Kobe Bryant gave a spectacular performance while scoring 60 points in his final NBA game. Many people have given heartfelt tributes and let him know how much they appreciated his career. I think what long time ref, Monty McCutchen, told Kobe during his finale was especially interesting: “The frustrations, the respect, whatever got exchanged between you and me, was real and I will never ever forget that part of it. Even when you were upset with me it was genuine, and not mean-spirited, it was real and there’s something to be said…
Monthly Archives: April, 2016
-
The “Genuineness” of Kobe
Continue Reading -
The Regular Season Mindset
Continue ReadingWell, the Warriors did it – they made history last night with their 73rd win! With such an impressive accomplishment, I think the players, coaches, owner, and general manager all deserve a ton of credit. The regular season has ended and their names will be in the record books for what they achieved this year. However, the prize at the end of the playoffs is what truly matters – an NBA championship. Breaking the record was truly remarkable, but did the Warriors lose sight of the ultimate prize by going…
-
No Back-to-Back Losses
Continue ReadingThe Golden State Warriors are having an incredible season, and tonight they have an opportunity to break the regular-season record with 73 wins. This past Sunday when they beat the Spurs to get their 72nd win, they also made history with two truly impressive achievements. The Warriors are the only team in NBA history to go an entire season without losing back-to-back games, according to Elias Sports Bureau research. Additionally, the Warriors are the first team in NBA history to finish a season without losing to the same team more than once. Staying…
-
The Masters’ Responsibility
Continue ReadingA key reason we love the Masters is because of its great tournament traditions. The Green Jacket ceremony in Butler Cabin and the winner’s ceremony in front of the members are special scenes to witness. However, this year’s unbelievable scenario involving Jordan Spieth’s tumble into second place made the festivities rather unique. As the 2015 winner, Spieth had the responsibility to “crown” the new Masters’ champ, Danny Willett, with his own prized Green Jacket. I can’t imagine how difficult that experience must have been for Spieth, considering he had a…
-
Stay Committed
Continue ReadingWhat a Masters we witnessed yesterday! At one point it was kind of boring, as Jordan Spieth appeared to be running away with another Green Jacket. Then when his ball went swimming on the 12th hole, the tournament flipped upside down. After Spieth’s quadruple-bogey, all of a sudden the door was open for someone else to snatch a Masters’ win. With a commanding 5-stroke lead, Spieth was close to making history before his game unraveled. Today he’s got to be wrestling with “what if”…the feeling of failure…and collapsing under pressure. We can…
-
Beneath Bubba’s Surface
Continue ReadingBubba Watson is my favorite golfer right now. With a unique personality, he’s a family man and a winner that has never had a formal golf lesson. Although Bubba has fans like me, not everyone roots for him. Known for his outbursts and how he treats his caddie, he’s not regarded as the friendliest guy on tour. Last year’s polls painted a bad picture of Bubba by revealing he’s not even well-liked by other golfers. This past week, 60 Minutes did an excellent feature on Bubba showing a side of him…
-
The Pass
Continue ReadingI’m getting ready to shift my sports attention to the Masters and NBA Playoffs, but before I do that I’m still soaking in the incredible finish to Monday night’s championship game. Those two shots and the emotions attached to each one were incredibly crazy. Although Kris Jenkins will always be a March Madness legend because of his game-winning shot for Villanova, we should also remember “the pass” made by Ryan Arcidiacono. With the ball in his hands, Arch had to make the decision to either shoot or pass. As we all know, he…
-
One Shining Moment
Continue ReadingThe NCAA Tournament ended in epic fashion with a Villanova victory on a buzzer-beating 3 last night! This phenomenal game will be talked about for many years to come. Of course, March (April) Madness doesn’t officially end until the traditional viewing of the One Shining Moment video montage. This sentimental song wraps up the college basketball madness that teams and fans have the privilege of experiencing each season. With last night being the 30th anniversary of the song being played at the closing of the championship game, I want us to reflect…
-
Fall Before the Call
Continue ReadingVillanova head coach, Jay Wright, is bringing his team to the NCAA Championship game tonight against the UNC Tarheels. This is Wright’s first championship game after his team fell short in the Final Four back in 2009. I read a great ESPN article by Dana O’Neil about Wright’s coaching story with the headline, “Villanova’s Wright Needed to Fall Before Returning to Final Four.” Although Wright became a big-time coach with the ability to land top-notch recruits, especially after the team’s trip to the Final Four, they followed up that season with…
-
Stand Up and Cheer
Continue ReadingI hope you’ve enjoyed the NCAA Tournament as much as I have. We’ve seen crazy comebacks and wild buzzer-beaters. These college basketball players have given us excitement, entertainment, and reasons to be amazed. Throughout the entire month of March, they’ve given us something to discuss with our friends, family, and even total strangers. Who doesn’t want to talk about the madness of the tournament? As I begin to think about everything these players have given me, I realize I don’t have much to offer them in return. However, I can…
