FanNation - The Republic of Sport

What a tournament.  My hat is tipped to Stephen Curry and Davidson.  You have now become household names.  Who would have ever heard of these guys before the tournament except the most die hard sports fans.  Now throughout the summer kids will be counting down the clock shooting the three saying they are Curry or the "White Lobster".  Kansas reaches the Final Four with a sigh that could be heard all across the country.  Now for the first time in its illustrious history, The Big Dance features all of its number 1 seeds.  So who will win?  Don't ask me I have been awful at these predictions.  And I feel if I guess I will ruin one teams chances.  I don't want to have that guilt on my soul.  Its really anyone's championship to win.  

I have done a lot in the last two days. I got to watch the movie Futurama: Bender's Big Score.  If you like funny cartoon movies go rent that movie.  Its hilarious.  Then I was able to watch the Tampa Bay Rays win on opening day for the first time in 7 years.  The kids played good.  James Shields is a good pitcher.  He has great command of his pitches.  The Nats got their walk-off homer to open their new park and Johan Santana showed he is worth every penny he got.  Did you see the ovation Torii Hunter received in Minneapolis?  Good for you 'Sota way to remember a guy that gave you everything.  I remember watching Hunter when he played Class A for the Twins for the Fort Wayne Wizards in Indiana.  Its weird seeing him in that Angels uniform.

I was browsing SI.com and I saw a title saying Belicheck denies any other spygate something or other.  I didn't even read it.  Why should I?  Maybe I am in that catagory of fans that don't really care.  What can be done about it? Are you going to take back the NFL titles from the team?  Are you going to strip the players of their rings and bonuses and rework all their contract stipulations they got paid on because they may have cheated?  Are you going to ban Belicheck from the game if it is true?  What about all the players that could have been left out of the Pro-Bowl the years they were dominated by Patriots?  Are you going to go back and give those players their Pro-Bowl bonuses?  Answer these questions for me NFL and then I will tell you if I care whether or not the Patriots taped opposing teams signals.  Maybe I am being a little to harsh but what really can be done?  I know, we can come up with a new rule saying these guys have to hide their hair and deflect negative news with negative news.

The Mavs trading for Jason Kidd was a very bad idea.  I never thought putting a perennial all-star on a contender could back-fire that bad.  Maybe they will turn it around and squeek in the playoffs and then finally beat an above .500 opponent 20 times.  Or maybe they are shooting for next year when Kidd is all of 48 and Devin Harris is tearing up the East.  

I tried to watch an NHL game.  I really did.  But alas, it escaped me again.  I used to be a fan.  Really I did.  Mario Lemiux, Jamr Jagr and the Penguins were my daddy's favorite team, thus I had to be a fan.  Then something happened.  A not so major sport went on strike and I haven't had the heart to forgive and forget.  Either that or I just got used to not seeing it on and well I don't live in Canada or even in a region of the United States that it snows so it just gradually left my mind.  The last time I checked on Hockey, before yesterday, the Lightning won the Stanley Cup.  I know that because I live in Tampa. 

I am headed back to the living room to hit play on my Tivo to finally watch last Thursdays episode of Smallville.  It sounded like it was going to be good.  Maybe Clark will finally learn to fly.