Thugs, Mugs and Final Four Hugs

imageHOUSTON, TX – With the crack of bats, MLB season adds to the sports overload that hits me in the chops at this time of year.

The NFL has become (by their own design) a twelve-month spectator sport and to compete with the Boys of Summer, they roll out the Path to the Draft and Free Agent season with everything from prospective concussed grid guys in Under Armour running, jumping and weight lifting to following DeSean Jackson… into the mens room at Dulles. TMI, DJ… Too much information!

imageSpeaking of the speedy receiver, Jackson has been labeled a Thug by a couple of bush league journalists from Jersey looking to steal some thunder from the Big Guy and his Bridge-Gate. Although my *mother always told me “Tell me who you go with and I’ll tell you what you are,” pro athletes like – number 10 – are easy targets for innuendo, based on the neighborhood they come from. Morons with the power of the Internet? Maybe NJ.com’s version of Woodward and Bernstein are being paid by the New York Football Giants. After all Eli is not looking to good and the Eagles are an arch rival. Its Jersey style baby!

Seriously, the entire state of Calquakey is coming out to defend Jackson and just because you grew up with bangers doesn’t mean you are one. Hell, Meet The Matts’ founders grew up near authentic journalists… Get the picture?

imageFrom Thugs to Mugs we go.

Enter Rutgers’ Ray Rice… Ray Ray just came off a tough season and was recently in New York doing PR for the NFL Characters Unit against… ANTI BULLYING! A week later he is filmed by security cameras MUGGING his fiancee at the Revel in Atlantic City. WEEEEEE-O! Fortunately, she still said yes, just like the Krazy Kat cartoons from my childhood. See Kobe Bryant for expensive apologies.

Let’s face it, with TMZ and cell phone cameras always ready to roll, everyone must maintain a better decorum while in public, don’t you think? Just ask the Rangers… no Devils… no Flyers fan Rex Ryan. Better yet, lets ask the Dean of Behavior and author of Hanging Out With the Right Crowd Ray Lewis. Hmm…

Rex_Ryan Hockey Whore Meet_The_Matts

On to a more positive sport. A sport in which the pure love of the game and hunger for a higher education drives young hoopsters every March to represent their school on the hardwood. EH. Calipari made the Final Four again.

imageMost of the world will be rooting for the cheese eating, rosy cheeked Badgers to eliminate Coach Cal and his NBA-ready collection of Jesus Shuttlesworths. But wait… If that happens there will be a whole new story about how the team is too white. Coach Bo Ryan will be accosted by the likes of Al Sharp Tongue and there would certainly be accusations of Ref impropriety. How could a team of white guys possibly beat anyone? Answer: NHL

imageIt does not matter who wins that game because the HUGS all around will be going to the new Dean of College B-Ball… Billy Donovan. The Our Gang-faced-scrapper has brought another team back to the Big Dance and BIG D will embrace the man who shunned Kentucky for the Tebow State of Gatorville. He is the new king and Coach K not only lost Wojo to Marquette, he has lost his recruiting dominance .

That’s right, Florida is too tough for the resurgent U Conn Huskies. Shabazz is superb but the Gators will be better prepared than the others on this stage. I pick Florida over Kentucky for the  trophy. Mark my words! Take it to the Bank!

imageWho said that Jerry Jones can’t bring more hardware to Dallas?

My next topic will be a few more Bridges and Caps…The story of an NHL Team Dentist. In the meantime, thanks to Angry Ward handing me the bat in his absence and come back tomorrow for Marty St. Louis calling in during the next Meet The Matts Radio bit.

And last but certainly not least:
*Happy 92nd Birthday to a big baseball fan, Eleanor McGuirk (Mom to me, Aunt to Short Matt).

From the Vault:

Share Button
About GrindingAx 135 Articles
"Grinding Ax" Walter Hynes (GAW) comes from the same Sports Royalty bloodlines as Short Matt... He's heaving hatchets off the heads of any deserving Sports Personalities... His favorite teams are the NY Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Dallas Cowboys, NY Jets and Manchester United... A suburban husband and father of two, Walter understands what it takes to be a second-guessing, sideline-heckling parent and coach.