Tag: womenwholovesports

A DIFFERENT kind of concern for Cam…

On By kassienetteIn Controversy, Football, NFL, Panthers3 Comments

Late Sunday night, I was heavily involved in my typical routine, glued to SportsCenter when a presser(press conference for those of you who are not hip to the media terms) came on. It was of Cam Newton after their loss to the Cowboys. I immediately stopped what I was doing because I wanted to see how Newton would handle this presser. When it was over I was, once again, left with a feeling of concern as I watched Newton sulk while he discussed what went wrong earlier on the field. You know that PR major in me was eyes wide open thinking, “if only I could get a hold of him…”

Cam Newton does not like to lose. I am not sure I have met a person who does. I know I do not like it! Ever seen me after I lose in Connect Four? Not always a pleasant sight. Who really enjoys losing? The winner? In a reverse psychology warped kind of way, I guess a winner could take pleasure in another’s loss but that person won so….you get my point. A true competitor wants to compete at the highest level when it is showtime. A true competitor wants to win every time, so it is not a concern of mine that Cam Newton is not happy about losing. What I am concerned about is the way he handles losing, publicly. When I watch Cam Newton’s pressers I see a young man consumed with the guilt and agony of losing. I see a young man who has rarely experienced losses on the football field struggling to grasp the reality of what many of his fellow colleagues have already experienced. I see a young man who wants to win, knows how to win but has not figured out how to make that happen on a consistent basis.

Apparently what I see and what other journalists see is totally different. For weeks, I have heard journalists, commentators and the Couch QB’s bash Cam Newton for what he has and has not done. I refuse to be on one of those people. Some journalists are quick to turn on you when things are not going well.  I think they have forgotten Peyton Manning went 3-13 and 6-10 in his first two seasons. I digress. Let me get back on track.   These same journalists and commentators who were singing soprano praises for Cam Newton last year are now saying that something is wrong with him and I even heard one say he is starting to believe he may never see the Cam Newton we saw last year, again. *raises hand* Wait, are we talking about last year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year? Are we talking about the NFL record holder for most passing yards EVER by a rookie? Are we talking about the NFL single season record holder for most rushing TD’s EVER by a QB in a season? Are we talking about the former Auburn QB who led the Tigers to an undefeated season, a national championship and scooped up the Heisman Trophy along the way? Are we talking about the former Blinn College QB who led them to the NJCAA Championship in 2009? That guy? That is who we are talking about? You have got to be kidding me. The same abilities and talents that propelled him to do these things are still there. Did you see him shaking and baking the Cowboys on Sunday? Did you see him threading tight spirals to Brandon LaFell in the middle of the field? If you did then there is no way you would be questioning if he still has “it.” Somebody has been sniffing too many Sharpies.

His abilities should never be in question but I can admit when something is off. What we should be concerned with is his state of mind. From the outside looking in, one has to wonder what type of mental and emotional support the Panthers are providing for their franchise QB. Remember, this is a 23 year old man we are talking about. At 23 years old, a lot of men and women struggle as thy search for their identity and purpose in this world. Add an international spotlight to the mix and you have a recipe for a potential disaster, if the right pieces are not in place.

Maybe he has someone in his life who not only tells him it is ok to be disappointed in losing but sets an example for him to follow. Maybe he has someone to tell him that his body language and non-verbal cues during pressers have a major impact on how the public views him. Maybe he has someone to tell that he needs to be mindful of his brand at all times. It is hard to build your brand back up once the foundation has been shaken. Maybe he has someone to tell him that as QB, you are expected to eventually be the leader of the team, no matter how young you are. Maybe has has someone to tell him that “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” Maybe has has someone to tell him these things. Maybe he does not. Hopefully he does and if he does not, I hope someone comes along quick who is truly concerned about him as a whole. Maybe I need to take a trip down 85…..

Until next time…TOODELLS.

The weekender

On By kassienetteIn Baseball, Basketball, College football, Football, Hockey, NASCAR, NFL, Panthers, Sports, Tennis, WolfpackLeave a comment

Hey! Hey! Hey!! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Here is your quick rekap of what happened in sports this weekend…

The Cardiac Pack is still alive and well. The Wolfpack pulled out a 20-18 win after merryland’s Brad Craddock missed a 33 yard FG with two seconds left. DOINK!

The Jets allllllllllllmost pulled off the upset of the Pats. So close, soooooo close.

RG3 was sooooo close to pulling off the upset of the G-men, throwing a potential game winning TD to Santana Moss with less than two minutes left in the game. Eli then turns around and throws the game winning TD, 19 seconds later. Womp.

Kansas State though? Ran all up and through the mountains of West Va. Sheeeeeeeesh.

Dwight Howard had a memorable preseason debut with the Lakers…19 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and two assists. Butter rum, that Thomas Robinson dunk over Howard’s back, WHEEEEEEEEW WHEEEEEE!!

The Indiana Fever defeated the defending champs, Minnesota Lynx, to win its first WNBA Championship. Tamika Catchings was named MVP. Girl power!

The San Francisco Giants, facing elimination, dominated game six, winning 6-1 to force a game seven in the NLCS. Game seven is tonight at 8:00.

Ravens LB Terrell Suggs played in his first game of the season. The Texans welcome back present? A 43-13 rout. Womp.

Suspended/Unsuspended Saints LB played in his first game since being suspended/unsuspended. His welcome back present was his team’s 35-28 win over the Bucs. I have a feeling he will be suspended again next week. Womp.

Matt Kenseth won at the Kansas speedway. Brad Keselowski still holds the number one spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Feathers were flying all over The Swamp Saturday as Florida blasted South Carolina 44-11. Chomp,  Chomp, Chomp.

BCS Standings…1)Bama 2)Florida 3)Kansas State 4)Oregon 5)Notre Dame. This is going to be real interesting.

Venus Williams ended her two year drought by winning the Luxemborg Open. It was her 44th singles title.

Oh yeah, you guessed it. The NHL is still frozen. Double womp.

Until next time…TOODELLS.

Cancer does not care if he did it or not…

On By kassienetteIn Controversy, Cycling8 Comments

He said. She said. They said. The dog said. Enough already. Sheesh. I am so over this whole Lance Armstrong saga I could scream. Oh wait, I did that earlier.

Moving right along. Yesterday morning, I was stunned to hear that Armstrong was stepping down as chairman of the Lance Armstrong(Livestrong)foundation, the foundation he started in 1997 to help those affected by cancer. Even, the public relations major in me was surprised. 45 minutes later, I was stunned again when I learned that Nike had terminated its contract with Armstrong. Initially, I thought that meant they were cutting funding to Livestrong as well but I found out that is not the case. Nevertheless, I was stunned. Just a couple of months ago, after the Untied State Anti-Doping Agency(USADA) hit Armstrong with a lifetime ban and recommended that the be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles, Nike firmly stood their ground and reaffirmed their commitment to Armstrong. And then the bomb dropped last Wednesday. That was the day the USADA released a 1,000 plus page document that details the elaborate doping scheme Armstrong was allegedly the ringleader of. Even my mouth dropped open on this one. I have been very staunch on my stance that Armstrong has never failed a test. However, in this era of steroids and performance enhancing drugs(PEDs), that is not very hard to do. Ever heard of “The Clear?” I do find it hard to believe that there are this many people who would conspire against Armstrong and tell blatant lies. At the same time, like I said, he has not failed a test. Who knows what to believe?!

What I do know for sure is that the same man who is being accused of this elaborate scheme is the same man who started a foundation that has raised over $500 million dollars for cancer research and awareness. Let me repeat that, FIVE HUNDRED MILLION. Look, if Armstrong did what they are accusing him of then he deserves to be banned. If there are consequences he has to suffer, then so be it. He does not get a pat on the back just because of his philanthropy. However,he does not deserve and most importantly, what those battling cancer do not deserve is to have Livestrong grouped into this mess. Regardless of how he established the platform to do it, the fact of the matter is that this man has literally revolutionized this world when it comes to cancer. Before 1997, cancer, in my opinion, was pretty taboo. I knew about it because my grandma had battled it but as a 16 year old, I did not really grasp the magnitude of this disease. Armstrong used the platform that he had at the time to shed light on this terrible disease and he did it in one of the simplest forms, he created a silicon gel bracelet. Who could have imagined that in 2004 when the Livestrong bracelet was introduced that it would literally become an international movement? I can distinctly recall going to numerous stores trying to find one only to be told over and over that they were sold out. The Livestrong craze was insane and eight years later, that tiny yellow bracelet is still an international phenomenon. This simple accessory has allowed people to connect in a way that does  not even require you having a conversation about why they are wearing it.

For some, it is hard to separate the allegations from the charity. Armstrong typically rode in cycling gear outfitted with the words Livestrong. His gear was yellow, the main color of his foundation. Cycling, Armstrong and Livestrong go hand in hand. Until the bottom dropped out. It was not until the allegations surfaced that I think people really begin to separate one from the other. Yes, Armstrong started Livestrong but this foundation is much bigger than him and that is what I think is getting lost in this saga. There is a reason he stepped down. He knew the foundation was bigger than him. He knows Livestrong is about the mother who was told she only has six months to live. He knows Livestrong is about the four year old who has been battling cancer since he was two. He knows Livestrong is about the 65 year old grandmother who has been told she has breast cancer. Those people are who the foundation is about. Armstrong was the driving force behind what is now a bigger movement. And no matter what he said, she said, they said or the dog said, I will continue to wear my LIVESTRONG bracelet proudly. After all, it is not about me either.

Greatest of all time….

On By kassienetteIn 49ers, Football, SportsLeave a comment

The debate happens all the time, who is the greatest football player of all-time?

Marino? Brown? Montana? Sanders? Rice? Payton? Butkus? Brady? Manning? LT? Unitas? Smith? Sayers?

I think it is safe to say the G.O.A.T.(Greatest Of All Time) resides on the offensive side of the ball. With that being said, to me there is no debate…JERRY LEE RICE is the G.O.A.T.

Look at the players I named. Does anything stand out? Rice is the ONLY receiver named. You can have the QB debate all day. You can have the RB debate all day. You can have the LB debate all day. The WR debate, starts and ends with Rice. Still not convinced? Here are the facts…

Records Rice holds

208 total touchdowns, 33 more than the next guy

22,895 receiving yards, 691 more than the next guy

1,549 receptions, 400 more than the next guy at the starts of the 2012 season

1,848 yards, most gained in a season

17 seasons with 50 or more receptions

14 seasons of 1000 or more receiving yards

274 straight games with a reception

197 receiving TDs

13 consecutive games with passing TDs

23,540 yards from scrimmage

23,546 yards gained

13 time Pro Bowler. 12 time All Pro selection. 3 Super Bowl rings. 1 Super Bowl MVP. 2 time NFL Offensive POY. 3 time NFC POY. Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee.

In the words of Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, “Men lie. Women lie. Number’s don’t.”

The Weekender

On By kassienetteIn Baseball, Basketball, College football, Football, Hockey, NASCAR, NFL, Sports, Tennis, Uncategorized, WolfpackLeave a comment

Another beautiful weekend. Here’s a rekap…
Welp, my 9ers got butchered, sliced, diced, mollywopped, shallacked, killt, all dat by the midgets. Way too much talent on both sides of the ball to get beat like that.

What concussion? That is exactly what RGIII had to be thinking as he led the tataskinz to their first home win of the season.

Russell Wilson was who we have all seem him be, a playmaker. He threw a touchdown pass to Sidney Rice with 1:18 remaining in the game to lead the Seahawks to a 24-23 victory over The Brady Bunch.

Crazy weekend in Major League Baseball. It needs its own rekap…The Washington Nationals suffered a colossial collapse blwing a 7-5 lead in the ninth inning with two outs remaining, allowing the St. Louis Cardinals to advance to the NLCS. The San Francisco Giants defeated the Cincinnati Reds in five games to advance to the NLCS. The New York Yankees advance to the ALCS. And while we are talking about the Yankees, Google Raul Ibanez. What a story! The Detroit Tigers are facing the Yankees in the series. By the way, the Tigers are p 2-0 in the series and the Cards are up 1-0.

The Falcons remain the only undefeated team. The Texans got buried by the Packers.

The LSU Tigers brought the South Carolina Gamecocks back to reality. Sorry chickens.

The Brooklyn Nets made the preseason debut. They beat the Philadelphia 76ers 108-105.

Clint Bowyer won the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Brad Keselowski maintained his number one spot, barely.

Notre Dame finally beat Standford. The win moved them to number 5 in the AP poll.

No new news in hockey. Defrost already!!

The first BCS standings were released. No real surprise that the SEC holds the top two spots with Alabama and Florida.

Novak Djokovic is back to his winning ways. He took home the title at the China Open.

College basketball teams all across the country celebrated the first day of practice by holding various events. I attended Primetime with the PACK, of course :-}.

The Minnesota Lynx, the WNBA’s defending champs, shockingly loss the first game of the finals to the Indiana fever. Erlana Larkins scored 16 points in the 76-70 victory.

A week after I dropped Jets RB Shonn Greene from my fantasy roster, he goes out and rushes for 161 yards and scores three TDs against the Colts. Really dude?

 

Working on some gooooood stories. I am excited! Can not wait for ya’ll to read them and offer up your opinions. Until next time…TOODELLS.

For the love of the WOLFPACK…

On By kassienetteIn Baseball, Basketball, College football, Football, Love, Wolfpack1 Comment

Sunday morning I woke up with a headache. My throat was scratchy. And I was sleeeeeee-py. No, I was not sick. No, it had not been a long week. I was suffering the side effects of cheering my beloved Wolfpack on to victory over the #3 team in the nation on national TV….

As I sat in the stands at Carter-Finley Stadium aka The Carter Saturday night…..wait, let me rephrase that. As I stood in the stands, hooping and hollering, Saturday night watching my Wolfpack send Florida State back to RDU with their first loss, I could not help but wonder where this team was last week. Was this the same team that gave up 556 yards to Miami? Was this the same team that gave up that many yards and still had numerous chance to leave South Florida with a win? Was this the same team who had the home team thinking they were “The U” of old? Shaking my head, I thought to myself, ah the life of a STATE fan. NEVER A DULL MOMENT!!!
You see, it takes a special kind of person to be a STATE fan. You have to be loyal, determined, whitty, invested, committed, enthusiastic, passionate, confident and you need a good heart. Not the kind of heart that prompts you to be nice to people but a good heart that can sustain the extra heart palpitations you are sure to experience as a STATE fan. Saturday’s heart pounder is just one of many I have experienced as a STATE fan. I went through the same thing in 2010 when Florida State came to The Carter. I have had the same experience with men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, swimming, etc.

I have heard some say, “It is not easy being a STATE fan.” Sure, we have never won a national championship in football. We have not won a national championship in men’s basketball since 1983. Be sure to watch the ESPN 30 for 30 episode about the ’83 team next year. Yes, that was a plug! Despite the lack of championships, although we are one of only 14 programs that have won two or more men’s basketball championships, the sheer uncertainty at times keeps me excited. Take last year for instance. I attended our men’s basketball game against Florida State on February 18. I remember the day because it was the same day as Whitney Houston’s funeral. We got absolutely manhandled at home and I sat in the RBC(now PNC Arena) and watched Houston’s funeral on my phone. A month later, that same team that got manhandled was in the Sweet 16. Seven months later, this same team has constantly been ranked in the top 10 in the preseason polls. See what I mean?

Despite the fact that people think I should support one of the blue teams in the state(let me just say I would rather listen to someone pop gum 24 hours straight than to be a fan of either school…and anyone who knows me knows how much I CAN NOT STAND FOR PEOPLE TO POP GUM), I LOVE BEING A STATE FAN! I LOVE BEING AN ALUM! I love the fact that my school is associated with names such as DT, Yow, Valvano, Case, Shea, Stinson, Rivers, Holt, Tulloch, Hodge, Jones, Burleson, Pettersson, Gabriel, Brown, Whittenburg, Wilson, just to name a few. I love screaming HOME OF THE WOLFPACK at the end of the National Anthem. I love wearing RED, my favorite color. I love baseball games at The Doak, with Sullivan Hall in the background. I love the history of Reynolds Coliseum. I love hearing “WOLFPACK IN THE HOOOOOOOOOUSE” over the PA system.  I love going to games and seeing grown men and students dressed in red & white overalls. I love seeing the Bell Tower illuminated in red lighting after big wins. I love being a STATE fan. The good, the bad and the ugly. The tough times make nights like Saturday night, worth the Sunday morning headache.

Until next time….TOODELLS. #REDANDWHITEFORLIFE #OURSTATE #WOLFBLOOD

The weekender

On By kassienetteIn 49ers, Baseball, Basketball, College football, Football, Hockey, NASCAR, NFL, Sports, WolfpackLeave a comment

Oh! What a weekend!!! Here is your rekap…

HOW BOUT THAT WOLFPACK?!?! Taking down the #3 team in the country. I am not big on rankings but hey beating the #3 team on a Saturday night on primetime TV is always gonna be BIG! Not sure why many did not expect the game to be close. I guess those folks have not paid attention to the PACK-fsu games over the last 10 years. After running 20 miles that morning, spending Saturday night at The Carter was the perfect ending to my day. REDANDWHITEFORLIFE.

Boston Red Sox fired Bobby Valentine as their manager after only one season. I guess Cupid missed on this one.

Matt Cassel, QB for the Kansas City Chiefs, got injured in their game against the Baltimore Ravens. The fans cheered. That is never cool. The fact that it happened at home is sickening.

The Colts battled back from an 18 point deficit to beat the Packers in their first game since learning  of Coach Pagano’s cancer diagnosis. Reggie Wayne had a mind boggling 212 receiving yards.

Nine top 25 teams lost this weekend including #3 Florida State, #4 LSU and #5 Georgia. Crazy football weekend.

The Texas Rangers, the two time defending American League champs, were ousted from the playoffs on Friday night by the Orioles. *insert sad face*

The Falcons improved to 5-0. Now watch them mess around and lose next week to the Raiders.

Terry Francona was named the new manager for the Cleveland Indians. The recycling continues.

The NBA preseason has started. Um, yay.

Matt Kenseth won at Talledega. Brad Keselowski increased his lead in The Chase.

Nothing changed in the NHL.  Still frozen.

My 9ers beat the Bills 45-3. Poor Bills, punching bags of the NFL right now.

Drew Brees threw a touchdown in his 48th straight game, breaking a 52 year old record set by Johnny Unitas. Oh and the Saints finally won a game.

Geno Smith and the West Va. Mountaineers won a shootout versus Texas 48-45. Smith continued his Heisman campaign passing for 268 yards.

Until next time….TOODELLS.