lets have it out

-The NBA is chided for many things, no team ball, all isolation plays, the disappearance of the mid-range jumper in favor of the 3 or dunk, elevating the star above the team, etc... However one of the most blatant ways in which it distorts the game is the allowance by officials to let players take an extra step or two in order to make a spectacular move to the basket. Usually all-star level players are given the benefit of the doubt (ewing, lebron, wade, iverson, etc...) when they are doing their thing. But Dan Marjele at the top of the arc? come on.

-The Giants won their second straight playoff game yesterday. I watched the game at a local bar along with about 40 other ravenous Big Blue faithful. I'd say that there is nothing better in sports when your team advances in the playoffs/ tournament and you can start thinking about how just maybe they DO have enough to make it all the way. Winning a game as an underdog (which the Giants were yesterday) just makes it that much better. Being one of the final 3 teams remaining without an asterisk is a great feeling.


-I should have been surprised or shocked yesterday in the bar when chants were starting up in the second half of "TONY - (rhymes with Romo...)" and "Fuck you Dallas (rhymes with maggots)", but I honestly wasn't blown away that this sort of sentiment still might exist. There are obviously still people in our society who feel justified in using slurs referring to sexual orientation as insults towards opposing sports teams. As politically incorrect or shameful as this is in our society, in this type of sheltered setting among sports fans it was deemed acceptable. Even with the excitement of a great win against an arch-rival and a few rounds of beer under their belts, this type of ignorant behavior should not be tolerated or encouraged. The whole scene, along with the beer being sprayed all over the bar after the final horn sounded, was a surreal experience. Does the world of sports foster this resentment/ anger towards people of differing sexual orientations? Or is it just some close-minded, loud-mouthed individuals giving the rest of us sports fans a bad name?