4 Majors?! How About No!

The other day while having a sports discussion with one of my closest friends a question was posed to me that made stop and think a bit longer than usual.  My friend asked me why what is considered the four most popular sports in the United States is still referred to as the Four Majors when there really are only three major sports in the U.S?

The four major sports leagues in America have long been known as Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League.  However, upon thinking about the question posed by my friend I have come to conclusion that there is only three sports that currently matter in American society: baseball, football, and basketball.

That's right you guess it NOBODY cares about hockey!

I couldn't tell you the last time I watched a hockey game in its entirety and I consider myself a fan of the New York Rangers.  Hell, I couldn't even tell you where to find a nationally televised NHL game.  I do know that since their most recent lockout the NHL is now on the Versus Network but I have no idea what channel that is on my cable package nor do I know what days of the week they broadcast games.  

So maybe now you are thinking this guy just doesn't like hockey or you can label me a hockey hater.  It is true that I do not care much for the sport at all and I think it is a bit boring along with the fact that fighting appears to be at least a third of most NHL highlights on SportsCenter is just simply stupid.  However, it is clear that I am not the only one that does not care about hockey. 

Who else doesn't care about hockey? 

THE MEDIA!!

That's right the media coverage of hockey is no longer the same since the most recent lockout.  A prime example is the New York Daily News and the New York Post's most recent coverage of the New York Rangers Game 3 Quarterfinal Round matchup against the Washington Capitals. On Tuesday Morning after the Rangers playing their first post-season home game  and suffering their first loss of the opening round series after being up 2 games to none were shockingly not the back page story.  It was shocking considering they were the only professional sports team in town playing a game that night.  The Mets had an off-day and the Yankees game against the Athletics had been rained out.  However, both papers had back page stories on the two local baseball teams who had not played a game the day before.  

If one of the original franchises in your sports can't make the back pages of two of the largest papers in the largest media market in the country after a home playoff game then your sport is in trouble.  I know that New York is a baseball town but it speaks volumes when sports editors don't even consider a Rangers home playoff loss a major story.  If it is the post-season and your hockey team is not a major story in a major market then it is clear your sport simply is no longer major!!

13 Levels of Losing Revisited

Almost a month ago, March 28th to be exact, I painfully watched as my alma mater lost in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.  The University of Pittsburgh's 78 to 76 loss to Villanova was one of the most heartbreaking losses I have ever endured as a sports fan.  My Pitt Panthers had come back from blowing a lead to tying the game in the final seconds.  However Scottie Reynolds layup with 0.5 seconds left gave the Wildcats the lead for good and broke my heart at the same time.

I remember just being stunned and leaving the living room where I was watching the game with my girlfriend and my parents, realizing that my chances of my school reaching their first Final Four was over.  It was a crushing blow at the time and still stings as I and many other Panther fans had high expectations for the program this year.  However, as a sports fan reflecting upon the game I have come to realize that I had the opportunity to witness one of the best NCAA tournament games ever.  Still that realization does not take away from the fact the loss still hurts, stings, or whatever adjective you would use to describe a painful loss.

Whenever I experience a loss such as the aforementioned Pitt Elite Eight Exit I am constantly reminded of what may be my favorite sports article of all-time.  That article written by the talented ESPN Page 2 Writer entitled " The 13 Levels of Losing" breaks down the various heartbreaking losses we experience as sports fans.  After this horrific loss I had to refer to my favorite article as a guide to see exactly which level/category this loss belonged in.  

I truly believe that Simmons covered every kind of possible heartbreaking loss in this article and as a fan of the New York Mets, New York Knicks, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Panthers I truly believe I have experienced at least 75 percent of the 13 possible levels of losing.  Pitt's loss to Villanova surely fits the definition of a Level II loss which is the second worst sports loss that any fan can suffer:

(From Simmons's Article)

Level II: The Stomach Punch
Definition: Now we've moved into rarefied territory, any roller-coaster game that ends with A) an opponent making a pivotal (sometimes improbable) play, or B) one of your guys failing in the clutch ... usually ends with fans filing out after the game in stunned disbelief, if they can even move at all ... always haunting, sometimes scarring ... there are degrees to the Stomach Punch Game, depending on the situation ... for instance, Sunday's Kings-Lakers game and Monday's Celts-Nets game featured agonizing endings, but they weren't nearly as agonizing as Cleveland's Earnest Byner fumbling against Denver when he was about two yards and 0.2 seconds away from sending the Browns to the Super Bowl).

Best Example: Wouldn't it have to be the Titans-Bills playoff game from '99, when the Bills kicked the alleged game-winning field goal in the final seconds, then Tennessee pulled off that miracle Wycheck-to-Dyson lateral play for the game-winning TD (on the kickoff, with no time remaining)? Not only was that a Top 5 Stomach Punch game, it doubled as the greatest Gambling Moment of all-time (since Tennessee ended up covering by a half-point). That was un-beeeeeeeeeeeeeee-lievable.

Personal Memory: Magic draining that baby sky hook to topple the Celts in Game 4 of the '87 Finals, capping off a Celtics collapse and preceding Bird nearly saving the game at the buzzer (he missed a 25-foot prayer by about 1/100th of an inch). Fifteen years have passed and I still haven't fully recovered from that chain of events. Unreal.

Yes, a stomach punch! That's exactly how I felt as I stared at the television in disbelief.  It was if someone had just punched me in the stomach after watching a great Big East battle.  If you knew that kind of loss was coming trust me nobody would have watched...it was just too painful!! I couldn't even talk after the loss as I sat in silence.  Damn was all that I could say and it is all that I could say as I am still haunted my the visual of Reynolds layup dropping through the basket.  

The beauty of sports is the joy we feel when our teams win but also the possible hurt we feel when our teams loss.  That is what makes sports great and that why we as fans watch.  However, the next time I watch my team play in a big game with everything on the line I think I am going to protect my stomach! 

Hope For The Mets Fan?

If your a New York Mets fan then you had to have an upset stomach watching ace pitcher Johan Santana exit Mondays Opening Day game against Cincinati in the sixth inning and turn the game over to bullpen witha 2-1 lead.  After last season's second consecutive September swoon and Santana having recieved seven no decisions after turnign the game over to bullpen; one had to think it could not get any worse. 

Well maybe things have gotten better...at least for one day.

On Opening Day the Metropolitan bullpen was stellar as Sean Green, J.J. Putz, and closer Francisco Rodriguez combined to get the final 10 outs of the ballgame as the Mets held on for a 2-1 victory over the Reds.  Obviously it is just one game but you have to credit General Manager Omar Minaya for recognizing the problem with the bullpen and totally revamping the pen in the off-season.  In fact, the only returnee from last year's horrid bullpen committee is Pedro Feliciano.

It was clear that the woes of the 2008 bullpen affected the whole team down the stretch of last season.  Not one player, manager Jerry Manuel or one fan had faith that anyone could get an out when it counted.  Monday's Opening Day performance gives the Mets fan hope for 2009.  There is now proof (while a small sample) that 2009 can be much different from 2008 other than the last digit on the year changing.  The Mets appear to have a bullpen that can be trusted anchored by a former closer in Putz and one of the best closers in the game in Rodriguez.

As a Mets fan last season I prayed that every starter could go the distance without every having to use the bullpen.  However, even though I and other Mets fans knew that was unrealistic that is just an example of how your expectations will change if your bullpen is THAT bad.    The Mets first victory of the season is a confidence boost for everyone (the players, the organization and the fans) and as the final out was recorded on Monday, Omar Minaya had to be smiling.  

I know I was smiling and I still am. 

However, for the Mets fan the season really starts in September as the past two seasons smiles in April have turned to to frowns after Labor Day. 

Stephenson Plays The Waiting Game

I awoke this morning thinking I would be interview Abraham Lincoln high school basketball phenom Lance Stephenson after his announcement of where he would play his collegiate basketball. Stephenson kept his word (sort of) and made an announcement to the media at approximately 11:45 this morning. The 6'6 senior swingman announced that he would not be making announcement regarding his basketball future at this time as he released the following statement:



"After discussing it, my father and I have decided the best thing to do is continue reviewing my choices. For now, I would like to focus on the McDonald's All American Game tomorrow. I am proud to be a part of this event that raises funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities.We thank the media and the McDonald's team for making this event possible. I apologize to anyone who was expecting a decision today. I look forward to a great game and to making this college decision at a later date."



As of now that later date is unknown as Stephenson has reportedly narrowed his choices down to St. John's University and the University of Kansas. Sources close the situation informed earlier this month that Stephenson "hinted" at playing for SJU and would announce it on March 21st after the PSAL championship game. However, Stephenson opted to move his announcement to the 31st at the McDonald's All American Media day. The Lincoln senior and his family felt that it would be better stage/setting to announce it in Miami. However, I do not think Stephenson could have asked for a better stage than making his announcement at the World's Most Famous Arena after winning his fourth consecutive PSAL championship.

Many have speculated that Stephenson is closely monitoring the roster situations at both Kansas and Kentucky and may consider joining Memphis head coach John Calipari if he leaves for Kentucky. While I believe that is highly unlikely I do think it is possible that Stephenson could be waiting to see if Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins deflect Kansas for the NBA. Kansas who recently made a run to the Elite Eight in this years NCAA tournament could be losing some talent to the NBA. Stephenson has made it known that he wants to be surrounded with quality talent.

While I am aware the decision must be a tough one for Stephenson and his family, the two postponements of the announcement have turned the announcement of a high school senior into a soap opera. Now everyone is speculating where exactly Stephenson will go and new rumors such as him going to Kentucky will pop up each day that the decision is not announced. Stephenson may have avoided the media and the tough questioning today but he will be bombarded with questions as to why the decision making process for one the country's top high school players is taking so long.

As I member of the media I have to admit that processes that are dragged out like this are a bit nerving. Journalist end up feeding the public stories that are not really stories. For example today I wrote a story about an player announcing that he would not be making an announcement! Yippee!! Is anyone excited yet?! Has the drama been built up enough?! As sports journalist we probably should respectfully await the decision of the Railsplitter senior and then tell the story when we actually have a story. However, over the next few days, weeks, or however long it takes for Lance to actually announce his decision, many media outlets will create stories fueled by speculation regarding Stephenson that aren't really stories at all.

I guess we all are just waiting. Schools are waiting and praying that a talented young basketball player from Coney Island will attend their school. Stephenson is waiting to see what will be the best situation for his future. The media and its members are waiting to be the first person to break the story or be the first person to say "I told you so" if their prediction about where Lance will end up is correct. Fans are waiting in hope that their school/program lands a marquee player. So we are all waiting whether we like it or not.

We are simply waiting for one young man to make one announcement. A young man with a nickname I love: "Born Ready." A nickname that is quite fitting as I am ready for the real announcement. So forget all the hype, the speculation and cancelled announcements. Just give me a legit announcement date and I will be ready to go!

Best of 2008

In the past year I was blessed with a great oppotunity to produce "one-man-band" reporting pieces for NYPost.com. My experience as a sports reporter for the website allowed to view many new things as a sports journalist. I covered almost every major professional NY metro-area sports team and I enjoyed it all from practice, to press conferences to locker room interviews. Let's take a look at some of my favorite stories from 2008:

I believe that one of the greatest sports accomplishments I have witnessed in my short life was Michael Phelps winning eight Olympic Gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Watch the world class swimmer dominate in the pool was amazing. Even more amazing may have been how once he returned to the United States, he gave back to the community with a donation to the YMCA of Greater New York.



While one of the greatest sports moments of the year was the New York Giants winning the Super Bowl; one of the greatest stories in football also had to be the NY Jets acquisition of future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre. Favre's first practice at Hofstra was truly memorable. Unfortunately, the season was not as memorable as the Jets missed the playoffs after starting the season 8-3.



New York is also home to the U.S. Open (Tennis) and last year I had the pleasure of attending and covering my first U.S. Open. Even more excting was the fact that I was priviliged to view a great match between two of the greatest female tennis players of all-time, Serena and Venus Willams.



Occasionally I had the opportunity to do a few non-sports related stories and have some fun. The most interesting was probably covering the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight. TDK which is now one of my favorite superhero/comic book based movies of all time was amazing to watch. However, even more interesting were some of the "characters" I interviewed before and after the premiere.



Other events that occurred in the NYC during the summer had the feel of premiere events. The All-Star Game Parade and visit by the U.S. Men's National Basketball Team aka The Redeem Team before they left for Bejing were exceptionally electric events.



As you may already see the events I covered were very diverse. However, from Michael Strahan's retirement to Joey Chestnut defending his hot dog eating title at Coney Island, to the New York Mets second straight collapse, and to the Giants preparing for another playoff run, I enjoyed seeing and experiencing it all in 2008!







NOTE: All videos were produced by Dexter Henry.