Hats off the to the Park View Little League all-stars from my home town of Chula Vista. In a county of San Diego, known to be the biggest city next to the City of San Diego, These kids put on a barrage of hits and awesome fielding to win the 2009 Little League World Series against the kids from Taiwan.
Being a Chula Vista local and native, I'm very proud to be a part of this community. What makes it more awesome is that these little kids, without having to need a paycheck to dictate their play, put their hometown of Chula Vista on the map and represented us in front of the world. You got to love baseball. Especially in San Diego, where football has taken dominance due to the excellent play of the Chargers over the years and the struggling play of the Padres, Park View Little League remains a shining light of hope for baseball in San Diego.
When I finally have kids, you can bet your bottom dollar that they will play in the Park View Little League.
I'm not going into details about what went down. Dude's personal life has nothing to do with me. I'm just paying my respects to an athlete who held it down for as long as he could. R.I.P Air McNair. Moment of silence please? Thank you.
While everyone was hyped on Griffin and Rubio I'd have to say the two players that will be impact players for their squad in years to come will be Tyreke Evans and Earl Clark. Maybe not immediate but 2 to 3 seasons in, ya'll going to say, yep, you were right.
Trust.
Evans is definitely going to compliment Kevin Martin in Sac-Town. While some Kings fans maybe a little butt hurt on them not selecting Rubio, Evans is definitely the guy you want if you're rebuilding. He's a physical guard that can run the 1 or be an effective 2. Jumper isn't that solid yet, but give him time to develop it and he could be deadly from the mid-range. He's an effective finisher and is pretty exciting to watch.
Earl Clark, probably has to be my most favorite pick out of this year's draft. He's lengthy and also probably has the most complete game and NBA ready game in this 2009 class. He works the triple threat really well. Very much Melo like. He can be a problem against defenders when they play him one on one. He's got a sweet jumper to compliment his game also.
We'll just wait for the season to get going and get in full swing. I really see these two being the slept on standouts of this year's rookie class. Not discrediting Blake Griffin, but in my opinion, Evans and Clark are going to make noise early and will be more valuable to their squad in the long run, so don't just keep your eyes peeled on that other kid playing for the other LA team.
At 6'3, 205 pounds and only at 16, Bryce Harper of Las Vegas, Nevada has been tabbed by Sports Illustrated to be the "LeBron James" of Baseball. This young phenom apparently has a faster swing than Mark McGwire in his prime. He's also been compared to the likes of Justin Upton, Ken Griffey Jr., and Alex Rodriguez.
Bryce Harper currently holds the record for the longest home run hit out of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, at a whopping 502ft. Although, hit with an aluminum bat, that's still a mighty feat. He accomplished this during a Home Run derby held there for young prospects.
Reports have been made that Bryce is actually going after his GED and to enroll at the College of Southern Nevada so that he can be eligible for the 2010 draft. Now, I've read it and it's been debated on Niketalk that this decision is stupid for him to put off his high school life to pursue his career at a young age. Personally, I think it's a solid move. I can't fault the kid. He's got God-given talent and if he's able to make a living out of it, why not? I wish that at 16, I had the physical talent and abilities that Bryce Harper has. He's a catcher that can also pitch in the 90s. He's batting .626 with 14 HRs and 55 RBIs. Not to mention he's got a whopping 36 stolen bases for Las Vegas High School.
Who knows, the hype my fault. But this kid really has a bright future, and in all honesty, I'm rooting for him. Go and get yours kid, put your talent to the test and see where the road takes you. I just wish that the Pads could tank the season so they could end up with the #1 draft pick so they could select this kid in the 2010 MLB Draft. Unfortunately, the Washington Nationals are utter trash again, so with the selection of Stephen Strasburg of SDSU in this year's draft, adding Bryce Harper in 2010 would be awesome.
When it comes to sports, regardless of what team you root for or whatever sport, you're either a fan or a hater. I've come across many kinds of fans, from devoted fans, fair weather fans, and bandwagon fans. I've also have come across haters as well. Haters bred from team rivalry, haters who hate because it's a fad, or haters who just have a personal issue with a team or a player.
But the hate for Kobe Bryant has to be the most laughable. Yes, Kobe has diva tendencies. Yes, Kobe has shown signs of "bitchassness." It's fine. I understand, people don't like Kobe because of his personality. Awesome. But let's get one thing straight. You're not dating the guy. You're not married to the guy. So why does it bother you so much that you just don't dig his personality? Or, it's because he's an accused rapist? Right. Apparently, catching a case for rape defines him as a rapist although he was never proven guilty of the charge. A matter of fact, aside from Kobe's semen, there were numerous other semen found on the girl as well. Sometimes I wonder if those that hate on Kobe because of the alleged rape charge so happen to be related to Katelyn Faber. Better yet, is that really you Katelyn? Disguised as a man/another woman? I see your hate shining through like the sun rising up on a beautiful day in San Diego.
Often enough, I'll give a hater props. Being the fact that they are a hardcore fan of an arch rival team. But I will not, cannot, give a hater props, just simply stating that they hate the team or player without a real valid reason. Come on now. Personally, I'm not trying to win a hater over. Why would I want to change the mind of someone who absolutely loathes a player out of ignorance? That's like debating with a brick wall. On second thought, a sports debate with anyone arguing with an ignorant mind set is just absolutely a waste of time. A point will never be made, so in the end, agree to disagree would be the evident solution.
A hater is going to hate regardless. For attention? Sure. I've hated on a couple of things for attention. Out of jealousy? Possibly so, but they're never going to admit it.
In the end, sports is just really sports. Fans get so caught up in the team/player that the team itself becomes their life. Could this possibly be the fuel that feeds a hater's hate? The mere fact that they just choose not to grasp that some people actually are fans of someone or something that they hate the most? Haters get so caught up with hating the team/player that their hate outshines their fanhood, if there is any. More often than not, a hater really doesn't have a team, they just simply hate and go against the grain of whatever the masses are following.
A hater could have a valid reason or a valid point, but mainly in the end, the hater makes that team/player that much better. It motivates them, and pushes them. So in the end, the hater always loses. So hate on haters. Keep yappin. Keep talkin. Because the more you hate, the less you realize that the team/player is loved for those exact same reasons.
Congrats to the Los Angeles Lakers on their 15th Championship and to Kobe and Derek Fisher on their 4th! GO LAKERS!
So signing off with this introductory entry to my sports blog, I leave you with a motivational Kobe Nike Commercial from 2006.
