Maybe They Were Yelling B-o-o-o-o-sh!

Perhaps the most unpopular president in American history was on hand for opening day in Washington D.C. to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the brand new Nationals' stadium. George W. Bush is certainly not the first American President to throw out the first pitch. This tradition dates back to 1910 and the days of William H. Taft. Although this ritual was of the norm, the surprising factor was the reaction from the crowd of baseball fanatics. The mood of the masses shifted from nervous anticipation to instant disapproval. Our commander and chief received an overwhelming amount of boo's as he stepped onto the field sporting a Washington Nationals jersey.



George W. Bush is a former co-owner of the Texas Rangers and a known fan of the team. Yet, on this day he was sporting a different shade of red. Were the fans possibly worried that Bush might jinx their team and its new stadium? Or were these boo's perhaps politically driven? Needless to say the Washington Nationals' won their home opener off the bat of Ryan Zimmerman as he hit a walk-off home run to beat the Braves 3-2.

The underlining question remains: Could the negative reaction of a fan base out of the Washington D.C. area, a region where the president normally conducts everyday business be in bad taste for the team? Politics are not something I personally enjoying discussing as it seems to be a sensitive topic for the mass majority. However, whether one supports or opposes Bush was voiced in the form of jeers. On this day the crowd reaction sent a message not only to baseball fans but to the entire country.

Despite the pressure, GW delivered a fairly decent pitch before walking off the field to join sports analysts in the booth for commentary. The Nats are currently 3-4 and sit in third place in the NL East Division. The moral of the team seems to be down however as they have dropped 4-stright games. On the other end of the spectrum, the Presidential Election is just around the corner and the country appears to be anxious for the up-coming incumbent.



It would seem that D.C. loves their Nationals and their new stadium, yet they may not be dedicated members to the George W. Bush fan club. Who doesn’t love a good ole' country boy from Texas?
-DP.

Blueprint for Success

I researched vigorously for a solid three hours. Two cups of coffee and a headache later I came up empty. I've always felt any data one might inquire about could be found on the information super highway, and I am a spectacular researcher to boot. However, I was able to gather very little negative press about this company and the products they produce. They are the leading supplier of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment. The company employs over 30,000 people world-wide. Air Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time has been lacing up his Nikes for over two decades.



Nike is not only the world’s most successful sports apparel brand, but a legit powerhouse who actively participates in the online environment. In this technology based era, the internet is the most prevalent platform for information. Therefore a division of individuals dedicated to objectively researching the conversations taking place about the brand, product, and name is vital to company achievement. The discussions may range from news about their specific industry or marketplace of operation, but more critically public opinions that may impact the company. This branch makes it their personal mission to observe and protect their association from negativity. So, what happens when a white boy from Orlando sustains an injury due to broken Nike footwear?

A week an a half ago I sprained my ankle while playing basketball with some friends. On the first play of the game I split the defense and drove the lane to only end up on the scorching concrete with the Florida sun beaming down on me. Sporting my favorite pair of Nike Shox (and one of Nike’s most popular shoes), I came down from my acrobatic lay-up (which i will have you know did go in the hole) to roll my ankle and break the bottom part of my right shoe (the shox). The next thing I know I'm shooting the breeze with a wonderful lady named Grace at check in at the Altamonte Springs, Florida emergency room. I checked in with the doc and he determined that my injury was a bad sprain, but not a break. He then reassured me that it would have actually been better if I broke my ankle because it would most likely heal faster and hurt less; thanks doc! After sharing these thoughts with me he proceeded to re-wrap my injury, give me an ankle brace, write me a prescription, and give me cute little doctors notes for school and work. I went home and practiced the art of R.I.C.E (rest, ice, compression, elevation) for seven straight glorious days only getting up to use the bathroom or take a shower. So, as one might imagine, I had plenty of free time on my hands. I began to inquire whether or not others have had a similar experience. I mean let’s be honest, my ankle was now sprained because my shoe, which I invested my money and piece of mind in, really let me down.



Don't get the wrong idea, I love Nike. I've been wearing Nike since i was in dippers. Seriously, my mom still has a ridiculous picture hanging in the living room of me when I was twelve in my Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan uniform decked out in Nike shoes and wrist-bands. I catch flack for it every-time friends come over to the house. I keep telling her it has to go.

Nike researches public opinion, and after extensive research of my own, it appears they may just be the blueprint for excellent brand monitoring. My efforts to seek out negative feelings towards the name was fairly unsuccessful. This does not mean I am the only one to sustain an injury while wearing Nike gear, yet it does prove that the company does a spectacular job of keeping their name clean throughout cyberspace. It is my opinion that any up and coming companies should look no further than Beaverton, Oregon and Nike headquarters for a winning model in the field of brand monitoring.



As for that white boy, well; he’s sending in his old pair of broken down shox in for a new *free* pair of kicks, heck of a PR move don’t cha’ think?
-DP.

Round 3: A Dying Breed

Recently there have been talks of another rematch between two former legends of the boxing ring. Yet, a bout pairing the estranged 42-year old Mike Tyson and the brain-damaged 46-year old Evander Holyfield seems like a stretch for the sport. The two men have a checkered past, facing off twice in the 90's. Holyfield upset Tyson in the first match in November 96, yet most boxing fans remember these two names for the famous "Bite Fight." The two met again on June 28, 1997. Mickey Mouse Mike Tyson apparently made an executive decision to become a cannibal during the course of the fight. After taking bites at both of Holyfiend's ears, he took a small chunk that consequently ended up on the floor visible to ringside viewers and a paper-view audience worldwide. Iron Mike was disqualified and faded off into an oblivion, returning occasionally to make money and put on a "fight" if one could even call them that. The aging Holyfield was banned from boxing in 2005 because of "diminishing skills" despite the fact he passed several medical tests.



So why would anyone want to see a rematch between a couple of has-beens? Entertainment folks.. Obviously anyone who has observed boxing this past decade has seen a decrease in popularity. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the sport, I'm not even knocking the match. I plan on ordering it on HD and having friends over for some beers.

As the popularity for MMA fighting has grown, the necessity for boxing has become scarce. The sport seems to be on it's death bed waiting for a pull of the plug. Boxing has clearly suffered with no emergence of new superstars, primarily in the Heavyweight division. Not to mention the most well known undefeated Welterweight Floyd Mayweather Jr. has recently joined World Wrestling Entertainment to challenge a 400-pound Big Show. The sport is simply lacking excitement. Therefore, why not bring two of the most controversial, most outrageous, but formerly popular figures the sport has ever known back together for Round 3.

Call me crazy, but I do not believe I am the only self-respecting individual who wants to see this match, for the pure "entertainment" factor. Boxing needs to set a date, this may be the one thing to resuscitate the sport. It just better last more than a few rounds.
-DP.

NHL: A Man's Sport

Perhaps one of the most ghastly accidents in recent NHL history occurred on February 10th 2008 between Florida Panthers right wing Richard Zednik and teammate Olli Jokinen. "I felt like somebody stabbed me," Zednik said Thursday at his first news conference since the injury. Jokinen was upended and his skate swung up, slashing Zednik's neck. His carotid artery was sliced but not completely severed, and the blade missed his jugular vein. Zednik approached the bench immediately proclaiming the only thing going through his head was his four year old daughter Ella. According to the Panther's player "I remember thinking, Am I going to see her grow up?"



Hockey has always been one of the more violent sports, whether it be the fist fights, hard-checking into the walls, or accidental skate incidents such as this one. Zednik underwent surgery and was discharged from Buffalo General Hospital just a week ago. Apparently he wants to return to the ice as soon as possible telling several sources "I can't wait to get back and be with the guys." The 32-year-old offensive player bears a long red scar down the right side of his scruffy neck, courtesy of the surgery. The scar intersects the 1½ inch cut left by his teammate’s skate.

So what does a guy do to pass the time while laid up in a hospital bed? Besides spending time with his young daughter, Zednik spent much of his time shopping for cars on-line. Although a scary incident for all parties involved, the NHL has gained a substantial amount of positive attention. First off, the Panther's website has received more than 20,000 get-well messages for Zednik. In light of the fact that Zednik will be able to make a full recovery at the completion of his rehab, a video of the incident has been posted on-line, drawing over a million views.

It's unlikely that Zednik will return to the team this season, but the family man says he will be wearing a protective neck brace the next time he laces up his skates. Zednik's accident came roughly twenty years after the neck of Sabres goaltender Clint Malarchuk was slashed in a similar accident. Malarchuk recovered but later struggled with nightmares and flashbacks. Zednik wishes not to talk much about the incident, claiming to want to focus on his career and getting back to his team.
-DP.

They Say I Walk Around Like I Got an "S" on my Chest

Recently the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest has become bland and unoriginal. Let's face it, the days of Jordan/Wilkins have passed us and lately the event has showcased ordinary seen-that-before type dunks. Yet in 2008, a cape crusader from Orlando brought forth some of the most creative aerial assaults ever seen.

Not to take anything away from other contestants: Minnesota's Gerald Green, Toronto's Jamario Moon, and Memphis' Rudy Gay, but Orlando Magic 6-foot-11 Center Dwight Howard stole the show. "It's really for the big men," Howard said. "Everybody always says, big men can't jump and big men don't look good dunking. I just tried to add a little bit of my personality. With me being so tall, I knew it was going to be tough. I tried to play to the crowd and have fun." Dwight started things off with a dunk he had been practicing for two years. Standing on the baseline, he tossed the ball off the reverse side of the backboard, caught it with two hands, and after peering through the glass at the rim, dunked left-handed. Howard recieved perfect scores from three of the most prolific dunkers in the history of the sport: Dominique Wilkins, Julius Erving, and Darryl Dawkins.



Yet, it wasn't until the big man stripped off his blue Magic jersey to reveal the "S" on his chest that things really started to heat up. Before he proceeded, teammate Jameer Nelson placed a piece of tape on the court to mark where take-off point would be. Starting from mid-court, Howard got himself a running start and took off from inside the free throw line. Dwight jumped so high he was able to pretty much throw the ball in the hoop from well above the rim. The crowd erupted for one of the leagues youngest and most dominant centers. After his final dunk, the victor was up to the fans to decide. In a landslide Howard recieved 78 percent of the votes.

Safe to say, David Stern and the NBA are happy to have the Slam Dunk contest back in full swing. Even better, the league was able to market one of their premier players as the winner. Since his entrance into the league Dwight has proven to be one of the classiest individuals the NBA has ever seen. The basketball world awaits for him to repeat in 2009.
-DP.

The Destruction of Evidence

The story of the 2007-2008 NFL season was the "pursuit of perfection" by the leagues "best" team, the New England Patriots. Led by the golden boy Tom Brady, and one of the leagues most talented wideout's Randy Moss, the unit went 18-0 until they were upset by the battle tested road warriors; the New York Giants. Putting aside the fact that Super Bowl XLII had one of the most exciting 4th quarter upsets in recent memory, and that Mercury Morris and the 1972 Dolphins are now able to sit pretty and remain the only undefeated team in NFL history, might the biggest story of the 2007-2008 season be the cover-up of a cheating scandal now known as "Spygate?"



On Thursday February 14th, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell met with Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter in Washington D.C. to discuss the destruction of incriminating evidence regarding the New England Patriots on the basis of illegal video-taping practices. Acknowledged and caught in their week one meeting (Sept. 9) against the New York Jets this season, the Patriots were fined $250,000, penalized a first round draft pick, and head coach Bill Belichick received a hefty $500,000 fine. Yet, the story on capital hill concerns the destruction of all the evidence. "I'm determined to go forward," said Specter, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee. "You have answers and positions where (Goodell) is saying that with the destruction of tapes that, 'We did the right thing. We're absolutely sure." "Well, that is absurd, Goodell says things that don't make sense." Another thing bothering the Republican Senator is the fact that Goodell issued the penalties on Sept. 13, four full days before the Patriots even submitted the tapes and notes. Therefore a question is raised: Were Goodell and the NFL already aware of wrong-doing?



At the point in time in which the penalties came down on New England, Belichick admitted that he had been taping signals since he had come to the team in 2001, as he thought it was within the rules of the league as long as information was not used in the game at hand. The team reportedly handed over all notes and videotapes to league officials. On Thursday the commissioner told Specter that the evidence was destroyed for the simple fact that "There was no further use for it." Specter proclaims this "explanation" to be absurd and ridiculous. Another fishy activity was the fact that the evidence was destroyed on the Patriot home-front in Foxboro rather than the leagues New York Offices. With the evidence destroyed, Specter said there is no way to tell what advantage New England might have gained in the illegal taping practice.



The one individual that might be able to shed some real light on this topic is former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh. Specter believes the NFL has not done nearly enough to offer legal protection to Walsh who has reportedly told several sources that he may indeed have embarrassing information about the team's taping methods. "Matt Walsh is an important guy, and they have made it so conditional," Specter said. He went on to say: "All they got to do is say, 'We're not going to sue you.' It is not a big deal." The Senator has spoken with Mr. Walsh several times in the past week and reports that he understands the hesitation to make his information public because of the legal repercussions.

Yet, until Walsh comes forward, or a new lead presents itself, it seems to me that the NFL is advocating the existence of a cheater. The destruction of vital information concerning Spygate is simply sketchy. Cheating is cheating, whether it be one game, or an entire season. Did the New England Patriots use illegal methods studying the signals of other teams in order to gain an upper hand. Did they win all 18 games this season using an honest moral compass? Better yet, were the 3 Super Bowl victories and a seem-able dynasty a Milli-Vanilli type re-run? Only time will tell ..
-DP.

NASCAR: Returns to its Roots

Since the death of his father on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has grown to be NASCAR's most popular restrictor-plate driver. The 2008 season has brought multiple changes for the sport, its sponsors, and the teams. The sport has implemented revisions in rules ranging from qualifying procedures, pit road rules, fuel cell size, engines, and even the final destination of the money collected from fining drivers. Yet, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s departure from his fathers company, DEI (Dale Earnhardt Inc.) and arrival to Hendrick Motorsports has been the most publicized story of the 2008 season.

Junior decided to leave DEI at the end of the 2007 after a dismal season because he and Teresa Earnhardt could not come to an agreement on a common vision for the family business. "It is time for me to continue his legacy in the only way I know I can by taking the life lessons that he told me: Be a man, race hard and contend for championships," Junior said. "That's what I intend to do, and I feel strongly that I would have my father's blessing." Already the highest paid driver in the sport earning $20.1 million per year, Junior says it's not about the money. The boy with the golden legacy believes the vision for his father's company was forgotten somewhere along the line, which is the reason he demanded 51 percent of the company during contract negotiations at the start of the 2007 season.

Just like Tom Petty, Junior will be learning to fly this season, and although he knows the good old days may not return, a new era has arrived on the track. Earnhardt joins Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Casey Mears to form what has the potential to be one of the most dominant teams in the sports history.

On Saturday, in his very first appearance in the new No. 88 Chevrolet, Junior edged out Tony Stewart with a push from teammate Jimmie Johnson to get the checkard flag at the Bud Shootout. It seemed like pure magic, not only for the team, but for the sport as a whole. NASCAR knows if Junior wins, marketing him as the face of the sport will be cake. The sport has high hopes of regaining some of the attention it lost while Junior was struggling towards the end of his tenure at DEI. Saturday was Junior's first victory in Daytona since the 2004 Daytona 500. Five times in the past the winner of the Shootout has gone on to win the 500 a week later.



From a glance, it would appear that the sport is back on track, with its golden boy in the driver seat and a dominant team along-side him. The No. 88 gear will surely be flying off the shelf as Junior has quickly rebounded from the disaster that was his final few seasons at DEI. A veteran leader in Jeff Gordon, a consistent winner in Jimmie Johnson, and a competitive Casey Mears may just push Hendrick Motorsports over the top as the top racing team in the sport.
-DP.