Junior

Let's look at the MLB home run leaders over the past dozen years or so. In 1996, three teams - Baltimore, Seattle and Oakland - break the single-season home run record. Seventeen players hit at least 40 home runs. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the previous high for a season was eight, back in 1961.
1998 was the another year balls started to go out like Paris Hilton does a Friday or Saturday night. But seriously look at the numbers.
Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa put up 70 and 66 home runs in 1998. They both shattered the previous record of 61, held by Roger Maris, in 1961. Both have done steroids. And again in 1999, both Sosa and McGwire both had chances to break their own records hitting 65 and 63 home runs respectively. In 2000, Sosa hit 50 home runs, using steroids.
In 2001, Barry Bonds breaks McGwire's home run record of only three years by hitting 73 home runs, while Sosa hit 64. By the way, even though Bonds has not admitted to using steriods, everybody knows he has.
Again, in 2002, Alex Rodriguez won the home run crown, using steroids.
A-Rod is one of many very popular players using steroids. Now, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Roger Clemens, Rafael Palmeiro are all linked to steriods.
But after all of this steroid talk, there is one person everybody would be disappointed with, Ken Griffey Jr. Everybody loves Griffey. The cool swingin' left hander has the best swing in baseball and I believe, without all those injuries in Cincinnati, he would be baseball's all time home run king. If you look at Griffey over the years, sure he has gotten bigger and I think that is just maturity over the years. Remember, Griffey came into the league at only 19 years of age. Why I discuss this is because people have been starting to talk about it after Ortiz, A-Rod, and Ramirez. People would be truly disappointed with Griffey. He was the face of baseball through the 90's and people should be disappointed.
In short, with all these people in the discussion of steroids, George Kenneth Griffey Jr., please do not tell us that you have used steroids because with all this cheating in baseball, we don't need you cheating as well!

Putting Things into Perspective

Well, after my last post, life has been different. One of my friends, from Vancouver, past away after he was drinking and driving while camping. You do not realize how much events like this affect you until it happens and you think it will never happen to you. But a little bit of a reality check, it does. It does and I never thought it would happen to me either.
You have a choice after something like this happens to one of us. The first one is to sit there and do nothing. You can pout, be depressed, and keep your head down all day. Another option is to think nothing of it. Grieve for a few days and then after, do nothing about it. However, the option I am going with is using this event as a learning tool. An experience. A guidance and I know that Riley will enjoy the fact that I am doing this.
This life changing event has put life into perspective. I am a golfer at Oregon State University and this year, my freshman year, I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform and therefore, it did not allow me to do my personal best. But, golf does not mean as much as family. Education does not mean as much as relationships. So, what I am trying to say is that friendships and family are what really matters in life and you should spend quality time with them. So this tragedy, I believe, is going to allow me to play more relaxed round of golf and therefore play better golf.
In the end, it does not matter how you do on your Biology final, as long as you gave it a hundred percent. It does not matter if you missed 8 out of 10 free throws in your high school basketball game, and it does not even matter if you went hitless in the World Series because as long as your loyal to your friends and family and gave it a hundred percent in whatever you are doing, they will ALWAYS be there for you in the end.
Now talking about choices, there is a great story I was sent in a chain e-mail around ten years ago, and yes, I still have it. Remember, life is about decisions and your attitude towards them.

Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life." I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business. He left the back door open one morning and was held up at gun point by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he said, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live. "Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man." I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Diesel

This is really tough for me to write as I start to tear up and shake while I type this message. This is not just another friend, brother, or son we are missing. It is a man with desire, passion, and determination for everything he does. He loved his family and his friends and I remember Diesel telling us the stories of his mother backing him up at sporting events. These are the classic times that we will remember with Riley.
Another thing. I feel like I have to write this because of a couple reasons. One, because I am on Facebook 24/7 right now looking up pictures that people have put up and all the notes people are writing, plus all the messages on his wall. It kills me to see a person from our grad class, especially Riley Delaney, pass on. When I got the phone call saying that Riley past away I was in complete shock, as everybody was. "Really? Is this happening? Riley? The man I hugged, shared grad with and shared some of the most amazing memories with is not here anymore?" It is surreal isn't it? To think about this?
As soon as I get back in my dorm room, I immediately think about Riley. I go on Facebook, look through his photos, videos, and comments, and just start tearing up. Especially the videos. Wow, the man is truly one in a trillion.
I'm sure all of North Delta is hurt from this tragedy. The guy knew everybody and everybody knew him. He is a hero and is the nicest fullback/linebacker anyone knows. And by everything I have read and seen, this is the truth.
My condolences go out to the Delaney family. One of the strongest families I know but even the Delaney's are going through a rough time right now.
Perspective comes out from Riley's passing. School? Sports? Money? No. Relationships matter. Friends matter. Family matters.
Diesel. You were and still are one of a kind. A guy that we could joke with, have serious talks with, get pumped up with, party with, and be friends with. You are truly one of a kind Diesel. I know you will be looking down on us, giving us an odd lucky break or two. You have one the biggest hearts and everyone knows that. And you know how you said that we'll party when I get back? Well, when I get up there with you my friend, everyone knows we will.

To Diesel.
The man, the friend, the brother, the son.
We love you bro. "Left Side. Strong Side."

There's the Big Ticket, and then there's the Classic Raincheck

I am talking about Kevin Garnett and Glen "Big Slob" Davis. I have a lot of respect for "Big Baby." A lot of us saw his profile on ESPN where they talked about his rough childhood with his mother being a drug addict and a prostitute. So what Davis has done is truly remarkable coming from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He had to be a role model for his two sisters. But, when it comes to basketball, I am not his biggest fan.
At Louisiana State University, Big Baby was an icon. He dominated games with his 6'9", 300 lbs. stature. In his sophomore year, Davis was on the All-American Second Team and won the SEC Player of the Year. Because of his size, he dominated the young college players and did all his work inside. He averaged 17.7 points and 10.4 rebounds in that sophomore year. However, Davis quickly found out that the players in the NBA are that much bigger, stronger, and faster.
These are the reasons why Glen Davis should be riding the pine, so to speak, for most NBA teams. First of all, his shot is awful. He shoots the ball like Shaquille O'Neal and hey, even Shaq can make the odd outside shot. Second of all, he is not Kevin Garnett. Since Garnett was injured and likely not playing the rest of the season, the Celtics and Boston fans were leaning on Big Baby. I know nobody is going to argue this point but after he hit the game winning shot in game four, everybody thought he was the savior and because of him, they were going to win the series. Even Lebron was on the Big Baby bandwagon saying that the 'Celtics are going to be tough because of Rondo and Big Baby.' In addition, Davis takes way too many shots for the size that he is. I believe he has realized he cannot dominate in the NBA and tried to develop a shot. I say give the ball to your superstars, aka Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, and even Eddie House and Stephon Marbury.
Now it is time to back this up with stats. The best game, arguably, that the Celtics had was game two against the Magic. Davis took smarts shots, only taking five shots, making four, and went five for six at the line ending up with 13 points and more importantly winning by 18. Also, in game five against Chicago, Big Baby went 7 for 11 from the field and and 7 for 8 at the line in 41 minutes of action, getting the win. This is the most shots Glen Davis should be taking. He should definitely not be shooting twenty shots a game.
Thank goodness for next season when I don't have to see Davis' ugly shot twenty times a game and the best power forward comes back to play for the 17 time Larry O'Brien Trophy winners, the Boston Celtics. Glen Davis, you are a great guy but you will always be an average NBA player who won a championship or two.
Lastly, directed right toward Big Baby and to change the quote of Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own, "There's no crying in basketball."

Royality in KC

Zack Greinke is a stud in Kansas City. The 25 year old not only has started 6-1, losing his last start, but the Royals are leading the central division in the American League. Look at these numbers. Greinke's ERA is a minuscule 0.51, he lost his first game this season in his last start and only let up one run, he has completed four out of seven starts, and he has 59 strikeouts compared to his 8 walks. This guy is on fire.
But that is not what makes Greinke a man to talk about. The 6'2", 200 lbs. right hander, hailing from Orlando, Florida had Social Anxiety Disorder and found this out early in his days as a Major League pitcher. The talented pitcher would throw 95, even 96 mph in practice and when he would start for the Royals Greinke would throw anywhere from 84-89, with his fastball. That is what makes this kid so special.
Every coach in the organization told him to let it go. Just let it go. Which was probably right in most cases, but not Greinke's. But it got worse than this. He started throwing 50 mph curveballs and in the next spring training, he could not even concentrate on pitching and baseball. This was in 2006 and right then in spring training, he told the Royals coaching staff that he had to get away from baseball.
This made Greinke the pitcher he is today. He came back late in the 2006 season, with new medications that were working great, but pitched in only three games and he realized that baseball is just a game. And in 2007, he was back. In one story, before one game, one of his teammates was asked where Zack was just before gametime. His response: "He's probably sleeping somewhere." He then went 7-7 in 2007 and 13-10 in 2008 on a bad Royals team.
Remember, in whatever sport or game you play, it is just a game. And when adversity hits you, you can get through it with hard work and making the right choices, just like the potential 2009 Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke. I wish Greinke the best of luck the rest of the season and the rest of his career. He deserves it.

Hockey in America

Americans and Hockey. It is like the sport does not even exist. I came from Hockey 24/7 to no Hockey at all. No one in America follows it nor do they care at all. I do not understand this one bit. For one, Hockey is the fastest sport in the world. They are going up and down the ice constantly and there is a reason why the guys are only out there for 45 seconds at a time. They are giving it all they got for that short period of time. Another thing I don't understand is that Hockey is a very violent sport and Americans love violence. Football is the most violent sport and Football is like Hockey in Canada, it is on the sports channels all the time. Comcast even showed the spring Football game at the University of Oregon! Also, UFC is one of the fastest growing sports and everybody loves it because of its blood and brutality. Lastly, I do not think people realize how athletic a person has to be to play Hockey. They are agile, they are extremely strong, and how many people in this world can deflect a 100 mph slapshot into 6' by 4' net?
So all I'm asking is maybe when Matthew Barnaby or Barry Melrose talks on Sportscenter or the Penguins and Capitals are playing on Versus, just take a second, watch, and just maybe you'll like it.