by Shawn Teer

I know hockey is not a very popular sport around here, but I feel that sports fans are really starting to miss out on some great action. Take the Detroit Red Wings for example. They are one of hockey’s most storied franchises, and they have been a main stay in the NHL playoffs for years. They have had their share of problems this year. Most of them at the end of the season, where they had to win out the last four games, just to make it into the playoffs. They pulled it off, and now are giving the Anaheim Ducks a run for their money. They ended up winning the series and are heading now to face the Chicago Blackhawks in the playoffs. This is not an uncommon thing as the L.A. Kings were last year’s champions, and they were the number 8 seed, and pretty much written out of the playoffs storyline and they won the whole thing. If folks actually tried to catch a game, I think they would enjoy it there is so much going on that people do not realize, that it makes for so much drama and excitement that I can’t even begin to explain it all.

Tony Vanetti and his mother in 1935.  At least it seemed like 1935.  Tony's old. 

Happy Mother's Day from everybody at Clear Channel Media + Entertainment! 

Photo Credit - www.chicagosidesports.com

By - Daniel Farish

Nine months. That’s how long it was between Adrian Peterson going through surgery to repair a torn ACL and Adrian Peterson starting Week 1 of the NFL. He came within nine yards of breaking Eric Dickerson’s record for the most rushing yards in an NFL season. This leads into everyone’s question: What the hell is wrong with Derrick Rose?

We are five days away from the one year mark of Rose tearing his ACL. He hasn’t been back on the basketball court. He didn’t come back during the regular season, when his team was struggling. He has made mentions of coming back during the playoffs. So all of a sudden you want to come back not that your team is good? They beat a scrappy Brooklyn team with the backup’s backups. And you, you sit there on the bench because you’re “muscle memory” isn’t right. You get paid $16.4 MILLION to make sure it’s right.

This is your JOB. It’s not some rec league where you can sit out, feel bad about it, but still go get pizza with the guys afterwards. I remember when Derrick Rose was in the MVP conversation. Now there are websites saying you are a great “decoy” for the Bulls. Seriously? Is this what you want? Is this what you envisioned when you went down last year?

When a player leaves a sport, a businessman leaves the rat race, or a person leaves this world all they have is their legacy. MJ’s “flu game” (which turned out to be food poisoning) was, and still is a huge part of his legacy. What will yours be DR? You’ll be “that guy” who could’ve been, but wasn’t. You’ll be an answer in a trivia contest in 10 years. You’re supposed to be the premier player on one of the most iconic franchises in the NBA. All you are now is the butt of a joke. To your own fans!

So what’s wrong? On the outside (as most of us are) this appears to be mental and/or emotional. It’s like you don’t trust yourself, your body, or the doctors who have fixed you. They cleared you to play 60 days ago. The Bulls would not rush you, nor would the doctors who they employ. They say when you fall off the horse, to dust yourself off and get back on. It was quite a fall you took; that injury just a decade ago spelled disaster for an athlete. No one expects you to be Adrian Peterson. It has been made quite obvious that his body is a medical marvel. But you’ve got to be you, and quit being scared.

Finally, I leave you with this:

Nate Robinson – “God blessed me with a lot of heart and no height and I’ll take that any day.”

Come on Derrick, show some heart.

The LA Dodgers Matt Kemp probably signs a lot of autographs during a game.  But this video of Kemp meeting a young man battling a tough disease, and the gesture that Kemp does, will just make you smile today.  In a world of sports with many poor examples, Matt Kemp proves there are some good guys. 

Photo Credit - News 14 Carolina

By: Daniel Farish

Well, NASCAR screwed the pooch on this one. Given the opportunity to produce one of the closest finishes in the Nationwide Series history, they tossed it aside to once again go against everything the drivers expected.

Kasey Kahne said it best.

“I didn’t expect them to throw that caution.”

As the cars were coming through the tri-oval, Brian Vickers was spun across the track, starting a wreck that involved at least 10 cars. The leaders were at the end of the tri-oval, approaching the start/finish line. Regan Smith had the lead, Joey Logano was beating the hell out of Smiths’ door to try and slow him down, and Kasey Kahne had a strong run on the outside of those two. The cars crossed the line with Kahne a splitter’s length in front of the other two, unofficially giving him the win.

And what did NASCAR do? They threw the caution as the drivers were exiting the tri-oval which ended the race and froze the field. There was absolutely NO reason to throw the caution. Some say this is a hard and fast rule. “The caution always comes out in this situation.”

The 2007 Daytona 500. Big wreck coming off of Turn 4, Mark Martin and Kevin Harvick were running 1-2. If NASCAR throws the caution there, when one could argue it needed to be thrown, Mark Martin is a Daytona 500 Champion. But they didn’t throw the caution, Harvick and Martin raced back to the checkered flag and the #29 won the race. Mark Martin was robbed of a historic win that would add to his legacy.

Fast forward to today. NASCAR has no reason to throw the caution. There was not a full field of cars behind the wreck, speeding off of Turn 4 to an impending doom. The wreck WAS the field. The half dozen cars behind the wreck were not looking for caution lights. They were looking for holes to shoot through so they could pick up an extra 5-10 positions.

Now, I have no problem with who won. I think it is AWESOME that Regan Smith got the win. Some might say it is payback for the Cup win that was taken away from him (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOAXUgFvHgo) at Talladega five years ago. But come on NASCAR. Set a precedent and then stick with it.

by Shawn Teer

As we all know by now, Tim Tebow has been officially released by the New York Jets. It was just a matter of time as many believe it was going to happen as soon as they drafted Geno Smith in this year’s draft. I think it is safe to say that the Tebow experiment as a member of the Jets was a huge bust, there has been some talk that teams would take Tebow, but only if he switched positions to tight end. Of course, he declined their offer and the talks stopped after Tebow refused and now he has no team to play for. Never the less, it got me to thinking about something. Could Tim Tebow be a success in the NFL if he was to play at a different position?

According to ESPN.com, Tebow is one of five quarterbacks in the last 30 years to complete less than 50% of his passes in a minimum of 300 attempts. He also wants to run a lot so why not try and look into being a tight end or running back? It feels like to me he has the natural athletic ability and could adjust to the role very easily. Besides, if he went to a team and took on a different role, he could be a quarterback again in an emergency situation. I feel that there is not a coach out there that would not love to have a versatile player like that who in a pinch, or maybe even some designed trick plays that he could get the ball and launch it down the field. It is not an all the time thing, but I think he could be used as a secret weapon of sorts and find great success if he would get his ego out of the way.

You're welcome. 

-by Shawn Teer

Phil Jackson may be bringing his legendary coaching style back to the NBA. According to Foxsports.com, may be headed to as they have said that the Cavaliers franchise is getting rid of Byron Scott, and could be looking to get the 10 time NBA head coach. The last time that was in the league, he was on the Lakers with the 2010 back to back championship team. I know a lot of people say that he is just merely riding superstar player’s coat tails, but I tend to have to disagree. I may be a bit biased here, but I have to say that a lot of people tend to point at as a coach who only won because of Michael Jordan.

There is just one problem with this whole idea. Michael Jordan was not as great as he was under Phil Jackson. I am not implying that he was not as great, but I wonder what it would have been like if Phil Jackson had never decided to coach for the Bulls. I think it is safe to say that MJ would have been a great player, but if not for Phil Jackson coming in and molding him to what he became, I think that there is a great possibility that Michael Jordan could have gotten lost in the shuffle I think that at the very least, we should at least look at the resume that Phil Jackson has. Yes, there are some NBA superstars on his roster, but I think we have to remember that this is a team effort here.

It is not just one or two players that make a team great, but the coach has to help give them direction and be the guy that these superstars look to for guidance and direction.