Who's the new guy?

Opening day!

Fresh cut grass, the aroma of hotdogs, the crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd and the fat guy blocking the view from your otherwise perfect $50-3B-line seats. There are a few days on the sporting calendar that make being a sports fan worthwhile and opening day is one of them.

The Nationals vs. Braves game in Washington DC's new ball park had everything - big hits, some runs and a suspenseful 3-2 win for the home team. And who will forget the boos the President received as he walked out for the opening pitch? I mean this was a home game for the big guy. I'd hate to see how opposing fans treat the chief next time he gets the starting assignment.

What you talking
'bout?

UNC is playing stellar ball at the moment and it's no surprise Tyler Hansbrough is scoring most of the headlines.The junior center is a man possessed, leading his squad with both accurate shooting and tenacious rebounding (he had 28 and 13 in the Tar Heels win over Louisville).

But it's a little disappointing to see the other Tar Heels largely ignored. After all, without the superb wing and point guard play of lesser known Heels, Hansbrough wouldn't have room to breathe.

It reminds me of Nicholson's Joker being neglected by the newspapers in favour of Keaton's Batman. The Joker made the story but lacked the Bat's sex appeal I suppose. Basketball stars face similar battles. Take sophomore guard Wayne Ellington for example; his ability to attack defenders in the half court and scoot by "pedestrians" on the break has been spectacular in the NCAA tournament - and not unlike the explosive Leandro Barbosa. Ellington similarly brings an all-around game. Against Louisville he had 13 points and 5 rebounds. Against Washington State, 13 and 8. Go back to UNC's win over Clemson in mid-March, where the 6'4 guard racked up 24 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Got your attention yet?

Then there's point guard Ty Lawson - where's his parade? At only 5'11, Lawson is making his opposite numbers double take on a consistent basis. Against the Cardinals he had 11 points and 9 assists, as well as a back-breaking three pointer with about five minutes left on the clock.

Danny Green too, has come up with some big plays, espcially on the defensive end. Green had 2 steals against Louisville and 3 in the win over WSU. He's also averaged 4.3 rebounds per game in March.

Hey, take nothing away from Hansbrough, the deserved collegiate player of the year, who's notched some hefty numbers himself. But this is not a one man game, despite how many times some commentators and writers promote the one man headline. Hansbrough is not an outstanding talent but he has great leadership skills and relentless drive. He has heart and that's what sets him apart from others. Yet, it's his supporting cast that are making this run to the Final Four possible.

Abbot wasn't funny without Costello and Arnold's catch phrases didn't land without Willis. It's the same deal for Hansbrough.

Scooooooores - with a Capital "S'

Washington Capitals maestro Alex Ovechkin scored his 60th goal of the season last week, the NHL's first 60-tally in 12 years. Unfortuantely the goal wasn't delievered in the type of Hollywood fashion I'd hoped for - you know, like when Rocky beat Apollo on the nine count or when Jimmy hit the big shot at the end of Hoosiers. So I thought why not enjoy his famous no-look score against the Phoenix Coyotes to mark the occasion instead. Grab some popcorn for this one!

Looking like an All-Star, feeling like an All-Star

One of the reasons I started this blog again was Converse Chuck Taylors. The iconic sneakers found their way back into my wardrobe last year and I felt newly inspired. They're just so freaking cool.

Have any other shoes endured like Chucks? They were all the rage in the Fifties, they came back for a stint in the Nineties and now it's on again in the new millenium. How can a pair of canvas basketball boots with no cushioning whatsoever possibly transcend the generations? It's surely the simplicity of the design: the once piece upper; the rubber toe; the diamond print sole; and of course, the star logo.

Barry Who?

Barry Bonds images - chiefly those of his lifesize bobblehead - have been completely removed from the San Francisco Giants' AT&T Park. That's right; if you're looking for signs of Barry you might have more luck on ebay...or not.

If it's billboards celebrating "756" runs you seek, however, forget it. Apparently the Giants are rebranding and refreshing for 2008. Yes folks, it's time to move on.

I feel San Francisco's pain; On the one hand, baseball's all-time home run champ was an integral part of your organisation for many years and deserves continued recognition. On the other, the guy has steroid allegations and perjury charges following him like that mutant odour on Seinfeld. At some point, don't you have to sell the car and wash your hair with tomato sauce?

Bringing back the magic

It's not everyday that you see magic performed in the NBA. Oh sure, they'll tell you the game today is stronger, faster, better but is it really? There are certainly some amazing athletes in the league - Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Carmello Anthony and Lebron James to name a few - but for all their athleticism and showboating, is the basketball inspiring? Is there any genius involved in dunking the crap out of the ball? Or overpowering other players wth brute force alone? Hey, I can appreciate Lebron is an enormous unit. The guy is the only athlete in history who could possibly win at any team sport by himself. Yes, even figure skating.

Seriously though, I'm thankful there are still some NBA pros that can dazzle the way Magic Johnson and Larry Bird once did.