Sports and athletes
I was never very good at sports. I got by, but was never the first to be picked for teams. I accepted that, and did something else with my life.
In high school, I enjoyed watching NBA basketball. This was the Michael Jordan at his prime era, and I rooted for the Phoenix Suns big time. I even went to playoff games, only to sleep through school the next day.
Then I guess I got tired of NBA players and their antics. I still respect players like Dan Marjlie and Tom Chambers. But grew tired of the showboaters such as Dennis Rodman. I gave up watching NBA games, thinking the players were overpaid sissies. I will sit through a Suns game with my grandmother, but only for her.
So I moved on to college basketball. "These guys are playing for the game," I told myself. They're nothing special yet, so they're trying to show what they can do. From 1996 to 2004, I was a loyal The University of Arizona Wildcats fan (even the football team). I went to games, and watched games that I couldn't get tickets to.
The football team fell on hard times after the 1999 Holiday Bowl win over Nebraska. Then there was the Mackovic disaster. We're two years in the Stoops era. Even though by the numbers, they still suck, Stoops was able to instill motivation and passion that is contagious. I will still be a football fan - even if they lose their scholarship players.
This season, the men's basketball team was highly ranked after a strong showing in their "Elite 8" loss to Illinois. I think the sudden death of Polk put a dark shadow over both men's and women's basketball teams. Then the mens team just fell apart. They weren't playing as a team for most of the season. There was a lot of hyping of the seniors, but their leadership seemed lackluster. They fell out of national rankings in early December after a loss to Houston.
A few weeks after that, senior Hassan Adams was arrested for not corporating with police that were trying to break up a fight at a party. Adams was not involved with the fight, but wouldn't follow orders to leave the scene. He has a court date in April for that. I think he was suspended for a game, but was allowed to keep playing.
Then after their collapse and defeat to Washington on Saturday, he was arrested for speeding and DUI. Only SIX and half hours after the game ended, he was flunking a breathlizer (they did two on him since it was going to be high profile arrest). He is due to appear in court (yet again) just before the start of the NCAA tournament.
In the meanwhile, he is being left behind while the rest of the team goes to California for the conference championship. But he will most likely play in the NCAA tournament - IF THEY GET INVITED IN THE FIRST PLACE
Based on the Washington game, there's a good chance we could do poorly in the conference championship without Adams. If we could eek out a 3rd or 4th finish, we have a good chance of NCAA invitation. Nothing is certain. I will give coach Lute Olson credit for keeping a tough line with the players. "If you're making and missing lots of 3 point shots, I will bench your ass."
Sadly, it seems that he's losing the battle. He never flinches to bench a star player that's getting out of line or not acting like a team player. But he's had to do that more in the last couple of years than way back in 1997 when they won the NCAA tournament.
I wonder if part of the reason is the millions of dollars these guys will make once they leave the University. It seems to be an overall reflection of the apathy many people feel. They do just what they need to in order to get by. We seem to have lost that "can do" attitude (maybe it got outsourced to India).
Maybe we expect too much out of spoiled pseudo-men and they lash out anyway they can. Maybe they feel it's not their fault, but the public's fault for expecting perfection. Throughout our history, we are inspired by good athletes (think Cinderalla Man or Miracle).
But maybe we've all changed in our attitudes too much to have athletes like that anymore. Perhaps we can find it in a horse like Seabiscuit - that doesn't care about the millions of dollars.
What inspired this garbage is an editorial about how to punish Adams.
In high school, I enjoyed watching NBA basketball. This was the Michael Jordan at his prime era, and I rooted for the Phoenix Suns big time. I even went to playoff games, only to sleep through school the next day.
Then I guess I got tired of NBA players and their antics. I still respect players like Dan Marjlie and Tom Chambers. But grew tired of the showboaters such as Dennis Rodman. I gave up watching NBA games, thinking the players were overpaid sissies. I will sit through a Suns game with my grandmother, but only for her.
So I moved on to college basketball. "These guys are playing for the game," I told myself. They're nothing special yet, so they're trying to show what they can do. From 1996 to 2004, I was a loyal The University of Arizona Wildcats fan (even the football team). I went to games, and watched games that I couldn't get tickets to.
The football team fell on hard times after the 1999 Holiday Bowl win over Nebraska. Then there was the Mackovic disaster. We're two years in the Stoops era. Even though by the numbers, they still suck, Stoops was able to instill motivation and passion that is contagious. I will still be a football fan - even if they lose their scholarship players.
This season, the men's basketball team was highly ranked after a strong showing in their "Elite 8" loss to Illinois. I think the sudden death of Polk put a dark shadow over both men's and women's basketball teams. Then the mens team just fell apart. They weren't playing as a team for most of the season. There was a lot of hyping of the seniors, but their leadership seemed lackluster. They fell out of national rankings in early December after a loss to Houston.
A few weeks after that, senior Hassan Adams was arrested for not corporating with police that were trying to break up a fight at a party. Adams was not involved with the fight, but wouldn't follow orders to leave the scene. He has a court date in April for that. I think he was suspended for a game, but was allowed to keep playing.
Then after their collapse and defeat to Washington on Saturday, he was arrested for speeding and DUI. Only SIX and half hours after the game ended, he was flunking a breathlizer (they did two on him since it was going to be high profile arrest). He is due to appear in court (yet again) just before the start of the NCAA tournament.
In the meanwhile, he is being left behind while the rest of the team goes to California for the conference championship. But he will most likely play in the NCAA tournament - IF THEY GET INVITED IN THE FIRST PLACE
Based on the Washington game, there's a good chance we could do poorly in the conference championship without Adams. If we could eek out a 3rd or 4th finish, we have a good chance of NCAA invitation. Nothing is certain. I will give coach Lute Olson credit for keeping a tough line with the players. "If you're making and missing lots of 3 point shots, I will bench your ass."
Sadly, it seems that he's losing the battle. He never flinches to bench a star player that's getting out of line or not acting like a team player. But he's had to do that more in the last couple of years than way back in 1997 when they won the NCAA tournament.
I wonder if part of the reason is the millions of dollars these guys will make once they leave the University. It seems to be an overall reflection of the apathy many people feel. They do just what they need to in order to get by. We seem to have lost that "can do" attitude (maybe it got outsourced to India).
Maybe we expect too much out of spoiled pseudo-men and they lash out anyway they can. Maybe they feel it's not their fault, but the public's fault for expecting perfection. Throughout our history, we are inspired by good athletes (think Cinderalla Man or Miracle).
But maybe we've all changed in our attitudes too much to have athletes like that anymore. Perhaps we can find it in a horse like Seabiscuit - that doesn't care about the millions of dollars.
What inspired this garbage is an editorial about how to punish Adams.
posted by Jenn @ 09:27
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