I know, I know, another Sport's Blog, but please let me have this one. I will get back to more nerdy pursuits shortly.
I'm watching the NBA Draft and I can't stop wondering, 'what happened to this thing?' It used to be an event where teams picked the top College juniors and seniors to come in and help their new teams in the upcoming season. It used to be like the NFL Draft where drafted talent could have an immediate impact on the team. Now, now it is like the Major League Baseball draft where teams are just drafting for prospects and if the player ever pans out it will be years down the road.
Sure, the top 5 or 6 players could play right away, but even they will need some time to develop and will spend the first couple of years in the league buried on the end of the bench of a terrible team. As for everyone else who is drafted, no one even knows if they are any good. They seemed to be a mixture of one-and-done college players and Europeans. They are tall and athletic but there is just not enough film on them to know if they are any good. It makes for a bad draft and a even worse league.
Here is what the NBA should do. Get rid of the one-and-done rule and make it a two-and-done rule instead. They should expand the draft to 4 rounds and expand the NBA Developmental league to 15 teams. Each team would essentially be a AAA team for two NBA teams. This would allow the younger players to be put in the "minor" league and actually learn some skills and get some playing time. Then the NBA teams could promote and demote players from their farm system based on players' skills.
This makes so much sense that of course it won't happen.
Oh yeah, if professional Duke Homer Jay Bilas talks about a guy's Wing Span one more time, I am going to lose it.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Tiger Woods: A Control Freak Who Lost Control
A sports entry? A SPORTS entry? Your talk of Popular Athletics might scare away the more light sensitive of our kind. But, yes, nerdom, I am writing a sports blog because, guess what? I watch sports and I even participate in sporting events in between my nerd books, writing and popular media.
Last Sunday I watched the final round of the 2010 U.S. Open. It was a uneventful affair in which none of the top players could mount a charge and an Irishman sobered up just long enough to capture the title. While I must admit I enjoyed watching the lower ranked golfers compete in the rain and wind swept California Central Coast. It was equally enjoyable to watch Tiger Woods slide from his once loft perch. While almost everyone thinks that Tiger losing his family is the reason for his bad play, the real reason is his lost of control. Tiger is a control freak but he has lost all control of his life and I think this mental hurdle he cannot overcome.
The fact that Tiger is a control freak is not that surprising. There are a lot of control freaks out there. However, these people all eventually come to a point where they realize they can't control everything. While they initially have difficulty dealing with this realization, they eventually come to the realization of what they can and can't control and then move on with their lives.
Tiger is not your typical control freak in that until just recently, he never had to comprehend the idea that he could not control everything. As he became more and more successful he was able to completely control his life. He controlled his competitors on the golf course. He controlled his agents and sponsors. He controlled his wife and children and he even controlled his secret life full of strippers, porn stars, cougars and Perkins Waitresses. All these lives came crashing down on Thanksgiving Day Night because, according to sources, his wife found some text messages.
We all know the story from this point; he crashed his car, his wife left him, he went into "sex rehab", quite golf and made a ridiculous public apology. As we all know he did returned to golf and has played, by his standards, horrible. His best performance so far was his first tournament back, The Masters and that was the beginning of the end of his comeback. Now, if he would have won The Masters, his first tournament out, his comeback would have been complete. He would have shown the world that no matter what happens to him he is still the master of his universe and nothing can stop him. In other words, he would still be in control.
But of course he didn't win the masters. He was not in control of his world anymore and with every successive non-winning performance the notion that he could once again control his world slipped a little further away. Its now in his head. He can no longer control the entire world. He can't even control his world and he can't comprehend how to go forward from this point.
The invincible Tiger Woods is gone. He can't control his world and because of this his mental game, which was always the strongest part of his game, has gone to hell. The other players on the tour are no longer afraid of him because he is now human. I know this might sound a bit premature, but Jack Nicklaus can now sleep a little better because his record for the most Major Championships is safe for at least another generation.
Last Sunday I watched the final round of the 2010 U.S. Open. It was a uneventful affair in which none of the top players could mount a charge and an Irishman sobered up just long enough to capture the title. While I must admit I enjoyed watching the lower ranked golfers compete in the rain and wind swept California Central Coast. It was equally enjoyable to watch Tiger Woods slide from his once loft perch. While almost everyone thinks that Tiger losing his family is the reason for his bad play, the real reason is his lost of control. Tiger is a control freak but he has lost all control of his life and I think this mental hurdle he cannot overcome.
The fact that Tiger is a control freak is not that surprising. There are a lot of control freaks out there. However, these people all eventually come to a point where they realize they can't control everything. While they initially have difficulty dealing with this realization, they eventually come to the realization of what they can and can't control and then move on with their lives.
Tiger is not your typical control freak in that until just recently, he never had to comprehend the idea that he could not control everything. As he became more and more successful he was able to completely control his life. He controlled his competitors on the golf course. He controlled his agents and sponsors. He controlled his wife and children and he even controlled his secret life full of strippers, porn stars, cougars and Perkins Waitresses. All these lives came crashing down on Thanksgiving Day Night because, according to sources, his wife found some text messages.
We all know the story from this point; he crashed his car, his wife left him, he went into "sex rehab", quite golf and made a ridiculous public apology. As we all know he did returned to golf and has played, by his standards, horrible. His best performance so far was his first tournament back, The Masters and that was the beginning of the end of his comeback. Now, if he would have won The Masters, his first tournament out, his comeback would have been complete. He would have shown the world that no matter what happens to him he is still the master of his universe and nothing can stop him. In other words, he would still be in control.
But of course he didn't win the masters. He was not in control of his world anymore and with every successive non-winning performance the notion that he could once again control his world slipped a little further away. Its now in his head. He can no longer control the entire world. He can't even control his world and he can't comprehend how to go forward from this point.
The invincible Tiger Woods is gone. He can't control his world and because of this his mental game, which was always the strongest part of his game, has gone to hell. The other players on the tour are no longer afraid of him because he is now human. I know this might sound a bit premature, but Jack Nicklaus can now sleep a little better because his record for the most Major Championships is safe for at least another generation.
Friday, June 18, 2010
The Glories of Lighter-than-air Dirigible Travel
(Read this in your Best Victorian English Accent)
Godfrey, I say Godfrey, did you perchance happen upon the evening edition of the Sun & Inquirer? There was an exciting story in regards to this Nation's return to a more civilized time. It would appear that the day and age of Light-than-air Dirigible travel is once again upon us.
No longer will I suffer interminable hell of short and quick jet propelled flights. Sitting next to the most common of working class members as they traverse to and from their all inclusive resorts in Blackpool, Laughlin, Cancun or other such uncouth destinations. Once again, I will be free to travel as the proper Victorian Gentleman that I am.
Godfrey, are you listening? I require you to prepare my pith helmet and linen field attire for we are off to the visit the remaining commonwealth colonies to inspect our holding. We shall circumnavigate the globe in the flair and style of an H.G. Wells novel. Pack my steamer trunk full of all our necessities and send it ahead for we shall take the noon train to Portsmouth and from there to the Aerodrome. Once there we shall catch the tidal winds. Across the channel and over the continent, by breakfast we shall be upon Mediterranean and then south to the Queen's lands in South Africa.
We shall safari in the grassland of Southwestern Africa. From there we shall inspect our holding in India and then off to the Penal Colonies in the southern Continent. Oh it shall be glorious. Now we must be off. We shall supper on the train.
Godfrey, I say Godfrey, did you perchance happen upon the evening edition of the Sun & Inquirer? There was an exciting story in regards to this Nation's return to a more civilized time. It would appear that the day and age of Light-than-air Dirigible travel is once again upon us.
No longer will I suffer interminable hell of short and quick jet propelled flights. Sitting next to the most common of working class members as they traverse to and from their all inclusive resorts in Blackpool, Laughlin, Cancun or other such uncouth destinations. Once again, I will be free to travel as the proper Victorian Gentleman that I am.
Godfrey, are you listening? I require you to prepare my pith helmet and linen field attire for we are off to the visit the remaining commonwealth colonies to inspect our holding. We shall circumnavigate the globe in the flair and style of an H.G. Wells novel. Pack my steamer trunk full of all our necessities and send it ahead for we shall take the noon train to Portsmouth and from there to the Aerodrome. Once there we shall catch the tidal winds. Across the channel and over the continent, by breakfast we shall be upon Mediterranean and then south to the Queen's lands in South Africa.
We shall safari in the grassland of Southwestern Africa. From there we shall inspect our holding in India and then off to the Penal Colonies in the southern Continent. Oh it shall be glorious. Now we must be off. We shall supper on the train.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Do you listen or wait to talk?
I've been having what some would call discussion, while other's would call full contact debates, with some people lately. While I've enjoyed these chats they ultimately get a little frustrating for me. One source of my frustration is that these people either don't have a point to the ramblings or they make their point and then keep going and going and going. Ahhhh!
Another Source of my frustration is that they demand that they not be interrupted while they are talking, but then feel not problem interrupting me when I am attempting to destroy the 9 car interstate pile up that is their argument. But ultimately, my greatest frustration in these debates is that I AM NOT TALKING. Yeah, I said it, I want to talk. While I enjoy when you contribute to the conversation, it gets me from one point to the next, really, I just want to talk.
These recent debates remind me of high school when teachers tried to get a little deep with us by asking, "When you are in a conversation, do you listen or do you wait to talk?"
Now we all know the answer they want us to say and when you are in High School it is just easier to agree with them and get back to waiting for the bell to ring. They want us so bad to say that we truly listen to what other people say. It is all an attempt to get us to actually listen and maybe even become better human beings which would validate their role as shaper of young minds. Of course they are right, people should listen to what others have to say. They should truly listen and think about what they just heard and not just wait for an opening in the conversation so that spout their bullshit.
However, I have always had a problem with the "listening" theory of conversation. You see, I will admit here and now that I don't listen like I should, but instead I wait to talk. I do this because because I what I say is more important than what you say. Not only is it more important it is more informative, more entertaining, smarter and it has the added benefit of just being right. I'm not saying that anyone else should take the "wait to talk" position in conversations, no just me. When everyone else talks is just a bunch of regurgitated nonsense that they picked up from hearing half a story on NPR or by skimming through a friend's Facebook posting or a fleeting memories of what their Sociology professor said. An amalgamation of nonsense.
While I launch into you with an array of wit and charm backed up with knowledge and wisdom. I am more than will tell you what is the correct way to think and do it in such a way that you will be informed, you will laugh and you will go away know the correct position on the issue we are discussing. I mean the other person in a conversation with me is truly the lucky one.
Yeah, I have no ego here. I'm just trying to pass on to you the sum of me and my views on life. Now that we have that clear up, what shall we address next?
Oh yeah, I realize that my humor doesn't always come through in the written form. So I'm kind of being sarcastic, but I'm kind of not.
Another Source of my frustration is that they demand that they not be interrupted while they are talking, but then feel not problem interrupting me when I am attempting to destroy the 9 car interstate pile up that is their argument. But ultimately, my greatest frustration in these debates is that I AM NOT TALKING. Yeah, I said it, I want to talk. While I enjoy when you contribute to the conversation, it gets me from one point to the next, really, I just want to talk.
These recent debates remind me of high school when teachers tried to get a little deep with us by asking, "When you are in a conversation, do you listen or do you wait to talk?"
Now we all know the answer they want us to say and when you are in High School it is just easier to agree with them and get back to waiting for the bell to ring. They want us so bad to say that we truly listen to what other people say. It is all an attempt to get us to actually listen and maybe even become better human beings which would validate their role as shaper of young minds. Of course they are right, people should listen to what others have to say. They should truly listen and think about what they just heard and not just wait for an opening in the conversation so that spout their bullshit.
However, I have always had a problem with the "listening" theory of conversation. You see, I will admit here and now that I don't listen like I should, but instead I wait to talk. I do this because because I what I say is more important than what you say. Not only is it more important it is more informative, more entertaining, smarter and it has the added benefit of just being right. I'm not saying that anyone else should take the "wait to talk" position in conversations, no just me. When everyone else talks is just a bunch of regurgitated nonsense that they picked up from hearing half a story on NPR or by skimming through a friend's Facebook posting or a fleeting memories of what their Sociology professor said. An amalgamation of nonsense.
While I launch into you with an array of wit and charm backed up with knowledge and wisdom. I am more than will tell you what is the correct way to think and do it in such a way that you will be informed, you will laugh and you will go away know the correct position on the issue we are discussing. I mean the other person in a conversation with me is truly the lucky one.
Yeah, I have no ego here. I'm just trying to pass on to you the sum of me and my views on life. Now that we have that clear up, what shall we address next?
Oh yeah, I realize that my humor doesn't always come through in the written form. So I'm kind of being sarcastic, but I'm kind of not.
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