Over this past weekend, it was leaked through the NBA rumor pipeline - the one thats as wide as Texas - that Steve Nash was the winner of the NBA MVP award. Sports pondits pontificated profusely about the qualifications of Mr. Nash versues other top candidates. That's what they are supposed to do, review news items of interest in sports.
Most of them do a great job of it. They delve deeper into the stories, ellaborate on certain subjects, warm our hearts with good stories of athletes, and make us think harder about their subject.
Then there are those that try to become the news. Take Dan Le Batard, of the Miami Herald, for instance. On Monday, Le batard wrote an opinion peace saying that Shaquile O'Neal should have won the MVP. Dandy idea if you want to use stats and facts. Horrific idea if you want to say Nash won the MVP because...... he's white. This was a non-existent issue, until Le Batard made it one.
Le Batard invalidates Nash's great year - only the 4th point guard in history to win MVP - by saying the MVP voting was racist. I'm not going to ignore that racism does exist in sports, or anywhere else in society. I do believe, however, that anyone who covers the NBA is probably not racist. Shaq was still dominating this year as he normally is. But he also played fewer minutes in a weaker conference, and posted about the same numbers as he did last year in L.A.
I'll allow Le Batard to be a homer for the Heat. Afterall, that's what he gets paid to do. But don't diminish the voting and call your press peers racist just because they voted a white guy as the NBA MVP.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Friday, May 06, 2005
In addition to Andy's rant on education
I went to the Mrs. high school this morning for their annual awards show. They gave out some awards, some scholarships and so forth. The usual fare for awards show.
Except there were hardly any parents there. There were some. But these are the same you see at every event the school has. I've seen more parents at football and baseball games. The biggest cheer from the students was for the PE award for weight training. Two seniors were awarded two full scholarships at two seperate schools. Clap, yawn, next.
So much is made of the school system and why private schools are better. The problem with the school system isn't urban school systems like Raleigh. They have plenty of funding because they deserve it, their a big school system, and so on. Well, I have found out the smaller systems need just as much help and funding as the big boys.
* The student with the top SAT score was recognized today. Congrats to him. He barely squeaked into getting accepted into NC State because he had to take it again.
* Congrats to all 3 students who were awarded with perfect attendance today. Thats right. 3. For the entire high school. Oh, by the way, the Mrs. is baby-sitting 20+ students after school today who missed more than 8 days, during only 1 semester. When asked wouldn't have been easier to come to class instead of stay after school on a Friday, one student replied emphatically, "No."
* Congrats to the 3 kids who made the Principals list. Yep, they were able to maintain an A average the entire year.
The school that she teaches at has a senior class of about 50 students, of which only 8 are going to 4-year colleges. I believe about that same number are going to local community colleges. And the rest will probably continue to be teenagers for another 5 or so years.
I can't say for certain that kids here would have a better chance if more money was spent on education. It might be a wasted effort. But as you can see from the concerned parents, they don't seem to concerned about it either, as long as the grass is green on the baseball field.
Except there were hardly any parents there. There were some. But these are the same you see at every event the school has. I've seen more parents at football and baseball games. The biggest cheer from the students was for the PE award for weight training. Two seniors were awarded two full scholarships at two seperate schools. Clap, yawn, next.
So much is made of the school system and why private schools are better. The problem with the school system isn't urban school systems like Raleigh. They have plenty of funding because they deserve it, their a big school system, and so on. Well, I have found out the smaller systems need just as much help and funding as the big boys.
* The student with the top SAT score was recognized today. Congrats to him. He barely squeaked into getting accepted into NC State because he had to take it again.
* Congrats to all 3 students who were awarded with perfect attendance today. Thats right. 3. For the entire high school. Oh, by the way, the Mrs. is baby-sitting 20+ students after school today who missed more than 8 days, during only 1 semester. When asked wouldn't have been easier to come to class instead of stay after school on a Friday, one student replied emphatically, "No."
* Congrats to the 3 kids who made the Principals list. Yep, they were able to maintain an A average the entire year.
The school that she teaches at has a senior class of about 50 students, of which only 8 are going to 4-year colleges. I believe about that same number are going to local community colleges. And the rest will probably continue to be teenagers for another 5 or so years.
I can't say for certain that kids here would have a better chance if more money was spent on education. It might be a wasted effort. But as you can see from the concerned parents, they don't seem to concerned about it either, as long as the grass is green on the baseball field.
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Beating the Boredom Blues
So, I fractured my ankle on Saturday. I have been reduced to being waited on hand-and-foot. There are only so many times I can watch sports center. DVDs are about 8 feet away. Maybe Law and Order is on some channel.
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