The Reign in Spain…

The reign in Spain does not fall on the plain but their reign as 2008 EURO champs began yesterday.  I am not much of a soccer fan but I will partake in European tournament or Mexican league soccer.  I was thoroughly entertained the last couple of weeks. 

Spain played extremely well and the Spain v. Germany matchup was outstanding.  Aresenal standout Cesc Fabregas scored the only goal in the defensive struggle.  They really showed the rest of the continent how team soccer was meant to be played as they stressed tough, aggressive defense and frequent, crisp passes.  Congrats to Spain and Germany on a tournament well played.

Now for the highlights from the 2008 Euro Tourney…

 

Congrats again to runner up Germany who probably won the hottest fans trophy.

But Euro Champs Spain won’t be out done!

Americans just don’t get it because the quality of soccer (football) is worse here and, to be honest, the fans are a lot hotter.  They also now how to pre-game party, party in the stands and post-game party.

Time for Another DRIVE BY

Get in your hoopty and lock n’ load because it is time for a BPD Drive By!

ESPN’s coverage of the NBA draft.  I hear crickets in the background.  The hosts sucked, Stu Scott is so 1999 and Stephen A. Smith’s one-on-one interviews were mind numbing.  “SO DOG, WHAT YA GONNA DO NOW THAT YOU ARE IN THE NBA”?  Well Smith, he is probably going to make a lot of money and play some basketball.  Good gravy.  Not to mention the no comment after every trade because it isn’t a real trade unless big brother (I mean the NBA front office) says so.  The Stu Scott interview with Larry Bird was like watching Gilbert Grape get interrogated by a 3rd rate ambulance chaser.  BLAM!!!!!

I am reading an article about the AFC East on ESPN.com.  The article dares to ask, “HAVE THE BILLS, JETS and DOLPHINS CLOSED THE GAP ON THE PATRIOTS?”

I read the article just for fun but let’s be real, there are so many things to write about in the NFL why even write this article?  It would be like asking if Poland, Latvia and Croatia have closed the gap on the United States being a world economic power. 

None of the other teams in this conference made the playoffs last season and New England went UNDEFEATED.  So, the only two things I can think of is New England slips and only goes 14-2 and the NY Jets win a few of those close games they lost last year and finish 8-8.  Does that really make them any closer?  Seriously, in terms of competing for a conference title and Superbowl championship, does it make them closer?  No.  But, are they closing the gap?  Sure, technically.  Dumb article.  Two shots.  BLAM! BLAM!

Let me get this straight, you can run down a woman with your SUV and avoid criminal prosecution.  I live in Chicago (one of the crookedest towns in the U.S.) and I have never heard that one before.  Are they saying she jumped out in front of him and not the other way around?  Marshawn’s attorneys and prosecution reach a plea deal in record time.  So, if you are wealthy you can conceivably get away with just about anything.  Not to mention he popped this women in a bar district.  Breathalizer anyone!   BLAM!  BLAM! BLAM!

To close out this addition of BPD Drive By they really need to start showing more games on NFL Network.  Instead they have Football America and numerous other shows.  There isn’t a whole hell of a lot going on right now so let’s throw some classic games on NFL Network.  How about a week of Greatest Comebacks or Great performances like any of the dozen or so games in which Dan Marino threw for 400 yards?  However, I will give them kudos on the cheerleader shows.  It is summer and I want to see beautiful, half-naked girls frolicking on the beach.  For this the NFL Network gets just a warning shot over the bow.  And for the BPD Rag fans, you get the half-naked cheerleaders.

You’re welcome.

Have a great weekend PBD fans.  Enjoy some great interleague baseball, the EURO finals and some sweet sports honeys frolicking on the beach.  😉

 

NBA DRAFT FEVER?

Well have you caught the draft fever yet?  Do you know or care what your team is going to do?  After Chicago and Miami pick does it get interesting or boring?

I know I haven’t caught the fever.  I am a Bulls fan and I know Derrick Rose will be playing PG for my beloved Bulls next season.  He is a nice piece but is still a couple of years  away from really helping us. 

After the Bulls pick Miami will talk trade.  The announcers will say “They have Marion and Wade, they need a point guard so do they move the pick?”  Well the easy answer is no they don’t.  They would probably trade down to 5 or 6 if anywhere and they aren’t going to get Rose (gone) or OJ Mayo (gone) so why do it.  My guess is Miami takes Beasley and has a dominating front court for the next 5 years.  Besides they want to keep Dewayne Wade and drafting a 25ppg power forward goes a long way towards keeping your star shooting guard.  Besides, if they need a point guard sign Chris Duhon.  He would fit perfect on that team.

After Miami picks the interest-o-meter goes way down.  I mean there are some nice players like OJ Mayo and Jerryd Bayless, but there is very little interest after this.  You have a lot of 19 and 20 year old players that won’t be significant contributors for 2 or 3 years.  You have a handful of European players no one knows and small school kids…no one knows. 

Are you getting my point here?  It isn’t like the NFL draft where most players in the 1st and 2nd Round will play the second they step foot on the pro football field.  And, well into the mid-rounds, there are sleepers that become your next Shannon Sharp, Joe Montana or Tom Brady.  In the NBA it is rare when your 2nd Round picks even make the team.

What could possibly make this evening interesting?

Well a blockbuster trade between Miami and Chicago would be tasty.  Rumors have D. Wade wanting to go to Chicago but would the Bulls give up the coveted #1 pick.  Detroit and Golden State have been rumored to be talking about Chauncey for Baron.  That would be nice. 

But short of a trade it will be pretty boring after the top 5 picks for sure.

My last suggestion is that we get rid of STERN announcing all of the picks.  He is a pretty good commish as far as they go but there is nothing interesting about him.  He acts and sounds like the typical New Yorker.  Sure, I might be willing to get a slice of pie with the guy or sit and drink an egg cream with him but listening to him for 4 hours is going to be rough.

Here is my suggestion.  You get the HOTTEST NBA HOTTIES to step up to the mic and announce the pick.  That would be brilliant.

Nuggets pick

Cavs are up and they pick…

Memphis is now on the board and they select…

See where I am going with this folks.  NBA hotties making the picks instead of Stern.  Yes, I know, I am an innovator.  90% of those watching tonight are going to be guys.  If you want to keep them after the first few picks than hot NBA hotties is the way to go.

A Sweep Series and more…

Friday was a nailbiting, thrill ride.  Chicago baseball fans felt it would be that kind of series.  One run here…one run there with some heroics in the late innings.  Well, Saturday came and the Cubs took out their ass whooping sticks.  Finally on Sunday almost every baseball fan thought the Sox would come out and exact some measure of revenge, but that didn’t happen.  Instead they endured yet another ass kicking at the hands of Lou, Dempster and Co.  A SWEEP in the books for your 1st Place Chicago Cubs.

The White Sox entered the series with a lot of big talk.  Ozzie down played the team on the north side, Sox players said there were a lot more dangerous offenses in the AL and of course some even blasted the classic old park, the fans and neighborhood.  After the series ended that is all they had were words.  They had nothing to show.  Nothing!  Zero.  Zilch!  Big talk but no action from the team from the South Side Ball Mall.

Now we have three more games to go next weekend.  What will their excuse be this time?  We didn’t have Zambrano or Soriano but they say they didn’t have Konerko.  LOL  hahahahhahahaha.  Yes Cub fans, you can stop laughing now.  We know, Konerko sucks and Zambrano and Soriano are All-Stars. 

My thinking is let them talk crap.  Let the players talk a big game again.  The Cubs will brave the bus ride to the smelly, ghetto like Sox Nation.  We will bring our big bats and 100 year itch and whoop some ass yet again.  Maybe not a sweep like the first time around  but definitely 2 out of 3.  I can’t wait as Aramis and D.Lee round the bases and drunk Sox fans start picking fights.  They will yell out obscenities with your children nearby because they don’t care.  They continue to hang their hats on 2005 and I suppose 20 years from now they will still hang their hats on that achievement.  The team is made up of cry babies run by king of the cry babies and owned by the biggest jackass (oh, sorry I always forget about Steinbrenner), 2nd biggest jack ass in baseball. 

The Red and Blue army is coming Sox fans.  We are coming and we will be cheering our MLB leading Chicago Cubs LOUDLY.  We will support them in their victory over the in town rival.  When the series is over we wish you well (OK, not really but I thought I would play nice for a minute) but for one more week CUB NATION is all business.  The Cubs job isn’t finished quite yet.  They have your overrated squad on the ropes and will finish them off next weekend.  

The best news isn’t that the Cubs will win 5 out of 6 or go for the season sweep.  The BEST news is we have a REALISTIC chance to knock you out of 1st place and that is just the icing on the cake.  Once we are finished with Sux we can turn our attention to St. Louis and Milwaukee, two damn good teams we look forward to beatining in July and August.

What?  You are asking yourself what the MORE stands for in the title of my post.  I delivered the Cubby chat but what is up with the AND MORE…  OK, here ya go.

 

 

And Yes Sun-Times, we do have the hottest girls in Baseballdom.   Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers and Braves Nations also have some outstanding hotties but none can match with the Cubbies.  Sox ladies, don’t sweat it, you guys are probably in the middle of the pack…right around where your team will end up in the standings.

Go Cubs!

Time to call the WAAAAAAMBULANCE

I have had it with people in sports crying and whining about things.  “My Contract this” and “That wasn’t right that”.  The average pro player is making 10 times my salary so I don’t need to hear it.  I don’t think any of us need to hear it.  People are losing their homes, running up credit cards to fill their gas pump and paying outrageous amounts of money to feed their families and I have to hear “The rookies make more than me!”  OK, tell me where I can locate these maggots so I can slap them in the face.

Someone call the WAAAAAAMBULANCE for Chad Johnson.  Mr. Ocho Cinco (actually it is ochenta y cinco you idiot) has been rattling his sabre all off-season.  One minute he is talking to ESPN the Magazine stating that he would be back and the next minute he is on a SIRIUS Sat interview saying he has lots of talents and interests in life and might explore them.  He went as far as to call the Bengals the Bungles.  All this after the Bengals said they wouldn’t trade him.  Give me a break!  We know you aren’t happy with your deal or your team but MAN UP you sissy.  Play like a real man, keep you mouth shut and let your agent handle your contract/trade.  If you can’t and continue to talk out of both sides of your mouth you should get into the WAAAAAMBULANCE.

But I can’t just pick on OCHO.  Brian Urlacher, Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey and Hines Ward have been bitching and moaning about their deals all spring long.  Bottom line is they are all well into their careers and they never got the guaranteed money the rookies got.  They whine and cry and threaten to hold out yet here they come, one by one into OTAs.  They have little or no leverage and they have no one to blame but themselves.  The players agreed to the CBA and if they want to bitch at anyone it is their union reps or Gene Upshaw.  In reality the teams owe them nothing but the contract they already agreed to.  If they don’t want to play they won’t get paid.  Then the WAAAAAMBULANCE will have to come and pick them up.

Finally, changing pro sports, NY Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner is whining about the pitcher having to bat.  Are you f**king kidding me?  The NL should join the 21st century as if that is the right way to play the game?  Look, Hank, shut the f**k up.  You have to bat in the NL and that is that.  You sure didn’t have a gripe until Wang Chung forgot how to run and pulled up lame.  Injuries are part of the game.  It sucks but you deal with it.  And to assume the DH is the only way to play the game is ridiculous.  If so someone better tell leagues in Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Cuba that Hank Steinbrenner says that it isn’t the right way to play baseball.  Having the pitcher lay down a sacrifice bunt isn’t good.  Having a pitcher pull in his bat from bunt stance and slap a hit down the line sucks.  Someone better tell Carlos Zambrano (hitting .362 with a homer and 6 RBI in 47 at bats) that Hank doesn’t want him to hit.  No, Hank wouldn’t tell him because Carlos would break him over his leg like a Louisville f**kin’ Slugger.  Pinch hitting for the pitcher and pulling off the double switch requires brain cells and guts.  I guess they must not have either in the AL.  Hank, I like the AL.  I enjoy watching Boston, Cleveland, Anaheim, Detroit, Minnesota and even Tampa this season.  There are a lot of good players in the AL and I don’t judge them for use of the DH.  However, letting the pitcher bat is as much tradition as Babe Ruth, Whitey Ford, the Dodger Dog, Jackie Robinson, Wrigley Field or just about anything the hallowed halls in Cooperstown can hold.  Someone kick his ass Javon Walker style and throw him in the WAAAAAMBULANCE.  

 

 

 

Almost Forgot to Congrat the Kings of the Ice 2008

BPD Sports Rag has many Detroit hockey fans so I want to congratulate the best hockey team in the NHL, the Detroit Red Wings.  Simply put they played the best hockey all season and deserved it.  They had a ridiculous defense, offense and goaltending. 

Personally this author is a Devils and Blackhawks fan, I am not a Red Wings backer.  That being said Pittsburgh fans just need to calm down.  Your team is going to be really good for a long time to come.  You didn’t get a few calls but either did Detroit.  As you know they balance out over the course of a series.  Osgood was awesome and that is that.  Congrats again Detoit.

Oh, and congrats to Henrik Zetterberg for not only winning the cup but for having the hottest hockey wife in the world.  You go Henrik!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BTW – Yes hockey fans I do know Modano’s wife Willa Ford is also smoking hot but his team has been golfing for a while so no pics of Willa.  :-p

Cedric Was No Entertainer

Ced fall down go boom.  Does anyone other than his momma care?  Nope.

Cedric the Entertainer?  Not so much.  Cedric the Under Achiever?  Maybe  Cedric the Selfish?  Probably  Cedric the Asshole?  Definitely

With absolutely no trade value and a closet full of crap the Bears unload Cedric the Asshole.

What will I miss most?  I suppose it is him hanging out with the kickers his rookie year because no one else on the team liked him.  Perhaps it is his pussy performance in Superbowl XLI.  It could also be the dozens of fans screaming for Cedric and saying Thomas Jones is a hack and should step aside.  It might also be his string of alcohol related incidents with the Bears.  Either way he has provided me with a hard drive filled with memories.  

Now, THANK GOD, the Chicago Bears have said, “ENOUGH!”  Was it the problem on the boat?  Maybe  Was it the follow up DUI?  Probably  Was it the 3.4 yards per carry, 10 career TDs and dozens of missed blocking assignments?  YES YES YES

But now I am listening at the water cooler and on the radio and fans are wondering “WHAT NOW?”  You know what?  It doesn’t matter what now because what now is still better than life with Cedric the Asshole. 

What now might be as simple as two words like SHAUN ALEXANDER!!!! 

No one can’t tell me he doesn’t have a couple of more years in the tank.  He is only 31 years of age and has averaged more yards per carry with a hairline fracture in his foot than C the A did when he was healthy.  Shaun is also involved in the community, is a family man and devout Christian.  He sounds like a winner to me. 

What now might be as easy as a phone call to KEVIN JONES! 

He is often injured but better than C the A when healthy.  After all, Jones did rush for over 1,000 yards as a rookie on the Lions.  Yes, the Lions, the crappy team with a crappy line.  He is said to be healthy now and is probably worth a gamble.  The Patriots are looking at him…how bad can he be? 

There are excellent short-term solutions while Forte learns the NFL.  Either of these two backs combined with Matt Forte would make a solid running attack.

So, here’s to Angelo and Phillips who had the balls to cut Cedric the Asshole.  Trust me folks, better days are ahead.

Chris Cooley is one lucky $%$&#

Washington Redskins TE Chris Cooley is one of the top players at this position.  He is a likable guy and a good teammate.  He is also the luckiest tight end in the NFL.

A common rule in pro sports is that you can’t befriend a cheerleader.  Most players adhere to that and some get in trouble for it.  Other times the cheerleaders seek out the players with a picture on the big prize.

That is exactly what Redskins cheerleader Christy Oglevee had in mind.  The out of this world beautiful cheerleader was enamored with the tight end and pursued him knowing what the results of her pursuit would be.  She WOW’d him with her ASSests and now they are off to the wedding chapel. 

Congrats Cooley, you just won the lottery.

OK, this last pic is of MTV’s Tonya Cooley (No relation to Chris) but I just couldn’t resist. 

BYE BYE BUMSON…I mean Benson

After 3 seasons with the Bears Cedric BUMson has averaged 41 yards per game on the ground and 10 rushing TDS.  He has caught 26 passes in 35 games for ZERO TDs.   I have been saying since I first laid eyes on him at Summer Camp that he would be a bust.  I didn’t see the effort, he stood alone most of the time and rarely got physical.  The practices were non-contact to light hitting drills and every chance the Bears defense got they put a helmet on Cedric.  This was telling me a lot.

Cedric came out of Texas and was a speedy bulldozer of a back.  He hit people hard and ran around them if he had to.  Now granted he played in a system built for him to succeed at that level.  He also played behind a bunch of 300+ pound monsters.  He was impressive looking, no doubt.  However if scouts had real conversations with teammates, coaches, family and friends they would discover a different kind of guy. 

He lacked motivation.  He was a guy that didn’t come to play every day.  He didn’t give 100% unless it was his number being called.  A guy who gets busted for marijuana and lets a buddy take the rap.  A guy who criminally trespasses and spends 8 days in jail.  He is a guy who might (speculative) even have some sort of personality disorder.  Not to mention his Wunderlich was not too impressive.  All this and the Chicago Bears take him 4th overall.  I guess based on his college stats alone some team would have taken him in the top 7 or 8 picks anyway.

Cedric has not only been a disappointment on the field but off of it too.   Rarely did he stay visible in the off-season.  You never saw him at Chicago Children’s Hospitals, hanging out at 670 SCORE events or any sort of Chicago Bears sponsored meet-and-greet.  Instead he flees to his mama in Austin, Texas every season.  This coddling and being near his college roots have led to this downward spiral.  Austin is the place Cedric is still someone important.  A place he can still sit around and chat with 50 year old oil drillers about his Doak Walker award.

Instead he should have been in Chicago in the off-season making Chicago his own.  He should have been working out hard and studying as much in the off-season as possible.  With the millions of dollars he has accrude he should have hired some people to help him with his image.  He could have owned this city and the organization literally gave him every opportunity.

Instead he will be looking for employment in the weeks to come.  And for his sake I hope he can turn it around.  I would hate to have to watch a WHERE ARE THEY NOW episode with BUMson working as cart driver at River Place Golf Course in Austin, TX.  To avoid this please take this advice Mr. BUMson.

#1 Enter a drug and alcohol rehab program.  Movie and music stars do it and then they make more money than ever.  Might be a good strategy.

#2 Get some image consulting immediately.  Change your look a little.  Do a lot of charity.  Maybe write a book.

#3 Take pride in the non-sexy things about your position.  Learn to block for Christ’s sake.  Do it like you want to be known for it.  Sell the play action fake is if you actually have the damn football.  This will help your team greatly.  Also, interact with your teammates more.  Be a true member of the team.

Well, that is about it BUMson.  You are at a crossroads in your life.  You are either going to take responsibility and turn it around or I guess I will see you at my next tee time.

What’s Been Bugging Me Lately?

I have to say a lot of things have been bugging me in the world of sports. 

 

First of all, and most obvious, is Ozzie Guillen.  This guy has got to be the biggest prick in MLB.  I mean he manages a World Series team in 2005 and the team has been sliding ever since.  Well, until this season so far.  They are in 1st Place.  Now, I would think a team that came off a brutal season in 2007 would be tickled to be in 1st Place even if it is the weakest Division in baseball.  But not Ozzie.  Nope!  He flies off the handle after getting beat 3 out of 4 to 1st Place TAMPA.  That is right…TAMPA. 

He went on one of his classic rants blaming everyone but himself.  The GM needs to make moves and the hitting coach sucks ass…or something like that.  Well OZ, first you blamed the fans and Cubs Nation at the beginning of the season.  Then you call out some coaches and players and now in your latest you include the GM.  How this guy hasn’t been canned I will never know.  He must have some photos of Jerry and Kenny in a loving embrace.  If I am GM and he calls me out publically with our team sitting in 1st place, I would launch him immediately. 

But then again I blame the media too.  After his tirade did anyone ask him why he gave all-world star Carlos Quentin the night off on Sunday.  Sunday was a big game.  They win and they split the series.  I think that is something all fans could live with.  Instead he sits Carlos with and off day Monday and a night game on Tuesday.  Unbelievable!  Why didn’t anyone call him out on this.  Then he says he is shaking everything up and that means EVERYONE.  Well, his lineup the following night was virtually the same.

So Ozzie, you are bugging me!  If I were close enough you would get a mighty swat from the BUG SWATTER.

Another thing bugging me is the Olympic committee, especially Peter Uberoth.  This freaking guy has the nerve to tell Chicago they need to work on the transportation system and that the city probably isn’t diverse enough.

Ok, I’ll address the first by saying even though the transportation system in Chicago is going broke you can pretty much get to anywhere you want to go in the city.  As far as the olympics are concerned that would be transportation from the hotels in the Loop, South Loop and Near North.  There are cabs EVERYWHERE in this city as well as trains and buses that cover the McCormick area south to Washington Park.  I guarantee it isn’t as crowded as downtown Tokyo or Madrid.  Rio, while ridiculously beautiful, has major traffic jams and a very hot, tropical summer.  Not to get too far off point but I don’t see where Chicago’s traffic issues are any better or worse than it’s competition.

As far as diversity goes this is all I have to say…

500,000 Italian Americans, 3rd largest Irish American population in U.S., 2nd largest African-American population in U.S., largest Polish population outside of Poland, 150,000 Bulgarians, 3rd largest popluation of Ukranian, German and Czech Americans in U.S., 123,000 Swedish Americans, 2nd largest Serbian population outside of Serbia, the largest Greek population outside of Greece, 100,000 Romanian Americans, one of the largest Assyrian populations in the country, 2nd largest Mexican population in U.S., 2nd largest Puerto Rican population in U.S., 185,000 Arabs reside in Cook County with Palestinians and Jordanians specifically making Chicago the center for U.S. immigration, 3rd largest Indian/Pakistani populations in the U.S., very large Vietnamese and a significant Chinese and Japanese population. 

So Peter, now that the truth is told and considering Chicago is MUCH more diverse than Beijing or London, doesn’t Chicago seem like the logical choice.  As soon as that comment about diversity came out of your mouth the BULLSHIT-O-METER squealed like a pig.  If you want to call Chicago out on crime, political corruption or lack of government financing of the Olympic bid than fine.  But when you make comments about transportation (3rd largest inter-modal port in the world, 2 major airports, RTA, CTA, 9 Interstate Highways and center of nations rail systems) and diversity (see above) than it truly shows that you are ignorant, have some other agenda or both.

If I were dealing drugs, more specifically the kind that gives you lots of muscles, I am not so sure I would do business with the NFL. 

The NFL is supposed to have this awesome policy that most players adhere to but lately that is under scrutiny.  Lineman Matt Lehr had been working with authorities to help get a handle on the drug problem in the NFL after his name was released by drug dealer David Jacobs.  Well, David, who was cooperating fully got probation and was starting to re-build his ‘legit’ drug empire. 

Last night the cops did a wellness check (on a 35 year old healthy male…really) on David and found him and his girlfriend shot in the head.  HOLY CRAP.  This is Sopranos style if I have ever seen it.  All I know is Matt, who just signed with the New Orleans Aints better have a good life insurance policy.  I bet he is next on the hit list. 

So, do we call Roger Goodell the DON now.  This is some unbelievable bullshit and it is really bugging me.

I am all riled up now.  I need something to make me happy.

NBA FINALS HAPPINESS?  You got it!

Based on cheerleaders I would have to say Lakers in 5 but that Garnett guy makes me say Lakers in 6.