supposed to be a celebration of amateur competition. This is a time to put aside personal thoughts and embrace the patriotic opportunity of playing for your country. This is what I have always believed. I read an article this week that detailed thoughts of Mark Cuban regarding NBA players in the Olympics. He called the practice by the NBA of lending players, "the biggest mistake that the NBA makes'. Here are Cuban's exact words:

“If you look up stupid in the dictionary, you see a picture of the USA Dream Team playing for free for corporate America so the U.S. Olympic Committee can make millions of dollars. If you come up with something that you own, that you give it to me for free so I can make billions of dollars, I want it.

“And it has nothing to do with patriotism. It’s all about money. You don’t see the Olympic Committee saying, ‘Oh we made so much money. Let’s give it to people.”’

Cuban has a good point. I have to admit that I have never considered that the Olympic Committee made millions of dollars. As an NBA owner, why should Cuban and others be forced to "lend" their players to the Olympics, without compensation? Truthfully, I just don't have it in me to feel sorry for millionaire players or billionaire owners. Why not go back to stocking Team USA with players eager to play? Of course, what about those foreign players playing for their country? Should the NBA be able to prevent its players from participating in the Olympics? In fact, why would the NBA allow the players to participate in the games unless they got something out of it? In truth, it is the exposure that the players bring back to the league that makes this deal work. Cuban may not want to admit it, but a rising tide lifts all boats...or yachts as the case may be. The original dream team captivated the youth of Barcelona and gave basketball an entire new audience. Of course, if the league has more money, then the players get paid more...sort of takes the "sting" out of playing for free...

After 21 years, Pudge Rodriguez called it a career on Monday. I have to say that Pudge was a favorite player of mine. It was obvious that he loved the game. How else could you catch more than 2100 games if you did not love it? Do you think he will be in the HOF? 2844 hits is just shy of 3000, but damn good for a catcher. Pudge would be in my top 3 of defensive catchers. Certainly good enough for the hall, but who knows?

 I loved the way that Pudge threw out the first pitch on Monday. Here is the video:

Congrats on a great career, Pudge!

This is a triple bypass burger served in Las Vegas...a woman had a heart attack this week eating one of these burgers. Why do I think that is funny? At least they are truthful...

What's up with the Royals? With all of the young talent, this was supposed to be the year that they began to make waves...check out the fan in the background and the empty seats. Losing 12 in a row, is not a good thing. How long before the managers seats becomes too hot to stay?

That is all I have today, but here is a bit of Jack Handey to take with you:

"People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening."

"How come, just as the rocket is launching, the astronauts don't also shoot some fireworks out the window? It would make the whole takeoff look more impressive."

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a few deep thoughts of your own...

Hello and welcome to another Wednesday of deep thoughts. I am sorry for the shrunken island picture, but the system is not allowing me to load any pictures. So, this is what I am able to copy and paste. Oh well, I don't need no stinkin pictures to write a blog.

 But a video helps!

I watched several MLB games on Sunday and was pleased to see each player wearing 42 to honor Jackie Robinson. It got me to thinking how much has changed in my lifetime. As an ex jazz musician, I have read and listened to many stories of what life was like in the 40's and 50s on the road. I happened to watch the movie Ray late Sunday and was reminded of the Jim Crow laws in place in the deep south when Ray Charles was traveling toward stardom. Many black musicians left the US to work in Europe, where the rules of the game were much different. Ray Charles went along with the flow, until his inner voice made him take a stand against the Jim Crow laws. Many talk of technology bringing great change to our world. But when you consider that we had separate restrooms and water fountains until the mid 60's, I would have to say that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the single most important thing in my lifetime. Truly, this was a piece of legislation that truly changed the way that our society interacted. Although LBJ pushed through the Civil Rights legislation that JFK had championed, there have been many faceless people of all races responsible for this change. Did you realize that Jackie Robinson was in the Army before he played baseball? He actually applied for OCS (Officer Candidate School) at Fort Riley, Kansas. Naturally, the Army had a race neutral written policy, but it took a loud objection by Joe Louis for Robinson and several others to be admitted to the school. After finishing OCS, 2nd Lt. Robinson was sent to Ft. Hood, Texas as part of the 761st "Black Panthers" Tank Battalion.

Robinson often traveled the 60 miles from Killeen to Austin to see his old pastor, Karl Downs, who was president of Sam Huston College (now Huston Tillotson). During this time, Robinson got sideways with the military. He boarded a supposedly unsegregated bus, but was ordered to the back by the driver. When Robinson refused, the driver allowed him to ride up front, but summoned the MPs once they arrived at their destination. Robinson was arrested. Under harsh questioning, Robinson accused the officer of racial questioning. The officer recommended that Robinson be court-martialed. A snag appeared when Robinson's commander would not consent to legal action. So, this problem was fixed by having Robinson transferred to another unit, where Robinson was immediately charged with several charges, including public drunkeness...which is odd considering Robinson did not drink. By the time Robinson went to trial, his charges had been reduced to two counts of insubordination during questioning. An all white panel of nine officers found Jackie Robinson innocent.

After Robinson's honorable discharge, he played a bit of professional football for the LA Bulldogs and then took a job as the AD for his friend Downs at Sam Huston College. One of his duties was coaching the basketball team. The squad was very thin and Jackie ended up playing in some of the exhibition games. I found it interesting to learn that Robinson was as a disciplinarian and his coaching style drew praise from Marques Haynes who was a player at Langston. This coaching gig did not last long as the KC Monarchs sent him an written offer to play baseball in the Negro Leagues. Robinson accepted their offer and the rest as they say, is history.

I found this biographical information very interesting as it shows how Robinson was prepared for the difficult job with the Dodgers. The military background was very important as it gave Jackie the discipline needed to endure the hell that he faced as the first black baseball player. Branch Rickey was very astute. He knew that he needed a special player to fit this role with the Dodgers. It may explain why Jackie Robinson was chosen instead of instead of a player like Josh Gibson. Reports are that several black players were very upset that they had been passed over when Robinson got the nod. I still find it difficult to imagine that our country allowed such great talent to play unnoticed.

I used the video above for several reasons. The most obvious is easy to understand. But there is another reason. How would Blazing Saddles be received today? It is a hilarious movie and I know that we have all watched it many times. Mel Brooks had a message. He used humor to attack the idiocy of racism. He poked fun and tried to show how ridiculous our stereotypes were. He used the "N" word. His black hero was hip and funny. But don't sell Brooks and others short. Movies helped continue to push along the tide that Jackie Robinson started.

Would this work today? KKK guys with Have A Nice Day...what a classic line!

One thing that has bothered me...the media wants to remind us that the black community's interest in baseball continues to wane. Apparently, I am not alone.

The tradition of honoring Jackie Robinson is followed by the number of blacks on opening day rosters...8.05% this year. "The Chicago Sun-Times, meanwhile, identified Cubs outfielder Marlon Byrd as the lone African-American ballplayer on the roster of either Chicago baseball team with a nonsensical "Black Hole" headline." Byrd did not appreciate this and used the game on Sunday to verbalize his opinion:

"If you want to take polls, then take polls asking how many black lawyers do we have now, or how many black judges or black doctors there are now," Byrd said. "Just because we're black doesn't mean we have to play sports. You can go through other avenues. If the decrease (in baseball) is because they're going into academic fields, so be it. More power to them."

Exactly...why not use this day to accentuate the positive? We should celebrate black achievement in all fields of study...

I guess, since I am here...I should give a mention to Ted Nugent. I had some good times listening to "Cat Scratch Fever"...but maybe Uncle Ted has gone just a bit too far. If you know anything about Ted Nugent, you know that he is an avid hunter and big time NRA guy. While I share some of Ted's hunting enthusiasm, I think that most of us would agree that this is over the line:

"I'll tell you this right now: If Barack Obama becomes the president in November, again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year," Nugent said. "We need to ride into that battlefield and chop their heads off in November. Any questions?"

"If the coyote's in your living room, pissing on your couch, it's not the coyote's fault. It's your fault for not shooting him," he said.He also denounced the administration as "criminals" and said a Democratic victory in November would mean "we'll be a suburb of Indonesia next year" — an apparent reference to Obama's boyhood time there.

Yes, I have a question Ted. But first, the Secret Service would like to talk to you. While I did not vote for President Obama, he is still the US President. There is a level of respect that the job deserves and Ted has forgotten this. I am sure that Milt Romney can't be happy with this type of "support:".

You may have heard that Roger Clemens is again in court. Do you remember how the prosecutors botched the trial last time? This time, there are 4 prosecuting attorneys. They are going through the list of jurors trying to find 12 that are untainted. I was reading some of the transcripts and laughed a few of the exchanges. One prospective juror told the attorneys that he thought it was a complete waste of tax payer money to go after after athletes for using peds. Another was asked if they thought it was wrong to lie to Congress. He said no...hilarious. If you think about it, those bastards lie to us all the time, why should we be held to a different standard? Of course, the follow up question was...is it okay to lie to Congress when the result possibly would result in the deaths of children. When you put it that way, it is sort of difficult to say no.

I had to add this video...hilarious!

This has been a real struggle to get posted. I think I will leave it here for this week. But, I will leave you with a bit of Jack Handey:

"What is it about a beautiful sunny afternoon, with the birds singing and the wind rustling through the leaves, that makes you want to get drunk? And after you're real drunk, maybe go down to the public park and stagger around and ask people for money, and then lie down and go to sleep."

 "People laugh when I say that I think a jellyfish is one of the most beautiful things in the world. What they don't understand is, I mean a jellyfish with long, blond hair."

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a few deep thoughts of your own...