abdicating the thrown

Call the Guards! Quick! At once, call the Guards!  The King is dead!!  The National Basketball Association threw it’s hat into the reality TV ring with Lebron James as its leading man, culminating in a season ending episode that will forever be regarded as perfect theater.  With the weight of the entire state of Ohio on his broad shoulders, Lebron James stared absolute criticism in the face, took off his self proclaimed crown and opted to live in someone else’s castle for what he calls, a chance at winning now; The King has chosen to play for the Miami Heat this fall.

With tensions mounting in several basketball cities throughout the country, James did not disappoint in providing another show stopping performance.  Only this performance would come in the form of a sit down interview with media correspondent, Jim Gray, rather than in a basketball arena.  The wooing process for Lebron’s services took on a life of its own and it seemed as if every water cooler, barbershop, coffee shop, and sports blog in America entertained the question: Where will Lebron James Play?  Paparazzi followed the 6′8″ forward at every stop hoping to get a glimpse of which way he might lean.  Meanwhile the Cleveland faithful organized community groups, erected billboards, printed T-shirts, and danced in the streets, all in a collective effort to convince their King to stay.  As we now know, it was not to be, as James will don a different jersey in South Beach this October.  Reactions across America ranged from all night beer chugging parties on Collins Ave in South Miami to ceremonial Jersey burnings in the streets of Cleveland, OH.  While Miami Heat President, Pat Riley was receiving the proverbial cigar for his accomplishment, Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert sent a scroll of banishment to the Kingdom that James will leave behind.  In fact, Gilbert had some pretty harsh words for the King and scolded him by saying in a letter to fans:

 “As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier. This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his “decision” unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.  On the prized championship rings sought by many, Gilbert stated “I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE.”

What’s done is done! Lebron James will never be the Lebron of old on the basketball court while sharing the spotlight and responsibility of bringing a championship to Miami. Gone is the all out style of play that vaulted James into becoming who many proclaim as the best basketball player in the world.  James will have to learn when to give way and when to take charge, something he never had to worry about before. Those who love his game will have to adjust to seeing him take 12-15 shots per game as opposed to his customary 18-25 shots per game. No more MVP awards, scoring titles, or 60 point games.  Get accustomed to the possibility of seeing someone else take the final shot to win a game and someone else be the aggressor to close out games with James on the floor. 

After all, the Miami Heat play in “WADE” County. 

While King James cannot truly wear that crown in Miami, he took a step forward like no other Basketball elite superstar has ever done in the prime of his career.  With millions urging him to do otherwise, Lebron chose the increased possibility of winning over financial security, world wide fame, and the prospect of disappointing those he loves. This is a moment that transcends the world of sport and speaks to each of us on a much deeper level. While some have called Lebron’s decision to leave Cleveland a cowardly act, I applaud James and call this move, heroic.  There are those who are saying he quit, and i say he elevated the best part of himself.  We can all learn something when we minimize our ego for a greater good; Even if it comes to the detriment of our so called acclaimed status. Of course, this historic move will not be justified unless there are multiple victory parades in the streets of A1A and Biscayne Blvd in Miami, and contrary to popular belief it will take an adjustment period, sometimes longer than we want to imagine. James will need to fit in and mesh with new teammates, Riley will need to add pieces that compliment his new trio of superstars, and the city of Miami will need to be patient as it all comes together.  Only then will we approve Lebron’s apparent act of defiance and re-classify it for what it truly is…..bravery, unselfishness, and ingenious.  This King maybe crown-less and currently resides in someone else’s castle, but he has opened himself up to entirely new world of stardom, and hopefully for him, it ends with a new crown……….. ” Champion”.

That’s How The Big Man sees It~

“Considering, the seemingly bottomless bank vault Jerry Jones whipped open this offseason, it would lend itself to believe that Jerry and his staff have made all the right moves for a Super Bowl run. “

In the latest Cowboy saga of “Hole in the Roof heatbreak”, Tony Romo has been at the center of scrutiny due to two playoff losses in which many feel should have been different outcomes for the Boys. A bobbled snap that cost the cowboys a playoff win, in Seattle, in 2007, and a lackluster performance after a romantic weekend in Cabo, Mexico with Celebrity girlfriend, Jessica Simpson, may or may not have played a role in this years disappointing loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the New York Giants. Oh! But this wasn’t just any playoff loss!! The Cowboys averaged 37.5 points a game which resulted in two double digit victories in the regular season against this team, only to be held to a paltry 17 points in the divisional playoff game. The Cowboys stunk up the joint by going scoreless for the last quarter and a half. Cowboy Nation would like to believe the new retractable roof at the Cowboy complex to open next year in Arlington, Texas, will free the Boys of the curse of choking in the final minutes of big games. Well, sorry to break it to you Cowboy fans, it’s going to take a bit more than a new stadium to reach the ultimate pinnacle of sports, The Super Bowl.

Okay, okay, by now your thinking so far I haven’t told you why this years team won’t fulfill its ultimate goal. Considering, the seemingly bottomless bank vault Jerry Jones whipped open this offseason, it would lend itself to believe that Jerry and his staff have made all the right moves for a Super Bowl run. No other team in the NFC has the talent the Cowboys have and no one else stands out as an immediate challenger to the NFC crown. Jerry Jones filled the weak spots of the team with young talent by signing Adam“don’t call him Pacman” Jones, adding experience and linebacker help with pro bowler Zach Thomas, drafting Felix Jones to compliment Marion Barber in the offensive backfield, and resigning key free agents in Barber, Terrence Newman, Flozell Adams, Ken Hamlin and some guy they call T.O. But Hold up! Haven’t we’ve been here before? Wasn’t it just last year that we were saying the same thing about the Cowboys, who added Big Time free agents Ken Hamlin, Tank Johnson, and Leonard Davis. The Cowboys pass rush was supposed to get a boost from drafting Anthony Spencer, and the defense was suppose to be Super Bowl ready because Wade Phillips was hired on as Head Coach, which allowed Jason Garrett to focus on making the offense Super. For about fourteen weeks this past season we saw evidence that all the moves the Cowboys made were for the betterment of the team. We also saw evidence to the contrary at key moments of the season, as well. Anthony Spencer was never able to beat out Marcus Spears at the left Defensive End position. Leonard Davis would often catch key penalties and get beat to allow sacks and pressure on Tony Romo in key games of the season, including the playoff loss against the Giants. Ken Hamlin and Roy Williams became scape goats for a porous Cowboy secondary all season long, and Tank Johnson, who couldn’t join the team until the second half of the season would only have a few bright spots and was no factor in key losses against The Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, and New York Giants at the end of the season.

Here are the top 5 reasons the Dallas Cowboys won’t win it all this season:

• 5. No home run in the run game– When the Cowboys visit the barbershop more than 15 times a game (Marion Barber), they usually win, but all of these wins have come in the regular season. Because Barber has such a punishing running style, it’s questionable how much he will have left in the playoffs. Barber does not possess breakaway speed. Since Barber is the only experienced runner on the roster, can’t depend on the new Jones in the backfield to make a huge difference the old Jones did not, at least not in his first season. So, with that said, there will be many times when playoff season begins, Romo and the Boys will be facing third and long ( Allow me to present exhibit A- Giants over Cowboys 21-17 in divisional playoffs)
• 4. Lack of playoff winning experience– Some may question the validity of this one, but those who have played the sport knows that when you have never won anything, all it takes is a second half lead by the opposing team to reintroduce that seed of doubt. While the Boys have gained playoff experience 3 of the past 5 years, they have come up empty every time. In fact, America’s Team has not won a playoff game since destroying Minnesota way back in 1996. Only T.O., Zach Thomas, Ken Hamlin, Tank Johnson, and Brad Johnson have experienced Playoff wins. Last I looked, only two of these players play significant minutes. Fact is, NFL rosters are made up of 53 players. 5 of 53 is not saying much.
• 3. NFC East competition– Say what you will, but the cowboys have trouble dominating the NFC East because it is simply the best division in Football. No other division can boast at least three playoff appearances by each of its teams this decade. This division has had Super Bowl representatives two of the last four years and the Boys are almost everyones favorite this year from the NFC. The Cowboys won the division for the first time since 1998. The so called, high powered offense scored 6 points, 6 points, and 17 points against the Eagles, Redskins, and Giants respectively down the stretch, this year. Say what you will, but there is nothing super about those numbers. With only four losses all year, including playoffs, Dallas found a way to give three of those games to teams in the division. My guess is, this wont change.
• 2. Tony Romo’s immaturity—This is one that will be debated until the cows come home. Tony Romo, with all of his physical abilities and improvisational skills has continuously shown that he needs a short leash. Why so harsh on Romo you ask? Well consider this!! The most covered QB this offseason next to Michael Vick and Brett Farve, is Tony Romo. While Vick has been convicted and Farve back and forth on retirement, Romo has made news for everything from dating Cowboy cheerleaders, Partying with Britney Spears, to being at every venue possible with his star girl friend, Jessica Simpson. One would think that a guy who bobbled a game winning snap in the playoffs in 2007 and a guy who received lots a blame for a poor performance after hanging with his girlfriend just before a playoff game in which his team loss in 2008, would stay out of the lime light. Better yet, A guy who is fast developing a reputation as a high profile playboy, would attempt to fan these flames by making less news for his social life and more news for his football play. There are those who would say its ludicrous to think that Tony’s relationship with Jessica has anything to do with the Cowboys playoff loss last year. I would say to those naysayers that they are absolutely correct. It’s not Jessica Simpson at all!! Tony Romo’s immaturity in thinking that the media’s craze surrounding his private life has no negative affects on his team, is what the cowboys should worry about. No great Quarterback comes to mind, with the kind of Rock Star image Romo has created for himself. Joe Namath never had to worry about this kind of media. In fact, it can only serve as a negative if teammates are busy answering questions in the locker room about Tony’s 20 under par in a recent celebrity golf tournament or Tony’s trips to the Dallas Mavericks games, The Virgin Islands, and who knows where else with Jessica. Tony’s problem is he loves being “Macaroni Tony” so much, he hasn’t stopped to think how answering simple questions during football season about anything but football can be distracting in his locker room. Am I losing it!! Any normal person would do everything to prevent the negative, Right!!! The Boys are hardly a veteran team. A seasoned team might be able to handle these distractions, but as evidenced by T.O.’s meltdown at the end of the last seasons playoff’s game. “This is my quarterback, man, That’s my quarterback” The Cowboys still have a ways to go. Tony Romo acts like a part time Quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, all the while parading around the world as a full time socialite with Jessica Simpson, and new found celebrity friends. I guess 67.4 million Dollars can buy just about anything!! Wonder why we rarely read about Tom Brady or the Manning’s in such meaningless theater? Oh! My bad–they’ve been busy get ready for another Super Bowl Victory. Queue the victory music for the opposing team in early January. This Cowboy still don’t get it!!
• 1. Wade Phillips/Jason Garrett–The number one reason the Dallas Cowboys will not win it all this year is lack of imagination and inexperience of its head coach and Asst. Head Coach, respectively. Wade Phillips can’t win a playoff game as a head coach to save his life. He will forever be haunted by starting Rob Johnson over Doug Flutie in a playoff game verses the Tennessee Titans that has now been doubbed ” The music City Miracle“. Phillips chose Johnson over Flutie to start the 1999 season. After a 0-3 start and a rib injury, Doug Flutie gets the nod and leads the then coached Buffalo Bills to a 10-5 record. After a meaningless game to end the season, Phillips decides to start Johnson over Flutie in the playoff game. The rest is history!! Wade is 0-4 as a head coach in the playoffs. Phillips must also keep a tighter reign on the offense led by Jason Garrett. The Cowboys came off the field too many time last season due to over agressive play calling that borderlined reckless at times. Fact is Jason Garret was new at his position of offensive coordinator and he was agressive with his toys. Often times overlooking the run game at much needed moments of late regular season games. As a result the Boys did not look sharp the last 4 weeks and were bounced early from the playoffs…..Oops! or have I said that before!!! Wade will need to calm his young Asst. Coach down, and force him to be smarter with field position if he plans to win in the playoffs, or can he? Remember, it was Jerry Jones wo hired Jason Garrett, not Wade phillips. More to come on that down the road!!

Hang in there Cowboy Nation, the bulk of this can all be resolved with better coaching in big games, and more on and off field dicipline from the teams best player. While I can’t tell you at this point, who will rise up and knock the Cowboys off the thrown they have yet to capture. I can tell you the hole in Texas Stadium appears it will leave one more void in your hearts before the stadium is demolished. Look at the bright side, The regular season will be a whole lotta fun……I have my Popcorn ready!!. “How ‘Bout them Cowboys?!!!!

And That’s How the BIG MAN sees It

The role of the NFL commissioner has never commanded the spotlight that Roger Goodell is dealing with at this time. Goodell has Bitch Slapped a number of players with suspensions. Since January of 2007, twenty-four current players or coaches have either been arrested for various reasons or suspended by the league for substance abuse. (Tank Johnson, Adam ” Pacman” Jones, Odell Thurman, Chris Henry, Deltha O’neal, Richie Anderson, Jared Allen, Darrel Reid, Justin Miller, David Kircus, Steve McNair, AJ Nicholson, Ahmad Carroll, Fred Evans, Mike Mason, Nick Barnett, Jimmy Williams, Chad Eaton, Jarrod Cooper, Chris Chambers, Khalif Barnes, Kenny Peterson, Bryant Mcneal, Torrie Cox) This list doesn’t include the pending case against one of the leagues most heralded stars, Michael Vick. Many believe there is a witch hunt upon the African- American Athlete. I believe the Black Athlete needs to clean up its image. Of the twenty-four athletes mentioned, only one ( David Kircus ) is not African-American.

Let’s face it, Roger Goodell’s stern approach can only serve as a detourrent to what is already an out of control league. Some individuals have already shown they just don’t get it. For these athlete’s the hammer will come down.

Tell me your thoughts! The Big Man would like to hear from you on this topic. If you ask me, I say pick your race card up off the table and put back into the deck where it belongs.

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The Count Down is on!! With Barry Bonds fast approaching Hank Aaron’s hallowed home run record of 755, we now find that Hank has decided not to attend the impending game to celebrate the new home run king. Aaron has recently appeared on ESPN saying he has no plans to be present. This is just another blow to a sport that is struggling to maintain its credibility. Major league Baseball is currently covered by a cloud of steroid abuse, highlighted by a tell all book, authored by former MLB player, Jose Canseco. This year we’ve seen Mark McGwire not get accepted to Cooperstown ( MLB Hall of Fame ) in his first bid. The world has watched Rafael Palmeiro get embarrassed by a positive steroid test result, after emphatically denying use in front of US congress, and the one thing everyone can celebrate, the home run record, has now been dealt a blow by Hank Aaron’s refusal to acknowledge the passing of the torch. The Big Man would like to hear from you. Is Hammerin’ Hank doing the right thing? I look forward to your assessment..

The BIG MAN

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While the Super Bowl had fewer story lines of games of the past, the one that media friends seems to have stayed away from is….. What are Malcolm Glazer and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers thinking now? Allow the Big Man to weigh in. They are thinking ” maybe we made a mistake!!” Oh yes…. And if the Glazer family is not thinking this, then they may find themselves and their franchise doomed to mediocrity much longer. Five years after Anthony ” Tony ” Dungy was unceremoniously let go by the Buccaneer franchise, we now have a clear picture of the fallout. When I listen to radio shows and hear so called Buc fans make suggestions that Dungy is not a great coach, I laugh and often wonder if these fans even remember what their team was like in the pre Dungy era. Better yet! How many of them can even name the previous five coaches. Do the usually fair weather fans of Tampa know that the franchise has had only two winning seasons prior to Tony’s arrival on Tampa soil and only two winning seasons in the five years after his departure? During the coaches 6 year tenure he put together five consecutive seasons of .500 or better. Fact is, Tampa’s proud franchise has only 187 wins in its 30 year history. Dungy’s regular season record was 54-42 and of the seven coaches in Tampa’s history he is the only one who can claim a winning record.

Maybe it needs to be pointed out to the ungrateful Tampa Bay fans that of the nine postseason appearances in club history, 4 of them were during Dungy’s tenure, including three straight. The Big Man wants to know, how dare you? How dare you question the greatness of a guy who inherited a ” pure ( P-yow) garbage franchise” that found every way to lose? A club that had double digit losses in 15 of 19 seasons including 12 straight from ‘83-’94, how dare you attempt to paint your best coach in a light that makes it look as if he could never could get it done in Tampa or that he’s really not that good at what he does? As an illustration of how great he was, ask yourselves what the current coach is doing with the players inherited from Dungy. Raymond James stadium was the house that Dungy Built!! It is because of those 6 seasons of striving to better the team in the playoffs why Tampa even has those cushy seats and a club level unmatched in the league. Not only did Tampa Learn how to win under Dungy, an expectation was created because of him.

Tony Dungy’s teams gave sports radio in Tampa, Florida something to finally talk about, he created an expectation to win in a place fans couldn’t hold their heads up when football was mentioned. This is the place where Bo Jackson wouldn’t come to play, the place that shunned two Super Bowl winning QB’s in Doug Williams and Steve Young, the place that John Elway threatened to play baseball if they drafted him, the place who chose Ricky Bell over Tony Dorsett in the 1977 draft, a place so ridiculously lousy when it came to football, Steve Spurrier and the Tampa Bandits were the best show in town at one point. Short term memory should be considered a disease and very contagious, because it seems to have permeated the Tampa community like a deadly plague.

Now begs the question, who got the better deal? With Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts looking prepared to be competitive for the next seven years, the Buccaneer franchise looks like its back to its old ways of losing. Since the Super Bowl victory with John Gruden at the controls, the Bucs are 27-37. The worst decline of a Super Bowl winning team in the history of our game. The best players on this team are still the ones who played for Dungy and the team has not improved in any categories. The Bucs are older, not younger, the Tampa 2 looks extremely porous, they have a mess at quarterback, a defensive line that doesn’t seem to get pressure anymore, and a running game that features a Cadillac who runs more like a Ford Pinto. What ever the reasons are for this demise, you can’t blame Tony Dungy. There are those who for some unGodly reason believe that Dungy wasn’t the driving force behind his recent Super Bowl win. I have heard preposterous claims such as Tom Moore ( Colts offensive coordinator) is the mastermind, or Peyton simply grew up and got better, or the Colts defensive woes proves Tony’s lack of greatness. Please know this…….In the end, it was all Tony Dungy that has the Colts as your Super Bowl champions. Allow me to make the case!! If Tom Moore was such a master mind, why was Dungy hired? Why hasn’t any owners hired Tom Moore as head coach? If it’s just because Peyton grew up, what about this lousy postseason he had where he threw more interceptions than touchdowns–does that sound like growing up to you? The defense Dungy has been tweaking for past five years came of age in their four post season games. I don’t have to tell you, just ask the Chiefs, Ravens, Patriots, and Bears. With Peyton throwing 3 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, what else could it be? oh I get it…..maybe you still think its Tom Moore’s master mind!!

Tony Dungy inherited a 6-10 Colt squad with a Peyton Manning who had thrown 23 interceptions in the previous year. Tom Moore had four years with Peyton Prior to Dungy’s arrival and he threw 81 INT’s in that span. Since Dungy’s arrival, Peyton has cut down down on his mistakes each year, throwing only 58 picks in five years…the fewest by a current starting QB over this span . The Indianapolis Colts haven’t been this consistent since Don Shula coached them in the 1960’s. In fact, from 1978-2001, the colts had 14 losing seasons in 24 years and never more than two consecutive winning seasons. Well, Dungy has put together a streak of 5, bringing his consecutive seasons at .500 or above to 10 in a row. Only the Buccaneers have more losing seasons in the same span. From one losing franchise to another, he’s made them both winners. Tony joins George Halas, Tom Landry, John Madden, Marty Shottenheimer, and Don Shula as the only NFL coaches to ever accomplish the feat. Keep in mind he is the only one to do it during our wacky free agency era.

The Big Man has made his case on this issue, I just hope that Tampa Fans get some help for that memory loss. Even with 30 million in cap room for the upcoming season, the fans need to know that there has been a gross mis evaluation of talent on behalf of the coaching staff, each and every year since 2002, the same mis evaluation apparently made by the Glazers. All the money in Fort Knox won’t help them with this self imposed ass kicking they have been receiving as of late! Yes! They did it to themselves. Advantage Colts!!

–That’s how the BIG Man Sees It

Michael Irvin, former great wide receiver of the Dallas Cowboys was introduced as one of six Hall of Fame Inductees for the class of 2007. If you are not familiar with Michael Irvin, all you need to know is that he is simply, “The Playmaker”.

Irvin’s accomplishment intrigues me because the 40 panelist from the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame did not find Irvin worthy of induction in each of the last two years. Without definitive explanation, America and Dallas Cowboys fans everywhere were left to determine on their own why this seemingly unanimous choice was being held out of the Hall of Fame. The former Dallas Cowboys receiver with the off-field woes and three Super Bowl rings, was among six former players voted into the

Canton shrine Saturday. But the commissioner who guided the NFL for 18 years before retiring last summer didn’t even make the first cut.

“This was worth the wait,” Irvin said. “I know my alphabet. When I heard ‘H’ I was like, ‘OK, I (is) next.’ So, whew! I was so afraid we were going to skip over the I’s.”

Irvin didn’t mention his troubled past, pleading no contest in 1996 to felony cocaine possession; getting arrested in 2000 on drug possession charges that were later dropped. Uncharacteristically, former teammate Troy Aikman did have something to say.

“I think that maybe some of that is why he hasn’t gotten in until now,” said Aikman, who was inducted last year. “And I know that’s not part of the criteria, and I think all of the voters would tell you that’s not part of the criteria. But we are all human and I think you maybe take what you think of a person as an individual and have that cloud what you think of his athletic abilities. That happens.”

It is in the unsolicited opinion of this author that The Playmaker was simply too liberal with his lifestyle for the well documented conservative panel who votes on potential inductees. Without airing any ones dirty laundry, allow me to say that Michael Irvin is not the first Hall of Famer to be arrested during or after his playing days, and you better believe he won’t be the last. The human in us all, sometimes clouds ones judgment when there is pressure to be completely objective, especially where it involves someone we don’t like. Many know that Michael was/is a love him or hate him athlete who is never at a lost for showmanship. There are

HOF panelists who have attempted to compare Michael Irvin’s flamboyant style to that of Terrell Owens. While there are similarities on the surface, Michael’s coaches and teammates at every level will attest that unlike Mr. Owens, Irvin is a teammate you wanted around and couldn’t get enough of. Just ask Michael’s former coach, Jimmy Johnson,

“I never coached a player who had as much passion for the game as Michael Irvin. He set a standard for work ethic that inspired every player and coach on the team. You judge individuals in sports based upon how much work they do - and how committed they are to getting better - when no one is watching them. Michael was like no other in that regard. He taught our young players how to be professional football players and how to compete. And he would not allow the veteran players to be comfortable simply because they had enjoyed some success.

“He also was the guy who I knew at crunch time I could depend on to come through with a key play. He never shied away from making the tough catch.”

The concern over statistics were waged when it was questioned that Michael Irvin completed his career with only 750 catches and just over 11,000 receiving yards. Again, what clown would ever think that 750 catches is mediocre. Although there are 13 other men who have eclipsed this mark, only one ( Jerry Rice ) can lay definitive claims of being better at this craft. The all decade team of the 90’s has Jerry Rice on one side and Michael Irvin on the other. Even with breaking the 1000 catch barrier, anyone with insightful football knowledge could make the argument that retired Minnesota Wide Receiver, Chris Carter, and retired Oakland Raider Receiver, Tim Brown, did not have the impact on their teams or the league, as Irvin has. Remember, the NFL didn’t know what a big possession receiver was until Michael Irvin put a certain Star on his helmet. Put the Big Man on record and identify me as………would like to get rid of the current Hall of Fame Panelists—-party of one!!

The NFL HOF needs to get its head out of its ass, wake up and smell the coffee. The new athlete of today comes with an entirely different package. Where Irvin was vilified for his end zone celebrations, these players are rewarded with commercials for them. To believe that Michael Irvin brings negative attention or shame to the moral fiber of the HOF is asinine. Irvin’s induction sends shock waves through urban communities throughout the United States. Michael was born the 15th of 17 kids under one roof.

Known for his willingness to entertain, Irvin’s siblings looked to him for strength when their father passed away while Michael was in High school. For years, Irvin has always said at that moment in his life he knew he had to be great. The rest, as they say, is history.

The playmakers well deserved Bust will rest in Canton amongst the greats who’ve played the game.

And Thats How the Big Man Sees it

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Okay, someone please tell me what I witnessed in this years Australian open didn’t happen like I saw it. You saw it too, didn’t you? Did she do what I think she did? Please pinch me to wake me up from this apparent dream I must be having. I’m not sure how you saw it, but please tell me I did not just witness Serena Williams kick the door in at the Australian Open, fight of a bunch of pretenders who were in her way of the throne and flat out put her foot square in the ass of the current queen, who happens to be the worlds number one ranked female tennis player, Maria Sharapova? Okay, okay, maybe it didn’t go down quite this way, but please allow me to inform you that it sure felt like it. Williams had to proved she still possessed an appetite for winning big titles by trampling over five seeds in the run up to the final. On Saturday she claimed the biggest one of them all. Capturing her eighth career grand slam title, Serena Williams won her first tennis crown in 2 years in overpowering fashion. With a two set win ( 6-1, 6-2) Sharapova didn’t stand much of chance. While watching the champion remind us all that she is indeed a force to be reckoned with, I wondered what this victory would mean to the tennis world and Serena’s legacy.

“It was an awesome win, because I had so many critics. So many people … saying negative things,” Williams said. “Saying I wasn’t fit, when I felt that I was really fit, and I could last three sets. “It’s always like, tell me no and I’ll show you that I can do it. I get the greatest satisfaction just holding up the Grand Slam trophy and proving everyone wrong.

Williams dedicated the title to her half-sister, Yetunde Price, who was killed in a 2003 shooting.

“Most of all I would like to dedicate this win to my sister, who’s not here. Her name is Yetunde. I just love her so much,” she said, her voice cracking. “I’ll try not to get teary-eyed but I said a couple of days ago, if I win this it’s going to be for her. So thanks Tunde.”

Serena missed nine tournaments immediately after losing in the third round at the Australian Open last year and played only 16 matches in 2006, when she slumped as low as No. 140 in the rankings. Now, I’m not completely sure how rankings in tennis are achieved but I question the common sense of it all. It is extremely easy to gather that Serena Williams is one our best and there isn’t 139 female tennis players who are better at tennis than she is. Let’s just say, If they are out there, they have yet to reveal themselves. Regardless of the lack of attention and focus Serena may have given the game in past couple of years, and regardless of the injuries that have caused her withdrawal from previous tournaments, we would not have have a story of this magnitude if she were ranked where human interpretation would have probably put her. Computers will never see what a human knows by watching. Nonetheless, Serena came into this event ranked 81st in the world, setting the stage for a record setting achievement. Is this Serena’s way of letting the world know that she is still the player to beat? As she vows to re-devote her focus to the game, many questions about her tennis future won’t be answered for some time , but we do know that she has served notice to Sharapova and the rest of tennis’ diva’s that she can do anything she wants on the court, and look good while doing it. Congratulations to Ms. Williams on her latest victory! Somehow it feels that she is laughing at us all, with her usual grin, saying ….. How dare you doubt me!

–This is how The Big Man sees it

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bringit

Serena Williams Career Highlights

2007 Australian Open (singles) - Champion
2005 Australian Open (singles) - Champion
2004 China Open (singles) - Champion
2004 NASDAQ-100 Open (singles) - Champion
2003 Wimbledon (singles) - Champion
2003 Australian Open (singles and doubles) - Champion
2002 Sparkassen Cup (singles) - Champion
2002 Princess Cup (singles) - Champion
2002 US Open (singles) - Champion
2002 Wimbledon (singles & doubles) - Champion
2002 French Open (singles) - Champion
2002 Italian Open (singles) - Champion
2002 Nasdaq-100 Open(singles) - Champion
2002 State Farm Tennis Classic (singles) – Champion
2001 Sanex Championship (singles) - Champion
2001 US Open (singles) - Finalist
2001 Indian Wells (singles) - Champion
2001 Australian Open (doubles) - Champion
2000 Wimbledon (doubles) – Champion
2000 Olympics (doubles) – Champion
1999 U.S. Open (singles & doubles) – Champion
1999 French Open (doubles) – Champion
1999 Paris Indoors (singles) – Champion
1999 Indian Wells (singles) – Champion
1999 Los Angeles (singles) – Champion
1999 Grand Slam Cup (singles) – Champion

Sylvestor Croom Turner Gill Ron Prince Randy Shannon Ty Willingham Karl Dorrell
Miss. State Buffalo Kansas St. Miami Washington UCLA

College Football’s Six African American Coaches

The math in 2006 was pitifully imbalanced: There were seven Black NFL head coaches out of 32 teams (21.9 percent) and five Black Division I-A college head coaches out of 119 teams (4.2 percent). You don’t have to be too smart to know how stupid this looks!! The shameful disparity in these numbers between the NFL and college football is as plain as Black and White. The concern about these numbers will undoubtedly be under a microscope as America will make history when two African American coaches take the sidelines for Superbowl XLI in Miami on February 4th. Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith’s achievement means this is one more barrier broken, one more cultural advancement, one more uncomfortable truth that can transition into past tense.

This year, all 10 teams that played in a BCS game had White coaches. Of the 64 coaches that made it to a bowl game, only 2 were not White. It is these kind of disparaging numbers that causes me to raise painstaking questions and concerns about Division 1A college football. While the pro sidelines have increased their diversity, the college sidelines are caught in a time warp. A profession that so desperately seeks a level playing field offers nothing close to one for the Black athlete who aspires to rise to the pinnacle of the college coaching profession. Plainly and simply, folks, this is discrimination. More precisely, this is one of the last and greatest bastions of discrimination within all of American sports.

If you are reading this you must know how I feel about a sport with roughly 50 percent Black participation at the athlete level, and such poor participation at the head coaching level, it’s a joke! In a place where kids are taught the value of education and are enlightened about our changing world, it seems unreal that college would be a place that struggles with this sad issue. Besides, a college student or graduate is supposed to be reformed and equipped (through his/her expensive education) to lead the way on understanding diversity. It seems a bit hypocritical to teach something that is obviously not practiced on the very campuses this lesson of life is learned. If there is a professor or professional that believes I have this all wrong, I would ask them to explain the numbers.

After one season as an assistant at his alma mater, Minnesota, Tony Dungy went the pro route. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in his fourth year with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dungy has spent 20 of his 26 NFL seasons as either a coordinator or a head coach, and his regular-season record as the boss is 114-62. Lovie Smith, meanwhile, gave it the old college try. After 12 years at Tulsa, Wisconsin, Arizona State, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio State, he was still a position coach. By his sixth season in the NFL, he was defensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams, and by his ninth season, he was head coach of the Bears. Where he has done fairly well, I might add! Lovie’s record the past two years is 25-9. The career paths of Smith and Dungy show the contrast between upward mobility in college and upward mobility in the NFL. Somehow, the NFL decision-makers saw something in Lovie Smith that the college decision-makers missed. Willfully or not!
Marvin Lewis, head coach of the Bengals, found himself after 11 years working in college, he was still a linebackers coach. After four years with the Steelers, he made the jump to defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. By his 12th year in the NFL, he was the man in charge.

Why the difference?

The prevailing thought is that you’re usually dealing with one person in the NFL, the owner. The thought is owners are typically about business, and may understand that you hire people based on productivity and what you think they are capable of. Owners are largely not as influenced by others. On the college level, however, there are many more influences. And maybe those influences are not all positive. That’s another way of saying that a Black head coach can sometimes be a tough sell to a bunch of White boosters, who tend to get involved in the hiring process because they tend to write big checks to the athletic department. With the hiring of African-American Randy Shannon at Miami and Cuban-born Mario Cristobal at Florida International, the number of minority Division I-A head coaches has ballooned to seven. Woop-T-Doo! That’s two out of the 21 hires made to date, not enough to appreciably move the needle toward equality.

“What more do I need to do? If you put my resume next to some of these others, with no names on them, mine will look better. Still I can’t get a shot at it.” — Black College Assistant Coach

Charlie Strong continues to do great work as co-defensive coordinator at Florida — anyone see the Gators’ defense utterly crush Ohio State’s offense in the BCS National Championship Game? — but his shot at the big chair never comes. After 21 years as a college assistant, he’s still waiting. UCLA’s defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English — all their units had fine seasons and notable successes. Walker’s defense shut down USC’s offense and cost the Trojans a national title shot; English turned Michigan’s defense into a top-10 unit in his first season. All of them will be right back where they were again next season.

Maybe it’s time to try the NFL, where they do more than talk about diversity. They put it into action.

That’s how the Big Man sees it

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bringit

2005 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year
For those of you who hate comparing athletes from different eras, you don’t have to worry about getting caught up in making this comparison because there simply isn’t one. For the sake of argument, imagine if someone has a gun to your head or a knife to your throat. Imagine if you were told your life depends on the outcome of one football game. The entire roster of your team was already chosen, of which you didn’t recognize any names. You are being told that you can choose your quarterback from any quarterback in the history of the game, during their prime. Who would you choose?

To choose any other quarterback in history would be playing some serious roulette, in my opinion. Allow the Big Man to break this down! Before choosing the Montanas, Marinos, Elways, and Bradshaws of history, ask yourself if your choice has a record equal to or better than 12-1 in post season play. If you throw out the regular season stats, of which Brady is fast becoming the best in many categories, the overtime games and play off games alone will tell you everything. Tom Brady is the only quarterback in NFL history to start and win three Super Bowls before his 28th birthday, having quarterbacked the Patriots to victories in Super Bowl XXXVI when he was 24 years old, Super Bowl XXXVIII (26) and Super Bowl XXXIX (27). Brady is only the fourth quarterback in NFL history to lead his team to three or more Super Bowl wins, joining Terry Bradshaw (4), Joe Montana (4) and Troy Aikman (3). Keep in mind that Tom Brady is the first and only to accomplish this during our wild and wacky free agent era. To not know what this means is an admission that you would be playing with your life at the end of a gun barrel.

Terry Bradshaw threw to two Hall of Fame wide outs ( Swann & Stallworth ), Montana threw to the very best wide out in history ( Rice ) and all Aikman had was a future Hall of Fame wide out ( Irvin ) and oh yeah!, some guy by the name of Emmit Smith. Tom Brady’s receivers on the other hand, are people many of us can’t even remember. Many of these guys will be working at Krispy Kreme or selling lumber at Home Depot after their football days are over. Now, if this is not enough to convince you that Brady should be your choice, here’s more…..Brady has a 28-5 record in games where the final margin was less than a touchdown, including a 6-0 playoff record and a 3-0 Super Bowl record in such games. Brady is the NFL all-time leader in overtime wins without a defeat, recording a perfect 7-0 mark in overtime in his career. Terry Bradshaw is the only other quarterback to be undefeated in at least five overtime games, posting a 5-0 record. Brady has orchestrated 17 game-winning drives to break a tie or take the lead in the fourth quarter or overtime. Five of Mr. Brady’s game-winning efforts have come in the postseason, where he has played in nine games. Tom has led a game-winning drive in each of the Patriots’ three Super Bowl victories. Is all this talk about Mr. Brady making you puke? Just imagine how I feel! My favorite all time quarterback is a certain guy who wore the number eight for twelve years and a recognizable star on his helmet. Actually, to be honest, I can’t stand the New England Patriots, but I was always taught to recognize greatness when I see it. Lets face it, Brady’s greatness is a painful admission.

I ask all the Tom Brady and New England Patriot haters out there to recognize that we are watching the best big game quarterback of all time. If this comment draws banter or any hint of disagreement, all I can say is, if he keeps this up, I won’t have to work so hard to convince you. I guess the most beautiful thing about what we are seeing from Tom is that we just may get a chance to see it for 6-8 more years. When Sir Patrick Henry (former Governor of Virginia) spoke to congress and urged them to take up arms in 1775, he said ” Give me liberty or give me death”. For you who has his/her life depending on one quarterback to win one magical game, you better ask the perpetrator to give you Brady or you most certainly will end up dead.

Thats how the Big Man Sees it

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bringit

– That’s how the Big Man Sees It

41-14! You gotta be kidding me!

Show me a person who says they thought this victory would be lopsided in Florida’s favor and i’ll show you a liar. A charlatan, a con artist, a jive Turkey, and any other name that fits. Let’s face it, only those who live in the Sunshine State or those who follow closely had a true understanding of the advantages and matchup problems Urban Meyer and his team would present for Ohio State, but no one predicted this! As the final seconds ticked away in Monday nights championship game, I found myself thinking about a couple of friends I have that deserved to be congratulated for their unwavering team pride throughtout the time I’ve known both of them. A Gator win here or there never waivered their honesty about how the team really performs, in their opinions. To that end, I must thank Kevin Jackson and Curtis Cumberbatch for being true Florida Gator fans. The other thought that flooded my mind was whether Kevin and/or Curtis would be willing to admit that this Gator victory does more for College Football around the State of Florida, than it does for the Florida Gators themselves. If I know these guys, they’ll be seeking some explanation on this one. Allow the BIG MAN to explain!

” I ignored the critics and continued working hard with the rest of my teammates “

There is no secret anymore that the State of Florida’s football talent has been as rich and steady as the Alaska oil pipeline. Yes! The secret came out in the 1980’s when an NFL Assistant Coach decided to take over a struggling college program, we’ve come to know as the Miami Hurricanes. Howard Snellenberger decided he would make this school, as he put it, “the USC of the south”, by drawing a line just above Palm Beach County and holding hostage the then Untapped Highschool talent in the southern part of the state. This move was truly like striking oil in a Texas Desert. Eventually, Bobby Bowden ( Florida State Head coach) and Steve Spurrier ( Florida Gator head coach 1991-2000) were able to gain access to more of this talent from around the state, which culminated into 5 national titles for the Hurricanes, 2 for the Seminoles, and now a second title for the Gators. To put any disputes to early rest, no other state in our great Nation can lay claim to 9 national titles in the last 44 years. What’s even more impressive about this is that the state of Florida didn’t begin winning championships until 24 years ago (1983). In the last 24 years a Florida school has played for the National Title 18 times, leaving only’ 85, ‘90′ ,’97, 2003, 2004, and 2005 without participation. Out of state programs such as Rutgers, West Virginia, Louisville, and Wake Forest have built recent success in their programs by performing a straight up ” Gang Bang ” on the Florida talent pool. Coupled with the fact that two decades of draft day success has left Florida’s talent pool a little light in the posterior. While a disproportionate number of kids from Florida State, Miami and Univ. of Florida enter the draft early, kids from the aforementioned out of state schools generally remain in college four and five years, exhausting their alloted eligibility. It is this phenomenon that produces a Wake Forest, coming out of nowhere to win the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2006. This is why a Rutgers Team from Piscataway, NJ can have its best season since 1976 and go 12-1 on the year.

Now, for those of you who are saying, “C’mon BIG MAN, get to the point”, I’ll do just that!! Now that the Florida Gators have won the National Championship, it will do wonders for recruiting, but not in the way Florida may be thinking. Grab hold to this! including this past season, Florida has won its two titles when one or both of the other major programs in the state have tapered off. Case in point, in 1996 Miami was on probation, and we know about the “Joker” that was Larry Coker and the mess he made this year in Coral Gables. Neverthless, The Gators recent success will energize the recruiting of Florida State, Miami, and University of South Florida. This only spells doom to Florida’s National Title chances in future years. In a already tough SEC conference, there is always pressure to play Florida State and Miami every year. Soon, USF will be added to the schedule. If we learned anything from the Bull Crap System rankings this year, it’s that someone doesn’t like Florida schools after it tried everything in its power to keep the Gators out of the National Title game. Thank heavens for UCLA!! I personally know athletes who have junked their dream to play at one powerhouse simply because they were sold on the idea of having a better chance to be in the starting lineup at the rival school in the state. Once the Gators become maxed out on scholarships in certain positions, other players will look to FSU, USF, and Miami for opportunities, and payback for not being recruited by their first choice. Believe me, It happens more than you know! These factors will prove to be too difficult for the Gators to overcome, in my humble opinion.

While the Gators will continue to be successful, I am not sure another National Title awaits the program in the near future. The way The Big Man sees it, this Gator acomplishment will make the entire state dominant again, but at the recruiting expense of our prevailing national champions. Since it will be a couple of years before we are able to quantify my last point into victories on the field, for now we must be content with the most current Championship. Congratulations Mighty Gators!!!!

-This is How the BIG MAN sees it