Well, we were told the former seven-time Tour de France winner would confess to using performance enhancing drugs in his interview with Oprah last night night, and he did.
Has the sports world screeched to a halt? Unfortunately not. That's the professional sports world we live in today.
To some extent, I can understand why Armstrong did it - in a sports culture where professional athletes are doping so much that they're breaking records left and right, if you are relying simply on God-given talent, even if it's phenomenal talent, you simply cannot compete. There is implicit and explicit pressure to dope. All things being equal, you cannot beat someone who has given themselves that unfair edge.
But even though I can understand, I can't excuse, because using performance enhancing drugs is embracing a win-at-all-cost attitude, which Armstrong admits. It's professional athletes showing us and more importantly our children that winning is the most important thing, even when it's because of cheating, even when it's at the cost of the integrity of the sport and the integrity of your character. When we're trying to teach our children that sportsmanship, love of the game, and a game well played, even if it's not won, is what it's about, professional athletes show them that all of this is not enough.
The Lance Armstrong situation is even more heartbreaking because of his battles with cancer. He overcame life-threatening cancer twice to compete - and win, or so we thought. That was an inspirational story we could look to, that we could point out to our children, but it was just a fairy tale. The sad thing is, even if Armstrong hadn't won those Tours, the fact that he overcame cancer just to compete, just to ride another day, would have been inspirational enough. People would've loved that story. The story of someone who fights for a dream, even if he doesn't win, is a story people will always get behind. Hello - Rocky, anyone?
So yeah, it's heartbreaking when our heroes fall, when we find out that for them, being great wasn't good enough. I admit to being upset the day Andy Pettitte admitted to using performance enhancing drugs. I think of one of my all-time sports heroes - Derek Jeter - who I believe to be a player of integrity and who has a love of the game and happens to be an extraordinarily gifted athlete and I think, what if he was to admit to it? I don't believe he's part of this culture, but you never know. The use is so rampant that it sullies the image of everybody.
But the truth is, professional athletes are human. They are just like the rest of us - except a lot richer. They make mistakes. They do stupid things. They're arrogant and egotistical and full of $h*t. So why are these the people we choose to look up to, to be our heroes? Yes, because they are famous, because they are public figures, we can point to them and say to our children, "This is someone to look up to." But if we're going to choose flawed humans - and who isn't one? - for our children (and ourselves to look up to), maybe we're better off pointing out the teachers in their schools or the policeman or firefighter down the street or even our children's grandparents or maybe even ourselves. Our athletes - and other celebrities, but that's a story for another blog - certainly don't want the pressure and certainly don't feel the need to be the heroes we make them out to be.
And so really, today is just another day - another suspected dopers admits to cheating. It's become the norm. Some people will forgive Armstrong. For others, his vehement denials over the years and a sense of betrayal will make it impossible to forgive. Some will see this as his trying to make amends. Others will sense that it's simply a PR ploy. If you were a Livestrong supporter, keep supporting them, even if you initially did it because of Armstrong. He is no longer affiliated with them and they still do good work. The fact is, Armstrong is just the latest athlete to come clean (no pun intended). He certainly won't be the last. Heroes will rise and fall, we'll continue to teach our children to love the game and hope that's enough, and the world will keep on turning.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
NFL playoffs: another weekend in January, another day of deciding who to root for
So hockey is coming back, the Knicks & Nets are floundering, nobody got into the baseball Hall of Fame this year, and the rumor is that Lance Armstrong is going to admit to doping, which if he does, I will address in another post, but right now, football is still in play, and I need to decide who I'm going to root for.
Today we have the Ravens playing the Broncos at 4:30, and the Packers playing the 49ers at 8. Today is actually a pretty straightforward decision for me - I'm not a fan of any of these teams, but as we all know, I am a huge fan of both Peyton Manning (the QB for the Broncos) and Aaron Rodgers (the QB for the Packers), so those are the teams I'm going with. Tomorrow is a little harder - Seahawks versus Falcons at 1, which, eh - I really don't have a preference. And at 4:30, it's the Texans versus the Patriots. That game, it's not so much who I'm rooting for as who I'm rooting AGAINST, so say it with me, everyone outside the New England area - let's go Texans!!
How are your teams doing so far in the playoffs? Are they still in it or are you having to find secondary teams to root for?
Today we have the Ravens playing the Broncos at 4:30, and the Packers playing the 49ers at 8. Today is actually a pretty straightforward decision for me - I'm not a fan of any of these teams, but as we all know, I am a huge fan of both Peyton Manning (the QB for the Broncos) and Aaron Rodgers (the QB for the Packers), so those are the teams I'm going with. Tomorrow is a little harder - Seahawks versus Falcons at 1, which, eh - I really don't have a preference. And at 4:30, it's the Texans versus the Patriots. That game, it's not so much who I'm rooting for as who I'm rooting AGAINST, so say it with me, everyone outside the New England area - let's go Texans!!
How are your teams doing so far in the playoffs? Are they still in it or are you having to find secondary teams to root for?
Friday, January 4, 2013
NFL playoff picture: who to root for when your team isn't in it...
Tomorrow starts the wild card round of the NFL playoffs. If you're lucky, you still have your home team in the running to make it to the Super Bowl in about a month. But if you're like this fan girl, whose team let her down COLOSSALLY this year, or your team just didn't make the cut despite the best of efforts, then to keep the playoffs interesting, you need to find somebody else to root for...or at least somebody to root against. You could keep the Super Bowl interesting by investing a few bucks in a Super Bowl pool - that way you have a team AND a score to root for - but that's still a month away. You may navigate these next few weeks of playoff play your own way, but let's see who I'm considering (be forewarned - some of my decision-making methods make sense; some follow girl-logic):
ROOTING FOR:
1. Washington Redskins - yes, they beat out my New York Giants for the NFC East, but deservedly so...and considering how half-heartedly the Giants played, I don't even say that begrudgingly. They're a young team with a lot of passion and heart and they WANT each win...and they have a whole city in the nation's capital dying to support a breakout team with breakout players, dying for a Super Bowl win. Plus, they still kinda have underdog status. In lieu of having an actual team to root for, I like to adopt the underdog as my own.
2. Green Bay Packers - I couldn't care less about this team but if you read this blog, you know I am a HUGE Aaron Rodgers fan. Besides being a great QB, he seems like a class-act, and I would like to see him get a Super Bowl win.
3. Denver Broncos - ditto everything I said about the Packers but substitute "Peyton Manning" for "Aaron Rodgers" and add "another" in front of "a Super Bowl win." Especially after the way the Colts treated him, I love that Peyton has come back better than ever from the injuries that sidelined him last year.
ROOTING AGAINST:
1. New England Patriots - That robot Tom Brady. Hated enemies of my Giants. 'Nuff said.
ROOTING FOR:
1. Washington Redskins - yes, they beat out my New York Giants for the NFC East, but deservedly so...and considering how half-heartedly the Giants played, I don't even say that begrudgingly. They're a young team with a lot of passion and heart and they WANT each win...and they have a whole city in the nation's capital dying to support a breakout team with breakout players, dying for a Super Bowl win. Plus, they still kinda have underdog status. In lieu of having an actual team to root for, I like to adopt the underdog as my own.
2. Green Bay Packers - I couldn't care less about this team but if you read this blog, you know I am a HUGE Aaron Rodgers fan. Besides being a great QB, he seems like a class-act, and I would like to see him get a Super Bowl win.
3. Denver Broncos - ditto everything I said about the Packers but substitute "Peyton Manning" for "Aaron Rodgers" and add "another" in front of "a Super Bowl win." Especially after the way the Colts treated him, I love that Peyton has come back better than ever from the injuries that sidelined him last year.
ROOTING AGAINST:
1. New England Patriots - That robot Tom Brady. Hated enemies of my Giants. 'Nuff said.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Happily leaving 2012 behind (at least when it comes to NY sports)
What a thoroughly disappointing and anti-climactic years for New York sports. We should probably call it the Year of the Letdown. This sports fan is worn out from all the stomping my heart went through as I supported teams who obviously didn't want to win as badly as I wanted them to win. It can be discouraging and sad when you have more intensity and heart than the players who are actually PAID to have, you know, intensity and heart.
2012 started off great, sports-wise. The New York Giants once again lorded over the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl. A New York victory is always sweet, but sticking it to Tom Brady is always sweeter.
Alas, Super Bowl XLVI was technically part of the 2011 NFL season. Whether or not you think it counts for 2012, it was all down hill from there.
The New York Rangers actually finished first in the NHL Eastern Conference to make it to the Stanley Cup playoffs this past spring - woo hoo! A reason to actually watch hockey and maybe finally learn what this game is all about. They made it all the way to the conference finals - one step short of the Stanley Cup Finals - only to be eliminated by the New Jersey Devils. ::Sigh:: Guess this fan girl won't be becoming a hockey fan anytime soon (especially since the NHL lockout that occurred over the off season has kept hockey fans in a permanent off season for the 2012-2013 non-season.)
The New York Mets turned in a now-typical disappointing season. I don't even know where they fell in the final standings. The Yankees showed some signs of life, taking advantage of a less-than lackluster Red Sox team and winning, yet again, the American League East. I even went to more Yankee games this year than I have in forever - four or five I think - and as it turns out, I was bringing my daughter (and future female sports fan!) in utero to several of those games...but alas, even though the Yanks won the AL East, just as they do every year, they rolled over and played dead, as they do every year, once they faced the Tigers in the ALCS. It was beyond disappointing to watch - it was excruciating. And it didn't make me feel any better that the Tigers then rolled over and played dead in the World Series. That just made for a totally boring series.
The U.S. women's gymnastic team was a bright spot in the Summer Olympics that was otherwise eh. I don't think I even watched more than a few hours of it. It just lacked the same excitement and intensity of the last Summer Olympics and Michael Phelps' win after win after win.
The New Jersey Nets came to Brooklyn this year - that was somewhat exciting. After years of lackluster Knicks playing, I had another team I could root for! Maybe I could start watching basketball again! And then, as it turns out, the Knicks actually got good this year! The Knicks are in first place! And guess what? Even though the Nets have had an uneven season so far, they're in second place. Do I see a glimmer of hope? Maybe. But it IS the Year of the Letdown, so I'll keep my cautious optimism at bay until we're further along in the season.
Which brings us back to football. If you're regular readers of mine. You already know how I feel about the Jets. If not, you can read about it here. They were eliminated weeks ago from the post season. The Giants FINALLY showed some intensity and heart in yesterday's final week game (albeit against the down-and-out Eagles) but it was too little, too late. You can't play three of the last four weeks of the season as if you're a Pee Wee league team, you can't hand over control of your post season destiny to three other teams when you had it squarely in your own hands, and expect to make the playoffs. So even though their victory yesterday was a blowout, the defending Super Bowl champs won't even see any postseason play.
Such is the Year of the Letdown.
New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, you are my only hope!!!!
2012 started off great, sports-wise. The New York Giants once again lorded over the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl. A New York victory is always sweet, but sticking it to Tom Brady is always sweeter.
Alas, Super Bowl XLVI was technically part of the 2011 NFL season. Whether or not you think it counts for 2012, it was all down hill from there.
The New York Rangers actually finished first in the NHL Eastern Conference to make it to the Stanley Cup playoffs this past spring - woo hoo! A reason to actually watch hockey and maybe finally learn what this game is all about. They made it all the way to the conference finals - one step short of the Stanley Cup Finals - only to be eliminated by the New Jersey Devils. ::Sigh:: Guess this fan girl won't be becoming a hockey fan anytime soon (especially since the NHL lockout that occurred over the off season has kept hockey fans in a permanent off season for the 2012-2013 non-season.)
The New York Mets turned in a now-typical disappointing season. I don't even know where they fell in the final standings. The Yankees showed some signs of life, taking advantage of a less-than lackluster Red Sox team and winning, yet again, the American League East. I even went to more Yankee games this year than I have in forever - four or five I think - and as it turns out, I was bringing my daughter (and future female sports fan!) in utero to several of those games...but alas, even though the Yanks won the AL East, just as they do every year, they rolled over and played dead, as they do every year, once they faced the Tigers in the ALCS. It was beyond disappointing to watch - it was excruciating. And it didn't make me feel any better that the Tigers then rolled over and played dead in the World Series. That just made for a totally boring series.
The U.S. women's gymnastic team was a bright spot in the Summer Olympics that was otherwise eh. I don't think I even watched more than a few hours of it. It just lacked the same excitement and intensity of the last Summer Olympics and Michael Phelps' win after win after win.
The New Jersey Nets came to Brooklyn this year - that was somewhat exciting. After years of lackluster Knicks playing, I had another team I could root for! Maybe I could start watching basketball again! And then, as it turns out, the Knicks actually got good this year! The Knicks are in first place! And guess what? Even though the Nets have had an uneven season so far, they're in second place. Do I see a glimmer of hope? Maybe. But it IS the Year of the Letdown, so I'll keep my cautious optimism at bay until we're further along in the season.
Which brings us back to football. If you're regular readers of mine. You already know how I feel about the Jets. If not, you can read about it here. They were eliminated weeks ago from the post season. The Giants FINALLY showed some intensity and heart in yesterday's final week game (albeit against the down-and-out Eagles) but it was too little, too late. You can't play three of the last four weeks of the season as if you're a Pee Wee league team, you can't hand over control of your post season destiny to three other teams when you had it squarely in your own hands, and expect to make the playoffs. So even though their victory yesterday was a blowout, the defending Super Bowl champs won't even see any postseason play.
Such is the Year of the Letdown.
New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, you are my only hope!!!!
Friday, December 21, 2012
Tebow Time over in New York? (Psst...it never started)
So word on the street - and by street, I mean everywhere - is that Tim Tebow won't be returning to the New York Jets next season.
First of all, why is this news?
Why would the Jets want him back? They never used him. (Case in point, when they decided to bench Mark Sanchez in this upcoming Sunday's game, they leap-frogged over Tebow to third string QB Greg McElroy to start).
Why would Tebow want to come back? They never used him.
This acquisition never made sense to me. Yes, Sanchez struggled, and yes, Tebow struggled while in Denver, but what team with a big name starting QB (Jets & Sanchez) acquires another big name starting QB (Tebow) without getting rid of the first?
Sure, there were intriguing possibilities before the season started - with 2 QBs, the Jets could maybe run a more effective Wildcat. With 2 QBs on the field at one time, it could add great versatility to the team's offense. But did any of these possibilities pan out? Nope. Tebow spent much of the season on the bench. The Jets would bring Tebow in for one play, essentially cooling off whatever groove Sanchez had managed to get into with his offense, and then bring Sanchez back in immediately, effectively keeping Tebow from getting into any kind of groove. It was a recipe for disaster from the start. The Jets basically shot themselves in the foot before the season even started by making this move.
Tebow is a good quarterback. Sanchez...was...a good quarterback. But Tebow is young and needs playing time to mature and gain experience in order to get better. Sanchez, somehow, has regressed in recent years after an initial promising few seasons...maybe instead of inspiring Sanchez to play better and retain his starting position, bringing Tebow to the team was a great blow that threw him even more off his game. In any case, the way the Jets played this year, its obvious that they don't look to Sanchez as their leader. And a great QB has to be a leader.
So I don't know what's in store for next season - to be honest, I'm a Giants fan, so I'm still stuck on this season, hoping this year's hodgepodge, uneven team can win their next two games and make it to the playoffs - but I'd say its in both Tebow and the Jet's favor for him to end up somewhere else.
Two more weeks left in the regular season - how are your teams' postseason prospects shaping up?
First of all, why is this news?
Why would the Jets want him back? They never used him. (Case in point, when they decided to bench Mark Sanchez in this upcoming Sunday's game, they leap-frogged over Tebow to third string QB Greg McElroy to start).
Why would Tebow want to come back? They never used him.
This acquisition never made sense to me. Yes, Sanchez struggled, and yes, Tebow struggled while in Denver, but what team with a big name starting QB (Jets & Sanchez) acquires another big name starting QB (Tebow) without getting rid of the first?
Sure, there were intriguing possibilities before the season started - with 2 QBs, the Jets could maybe run a more effective Wildcat. With 2 QBs on the field at one time, it could add great versatility to the team's offense. But did any of these possibilities pan out? Nope. Tebow spent much of the season on the bench. The Jets would bring Tebow in for one play, essentially cooling off whatever groove Sanchez had managed to get into with his offense, and then bring Sanchez back in immediately, effectively keeping Tebow from getting into any kind of groove. It was a recipe for disaster from the start. The Jets basically shot themselves in the foot before the season even started by making this move.
Tebow is a good quarterback. Sanchez...was...a good quarterback. But Tebow is young and needs playing time to mature and gain experience in order to get better. Sanchez, somehow, has regressed in recent years after an initial promising few seasons...maybe instead of inspiring Sanchez to play better and retain his starting position, bringing Tebow to the team was a great blow that threw him even more off his game. In any case, the way the Jets played this year, its obvious that they don't look to Sanchez as their leader. And a great QB has to be a leader.
So I don't know what's in store for next season - to be honest, I'm a Giants fan, so I'm still stuck on this season, hoping this year's hodgepodge, uneven team can win their next two games and make it to the playoffs - but I'd say its in both Tebow and the Jet's favor for him to end up somewhere else.
Two more weeks left in the regular season - how are your teams' postseason prospects shaping up?
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Sports commercials that make me laugh right now
After a rough week for New York football teams, with the Jets being eliminated (rightfully so - sorry Dad!) from postseason play and the Giants continuing to play what is just a super uneven season devoid of any kind of passion, I'm in need of a good laugh, so here are two of my favorite sports-themed commercials right now:
Monday, December 3, 2012
Tony Romo passes Troy Aikman for the Dallas Cowboys lead in TD passes, but what does that mean?
This is going to be a short post just fyi. In last night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Tony Romo became the Cowboys franchise leader in touchdown passes, surpassing Cowboys legend Troy Aikman.
I am a well documented un-fan of Romo and the Cowboys. I'm not a hater. I'm just saying, let's call a spade a spade. The Cowboys might've been a great team, Aikman might've been a great player, but the Cowboys of today are not the same great team - they're an ordinary team and Romo is an ordinary quarterback. He's not a bad quarterback. He's not even a mediocre quarterback. But is he a great quarterback? The Cowboys might make it to the playoffs every year, but so do half the teams in the NFL.
Troy Aikman led the Cowboys to not one, not two, but three Super Bowl victories. How many victories does Romo have under his belt?
So, for Romo to have more TD passes than Aikman makes me wonder - is Romo playing against better teams than Aikman was? He has more TD passes but fewer wins - or at least, fewer championships, and really, that's the golden ring to all these owners/coaches/players. Or is it just that statistics are, as I've always suspected, for the most part, completely meaningless?
Thoughts?
I am a well documented un-fan of Romo and the Cowboys. I'm not a hater. I'm just saying, let's call a spade a spade. The Cowboys might've been a great team, Aikman might've been a great player, but the Cowboys of today are not the same great team - they're an ordinary team and Romo is an ordinary quarterback. He's not a bad quarterback. He's not even a mediocre quarterback. But is he a great quarterback? The Cowboys might make it to the playoffs every year, but so do half the teams in the NFL.
Troy Aikman led the Cowboys to not one, not two, but three Super Bowl victories. How many victories does Romo have under his belt?
So, for Romo to have more TD passes than Aikman makes me wonder - is Romo playing against better teams than Aikman was? He has more TD passes but fewer wins - or at least, fewer championships, and really, that's the golden ring to all these owners/coaches/players. Or is it just that statistics are, as I've always suspected, for the most part, completely meaningless?
Thoughts?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
