Eating Dirt

As some of you already know, I took a header of my skateboard and ate some dirt. Something I was all too familiar with during my childhood. As I laid there going through my body checklist to making sure everything was still attached it got me thinking about how dirt has played an important role in my sporting life.

I remember the park on Rose Place, where the neighborhood kids and I played every conceivable sport. It was half block long on a slant and it was rocky on the top half and a little less rocky with some soft(beach)sand at one end and hard red clay at the other plus a big ditch at the bottom on the other half. You can see it right?
There I remember my first scissor slide into 2nd base. Rounding first and thinking I could beat Lenny's throw to second was my thought, well Lenny comes up throwing a dart and I really didn't plan on sliding, so I was caught a little in between, should I dive? slide? not slide? I planted my left foot into the soft sand and it gave way for my leg not to snap in half and my body just fell into a natural scissor slide my right toe catching the side of the bag. Just like I had seen so many times on the old reels of baseball films.
To this day I always think about my perfect slide.

"Dirt" plays a pivotal role in many sports and some others it's just dirt. These are some that I thought of.

Beach Volleyball-
Funny how a little sweat and little sand turns your skin into sandpaper.

Horse Racing
The mudders were the best. Down the stretch they come, everyone's colorful uniforms covered in mud. They should have put cameras in the goggles of those jockeys.

Baseball
I can't forget Mookie Wilson stealing second base, it was at Shea in August 83.
I had never seen so much cloudy dirt in the air.

Rainy Football Game
Besides a snow game these are the most entertaining games ever. You are sure to see something happen on the field you have never seen before .
Here's to NFL Films and the super slow motion camera.

Baseball mound
This is sacred territory for the pitchers and a mine field for everyone else.
Who hasn't seen a third baseman trip over the mound trying to catch a pop up?

Soccer Pitch-
Why is that in every Mexican soccer game I ever saw the goalies area is beat to crap. The rest of the field is a beautiful meadow of green and the goalies stood in mud puddles.

Hockey
Is just a dirty sport. They hit you with sticks.


My favorite Dirty things:

Movie: The Sand Lot

Song: Enter the Sandman

Musician: Muddy Waters

Sport: Mud Wrestling

ESPN Telecast: Mud Bog Racing

Baseball Player: Sandy Koufax

Football Player: Barry Sanders

Basketball Player: Dirk (that's pretty close) Nowitzki

Cartoon Character: Pig Pen

Nickname given to me by my brother Mike: Dirt


I wash my hands of you!
the sportsfreak

The Baseball Dance

A shout out to all you wedding party dancing machines.

The Baseball Cha Cha Song

All right y'all clap it up.
tug to the right, tug to the left, straighten out whats down below, one hop into the box and hit. Real smooth.

Every body clap your hands. clap, clap, clap clap clap clap clap

wrist bands straight? Let's go
Helmet fits right? Let's Go.
Looking Good, Check it out.
Can you be clean down low, tap your cleats to the right, tap your cleats to the left.
Sliiiiide your bat between your legs! Its nice and clean.

Your need a hit. Plant right foot in,left foot in.. you sure?.
He come the pitch . You've hit a scorcher to short.
Left, right, left, right, left, your diggin' to first, the throw is on its way. sllliiddeee into first...head first. Your safe!


No please... a standing ovation is not necessary.



Here's and oldy but a goody says a five year old.

You put your starter in...you take your starter out...you put your starter in and
you hope he lasts six inning before you take him out.
You do the Pitchers Pokey and turn your rotation around and that's all the managers think about.

You put you middle relief in... your take your middle relief out...
you put your middle relief in and you pray he gets you 6 outs.
You do the Pitcher Pokey and turn your rotation around and that's all the managers think about.

You put you setup guy in... you take your set up guy out... you put your set up guy in and hope he pitches lights out.
You do the Pitchers Pokey and turn your rotation around and that's all the managers think about.

You put your Closer in... you take your closer out... you put your closer in and your sure he'll close it out.
You do the Pitcher Pokey and turn your rotation around and all the while the manager had no doubt.



Catch my next show in Vegas.
The sportsfreak has sung with the fat lady.

You Are What You Wore

Styles come and Styles go and in the world of sports that continues to ring true.
We all have that one sports picture of us, not the flattering one, that showcases our sense (or lack ) of style that has left mark on us forever . You know the pic, the one with ball cap that looks like it is 12 inched tall, The shot of you playing hoops in those gold Chuck Taylors with black socks. Yeah that's the one.

Well the Pro's are no different, I am sure they cringe when the look back to some of the choices they have made or have forced upon them.


Swim Suits have gone the way of little teeny tiny Speedos to a one piece version with fish scales sewn into them. The sport used to be very manly(Marc Spitz) now I can't tell the difference between a man or woman. Please go easy on the swim caps, way too tight. What do you say we bring back frilly ladies caps. They were all the rage at the swim club in the seventies.

Hoop shorts 1970's nothing to the imagination style or Fab 5 trash bags?
Can't we find a happy medium guys.
Girls.. the shorter the better. Nothing worse that seeing a uni hanging to a girls calves.

Baseball unis- Baggy was best. Late 70's Cincinnati Reds were the neatest even with Pete Rose on the team. They sported the belts and everything.
Today.. Felix Unger needs to be in charge of the uni's.

Volleyball players in the beginning sported popular neon tanks. Hey, they matched your sunscreen on your nose.
Nowadays the boys and girls are playing the sport almost naked. You gotta love a sport where the uni is so small the endorsements have to be spray painted to the athletes bodies. I can dig it!

Track athletes have figured out that Less = More. The less they wear, the more fast they run (I know I know, speak English Ray). I love the change over from the Mary Decker frumpy wear to the Flo-Jo- leotard. But it still hurts my head from seeing Carl Lewis wearing a blue jump suit leotard stretchy job.
Extra Note to all track guys, No midriff should be showing when in uni. You can showcase your ten pack abs after the race.

Hockey Pads have transformed Goalies looking like robots to real Stretch Armstrongs.
In what sport does your uni look better with blood on it.
Hockey jerseys are the most unflattering piece of clothing to wear. Prove me wrong.

I am a big fan of the NFL having the strictest uni rules in all of sports.
They even have a towel fine if you towel is too long? Play by the rules Big Boys.

Tennis has gone from long white pants and shirts to white shorts and white dresses (fav Chris Evert) then into some warped kaleidoscope of colors that even you couldn't have imagined while on shrooms. I give a (punch you in the head) Thank You to Andre Agassi. You started it and now we can't stop it. Cat suit? Capris? Fashion statement or not? You decide. I'll keep my eyes closed.



Here's to the all the sportsfreaks sporting jorts and mesh half shirts.
My eyes are burning!!!!

Opening Day....Finally!

Opening Day is here at last.
For some, last years heartache can be forgotten.
For others, it's a new year (at that right Cubbie fans?)

See ya soon March Madness, we will miss you but not as much as I as I missed my boys of summer.

Batter Up! Yanks-RedSox: Love the match up.
On Sunday Night- Not so much.
Monday day games are the real start. Some things don't need to be changed.

Let's play two is not enough.
How about 13 games of pure joy in one day?
Work? forget about it. I'm Half-daying it. How bout you?


We get to hear the National Anthem played 13 times.
Take Me Out to the ballgame too.
God does love me.

Can't wait until I see the first player run out a triple.

Predictions, forecast, premonitions, good calls or bad calls for us to ponder.

Will we be bitten by the injury bug this year?

Which rookie will surprise us all?

Can the Pirates break .500?

Will people continue to pay $2500 for a seat at Yankees Stadium. When does the buy one get one free sale begin?

Can the Marlins draw a crowd of less than 1,000 again? The Marlins still play in the majors right?

Not sure how I feel about instant replay yet.

Go Rays- only because they have the same name as me. It get's me in the game free one time a year.

Will the Cardinals hit the most home runs this year? "help" from McGwire, I'm just saying.

Here's to hearing Ronan & Bob in the Bronx and Vin on the left coast.

May the RedSox lose 121 games.
May the Dodgers one and done star strike out 250 times(not naming names)
Sorry but the Pirates and Marlins will again go down in flames.
Yankees Win #28 is surely a headline I will frame.

Looking forward to a Dodger Dog, A Schimtters in Philly,
an Ichirroll and a Sonoran Dog in SD. Delicious!!!


Is it ok to cry on Opening Day?



At least for one day all will be right in the sportsfreaks world.

PLAY BALL!

Guy from Jersey

The sports jersey has taken on a few different meanings as I take a ride on my sports journey. There seems to be jersey phenomenon going on that I am not quite sure if I should join or just be afraid of. Just last week at the supermarket I saw a grandma wearing a Lakers Jersey, Kobes no less. Since when has it become popular with Nana and Papa to wear what the kids are wearing.
I have owned just one jersey in my life. Congratulations to ESPN. Your were the chosen one. Not that I didn't want to wear the Magics, Bird, Jordan , Jackson's or Gretzky jersey. Just never really needed one that bad.

There a few reasons that I kind of shied a away from the Jersey thing. My first was a crazy superstition that if I bought say a Michael Jordan jersey, he would get traded the very next day. I know it was weird, but remember I am a sportsfreak. Who knew he might even retire.. to play baseball (stupid Whitesox jersey ) or unretire with a new number (#55 really?) and/or play for another team (The Wizards, should've stayed the Bullets). So how many vintage one of kind Jordan jersey's would I have now. You get the point.

Some do it just to change their image..wait ..all of them do it to change their image. We are talking about changing their jersey number. My mom would wash my mouth out with soap if I wrote what I think of that. Kobe, past # 8 present #24 did it to make every one forget his rape , sorry his alleged rape. Sorry Kobe not everyone has forgotten. The worst part is the NBA doesn't even care. Kobe "8" jersey sales were tops every year. People in other countries had his jersey. Why would the NBA allow him to change the number. We associated #8 with Kobe, no one else. Now who wears the # 8 jersey? I'll give you a million bucks if you can.
We now have Lebron James who wants to change his jersey number from 23 to 6. I honor of the greatest player James knew.. Michael Jordan. Nice gesture but a slap in the face to Bill Russell. Did he forget that basketball was played before 1984? WTF is everyone going to do with their #23 jersey. You wouldn't be caught dead at the arena with an old, ratty, clearance bin #23 James jersey would you?
Come on NBA have a backbone on this one.

Major League baseball has gotten it right. Teams can retire numbers as they see fit. The Ring of Fame, the Outfield Wall, the Monument Parks. Each stadium has their own unique way of honoring their hometown stars.
Baseball itself has showed honor and respect to Jackie Robinson's #42.

How to create fan loyalty for your program. Create 480 jersey combinations for your fans to choose from. Thank you Oregon for going out on the deep end. Here is my version of a Ducks fan in their bedroom on Saturday morning.
Should I wear the home or away jersey today. That cuts it down to 240 choices.
Do I feel the green or black or white or yellow one matches my jeans today. OK, now only 60 choices.
Did they say it was going to a "stripe out" at the stadium? Horizontal? vertical? animal? Just 20 left.
Cotton or polyester? 10 left.
Short or Long sleeve? 5 left.
Numbers or no numbers number. 2 left.
Names or no name?
I GOT THAT ONE.. finally!!!


Mad love to everyone who sports a jersey of the player they once loved to watch play. From the big stars (Stan Musial, Hank Aaron, Joe Namath) to the cup of coffee players (my favs are Wesley Walker, Kevin Maas and Rennie Stennett.


The sportsfeak will always be stylin"

Anticipation

We have all spent a few hours watching our favorite sport. Sometimes we have the television on just for background noise and others times it is to scrutinize events happening every 5 seconds. But there comes a time in every sport that capture the heat of the moment..the time to check one's self... the second that has everyone waiting in anticipation that will decide the final result. This exact moment has us feeling many diiferent types of emotions,depending on which team /sport you are rooting for/against. This moment in sport is usually declared by one sentence that draws us in. I've listed a few of my favorites below. I hope they are some of your as well.



"It's a high fly ball, deep to right....."
Visions of Chris Chambliss and Kirk Gibson always come to my mind when I here this.


"He breaks the tackle, he is at the 40,the 30,the 20,the 10...."
Why do I always end up standing in the middle my living room, heaving out of breath like I was just running with the guy.


"Down the stretch they come...."
I watch 3 races (the Triple Crown) every year. But I would watch a hundred more races if I heard those words. The networks have never figured this out.
Shout out to the Zombies at OTB.


"He shoots!! He..."
Thank you for all those buzzer beaters. MJ, Reggie (I still hate you) and most of all me. I can't tell you how many times I hit the game winning shot in my mind by throwing a piece of paper into the trash bin or my milk carton in the the garbage.


"The kick!! He..."
All I can say is GGGGOOOOAAAALLLL!


"The Bell lap (DING DING)"
The Wanamaker Mile at MSG, RUN Eammon Coglin RUN!


"Match Point"
Can it get any quieter at a Tennis Match?


"He needs 9 pins to win, it's in the pocket...."
Don't think I'm kidding, your palms are sweaty , your feeling weak in the knees, the ball suddenly weighs 100lbs, why is he lane so skinny? There's as much pressure as in any sport.


"And now for her dismount...."
Knowing that all her training has ultimately come down to her jumping off a piece of wood 4" wide, then turning 2.5 twists and and 1.5 somersualt in mid air while landing as soft as a feather. That, truly deserves my attention.


"Save and a Beauty...."
The Hockey puck is so hard to see, this is usually when I wait for the instant replay to realize exactly what I thought I think I saw. I think.


"He rounds third and heading for home, here comes the throw, he slides...."
I once pushed my Mom out of the way to see a Red Sock get thrown out at home.
Hey, it was a Red Sock. Sorry Mom.



"I'll write again soon..."
Keep reading the sportsfreak

That's Just Odd

At any NBA arena, the players bench consists of ordinary folding chairs. They are good for you and me, but being 6'10" 260 that's just odd.


Every four years you hear a cowbell at a winter sporting event. Its a very cool sound that all seem to enjoy. Why not anywhere else? that's just odd.


Why is it at a game, that you have throw back a ball that goes out of bounds only if the ball is bigger than your hand? Soccer, basketball, football,volleyball. But if its smaller you can keep it. Tennis, baseball, hockey..That's just odd.


Baseball is the only sport of the big four that does not have cheerleaders?
That's just odd. Plus unfair to us baseball fans.


Who the hell designs the Speed Skaters uniforms? I though I was on shrooms when I was watching them. That look is just odd.


We are fans. sometimes we are stupid. Case in point: why else would we be happy (no wait.. honored) that a 7 foot 275 lbs sweaty, stinky player lands on us trying to save a ball from going out of bounds. That's just odd.


Don't the camera guys know by now that on a breakaway, the player is always going to fall into them. Then they seems surprised (and honored) when they do.
Is that really the best spot to be set up? That's just odd.


Why is going to a spring training basball game quieter than going to a wake?
Even the ushers are quiet. That's just odd.


Is it me or does cotton candy only come in colors red and blue? That's just odd.



Good night Felix and Oscar,
TSF