10 Things I Hate About (People In) Sports (Pt. 2)

It's NFL Pro Bowl weekend.  1-week countdown to the Superbowl and we're still reeling from the now-infamous non-call during the Saints/Rams game.  If you want my take on it, yes, you should be able to challenge EVERYTHING.  No, we don't need an additional challenge, but the teams do need to be able contest a missed call or one that should not have been made.  True, officials make mistakes all the time.  They're human.  True, "holding" is committed by an offensive lineman on almost every play in some way.  But some obvious calls should or shouldn't be made that have significant impact on the game.  Give the coach a chance to ask for a review.   But these are my opinions...   

In the meantime, fans, the commissioner will NOT exercise the authority of a game replay.  That rule applies to crazy, unforeseen and uncontrollable occurrences like a fan running onto the field and actually obstructing play.  Calm down. And y'all wonder why you're on this list?

Sooooo, picking up where we left off.  No intro necessary!
[If you missed Part 1, click here.]

10 Things I Hate About (People In) Sports (Pt. 2)

6.  Disloyal professional athletes - I can understand how you want to be traded when you're on a dead-end team that doesn't even seem to WANT to improve.  But I especially admire those that choose to stay and BE the change they want to experience.  But with franchise tags, free agency and God knows what else, who has real incentives to stay with a team for very long?  Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain", Denver's "Orange Crush", Minnesota's "Purple People Eaters"? Not any time soon.  You just can't keep players together.

And what's with this joining teams full of superstars? What fun is winning a video game if your player has a rating of 100 in all categories?  Where's the challenge?  Michael Jordan (yup, I said it again) said he wanted to BEAT the best.  Not be WITH them.

7.  Disloyal fans - Plain and simple: If you won't stick with your team when they're struggling, don't come waving the team flag when they're playoff bound.  I swear some of you change teams more than you do your underwear!

One of my funniest memories was back in 2001, when Bears fans left the game early, having given up on their team.  Sure, you want to beat traffic when all hope is lost, but I'm with my team until the end.  Guess what?  The team came back to force overtime and won when Bears safety Mike Brown intercepted a pass and ran it into the endzone.  That very next game, there was a fan in the stands brandishing a sign that read, "I will NEVER leave a Bears game again!"

Want a crazier fact?  The VERY NEXT game ended the EXACT SAME WAY!!  The Bears forced overtime and yes, Mike Brown ended it with another Pick Six!  First and only time in history!  Miss you, Mike!

8.  "Participation" trophies - Look, I realize that it's all about having fun, but you still need to teach children some sense of a competitive spirit.  I know kids that honestly don't care about winning because their parents told them they'd be getting their "Very Own TROPHY!!!" after the season. 

When I was coming up, the champions got the best trophies, along with those that made the playoffs.  Team MVPs as well.  But everyone else? Ribbons and certificates.  I don't have a problem with that.  "Fun" is fine, but "complacency" is just flat-out enabling.  But these are my opinions.  

9.  Celebrities who can't stay in their lane - Point 1: Yeah, it's fun, watching celebrities give personal opinions alongside the actual commentators, but hiring Dennis Miller to host Monday Night Football simply because he's the "in" comedian? Sacrilege! Let's leave the analysis to the specialists, shall we?  One of the most shameful moments in sports was when I listened to former Laker, Magic Johnson during one of his first attempts in the booth.  Listening to him say, "He thowed the ball" (no, there is no typo there) was a clear indication of a lack of proper education.  In fact, his vocabulary was so dreadful that he soon became the butt of stand-up and sketch comedies for years.  Thankfully, he had the good sense to get some tutoring because after a recognizable break, you noticed significant improvement.

Point 2: I love when the cameras give you the "Who's Who" during Laker pre-game and time-out breaks (Tom Cruise, Charlize Theron, Salma Hayek, Eliza Dushku, Dustin Hoffman, etc.), it's a roll call of the rich and famous.  But when Kobe Bryant lost his cool during a game and Jack Nicholson WALKED ONTO the court with calming, outstretched hands, clearly mouthing, "Kobe, Calm DOWN",  I came to the conclusion that celebrity privilege had just gone too far.  Sit down, Jack.  The "Shining" from the arena lights is reflecting off of your bald spot for all to see.

...and what about Kevin Hart trying to crash the stage during the Lombardi trophy presentation during Superbowl LII?  Why are you even on the field?

10. Team Fans, in general - "How Bout Dem Cowboys?", "Who Dey", "Go Pack Go", "O-H", "Da Bears" (yeah, even some of my fellow Bears fans) can be quite over-the-top sometimes.  Whether it's the FSU Tomahawk Chop or the Steeler's Terrible Towels, sometimes we forget how obnoxious we can be.  Yes, your team may be doing well this season.  They might be recent champions or even better, in the making of a Dynasty.  But not everyone thinks that you're "America's Team".  Have you checked around the league lately? It's hilarious how many teams are hated simply because of the brass personalities of their fans.

And look people, just because people move to your town it does NOT mean they're going to convert to your colors.  Don't expect them to join you in your war chant and for God's sake, don't lose your mind when they install a mailbox with the inbox color and logo of your rival.  It's healthy competition, not politics!

Well, that's it.  What do you think? Do you agree? Can you think of something I haven't mentioned? I'd love to know your thoughts!

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