LLWS: I've seen less crying in a Dick Vermeil Special!

They call it "The Little League World Series of Baseball", but I call it trying to get me to cry. Teams of ten year old boys from all over the world, and just as many teams from the United States play in Williamsport, Pennsylvania for the right to be crowned the world's best little league team...

(Insert Facepalm here)

I'm glad people are taking an interest in kids, promoting fitness, teamwork, sportsmanship, and the love of the game. However, I get more than a little upset about the annual questions coming out of this nationally televised event.

1) Why is there an American team in the final EVERY year? The LLWS has two "leagues" or conferences: American and International. While the best teams in the world face off against other young talents to see who is the best in their pool, all the American teams play in their league to see which the best/luckiest to play in the final.

2) How old is that kid anyway? There is always one tall, stubble-bearded, fantastic player from the darkest jungles of the world that takes the baseball world by storm. However, controversy surrounds that kid wherever he/she goes (See thirteen year old Danny Almonte in action)

3) What's with the flagwaving? When the USA is in the final, you can guarantee biased reporting from broadcasters, "USA!" chanting up to high heaven, and the heavy burden of patriotism and national pride befallen on kids with more on their plate than the RAF during "the Blitz" combined.

4) World War 2 anyone? Nothing says "fate of the world at stake" quite like Americans playing and winning against a team from Japan.

5) Are you crying?! Two cameramen are responsible for locating, isolating, and zooming in on kids from the losing team crying their eyes out on the field after a big loss. Tsk tsk tsk, shame on you. Check out this replay from the 2005 LLWS between Ewa Beach, HI and Curacao if you don't believe me. Tom Hanks is losing his mind about what he is watching out there!

6) What do you mean there is no ice here? Count on two other things about this competition.

1. Canada is in the competition
2. Canada will find a way to lose the competition

According to the logic of the LLWS, I'm playing eight Canadian teams in the next Winter Olympic Games, because hockey is OUR game: Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Provinces, British Columbia, Alberta, Central Provinces, Territories, and First Nations. Come on, we do it in curling!

I have many beefs, but this beef above all gets to me: Video Replay in the LLWS. Never mind the call, but do we need this in Little League? As if the fate of the world hangs in the balance when Little Leaguers, who can't even drive cars, get together for a game of baseball? Perish the thought of a child crying his eyes out at the end of a game because of a blown call; who knows, maybe he will never play baseball again? We can't have that! Give them instant replay! We must get things right for the kids, and while we are at it let's get rid of defeat and losing, because those things are wrong. Yes, let's make every game a tie game so that everyone wins, except for the winner.

It sounds like I'm harping on kids, but the fault is with us. We put too many high expectations on our kids, and when they fall short they crash and burn; in the case of LLWS, however, we get it on film. If the LLWS is a gimmick, then we don't need eight American teams, flagwaving exercises, intense close-ups of Mom and Dad in the stands when their boy goes to bat, and video replay for calls that matter less to a ten year old than bubble gum and bike rides in the park. However, if it is not a gimmick, and we NEED this REAL baseball to prove something, then it's time to turn off the cameras, sit down with our kids, and find out who we are and what is important in life. Otherwise, the LLWS is really for those who didn't make it, and now living out our hopes and dreams in those we raised to serve our purpose.

What would I do about the LLWS? Two things for starters really: Shut off the camera and let the kids play.

The Habs did what?

Montreal traded Jaro Halak to the St. Louis Blues...it has begun.

"Fabio versus The FA" OR "England: Whose Side Is It Anyway?"

Robert Green was Fabio's man; he made the decision I would make. On the eve of the opening 2010 World Cup match against the reborn and improved United States, England manager Fabio Capello chose Robert Green over David James to start in goal for jolly old England that night in South Africa. I will not regale you with my earlier musings on David James and his ineptitude in big games, but Robert Green did have a reputation for stealing games, and playing against impossible odds. Fabio knew that, too, and chose Green.

England led 1-0 after an early goal from Steven Gerrard to open the contest. Then, this happened...

Embarrassment to say the least. As in the Nike commercials of soccer lore, Green wrote the future. Watching the game in my living room, I made a correct yet insensitive remark, "No matter how well he plays, he will never play for his country in the World Cup again."

Insensitive because we all have moments like this, or at least worse (see Jim Marshall). Robert Green made a mistake, but he should never be under a bus. If you claim your team is a favourite, and if I have more fingers on my hand than you have "goals scored", you don't deserve to win. No one goalie blunder can erase that.

Second, I was correct because Robert Green was Fabio's man, and not the FA's man: David James. Since 1966, The Football Association (of England) undermines and overrules its managers at every turn. The shift from a "player's coach" like Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson, to "company men" like Sven-Goran Eriksson and Ron Greenwood happens with clockwork regularity. You can read the full history of England's managers on Wikipedia, yet when strong-willed and popular managers get too close to their players (see Sir Alf, 1974 World Cup qualifying...be patient it's a long example), or when "company men" prove how their ineptness for the job (see Graeme Taylor, 1994 World Cup qualifying), these managers get the axe.

My favourite example comes from 1977 - The FA hold interviews for the manager vacancy after the resignation of Don Revie. Popular, outspoken, and uncontrollable manager Brian Clough is a front runner for the job, but he interviews before a preliminary panel. The FA already made their decision: Ron Greenwood. He lasts five years: Failing to qualify for the 1978 World Cup, group stage in the Euro 1980, and the second round in the 1982 World Cup. Meanwhile, Clough wins one league championship in 1978, and back-to-back European Club Championships in 1979 and 1980 with Nottingham Forest. Hmm...

What will it take to rid England of the snake-bitten label? Who is in charge of England for Euro 2012: Fabio or The FA? Will David James be in goal again?

As for Robert Green, he never did tend goal again for England in the 2010 World Cup. David James, who became Fabio's "reluctant" choice goaltender, guided England out of the group stage. As expected they faced stiff opposition in Germany in the second round; as expected, David James and England folded up like pup tents 4-1 to the Germans. What? No sound?!

For the record, Robert Green is still my man for the job.

Now, Elton John will sing Candle in the Wind.

Classic Post

From Monday, December 21, 2009, I decided to re-post a classic blog post I wrote up.

Step on a Stepbrother?

(But she's so pretty! I mean the other women look like they lost a fight with a 'two by four'... Oops!)

I haven't updated my blog in awhile. The last month at work was hectic, and I did not have lots of time and energy to spend on The Franchise. While I have a spare moment, I decided to talk about this month's current hot topic.

Since 1997, my stepbrother, whom my Mom claimed as her 'pride and joy' until recently, won every title imaginable. I believed Tiger Woods was the yardstick by which Mom measured my accomplishments, so it was easy to feel in second place. His greatest accomplishment on a golf course, which is his U.S. Open victory in 2007, remains the most remarkable individual sporting moment I ever saw; what is more incredible is that he played better golf on one leg than most if not all golfers in the world on two. Nevertheless, Tiger Woods was 'everything my Mom ever wanted in a son', until...

It would be easy to harp on Tiger after recent news of his infidelity drove the #1 golfer to playing his home golf course in the still of night. I am disappointed not just because a man cheated on his wife and kids, thus crippling the family unit, but another one of my heroes went out like a villain.

Keep in mind Tiger was once 'everything my Mom ever wanted in a son', so excuse me for not celebrating my return to the good graces of my Momzo. Tiger's story is similar to that of many young men in this world: How many young men with money, fame, power, ability, or intellect ever heard the world tell them 'No'? Nothing is impossible for us, and when we are successful the world is our biggest fan. There are examples of this everywhere: Asking for our autographs, shaking our hands, sliding a free drink down to us at the local, and as Frank Herzog of 'Skins radio fame said in an interview "giving us all the goodies - even the cocaine", or the women.

Whether we are athletes, analysts, prognosticators or die-hard fans, each of us have a duty to each other and to those we hold dear to keep things in perspective and not fall victim to the hype around our money, fame, power, ability, or intellect. After all, when those things go away, character is all you have to your name and that never goes out of style.