Pop culture, sports, & books meet their destiny (i.e. my opinion)
Yesterday, I posted about how Michael Young reminded me of Teen Wolf because of his playoff beard. In case you couldn't tell, I'm not a big fan of facial hair. I much prefer the clean-shaven look, which Michael usually sports. Anyway, not long after I posted the blog entry, I wandered over to espndallas.com only to discover that HE'D SHAVED OFF THE BEARD!
Much better!*
To the surprise of no one I'm sure, last night, I watched the American League Championship Series between my Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers and I had a moment. Michael Young, my all-time favorite baseball player, (and usually clean-shaven) strolled up to the plate and I thought, "OMG, he looks like Teen Wolf!" I'm not crazy, right? Right?
This is the third Jam of the Week in a row that I've picked a song by an artist that either recently died or the anniversary of their just occurred. And how appropriate is that Aaliyah's "At Your Best You Are Love" just started playing on Pandora as I typed this. Fifteen years ago this week, Tupac died. I think I've mentioned that I'm not the biggest hip hop aficionado out there, but I do like it. I grew up listening to it on the radio and watching the videos on BET, so it does hold a special place in my heart. Tupac holds a special place in my heart.
I love that he rapped about his life and how he hoped that things would and could get better. There are so many songs I could have chosen, songs that I still love, but the song I chose is extra special to me. I'm pretty sure it was his first single. It definitely came out while I was still in elementary school. I remember being struck by the lyrics and the story he told even though I was so young. I memorized all the words. I'm pretty sure I still remember most of them.
Although the song is at least twenty years old, the story still resonates. He was right then and he's right now.
This week's Jam of the Week is Brenda's Got a Baby.
RIP, Tupac.
Note: I chose the title of this post because I thought it was funny, not because I have these great pearls of wisdom to dispense.
In the span of 24 hours, I experienced two sports losses and I took the opportunity to reflect a bit on how I coped. The Cowboys lost their season opener although in the franchise's entire history, the team had never lost a game in which they led by 14 points in the fourth quarter. Heartbreaking.
And then, Monday, my favorite tennis player, Rafael Nadal, lost the U.S. Open to Novak Djokovic, who has now beaten him six straight times - all in tournament finals. Heartbreaking.
Especially after the Cowboys game, I went into shutdown mode. I closed myself off from feeling emotion. I didn't watch any post game TV coverage or listen to sports talk radio the next day. I couldn't. I wasn't ready. I didn't want to think about what went wrong.
This is the best way for me to cope. When I was younger and just starting my sports fan journey, I would get so mad after Cowboy losses. I didn't want to talk to anybody. I certainly didn't want to talk about the game. Of course, the Cowboys were winning Super Bowls then, so the losses were rare.
But the Cowboys haven't won a Super Bowl since the 1995 season. Yeah, 16 years ago. Ouch. I think it's easy to see why I had to develop better coping strategies.
It was even more important when I added my other teams to the mix. The Mavericks were horrible in the 90s, but nothing will ever compare to them losing the NBA Finals in 2006. That pain will always be there, regardless of the fact that they are now NBA Champions.
I can't dwell on the losses because I'll drive myself crazy dissecting what went wrong, how it went wrong, and how it all could have been avoided. I'll be mad at the players, coaches, referees, the fates, whoever, whatever was responsible.
So now I don't think about it or at least not immediately. I was able to listen to sports talk radio Tuesday when I was better and able to think (somewhat) objectively and calmly about what happened.
When the Rangers went to the World Series last year and lost, it sucked. Big time. But I was able, fairly quickly, to put the loss into (sports) perspective. It was the farthest the team had ever gone in the playoffs and the team's future was bright.
Obviously, I'm older now. I'm not a bratty twelve-year-old who doesn't understand why things aren't going my way when they always have. I've matured.
I've had to or I would have been in the loony bin long ago. Sports isn't for the weak. The odds that your team will be the champion are slim and yet we keep persevering. Hope keeps us going. And while I bank on hope, I use a little emotion and brain freezing to deal with immediate pain.
1. Should student-athletes be paid? That question has been asked forever it seems like. My initial reaction has always been "no" because I have a hard time seeing how that process would work and because many student-athletes get free educations. But I understand why some think they should or at least the student-athletes who bring big bucks to their schools and the NCAA. This study puts their worth at six figures! That's something to think about.
2. I'm not a Trekkie or a sci-fi person period, but it's kind of cool to look at the Star Trek gadgets that are no longer fiction.
3. After the first weekend of college football, I kept seeing references to how awful Maryland's uniforms were. I did a little Internet search and found this. Oh my!
4. I'm a nerd. I love trivia, especially the pop culture kind, so it makes my heart happy that VH1's Pop Up Video is returning. Here's the first video.
5. I hate beauty pageants, but the commentary during the swimsuit portion of the Miss Universe Pageant was hilarious, you have to admit.
Old Links
Remember how I whined about being busy? Yeah, still true. However, I did save a some links a few weeks ago, but didn't post them. But they're still cool/interesting even if the info's a bit old.
1. Anne Hathaway raps! I love her.
2. A Cleveland Indian's player was going to miss the birth of his child. Until his teammates stepped in to help.
3. The University of Miami is in deep trouble with the NCAA because a felon alum confessed all the illegal stuff he did for the school to the NCAA. Fascinating reading!
Confession: I have a slight bias. (When isn't this true, right? lol) It ticked me off that the NCAA didn't suspend Cam Newton last year when they discovered that his father solicited money from colleges in return for his son playing there. Although this is in direct violation of NCAA rules, the NCAA ruled that since Cam didn't know about it, he couldn't be suspended. He slipped through a loophole.
Complete and utter bullsh*t.
There was no loophole. The NCAA created one, so that Auburn could play in the BCS Championship Bowl. It simply wouldn't do if the lesser known (i.e. not as many rich alumni) Oregon and TCU played each other. Oh, the horror.
But, honestly, that's not the point of this post. What's done is done and now Cam Newton is a Carolina panther, a professional football who doesn't have to get paid under the table. Good for him.
He had an amazing debut yesterday. He set a rookie record with 422 pass yard, two throwing touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdown, and 1 interception. I dare say the vast majority of NFL quarterbacks and teams would take this in a heartbeat.
I was on Twitter this morning and ESPN anchor Mike Hill (@MikeHillESPN) had a few thoughts.
422 yards...2 passing TD's and 1 rushing TD is not JUST BEGINNER'S LUCK....STOP IT!!!!!
Don't say his teammates were helping him out as an excuse.....THAT'S WHAT YOUR TEAMMATES ARE SUPPOSED TO DO....
I wonder what was said about Peyton Manning after he threw for over 300 yards in his 1st game.....
He makes good points in regards to those who want to discount what Cam did. I was actually thinking about this last night after the Cowboys game when Tony Dungy, NBC studio analyst and former Colts coach, said rather giddily that the Panthers had found their quarterback.
My reaction then and my reaction today is, "Slow your roll." Surprisingly, I'm not being a hater. If Cam Newton thrives and becomes the next Peyton Manning, good for him. He's a pro now and what happened in college doesn't matter. (Caveat: I just hope he doesn't thrive against the Cowboys. :) ).
But I recall another rookie QB's debut a few years ago. Matt Leinart set a rookie record with 405 passing yards in 2006 with the Arizona Cardinals. He had 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions, but for a rookie, those were good stats. People said that since he played in a pro-style system at USC that it made sense that he would have quick success in the NFL. The Cardinals had found their quarterback!
It's 2011. Leinart is no longer in the league.
Should Panther fans be excited about Cam Newton? Absolutely.
But I advise caution - on both sides.
To say it was beginners' luck is ridiculous. That doesn't happen in the Not For Long league. It diminishes his very real accomplishment.
But by the same token, anointing him the next Peyton Manning is just as ridiculous.
Ooh, I have a solution. Why don't we wait and see what happens before making declarations?
Nah, that's crazy nuts.
I'm such a bad blogger. Getting into a routine is hard for me. I want to do better. I would promise to do better, but how can I make such a promise based on my history? Sigh. :( Anyway, this post was supposed to happen two weeks ago. *hanging head*
Nick Ashford was one half of Ashford & Simpson. He and his wife, Valerie Simpson, co-wrote some of the world's most iconic R&B songs, including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand," "You're All I Need to Get By" and "I'm Every Woman."
Wow. And that's not even an exhaustive list. I think on some level I was aware that they'd written these songs, but I wasn't totally aware until he died a few weeks ago and I read some obituaries.
What I did know is that as Ashford & Simpson, Nick and Valerie sang "Solid Like a Rock," a song I absolutely adored as a small child. I remember watching the video on BET and thinking Valerie was so cool because she wore socks with heels. (It was the 80s, what can I say).
So, in honor of Nick Ashford, this week's Jam of The Week is Solid as a Rock.
Hey kids, it's Hater's Week on the blog. I'll be expressing my displeasure about something different each day. Today, it's SEC day.
There's no denying the fact that SEC is the dominant force in college football. Five straight BCS Championships makes arguing that point silly.
Nevertheless, I don't like it. I don't like it because I can only imagine what other schools could do if they cheated as much as SEC schools, but really, that's not the point of this post. Actually, it is, but the NCAA isn't going to do anything to stop it, so why even mention it?
I really hate it because of the fans. Fans who like to chant "S-E-C" at games. Fans who high five each other because their schools are in the same conference.
Gross.
I attended Northwestern University and the University of Texas at Austin, so my roots run deep in the Big 10 (Plus 2) and the Big 12 (Minus 2).
Would I think differently had I attended a SEC school? Doubtful. My brain doesn't work that way. I went to Northwestern. I don't give a rat's behind what Ohio State does. To be perfectly honest, I'd be happy if OSU or Oklahoma fell on their collective behinds every time they stepped on the field or the court.
The author of this article claims that's it's the last, politically correct way to root for the South. I don't completely agree, but I also don't doubt that there's some truth to it. But again, I say, "Gross." And dumb.
Last time I checked, the South lost the Civil War. You know the war southern states fought because they thought they should be allowed to own people. Yeah, let's celebrate that.
Oh, I can hear it now. It's not about owning people. It's about culture and blah blah blah.
But guess what? No one is trying to take your culture away from you. Florida and Lousiana are still going to be here, regardless of whether or not Florida fans and LSU fans cheer for each other.
Sorry, Alabama, I don't think more highly of you because Auburn won a national championship. And you shouldn't either.
Actually, I'm not sorry for expressing that sentiment at all. It's the truth.
Last week, I was reminded that Aaliyah died in August 10 years ago, so I decided that this week's Jam of the Week would be one of her songs. Then Nick Ashford died. So this week will have two. Mr. Ashford will have his day tomorrow. Back in the 90s, I was a teenager. There were four singers that were hot then and I loved them all. Brandy, Monica, Aaliyah, and Mya. They were all around my age and singing songs that I could relate to, but special in their own right.
My junior year I got Aaliyah's One in a Million CD. I wore that bad boy out. Played it over and over. My high school made an annual trip to Big Bend National Park. I'm pretty sure I listened to that CD the ENTIRE way. Hours upon hours in that van. I still laugh about how I tortured one of my friends by randomly singing one of the songs at any given time to him on that trip. Good times.
I can't believe it's been 10 years. I remember hearing the news on the radio and praying it wasn't true, that the DJ was making a sick joke. But it was and he wasn't.
I admit I wonder about the what ifs of her career and life. My heart twinges in sadness every time I hear one of her songs. But I am happy that I still have memories and her CDs to listen to whenever the mood strikes.
RIP, Aaliyah.
This is my Jam of the Week. If Your Girl Only Knew, my favorite song from One in a Million.
I've been busy and now I'm tired, so today's links will be few. But still great.
The Serious
1. I have a degree in sport management. I minored in sociology. These two interests collide in this article about the world of "elite" travel youth travel teams. The madness needs to stop.
The Nostalgic
2. Have I mentioned that I love sports and pop culture? A few times, probably. Which is why I love this roundup of iconic athlete food commercials.
The Funny
3. Seems things didn't work out with the Bachelorette Ashley. Shaking my head. What a shame.
4. Borders could have avoided bankruptcy if only the company executives had followed this guy's advice.
5. Last, but not least, everyone knows the black best friend is the best best friend to have.
I think I've mentioned, once or twice, that I'm a huge Maroon 5 fan. I loved their first single, Harder to Breathe, because it was loud and angry. Adam Levine, the leader singer, was pissed and I felt that. I haven't looked back in my fandom. Anywho, they have a new single called Moves Like Jagger. It's funny because the last time I saw them in concert I remember thinking that Adam reminded me of Mick Jagger the way he strutted around the stage. I'm assuming someone mentioned that to him. Or maybe Adam and I have a telepathic connection that defies all logic. Yeah, that's it. :)
And Christina's my girl, so I'm happy she adds her flavor to the song.
Enjoy!
1. Jaleel White will always be Steve Urkel, but he's not a kid anymore...or a nerd. At least not in Cee Lo Green's new video for Cry Baby. He's a ladykiller, who knows how to cut a rug, yes he is!
2. The NBA owners may have locked out the players, but Kevin Durant is keeping busy. This dunk is ridiculous!
3. I loved the mother-daughter relationship and the rapid-fire pop culture references in Gilmore Girls. I still miss the show, but the show's creator is working on a new project - adapting The Nanny Diaries for ABC. I'm curious to see what she does with a concept that started as a book, then turned into a movie.
4. I wrote about my love for Twitter here and its (probably) unintended usefulness. But Twitter also has benefits for athletes (and other celebrities) and their fans.
5. I had to include this one because it made me laugh. Folks are still passionate about their allegiances to either *NSYNC or the Backstreet Boys. Last time I checked there were almost 900 comments!
As for me, I always have been and always will be an *NSYNC fangirl. ALWAYS!
6. Equal opportunity may soon be extended to the NFL gridiron - in one capacity anyway. Female referees, anyone? I'm down.
7. Think of that movie scene that makes you tear up EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. It might be on this list. A scene from my favorite movie is the first one listed and I got a little misty-eyed just reading about it.
8. This is just too funny not to share. Novak Djokovic is a throwback, that's all. :)
