Growing up in a strict Catholic family you learn all about purgatory. It's a state of purification or temporary punishment of the soul as it's made ready for heaven. You're probably asking yourself what this has to do with the "Wise Guy"! Let me explain. As I watched another disappointing loss by Cal on national TV, it hit me. I'm in my sports purgatory. I'm currently paying for my sports sins of the past and those to come. No matter how much I ask the patron saint of Cal football, Joe Roth, to intercede on my behalf, I may never reach the Rose Bowl. Oops, I mean heaven.
For those of you who are not Catholic or do not believe in purgatory, here's another scenario: Cal's QB sucks. I'm not talking about a vacuum type of suction, I'm talking F-5 tornado suction. Lets see ... Riley, Mansion, Bridgford, Hinder, and Boehm were all 4-star recruits and top-5 pro style QBs coming out of high school. Not one of the latter four could beat out a transfer from that football power Buffalo? Really Tedfurd ( Stanfurd spelling, no "o") ? If Turner Gil leaves Buffalo and does not want to take his starting QB with him, why would you? Keenan is probably the answer, but do you have to start him?
Now one of the top QBs in the country, Zack Cline, is coming in the class of 2012. Do you think Cal can hire a QB guru so he doesn't turn out like those before him?
Just sayin'.
"Wise Guy"
Monday, October 17, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Jekyll and Hyde
Today is the official start to the "Wait' til next year" season. For me, the journey started soon after the November 27th loss to the Huskies and it couldn't get here soon enough. For you, it may have been December, January, or for that Steelers' fan, it was the soon after the Super Bowl.
Football is like no other sport. It brings out the best and the worst in people, most of the time in the same afternoon. We find ourselves watching a game that we would never admit to, but later found ourselves watching just because it's football (excluding the Big Ten).
Robert Louis Stevenson's character Jekyll and Hyde wasn't written about a man with a split personality who does good to make up for his evilness, but rather about your typical football fan. Let me give you an example: Insert any pro or college football team, and you'll soon know what I'm talking about.
I come into this year's football season with low expectations. Cal Bears will win anywhere from 3 to 5 games. After reading a few Cal fall previews, I'm ready for a magical season, and a run for the roses. Pac-12 media day comes and the coaches picked Cal to finish last in the North Division. I agree. Cal is way too young, and I'm in for a long season. A few more fall previews and I'm pumped up again. I read that the Bay Area media poll picked them 4th in the North with only Washington State keeping them out of the basement. Sports writers, what do they know? They probably never played any type of sports. We've had top-15 recruiting classes the past two years, we are loaded with true and blue shirt (red if you're not a Cal fan) freshmen just waiting for their chance. This waffling goes on everyday depending on which site I'm reading, or the game being played. This type of split personality will stay with me throughout the season. After a loss we suck and we may not win another game, only to wake up a few days later, believing we can pull out a win and still have a shot at the Roses. By season's end, I'll be back to the next "Wait 'til next Year" season!
For the next 30 days or so, push back common sense, don't believe what you read, hear or know. Your team, just like mine, is ready for that magical run we always hear about. I'll see you in Pasadena on the first.
"Wise Guy"
Football is like no other sport. It brings out the best and the worst in people, most of the time in the same afternoon. We find ourselves watching a game that we would never admit to, but later found ourselves watching just because it's football (excluding the Big Ten).
Robert Louis Stevenson's character Jekyll and Hyde wasn't written about a man with a split personality who does good to make up for his evilness, but rather about your typical football fan. Let me give you an example: Insert any pro or college football team, and you'll soon know what I'm talking about.
I come into this year's football season with low expectations. Cal Bears will win anywhere from 3 to 5 games. After reading a few Cal fall previews, I'm ready for a magical season, and a run for the roses. Pac-12 media day comes and the coaches picked Cal to finish last in the North Division. I agree. Cal is way too young, and I'm in for a long season. A few more fall previews and I'm pumped up again. I read that the Bay Area media poll picked them 4th in the North with only Washington State keeping them out of the basement. Sports writers, what do they know? They probably never played any type of sports. We've had top-15 recruiting classes the past two years, we are loaded with true and blue shirt (red if you're not a Cal fan) freshmen just waiting for their chance. This waffling goes on everyday depending on which site I'm reading, or the game being played. This type of split personality will stay with me throughout the season. After a loss we suck and we may not win another game, only to wake up a few days later, believing we can pull out a win and still have a shot at the Roses. By season's end, I'll be back to the next "Wait 'til next Year" season!
For the next 30 days or so, push back common sense, don't believe what you read, hear or know. Your team, just like mine, is ready for that magical run we always hear about. I'll see you in Pasadena on the first.
"Wise Guy"
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Locked out!
I know there have been many rumors circulating about the absence of the "Sports Wise Guy" over the past couple months. Some tabloids reported that I was abducted by aliens. TMZ reported that I had gone to Tibet to seek the meaning of life from the Dalai Lama after the Mavs beat the Lakers. (That thought did cross my mind.) Truth be told, I was locked out. Yes, locked out.
No, I'm not talking about back in the day when your college buddies visited and "guy night" lasted three hours longer than what you told your wife, or when you locked your keys inside your car. That would have been easier.
I'm talking about the type of lockout that seems to be the new rage in professional sports. Just like in the NFL, I too am coming off a very successful year with thousands of hits from people in 20 different countries, or maybe it's just one guy who hits my blog a few hundred times a week as he travels the world. Either way, I am happy to announce to all of you, or just you, that I am back. Yes! Just in time for the start of the football season. I won't bore you with the details of my lockout, but I believe this was the last hurdle for the NFL, and expect them to follow suit in the next few days. The NBA will not be far behind. The NBA realizes that once football starts, no one would really care if we have the NBA season.
I feel like the shackles are off and now I'm ready to rumble!
"Wise Guy"
No, I'm not talking about back in the day when your college buddies visited and "guy night" lasted three hours longer than what you told your wife, or when you locked your keys inside your car. That would have been easier.
I'm talking about the type of lockout that seems to be the new rage in professional sports. Just like in the NFL, I too am coming off a very successful year with thousands of hits from people in 20 different countries, or maybe it's just one guy who hits my blog a few hundred times a week as he travels the world. Either way, I am happy to announce to all of you, or just you, that I am back. Yes! Just in time for the start of the football season. I won't bore you with the details of my lockout, but I believe this was the last hurdle for the NFL, and expect them to follow suit in the next few days. The NBA will not be far behind. The NBA realizes that once football starts, no one would really care if we have the NBA season.
I feel like the shackles are off and now I'm ready to rumble!
"Wise Guy"
Thursday, May 19, 2011
It was the end of the world and I had tickets!
It was Saturday morning and my wife had surprised me with tickets to what was going to be the biggest thing since ... well,the flood. She told me that she got them on Stubhub last week, and she might have overpaid for the seats, but I would be in the section with Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Will Smith, and John Cusack. Who said those Bon Jovi tickets wouldn't pay off?
I called the fellas, and told them my good fortune. They were told that the family would not be able to join me because it is baseball Saturday and my boys have games. Their loss was your gain. We decide we had to tailgate for such an event. As I rushed out the door with a globe on my head, my wife yelled, "Honey, you forgot the 'save the earth' shirts." I smiled and said, "we are going to paint our chests with the letters E_A_R_T_H!"
As we headed off to this big event, I started to think that if this event was really going to be as big as they said it would be, it should have a title sponsor. Something like "The End of the World is brought to you by the good people of Halliburton ... if the world comes to an end we were part of it."
As we got to our seats I thought to myself who is this guy who's promoting this event and wondered how he expected to pull this off. Why is it not being staged in Vegas? At the time it didn't matter because the tickets were paid for and beer was consumed. As Michael Buffer started his schtick ... let's get ready to rumble ... I remembered what I told my boys before leaving: If this turns out better than the hype, I will get tickets to the next time the world ends. I was sure it would go the way of the Olympics and World Cup, eEvery four years with a different country hosting it.
An event like this rarely meets our expectations, and this one ended before it started. Earth scored a technical knockout. I longed for the days of the great fights like Holmes vs. Cooney or Tyson vs. Spinks.
As we left the stadium I had that same feeling in my gut as I did as a kid when I heard that Evil Knievel was going to jump the Snake River on his motorcycle only to turn on the TV and find out that he had a space shuttle. It turned out that he had enough fuel to shoot up 100 feet before it came crashing back down on the same side of the river he took off from. I had just been duped again. Must have been a Don King production.
"Wise Guy"
I called the fellas, and told them my good fortune. They were told that the family would not be able to join me because it is baseball Saturday and my boys have games. Their loss was your gain. We decide we had to tailgate for such an event. As I rushed out the door with a globe on my head, my wife yelled, "Honey, you forgot the 'save the earth' shirts." I smiled and said, "we are going to paint our chests with the letters E_A_R_T_H!"
As we headed off to this big event, I started to think that if this event was really going to be as big as they said it would be, it should have a title sponsor. Something like "The End of the World is brought to you by the good people of Halliburton ... if the world comes to an end we were part of it."
As we got to our seats I thought to myself who is this guy who's promoting this event and wondered how he expected to pull this off. Why is it not being staged in Vegas? At the time it didn't matter because the tickets were paid for and beer was consumed. As Michael Buffer started his schtick ... let's get ready to rumble ... I remembered what I told my boys before leaving: If this turns out better than the hype, I will get tickets to the next time the world ends. I was sure it would go the way of the Olympics and World Cup, eEvery four years with a different country hosting it.
An event like this rarely meets our expectations, and this one ended before it started. Earth scored a technical knockout. I longed for the days of the great fights like Holmes vs. Cooney or Tyson vs. Spinks.
As we left the stadium I had that same feeling in my gut as I did as a kid when I heard that Evil Knievel was going to jump the Snake River on his motorcycle only to turn on the TV and find out that he had a space shuttle. It turned out that he had enough fuel to shoot up 100 feet before it came crashing back down on the same side of the river he took off from. I had just been duped again. Must have been a Don King production.
"Wise Guy"
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Sir Isaac would not have taken this, Newton!
Draft day came and went. Yes, the draft is really only 1 day, not the 3 days, 7 rounds ESPN would like us to think it is. It would be like going to Mortons and eating the steak first, followed by sides, salad and then bread. I'm not saying that the sides are not good, but when I'm really hungry just give me the meat. That is what the NFL draft is.
If I had the top pick I would take the kid from Auburn. He is big, fast, and dominated college football. It helps that he led his team to a national championship. This afternoon I wondered if he fell to the "Boys" would they take him or would he go the way of Moss and De Jack, playing for another team while I dreamed what if. But this was all wishful thinking, because Carolina had the top pick and would not let such a talent go.
When I got home this evening I went straight to my "sports room," beer in hand, and turned on the draft. As I settled in my chair, the first pick was announced. It was a kid from Auburn, but not the right one. Nick Farley was the pick I was thinking about, but Carolina took a kid that should be on a pack of cookies. Yes, they took Cam (fig) Newton. After that first bite, I felt like I had draft poisoning.
What is that old saying about not remembering the past ... Vince Young and JaMarcus Russell. At that moment, I knew Al Davis was smiling.
"Wise Guy"
If I had the top pick I would take the kid from Auburn. He is big, fast, and dominated college football. It helps that he led his team to a national championship. This afternoon I wondered if he fell to the "Boys" would they take him or would he go the way of Moss and De Jack, playing for another team while I dreamed what if. But this was all wishful thinking, because Carolina had the top pick and would not let such a talent go.
When I got home this evening I went straight to my "sports room," beer in hand, and turned on the draft. As I settled in my chair, the first pick was announced. It was a kid from Auburn, but not the right one. Nick Farley was the pick I was thinking about, but Carolina took a kid that should be on a pack of cookies. Yes, they took Cam (fig) Newton. After that first bite, I felt like I had draft poisoning.
What is that old saying about not remembering the past ... Vince Young and JaMarcus Russell. At that moment, I knew Al Davis was smiling.
"Wise Guy"
Monday, April 11, 2011
Opening Night
In just a few hours the NBA season will finally begin. After what seemed like eternity, the exhibition season, which consisted of 82 games over a 6-month period, is over and we can finally start the NBA season.
I have often wondered why 30 teams would want to participate in this type of an exhibition season when only 16 qualify for the regular season. The answer always seems to be the same. If the league let everyone play, it would resemble the NCAA basketball tournament. The only difference is that in the NBA, the best team always seems to come out on top.
Like most NBA fans, I am very excited to watch it because we have some pretty awesome teams like the Spurs, Heat, and the Celtics. There are teams, like Orlando and Oklahoma City, who could end up in the finals if they get hot. We even have the over- achiever (Bulls) and the over-rated, one and done team ( Mavericks). Last but not least, we have the Los Angeles Lakers. In less than a month, the Lakers will still be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
As I glance at my watch, my wife asks, "What time is it?" With a big grin, I tell her it's "Kobe Time!"
Welcome to the 2011 NBA playoffs.
"Wise Guy"
I have often wondered why 30 teams would want to participate in this type of an exhibition season when only 16 qualify for the regular season. The answer always seems to be the same. If the league let everyone play, it would resemble the NCAA basketball tournament. The only difference is that in the NBA, the best team always seems to come out on top.
Like most NBA fans, I am very excited to watch it because we have some pretty awesome teams like the Spurs, Heat, and the Celtics. There are teams, like Orlando and Oklahoma City, who could end up in the finals if they get hot. We even have the over- achiever (Bulls) and the over-rated, one and done team ( Mavericks). Last but not least, we have the Los Angeles Lakers. In less than a month, the Lakers will still be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
As I glance at my watch, my wife asks, "What time is it?" With a big grin, I tell her it's "Kobe Time!"
Welcome to the 2011 NBA playoffs.
"Wise Guy"
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Please pass the sauce, Shaka!
As a wise guy, or should I say "thee" Wise Guy, it should not surprise you that I correctly picked this year's Final Four. Picking Kentucky and UConn is not much of a stretch, and most of you had them as well. Butler, we all know about Butler; they were that underdog team that lost in last year's championship game to a team I can happily say is nowhere near Houston.
Now, that takes us to VCU. I know most people thought it was either a hospital wing or maybe the sound a person makes when he sneezes. Not me; let me explain. I met Shaka about 14 years ago. Back then, he spelled his name Chaka. I was attending another Senior Gold Rush with my father, brother, and a cousin. They are big golf fans, and even bigger Lee Trevino and Chi Chi Rodriguez fans. Back then I was neither a fan of golf nor liked the idea of missing a weekend of football, but figured if my dad drove two hours to visit, I could suck it up and attend the event. It was held annually in the early fall at the El Dorado Country Club just outside Sacramento.
I had my VIP pass when I entered the hospitality tent. Food, football on the tube, and free booze. What more could a wise guy ask for on a fall afternoon? That is when I met Chaka, or Shaka. Back then he was giving out free samples of his soon-to-be famous BBQ sauce. We chatted awhile, and it was great to find out he grew up just outside of my hometown of Fremont, CA. He spoke of his two passions: BBQ sauce and basketball. Little did I know he would be famous at both. Back then, Chaka was young and bald ... just like he is today!!!
As I left the tent, I tasted the sauce. "MMM, great sauce, Chaka!" He smiled and said, "That's what I'm going to call it, 'MMM' sauce." I smiled back and told him that was smart. He then told me that was his name. I thought I should remember his name, as Shaka Smart might become famous one day.
I ask of all you hoop junkies, as you get ready to watch the Final Four tonight, to please open up a jar of MMM sauce for your BBQ, put on some music (Chaka Khan), and cheer for an old friend and his team, Virginia Commonwealth University. Go Rams!!!
"Wise Guy"
Now, that takes us to VCU. I know most people thought it was either a hospital wing or maybe the sound a person makes when he sneezes. Not me; let me explain. I met Shaka about 14 years ago. Back then, he spelled his name Chaka. I was attending another Senior Gold Rush with my father, brother, and a cousin. They are big golf fans, and even bigger Lee Trevino and Chi Chi Rodriguez fans. Back then I was neither a fan of golf nor liked the idea of missing a weekend of football, but figured if my dad drove two hours to visit, I could suck it up and attend the event. It was held annually in the early fall at the El Dorado Country Club just outside Sacramento.
I had my VIP pass when I entered the hospitality tent. Food, football on the tube, and free booze. What more could a wise guy ask for on a fall afternoon? That is when I met Chaka, or Shaka. Back then he was giving out free samples of his soon-to-be famous BBQ sauce. We chatted awhile, and it was great to find out he grew up just outside of my hometown of Fremont, CA. He spoke of his two passions: BBQ sauce and basketball. Little did I know he would be famous at both. Back then, Chaka was young and bald ... just like he is today!!!
As I left the tent, I tasted the sauce. "MMM, great sauce, Chaka!" He smiled and said, "That's what I'm going to call it, 'MMM' sauce." I smiled back and told him that was smart. He then told me that was his name. I thought I should remember his name, as Shaka Smart might become famous one day.
I ask of all you hoop junkies, as you get ready to watch the Final Four tonight, to please open up a jar of MMM sauce for your BBQ, put on some music (Chaka Khan), and cheer for an old friend and his team, Virginia Commonwealth University. Go Rams!!!
"Wise Guy"
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