Honor Bound

It's not very often you can actually feel good about someone who loses their job, but it just may be the case with Tom Coughlin. Tom Coughlin has been a beacon of professionalism, consistency, and respectability for his entire career. He did not forget how to coach this year, and his departure is indicative of a failure on many different fronts not just his coaching. The Giants problems are well documented and they include a serious lack of talent, a multitude of injuries, and an overall failure by the front office to not only improve the team but keep it competitive while they rebuilt. These issues are not new or a secret, and have been pointed out by more than one analyst. The interesting thing is that Coughlin's departure may be just as much a blessing for him, as it is I'm sure a disappointment. Coaching without significant talent and a lack of front office support is like running in quicksand. You may stay afloat for a while, but you'll never get out. You can't cook a 5 star meal with 1 star ingredients. Coughlin Leaves with the respect of his  players, the respect of the front office, the respect of the fans, and the knowledge that he did a hell of a job overall, and that sometimes "the good of the many out ways the good of the one." Very few if any coaches can leave a job with that many good check marks. His resume is full of nothing but successes no matter where he coached, and his 2 Super Bowl wins speak for themselves. How many 6 and 10 teams have a locker room that still want the coach back. The Hall of Fame may just be his next stop. With Coughlin it was always about the team not himself. He was a tough hard nose no nonsense guy who adjusted when he needed to and learned to deal with the modern day player and the modern day game. To bad the Giant front office hasn't learned how to do that yet...good luck Tom.

Never Enough

The Mets and their fans truly deserve each other, they are a constant study between euphoria and hysteria. This has always been their history, maybe this is what a lack of success over a long period of time creates in people. Regardless of the reason it's what this franchise's character has become and probably always will be. In 1962 when the Mets were formed they were an expansion team compiled of the lowest common denominator of players you could find. Castoffs, aging veterans, and just plain bad players, 100 losses a year was commonplace. Any success they ever had in the early years truly was a miracle. If you rooted for the Mets from the beginning the current status of bipolar behavior is something you got used to early on in your fandom. Maybe the worst thing that could have happened to them was their miracle win in 1969, as great as it was for their fans and the City of New York it truly was an illusion as far as any future success being a real option for them. As I've stated before the Mets as a franchise have been the prototype of dysfunction, bad signings, bad drafts, tight purse strings and just bad play. All leading to a tremendous lack of success over the years. Their lifetime franchise winning percentage is somewhere around 450%, not the formula for hanging pennants on their walls. If I sound like Mr Scrooge I apologize as a lifelong Yankees fan I've grown up with a different mindset. Obviously all those World Championships help when you're trying to get through the lean years, and the Yankees have had long stretches like that themselves. They went from 1965 to 1976 without a playoff appearance, and then from 1981 to 1996...15 years of lackluster performance. But even so Yankee fans never lost their perspective about expectation, performance and what was real about their team.  I'm truly glad for the Mets and happy for all of their long suffering fans. It's obvious they have a pretty solid team but it's also obvious that they played in a terrible division with three of the worst teams in all of baseball rounding out the bottom of their division. There's no question the strength of schedule and the failure of the Nationals who everyone expected to run away with the division contributed to this success. Be that as it may, they deserve to be where they are, they are an exciting young team, their fans have waited a long time and they are obviously enjoying their success. But it's hard to accept the skewed media coverage and euphoria about something that became inevitable almost 2 months ago with their strength of schedule, and the Titanic like performance of the Nationals.  The Mets finally got it right, did what they had to do at the trading deadline picked up a real stud for the stretch run, and as it usually does when teams get it right they ended up with a Division Title.
Championship teams learn to expect championship type performances and every year offers an opportunity to back up that mindset. The Mets are new at this and can be excused for their euphoria, but performance and expectation are the ingredients for long-term success. One day maybe the Mets and their fans will learn this concept the way they should, by expecting performance not praying for it.  Then maybe they won't feel like little brothers to the Yankees.  Boston did it and they suffered longer than the Mets, be that as it may, congratulations to the Mets. The playoffs start soon and the Mets have a chance for a deep run, hey it may be another Miracle you never know "you gotta believe"...

The Long and Winding Road

It's the time of year when baseball fans either celebrate or mourn the passing of another season without a championship. After six months of competition and thousands of games the field has been whittled down to a precious few teams that can now play for a ring. For a baseball fan every day is a chance to cheer, root, cry and yes even suffer at times. Baseball is as much a religion as it is a game, and once it grabs your soul you have a friend for life, for better or for worse. Truly a timeless relationship, and a better friend can never be found. As I've said before baseball marks the time and people remember lifetime moments around moments in baseball. The journey is as much a part of baseball history as the championships that teams play for. The novel of a season is built every week and every month with a chapter that differs everyday. The magic of baseball is always with us. How many times have we seen endings of games and other moments that Hollywood could never even write because people would never believe it. Every year is different and this year in New York was truly unique, both New York teams made a run and eventually got to the playoffs.The Mets rewarded their long suffering loyal fans by winning a Division Title, and with their young guns on the mound may make winning Titles a habit. The the other New York team may have even accomplished more based on expectation. The Yankees overcame an injury riddled starting staff, and won with a great bullpen, veterans playing up to form, and a youth movement that came in to save the day as the season wound down. The playoffs lay ahead along with great hope and expectation. It's an axiom of all sports that only one team will win it's last game, but the memories will last, and the journey will be remembered... "Baseball marks the time"....

For Whom the Bell Tolls

People's success in life is usually not in a straight line. It can happen in stages or sometimes after years of work and dedication it happens over night. Funny how that works. But one thing is for sure no one is ever on top indefinitely, all athletes have a shelf life especially in sports we see it every day. We are always looking for the new version or the better version or the best version of athletes. As the media crazed society that we are, we are always looking for the label of the best, best now, best ever. Every sport has its icons and people that you hope will never get old but they do, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Gordie Howe, Johnny Unitas, Pele and others dot sports history with careers that will never be equaled. Athletes are under the microscope every day and no matter what they do or how successful they are it's never enough for the black hole they deal with in sports. Usually it's the athlete that tries to hold on too long but recently we have witnessed a change in that scenario. The "Media" just won't let him go. The future of golf is right in front of our eyes with Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Patrick Reed, Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler etc. But somehow that just doesn't matter. The golf world was impacted by Tiger Woods in a way that few people have ever impacted a sport. He was a great player who brought the masses to the TV, increased purses and excited the public in a way that few people have ever done. He made money for everyone and maybe there in lies the problem. Tiger Woods is clearly not the player he was and it's obvious he never will be again. Injuries, time and his own brain have gotten in the way of what was an historic career. It's obvious he is literally on the back 9 of his career or even the 18th and what's interesting is the sport seems unwilling to let him go.Tiger was always great press, mostly because he was great. But when the wheels started to fall off on that infamous Thanksgiving weekend he was even hotter. For some reason our "Society" loves to watch someone go from the Penthouse to the Outhouse. Somehow I think that makes people feel less desperate. From that point on Tiger Woods became his own soap opera, and everyone got to watch. How long will it be before he walks on water again? Can he still catch Jack? Does he still have it? What about Elin? How much will he have to pay? Did she really whack him? Etc.Truly a media's dream come true. Well its been awhile now and as things usually do they calm down and things manage to work themselves out one way or another. Elin got paid, Tiger moved on, and even managed a redux of sorts with some more PGA victories. All the while golf's unending question was and still is where's the old Tiger Woods. Part of the question is the answer. He's still here but he's OLD. Old and injured is never a good formula for success especially in sports. Tigers Woods' resume of injuries started about 13 years ago and the list is endless. ACL'S, knee surgeries, back surgery, disk problems, neck problems et al and he's closing in on 40. His last Major win was 7 years ago. He's had his run, one most people could only dream of. Records, fame and fortune have surrounded him forever. No one beats father time. Injuries, age and his constant tinkering with his game have finally taken charge. His recent performances this year missed cuts, short game yips, and especially his 85 at the Memorial and his 1st round 80 at the US Open aren't just red flags they are an embarrassment for a man who became the modern day Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. At Jack's tournament the Memorial he shot the highest 4 day total of his career. There is something wrong when everyone is celebrating when one of the greatest golfers who ever played makes the cut. The same player who set the record for most consecutive cuts made in history.It's like celebrating Babe Ruth at the end of his career for not striking out. Is it possible he can win again ..sure,  is it likely not much but "does it really matter Eddie," not really. If he comes back great but why and what are the odds. When Babe Ruth was a ceremonial player with the Boston Braves at the end of his career, he got mad one day and hit three home runs in one game. It still didn't mean he wasn't done..

Winners Never Quit

What a ride, thrills and chills ups and downs, and more stress than anyone would want to deal with. There have been heroes and villains good luck and bad luck and everything in between. The Rangers have just completed a bounce back game and once again showed the heart and grit of a true champion. No one knows what's going to happen going forward but this seems like a good time to step back and look at what this Rangers team has accomplished, and what they have meant to New York and the league. Number one let's start with the fact that the Rangers have been playing hockey like they are now for almost 2 years, a very long time for a team in any sport to play at the highest level night in and night out and perform with such success. Last year they came within a couple of posts of winning the Stanley Cup, and backed that up by winning the Presidents Trophy this year. The separation between top level professional teams is very small and to consistently win for this amount of time speaks to everything that an organization needs to be successful. Good coaching, commitment by the players, good execution, talent and good front office decisions to stay on top. The Rangers are a likable team, a bunch of "Blue Collar Guys" playing on Broadway. The NHL is full of players like that, it is part of the charm of this sport and one reason the players never lose respect for who they are or where they are. The Broadway Blues have had some great players and some great moments but over time consistency has eluded them as far as winning championships. This team is on a run that started in 2014 and there's still a story to be written, but this "Band of Brothers" is the real deal, a championship caliber team that would be competitive in any sport. Believe it or not the Rangers are only a little more than halfway to their goal. Champions never quit they just keep trying, just like the Rangers. Sports is full of one hit wonders. To me greatness is defined by consistency overtime. The ability, talent, and commitment to do it again. The Stanley Cup chase is truly a gauntlet requiring every ounce of dedication that athletes can give. Maybe the cup doesn't end up in New York, but there's no doubt in my mind that in the last two years New York Ranger fans have had the privilege of watching a true champion perform. LETS GO RANGERS...

Wouldn't It Be Nice

What does it say about a Society where no one is accountable or guilty of anything, and the guilty party becomes the accuser. Spin, spin and more spin. GUILTY rule 101 when you are caught claim Foul and accuse the law of being unfair. GUILTY rule 102 explain that you are not the only one who is perpetrating the crime, as if that makes it okay. Deflategate is just a symptom of our societies decay.  No one is ever guilty anymore. It's always someone else's fault, or I had a good excuse, or I didn't  know better etc.  She made me mad so I hit her, it's not my fault. He pushed me so I shot him, it's not my fault. I needed the money so I stole it, it's not my fault and on and on. And politicians are worse . The great host of Meet The Press, Tim Russert  wrote a book about being a parent, and in it he stated that the hardest thing to teach your children is accountability.  How to be responsible for your actions and to really understand right from wrong. I'M LUCKY my kids get it they learned well, but there are millions of adults in today's world that don't get it. Brady' s agent says the problem is the NFL is on a conspiracy laden witch hunt. Of course they are they want nothing more than to tarnish their brightest star yeah right. What a moron Yee is, oh wait a minute I get it, he's knows that's ridiculous but it deflects the limelight away from Brady. Maybe he's not a moron. GUILTY RULE 103 if you are guilty and can't hide change the argument...politicians learn this tactic very quickly. The bottom line here is that getting away with something doesn't mean you weren't guilty; and despite evidence to the contrary in today's world the ends still don't justify the means. Did Brady do the deed of course he did anyone who has any insight about this matter would concur. Brady won but at what cost, his reputation and credibility will never be the same.  Many people will always hate him. For those who want to try to defend him please get some help. What's really sad is that it took 3 months 243 pages of documentation and lots of money to do the dance. Tom Brady is not the first or will he be the last person that will ever push the envelope, cheat, or lie about something in life, but wouldn't it be nice if he started a new trend in society and became accountable for his actions. Well we can all dream can't we?

THE ENEMY FROM WITHIN

The world we all live in is a complicated and difficult landscape to navigate.We are all challenged everyday to fight the good fight and walk the right path. To deny that racism and prejudice exists in the world is naive and ignorant, and to say that it is not a problem is just plain stupid. The only thing that is worse than being racist is someone who chooses to fan the flames of racism with little regard for the truth or objectivity. Stephen A Smith has a history of prejudicial and inflammatory comments. He is a divisive voice in the arena. Most recently he stated “that if you hit a woman, it’s Ok, because sometimes she might have deserved it.”And we thought male chauvinism was dead. But the most common theme for him is his racism. He is constantly taking non prejudicial situations and trying to make them racially charged. He often says their are never enough black coaches in pro sports. Whatever grains of truth that comment may represent his commentary ignores the progress that has been made in that area and paints all the world as black hating zealots. Not a good way to move the needle .He has most recently trashed Chip Kelly of the Eagles for cutting 2 black players and keeping supposedly an inferior white player. He stated this was strictly a racially motivated decision, forget the fact that maybe it’s due to salary cap issues or more to the point a bad fit for the team. He’s pumping the race card, no surprise for him. His newest commentary is about Randy Gregory and his potential loss of draft status as a result of his drug use. In Smith’s most recent venture into non objectivity, he rails about the fact that Gregory is singled out only because he is black. When the truth is he has been busted twice before in 2014 for drug use. Obviously this is not a new issue for Mr Gregory, but regardless Mr Smith continues to exhibit his propensity for defending the black community at all costs and making everything a racial issue. ESPN cannot hide in the background. They know he is controversial and yet continue to provide a platform for him to spew his garbage. People that have a public platform and have this skewed a perspective are not only inflammatory but undermine the process of making things better by people who really understand the problems of race. If you look at the world and all you ever see are racist people maybe they are not the problem....