When I began to religiously follow the NBA, the preeminent teams were Boston, LA, and Philadelphia. Of the three, it is the latter two that made me believe that clubs that were family. You know, players arrive and finish their tour of duty and call it a career. The Big Three retired and so did the Lakers' stars. Red Auerbach said so even if he sent Bill Sharman to the Lakers.
Remember when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's agent stole his money and the Lakers' center didn't have a lot left? Somehow, I don't think so. Comes with age. Anyways, Jerry Buss gave him two more years to play with a nice contract that would help him ride off along Sunset Boulevard.
But the times were clearly changing. Danny Ainge was traded by Boston to Sacramento and I wondered why. His later replacement, Jim Paxson did not work out well with Bird and only caused problems with the club until the arrival of Reggie Lewis.
That's not my point though.
I thought that players like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen would be lifers for the Bulls. Ditto with Patrick Ewing with the New York Knicks, Charles Barkley with Philly, Karl Malone with the Utah Jazz, and Hakeem Olajuwon for the Houston Rockets. Instead they went to other teams. Yes, Scottie did go back to Chi-town but like everyone else, their teams treated them like crap at the peak of their career.
Look at the Bulls. Eleven years after the Last Dance they are still rebuilding. And all those other clubs are also in the shitter.
But that's the modern game that free agency helped kill. I know it's both good and bad plus it keeps players and clubs on their toes. Boo yeah.
Across the Atlantic Ocean, while Chelsea skipper John Terry is playing golf elsewhere, people are wondering if he is going back to Stamford Bridge to play for the Blues once more. Not only has he anchored Chelsea's defense for a decade now but along with Frank Lampard, but he is the face of the team and for England. But with all the crap going around since Roman Abramovich decided to play god is Chelsea a model club to play for?
Now for the right money, Terry could be off to Manchester City to join Carlos Tevez, Robinho, Wayne Bridge, and possibly Emmanuel Adebayor.
My friend Chris Soler once remarked how I am more player-oriented than team-oriented in my fan following. Not exactly. I still am a fan of the Chicago Bulls, Liverpool, the New York Giants, the Yankees. I think I only changed loyalties when Zizou joined Madrid. I must admit that if Luis Figo moved from Camp Nou to the Bernabeu then maybe I could pull a switch. Hmm. In some parts, I'd be branded a traitor. When he wondered about the two clubs not liking one another, I said it's hard to feel any enmity for a club and team (and a place) where I do not hail from. So I am not caught up in the regionalism, ethnic problems, and whatnot. Unlike my dislike for Boston... that I lived abroad for a while so that answers that qustion.
Then there's the problem between David Beckham and Landon Donovan. I don't know what the fuss is all about but didn't Becks start it with his wanting to move to Milan? Why? Because he wanted to play in South Africa next year.
Becks should have discussed the situation with LA Galaxy officials first. It would have prevented a lot of ill will and bad blood. But what he did was go to the media. Now he has a problem that Donovan took him to task in a book? What an ass! What short memories!
Then there's the Denver Broncos QB1 in Jay Cutler. Things changed when Head Coach Mike Shanahan was fired and his name was discussed in trade talks. That understandably upset Cutler who had done a fine job of replacing Jake Plummer as Denver's play action caller. The Broncos of course denied any wrong doing but at the end, when Cutler asked to be traded by a team that he said showed him no respect, his wish was granted. And now he is with the Bears in place of Kyle Orton.
And since I'm on NFL quarterbacks, there are traitorous ones like Brett Favre who hold clubs hostage. But I do wonder, do these teams get it coming too because they aren't exactly the sainted ones when it comes to treating employees?
That reminds me of a former boss who would always say that he loved me like a son but yet would be remiss in a lot of his duties to the point where he did not deliver on promised salaries etc. So I left. Then when I refused to shake his hand during the Sesqui Kick-off, he said aloud that he was the one upset and that no one did that to him. What a SOB! Guess what, fat man. I did. And fuck you.
What this has all taught me is that you find your place in the sun and then look out for yourself and those others like you.
So where to, John Terry?
Go where it is best for you.
Remember when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's agent stole his money and the Lakers' center didn't have a lot left? Somehow, I don't think so. Comes with age. Anyways, Jerry Buss gave him two more years to play with a nice contract that would help him ride off along Sunset Boulevard.
But the times were clearly changing. Danny Ainge was traded by Boston to Sacramento and I wondered why. His later replacement, Jim Paxson did not work out well with Bird and only caused problems with the club until the arrival of Reggie Lewis.
That's not my point though.
I thought that players like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen would be lifers for the Bulls. Ditto with Patrick Ewing with the New York Knicks, Charles Barkley with Philly, Karl Malone with the Utah Jazz, and Hakeem Olajuwon for the Houston Rockets. Instead they went to other teams. Yes, Scottie did go back to Chi-town but like everyone else, their teams treated them like crap at the peak of their career.
Look at the Bulls. Eleven years after the Last Dance they are still rebuilding. And all those other clubs are also in the shitter.
But that's the modern game that free agency helped kill. I know it's both good and bad plus it keeps players and clubs on their toes. Boo yeah.
Across the Atlantic Ocean, while Chelsea skipper John Terry is playing golf elsewhere, people are wondering if he is going back to Stamford Bridge to play for the Blues once more. Not only has he anchored Chelsea's defense for a decade now but along with Frank Lampard, but he is the face of the team and for England. But with all the crap going around since Roman Abramovich decided to play god is Chelsea a model club to play for?
Now for the right money, Terry could be off to Manchester City to join Carlos Tevez, Robinho, Wayne Bridge, and possibly Emmanuel Adebayor.
My friend Chris Soler once remarked how I am more player-oriented than team-oriented in my fan following. Not exactly. I still am a fan of the Chicago Bulls, Liverpool, the New York Giants, the Yankees. I think I only changed loyalties when Zizou joined Madrid. I must admit that if Luis Figo moved from Camp Nou to the Bernabeu then maybe I could pull a switch. Hmm. In some parts, I'd be branded a traitor. When he wondered about the two clubs not liking one another, I said it's hard to feel any enmity for a club and team (and a place) where I do not hail from. So I am not caught up in the regionalism, ethnic problems, and whatnot. Unlike my dislike for Boston... that I lived abroad for a while so that answers that qustion.
Then there's the problem between David Beckham and Landon Donovan. I don't know what the fuss is all about but didn't Becks start it with his wanting to move to Milan? Why? Because he wanted to play in South Africa next year.
Becks should have discussed the situation with LA Galaxy officials first. It would have prevented a lot of ill will and bad blood. But what he did was go to the media. Now he has a problem that Donovan took him to task in a book? What an ass! What short memories!
Then there's the Denver Broncos QB1 in Jay Cutler. Things changed when Head Coach Mike Shanahan was fired and his name was discussed in trade talks. That understandably upset Cutler who had done a fine job of replacing Jake Plummer as Denver's play action caller. The Broncos of course denied any wrong doing but at the end, when Cutler asked to be traded by a team that he said showed him no respect, his wish was granted. And now he is with the Bears in place of Kyle Orton.
And since I'm on NFL quarterbacks, there are traitorous ones like Brett Favre who hold clubs hostage. But I do wonder, do these teams get it coming too because they aren't exactly the sainted ones when it comes to treating employees?
That reminds me of a former boss who would always say that he loved me like a son but yet would be remiss in a lot of his duties to the point where he did not deliver on promised salaries etc. So I left. Then when I refused to shake his hand during the Sesqui Kick-off, he said aloud that he was the one upset and that no one did that to him. What a SOB! Guess what, fat man. I did. And fuck you.
What this has all taught me is that you find your place in the sun and then look out for yourself and those others like you.
So where to, John Terry?
Go where it is best for you.
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