FOOTBALL. FINALLY.

Ahhh the glorious day has finally arrived. It happens only once a year and just may possibly be one of the best days of my life. It is the ONE and ONLY day when Brewers fans finally realize their team will not be going to the playoffs anymore and I can join them in cheering on a legitimate professional sports team from Wisconsin...THE GREEN BAY PACKERS. Also known as the first Sunday of the NFL's season. Oh yeah, I get to see Terry Bradshow's beautiful balding head as well.

Now I realize that as I predicted, my alter ego procrastination bit coupled with a fair amount of what I had grown unaccustomed to this summer, homework. I also have moved into an apartment on the Gustavus Adolphus Campus and can honestly say I'm not used to doing dishes. Oops. The irony of my opening paragraph concerning the Brewers was that Prince Fielder still believes in the Brewers playoff hopes despite their 68-73 record. So much so that when they win a game, he ORGANIZED a walk-off celebration. Are you kidding me Prince? You won the home run derby, your team is terrible, and you are cocky enough to organize your own walk-off home run celebration. One word: Classy.

It is now 11:58 AM, Sunday September 13th. This means two things: 1) It has been 10 days since I posted last. Lo siento. (I'm sorry.) 2) It is now 2 minutes from kickoff in Cleveland in what will begin Brett Favre's tumultuous last season as an NFL player...I hope. Now I could really care less at this point that one of the most decorated quarterbacks in terms of holding career records will grace Canton, Ohio at the Football Hall of Fame with his #4 Packers jersey donned to remind everyone of his truly great days as a football player. What matters now is he has brought upon himself the abundance of gray hair at 40 jokes while still thinking he can play football. Can you say laughing stock of the NFL? Yeah, not too difficult.

It is now 12:09 PM and the Browns kicked a field goal on their opening drive making the score Browns 3 Vikings 0. This means Brett Favre will soon grace the field with his presence. YAY. NOT. I guess I can only maintain my sanity for so long documenting Favre's efforts in this latest football season since another faux retirement.

12:12 PM. 2 plays, 2 runs, 1 yard.

12:13 PM Favre: 1-1 for -1 yards. 3 and out.

WHAT A GREAT START. THEY ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL. OH MY GOSH THE VIKINGS ARE SO AMAZING.

I guess it's only 1 drive but I can enjoy it while the Vikings less than specatcular play continues with #4 at the helm.

Since my punch line no longer works with procrastination circling like a shark in a pool of bloody water, Until next time...Adios Amigos. ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!?

PS If I'm in a mental hospital in St. Peter tomorrow, you will know why.

Brain Block...

Yikes, brain block sounds scary! No, I don't have an aneurysm just some sort of writer's block apparently.

As exciting as Curt Schilling, retired Red Sox pitcher, would be to write about after he announced he's serious about running for Ted Kennedy's Senate seat, I don't really get into politics.

As exciting as Michael Vick's NFL eligibility pushed up to week 3 of the regular season is, I'm just not very intrigued by it.

As exciting as the U.S. Open has been this week, (not very) writing about almost every men's seed getting through the early rounds while only one high women's seed has been upset so far in Russian Elena Dementieva is just not that inspiring.

And as much as I love fantasy football, I would rather wait to write about my sleeper picks and busts for the fantasy drafts until closer to the season.

So I have settled upon the conclusion that I have a severe case of writer's block or maybe that's just by default. You decide.

Until tomorrow...Adios Amigos.

Rubioing Out of the States...

With talent comes money. With money comes glamour. With glamour comes arrogance. (Often)

Now this doesn't hold true for most athletes in professional sports. Albert Pujols, Roger Federer, and Phil Mickleson to name a few. However, there are some that demand the spotlight and think very highly of themselves.

Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, hmm dare I say Brett Favre?, Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco, etc. Tentatively add to that list Ricky Rubio.

Ricky Rubio was the 5th pick in the NBA draft this year to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He shined in Europe playing for DKV Joventut and putting on a pristine passing showcase throughout the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. More than anything, his championship game performance against NBA stars such as LeBron, Kobe, and company elevated his draft status enough for the Timberwolves to take him with the 5th selection.

Only one problem.

He suddenly decided playing in the NBA, "would have just complicated my life a lot." Granted, the Timberwolves took the risk with drafting him that they would be able to orchestrate a deal to pay his buyout clause from his hometown club and bring him to the states.

However, after numerous meetings with Timberwolves president David Kahn in Spain, Rubio rejected his offers to come to the states and agreed to be dealt to Barcelona.

Rubio stated, "When the season ended, I entered the draft with the intention of going to the NBA. But some things happened that kept me from being ahead of the rest and I ended up No. 5, which I was happy with, but it didn't allow me the chance to go to the NBA. I tried, but in the end it wasn't to be."

Hmmm, it sounds like just a nice way of saying I dont want to play for Minnesota and I could do what I want even though I've never played a minute in the NBA. This is reminiscent of the Eli Manning and Philip Rivers draft situation a few years ago when neither quarterback wanted to play for the teams that drafted them so they eventually were traded.

Ricky, at 19 are you that egotistical that you want to personally direct where you end up in the NBA? Sorry buddy but it doesn't work like that. You will find out soon enough when you DO choose to jump to the NBA that you might have to learn a few things the hard way.

After all, if you didn't want to risk dropping to No. 5 in the NBA draft, why enter the draft in the first place. At least you realize that you can improve your game and raise your draft status for the future but one thing is for certain: When you are drafted, you will be drafted by a terrible team.

That's how the NBA Draft Lottery works. I guess I wish you the best and I guess you are Rick Rollin' your way out of the States Rick Astley style...except boy did you let Minnesotans down.

Until tomorrow...Adios Amigos

Who Ya Gonna Call...SHAQ!

"They call me Superman...Big Shaq where you at?
They call me Superman...Big Shaq where you at?

You can't stop it or block it when I drop it
Anytime I go rhyme for rhyme on a topic
Ain't even fit to step in Shaq's arena
I look inside your mind and I seen your shook demeanor
in your eyes, why are you surprised?"

I know what you are thinking, what rapper in their right mind would pretend to call themself Shaq. Well...Shaq!

You are probably asking yourself why I would open up a post talking about the newest Cleveland Cavalier when it's not even close to the NBA season. Well it's because I am somewhat quite enthralled with his new television show, Shaq Vs.

Indeed, Shaq has become so full of himself that he has decided to nationally embarrass himself on TV attempting to challenge the best athletes...AT THEIR OWN SPORT. He has already challenged Super Bowl winning quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger as well as the dynamic volleyball duo Misty May and Kerri Walsh. Now I didn't see his match up with May and Walsh but I did watch his show with Roethlisberger. Needless to say he held his own throwing the football as only a 7'1" 325 lb. big man could.

His latest episode aired this evening, attempting to take down the best all-around baseball player in the game today as well as my favorite player in a home run derby--Albert Pujols.

Besides being utterly foolish, Shaq provides some excellent color commentary, even joking around with Little League players watching him practice. He even goes so far as to ask Pujols' little son, AJ, who doesn't even come up to his knee, for some pointers in the batting cages.

Nevertheless, Shaq obliged the greatest baseball city with quite a show in the home run derby not to mention his home run fence measured a mere 200.' Remember the LLWS? Some of those kids are a third of Shaq's size and can hit it over that fence no problem. Shaq gave Albert all he could handle until Albert became...well, Albert. The contest spanned two rounds, Shaq got 10 outs, Pujols 5. Tied at ten, Pujols at the plate with 4 outs, Pujols proceeded to smash 6 straight homers out of the stadium much to the despair of Shaq and delight of teammate Ryan Ludwick sitting in the dugout.

As entertaining as the derby was, possibly the most touching moment of the show occurred when Shaq accompanied Albert to a facility for Down Syndrome kids and adults. Pujols' daughter, Isabella, has Down Syndrome and St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield, Missouri has recently announced their center for Down Syndrome will bear Pujols' name.

Pujols stressed how important it is to give back to the community and even better was Shaq's willingness to accompany Albert and greet some of these kids. After watching this episode, I only have one question:

Could baseball have a more commendable slugger to admire in the era of steroid scandals?

I think not.

Until tomorrow...Adios Amigos.