Without the greatest sports moment of 2013, the San Antonio Spurs would have been having a parade instead of the Heat. By Michael Kain, via Wikimedia Commons

Can you believe that it is almost 2014? It seems like just yesterday 2013 started and we were looking forward to another great sports year and it lived up to the hype indeed. There were many great sports moments and memories this season but only five can make my list. Here for my Top 5 Moments of the 2013 Sports Year:

5. October 13, 2013. Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts. 2013 ALCS Game 2

Heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, it looked as the Detroit Tigers would come into Fenway Park and take the first two games of the ALCS, heavily swaying the series in their favor heading back into Detroit. But David Ortiz had other ideas. Trailing 5-1 with two outs left, David Ortiz stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded to face Tigers closer Joaquin Benoit. Nothing had gone the Red Sox’s way on this night but with one pitch, one moment, that would change. Ortiz rocketed a pitch over the outstretched arm of Torii Hunter over the wall in right field to tie the game up. In that, “moment” I knew that this was the Red Sox’s year. Fenway was rocking and all the momentum swayed back to Boston. It was an “I don’t believe what I just saw” type of moment and makes it way onto my list at #5.

4. June 24th 2013. TD Bank Garden. Boston, Massachusetts. 2013 Stanley Cup Finals Game 6

Trailing 2-1 in the game with under two minutes to play it seemed that the Blackhawks would be forced back to Chicago for a series deciding game 7. But the miraculous happened, with 1:16 left to play the Blackhawks tied the game up at 2, stunning the crowd in Boston. The game looked like it would go to overtime yet again, only to have the Blackhawks score another goal only 17 seconds later. Watching this game live, I didn’t believe what I had witnessed. Down by one not even a minute ago, the Blackhawks were up by one with under a minute to play. After the game winning goal went into the net, I knew it was over. The Bruins were shocked to a level that was unseen before and the Blackhawks would finish up that final minute and claim another Stanley Cup trophy for the city of Chicago.

3. November 30, 2013. Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Alabama. 2013 Iron Bowl

One of the most incredible sports moments in history only makes it as #3 on my list because it wasn’t for a championship but it was still such an amazing and shocking play that it makes the list nonetheless. Coming into the Iron Bowl both Auburn and Alabama still had a chance to make the BCS Title Game and the winner would more than likely make it there. Trailing by a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, Auburn tied the game at 28. Alabama then drove the ball down the field only to set up what would be the game winning field goal. The field goal went wide right and was improbably returned for a touchdown by Chris Davis to win the game and stun the college football world. An incredible play, incredible moment and hopefully won’t be for nothing as long as Auburn can claim another National Championship.

2. February 3, 2013, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA. Super Bowl XLVII

The blackout game. Leading 28-6, the Ravens seemed as if they were running away with the Super Bowl title until a mysterious blackout happened and swayed the entire game in favor of the 49ers. In what was legendary linebacker Ray Lewis’s final career game, it was only fitting that the game would end on a defensive stand, something the Ravens have been known for in their history. San Francisco made it interesting, driving the ball down to the goal line only to be stopped four times in a row leading to a Ravens victory. In one of the more memorable Super Bowls in recent memory and it goes on my list as the #2 sports moment in 2013.

1. June 18, 2013. American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida. NBA Finals Game 6

In what might be the greatest NBA Finals game in history, it not only defined the series but the legacy of LeBron James. One rebound, one boxout and the San Antonio Spurs would have been the world champions but Chris Bosh and Ray Allen saved the Miami Heat’s season and the legacy of the “Chosen One”. The Heat were trailing most of the game and it seemed as if they would not repeat as champions. Even their fans believed they would lose as many of them left the stadium early only to attempt to return as the Heat made something of the game. Down by three, Lebron missed what would have been the tying three pointer only to have Chris Bosh snag the ball out of the air and throw it back in the corner to the best three point shooter in NBA history in Ray Allen. Of course Allen was going to make the tying three, of course he was and he did. Sending the Spurs into disbelief, something we had never seem before from San Antonio. The Heat would go on to win the game in overtime and then eventually win game 7 to claim their re-peat. If that Ray Allen three doesn’t fall, LeBron falls to 1-3 in the NBA Finals and we all look at him differently. But what a game. What a series.

The Red Sox weren’t a very good team in 2012, but I was lucky enough to be able to attend a game at Fenway Park last season. I went to Fenway in early September for a game against the Blue Jays, shortly after the huge Red Sox-Dodgers trade happened.

It was a rainy night in Boston yet the stadium was packed eager to watch their beloved Red Sox. When I left Fenway that night, never did I think in a million years would the Red Sox be crowned champions of the baseball world the next season, especially after a trade that saw Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett pack their bags and head west. But it happened. What an incredible story for the city of Boston, for its fans and for baseball fans all over the world, except for maybe Cardinal and Yankee fans of course.

David Ortiz led the Red Sox to their third World Series title in the last 10 years. By Googie man at the English language Wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons

The Boston Marathon bombing and the city’s reaction to it has, in many ways, redefined the “Boston Strong” mindset of Beantown.

Earlier in the year, the Celtics couldn’t bring a title back, the Bruins lost in the Stanley Cup Finals and finally the Red Sox broke through. After clinching the American League-East title with slight ease, they took on the Tampa Bay Rays and beat them in four games before taking out the Tigers in six games in the American League Championship Series.

Finally, the Red Sox would meet up with the St. Louis Cardinals after the red birds beat the Dodgers in the NLCS in six games as well. Last night, the Sox clinched and Boston partied.

They started the season off strong and never looked back, which is rare to do in the grueling 162-game season. This team was destined for greatness all season long and they earned the right to call themselves champions. For the first time in awhile, the absolute best team in baseball all season won the title — they weren’t just some “hot” team who climbed into the playoffs and went on some magical run. The 2013 baseball season is over but won’t be forgotten and we all are looking forward to opening day 2014. For now, Boston is partying like its 1918.

The new ownership couldn’t wait to make a splash.

The day was August 25, 2012 and nobody knew the kind of storm that was about to rock Major League Baseball. The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers agreed on a trade that sent Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett, Nick Punto and their combined $260 million-plus contracts to Los Angeles. It was one of the biggest deals in sports history just because of the money involved, not to mention the players.

In exchange for Gonzalez, Beckett, Punto, and Cawford, the Dodgers traded long-time first baseman James Loney and minor leaguers. From a skill standpoint, the Dodgers got a steal but the deal helped the Red Sox shed a ton of salary to put them in a more flexible financial position.

Could Dodger Stadium host a World Series game in 2013 for the first time since 1988? By Frederick Dennstedt, via Wikimedia Commons

The Red Sox started off the 2013 season hot and haven’t looked back.

The Dodgers, on the other hand, were 9.5 games back of the division lead in June. Injuries and a lack of excitement in the clubhouse made things pretty glum for the bums and their fans.

With injuries to multiple outfielders, Yasiel Puig was called-up. Since he and Hanley Ramirez started playing together, the Dodgers have been on a hot streak and don’t seem to be looking back. The Dodgers now hold a 9.5 game lead of their own in a miraculous and historic turnaround. Before a few recent losses, they had gone 42-8 over a 50 game stretch, something that hadn’t been done in the past 100 years.

Could it be possible for the Dodgers and Red Sox to meet up in the fall classic just a year after the huge trade? Yes, it is very possible and many people would love to watch that matchup. But for now, all we as fans can do is sit back and watch because both of these teams in their own way are fun to watch.

One thing that has remained consistent this season is the dominance of Miguel Cabrera. By Cbl62, via Wikimedia Commons

Back in January, about three months prior to the start of the 2013 Major League Baseball season, I wrote an article claiming my predictions for the upcoming season. Now that the All Star Game is upon us, that means the season is a little over halfway finished and my perception of the teams and players has changed over the course of the year from what it was before the season even started. So here are my updated predictions on what will transpire over the next few months of the season:

But first, here are my pre-season predictions:

Teams I picked to win their divisions:

AL East: New York Yankees

AL Central: Detroit Tigers

AL West: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

NL East: Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central: Cincinnati Reds

NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers

Wild Card Teams:

American League: Baltimore Orioles and Oakland A’s

National League: San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals

CY Young winners:

American League: Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners

National League: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

MVP:

American League: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

National League: Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers

Best record in each League:

American League: Detroit Tigers

National League: Cincinnati Reds

Manager of the Year:

American League: Jim Leyland, Detroit Tigers

National League: Don Mattingly, Los Angeles Dodgers

Moneyball will finally find a World Series ring in 2013. By Leaders Event from London, United Kingdom, via Wikimedia Commons

Updated Predictions (Stats are up to the All Star break):

Teams I picked to win their divisions:

AL East: Boston Red Sox

AL Central: Detroit Tigers

AL West: Oakland A’s

NL East: Atlanta Braves

NL Central: Pittsburgh Pirates

NL West: Arizona Diamondbacks

Wild Card Teams:

American League: Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers

National League: St Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds

CY Young winners:

American League: Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners (10-4, 2.53 ERA, 140 Strikeouts, 1.10 WHIP)

National League: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers (8-6, 1.98 ERA, 139 Strikeouts, 0.91 WHIP)

MVP:

American League: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers (.365, 30 HR, 95 RBI, .458 OBP)

National League: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks (.313, 21 HR, 77 RBI, .395 OBP)

Best record in each League:

American League: Oakland A’s

National League: Pittsburgh Pirates

Manager of the Year:

American League: John Farrell, Boston Red Sox

National League: Clint Hurdle, Pittsburgh Pirates

I’m usually pretty stubborn about my predictions, but I will admit that I have changed some of mine from the preseason. I was totally off about both the Dodgers and Angels, even though both can still make some sort of run at the playoffs — especially the Dodgers.

Staying in the National League West, Paul Goldschmidt is my new pick for National League MVP. Many people view Yadier Molina as the favorite but I think otherwise. Goldschmidt has better numbers than Molina in every category other than batting average and he isn’t that far behind him in that.

Before the season started, I said that the Angels would meet up with the Dodgers in the World Series creating a “Freeway” World Series, but the Angels have woefully underperformed and I have changed my World Series prediction on its head. I predict that the Arizona Diamondbacks and Oakland A’s will be the final two teams standing.

Let that sink in for a second and actually consider this scenario. Both of these teams are good enough to make it. I don’t have a winner from these two teams because in my mind, they are evenly matched. Since the American League won the All-Star Game and has home field advantage, I’ll go ahead and pick Moneyball to finally come through in the postseason.

Chris Davis has had a break-out year this season. By Keith Allison on Flickr, via Wikimedia Commons

It’s about that time again, time for the Major League Baseball All-Star game.

Most professional all-star games aren’t as competitive as the real deal, but generally thats not the case for the MLB’s version of the game. This game actually matters because the winning league earns home-field advantage in the World Series. I, like a lot of fans, disagree with this rule because like any other sport, home field advantage should be based off of record not which league played better in the All Star Game. If that were the case, the Western Conference in the NBA would have had home court advantage six times out of the past ten years. This rule needs to be changed but I don’t see it being changed anytime soon. But for what is it, it makes the game that much more compelling to watch and root on your own teams league.

And if the game is going to decide who gets World Series home field advantage, it is certainly wrong that the fans vote the starting players into the game. It should be based off the best players from each position that get to play in the game not off of bias fan voting. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy putting in my own votes every year but, to be honest, I usually vote for my team’s players who I know will never make the cut.

Here are my starting nine players from each league that should be in the starting lineups for this year’s All Star game next month and some of their stats (as current as June 24th, 12:03am):

American League:

Catcher: Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins (.330, 8 HR, 25 RBI)

First Base: Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles (.336, 27 HR, 70 RBI)

Second Base: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees (.276, 16 HR, 45 RBI)

Shortstop: J.J. Hardy, Baltimore Orioles (.267, 15 HR, 44 RBI)

Third Base: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers (.370, 20 HR, 75 RBI)

Designated Hitter: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (.316, 16 HR, 55 RBI)

Outfielders:

Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles (.298, 15 HR, 55 RBI)

Mike Trout, Anaheim (not Los Angeles) Angels (.306, 12 HR, 46 RBI)

Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays (.254, 16 HR, 42 RBI)

Starting Pitcher: Clay Buchholz, Boston Red Sox (9-0, 1.71 ERA, 81 K)

National League:

Catcher: Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals (.353, 5 HR, 41 RBI)

First Base: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks (.306, 19 HR, 65 RBI)

Second Base: Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds (.265, 11 HR, 60 RBI)

Shortstop: Hanley Ramirez, Los Angeles Dodgers (.358, 4 HR, 10 RBI)*

Third Base: David Wright, New York Mets (.309, 12 HR, 41 RBI)

Outfielders:

Carlos Beltran, St. Louis Cardinals (.305, 17 HR, 46 RBI)

Justin Upton, Atlanta Braves (.240, 15 HR, 34 RBI)

Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies (.3004, 21 HR, 57 RBI)*

Starting Pitcher: Matt Harvey, New York Mets (7-1, 2.05 ERA, 121 K)

*Because of injuries to Troy Tulowitzki and Bryce Harper

By signing with the Angels, Josh Hamilton must believe that the West Side is, indeed, the best side. By Keith Allison (Flickr: Josh Hamilton) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

I was sixteen. And since then, the musical machine has introduced collaborations between the likes of Tim McGraw and the dirty South’s representitive Nelly. Life is one big puffy cloud of peace now. It’s all so peachy and sweet.

Just fifteen years since what was a radical split between music’s most popular form, baseball has survived steroid scandals, broken records, and now, a major shift in league power.

After last season’s signing of Albert Pujols and C.J Wilson, the Los Angeles Angels officially put their face on the map as a legitimate threat. Tack on this year’s surprise signing of 2010 MVP Josh Hamilton to fill in rightfield, and the Angels not only boast arguably the greatest player ever in Pujols, but the best outfield in baseball — Hamilton, Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo.

Not so angelic. As aren’t the Dodgers.

From the Halos, the Blue Crew courted 2009 AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke, with the largest contract ever to a right handed pitcher. This capped a midseason spending spree that brought third baseman Hanley Ramirez, returning outfielder Carl Crawford, first baseman Adrian Hernandez and the hard-throwing Josh Beckett to Hollywood.

Name 50 major stars in Baseball and these from the Angels and Dodgers would be listed. Albert Pujols,  Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp, Mike Trout, Adrian Hernandez, Zack Greinke, Jered Weaver, Mark Trumbo, Josh Hamilton, Tommy Hansen and Andre Ethier. Carl Crawford, Hanley Ramirez, Josh Becket, C.J Wilson and Kendrys Morales would be easily listed in the next 50. They will all be well-owned in the upcoming fantasy season.

It goes without saying that there is a major power shift occuring between America’s two coasts. Where once the Yankees and Red Sox competed yearly in bidding wars, now the Dodgers and Halos will.

The Angels allowed Greinke, Torii Hunter and Dan Haren to walk, only to upgrade with Tommy Hansen and Josh Hamilton. The Dodgers reconfigured their management, and since erecting men like Magic Johnson as the face of the franchise, have returned to form, adding five all-stars to their roster since June.

More perfect than the Yankees – Red Sox rivalry is the mere fact that both freeway rivals exist in entirely different league hemispheres. Despite their close proximity, the two can adequately meet each other in the World Series — and event I’m sure woould erupt Southern California into a horn-hollering traffic jam of ravenous fandom.

How perfect is that? Like a high-priced pickup game between neighbors: “Meet in my backyard at sunrise. Winner takes all in your backyard after school.” Weeeesssstttt Siiiiiddde, now has a whole new meaning.

David Price and the Rays look to have the pitching advantage in the wide-open American League East. By Wknight94 (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

“Good pitching will always stop good hitting, and vice-versa.” – Casey Stengel

Much has been made of pitching in baseball over the past few seasons. The game has seen a shift from more dominant power-hitters to more shutdown pitchers since the “steroid era” “ended.”

While there are still many bona fide power hitters in the the majors (Miguel Cabrera, Jose Bautista, Matt Kemp, Ryan Braun, Robinson Cano, etc.), building a strong pitching rotation has become more of a prominent priority for successful teams. Just last season (2011), baseball had a pitcher, Justin Verlander, win both the MVP award and the CY Young award in the American League. Pitching has always been important to America’s pastime but now it’s more crucial than ever.

Especially in such a competitive division as the AL East, good starting pitching becomes even more valuable and necessary to have. Here is a breakdown of each teams potential starting rotation for the 2013 season with the average Earned Run Average (we know averaging an average isn’t scientifically sound, but we’re doing it anyway…):

New York Yankees:

1. C.C Sabathia (15-6, 3.38 ERA, 196 Strikeouts)
2. Hiroki Kuroda (16-11, 3.32 ERA, 167 Strikeouts)
3. Andy Pettitte (5-4, 2.87 ERA, 69 Strikeouts)
4. Phil Hughes (16-13, 4.23 ERA, 165 Strikeouts)
5. Ivan Nova (12-8, 5.02 ERA, 153 Strikeouts)

Average Combined 2012 ERA: 3.76

Baltimore Orioles:

1. Jason Hammel (8-6, 3.43 ERA, 113 Strikeouts)
2. Wei-Yin Chen (12-11, 4.02 ERA, 154 Strikeouts)
3. Chris Tillman (9-3, 2.93 ERA, 66 Strikeouts)
4. Miguel Gonzalez (9-4, 3.25 ERA, 77 Strikeouts)
5. Zach Britton (5-3, 5.07 ERA, 53 Strikeouts)

Average Combined 2012 ERA: 3.74

Tampa Bay Rays:

1. David Price (20-5, 2.56 ERA, 205 Strikeouts) Also was the 2012 AL CY Young Award Winner
2. Jeremy Hellickson (10-11, 3.10 ERA, 124 Strikeouts)
3. Matt Moore (11-11, 3.81 ERA, 175 Strikeouts)
4. Jeff Neimann (2-3, 3.08 ERA, 34 Strikeouts)
5. Alex Cobb (11-9, 4.03 ERA, 106 Strikeouts)

Average Combined ERA: 3.31

Toronto Blue Jays:

1. R.A. Dickey (20-6, 2.73 ERA, 230 Strikeouts) Also was the 2012 NL CY Young Award Winner
2. Josh Johnson (8-14, 3.81 ERA, 165 Strikeouts)
3. Mark Buehrle (13-13, 3.74 ERA, 125 Strikeouts)
4. Brandon Morrow (10-7, 2.96 ERA, 108 Strikeouts)
5. Ricky Romero (9-14, 5.77 ERA, 124 Strikeouts)

Average Combined ERA: 3.80

Boston Red Sox:

1. Jon Lester (9-14, 4.82 ERA, 166 Strikeouts)
2. Ryan Dempster (12-8, 3.38 ERA, 153 Strikeouts)
3. Clay Buchholz (11-8, 4.56 ERA, 129 Strikeouts)
4. John Lackey, 2011 season (12-12, 6.41 ERA, 108 Strikeouts)
5. Felix Doubront (11-10, 4.86 ERA, 167 Strikeouts)

Average Combined ERA: 4.40

The stats above are from the 2012 season and based of ERA alone, it would show that the Rays would have the best starting rotation going into the 2012 season with the Orioles a close second. For the Red Sox I only calculated four pitchers since John Lackey missed the entire 2012 season because of Tommy John Surgery and somehow they still wound up having an expediently higher ERA than any of the other teams. But just stats from don’t show or prove which team will have the best starting rotation next year.

The team that I predict will have the best starting rotation in the AL East is the Toronto Blue Jays. I think that the huge trade between Miami and Toronto will resurrect the careers of both Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle from their down 2012 seasons. Also, any time you can land the raining Cy Young winner in a trade, that’s not too bad either. The Blue Jays rotation is greatly improved and I think will do very well in the 2013 season. However, I still don’t think that the Blue Jays will be the best overall team in the division. For that, I still have to give it to the Yankees. They were the division winners and until someone knocks them out, I am predicting that the Yankees will win the AL East again.

It’s a Buddhist mantra oft quoted by, among others, Los Angeles radio host Vic “The Brick” Jacobs. Jacobs uses the line mostly to describe the attitude of Lakers players at their best. It also describes the workmanlike attitude of Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda. While his career record in Major League Baseball is 9 games under .500, Kuroda’s 3.50 ERA over that time makes him the second most consistent Dodgers pitcher. At the age of 36, Kuroda’s career may be winding down and, for all he’s given the Dodgers, he is deserving of so much more.

_______________________________________

A night etched in history. And a pitcher always up to a big moment. This is how Dodgers fans will remember Kuroda’s 2008 postseason.

In the first round against the Cubs, the right-hander gave up no runs in more than six innings and, in what was the Dodgers’ first LDS win in 20 years, Kuroda protected his teammates, and in turn shut down the eventual World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies.

See the near-brawl he started here.

On a Dodgers’ team with other pitchers who probably have better stuff (see: Billingsley, Kershaw, et. al), the Japanese pitcher in his mid-30’s has been the rock. For the past two seasons, as the Dodgers organization has crumbled around the team, Kuroda has quietly resigned and given the team and fans everything he has each time he steps on the mound.

With any run-support, Kuroda might have been unattainable for the Dodgers to sign as a free agent in the offseason. If he had marketed himself more, the Dodgers’ $12 million offer might have been for naught this offseason.

And now Kuroda is at the heart of trade talks. Rumor is that the Yankees and Red Sox are both considering trading for him to bolster their starting rotations going into the stretch run. As long as Ned Colletti can get a good prospect or two in return, the move seems like a no-brainer. Along with the move being a great business decision, Kuroda is one of the easiest players to root for and I, for one, would have no problem trading him at this juncture. He deserves another shot on the big stage and, furthermore, he has proven he can handle it.

The Dodgers are far out of the playoff hunt, the team is bankrupt, and keeping a 36 year-old with high trade value doesn’t make any sense in the first place. They have an opportunity to do the right thing for everyone for a change. The front office can give an aging Kuroda the opportunity he has earned and get a good prospect in return. It won’t change the divorce, the disconnect from fans (have you seen the ballpark lately?), or the bankruptcy.

Hiroki Kuroda has oodles of good baseball karma stored up in his favor. Maybe the Dodgers can take his lead. Good karma, after all, can be started with a single good act.

For many of us, Summer means little to our fansmanship. As much as we try to appreciate America’s great past-time, Baseball is too slow and monotonous. We are seeking more than just an old timers’ game; more than five dollar English Leather cologne.

It is supposed to be the fun-time of the year. Many of us get time off of work to visit the world, sit on the beach, party with friends. Most importantly for us bachelors (and non-bachelors if we’re honest) the quadruple B’s are out in full force–blond, bronzed, bikini’d, bodies.

Head out to Avila Beach or Pismo for an hour and you will have plenty of memories by the time you’re done eye-surfing the summatime candy.

But hold on. Just hold up a bit. We don’t want to be creepers now do we? When you took the career job or said I DO, life took a turn for the better. Life was no longer a never-ending scene from Baywatch, and you are no longer David Hasselhoff and his abundantly woodsy chest.

Promiscuity is a bad bad word now, it will cause you to pull a groin or pat on tiger balm morning, mid-day, and night. It is not meant for us mature ones, but for the spry youngsters with a libido the size of Roseanne.

This my friends is no fun, I know. Yesterday I nearly pulled a hamstring on the stationary elliptical. I was trying to both watch ESPN and fake-run at the same time. Sounds easy enough, but nearing thirty, nothing has become easy. The “honey yes, honey of course, honey I will,” sorts of answers, are all that are easy. My life is a tedium glass house, I say no and the world comes crumbling down.

Summatime…

Remember playing ball nine to five on the blacktop with a few friends? It’s seventy five, a clear ardent blue coats the horizon, and the dead day just slumped on your shoulders with not a thing to do. Each one of your pretended for an eight hour period you were MJ, Scottie Pippen, Penny, Shaq, Larry Johnson, Zo, Grant Hill, or Hakeem.

Those were the days. Now, as a tax-paying citizen you’ve grown to resent the group I listed above. As you collect your unemployment from your poor paying teaching gig, your rose colored glasses including your young affair with believing in the impossible have slapped the basement of your life and crumbled into a million little pieces.

Summatime…

Relax, at some point all of us end up washed up. If an epic duo like Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff could never produce anything more than their one-hit album, then trust me, you and I will be forced to scan, fax, make copies, and staple for a living.

But what Summatime foreshadows are feelings of freedom. Despite our limited free time and fading memories of running the black top with skinned knees and soda pop, we all have a place within us that can go there.

Who would of thunk watching men’s professional tennis could excite me like Pam Anderson’s bobbing twins used to? Now as an unemployed man I have the ability to depressingly relive the glory days and bring back the first loves of season: sports, sports, and more sports.

Yes, sports.

Currently, A-Rod is stepping closer and closer to Barry’s all-time home run mark, Tiger is trying to return to form and assume his rightful place as golf’s all-time greatest, and the best living tennis player is still playing at an extremely high level in Roger Federer. Not to mention on Sunday, Jeff Gordon won his 84th NASCAR race, ranking fourth all-time on the list and assuming at forty one, he may go down alongside Richard Petty as the greatest driver in World history.

All this and it’s Summatime. Some things to keep an eye this Summer as you either bum it or find the time in your hectic life to Tivo something. Keep an eye on the Boston Red Sox, who after starting the season 1-9, currrently own the second best record in Baseball and are on pace to be just the ninth team in league history to eclipse 1,000 runs scored in a season.

Watch A-Rod continue his climb to home run greatness, as he sits just thirty four shy of the great Willie Mays mark of 660 at fourth all-time.

The NBA draft on June 23rd is always an intriguing experience. For NBA fans, this not only can shape your future (think Boston in 07′ with the trades of both KG and Ray Ray), but offers a glimpse in the leagues future. This year the popular names are the tweeners, Jimmer Fredette of BYU and Kemba Walker of Uconn, both highly talented but not sure lottery choices as of now.

Normally the draft would be all fun and games. That is if there was not a looming NBA lockout. According to NBA analyst Charles Barkley, the owners are at a “point where they are going to try and break these players unions down.”

Like the NBA’s situation, the NFL lockout has to be the most intriguing situation for sports fans. Most of us wait the two dead  Summer months: June and July, for August when football training camps report and news regarding trades begin to swirl. As of now, both sides remain at a stall and the idea of living without football for many not only kills their Summer, but does away with Sunday beer drinking hoots around the tube. Now Church is the only sad option.

June gloom is definitely upon us. A marshmallow cloud bank over the Pacific does it justice. Not only are we concerned about our lack of freedoms living as grown adults but we also may have to live without two of our favorites next year. In order to keep the faith, now would be a good time watch Baywatch re-runs or finally take up those dance lessons.

First of all, how this situation was even picked up by the media comes highly into question. Could something have been intentionally leaked by Favre’s long-time yenta, his agent Bus Cook, in an attempt to try and upstage Rodgers during his moment on top of the quarterbacking world?

The events of this situation are eerily similar to Alex Rodriguez choosing to announce his free agency when the Boston Red Sox were winning their most recent World Series a few years ago. Both Favre and Rodriguez are equally transparent and pathetically out of touch as to the right way to handle yourself with even the slightest amount of integrity.

Honestly, ask yourself how the media would even know if Favre were about to give Rodgers a stupid phone call? How would something this simple and personal to the parties involved end up on national media radar? Why this is a relevant discussion point on the afternoon talking head forums of the evil-four-letter defies explanation.

Charles Woodson said in a recent interview that Favre had plenty of opportunities over the past few years to reach out to Rodgers, as most mentors with even a speckle of class would generally do. Did he choose to reach out at any other random time that wasn’t Super Bowl championship time? Of course not. He had to play the role of the spiteful juvenile who was losing the attention to his little brother. It is becoming ever that much more clear that Favre’s only motivation is to try and strategize for the benefit of his now tainted legacy.

My question is, why does Rodgers even need Favre’s approval? He doesn’t. The misconception that he does is only a creation of the media and Favre’s massive, unsubstantiated ego.

Do you think Rodgers cares about getting some sort of blessing from Favre? Of course not. He now has the same amount of rings that Favre won in his entire career. He has only been a full-time starter for three years and is only 28 years of age. With Rodgers’ talent level and the fact that he could possibly display that level of talent for another decade or more, inevitability says there are more rings to come. This should scare Favre’s over-inflated head, and it’s blatently obvious that it does.

There is also a good chance Rodgers will go down in history someday as a greater Packer quarterback than Favre. I guarantee you a personality like Rodgers will not end his career in Green Bay by trying to be bigger than the franchise, and hold it hostage in the final three offseasons of his tenure.

Favre grew up in the sticks of Southwest Mississippi. He stayed in Southwest Mississippi to go to college. I’m no pyschologist, and I only play one on the internet – but I believe Favre’s disconnect as a youth from competing with the world outside of the swamp and mud played a major role in the immaturity he has displayed as a grown-man.

With this recent “news,” Favre wants nothing more than to steal some of the spotlight from Rodgers, like a junior high “it” girl would, who becomes outlandishly envious and jealous when she is overtaken by the next “it” in the eyes of the peers.

The timing of this supposed reach-out, right after Rodgers is “going to Disneyland,” is a clear cry for “please, still look at me” by Favre. He wants everyone to know that he still holds something over the Super Bowl-winning quarterback – well at least something he thinks he still holds over Rodgers. Rodgers was Favre’s understudy in his final three years in Green Bay, and Favre wants everyone to know that. To a certain extent, he wants everyone to think that Rodgers wouldn’t be what he is today without being that understudy.

All this aside, what really is disappointing is how a legend like Favre has wilted away to nothing but a grasping pub-hound that oozes desparation, and how this kind of behavior only cements the answer to the question of whether or not Favre has created all the drama we have seen over the past few years, or if the media simply had over-sensationalized the entire saga.

The link of egomaniacal behavior between the off-season holdouts and this current drama with Rodgers, which cleary bares no semblence of relevancy, significance or time and place, only confirms the personality flaw Favre suffers from. You have become the senile old man, Brett. Nobody has actually cared for quite a few years now.

But what should we really expect? Favre was always the epitome of chuck and duck, going for broke when it means the most, just closing his eyes and letting it rip. So in that regard, I guess it’s not suprising that on the way out the door, he has managed to throw one final embarrassing and befuddling interception, one we have all picked off.

The next move for the ol’ gun-slingin’ “Silver Fox?” You’re a shoe-in for the daytime soap opera circut.