Monday, October 11, 2010

"Bobby Cox Field"

AFTER 29 years of managing baseball, Bobby Cox has decided to call it quits. He will go down in history as one of the best managers in the history of baseball. Leading 16 teams that he managed to the playoffs, Cox left a legacy of greatness on the game of baseball.

It truly was his life, Cox first suited up for the New York Yankees the same day that Mickey Mantle played his last game. For 50 years, this has been Cox’s life, and now it’s over. The San Francisco Giants knocked the Braves out of the playoffs after a hard fought series, where each game was decided by just one run. In the midst of their victory celebration, the Giants recognized the magnitude of what just happened; they stopped their cheers, tipped their caps and watched as a baseball legend walked off the field for the last time in his career.

After the loss, Cox’s emotions got the best of him as hear tearfully addressed his team in the locker room. Chipper Jones, who has never played for any other manager, said that he had never seen Cox so emotional. As he addressed the team, and thanked them for everything that they had done for him this season, he left the locker room on multiple occasions, to gather his thoughts before speaking. Bobby Cox was really leaving.

Cox has won division titles, managed All-Star teams, won World Series Championships, but this was truly his finest hour; the first time he could look back on his career and reflect on everything he had done.

In today’s day and age, professional sports have become such a business that a permanent fixture in a locker room has become a rarity. Jerry Sloan has been with the Utah Jazz for over 20 years, Tony LaRussa has been with the St. Louis Cardinals for 15 years, and a few other coaches have had extended tenures with their teams, but rarely does it happen anymore. The money and business aspect of sports have changed the game from what it was generations ago. Stadiums are named after sponsors, bringing in more money for the organization. Coaches are fired in hopes that the next coach will be the key to turning around a season for a club. Coaches leave teams just like player free agents do, searching for a championship ring or a higher paying contract. Bobby Cox stayed, the Atlanta Braves kept him.

After turning around the Braves organization when he took over for the second time, Cox led the Braves to 15 playoff appearances. Although they only won one World Series title, the Braves were in the playoffs year in and year out. He revitalized baseball fever in Atlanta.

Teams across the league have been showing their love and appreciation for Bobby Cox throughout the entire year. As he’s been on his ‘farewell tour’ this season, he’s received awards, tokens of memory, fishing trips and cruises from many different teams. Cox is appreciative, although baseball always came first with him. As he walks away, the Atlanta Braves owe him one more thing. The Braves need to give Cox something that he can look at and cherish forever. Every time an Atlanta Braves player steps into Turner Field, they can see the championship flags hanging from the rafters and hang their hats on those championships. They have Bobby to thank for that. The Braves need to give Bobby something that he can hang his hat on, Turner Stadium should be renamed to Bobby Cox field.

Bobby never wanted to leave the game of baseball, and after all the things he did for this game, it will never leave him. The least that the Atlanta Braves organization can do to show their full appreciation and gratitude for Coach Cox is to give him the name of the field, and allow him to see his legacy every time he sees the stadium.

Thanks for a great 50 years Bobby. Baseball will miss you as it tries to find someone that can fill your giant shoes.

-Jeff Hansen

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Gordon Hayward? Who?

With the ninth pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select Gordon Hayward from Butler University.

Gordon Hayward? Seriously?

Who is Gordon Hayward and what convinced the Jazz to select him with the ninth pick in the draft? 6 feet 7 inches tall, 115 pounds isn’t exactly your NBA body style. (Ok, 200 pounds.) Jazz fans went into the draft hoping for the next big center to bring stability in the middle, a solid post game, and the defensive stability to stand up against the Lakers big men. That in mind, the boos directed toward Hayward and Jazz General Manager, Kevin O’Connor, may have been justified. But before we chalk Hayward up as the biggest Jazz draft flop since Nazr Mohammed , let’s find out exactly who this Gordon Hayward kid really is.

Gordon Hayward was born in Brownsburg, Indiana. He has a twin sister and according to his family, was born to play basketball. Growing up Hayward was a star basketball player, but lacked the size needed to be as successful as his talent would allow him to be. As a freshman in high school Hayward nearly walked away from the game after thinking to himself that he was too small to play the game. He and his sister were star tennis players and he was seriously considering leaving the game of basketball and pursuing his tennis career. Shortly after these thoughts, Hayward experienced a growth spurt that was enough to persuade him to stick with his basketball career. It paid off, Hayward committed to Butler University on a basketball scholarship.

At Butler, Hayward shined as a star basketball player. As a true freshman he made an instant impact averaging just over 13 points on a Butler team that was returning four starters from the year before. His sophomore year he only improved, averaging 15.5 points a game and leading the little school from just outside Indianapolis to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament. Hayward nearly led Butler to the National Championship, but just missed a shot from half court to win the game at the buzzer.

Gordon Hayward left Butler University, got drafted by the Jazz and moved here to Utah. Living on his own for the first time, Gordon Hayward brought his own personal butler to come to Utah with him, his Dad. Growing up, Hayward was all about basketball, like most NBA players. Somewhere along the line however, young Hayward never learned how to cook, pay bills or do laundry. Not even being able to cook well enough to feed himself, Hayward has brought his Dad from Indiana to Utah to live with him and help him figure out how to live on his own.

As an NBA basketball player, we have yet to find out much about Hayward. Some Jazz fans are believers and feel that Hayward is the next NBA star, others are still skeptical and have their doubts about why the Jazz didn’t select someone bigger or more athletic player, all Jazz fans however, are anxious to see how the young kid plays.

Deron Williams says he’s more athletic than people give him credit for, Jerry Sloan says his basketball IQ is far beyond his years. Who is this kid? What kind of player is he? My guess, Gordon Hayward turns heads and surprises people as Kevin O’Connor once again proves himself as one of the best general managers in the game.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

The Face of the NFL

Braylon Edwards screwed up. After a big win against the New England Patriots, the New York Jets star wide receiver was charged with a DUI. Yes, this is old news; I’m not breaking anything exciting here. Braylon Edwards’ mistake is not what I’m speaking out on, but rather the events that shortly followed his trouble with the law.

To illustrate my point we need to backtrack to the offseason. Ben Roethlisberger was charged with sexual assault of a young girl in an Atlanta night club. The charges were eventually dropped, but that didn’t stop Commissioner Roger Goodell from suspending Roethlisberger for the first six games of the Pittsburgh Steelers schedule. The suspension was later reduced to just four weeks after Roethlisberger completed some requirements that Goodell set in place. So in a nutshell, Roethlisberger was suspended for four weeks after NOT being convicted of sexual assault.

Braylon Edwards was very obviously guilty of breaking the law when the breathalyzer showed that Edwards’ BAC was 0.16%, double the New York limit. Goodell took no disciplinary action on Edwards. What is Roger Goodell thinking? How can he suspend Roethlisberger, but not Edwards?

Yes, Roethlisberger had previous problems with the law so he was a multiple offender, but does that really make him more worthy of a suspension than Edwards? This was the first time that Edwards himself had been charged with a DUI, but he had been with teammates when they had been pulled over and charged with a DUI.

Last year, Edwards’ former teammate Dante Stallworth was involved in a car accident that took the life of a human being. Stallworth was under the influence of alcohol. Edwards was in the car with him at the time of the accident.

Goodell stated that Roethlisberger was suspended because he hurt the image of the league by simply being involved in a sexual assault case. How Edwards didn’t hurt the image of the league is beyond me. Maybe Goodell and the NFL are going for an image that condones drunk driving. Of the last 14 NFL players to be charged with a DUI, Edwards was the only that received any disciplinary action at all, and it wasn’t sanctions coming from the NFL, it was from the Jets front office. The Jets suspended him for one quarter. Yes, one quarter.

Roger Goodell needs to get his priorities in order. He made a very strong stance when he chose to suspend Roethlisberger, but has been wishy-washy to say the least when DUI issues arise. The Government found Roethlisberger innocent, while Edwards was guilty, and Stallworth took a life. What do you think hurts the image of the league?

-Jeff Hansen

What do you think Roger Goodell should have done? Let me know!!