The influence athletes have on our lives; Gary Carter's passing

Growing up almost every kid has a role model or someone they look up to. Hopefully that someone will be their dad or brother, but for most of us there is that athlete, coach or team that effects the decisions we make in our lives.

You can try and downplay this as much as you want, but the fact is our lives are directly influenced by the actions of athletes, whether they’re good or bad.

After the recent passing of Montreal Expos and New York Mets catcher Gary Carter, the example of how we’re influenced by athletes was never proven better. I listened to MLB Network on my way home from work and heard caller after caller talk about how much Carter influenced their lives. One guy even saying he had to pull over on the side of the road to console himself once he heard the news of Carter’s passing.

Luckily Carter is one of the great examples for how athletes can have a positive influence on our lives, because we all know good and well about the bad ones. I had a similar experience when I went to a Braves game where they “celebrated” Bobby Cox’s retirement. It wasn’t much of a celebration for me. The man who led my favorite team for over two decades and taught me what the game was all about and how to play it the right way was retiring and it was devastating. No one will ever replace him and the childhood memories he provided for me.

I think it’s great that we have these players and coaches that are set on a national stage and are able to mold future generations through their actions. It’s important that these athletes recognize this and know how much their actions mean to the children watching them on TV or in the stands.

In today’s society where bad news and criminals are praised in the mainstream media, we hardly hear the good stories about the positive influences athletes have on people’s lives. And unfortunately as fans we enjoy hearing about the latest arrest or fine that players’ receive instead of focusing on the ones that do good work through charities and other great organizations.

Just think about when you were little. You probably put your hat on backwards for batting practice because you saw Kin Griffey Jr. do it. You probably wiggled your bat a little faster once you saw Gary Sheffield do it. You probably wore a wristband because you saw Derek Jeter wearing. And I know you bought Nikes because Michael Jordan did.

We praise these athletes and look up to them like they were sent straight from Heaven. And I’m not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing, I just think it’s important that we make sure kids choose players that will have a positive influence on their lives.

These athletes are given an unbelievable stage where they are able to touch so many lives. People like me and you, no matter how great of people we might be, will never have that opportunity. That’s why I think it’s great to have people like Gary Carter and Tim Tebow to send a good message to kids of what it takes to be a good person in this world. No matter how popular they may become, keeping their positive influence is of the upmost importance to them.

It’s not always the best player or the most gifted athlete that have the most positive influence, but it would be nice to see the ones that do be recognized more on a national level. When I have a kid, if he doesn’t model himself after me, I hope he picks a great athlete, and I hope that athlete is great because of what he does off the field and not just because of how he performs on the field.

You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com

It’s time for baseball

This upcoming weekend is one of the biggest weekends of the year for a baseball fan. The words “Pitchers and Catchers” are the most exciting words to a fan that’s been trapped inside for the most grueling parts of the winter waiting to see teams get out in that beautiful Florida or Arizona sunshine.

Sure most players just stretch and play golf the first two weeks and the real action doesn’t pick up for a little while longer. But it’s the excitement of the new season and the feeling of fresh air that makes this time of the year so special.

Also, for MLB fans looking to get their baseball fix a little early, this is also the first weekend of the college baseball season. I know I’ll be attending a game at Auburn University as I’ve done to start off the past five baseball seasons. While it’s still pretty cold out there, just a glimpse of the field and sounds of the game are a thrill to ones’ ear.

These games aren’t as entertaining as when you’re sitting at Fenway Park or Turner Field, but it’s a nice glimpse of what’s to come and a great way of getting the season started.

Many players and coaches are already at their respective camps, and why wouldn’t they be. Spring Training is unlike a training camp for any other sport. It’s not a one month test to weed out the weak individuals. For most of the players it’s fun and somewhat of a vacation.

It’s also a great vacation for fans looking to get away from the cold weather and enjoy some baseball action. While I’ve never had the opportunity, I can’t wait for the chance to sit on the outfield grass and watch a baseball game feeling the wind coming off the beaches and the anticipation of a new season beginning.

Being at Spring Training is a great opportunity to see players up close and obtain autographs. The teams are also close together so in a four or five day trip you could probably visit several different stadiums and teams.

These games are meaningless to some degree, but each at bat is taken very seriously. There are still some roster spots up for grabs and it’s fun to see players fight hard during Spring Training to earn that spot.

It also gives sports fan something to do during this down period. NBA and college basketball are drowning through their seasons and won’t pick up until late March or April. We need something to get excited about and seeing that warm weather and knowing spring is near is enough to get anyone excited at this point.

For baseball fans this marks the beginning of the season of optimism. Every team is 0-0 and has a chance to win it all. We all have our hopes and aspirations for the season and at this point none of them have been erased. Spring is no doubt my favorite part of the year and this weekend is the best way to get it started.  

You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com/

Why NBA’s regular season is irrelevant

The NBA season is about 30 games in but you wouldn’t even know that if it wasn’t for a little Chinese kid Jeremy Shu-How Lin that came out of nowhere to burst on the scene in New York. So why is the NBA’s regular season so irrelevant?

That’s because the games are meaningless. Over half the league makes the playoffs anyway and going into the season you know who the final four or six teams are going to be.

With superstars jumping ship and going to play with their friends, it has created a league of teams that are based on who has the most stars. That made last years’ final that much better because the Mavericks were a team with only one superstar that took down the proverbial giant team of superstars.

The division races have no meaning because you can be the fifth best team in your division and still make the playoffs. It would be better if they just had two leagues and took the best eight teams from each league. That’s essentially what they’re doing now.

Sure there are a few matchups during the regular season that are nice games to watch, like Heat-Lakers because it gets all of the sports’ biggest superstars on one stage at the same time. But who cares what the outcome of the game is. They’re both going to make the playoffs and there is a good chance both teams will at least make it to the conference finals.

The NBA is so predictable. We know it’s going to be Miami, Chicago, Oklahoma City and some wild card team from the Western Conference in the final four. The other teams will just be warm up games as the best teams prepare for the championship.

In baseball and football there is more of an emphasis on winning your division. Only 12 of 32 teams make the playoffs in the NFL and only eight (as of right now) of 30 MLB teams make the playoffs. Both sports get tremendous support throughout the regular season and in the playoffs because the division rivals are important.

A Braves-Phillies matchup in May becomes very important because it could decide who wins the division in September. The Ravens-Steelers rivalry is great for so many reasons, but also because it almost always decides who is going to win that division. Do you think the Heat are going to sweat over a loss to the Hawks in December?

No doubt the NBA playoffs are great to watch and these super teams make it fun to root against them and I think actually make the sport more enjoyable. But the NBA’s regular season is watered down and meaningless to the casual fan.

The same can be said for NCAA basketball. While March Madness is one of the greatest events in sports, 62 teams make the tournament. Is it really necessary for me to watch Duke-Kansas in January? Both of them will make the tournament and this game two months before is not going to change that.

Fans are drawn to games that hold meaning. There are a handful of those types of games during an NBA regular season. If you want to draw interest the whole year through, make winning the division more important and don’t make the entry into the playoffs open to every team that post a .500 record (or below in some cases). That’s just ridiculous.

We want games that matter, and there won’t truly be a game that matters in the NBA until April. Hopefully I’ll see you then, but the Braves will be playing the Phillies so I doubt you get my undivided attention like you could if regular season games meant something.

You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com/

Eli Manning hurt by his lack of character

Since the end of the Super Bowl people have been trying to figure out if Eli Manning should be considered an elite quarterback. I believe if sports weren’t such a popularity contest this wouldn’t even be a question.

If Eli had great hair, perfect bone structure in his face and a super model for a wife he would be mentioned as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the league. Right up there with Tom Brady and Drew Brees, and probably ahead of his brother Peyton.

Let’s start by comparing Eli and Brady since that seems to be the current debate. No doubt Brady is an elite quarterback, one of the best of all time and a future Hall of Famer. In Brady’s first seven years as a full-time quarterback for the New England Patriots he passed for 26,364 yards and 197 touchdowns (50 of those coming in his amazing 2007 campaign).

Comparing that with Eli’s first seven years in the league, he has more passing yards, 26,536, and 18 less touchdown passes, 179. Now you could make the argument that today’s quarterbacks are putting up bigger numbers than they were during Brady’s first seven years. But you could also say that the New York Giant’s offense isn’t one that relies on Eli throwing for 300 yards and four touchdowns a game.

Brady plays in an offense that is built to put up astronomical numbers, like 50 touchdowns in a season, which is ridiculous. Eli plays on a team that is more defensive oriented. While they’re running game wasn’t great this year (last in the league), they are still a team that requires getting the ground game going to set up the pass game.

Comparing the stats you can definitely make the case for why Eli should be considered a top quarterback. So why does the public still view him as mediocre?

His brother is the biggest thing holding him back from being considered elite. Peyton has been labeled for years as the greatest signal caller of this era. No one manages a game from under center, or five feet behind him, better than Peyton.

Living in the shadow of your bigger brother is difficult. Getting out from under that shadow can be even more difficult. The expectations for Eli coming into the league were certainly unattainable. With this latest Super Bowl victory he could now be considered even greater than his brother.

While it will take a few more outstanding seasons and possibly another Super Bowl to establish that feat, he certainly isn’t far behind. It really just depends on how you perceive greatness. If you believe regular season stats are a true testament to a players’ elite status, then Eli may not deserve to be in that discussion. If you believe it’s based on their postseason success, then Eli is at the top of the list. He’s 7-1 in the postseason and has two Super Bowl MVP trophies.

The only thing keeping Eli from being considered an elite quarterback is Eli himself. He doesn’t have the personality of a Tom Brady, Drew Brees or even his brother. He is perceived as a quiet guy that just does his job and does it exceptionally well. He’s not going to put up huge numbers like any of the aforementioned quarterbacks, but as we saw this year he can win a game when it matters.

Eli is an awkward kind of guy. He doesn’t seem to enjoy the spotlight. Watching him say, “I’m going to Disney World,” after this year’s Super Bowl was almost sickening to see because it’s so awkward. He doesn’t seem to know how to let loose and entertain the public, which isn’t his job by the way.

His job is to win Super Bowls, and he’s won two in the past five years. It’s time we take the blinders off and realize he’s for real. As quarterback numbers are increasing because of the new rules that hurt defenses, Eli’s numbers are going up with the rest of them. He was 67 yards away from 5,000 passing yards on the year. And now that he has some great receivers to surround him in Hicks, Cruz and Manningham (Side note: The Giant’s receivers are the reason they won the Super Bowl and the Patriots receivers are the reason they lost) he’ll be even more productive in years to come.

The era of Peyton and Brady are coming to an end. The time for Eli is now. He needs to start dating some hot swim suit model, take on a couple of commercials that show his funny side (if there is one) and maybe get arrested or something. That seems to be what the media view with greatness. Not the fact that he’s a winner and deserves to be at the top of the list of elite quarterbacks in this quarterback league.

You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com/

Keys to preparing for the Super Bowl

It’s that time of the year. I know it may not even feel like there is going to be a game played this weekend as both teams have been silent the past two weeks, but despite all that surrounds the big week there is actually going to be a meaningful game played in Indianapolis Sunday.

This is by far the biggest sporting event in America right now. The entire NFL season comes down to one game and whether you care about football or not, hundreds of millions of families and friends will plop down in front of the TV to watch the Patriots and Giants.

Getting prepared for the Super Bowl is more than just knowing who the players are, how each team got here and what the keys to the game are. You need to know what it’s going to take to make this night one of the most enjoyable nights of the season. Unlike other sports, you only get one shot a year at this. So be prepared to make it count.

1. Make sure you have food

The most important part about football season is food. If you can’t kick back and shove some fatty man-food down your throat, are you really even enjoying the game? Make sure you have the hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, dips and whatever your favorite side dish might be. If you’re looking for the easy way out, order a pizza way in advance of kickoff. If you’re looking to really have a good time, throw some wings in there as well. The game could be 30-0 in the second quarter, but if you’ve got enough food it will carry you the rest of the game.

2. Make sure your throne is prepared

I know it’s very important for most sports fans to make sure they have the best seat in the house to watch the game. Mine would be the recliner right in front of the TV or in a spot where people won’t be walking in front of me during the most important play of the game. Not only is the positioning of your seat essential, but the surroundings are crucial. A sturdy table close enough to hold your food plate and beverage is key, but not too close that you’ll knock it over when you jump up for a big play. If you can sit through the entire game without having to get up, then you deserve to wear the crown that comes with your throne.

3. Scout the pregame show

I don’t usually enjoy the pregame show coverage because I think it’s too extensive and I’m tired of hearing the same thing over and over. But there are some great parts of the pregame show you’re going to want to watch. Make sure you’re there at the beginning when they tell you what will be coming on. Whether it’s the Tom Brady or Eli Manning interview, the emotional story of Robert Kraft’s wife or something else, make sure you know when those are coming on and worry about preparing yourself for the actual game while they’re breaking down Gronkowski’s ankle for the one billionth time.

4. Be prepared for the commercials

Sometimes it’s more important to scout the commercials for the Super Bowl than the actual team’s themselves. Don’t be caught off-guard when a 3D commercial comes on. Have your glasses ready. Do your best to find out who is going to be having a commercial and if there is anything spectacular about it. You know who the usual suspects are. The past few years commercials haven’t been as great, but you don’t want to be that one person that’s reading all your friends’ tweets about that great commercial that you just missed because you were taking a potty break. I’d rather miss a Brandon Jacobs’ two-yard run than the best commercial of the Super Bowl.

5. Don’t waste your time with the halftime performance

These things are never really that great when you watch them on TV. Sure if you’re there on the field watching one of your favorite artists it’s probably the thrill of a lifetime, but more often than not the singer sounds horrible and the performance is too over the top. Madonna is this year’s performer so you shouldn’t be missing much. Unless you’re jam is on, use this time to go to the bathroom, grab some more food or drink and check your social networking websites.

As is the case with most football games, it’s not about the game itself; it’s about what surrounds the game. While this will be an entertaining game between two storied franchises, this is your last chance for a while to sit back and enjoy everything that makes football such a great sport. Make sure you enjoy it no matter what the outcome of the game is; if you’re still awake for the final snap.

You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com/

A sport in search of its Superstar

A couple of years ago the National Hockey League had no question about who to put on the front of every ad and what games to feature for prime time. But with the injury, or injuries, suffered to Sidney Crosby and the somewhat decline of Alexander Ovechkin the sport is searching for a new superstar to continue carrying them.

I think most people were looking forward to Crosby and Ovechkin battling it out for the next 10 years, with most people viewing Crosby as the “Golden Boy” of the sport. Now some people wonder if he’s played his last game.

This sport is in dire need of a player that will continue to help the sport grow. Some people may not realize that more fans actually attend hockey games than basketball games, but because ESPN holds the rights to NBA games they continue to put them out front on Sportscenter and try to persuade the people that it’s the more popular sport.

IF Crosby was healthy and the Pittsburgh Penguins were dominating the game, which they’re not bad without him, this sport would be even more popular with a player that could lead them to the front of the rundown every morning.

But that’s not the case and it’s time to start looking for the next player to stand out and lead the sport in the right direction. Here are a couple of candidates.

- Patrick Kane: He is the first player that comes to my mind when I think of someone who can take this sport over. He’s an American skater, he’s already won a Stanley Cup and been feature on the front of EA Sports NHL 10. Watching this year’s skills competition he was clearly the favorite in the crowd and pulling out that cape showed that he’s OK with having the spotlight on him and he doesn’t mind being a focal point. The Blackhawks are a good team (currently sixth in their division) and play in a huge market. He’s signed with the Blackhawks through 2014. The NHL needs to forget about Crosby and Ovechkin and make Kane their poster child. The only problem is he may not even be the best player on his team. Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp could all easily be considered better players. When or if Kane becomes the leader of this team he’ll easily replace Crosby and Ovechkin as the leader of the sport.

- Steven Stamkos: It would make sense to pick the best player in the league to lead your league, wouldn’t it? Stamkos is undoubtedly one of the best players of this sport. He is a Canadian who was picked number one overall in the 2008 draft and is only 21 years old. He is the best goal scorer in the league, leading so far (Jan. 31) this year with 32 goals, and he’s fifth in points with 52. He’s played in All-Star games and he made his debut in the playoffs last season. The only problem Stamkos faces is the team that he plays for. Not that the team is bad, although as of right now they sit nine points back of a playoff spot and are in a very weak division, but the market in which he plays in is horrible for a hockey player. He’s locked up with Tampa Bay for five more years, but if he can ever get into a big hockey market this kid could easily lead the charge for the NHL.

- Claude Giroux: He is quickly becoming the face of one of the more storied hockey franchises in the Philadelphia Flyers. His recent role in the 24/7 show on HBO leading up to the Winter Classic has also helped gain him some national attention. Playing well earlier in the season, he was a favorite to win the Hart Trophy. He is still currently second in the league in points, but his goals production has gone down each month since the season started. He’s made the All-Star Game the past two seasons and even scored a goal in the most previous one. The Flyers are good enough to keep him in the spotlight, I just think he needs more time to develop as a player and prove to the hockey world that he’s a star. The problem with Giroux is that’s he’s already had two separate incidents with concussions and we don’t want another Crosby situation on our hands. His production after the concussions shows that maybe he’s not over it yet. For the sport of hockey let’s hope he can become the player he was the first half of the season again.

- Evgeni Malkin: The most obvious choice would be to take a player who has already established popularity with NHL fans and who has become one of the more dominant players in quite possibly the most popular hockey market. The second overall pick in the 2004 draft, Malkin has won the Calder Memorial Trophy (top rookie), Art Ross Trophy (league’s top scorer) and the Conn Smythe Trophy as he, not Crosby, led the Pens to a Stanley Cup trophy in 2009. There are many problems leading to the fact that Malkin isn’t the leader of this sport already. The first one is Crosby. Once Crosby is out of his way, either by retiring or if one moves to another team, then Malkin will have is chance to reign supreme. Malkin is also Russian and some believe he would prefer to play in his home country. Malkin is the most established of the group and my favorite to take over the sport.

The fact of the matter is that one of these men, or some other up and coming star, needs to grab this sport and its fans and run with it. I believe had the NBA been locked out the NHL would have easily taken its place on ESPN. And even though it still feels like the NBA season hasn’t started because no one outside of ESPN really cares about it, the NHL has got to step up and pick someone that can be marketed to the casual hockey fans out there. I don’t know who it’s going to be, but I hope he emerges quickly and helps this sport get the attention it deserves.

You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com/

That awkward moment with Peyton Manning

Now normally his brother Eli is known for producing awkward moments with awkward looking faces, but the situation Peyton sits in now has got to be one of the most uncomfortable situations in sports.

You can either have your superstar quarterback who has made your franchise everything that is today, or you can draft one of the most highly touted quarterbacks to ever come out of college that could possibly keep your team relevant for the next 10 years or longer?

Yeah, it’s not exactly an easy decision. After a disastrous season the Colts front office has pretty much changed the entire staff. That would leave you to believe they’re also getting ready to change the face of their franchise.

Now, how is anyone going to walk up to Peyton Manning and tell him that he’s not going to be their quarterback anymore? And how are you going to explain to a loyal fan base that the player that’s led them to a Super Bowl in the last five years is being traded?

The fact is I believe Manning’s production is going downhill. He hasn’t looked the same to me since Marvin Harrison left, which was a strange evacuation in itself, and who really knows how healthy he is? Based on that you can’t blame the Colts for doing what’s best for the franchise’s future.

On the other hand you have a quarterback who has yet to prove himself in the NFL. Many experts think he’s ready to make the transition now, but what if he falters early. There have been plenty of quarterbacks taken with the first pick in the draft that haven’t exactly panned out (See JaMarcus Russell).

There is definitely risk in taking a quarterback early and I’m not as sold on Andrew Luck as most of the experts are. Tony Dungy even suggested that the Colts should take Robert Griffin first. While I think Dungy was just being nice, Luck is obviously the first choice in the draft and I think the Colts will make it.

So now what?

The Colts can either trade Peyton and probably get a pretty good return, or they hang on to him and let him mentor Luck for the next three years. Meanwhile Luck gets no game experience and just gets older.

The latter situation worked out great for the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers, no thanks to Brett Favre who admittedly said he didn’t help Rodgers. So Rodgers could have been dominating the league even sooner?

This decision just seems too easy for the Colts. Somebody is going to have to man up and tell Peyton that his time here is done and that they are moving in a different direction. They can get Luck, trade Peyton for future picks and build a franchise that will be able to compete for Super Bowls in the near and distant future.

Some of the best decision you make in life or in sports are not easy ones. It wasn’t easy for the Braves to tell Smoltz, Glavine and Maddux that they couldn’t take them back. But they did it and they’re better off now because of it. The Braves continued to bring young pitchers through the system and are now setup to compete for years.

Peyton and Colt’s fans are not going to like this decision, but trust me, it’s what’s best for the franchise. I think everyone knows it, but everyone likes and respects Peyton too much to say it to his face. He’s not dumb, even though he acts like it in his commercials. He can see the writing on the wall. He just wants somebody to step up and say it to him.

You can follow Jake on Twitter at: @j8a1k0e or on his MLB Braves blog at: http://bravesandmore.mlblogs.com/