Legendary Observations

Another Edition of Some Simple Observations

One-upmanship?

This past NBA season, Lakers star Kobe Bryant changed his uniform number from the usual #8 to #24. Many people were curious about his motivation behind the change in digits, as it made him recognizable across the NBA with his classic numeral. Some thought it was meant to drive up jersey sales (which it did with Bryant leading all NBA players in that category) and one reporter asked him if he was inspired by Jack Bauer of Fox's hit television drama, 24. Bryant said the numeral was from his high school days, even though he changed it back then to #33 the year his Lower Merion HS team won the state championship.

Others thought it was a tribute or, dare I say, a challenge to Michael Jordan's legacy. Jordan's #23 plus one equals Bryant's new #24. Silly, yes, but this is sports and we're supposed to have fun with this stuff.

Now Bryant has been issued his Team USA jersey this summer and he will wear a different number because of the National team's rules to only issue numbers from 4-15. Bryant will don the #10 jersey this summer instead of the #24 he wore for the Lakers this past season. Quite coincidental is the fact that Michael Jordan wore #9 for the 1992 Gold medal winning Dream Team. Jordan's #9 plus one? Coincidence . . . ?

Penny Pinchers

The Phoenix Suns sure have made quite an impact this offseason . . . at least for other NBA teams. After selling one of their top picks in June's draft (which resulted in Spanish stud Rudy Fernandez), the Suns traded Kurt Thomas, their best interior defender, to the Supersonics. The Suns also figured to save time on selling first round picks in the future and gave two up in the deal, receiving only a 2nd rounder and a trade exception as compensation.

Phoenix's owners are trying to avoid the NBA's insane luxury tax but are costing themselves the present and future in the process. New GM Steve Kerr is going to have a tough time giving this team what it needs to compete for a championship this season.

Sip it while its Hot

Philadelphia's beloved baseball team surpassed the 10,000 loss mark earlier this month and has been on a tear since. With the exception of one brutal beating by the LA Dodgers in the first game of their west coast swing, the Phightins' have been getting quality pitching from their starters and bullpen. While the Mets have kept their short distance in the same span, the Phillies are quickly building confidence.

Sports radio talk show host Big Daddy Graham suggested earlier in the season, during the Phillies' April struggles, that the Phillies should tryout some young arms from the minor leagues instead of bringing in expensive non-star pitchers like Freddy Garcia (One win for every $10 million dollars he made this year) and Adam Eaton (who has shown promise but remains the consistently inconsistent pitcher that he has been for most of his career). When Garcia and Jon Lieber fled to the disabled list, the Phillies had to dig deep and come up with some emergency arms.

Kyle Kendrick has been one of the best stories in his short stint, going 4-1 thus far and keeping the Phillies in every game that he has pitched. All of Kendrick's starts went at least 6 innings until last night when he only lasted 5-2/3 against the Washington Nationals. An even bigger surprise has been former first round pick J.D. Durbin, who has excelled recently as the 5th starter. I felt good about the kid in his first start against the Mets when he struck out the first three batters he faced. That was before New York shelled him with 6 runs and rushed him off the mound. Since then, he pitched well in the bullpen, earning a second chance and relishing in the opportunity. Durbin held the Dodgers to one run in his first start since his disaster against the Mets and then threw his first career shutout against the San Diego Padres.

Big Daddy Graham noted the excitement fans have when they get behind a young pitcher, the way we did for Hamels a year ago, and it was something that could fuel excitement for the town and the team. Graham couldn't have been more right as you couldn't help but have a huge smile watching the young Durbin jump up and down after Aaron Rowand secured the final out in his shutout on Sunday. Baseball experts are saying that you'd be dumb to expect this from Durbin and Kendrick all season. My thoughts are maybe this is the boost this young Phillies team needed all season.

Jokes on you, Vick

I just wanted to share a few jokes I heard from Jon Stewart on the Daily Show. Stewart was beginning the show talking about Michael Vick and his federal indictments with the dogfighting case.

One: "I'd like to cover him (Vick) in liver and let the dogs see if he's as fast and elusive as they say he is . . . "

Two: "And I have to say, Michael Vick, being a two-sport athlete, football and dogfighting . . . not as impressive as the Bo Jackson thing!"

Our 42 of the DayOne good thing for the Suns this summer,
Marcus Banks scored 42 points in a
summer league game against the Cleveland Cavaliers

Are You Willing to Give Soccer a Chance?

This weekend marked the beginning of a new era in US pop culture. David Beckham has arrived on the west coast and is prepared to bring soccer to the forefront of American sports.

HEY! Stop laughing! I'm being serious here!

The arrival of David Beckham and his "Spice-Wife," Posh, marks soccer's latest attempt to try and sweep us charming Americans off our feet to boost the popularity of the nearly non-existent American life of "fútbol." Unfortunately, all of the other attempts failed and generic sports fans from coast-to-coast are simply not interested. Sports talk radio show hosts have stated that we don't care who David Beckham is because we don't care about soccer!

Allow me to be the voice of reason.

Putting Your Best Foot Forward

Those who have read my stuff before know that I have a firm belief that sports can help our children grow. Something as simple as your daily gym classes in grade school help give you the various motor skills you need to help developing into the capable adults we all claim to be. Sports give us a wide range of variables that help us excel.

For one, it gives you the fuel for your competitive fires to burn on. The sense of teamwork also are instilled in our youth and help us in and out of sports. Another key lesson we learn is the rules and restrictions in any given sport. You are told what you can do, what you can't do and how the rules affect you. You have to dribble the ball in basketball, you have to swing the bat in baseball and you cannot use yours hands in soccer.

Many of the gripes against soccer is that you can't use your hands and most men disagree with this restriction. The use of your feet in soccer and the restrictions of the use of your hands frustrates kids but also teaches you discipline. This characteristic alone can help a kid mature a little faster as he begins understanding boundaries outside the world of sports. Maybe this is why so many mothers become "Soccer Moms" and soccer is one of the most popular youth sports in our country.

Ignoring Greatness

The one person who could've changed soccer in America was Pelé. I never had the privilege of watching Pelé because I simply wasn't alive to do so. Watching clips of Pelé leave me searching for breathe because he just takes it away. His feet are too fast for your eyes to keep up with and his athletic ability is astonishing. Pelé was mostly an international talent who thrived in his native Brazil but later made his way stateside to try and raise America's soccer enthusiasm. Unfortunately, Pelé wasn't around long enough to establish soccer's staying power. However, America and our media have done him an injustice by barely acknowledging his existence.

In 1999, ESPN showcased several athletes in their Sportscentury program that counted down the 50 greatest athletes of our time and eventually expanded to 100. Pelé, who was proclaimed the Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee, was not on the list nor was any other soccer player. Comprising mainly of football, baseball and basketball players, the list also contains two swimmers, two speed skaters, three auto racing drivers and five horses.

Yes, HORSES! I'm not one to criticize the sport of thoroughbred horse racing and I actual enjoy watching the Triple Crown races (I was on the Smarty Jones bandwagon years ago). I do not, however, agree with horses being put into the same category as human beings. Sure, what the horses do is wonderful but they pale in comparison to the feats Pelé performed for sports fans around the world. The only excuse for Pelé not being included is because most of his accomplishments came on foreign soil. But he still belongs in the company of greatness.

And if you choose to ignore Pelé because he spent his prime in South America, there are American soccer players that deserve at least an honorable mention. American "footballers" like Landon Donovan (new teammate of Beckham) and Eric Wynalda are both tied for Team USA's goal scoring record. There is also Michelle Akers, one of the top-scorers in Women's National Team history and helped Team USA win gold in the 1996 Olympics and the 1999 World Cup (you remember that key victory when Brandi Chastain scored the winning goal and ripped her shirt off in celebration). Mia Hamm, a teammate of Akers, holds the Women's National Team record for goals scored and has won two Olympic gold medals and a World Cup Championship. Hamm was the face for Women's soccer and is an ambassador for the game. Someone who is sure to inspire more people than a horse would (no offense Barbaro lovers).

The Savior?

Flashbulbs lit up the Home Depot Center, home of the LA Galaxy, and the crowd noise grew in anticipation of Beckham finally entering the game. Beckham was running and stretching along the sidelines and finally tore off his warm-ups. In the 78th minute, he walked onto the field, or the pitch as it is called, and made his debut for the Galaxy.

Although he entered the match late, it was still close and there was still hope that he could make an impact. Plenty of hype surrounded him as well as they used two views, a regular shot of the match and the "Beckham Cam," to cover the action and not to mention constantly showing his wife so much to the point that Posh ended up figuring out she was being watched and ducked in the latter moments of the match. There was little excitement except for a brief scare when he took a hard tackle and then later he took aim on a corner kick that ended up being the last play of the match. However, the crowd roared everytime he was close to the ball and a part of the action.

After the 1-0 loss to Chelsea, Beckham saluted the crowd for their support and made his way to the media circus that was ready to eat him alive. Is soccer's next step to try to attract new fans going to be a successful one? We question whether this latest step is hope or hype. There is certainly a lot of both floating around with Beckham's arrival. Perhaps attracting more media coverage and more people open to watching a match or two will help soccer's popularity.

I'm willing to give soccer a chance. Are you?

Our 42 of the Day Speaking of Youth Sports, Little Leaguers
Gathered on the South Lawn of the White House
this Month to Honor Jackie Robinson