Friday Farewells for June 25, 2010

This weeks Friday Farewells is brought to you by the Utah Jazz and BP because they are both desperate for some positive PR right about now and we will do anything to make some coin.


Farewell:

Draft Dreams.  After I got word that Gordon Hayward got drafted 9th to the Jazz I had visions of glory.  Described by some "EXPERTS" as a kid who can't jump, shoot, or run.  This lead me to think...THIS IS MY YEAR, I can't do any of those things either.  I went out and bought 30 hats and waited by my webcam for my big debut.  I made sure my phone, my wife's phone, and the house phone were all on chargers within a two foot radius of me and listed my status on Skype as available, very available.  Unfortunately the phones never rang although my Skype instant messenger was ringing off the hook, but a lot of wrong numbers.  Oh well there is always next year.  Tears yeah my hopes were pretty high.  In fairness to Gordon aren't those the same things said about Larry Bird?  


John Isner. Thank you for playing in the longest match in TENNIS HISTORY...now leave.  Really what did we think would happen after playing his first round match for over 11 hours divided over 3 days then make him play the next day in his second round match.  WOW, shocking he lost in straight sets.  I am sure it isn't because he WAS TIRED.  Seriously, Wimbledon is so much based on tradition, schedule, and structure that the guy cannot get the day off.  No hospitality like the British.  Thanks for captivating us for the last three days and give somebody a reason to talk about the first round of Wimbledon even with the World Cup going on here is some crappy food, a nice white sweater, and your ticket back to the States.  Hope you enjoyed your stay.  Tears of PURE ANGER... I mean really delay his match give the guy a day off.


Rasheed Wallace.  The Sheed is no more an NBA star or even player for that matter.  This leaves us wondering where will referees go to fill their technical foul quota for the season.  The NBA is thrilled as it will save a bundle on bleep sound effects and referee technical bonuses.  We will miss Sheed as we do all Tar Heels when they give up the game.  Two T's and then we got ejected.  


Bad Luck & Bad Calls.  These two often go hand in hand so we were glad they left together in the 91st minute of Team USA's game against Algeria.  After two goals called back in two different games and 79 chances that just didn't find the back of the net it finally ended when Landon Donovan's rebound shot found the back of the old onion bag.  Even more miraculously than the goal in stoppage time was the fact that the referee did not call it back.  HALLELUJAH! We are glad this depression duo left or it would have been the US that we bid farewell to today.  Let's hope they stay away as we enter the knockout stage Saturday @ 2:00 PM ET against Ghana on ABC.  It is like voting you must watch.  TEARS OF JOY! USA USA USA! 


16 Teams. The world cup has advanced to the knock-out stage which is interesting since more teams are actually knocked-out during the group stage.  Sixteen teams have headed home and sixteen are left one of which will be left standing as World Cup Champion.  This is one of many phrases I don't understand in soccer, like stoppage time.  Stoppage time is done after the clock should have stopped and no one is quite sure when it ever will stop except the head referee.  Someone please STOP the madness.  Anyway sixteen countries including France & Italy can pick up their teams and souvenirs at baggage claim.  Bon voyage. Chow. Tears only for the South Africans who were so close and it would have meant so much.  


Multiple Run Leads.  The College World Series has been overshadowed by the World Cup, but it has not been outscored.  We like scoring and comebacks in America ask the US soccer team.  The CWS has been filling Rosenblatt Stadium with great games and memories in its last year.  Huge comebacks, late inning heroics and then there were four: TCU, UCLA, Clemson, & South Carolina.  Check them out today and remember in college baseball no lead is safe, just ask Florida State & Oklahoma.  Tears, only because this is the last year in Rosenblatt, what a great place.

If you have the fever and the only cure is Friday Farewells here you go.

IMPLOS`ER?

How do you say Implosion in French? I may not know how to say it, but I sure know what it looks like. It looks like the self destruction of the French national soccer team. This team's World Cup has more drama than the Miss America pageant and even more cat fights.   Some of what they have done is worth noting: fight...check, quit...check, blame others...check, point fingers...check. In fact,  the only things they haven't done since arriving in South Africa is win & practice. Yet despite all of this they still had a chance to make it to the next round. Pardon? Yes it's true the French going in to yesterday could have advanced all they had to do was beat South Africa. LOSE TO HOST NATION... CHECK... KA BOOM! 

Have a nice flight.

Friday Farewells for June 11, 2010

This almost tear-less edition of Friday Farewells is brought to you by the World Cup & South Africa, thanks for inviting us to your party.

Farewell:


Boredom. The powers that be in sports have created the PERFECT STORM of SPORTS this week.  The NHL Stanley Cup was decided this week congrats Blackhawks, the NBA Finals has been terrific, College Baseball Super Regionals start today, NASCAR & MLB continue their seasons, and oh there is this little thing going on in South Africa called the World Cup that happens once every four years.  If you are a sports fan and cannot find anything to watch that you like then you might want to talk to your cable company because whatever your paying is too much.  I will watch some World Cup, College Baseball Super Regionals, & NBA Finals all on the same day. Tears of joy, although by the end of the week they may be tears of pain because my thumb hurts from changing channels so much to catch all the action.  

Big Baby. "I felt like a Beast."  Big Baby Glen Davis is no longer hello Big Beast.  Big Beast & his mini-me Nate Robinson carried the Celtics to a game four NBA Finals victory. Boston's bench outplayed the Laker's starters for almost the entire fourth quarter.  They did it with energy, effort, and emotion.  The latter lead to two technicals, but ultimately neither hurt as the Celtics evened the series.  No Tears. Goodbye Baby, Hello Beast!

Big 12. Colorado and apparently Nebraska will both say so long to the Conference with the most (tied with the SEC) appearances in the BCS Championship Games.  Maybe though Texas getting all the money is no longer tasting as good to these two especially with promises of greener & tastier pastures in the PAC-10 & Big Ten.  Is the Big 12 still salvageable? Absolutely.  If Texas stays it still works.  I know Nebraska is a storied program on the rebound, but they are not what they once were and Colorado has not recovered since the scandals.  Nebraska will be hard to replace, but not irreplaceable.  Tears NOTTA. I have no tears for any BCS conference losing teams or imploding only tears for the WAC losing Boise State.

Indifference.  I have never disliked MLS, but sort of been indifferent to it.  I would watch the occasional game or MLS Cup if nothing else was on.  I attended my first game Wednesday, between Real Salt Lake vs. L.A. Galaxy.  Galaxy were undefeated, notice I said undefeated past tense, thanks to a goal in the 81st minute by Real's Javier Morrales.  The game was about as much fun as a pair of crabs in a bucket (which is a good time trust me).  It was very exciting and the crowd was awesome, not even a 30 minute lightning delay could lower my impression of the what a first rate event the game was.  No tears here only good times and lots of new chants.  

Boise State.  A breaking event the WAC bids farewell to Boise State, which leaves the conference well empty.  The WAC has to be devastated.  It will be interesting to see if Boise State can be as dominant in a far stronger conference.  Tears only a few, because I will have to deal with BYU fans on a consistent basis now, that includes Mark & Martin the Fayetteville Cougars.      

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