“It was a long winter break. I can’t even say that any of the sporting news and events made me very happy but let’s recap. NFL To start out, not only did the Browns blow their chances at making the playoffs, but the Dallas Cowboys lost their playoff game, ending a football season that I was thoroughly enjoying.”
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It was a long winter break.

I can’t even say that any of the sporting news and events made me very happy but let’s recap.

NFL

To start out, not only did the Browns blow their chances at making the playoffs, but the Dallas Cowboys lost their playoff game, ending a football season that I was thoroughly enjoying.

I’m not a huge Browns fan, but I root for them and hope they do well.

Not this season, though.

The Cowboys have the Browns first round draft pick in April and after the Pittsburgh Steelers gave them a 34-7 beat down in Week one, I thought a high pick was a lock.

Just like all the hopes of this football season, it was not to be.

Brett Favre’s dream-season came to a screeching halt when the Green Bay Packers failed to have anything that closely resembled an offensive game-plan in the second half of the NFC Championship against the New York Giants.

Favre has no decision but to come back next year though. There is no way he can have the last pass of his career be an interception.

Nothing needs to be said about the New England Patriots. They are flawed, yet undefeated and I just can’t see Eli Manning beating Tom Brady. Then again, who gave the Giants a chance going into the playoffs in the first place?

MLB

By far the worst news I heard over break was that Jacobs Field is no more.

In the corporate world of sports these days, history and fan attachment mean nothing, it’s all about money.

I drove by the Jake (I will never call it Progressive Field) Sunday and the memorable Jacobs Field sign was gone; as was another piece of childhood nostalgia.

The Mitchell Report was also released.

So many players were named in the huge document that I didn’t even get through them all.

The most acclaimed name, Roger Clemens, is facing an uphill battle to clear his name that, in the end, will all be a waste of money. The government isn’t going to name you unless they are willing and ready to fight a player in court and that’s not a battle I’d even consider.

One thing is for sure, Barry Bonds has to be furious that Clemens isn’t getting near the amount of criticism and hate he received. Sure Bonds isn’t a likable guy, and I hate to drop the R-word, but I’m beginning to strongly believe it has something to do with race.

Three days after Martin Luther King, Jr. day, I hate that I even have to say that.

NBA

If you were LeBron James, would stay in Cleveland?

Sure, you have control over basically every decision the team makes, and Danny Ferry might throw a lot of money at you, but is the organization actually doing enough to keep him around?

Sasha Pavlovic has been a bust. Larry Hughes is doing nothing but eating up cap space and clanging the ball off the rim. And worst of all, the Cavs still have no legitimate point guard.

If I was LeBron, I’d gladly listen to what other teams have to offer when the time comes.

Even with LeBron in Cleveland and seeing the Celtics dominate, I can’t really stand watching the NBA.

The traveling, ridiculous amount of fouls called by refs, Tim Donaghey and hearing Stephen A. Smith yell at me are just too much for me to handle.

In fact, and this is slightly against the norm, I love watching the San Antonio Spurs.

While many around the nation think the team is boring, I think their fundamental style of basketball is the best part of the NBA.

Their style is just something you don’t see in the NBA anymore; stingy defense, lay-ups, a flashy pass-first point guard and a dominant big man who uses an arsenal of low-post moves.

You call it boring, I call it real basketball.

Looking Ahead

Football season is over in under two weeks. So, is there anything worth watching in the world of sports afterwards?

Count on it.

The Daytona 500 kicks off the NASCAR season (date) and whether you like the sport or not, the race is always entertaining.

The 500 is the Super Bowl of NASCAR and with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. switching teams, Rick Hendrick Motor Sports is the equivalent to the Boston Celtics big three this season.

Three premiere drivers: Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson and Earnhardt Jr., make this the team to beat. Then again, they’ve been the team to beat for years, the addition of Jr. is just a huge plus.

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