Wow, Really?

The title is directed at both Dan Gilbert and the Miami Heat organization. For Gilbert, did you really have to make a fool of yourself by writing a letter to the fans, bashing Lebron James in the process? I always say that when you’re too passionate about something, you lose your reason, and that is exactly what Gilbert did in the letter. Guaranteeing an NBA championship for Cleveland before Lebron and Company get theirs is preposterous, not only because Cleveland has nowhere near the talent to do such a thing, but because that sort of promise is something you’d hear from someone who is around the age of twelve. As for the Heat organization, was it really necessary to squirt lemon juice into the eyes of Cleveland fans the day after they had just been sucker-punched below the belt? No one but fans of the Heat really cared about the introduction celebration, so why was it necessary to broadcast it on ESPN2? Lebron did not look happy to be there, and if you were him, would you be either? The last thing he wanted to do was pour salt into the city of Cleveland’s wound that, by the way, he created. Once again, I’m not saying that he should have stayed; I’m just saying that his departure created the somber mood felt in his hometown.

Now that “The Decision” is over, at least we can get back to focusing on sports that are actually in season. Today one of the bigger trade deals took place in baseball, with Seattle pitcher Cliff Lee being traded to the Texas Rangers. Early in the day, it looked as if Lee was going to be traded to the Yankees, which would have made it almost worthless to watch the MLB come September with the pitching that they would have had. However, this trade makes the American League much more intriguing. With Lee in Texas, the Rangers have a very decent shot at making the playoffs for the first time since 1999, while the Yankees cannot assume the role as overwhelming favorites to win the World Series. Had Lee gone to New York, it would have been extremely hard to contend with the pitching combination of Lee, C.C. Sabathia, Phil Hughes, and Mariano Rivera. Granted, they are probably still the team to beat, but with Lee they could have been runaway favorites. No matter how much New York fans disagree, that would not have been good for baseball.

On Sunday, the World Cup will culminate in Johannesburg when either Spain or the Netherlands will hoist the famed goblet for the first time ever. Unlike Spain, the Netherlands have been to the Finals twice before but have not yet broken through to win the Cup. I predicted that Spain would win it from the beginning, but I think that either way it should be a tremendous game. Both of these teams are well deserving of being called World Cup champions, and it should be an absolute party for whichever country comes away with the win. Something that is worth noting is that the top goal scorers in the tournament (Netherland’s Wesley Sneijder and Spain’s David Villa) will be playing, and the Golden Boot award winner could very well be the man who wins the World Cup for his respective nation. As long as the game doesn’t come down to penalty kicks, because quite frankly it’s a tossup at that point, then it should be a wonderful game to watch.

I’m thinking about making shirts to promote the blog, but mostly because I want to wear one myself. I’ll be posting some more information about it on the Around The Corn Sports Blog Facebook fan page, so check that out in the next few weeks if you’re interested in getting one. Also, if you have any questions or comments about anything sports, always feel free to email me at aroundthecornsportsblog@gmail.com. Thanks everyone.

– K. Becks