“Dad, that sounds like a brilliant idea… Good thinking Sandy!” – Mets Co-Owner Jeff Wilpon to his dad and co-owner Fred Wilpon and GM Sandy Alderson after Sandy floated the Pledge your Support idea..
EL BARIO, BRONX – I know we have all had our fill of the Donald Sterling matter. However, your humble Sports Deacon Blaber wants to discuss the influence of the NBA players union on the decision. That will be the first thing from my Bully Pulpit. As for the rest of today’s topics, I give my take on the insane Mets Pledge and talk about the drama that is the NHL playoffs. The first two topics were discussed in this week’s Meet The Matts Radio Podcast but I didn’t get a chance to call in so, I am sharing my thoughts now!
NBA Player Power: A little known aspect of the whole lifetime suspension given out to Donald Sterling was the role the NBA players association played in it. David Stern downplayed Sterling’s bigotry for a while and swept all his lawsuits under the carpet. But Dumb Don’s views were an known in the management corridors of the NBA that Stern managed carefully, including nixing the Chris Paul trade to the Lakers – and sending Paul to the Clippers. However, when this came out (and to be fair, that fact that his trophy girlfriend ratted him out makes her look even more like a gold-digger, so they deserve each other), the players union was incensed. The aforementioned Chris Paul is the president of the NBA Players Association, so he had a lot more clout than most of his teammates. The Clippers went out and played game 5 and it seemed like the NBA was going to just investigate and hope it went away. But before the decision came down, Paul made some calls. It was confirmed by CNN and other reputable news sources that beyond the Clippers silent protest of throwing their warm-ups on the ground and practicing with their jerseys inside out, the other playoff teams – including the Clippers opponents the Golden State Warriors – would have their entire 15-man roster walk-off the court after tip-off. With the Commish made aware of those intentions, he had to throw the book at Sterling or face global condemnation.
Mets Pledge: This insane idea that the Mets are circulating a petition whereby Mets fans pledge their loyalty to the club is ridiculous. Yes, some Met legends have signed it – but club legends do that to stay current or hope to get hired in some capacity. There is an unwritten pledge amongst most sports fans and their clubs and it usually goes that we will support you through thick and thin, if you can promise to at least attempt to put out a good team. If you sign a big name Free Agent and he ends up a bust, we know it is not your fault. But when you sign Bartolo Colon, sell Ike Davis for a bag of balls, leave us with the powerhouse duo of Lucas Duda at first and Ruben Tejada at short, why should we pledge our loyalty to this piss poor product. You obviously don’t care about us and only want my money… I believe a relationship where one party takes the other’s money and doesn’t care about the other party’s feelings is unhealthy. This is verified by 11 out of 10 therapists.
NHL Playoffs: Said it before and I will say it again, no American major sport playoffs touch the NHL Playoffs. Football is close but has only 1 game between the teams. The NHL is longer but it feels like the teams don’t take night off like they do in Baseball and Basketball. You have the beards, you have the rise of grinders to stardom and no other sport does one guy, the Goalie, have the ability to carry a sad sack side like in Hockey. I am staying east coast this year in my back-up to the Rangers. If the Broadway Blues can’t win it, then give me Les Habitants – aka the Montreal Canadians. It would be great if they took Lord Stanley’s cup all the way back to Montreal. As great a hockey town as there ever was.
That is it for now, feel free to comment below and come back tomorrow for the one and only Cheesy Bruin – as great a hockey as there ever will be.
P.s… If you want to read more of my ramblings as a Rugby Guy, you can find them on RugbyWrapUp.com and our Facebook Rugby Wrap Up Page and follow us on Twitter @RugbyWrapUp and @JunoirBlaber, respectively
