It’s showing time for Lakers - The Boston Globe
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Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Woods' quest for perfection should reach beyond golf course
Tiger Woods should be embarrassed and ashamed right now. He was caught in a humiliating situation last week when he crashed his car outside of his Orlando, Fla., area home and was found unconscious by his wife Elin. Woods sustained only minor injuries but the bizarre accident created so many questions and theories -- such as a cheating Woods attempting to escape from his golf-club wielding wife and crashing -- that he felt inclined to address the accident.
That only prompted media sites such as TMZ and National Enquirer to dig further into his personal life and it took only a few days to discover a chilling voice mail message Woods delivered to another woman asking her to call with a "restricted" label to prevent his suspicious wife from checking his cell phone and calling the woman.
It cemented the rumors that Woods had been unfaithful and he released a statement on his website apologizing for his "transgressions."
This should be the end of this story. While Woods is a brilliant golfer, the best of all time and has been a model citizen during a career that began as a child prodigy and continues into his mid-30s, we should not expect Woods to be a perfect role model off the course. Woods was unfaithful and he was sloppy about it, but because he strives to be a perfect golfer and faces constant scrutiny regarding his every move on the course does not mean that Woods should be judged on a level higher than any elite professional athlete.
Are you looking for Woods to help raise your kids? Should he be vilified because he fell into a pretentious trap of flattery and passion that falls men and women? Woods proved he is no different that many people who know who have conveniently found excuses to be unfaithful and in the end, really have no reason for their "transgressions" besides greed and insecurity. Woods proved he has a lot of growing and developing to do as a man, and such evolution is difficult when you have the financial and social means to obtain nearly anything you desire, including seedy women who don't mind being part of the infidelity.
Woods owes his public nothing besides an apology but he owes his wife the promise to become a better man. He should be left alone for that journey because no one can aid his maturation.
This story is much more serious than a millionaire athlete whose unsavory lifestyle was discovered. This is a story of a man who went through the motions, succumbing to pressures to get married, have kids and put of a facade when it was not in his heart, and it has marred the lives of those who loved him the most.
He doesn't need our judgment, he needs our prayers.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
It's about time to raise the NBA age limit
Of the 30 players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, all of whom had hopes of being an All-Star, starring in their own sneaker commercial and leading their team to NBA championships, just five signed long-term contract extensions to secure their futures before the Nov. 1 deadline.
For example, Boston's Rajon Rondo, drafted 21st in 2006, signed a five-year, $55 million deal to remain a Celtic until at least 2015.
That means the other 25 were unable to perform to the level to encourage their teams to make a substantial financial commitment. In other words, they were busts, disappointments or failed to reach their potential. Perhaps it was just a poor draft class filled with players who weren't as talented as advertised or lacked the work ethic to develop or maybe these players entered the draft prematurely, seeking NBA riches before they were prepared for the rigors and commitment required to become a standout player.
An increase in the NBA age limit won't prevent these draft failures but will reduce them because it will allow prospective players to get at least two years of college basketball. Right now, the NBA mandates that players remain in college for one season and in many cases, NBA prospects attend college one semester to stay eligible for their freshman season, drop out for the second semester and then began preparing for the NBA draft once their college season ends.
That isn't exactly Doogie Howser type academic passion and that type of lack of commitment may eventually hurt the athlete if the NBA career doesn't pan out. The NBA is filled with players who bolted college early and became successful, but there are also players such as Shawne Williams, Gerald Green and Donte Greene who thought they would be stars and instead are out of the league (Green), banished by their team for immaturity (Williams)or riding the end of a bench (Greene).
The NBA is a heartless operation and hardly has time for prolonged development, so teams cut their losses, as they did with 25 of those 30 draft picks. There are always kids flooding the draft, so the key is to be as prepared as possible for success. Holding kids back another year will give them additional preparation, making them more useful commodities for teams and reducing the slew of draft busts and disappointments that have littered the draft the past few years.
These younger NBA players are crushed when their team refuses to offer a contract extension. Many of them are delusional when it comes to their talent and potential, still believing they are all-star caliber players. The reality that they are barely hanging on is harsh one, and the NBA is running short on patience, especially in this economic climate.
So it's time the NBA protect these players from themselves and mandate they wait another year. The extra time prepping for the highest level could extend their career, and isn't that what we all want?
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