Who's to Blame?

The NBA lockout is coming upon day 111 and there still seems to be no end in sight. The latest talks started with promise as the owners as well as the players union met for over 16 hours on thursday and another 10 hours the next day. The talks then came to a sudden halt ending with what the players describe as an ultimatum, either take a 50-50 split of all revenue or we have nothing more to talk about. The players went as low as offering 52.5%-47.5% split for the players but the owners claim this is still far from their proposed 50-50 split (2011). So we are at an impasse with no talks schedule for the future and two weeks of the season already in the grinder. I think it's safe to say that more games are about to be cancelled and we just have to wait and see if Christmas day will be filled with basketball joy.

Last off season, Lebron James made a very important decision on national television that made some NBA owners mad and others nervous at what doors this may ultimately open in the future. A few months later, Carmelo Anthony utilized his power to do the same thing in Denver, which further let owners know that a new deal would have to switch some of the power back to them. Big name players made their power mover last off season and I think these actions may have pissed off some of the owners. The players have shown how much the old labor deal favored them and for this reason the owners will never let them keep a deal anywhere near this one. It's funny how the owners are like the free agents now, essentially holding the players hostage until they agree to a take it or leave it deal. The players will eventually fold and agree to the deal but in the meantime it's the fans who suffer. I blame both sides for not getting a deal done yet! Get a deal done and stop making basketball fans all around the world pay for your greed.


Wallace, M. (2011). NBA lockout: Both sides to blame. Retrieved on 10/22/2011 from www.espn.go.com/nba

Important Relief Efforts

Many people have never heard of N.Y. Yankee pitcher David Robertson but his off the field relief efforts are becoming much more important than his role as a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Baseball and more specifically, N.Y. Yankee enthusiasts know of David Robertson as an up and coming set up man, which means he comes in the game after the starter but before the closer, to ensure a team victory. The set up man serves as a bridge in between the starter, who may be getting tired and the closer who has a limit on his pitches, as well as ultimately being groomed to be the closer in the future himself. Mariano Rivera, who will go down as the greatest closer in the history of baseball, also started his illustrious career with the N.Y. Yankees as a set up man for then closer John Wetland. Today, Robertson is walking that same path and on top of that, he gets to learn under the great Mariano in the process. Robertson has responded this season by becoming one of the premiere relievers in baseball and being named to the 2011 All-Star game. Robertson finished the 2011 season with 100 strikeouts, becoming the first Yankee reliever to accomplish this since Rivera did it back in 1996 (9/2011).

Robertson grew up in Tuscaloosa Alabama where he ultimately went to college at the University of Alabama. On April 27, 2011 a tornado stormed right through Tuscaloosa leaving destruction and carnage in its trail. The 1.5 mile wide tornado caused 47 deaths and over 1000 injuries as well as leaving thousands more without housing and electricity. The New York Yankees organization contributed $500,000 to the American Red Cross and Salvation Army to help with aid but Robertson felt he had to do even more to help. David and his wife Erin started a foundation called “High Socks for Hope” to help victims from Tuscaloosa in the wake of this horrific event. Robertson has agreed to donate $100 for each strikeout he records this season and has received many donations since announcing his cause (5/2011). The money that Robertson’s’ foundation generates has lead to many houses being built and multiple families getting back on their feet. This type of relief effort can’t be quantified in numbers but the people of Tuscaloosa understand who their MVP really is.


Ehalt, Matt (September 29, 2011). "Robertson ready for the eighth inning". ESPN. Retrieved on 10/5/2011 from www.espn.go.com/robertson.

Hoch, B. (May 27, 2011). "Robertson pledges aid to ravaged hometown | yankees.com: News". Retrieved on 10/5/2011 from www.MLB.com/yankees.