Just Glad I Still Care

I hadn’t moved from my spot on the couch since the game ended.  Almost a half hour passed as I sat there alone, staring at the blank TV, thinking, stewing, physically hurting.

The Lakers had a chance to close out their series with the Denver Nuggets, but came out at home with no energy or killer instinct.  The Nuggets led the whole way, ballooning the lead up to 15 with six minutes to play.  I came very close to powering off the TV during that timeout, and later wish I had.     

But I didn’t, and inevitably the Lakers went on a furious run, led as always by the indomitable will of Kobe Bryant.  They clawed all the way back to within 2 on a barrage of three pointers.  The sudden change of emotions was almost too much to handle.  I went from deep despair to bewildered euphoria in less than a quarter of an hour.  It wasn’t healthy.  And when the Lakers ultimately came up just short, I fell to an even lower level of despondency.

This was a horrible feeling; this was not something I wanted to feel anymore.  This wasn’t very fun.  Sports are supposed to be fun.  Being a sports fan is supposed to be fun.  This was not fun.

"The Decision"

When I woke up this morning, I wondered if it had all been a dream. A quick check of almost any internet site confirmed otherwise- Lebron James really had left the Cleveland Cavaliers. And he had done it in an hour long ESPN special that he produced.


It's not that I wanted it to be a dream, I guess. I'm not a Lebron fan, I'm not a Cav's fan. I just thought it couldn't have been real.  As I laid there in bed this morning, imagining that it was a dream was easier than trying to convince myself it was real.  While the night's sleep has added some perspective, it certainly hasn't made the decision and especially "The Decision" seem any less surreal.


"The Decision" was one of the most ill conceived ideas in sports history. It was corny, over the top, ridiculous, staged, contrived and ultimately sickening. At times it didn't even seem real. It felt like a parody. It was laugh out loud funny, while trying hard to be serious and impressive. The opening of the show featured a long and cringe worthy montage of highlights with self-important narration. Yes, we already knew this was "the most anticipated free agent of all time", we knew that this was an important decision- ESPN has been pushing it down our throats for days, weeks, even years.

“Does it Dry Up, Like a Raisin in the Sun?”

Charlie Davies, Twitter, Belief, and a Dream Deferred

We should have seen this coming. All the signs pointed to Charlie being left off yesterday’s preliminary World Cup roster. The doctors and coaches at his club, FC Sochaux, were expressing doubt and hesitation. The Club president said he wasn’t yet ready to play. The French media also wrote that Charlie wasn’t ready. But we believed. They didn’t know what they were talking about. Charlie’s “tweets” said he was back.

United States National Team doctor Ivan Pierra met with Davies in France last week, and the results of their meeting were kept relatively quiet, rather than publicized. Head Coach Bob Bradley recently tried to temper expectations and issued caution regarding Davies recovery. All the signs were pointing towards the sad news. And yet, like Charlie, we still believed. The only source steadfastly proclaiming that Charlie would be ready was Davies himself, on twitter and in numerous interviews.

We had to believe. As fans, it’s what we do. With his numerous encouraging and inspiring tweets, and rumors of amazing progress, we started to convince ourselves that it was going to happen. He was going to do the impossible. He was unbreakable. He was going to make it back to the World Cup. Only 7 months ago we weren’t even sure he was alive. A few months before that, most of us weren’t even sure who he was.

Kobe's Hardest Sacrifice

Kobe, it really is time. It's finally come to this; it's time to sit down. We all know the injuries have been accumulating as the season drags on. First there was the injured pinky you famously played with through the Olympics and all of last season, eschewing surgery in your steadfast desire to avoid sitting out. Then you injured another finger this year, this time your right index finger, forcing you to adjust your shot, and even your handshake with the President. We've watched as you have continued to play through pain this year with the elbow injury, the back spasms and now the sprained ankle.

Look, we get it. You consider yourself a 'warrior' and take immense pride in playing all 82 games every season. You are a warrior. You haven't missed a game because of injury since 2006! That is an astounding stat, and I'm surprised the media doesn't give you more recognition for it. You're one of the toughest players in the NBA- you've proven that beyond a doubt.

As a fan, we love to see players who will die for the team; we love guys who play through pain because they'll do anything to help the team to win. You've embodied these qualities throughout your career, and we respect you immensely for it. But the reason we've loved seeing you play through injuries in the past is because it gave the team the best chance to win. Now, I'm not so sure.

Bruce Almighty

I’m sorry, Bruce. I should have known better. I should never have doubted you. There, I said it. I was wrong. It wasn’t the first time, and certainly won’t be the last. While it’s embarrassing how wrong I was, I’ve never been so happy to be in error.

You see, I’m talking of course, about my immediate dismissal of Bruce Arena. After Ruud Gullit ‘resigned’ midway through last season, the Galaxy head honchos turned to Bruce Arena. “The Bruce” is a well-known figure in the soccer community, perhaps best known as the former head coach of the United States National Team from 1998-2006.

Arena was certainly a big name, which the Galaxy seemed to consider a major factor, and definitely carried an impressive resume. He had been extremely successful at the NCAA level, with the University of Virginia in the 80’s and early 90’s. He later took DC United to three consecutive MLS Cup Finals, winning in both ‘96 and ‘97. And of course, there was the national team. After the United States dismal performance in France ‘98, Arena replaced coach Steve Sampson. He turned the team around over the next four years, culminating with an amazing World Cup run in 2002, leading the “Nats” all the way to the quarterfinals.

But did he still have it? After the success of the 2002 World Cup, the US flamed out in the group stage in 2006. Arena was left with egg on his face after some controversial decisions and an overly defensive style. The US Soccer federation chose not to renew his contract, and Arena returned to the MLS, this time with the New York Red Bulls. He found little success in a season and half at the helm of New York. His decision to bring in over-the-hill Claudio Reyna as his ‘designated player’ seemed to cement to many that he had lost his marbles. Once again, Bruce was out of a job.

But not for long. After a chaotic 9 months under the eccentric Ruud Gullit, the Galaxy cleared house. Arena was named coach and general manager, relieving Alexi Lalas of the latter duty.

A Perfect Day at Stanford Stadium

Last Saturday, I crossed another item off my sports ‘bucket list’. In the past eighteen months, I’ve been lucky enough to cross a handful of things of the list- I’ve been to an NBA Finals game, I’ve seen a match at Wembley Stadium, I’ve seen a premier league soccer game, I’ve met a favorite athlete, amongst a few other things. This Saturday, I rushed the field after a huge college football upset.

One of my best friends, Greg, is a huge Stanford fan. As we don’t have a team here at UC Santa Cruz, every sports fan has their own reasons for the college football team they root for: their parents’ alma matter, proximity to their hometown, a school their friends go to, etc. Greg’s favorite college team is Stanford. Even though Palo Alto is about an hour drive from Santa Cruz, he’d never been there to see a game before. This year, as seniors, he decided it was the last chance. I love college football, and was more than happy to join.

Anticipation

I’m sitting at my desk, books cracked, Microsoft Word open, and my ‘study/reading’ playlist cranking out calming tunes. Everything is set up perfectly for me to begin my paper due tomorrow; except there is one problem- I just can’t focus, no matter how hard I try. My mind is somewhere else entirely.

As any college student knows, this is far from unusual. Yet, this is not typical procrastination- this is something much more serious. This is 'anticipation'. For tonight is no ordinary night, it is the eve of the NBA season, and the eve of my beloved Lakers quest for their 16th title.

Anticipation- the NBA’s tagline for its season opening week- is not simply a state of mind, it is a feeling that grasps you entirely, rendering you unable to complete even the most basic tasks. It strikes obsessive sports fans often- sometimes worse than others. We can feel it before every game. We feel it more before big games, or at the beginning of the post-season. It is on opening day however, that we feel anticipation most strongly.