“Today is the tomorrow that Yankee fans feared yesterday.” –Deacon Blaber
EL BARIO, BRONX – As Snowpocaplyse 4: Buried Alive, is in it death throes, yet we at MTM soldier on. We are NYC public school system tough; there are no off days. Seriously though, more than half of this staff are graduates of the esteemed high schools of NYC and most never got one singular snow day. So as the snow falls, I – Deacon Blaber and my bully pulpit for the sporting masses – take a look back at the events of 7th week of the two thousandth and fourteenth year of our Lord and Savior, Yim (MTM fan emeritus Jim Clancy). We take a look at the retirement of Derek Jeter, the coming-out of Michael Sam, the reaction to Sam by Jonathan Vilma and Olympic Hockey.
The 2014 retirement tour for Derek Jeter will be even more lame and annoying than the one for Mo Rivera, in 2013. You will see grown men like Yankee Joe, who wouldn’t cry at their mom’s funeral, blubbering on about DJ – that he was America’s captain [sniff, sniff]… MTM Staff members will do the same; Cookie will breakdown midway through an Iron Man competition, while Different Matt sits alone in a dark room with a bottle of Jameson, sucking his thumb. See, Today is the tomorrow that Yankee fans feared yesterday. As you suffer and cry at the end of an era, I want all my fellow Yankee fans to know that the Mets fan in me is here for them. Here, to lick those sweet sweet delicious tears off your face. I will be there to taste every drop of despair and fear for you!
Yet even as a Mets fan, Jeter has to be listed as a first ballot Hall of Famer. Not for the Baseball Hall of Fame, I have said before what a that is – Suburban Matt/FSA backs me up on that. Jeter is first ballot Guy’s Guy Hall of Famer. Look at his line-up complied by Sportsnation. You can disagree with the positions some of those ladies are in (insert positions joke of your choice), Jessica Alba pitching and Mariah Carey catching would be what I’d like to see (Boom!). However, that is an impressive line-up and some stunners were left off. Also remember these are the ones we know off – most normal guys have a bunch we never claim.
This guy was the captain of 5 World Series winning Yankee teams. He is a King of NY if there ever was one, and did it the right way, too. No sex addict therapy for him or Tiger/A-rod controversy, because he stayed single while playing. He can get married once he is out of the limelight, as he should.
To prove the guy is all class, a friend of a friend who is a doorman in DJ’s building, says after he gives a lucky lady the DJ experience, he has them call her a limo in the morning and give them a bouquet of roses. Then the doorman tells her “You will never see or hear from him but he wanted to make sure you got home safe and left feeling special.” Take notes all you, young Nukes out there.
Changing gears… Earlier this week, University of Missouri football player Michael Sam came out of the closet publicly. He was celebrated as the first current and likely pro player to be openly gay. Sam joins Jason Collins of the NBA as the only openly gay current athletes. Considering the demographics of both the NBA and NFL, the fact that these two are black shouldn’t surprise anyone. However, considering how loudly anti-gay the black community is, I found it intriguing. Sam is no Jackie Robinson but the first one through the door/ceiling is gonna take it in the teeth. Reading the comments on this Black America news page is proof of that. That is why the comments made by former Jet and current New Orleans Saint LB, Jonathan Vilma are poignant. Vilma is concerned about Sam being in the showers with him and looking at him funny. This always makes me laugh as it seems two things happen when a gay guy tells a straight friend they are gay:
1) The straight guy is taken aback and thinks the gay friend is confessing feeling for him, until the gay guy says no.
2) The straight guy is then offended that he is deemed unattractive and tries to debate his attractive features.
Anyway, back to Vilma… he has a right to his opinion and to be mean and prejudice. This is not necessarily standing up for the rights of the dumb – it is more don’t ask a question if you are not prepared for the response. Vilma doesn’t have to like Sam, nor does he have to be more tolerant or open-minded. Its a free country and he has the right to believe what he wants. The beauty of acceptance is you accept people for who they are. Sam is who he is and Vilma is who he is. I really think Sam would flourish on teams like Seattle, Denver, San Francisco, New York or Boston. Teams in liberal cities with good defensive coordinators that can use his skills creatively.
Finally, in the world of Olympic Hockey… The USA women lost to Canada. Never send a woman to do a man’s job. In all seriousness, I expect the USA Women to face Canada in the final and get the job. The men will be happy to make the medal round, not sure they will walk away with any medals though. They did use Slovakia as a good warm-up game and easy victory.
That is it for now, feel free to comment below and come back tomorrow for the one and only, Cheesy Bruin.
P.s… If you want to read more of my ramblings you can find them on RugbyWrapUp.com and our Facebook Rugby Wrap Up Page and follow us on Twitter @RugbyWrapUp and @JunoirBlaber, respectively
