Swine Flu and Football: That’s what Florida does…

Instead of panning camera shots onto the actual game, ESPN 2 cameras decided to pan on more important things during the Kentucky v. Florida match-up , such as Tim Tebow throwing up into a plastic bag. Yum. So, while ESPN keeps calling his malady a “respiratory infection”, I’m going to call it Swine Flu.

Here’s a quick little health lesson comin’ at ya: For those of you who STILL don’t understand what Swine Flu is and think it’s the usual flu- it’s not. Swine Flu (or H1N1 if you want to get fancy), is the influenza coupled with a respiratory infection. Symptoms include flu-like symptoms (cough, vomiting, soar throat) as well as muscle aches and some pain while breathing.

So, as Tebow walked into the Kentucky locker room, fresh off of his quarantined air plane, coughing into the sleeve of his grey and pink three-piece, not once did he consider sitting this one out to do a little recovering. Kentucky is unranked and not really a huge threat to the Florida Gators and their pristine record. I guess, I mean, it is Tim Tebow. [Insert Tebow rave and praise here]. Tebow is not the only player on Florida with this type of illness, in fact, four other Florida players have it. Their names have not yet been released. ESPN did not mention Kentucky players having any type of malady.

Despite the health weakness on Florida, Tebow, Swine Flu and the Gators trucked to a 31-7 lead against healthy Kentucky by the 4th quarter. WOW that’s embarassing. Tebow had 5/10 passes for 103 yards in addition to a touchdown. If the Swine Flu can’t stop Tim Tebow, then what can?

Well, with 12 minutes and 41 seconds left, that question was answered. A hard sack by the Wildcats’ DE Taylor Wyndham on a third-and 6 play on Kentucky’s 9 yard line romped and knocked the wind out of Tebow’s respiratory infected body, sending him straight into the turf, with a knock on the back of the head by his teammate’s knee on the way down. His entire team rushed the field to see if he was ok. He lay still for an abundance of seconds until he finally got up, followed by a shower of applause. He was taken off the field, replaced by sophomore John Brantley, then placed on the bench, where the throw up shots began.

The hit: Tebow hit

Tebow’s current status is hospital bound.

Even though Tebow is out, Swine  Flu is infecting the team, and the Gators aren’t even at home, Florida STILL can’t be stopped by Kentucky. The game ends with yet another Florida win, 41-7.

But, as history entails, all great things must come to an end. The Roman Empire had to fall, and eventually, Florida will too. Might this be the beginning of the end? Or will Florida prevail and become a legendary team, able to endure anything as they stand at the top?

Sorry I’m Late!

Ahhhhhhhh, one of my favorite seasons of the year has finally arrived and I have been so busy with the start of school, and life, and roommates having swine flu, that I just don’t know where to begin! FOOTBALL IS FINALLY HERE!

So, a few quick tid bits I want to comment on from last week’s opening excitement:

1. I was SO devastated when Sam Bradford got injured during his first game last week.

2. I was SO confused with all of the NFL offensive coordinators being fired! Three cities in one week!

3. I was SO excited about the following rookie quarterbacks: Matt Barkley (USC), Blaine Gabbert (Mizzou).

And here are the things I’d like to address from tonight:

USC’S, Matt Barkley was put to the test today as Ohio State University lead most of the game. Luckily, Barkley, like a true Trojan, finally learned from his mistakes and pushed for a win (18-15). When he was interviewed after the game, as he pulled his helmet off of his head, his hair looked perfect. Did anyone else catch that?

Just like that! Kind of spiked up and perfect and everything!

Nearly Choke Saturday this week in the Top 25... Okie State, Notre Dame, and Mizzou– REALLY? How are you going to let teams such as unranked Houston, Michigan, and Bowling Green University dominate your games? Mizzou seemed to have some difficulties on both sides of the ball, especially offense. Gabbert is still a rookie and had some kinks to shake off, but the Tigers were able to comeback and win(27-20)- the most important thing. As for Okie State (loss 45-35) and ND(loss 38-34), there is no excuse.

Anyway, It’s 2am, my voice is shot. It’s time for bed.

Too Seasoned of a Brett…

You know how in scary movies, there always seems to be that one character that just cannot die. I mean, no matter how many times he or she is shot in the chest, no matter how many times he or she is heavily hit on the head, or set on fire, the character just refuses to die. And while you’re watching this movie, it gets to a point where you think to yourself, “OMG just die already, JEEZ!”

Well, that’s how I feel about Brett Favre and his football career. “OMG just retire already, JEEZ.”

Pushin’ 40, with injury after injury, moving on from team to team like a slutty teenager, Brett has decided to sign with the Minnesota Vikings. He has attempted to retire twice, the first time being from the GreenBay Packer’s in 2008 and then the most recent, Jets in 2009. I had a lot of faith in his retirement, especially after he told the Vikings family that he did not have plans of attending training camp. But, I guess I was wrong.

I feel for you, Packer fans. Half of my family is cheese heads, including my mom who grew up in Wisconsin. Everyone out there loves (or loved) Brett. It’s ashame that he is ruining his legacy with the Packers more and more with attempted retirement and then signing with new teams. It’s like he and the Packers were married. At first, he wanted to end his career with the Packers. Now it seems as though all he wanted to do was end their relationship .

Retirement Press Conference #1

Brett is a great athlete, and it’s admirable that he wants to keep playing. I just don’t know how many more injuries his body can endure, how many more press conferences ESPN can hold for him, how many tears he’s willing to cry nor how many fans he’s willing to disappoint. I guess we’ll just have to see how long this goes on. But for now, the saga continues.

I Don’t Know How You Feel About Dog Fighting… But I Don’t Give a $%^&.

I just found this out five seconds ago.

Michael Vick will now be sliding onto the Philadelphia Eagles’ roster. 

I’ll be back later with the story.

Here come the bandwagon fans. 

But, I guess ya can’t deny a genuinely, truly, extremely, talented athlete.

Vick did his time in jail, it’s time to get over it everyone, K, GREAT.

<3 <3 <3 <3

CRABTREE, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?

Stiletto Sports

When I get out of college, I will be happy with a starting salary of 40 thousand dollars. When Michael Crabtree gets out of college, he will cry and bitch and moan with anything less than 23.5 million.

This past April, Texas Tech super star, Michael Crabtree was drafted tenth pick overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. Despite his foot injury, the San Francisco 49ers scooped him up with high hopes of a successful season with a high caliber wide receiver. Fresh off of the college field in the Big 12 conference (last year’s best football conference in the country) and just 21 years old, Crabtree was ready to do business with the 49ers…

That is, until, now.

Prior the the actual NFL Draft, Crabtree was hyped up and PREDICTED to go somewhere within the top five overall picks. When I say predicted, I mean PREDICTED. Not definitely. Al Davis didn’t say  that Crabtree was definitely without a doubt going at least 5th. It was just a prediction. The weather man says that there’s a chance of showers, but sometimes, it doesn’t end up raining.

Crabtree is still upset that it didn’t quite rain this past April. In fact, he’s threatening to sit out a year and reenter the 2010 draft, if the 49ers don’t make it rain the way he wants them to. Darrius Heyward-Bey (wide receiver, Maryland)  was picked 7th overall by the Oakland Raiders, unexpectedly, unpredictably, in front of Crabtree. Heyward-Bey made an agreement with the Raiders for 23.5 million. Crabtree seems to think he’s worth more than Heyward-Bey and will not rest until he’s making more than him. Crabtree resents the actual draft and is displaying his price tag based upon the mock, fake, draft. Idiot.

Is he serious?

I HIGHLY doubt, especially with next year’s draft class, that Crabtree would be picked anywhere in the top ten. He would’ve taken a whole year off of football, which would decrease his value even more, resulting in a year of time wasting.

Crabtree comes from an area in Dallas, Texas that is 53% economically disadvantaged. I bet any money, actually, I bet 23.5 million dollars, that the 53% of his hometown that is economically unstable would be more than happy with just a small fraction of what he’s asking for. As a spokesman for Subway and coverboy for the NCAA 2010 video game, Crabtree is setting an awful example and looks like an asshole. He’d rather sit on it for a year, and wait for the money, as opposed to play the game. What kind of an athlete is that?

If it wasn’t for football, he would be nothing. He would not have gone to Texas Tech nor would he be worth a cent nor a second of the 49ers’ time.

He should probably stop worrying about Heyward-Bey’s salary and instead be thankful that he is blessed with a talent that will make him rich. He needs to realize that the majority of his peers and college kids around the country will never even live to make as much money as he is asking for in a single  year.

NFL Draft Extends to 3 days

NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell notified all teams on Thursday of the Draft expansion.

Calm down, no, not more rounds, but more days.

Because of the growing audience, the league decided to respond by spreading out the rounds during a three day period, Thursday April 22nd 2010 to Saturday April 24th 2010.

Round 1 will be at 7:30 pm est on Thursday night to serve as prime time televison.

Rounds 2 and 3 will begin at 6:30 pm est Friday night.

Rounds 4-7 will take place all day Saturday, beginning at 10 am.

I’m not so sure this will increase the number of viewers from last year’s 39 million. There will definitely be a ton of people watching the 1st round during that prime time slot, though.

I CAN’T WAIT!

Hoe-thletes

WHAT IS UP WITH ATHLETES IN HOTEL ROOMS?

Last week, a lawsuit was filed against Steeler’s Super Bowl Championship QB, Ben Roethlisberger in Washoe County, Nevada by Andrea McNulty, a former employee of the Harrah’s Lake Tahoe. McNulty claims that Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her during his stay at the hotel casino in June 2008. Apparently, Ben called McNulty for some assistance with a television sound system. McNulty arrived to his room, realizing that the TV was perfectly fine. As she turned to leave, Ben stood in the front of the doorway to block her in. Creeeeep. The quarterback then proceeded to grab and kiss her.

According to the recently filed law suit, McNulty required hospitalization and treatment for depression after the attack. The suit seeks roughly $440,000 in damages while McNulty wants $50,000 from her former place of employment, Harrah’s, whom actually tried to cover up the case.

Today, Roethlisberger decided to break his week long silence with this statement during his press conference:

“I did not sexually assault Andrea McNulty. Saturday was the first that I learned of her accusations. Her false and vicious allegations are an attack on my family and on me. I would never, ever force myself on a woman. I want to fight to protect my family and my reputation. I’m not going to discuss my private life or this civil case in the media. I’ll respond to her outrageous allegations in the appropriate forum. I have an obligation to our fans, to my teammates, to my coaches and everyone in the organization to remain focused on the Pittsburgh Steelers, and I will do that. The allegations against me are reckless and false. As much as I’d like to answer everyone’s questions, I’m going to respect the legal process and I am confident that the truth will prevail. Thank you.”

How outrageous could this allegation be?

Let’s think back to 2003, when LA Lakers star, Kobe Bryant was hit with a sexual assault lawsuit. Remember, when a lawsuit was filed by a 19 year old employee of The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera in Eagle, Colorado? Miss Katelyn Faber? Kobe checked into the hotel prior to undergoing a knee surgery. Faber claimed that Kobe raped her in his hotel room the night before the surgery. Kobe denied the allegation but eventually admitted an adulterous sex encounter with her. Ugh. I really can’t stand Kobe Bryant.

So what’s up with athletes in hotel rooms? Why do they seem to always get in trouble with hotel employees who just so happen to be attractive women?

Roethlisberger's

<–Kobe’s

Hmmm? Do these women just want money? Attention? Their name to be attached to a big star?

Or are these athletes just idiots and think they can just do whatever they want with whoever they want?

I HAVE A FUNNY PEDRO STORY!

Okay, so spring of my senior year of high school, my good friend Emilie decided to so kindly have our group of girl friends down the shore. She has a nice little estate in Wildwood, New Jersey, just a block from the beach. 

I didn’t drink that much. In high school, I was still adjusting to the idea of getting drunk. All of the other girls got pretty hammered that night off of mixed drinks and a variety of hard liquor and beer. 

One girl had the brilliant idea of walking to the boardwalk (a variety of shops and restaurants that run along the beach). A handful of girls, including me, followed. We were not even a few yards away from Emilie’s, at a pretty major Wildwood intersection, when all of a sudden, a white BMW stops at the corner and two hispanic looking men step out of the car to approach the girls. Naturally, in their drunken state of mind, the girls bask in the attention. One of the men claimed he was Pedro Martinez. “Yeah, you know, baseball player for the Mets?” he said. He knew that the girls were drunk and would probably believe anything he said. The girls all screamed and were like “Oh my god” and decided to take pictures of the celebrity.

CLEARLY NOT PEDRO.

 

 

I was the only one in the group with an ounce of sports knowledge. I brought a few of the girls close and broke the news. “Guys, that’s not Pedro Martinez.” This guy was clearly trying to lure the girls into going somewhere with him. Finally, the word spread throughout the group and we began to walk away. Just in time, a cop told him that he was parked illegally on a corner and had to move his car. We never saw Pedro Martinez again. 

… Until yesterday! The REAL Pedro signed with the Phillies from a one year contract for 1 million dollars! He’s a little old and slightly disabled, but hopefully can help the Phils get a repeat World Series? 

Shaq Plays With All Most Valuable Puppets?

Yeah I know it’s been almost two months.

Calm down.

Baseball and the NHL aren’t rivetting enough for this blog, thus, I haven’t been writing.

The NBA Draft is tonight and I’m so ‘CITED!!

Ok, anyway, so main topic I’m bringing up today is how Shaq was just traded to the Cavs.

Sweeeeeet.

First off, I’m a Kobe hater and a Lebron lover, so this is exciting. It’s going to be interesting to watch Lebron share the Cavalier spotlight with Shaq.  Kobe and the Lakers will def be stopped by this duo… and I can’t wait.

The NBA would nut if both teams met at a future NBA Final.

… I prob. would too.

Nice Article On New Bird

 

Jmac run Mizzou vs.Colorado from Newsday

 

 

SOURCE: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES.COM NEWS STORY. 

Adversity Paved Maclin’s Road To NFL                           

 

 

April 26, 2009 | Last Updated: 4/26/09 5:04 PM ET | Comments (3)
By: STEVE LIENERT  

• Get Your Jeremy Maclin Jersey Now!
• VIDEO: Maclin, McCoy Introductory Press Conference
• VIDEO: Meet The Pick: Jeremy Maclin

 

New wide receiver Jeremy Maclin has a very special picture somewhere in his room back in Missouri.

It’s a family photo, but not the kind people usually see at Sears or JC Penney.

In it are Maclin’s two brothers, Andre and Roshon, and his mother Cleo Maclin King.

But it also includes the Parres family, which adopted Maclin four years ago.

Like most photos, it’s one of a thousand words, most of which add up to adversity.

“I feel like I’ve gone through a lot of stuff in my life, throughout my childhood, growing up,” Maclin said. “I feel like there’s not much that can really faze me. That’s why I feel like I’m fine with anything that’s thrown out there against me. Unfortunately it did happen, but fortunately I’m here in the great city of Philadelphia with a team who contends every year and that’s what I want to be a part of.”

The fact that Maclin and Parres were standing in the rotunda at the NovaCare Complex on Sunday afternoon is a testament to Maclin’s resiliency.

“Jeremy’s never known his father,” said Jeffrey Parres, Maclin’s adopted father. “His mom has had some difficulties in life off and on, so really from the beginning, Jeremy would spend a lot of time with us. He would spend weekends, holidays, and then within a year or two he was spending summers, pretty much any free time he had (with us), so we got to know him quite well.”

As a child, Maclin was living with his mother in the poverty-stricken Meacham Park neighborhood outside of St. Louis when he began playing youth football. It was there he met Jeffrey, who was the coach. There were times after practice that Parres would drive Maclin home only to find that he’d been locked out. Parres watched as Maclin squirmed his way through a screen and into the dark house.

“Little-league football weeknights, we would take Jeremy home after practice,” Parres said. “There were times that there was no one at home and the doors would be locked.

“Those were the tough times.”

Maclin King lost one of her two jobs and, as the frustration of raising three boys on her own mounted, things began to unravel in the household. After Jeremy’s older siblings moved out, problems began to surface.

“That’s when things got difficult for Jeremy,” Parres said. “There were a couple times when his older brother Andre would call and say ‘Things are getting bad, things are rough at the house. Can you stay with him through the course of the week?’”

By Maclin’s sophomore year in high school, he was staying full time at the Parres’ house.

By then he was firmly entrenched as a member of the family.

“He’s a son now,” Parres said. “We treat him like our other two boys. They’re like brothers to each other. They fight, bicker and argue. But he really, truly is a son to us.”

When it came time to make the decision on whether or not to stay in school or enter the NFL draft, Parres found himself giving the kind of advice he’d never thought he give.

“I never thought I’d tell one of my kids to leave college, but when he got the projection in December from the NFL that he would be a likely first-rounder, that’s a pretty simple decision to make, especially when you factor in the injury factor, which we lived through” Parres said. “So we were very comfortable and encouraged him to go.”

On draft day, Maclin King joined her son and his surrogate family when the Eagles called to tell Maclin he was coming to Philadelphia.

“We’ve always had a good relationship (with Maclin’s mother and brothers),” Parres said. “They argue like moms and sons do, but for the most part, they’re close.”

It’s hard not to think that all of Maclin’s adversity has helped make him into the person he is today.

“He’s very mature,” Parres said. “I think it helped build some character.”

That’s helped him overcome some injury issues as well. While preparing for his freshman season at Missouri, Maclin blew out his knee. The physicians feared that Maclin would never play football again, but they didn’t dare tell him that. After he found out, though, it gave him a new perspective on life.

“It was very humbling,” Maclin said. “It was something that I never want to experience again. They never told me this, but apparently I was never supposed to play football again. Knowing that now and knowing that I was that close to damaging a nerve in my foot and have my foot drop is terrifying. So I just learned to live life day by day and don’t take anything for granted. The thing you worked for all of your life can get taken away from you the next day.”

Either way, it took all the people in that picture to get Macklin to where he is today.

“There are a lot of people in my life who have influenced me to get to this point,” Maclin said. “Obviously, the family I live with; they definitely played a big part of why I’m here.  I learned a lot of things from my real family, too.”

 

For more, go to PhiladelphiaEagles.com