tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371824302011-12-14T19:05:40.318-08:00Discussion and Commentary on the World of Sports and the Culture Surrounding it.Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.comBlogger361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-73807719263074085272011-04-01T12:17:00.000-07:002011-04-01T12:17:28.483-07:00

Major league baseball opens their regular season today and in many places the weather will seem to be more suitable for a football game than baseball. The seasons have become so long in most sports that they end up playing in weather totally unsuited for the sport. For instance, baseball starts at the beginning of April and finishes up close to November; neither one of these times suitable for

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-72870493022399224102011-03-23T09:45:00.000-07:002011-03-23T20:28:00.359-07:00

The NFL made two rule changes that will impact the game in a significant way. The first, moving the ball up to the 35 yard line on kick-offs should not only help reduce injuries but should speed the game up a bit as there will be less kick-off returns which means that the officials won't have nearly as many opportunities to throw a flag for blocking in the back, which seems to occur on just

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-77526473103699097322011-03-18T09:22:00.000-07:002011-03-18T09:22:58.075-07:00

I have often heard it said in sports as well as life that "everybody loves a winner". Well, I would add as long as it doesn't come at your expense. For instance, The New York Yankees have been baseball's most recognized and storied organization and have been one of the most successful. The Yankees have a large following not only in New York but around the country as well. However, there are just

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-33181025246877400382011-03-17T09:26:00.000-07:002011-03-17T09:26:49.517-07:00

In an article on one of the sporting sites, the writer states that football fans may not be so forgiving this time if the NFL has a prolonged strike. My opinion.....hogwash! While fans may have a knashing of the teeth over an NFL strike, it's been shown time and time again that the fans will put up with just anything, and in the case of the NFL, it's such a product that's in demand that once the

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-35079137708331959032011-03-16T07:54:00.000-07:002011-03-17T07:46:04.180-07:00

It's March already, and that means it's time for the annual ritual known as "March Madness". This annual NCAA Basketball tournament that comprises 64...oops 66...oops 68 teams is a time where thousands if not millions of people across the country try to make like Nostradamus by picking the most winners in the NCAA brackets and thereby achieve bragging rights and most likely a nice sum of money

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-24142328314522180502011-03-14T09:33:00.000-07:002011-03-14T09:33:30.677-07:00

There's a headline on the front page of Sunday's Baltimore Sun entitled, "Already Missing Football?" and it shows a couple of fans sitting in the seats looking forlorn and completely lost. The article goes on to talk about how football fans in Baltimore are already feeling the effects of the NFL football lockout and how important football is to them and their life. For many fans, it's become a

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-87956310915445767192011-03-08T06:07:00.000-08:002011-03-08T06:15:11.947-08:00

While the recent revelation that Ohio State players have been selling memorabilia may have been a shock to some, for many it's just another 'yawn' story about some athletes trying to cash in on their talents on and off the field. In particular, football and basketball have become such huge moneymakers for the major universities that it's somewhat hypocritical for coaches and schools to be too

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-41084881533947841692011-03-05T06:39:00.000-08:002011-03-05T06:39:15.008-08:00

It's hard to get too upset about the pending NFL work stoppage. On one side you have a group of 30 owners trying to get a bigger cut of the billions generated by the NFL, and on the other you have a lowly group of millionaires trying to get a bigger share as well. The biggest issue for the fans and one of the most contentious is whether or not the NFL will be able to force the players to accept

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-76652342133270447412011-02-28T20:48:00.001-08:002011-02-28T21:03:42.917-08:00

Sports has become such a major factor in our lives, that for many of us, we judge the changing seasons not so much by the budding of new leaves or the changing color of the leaves in Fall, but instead use markers such as Spring training as a harbinger for the arrival of Spring, or the first regular season NFL games in September as the end of Summer and the beginning of the Fall season. In

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-81304805347272093642011-02-27T12:39:00.000-08:002011-02-27T13:05:11.082-08:00

A local Pittsburgh sportscaster was asked recently who made for a better locker room interview, NFL football or NHL hockey players? Without hesitation, he stated that hockey players by far made for the more intelligent and interesting interviews. Having listened to many football players after the game giving their analysis with a hundred or so "you know" in the course of a five minute interview,

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-87320315903599235792009-04-25T08:30:00.000-07:002009-04-27T06:29:48.673-07:00

Sports and CultureIt's that time of the year for America's "pastime" to once again take its place in the "Baseball, Apple Pie, and Chevrolet" part of American culture. Unfortunately, it looks as if only Apple Pie is going strong as Chevrolet is on the ropes and baseball seems to keep losing it's hold on Americans to NFL football, Nascar and other sports. While much of the fault lies in the

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-54242944795866669472009-04-01T20:12:00.000-07:002009-04-01T20:43:24.589-07:00

Sports and CultureI remember seeing a Rugby match for the first time down in Norfolk, Virginia. I was visiting my brother who happened to be in the Navy at the time, and as he was busy, I decided to take a walk in the park that was nearby. I happened to notice a bunch of burly guys playing a game that was unlike anything that I had seen before. Although it was a little like soccer, and somewhat

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-88454791625489919752009-03-28T10:04:00.000-07:002009-04-01T20:44:47.541-07:00

Sports and CultureI've known for quite a while that there's no corollary between athletic ability, character and maturity. In fact, when watching some of the antics of professional athletes it often seems as if we're watching overgrown children instead of mature adults. There are many reasons for this but much of it has to with the culture from where the athletes come from. The truth is that many

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-77474914258168966582009-03-24T05:56:00.000-07:002009-03-24T06:31:25.566-07:00

Before there was cable and ESPN, there was a program that used to come on every Saturday called ABC's Wide World of Sports that would feature sports and sport like activities from around the world. Some of the things I first remember seeing on Wide World of Sports programs were things like barrel jumping, demolition derby, rugby and many other unique activities that I couldn't begin to put a name

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-6429200648574380642009-03-22T19:23:00.001-07:002009-03-22T19:41:27.494-07:00

It's that time of the year again in this part of the world where the cycle of life begins anew as plants start to grow, birds build nests, and baseball returns. Opening Day is one of those rituals that a large part of the American population participates in, in various ways. For some, it means taking the day off from work(for those lucky enough to still be employed), and for others it's listening

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-44918181084554306752008-07-31T05:41:00.000-07:002008-08-01T20:03:06.701-07:00

When I was a child, most of us were into collecting baseball cards. We would spend much of our allowance trying to get all of the cards and since each pack that you bought had different cards, you would wind up with numerous duplicates before getting the 'star' players. Sadly for most of us, our baseball card collection went by the wayside when we became teenagers and discovered other things...

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-29331968362321940082008-07-27T13:53:00.000-07:002008-07-27T22:04:36.459-07:00

I heard two friends talking the other day at the local watering hole and one was passionately arguing that Nascar drivers aren't 'real' athletes. Now I'm not a Nascar person but I've got to say that anyone that can endure the grueling schedule of nine months of racing every weekend at speeds of 200 miles an hour for several hours at a time, has my respect and admiration and to me certainly

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-28483315476996905072008-07-26T10:00:00.000-07:002008-07-26T10:33:22.076-07:00

I talked to a friend at work yesterday, and he excitedly told me that he had purchased a couple of 'PSL's' at the 'M and T Bank' Stadium, the home of the Baltimore Ravens for the tidy sum of $5,000 dollars. Then he told me that is also has to shell out another thousand or so for the privilege of being able to sit in the seats that he just purchased for 5 Grand to be able to watch the eight

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-85378077042782308812008-01-24T08:27:00.000-08:002008-01-24T08:51:51.488-08:00

It seems as if we're seeing 'Superstars' at younger ages in professional sports these days. In hockey, you have Sidney Crosby coming into the league and having a huge impact at the age of 18. Alexander Ovechkin was only 19 when he started with the Washington Capitals and he too had an immediate impact in the league. In fact, there are a couple of players in the NHL who are only 17! With Major

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-40948379150531406122008-01-19T13:05:00.000-08:002008-01-19T13:24:22.529-08:00

Sports apparel is a multi-billion dollar business. From shoes, jerseys, jackets, banners, etc.; people are willing to spend 'mucho dinaro' to show their support for the team. Nike for instance sells shoes that start at $90 and ranges up close to $300? For tennis shoes? Back in my day, the 'cool' thing was wearing a pair of 'Jack Purcell' tenna shoes. White was ok, but if you had purple, you were

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-82847151319244033462008-01-17T10:26:00.000-08:002008-01-18T23:04:28.142-08:00

I see where Sports commentator Roger Rasheed got himself in trouble for making some flattering comments about Venus William's butt. What is it today with people getting offended over anything and everything? It's not like he said she had a fat nasty butt, he was complimenting her. There's just too many people waiting to excoriate someone else for every comment that they think is 'out of line'.

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-61353685470789275762008-01-16T09:40:00.000-08:002008-01-18T21:19:38.225-08:00

I watched some clips of testimony of Selig and Fehr at the ongoing Mitchell Steroid investigation and it's insightful how the individuals who are ultimately responsible for the conduct of its employee's; that being Selig, Fehr and the owners, are let off the hook relatively unscathed while the players are being held to the fire. While I don't have a lot of sympathy for the players who have been

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-12341392193225543172008-01-15T07:27:00.000-08:002008-01-15T13:13:19.623-08:00

I saw Peyton and his brother's new commercial on T.V. during the playoffs Sunday. Peyton has been all over the T.V. this football season. To the victors go the spoils, and lots of advertising money. It seems that winning the big game is just the beginning of the payoff for some athletes. Usually, the athlete's popularity lasts about as long as it takes to crown a new champion. However, there are

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-49463256910207492202008-01-14T18:59:00.000-08:002008-01-14T19:03:42.971-08:00

One of the biggest changes that I've observed in Sports is the thug mentality that permeates much of the Sports world today. The N.F.L., commonly referred to by many as the National Felony League, usually contributes a couple of its finest to the American Penal System each year. The N.B.A. is another sport that counts several offenders among its roster. However, it's not just the Pro's; you see

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-80434650445847227422008-01-13T19:08:00.000-08:002008-01-13T22:35:22.658-08:00

Watching the NFL playoffs today, I saw my favorite team; the Indianapolis Colts get upset by the San Diego Chargers. Later on, the Cowboys were also upset by the underdog N.Y. Giants. In sports, I believe there's a natural tendency to root for the 'underdog', except perhaps when it's your team playing the underdog. Even though I was rooting for the Colts, I wasn't terribly upset about the

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-40042510635352391812008-01-12T23:30:00.000-08:002008-01-13T08:32:35.028-08:00

Flipping through the channels yesterday, I came upon a station that had a show on called 'Ultimate Fighting'. Billed as an exhibition of mixed martial arts, it consists of people who willingly get into a ring and proceed to beat the living crap out of each other. Unlike some other 'sports' such as Professional Wrestling, this stuff is for real. While most fighters display a level of expertise

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-16526979599018710792008-01-12T08:21:00.000-08:002008-01-16T19:44:19.279-08:00

Thinking of football today reminds me of a guy in the neighborhood named Albert Eye. Albert was, as they say, a 'mentally challenged' fellow that lived with his grandparents. There were all sorts of rumors as to why he was a bit slow, with the prevailing one being that when he was a child his mother had overdosed him on some kind of medication. Whatever the case, Albert had his strange ways

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-30158243594285774362008-01-11T18:43:00.000-08:002008-01-11T19:27:24.529-08:00

Watching Ohio State lose for the second year in a row in a NCAA Championship Football game brings to mind the sad legacy that teams that lose the big one leave behind. The accomplishment of having made it to the championship game two years in a row is soon forgotton, and what's remembered instead is the fact that they couldn't get it done, that they 'choked' and were losers. The truth is that

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-2605133699383281892008-01-11T16:01:00.000-08:002008-01-16T19:48:08.102-08:00

If you think NFL football fans are fanatics, you should go to one of the Nascar circuit races. There you'll find tens of thousands of people sitting in the stands getting tanked while cheering, cussing, screaming and hollering as 'their' man races around the track at about 200 miles an hour trying to outslick the others. I read recently that Nascar has the second largest number of viewers behind

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-68460699032848451902008-01-11T15:22:00.000-08:002008-01-16T17:38:38.259-08:00

As reported yesterday, the Washington Capitals agreed to terms with Alex Ovechkin to the tune of $124 million over 13 years. Being a Washington Capitals fan and seeing him play night after night, he is in my opinion a once in a generation player that if he says healthy will prove to be worth the huge investment. What this also shows me as a Caps fan is that Caps Management is willing to spend the

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-33765897241154927952008-01-11T15:18:00.000-08:002008-01-11T15:22:22.457-08:00

Why is it that every NFL football player today feels the necessity to celebrate a tackle as if he had just made the game winning play? I've seen untold number of games where a team is losing by a bunch and yet the player on the short end of the score feels like he's entitled to flex his muscles, dance or go through some other display of aggrandizement because he make one rountine tackle. In my

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-20364702208608665432008-01-06T19:40:00.000-08:002008-01-06T23:40:15.670-08:00

I just finished watching Roger Clemens plead his case on 60 minutes. The first thing that struck me was Roger and his persecution complex. It seemed to me that as much as anything else, he was angry that people would even consider that he would involve himself with steroids. Isn't Roger aware that several players have recently claimed with as much sincerity as he, that they were innoncent and had

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-27233230666377826732008-01-02T08:05:00.000-08:002008-01-02T08:19:59.726-08:00

With the recent Mitchell report about the use of 'performance enhancing' drugs by a list of professional baseball players, it's obvious that sports today aren't quite what they were a couple of generations ago. Today, there is so much money in it that the pressures to gain an advantage which allows you to do on the field things that you couldn't possibly do without the juice or maybe allows you

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-75757888306017360552007-12-29T19:38:00.000-08:002008-01-11T16:11:22.980-08:00

Growing up in the Southwest part of Baltimore, Sports was a major part of my life. Most of my friends were Protestant, and we spent many days playing baseball and football at the elementary school, when school was not in session. The Catholic kids in the neighborhood had the C.Y.O., also known as the Catholic Youth league, which consisted of teams based out of various Catholic schools in the

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-55100437463408665292007-12-26T07:53:00.000-08:002007-12-26T08:07:13.049-08:00

Growing up in the city of Baltimore, I was an avid sports fan. I enjoyed watching the Baltimore Colts, the Orioles, Bullets(this was before political correctness turned them into the Washington Wizards)and especially the Baltimore Clippers. The Clippers were a minor league Ice Hockey team. Even though Baltimore could support major league teams in Baseball, Football, and Basketball there just

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37182430.post-1162747412415676722006-11-05T09:05:00.000-08:002006-11-05T10:29:25.696-08:00

I remember a teacher telling me years ago in a Statistics class that "there is always an exception to the rule, but that doesn't necessarily change the rule". I was thinking about this recently after receiving an email which read, "you know things are messed up when the tallest player in the NBA is Chinese, the best golfer is Black, and the best Rapper is White". While I don't know about the '

Bill Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03435642340780372133noreply@blogger.com1