In the eyes of many, LeBron James became a villain overnight. He went from “The Chosen One” the “The Target.” And make no mistake, teams are going to have their crosshairs on him (what’s new?) but this time, I have a feeling that many arenas LeBron visits this year will welcome him with boos and jeers for the spectacle he put on these past few weeks.

Whoever is to blame in Cleveland for their always coming up short of a championship doesn’t matter. They just didn’t get it done there. Seven years and no rings to show. Then sure, he was absolutely free to join any team that he liked and most would agree that there is no problem with him choosing to go to the Miami Heat, if that was what he wanted. There is no way around it though. I’m all for his decision, but when it became “The Decision,” he humiliated the city and fans that embraced him for seven years. The way that LeBron went about his free agency was a slap in the face to Cleveland, something akin to a guy dumping his long-time girlfriend on Larry King. “Larry, I know she is still madly, deeply in love with me and has been on her knees begging me to stay, so this has been a hard decision for me, but she and I are done. I’m going to go shack up with this hotter, hipper girl down south.”

One of the more interesting parts of the whole ordeal is Cleveland’s owner Dan Gilbert’s instant-classic open letter written awfully in Comic Sans to the fans of the team that was posted shortly after the announcement where he calls LeBron’s “several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up” a “cowardly betrayal” and then goes on to promise that the Cavs will win a championship before LeBron does. As amusing as the whole letter is, who would want to work for such an unprofessional owner?

Still, I think this is all a bit overblown. The backlash for LeBron’s hype machine is getting too much hype. The antihype is now being hyped. People are talking about the destruction of his legacy, the blow his brand is going to take, and so forth. I don’t buy any of it. People will still watch. People will still read about him. The difference? There just may be a few more rooting against him.

Oh, what a tangled web you weave, LeBron.

The rockin’ and rollin’ antics of women’s (and men’s) derby skating is whipping it’s way into the hearts of angsty teens, resulting in the creation of junior leagues popping up in several states. Meanwhile, the feisty 20-30 and even 40 somethings touting bruises, fishnets and funky socks adorned with cross-bones and cutlery, continue to tear up the tracks to sell-out crowds. Yes, I am a wanna-be and despite being told, “you are too little and somebody will break you” I don my gear and grease the track in preparation for try-outs this spring. In frequenting the local roller rink, I have however, been re-introduced to a world of quad skating that I thought had died in the early 80′s when I traded my Barbie skates for some “totally rad” roller-blades.

I’ve since realized that Rhythm, Jam and Artistic quad skating is alive and well across the globe. Artistic skating in particular is something akin to the ice-dancing that mesmerizes my mother during the Winter Olympics and I am finding that it is just as fast, difficult, athletic and bruise inducing as practicing for derby. With artistic skating, I seem to get my ass handed to me on a much more personal basis. I can take my angst out on myself, my skates or the rink, instead of someone who, for all I know could be the nicest person in the world and has really done nothing, other than the fact that she needs to GET OUT MY WAY! Don’t get me wrong, I’m still all for a bit of healthy tactile competition, but, I’m glad to know that there is an alternative to derby that is just as sexy, saucy and (ignoring the music choice in this video) pretty bad-ass!

Look at your Facebook profile…now back to this post…now back to your profile…now back to this post. Sadly, your Facebook profile isn’t nearly as awesome as the commercial in this post. Look down…

 
“The tickets are now diamonds”…BRILLIANT!

Generally, I appreciate shiny things and good smells, but I’d rather at look at my own man with those two tickets to that thing I like. Especially, if that thing happens to be the March 6th, Minnesota RollerGirls bout. That’s right…Real. Live. Roller Derby! A smarmy, hot man on a horse selling nice smells, is all good and fine (actually, pretty damn funny), but hip checkin’ chics on skates crusin’ around a flat-track at dizzying speeds is some serious kick-assery. Roller Derby just isn’t old school pushing and shoving in tight shirts and hot-pants. It’s where fast, fun and flare meet strict rules, forceful determination, tactical decisions, skating savvy and the finesse of a fall.

 
Many a weary mother either in denial or the dark about derby, may have gotten a good lashing from begging daughters who came home from Barrymore’s Whip It, wanting skates, bruises and more black-eyeliner. Modern roller derby however, has become a sport that spans over 400 leagues world-wide. The Minnesota RollerGirls are unpaid, amateur skaters who belong to a governing body known as The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. The skaters not only own the league themselves, but represent a cross section of their community and are involved in numerous charitable events and promotions. The recent “Rock the Cause: Gillter Ball 3″ event to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters, is just one of many ways The Minnesota RollerGirls give back to the community in the Twin Cities. To catch derby bouts and events near your own hometown, check out the WFTDA link and guys, if your feeling left out…get off your horse and on some wheels. Men’s derby is quickly becoming more and more popular, legit and wicked fast fun.

I‘m trying to concentrate on work, music and movies today, but it’s a bit difficult with the misplaced excitement throughout this city (and this office) about Brett Favre joining the MN Vikings football squad.

I’m not big into football and over the past few years I’ve become even more uninterested in home team: The Vikings. Every damn year, “oh we’re going to be great this year!” Then we are 8-8 at best and complete shit at worst. So really, the only thing this does for me is give me something to talk about while having cocktails with a complete stranger. It doesn’t mean we’re going to the Super Bowl.

I’m no great football mind, but isn’t he kind of hurt? Isn’t he kind of old? Isn’t he kind of a diva? Isn’t he the NFL, all-time leader in interceptions thrown?

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Like golf? Me too. But I have to agree that in some circles, the game has just gotten a bit too “stuffy” and stereotypical. Even Tiger doesn’t hold the interest that he once did. So I stumbled on this little web series today called the Craig Show: a collaboration between 612 Authentic, photographer Paul Irmiter and Minneapolis local golf pro, Craig Teiken.

The Craig Show is a web show about golf starring Craig Teiken, a scratch golfer and professional coach. Craig believes that the game of golf started out as a fun, casual way to gather, and that’s what it should be today. According to Craig, we need to get away from the obsessive emphasis on gear and technique and get back to the community roots of the game; as it was originally invented in Scotland as a public (and free) sport for everybody to enjoy.

“Finally, a sports advice column with a shockingly low suck factor.”

Check out one of the episodes I stuck under the cut…
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So spring training is officially in full swing and my beloved Twins are 2-0. Of course, we’re a good month and change away from regular season, but I thought I’d say now that I fully expect another great season from m squad and I only have to sit one more year in the dreadful Metrodome (I took a behind-the-scenes tour of that place a couple years ago and I can vouch for that place when I see it is a major dump in there!).

Just curious if anyone out there is a baseball fan and is stoked for or already dreading their teams’ performance in the 2009 season. As the snow flies in Minnesota, benches are being cleared, baselines are being painted and the hotdog stands are being greased up in anticipation already.

Who’s your favorite team, what do you expect from this year and how many games do you actually go to during the year? Sound off baseball fans, we want to hear from you.

More later.

If there are any other fellow sports fanatics out there, jump on in the discussion.

Born and raised a hardcore Steelers fan here. Rarely do I miss watching a game. I’ve been to at least one game each year since I was 16. I follow Steelers football more closely than any other team or sport. I admit, a few weeks into the season, I wasn’t convinced that Pittsburgh could make it this far, the way their line had been playing – but the defense picked up the slack and with it helped carry the team. In the meantime, the offensive line turned things around, and Pittsburgh was playing the best football in the league. I’ll spare the excessive gushing over Hines Ward, Polamalu, Fast Willie, Santonio, and gang, but I do want to throw something out there that I have been saying all season, even with his interceptions and stupid decisions he sometimes makes: Ben Roethlisberger is a top 5 quarterback in the league.

As for the opponent, it’s hard not to like the Arizona Cardinals. Larry Fitzgerald is a class act who had one of the greatest playoff performances in wide receiver history. Edgerrin James is proving that he is still more than a relevant running back. Kurt Warner is trying to solidify his legacy, when it doesn’t seem so long ago that he was being booed off his home field, benched, traded, and his career seemed all but over, his legacy seemingly tainted by a bad taste his left in the mouth of St. Louis fans (this being not so long after being MVP and leading them to the Superbowl). When traded to the desert, he was just supposed to fill-in while pretty boy USC alum Matt Leinart was prepping to take over, the great red-and-white hope for the Cardinals. Now, throw in the fact that Arizona is coached by former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt (a real stand-up guy) and you realize that in any other situation, any, I would be rooting for these guys.

The fact of the matter though is that I bleed black and gold and will feel no pity for Arizona come game time. It was a hell of a feat for them to get to the Super Bowl in the first place and that says quite a bit itself. Still, after those two ridiculously exciting championship games yesterday, I’m really looking forward to seeing this all unfold. We’ve got perhaps the most respected organization in the NFL with the most loyal fans versus an intriguing Cinderella story that played beyond everyone’s expectations.

Make it six, Pittsburgh.