Posts tagged tim tebow
March Madness Part 2
Mar 20th
I love college sports. And this time of the year is awesome. It’s not just the basketball tournament but also the NFL draft and spring break (oops. different post). It’s the time of the year when we have mock drafts, mock brackets and mockingbirds.
My pool got thrown a loop when I picked Tim Tebow to beat New Mexico State but other than that things are rocking along. Here are some things I am lovin’ about this year’s March madness:
Freaks of nature
Taylor Mays. Height: 6’3″, weight: 230 lbs., 40 yard dash: 4.43 (4.24 unofficial was one of the highlights of the combine), Bench Reps of 225 pounds: 24
I am not sure I need to say anything more other than maybe don’t let him get a 40 yard head of steam before he runs into you.
Bruce Campbell. Height: 6’6″, weight: 314 lbs., 40 yard dash: 4.85, Bench Reps of 225 pounds: 34
Look. This 314 lb guy who looked like he didn’t have an ounce of fat on his 6’6” frame ran a fucking 4.85 40. Oh. And he benched a tremendous 34 reps of 225 pounds. No matter how drunk you are I recommend not picking a fight with him if he asks to dance with your date.
The Big East
One of the things I love about the tournament is it becomes conference put up or shut up time. For years we have always heard “ACC is the best tournament” and it seems every other year their middle tier teams get crushed too early in the tournament. This year it looks like it’s the Big East conference’s turn. Doesn’t mean their top teams won’t end up in the final four just that maybe the rest of their teams weren’t as good as we thought. Oh. And maybe the Pac10 teams weren’t as bad as everyone thought.
The state of New Mexico
Whoda thunk New Mexico had two universities let alone two basketball teams worthy of making the NCAA tournament (and winning). The only thing I know about New Mexico teams are one is the Lobos (which is an awesome nickname), one of them must play in Albuquerque (the only city I know in New Mexico) and I love that city and Geronimo had an awesome crossover move but couldn’t keep his grades up and lost his eligibility. I also love the fact one of the teams figured out how to beat Montana who cheated by having two huge rock trolls (Lord of the Rings reference) who trundled up and down the court bashing everyone out of the way and missing layups.
Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow this. Tim Tebow that. He shouldn’t even be drafted in the first 3 rounds (despite the fact he is a first round media story every frickin day). But. The NFL draft is so tough to predict because there are just way too many stupid teams in the league. I guarantee two things. 1. Someone will be stupid enough to draft him in the first 2 rounds. 2. That same someone will look 2 years from now at someone they passed on they should have picked playing in the Pro Bowl.
Bob Huggins
I don’t know Bob Huggins personally but for some reason I haven’t really liked him. His style of coaching or his attitude or maybe just how he handles himself when he actually has an opportunity to talk. Anyway. The guy can coach. Doesn’t matter where he is and what kind of team he has he figures out how to coach them to win. And he makes his teams tough. That I appreciate.
Baseball
The University of Texas is the favorite to capture the 2010 College World Series. Look. Their pitching staff had a team ERA of 2.95 last year. That is good enough for Cy Young consideration. And this is college baseball. And this is the ENTIRE staff ERA. They have a bunch of other players but that is gonna make them tough to beat.
A look at the current poll:
- Texas
- LSU
- Virginia
- Cal. St. Fullerton
- Arizona St.
Oh. Just in case you weren’t paying attention. Something to note. The ACC. 6 teams in top 16. Doesn’t seem that long ago the west coast had a stranglehold on college baseball. No more.
Lastly. Two names for you. South Dakota State and Dallas Baptist. They are predicted to be in the college baseball 64 team tournament. Awesome. Where else would that happen?
The West Coast
Finally. Finally I have found the true benefit of moving to the West Coast. An extra 2 to 3 hours of NCAA tournament. 9 a.m. and there is a game on. Awesome.
My Commentary on Tiger hitting the Wood out of Bounds
Dec 19th
Dude is gonna get some penalty strokes. Its gonna be rough. Tough pin placement for his future.
Ok I am done with that.
Anyway. Back to Tiger’s wood.
So. Here’s the deal. I don’t condone what he did (although I would like to remind everyone we are still a little unclear what he did. Oh. Unless you consider The Enquirer a reliable source).
Next. Once again someone we have put on a pedestal because of their athletic ability shows us they are human.
I do believe mega sports celebrities have added responsibility. Regardless of whether they wanted or asked for that responsibility when they signed up to play a sport they are gifted at is irrelevant. The responsibility comes with the job of being the best. Too many kids are seeking leadership and role models and mega sports people are the examples they look at (sorry Tiger).
So. Yeah. I believe Tiger blew it (assuming he did something). Do I believe we put incredible pressures on someone who didn’t really train to be anything but a great athlete (I am not sure being a great athlete is a prerequisite for being a great role model)? Yeah. Sure. But I also am not sure what qualifies someone for “role model status” unless it is just inborn character.
I believe if we look closely (I haven’t done a regression analysis) but I believe we would find great athletes who lived up to the spectacularly high role model expectations would be exceptions rather than the norm.
Why?
First. They are human (and statistics are probably in favor of some mistake within a lifetime).
Second. They are athletes not priests. Or taken some vow to be a better person then everyone else. For us to expect something like that is naïve.
Third. The burden is heavy. And typically the burden is assumed at a young age. That is why someone like Tim Tebow looks so exceptional at the moment. He’s 20 (or so). Articulate. Mature. The whole package. Unfortunately for him that means the public is starting to heap expectations on his young shoulders. Great character can carry a heavy burden. So what happens if it gets too heavy?
Anyway. Tiger should have kept his wood in the bag. No doubt. Was I surprised? Heck. I don’t know. I guess I had never thought of him as the high values representative of superstardom. He never said he wasn’t but I never heard him volunteer (absence can speak as loudly as words). What we really know about these athletes (despite paparazzi nosiness) probably could fit in a Dixie cup. And yet we judge them feeling like you had received the whole keg of knowledge.
Tiger. Dude. I don’t know you, but you screwed up if you did this when you were married (if you did it when single…well…good for you…you were being a single guy).
In the end. How many penalty strokes should be assessed?
Well this is kinda like golf etiquette. If he comes into the clubhouse and reports himself. And stands up for all that is right about the game? (Just stick with the metaphor cause it seems to be working). He is going to be assessed a fair penalty and earn the respect of everyone. If it drags on and other players start pointing fingers. The penalty will be bigger and he will lose all respect of the players.
My advice to him?
Look to his own game, the one he loves, for guidance. He will know the right thing to do.
