Trading Moss-tique For Future Gains…That’s Business

In the words of the immortal Eric B. & Rakim, 'it's been a long time'…if you are one of the subscribers to this blog on Facebook, thank you very much for taking time out read about my take on NFL wide-receiver Randy Moss' trade from the New England Patriots to the Minnesota Vikings, which has apparently become a hot button topic over the past few hours not only in the New England area, but pretty much across the country. BTW, very quickly, I want to give a quick shout and congrats to 'Big Daddy' Craig Forde on the birth of his son, Kyle Jameson Forde today. Now, on to pressing matters for discussion…I have been away from writing about sports for a while now because I have grown discontented with the manner the subject is presented to the public. I decided to fall back and re-evaluate how to approach the subject and today, with the emotional responses I've read from the fans and numerous media outlets about the Moss trade, biased or unbiased it just hit me…that's just how it goes sometimes.

One thing that I learned over my past two years is to appreciate value…as a law student or any student or broke individual we learn how to cut corners and save a few bucks in order to move on to the next day. The questions range from Rib-Eye or cube steak? Cheetos or Jax? Value Brand clothing starch or Niagara?, 60 watts or 35 watts?...yes it all ranges and we all look to save a few bucks to even wash laundry (in the sink or go to the Laundromat? However, contrary to public belief, this Randy Moss trade today wasn't about those swashbuckling Patriots who are always looking to save a penny like Phillip does at EVERY WAKING HOUR, but more about the growth of the organization's overall on-field product. To me, the trade stems from fact that the Patriots are growing in another direction in terms of offensive football. They are evolving. The skills that Moss brought to the team had begun to hinder the growth that the organization wished to have on that side of the football. For those who don't watch entire Patriots' games, and haven't seen them over the past two seasons, you pretty much are only privy to the highlights shown post-game and they generally will show all these breathtaking catches No. 81 makes…one handed, over the defender, running after the catch, splitting double teams and corner of the end zone grabs while keeping both feet in. It looks all sweet and dandy from a distance, but when you watch the games, I mean really watch the games, you will see an offense attempting to force-feed Moss the ball in order to placate him and get him going in the offensive game plan. It was very frustrating to see the QB throwing deep to Moss so many times during a game knowing that any competent defensive coordinator has already game-planned that particular stratagem. This is the very reason why the Patriots have had so many difficulties with good defensive teams; they became very predictable on offense and Moss was used as a convenient excuse as to why we all knew what the Patriots were going to do and what would happen with Moss if he did not see the ball early…he would check out. Watching the Patriots beat the Miami Dolphins on Monday night, a game in which Moss had no receptions, his first catch-less game since 2006 when he was with the Oakland Raiders, he did not look as jovial as the rest of his teammates as they 'Beamerballed' their way to a resounding 41-14 victory. I had made up my mind on that night that Randy Moss…yes, that Randy Moss was a contributing factor in holding back the development of the team on offense.

Think of it this way… and bear with me…you have an employee; let's call them star employee. They are one of the best workers in your office. They dress well, are clearly talented and in many cases are heads and shoulders above the crowd of others who occupy their field. You paid them relatively well too; they came to you after some minor dust ups at their prior position in another company and you were able to get them at a significant discount…kind of a probation period. When you hired them, your sales and revenue went through the roof… because their masterful technique in what they did was well tested and successful throughout their career. They began to develop a mystique about them; everything they touched turned to gold and they could do no wrong. Heck, your company is now at the top of its industry!! You decided to keep them on and gave them an insane salary…at the same time you began to hire new employees to work alongside your star employee. They were just out of college, but they were talented. The next fiscal year, your sales and revenue dipped, but your star employee kept exceeding expectations. However, you did notice that the star has begun to rely strictly on their older methods which still worked, but you began to see that there was a plateau effect…it brought in money, but are you still at the top of the industry overall? You also have seen that your star employee is no longer that humble individual that came to your company a few years back. They carry a sense of entitlement and although they want to stay in the company and is a leader among their peers, resumes are found in the printer and they are complaining to you about how much they do and why have you not given a commitment redo their employment agreement.

As the younger employees begin to make significant contributions, and the contract that your star works under begins to become more and more of an issue, you have to start evaluating whether they are the best fit for you now. You've begun to do what all successful organizations do…you begin to change your philosophy by taking a fresh approach to your business. You begin to lean on the newer and younger employees who have the ability to bring something new to the table. You've reorganized areas of the company and handed responsibilities to people who may not have the pedigree, but have the desire and skills to get the job done. You understand that you may take losses here and there, but you KNOW you have a talented group. Meanwhile, the star employee is still relying on the older methods they have used…they have not changed. The managers defer to the star's whims because they've bought into the star's mystique: 'They did bring in record revenues…'in the past. The newer employees are now being featured on the bigger accounts and it was expected that your star employee would be able to mesh into the plan and mentor the younger, new employees with his experience so as to minimize mistakes and mitigate losses. However, the star has increasingly have become discontent and a distraction to what you are doing by airing their grievances with the company publicly. What do you do in this case? You know that the star is going to bring in money. They do things many people in their position throughout the industry cannot do, but they are becoming stale both professionally and personally. Their mystique is what makes them attractive in the industry; they have done (key word)…done excellent things, but their brand of excellence can be holding back a new development plan that could benefit everyone on the whole. Do you keep them on for short term success? Or do you make the decision to jettison them in order to take a risk on long term gains?

My analogy may be flawed in some areas, but hey…gimme a break; I'm trying to prove a point. The Patriots are committed to evolving their offense and featuring pass catching tight ends, speedy, smaller receivers and versatile running backs. With Moss in the offense, yes, he demands a double team, BUT the offense becomes limited when teams game plan around that double team commitment. The name of the game is to exploit matchups all over the field; in essence, flooding the zones with pass catchers within an offense run by a trigger-man QB that can get the ball to them in the right space, at the right time, so the receiver can make plays after the catch. With Moss, it was the same thing, pretty much every play…just like when I was a young wolf playing WR in football as a kid…GO DEEP. In essence, Moss has been relegated to a decoy for defenses so the offense can open up and put the ball into playmakers hands within the flow of the offense. Sometimes when I watched the Pats, I saw two offenses operating at once; you had the Randy Moss go deep plays and the rest of the guys playing within the flow of the offense. Moss is too talented to be a decoy, point blank. It would be unfair to ask him to do this over the course of the season. But it is a detriment to all of the other guys on the team if he must still be the focal point at the expense of the development of a new offensive stratagem and players who can make a difference. Thus, the best way to resolve the matter is to make a trade. Now, a case can be made that the Patriots brain trust could have colluded in order to make sure Moss did not see the ball and try to get some insight as to how things would work without him on the field. It was reported that the trade talks with the Vikings were a week deep by Tuesday evening. Therefore, I can see the Patriots keeping the ball away from him either to see how things would run without him or to prevent him from incurring an injury while playing. I am no Patriots-flavored Kool Aid drinker; it is not beyond this organization to make a business decision like that. This is an organization that traded a cornerstone player in Richard Seymour right after training camp broke in 2009; they took the pre-season time to see if he was physically sound and I guarantee that the trade was set up at least a month before it went down. We all saw what happened with Lawyer Milloy in 2003 and acrimonious ending of Asante Samuel's career in New England in 2006.

It is a little weird to see Moss get traded, but I never really bought into the mystique that he carried; this is mainly because a record setting receiver is only as good as the QB that throws the ball. The QB is only as good as the offensive line that protects him. Football is not a game for individuals. Any success is based upon a number of individuals who do their respective jobs and execute what has been taught. One breakdown causes that TD to Moss to become a strip sack, an interception or results in injury. Moss now is united with another guy who lives on the laurels of his past accomplishments in Brett Favre; they both will attempt to use their older techniques of winning games in order to get the Vikings to the Super Bowl, but Moss is entering a similar environment that he just left…there is an aging star employee on board that is playing to the detriment of younger players who we will never really know if they had what it took to lead the team. Why you ask? The coach is on the hot seat. That is the biggest difference between the two organizations. Bill Belichick is going nowhere folks. He in effect, IS the Patriot brand whereas Brad Childress is just a coach…get results or hit the bricks. And we all know what happens when people are insecure…they make rash decisions based on the short term outlook.

Lastly, the Patriots got value for the trade of Moss. In 2007 they traded a 4^th round pick to the Raiders for him. In 2010, they were able to get a 3^rd rounder for him. So basically, they got a player who was considered done by some prognosticators and were able to build his value back up for a small profit. Don't some of you wish you could get someone out of your life AND gain from it? In actuality we all do in one way or another, but that is a topic meant for Joyce Brothers or Dr. Phil…or maybe even Kat Stacks in some circles. That's all for now…thanks for reading.

 

Play or Sit? Not an Easy Question to Answer

It is amazing what a knee on an All-Pro wide receiver and the angst of an entire fan base with dashed visions of an undefeated regular season can do in order put certain practices that are commonplace in the NFL under the microscope before the playoffs begin. Last week, the Indianapolis Colts in essence allowed the New York Jets to win a game in which the Colts pulled its starters in order to protect them from injury, which also ended its bid for making history as the first Super Bowl Champion with an unblemished record. Yesterday, during the New England Patriots first drive of its game against a hungry Houston Texans squad seeking its first winning season in team history, and the Patriots essentially playing for nothing (already got into the post-season), Wes Welker reportedly blew out the ACL and MCL of his left knee while running after a catch. The NFL is looking into the practice of teams sitting their starters during regular season games because with the backups in the game, the affair turns into a glorified pre-season match-up with the fans paying big bucks to watch the Curtis Painters and Mark Brunells of the world. Are fans entitled to watch the players or the team they came to see? Are teams separate entities of themselves that reserve the right to use their employees in any matter they see fit? What are the rights of the player/employee in regards to whether they perform or not? I am not going to go too in-depth because that would equal a 20-30 page endeavor that I do not want to get into right now because the gym is calling. However, I here are my thoughts:

• If I am the coach or administrator of a team that clearly has accomplished the goal of making the playoffs, it is in the best interest to sit my starters if the team is playing well and it has not hit any form of wall as the season draws to a close. I would want my best players who may be nicked up to rest for the post-season and be ready when it counts. However, if my team has played poorly as it moves towards week 16 and it may need to get its collective rhythm back, it would be a good idea to leave the starters in for the majority of the game as I would want some carry-over into the playoffs…but at the same time, I risk potential season sinking injuries to my players. In his team's situation, Jim Caldwell, the head coach of the Colts made the decision to sit his guys despite the march towards history the team was making because of the 'Big Picture'. The 'Big Picture' is the view that every team, every year wants to get into the playoffs and have a chance to win the Super Bowl. Caldwell's team had already accomplished this goal and he felt that playing his stars was too big a risk when a team is seeking a Super Bowl. You know what? I agree there. The goal of winning the Super Bowl is bigger than an undefeated season and games played in January are provide no guarantees in the NFL. I'd rather be a 10-6 Super Bowl winner than a 16-0 Super Bowl loser. In the case of the New Orleans Saints, they needed to have ALL their guys on the field on Sunday because it is clear that the strength of the team (the offense), has lost its edge…nobody wants to go into the playoffs with high expectations saddled with a losing streak. That's a lethal concoction.
  
• If I am a player that has a chance to accomplish a goal that few others can brag about, I am all in to chase history. Remember back in 2007 when the Patriots played their starters in the regular season finale against the New York Giants? They accomplished something that not many players can say…I was undefeated. In response that, my gut also tells me that this game provided the template for how the Giants were to play the Patriots in the Super Bowl that season also…they showed them WAY TOO MUCH. But alas, they captured history. If I am a player in position to do the same and take it further, I want that chance. Think of it…over 250 guys per year are drafted into the NFL. Every year! Rarely does one have a chance…even as a lowly practice team guy, to accomplish something that will immortalize them in history. However, the players don't have the right to play when they want to (ask Brandon Marshall). If one wants to be etched in history, get that Lombardi Trophy and a chunky, iced-out bling thing called 'A Championship Ring'. Do that, and you are remembered.
  
• Finally and most importantly, the fan. Fans have been paying hefty prices to attend NFL games for quite a while now. When new stadiums go up, so does the price of admission. When a team captures lightning in a bottle and makes a run towards a Super Bowl, that $ 10 hot dog that could have been purchased at Wal-Mart for $5.00 (well, more like 3 packs of dogs, bread and industrial grade Catsup) taste like a medium-well rib-eye steak. The beer is like Andre Champagne. With Personal Seat Licenses (PSL's) becoming the norm in professional sports, combined with parking, drinks, time to travel, costs associated with travel, and tough economic times, is it too much to see the players whom the fans tickets help to pay their salary? Sports are and always will be a diversion for the public. It gets one's mind off that boss they want throw coffee (iced or piping hot) at, that empty gas tank, rent being due next week, and war abroad and at home. Are the fans not entitled to spend some time away from that world in order to see their favorite team win games? When the team lays down like the Colts did last week, the hot dog tastes like...um…a hot dog. That beer is not champagne, its bitter, overpriced malt liquor reserve and the team's actions probably will drive a person to the liquor aisle at Wal-Mart to purchase the cheapest alley wine to forget the game. Are fans deserving of seeing the players they paid to see or are they merely entitled to see the team? I would've had no problem with the Patriots benching their guys back in '07 against the Giants. In fact, I was praying for it, screaming at the television 'YOU'RE SHOWING THEM TOO MUCH!!!' Granted it was a road game, but still…the ticket prices skyrocketed when the chance to witness history presented itself. The NFL will be looking into sitting star players as potential public relations issue in relation to team decisions. With the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations between the players and owners still at a standstill and 2010 basically shaping up to be the last we will see of the NFL for a bit, the league has to make sure that the fans do not jump ship because the practice of sitting starters has an effect on the competitive balance of the league, which can be drastically altered as a result.
  

  Think about it: the Jets are in the playoffs and if the Colts hadn't laid down, the Jets would be at home making vacation reservations. Who knows how a Colts win would have changed the fortunes of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans. Like getting to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop, the world may never know. Could fans force the league to take away the rights of NFL franchises and make them play starters in games that do not mean anything? The first thing that comes into my mind is this: Team X, which has made the playoffs and has nothing to play for, finishes the regular season against Team Y, a team that either wants to finish on a positive note (i.e. pride) or is a fringe playoff team that needs a myriad of factors to fall in place in order to advance. If I am the coach for Team X, and I am forced to play my starters, I would send my QB out there and hand the rock to the third string RB all day. I may even run Wildcat a majority of the time with my QB flanked out and the play designed to go to his opposite side. How would that help the competitive balance? Would the game be entertaining? It would make for some interesting plays, but it would not assuage any concerns. The NFL needs to stay out of this one. Imagine the NFL forcing a player to play against his team's wishes and he gets injured? Then where does the responsibility lie? The team, depending on the role of the player can be disrupted and not be able to reach its potential at the right time. That's what backups are for right? Okay, you throw Charlie Frye in there against Pittsburgh and ask me that question again.
  

  Speaking of laying down, how many NBA teams do this every year? In order to get the No. 1 overall pick, many teams will gladly run out Popeye Jones, Tyrus Thomas and Mark Blount to chase that goal. No sanctions from the league there…AND the players are given guaranteed contracts, unlike the NFL.
  

  As much as I love the enthusiasm fans bring to sports in the form of energy and unconditional band-wagoning, one thing disturbs me the most…when a player gets injured, why is it that fans tend to think of the team's fortunes first rather than the man? In terms of Wes Welker's knee injury, I saw so many people thinking of his team and its fortunes instead of his pain, the impending journey from rehab back to the field and his contract status. He was in line to at least command top-5 receiver coin based on his production over the past three seasons. Now he will probably have little to no leverage at the negotiating table. Deion Branch, the player Welker in effect replaced, suffered a similar injury in 2006 and has not been the same since. The manner in which Welker plays is based on his precise route running and cutting….we will see how his impending ACL reconstruction responds to that.
  

  What the heck happened to the Giants? I said it before and will say it again, that Super Bowl win was the worst thing that could have happened to the Giants because they ended up being forced to tie the organization's fate to Eli Manning. I don't see it in him…what kind of quiet 'lead by example' QB wins? The defense and a great catch on a Hail Mary type pass got that trophy in '07, not Eli. The 2009 edition of the Giants was weird…dominant against some good teams, laid on their backs against really good teams and let teams with nothing to play for kick their heads in. The last two losses to Carolina and Minnesota equal some widespread changes in the organization. If you ask me, they fell into the dreaded 'began to think they were as good as people told them they were' mentality. Brandon Jacobs has morphed into Shaun Alexander after he got his big contract, star defensive end Osi Umenyiora was benched and the three big ticket free agent acquisitions in Rocky Bernard, Chris Canty and Michael Boley made little to no impact. Changes are a'comin' for the Giants as they move into a new stadium. The lesson here is: I have no idea. Eli may be Drew Bledsoe-lite in that he MUST have all-pros around him at every position in order to reach his potential.
  

  Is it that the San Diego Chargers backups are that good or the Washington Redskins starters are that bad? Either way, poor ol' hung out to dry head coach Jim Zorn should be fired soon. I hope the guy lands on his feet because he took all the shots from the firing squad and still stood up there week after week taking responsibility…while others resigned under cover of darkness. Why not hire Urban Meyer now? Any fan of the 'skins would not doubt that the call was at least thought about by owner Daniel Snyder.
  

  Oh yeah, watch out for the Jets. Teams generally play like it has a second life when opportunities that generally would never be available, is gift wrapped for them. It reminds me of a situation back in my youth where two of my friends had a double date set up with these girls. One of my boys was an idiot over the phone to the girl and blew off the date. My other boy needed a replacement, and called me. It was easy for me to captivate her because: 1) someone else looked so bad, anyone would have been in a good situation with her, and 2) I had no business being there and nothing to lose. Ladies and gents, your 2009 New York Jets.
  

  For all of those who read last week's article, click here for ESPN's take on the inequalities that exist in NCAA basketball programs…guess who the star of the show is? After watching this, you will notice that ESPN devoted little to no time addressing former University of Nebraska QB Sam Keller's class action lawsuit against EA Sports, and the NCAA over the usage of college player's images on video games with no compensation. It makes one ask the question…if am a University of Florida and Tim Tebow fan, am I buying the game because it's Florida or to play as Tebow? For those who say it's because of Florida, why are they not playing College Football 2004 or 2003? It's still Florida right? I will keep tabs on this case.
  

  Lastly, if anyone caught it, Boston's Fenway Park was the site of the NHL's Winter Classic on New Year's Day. I have to give credit where credit is due. Once again the NHL pulled off a great event at a venue nobody would have thought could be fitted for hockey much less look as good as it did.. To top it all off, the Bruins and Flyers played a great game. I am thinking that this outdoor hockey thing has cross-over appeal among sports fans. I would have loved to attend this game and any other one that will be held in the future…one never knows.

Free Agency Isn't That Free...Sometimes

Hello, readers. As popular media continues to hit the public with notifications of the deaths of well known individuals, I have a few words about the latest to pass: Steve McNair. This has all the earmarkings of one of those 'If I can't have you, nobody will' love affair endings. I always thought that many athletes led lives where they had a public front complete with wife and kids but privately enjoyed the spoils of their status fueled by alcohol, drugs, fast cars and many mistresses. It made me think a little deeper and I realized that this is something prevalent throughout all aspects of society, so why would it not affect the relatively small pool of individuals blessed with extreme wealth? When we read newspapers about a husband that killed a wife (or vice versa) over infidelities or a spurned lover that had promises made that were not kept who decided to make the decision easier for both parties, we become a bit desenitized by it.


That is why when the news reported that McNair had been shot four times and the other party, presumably, his scorned lover having a single gunshot wound to the side of her head, I came to the conclusion that this was an affair that extended well beyond a 'booty call' or 'part time lover' exploit. (Click here to see pics of McNair and Shahel Kazemi parasailing 0n vacation) This killing was up close and personal similar to the manner in which ex-pro footballer Rae Carruth ordered and witnessed the fatal driveby shooting of the mother of his yet to be born child back in 1999. In the larger scope of things, there are many commonalities that stem from this situation which pervade our world: children who are left fatherless, women who have lost a husband (or provider), promises made that were not kept, secrecy revealed, mistrust surfaced and houses divided...sounds like America in a nutshell huh?


Now, as Snoop Dogg would say, 'back to the lecture at hand'. As many of you know, free agency season has decended upon the NBA. Many teams that are looking for that missing piece of a championship puzzle will overpay a competent to effective player in order to outbid other potential suitors in order get to the NBA Finals. There is much logic that goes into this as a team that makes the playoffs makes more money because they are alloted more home games in which to sell not only tickets, but concession items (beer, hotdogs, banners) and it helps corporate sponsors continue engaging potential customers for their business.


The average lousy team, lets say, the Los Angeles Clippers, rarely sell out any of their alloted 41 home games during the regular season and are always in the Lottery (ie, the air ball generated chance game as to who will have the No. 1 pick in the annual college draft). If it wasn't for revenue sharing among all of the teams in the NBA, the Clips would have closed shop years ago. However, with the NBA having to cut back the purse strings a bit in the wake of the global economic crisis, many teams that have good players but are not good enough for the playoffs are looking to move on a free agent player that could push them towards the goal at hand. The only problem is that free agents (especially veterans) are not really willing to go to mediocre teams; they want a chance to win championships with teams that need a missing piece. Bad teams such as the Clippers not only garnered the No. 1 pick this year in Blake Griffin, they are sadly suffering from the free agency debacle from 2008 win which they signed an obviously declining player in Baron Davis to a large contract in hopes of luring another free agent, Elton Brand to the team. However, Brand reneged on his promise to sign with the Clips and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.


Now the Clippers are stuck in between phases...do they carry the large Davis contract and try to bolster the team through free agency? Do they trade Davis or another veteran player to another team in order to begin the rebuilding phase with Griffin? With teams not willing to spend the motherlode until 2010 (Lebron James, Dwayne Wade etc.), not many are willing to take on any more large contracts and the free agents they do sign, they give them what is called the mid-level exception, which gives a player approximately $5-6 million per year. Davis for instance, who signed a 5 year, $65 million contract last year and proceeded to have his worst statistical season, prevents teams from taking on such a high salary commitment. The Clips did manage to move PF Zach Randolph's contract off the books this season by trading him to the Memphis Grizzlies, so they may have room next season to go after one of the prized free agents of 2010. The only problem here is that it takes a person to have an incredibly diarreah-like brain fart to sign with them as the team has a history of woeful mismanagment. Therefore, the Clips will have to cross their fingers and hope the team they have presently constituted can be good enough for a playoff run as the money is needed...and the sponsors are praying. However, if a washed up Billy Crystal is the Clips' biggest fan, I feel for the fans and sponsors.


As you can see, free agnecy carries many financial ramifications for a team. There are also risks for the players. A great number of fans continue to ramble on about how players make too much money and they don't care about the game. Well, if these fans were offered 120% more money to jump ship from their present job to a competitor, would they do it? Well...the first thought is yes until one thinks about the monumental life shift that will take place; from a family man's viewpoint, if one already has a fair amount of money saved up, the kids are happy in school where they are and the wife is content why would one leave? From a single man's perspective, however if he has established a place on the social scene, has business interests in the area and is settled in a nice home, why leave? So many factors go into a decision involving a long distance move for a job; a plant manager for GM faced with relocating from Michigan to Alabama is posed the same question. Will you fit in the social scene? Will the kids get the same level of education? Will you be able to establish businesses in this new area? What about race relations?


A good case in point lies with former Orlando Magic F and new Toronto Raptor Hedo Turkoglu. He opted out of his contract with the Magic in order to broker a more lucrative deal with them; however, the Magic decided to trade for Nets F Vince Carter and Turkoglu had to shop his wares on the open market. Shortly after free agency commenced, reports stated that he was set to sign with the Portland Trailblazers, but he about faced and signed with the Raptors. Oh...typical athlete, he just got more money from the Raptors right? Fortunately, that answer is wrong and it is wrong for all the right reasons. When he and his family visited Portland, he did not feel it was a good fit on a social level; the money was right and the team was perfect, but he did not feel he could be the best player he could be without his life off the court in being in order. There was little to no Turkish community and he wanted to be around cultural hub...Toronto, being on the east coast and closer to Turkey was a good fit. He could take direct flights from Canada to his native land and the city offered an international flavor that made him and his family (namely, the wife) happy. In other words, he followed his heart and good sense when he made the move, not just the money...even though the Raptors will still be a crappy team.


Quick trivia question (the winner gets a $5 gift certificate to Dunkin Donuts): Who was the first quarterback taken in the famed 1983 NFL Draft and who was the team that drafted him?


A. Tony Eason
B. Dan Marino
C. Peyton Manning
D. John Elway
*Please respond via aphaleticarticles@gmail.com

Mike & My Youth

Welcome back readers. I have decided to write a quick blog before the 2009 NBA Draft which should be taking place within the next hour or so. However, I must depart from sports for a minute and share my thoughts about the pop icon of the true '80's babies', Michael Jackson, who passed on today. I send condolences to his family and loved ones and I ask the fans who are reading this just go to youtube.com, put on the MP3, spin that CD or go waaaaay back in the day and run that cassette tape.

While on the subject, it made me think not only of my mortality, but also conjured up some of the memories from the past. Yes, I had the Thriller album poster on the wall and begged my mother for jheri curls as a snot nose. I remember the MTV world premier of the 'Thriller' video which was one of the most entertaining videos I've ever seen...to this day (pop stars of today, please take note). The thoughts of Mike defined my youth in many ways from the little kid listening to 'Off The Wall' to the 'Thrilller' era to my teenage years when I grew out of his sound. I am not stunned about this by any stretch because death is a part of life and is never a matter of if, but when for ALL OF US. Enjoy the memories and the music and in celebrating his life, you are indeed celebrating yours as well because many of us grew up with him. I started thinking about all of the things that went on in my life during this time...Jessie Jackson's run for the Presidency, space shuttle Challenger's explosion, the U.S.'s invasion of Grenada, a young hip hop culture emerging, Nancy Reagan's hollow 'Just Say No' campaign, the nasty rumor about 'killer clowns' that drive a white van and hunt kids during Holloween, the Iran Contra Affair, Larry v. Magic, heck, the New England Patriots were in the Super Bowl back in these days... As you can see, the music of Jackson binds into the memories of my youth. For instance, when the 'Thriller' single first dropped, my family was coincidentally on the way to Gary, Indiana (Mike's hometown), for the funeral of my uncle. I had the Fisher Price recorder (stop laughing), pressed to rear speakers of the car and made sure to tape the song as it played at least three times an hour on the radio.

Another quick memory from back in the day: I remember being the chubby 9 year old wearing the tight 'mom chosen' Sears & Roebuck brand 'Husky' jeans with holes in the knees patched up, running around Parkside Christian Academy on a rampage. In my 3rd grade class, there was a kid named 'Reggie' who was a quiet, constructive type of fellow who was the class representative for Michael Jackson. He would wear the high water, leather pants with white socks and well polished penny loafers. He even had the well sought after 'Beat It' and 'Thriller' leather jackets and was sporting white tee shirts before they became very popular. Whereas me and the rest guys, we weren't so fortunate; remember 'Members Only' folks? Zips, the suede Ralph Sampson Pumas w/ fat New York laces, Kangaroos and Izod shirts before they became $100? How about Nike when they were sold at Stride Rite before a gangly kid from North Carolina changed the way the youth viewed footwear? Shoot, I thought argyle was a brand name when I was young...yeah, that's how in touch with style my mother was back in the day. Anyways, Reggie's biggest talent however was his propensity of drawing photos of Mike ALL THE TIME. He studied his 'swag' and drew pictures from the Grammy Award ceremony photos, Mike's public appearances to his album covers. So what he always drew Mike with a huge square head and the body of a toothpick? Thinking back, it kind of looked like a cross between Razor Ramon and one of the Olsen twins. We would even have competitions in class as to who was the best singer: Michael Jackson or Prince? Yeah, these were the times that defined my youth.

Sadly, the Mike I grew up with, which captivated my generation, is not the same as the Mike we've seen over the past 15-20 years. Age had changed his appearance and his view of music/entertainment while many of us children that listened to him became hardened adults...some even fragile in response to the rapid changes of our world. Despite this, I have learned to accept that I too am no longer that young kid that was mezmorized by Mike's talent; my music tastes grew over the years and I am unable to think as I did when I was younger. All I can do now is enjoy the memories and think when Wu-Tang Clan, w/ Gladys Knight sample of course, asked 'Can It Be That It Was All So Simple Then?' it meant more than just the passage of time, it meant that our lives weren't so compartmentalized and complex; and if it was, did we stress it the same we do as adults? It just so happened that Mike provided the soundtrack for many people during that time. But alas, change is a part of life as much as death. It took me a time to realize this and whatever happened in Mike's personal life in recent times will not tarnish my memories of his music...it defined many aspects of the times I 'came up' in.

I hope. Somewhere. Today. At this time. Reggie is a healthy adult and happy with his life. I hope he understands that I along with all of our classmates are thankful he was able to show his love of Mike to all of us. I also hope that he is still not drawing those distorted Mike pics. It is truly sad that young people can so effortlessly show adoration with such genuine fervor while adults seem only to ride with what is the most popular opinion...in a very disingenuous manner. With that, I say to all of his fans, only YOU can keep him alive. I hope you use it as a porthole to examine your lives and understand the unique journey that life gives us all. Play that music and enjoy not only his talent, but your life.

***I will have exciting news available to all members of the AlphaleticArticles blog community soon. It will involve prizes, raffles and good times, so stay posted.

30 Days to Nowhere

Today's trivia question: Who was the last NBA player to average a triple double for an entire season?

I was just thinking about time…about a month to be exact. Like, in a month's time, I will be mentally preparing to go back to Houston and commence my second year of law school. It seemed like it took me a month to write a 'simple' summary judgment during my first year and yes, in the span of one month, I will STILL be sleeping on an army cot in my father's basement with two psychopathic cats. Within this seemingly short (or long, depending on your situation) amount of time, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will have probably flip flopped first place in of the American League East Division multiple times and several NBA players will have found a new place to call home complete with a trophy wife and a 'why should I work hard anymore, I've hit the jackpot' attitude via the spending frenzy that is free agency. Heck, within a month NFL players will be prepping for training camp, Iranians will still be protesting the recent presidential 'election' and we won't know truly, how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop. Wonder where I'm going with this huh? Well, in order to get some perspective on my thought process, it may be in your best interest to read my entry, Mike's Con-Vicktion Should Be Change. In that article, I referenced the unusually long jail term (a year and change plus probation plus the complete destruction of his financial viability) former NFL quarterback Michael Vick had to serve in Federal Prison for animal cruelty.

According to various media outlets, NFL wide receiver Donte Stallworth has reached a plea agreement in regards to the vehicular manslaughter charges levied against him in connection with the death of 59 year old father and husband, Mario Reyes on March 14^th. The plea agreement details his punishment for driving while drunk (double Florida's legal limit) and speeding on a Miami street, which is 30 days in jail, 10 years probation and he had to pay the family restitution for the death of Reyes. Now, I am all for good lawyering, but come on now. Vick was practically put under the jail and his life spread eagle for the American public to spit at him and scrutinize his very being. His employer (the NFL) turned its back, the team he played for, the Atlanta Falcons, bid him adieu, the legal system bankrupted him and finally, his creditors decided to cut bait and go after everything he owned. Makes me wonder…dogs and humans. Man's best friend verses a man who was quite possibly a friend to many other people including his family. Federal time for a dog and a short stint in State prison for a human. Is something wrong here? Is this a money issue or is this a dangerous precedent that can trickle down throughout the legal system allowing others to serve the same amount of time for a similar crime? In my opinion, it is a combination of both. Stallworth says in an official statement, "I accept full responsibility for this horrible tragedy" and further states "I will bear this burden for the rest of my life." It is fitting that he says that he will bear that cross for his entire life, but so will the family of Reyes. In Vick's case, what heirs or family members of the dogs he participated in killing will suffer?

Animal cruelty is a part of all of our lives at some point or another. Whether one participates in legal abuse such as horse racing (which only is legitimized by widespread coverage in the media and mummified millionaire horse owners who throw insane amount of money behind the process of breeding a quality 'stud', those who wear leather or fur clothing, sleep on goose down pillows, eat animal flesh as a part of their diet or love the feel of ivory on their skin as jewelry are connected to cruelty. However, there is commerce circulates behind those various industries and the infrastructure of our economy cannot sustain itself without it…so if dog fighting is not something that can line the pockets of the same elements that dictate the economy, go get Vick, lock him up and destroy his life!

I guess it is an entirely different story when we talk about the killing of another person. It is understandable if someone dies in an accident. It is not understandable when one drinks alcohol until legal inebriation, decides to cruise the streets of Miami at dawn beyond the speed limit and kills another human being. I cannot see the justification for how 30 days in jail and 10 years of probation (with a couple of bucks thrown in for the family to boot) can adequately replace a life of a man. In 'Mike's Con-Vicktion', I touched upon the fact that a dog does not have the capabilities to change the world. If that dog did gain this ability (we'll call him Underdog), it was from the training of a human. The value of a human is immeasurable as one can invent an apparatus that can change other's lives. One has the potential to cure disease, build shelters for others and provide peace and security for those around them. These are things that dogs cannot provide humans unless a dog carries a gene that can cure cancer or be the base for an HIV serum; a dog can only find shelter in what they may dig for themselves or what they find pre-existing in nature. Now dogs can provide security…however, it is only through the hand of a human being. There is no reason Stallworth would serve less jail time than Vick except the possibility that either Reyes' life is looked at as less than a dog, Stallworth greased palms in various places, he had a pit bull (pardon the expression) for a lawyer or maybe a combination of all three elements. Now, I am not saying that Vick should not have been punished at all; I do however believe a more reasonable sentence…like 30 days and probation, seems more appropriate.

Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL has a sterling opportunity to make his league come across a sterling example of management of its 'citizens', the players. Goodell can hand down a punishment that is even more severe than that of Florida courts and will be able to say the league is more intolerant of crimes by its employees than the States are of its citizens if the viability of the league wanes in the eyes of the government (see Major League Baseball Senate Hearings). The Stallworth punishment not only sets forth a slippery slope for high profile individuals but also citizens such as myself…wait…can I pay a family a large sum of money to make them go away? Would his lawyer even talk to me without my father putting up his house (with cot included) as a retainer? Better yet, I would probably be shuttled from my 2000 Mitsubishi Galant straight to prison. I admire the fact that Stallworth owned up to the killing and didn't come up with a 'Juiced-Up' story about how he didn't do it (listening O.J.?), as he comes across as a responsible person. However, in this case, when gets to prison, being a nice guy with a heart of gold will only get him so far. There are going to be guys in the prison he will be incarcerated with that were locked up for a long stretch due to a similar crime, who may resent him. I guess that's what Protective Custody is for eh? At any rate, I hope Vick has his chance to play professional football again. He was the big name in an investigation that included numerous people who were engaged in the same activity. Stallworth acted alone. I still wish him well, but it painfully apparent that a dog's life is worth years while Reyes' life was only worth 30 days. Something needs to change.

The answer to today's question: Oscar 'The Big O' Robertson, who during the 1961-62 regular season averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game.

Coaching With The Best…Well, Until It Counts

Trivia Question and of course, the winner gets nothing: Who was the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in 1995?

You know, I'd bet some of you would call me a soothsayer or maybe even psychic if Blogger hadn't messed up two days ago. I wrote a very interesting piece about the blunders of certain coaches and how they seem to doom the teams and sometimes the organizations they work with. I discussed Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy's stupid decision to bench point guard Rafer Alston in the second half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers due to Alston merely barking back at him during a time out…a very under-represented turning point of the series that is hardly discussed by the major media outlets. It seems that Shaquille O'Neal was right about Van Gundy as being 'the master of panic'. I wrote in that post about how the Lakers will come into Game 5 and apply the same pressure as they did in the second half of Game 4 and we can all sit back and watch the Magic fold up shop and show us all what a real 'magic' disappearing act is supposed to look like. But painfully, it was all for naught and many of you are sitting back saying…Phillip is so full of sh**, whereas I sit back and yell out…DAMN YOU BLOGGER, DAMN YOU!!! Yeah, it may be time to hasten my process of converting this to a full-fledged website and call it a day. But then I think, 'when you are living in the basement of your father's house, sleeping on an army cot and working an internship with no pay within an economic meltdown, it's best to count your blessings and keep writing.' With that, I will…while damning blogger for taking away a potential moment of glory.

Moving on, I wrote about several coaches from several different professional sports leagues that have been notorious for not getting their teams to the top despite their all world coaching credentials and supposed reputation. But before I get into that, I'd like to take some time to congratulate the target of many black women's ire, one Kobe Bryant for winning his fourth NBA title this evening. I wish I could say that he had to work for it in the Finals (which he would have had to if the Cavaliers had been the opponent) but nonetheless, he is writing a nice piece of history for himself. Also, the walking mummy himself, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson, won his NBA record 10^th title as a head coach. Now, I respect all that he's done as a coach but…something is telling me that he does not deserve as much due as he is taking from the ABC's and ESPN's of the world. He never really had to put together a really good team himself; he merely had a all world superstar player guzzle his tall, heaping glass of Zen Kool-Aid and put him in a domineering position within a team full of capable role players who are scared to death to let him down…or else be banished to the Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder or whatever garbage pail team is out there.

The Lakers, if all stays relatively the same, you know, with Kobe diagramming the plays, Jim Cleamons falling asleep behind the bench, Kurt Rambis trying to look cool in search of his first head coaching job (despite his former appearance) and a hungry group of former first round draft pick flame outs (Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown) on the bench, big things may be on the horizon. As for Orlando, I am not sure the outlook is so rosy. Van Gundy is fast developing a reputation of not being able to push his teams over the top through expert coaching. This is the same guy who coached the 2006 Miami Heat for half the season and general manager Pat Riley, sensing that the moment and stage was too big for Van Gundy to handle (or too big for Riley not be in the spotlight) took over as head coach and pushed them past the soft butt Dallas Mavericks to win the NBA Finals. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds in the following season, but keep this in mind: Dwight Howard has already criticized the coaching of the team and if he and other players feel that Van Gundy's personality will only allow the team to go so far, expect the pink slip to arrive soon after a slow start to the 2009-10 NBA regular season.

Watching 'The Master' Van Gundy conjures up many memories of all of my favorite whipping boy coaches who even when given teams ripe for winning a title, failed to deliver. The first head coach would be former NFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer. Now don't get me wrong, Marty was a great coach who inspired his teams to perform beautifully…until when it counted the most. If it wasn't for poor Marty of the NFL's greatest comebacks (or collapses) would not have happened. Anybody remember Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway's famous 'Drive' in the 1986 AFC Championship Game against Marty's Cleveland Browns? Before this game, he delivered a stirring speech to the players that inspires me to laugh off of a chair…it's called 'The Gleam' please click here for a sample of the audio. If anyone had a chance to see the footage of this on the field speech, or has a chance to look it up, please look at the players faces as he speaks…you can see several of them saying 'what the f*** is coach talking about?' 'He never gave a speech like this before any other game this season and he waits until now to give it?' 'What the heck is a gleam anyways?' Well, whatever the gleam was, it obviously was firmly seated on the opponent's side of the field and enabled them to not only pull off 'The Drive' but also helped them win the game in overtime on the strength of a Rich Karlis kick that was obviously wide left and no good click here to view. Marty's wizardry (another Magic reference, ha-ha) didn't stop there either. He coached the dominating and top seeded Kansas City Chiefs team to a quick exit in their first playoff game in 1995 at home no less, and against a lesser opponent. Apparently, place kicker Lin Elliot, who missed three attempts in the game, didn't feel 'the gleam'. New England Patriots fans may remember the 15-1 San Diego Chargers team in 2006-07 that hosted a playoff game against a wild card Patriots team that had no business winning…until Marty's team lost 'the gleam' and the game…again. Sadly, Marty was forced out of the Chargers organization after this game and in my opinion, is stuck with the stigma of being a horrible big game coach…which is something I feel Stan Van Gundy is well on his way to becoming.

I also touched upon another coach whose resume out performed his coaching ability, NHL coach/general manager/president/PR nightmare, Mike Keenan. When I researched him on Wikipedia.org of all places, this one of the opening headlines in his profile states 'His inability to maintain working relationships with players and team organizations has resulted in a lack of long term coaching positions. His coaching resume includes abrupt terminations or resignations from coaching or general manager positions, sometimes at bafflingly inopportune, or peak, moments of his career.' Keenan alienated many of his best players during his NHL odyssey and amazingly his teams accomplished what happens when any polarizing coaching personality does when they leave a team, they got better. Want proof? The Florida Panthers were 5-8-2 in 2003-04 when he was fired and after the 2004-05 lockout season, the team finished with a 37-34 record in the 2005-06 season. Okay, maybe a reach. How about the 1996-97 St. Louis Blues who sported a 15-17-1 record when he left and rallied to make the playoffs with a 36-35-11record. More you ask? How about the 2000-01 Boston Bruins? He led the team to a 33-26-7 non playoff record that season before abruptly resigning. In the 2002-03 season, the team posted a 43-24-6 record which was good enough for a playoff appearance. He was recently fired by the Calgary Flames after the 2008-09 season, when the team lost in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year. So according to the percentages, I expect the Flames to be right in the thick of things next season especially in light of a potentially large free agent market due to the projected lowering of the salary cap for NHL teams next season (more on that at another time). Now, Keenan did win a Stanley Cup, coaching the 1994 New York Rangers to the title, but I attribute most of the credit to a great all around playoff performance by Mark Messier.

Answer to today's trivia. Remember, the winner gets nothing: Vinny Testaverde. Kudos to those who got it right. Now a follow up question: who was his back up?

A)Todd Philcox
B) Eric Zier
C) Brady Quinn

Please send your answers by either responding with a comment or send an email to alphaleticarticles@gmail.com

Mike's Con-Vicktion Should Be Change

I am sitting here mentally refreshing myself from a very hard first year of law school. Just thinking about how much home has changed…or did I? I think about all of the things that made Boston, MA also made me and at times, I reflected the worst of my hometown while at other times, I displayed many of the positive things. The whole goal in life is to get better and recover from the mistakes we made and if we do something well, to continue doing it. I was far from a choir boy in my formative years and I still made some serious gaffes in my young adult years. However, through it all, I maintained a positive view of the future and took the words of the more experienced elders to heart. Believe it or not, I ended up in the place where I always wanted to be: law school. I also have put forth the dedication of providing readers with informative nuggets of my personal insight on the world of sports. To all of my readers, you are an inspiration for me to continue to do this and get better at it the more I put my fingertips to the keys. Despite the challenges to my will this past law school year, I believe I have come to realize what is important to me and how I can utilize my newfound knowledge of the law for the betterment of not only myself, but the community at large.

While on the subject of my personal growth, I cannot gloss over the hot button topic of former NFL quarterback Michael Vick and his journey back to his profession despite public outcries to bar him from his chief source of employment. Yes, what he participated in was egregious to say the least and his actions in regards to his forthrightness in response to questions of his knowledge of dog-fighting on his private property did not inspire faith in his character. As a result of his actions, he spent over a year in federal prison, which in my opinion was way too excessive. Leonard Little, a defensive lineman for the St. Louis Rams killed a woman in a car accident years ago and did less time in prison than Vick. Former NFL running back Lamar Smith (pictured on far left) was impaired while driving which led to an accident and the permanent paralysis of a teammate, yet he was allowed to come back to the NFL and play another day after serving time in prison. In 1984, former NHL player Craig Mac Tavish (pictured on the left) was involved in a fatal car accident after leaving a Boston area nightclub that killed a woman. He spent a year in prison and was allowed to return to the league and play with the Edmonton Oilers. Now, I understand the PETA side of the argument in regards to Vick, which predicates its argument on the cruelty of defenseless animals and making an example of those who participate in such activities. It is no question that Vick became the face of animal cruelty, but is this enough to keep him from earning a living? Does the public at large have the right to deprive one of pursuing their happiness even after he has served his debt to society in prison?

I firmly believe that the life of a human being is worth more than an animal based on the one thing that separates us: the potential to change the world. Any individual has the potential to alter the lives of others at any time while animals, which can provide happiness and are sources of unconditional love on a level that even humans at times cannot match, still cannot change the world. Why would anyone feel that Vick should be deprived of his right to make a living based on his mistakes in regards to dogs while others who kill humans can return to society and take advantage of gainful employment? Some may say he can work as a painter or in construction; he can bag groceries or drive trucks across the United States right? However, why should he be forced to do so? Is making money based on a physical talent punishable a privilege that should be taken away based on mistakes not related to what one does in their line of work? An elementary teacher who gets caught in a sex sting operation with a school aged child being used as bait is understandably a good reason to keep that individual out of the classroom; but what does dog fighting or killing dogs have to do with playing quarterback in the NFL? Are people of the belief that because he made a large amount of money playing professionally, he should be punished by not being able to do so based on his mistakes? If so, that is a poor reason. If these people understand anything about the elements that make this country different from others is one always has a chance to redeem themselves; they have a change to make something out of nothing and can change their lives based on the work they do for themselves and others. Although there are portions of American society that take on the distinctions of a caste system, the positive elements of the Constitution still lay out a classical view of American life…life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. It is not meant to be construed as life and liberty if the public at large allows and pursuit of happiness being conditional on how one is perceived.

I see our society moving towards a culture of taking away rather than providing…we are living in tough times where funding towards education, retirement and care for the mentally/physically impaired are being cut by governmental entities in all states and federal levels. It is not a good precedent to bar a person no matter what their socioeconomic or celebrity status from being able to earn money based on their talents. Michael Vick needs to play football as that is his skill, just as another person is a horseshoe maker and another is an auto mechanic. It is not fair, nor feasible to force him to do something else based on his mistakes. There also appears to be a little jealously abound because there are many of us who will never make the money Vick has made in a year during their lifetimes who love to see another knocked off the pedestal of wealth and cast down into the tax brackets of the ‘commoner’.

I believe that a trash collector who is convicted of a death of another human being or animal should not be forced to sweep floors in a warehouse after serving his time in prison and has adequately showed his/her positive changes. I hope Vick has a chance to resume his career in the NFL and has made the necessary improvements as a man in order to ensure he does not put himself in a similar position in the future. I would hope that any of my law school colleagues, if they make mistakes in their professional career that are not serious enough to disbar them will have the opportunity to redeem themselves. That is what it is all about…that is what’s fair. Good luck Mike.