Clip Show 2012

A New Look in LA

Last season, it wasn’t even close. The top storyline in the NBA was the Miami Heat. After a controversial summer that included The Decision and King James’ prediction of “not one, not two…” rings, the Heat overcame some early stumbles and made it all the way to the Finals. Even more alluring, it was a rematch of 2006 and Dirk Nowitski had a chance to avenge the beating Dwyane Wade put on him, psychologically and physically. The ultimate heel of the NBA came in with three All Stars and left without a ring. So far, LeBron has been right: not two, not three…

This season has plenty to choose from. You have the lockout, where many people came to the conclusion that “Emperor Stern has no clothes!” Then you have the Cancelled-Trade-gate between New Orleans and Los Angeles – again, a scenario that didn’t play out very well for the Commish. The Miami Heat are simply doing more of the same; Derrick Rose appears to be challenging for a repeat MVP performance. The Celtics are losing a battle with the still-undefeated Father Time. To me, though, the most compelling spectacle is Oop City, aka Lob Angeles, aka the Blake Show. Whatever you want to call the franchise owned by the much maligned Donald Sterling, the new look Clippers are Must See TV.

Detractors are arguing that flashy, athletic, Sports Center Top Ten teams rarely make deep playoff runs when pitted against veteran groups like the Lakers, Spurs, and Mavericks. Those who are hopping on the bandwagon believe there is a new sheriff in town in Hollywood (a notion Kobe seems to be fighting off with his 40+ point barrages). The non-believers have plenty of evidence to fall back on. They can point to the Run-TMC offense of Golden State of the late 80s/early 90s, or perhaps look to the more recent efforts of the Phoenix Suns with Amare’ Stoudamire, Shawn Marion and Steve Nash. Plenty of wins, a million highlights, zero championships.

In my opinion, the 2012 Clippers have an X-Factor that separates them from some of the exciting teams of the past. The defense isn’t phenomenal, but De’Andre Jordan cleans up a lot of mistakes (Cough! I’m looking at you, Chauncey Billups). They don’t have a ton of experience, but Caron Butler, Billups and Paul have been in some big playoff games in their careers. But the difference is that this team, which is terribly flawed at the important shooting guard position, has the best competitor in the league. That’s right, I’m saying that this very day, Chris Paul from Wake Forest has more competitive chops than even Kobe Bean Bryant.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Kobe is still the Black Mamba and one of the baddest men on the planet. I love his television ads with all the celebrities, and we certainly can’t discredit his scoring ability. But I can’t get over what I saw in the playoffs last year against Dallas. I don’t think Kobe would ever quit in a game or in a series, but he sort of doesn’t look like he cares as much anymore. He’s already won two titles without Shaquille O’Neal, and I think he’s come to terms with the fact that nobody’s going to give him the GOAT tag. He’s only one ring behind Michael Jordan, having won five in Phil Jackson’s triangle offense to MJ’s six.

All that said, CP3 has always done more with less, his whole career. Kobe’s Lakers once suffered a talent drain and a mini-rebuild. The lowest point was missing the playoffs with a lineup that included Smush Parker, Kwame Brown, and some other forgettable. Number 24 played well and “tried,” but eventually made it clear: get me some talent or send me on my way! Paul, on the other hand, seems to always drag his team to the playoffs. Forget the fact that the second best player on the Hornets at the time David West being injured. Forget about the best big man on the team being the undersized Emeka Okafur. People forget that before he got injured, Chris was a runner-up for MVP the year Mr. Bryant won it. His coming-out party may have been the series against the Mavericks when he ran circles around future Hall-of-Famer Jason Kidd, a matchup that was punctuated at a timeout when CP# ran to the sideline visibly telling his coaches “He can’t guard me!”

Now, while he doesn’t have Gasol and Bynum in the post or the tradition that comes with the other Staples Center tenant, Chris Paul has two airborne targets in Griffin and Jordan, and more importantly he has the spotlight. I haven’t seen a six-footer take over the game in this fashion since Allen Iverson. Oh, and by the way, in two preseason games and one that counts in the standings, the Clippers have swept the Lakers 3-0. I’m just saying.

Naledi Semela 

Clutch Gene

Somewhere, in a dark laboratory in Chicago or San Francisco or maybe Boston, there is an ambitious young scientist analyzing stem cells, trying to confirm the existence of a genetic trait which lends itself to a predisposition for timely heroics. ESPN First Take analyst Skip Bayless has been making reference to the “clutch gene” for years now. Having covered the Chicago Bulls in the nineties, a front-seat witness to many a Michael Jordan fourth quarter, Skip’s professional opinion is laden with credibility. In team sports, there are a plethora of factors that can affect an athlete’s success or ineptitude in decisive moments. That said, if we can presume not that all things are equal but that a large enough sample size will weed out many of the flukes, then we can examine the tendency for some superstars to play big in the game’s biggest moments. I have some up and down votes on a couple of today’s controversial leading men.

 LeBron James

LeBron James, Forward, Miami Heat

This is a no brainer for me, but I’ll offer a few disclaimers. For one, this guy has been compared to the greatest at least since he was sixteen years old. It is sports blasphemy to mention Michael Jordan’s name next to any other basketball player. In general, that name serves as the golden standard for… well, everything. Michael Jordan is the Michael Jordan of basketball, so I will not use his unique body of work to slam LeBron. Instead, I will simply revisit some of his career highlights and lowlights, so to speak.

Exhibit A: Impressive start. LeBron’s NBA and Cleveland Cavaliers debut saw the eighteen year old star post 25 pts, 9 ast , 6 rbs and 4 stl against a Sacramento Kings team that was still considered a juggernaut in the league, albeit in a losing effort. The numbers were there from literally the onset, on his way to winning Rookie of the Year honors, but the winning wasn’t; the Cavs did not make the playoffs.

Exhibit B: Playoff Debut. In 2006, James set all kinds of franchise records in Cleveland, including points scored in a season. He led his team to the playoffs and even to a game seven versus the Detroit Pistons. But in the biggest and “clutchest” moment of his still young career, Bron’s Cavs only managed 61 points, a record low for any game seven. James had one field goal in the second half.

Exhibit C: The Promised Land. LBJ has now, after his eight year, made it to the NBA Finals on two occasions. The problem is he needed eight wins to earn two rings. He got two wins, both coming when he was a secondary option to former Finals MVP Dwyane Wade.

Ruling: LeBron James, while unquestionably a top basketball talent, does not appear to have been blessed with the illusive clutch gene. Time after time, the pressure of the biggest moment has revealed the star forward to be a bit gun-shy. The one exception would be the big game-winning three he hit in the 2009 playoffs (Game 2, ECF) against the rival Orlando Magic, but then again, they lost that series.

 Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow, QB Denver Broncos

This guy has the potential to have his face on the cover of Time Magazine for the way he has transcended the sport of football. As the Tebow 3:16 marches to Massachusetts for a playoff game, the bandwagon seems to be accommodating more and more passengers every day. In the same way that I don’t hold basketball players of today against the backdrop of His Airness, I’ll try not to mention the fourth quarter exploits of Joe Montana, John Elway, or even Tom Brady. When it comes to clutch, the Gator-turned-Bronco has consistently demonstrated that if nothing else, he’s got late game gumption. He has been called the Anti-LeBron. Let’s leave alone whether or not the guy is a viable NFL quarterback; let us instead turn simply to his fourth quarter and overtime comeback wins and near-wins. The opening snap of the first new-rules overtime against the heavily favored Pittsburg Steelers on Sunday night was the icing on a cake baked with several other victims Tebowmania.

Exhibit A: Champion. Unlike James, Tim Tebow went to college and won there. And although he didn’t live up to the undefeated season that he and some experts predicted, a singular failure led to a memorable press conference speech and the Florida Gators marching to a national BCS championship.

Exhibit B: J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets! Before the game in week eleven, star cornerback Darrelle Revis claimed that the New York defense need only not fall asleep in the secondary to defeat Tim and the Broncos. I guess Revis Island pressed the snooze button because after an abysmal showing in the first, second, and third quarters, Tebow delivered a 95-yard drive, capped off by a game-winning 20-yard run.

Exhibit C: What new rules? Had the 2012 NFL playoffs kept the same rules as last year, we wouldn’t know it yet. Because in what many have deemed the best performance of Tebow’s two year NFL career, the Broncos opened the extra session with an eighty yard touchdown pass, sending the Steelers home earlier than they planned.

Ruling: Somebody could write a book on the ongoing media-driven debate over whether or not Tebow is capable of playing or deserves to play quarterback in the NFL. In fact, I’m almost sure somebody is working on that book right now. But given a fifteen game sample size with which to work, I’d have to say the deoxyribonucleic composition of the Broncos young starter does in fact include the clutch gene.

Final Thought

If I had to choose between being Pat Riley and John Elway – that is: would I prefer to have a roster that includes LeBron James or Tim Tebow – I’d go with Riles every time. James is one of the three or four best players in basketball, certainly  a top two small forward. As Ravens linebacker Terelle Suggs said, I wouldn’t want to be praying on the sideline late in the fourth quarter, waiting for a miracle to get a win. I’d much rather be in a position to dominate throughout a game. Ideally a team’s season doesn’t come down to a game winning shot or drive or penalty. But if your superstar comes up short consistently like LeBron who may in fact not have the genetic makeup of a closer, I’m going to want to have another player on my roster, one who has proven that he rises to the highest occasions. I don’t know, maybe a guy like Dwyane Wade.

Nelly Semela

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Happy New Year! I am so thankful for the blessing of seeing another year! As a mom, it means another year to see my children grow into all that they are becoming. It also means we have another chance to make a new start—that is very exciting for me. My holidays were bittersweet and started with my mom having surgery to amputate her leg. She is two weeks from turning 91 years old and her only prayer before the surgery was for all of her children to be okay and to be safe. No matter how old we get, parents always carry their children close to their heart. I am so thankful that the surgery was a success and that my mom is doing well.

The reality of being a football mom means that many Christmases have been spent with post –season bowl games. Once our son entered the NFL, his regular season extended through the holidays. For the first time in 10 years, all three of my sons were home for Christmas. I cannot begin to tell you what a treat that was for all of us. Our oldest made breakfast on Christmas morning and tried making waffles from scratch for the first time. The waffles were very salty but we ate as much as we could. The omelets and grits were great and made up for the waffles. We spend the rest of the day playing games, watching football, eating more food and we squeezed in a late night movie where most of us fell asleep before it ended. I spent the day smiling and thanking God for this gift.

This is the third day into the New Year and my thoughts are racing with information to share with all of you. Last year we took a critical look at safety of children while playing sports and the seriousness of concussions. We were shocked at the gruesome stories of child molestation in by coaches and stories of suicides that were linked to blows to the head by athletes. We looked at college sports recruitment and address many topics near and dear to parents.

As many of you know, I am a sports parent advocate. Lately, I have had many parents approach me to find out if I could share information about lesser reported sports like swimming, cheerleading, squash, table tennis and wrestling. Each Thursday, I will be featuring Thursdays Sports Spots where I will highlight interesting news and information across the sports world. I would love to hear from you and your experience with working with your child’s sports career. Please share your challenges, concerns and success tips.

Parenting is one of my biggest accomplishments but also one of my most daunting challenges. My children are 28, 22 and 19 years old and I am now learning to parent from a distance. I pray the lesson that I’ve learned, and those that I am still learning, will help you and your children.

I have found much joy being a sports parent. I have also seen tremendous benefits for my children. I pray you find much joy and peace in 2012 and that your children thrive as they pursue their path in sports. Be blessed and enjoy the journey!

DJ

SIDELINE PASS Cuties!

By Mia Jackson

We’re halfway through the season and just as some teams break away from the field, there are standout cuties! Some of these guys are smoking hot and we can’t wait to share the ones we’ve found. This week we’ll look at the SURPRISES in the league to see who we’d want to sit close to on the sideline.

Fly Like an Eagle Kurt Coleman #42 Philadelphia Eagles, Free Safety

Fine Philly Eagle Kurt Coleman

Fiiire! Umph those Ohio Players! The late round pick was born, bred and educated in the state of Ohio. The safety is well known for his workouts and considered “a demon in the weight room.” (USA Today) He’ll need to do more of that to help out his Eagles. The team has not lived up to expectations, surprising many of us who considered the team a strong Super Bowl contender. But while this man is incredibly fun to look at, I’m more impressed by his giving heart. He’s been touched by a number of challenging events – Tyson Gentry, a teammate was paralyzed following a hit he took from Coleman during practice. Kurt was so shaken, he nearly quit the game of football but the forgiving Gentry and his family convinced him to stay at Ohio State. He made the most of the return, becoming a three-year starter, team captain and first-team All-American. Soon thereafter, his father was diagnosed with breast cancer. The disease DOES target men, even if it is extremely rare. After the ordeal, Coleman was determined to help others and he joined Uplifting Athletes, an organization created to support people suffering from rare diseases.

Working Back to the Top  Taylor Mays #26  – Cincinnati Bengals, Defensive Back

Taylor Made for the Cuties!

Taylor Mays drew high praise and a lot of attention during the 2010 draft. He’s turning our heads still, but for different reasons. At 6’3″ his size and clearly the muscles reminded scouts of Adrian Wilson, while his hitting ability landed comparisons to the late and very great Sean Taylor. So expectations were high! The defensive talent locked up honor after after honor at USC and coaches were prepared for him to reach the same level in the NFL.  Soon though, he wasn’t quite working in the Singletary scheme in San Franciso so the Niners traded him to the ‘Nati. Now, Mays is working to rebuild and restart after a good preseason that unfortunately left him injured. The last two weeks were his first on the field since the 2011 official season started. He’s working in slowly, but Coach Marvin Lewis adding him into the defensive schemes in the last few games. The Bengals are winning with the rookie Red Rifle Dalton at QB. This team is certainly one of the good surprises in the league. Work your way back with these surprising Bengals, Mr. Mays.

Baby Let’s Cruz! Victor Cruz #80 -  New York Giants, Wide Receiver

Cruzin' - on a Sunday afternoon!

Victor Cruz entered the season expecting to be 4th on the Giants’ depth chart behind three top players. Then injuries hit. Just like in other circumstances, Cruz was ready to take control when the opportunity presented itself. While at the University of Mass, he didn’t start a game until his junior year and still managed to land the 4th all-time receptions spot. Undrafted, he earned his way onto the New York roster and kept those beautiful, long lean legs ready to go. I would love to see those legs dancing because Cruz moves so smoothly up and down the field. The Puerto Rican hottie makes his one-handed touchdown grabs look easy, although we know how much time and talent it takes to push to that level. His play even caught the eye of LeBron James who tweeted about his catch against the Jets: “Victor Cruz going nuts on the Jets tonight on #MNF 2nd Tweet:  “Undrafted rookie from UMass. He’s gonna have a job this year for sure.” Yep, of course LeBron would notice. Game recognize game.

La Russa - McGwire Still Together

Mark McGwire stood next to Tony LaRussa plotting what turned out to be the winning strategy for Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. Ron Washington stood, arms folded on the fence praying for two winning outs that didn’t happen. I love these Rangers – but I love good baseball more. Watching them take on the never-say-die St. Louis Cardinals tonight, I went back to 1989 when the Mac & Tony were paired on the Oakland A’s team for the Bay Bridge Series against the San Francisco Giants. They won that time in a 4-game sweep, LaRussa as manager and Mark as one of the hot bats in the lineup. The drama for that series happened in a much different way – Mother Nature rocked the Bay with an earthquake that devastated Northern California cities. Jack Buck was a radio announcer. I was 9 months pregnant and my daughter was born in the middle of the extended dates contest.

Rangers Manager Ron Washington

I haven’t felt this excited about the game of baseball in the 22 years since. Tonight, I couldn’t move. I cursed. I screamed. I exhaled and released. I almost expected McGwire’s big bat to resurface and in a way, it did. These hitters have learned from Big Mac. The game almost sounded the same. Joe Buck channeled the winning call of his father and commanded our attention with his similarly smooth style I’ve grown to love. The seesaw leads, steamy bats and childlike enthusiasm of both teams kept the nation enthralled. I didn’t want it to end. But it did with the David Freese home run in front of his home town in extra innings. That’s how baseball go.

Watching the nervous Ron Washington and the determined LaRussa, I couldn’t have scripted a better night game. I like seeing this white-haired Mark McGwire still in the game – and I remember the Mac I want to remember, from those A’s days on deck, not on Capitol Hill. All of this is why I love the game. I will be ready Friday night with them.

The drama for Thursday night’s series was all on the field. The incredible bats and balls bounced for the fans; folks were transfixed across the globe. THIS is how baseball is supposed to feel!

by Mia M. Jackson

Brad Pitt as Billy Beane - FAME Pictures

The story may be about baseball business, but this is personal. Brad Pitt brought a small yet astoundingly significant part of baseball history to life in the new film “Moneyball.” Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane‘s story remains legend for some, a fairy tale for others. Regardless, Moneyball the film captures a glorious season that made many believe in the little team that could.

See the Moneyball Trailer

For years while living in the SF Bay I followed the Oakland A’s. Fans who listened to radio and watched the games remember “Get Miggy with it!” and “Huddy on the Mound” as we referred to the hot play of shortstop Miguel Tejada and starting pitcher Tim Hudson among others. It was a love story without a kiss. While watching the film, I surely annoyed the hell out of the other theater patrons as I giggled watching the flashbacks. It felt like looking through an old yearbook. Then I noticed that they were laughing, too. Everyone was having a good time.

The Book

Moneyball-the-Book had me at the intro when my friend Sheree Tribbitt shared it with me. I read it, re-read it, dogeared it and walked to the Michael Lewis narrated audio version. I worried that The Brad Factor would take over the multi-layered story of the Oakland A’s shifts and adaptations. Truth be told, Mr. Pitt did take over certain places. I expected the closeups and shaded individual shots of the actor as he channeled the handsome, hot-headed Billy Beane. But those Pitt scenes didn’t take away from the story. Even non-baseball fans will be easily carried away. The touching relationship of Beane and his daughter, the exuberant game day fun and the unpredictable season will suck you in even if you don’t know the difference between a ribbie and bunt.

There should have been more baseball stories about the players, some of whom are still on a major league roster. Locker room scenes with more depth would have rounded it out a bit. The other issue of concern was the case of the disappearing scouts. They were there, and then they weren’t as if their jobs were no longer necessary. It felt like Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” on the diamond. While the metrics and calculations of Peter Brand, Beane’s assistant GM played by Jonah Hill, were center stage, there’s something to be said about that “gut” thing a great scout has that often outweighs tape, history or God forbid, statistical analysis. Lastly, the simplified portrayal of Art Howe, the A’s Coach. I wasn’t thrilled with choice of actors; Howe has a strong demeanor and a confident walk that I loved watching as he approached the pitcher’s mound. That doesn’t show in the film.  Insiders tell of the contentious relationship between Beane and Howe, but that still doesn’t mean that Howe had no hand in the success, as the film often suggests.

Many purists and old-heads like Hall-of-Famer Joe Morgan ignore the “sabermetrics’ – the statistical approach to player selection. Morgan won’t read the book and knocks the movie, declaring that Lewis can’t teach him anything about the game. Others contend that Beane and his cronies didn’t pioneer the approach. Does that really matter? I’m still in love.

Recently, Beane’s name was tossed in the Chicago Cubs’ GM search and he continues to dismiss the notion. Were it true, he’d join White Sox GM Kenny Williams (the Stanford football player turned pro MLB player turned scout) in the Windy City where they could compete for the best-looking GM title. But for today, his heart still belongs to the A’s.

Go See It!

As the world preps for the race for the pennant, Moneyball puts you in the mood. It’s well-acted, fun and has great eye candy for the ladies. I suggest that history-focused fans put the record books aside for a few hours and just relax. We can all go back to fact-checking when the World Series starts. Enjoy!

Welcome!

It's Time!

After some trial and error, we’re getting the Inaugural Sideline Pass Fantasy Football League off the ground. We’re ready to go and look to have some exciting news, guests and gifts while we experience the league as fantasy owners.

Haven’t ever played? Don’t worry – the tips and tools will help you out. And as seasoned Fantasy Football vets can tell you, sometimes it’s just the luck of the draft.

Speaking of the Draft: Don’t forget!

Wednesday, September 7th – 7 pm ET

2 Spaces Left!

Enjoy great tennis!

Get the sunscreen, sunglasses and a great seat to catch Shahar Peer, Nadia Petrova, Jelena Dokic, along with other notable athletes in the inaugural Citi Open, a WTA Tournament, at the Tennis Center at College Park.  As one of only three (3) international level tournaments in the U.S., the Citi Open is certain to thrill the DC Metro with staunch competition between ranked opponents, entertaining sports personalities like Bethanie Mattek-Sands and firsthand glimpses at up-and-coming stars like Great Britain’s Heather Watson.

The Citi Open follows a single elimination format and includes 32 main draw singles players, 16 main draw doubles teams and 32 qualifying singles players.  This tournament preps the field for September’s US Open. But now you don’t need to wait to get to Flushing Meadows to see quality tennis – it’s right in the DC Metro!

I asked Andrew Walker, Chief Marketing Officer of the WTA, why DC, to which he replied, “DC is a great tennis city, a great media market – with great fans. It all seemed to work.” The Metro area is perfect for a worldwide tourney. Shahar Peer, the 24^th ranked Israeli tennis star, absolutely loves the city and couldn’t wait to play her first match in the DMV.  The Israeli star’s impact both on and off the court make her force to be reckoned with.

For years, the world considered tennis an elite sport to be played by country club patrons, but that image has shifted. Walker insists that more than ever, tennis is accessible. “In our own research – our focus groups and studies –it’s [tennis] being seen more as a mainstream sport than ever before,” said Walker when he chatted with us from his office in Great Britain. That’s great for the tomorrow’s stars out there who love the game.

WTA founder Billie Jean King pushes the platform of women’s tennis. Walker commented, “Billie Jean King remains an incredible ambassador for the sport of women’s tennis for women and girls around the world.” She’s mentors stars like Venus and Serena Williams who also make the sport feel possible to thousands of little girls. (NOTE:  Be on the lookout for Alison Riske, a rising American star on the circuit.) For you Game Ready Moms with young ones considering the sport, Walker wants to make sure that it’s first and foremost FUN!

The Citi Open is guaranteed to be fun for fans of all ages. Making sure that a wide audience could enjoy the competition, promoters and sponsors have moderately priced the tickets. Click here for more information on the week’s tournament.

by Janna Pea

Breaking Bread at Clyde's with Green & Wallace - Photo by Anthony Tilghman

Growing up on a cattle farm is not the norm for most professional athletes.  But for basketball professional Jonathan Wallace, this is a part of his everyday life. Born and raised in Harvest Alabama, Wallace has always been an exception to the norm.

Wallace currently plays overseas for FC Bayern Munich in Germany, where they recently won the German Pro A championship.  He finished the season averaging 18 points and 4 assists. During his off-season, Wallace is typically back at home in Harvest, Alabama helping raise the 60 to 70 cattle on his family farm.

“Raising cattle is something I’ve enjoyed doing for a long time,” Wallace said.  “When I get older, I want to purchase some land and continue ranching. The feeling I get when being out in the field is similar to the one I get when on the court.  I love it.”

Before playing professional basketball, Wallace walked on to Georgetown’s basketball team his freshman year.  Playing under coach john Thompson III, Wallace was able to lead the Hoyas to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament during his junior year in 2007.  While at Georgetown, Wallace became good buddies with teammate Jeff Green.  To this day, the two of them remain close friends often calling themselves brothers.

“Playing under Coach Thompson was a wonderful learning experience that got more exciting each year,” Wallace said.  “Making it to the Final Four was a big accomplishment for all of us.  To reach that level and get to that point, that is something I will never forget. That moment will always be with me.”

Moving from Alabama to Washington, DC for undergraduate college was a bit of an adjustment for Wallace. He described the move as difficult and overwhelming at first. However, teammate Jeff Green—a DC native—helped him figure everything out. “I never took cabs or the metro when I first moved to DC,” Wallace said.

The transition from the country to the city and back to the country has been valuable for Wallace in several ways. The skills learned in Harvest, AL gave him an edge and a different outlook on life when he arrived to DC. While the knowledge and experiences gained in the city equipped him with important tools to take back to “Sweet Home Alabama”.  A major lesson Wallace took back home was the business side of running the farm. He was able to revamp how his family ran the farm by making it more efficient and profitable for all parties involved.

When Wallace is not on the court or out on the cattle farm, he enjoys spending quality time with his family since most of the year he is out of the country.  As for next steps Wallace was accepted into the Georgetown School of Law and has a solid career ahead of him.  Ideally he wants to continue playing professional basketball for as long as possible, but seems himself next as an attorney in the entertainment field.

“Going to law school is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Wallace said.  “Ideally, I would continue to work in the entertainment field, just in a different capacity. “

Stay Tuned … the Jeff Green story comes up next!

Jonathan Wallace and Jeff Green have always had a relationship deeper than just being teammates.  Wallace and Green instantly became buddies when they started playing together at Georgetown in 2005 and have remained close to this day.  While Green is more of the silly, goofy one- currently playing for the Boston Celtics, Wallace is more of the laid-back and mellow one of the duo.  They both spend much of their free time in Washington, DC where they originally met.

I learned how to win by losing and not liking it.” Tom Watson

Rory McIlroy

Sally Jenkins, a favorite sports columnists, used that quote earlier this year as she discussed Rory McIlroy’s horrible collapse at the Masters Tournament in April. At 21 years old, the talented golfer shot a final round 80 to undo an impressive 63-hole lead. He handed the tournament over on a platter, the same way we say Yana Novotna’s breakdown gifted Steffi Graf the Wimbledon trophy in 1993. Turning it over just like LeBron James made it easier for the Dallas Mavericks as he seemed to stand idly by in 4th quarters watching Dirk Nowitzki go crazy in the NBA Finals less than one week ago.

This weekend at the Congressional Country Club, McIlroy takes his 36-hole tournament record score and tries to hold on. He says he’s managed to shore up himself and added a little cockiness to his golf swing. “I said I needed to be a little more cocky, a little more arrogant on the golf course, and think a little bit more about myself,” said McIlroy reflecting on his two-day score. Maybe, just maybe, he’ll channel that Michael Jordan, Larry Bird or Kobe Bryant attitude that seems annoying to those looking for nice guy answers while making the course feel actually beatable. Rory’s father Gerry is on hand to watch it and he reminded reporters that while brilliant, this isn’t the best he’s seen his son play. “No, no, no. That would be the 61 he shot at Royal Portrush,” he replied without hesitation. [Newport, WSJ]

Yes, it hurt to watch J.J. Hildebrand yield his 4-seconds lead to Dan Wheldon at the end of the Indy 500 in May. Every second of the modern day collapse is caught and tweeted, texted, posted on Facebook and even aired on television. On Sunday, McIlroy is instead in position to give the gallery an understated grin as he saunters towards the 72nd hole with an insurmountable lead. We’re waiting.