September 2013 Archive

So the other night, the Houston Astros tweeted about their ladies night and got a huge negative reaction from many women.

9/27 is Ladies Night by @StateFarm! Ladies can learn about baseball, enjoy music, food, drinks & more! For info & tix http://t.co/erBV1YdNbu

— Houston Astros (@astros) September 23, 2013

If you go look at the tweet and the reactions there are many women who are upset by the implication that women don’t know baseball and need to learn it. I also saw many women offended at the very idea of a ladies night (whether learning is involved or not) and some of the common things that happen at such nights (cocktails, pink jerseys, giftbags, team-design manicures etc).

I definitely get why this is a sensitive subject and I’ve written about it many times. In fact, just a few weeks ago, I wrote about how I was going to stop getting riled up when guys troll female sports fans. By now, folks should understand that women are large parts of fan bases and can retain a wealth of knowledge about sports.

Howeverrrrrrrrrr, I can’t get with the anti-ladies night crowd. I LOVE LADIES NIGHTS. I love pink jerseys, and getting balls and logos painted on my nails. I do believe that I am the target audience for a baseball ladies night especially since my baseball knowledge is VERY lacking. I would love to learn more. In fact, I googled to see when Phillies ladies night is and what it entails so that I can make sure to attend one next year.

As far as learning more about the games is concerned, educational opportunities like that are extended to women because women are more open to learning in the first place. Men are largely encouraged to pretend as though they know everything already. If men would attend these kinds of events, I’m sure that teams would hold them. Nubyjas Wilborn pointed out that teams used to hold fantasy camps for guys to come out play but that’s about as educational as you’re going to get men to go. Women on the other hand, are not ashamed to asked questions about sports which is why events like Football Camp For Her exist.

A lot of the reactions I read also alarmed me because it seemed to mirror the whole real fan vs. fake fan dynamic that is very common in male circles. As though a woman (or man, for that matter) can’t attend a sporting event as a casual fan or hell as not as fan at all. The vast majority of sports fans are fairly casual and don’t know their teams or the sport in depth despite what they may say. I don’t think that a woman going to a game or attending a team event means she has to have the roster memorized. Sporting events are entertainment, nothing more. For example, I dislike hockey but if you have a free ticket for me I’ll gas up the pinto and we can be on our way.

Admittedly, I probably don’t take some of this as serious as others. A few months ago I was tweeting about whether or not I should get a Lesean McCoy t shirt or a pink jersey and a woman tweeted me saying they need to end pink jerseys because women don’t need all that girlie crap. She argued that it makes women set apart and that all jerseys should be in the style of the team. And of course I’m all like EXCUSE YOU MADAM! What kind of terrible horrible really bad person doesn’t like pink? I almost reported her to the FBI. #WhoHurtYou

So again, I understand that women are sensitive about how female sports fans are viewed and I admit I can be sensitive too.  But ladies nights are all right with me and I hope teams continue to be inviting to all people whether they be fans or not. After all, their tax payer dollars fund teams whether they attend or not! And if ladies nights aren’t your thing, try to remember that there IS an audience for them and they deserve to attend events as well.

Ray Lewis has always been so subtle.

Last time we saw Ray Lewis on the field he was taking credit for his teammates’ tackles. Last time we saw him off the field he was taking credit for leading his teammates to be their greatest. Well now Lewis has upped the ante and is now taking credit for things that could have happened had he been there to make sure they didn’t. Lewis was quoted as saying that the reason Jacoby Jones was hit over the head with a bottle by a stripper at Bryant Mckinnie’s birthday party is because the team lacks leadership — specifically HIS leadership.

His former teammates responded to his comments with a mixture of who-gives-a-damn and whatever-dude. Lewis, true to egotistical form, said he doesn’t know why in the world the Ravens wouldn’t take kindly to the implication that their incapable of making decisions without him. 

Well you know what, I think Lewis could be right. I thought of 5 ways his leadership could have prevented a bad situation for McKinnie and and Jones. #RayLewisCouldHave 

1. Ray Lewis could have knocked the bottle out of Sweet Pea’s hand. Back in his younger days, Lewis was known for his good instincts which made him good at batting passes down. There’s no reason to believe that he couldn’t have sensed Sweet Pea’s anger and batted the Ace of Spades bottle out of her hand before it connected with Jones’ head. 

2. Ray Lewis could have convinced McKinnie to celebrate his birthday at church. McKinnie has been through a lot of financial difficulties and has had trouble keeping his conditioning up. The reality is, one could argue, that McKinnie needs prayer. And I’m sure Lewis would and could argue that effectively. McKinnie could have spent his 34th birthday in the temple rather than on a party bus listening to Meek Mill’s Amen.

3. Ray Lewis could have distracted Sweet Pea with his good looks and charm. Let’s be honest, I give Lewis a hard time, but the man is GORGEOUS and very charismatic. Chances are if Ray Lewis is in the room nobody is paying any attention to Bryant McKinnie and Jacoby Jones. There’s no reason to hit a man over the head with a bottle if you don’t even realize he’s there. 

4. Ray Lewis could have convinced those young ladies to turn their lives around. Any time you’re hanging around Reverend Ray you could be in for a party or a scolding. You just never know. There’s at least a 50% chance that Ray would have arrived on the party bus and given those young ladies a nice fatherly lecture about the EVILS of succumbing to secular pleasures. 

annnnnnnd lastly!

5. Were Ray Lewis still playing for the Ravens there’s a good chance McKinnie never would have had a party in the first place for fear that he would show up and do any of 1-4. If Ray Lewis is your teammate you can’t NOT invite him to your party but then again you don’t want him to come either. 

In all seriousness, I’ve always found Lewis’ egotistical delusions to be fascinating. I’m a fan. I swear! But if he’s going to continue his broadcast career, I’d like to see him come down to earth just a little bit. 

Maybe it’s the teenage boy in me, but seeing a severed finger is SO COOL. Cardinals DB Rashad Johnson says he took off his glove and part of his finger remained inside. Apparently he thought he tore a nail off when he saw blood leading out but nope. NOPE. It was his finger tip.

Johnson later posted the photo to Twitter/Instagram.

omg!

 @49foyamind49 More on Rashad’s finger repair check out Freep’s story. [Source: Cardinals Rashad Johnson hopes to play despite losing part of finger.]

Being able to watch any NFL game I want whenever I want is the Golden Ticket I’m striving to get.

Three weeks into the NFL season and I’m once again frustrated with the fact that I can’t get NFL Ticket. Of course, I wanted to see the Falcons play Miami without having to *redacted* online, but I couldn’t because I don’t have DirecTV. NFL fans know, DirectTV has an exclusive deal with the NFL which keeps NFL ticket from cable providers like Time Warner and Comcast or even fellow satellite companies like Dish network.

According to news outlets this could be coming to an end. Google/YouTube wants to purchase rights to NFL games which would mean more flexibility for people like me. If the deal goes through, NFL games could belong to google next season. Yes, 2014. Forbes also reports that Apple could step up to the plate and get rights so that Apple TV gets a greater share of living rooms across the country.

Obviously, google/you tube has invested a lot into making their company competitive with television. Remember their much promoted effort to invest in channels? They gave creators money to create content that would air at a specific time on a schedule similar to television. That project hasn’t seemed to go as planned and I’m sure that Netflix pouncing on the same market by creating several highly successful shows probably contributed. But mainly people, myself included, prefer to use you tube to see people who CAN’T get on TV rather than people who are already well known. I still am a fan of you tube because that’s where my favorite vloggers give hair tutorials, review reality tv shows and post their dogs doing cute stuff.

But You Tube wants more than that because growth in that audience has probably reached a peak. If Google gets rights to the NFL, the likelihood of getting more folks to use their new chromecast tool and stream shows on you tube would go up. You might not go out of your way to set your television up to get regular television shows but if you have your pick of NFL games it might be the extra boost you need to invest $35 and incorporate google’s technology into your home.

Overall, I don’t see how a partnership between Google and the NFL could be bad for either company. I see only more and more opportunities to make money and to expand the number games watched by fans during the season. However, the whole thing still makes me nervous due to the fact that Google has become less and less consumer friendly as time has gone on. I keep racking my brain to think about what unintended consequences there could be for consumers if this deal goes through.

The only immediate downside I see is for folks from rural areas (like me - I grew up on a farm) may have trouble streaming through Google because broadband in rural areas is still largely GARBAGE. Whatever happens, my house (in DC proper) isn’t DirectTV eligible (long story) so until NFL Ticket is available some other way I will still be complaining and *radacted* online. 

[Source: 7 Reasons for Google to Buy NFL Rights. Forbes]

Here’s hoping Broncos LB Von Miller is a good kid who just stumbled for a bit.

When draft time comes around there’s always a few players that tug on my heart strings for some reason. I then mentally baby those guys in my head and look for them to do well, almost like an imaginary mom or aunt. For example, in last year’s draft Chance Warmarck, Desmond Trufant, Eric Reid and Shamarko Thomas caught my eye. From this season on I’ll be watching to see if they do well and rooting for them all the way.

A couple years back Von Miller was one of the guys that I developed an affinity for. A big reason for that was because I really couldn’t figure him out. He didn’t appear to be particularly charming or unapproachable for that matter. He was just sort of there in his own quietly assured way. He struck me as very matter-of-fact and here for the game and not much else beyond that. On the field he was full of energy and I liked the way he played with good body control and quick instincts. Off the field he seemed soft spoken, concise and confident but almost as though he was hiding himself behind dork glasses and fashionable clothes. I also kinda liked the fact that he looks like Cedric the Entertainer could be his Daddy. LOL!

I had no reason to believe that right before this season began things would start to fall apart for him off the field and that he would begin the season suspended for 6 games. A failed drug test, a DUI, then speeding and driving on a suspended license and failing to appear in court. Last week media reported Miller’s parents would move in with him to help him get his life together. I know to a lot of people that seems silly since Miller is a grown man. But truth be told, mid-20s is a tough time (well…it was for me!) and I’m glad Miller has his parents there to support him. Not just because he’s clearly fucking up, but also because athletes who make mistakes, even ones under 25 are treated like they’re the scum of the earth forever. Parents can put things into perspective. I saw those reports as a positive thing…

But…however…NOW media is reporting that Miller tried to corrupt the urine testing process by having one of the collectors switch samples. It’s possible that the collector also conspired with other players to help them beat drug tests as well. This is a story that probably is going to have some legs because the implications for it beyond Miller’s situation could be great. But on Miller specifically, the NFL can add more games to his suspension if they deem it necessary, and if this urine collector is a fraud then it’s not impossible that Miller misses the whole season.

For now, I’m staying in denial in case my denial comes true. For now, FOR NOW, Miller is a good kid who is making some mistakes. Who among us hasn’t smoked marijuana? I haven’t…but I’ve been thinking about trying it though and I support decriminalization! Who among us hasn’t had a DUI? Well I haven’t done that either but I did drive a few times in my 20s  when I knew I was over the legal limit and felt like a blessed fool after getting home safely cause that was really stupid. Who among us hasn’t failed a drug test? Well, not me cause I don’t do drugs and no employer has ever tested me for it either. But who among us hasn’t had a speeding ticket on a suspended license?? I have definitely had a reckless driving charge though my license was current. I’m probably not helping my point but still…

When you add it all up, I think there’s still hope Miller is just a young man who hit a few bumps in the road. And that’s my thinking FOR NOW.