DIANA NYAD TEACHES US ALL A LESSON

"It's never too late to be what you might have been"

                                    -George Eliot-

I thought about this quote when I heard that Diana Nyad was attempting to swim from
Cuba to Florida again. Nyad had already failed four times before stepping into the ocean on
Saturday, having been beaten down in the past by paralyzing jelly-fish stings, hypothermia,
and a tongue so swollen, she could hardly breathe. But the 64-year old endurance athlete
refused to give up on her dream of becoming the first person to complete the treacherous

swim without a shark cage.

There were a lot of people who questioned why Nyad would even bother to try it again, after
all, she nearly died during the swim last September. Some felt she was just doing it for attention
and that she needed to "just give it up." I'm sure there are much easier ways to get some
publicity than swimming over 100-miles in shark infested waters and incurring stings that swell
your face to the size of a large pumpkin. Heck, Nyad could've just gone on the set of "Ray
Donavan" and twerked Jon Voight. That would've been a much more comfortable way of
blowing up Twitter and capturing some headlines.

Nyad heard the critics and the whispers that turned into loud roars. She knew everybody in
the world doubted and even laughed at her. She was 64-years old, for crying out loud. That's
an age when most people are thinking about walks on the beach, sunsets, and relaxing on
Golden Pond. Who in their right mind would even consider swimming all that way and for
what?

Nyad thought about and conquered it. There was no medal waiting for her when she swam
ashore in Miami. I'm not sure there's going to be a seven-figure endorsement deal, either.
She did it because she believed in herself. She believed that she wasn't too old, too slow, or
even too soft to be defeated. She didn't care that people doubted and laughed at her. She
didn't listen to those who said it couldn't be done, especially at her age.

It's almost fitting that on Labor Day, while most Americans were enjoying the day off,
Nyad was working relentlessly to fulfill her dream. She achieved that dream and taught every
one of us a lesson.

Too many times we impose limitations on ourselves. Too many times we let others try to
squash our dreams. Too many times we listen to the critics who say it can't be done.
Nyad proved that failure is not final and that people should never give up on accomplishing
their dreams just because it didn't work out once, twice, three, or even four times.

Nyad at 64-freaking-years old swam 103-miles in 53 hours in shark infested waters on
September 2, 2013. That is unreal. That is amazing. That is a great lesson for those who
often say, "I can't", when they really can, but just don't know it.


JOHNNY MANZIEL WON'T CHANGE SO DEAL WITH IT

 

Sports fans and the media are a strange bunch, that's for sure.

We want our heroes to be squeaky-clean like Tim Tebow, but when they are, they get
labeled as too boring, too contrived, and too phony.

We want players to act with class and dignity when they get taunted, but when they do,
they aren't tough enough and get criticized for letting others walk all over them.

Johnny Manziel will never be Tim Tebow and is never going to be one who turns the other
cheek. Now, deal with it.

On Saturday, Manziel sat out the first half against Rice because of his suspension by the
NCAA and Texas A & M. When he took the field, it was Johnny Football being Johnny
Football. He beat Rice with his arm and Fred Astaire-like feet. But he was also penalized
for unsportsmanlike conduct for responding to taunts from the opposing team. He made
like he was signing  autographs and rubbed his fingers together, which is the universal
sign for money.

And, of course, the United States roster of Johnny Manziel haters came out in full force.
From those getting paid to analyze football to those who don't, Manziel had no class, has to
grow up, and be a leader.

One thing is certain, Manziel is the biggest lightning rod in the history of college football
and there has never been anyone like him. Ever.

After just one year of being a true Aggie, Manziel is the most influential player in the history
of the program. He has made Texas A & M relevant and no longer the red-headed step
child to the Longhorns in the football-crazed state. He's bigger than Tony Romo and has
made his school millions upon millions of dollars. Without Johnny  Football, Texas A & M
goes back to being just Texas A & M.

Please save the self-righteous and holier-than-thou rhetoric. Big-time college football is all
about two things and two things only: winning and money. Because of Johnny Manziel, Texas
A & M has won a lot of games and made a ton of money. Kevin Sumlin can pull Manziel
out of a game that's long been decided, but he won't do that against Alabama or Texas, that's
for sure. He knows that Manziel is not only his best player, but his ticket to a mega-million
dollar contract extension or a job in the NFL. Plus, he wouldn't be dumb enough to cost his
employer a shot at making the tens of millions of dollars that go with earning a birth in a
BCS game.

Manziel is a true original and a rock star who walks to the beat of his own drummer.

And I love it.

Manziel is who he is. Is that really such a bad thing? He's a 20-year old kid with a Heisman
Trophy who has made some mistakes. How perfect were you at that age? How perfect are
you now? Were you a finished product as a sophomore in college? Are you a finished product
now?

Manziel is living his life the way he wants to live it. Isn't that how you want to live it, the way
you want to and not by somebody else's design or plan? Do people resent the fact that Manziel
is too carefree, too self-absorbed, and having too much fun? Do they want to see him live with
regret, obsess over his missteps, or pay a steeper price for his mistakes than he really should
have to? Seriously? Worry about the person looking back at you in the mirror instead of
worrying about somebody you don't even know.

All these college sports analysts are getting up on their pedestal and saying, "Johnny Football
has to change." No he doesn't. He is GREAT for college football. Executives at ESPN, Fox,
and CBS love Manziel because he is a ratings magnet. They certainly don't want him to
change because Manziel on their networks means more money in their pockets. Love him
or hate him, he's the biggest thing in college football right now.

And Johnny Manziel is his own man. There is nothing wrong with that. Deal with it.

TIM TEBOW HATERS REJOICE--AND THAT'S SAD.

Tim Tebow has been cut by the New England Patriots so now the United States roster of
haters can rejoice. They said he couldn't throw, run a pro-style offense, and doesn't belong
in the NFL. Yep, they told us so. And all those haters may be right that Tebow will never
play again, because after all, they say he's, in the words of Charles Barkley: tuuuuuuur-a-ble.

I'm just amazed at all the venom spewed about Tebow. Judging by all the comments on the
Internet and sports talk radio, there are millions of people who just can't stand the guy. They
seemed obsessed with proving how much he sucks and can't play. They seem to revel in his
failure, which in this world isn't all that surprising considering the majority of it seems to
gloat in the failure of others. I've been a part of some companies where some people get all
giddy when a co-worker gets fired. It's sad, really.

And it's kind of sad how much people hate a guy like Tim Tebow. Is it because he wears his
religion on his sleeve? There have been plenty of people before Tebow who've pointed to the
sky to praise God or gotten a knee to give thanks and nobody says a word. But when Tebow
does it, haters everywhere roll their eyes and say, "Lord help us." People mocked the former
Florida Gator with "Tebowing", which became a hit on the Internet, gaining laughs at the
expense of Tebow.

Since he was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round a few years back, it's been
open season on the left-handed, bible-thumping quarterback. ESPN analyst Merril Hoge
called Tebow "as phony as  three-dollar bill." Teammates in New York hid behind the old "anonymous sources" thing and said he was "terrible." Did Tebow get upset? Nope, he just
turned the other cheek and tried to get better as a quarterback.

Did the Broncos make a mistake drafting Tebow in the first round? Absolutely. But the line
of teams picking players in the first round who've turned out to be total busts is 10-miles
long. Jamarcus Russell, anyone? Ryan Leaf? Tim Couch? Akili Smith, hello? Mark Sanchez,
how uuuuuuuuu doing? Yes, it happens.

Tebow may never make it in the NFL and the haters will tell us they told us so and feel good
about themselves. They hate from their couches, sitting in front of their big screen TV's with
a beer and a bucket of popcorn in their lap. And, by golly, they can play quarterback better
than Tebow because they sacrificed so much and handled all the critics with class and dignity.

Do you know what Tebow was? A Heisman Trophy-winner, 2-time national champion,
All-American, first-round NFL draft pick, and playoff-winning quarterback.

Do you know what Tebow is?  A person of great character, who doesn't swear, smoke, or
have sex. He has never wavered in his faith, nor blinked in the face of criticism from the
media or his teammates. He's never talked bad about anybody, thrown anyone under the bus,
or been arrested. He has taken the time to work, give, and raise money for the less fortunate
Is that so bad? We've had to deal with the likes of Michael Vick, Lance Armstrong,
Ryan Braun, Tiger Woods, and a host of other athletes whose contents of character are made
up of less than savory ingredients and people want to trash Tebow? Please.

Do you know what Tebow will be? Probably anything he wants besides and NFL quarterback
and that might not be so bad. Prior to training camp, Forbes magazine named Tebow the most
influential athlete in sports. That's right, ahead of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter,
and Tiger Woods. Why do you think that is? Because Tebow has "it". He can lead and influence
the masses with a speech or just by his work in the community. If he wants to go on the
speaking circuit, Tebow can be a millionaire ten times over.

People will say that Tebow failed as an NFL quarterback, and so what? He was the one who
got in the arena and tried to succeed. He's the one who got the snot beat out of him by 320-lb
lineman and 250-lb heat-seeking linebackers. Tebow tried and got cut. He didn't succeed, but
he has already accomplished more in 26-years that most people will do in their entire lives.

Don't be a Tebow hater. Respect what he has done and the person he is. So what if he couldn't
be an NFL quarterback? I have a feeling when it's all said and done, Tim Tebow is going to
much, much more than just a guy who can read a defense and sling a football.

BRIAN WILSON AND A HAIRY DILEMMA

Brian Wilson of the Los Angeles has arguably the greatest beard in the history of professional

sports. It's often imitated, but never duplicated. It is long, full, and thanks to a squirt of "Just
for Men", it is really, really dark. Lord  knows what the heck has been buried in that beard for
the last five years. Chicken wings, sandpaper, a small child, A-Rod's PED's, and Lindsay
Lohan's phone number are some of the things that could be uncovered.

If 800Razors.com gets their way and comes up with enough cash for Wilson, we soon might
find out exactly what hidden treasures are in the beard. The razor company has reportedly
offered Wilson $1 million to shave his beard. A great stunt for sure, and one that could get

them a heckuva lot of free publicity by Friday morning, thanks to Twitter, Facebook, sports
radio, and television. Brilliant idea. Not sure $1 million is going to make Wilson change his
entire identity. We'll see. Here's a few other athletes, current and former, who razor, clipper,
and scissor companies would like to get a hold of.

THE CHIA PET OF TROY
I love this guy. Troy Polamalu is one of the best safeties in NFL history who is a heat-seeking
missile. The Steelers All-Pro never has to worry about concussions because he's got the most
well-protected head in the league. Just add water and it grows and grows and grows. Great cushioning prevents really hard hits to the dome.

THE HAIR OF DENNIS ECKERSLEY
It's 2013, but the Hall of Fame pitcher and NESN analyst has a head of hair that stuck in the
80's. He refuses to call it a mullet and won't let anyone else call it one, either. The "Eck",
who is one of the best analysts in the game and an even better guy, has tried to trim it up
from time to time, but he's just not feeling it. The long locks are just part of his identity. He
is one really cool dude. You could offer him $5 million and I don't think he'd shave it off.

THE BEARD OF JAMES HARDEN
The all-star from the Houston Rockets has a beard that has a lot of Brian Wilson in it. He
can't match the uniqueness Wilson's bush, but he undoubtedly has the best beard in the history
of the NBA. He definitely has to keep it away from Christmas candles and the gas grill.

THE DREADLOCKS OF STEPHEN JACKSON
I'm afraid if somebody cut of the famous dreads of Jackson, the Atlanta Falcons running
back would lose all his strength and speed. Check that, if he shaved off that mop, he'd knock
two-tenths of a second off his time in the 40-yard dash.

 

 

THE MOHAWK OF CHRIS "BIRDMAN" ANDERSON

I would love to shave the "Birdman's" hair off and then watch him cry. The super freak

of the Miami Heat has some serious ink and a hair doooooooo that makes him a player

that you just can't take your eyes off of. I think he'd take the million to shave his hair, though.

 

 

BRYCE HARPER'S "ROCKABILLY".

The kid isn't afraid to make a statement, but I don't know what kind of statement he's

trying to make with the "rockabilly" style. It makes him look like one of those possessed

dudes in the "Hills Have Eyes" scary movie.

 

 

THE HANDLE BARS

Harper's older brother, Bryan, has some style as well. The minor-league in the Washington

Nationals minor-league system is the modern day Rollie Fingers what this handle

bars mustache. It's kind of weird seeing a kid that young sporting that type of mustache.

Maybe 800razor.com could do a package deal with the Harper's and Fingers.

 

 



COCO'S CRISPY AFRO
I realize somebody may have already taken a weed whacker to the head of Coco Crisp,
but if the veteran outfielder decides to grow his fro' out again, I'd pay to see somebody
shear it off.

WEISS & JEDZ: BEST UNC COMBO EVER

When I saw a picture of Walt Weiss and Mike Jedziniak posted on Facebook recently, a
flood of memories washed over me like a tsunami. The manager of the Colorado Rockies and
the lawyer from New Jersey re-united in Baltimore nearly 30 years after forming the best
double-play combination in UNC history.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to play with both and watch their brilliance
in turning two. Nobody did it better before they arrived on campus in 1982, and no shortstop-
second basemen combo has surpassed their skill-set since they graduated from the program
in the mid-80's. As someone who is passionate about the game and the intricacies of it, I
admired what Weiss, forever known as the "Peanut Man", and Jedz did as defensive wizards
in Boshamer Stadium. Quite frankly, it was a beautiful thing to watch.

Weiss was a silky-smooth shortstop from Suffern, NY. He possessed a cannon of an arm
along the lines of Shawon Dunston and the feet of Fred Astaire. He made everything look
so remarkably easy. Jedziniak was a scrap-iron second baseman from Toms River, New
Jersey who played with a chip on his shoulder the size of Gibraltar. He also played with a
glove the size of a tic-tac and hands that were lightning quick.

As teammates, Weiss and Jedz were pretty much inseparable. They idolized Bruce Springsteen,
loved anything that was denim, and spoke their own language. And believe me when I say this, it
was their "own" language. They often spoke in code, inside humor, and in sentences consisting
of three words or less. If an outsider heard what they were saying, they'd no doubt respond with
a "WTF?"

Weiss and Jedz took that friendship and chemistry onto the field to form a great double-play
combination that was pure magic. You could blindfold them and they'd know where each
other were on the field. They didn't have to say, "this is where I want to be fed the ball," they
just knew. It was uncanny, it was brilliant, and it was a helluva lot of fun to watch.

They were a pitcher's best friend even if they couldn't relate to the Deabenderfer's, 
Kopcynksi's, and Powell's of the program. A ground ball to second base or shortstop was
automatic as was an inning-ending double-play.

For those who played with Weiss and Jedz, you know what I'm talking about. For those
who didn't, I'm sorry, you missed something truly special. Turning a double-play in
college is not all that hard, but the way in which Weiss and Jedz did it was scintillating
to watch. They did it with such confidence and flair, you could do nothing but appreciate
it.

Most of all, I admire the friendship that was quite evident in their picture together in
Baltimore. They were more than just a great double-play combination, they are forever
friends. No matter how far apart their lives are now, they are as close as they were around
the second base bag. And that will never change.

JACKIE ROBINSON, BASEBALL NEEDS YOU MORE THAN EVER

It's sadly ironic that 42, a movie about Jackie Robinson and the hardships he dealt with in
breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier, was released at the beginning of a season
that's turned out to be as ugly as the abuse Robinson took during his rise to stardom.

In 2013, Major League Baseball is dripping in scandal. It should be celebrating the extraordinary
accomplishments of Clayton Kershaw and Miguel Cabrera, instead, it's being dragged down by
the liars, cheaters, and the Biogenesis cesspool. Where have you gone, Jackie Robinson?

 

Robinson was a man of such splendid talent and great character, MLB retired his number.
Today, the league wants Alex Rodriguez, a player blessed with incredible skills,
but little else, to just leave the game for good.

Robinson, as we saw in 42, was a man of strong moral fiber, who, in the face of racial taunts,
turned the other cheek and just walked away. As we've seen in the Ryan Braun's mini-series,
he can't tell the truth or walk away without pointing the finger at somebody else to camouflage
his shame.

On April 15 of every year, every major league player gets the chance to wear 42. It marks
the day Robinson made his debut in the league. I'm not sure very many of today's players

even know what that number and what the man who wore it, represents. They seem all giddy
to wear it, as if it will make great photo to tweet or post on Facebook, but I don't think many
of them truly understand what Robinson meant to the game or even our country.

Robinson was a man and a player who did things the right way. He played hard, he played
clean, and he respected the game. Most of today's players are dirty, self-absorbed, and make
sure to style during their highlight on ESPN.  They will smile to your face while sticking a
needle in their ass.

Nothing seems pure about the game anymore. It lost its innocence a long time ago, somehow
morphing into evil brought on by the steroid era. The players are driven by greed, ego, and
the desire to get noticed. The modesty and humbleness of Robinson has been replaced by the
mantra, "Look at me! Aren't I great?"

I didn't get to see Robinson play in person, but I can tell a lot by the video of his games. He
played with the joy and enthusiasm of a Little Leaguer playing in his very first game. There
was no posing at the plate, showing opponents up, or pointing to the sky after hitting a home
run.

Why can't baseball be like that once again? Why can't players be more like Jackie Robinson
and less like Ryan Braun? What happened to playing for the love of the game?

Perhaps, it's still there, but you'd probably have to tune into the Little League World Series
to find it.

PAM OLIVER IS TOUGH AS NAILS

Pam Oliver must've been a hockey player. She's that tough.

During Sunday's telecast of the Indianapolis Colts-New York Giants, Oliver, a longtime
sideline reporter at Fox Sports, was doing what she does better than most. She was preparing
for her gig when Chandler Harnish, a back-up quarterback whom you will never hear of
again after this piece, air-mailed his receiver during pre-game and drilled Oliver right in
the face. Hard. It was a fastball, as baseball analyst, Dennis Eckersley likes to say, " that
had some hair on it."

Oliver barely blinked. Oh, yeah, her hair got messed up a bit, but she took it like Rocky did
in just about every one of his movies. A thunderbolt by Apollo Creed? No problem. A hammer
from Clubber Lang? Is that all you got? A haymaker from Ivan Drago? Yooooo, Adrian!

Oliver hung tough and was ready for her report with a smile on her face and just a little more
hairspray on her dome. No ice, no EMS, no call for sympathy from the guys back in the studio.
Oliver is a pro's pro. A true gamer. She went down and went down hard, but Oliver got off the
canvas, well, um, turf and kept on going like nothing ever happened.

It reminded me of the days when we worked together at Fox Sports Net in Atlanta. She
often acted like nothing happened when the world around her was falling apart. And many
days in that studio, things fell apart early and often. Fox hired a production team that was
basically out of college. No experience. Shows would come up eight minutes short,
which in television is an eternity, and many times, the anchors would be left hanging without
shot sheets or correct scores. But Oliver carried on.

Watching Oliver get drilled by an errant pass, reminded me of  when we were working
together on the nightly sports program. I had gone to the refrigerator to get a grapefruit,
because, of course, I was on the grapefruit diet. I was walking back to the office from the
break room when a large slice of grapefruit got caught in my throat. My face was turning
blue, my eyes were watering, and even the best interpreter from the United Nations couldn't
figure out what the hell I was saying.

I walked into the office and my co-anchor sat in a chair to the left and Oliver was on
the far right. Matt Morrison immediately popped up and gave me the Heimlich maneuver.
That piece of grapefruit came out of my throat like it was shot out of a cannon. That sucker
whizzed past the head of Oliver and hit the back wall of her desk. Yep, it was something
out of sit-com, but really happened.

Oliver turned, gave me a dirty look, and just carried on as if nothing happened. That is
Pam Oliver. A pro's pro who was always channels her inner hockey player. She's that tough.