MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STEROIDS ERA ON TRIAL AS RODER CLEMONS, BARRY BONDS FACE JURIES

They stood as pillars of baseball for much of their careers.  Now, they are about to stand trail.  Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, baseball's biggest stars implicated in steroids use, will face juries on opposite ends of the country.  Bonds is scheduled for trail in U.S. District Court in San Francisco starting March 21 on four counts of making false statements to a grand jury and one count of obstruction of justice.  Clemens is set to be judged in Federal Court in Washington D.C., starting July 6 on three counts of making false statements, two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of Congress.  Both of these elite athletes have there hands full at the federal level and if found guilty could be facing prison sentences.  Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs in 2001, and his 762 home runs in a career that stretched from 1986-2007 bettered both Babe Ruth's 714 and Hank Arron's 755.  Clemens pitched from 1994-2007 and his 4,672 strikeouts trail only Nolan Ryan 5,714 and Randy Johnson 4,875.  He struck out 218 batters at 42, an age when nearly all his contemporaries had retired.  While prosecutors came upon evidence of Bonds' alleged drug use during the BALCO raids, Clemens pretty much brought prosecution upon himself.  After Brian McNamee his former personal trainer, became known to federal investigators through their investigation of former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, McName agreed to cooperate with federal agents and baseball investigator George Mitchell in exchange for not getting prosecuted.  I believe both gentlemen should be prosecuted to the fullest of the law, go to prison, and be banned from the hall of fame.  Guilty or not guilty that is the question.  Time will tell-enjoy this video!

NBA Lockout

The NBA is considering a lockout for this season and probably also for some time in the next season. They have been considering this move for a year already. So what does a lockout mean? Revenue cannot keep up with the salaries that are given out to players under a contract with an NBA team. So that is why cutbacks have to be made, in order to even it out, lowering the salary cap per team. Players that are under a multimillion contract are forced to receive less, yet to my opinion the amount they receive is still tremendous and way beyond reality, though the decline in player salaries is due to conservative spending by owners during a poor economy.

European basketball teams though see this as an opportunity, thinking about getting NBA players to sign a contract with them. German teams such as Munich, Bamberg and Berlin have been interested in putting Dirk Nowitzki under contract for the time of the lockout, or maybe longer depending on what his decision is and what the contracts offer. This would probably open a market in Europe as basketball is still a rising sport. More and more people start to show interest in it and this would open a lot of windows as it is still unpopular.

My opinion on this is split. On the one hand I think the lockout is unfair towards the players as they have been promised to receive a certain amount in a year, according to their contract, which would result in a breaking contracts (unless I have overlooked something), though on the other hand I see this as a good idea due to the reason that Athletes receive a ridiculous amount of money per year anyway. Whereas half of their salary is still enough to make a good living.

Coat of Arms and how it relates...

The sports and gaming code of arms are: Dependability/Unity, Justice, Meekness/Humbleness, Drive/Motivation, Respect, and Equality. I think that there is a direct correlation in the sports world of athletes who display these qualities and those who exhibit the opposite. Never before have sports stars been in the position to affect not only the aspirations of young fans, but the actions as well. Now that the Internet has brought so much of the athlete's private life out into the spotlight, they have more influence than ever, for better or for worse.

Three of the most infamous examples of the negative influences athletes can have on fans come from football players Michael Vick and Ben Roethlisberger and Golfer Tiger Woods. Michael Vick was a QB for the Atlanta Falcons after winning the Heisman trophy in college. He was on top, on the mind of many young fans who looked up to him. And then his secret, illegal dog fighting ring was found. He was the target of the disappointment, disgust and even hatred of millions. After being jailed for a short time, he rejoined the NFL. Fellow NFL QB Ben Roethlisberger was in a similar light after being accused of sexually assaulting young women. Although she dropped the chargers, he was suspended by the league only to bounce back and play in the 2011 Superbowl where his influence could spread even further. Last but certainly not least is Tiger Woods. After several years of marriage and a beautiful baby together, Tiger and his wife separated after the media broke the story of his nine and counting affairs during their marriage. All three of these men were in a position on prestige, arguable one of power, and certainly one of influence and they abused this power by neglecting to cherish the above stated coat of arms.

On the other sign on the coin however, there have been exemplary athletes who have exhibited the above coat of arms qualities time and time again to influence others positively. NBA star Matthew Wade, for example not only has created camps and foundations himself to help young athletes succeed in a number of sports, but he also created Athlete Foundations which helps other athletes in their quest to make a difference in the community. Arguably the most famous charitable athlete is basketball legend Magic Johnson. Not only does he support causes such as AIDS and the Ludicrous Foundation, but he also created the Magic Johnson Foundation in 1991 which assists inner city/under-privileged youth in a variety ways. These two men make the ideal sports role model for fans of all ages because of the coat of arms attributes the exemplify.

I have given examples of professional athletes who reject the attributes in the sports and gaming code and of some who embrace it. Anyone such as an athlete or actor or anyone in the public spotlight for that matter, must realize that all that they do, for better or worse, is front and center for all of their fans to see. And many of those fans, especially the adolescent ones, will mimic this behaviour for better or for worse. This is why I believe that these people should live by the code as long as they are in a position of influence. This will better our youth for today and tomorrow.

The Anaheim Kings

What is the importance of sports in creating happiness in society? How much do sports cost and what is the return? When these topics were presented I immediately thought about the Sacramento Kings and the imminent possibility of the team leaving Sacramento. If you haven't heard, or read the paper that's been delivered to your doorstep every morning, the Kings are looking for a new castle. As it seems Arco Arena or should I say Power Balance Pavilion is obsolete. Obsolete in size, amenities, location and so on. The owners of the Kings want a new Arena for the team or they plan to move to a city with better accommodations. Time is an issue here as the March 1 deadline for the team to file for relocation is a short eight days away. The issue of the Kings leaving is not new. Voters rejected a ballot as far back as 2006 on a tax increase to help raise an estimated $600 million to pay for a new state of the art facility. Investors, developers, consultants, lawyers, city councils, and our Mayor Kevin Johnson (a former NBA player) have spent millions in attempts to get a new Arena and keep our beloved King in Sacramento. It all comes down to the bottom-line, MONEY. Who is going to pay $600 million to get this done? King owners and the NBA won't do it without public funds and the public doesn't want the tax increase to cover that difference, especially with our current economic troubles. After all these years and all those people looking to find a way to make things happen they have not and it looks as though, come March 1, the Kings owners will apply for relocation. Many cities have been rumored candidates; Las Vegas, Seattle, San Jose, Louisville and Anaheim. Most likely Anaheim.

Relocating a major sports team sounds complicated and it is. Legal issues, naming rights, land leases, contracts, all sorts of stuff that makes guys like Professor Ellerman mega-bucks. Despite all that, moves happen. The Kings themselves started in Rochester, N.Y. then to Cincinnati, and Kansas City before landing in Sac in 1985. More famous moves include the MLB's NY Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers to San Fran and L.A. I have to represent the Raiders who have moved from Oakland to L.A. then back to Oakland. In the NBA the most recent team to move was the team formally known as the Seattle Super Sonics, now called the Oklahoma City Thunder. This brings me back to the topic at hand. As humans we sometimes take things for granted. We don't realize how great something is until it's gone. What would Sacramento be like without a major sports team? Would you miss the Kings? Now think about the years they were good and answer that. I asked myself and wondered what others felt like when their team left. I looked into the Super Sonics and discovered many similarities between our two teams, like the need for a modern stadium, losing record and poor attendance, and the city's struggle to keep their team. Then i came across this film and was even more convinced. I've concluded the Kings are dethroned, assassinated, and will no longer be in Sacramento.
The film is two hours long and I'm sorry, but it was perfect for the class and I hope some of you would actually take the time to watch it. So for those of you short on time or out of Ritalin here is the recap. I've also included some time markers so you can skip ahead to the cool stuff.

'Sonicgate: requiem for a Team' starts with a brief history of the team; How they came to be in Seattle in 1976, Key Arena in which they played and some of the great players who made their history. Won a championship in their early years. The team had great success in the early to mid nineties with several playoff appearances but no championships. Sound familiar? The team was up for sale and bought by Starbuck's mogul Howard Shultz who turned out to be more of a business-man than a basketball-man. After he took ownership, the team started it's downward spiral into losing seasons and losing money. With plenty of young talent (because of low draft picks accuired by horrible record) but no star talent to assemble a winning team and an obsolete arena to attract that talent, the Sonics were suffering. Sound familiar? Shultz was losing money and in a desperate move sold the team to an Oklahoma City business man, Clayton Bennet of Professional Basketball Company (PBC llc.). He promises to keep the team in Seattle if a new arena is built. PBC and the NBA tell Seattle they have to pay for that arena. After years of collaboration and a failed tax initative, Seattle fails to come up with the funding. Sound familiar? So long Super Sonics. The film has interviews with people involved and affected by the move. There is an epic court battle involving the PBC and the Mayor of Seattle. It is an eye opener on how the NBA works and what is happening with the Kings. You should really watch it, seriously!

Just fast-forward to these parts that I found intriguing and relevant to our assignment, but you should really watch the film, seriously!

0:11:00- Remember when the kings were good and the excitement it caused with a glimpse of how Seattle fans felt in there glory days. And check out the Shaun Kemp dunk over Dennis Rodman.

0:22:50- Sacramento great, Seattle native, Doug Cristie cameo. NBA players from Washington discuss what the Sonics meant for them and the teams contribution to society.

0:42:30- Learn of the struggles to pay for a new arena

0:49:07- Hear what NBA wants in in a facility. $$$

0:53:30- It hits close to home when the film talks about how a poor team can't create enough revenue, and how the ownership really isn't making any moves to get better players. Just like the Kings the sonics have good young talent because of early draft picks but inactive in completing a competitive team.

1:09:32- The film hits the heart-strings as we see the final game for the Sonics.

1:11:50- The NBA taking advantage of cities by asking for public funds for teams to play when they are making billions.

1:30:13- Sherman Alexie (author,poet, filmmaker) gives a court testimony to the 'value' of a pro team in your city.

1:50:11- More thought by Sherman on the importance of sports. HERCULES!

Sports teams give us as a society something to marvel over and inspire us. Creates camaraderie as we wear the same colors of our team and join together against our rivals. Win or lose its the only place thousands of people can be together and feel the same single emotion. Competition drives us. Anything you can do i can do better. As for the cost. Money has corrupted sports as well as most everything n our lives today but that is the world in which we live. The return for the millions spent is the sense of history and fullfill a basic human need to belong.

The Sonics played in Seattle for 41 years, won a championship, and were located in the 13th largest media market in the U.S. The Kings have been in Sac for only 25 years, never won a championship, and are currently in the 20th largest media market. How will you feel when they are gone?

I wrote this Mondy night. Read the front page of the SacBee Wednesday. SacBee.com

Learn more about the Sonics at sonicgate.org

"SPORTS AND GAMING CODE OF ARMS"

The sports and gaming code of arms are: Dependability/Unity, Justice, Meekness/Humbleness, Drive/Motivation, Respect, and Equality.  I think all these values should be used in everyday life as well as in the sports world.  You have athletes in the sports world that make millions of dollars per year and do not display any of these qualities in there life.  Instead these athletes are out there not being good role models for the fans.  You read about this all the time, for example when Pacman Jones went to a strip club and somebody was killed.  Don't get me wrong there are alot of athletes out there that display these qualities in there day to day life.  I just think that sports have changed in the last 20 or 30 years, because athletes are getting ungodly sums of money per year and thinking they can do whatever they want.  If they had these code of arms working in there life's, you probably wouldn't here about them on the news.  In my opinion, to be effective in life as well as an athlete life you need these core values in your life.  On the other hand you have guys like Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Derrick Jeter, and Arron Rogers that display these qualities on and off the field.  These are the guys you don't here bad things about and they show you what an example they can be with solid values in their life's.  So in conclusion I say "JUST DO IT."

GLADIATORS OFTHE RING

MMA AND UFC ARE VERY EXCITING SPORTS TO WATCH.  BACK WHEN THE ROMAN EMPIRE RULED THE EARTH THEY HAD FIGHTS LIKE THIS, EXCEPT THEY HAD WEAPONS AND FOUGHT TO THE DEATH.  THESE GUYS ARE AT THE TOP OF THERE GAME  PHYSICALLY AND JUST GO OUT THERE AND KNOCK THE CRAP OUT OF EACH OTHER-IT'S AMAZING.  MMA SINCE IT'S BEGINNING IS GROWING LEAPS AND BOUNDS IN POPULARITY AND IN MY OPINION IS SURPASSING BOXING BY FAR.  THERE'S ONLY 3 RULES IN MMA AND IT'S SURE FUN TO WATCH-ENJOY!

Safety Campaign for NBA All-Star Weekend

"US Government, NBA Team Launch All-Star Security Campaign" - Source from www.nba.com

This weekend, on the 20th of February, the 60th NBA All-Star Game between the East and the West is taking place. The Homeland Security Department and the NBA started a security campaign encouraging people in Los Angeles to report any suspicious activity.

It does give a good impression that the US government and the NBA care for the safety of its own people and viewers, especially when it comes to such a big event like the NBA All-Star game, where security is definitely important and needed. Not only to protect but also guide the people.

Though there is only one thing that is concerning. Will the people actually pay attention for what is being asked and also take initiative to watch out and report these "suspicious activities", if not even more, when they're more focused to what they have come for, the NBA All-Star game?

This is not relevant to this topic, but for example in Germany at the Love Parade 2010 in Duisburg, it ended to a tragedy where 21 People have died and over 500 have been injured, because of the security forces not being successful in guiding the people. People have tried to escape from being pushed and pressed to death because it was overcrowded.

Taking this as an example, the city and security forces are responsible for planning and maintaining enough space for everyone and their safety, for which reporting suspicious activities from the people is a minor step towards a better Safety.

If you'd like to answer a question: How do you think an event like this can be more successful than it is, other than safety?

Is anyone more RIDICULOUS than Blake Griffin?

Not right now. Not that I've seen. There have been some amazing players who have done some pretty amazing things but to be ridiculous... look at what this kid does. This top ten video is a very small, and i mean a VERY small sample of the power , intensity, athleticism, creativity, ridiculousity Blake Griffin is bringing to the NBA. Ranked #2 in Double-Doubles averaging 22.7points per game and 12.7 rebound per game and he's a rookie. Just recently he scored 47 points with 14 rebounds against the Pacers. His 26th double-double in a row.His second 40+ point game this year. The first rookie in 14 seasons to do so since Allen Iverson. What other greats can we compare him too. The only other rookie to score at least 40 points and 10 rebounds is Shaquille O'Neil. And just for kicks he joins the greatest ever, Micheal Jordan, as one of the only players to put up 47 and 13 before the age of 22. ('Behind the Numbers' by Sean Nami)

As seen in the clip, his first NBA basket is a powerful, ally-oop dunk. That's what the buzz is about. This giant young man, 6'10" 251lbs, flying through the air throwing the ball through the hoop, ridiculously. 133 times in only 54 games he has slammed it down, each of them as exciting as the next. Dunks like #7 where he takes off in a full sprint and soars. I think it's most impressive how he dunks over other players, in traffic, exploding up through and over defenders. The #1 dunk in this clip is being talked about as one of the most impressive dunks ever. In mid stride he rolls to the left, his weak side, and off the dribble he gets up and slams it in. Not seen in the clip is how he can finesse the ball just as well. When defenders prepare for the aggressive slam he eases off and finger-rolls it right over their heads. His demeanor is intense, no nonsense as if he has a chip on his shoulder. Rarely celebrating. Rarley smiling. Slams it down and gets right back to work on defense to get the next rebound.

The 21 year old rookie out of Oklahoma has made the L.A. Clppers one of the hottest tickets in town. A town dominated by the L.A. Laker's. OK, OK, the Lakers are still the #1 team in LaLa land but despite the Clipper's losing record they're stealing the show. In an ESPN article by Pedro Moura, it states "the Clipper's are averaging a healthy 18,100 fans per game at home, filling the Staples Center to 95% of its capacity." In the same article, Clipper's President Andy Roesser is quoted "People a talking about Blake all over the country and all over the world. We're noticing a trend, too, where our attendance on the road is up. People are wanting to see Blake play in other cities as well."

Only time will tell if this rookie sensation will endure for seasons to come. Can a player maintain his level of intensity and impact for the long haul, placing him amongst the greatest to play the game? We can only wait and see. I've compared him to such players as Shaq and Jordan, and he's been compared to many other greats. But for right now it's just too early to tell. So that is why I'm only calling him the most ridiculous player.
And when i say 'ridiculous' I don't need all you smart kids to go grab a dictionary and tell me the definition of the word. You know what i mean so don't be...