Sports in the World

For my final post I wanted to talk about the impact sports has on not only on me but on the entire world. Without sports this world would not be able to run. Personally i believe that sports is way to get away from things. With war and all of the troubles around the world sports is such a great thing to have to relax yourself and get a great bit of entertainment. For example when there are big sporting events on TV you always see pictures of soldiers in Iraq holding up signs of there favorite team. For them this is the only way to get away from all the fighting that is going on. On the flip side the citizens in Iraq get a break for half of a day to watch their country play soccer. For one day they get peace. Another reason why sports is so great and has made a huge impact are the great events that bring our countries together. The Olympics and the World Cup are such great events that go on every four years. For the Olympics people get to see the unorthodox sports that people train for and get to root for their country. Even if there is war and no peace around the world during these times, its like peace just for these 2 weeks. People love to be patriotic and brag about there country. Now the World Cup is a totally different story. Soccer is said to be the greatest sport in the world. It has such a big impact on the world that it is the best event that the world has. People cry after their country gets eliminated, and have riots if they win the Cup. But personally I just love sports. Sunday has turned into a holiday in America and I am a huge Ravens fan. They have impacted me so much. Every here knows me as the Ravens fan and the guy from Baltimore. I am a huge Orioles fan and Ravens fan and I wouldn't know what to do without sports. See for me sports in my life. Thats what I want to do with my life it has had such a great impact on me.

Is it Worth It?

When does sponsorship get too out of hand? Every time you look sponsors are trying to get there name out there. It’s either on a bill board, on T.V, on stadiums, on cars, any where u look you can see an athlete or team being sponsored by a company. Athletes everyday are getting crazy deals and companies just throw money away just to get there name out there. But in my eyes it is getting a bit ridiculous. For example this year Phil Rizzuto, the old New Yankees baseball player and announcer passed away. When the Yankees had there ceremony they had a huge master card symbol right on the podium. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-schorno/sports-sponsorship-when-_b_67608.html)

This was supposed to be a nice event to celebrate Rizzuto not a selling point. Another example is Lebron James. When Lebron came out of high school this is what he got; 90 million from Nike, 16 million from Coke, 5 million from Bubblicious, and 8 million dollars from Juice batteries. The kid never dribbled a ball in the NBA.

http://www.adrants.com/2004/02/lebron-james-adds-another-five-million-to.php

Here is another example of how crazy it is. BMW lost 200 million dollars just because Oracle, which is the American Sailing team didn’t make it to the America’s cup. On the flip side I can see why they throw so much money into sponsorship. All over stadiums, arenas and fields companies are everywhere and it makes you want to go buy their product. Companies are also doing good things with athletes. For example just because Tiger wears Nike I went out to get some of his shirts and the hat that he wears. That says a lot for someone who doesn’t even play golf. But in the end companies, in my opinion are throwing way to much money out for athletes and teams.

the BALTIMORE colts

Don’t get me wrong I love the Baltimore Ravens. Since I was six years old I have loved the team and wouldn't know what to do with out them. But to be honest I should be rooting for the Baltimore Colts. On March 28, 1984 Robert Irsay, who no one in the city of Baltimore talks about or even refers to anymore, moved the Colts to Indianapolis. My dad and mom who used to have season tickets to the Colt games still won't talk about that night because HE ripped the team right out from under them. Irsay claims that Baltimore wouldn't build him a new stadium so that’s why he moved. He also said he had no intention of moving the team but he is such a liar and bad person that no one believes him. But Memorial Stadium still had some years left so they really didn't need a new one (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Irsay). Every time the Colts play the Ravens, all of the older generation’s of people talk about the move and home much they hate them. The Worse part about it is that in the NFL Hall of Fame all of the Baltimore Colts records are under the Indianapolis name. How horrible is that. Johnny U didn't play for the Indianapolis Colts. Lenny Moore didn't play for the Indianapolis Colts. Art Donavon didn't play for the Indianapolis Colts. So why should all of the Baltimore Colts records and history be under the Indianapolis Colts? If Irsay was going to move the team at least let us keep the blue and white. That's not fair that they get the team and colors. But you know what, the Ravens have a Classy Organization and would never do that. The Irsay family should learn from that because they are a terrible family and I hope nothing ever goes right for them ever again.

The Great Debate

Yea Bonds broke the record this year and people will say steroids stuff. People right now are saying A-Rod is the greatest player of all time and he hasn’t won anything. But the biggest debate in baseball and will always be is; Pete Rose. Does Pete Rose after almost 20 years deserve to go to the Hall of Fame? My answer is very simple. No. Now I know Pete broke the all time record of hits in a career with 4526, won 2 gold gloves, an MVP in a World Series, Rookie of the Year and was named to the all century team but he broke a rule and should pay for it. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlbhist/alltime/playercard?playerId=11901) In my eyes it doesn’t matter how good an athlete or a person is, if they break a rule they should pay the price. I know that a lot of people disagree with me. For example a couple years ago ESPN did a fake trial to see if Pete Rose should go into the hall of fame (http://espn.go.com/mlb/roseontrial.html) and the jury 8 to 4 went against the hall of fame and thought he should be allowed in. People will be behind it until the day he dies but I do not think he will ever be allowed in. He has pleaded over the years to the Hall of Fame to let him in but nothing has worked. But in my eyes betting on anything isn’t right but betting on your own team when you were the manager is taking it to a new level.

Kobe the Cry Baby

I mean come on. I understand that you are the best player in the game. Yea we all know that you can score at well and that you even play defense which none of your peers like to do. But to say that you demand a trade and that you can do whatever you want doesn't work. Kobe Bryant for the past 6 months has been off and on about if he wants a trade or not (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2886927). I don't get it because he got exactly what he wanted. The Lakers traded Shaq and let Kobe be Kobe and try and taking them to the promise land. He hasn't even been close in carrying his team and Shaq already has a ring without him. I think he is acting like a baby and being unfair to his teammates and the organization. When you are the superstar and you want to try to build a team around you, you don’t go complaining to the whole world. If I was his teammate I would be really mad. I know that the guys always say it’s not a distraction but it has to be, when your best player wants to get traded. And above all he has no right in doing that. It doesn't matter if he has a problem with the front office. He should have to suck it up and deal with it. And the best thing is that the organization might trade him because he is such a bad teammate (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3058329). In the end Kobe is a sore loser and a bad teammate. He has no right it telling people what to do and how to handle his ego.

The Oriole Way

The city of Baltimore used to love baseball. The Orioles were a great team and people never liked facing us. We worked had and hustled and always ad good teams. That was the Oriole Way. Camden yards is an awesome place to play and watch a game. Baltimore fans are so passionate about baseball. But none of this matters when you have one of the worst owners in all of sports. In 1993 Angelos purchased the Orioles for 175 million dollars. Everyone thought, ok we have a new owner and we are going to have a bright future. Ha-ha that was a joke. Since 1997, the year that the orioles went wire to wire and should have gone to the World Series we have had TEN straight losing seasons. For any sport team that is embarrassing. You might think that it’s because we don't have the players but that is entirely wrong. It all has to do with the front office. A sports radio station in Baltimore called 1570WNST had a protest called Free the Birds (http://www.freethebirds.net/). This is when a group of fans from the Baltimore area went to the Orioles game for a couple of innings and cheered and protested. But after a few innings all of them just got up and left. The sad thing is that Angelos doesn't care as long as he gets his money. That’s all that he cares about. He doesn't spend money at all. The Orioles have had great trade offers and we turn them down. For example we could have traded Tejada for Brad Lidge and Roy Oswalt. Now come on Angelos. Tejada is overrated and oswalt is one of the best pitchers in the game. Here is what really got people pissed off. During the year 1570WNST was promoting the Orioles by telling people to go to a bar right across the street after and before the game. They made signs and promoted it well. But since WNST is not the flag ship station of the Orioles Angelos actually made them take the poster down even though it was promoting the Orioles. Now what a terrible owner. All he does is care about money and likes to sign washed up guys. For example Rafael Palmerio, David Segui, Sammy Sosa and a lot more older players. And not to mention the 3 just named all took steroids. It's sad because people in Baltimore want the Orioles to do well so badly. But it will never happen. I listened to a speaker yesterday who used to work for the Orioles and I asked what he though about the whole situation, and all he sad was there is no more Oriole Way.