Reaction to UFC 100

In what was called UFC's biggest show to date, Brock Lesnar demolished Frank Mir and solidified his spot as the UFC Heavyweight Champion. However, what happened afterwards wasn't exactly what Dana White had in mind. After his victory, Lesnar sprinted around the caged octagon saluting the fans with both middle fingers raised high into the air. And then he began to yell and scream at a disoriented Mir while he gained his bearings. It didn't just stop their either. In the post-fight interview, Lesnar repeatedly taunted Frank Mir and the fans, as they booed his WWE-like antics. He even went so far as to point at the Bud Light advertisement in the octagon, and claim "I’m drinking a cooler full of Coors Light, Coors Light because Bud Light won’t pay me anything." And he did all of this for what reason? Who really knows...all I can say is the UFC looked liked WWE Raw for a few moments last night. It really was a moment Vince McMahon would have been proud of. However, Dana White is a different breed of animal, and he has tried extremely hard to promote the UFC as a real sport, not a sports entertainment entity. He wants the UFC to be an organization based on respect, hard work, and dedication. I'm sure Brock Lesnar knows this as well, and if he doesn't White will surely tell him. For now though, Lesnar has created a rumble in the UFC. He is the classic villain...big, strong, loud, and overly obnoxious. He has created an image that most UFC fans will love to hate. However, who can step up and knock Lesnar off his perch? He's a beast, there's no doubt about that. Yet, somewhere....somehow...he'll meet his match. Stay tuned!

Erin Andrews Down but not Out!

In a horrifying incident that almost made me sick last night, ESPN's hottest sideline reporter was struck in the chin with a foul ball. Yes...I'm talking about Erin Andrews. I know...I almost had a stroke myself! Andrews was serving as a reporter in the Mets vs. Dodgers game, when Alex Cora fouled off a pitch in the 4th inning that struck her in the face. Andrews was taken to the hospital, but was diagnosed with a simple bruise to the chin. I know college football isn't in season at the moment, but please ESPN, put Erin somewhere that she can't get injured. Males everywhere will thank you if you do! She is a staple on the sidelines in college football and would sorely be missed if she was unable to perform those duties! For heaven sakes, let her go home and rest until August :)

Marion Dealt to the Mavs

Dallas, Toronto, Memphis and Orlando combined in a massive trade Thursday that included eight players, a draft pick and loads of cash. Without getting into too many details, basically this deal sent Shawn Marion to Dallas, Stackhouse to Memphis and helped seal the transaction that moved Hedo Turkoglu from Orlando to Toronto. After Orlando signed Vince Carter, Turkoglu opted out of his deal and became a free agent. The Raptors get Antoine Wright and Devean George in the trade as well. The Mavericks are also close to re-signing Jason Kidd, and likely to ink Gortat from Orlando as well. It's already been a frenzied free agent signing period, and it looks as if there are still a few more deals left in the works. We'll keep an eye on it and see what else goes down on the NBA.

UFC 100 on the Horizon

In the short life span of my blog, we've yet to touch on any MMA action. However, with UFC 100 on the horizon for July 11th, it's as good a time as any to start up the MMA talk. The 100th installment of the UFC will take place at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas with Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir battling for the Heavyweight title. Lesnar is relatively new to the sport and holds a 3-1 record. Most of you probably remember Brock Lesnar as a WWE superstar under Vince McMahon for a number of years. He's now stepped into the octagon to try and learn what real combat is all about. Undoubtedly though, Lesnar is a tremendous athlete and has adopted fairly quick to the MMA game. It'll be interesting to watch and see how this match and his MMA career goes. The rest of the UFC 100 card goes like this:

Georges St-Pierre vs. Thiago Alves (welterweight championship)
Jon Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago
Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher

It looks like it'll be an action-packed card, can't wait to see how everything shakes out!

Lance Armstrong on the Bike Again

Just when we thought Lance Armstrong had retired, and given up the bicycle for a margarita and the Texas lifestyle, he's back again. He's hopped back on his bike and sprinted within one second of the lead in the biggest cycling event in the world. And for all I know, it could be the only cycling event in the world. The Tour de France is now back in the limelight with Armstrong back in the mix. He has once again made this event, a legitimate sports discussion. Many allegations and questions always surround Armstrong, wherever he goes. However, it's hard to bet against a man that's already beat cancer, and won 7 Tour de France titles. I'd love nothing more than to watch him come back and win an 8th, and hopefully put those doping allegations to bed. He has to be considered one of the great athletes of our generation, and if he had won this many championships in any other sport he already would be considered one of the greatest. Let's sit back and enjoy this ride with him, and see if he can't make history once again.

Revisiting the McNair Tragedy

As the investigation into the death of Steve McNair continues, more and more facts about the last few months of his life are being brought into the public light. His death, as tragic as it was, has become the talk of sports radio. Everyone has their own opinion about what was going on, and why this happened, and why that happened. Quite frankly, we may never know exactly why things ended the way that they did on that fateful July 4th night. However, it's looking more and more like the facts are pointing towards a homicide and suicide. Just today, police confirmed that Kazemi actually bought the gun on Thursday from a private seller. We have learned that McNair and Kazemi were "dating" for the last few months and had even spent time together on vacation. All information indicates that their short love affair somehow took a tragic twist. Somewhere, something, went horribly wrong. Many people have told stories about how McNair was a caring, loving husband, about how he was a great father, and a superb member of the Nashville community. They reminisce about his work in the community and his incredible play on the field. And from everything that I have read and seen on television, McNair was all of those things and much much more. However, the lives of our sports heroes are not ultimately lived through the television screen or through the newspaper. They are lived just like everyone else's. As much as we want these heroes to be perfect, they rarely are. Just when we think we understand the character of man's heart, we are let down again and again. Unfortunately, all of McNair's good deeds will now be supplanted the mysterious end of his life. People will question his ability as a husband, a father, and a role model, and perhaps rightly so. A person with his fortune, fame, and power, could have written a much better ending to his final story. Yet, he chose to put himself in a situation that cost him his life. So let his life be a reminder to us all, that none of us are perfect and that we are all human. We will make mistakes, and we will ultimately deal with our consequences. No matter how green the grass is on the other side of the road, no matter how pretty the rose is just out of our reach, there is always a price to be paid for the shortcomings of our lives. It is not my place, nor anyone else's, to judge the life of a man. His judgement will come, and so will ours, all in due time.

Federer Now The Greatest Ever?

In a classic tennis match at the All England Club in London, Roger Federer once again proved why he is the greatest to ever play the sport. In a match dominated by Andy Roddick, Federer still found a way to win and that's what the great ones always do. Roddick came out of the gate quick and grabbed the first set 7-5. In the second set, Roddick was up 6-2 in the tiebreaker when Federer reeled off 6 straight points to take the set. Federer would go on and also win the 3rd set in a tiebreaker. Roddick would fight back and regain control of the match by winning the 4th set 6-3. Then in a classic ending to a brilliant match, Federer would break Roddick's serve for the first time all day and win the 5th set 16-14. Andy Roddick played the most complete match, I've ever seen him play today and yet it still wasn't good enough to beat Federer. With tennis royalty on hand, Federer pulled out the victory and received a thumbs-up from Pete Sampras. This was the first time Sampras had visited the All England Club since he last played there, and wanted to be there in person to pass the torch to Federer. Federer broke Sampras' record of 14 major title victories, by winning Wimbledon and capturing his 15th career slam win today.