Autograph Hound

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Paul Webb basketball camp attracted the greats. Kenny Gattison! Ted Jeffries! Cory…something.

 

I have encountered Eric Montross twice in my life.

One summer afternoon in the early 90’s, I was at the Paul Webb Basketball Camp in Virginia Beach and he was a guest. I don’t remember many details, but I’m sure he spoke to the group of eager campers about lessons he’d learned as a basketball player at UNC. He probably told us to study, eat our Wheaties, practice layups, say our prayers, Just Say No and Just Do It. Then he probably threw down a few dunks, to the campers delight. During the course of his visit, it seemed perfectly normal for me to take off my sweaty basketball sneaker, hand it to Eric accompanied with a Sharpie, have him sign said sneaker and then have him return the sneaker to me. A kid and his shoe, with a fresh autograph from a future NBA journeyman, was a recipe for happiness. These were simple times.

The Zimmerman Situation

Ryan Zimmerman has the bat that makes the Nats offense kick into high gear and the arm that can single-handedly sabotage a game.

He’s won two Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove and been named an All Star. He’s missed 158 games since the start of the 2010 season, including 45 this year.

He’s a selfless teammate, who transitioned to LF for 26 games this season after never playing the position professionally. He’s also the reluctant 3rd baseman who may be trusted upon in crucial October moments at a position he seems ready to leave permanently

Bart Man and The Dice Man

Dice-K warms up in the Mets bullpen on May 18, 2014 at Nats Park. I observe and work on my tan/sunburn.
Dice-K warms up in the Mets bullpen on May 18, 2014 at Nats Park. I observe and work on my tan/sunburn. Photo: Taylor Adkins

Bartolo Colon retired the first 20 Mariners he faced yesterday at Safeco Field in Seattle. A no hitter or perfect game isn’t quite as noteworthy in the post steroid era as it used to be, with 22 no hitters between all of 2000-2009 and 15 from 2010-present. However, Bartolo Colon is a 41 year old man. He’s also probably not on a Gluten Free diet and probably does polish off two Presidente’s before he takes the hill. He also has a nearly 5 to 1 strikeout ration over 126.2 innings pitched and has only been knocked out of a game once before the 5th this season for the Mets.

FSB Stadium Review: RFK Stadium

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Two Hall of Famers, go toe to toe. Great shot taken by my dad that even Jerry appreciated. Photo: Arthur Adkins

 

RFK Stadium, exists primarily in my memory. I say primarily, because it actually still physically exists. At 2400 East Capitol Street SE, RFK Stadium still sits. You can take the Orange Line, past the Stadium-Armory station, and see it’s curved top layer and metal facade, perched on a cracked, over grown parking lot. From what I’ve read and heard, calling RFK a shell of its former self would be kind. Years of neglect have resulted in decaying infrastructure and a home team that consists of families of rats. DC United is still a permanent tenant, that is until they move onto their long awaited new digs around the corner from Nationals Park in SW DC.

Soccer vs Baseball

So The World Cup just ended. As the tournament progressed, it continuously left a wake of soccer trolls and soccer defenders, and the debate over soccer grew more contentious with each flop and each brilliant goal. Soccer detractors would launch into an all too familiar rant about the pace of play, lack of scoring and overall dullness of the game. Soccer fans, would often retort with 3 words when The Beautiful Game was criticized for a lack of action and scoring.

“What about Baseball?”

Vacationland (Plus an idea for Goddell)

It’s the dog days of summer. I know this because I’ve picked crabs the past two Saturday’s. When you move to Maryland, that’s the legal minimum for a summer. They actually give you a mallet and a can of Old Bay when you get your license at the DMV. Also, about that license? Yeah, there’s a crab on the license.

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So I’ve been eating a lot of crabs. I also know it’s the dog days of summer, because of last week…the slowest week of the year on the sports calendar. Monday, there was the 4+ hour debacle of a Home Run Derby. Somehow MLB and the NBA have taken two time honored, “how could you possibly screw this up” events in the Home Run Derby and the Slam Dunk Contest, and ruined them.

Just What We Needed, Another Sports Bar

Don’t worry, this isn’t REALLY a sports bar, it’s actually a sports website. We do need more of those, right? RIGHT!?

Whether we need another sports site is up for debate. (For loyal ESPN viewers, “debate” is what happens when you put Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith in a room and give them one rule, don’t agree on ANYTHING.)