2014 Winter Olympics Follies

Now that the 2014 Winter Olympics has come to a close, it's as good as anytime to review the triumphs and the many travesties. Before the Olympics even started, problems were piling up while Russia made it's preparations. Stray dogs, poisonous water coming out of the hotel pipes, and bathroom stalls that had two toilets per stall.

In July off 2007, Sochi won the bid to host over Pyeongchang, South Korea and Salzburg, Austria. The six and a half years to prepare apparently weren't enough. Spending $51 billion dollars into updating Sochi and getting it up to Olympic levels. Nearly five times the amount it took to get the 2010 Winter Olympics hosted by Vancouver. Rumors spread that organizations syphoned and/or extorted money in the preparation.

By the time the Olympics were about to open, only six of the nine hotels built to host journalists and tourist were ready to be open. Out of those six, many individual rooms weren't ready for people to occupy them. Shower curtains, window curtains, door locks, and even pillows were missing from rooms. Some people were even asked to donate their pillows to the athletes because not enough pillows were ordered to cover the athletes in their dorms.

Many news organizations were forced to bunk up because not all their rooms were ready. The rooms that were ready, had water that came out of the tap, that more resembled whiskey more than H2O.

Once the games got under way, the opening ceremonies had it's own flaw. Five large lights in the shape of snowflakes were to blossom into the five Olympics rings. The top right ring decided to cooperate and remained a snowflake. On Russian television, viewers were never shown the mistake and instead they were shown taped footage from the rehearsals earlier that day, before cutting back to the live broadcast after the rings were shown. In the BBC and America broadcasts, viewers were treated to the genuine broadcast.

From there, after the ceremonies, various athletes had problems of their own, in their dorms. American Bobsledder Johnny Quinn found himself locked in his bathroom and without a cell phone or anyone within hearing distance. He used his athletic ability to break through the door and then Tweet about it afterwards. Ironically, later on he found himself stuck on an elevator and once again had a photo opportunity of him trying to open the elevator doors.

The snowboarders had problems of their own. The half pipe had large lumps at the end of the pipe and the surface of the pipe itself wasn't smooth at all. This type of condition hurts the big air style of snowboarders the most since they need the smooth surface to obtain the most speed, to gain the most air. The American snowboarders, who were the favorites, were all big air style snowboarders. Snowboarder rock star, Shaun White ended up in forth because of a fall.

As usual, hockey had it's controversial calls, but that seems to be the norm for every Olympics. The men's USA team lost it's final two games to end up forth overall, despite being a favorite themselves for a medal.

By the time the Olympics came to a close, the Russians had a sense of humor about it. During the closing ceremonies, to poke a jab at the ring that refused to open up during the opening ceremonies, the performers played the parts of the snowflakes that opened up to become the rings...except the performers that would make the top right ring. They stayed balled up for an extra count as a joke before joining the others in the iconic logo.

For a country with so much pride, especially in Winter sports, it was a surprise to see all the various ways it was bungled. The athletes themselves performed remarkably well and were one of the bright lights of the past two weeks, but Russia failed to play a part in that. It would be interesting to see whose heads will role...literally...when Russian leadership decides to place blame in review.

Spring Training

When February roles around, there is excitement in the air. Valentine's Day? Well for some. President's Day? Maybe if you're a banker. Well what is it?

Pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training for the up and coming new season. When many people are still freezing their butts off, many of the world's best baseball players are flying to Florida or Arizona to get ready for the new season.

For many rookies, it may be a chance to show that they deserve a spot on the roster. For some seasoned veterans, it's a last chance to stick around with a club for one more season. Players report to new teams they just signed with and managers/coaches get familiar with the new teams that they just took charge of.

One can look at Spring Training and not care. Many do. If you're a true baseball fan, it's not something to be missed...in person. The games don't mean anything, but they do give a chance to people to get up close with those they cheer for during the regular season. Tickets that would cost a grand in the regular season and sometimes take a deal with a devil to get, can go for as low as ten dollars and you have your choice of which exact seat you want. You want to lay out on the grass on a nice Spring day? For as low as five dollars, you can soak up the sun and enjoy the game from the outfield territory.

Another benefit to showing up for Spring Training? You can catch your favorite all-time greats coach the young guys. George Brett shows up every Spring still to guide the youth of the Royals. Sandy Koufax gives advice at Camelback Ranch to the Dodgers pitching staff. Robin Yount can be seen giving tips to fellow hitters such as Ryan Braun.

Not only can you watch them coach the current generation of players, many of the greats sign autographs and take pictures with fans. If you show up early enough before a game, many of the players are on the side fields taking early hitting practice or doing field drills. These practices are open to the fans and if you have a kid with you, it's almost a guarantee that you not only get an autograph from many of the players, but the occasional players gives a piece of his equipment away to the lucky kid here and there.

One game I attended at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona in 2012 had one of the better moments I personally witnessed in player/fan interactions. After a White Sox game, utility player Brett Lillibridge was signing autographs for some of the fans that stuck around. A kid around the age of eight years old, went up to him without anything for him to sign. He still wanted an autograph to remember his first game, but had nothing to give Lillibridge. Brett pulled out one of his personal bats from his own bag, borrowed one of the other fans Sharpie's, signed the bat, and presented it to the kid. Brett is a good utility player to have on a squad, but will never be an all-star. After witnessing what he did, he will always be an all-star in my mind.

Moments like this can be seen at many of the Spring Training games. Attending a game with the Diamondbacks in Scottsdale, Arizona, my wife, who loves to get autographs on baseballs she brings to every game. At a regular season game, you can get one autograph and feel lucky. At Spring Training, you can get seven or eight autographs and have done well. The Diamondbacks at this particular game got in a single file line in front of the seats on the third base side and spent the next hour gradually going down the line, signing everyone's balls, hats, or anything else fans handed them. We walked away with a ball that had so many autographs, that you couldn't fit anymore on her ball.

At a game in Peoria, Arizona, with the Mariners playing the Brewers, Rickie Weeks had a game face on and was ready to have a good game. On his way out to stretch before the start of the game, an older lady asked him for an autograph and in turn, gave him candy in trade. A twenty-five cent sucker and the lady had a prized possession. He came down the line to sign more autographs and when he came to my wife, he took a picture with her...with the sucker still in his mouth.

If you have never been to a Spring Training game, try to go at least once in your life. The stadiums only sit several thousand people and there are only a couple of concession stands in the whole stadium, but for a big baseball fan, it's almost like going to an amusement park. It's something that every baseball fan should get to enjoy once in their life.

Football Hall Of Fame 2014

If you have read my previous posts on here (specifically about the MLB hall of fame vote), then you are already aware of how mentally challenged I believe a large part of the BBWAA to be when it comes to voting for players for the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. The NFL writers aren't much better. In fact they're probably on the same boat, but just on a different deck.

The Board of Selectors, comprising of a forty-six man group, mainly football writers, are those whom select from a potential group of NFL players, coaches, staff, and etc. Just like baseball, a football player has to wait for five years before eligibility. Unfortunately, just like baseball, the board holds grudges against players and believes that players shouldn't be voted in during their first year of eligibility. They also prefer to only select up to one player from each position each year (i.e. one wide receiver per year).

Now ask yourself if this makes sense...you're the sixth all-time rushing running back in NFL history behind players such as Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. You've lead a team to a Super Bowl victory, been an all-pro six times, won NFL Comeback Player of The Year, won NFL Offensive Rookie of The Year, and won the Walter Payton Man of The Year. You're a first year shoe in, right? Wrong.

Running backs of lessor caliber (not bad themselves though) get voted in before you. 2011 Marshall Faulk, 2012 Curtis Martin, no one in 2013, and snubbed again this year. Edgerrin James is even being talked about ahead of you for the 2015 ballot. You're name is Jerome "The Bus" Bettis and you're the all-time leading rusher for the Pittsburgh Steelers (even ahead of Franco Harris). The fact that he is not in the Hall after this many votes is ludicrous.

The fact that the "Board of Selectors" prefer to vote only one player per position gets in every year is a joke. Sometimes, legends will retire in the same year. Imagine if this rule worked in baseball. Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Mike Mussina all retired the same year. If you chose one of them (i.e Greg Maddux), then the other two would carry over to 2015. Now in 2015, you also have Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez. Only one of them with the other two from 2014 carried over get in? It would take five years before they could all get in and that's if no other quality pitchers retire during that time. If you deserve to get in, you deserve to go in whether or not someone playing the same position is also eligible.

Also spited for the same reason this year was Marvin Harrison, because Andre Reed made it this year. One of the top receivers in the past twenty five years, he'll have to wait for while himself with the way things are currently set up.

You say you're a scary defensive player that made quarterback shake in their cleats. You've been all-pro multiple times, more super bowl rings than any other player in history, and over one hundred career sacks. You should get in obviously, right? Wrong. You're Charles Haley and the "Board of Selectors" doesn't like you from a personal standpoint. You weren't the friendliest player to the press and now you're going to pay for it. Grudges will be held and this is wrong.

Not only does the selection process for the MLB need to be reviewed, but so does the NFL's.