Daytona 500, plus fire, plus tweeting = AWESOME

I know most people don't like NASCAR, except for the millions that follow it, but I like it and I want to write about it.

This is one of the many videos that is out  there of Indy car driver Juan Montoya, I don't know why Indy car drivers want to race so bad in NASCAR but they shouldn't. Anyway this is one of the biggest events in Nascar, and probably one of the stupidest in a long time. The commentary by fellow drivers about Montoya was hilarious. Long story short, basically everyone called him a, "F*cking Idiot."

Anyway, the original story was that Danica Patrick confirmed the stereotype of women can't drive, as she crashed in lap two. But just as every women says, it apparently wasn't her fault. Yeah, OK. Did the car on the one lane circular track come out of nowhere?

Also, another interesting story that I think will get more recognition, is the twitter use of Brad Keselowski.

During the red flag caution lap he took a picture of the fire from his point of view, from the race car. It made him very famous. About 55k followers on twitter in less than an hour.

Most sports don't allow their athletes, and yes I use that term loosely for a NASCAR driver, to tweet during an event. Though, I thought it was a awesome way to interact with a Nascar driver. He will probably be fined and so on and so forth but to be fair, now I know the name Brad Keselowski which I didn't before. So in the end, I think he will take any fine.

Could this be the use of social media to help NASCAR gain popularity? Will it be the only sport that allows social media, in a safe way, no tweeting while driving, out of all the major sports?

Anyway, I don't want to make this longer than the race has been but just some interesting things that I noticed from the Daytona 500.

I will leave you with my favorite tweet about Brad Keselowski from tonight.

Haha @firefly911: I wonder if @keselowski 's Siri sits there all race saying "Left. Left. Left. Left. Left. Pass. Left. Left."

Headlines are evil

This is a bit old but for those that don't know, a ESPN editor was fired for using the headline, "Chink in the armor" which is a term that shouldn't have been used in general since it didn't make sense to the story, but it was and it's kinda funny.

The editor who used it apparently didn't know that it is a derogatory saying to use toward the Asian population, I don't know how you don't know, but maybe that's why I don't work at ESPN.

Since the incident, we had to have a talk at our paper about headlines. I love it, we don't make a mistake and they treat us like little children who don't know how to write headlines. I guess since ESPN is suppose to be "the best of the best" it is a mistake we would make too.

Since that incident, Danica Patrick won the poll at the Nationwide series in Nascar, yes I watch Nascar and screw you too.

The term that would be used for someone who won the poll would be, "Danica Patrick sits on the poll."

Now, obviously we can't use that anymore. I think it's rather funny and I think editors should be able to use it but now that we live in this over the top political correctness society, we can't say something that may or may not be construed the wrong way. Honestly, I am sick of it all. People need to stop being so sensitive and take some humor in life.

I don't think you should be racist or sexist, but the term, "Chink in the armor" or "Danica Patrick sits on the poll" should be allowed to be used regardless of race and sex.

Oh and speaking of stereotypes, Danica crashes in the race and they say it wasn't her fault. Sounds like every women I have ever heard after they get in an accident, "It wasn't my fault." Sure it wasn't.

I hate this part of the season

There is truly nothing interesting going on in sports right now.

Yes college basketball is amazing but it's near the end where I just want to see the conference tournaments and March Madness.

NHL is not even near its end and ESPN is stuck showing me NBA all the time.

Which brings me to my main point. The NBA sucks. The best days of my life were knowing it was in lockout and there was a chance that it wouldn't be on.

I know there are so many people that agree with this and it makes me wonder why more college athletes don't stay to play for their college.

I know they leave to make money, but it's kinda sad. That's all they care about and there is no passion for the school they are going to, it's just a step they don't want to take in between making money.

It truly makes me happy I went to a school where athletes rather stay there all four years and realize how important that not only a college degree is, but what it takes to be a Boilermaker and be respected forever from your Alma Mater.

Your college will always be yours, A professional team can trade you and you will be hated by a city.

Lin-sanity!!!!

Jeremy Lin is a basketball player no one knew about a week ago.

Now, he is the biggest thing to happen to NYC since. Well, I am not too sure what, but it's big. And by big I mean, he is the NBA version of Tim Tebow, except without the Tebowing.

Why do I make such claims? Because ESPN sort of dictates what we love as a country in the world of sports. I never liked Tebow in college, I don't like the Gators, I don't like the SEC and I don't like over the top christian athletes.

Though he went to the NFL, I still didn't like him at first, until everyone hated him. It was the cool thing to do. So he started playing and started winning, and they still wanted to hate on him and then ESPN made him bigger than Jesus, kinda ironic.

This is now what is happening to Lin.

No one knew of Lin, and now you can't not help but notice. ESPN is trying to make a huge deal about him, as they should, but it's starting to get over the top. All he needs is a pre-game ritual for the nation to start doing. Hopefully it doesn't get that bad, but what will get bad is when Carmello Anthony returns to the Knicks. Why do I say that, well because Anthony isn't any good and he makes players around him worse.

I could go into a whole blog tangent about how this is true and how if you look at the stats of players before playing with him and after you can see the difference. Or when Mello is hurt, how everyone starts playing better. Face it, he isn't that good.

So I hope Lin enjoys his time in the spot light because once Mello is back, Lin's stats will go down, just like everyone else.

It's funny though, Mello is gone and the Knicks are on a five game winning streak.

Coincidence?

I think not.

Apparently I am suppose to feel bad for TO

For those who didn't see the GQ article about Terrell Owens, he admits to being broke.

This is an athlete who in 14 years made over $80 million. He recently was interviewed saying he is in a "living hell" and basically a giant sob story. Sorry I don't have any tissues for you TO, because I don't feel bad, even if you were on my team for a bit.

One of Terrell Owen's famous quotes was, “Like I always said, if I'm one of the top players in the game, pay me like I'm one of the top players in the game.”

They did.


Even though he was a problem on any team, teams would pay him the big bucks. With almost every team he was on, except Buffalo (go figure), he was extremely productive and usually had good years.


Then he tore his ACL, Purdue fans know that too well, and now no one wants him and he's now bitching about how no one wants him.


He talks about where his finances have gone. He doesn't get into too much detail except for:

• He pays $45,000 a MONTH for child support, he has four kids with four different women.
• He pays $750,000 annually for the mortgages on his houses.

So in short, during his 14 years of playing, he spent roughly 10 dollars every minute. That's insane to think about.

It's amazing to me that an athlete that was given so much can squander it all away. Though he claims it wasn't done to himself, he was too nice to others and that's why he has no money.

Now, I don't have a lot of money to begin with but i am nice to others yet I still have my money. He should of been preaching that money isn't everything, though I guess you can't when you have a lot of it.

In one of his interviews TO said, "The only people that really matter are the people that are in my inner circle.”

I guess not anymore, you should of been nicer to the people who sign your paycheck. 

This commercial haunts my dreams

This video haunts me. 

I wake up in the morning, put some running clothes on, realize it's way too cold to go outside so I go on the treadmill downstairs. Turn on ESPN to catch up with my sporting news and without fail, this commercial is on, every time.

Then for the rest of the day I get Eli's dumb looking face stuck in my head and his annoying voice saying he is going to Disney World. 

First off, I am tired of this shit. Every athlete says they are going to Disney World, why not tell the truth. You are going to a bar to get drunk. That's what you are going to do. Go blow a few million dollars of your Super Bowl bonus.

Second, the part at the end where they sing, "Dreams come true!" Freaking gets stuck in my head for the rest of the day. I go to finished my work out, all I hear is, "Dreams come true!" 

I go to the bathroom, "Dreams come true!"

I talk to my mom about serious political issues, "Dreams come true!"

It gets stuck in my head for the rest of the day, then once that gets out, I get Eli's stupid face stuck in my head

Yeah, that one. Then I think about that all day. 

Then I finally get into bed at night, finally I forgot about it. After trying not to think of Eli for 12 hours, and I am about to get a sound sleep.

I turn my TV on to put on some background noise and I hear this commercial in the background.

Son of a bitch, they got me again. 

Jared Sullinger: Most overrated college "athlete"

Jared Sullinger, what can I say, I am not a fan. For those who don't know, he is the sophomore forward on aO$U (a Ohio State University) and if you have never seen him play, you should.

Basically the way he plays is,

• Gets the ball
• Pulls out a gun
• Shoots the defender
• Complains that there is blood on him
• A foul is called on the defender as they let him put in a layup.

I wish I was kidding but it is pretty much how it goes. This "top athlete" is only good because of the calls he gets. I am a graduate of Purdue and naturally had to watch him play as Purdue faced off against aO$U. Every time he was stopped by good defense he would sit on the ground and cry. The refs would eventually give him the call. It was disgusting. He couldn't shoot well from the field once good defense was played against him.

I do believe the B1G Ten conference is the best basketball conference in the nation, but players like this disgust me. It is suppose to be a tough, physical conference. When you have someone who cries after every play and demands respect, even though it has never been earned, it is annoying to watch.

If you ever get to see the giant baby play, you should, just once. Just so you can see the wrong way to play basketball. If you want to watch the right way, watch any other athlete that is willing to play defense and play tough, pretty much any other school.

Oh no Gronk went out dancing!?!?!?!

Just Google Rob Gronkowski dancing. I refuse to put up a link on it on this post because it annoys me this has become a big ordeal.

Gronk and the Patriots lose the Super Bowl and Gronk goes out and dances that night. End of story. I know that he was injured and shouldn't be able to dance but he did. It's not like he, oh I don't know, raped or killed someone. Unlike other NFL athletes. But THIS! This is a big ordeal.

He is a kid, let him be a kid. No reason to sulk over a loss for a long time. Good for him and going out and enjoying the sights of Indy. It's a fun city.

Kobe Bryant passes Shaq

Kobe Bryant is now fifth on the all-time points leaders list, passing ex-teammate Shaquille O'Neil.
Everyone knows that Bryant and Shaq was one of the best duos ever in the game and some of the best Lakers to put on the jersey. I myself am not a Lakers fan but respect is due where it's earned. The argument when I was growing up was who is better, Shaq or Kobe.

I decided to expand that a bit, who are the top five Lakers ever, in my opinion. In order from best to fifth best.

1. Jerry West. I mean he is the logo after all. What he accomplished scoring wise as a pure shooter with no three-point line, is simply amazing. Plus he did that thing that wasn't offense that no one in the NBA does anymore, what was it, oh yeah... defense. He was darn good at it.
2. Magic Johnson. The NBA was dead in the 80's and him and Larry Bird brought it back. Johnson will forever be remembered for having AIDS but he was a true point guard even if he didn't fit the stereo type physically.
3. Kobe Bryant. I am not a fan of his off the court problems but he is one amazing athlete. The ability he has to take over the game is amazing. Every time he shoots it seems like it goes in. He won't be the points leader, but he will be darn close when it's all said and done. I go on all day about him since I have been alive to watch him play, unlike most of the others on this list.
4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I mean, he does lead the NBA in all-time scoring. Plus he was a beast. 'Nuff said.
5. Shaq. He didn't play his entire career with the Lakers and that hurts him. Plus he had an unfair advantage. Just look at him! Plus this didn't help his cause.

Reflections from the Super Bowl

Instead of having a long typical blog post about how Wes Welker shouldn't have made, "The Drop" or that Dion Branch and Aaron Hernandez should of caught the ball on the Patriots final drive. Or even the several fumbles the Patriots seemed to not be able to get. I will list my top 10 things that upset me about the Super Bowl.

1. First the most important thing, the commercials this year were terrible. There were a few decent ones, but overall, I expected more. Especially if you are going to be paying millions for those spots.
2. Jason Tuck's face mask. 
3. Tom Brady could not throw an accurate pass after getting sacked for the first time. Brady never looked comfortable after that and he rushed a lot of his throws he shouldn't have. It's unfortunate because the Giant's "amazing" pass-rush wasn't playing its best Sunday.
4. Eli Manning's face. 
5. The fact that I have to listen to how Eli is as good as Brady. I am sorry, but he isn't. Brady has had a better career stat wise but he has three Super Bowl wins to Eli's two. Also, the 2007 Super Bowl wasn't won by Eli.  It was won by its defense. Brady won all three of those Super Bowls. 
6. The half time show

Side note here

First off, Madonna in a half time show was sad. She obviously, and very poorly, lip-synced her songs. She tried to be "sexy" I am sorry, you are 50 something. Stop trying to act like a sex icon. Also, M.I.A. gave me the finger? I didn't notice, mainly because when we were watching we were all trying to figure out who that was. I hate to tell her, her career is as irrelevant as her giving me the finger. Paper airplanes was a hit the last time the Giants were Super Bowl winners. No reason to have her up there with LMFAO and Nicki Minaj, simply doesn't make sense. 

Also, Blogger makes me start at one again, but I know it's really seven.

1. I am going to have to listen to annoying Giant's fan talk about how amazing their team is and how they won. I just can't stand NY fans for the most part. (Even though I am a Buffalo Bills fan).
2. Brady's wife talking smack about the wide receivers. You are not a football player or ever been or probably even follow sports. Don't comment.
3. How I have to hear about another over-hyped wide receiver catch with Mario Manningham. It was a good catch, but not that good. 
4. Talking about David Tyree's over-hyped call. He had both hands on it and took it off and used his head. That's not amazing, that's bad technique. It's not a great play, it was a fluke. I don't care what anyone else says, it was a terrible play and should never be remembered. 

Well that is what I felt went wrong with the Super Bowl, but it was a good game. There is a ton to talk about what went right and why it was so good but I chose to take a different look at the game. I was pulling for the Patriots, but I am not a fan of either team, so I guess regardless of who won. I would lose. 

Also, America, we all lost because of that half-time show.