Cover boys

I was a little confused when I saw the newest cover of Sports Illustrated online. No, I wasn’t confused about the fact that the Phillies are on the cover for the second straight year (really?). Rather, I thought the headline was quite funny. On the cover, the Phillies’ starting rotation (which features Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels. Oh, and Joe Blanton too but he’s just a fifth wheel). So the headline says “No Hitters,” which presumably makes sense since hitters should struggle against the pitchers. But it is also common knowledge that this season, the Phillies are lacking their usual offensive firepower. So to say “No Hitters” when describing the Phillies is true. When I see SI, the Phillies and the title “No Hitters,” that is exactly what I will think. The Phillies have no hitters. That makes more sense than using it to describe their pitching. What an embarrassment for the Phillies. Am I just being an envious Mets fan? Hmmm…no, don’t think so.

Battle of the Mags

I’ve subscribed to Sports Illustrated since 2004 and ESPN the Magazine since about 2005. For the most part, I haven’t missed an issue, minus a few from when I had to renew subscriptions. Last week, I found out my ESPN subscription ended. And I didn’t renew it.  Not because I don’t like it. But because I simply don’t have time to read both it and SI. Basically, I chose SI over ESPN. Immediately after that choice, I see ESPN the Magazine come out with a ridiculously awesome issue for their NBA Preview–a Marvel comics issue. I don’t like comics, but this issue was visually awesome, compared to SI’s mundane Thunder cover. ESPN Mag has always been flashy. They usually have more little knick knacks in their issues instead of the large articles, which I like. They appeal to the younger generation. But in my opinion, SI has writing like no other. For those who say SI is getting behind the young ESPN, I say no way. I saw a high pile of Sports Illustrateds in my dorm. Sometimes ESPN can be more fun to read. I have always preferred the little things over the big articles. But when it came down to which magazine I can devote time to read, SI won out. I love them both, and I’m kind of wishing I had time to read ESPN’s ridiculous artsy issues, but SI delivers what I need. Sports. And that’s enough.

Horsin’ around

The Kentucky Derby is tomorrow, which means that spring is fully upon us and summer is so close, which all adds up to a great time of the year. It is in fact, the only time of the year where horse racing receives the light of day. Because quite frankly, no one give’s a horse’s damn about horse racing. But when the Kentucky Derby kicks off the triple crown of racing, horse racing gets its rightful attention. And rightfully so. Remember Smarty Jones, Giacomo, Big Brown, Barbaro, Mine that Bird and Rachel Alexandra? They’ve all been great horses the past few years. Hopefully we will have more of the same this year. Then maybe horse racing will get more than that one Sports Illustrated cover. And more than one post by me. It deserves more than that.

Looking down from the top

Thanks, Sports Illustrated, for the online coverage. Now give us a story!

Let’s not ride off on our high horses just yet, but pshh pshh, did you hear? The Mets are in first place. They just swept two teams and have won seven straight. So,they’re 13-9, but that will do. They are surprising everyone. Not me, of course. Everything is going well, which worries me, because that means something is bound to happen. But so far, better than good. Fingers crossed!

I’m thinking that the May Mets-Nats game I’m going to will feature the division’s top two teams. The Nats are 12-10!

SI had an interesting piece on the Bryan twins in this past week’s Sports Illustrated. It hit on some good notes, although some of it was wrong. But that’s stuff only a twin would know. Check it out if you want a ten minute read. Or don’t and take my word.

One more thing. If you don’t watch Glee, I highly recommend it. Not only does it have great music, but it is hilarious. I can’t think of a recent show with as many good lines as this show. So check it out online: FOX.com. And I don’t even work for FOX. I’m promoting it on my own!

Two blasts from the pasts in present time

VC

This week’s Sports Illustrated featured two articles on two different athletes that are attempting to come back from disappointments of sorts. I also happen to have “connections” with both. The first I read was on Vince Carter. Carter was on the Nets for almost five seasons. I always said I liked him as a player, but never really gave him due credit or appreciated him. I always put him behind Jason Kidd and even Richard Jefferson. Now, without him, the Nets had a horrible year. VC always had the ability to knock down any shot. Not just dunks, but ones like the fadeaway from the corner against the Heat in the 2005 playoffs that sent the game to overtime when the Nets were on the brink of elimination. He is a great player, and now has the chance to go deep into the playoffs with the Magic. The same playoffs that I used to have my eyes glued to. The ones that I didn’t even know started yesterday. I guess it’s true that you pay more attention to the sport when your team is actually doing well. Anyway, I still miss the sounds of VC 3333333.

Adu

The second athlete was Freddy Adu. See, he basically has no shot at making the U.S. World Cup team, and has been jumping around Europe since leaving MLS in 2007. Back in 2005, I ran into Freddy Adu at a restaurant about five minutes from my house. He must have been around 15 at the time and was playing for D.C. United. The autograph I received from him is one of the few sports memorabilia I’ve lost. Probably because it was on a napkin. Anyway, though, Adu was this amazing player who was playing pro soccer at age 14. Now, 20, he is definitely not the child star he once was. But he still has the potentially and I hope he goes with it and succeeds.

Open up the notepad (do those still exist?)

There is a known rule among sports reporters that when covering whatever it is you are covering, you talk about that topic and those players and not you. Because nobody cares about you. They care about sports and that is what they want. Unless you are writing an opinion piece or a reflection, no one cares about your experience in a certain situation. Would you rather read about Shaquille O’Neal or Shaquille Smith? That’s what I thought. But in this past week’s Sports Illustrated, SI included an article by Frank Deford, one of their former writers and a well-known sports journalist. His piece discussed his experiences in journalism and he gave certain anecdotes. This was one situation where his story was worthy enough even though we were learning about him and not an athlete. The stories he can give need to be told. We are too caught up in the now, and so many people have so much history to share. Not that writers deserve attention, but it is nice to be recognized now and then. I’d take a fraction of LeBron’s star power.

These are my confessions

What an introduction this was. 1.12.04 is the date of this magazine. At the time, I had only gotten Sports Illustrated for Kids. But since I had just turned 12, I thought it was time to add the big brother to my repertoire: Sports Illustrated. And this happened to be the first one I got. Pete Rose on the front with words on it confessing to betting on baseball. I thought this was a sports magazine? I remember flipping through the pages and thinking, “Wow, this is really boring compared to SI Kids.” But as time went on and more normal looking covers arrived in the mail, I grew to love it. Every issue I like more and more. It is one of if not my favorite magazine. SI Kids is just a little to kiddie for me now, which is why I don’t get it anymore. I’m glad I realized that in August…at age 17. Anyhow, I love SI, bottom line. But if I got a cover like this today, I’d have to agree with my 12 year old self: bo-ring.

Can’t buy them love…or wins for that matter

When you can’t win, you just lose, lose and lose. That will get you the attention. It sure did for the Nets, who are a featured item in this week’s Sports Illustrated article titled, “Unlovable Losers.” They’re not even lovable, and they still managed to get an article. Wow! They must be doing something right. Other than losing of course. Man is this team dysfunctional. You can only count on them for one thing: losing. But I’m glad they finally got the attention they deserve. Now the whole world can know how much they stink! They’re losing, and they’re not “lovable,” yet they are still worthy of a story in SI amidst Olympic greatness. It must be napping hour for sports. Either that, or SI really wanted to give the Nets their due credit. Either way, I’ll take it. All the attention is better than none at all.

Or at least I hope so.

2006: The Mets’ bad end…a sign of things to come in 2007, 2008, 2009, and please not 2010!

I have been following a lot of the 2009 reviews and decade in reviews in the media. And they all make great points that I can’t summarize in one sentence. But everywhere, from magazines such as People and Sports Illustrated, to The New York Times and even “The Soup” on E!, have all shown unique views on the year and decade. I’ve seen how nothing much has changed, how everything has changed, and what the future holds. But I am here to continue with my personal decade in review, which I hope is different than the other media outlet’s explanations. Here is my take on 2006.

What stands out in my mind from 2006 is the Mets. I didn’t say it was a good memory. For those of you that have chosen to repress this memory, let me enlighten you. In 2006, Carlos Beltran and Pedro were adjusted to New York. Jose Reyes and David Wright peaked, and Carlos Delgado, Billy Wagner, Paul LoDuca and Xavier Nady joined in the fun. The bullpen was outstanding and the Mets kept winning and winning. The Mets swept the Dodgers in the NLDS before reaching Game 7 of the NLCS against the average Cardinals. This was the game that involved Endy Chavez’s amazing catch which I was lucky enough to see live. Unfortunately, I was unable to watch the end of the game because I had to go to bed as a tenth grader. Maybe that was a good thing. The Mets lost the game, and the Cards ended up winning the World Series. I always thought 2006 was the Mets’ year. They had everything going for them and then blew it. Oh well. There’s always next year. Oh, wait….

2004: Can you keep up?

There I was, staring face to face with Pete Rose, MLB’s all time hits leader. But he had writing all over his face. I was, of course, looking at him on the cover of Sports Illustrated. My first cover. The January 14, 2004 issue. I was so excited to get my first issue. And who’s on the cover? Pete Rose, confessing to betting on baseball. But I thought sports were supposed to be fun?

When I first flipped through the magazine, all I could think of was how boring it was. I was used to SI Kids, and I just didn’t understand regular SI. But hey, I was only 12.

The magazine started to grow on me though when it focused more on sports I knew and now I love Sports Illustrated. It is my favorite magazine.

Getting Sports Illustrated was in a way my gateway to the wide world of sports. This is the year that I began to know more and more about sports. And it was a good year in sports. In May, the Nets had an epic NBA playoff series with the Pistons. Even though they lost the series, they won a crazy game 5. It ended up being three overtimes. I remember I was in a hotel and watched the end of the game and one of the overtimes in the lobby. And then I had to go to bed and miss the end of the game. The next morning, I turned ESPN on and saw the Nets had won (127 to something I think). I think I jumped on the bed. Too bad we lost the last two games. We could no longer dominate the Pistons, who even beat the Lakers for the championship that year.

I think I even caught some of LSU’s win in the BCS championship game, although I was far from knowledgable in college football in 2004.

2004 was also a year of history. You know where I’m going. The Red Sox won the World Series for the first time since 1918, breaking the curse. I saved the sports sections from when they beat the Angels, Yankees and Cardinals in each round, respectively. I started writing about sports during the ALCS and NLCS. I remember when Johnny Damon hit the grand slam in Game 7 of the ALCS against the Yankees. I knew then that they had everything in the bag.

I also started following college basketball during this year. The first time I saw UConn play that year, I knew they were going to win it all. Just like I knew Matt Bonner would make it to the NBA when I saw him play for Florida in 2003. I just thought Bonner would because I thought he looked like former Net Todd Macculloch. Bonner is in the NBA, by the way. Anyway, I saw UConn beat Alabama on tv I think, and I knew they were going to win it all. And they did, beating Duke and Georgia Tech in the final four. Oklahoma State and St. Joseph’s also had a classic elite 8 game that I remember. John Lucas III sound familiar?

Phil Mickelson also won his first major, The Masters this year. I remember watching this happen.

2004 was a busy year in sports. A lot happened. I guess it was a sign of things to come.