From coast to coast and even beyond the western horizon, there has been a whole lotta love going on in the sporting world this week.  Starting out in Tokyo, Japan where, for some crazy reason only known by Bud Selig and his cronies in the MLB executive office, the baseball season began by a split in the two games by Oakland and Seattle, and Ichiro earned some well deserved love by the homecoming crowd.  It was rightfully so, because he had four hits in the first game and is surely to be the first Japanese player to enter Cooperstown because he is such a great all around player.  It makes you wonder about how other Japanese ballplayers, such as Sadaharu Oh, would have fared in major league baseball.  I am all for giving Oh a whole lotta love and then enshrining him into Cooperstown as the “Babe Ruth” of Japanese baseball.  I think he would have won a few home run titles had he been given the chance to play on American soil.

There is certainly a whole lotta love going on right now for the Magic Johnson led group of investors who finally rid the proud Los Angeles Dodger franchise of bad owner Frank McCourt.  Even though they paid the man far too much for the franchise, it will turn out to be a great investment after a decade or two.  A hundred or so miles down the coast in San Diego another bad owner, Jeff Moorad, was also shown the door.  It kind of makes one wonder why Selig and the other owners keep approving these bozos.

There is a whole lotta love going on in the national media for the Arizona Diamondbacks this season after a breakout year last season where they surprised everyone and won the NL West title easily.  CBS Sports is forecasting a Diamondback/Detroit Tigers World Series, which certainly will make me and fellow bloggers AverageFanOfDetroit, IHateMillen, and StorminNorman happy if it comes to pass.  By the way I have been forecasting the same World Series match-up myself, so I will be loving this Series should it come to pass.

A whole lotta love is pouring out of New Orleans right now as the Final Four in the Big Dance have been set, and Ohio State, Louisville, Kansas, or Kentucky will be crowned Champion by Monday night.  It kind of makes you want to dance the night away.

Finally a whole lotta love is running amok all over the country as the major league baseball season begins in earnest next Thursday.  I wish all your favorite teams’ great success.  Just remember that your teams do not need a whole lotta love from the National Media to be successful.  Success happens on the field and not in the printed word.  I found that out last season when the nationally panned Arizona Diamondbacks decided that they were much better than the media claimed them to be. 

A green thumb I am not...

I did not get that gene from my Dad...

Who was the greenest of thumbs...

After a few minutes in the yard...

And I’d make a U-turn back into the house...

Dodging wasps along the way...

That’s real work if you ask me...

I’ve got better things to do than dodge wasps...

Like write blogs...

And watch wrestling...

A real manly man I am...

The lovely Miss Kim and I have a running joke...

Every time I enter a Home Depot...

I get hives...

I am allergic to those places...

First of all...

They are way too big for me...

Clear all that junk out of there...

And lets play some wiffle ball... 

The only thing a Home Depot is good for...

Are the sausages at the front door...

Ernie Banks said...

“Let’s play two...”

Like I say...

I’ll take two...

Pardon me...

But do you happen to have any Grey Poupon...

And this thing has always bugged my soul...

Am I a real man even though I hate yard work???

I don’t fix things either...

What I know about cars...

You can put on the head of a pin...

And still have plenty of room left over...

As for me???

I’m a people person...

Put me in a room full of kids...

And I will keep ‘em entertained for hours...

Give me a wrench...

And I will probably wrench my back...

Just make sure those wasps are napping when I come over...

I got stung once...

Not fun...

Like I said...

Not a gardener...

Not a mechanic...

A people person...

However...

Some people...

Are NOT people persons...

Or people people for that matter...

I’ve seen that a lot with business owners...

Just because a guy has a little cash...

Doesn’t mean he can run a business...

You have to have some savvy...

That’s right..

Some savvy to go along with the cash...

That brings us to one man, doesn’t it...

The man who came out smelling like a rose...

But stuck us with his thorns along the way...

The Dodger franchise...

With all its regality...

Was gift wrapped...

A thing of beauty...

A jewel of the National League...

Vin Scully...

Who could ask for a better spokesperson???

Gibby goes yard on the Eck...

Koufax and Drysadale...

Garvey, Lopes, Russell, and Cey...

Tommy Lasorda...

Bleeding Dodger Blue...

And many more memories...

Who in the world could screw it up???

Enter Frank McCourt...

At first...

I really liked the guy...

Maybe you didn’t trust him...

But I did...

I even bought a half season in his early years...

Then refused to set foot in Chavez Ravine...

As it all unraveled...

In his latter years...

Need we list the failures???

Naw...

What’s the use???

And in the end...

He comes out smellin’ like a rose...

Roses are nice...

So nice...

They named a parade...

And a football game after them...

Frank...

I hope you are proud of yourself...

I hope you sleep well tonight....

And most of all...

Be careful not to stick yourself with those thorns...

They hurt...

We know...

You’ve stuck us a time or two...

dvt

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It’s funny in life, the people we met and how the shape our lives. About twelve years ago, I was finishing a second masters (believe  it or not I have two)and I needed an internship. I met this guy at a company got an internship from him. I had just closed shop on my own consulting business and needed to work for someone. Impressed with the job I was doing he hired me. He left the company about a year later and when there was an opening at the new company he hired me there as well.

He has been one of my closet friends and mentors ever since. We drive to work together each and every morning. We discuss the business of the day, life and family. We discuss sports and politics and sometimes other stuff. The past year there has been a lot of talk about other stuff mainly health related. Last year he was diagnosis with liver disease to the point where he would need a transplant. I have witnessed good days and bad days. I’ve seen him go from a strong healthy man to sometimes being very weak.

Last Wednesday, I dropped him off after work and I could tell he wasn’t feeling quite right. He had a procedure scheduled for Friday to drain some fluid to help his liver. He said I’ll see you Monday; I’m taking the next couple of days off. On Friday I got a call from our secretary saying that she received a call from him and he was going in for his transplant. I was surprised by this because he was around 4^th on the transplant list. Apparently, for whatever reason the other three people couldn’t get to the Hospital in time. When he was called and asked where you are. He said right here at the hospital for a procedure. They said tell them to stop us have liver this according to his niece who I know fairly well. Later Friday afternoon I called his wife he was still in surgery but everything appeared to be doing ok.

Friday Night his Niece called me and we talked at some length on Saturday. He was on tubes and a ventilator but was stable. So Monday I’m in the office working on a bunch of stuff. Our secretary tells me you need to pick up line 3 it’s very important. It was him it was just nice to her his voice. Apparently his wife left the Hospital Sunday Night to get some rest and he was on a ventilator.

By the time she got home it’s only about a 15 minute ride with no traffic coming out of Boston. The nurse called her on his own saying he is breathing on his own and he has some orders for you. I’ll go for visit tomorrow and see him. This was the ultimate story of being in the right place at the right time. I guess in some sweet way this is a huge victory for a guy who would do anything for anyone. This man has spent his life helping he down and out get well. If somebody needed food he would be the first to over. If somebody needed a letter written he would be the first. He is alive and well with a great wife and two beautiful daughters who will now have there dad around for a long time. I cried yesterday on my way home sitting traffic they were tears of joy.

Sorry folks little off track with the sports this week but I thought this was a great story to share with a bunch of understanding and caring folks here at the Gab.

I don’t want to get all mushy and all so If you had an extra 2.2 Billion dollars to spend on say a baseball team wouldn’t you want to the parking lots included as well just a thought..

The NFL passed new rules today. I like the OT rule will be the same as the playoffs. I don’t like every turnover will be reviewed. That means the on field Ref. will be heading to the hood more. I like the concept but the guy in the booth is an Official and was an on field official can’t he make the call like in college.

My understanding is Sean Peyton perhaps went Tuna fishing for his replacement. Yes, according to Adam Schefter at ESPN. The big tuna if asked would consider it.

Things aren’t so much in paradise in the Valentines world in Red Sox camp. It looked like Valentine wanted a few things in place going north. Like Daniel Bard in the rotation looks like he will be in the pen. Rookie Jose Iglesias to be the team’s shortstop. I guess Iglesias will be the starting shortstop for the Red Sox the Pawtucket Red Sox that is.

Thanks for listening and have a great week.

Not sure how many of you caught this interview on ESPN, but it has a great take on the Manning-Tebow situation:

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/dfead2eb1e/satan-and-jesus-discuss-peyton-manning <----- Yeah, I don't know how to add links that aren't on YouTube. Those lazy bastards at Funny or Die haven't uploaded this to YouTube yet. Still, click the link. It is well worth it my friends. 

So today would mark the unofficial start of the MLB season as the Oakland A's take on the Seattle Mariners in Japan. The game features two of the closest franchises to Japan as well as the return of their native son Ichiro. Like Frag's post suggested, this could very well be Ichiro's last season. In the last year of his contract with Seattle, there is no better way for him to open his season.

Now many will raise the question as to why the season starts in Japan. I can see several reasons. One is that the game is already pretty popular in Japan. Japanese fans love the games in Japan and nearly 45,000 fans were on hand for both games of last season's Red Sox-A's series. The return of Ichiro should only boost number as well as TV ratings to the chagrin of the Nippon league and Japanese prime time shows. 

The second is the history of Japanese players migrating to the United States. My best recollection of the start of this trend came in the form of Hideo Nomo. Ichiro is without question the MLB's greatest Japanese import, but notable players like Hideki Irabu, Hideki Matsui, and the most recent addition of Yu Darvish. For the MLB having such a big stage in Japan could only spur more players to make the jump. Some may say series in countries like the Dominican could be helpful too, but I've never heard talks of any. Besides, Japan simply has more cash flow.

While this series seems to make sense and the MLB has not announced any plans to expand to Japan, it seems to stand in stark contrast to the NFL's adventures in London. This season will see the Rams square off with the Patriots in the game at Wembley. It was announced that the Rams would become the "home" team in London just this winter, as owner Stan Kroenke is also majority shareholder of the soccer club Arsenal. The Rams will be playing in London for the next three years and the league has been debating adding a second game in England.

Talk has also been made of adding an expansion team to London. This talk seems to fly in the face of mediocre ticket sales and the all too familiar and recent collapse of NFL Europe. ESPN America has been broadcasting around 100 NFL games plus playoff and Super Bowl coverage to nearly 41 European territories as of 2009, and the number may continue to rise. 

Still, the idea just doesn't sit well with me. I don't see the draw in adding a team in London. It would be a scheduling nightmare. Hawaii's college football team has a hard enough time getting opponents to fly in and they don't have to cross international waters. Any team flying to London or that team having to come to the states (especially the west coast) would be at a distinct disadvantage. I also don't see a huge demand for the NFL in London. They get decent crowds, but I don't see the kind of passion they have for their soccer or rugby teams. I have realized that geography means nothing in sports, especially when UofM still declares themselves the champions of the west, but there's nothing national about London. I think an exhibition game in London would be fine, but regular season games have been a mistake and adding to that schedule only compounds the stress put on teams.

Back to good news for baseball, Frank McCourt has sold the Dodgers to a group lead by Magic Johnson and former Braves and Nationals president Stan Kasten for around $2 billion. Oddly enough, St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke was also in the hunt along with some folks who have a share in the new Mets ownership team. From what I have heard, however, Magic and his team are the best fit. Now, a few of you may cry foul due to Magic's investment in the LA area, but that should only inspire him to improve the team. Some may not be sold on Magic as a businessman, but I have some proof he'll be good for the Dodgers and the MLB.

In tiny Dayton, Ohio is a class A Midwest league team by the name of the Daytona Dragons. The team is in the Cincinnati Reds farm system and has nurtured talent like Adam Dunn (sorry Chi-Sox fans), Joey Votto, and Hay Bruce. They've also sold out 815 consecutive games. They do it with great promotions, an attachment to the city, outstanding customer service and a pretty decent product on the field. They've got plenty of loyal fans and season ticket holders. Their story has been featured around the globe and on our favorite four letter network's Outside The Lines (probably one of the best shows on that channel). If Magic and the gang kind bring that type of service to the Dodgers, they'll do just fine and restore a bit of faith to a proud franchise.

Well, that's it for me this week. I have no challenge this week, but have to agree Harvey's Like Mike videos and Frag's zumba pic may be slightly more 90's than a Chris Mullin Starter ad. Still, you all know you had a Starter jacket back then. I had a pretty amazing Tigers jacket, but we gave it away once I out grew it. My bro's kid would look pretty boss in it had we kept it and he gotten really big, really fast.

Back:

Front:

Hope you all have a great weekend and are ready for some baseball. I'm going to enjoy watching IHM and my Tigers taking on Sully's Red Sox.  What a way to start the year. Anyone else thinking about a Jon Lester-Justin Verlander pitcher's duel? Well, I leave you guys with your word of the week.

baseball card burden, noun

The Road Ends Here!!!

Greetings from the hoodwood, where the locals are seeking treatment for their collective college hoops overdose.

In 15 days we’ve went from 68 teams to 4 and from a basketball purist standpoint you couldn’t ask for a more heavyweight driven Final Four than what you have this year. The consensus #1 team Kentucky with their precocious and talented freshmen Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Anthony Davis, Ohio State with its chillingly efficient Jared Sullinger and William Buford, Kansas with its player of the year candidate Thomas Robinson and Louisville led by do everything guard Peyton Siva. There are no shortage of storylines here. Can John Calipari finally get the title he has chased from UMass to Memphis to Kentucky (And better still will he be able to keep it?) Will Rick Pitino get the 2^nd title that he has so long desired. Will Ohio State finally put it all together? Can Kansas prove that they were the ultimate sleeper? The Big Easy will have four very noisy and boisterous fan bases. The problem is have no love really for any of them. I have always had a soft spot for Kansas and their Rock Chalk KU chant…but Its never been a deep seated love. Though with the Buckeyes and Cards on my master shit lists for defeating my beloved Bearcats and their fans never letting me hear the end of it and the arrogant UK fans who have treated this tournament like their coronation. I have to root hard for the team that has done nothing to offend me.

Regional Review

The four regions had their share of wild moments, but no buzzer beaters and only one OT game where an Ohio team that wouldn’t give an inch simply ran out of gas against a tougher UNC game. But the Tar Heels showed more scars from that game than most thought as they were worn down by a relentless Jayhawks squad. Ol Roy Boy didn’t want to say as much but the loss of Kendal Marshall hurt the Heels more than a little down the stretch. I give some dap to Stilman White, the erstwhile backup point guard for UNC. Thrust into lineup with the injury to Marshall, White played capably for a while but as the game  went into its final moments. White looked like he wanted nothing to do with taking a crucial shot. The Jayhawks went on a 13-0 closing run and the Heels had no scoring option. The Jayhawks triangle and 2 taking their key scoring threats, Harrison Barnes and Tyler Zeller out of the mix

In the East Ohio State raced out to a big lead against my beloved Bearcats watched them rally heroically to wipe out that lead and go up 52-48 With the Bucks seemingly on the ropes,they turned on the jets in a 17-1 spurt that sent them to the Elite 8 where they faced Syracuse. The Orange who roiled back and forth in their sweet 16 game but hung on to beat a solid Wisconsin squad in a game that didn’t get decided till a last desperate twisting Badger jumper sailed off line. The Orange and Bucks tussled for awhile in the TD North Garden in Boston but you just had the feeling that the Bucks were just too much of a handful for the Orange. Jared Sullinger repeatedly abused the Orange after being in early foul trouble. The game just seemed to have an odd flow and was tightly officiated. The Lady Bandit and I took some of the game in over dinner where a partisan Ohio State crowd was cheering every positive Buckeyes play. She observed that there were a lot of fouls called and that the Syracuse coach was getting madder and madder. Boeheim ended up getting a T and was lucky that he didn’t get a second later in the game. The Bucks made the game a free throw shooting parade late and Boeheim’s puzzling decision to keep uber playmaker make Scoop Jardine on the bench in the 2^nd half was a puzzling coda to a 77-70 Bucks win. 2 of the 3 Orange losses this season were to teams from Ohio.

The Ville seems to win the ugliest games, witness their Big East title win over Cincy a stomach turning 50-44 decision. Or their ouster of #1 seed Michigan State in the regional semis a 58-47 clunker that no one outside of Jefferson County in Kentucky could have loved. Ive never been a Rick Pitino fan, his whining preening style is annoying and grating, but give the man his due. He wins with any kind of style, this grinder of a team he has this year wont win any aesthetic awards but they have won ball games. After the snoozer win over the Spartans, they fell behind to the Florida Gators who quietly made the regional final by rolling past Marquette and taking advantage of the absence of #2 Mizzou on that side of the draw. The Gators raced to an 8 point lead at the half and were up 11 with 8:16 to play. The Cards blitzed the Gators with a 23-8 run and stormed back to the 72-68 win. The win was even more impressive in that the Cards made most of their run with their do everything guard Peyton Siva on the bench. Oh geez this means we will have to see Siva’s father 20 million times during the national semifinal.

Finally there is Kentucky who has seemingly toyed with every opponent in the tourney. They played a thrilling track meet with Indiana for a half in the Sweet 16 and for awhile in the second it looked like the Hoosiers were going to match the Wildcats blow for blow. But the Hoosiers never took the lead in the 2^nd half and the Wildcats just kept pulling further and further away the 102-90 decision was the most points scored in any game in the tourney and the only game that a team cracked the century mark. Indiana was the only team in the tourney so far to score 90 and lose. They went to regional final to face Baylor who’s up and down play let Xavier back into the game after taking a 22-4 lead early. The Bears held off a number of late charges to win 77-70. The Bears then raced out to an early 10-5 lead on Kentucky and looked to be in position to spring the mammoth upset. Facing their largest deficit of the tourney so far, all that did was annoy the Wildcats as they went on a frightening 34-7 run to destroy the Bears regional title hopes and cruise to an 82-70 win. This sets up a bluegrass rematch of the highest order. The arch rivals of the Commonwealth who for so long refused to play one another until they were forced to do so in the 1982 NCAA tourney then were shamed into playing one another by state proclamation. Now they play once a year and there is still no love lost especially with Cardinals coach Rick Pitino being UK’s most famous Ex-coach.

Ohio State and Kansas face off in a rematch as well, the Jayhawks rolled over the then second ranked Bucks in Allen but did so without facing Jared Sullinger. Im thinking that the Bucks will methodically wear the Jayhawks down in the second semifinal after the Wildcats overpower the Cards. There will be no suicide watches in Kentucky as the Wildcats beat the Bucks to win their first title in 14 years and give SEC fan one more teasing point on Ohio State.

The Big Tuna in the Big Easy?

Yeah, it could happens. Disgraced and soon to be suspended Saints Coach Sean Payton is reaching out to former mentor Bill Parcells to coach the Saints in his absence...could it happen? Stay tuned

Hes Baaaaack! Tiger takes the Palmer

Damn kid, it took ya long enough! Tiger Woods finally did the damn thing. Winning the Arnold Palmer invitational by 5 strokes over Graeme McDowell, the joy on Tigers face was obvious. Every media outlet has chronicalled the 2 plus years since Woods last tour victory in September 2009, since then Woods has had a nasty adultery scandal, leading to a painful and very public divorce, awkward apologies, crippling injuries and a puzzling slump that were leading many to believe that tour win #73 would be a long time coming if ever. But Tiger has shown a resiliency that has been long lacking and shook off a pesky achillies injury from his last outing to roll to a win in one of his favorite venues. The only shame was that the tourney’s namesake Arnold Palmer wasn’t on hand to present the trophy to Woods. The living legend was hospitalized with high blood pressure. We in the hoodwood wish Mr. Palmer a speedy recovery. And uh oh, whats the next major tour event??? It wouldn’t be a pristine course in Georgia where they give out green jackets to the winners would it???

Tebow time in the Big Apple

Tell me if this makes any sense to you. A backup quarterback getting back page news in the NYC tabloids and a press conference to boot. If it was anyone other than Timothy Richard Tebow, it would be considered a useless excerise. But Tebow mania is coming to the Big Apple. The soap opera that is the New York Jets and their grinning jeering coach Rex Ryan continue to outdo themselves in hyperbole. While their MetLife Stadium roommate New York Giants have won two Super Bowls in four years, the Jets seem to be more fodder for the tabloids than headliners for winning games. In a stunning reversal the Jets seemingly gave starter Mark Sanchez a vote of confidence by spurning any thought of pursing then free agent QB Peyton Manning and giving Sanchez a contract extension. Making a crazy quixotic turn the Jets then traded for Tebow. Sanchez, a fragile ego to begin with in the maelstrom that is the New York media shark tank now has to deal with the looming shadow of Tebow and his loud, loyal fan base. Tebow of course said all the right things in his Monday presser. Saying that he just wanted to do what was needed to help the Jets win and that about Sanchez  that he “(thinks) We'll have a great relationship and, hopefully, we'll thrive together.” Many in the New York media ripped the trade and many former Jets did too. Jets legend Joe Namath called the move a dumb publicity stunt and many are lef to wonder that in an already highly charged locker room will the arrival of Tebow rip the team further apart. Tebow could have went to Jacksonville, a team with a young QB of its own in Blaine “Gabby” Gabbert and the Jags were hot for him, since Tebow grew up in Jacksonville and the Jags are desperate for a PR move that would fill the seats at an otherwise mostly empty EverBank Field. But Tebow wanted NYC and the Broncos made the trade work after a lengthy and at times puzzling horse trading session. Tebow leaving Denver had a number of critics including one that you wouldn’t expect (See Head Slap) Sanchez in a conference call later said that he was not concerned over his starting job. He better be, cause you can bet your bottom dollar the first time he throws a pick, or a string of incompletions not only will the boo bird come out but the Tebow chants will start. It ran Kyle Orton out of Denver, Im betting that it will drive Sanchez out of Gotham before the season is half over.

PHAT DAP/HEAD SLAP

Phat Dap

In the wake of the tragic shooting death of Trayvon Martin, the Miami Heat lead by Lebron James lead a protest of their own, the team was photographed hoodies up as a symbolic gesture over the controversy surrounding the shooting last month. While there are still no arrests and a good deal of the country has strong opinions, usually sports figures try to stay above it. James and the Heat felt it necessary to say little but their gesture said a lot. As a black man, I understand  the frustration and have dealt with harassment before just because I looked suspicious as Im sure everyone of those players were saying with their gesture. I commend the James and the Heat for their actions and Hoodwood stands with the players and those that are calling for action in this matter.

Head Slap

To televangelist and noted blowhard Pat Robertson who on his 700 Club program was very sharp and pointed on his criticism of the Denver Broncos for trading Tebow. Robertson who rarely pontificates on sports took offense that the Broncos picked up Manning and traded Tebow. Robertson opined about Manning’s neck injury and said that the Broncos would be in serious trouble if Manning got hurt. That’s a no brainer and nothing overly controversial but he followed that up with the opinion that trading away Tebow would haunt the Broncos in some sort of dogmatic karma. Robertson went on to state that Tebow had turned the “nothing” Broncos into a contender and that acquiring Manning to bench then trade the devoutly religious QB was nothing short of terrible. Robertson needs to stick with what works, thundering from his pulpit for money and calling those that don’t follow his ideals evil.

Thats the view from the Hoodwood, until next post fellow sports fans!