Court Storming: Good or bad for the games?

Having been part of multiple court storming’s after a Penn State basketball victory, seriously though, I can tell you that it’s actually fun. That is, if you don’t get trampled by other fans. It only lasts for about 2-3 minutes before everyone realizes it’s way too hot and time to go home. I’ve personally never seen anyone get run over but there is always a story about it happening, which brings up the question of should it banned.

Court storming in college basketball, much like in college football, is an art. There are guidelines to it too.

• ·      If you’re going to do it, you have to do it big.
• ·      If your team is ranked, and you beat another ranked team, don’t storm
• ·      If you storm, make sure you have enough fans to cover at least a third of the court or field
• ·      Don’t push the other teams players. Either you’ll get arrested or knocked out by the player, and either way you lose.

 I’ve seen some impressive storming over the years in both sports; but is it time to get rid of it? The conversation comes up every time it happens, particularly in basketball because of the nature of it. Compared to the size of a football field, obviously, a basketball court is smaller. Fans who storm the field after a football game have much more room to get from the stands to the center of the field, or wherever the center of the mosh pit is. Basketball fans however, while they have a shorter distance from the stands to the court, have to worry about the players, coaches, media members, officials, and those oh-so-popular “Event Staff” members who get called in an hour before the game to volunteer and wear their bright yellow jackets. Needless to say it’s easy for hundreds, sometimes thousands of college students to flood a basketball court in a matter of seconds. The question remains, should it be banned?

While storming the court/field is fun, it’s an adrenalin rush, but at times could be more dangerous than the game itself. Hundreds, sometimes thousands of fans rushing to one centralized area at full speed, chances are that someone will get hurt. A large amount of college football stadiums have gone away from having goal posts that are able to be torn down and use electronic posts that go down on by way of remote. Some stadiums don’t allow storming at all. In basketball, the SEC will fine a school if their fans storm the court. It’s a smart idea because it only takes one person to trip and get trampled by hundreds of people and cause serious injuries, potentially death.

On the other hand, the only logical reason I can give for it being a good idea is this, there isn’t one. It’s really just something to do; it’s a fun experience if you don’t get hurt. You have to start either at the beginning of the crowd or in wait until it’s in progress to join. If you’re standing in the middle of the pack, there is a chance that something could go wrong and you could go down.

Just don't be like this crowd. 

In closing, if you choose to be one of those “hooligans” who partake in the storming, I’ll leave you with this, good luck and God speed. I salute you.

NFL Combine: Does It Really Matter?

         

The NFL Scouting Combine is finally upon us. Potential NFL draft picks take the field in Indianapolis in front of hundreds of NFL scouts in hopes that some of them take notice, and their draft stock rises. Some argue as to why the combine is such a big deal and why so people want to watch it. Football fans want football. It’s that simple. The Super Bowl was two and a half weeks ago and there hasn’t been any football natured to watch. There has been a lot of talk, but no action. The event spans three days and sees the offensive lineman, tight ends, and special teams guys get it started on Friday. Saturday has the running backs, wide receivers and quarterbacks running around. Sunday is more big fellas with defensive lineman and linebackers the capping off the combine on Monday are the defensive backs.

           I couldn’t tell you a specific reason why I watch the combine, but I do. I think it’s kind of unique to see these prospects in a different environment and whether they take it seriously or not. It’s easy to go out and just go through the motions and complete something, but it’s another thing to go out there and actually compete and want to be the best at it. The work ethic some guys show might be the difference between a 1^st round grade and a 3^rd round grade. One of the more exciting events is the 40-yard dash. The event lasts roughly 4.4-5.3 seconds and it doesn’t necessarily mean anything for some guys, but it’s fun to watch. If you watch the combine, the time that is indicated first is the unofficial time based on stopwatches. The official time is what the laser timer will capture. If a player runs an unofficial 4.30, more than likely his official time will be 4.4. In 2008, then East Carolina running back Chris Johnson ran a blazing 4.24 40 and that record time has stood since. Usually it’s the running backs, wide receivers, or defensive backs that run the 4.3 or faster, but don’t be surprised if you see a non-skill player run a quick time. Last years combine saw one of the most anticipated forty times in recent memory, South Carolina defensive end JaDeveon Clowney was looked at by many as a “can’t miss” prospect because of his unique combination of size and speed. Clowney stepped up and ran an amazing 4.53 official forty. If you can’t watch the combine, you can follow here.

           Does the combine make or break a players draft stock? It’s not likely that a subpar performance in Indy will hurt a player. However, there are a handful of players that will sit out of drills and only partake in the off the field events such as the Wonderlic test and individual meetings. Quarterbacks often times will choose not to throw at the combine and wait until their pro day when they’re in a familiar setting and have their own receivers to throw to. When a player doesn’t perform at the combine, unless they’re injured, could raise a red flag for scouts on their work ethic. Although that’s not always the case, players are encouraged to partake in all the drills. 

           The combine is a different type of sporting event, sometimes referred to as the 'Spandex Olympics', but it's still fun to see how high, how fast, and how strong some of the top prospects are. 

              The 2015 NFL Scouting Combine takes place this Friday, February 20^th and lasts until Monday the 23^rd and is live on the NFL Network. 

Social Media > Winning

            I recently read an article by Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant on The Players’ Tribune, a site with articles written by the athletes for the fans. It’s designed to bring the fans closer to the athletes by giving them a unique look into the daily conversations and first-person stories written by the athletes.

            This particular article struck me because Bryant isn’t one to hold back on how he feels about something. He isn’t a typical athlete. He’s old school; no nonsense, get to work, and do what you’re supposed to do. He doesn’t worry about the outside noise, mainly because he is always in the gym. The 36-year old, who is now recovering from a shoulder injury, has been documented as one of the premiere athletes in the world since he came into the NBA in 1996 because of his strong work ethic. Even at the age of 36 he still has the mindset that when he steps onto the floor, he is the best, and rightfully so. Bryant moved past Michael Jordan for third on the all-time scoring list earlier this season; an accomplishment that has gone somewhat unrecognized. Passing Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest of all time, is something that Bryant won't personally gloat about but it's something he should take pride in. 

           It’s easy to compare players from different eras and the easiest to compare Bryant to is Jordan. Aside from the body type and athleticism, Jordan and Bryant are comparable in their mental preparation for the game of basketball. The cerebral approach that Kobe takes is not seen in athletes today. Most athletes are worried about their social media followers and whom they’re associated with. An excerpt from Bryant’s recent article tells exactly that, “When I play, I compete, and if you’re too busy acting cool for the fans or celebrities courtside then I will demolish you in front of them”.  Needless to say, Kobe doesn’t care about what’s happening courtside.

            In today’s age of social media that is taking over the world, it’s imperative that athletes have a strong social image. LeBron James is that athlete today. The Cavaliers forward is the most recognizable athlete today and has a following that stretches across the globe. Kobe and LeBron have been linked since James came into the league in 2003, just after the height of the Lakers championship run. Social media can ruin an athlete and the media will write what they want to write about an athlete just based on something they heard. Bryant doesn’t care. He doesn’t care what people think and only cares about one thing, winning, something athletes today need to care more about.

            “Either way, I refuse to change what I am. A lion has to eat. Run with me or run from me.” Kobe Bryant. He gets it.

You can read the full article here 

Eldrick Woods

If you’ve ever played golf you know how extremely difficult and frustrating it can be. You know that it takes every bit of concentration you have. Your focus has to be solely on hitting that little white ball at the exact angle, or you’re going to be searching for it. You also know that it’s a sport you can play and enjoy for a lifetime. It’s a sport that requires little to no athletic ability; if you can manage a decent swing, there is nothing stopping you from getting out and playing a round of golf.

           

We all remember what Tiger Woods used to be, winning Majors by 10 plus strokes. Sinking putts you only make in his video game. Making incredible chips that we could only dream making. From 1999 until his last Major in 2008, Eldrick “Tiger” Woods made golf look beyond easy. He also took it to a level it had never even come close to reaching. When you think of golf; you don’t picture guys like Tiger Woods. You don’t expect someone who looks like their built more for the NFL to play golf. When I think of golf; I picture someone who looks like my grandfather. Granted, there are more and more younger golfers coming onto the PGA Tour, but there can only be one Tiger Woods. And whether that’s good or bad right now, golf NEEDS him.

            Since his U.S. Open in 2008, which seems like yesterday, Woods’ career and personal life looks like his shot, broken. Since 2009 Woods has been in 82 events with 14 wins, none of which are Majors, and 10 missed cuts. Prior to 2009, he had missed just 8 cuts. Many believe the former number one golfer in the world, he spent an astounding 683 total weeks as the world’s number one, is on the decline of his once seemingly never ending career of dominance. It’s easy to dismiss the great things an athlete did if they’ve made a mistake or have been on slump and not winning. Woods has been in that slump in recent years, and much like his back, it’s not getting any better. Woods withdrew from his most recent event, The Farmers Insurance Open after just 11 holes. If you watched any of the event, you grimaced with him, as every shot he hit looked more painful than the previous one. Is the end for Tiger? The PGA hopes not.

            What Tiger Woods did before everything went aerie for him; you could make the argument that there wasn’t a more dominant athlete on the planet. It was Tiger or the field and how many strokes he would win by. It’s different in golf because it’s just one athlete versus everyone else, but in terms of winning, Tiger did it better than anyone. He would take shots that when he lined up for them you would think, “there is no way he is going to do this”, but time and time again he would do it. He amazed us with his long drives, his unfathomable approach shots, and his lengthy putts. Recently however, it seems that any shot he hits that isn’t a putt, he’s calling for it to go left or right, certainly a sad site.

            Tiger Woods has had an impact on golf that reaches beyond just 18 holes, he made it ‘cool’ for African-Americans today to participate in the sport. Predominantly a white sport, Woods transformed the notion that golf was just that, a white sport. He was a fiery young Stanford grad with a fist pump as big as his drive.  He brought galleries with him wherever he was on the course, people wanted to see the man they called Tiger. People knew that greatness was coming and they wanted to catch a glimpse. Nike jumped at the chance to sponsor this once in a lifetime talent, in 2000 they signed him to a 5-year, $105 million dollar contract. At the time it was the largest endorsement deal signed by an athlete. Needless to say that deal was game changer. Nike didn’t really have a golf department until Woods came along, and what a department it would become. His signature red Nike polo on Sunday’s became a staple of golf and the name Tiger Woods became not only a golf name, but also a global icon. It was just the beginning.

            What makes an athlete great? Is it what they accomplish in their sport, the championships and wins? Is it what they do in the community, the charity foundations they open? Is it the ‘wow’ factor they bring every time we watch them? It’s all of the above.

            In today’s age of sports, we are spoiled by some of the greatest athletes to ever live. We are spoiled by how high they can jump, how fast they can run, how strong they are, and how far they can throw a ball. It’s what fascinates us. There are certain athletes that when they aren’t playing at home, the stadium/area they’re at is sold out. People pay hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars, just to see this athlete. Tiger Woods has that effect on golf. No matter where the tournament is, there are people there who weren’t golf fans, but they just want to say, “I saw Tiger Woods play”. Even now when he isn't what he used to be, Tiger Woods is Tiger Woods and he still has an aura about him. We take for granted the greatness of some athletes because they don’t always perform to their level, but more importantly, the fans level. What Tiger Woods did during that stretch of time between 1999-2008 is something we may never see again and because of that very real possibility, we need to take a moment to sit back and watch what we have left.