FanNation

A Brand New Experience

This may come as a shock for some of you, I'm 29 years old, am very familiar with computers and the internet and this is my first attempt at a blog.  Now that you've had that giant gasp, let me tell all of you a little about me, what my blog will be about, then tell you what it won't be about, then state that I can change the rules at any time, because it's my blog.

A little about me.  I am a huge basketball fan.  I played growing up and I still play, not professionally, but I still play.  I actually declined 4 athletic scholarships (from smaller schools/programs) to follow my longtime girlfriend to a different school, larger school with a much larger and better athletic program.  Note to self and others, don't follow a long time girlfriend or boyfriend to a school, interests change from high school to college and that includes people.  Back to basketball, in addition to playing hoops, I also officiate hoops.  One good thing about a blog is that you can't throw things at me, you just get to leave comments, some nasty, some good, which is pretty much what I get when officiating.  I officiate high school and various recreation leagues and would one day love to be in the NBA.  However, I actually call three-second lane violations, carrying or palming the ball, and traveling, which pretty much dashes my dream.  Good thing I have those degrees to keep me employed and my mortgage paid! 

Despite being a huge basketball fan, I am a fan of all things sports.  Now let me define sports.  A sport is a contest or event which requires physical activity and strategy, and does not allow one to smoke and/or drink while performing the contest or activity.  Is NASCAR a sport?  No you can drink while driving in your big car.  Is Golf a sport?  No, I am an avid golfer and actually watch it on TV, but it is not a sport and Craig Stadler or John Daly is not an athlete.  I will however participate and blog about golf, but not NASCAR.  Along the same lines, Bowling is also not a sport and Pete Weber is not an athlete despite his crazy on and off the lane antics.  I will NOT blog about bowling other than the occassional reference.  I am also one of the 12 people in the US that will actually watch the NHL on TV.  My favorite team is the Utah Jazz.  I grew up in the Stockton/Malone era and began watching the NBA regularly in 1987.  I still watch the NBA regularly if you define regularly as "if I'm home, ESPN or TNT or NBA TV is on."  I follow baseball on the internet, I go to minor league games in Salt Lake City and own season tickets to the (currently 23-2) Salt Lake Bees.  I love college football and am a Utah Utes fan.  I was a fan before the team went to the BCS and yes, I sat through games during the Ron McBride era of football, in the snow, wondering, Why Am I Here!  I believe there should be a playoff, and we'll get into that a little.

I follow the NFL also, and this was a painful SuperBowl for me.  I am a fan of the Patriots, and have been since the two weeks leading up to their first SuperBowl win.  Here's the story, and YES THERE ARE WITNESSES for which I can provide contact information.  I get a call at my office from my best friend and he asks me about the upcoming SuperBowl.  He procedes to say the Rams are an offensive juggernaut that can't be stopped, blah, blah, blah, and then asks my opinion.  I then say to him, I believe that the Pats are going to win the game, mostly because I like to argue, some because I like to go against the grain (like my Jazz/Pistons Finals prediction), and a little because I love to cheer for the underdog.  So I continue to fire off predictions that would be considered "Way Out," culminating in my prediction that "Not only will the Pats win the SuperBowl, but they're going to win the SuperBowl on a last second field goal by Adam Vinitieri."  Again this is all true, and I can provide witnesses with sworn affidavits.  Not only does my friend think I'm crazy, but when we get together with a larger group of friends and relays what I said, 12 more people think I'm crazy.  Sidenote, Yes I have more than 13 friends, it's just that only 13 friends (not including relatives) actually care about sports or the NFL.  So SuperBowl Sunday is upon us.  Prior to the game it has already been a great day.  Why?  I actually proposed (and she said yes) on that particular SuperBowl Sunday.  Granted, my now wife didn't realize that it was SuperBowl Sunday at the time and actually detests the sport, partly due to that event, but we are still married.  My friends are over for the SuperBowl party, with the Rams driving for what appears to be the final nail in the coffin.  You know the rest.  The Pats end up with the ball and begin their drive.  As the Patriots look to be running out of time, I'm yelling on completed passes to "Get Out of Bounds!"  Another Sidenote, I do believe if I yell loud enough, the athletes and coaches on the television can hear me.  As the Patriots get closer to field goal range, the eyes at my party get wider and jaws more agape.  Pass completion over the middle and I yell, "Spike the Ball!  Spike the Ball!  Spike the Ball!"  Which of course, the Pats do, again because I believe they can hear me.  Naysayers actually think that was general knowledge of football and strategy.  On comes Adam Vinitieri, the snap is good, the hold is good, the kick is ...... GOOD!  Now with jaws on the floor and everyone in stunned disbelief, I go to each of my doubters individually and rub it square in their noses, like a new puppy who went to the bathroom on the floor of your house.  It was my prediction that led to my following of the Pats from that point on.  So why was this last SuperBowl painful?  Not only did the Pats blow the chance to get Mercury Morris off my TV, but now, due to my marriage and my brother's marriage I have an extended family.  My wife grew up in New York, so despite her contempt of the NFL, she has siblings that are huge NY Giants fans.  My brother's wife, born and raised in Utah is a huge NY Giants fan.  And now, I get to hear the jeers and the bragging for an entire year!!!  And yes, if the roles were reversed, I would rub in their faces for the entire year too.

So in general, I will be blogging about all things sports, but mostly the NBA and the NFL, occassional MLB (I do enjoy the St. Louis Cardinals), and other sports and recreational activities (see definition above).  I will also blog a little about politics, for a few reasons.  First, Congress likes to spend time investigating athletes and sports instead of turning their eyes towards the economy, and I don't know if everybody else knows, but that war we're engaged in half-way around the world.  I also believe that sports can serve as a microcosm of the world.  I also heard that there is some controversy about the Olympics in China, maybe you guys have seen it too, and the politicians speaking out on the matter.  So there is a tie between sports and politics.  I will also blog about how the media plays too much of a role in determining who is a SuperStar or a celebrity (yes I am talking about ESPN, and yes I will call them out!)  Tracy McGrady is not a SuperStar and is not a future Hall of Famer.  There is also no "next Michael Jordan."  Sorry to burst your bubble.

I also have a nose for sarcasm, just in case the above hasn't led you to that conclusion on your own.

I am an unofficial stat geek and usually have stats memorized.  Don't ask me why, but it really helps in debates with other sports fans.  So expect several statistical references.

Finally, what I won't blog about.  I will not blog about NASCAR, bowling, horse racing, or the WNBA (which I can't believe still exists).  Why?  Because I don't care about those sports/activities.  I didn't think we needed Barbaro updates and around the clock breaking news.  If it were any other horse, it would be in my bottle of Elmer's Glue.  And as you can tell, I can be a little bit insensitive and I don't think we should play favorites with athletes either.  I will only blog occassionally about Indy car or Formula One, mostly because I do believe Danica Patrick is attractive, but not an athlete.  I will definately not blog about dog shows, lacrosse, fishing, simply because I don't watch and don't care.  Sidenote, a feature on SportsCenter for a beagle who won a dog show is STUPID and a waste of time, unless you're going for that all important "I don't really care about sports, but that's a really cute dog" / female demographic, just to appear sensitive.

I do, however, reserve the right to change any of the above and blog about whatever I feel like.  Why?  Because I said at the outset, this is my blog.

I look forward to hearing the random comments, and yes you can state your opinion, especially if you disagree.  Who knows, you might change my mind, which has been known to happen.  Just keep it clean and be respectful.  I do give you permission to call out other commentors if they are complete idiots.  For example, a comment about how Barry Bonds didn't use steroids or that Ty Cobb wasn't a racist deserves to be ripped.  Whoa, before anybody comments about Barry, he admitted to a grand jury about using the "cream" and the "clear."  I didn't say he knowingly used steroids (which is actually my firm belief), I just said he used them, which he admitted to in court, end of discussion.

Till next time.