don’t believe the hype

Still trying to wrap my head around what I hate most about this Lebron business. Here’s my list:

1. Crushed any hope of a rise to prominence for an already beat down Cleveland franchise, something I can relate to because I know if it had happened in Golden State I would be crushed.

2. Because I didn’t see much of Jordan, Lebron crushed any hope of seeing a player transcend the sport and become the greatest player of all time.

3. It cements his unique legacy in sports as the biggest waste of talent. Lets be clear, we probably will never see at 6-8 245 lb Big man with a jump shot and the ability to outrun guards half his size. Its just too bad he wasn’t up for a challenge. Its just too bad he wasn’t a competitor.

4. It means that I hope the Lakers win 5 more championships, crushing the Heat for years to come. It also means that I now realize how much of a competitor Kobe is and that my respect for him has increased ten-fold.

5. It exposes how much we, as fans, care far too much about the sport and seeing something truly great, as well as, comparatively, how little the athletes that we place have this perspective.

In the end, the Bill Simmons mailbag probably does the best job at encapsulating all the things wrong with the way LeBron handled the 2010 Free Agency period. Highlights after the jump…

Its just amazing to see how quickly LeBron went from universally liked and cheered for to the guy you hope fails.

(more…)

Coach John Wooden, the man I consider the greatest coach (not just basketball, and not just college) of all time, passed away today.

Some of his stats: 10 NCAA National Championships, 7 of them coming in a row (1966-1973). In the midst of that was a record 88 game win streak. What he did in College hoops will never be repeated again.

However, what most impresses most people about him is less his amazing basketball achievements and more the kind of man he was and the kind of life he led.

My favorite quote of his is: “I always tried to make clear that basketball is not the ultimate. It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live. There is only one kind of life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior. Until that is done, we are on an aimless course that runs in circles and goes nowhere.”
Here’s a link to the New York Times Story about the man: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/05/sports/ncaabasketball/05wooden.htmhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/05/sports/ncaabasketball/05wooden.htm

From “Don’t worry be happy” fame, Bobby McFerrin is really amazing

check out more of his live performances and the way he uses the audience on youtube, next thing you know the sun’ll have gone down and you still won’t have studied for your final tomorrow.

peace!

These TED talks are gold.

This will forever be my sports decade.

Great song choice too. My highlight comes at 2:04

credit to @rhalim1

Still one of my all time favorites.