Archive for May, 2010
My Fellow Americans, Promise Me You Will Watch
Posted by: | CommentsAs a sports fan living in United States in May, you’ve got some really great options in terms of what to watch on television. The good news is that I’m here to help. I’m not talking about whether to watch “American Idol” or “Law & Order,” I’m talking about what you should be watching if you’ve got testosterone pumping in your veins and team jerseys hanging in your closet.
You could watch baseball, but really, it’s just a few weeks into the season. It’s way too early to believe anything you’re seeing. I mean the San Diego Padres have the best record in the National League. Do you really think that’ll be true in September? I’m a Padres fan and even I know this is an anomaly. So unless you are hitting the ballpark, you don’t need to watch baseball right now.
What about the basketball playoffs? I’ll be honest; although I’m a huge hoops fan, unless I’m at a game, I have a hard time actually paying attention until the fourth quarter. When I do zone back in, chances are it’s a blowout anyway. And then they take three or four days’ off at times, I’m not even sure the Lakers have played in May. There is something better out there.
My fellow Americans, promise me you’ll watch the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. I’m fairly certain the NHL is the reason why God invented High Definition television. I’m not after those of you who know who the Original Six are; I’m after those of you who think the Original Six is a breakfast special at Denny’s or an old Lee Marvin film. I’m calling out those of you who can’t name one player on your nearest NHL team. And to do it, I’m bringing out one of my favorite tools to convince you. That’s right; it’s the Top 10 list for why you should watch the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs.
#10 – Embrace the goalies. The guys in the net have got so much game they should just have a referee cruising around with them 24/7. From the awesome designs on their helmets to the catlike reflexes they exhibit when pucks are fired at them like they’re being shot out of a cannon, goalies are just awesome. And there is nothing cooler than watching a hot goalie. You’ve got to see Jaroslav Halak on the Montreal Canadiens. Here’s a guy who almost got traded during the season and is now playing out of his mind, especially when his team is on the brink of elimination. If he stays hot, you are in for a real treat.
Jaroslav Halak has been on fire when the Montreal Canadiens have been on the brink of elimination.
#9 – Take five minutes and find the Vs. channel on your TV. Why do you need to know where the Vs. channel is? Because it’s a testament to everything a true sports fan wants, which is more sports channels. We need more than the four-letter network can provide us. Learn where they are at and find hockey bliss. And hey, you may even fall in love with bull riding while you’re at it.
#8 – The players are the ultimate role models for men. I mean these guys can grow a full beard while driving to the rink! They’re crashing into the boards and dropping the gloves to scrap more frequently than you hear Lindsay Lohan’s name on TMZ. And have you seen the girls these guys date? They are off the charts…I mean God bless the puck bunnies!
Here I am with Tobias Enstrom and Nicklas Backstrom. It’s not hard to spot who the two professional hockey players are in this picture. They look like the cool European villains from the first Die Hard.
#7 – If your team makes the NHL playoffs, they have a chance to win. You can’t say that about other sports. The Chicago Bulls didn’t have a chance against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Atlanta Hawks didn’t have a shot of beating the Orlando Magic. In the NHL though, #8 seeds can beat #1 seeds and even advance further. Anything can happen in the playoffs for the NHL and that’s what makes it awesome.
#6 – Zdeno Chara. You may be asking yourself, “What’s that?” That’s exactly my point. He’s a 6’ 9” defenseman for the Boston Bruins from Slovakia. Yeah, he’s as tall as some NBA forwards, and oh yeah, he skates. I met him last year and have been having nightmares about the encounter ever since. He’s playing in a huge Game 7 match against the Philadelphia Flyers tonight, so you won’t to miss it. Your TV may shake when he checks Philly’s players.
Much like Ivan Drago, whatever Chara hits, he destorys.
#5 – Fighting. Mind you, I’m not condoning violence, but there’s something really cool about seeing a couple guys let out their frustrations by throwing punches while on ice skates. And these guys know how to rumble. If you ever see a fight in the NBA, it’s just pushing and shoving. If they do throw a punch, they are so lanky, they never connect. Watching the NBA players fight is more awkward than watching that forced Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie kiss at the MTV Awards Show from years ago. Hockey players however know what they are doing when it comes to a brawl.
Fights in the NBA never really work out leaving you feeling much like you felt when you saw this; really, really confused as to what you were just watching.
#4 – Don’t you remember playing hockey video games when you were younger? There was nothing better. Do you remember Blades of Steel? What about NHL 93 on SEGA where you could lay out a player making their head bleed and then watch it on replay? You loved that right? Don’t tell me the rules are too hard for you, because you know what icing is, that’s why you always turned if off on the settings when you played the video game. That hockey lover is still somewhere inside you. I can feel it. Give him the remote control; he’ll be able to find Vs.
Don't you remember this? How great was this game???
#3 – The games are more exciting than anything else you’ll see on TV this May. There is seldom a blowout in playoff hockey and if there is, they’ll pull the freaking goalie and really make things fun. The players never phone it in and are always out there giving 100% during the playoffs. It’s just hardcore action from start to finish. And when the home team wins a series, well people go crazy. Check out some of the images of the party that took place in Montreal two nights ago after the Canadiens beat the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
#2 – Power plays and the penalty box. How great is the concept of one- or two-man advantages in sports? Imagine if basketball or baseball had that? That would just be awesome. And don’t get me started on the penalty box. You’re basically putting grown men in timeout. I love the concept so much I remember incorporating it at parties in college. If people got out of control we had an area taped off where they were only allowed bread and water until they regrouped and were ready to join the party. The penalty box is a concept I never get tired of.
#1 – Remember the Olympics. Come on, you remember that right? They just happened a couple months ago. Team USA almost won the gold medal. Remember Ryan Miller? Remember Team USA pulling their goalie to score that late goal sending the gold medal game into overtime? You liked that, nay, you loved that. And instead of playing for medals this time around, they’re playing for the best trophy ever made: the Stanley Cup. Can you even name the NBA Championship trophy? I can’t, and neither can half the NBA. The Stanley Cup is the Bentley of sports trophies. You don’t believe me? See it for yourself in the weeks to come and just promise me, promise me you’ll watch.
Who will hoist the Cup this year?
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Come Down Off the Ledge Cleveland Fans
Posted by: | CommentsMany of you may have read some of the posts here from my main writing partner on the Upper Deck Blog, Terry Melia. And as you may be aware, he’s a die-hard fan of all teams that hail from Boston. I couldn’t let him do another story about the greatness of Boston and how the Celtics are playing such inspired basketball so I begged him to let me take today’s column, and I also challenged him to a bet.
It probably wasn’t the smartest bet, but hey, I believe in “The Chosen One.” If LeBron James comes back to lead the Cavs over the Celtics in the next two games, Terry will produce a column next week on the 23 reasons why LeBron is the greatest player in the league right now. In turn, if the Celtics do wind up winning the series, I’ll do a special entry next week on the 17 reasons (one for each Beantown banner) that explains why Boston is the best franchise in the NBA. As a Laker fan I have to say, losing this bet would really suck.
He's been "The King" since high school in Ohio. Don't lose faith in your king Cavs fans.
So for now, I want to confess to you all that I have a very guilty pleasure. I listen to at least an hour-and-a-half of sports talk radio a day. It’s not easy to admit, nor is it something I’m proud of, but it’s a part of my routine and I don’t see it stopping any time soon. And all I could think about as I listened intently yesterday and earlier today was, “ENOUGH!”
To the layperson, you would have thought Cleveland lost the series to Boston on Wednesday night and the talking heads on talk radio (whom I love) were already abuzz about where LeBron would be playing next season. I even heard someone say he’s going to San Antonio. Really? You think the Brett Favre retirement stories are tough? The “Where’s LeBron going to wind up?” story is going eclipse that easily. But here’s the thing: the season isn’t over for the Cavs, the fat lady hasn’t sung and LeBron is still a member of this team.
Yes, King James had an awful Game 5 and he probably didn’t provide the best post-game comments, but he is still the two-time reigning league MVP. He will put the team on his back and get it done in Boston tonight. And I’m not saying that just because I despise Boston. You can’t tell me you’d be surprised if he went off for 40-plus tonight to lead the Cavs to victory and a Game 7 clincher back in Cleveland. Yesterday and today, people have been talking about where he’ll be next year and the fact this season is over because he is playing with a broken elbow. Come on. Enough!
Not much you can do to stop this Paul Pierce!
Come down off the ledge Cleveland fans. You’re still in this. You’ve got the best player in the league playing in a huge game. Embrace it. Enjoy it. And to help inspire you, I am going to share some excerpts from some of the greatest motion pictures of the last century. Let the words of these cinematic legends pour over you and give you the confidence you need to take this series home where LeBron can do what he does best: win!
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Beantown Fans: Not All Gravy
Posted by: | CommentsLast Friday night was a big night surrounding Boston sports. The Bruins were trying to lock down their first visit to the NHL’s Eastern Conference Finals since 1992 with a victory over the Flyers, while the Celtics were hoping to go up two games to one in their best-of-seven semifinal against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and reigning NBA MVP LeBron James. But the matchup that had me the most excited was the base-brawl game on tap that evening between the Red Sox and Yankees at Fenway Park. And do you know what happened on this would-be glorious night? Not a single victory for Beantown, that’s what. It was the worst kind of trifecta. I guess you could even call it the evil twin of all hat tricks.
Granted, I’m a Boston fan from way back and nobody on the planet admires the outstanding play of the teams that battle out of Kenmore Square and TD Garden more than me. With the Red Sox and Yankees, it’s the hotly contested play that always seems to surface every time these two bitter rivals square off that keeps guys like me coming back for more. It’s a prize fight every time out and I love it. I can still see Carlton Fisk and Lou Piniella getting into a nice scrap in 1976 at Yankee Stadium or Jason Varitek standing up to Alex Rodriguez in that pivotal July ’04 game at Fenway. If you recall, that particular game turned the Red Sox season around and sent Francona and company to Boston’s first World Series title in 86 years. Down 9-4, they rallied back following the grappling match between ‘Tek and Arod to take an 11-10 decision. And the rest, as they say, is history.
The Celtics are just fun to watch. Sometimes they can be downright frustrating, as was the case on Friday night when they posted the franchise’s worst playoff loss ever. But for the most part, they are entertaining and competitive. Doc Rivers has a well-oiled (albeit aging) group of players that knows what it takes to win. They won it all in 2008 and have almost the same team playing nowadays. But they can get tired at times and Friday night’s debacle was a classic example. But then yesterday’s rousing victory over the Cavs behind Rajon Rondo’s incredible triple-double put everything back in its proper place.
Every sport has its loyal fan base and every rivalry has its memories. The Bruins are no exception. Whether it’s the Canadiens, Rangers or Flyers, the Bruins and their faithful fans hate those guys and would like to see nothing more than Boston hoisting its sixth Stanley Cup next month. While they dropped a 5-4 OT thriller on Friday, chances are they’ll finish off the Flyers tonight and move on. Great MoJo behind former B’s like Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and Derek Sanderson will carry over to Chara, Rask and company this evening to make this dream a reality, just you wait and see.
Getting back to my beloved Bosox, Friday night was embarrassing. With Josh Beckett on the hill, I expected fireworks, just not M-80s being lit by the Yankees. A 10-3 beat down, followed by a 14-3 drubbing on Saturday pretty much took the wind out of my sails. But lo and behold, Sunday night spelled success for the Red Sox with Jon Lester on the mound and Big Papi, David Ortiz, actually finding his swing…well, sort of. His run-scoring, ground-rule double to right used to be a three-run jack just a few short seasons ago, but I’ll take whatever gas he has left in the tank at this point. You see, Ortiz and I have met one another (see photo above) and I’ve been trying to tell him just to stay calm and make contact. But like all projects, it’s a work in progress. The good news is that he’s showing signs of life and that could spell bad news for the Yankees next time around. Well, we can only hope.
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What Do You Do When Athletes Let You Down?
Posted by: | CommentsIf you’re reading this, you probably love sports. Here at Upper Deck, pretty much everyone who works within these walls is passionate about sports. There is nothing better than seeing your favorite player on your favorite team do something amazing on the field. But there could come a time when they simply just let you down. Maybe you see them out and about and they’re acting like a jerk. Maybe they just snubbed your kid who walked up to them nicely with a ball and a pen. Maybe you hear stories from people “in the know” that make you second guess your loyalty. Or maybe, just maybe, they do something all together outlandish that makes you sick to your stomach.
When the news came out today about the allegations against Lawrence Taylor, you couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Taylor is a former player you would have a hard time not putting amongst your top five of greatest NFL defensive players of all time. He is someone who seemed so strong on the field, and yet has struggled mightily with so many things off the field. He has always shown remorse and has been very open about his issues, yet he continues to let his fans down time and again. Who knows what really happened with these recent allegations and what is true, but none of it sounds good. And let me reiterate, it is so very disappointing to see this from a player who so many people care about.
So what do you do as a sports fan to protect yourself from being hurt? And if you are investing in sports cards and memorabilia, how do you know you are investing in a player who won’t let you down?
These are two pretty difficult questions to answer, but here are five tips I have to hopefully help.
1. First of all, athletes are human beings too and we all make mistakes. Nowadays, you should almost plan on them letting you down at some point during the course of their careers. Everyone you know has good days and bad days so it is important to remember that the same goes for athletes. Your favorite player may be having problems at home when you’re begging him for an autograph and all he wants to do is get on the phone with his family. They could be in the middle of a slump and worried about their future so maybe they are distracted when your son or daughter approached them. Until you see a pattern, it may be wise to give them the benefit of the doubt based on a one-time interaction.
2. There is a lot of truth to the old saying, “More money, more problems.” Athletes today have problems and issues that we as “average Joes” will never have. Huge demands are made for their time and they have to live up to extremely high expectations from the teams that pay them to produce. As fans, we enjoy hearing stories about athletes who are “down to earth” and a lot like us because it is so exciting to see we may have something in common with our heroes. Most of those players, however, are not the elite superstars that so many follow. So you need to acknowledge that if you are a fan of the top-tier players, they may let you down off the field, but likely not on the field. The “down-to-earth” players can be great athletes to collect as they are usually more inexpensive and you may actually be able to run into them from time to time at games, shows, etc.
3. Separate performance on the field with actions off the field. This is much easier said than done, especially based on what the athlete did to upset you. I am a huge USC football fan and had a really negative experience with a former Trojan star that really stung. In time I was able to come to grips with the fact that I liked the guy who wore the jersey, and not the guy who wears the suit. So I can still appreciate what he did on the field, for my team, and just do my best to avoid thinking about how he handles himself away from the game.
4. Take a personal time-out. If an athlete lets you down, don’t grab everything you own of theirs and take it out to the barbecue with some lighter fluid and a box of matches. Give yourself a little time away from it to get over it and forgive them. Don’t watch or read stories about them or the team, just take a time-out. Realize (and I may get in trouble for saying this) that the world doesn’t revolve around sports. Take some time for yourself to do other things you enjoy for a couple weeks. If you enjoyed collecting them once, odds are you will enjoy collecting them again. You will come back to it after a break feeling refreshed. My father had an athlete let him down recently and he took his autographed photo off the wall and put it in the closet. “He’s on time-out,” he told me. He’ll be back up there again soon, but I think that’s a nice way for us as fans to get over what they did and to eventually forgive them.
5. Invest in people who will not let you down. It’s always great to hear about players who came from tough upbringings or who overcame hardships to become superstars. Unfortunately, those are the exceptions and not the rule. Just look at what happened to Michael Vick. There is a reason Tim Tebow is leading the NFL in jersey sales. People believe in him and see him as someone who will not let them down. They see him as a true role model. He hasn’t thrown a pass in the NFL, but I challenge you to find one person who has something negative to say about him. If you want to invest in certain players, maybe do your homework first. Even after doing your homework on their character, still understand that there is always the chance that they may let you down.
It’s never easy to see our favorite stars fall from grace. While it has outlets like TMZ giddy today, it’s so very disappointing to fans like us. I hope my tips have helped you. I’d love to hear any other tips you may have on what you do to get through tough times when athletes let you down as long as you don’t incorporate a strategy like this:
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All-Pro Sportscards
Posted by: | CommentsEach month Upper Deck spotlights one of its hobby retailing partners and outlines some of the reasons why you need to visit their store. If you haven’t been to a card store lately and are in the Ohio area, make sure to visit this month’s top Upper Deck retailer.
All-Pro Sportscards
492 Graham Road
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221
(330)922-4642
Email: allprosportcards@gmail.com
Monday – Friday 12:00PM-6:00PM, Saturday 12:00PM-5:00PM and closed Sunday
Early in the NBA Playoffs, when Cleveland’s Joakim Noah called out the city of Cleveland and said that it “sucks,” I took exception to that. I’ve been to Cleveland on several occasions and have enjoyed myself each time. I love the downtown area, taking in an Indians game during the summer, Tommy Boy, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Drew Carey, great dining and just 30 miles south in Cuyahoga Falls you have All-Pro Sportscards.
Rich Rinella collected cards for most of his life and it just so happened that when he lost his job after 15 years, a friend he knew was looking to sell their hobby store. After discussing options with his wife, they decided to take over the business and All-Pro Sportscards was given new life. Rich had set up at shows previously so he was familiar with the business and able to serve as a knowledgeable advisor to his customers.
His customer base took notice of his passion for the business and his efforts to meet and exceed their expectations. In a little more than seven years since Rich took over, he’s already moved to a bigger location and sales are stronger than ever. Not only does he take very good care of his customers, but he also loves to run in-store promotions to give something back to his loyal customers. He’s had JSA Authentication days, rip nights, in-store drawings, box battles, trade nights and a HUGE annual Christmas party. Upper Deck has participated in some of these events by providing items to help out and use as giveaways. And, All-Pro Sportscards is a kid-friendly destination.
The other great thing about All-Pro Sportscards is they are just a hop, skip and a jump from Akron, the hometown of Upper Deck exclusive basketball spokesman and reigning NBA MVP LeBron James. All-Pro Sportscards is the home to the largest selection of LeBron’s autograph cards and Upper Deck Authenticated memorabilia in all of northeastern Ohio. Rich is a big fan of LeBron’s and does a lot to make sure he is fully stocked on Upper Deck items from “King James” for his customers. In fact, in almost every conversation or e-mail exchange I have with him, Rich always sneaks in, “So when are you guys going to have LeBron do an appearance at my store.” He’s hit me up with it so many times, he’s almost got me convinced.
Besides LeBron, All-Pro Sportscards boasts a huge inventory of thousands of jersey and autograph cards from all sports as well as all the latest packs, boxes and cases. They have new and vintage inventory in stock. And maybe, just maybe, LeBron himself may be stopping by sometime in the future. You just never know.
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