Jason McElwain

 'I was really hotter than a pistol.'

If you haven't seen or heard this story yet you are really missing out. 

Jason McElwain, a 17-year-old Autistic student at Greece Athena High School in New York, manage's his schools boys basketball team.  McElwain did his job so well that coach Jim Johnson rewarded him by letting him suit up for his teams regular season finale.  Just suit up....not necessarily play.  But with four minutes left in the game and with Athena up handily, Johnson pointed to McElwain to go into the game. 

The entire crowd (fans, players, etc) were all on their feet hoping McElwain would just score one basket.  The other Athena players on the court made sure McElwain got the ball the first chance they could and Jason launched a three from the corner in his first touch that went about five feet over the hoop.  ('I missed badly,' Jason said)  You'd think he would be a little scared to put up another shot right?  Not quite.  His next shot missed then McElwain went on a tear.  He made his next seven shots; six three-pointers and one two-pointer that would have been a three, but his foot was on the line. 

After the game McElwain stated 'I was really hotter than a pistol.'  The video is out of this world if you haven't seen it yet.  I've seen the video at least five times and each time it brings tears to my eyes and chills throughout my body.  It's been all over SportsCenter.  CBS this afternoon at halftime of the Michigan State vs Indiana game had a segment on it.  CBS was at Athena's practice on Friday and talked to Jason, Coach Johnson, other players and his father.  Truly an amazing story. 

Jason was taken off the court on the shoulders of teammates and fans.  Isn't this what sports is all about?  Not money.  Not the 'what have you done for me lately' attitude this generation seems to be all about.  A 17 year old boy who can't play the game he loves more than life itself, but would give anything to play just a couple minutes in one game to make his life whole. 

“I’ll go on to college and I’ll try to hoop there,” Jason said. “I just love it, it’s one of the greatest sports in the world.”   

Video can be found here.

ESPN.com has a great story on it here.

Another Reason To Hate Americans

Doesn't this world already hate the United States?  Does the rest of this world need another reason to hate us?  Do we really need the so-called 'captain' of the American speedskaters being a complete crybaby?  Chad Hedrick is that crybaby. 

Chad Hedrick came into the Olympics as a skater with the chance to win five gold medals.  That's honestly all I knew about the guy.  He was touted as America's golden boy.  Hedrick, born and raised in Texas (which tells you all you should know...), placed third in the 1,500 meters on Tuesday night and bluntly said 'I didn't come here to finish third.'  Neither does anybody else, but do you realize how many people would die to be in your position?  If anybody needs to shut his mouth, its Hedrick. 

 Hedrick with his mouth open...like usual....

As I'm sure you have heard, Shani Davis and Hedrick have been feuding throughout the Games.  Davis, an African-American from the South Side of Chicago, didn't want to participate in the team relay last week which prompted Hedrick to say Davis 'isn't a team player.'  Hedrick said 'I felt betrayed in a way, in that not only did Shani not participate, he didn't even discuss it with me, as the team leader.  I felt like we passed up a medal.'  Holy Mother of God Chad, let it go.  Life will go on. 

Shani Davis last week became the first black athlete to win a Gold medal at a Winter Games in the 1,000 meters.  I say more power to you, Shani.  Davis felt by participating in the team relay would lessen the chance of winning a Gold medal. 

 Davis is the first black athlete to win an individual Gold medal in Winter Olympics history.

I don't really know much about Olympic athletes other than Bode Miller.  (Enough has been wrote about that guy).  Being in Wisconsin, we know about speedskaters.  Casey FitzRandolph (a Verona native); Kip Carpenter (a Brookfield native); and Tucker Frederick (a hometown Janesville product). 

I dont really follow the Olympic athletes other than once every four years....like 98% of this country.  What happened to Olympic spirit?  Do we really need our 'Golden Boy' to say 'I didn't come here to finish third.  I'm not happy with what I did.  I came here to win.  Anything less -- second, third, fourth, 50th, 80th, it's all the same to me'?  Is that really necessary?  Not so much.

NBC's Matt Lauer Wednesday morning had all the same questions for Hedrick that every other journalist in the world has been asking, but his best question was his last.  He asked Hedrick 'In 10, 20 years, are you going to regret anything you have said or done at these Games?'  Hedrick replied 'No, I stand by my comments 100%.  I still feel betrayed....' and just went on and on.  That tells me all I need to know about Hedrick.  Another week or so Chad and we don't have to see your face for another four years.  Hope it was worth it. 

Follow the Olympics here.

It's Darko's Time...

It's Darko's time to shine baby.  I've been waiting for Darko Milicic, still just 20 and 7 feet tall, to walk into the NBA and be the next Toni Kukoc.  Hasn't quite happened the way I figured.  He was drafted by Larry Brown and the Pistons who sat him right on the end of the bench and was never given a chance.  Hard to challenge Larry Brown, and now with Flip Saunders at the helm for the Pistons, being NBA Champs two years ago and being one of the top two teams in the NBA the past couple years. 

Darko was drafted # 2 in the 2003 NBA drafted behind Lebron James and ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh...among others.  Mr James has gone on to be an All-Star the past couple years, been Rookie of the Year and average's 25.8 points per game.  The Denver Nuggets have been helped by Carmelo Anthony's smooth 22.2 points per game.  The Miami Heat have enjoyed Wade's 22.4 points.  How about the Toronto Raptors and Chris Bosh?  I didn't think he'd be averaging 16.3 points. 

 Step out of the shadow's Darko....

Then we have Darko.  He's won an NBA title.  Yet, he's never seen the light of day of an All-Star game or the All-Star weekend for that matter.  He's averaged a whopping 1.6 points per game.  What do we have that to base that on exactly?  Two minutes at the end of a half or at the end of a game when Coach Brown stuck him in to give Rasheed Wallace a breather?  Give me a break.  I'm sorry, but if you are going to draft a guy # 2 in the draft, give the guy a shot.  I understand how good Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace and Antonio McDyess are, but that's just wrong.  Larry Brown said he questioned Milicic's 'work ethic and desire' in his first two years in Detroit.  That's crap.  He never gave rookies any chance of playing.  He wanted them on the bench to learn the ropes. 

"He's a young big guy with a lot of potential,'' said Otis Smith, Magic assistant general manager. "If you're going to take a run at a player, you want to make that run at a 7-foot player.''  I see it too Otis.  Give him a shot.  That's all I'm asking. 

Playing alongside Dwight Howard in the front court of the Magic line-up is very intriguing and I'm hoping they can mesh together well, but what are the chances of Steve Francis given either of them the ball?  Slim to none. 

Mark my words Eastern Conference foes...Darko will shine. 

Running My Mouth

 Life goes on Bode...you didn't need the medals anyways. 

--  Enough about Bode Miller already.  He's finished fifth in one race and was disqualfied in another.  Boy, I can see why everybody was hyping this guy before the Olympics... 

--  Michelle Kwan was never ready for the Olympics.  She was hurt the entire time and stole a spot from Emily Hughes.  Kwan never should have had the chance to prove her worthiness for some 'judges.'  Give somebody else a chance.  Emily Hughes will probably struggle because she hasn't had a chance to fully prepare.  Eh, life goes on.  Nobody cares about figure skating.

--  If I have to hear one more 'Who would you rather have on your team?  J.J. Redick or Adam Morrison' question I am going to puke.  Redick plays for Duke with ten McDonald's All American's by his side.  Morrison at Gonzaga has a bunch of good players, nobody great.  Sheldon Williams, Sean Dockery, Greg Paulus, Josh McRoberts were all high school All Americans and they all make Redick better.  Morrison is the better college player and will be the better pro player. 

--  Kobe Bryant's new Nike commercial is something.  He goes on about why people hate him.  'Hate my game.  Hate my life.  Hate my style.  Hate me.  Everybody always has.'  Figure it out.  We hate you because A. You cheated on your wife, B. You demanded to be traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Lakers the day you were drafted.  I don't know about anybody else, but that's why I hate you. 

--  In case any of you follow English football....Arsenal need, and I mean, NEED to sign Thierry Henry.  If Henry signs with Barcelona, which has been rumored, Arsenal will go straight downhill.  After another loss Monday vs Liverpool, Arsenal sit in fifth, 25 points behind leaders, Chelsea.  Losing Patrick Vieria was huge; losing Henry could be devastating.  

--  Also, who cares about this gambling ring with Janet Jones and Rick Tocchet?  I sure don't.  What's the big deal?  If they are betting on Tocchet's Coyotes then that would be another story.  Are they betting on hockey?  No.  Move on and talk about something we all care about.

 You are one tough girl Dan.  I couldn't have done what you did on Monday.

--  Okay, I don't like figure skating at all, but last night I watched about five minutes and probably witnessed the toughest 20 year old Chinese girl in the world.  Zhang Dan and her partner Zhang Hao tried to land the first quadruple Salchow.  Let me try to explain what a quadruple Salchow is.  Hao throws Dan up in the air, she spins four times, lands on her feet and continues the routine.  Well...Dan went up in the air...she just didn't come down on her skates.  She came down on her knees.  She didn't look like she could continue, but after a couple minute break she went back onto the ice, skated incredibly well and took a silver medal.  That's toughness right there. 

* You ever just have one of those days?*

The Real Ronaldo

 That's the left foot David Beckham did NOT have.

Every football fan knows Ronaldo, the washed up, buck-toothed Brazilian.  There is another Ronaldo who is taking the English Premiership and Europe by storm.  He plays for Manchester United and his full name is Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Yes, I might be biased because I am a Man United fan.  Yet I have read the top two young players in the world are Man U's Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, the English Wonderkid.  Both Ronaldo and Rooney have played for United for the past couple years and are just now starting to gel with Ruud van Nistelrooy, the Dutch striker. 

I want to talk about Ronaldo though.  In the past two games, he's scored four goals.  What makes this all the more remarkable is that he is not, or hasn't been up to this point, a goalscorer.  His best attribute is his amazing speed.  In one word Ronaldo is flashy.  He gets laughs at games away from Old Trafford (United's home ground) when he tries to put a move on a defensive opponent and it doesn't work.  He just smiles and the next time he gets the ball he'll try it again.  When it does work and he puts an amazing move on an opponent or two which leads to a United goal, his opponents shut their mouths without drooling, trying not to say outloud 'Boy, I wish he was playing for us.' 

Players like Ronaldo don't come around often and when they do they don't play in England.  England's Premiership, unlike Italy's Serie A and Spain's La Liga, is a tough, knock-you-on-your-fanny league that most players like Ronaldo don't want any part of.  They would rather go to Italy or Spain and play no-touch football rather than coming to England where, as you can imagine, they get pushed to the ground every chance they get. 

Why is Ronaldo different?  His personality.  He doesn't care about what his opponents or fans think about him.  He just goes out and does what he knows to do.  When he makes a mistake, Ronaldo is not going to play on his heels and wonder whether he should try it again.  It also doesn't hurt that he is probably the fastest player in world with a ball at his feet. 

 Mr Flash - Cristiano Ronaldo

Realize this also...he is filling David Beckham's spot in the right midfield for United.  Big shoes to fill.  Beckham was, while at United, one of the top 3 players in the world and by far the most popular.  Beckham and Ronaldo are alike in that they are both very flashy.  Beckham is a better crosser of the ball; Ronaldo has the speed, the moves and a left foot.  For those of you who need to be reminded, Beckham couldn't kick with his left foot to save his life.  Ronaldo made a shot Saturday from 35 yards out vs Portsmouth with his left foot that was going straight for the keep then went left, right and over the top of the keeper into goal.  After the goal, Ronaldo ran towards a camera which was directed right at him and waved his right hand like it was on fire.  It was sweet.

This summer he'll be showing all of his talents to the world for the Portugal team at the World Cup in Germany.  If Team Portugal are to make a run at the finals you can bet it will hinge on how well Ronaldo plays.  If you don't know who Ronaldo is now, watch the World Cup and I can guarantee you will not forget him. 

 Beckham was a God for Man United.

Super Bowl Wrap-up

 Hines was all over the place on Sunday...at least from what I saw when I wasn't sleeping...

I was actually excited to see the Super Bowl.  After ten days of lead up and Skip Bayless saying this would be 'the most boring Super Bowl ever,' I can say I was looking forward to the game.  It's hard not to when the ESPN family of networks has 9,000 straight hours of coverage on 18 channels.  They covered every angle except how many toilet flushes Ford Field would have during halftime (actually the USA Today had that covered).  Come the third quarter I was asleep.  Bored stiff.  No scoring.  John Madden getting on my last nerve.  I had had enough. 

--  Pittsburgh won, 21-10.  Congratulations Pittsburgh.  I'm happy for Bill Cowher.  I'm happy for Jerome Bettis, from Detroit, who retired after the game.

--  Nice officiating.  Pass interference in the endzone on the Seahawks that should have been a touchdown.  I honestly thought by putting replay in football it would help get rid of bad calls.  Guess replay doesn't help officials who are just braindead. 

--  Joe Montana.  Love this story.  It's come out that Mr Montana wouldn't come to the Super Bowl because the NFL wouldn't give him the $100,000 he asked for.  Joe said he needed to stay home to watch a 'must see' basketball game his son was playing in.  Right you are.  Come on Joe, it's the Super Bowl and they wanted to acknowledge you for being one of the best football players ever.  Figure it out. 

--  Terry Bradshaw.  See above.

--  Anybody else care where Terrell Owens is going to be playing next year?  Anybody else see him playing in that celebrity basketball game over the weekend?  Anybody else really care if we never see this guy again?  Me neither. 

         Not saying a word, but....eh, nevermind.

--  I thought by bringing in the Rolling Stones for halftime we wouldn't have to hear anymore crap about the Janet Jackson / Justin Timberlake breast show.  Mick Jagger says two little words and the entertainment world erupts.  Censorship of their songs during the Super Bowl halftime show was "absolutely ridiculous and completely unnecessary," the Rolling Stones said through a spokeswoman Tuesday.  In "Start Me Up," the show's editors silenced one word close to the song's end, a reference to a woman so sexy she could arouse a dead man.  The lyrics for "Rough Justice" included a synonym for rooster that was removed.  Lord, you have GOT to be kidding.  Life will go on Mick. 

--  Last, but not least...how about Seahawks tight end, Jeramy Stevens, predicting a Seahawks win.  I have no problem with that what so ever.  Say you're team is going to win.  You should be optimistic, but don't come out and drop every pass thrown your way.  First of all, Stevens, you can't block.  Second, two passes hit you dead in the chest and you dropped them.  Both would have been first downs and big plays that your team needed.  Keep your mouth shut next time if you can't walk the walk.  Joey Porter was right...you are soft. 

 

BON JOVI LYRICS

"Never Say Goodbye"

As I sit in this smokey room
The night about to end
I pass my time with strangers
But this bottle's my only friend

Remember when we used to park
On Butler Street out in the dark
Remember when we lost the keys
And you lost more than that in my backseat

Remember how we used to talk
About busting out - we'd break their hearts
Together - forever

Never say goodbye, never say goodbye
You and me and my old friends
Hoping it would never end
Never say goodbye, never say goodbye
Holdin' on - we got to try
Holdin' on to never say goodbye

Remember days of skipping school
Racing cars and being cool
With a six pack and the radio
We didn't need no place to go

Remember at the prom that night
You and me we had a fight
But the band they played our favorite song
And I held you in my arms so strong

We danced so close
We danced so slow
And I swore I'd never let you go
Together - forever

Never say goodbye, never say goodbye
You and me and my old friends
Hoping it would never end
Never say goodbye, never say goodbye
Holdin' on - we got to try
Holdin' on to never say goodbye

I guess you'd say we used to talk
About busting out
We'd break their hearts
Together - forever