For those of you who are wondering, yes, I'm going to watch his first Major League pitch tomorrow night. Get pumped, fans.
--AZ
Monday, August 30, 2010
Aroldis Chapman-ia
IT'S RUNNIN' WILD.
For those of you who are wondering, yes, I'm going to watch his first Major League pitch tomorrow night. Get pumped, fans.
--AZ
For those of you who are wondering, yes, I'm going to watch his first Major League pitch tomorrow night. Get pumped, fans.
--AZ
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Concussions – Destruction of the Past, Present, and Future
For those of you who were wondering, this is my final “project” before my fall semester begins and I will not be as productive as I have been over the past three months. I hope that this entry stirs your interest as much as it has mine. As I have written previously, I had played organized sports for about fifteen years, and it’s been a huge drive as to what I want to do in the future. However, I noticed that there has been a lot of controversy in organized sports over the past several years, especially when it comes to student-athletes and injury. Today, I’m going to talk about a fresh subject: the brain. I’m also going to talk about the bad things that can be done to the brain, and the future effects that may become of these bad things.
The brain: the center of our nervous system; a center that holds billions and billions of neurons and makes countless synaptic connections each and every day. Our brain is required to make movements, make decisions, and make our difficult lives livable each day. What do you think would happen if something happened to these three-pound ridges of muscle? Would you realize it yourself? Some people might, some other people may not, depending on the severity of the massive effect casted upon the brain. The effects could be from drugs or alcohol, or the main subject of my entry—blunt force or whiplash. While increasing knowledge creates ridges in the brain, negative effects severely age the brain and make it deteriorate, robbing the individual of memories, motor skills, and figuratively, their “minds.”
Due to the extreme increase in competitive injuries and judgments in caring for them, bad results are coming to light, and they are coming to light in individuals as young as preteen years. High school student-athletes are often misdiagnosed, rushed in recovery, and are more susceptible to further brain injury and more concussions. Not only are student-athletes in danger, but professional athletes are also at risk for long-term damage, and we will mention cases for this later on in the entry. When it comes to sports-related concussions, lack of awareness and safety for the young and old is turning into a threat for their futures, as well as the futures of the loved ones around them.
When the brain experiences a concussion, it literally moves around inside your head after a huge blow when it clearly should not. Symptoms may include confusion, clumsiness, slurred speech, fatigue, nausea, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light and sound, among others (WebMD.com). As a person who has once suffered a mild concussion before, I can tell you that it is definitely one of the worst experiences you could ever have. You seriously have no idea what’s going on, and since everyone thought I was alright (I had a soccer ball kicked at my head and it knocked me for a loop) after taking a ball to the head, I kept on playing. When concussions occur in cases such as young children or student-athletes, nobody really knows how to treat someone after experiencing a brain injury unless if they are, well, a doctor. Some make the big mistake in carrying on normal activity the next day as if nothing had ever happened. In reality, the brain is still confused and will take longer to recover unless if the individual rests for a few days. Going to class and doing other activities is not the best idea for someone who has just suffered a brain injury. Nevertheless, life should continue normally after a full recovery, which usually takes up to a week in younger individuals.
However, concussions can often become more common if one is not careful. In heavy contact sports such as soccer, football, and basketball, athletes may often be rushed to recovery due to the high competitive atmosphere in the game itself. Coaches and other higher officials may see the symptoms as “fake” or just “excuses” to not continue play. This lapse in judgment proves to be poisonous for the person in question, as it could determine their mental and emotional status not just now, but in the near future as well. Not just this, but many of the athletes do not fully understand the consequences of constant brain injury and eventual “recovery” from the constant trauma.
Here’s a photo of a healthy brain, and next to it is a photo of a damaged brain.
The right side looks all scabbed-looking, right? Imagine that all over your brain, making it misshaped and decayed. This discoloration represents broken functions, broken memories, and broken emotions.
While watching the news a few months ago, I finally realized how bad this ongoing issue can be. The video packaged presented a college student who had showed signs of mental deficiency and has showed signs of a decrease in reaction time. She was the victim of several concussions that she sustained while playing sports in high school and also in college. After many hits, she can no longer play sports, and her brain and well-being will never be the same. Another young man who played football in high school had also suffered a concussion while practicing, but players and coaches thought nothing of it and believed that the young man was faking his injury. After suffering three concussions in total, he no longer plays sports, but is now studying neuroscience and the long-term effects of concussions (June 1, 2010). To see intelligence and talent be extinguished by misjudgment and malpractice is a complete disgrace and incredibly painful to watch, especially if you have a friend or loved one going through this experience.
The long-term effects of multiple concussions and the views of the brain after years of trauma are absolutely staggering. Over the past several years, brains of dead professional athletes (most of them ex-NFL players) have been viewed and studied in order to study the effects of numerous brain injury. The effects, called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), can cause mental and emotional disorders and can even present symptoms and long-term deterioration characterized by Lou Gehrig’s disease. To support this claim, a source from the Associated Press states: “Dr. Ann McKee [Boston University] said she found toxic proteins in the spinal cords of three athletes who had suffered head injuries and were later diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, or ALS. Those same proteins have been found in the brains of athletes with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disease linked to head injuries that causes cognitive decline, abnormal behavior and dementia” (August 17, 2010). These individuals’ lives are ultimately compared to a massive implosion just waiting to happen. Remember that Rachel Leigh Cook PSA from the 90’s? That’s basically what happens when someone falls apart like this. It’s as if a poison is spreading not just through one person, but to loved ones as well.
Concussions are a very dangerous thing, and they could very easily corrupt someone’s future in their prospective careers. However, with proper treatment, further injury could be avoided and more successful recoveries could be achieved. Seeing a person robbed of emotion, mental capacity, and movements can be very painful to witness. It’s a shame that we’re not made of steel, isn’t it? Retired athletes have gone to the verge of insanity and suicide in their older ages (as in their forties and fifties, literally) because their brains are no longer capable of self-control, and for what? For fame? For their coaches and the team? One thing I’ve learned in the past few months is to be a little selfish sometimes; to not always put others’ needs before your own well-being. In an era of competition, selfishness is thrown on the back burner. The things you do for love and fame, right? It shouldn’t always be like that. We need to learn about what can happen to our bodies when we aren’t careful and what the consequences can be. Safety first.
Thank you for your time in reading this.
--AZ
The brain: the center of our nervous system; a center that holds billions and billions of neurons and makes countless synaptic connections each and every day. Our brain is required to make movements, make decisions, and make our difficult lives livable each day. What do you think would happen if something happened to these three-pound ridges of muscle? Would you realize it yourself? Some people might, some other people may not, depending on the severity of the massive effect casted upon the brain. The effects could be from drugs or alcohol, or the main subject of my entry—blunt force or whiplash. While increasing knowledge creates ridges in the brain, negative effects severely age the brain and make it deteriorate, robbing the individual of memories, motor skills, and figuratively, their “minds.”
Due to the extreme increase in competitive injuries and judgments in caring for them, bad results are coming to light, and they are coming to light in individuals as young as preteen years. High school student-athletes are often misdiagnosed, rushed in recovery, and are more susceptible to further brain injury and more concussions. Not only are student-athletes in danger, but professional athletes are also at risk for long-term damage, and we will mention cases for this later on in the entry. When it comes to sports-related concussions, lack of awareness and safety for the young and old is turning into a threat for their futures, as well as the futures of the loved ones around them.
When the brain experiences a concussion, it literally moves around inside your head after a huge blow when it clearly should not. Symptoms may include confusion, clumsiness, slurred speech, fatigue, nausea, blurred vision, and sensitivity to light and sound, among others (WebMD.com). As a person who has once suffered a mild concussion before, I can tell you that it is definitely one of the worst experiences you could ever have. You seriously have no idea what’s going on, and since everyone thought I was alright (I had a soccer ball kicked at my head and it knocked me for a loop) after taking a ball to the head, I kept on playing. When concussions occur in cases such as young children or student-athletes, nobody really knows how to treat someone after experiencing a brain injury unless if they are, well, a doctor. Some make the big mistake in carrying on normal activity the next day as if nothing had ever happened. In reality, the brain is still confused and will take longer to recover unless if the individual rests for a few days. Going to class and doing other activities is not the best idea for someone who has just suffered a brain injury. Nevertheless, life should continue normally after a full recovery, which usually takes up to a week in younger individuals.
However, concussions can often become more common if one is not careful. In heavy contact sports such as soccer, football, and basketball, athletes may often be rushed to recovery due to the high competitive atmosphere in the game itself. Coaches and other higher officials may see the symptoms as “fake” or just “excuses” to not continue play. This lapse in judgment proves to be poisonous for the person in question, as it could determine their mental and emotional status not just now, but in the near future as well. Not just this, but many of the athletes do not fully understand the consequences of constant brain injury and eventual “recovery” from the constant trauma.
Here’s a photo of a healthy brain, and next to it is a photo of a damaged brain.
The right side looks all scabbed-looking, right? Imagine that all over your brain, making it misshaped and decayed. This discoloration represents broken functions, broken memories, and broken emotions.
While watching the news a few months ago, I finally realized how bad this ongoing issue can be. The video packaged presented a college student who had showed signs of mental deficiency and has showed signs of a decrease in reaction time. She was the victim of several concussions that she sustained while playing sports in high school and also in college. After many hits, she can no longer play sports, and her brain and well-being will never be the same. Another young man who played football in high school had also suffered a concussion while practicing, but players and coaches thought nothing of it and believed that the young man was faking his injury. After suffering three concussions in total, he no longer plays sports, but is now studying neuroscience and the long-term effects of concussions (June 1, 2010). To see intelligence and talent be extinguished by misjudgment and malpractice is a complete disgrace and incredibly painful to watch, especially if you have a friend or loved one going through this experience.
The long-term effects of multiple concussions and the views of the brain after years of trauma are absolutely staggering. Over the past several years, brains of dead professional athletes (most of them ex-NFL players) have been viewed and studied in order to study the effects of numerous brain injury. The effects, called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), can cause mental and emotional disorders and can even present symptoms and long-term deterioration characterized by Lou Gehrig’s disease. To support this claim, a source from the Associated Press states: “Dr. Ann McKee [Boston University] said she found toxic proteins in the spinal cords of three athletes who had suffered head injuries and were later diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, or ALS. Those same proteins have been found in the brains of athletes with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disease linked to head injuries that causes cognitive decline, abnormal behavior and dementia” (August 17, 2010). These individuals’ lives are ultimately compared to a massive implosion just waiting to happen. Remember that Rachel Leigh Cook PSA from the 90’s? That’s basically what happens when someone falls apart like this. It’s as if a poison is spreading not just through one person, but to loved ones as well.
Concussions are a very dangerous thing, and they could very easily corrupt someone’s future in their prospective careers. However, with proper treatment, further injury could be avoided and more successful recoveries could be achieved. Seeing a person robbed of emotion, mental capacity, and movements can be very painful to witness. It’s a shame that we’re not made of steel, isn’t it? Retired athletes have gone to the verge of insanity and suicide in their older ages (as in their forties and fifties, literally) because their brains are no longer capable of self-control, and for what? For fame? For their coaches and the team? One thing I’ve learned in the past few months is to be a little selfish sometimes; to not always put others’ needs before your own well-being. In an era of competition, selfishness is thrown on the back burner. The things you do for love and fame, right? It shouldn’t always be like that. We need to learn about what can happen to our bodies when we aren’t careful and what the consequences can be. Safety first.
Thank you for your time in reading this.
--AZ
Sunday, August 22, 2010
AZ's Slant on Sunday - 8/15-8/22
Hoot hoot hoot hoot hoot hoot (<--Link for epic background music) Hello, and welcome to the first series of AZ's Slant on Sunday. This won't be a weekly thing--it'll be more bi-weekly than anything--since I have other things in life that come before this blog. In short, this will be more of a thing where I can recap stuff that I can't really go into detail about and might be a little fun to poke at while I have the chance to. These points will be short and sweet--just like ...no, not me. I'm fun-sized. Not short. Without any further ado, this is AZ's FIRST Slant on Sunday!
(Events not in any particular order)
NFL HIGHLIGHTS
Brett Favre Makes [Another] Comeback - See previous blog entry on my opinion of it all.
Who Wins at the New Meadowlands? - The Giants win, and Manning pulls it off in blading fashion. I don't like football but I thought the game was actually pretty fun to watch.
[But in retrospect, something else really had my attention that night, and it isn't considered a legitimate sport--coughcoughSummerSlamcoughcoughRandyOrtoncoughcoughBryanDanielsoncoughcoughcough]
Tebow and Roethelisberger Show Promising QB Starts - Too bad one of them isn't starting in that position in the first couple of weeks of the regular season. Oops.
NBA HIGHLIGHTS
Team USA vs. The World - The USA is obviously winning. Big shocker.
Jayson Williams' Misdemeanor Sentence is... - [drum roll] One additional year in the slammer! (crowd cheers) Now you have more of a dark, damp place where you will be met with a flashy orange jumpsuit, more exercise equipment that you can shake a tailfeather at, and many sweaty, friendly jailbirds awaiting your welcome! The actual retail value is more absolute stupidity on your part!
(Side Note: If you don't like the theme I put for this, shame on you. Bob Barker is boss.)
NHL HIGHLIGHTS
Absolutely nothing. No bull.
MLB HIGHLIGHTS
K-Rod Chronicles - Okay, so first he takes a swipe at his father-in-law near the Mets clubhouse, and then he gets escorted out of the building by police, next he gets suspended by the Mets organization for two games, then has to be subjected to counseling, and then notices a problem in his thumb ligament--where he has to get surgery on it and miss the rest of the season. Did I mention that he's currently on the DQ salary list too? I would keep shoveling for you, K-Rod, but you've already made enough of a hee-haw out of yourself. You just made the New York Mets sound like a really, really bad soap opera that needs to get canceled because it's so bad.
Lou Piniella Steps Down...for Good - I'll probably be writing a small, humorous poem about this jolly man. But for now, in short, Godspeed, Big Lou.
The Rocket is Imploding - He's making a bigger hee-haw of himself than K-Rod. Need I explain why? Okay--Clemens clearly took performance enhancing drugs during his tenure in MLB and keeps digging himself in a hole about the whole thing. Why don't we all point fingers at people, Rog? Prolonging the full admittance of your stupidity is really doing you in, man.
SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS
There are some, but I don't think American readers really care. I'll try again soon enough.
ASSORTED SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS
GOLF
Controversy Lurks in the 2010 PGA Championship - I know jack squat about professional golfers, but there was a lot of commotion about the disqualification of Dustin Johnson during the final putts in the tournament. For the first time, I didn't have to hear about Tiger Woods being amazing and Phil Mickelson doing it all for his ill wife. I was pretty shocked. I sort of know certain shots and calls made during the game (Thank you, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour) and hearing what happened to this poor guy was absolutely ridiculous. Golf fans, I feel bad for you since the golf gods excreted on your sport a little bit this past week.
TENNIS
Serena Sits Out on US Open - After a glass incident and some surgery, she won't be able to hold her title as the favorite of this year's US Open. Hey, what doesn't kill her will make her stronger, right? Although this also means she won't be defending the doubles title with Venus in the near future, this is probably a blessing in disguise for her in some way. Sure, she's upset she can't do it, but maybe something else will open up for her in the coming months.
And that, my friends, is the conclusion of the first Slant on Sunday. Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think. If it isn't great, let me know, and I'll try and fix things up or just delete the post altogether. If it's good, again, let me know and I'll see what else I can do to spice this mini-column up.
--AZ
(Events not in any particular order)
NFL HIGHLIGHTS
Brett Favre Makes [Another] Comeback - See previous blog entry on my opinion of it all.
Who Wins at the New Meadowlands? - The Giants win, and Manning pulls it off in blading fashion. I don't like football but I thought the game was actually pretty fun to watch.
Tebow and Roethelisberger Show Promising QB Starts - Too bad one of them isn't starting in that position in the first couple of weeks of the regular season. Oops.
NBA HIGHLIGHTS
Team USA vs. The World - The USA is obviously winning. Big shocker.
Jayson Williams' Misdemeanor Sentence is... - [drum roll] One additional year in the slammer! (crowd cheers) Now you have more of a dark, damp place where you will be met with a flashy orange jumpsuit, more exercise equipment that you can shake a tailfeather at, and many sweaty, friendly jailbirds awaiting your welcome! The actual retail value is more absolute stupidity on your part!
(Side Note: If you don't like the theme I put for this, shame on you. Bob Barker is boss.)
NHL HIGHLIGHTS
Absolutely nothing. No bull.
MLB HIGHLIGHTS
K-Rod Chronicles - Okay, so first he takes a swipe at his father-in-law near the Mets clubhouse, and then he gets escorted out of the building by police, next he gets suspended by the Mets organization for two games, then has to be subjected to counseling, and then notices a problem in his thumb ligament--where he has to get surgery on it and miss the rest of the season. Did I mention that he's currently on the DQ salary list too? I would keep shoveling for you, K-Rod, but you've already made enough of a hee-haw out of yourself. You just made the New York Mets sound like a really, really bad soap opera that needs to get canceled because it's so bad.
Lou Piniella Steps Down...for Good - I'll probably be writing a small, humorous poem about this jolly man. But for now, in short, Godspeed, Big Lou.
The Rocket is Imploding - He's making a bigger hee-haw of himself than K-Rod. Need I explain why? Okay--Clemens clearly took performance enhancing drugs during his tenure in MLB and keeps digging himself in a hole about the whole thing. Why don't we all point fingers at people, Rog? Prolonging the full admittance of your stupidity is really doing you in, man.
SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS
There are some, but I don't think American readers really care. I'll try again soon enough.
ASSORTED SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS
GOLF
Controversy Lurks in the 2010 PGA Championship - I know jack squat about professional golfers, but there was a lot of commotion about the disqualification of Dustin Johnson during the final putts in the tournament. For the first time, I didn't have to hear about Tiger Woods being amazing and Phil Mickelson doing it all for his ill wife. I was pretty shocked. I sort of know certain shots and calls made during the game (Thank you, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour) and hearing what happened to this poor guy was absolutely ridiculous. Golf fans, I feel bad for you since the golf gods excreted on your sport a little bit this past week.
TENNIS
Serena Sits Out on US Open - After a glass incident and some surgery, she won't be able to hold her title as the favorite of this year's US Open. Hey, what doesn't kill her will make her stronger, right? Although this also means she won't be defending the doubles title with Venus in the near future, this is probably a blessing in disguise for her in some way. Sure, she's upset she can't do it, but maybe something else will open up for her in the coming months.
And that, my friends, is the conclusion of the first Slant on Sunday. Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think. If it isn't great, let me know, and I'll try and fix things up or just delete the post altogether. If it's good, again, let me know and I'll see what else I can do to spice this mini-column up.
--AZ
Friday, August 20, 2010
Two Peas in a Pod
Made in dedication to the hero-and-sidekick antics coming from the offensive side of the Cincinnati Bengals.
TO and Ocho: This one's for you, bruddas.
--AZ
TO and Ocho: This one's for you, bruddas.
--AZ
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Father Time – The Chronicles of Brett Favre
FUN FACT: Every time I think of the “Father Time” being, I think of the cartoon “Histeria!” and I have no idea why.
But, aside from cartoons from my childhood past, we’re here to talk about this man:
Ladies and gentlemen, this is a blog dedicated to Brett Favre, the man that has been spreading his joy and talents in the NFL since 1991—almost as long as I’ve been alive. Good. Gravy. After talking of retirement countless times, he’s back…again. This time, he won’t be gracing his presence on a different team—he’ll be spending his year with the Minnesota Vikings. The man will be 41 in October, and you don’t really see any guys continuing their football careers into their forties unless if they’re kickers. Bad idea? Well, I’m not him, so I can’t really answer this question for you. I just hope his offensive line holds long enough that he doesn’t get speared and snap in two on the field a la Joe Theismann’s leg.
After being the lord and savior of the Green Bay Packers (FUN FACT: He was with Atlanta before he became infamous in yellow and green) for so many years, everybody thought that he was going to go out as a cheese head. Well, that never happened. He was traded to the Jets, and every football fan that bought Madden NFL 2009 that year was probably angry because he was shown in the Packers uniform instead. During the 2009-2010 season, he went to Minnesota to begin mingling with the Purple People Eaters. Oh, and he went to the playoffs with them too. Now we’re in present day, and we’re still wondering how Favre is still ticking and throwing touchdown passes like he’s still in his mid-20’s. What is it, dude? Wheaties? Steroids? Another quarterback dressed in an aged Brett Favre costume? I don’t get it! Maybe he’s more than what we think he is. Maybe he’s The Natural in football form, and he’s just this big kid who is thankful that he’s still able to do what he loves to do and still be able to do it well.
Of course there are pros and cons and lovers and haters of this subject. Many people believe that he’s well overstayed his welcome in the NFL, others believe that as long as this guy doesn’t show any signs of decline that he should stick around, and team rivals just wish that he would stay the heck away after announcing three times that he’s retiring. He’s already stowed away franchise and league records such as being the “Iron Man” of the NFL, and is the first active grandfather to play in the game.
My view? If he wants to play, let him play. He showed last year that he still has some gas left in the tank and showed that he can still muscle out of a measly little ankle injury. But for the joy of the haters of Brett Favre that read this, he’ll get what’s coming to him through the force of some defensive lines, right? Ha ha. But let’s be practical here—even though he still might have those ankle problems and that he’s a little older now, there may be a huge chance that he’s not going to have a 100% recovery, and that may or may not have an effect on his mindset and his morale. But alas, if you’re a Vikings fan, you need to have a lot of faith in the rest of the team. One can’t rely on just a quarterback, right? But at any rate, Favre’s going to want to go out with a bang (hopefully not literally), and if he wants it in the form of a 20-year career ending in a Super Bowl ring, then let him try it. It won’t be easy of course, but if he wants to give it a shot, let him have it.
I figured I’d also get some outside opinions on this as well. Hey John Madden, what do you think?
“BRETT FAVRE!! Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod he’s going to throw for 5,000 yards this season in union with 80 touchdown passes! This guy is the GOD of the National Football League. Get him in the Hall of Fame as soon as he officially retires for the fifth time! Wouldn’t that be considered a record too?? He’s just going to make such a BOOM! HUGE impact!” (Disclaimer: He never said this.)
[Five minutes later: Wait, guys. I’ve been bamboozled. I accidentally got Frank Caliendo impersonating John Madden instead of the real guy. But I remind you, he never really said this.]
In conclusion, the wonder that is Brett Favre is still going to be on television even after all these years. I guess maybe he wanted to make guys like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair jealous that he can still perform well after all these years without having to be gushing blood from the head every five minutes and get put over by young guys. But that whole thing is another day and another opinionated blog post. Until then, GO LONG!
--AZ
But, aside from cartoons from my childhood past, we’re here to talk about this man:
Ladies and gentlemen, this is a blog dedicated to Brett Favre, the man that has been spreading his joy and talents in the NFL since 1991—almost as long as I’ve been alive. Good. Gravy. After talking of retirement countless times, he’s back…again. This time, he won’t be gracing his presence on a different team—he’ll be spending his year with the Minnesota Vikings. The man will be 41 in October, and you don’t really see any guys continuing their football careers into their forties unless if they’re kickers. Bad idea? Well, I’m not him, so I can’t really answer this question for you. I just hope his offensive line holds long enough that he doesn’t get speared and snap in two on the field a la Joe Theismann’s leg.
After being the lord and savior of the Green Bay Packers (FUN FACT: He was with Atlanta before he became infamous in yellow and green) for so many years, everybody thought that he was going to go out as a cheese head. Well, that never happened. He was traded to the Jets, and every football fan that bought Madden NFL 2009 that year was probably angry because he was shown in the Packers uniform instead. During the 2009-2010 season, he went to Minnesota to begin mingling with the Purple People Eaters. Oh, and he went to the playoffs with them too. Now we’re in present day, and we’re still wondering how Favre is still ticking and throwing touchdown passes like he’s still in his mid-20’s. What is it, dude? Wheaties? Steroids? Another quarterback dressed in an aged Brett Favre costume? I don’t get it! Maybe he’s more than what we think he is. Maybe he’s The Natural in football form, and he’s just this big kid who is thankful that he’s still able to do what he loves to do and still be able to do it well.
Of course there are pros and cons and lovers and haters of this subject. Many people believe that he’s well overstayed his welcome in the NFL, others believe that as long as this guy doesn’t show any signs of decline that he should stick around, and team rivals just wish that he would stay the heck away after announcing three times that he’s retiring. He’s already stowed away franchise and league records such as being the “Iron Man” of the NFL, and is the first active grandfather to play in the game.
My view? If he wants to play, let him play. He showed last year that he still has some gas left in the tank and showed that he can still muscle out of a measly little ankle injury. But for the joy of the haters of Brett Favre that read this, he’ll get what’s coming to him through the force of some defensive lines, right? Ha ha. But let’s be practical here—even though he still might have those ankle problems and that he’s a little older now, there may be a huge chance that he’s not going to have a 100% recovery, and that may or may not have an effect on his mindset and his morale. But alas, if you’re a Vikings fan, you need to have a lot of faith in the rest of the team. One can’t rely on just a quarterback, right? But at any rate, Favre’s going to want to go out with a bang (hopefully not literally), and if he wants it in the form of a 20-year career ending in a Super Bowl ring, then let him try it. It won’t be easy of course, but if he wants to give it a shot, let him have it.
I figured I’d also get some outside opinions on this as well. Hey John Madden, what do you think?
[Five minutes later: Wait, guys. I’ve been bamboozled. I accidentally got Frank Caliendo impersonating John Madden instead of the real guy. But I remind you, he never really said this.]
In conclusion, the wonder that is Brett Favre is still going to be on television even after all these years. I guess maybe he wanted to make guys like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair jealous that he can still perform well after all these years without having to be gushing blood from the head every five minutes and get put over by young guys. But that whole thing is another day and another opinionated blog post. Until then, GO LONG!
--AZ
Friday, August 13, 2010
What REALLY happened to Chipper Jones
(Now with photo scripting action!)
"Hey, Chipper! I know that there are a lot of quirks and superstitions in the game of baseball. Can superstitions and curses heavily affect good teams like ours?"
"Now rookie, you know that superstitions are only superstitions, and there's no such thing as curses, no matter what those Cubs fans say."
"B-but Chipper! Friday the 13th is coming up! Aren't bad things supposed to happen or something?"
"You know what, kid? You're pretty funny. If you keep thinking that way, you're gonna mess yourself up."
(During the sixth inning...)
"I seriously can't believe he just f(BEEP)ed with the baseball gods."
[August 10, 2010 - One hour before the first pitch...]
"Hey, Chipper! I know that there are a lot of quirks and superstitions in the game of baseball. Can superstitions and curses heavily affect good teams like ours?"
"Now rookie, you know that superstitions are only superstitions, and there's no such thing as curses, no matter what those Cubs fans say."
"B-but Chipper! Friday the 13th is coming up! Aren't bad things supposed to happen or something?"
"You know what, kid? You're pretty funny. If you keep thinking that way, you're gonna mess yourself up."
(During the sixth inning...)
"I seriously can't believe he just f(BEEP)ed with the baseball gods."
THE END
Hope your Friday the 13th didn't suck. :-)
--AZ
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
All About a Haircut??
I was reading about Tim Tebow's new haircut and how it's causing this huge stir.
(Click for a clearer picture.)
I see nothing wrong with it! It's completely original!
--AZ
(Click for a clearer picture.)I see nothing wrong with it! It's completely original!
--AZ
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