Brett Favre and Elian Gonzalez.
The two go hand in hand.
No, I haven't been popping any of Favre's pain pills that helped him to start 253 more consecutive games than Aaron Rodgers. But the Favre/Ted Thompson drama that seems best suited for an episode of Young and the Restless has become the hot topic, much like Elian several years back. In 2000 you couldn't read a newspaper or turn on a radio or television without hearing about the Cuban floating on a raft.
Favre has now reached Elian status.
It has become so overplayed I would rather listen to Jessica Simpson sing country music than hear more Favre talk on the radio. The verb listen not to be confused with the verb watch.
He wants to retire. He wants to play. The Packers want him to come back. The Packers don't want him to come back.
What in the hell kind of flower are they picking their petals off of?
Listen, I actually understand Favre's decision to come back. He knows if he can still play, so why shouldn't he be able to? This is America, not Cuba. His timing may be bad... OK, terrible. But when it comes down to it, it's his life. If he wants to keep working, who are we to tell him no?
Yet at the same time, I understand the Packers hesitance to bring him back. At some point they need to move on. If they accept him back now, they may lose some players in the locker room. Most importantly Aaron Rodgers. But what has Rodgers ever done to deserve such loyalty?
I have a simple solution. Not only will it be much needed positive PR for the Pack, but it will keep Favre off the front page and back on Wrangler ads.
Bring Favre back. It automatically makes them a better team and one of the favorites to get back to the Super Bowl. Rodgers has yet to play a full meaningful game in the NFL, and when he has played he has shown he is injury prone.
The result of him coming back will more than likely lead to the release or trade or Rodgers (probably by demand), making Brian Brohm the backup quarterback. They drafted him for a reason right?
It puts them in the same spot they were in a few years ago when they drafted Rodgers, with hopes of him learning from Favre and preparing to take over the reins when he retires, which may be in 2020.
The bottom line is Rodgers is in a lose/lose situation. No matter what he does, he will never be Brett Favre. It's like when I (5'10", 160) date a girl who's ex-boyfriend is 6'5", 230. That's a tough act to follow.
It's simple: Favre needs to go back to the Pack. Rodgers needs a clean break and a fresh start. Manny Ramirez needs a shower. Well, that's another story for another time.
Just Make A Decision Already
My Breakup Letter to Manny Ramirez
My Dearest Manny-
I remember the date like it was yesterday, December 12, 2000, the day our turbulent yet joyous eight year relationship first began. I had my doubts about you at first. I knew you were a strong player but I had, had my heart set on A Rod. He was an equally good player (and a bit cuter than you), my heart was crushed and I didn't know if you were the man to pick up the pieces.
Then in your first game in a Red Sox uniform you crushed a ball over the Green Monster. All of my doubts faded. A Rod was too prissy for my type anyway, I mean seriously, what respectable man gets his tips frosted when he just wears a baseball cap all the time anyway? Yes at that moment I knew our relationship was going to last a lifetime.
Oh how wrong I was.
Photo from flickr.com
Now don't get me wrong Manny, we sure did have some good times together you and me. There was that time you crushed a ball at Fenway which was one 1 inch short of Ted Williams 502ft shot, the longest homerun ever at Fenway. Then there was 2004 when you led the American League in home runs and slugging percentage and you won a little award known as MVP during one of the greatest playoffs in baseball history when the Red Sox won their first title since 1918. You were a big part of that championship team not just because of your athletic ability but because of your personality, your sometimes off beat quirky charm that has led some people to just shake their heads and sigh at the things you do and chalk it up to "Manny being Manny."
And you have certainly had your Manny moments. Like that time you made a diving play to cut off a relay throw from Johnny Damon allowing the opposing player to hit an inside the park home run. Most people would have gotten mad over that, but not the Fenway Faithful. It was just Manny being Manny. Then there was the time you decided to have Good Times (I Get High) play during your plate appearances. Not such a good move. And remember that time when you high-fived a fan in the middle of a double play? Completely unnecessary but one of the funnier moments in baseball. And all of those times the cameras have caught you hanging out in the scoreboard, making phone calls or whatever else you do their in between innings. That score board has become your own treehouse, a very large treehouse in the middle of one of the most beloved ballparks in baseball that is. Then there are your infamous hairstyle changes. You change your hair more than David Beckham and that is saying something. You are silly, unpredictable, and talented and that is why I love you.
But sometimes you have to let go of the ones you love because lately Manny you haven't been giving 100%. Like when you said last year that the Red Sox not making it to the World Series "wouldn't be the end of the world." Well maybe not to you Manny, but to me it was a big deal. I know a lot of Yankee fans, another title gave me something to rub in their faces. Oh and then there was the time a couple of years back where you didn't play the Yankees because of pharyngitis and then were seen out at the bars. Well let me tell you something Manny, I've had pharyngitis and it left me with a 106 fever and in blinding pain for two weeks. Pick a different illness to lie about because I saw right threw that excuse. And then what was with you slapping Kevin Youk earlier this season? Violence is not the answer Manny and you know I don't put up with that kind of stuff.
And finally, what everyone has been talking about, your antics this past weekend. Sore knee? You expect anyone to buy that one? Scratching yourself from the game last minute? Childish. Look Manny, I know you want a better contract and I know you want to test the trade waters, but is this the way to go about it? Is alienating your fans, your beloved fans, the way to go about it? Is severing a rocky but overall good relationship with me and the rest of Boston the only way to get what you want? What's more important, the respect of your fans and playing with a team that you, in the past, have claimed to live for, or is the difference of a few years on your contract and a couple million mean more to you?
Well Manny, clearly you've made your choice. So, as hard as this is for me to say, I am ready to let you go. If you want to leave, then leave, but don't even look back for a second because I will not be there to give you another chance. You have already burned enough bridges and during the second half of the season with the Sox still in contention? Not kosher. I've had it with your antics. If this is Manny being Manny then I don't want Manny at all.
So go play for another team. Go get that long term contract and get those extra millions so that when you eventually get hurt and can't finish out a season, you still make the big bucks, because that is what it is all about, right? Have fun with the Pirates, Marlins, or god forbid the Yankees but don't look for any applause when you make your inevitable return to Fenway because you are welcome here no more. And as far as your beloved treehouse goes, you can find other places to make your phone calls between innings.
Photo from Flickr.com
So I hope you find what you are looking for Manny because I've already moved on. Besides it's all about Jacoby now and he is definitely cuter.
Love,
Meredith
Wearing two hats
I like hats. I just bought a brand new Pitt one actually. But that really has little relevance right now.
You should all know that I am a sportswriter for a small monthly sports paper by now. And, if by chance you are a regular reader of this blog (hi mom), then you would know that I also have a full-time job that pays all the bills that come with living at home.
But I don't think I ever actually mentioned what my job is - a technical writer. I'm just starting my third month on the job, and coming from a journalism background, some parts take a while to get used to. Like wearing a tie and showering daily. But I digress...
Sports journalism is different then regular journalism. It's less formal and you can get away with a slight dose of opinion.
Technical writing is even more formal than regular journalism, and if any opinion of mine would ever make it into a document, I might wind up naked somewhere in a ditch.
And that is where the two hats come in. I have to know when to put on my sports writer hat, and when to put on the tech writer hat. It can get confusing. I would like to think that I know (somewhat) what I am talking about in the sports world. However, I may never know what I am talking about when it comes to editing an engineers' paper on geological formations.
But you know, I'm fine with that. It is important as a writer to keep at your craft. That's why when I would go to a Pitt basketball game in the press box, I would also go to the press conferences after and write a post-game story even though I didn't have an assignment. I would take notes and act as if I had a deadline. It is good practice that I suggest anyone interested in the field should do.
But whether it be a basketball game or a geology paper, it doesn't matter. As long as you keep writing and working on your craft.
During my lunch break tomorrow I have an over-the-phone interview scheduled with a Pirate executive. After that I go right back to being a tech writer before heading home to write up the article I'm working on.
While it may be difficult wearing two different hats, it still beats the hell out of wearing a fast food visor.
It's Time To Get Rid of the Big Cheese
Brett Favre and I have a lot in common. He wears number four, I enjoy even numbers myself. He's spent years with the Packers, I've spent years with the Clearwater Dolphins. We are both really ridiculously good looking (Zoolander reference, please tell me someone got it). Finally, we both are hanging up the towel this year after a successful run with our teams because we both realize that it is time to move on to bigger and better things and that it is truly better to go out on top than to completely tarnish your imagine with second thoughts of returning to our respected sports.
Image from Flickr.com
Oh wait, that's only me because Brett Favre has done something that makes every sports fan sigh, remove their cheese hat, and kick back a cold Milwaukee brew. Yup, Favre is having second thoughts about his retirement that he only announced a few months ago. Now you think that Favre would have learned, comebacks never work unless you are Mariah Carey or Cher. In most cases, athletes do not get better with age especially over the age of 40 and in a sport such as football. Brett gave a tearful goodbye which ESPN played an ungodly amount of times and the rest of the sports world cried with him. Now, the sports world is simply crying because while we have all moved on, Brett has not.
And, even more delightful, especially for bloggers like me, his potential comeback is causing waves throughout the sports world. First of all, we are finding out that maybe things are not so hot in the land of dairy. Apparently, the Packers are not so keen about Brett's decision to rejoin the NFL and I don't blame them. Brett is like that senior in high school who comes back for a 5th year and crashes the hot weekend party to learn that no one wants him there because, it was all good when he was one of them, but now it is just plain creepy and time to move on.
So Brett, being reasonable and obviously not wanting to step on any toes decided to "allegedly" talk to the Vikings about joining their team and apparently that is one of the main reasons Brett is considering coming out of retirement. Yeah because that won't tick anyone off, off season talks with your former team's biggest rival. Way to go Favre, it only took you less than three months to totally ruin your reputation in the NFL.
And I'm not saying that Brett is a bad guy, at least not bad to look at if you know what I'm saying, but indecisiveness and the inability to move on with your life are not attractive qualities in a man or a woman for that matter. My swim team will win our last meet of the season and we will go 5-0 and many people are begging me and my coaching staff to come back for another year. And is it tempting? Yes. But it's time for me to go on with my life. I need to get an internship next summer so I can have a shot at a real job one day; I can't be a swim coach forever. Favre, if your reading, take notes buddy.
So Brett, stop all this nonsense and announce your permanent retirement. Go take some time off, go to the Dominican or someplace that has a temperature above freezing. Try some other kinds of cheese other than the kind that comes from Wisconsin (whatever that is). Hang up that #4 Jersey and leave this sport with the good memories your fans hold of you, don't go out with all of this bickering over contracts and rival teams.
For more info on the Favre retirement scandal, here's the AP release on it:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iJ4dh7TkvXFMpdKZU9rITbou7jtwD921I8200
Change Isn't Always For The Better
Baseball used to be America's National Pastime.
Nowadays it seems our National Pastime has become hating on tradition and campaigning for change.
Baseball fans always think the grass is greener on the other side.
With the All-Star festivities underway at Yankee Stadium, the naysayers have come out in full force calling for change in the mid-summer classic.
"The Home Run Derby isn't what it used to be."
"The All-Star Game is boring, most of the stars skip it anyways."
"Home field advantage shouldn't rest on the shoulders of the winner of the All-Star Game."
The last quote undoubtedly is being uttered by the same fans who complained when the game ended in a tie in Milwaukee several years back. Now I'm certainly not a fan of Bud Selig, but give the man a break. He can't appease everyone.
The fact is change isn't always for the better. So what if a few fans and writers think it's losing it's luster? The stadiums still always sell out and the host city always garners a huge profit. The people who are calling for a change are the type of people who will never be pleased. It has become "socially cool" to bash tradition.
But this doesn't just apply to baseball. People think the NBA All-Star game and NFL Pro-Bowl need to be changed, too. There is only so much you can do with events like these. While it's near impossible to create edge-of-your-seat drama, the stars still offer enough story lines to make the games interesting.
Hopefully there will come a day when fans can accept the sports for the way they are, and just enjoy the games. On Tuesday night we will get to see 60 of the best baseball players in the world on the same diamond. I think that should be entertainment enough.
That, That That Don't Kill Me, Can Only Make Me Stronger
Broadcasting is one of the hardest fields to break into. No, I didn't get that from a statistic or the New York Times, I gathered that from the numbers of people going to school to get on TV and the countless friends that have recently graduated and are still waiting for feedback on their reels from the low news markets they sent their tapes to. The next time your friend confides in you their fears of graduating with a business degree, or getting hired as a teacher, a veterinarian, a drive thru employee at Wendys, you laugh in their face and tell them you're trying to break into broadcasting, and not only that, you are trying to break into sportscasting where you will forever be judged on your appearance, your ability to insert witty comments into a highlight, and endlessly quizzed on how much you know about sports.
And let me tell you something, everyone is a critic and everyone thinks that they know what it takes to become a sportscaster.
But guess what, they don't, and I will give you an example of that right now.
A few days ago I was innocently pacing the pool coaching one of the many practices we have a day for swim team. One of the dads decided to strike up a conversation which predictably led to my chosen career path of sportscasting. When the father heard that I wanted to be a sportscaster, more specifically a sports reporter who does the player profile packages he informed me that those were only on tv to get women to watch sports and that no man cares about those, they just want to watch the game.
That should have been the first red flag.
But oh no, Mr. Know it All decided that in the middle of my swim team practice would be the ideal time to quiz me on my sports knowledge. So, he started off by asking me who won the Super Bowl. No brainer, the Giants. Then he asked me who caught the winning past. Hell if I know. I was too busy trying to write my sports blog when the final touchdown was scored and I can barely remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday let alone who caught the pass. So, with a smirk, he delivered the correct answer which of course he knew because he is from New Jersey and all North Jersey fans are huge Giant or Jets fans.
Onto question two: What was the lowest point in the Red Sox history? First of all, that is not a yes or no, true or false, that is an OPINION question so who is the idiot now? My first answer was when Babe was traded which, obviously I was wrong in his eyes. So then I answered correctly with the ball going through Bill Buckner's legs in games 6 of the World Series in 1986 vs. the Mets (I gave all that info just so he couldn't quiz me on anything else). But of course he found something, who hit the ball? Well considering I was barely a fetus in 1986 and am not a personal google where you can type in any sports question and get the answer, I had no clue.
So the conversation was wrapped up by Smarty Pants giving me the answer and telling me I was never going to make it as a sportscaster because I can't spit facts at the drop of a hat.
And let me tell you something, this will happen to each and every one of you at least once in your life. People will think that you don't have it for one reason or another whether it be your lack of knowledge, gender, personality, etc etc. But you know what? Forget them. I spend enough time worrying about my future, I don't need other people bringing me down. I am going to make it in this business if I want to make it, some Big Shot who thinks just because he checks ESPN.com every day he is an expert on the business is not going to be my make or break.
If I were to break down the recipe for success on breaking into the world of sportscasting, it would go like this:
1/2 Personality/Charisma
1/2 Sports Knowledge
A pinch of good looks (well a handful of pinches if you are a female)
A tab of who you know
A good internship
Does it help to know everything there is to know about sports? Yes. But let me tell you something, I will never know everything about sports. The thought of sitting down and trying to memorize every big moment in sports is too overwhelming for me to think about. Take it one step at a time and just keep a pulse on what is happening in sports now. If you ever need to write an article or shoot a package about a specific sport or a historic moment you don't have all the facts on, then do research. Use your other journalistic skills to get the answers you are looking for. You don't have to be a sports junkie to cover a good sports story. Use your other talents to get the job done. And let me tell you something, you can know all there is to know about sports but if you don't have a stitch of personality or a decent voice, you are toast.
There are always going to be haters and there are always going to be people trying to bring you down, telling you that you won't make it, and unfortunately, endlessly quizzing you, but you can't let that get to you. If you know you can make it, then that is enough. If you don't think you can make it, then maybe, it's time to be looking into another career choice.
I've Got the Fever
Summertime is a my worst nightmare, in terms of my blog. I’m not at school so I can’t talk about my sportscasting experience and there are only so many times I can reference the MLB in a blog (although I thought my blog on the positives of baseball brawls was brilliant). As far as other sports go, I’m not blogging about tennis because I can’t watch it long enough to gather material (the grunting bothers me, hm maybe that is a blog topic in the making) and as far as golf goes, there is only so many times I can watch a guy hit a ball with the goal being to make it into a hole. I am pretty easily amused but even that gets old after awhile.
But I am in luck this summer because it is that special time of year that only happens every four years and that is the Olympics, so I am going to force feed you some more Olympics goodness whether you like it or not. Because let’s face it, I, Meredith Constant, have the fever, the Olympic fever if you will. And how can you not? The last 8 nights have brought me the American Swimming Trials from Omaha, Nebraska. It was like Hanukkah come early with 8 nights of wonderful gifts such as the Women’s 50 free being broken 3 times in one day, Gary Hall Jr. in a sparkly cape donning the phrase “The Godfather of Swimming” (too bad he didn’t qualify), and of course, Michael Phelps in a tight bathing suit, water dripping off those glistening abs, and that sonorous voice (ok the last part was a stretch, I prefer Michael, like most athletes, mute, like children, athletes should be seen and not heard).
And all of you blogettes out there cannot deny that you’ve caught the fever as well. Don’t tell me that every time you see those Visa Olympic commercial with Morgan Freedmen doing the voice overs that you don’t get shivers down your spine. Or that when you see the Bank of America commercials promising to donate money to the American athletes if you buy a patriotic card that you don’t want to get in your car and go buy one right this second. And, please, don’t tell me that you don’t get excited over the thought of seeing America own in every single event proving that we are the best country in the world (athletically speaking) and that you don’t proudly stand up and sing the anthem along with the television when an American receives a gold medal. And finally, don’t tell me that Bob Costas sea blue eyes don’t hypnotize you into watching hours of late night events because you know they do.
So, in the spirit of the Olympic Games, I give you my Top Ten Greatest/Most Shocking/Bone Crushing Moments at the Olympic Games:
10: Mark Spitz winning seven gold medals at the 1972 Summer Olympics proving once again why America owns everyone in swimming despite the fact that countries such as England and Australia are actual islands. Take that. And Michael Phelps is still to this day trying to tie Spitz’s record.
9. US Women’s Soccer Team wins Gold. It was their first time on a world setting as a recognized team and the US Women’s team managed to take down China in the finals taking home the gold. And despite the fact that I loathe Mia Hamm for marrying my one true love, Nomar Garciaparra, I think in the end I won, because we no longer have a U.S Women’s Soccer League anymore. So take that Hamm.
8. Marion Jones winning…oh opps that’s all null and void now because she was tested positive for steroids. Shame on you Marion.
7. Michael Phelps, need I say more? He is young, literally built to be an awesome swimmer, attractive, and despite that DUI, which we will just pretend never happened, will go on to be one of the most celebrated Olympians of all time.
Image by bbc.news.com
6. Nadia Comaneci's Perfect 10 at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Ok she is a Romanian which is why I placed her at number 6 which is better than if she had been Russian because she would have probably clocked in at number 10. Nadia scored the unheard of mark on the uneven bars at the age of 14, an achievement that no gymnast had ever attained before 1976. All that at 14, overachiever.
5. Paul Hamm’s come back after a crushing (and hilarious) fall into the judge’s table during a difficult vault to come back and win the Men’s All Around. And ok, maybe he sort of won on a technicality and the International Gymnastics Federation maybe tried to make him give back the medal but in true American spirit, he said no, clinging to his medal, and his title, for dear life.
Image by graphics.jsonline.com
4. Dara Torres. She’s already had a swimming career that has spanned more than two decades and includes 9 Olympic medals but that isn’t why she has made the list. She’s made it because of what she is going to do at these upcoming games. Dara Torres will be the oldest swimmer on the team at 41 and has qualified in two events, the 100 and 50m freestyle and even took back her 50 free American record at the trials. And this is after having a child, losing her father, and having an atrocious start/dive. The woman is fierce.
3. Mary Decker tripped by Zola Budd during the 3,000 m final at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Let’s sum this one up, Decker is an American track princess looking for her first gold in her last Olympics after missing the first two due to injuries and then a boycott of the games. Budd is a barefoot runner from South Africa who suspiciously obtained last minute citizenship from Great Britain in order to run. The race begins with Decker in the lead and then Budd cuts in front of her in a move in which my friend Alison told me is not allowed, (well Alison is not actually a runner but she hooks up with a lot of runners and has a roommate who is a runner so I figure she is a reliable source), and trips Decker who rips a muscle in her hip in the process. So, was she tripped? Was it just an accident? Watch the video and decide for yourself.
2. Derek Redmond finishes the 400 m with help from his father at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He may not have won but it was good enough to mention in those gosh darn touching Visa commercials. Just goes to show you, you can even be an Olympian and still need your Mommie and Daddy to lean on.
1. My favorite moment of all time, Kerri Strug in the 1996 Summer Games who needed to land a ridiculously high vault in order to win the Women’s Gymnastic Team gold. Her first vault she landed funny on her ankle and was in obvious pain but like a champ, she shook it off and went for vault two. And like any good Disney movie, she landed it perfectly, basically on one foot and literally dragged herself off her mat, her sprained ankle trailing behind her. I wanted to be Kerri Strug. She was a star, destined for Wheaties boxes, a gold medalist. But there was a down side. That haircut. Strug really could have used some hair extensions, or a barber that wasn’t blind.
The Golden Age of Sport
We've heard it from our fathers and our grandfathers all our life.
"It was better in our day. The players were better. The teams were better. It wasn't about the money back then."
And for the most part, it's been true. Legends build over time, and anytime there is a grainy, black-and-white video of some old time sporting event, we view it as a historic relic into the history of when the world was cleaner, people were friendlier and sports were better.
Well, not anymore. We are currently witnessing our own golden age of sport right now, in HD.
Lets look at the sporting events over the past few months, in no particular order...
- Kansas came back from a ten point deficit with two minutes remaining to hit a game-tying three pointer, sending the game to overtime, in which they prevailed over Memphis for the NCAA national championship.
- The Patriots, unbeaten all season, had a 14-10 lead with :59 seconds left against the Giants in the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XVII. Then Eli Manning and David Tyree combine to make the best pass-and-catch in Super Bowl history. The result is the best ending in Super Bowl history. Not bad. Where you at on that one grandpa?
- Fresno State became the ultimate underdog, winning the College World Series as the equivalent of a 14-seed in basketball. That's like IUPUI beating UCLA two out of three games. More importantly, it had the entire country talking about college baseball. Not an easy thing to do.
- Rocco Mediate improbably took Tiger Woods to his limits in the 18-hole playoff at the U.S. Open, before Tiger Woods improbably fought him back on a broken leg and torn ACL. More importantly, it had the whole country talking about golf. Not an easy thing to do.
- The NBA and the NHL both had their dream match-ups, with the the Red Wings facing the Penguins and the Celtics facing the Lakers.
- Roger Federer took his five straight Wimbledon championships and 60-plus straight wins on grass to Wimbledon this year, only to lose to Rafal Nadal in what some are calling the best tennis match ever. More importantly, it had the whole country talking about tennis. Not an easy thing to do.
There you have it, some impressive sporting events to say the least. The only major event left out would be the BCS title game. But I think outside of LSU, the only people who enjoyed that game would be those who took LSU with the points. Oh wait, that was me! (By the way, I hate exclamation marks, but money makes me happy.)
So as your grandfather and father slips more and more into senility with each passing day, you can can let them think they lived through the best era of sports. Because even if you told them the truth, they wouldn't remember anyways.Am I missing a sporting event? Feel free to add your thoughts. Unless it's about soccer.
