I’ve gotten a multitude of inquiries over the past 3 years as to why I have such a broad range of teams that I support. With every new Twitter follower I get, the question comes again, “How did you become a Mets fan? How do you follow so many different sports? Who’s your favorite? What do you do when these teams play each other?” My dear Twitter friend, @citycynic, told me one day that it would be interesting to write a blog about how I keep up with all of my teams. What better way to put the information out there? I took his suggestion, and here entails the story of my life as a sports fan.
Baseball.
The top of my list, the cream of the crop, my true favorite sport. As a child, football was always my cup of tea. It was easy for me to understand, and I could run around the house at two years old, throwing my arms up in the air yelling, “TOUCHDOWN!” I also believed Boomer Esiason was my boyfriend for quite a few years, but that’s a story for another time. Baseball holds a special place in my heart. Don’t get me wrong; I love football. But there’s something about the game, something about the history of baseball that touches me in ways that football cannot. The sounds, the smells, the stories; it envelopes me. Now here’s the fun part.
The Cincinnati Reds. Where professional baseball all began. How could I not have an appreciation for the team that helped to influence the start of what would become an integral part of my life, and hopefully career? I was born and raised in Cincinnati, which is also where I currently reside. I will always, and I mean always, root for my home team. I go to countless games a year and I travel to see them on the road (nine times this season.) There is nothing that could ever come between me and the Reds. I eat, sleep, and breathe Cincinnati baseball. I bleed Reds. If it’s the Big Red Machine, 4,192, Crosley Field, or Barry Larkin, I know it, and I love it.
The New York Mets. Here’s where people start to get confused.
“Aren’t you supposed to have one National League team and one American League team?”
In my world? Never.
The New York Mets are a second love, and very near and dear to my heart. How did I fall in love with such a team, you ask? It’s all in the history. I learned, heard, and read enough about the Mets to wish I lived in the 1960s. I also wish I lived in New York. I feel at home in the big city. I’m a true sucker for an underdog story. The 1960s Mets are a relatable team. They were human; they made mistakes, and in the end they rose above. During a time when New York baseball was immortal, when the players were untouchable, a team arose out of nowhere that people could stand behind and say, “Hey, they’re like me.”
My love for them comes along with my love for one of my favorites to ever play the game; Nolan Ryan. He started his career in New York and made his one and only appearance in the World Series as a Met. If you’re reading this, I’m assuming I shouldn’t have to explain Nolan Ryan; I’m going to assume you already know.
Historically, I know and love plenty about Nolan Ryan, and about the Mets. But why do I love the Mets today? Mike Piazza. I firmly believe that I am not the only person who fell in love with the Mets due in large part to Mike Piazza. I can define my love for the Mets getting stronger through time and section it by labeling the eras as before, during, and after Piazza, although he has never truly left in the hearts of diehards. He is an admirable guy, one hell of a ball player, and a Mets legend.
“What do you do when the teams play each other?”
I root for the Reds, plain and simple. I hate to watch either team lose, and I hate to have to watch them play each other. I love to have both of my teams in the same place at the same time, but ultimately, someone gets the number in the loss column. I will never turn my back on the Reds. I can also never deck myself out in Mets gear and walk into Great American Ball Park. I would feel I have done wrong to the team who sparked my love for the sport, and to my hometown. I know I don’t get to see them very often, but it’s no excuse for me to don Mets garb and root against the Reds. I can also never boo the Mets, and not at least clap for a home run. It gets complicated, but I love and support them both the best ways I know how.
The Texas Rangers. This is a newly acquired team for me. By newly, I mean in the last four years or so. The Rangers have one of those teams that have the dynamic guys I’m drawn to. The kicker is that they have so many players I like, I cannot not support them. I have always been a big Ian Kinsler fan, and when he made his debut in 2006, I couldn’t help but follow along. I’ve followed Saltalamacchia around for a while as well (yes, I know he was a Brave) but he had a very short stint there in the Majors, and I was delighted to see him traded to the Rangers. The “kids” coming up in the farm system right now I am continually amazed by, and you best believe I will see them through to the Bigs.
Another reason, and no one should be surprised by this one; Nolan Ryan. Notice a pattern?
Last, but absolutely and definitely not least, Josh Hamilton. I am without a doubt an unabashed and unashamed Josh Hamilton fan. If you know me, you know that I have his bobblehead, two player tees, and three jerseys. I have two hats with his number on it, a Josh Hamilton “Faith Day” wristband from 2007, and the Hamilton Home Run Derby Spectacular recorded; I have read his book and suggest it to everyone, and I have traveled to see him play every year since he left Cincinnati. I can proudly say I knew who he was before the Home Run Derby. Hell, I can say I knew who he was before he came to Cincinnati. I remember walking into U.S. Cellular Field in my Hamilton tee and have someone ask me who he was and where he came from because until the Derby, he was unknown to them. I wish I had a photo of the look on my face when I sat down on my couch and saw he was being traded to Texas. From that moment on, my Rangers fandom went from a side fling with an AL team to an obligation; a willing one. I will follow Josh Hamilton wherever he goes. (God forbid he ever becomes a Cub, a Philly, or a Yankee. Knocking on wood now.) Side note; I will still follow the Rangers after he is gone.
The Boston Red Sox. My first love in the American League, and it’s all in the history. The curse, the struggle, and the city itself. I love it all. I had followed lightly up until the 2004 season; and then I was hooked. This is one team allegiance that I don’t talk about a lot; that I don’t throw out a lot of input. It’s like my undercover affair. I talk about it from time to time, but I don’t call out after every win. I also love Kevin Youkilis, a product of my soon-to-be Alma Mater, and a Cincinnati native. I am in love with the Red Sox culture and the fans, and I downright dislike the Yankees. I recently saw the Red Sox play for only the second time in my life; the first being a GABP, and now at Camden Yards. It was near to being a home game for Boston, and it was incredible to be surrounded by people who live Red Sox baseball, and are completely into the game. The Red Sox game wasn’t just a thing to do, it was what they do.
Miscellaneous. I’m a baseball fan in general, not just a fan of one team, and that’s all I care pay attention to. Since I follow along, and keep up with most everything that’s happening, it’s natural that I have affinities for teams all over the place, and in particular, one in each division. Some I can explain, some I can’t.
NL West – The San Francisco Giants. I love Brian Wilson, I love Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez, and Barry Zito, and now I’m hooked on Buster Posey. I’ve never even been to the stadium (but believe me I’ll get there,) and man I love that too.
AL Central – The Minnesota Twins. Mauer, Morneau, and mixture of a bunch of scratching my head as to why I always root for them to win.
AL East – If it’s not the Red Sox, which it nearly always is, it’s the Tampa Bay Rays. The originator of Josh Hamilton in Major League Baseball, and a small-market team like my beloved Reds that’s getting it done.
There you have it, baseball nuts. I pledge allegiance, to my teams, from the Bay Area to the Statue of Liberty, and everywhere in between. I can summarize, and condense this in a nutshell, but after the endless questions, I decided to put it out there to the world. My life as a baseball fanatic.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
The Big Puma
You may know him as “The Big Puma,” “Fat Elvis,” or just plain old Lance Berkman. No matter the moniker there is no doubt that Berkman has become not only one of the most recognizable faces but one of the best performers in the National League over the last decade.
Lance Berkman’s record-breaking success didn’t just start in the majors. After graduating from Canyon High School in New Braunfels, he attended Rice University in Houston and led the Owls baseball team to their first appearance in the College World Series. His college career batting average stands at .385 with 67 home runs and 272 RBIs. Of those home runs, 41 were hit in 1997 alone, ranking third-most in NCAA history.
Berkman has played his entire career as an Astro, and after being drafted in the first round of the 1997 amateur draft, he began his major league career on the Astros’ Class A Advanced Florida State League team in Kissimmee. His potential was easily recognizable and his talent translated from college to professional baseball without a hitch. He began his second minor league season at Dounle-A Jackson where he excelled, hitting .306 with 24 HR and 89 RBI in just 122 games. He quickly received a mid-season promotion to the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs where he spent his last full season in the minor leagues. He was called up to the Astros in 1999, and although he spent his entire baseball career playing first base, the position was already held down by Jeff Bagwell, Berkman was placed in the outfield. He roved from left to right field, and eventually in 2002 agreed to hold down a spot at center field.
Over the following few seasons, Berkman’s numbers wavered, and hit one of the lowest points in his career. His batting average slowly dipped, while his on-base percentage still remained high. He lost a bit of the power in his swing, but he made his comeback at the plate in 2004, when his average bolted to .316 with 30 HR and 109 RBI. He made his career high of 160 game appearances, was voted to the All-Star team for the third time, and with 21 homers earned the title of runner-up in the Home Run Derby to Miguel Tejada.
In 2005, the much of the Astros’ success in the NL Divison Series against the Atlanta Braves could be owed up to Lance Berkman. He played a major role in Game 4, which also went on to be the longest game in Major League Baseball playoff history, lasting 18 innings. Berkman brought the game within reach to make the score 6-5in favor of the Braves in the 8th inning with a grand slam. They eventually won the game, and the series, on a Chris Burke home run. Although they were swept in the 2005 World Series by the Chicago White Sox, he contributed with a .385 batting average and 6 RBI.
Lance Berkman easily had the best season of his career in 2006, with 45 home runs and 136 RBI, breaking Jeff Bagwell’s single-season record. His batting average dominated at .315, while also holding an on-base percentage of .420. He finished third in the MVP voting that year behind Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols.
The switch-hitting Texan has accomplished more than many major leaguers can say throughout their entire career. He’s a five-time All-Star, and also holds a place in the top 15 among active players in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, and he is the current record holder for the most single season RBIs (136) as a switch hitter. Berkman has broken countless records and hit many milestones in his career, but most recently, he hit is 300th home run off of former Arizona Diamondback Jon Garland on June 13, 2009. To many Reds fans, these numbers come as no surprise, as he also holds the record for most home runs at Great American Ball Park by an opposing player, with 20 crushed over the ballpark walls.
Berkman has played 143 games against Cincinnati, in which he holds a .327 batting average with 48 homeruns and 133 RBIs. The only player to hold more home runs against the Reds than Lance Berkman is his Astros predecessor at first base, Jeff Bagwell, with 29. Standing just one home run behind the all-time leader, it’s more than likely that Berkman will overtake the title. You could owe it up to the Reds’ overabundance of right-handed picthing over the years, or just to the fact that statistics show some players do extremely well against specific teams. Although Great American Ball Park has proved to be a great hitter’s park, Berkman has held nearly the same batting average in his career at both GABP and Riverfront Stadium, which both currently stand at .345 and .395 respectively. Whether it be confidence Lance Berkman shows when he takes on the Reds or a lack thereof on Cincinnati’s part, or even just a statistical happening, Berkman is one player who can claim his is dominant against Reds baseball.
Lance Berkman is adored by fans, and so much so that Astros diehards took it upon themselves to create a fan club stemming from his loving nickname, “Big Puma.” If you’ve watched an Astros game on television, or visited Minute Maid Park, you’ve seen “The Little Pumas.” These Berkman fanatics have purchased puma suits and appear in standing room sections of every game. They have grown from a few members to nearly 20. What will happen to those puma suits when Berkman decides to hang up his hat, no one knows. But the Big Puma seems to have a plan for himself after retirement.
In May 2009, Lance Berkman anounced that after his retirement, he would love to coach baseball at the University of Texas at Austin. He spent most of his childhood in Austin and wasn’t a fan of either of the Major League teams in Texas, but loved watching the Longhorns play. He has said that he doesn’t expect the current coach Augie Garrido to retire for a few more years, but when the time comes, he may be ready to retire himself and would love consideration for the position.
Lance Berkman’s record-breaking success didn’t just start in the majors. After graduating from Canyon High School in New Braunfels, he attended Rice University in Houston and led the Owls baseball team to their first appearance in the College World Series. His college career batting average stands at .385 with 67 home runs and 272 RBIs. Of those home runs, 41 were hit in 1997 alone, ranking third-most in NCAA history.
Berkman has played his entire career as an Astro, and after being drafted in the first round of the 1997 amateur draft, he began his major league career on the Astros’ Class A Advanced Florida State League team in Kissimmee. His potential was easily recognizable and his talent translated from college to professional baseball without a hitch. He began his second minor league season at Dounle-A Jackson where he excelled, hitting .306 with 24 HR and 89 RBI in just 122 games. He quickly received a mid-season promotion to the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs where he spent his last full season in the minor leagues. He was called up to the Astros in 1999, and although he spent his entire baseball career playing first base, the position was already held down by Jeff Bagwell, Berkman was placed in the outfield. He roved from left to right field, and eventually in 2002 agreed to hold down a spot at center field.
Over the following few seasons, Berkman’s numbers wavered, and hit one of the lowest points in his career. His batting average slowly dipped, while his on-base percentage still remained high. He lost a bit of the power in his swing, but he made his comeback at the plate in 2004, when his average bolted to .316 with 30 HR and 109 RBI. He made his career high of 160 game appearances, was voted to the All-Star team for the third time, and with 21 homers earned the title of runner-up in the Home Run Derby to Miguel Tejada.
In 2005, the much of the Astros’ success in the NL Divison Series against the Atlanta Braves could be owed up to Lance Berkman. He played a major role in Game 4, which also went on to be the longest game in Major League Baseball playoff history, lasting 18 innings. Berkman brought the game within reach to make the score 6-5in favor of the Braves in the 8th inning with a grand slam. They eventually won the game, and the series, on a Chris Burke home run. Although they were swept in the 2005 World Series by the Chicago White Sox, he contributed with a .385 batting average and 6 RBI.
Lance Berkman easily had the best season of his career in 2006, with 45 home runs and 136 RBI, breaking Jeff Bagwell’s single-season record. His batting average dominated at .315, while also holding an on-base percentage of .420. He finished third in the MVP voting that year behind Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols.
The switch-hitting Texan has accomplished more than many major leaguers can say throughout their entire career. He’s a five-time All-Star, and also holds a place in the top 15 among active players in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, and he is the current record holder for the most single season RBIs (136) as a switch hitter. Berkman has broken countless records and hit many milestones in his career, but most recently, he hit is 300th home run off of former Arizona Diamondback Jon Garland on June 13, 2009. To many Reds fans, these numbers come as no surprise, as he also holds the record for most home runs at Great American Ball Park by an opposing player, with 20 crushed over the ballpark walls.
Berkman has played 143 games against Cincinnati, in which he holds a .327 batting average with 48 homeruns and 133 RBIs. The only player to hold more home runs against the Reds than Lance Berkman is his Astros predecessor at first base, Jeff Bagwell, with 29. Standing just one home run behind the all-time leader, it’s more than likely that Berkman will overtake the title. You could owe it up to the Reds’ overabundance of right-handed picthing over the years, or just to the fact that statistics show some players do extremely well against specific teams. Although Great American Ball Park has proved to be a great hitter’s park, Berkman has held nearly the same batting average in his career at both GABP and Riverfront Stadium, which both currently stand at .345 and .395 respectively. Whether it be confidence Lance Berkman shows when he takes on the Reds or a lack thereof on Cincinnati’s part, or even just a statistical happening, Berkman is one player who can claim his is dominant against Reds baseball.
Lance Berkman is adored by fans, and so much so that Astros diehards took it upon themselves to create a fan club stemming from his loving nickname, “Big Puma.” If you’ve watched an Astros game on television, or visited Minute Maid Park, you’ve seen “The Little Pumas.” These Berkman fanatics have purchased puma suits and appear in standing room sections of every game. They have grown from a few members to nearly 20. What will happen to those puma suits when Berkman decides to hang up his hat, no one knows. But the Big Puma seems to have a plan for himself after retirement.
In May 2009, Lance Berkman anounced that after his retirement, he would love to coach baseball at the University of Texas at Austin. He spent most of his childhood in Austin and wasn’t a fan of either of the Major League teams in Texas, but loved watching the Longhorns play. He has said that he doesn’t expect the current coach Augie Garrido to retire for a few more years, but when the time comes, he may be ready to retire himself and would love consideration for the position.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Food for Thought: All Star Game Voting 2010
We all know I will stand on a soapbox and preach to the masses about how Joey Votto deserves to at least be in the top five vote receivers for National League first basemen. Instead, here's your top five. Interpret these numbers as you will.
Albert Pujols, St.Louis Cardinals - 165 AB, 25 R, 50 H, 8 HR, 29 RBI, .303 AVg
Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies - 177 AB, 28 R, 53 H, 8 HR, 32 RBI, .299 AVG
Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers - 166 AB, 28 R, 45 H, 7 HR, 19 RBI, .271 AVG
James Loney - L.A. Dodgers - 173 AB, 28 R, 51 H, 4 HR, 28 RBI, .295 AVG
Lance Berkman, Houston Astros - 103 AB, 10 R, 24 H, 5 HR, 14 RBI, .233 AVG
There you go. Let Votto's numbers speak for themselves.
Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds - 166 AB, 29 R, 51 H, 10 HR, 33 RBI, .307 AVG
Albert Pujols, St.Louis Cardinals - 165 AB, 25 R, 50 H, 8 HR, 29 RBI, .303 AVg
Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies - 177 AB, 28 R, 53 H, 8 HR, 32 RBI, .299 AVG
Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers - 166 AB, 28 R, 45 H, 7 HR, 19 RBI, .271 AVG
James Loney - L.A. Dodgers - 173 AB, 28 R, 51 H, 4 HR, 28 RBI, .295 AVG
Lance Berkman, Houston Astros - 103 AB, 10 R, 24 H, 5 HR, 14 RBI, .233 AVG
There you go. Let Votto's numbers speak for themselves.
Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds - 166 AB, 29 R, 51 H, 10 HR, 33 RBI, .307 AVG
There's a New Ace in Town
What are the odds that a pitcher drafted straight out of college would join a Major League Baseball starting rotation and never set foot on a minor league field? That’s a high bar set for an incoming player just barely out of their teens. Although any baseball fan knows you would have to beat innumerable odds, the Cincinnati Reds first round draft pick and right-handed pitcher Mike Leake has done just that. After making his argument with a stellar performance in Goodyear this spring, Leake earned the opportunity to stand on the mound with the Reds aces.
The 22-year-old San Diego native attended Fallbrook High School, and held the title of captain of his baseball team his junior and senior seasons before graduating in 2006. Leake was drafted out of high school in the 2006 Major League Baseball draft in the 17th round by the Oakland Athletics, but chose not sign and attended Arizona State University.
He began his college baseball career as a closer and by the end of his freshman year he became the Friday night starter. In 2007, he had one of the most impressive seasons by a freshman pitcher in the history of ASU. He was named a First Team All-Pac 10 selection and a Third-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and Rivals.com. He tied his teammate Josh Satow with 13 wins to lead the Pac-10 and also tie for the third-most victories in school history by a freshman. He pitched in 25 games in 2007, making 13 starts, finishing 13-2 with a 3.69 ERA, a save, and two complete games. He set a new Arizona State freshman record, pitching 127 innings and 94 strikeouts.
After making a name for himself and getting off to a stellar start his freshman year, his sophomore and junior season continued to be just as dominant. In 2008, Leake was named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year, and finished the season 11-3 with a 3.49 ERA. He pitched in 19 games of which he started 16, led the Pac-10 with 121.1 innings pitched, and struck out 104 while walking just 20 batters. Mid-way through the 2008 season, he played the field and batted .340 with two homers and 11 RBI in 47 plate appearances.
In his final season at Arizona State University, Mike Leake finished with one of the greatest individual seasons in school history. He was named the National Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association, and also won the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season, making him the first back-to back winner. He finished the 2009 season as the national win leader at 16-1, with a 1.71 ERA, 142 innings pitched and 162 strikeouts. The impressive accomplishments just keep on coming. He completed seven games, including two straight shutouts, and had a string of 26 consecutive scoreless innings. He totaled 40 career wins at ASU, tying for the third most ever in school history, and also tying for the most ever wins by a three-year pitcher. He became the second Sun Devil to win 10 or more games in three straight seasons, and one of two Sun Devils to win three straight Pac-10 Conference titles. By the looks of his laundry list of statistics and accomplishments, Mike Leake was fit and ready for Major League Baseball. He was drafted as the 8th overall pick in the 2009 draft by the Cincinnati Reds, the highest draft pick from Arizona State since 1998.
Mike Leake entered Reds spring training in Arizona as a non-roster invitee, and competed in a congested race for the fifth spot on the rotation with veterans Justin Lehr, Mike Lincoln, Micah Owings, and the young pitching phenoms Aroldis Chapman and Travis Wood.
Throughout spring training, comparisons of Leake and the first overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg surfaced. Leake may have been overlooked because of the stature and velocity that Strasburg possesses. Although Strasburg held a better ERA in the Mountain West Conference in college, his competition was none of what Leake faced in the Pac-10, where he also holds an advantage as having pitched in the College World Series. His spring training 1.37 ERA surpassed that of the Nationals right-handed pitcher. Although Strasburg could draw sellout crowds in the minor leagues, Mike Leake was able to do what the Washington Nationals could not pull off; sending their first-round draft pick straight to the majors.
With all eyes set on the Cuban flamethrower Aroldis Chapman and where he may end up in the Reds ballclub, Leake slipped under the radar during spring training. After Chapman was hampered by back spasms late into training, the spot for the fifth starter in the Reds rotation came down to Travis Wood, a second round pick in 2005, and Mike Leake. Leake was announced as the fifth starter, and was set to make his Major League debut less than a year after he had been drafted, the 21st player in history to do so.
Just how uncommon is it for a player to enter Major League Baseball and make their debut without playing an inning in the minor leagues? The last player to come straight from the draft and into the majors was Xavier Nady in 2000. More specifically, the last American-born pitcher to start without touching the Minors was Darren Dreifort in 1994, when made his Major League debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. If you’re really into details, no starting pitcher has made the leap since Jim Abbott with the Angels in 1989.
The comparisons between Leake and Abbott are in abundance as well. Had Chapman not had his injury, he may have well earned the fifth spot in the rotation. But due to the circumstances, Leake’s potentional shined and he was rewarded with the opportunity to start. The situation is similar to that of Abbott, who may not have earned his starting position without the injury of another pitcher in the rotation.
Almost every player that make it to Major League Baseball begins somewhere in the minors. It helps to hone and sharpen skills, and to all-around prepare you for what you face in the majors. Many pitchers spend years in the minors honing their craft, or “paying their dues,” so that they become the best pitchers they can be before they face the best batters in the game. An amount of hostility from some players could build, but Mike Leake takes it with a grain of salt.
“You’re going to have some jealous guys, and also have guys that are congratulatory, but I just have to take it,” said Leake.
That grain of salt also comes along with the customary teasing of being a rookie.
“I enjoy it,” said Leake. “You can only be a rookie once.”
After being drafted and heading straight to spring training thereafter, a player’s mind has to be racing with hundreds of thoughts. How about being told that you’re not only going to be with the team, you’re heading straight to the mound as a starter?
“I couldn’t really think for a second,” said Leake. “At first I was like, ‘Oh man, is this really true?’ So it kind of broke the ice in a funny way.”
All players face the challenge throughout their career of adjusting to new competition, new venues, teammates, and strategies. From high school to college, to minor leagues and majors, every level brings a new sense of competitiveness and difficulty. You can imagine skipping over institutions built to prepare you for the “bigs” could cause a little hiccup in adjustment, but not for Mike Leake.
“I don’t think it’s been that tough. Don’t get me wrong, it’s tough to play in this environment, I just think ASU prepared me pretty well,” said Leake.
Reds fans will agree that Mike Leake entered the team well-prepared as he made a phenomenal MLB debut April 11 against the Chicago Cubs. He pitched into the seventh inning, holding the Cubs to just one run and four hits. Leake showed poise and a changeup wise beyond his years. He helped himself as well, hitting 2-for-2; the first Reds pitcher to get two hits in his Major League debut since Benny Frey in 1929. He finished the game with a 1.35 ERA and struck out five after throwing 105 pitches. Leake was sometimes erratic, as he walked seven batters and was forced to work his way out of a bases-loaded, no out situation in the first inning. He says he was thinking too much before the game, until he pitched himself into a bind.
“I thought nothing really until I got the bases loaded,” Leake jokes. “I was like, ‘Well, this is good start!’ Luckily I found a way to get out of the jam. From there it was smoothing sailing a little bit.”
Even after getting off to a rough start, one thing Leake maintained was his calmness. You never saw him struggle, and he seemed completely unshaken, even with bases loaded and no men out.
Leake left the game after 6 2/3 innings after issuing walks to Derrick Lee and Aramis Ramirez with the Reds trailing 1-0. The Reds rallied to tie the game in the bottom of seventh, eventually going on to beat the Cubs 3-1. After the incredible start for the rookie in front of family members and tens of thousands of fans, his hat was requested by the Reds Hall of Fame.
His third start came against the Los Angeles Dodgers where the Reds not only picked up the first win on the season for a pitcher; Mike Leake earned his first win in Major League Baseball. He lasted seven innings allowing five earned runs on eight hits, while striking out five. He received an extra boost from a Scott Rolen two-run double, and the Reds went on to win 8-5.
After three starts, his record is 1-0, with a 3.92 ERA.
Mike Leake is looking like the perfect complement to the current Reds rotation, and will most likely be a major component in the rotation for seasons to come. He has been the Reds’ most consistent starter, and Reds fans are looking to him as a jumpstart to a great season. Mike Leake has his own inspirations in Cincinnati, other than getting Major League wins under his belt, of course.
“I just want to try and bring more fans. Get this back to when it was the Big Red Machine,” said Leake. “There’s nothing better than great fan support. If we can get them going, it uplifts us a little bit.”
He has already made an impact on fans, as he was seen before the Reds took on the Padres April 25 signing for nearly every fan that asked near the dugout.
With the consistency he already shows, it is easy to imagine Reds fans taking a quick liking to Mike Leake, and with his performance and personality it’s not a stretch to say he has the ability to bring more fans to the ballpark, just as he wishes. He’s a great complement to a Reds starting rotation with both the youth and the seasoned veterans. He may be new, and he may be young, but he’s definitely one you don’t want to miss.
The 22-year-old San Diego native attended Fallbrook High School, and held the title of captain of his baseball team his junior and senior seasons before graduating in 2006. Leake was drafted out of high school in the 2006 Major League Baseball draft in the 17th round by the Oakland Athletics, but chose not sign and attended Arizona State University.
He began his college baseball career as a closer and by the end of his freshman year he became the Friday night starter. In 2007, he had one of the most impressive seasons by a freshman pitcher in the history of ASU. He was named a First Team All-Pac 10 selection and a Third-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and Rivals.com. He tied his teammate Josh Satow with 13 wins to lead the Pac-10 and also tie for the third-most victories in school history by a freshman. He pitched in 25 games in 2007, making 13 starts, finishing 13-2 with a 3.69 ERA, a save, and two complete games. He set a new Arizona State freshman record, pitching 127 innings and 94 strikeouts.
After making a name for himself and getting off to a stellar start his freshman year, his sophomore and junior season continued to be just as dominant. In 2008, Leake was named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year, and finished the season 11-3 with a 3.49 ERA. He pitched in 19 games of which he started 16, led the Pac-10 with 121.1 innings pitched, and struck out 104 while walking just 20 batters. Mid-way through the 2008 season, he played the field and batted .340 with two homers and 11 RBI in 47 plate appearances.
In his final season at Arizona State University, Mike Leake finished with one of the greatest individual seasons in school history. He was named the National Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association, and also won the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season, making him the first back-to back winner. He finished the 2009 season as the national win leader at 16-1, with a 1.71 ERA, 142 innings pitched and 162 strikeouts. The impressive accomplishments just keep on coming. He completed seven games, including two straight shutouts, and had a string of 26 consecutive scoreless innings. He totaled 40 career wins at ASU, tying for the third most ever in school history, and also tying for the most ever wins by a three-year pitcher. He became the second Sun Devil to win 10 or more games in three straight seasons, and one of two Sun Devils to win three straight Pac-10 Conference titles. By the looks of his laundry list of statistics and accomplishments, Mike Leake was fit and ready for Major League Baseball. He was drafted as the 8th overall pick in the 2009 draft by the Cincinnati Reds, the highest draft pick from Arizona State since 1998.
Mike Leake entered Reds spring training in Arizona as a non-roster invitee, and competed in a congested race for the fifth spot on the rotation with veterans Justin Lehr, Mike Lincoln, Micah Owings, and the young pitching phenoms Aroldis Chapman and Travis Wood.
Throughout spring training, comparisons of Leake and the first overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg surfaced. Leake may have been overlooked because of the stature and velocity that Strasburg possesses. Although Strasburg held a better ERA in the Mountain West Conference in college, his competition was none of what Leake faced in the Pac-10, where he also holds an advantage as having pitched in the College World Series. His spring training 1.37 ERA surpassed that of the Nationals right-handed pitcher. Although Strasburg could draw sellout crowds in the minor leagues, Mike Leake was able to do what the Washington Nationals could not pull off; sending their first-round draft pick straight to the majors.
With all eyes set on the Cuban flamethrower Aroldis Chapman and where he may end up in the Reds ballclub, Leake slipped under the radar during spring training. After Chapman was hampered by back spasms late into training, the spot for the fifth starter in the Reds rotation came down to Travis Wood, a second round pick in 2005, and Mike Leake. Leake was announced as the fifth starter, and was set to make his Major League debut less than a year after he had been drafted, the 21st player in history to do so.
Just how uncommon is it for a player to enter Major League Baseball and make their debut without playing an inning in the minor leagues? The last player to come straight from the draft and into the majors was Xavier Nady in 2000. More specifically, the last American-born pitcher to start without touching the Minors was Darren Dreifort in 1994, when made his Major League debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. If you’re really into details, no starting pitcher has made the leap since Jim Abbott with the Angels in 1989.
The comparisons between Leake and Abbott are in abundance as well. Had Chapman not had his injury, he may have well earned the fifth spot in the rotation. But due to the circumstances, Leake’s potentional shined and he was rewarded with the opportunity to start. The situation is similar to that of Abbott, who may not have earned his starting position without the injury of another pitcher in the rotation.
Almost every player that make it to Major League Baseball begins somewhere in the minors. It helps to hone and sharpen skills, and to all-around prepare you for what you face in the majors. Many pitchers spend years in the minors honing their craft, or “paying their dues,” so that they become the best pitchers they can be before they face the best batters in the game. An amount of hostility from some players could build, but Mike Leake takes it with a grain of salt.
“You’re going to have some jealous guys, and also have guys that are congratulatory, but I just have to take it,” said Leake.
That grain of salt also comes along with the customary teasing of being a rookie.
“I enjoy it,” said Leake. “You can only be a rookie once.”
After being drafted and heading straight to spring training thereafter, a player’s mind has to be racing with hundreds of thoughts. How about being told that you’re not only going to be with the team, you’re heading straight to the mound as a starter?
“I couldn’t really think for a second,” said Leake. “At first I was like, ‘Oh man, is this really true?’ So it kind of broke the ice in a funny way.”
All players face the challenge throughout their career of adjusting to new competition, new venues, teammates, and strategies. From high school to college, to minor leagues and majors, every level brings a new sense of competitiveness and difficulty. You can imagine skipping over institutions built to prepare you for the “bigs” could cause a little hiccup in adjustment, but not for Mike Leake.
“I don’t think it’s been that tough. Don’t get me wrong, it’s tough to play in this environment, I just think ASU prepared me pretty well,” said Leake.
Reds fans will agree that Mike Leake entered the team well-prepared as he made a phenomenal MLB debut April 11 against the Chicago Cubs. He pitched into the seventh inning, holding the Cubs to just one run and four hits. Leake showed poise and a changeup wise beyond his years. He helped himself as well, hitting 2-for-2; the first Reds pitcher to get two hits in his Major League debut since Benny Frey in 1929. He finished the game with a 1.35 ERA and struck out five after throwing 105 pitches. Leake was sometimes erratic, as he walked seven batters and was forced to work his way out of a bases-loaded, no out situation in the first inning. He says he was thinking too much before the game, until he pitched himself into a bind.
“I thought nothing really until I got the bases loaded,” Leake jokes. “I was like, ‘Well, this is good start!’ Luckily I found a way to get out of the jam. From there it was smoothing sailing a little bit.”
Even after getting off to a rough start, one thing Leake maintained was his calmness. You never saw him struggle, and he seemed completely unshaken, even with bases loaded and no men out.
Leake left the game after 6 2/3 innings after issuing walks to Derrick Lee and Aramis Ramirez with the Reds trailing 1-0. The Reds rallied to tie the game in the bottom of seventh, eventually going on to beat the Cubs 3-1. After the incredible start for the rookie in front of family members and tens of thousands of fans, his hat was requested by the Reds Hall of Fame.
His third start came against the Los Angeles Dodgers where the Reds not only picked up the first win on the season for a pitcher; Mike Leake earned his first win in Major League Baseball. He lasted seven innings allowing five earned runs on eight hits, while striking out five. He received an extra boost from a Scott Rolen two-run double, and the Reds went on to win 8-5.
After three starts, his record is 1-0, with a 3.92 ERA.
Mike Leake is looking like the perfect complement to the current Reds rotation, and will most likely be a major component in the rotation for seasons to come. He has been the Reds’ most consistent starter, and Reds fans are looking to him as a jumpstart to a great season. Mike Leake has his own inspirations in Cincinnati, other than getting Major League wins under his belt, of course.
“I just want to try and bring more fans. Get this back to when it was the Big Red Machine,” said Leake. “There’s nothing better than great fan support. If we can get them going, it uplifts us a little bit.”
He has already made an impact on fans, as he was seen before the Reds took on the Padres April 25 signing for nearly every fan that asked near the dugout.
With the consistency he already shows, it is easy to imagine Reds fans taking a quick liking to Mike Leake, and with his performance and personality it’s not a stretch to say he has the ability to bring more fans to the ballpark, just as he wishes. He’s a great complement to a Reds starting rotation with both the youth and the seasoned veterans. He may be new, and he may be young, but he’s definitely one you don’t want to miss.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Conservative = Racism
It’s no surprise that specific races are typically intertwined with political party affiliations. Exit polls and surveys have shown that blacks, Hispanics and those of other ethnic decent are more likely to vote liberal and whites commonly vote conservative. It could be historical reasons, preferences as a race, but whatever the cause, it’s the truth. There is no reason to assume anything by these facts, other than particular races seem to value many of the same principles and ideas. There are black conservatives, white liberals, and Hispanics all across the board. As much as I wish this idea was kept in the minds of every American, I take it with a grain of salt and remember that in anything done in society today, race is always a deciding factor.
The race card will be pertinent in some situations, and incorrectly used in others. Politics in my opinion is no place to cry foul or to cause the issue to begin with. Politics are about laws and rules for this country to abide by so that we all have an equal opportunity. I don’t see how involving race in any decision that would affect the entire nation could be beneficial to a people.
The elephant in the room these days is that we do in fact have a black president. He might be mixed, he might have another religion, whatever. The point is, Obama is black. This fact alone has put the entire country on its head and has driven a wedge into relationships, the government, and the way we interact on a day-to-day basis. My assumption as to how this man was elected president sounds racist, and it may be. It also may be a proven fact but that would take extensive research to truly figure out. I have to admit that I believe Obama was elected because a large number of blacks and ethnic groups came out to the polls to vote for him solely because of his ethnicity. The many times I saw women walking around the grocery store with shirts reading “The First Black President,” only convinced me more. It wasn’t “The President to Change This Nation,” or, “The 44th President of The United States.” The thing these shirts aimed to let everyone know was that there was a man in office and he was black.
On Election Day, a young black man stood in front of me in line. He had mentioned that this was his first time voting and they sent him off to a polling station. I walked into mine, began marking slots as usual, when the same young man poked his head out of his station to ask, and I say this verbatim, “Do we gotta vote for anything but the president if we ain’t know what it is?” If this man had not taken the time to inform himself on the issues on the ballot, I’m going to go ahead and assume that he didn’t do any research on Obama’s platforms either. This situation makes it very easy to establish his reasoning for coming to the polls if he both did not know anything on the ballot and did not care, and that his only interest in coming was to vote for the president, who is in fact of the same ethnicity.
I’m not here to patronize a culture for having pride, by all means there’s quite a bit of a lack of that in this country. But cultural pride and racism are of completely different natures. Since Obama was first announced as the democratic candidate for president, I have opposed. I always have and I can assure you I always will. I do not care if he is Muslim, if he is black, or if his middle name is Hussein. What I care about is his stance on political, economical, and social issues, with which none of them I agree. Yet since the day I voiced my opinion, I have been chastised, attacked, and labeled as a racist. I missed the part where my disagreeing with a political candidate caused an automatic hate for anyone other than my fellow Caucasians. I live in a mostly black community and I attended a mostly black high school. I’ve been surrounded by it. Why someone can’t accept my views for what they are baffles me.
What baffles me further is that I am a racist for not supporting the black candidate, yet those who only supported Obama because he was black, and yes there are some, are not considered the same. Denying a man of any other race a chance because you want to vote for someone of an ethnic background, is in my book profiling and racist. I didn’t write the rules. I won’t attempt to change them. If my solely voting against him because I’m white makes me a racist, then solely voting for him because he is black is racist all the same. I don’t get why negativity toward an ethnicity is prejudiced and racist, yet positivity solely for one ethnicity is not. I’m talking about giving people a fair chance. I’m asking that they’re considered, that they’re recognized, and that this country can focus on what’s more important than the blacks, the whites, the Asians, the Hispanics, the Native Americans and so on. What matters here is the nation, the whole, that is supposed to be under God, and indivisible, not confirmed or denied as racist by your party affiliation.
The race card will be pertinent in some situations, and incorrectly used in others. Politics in my opinion is no place to cry foul or to cause the issue to begin with. Politics are about laws and rules for this country to abide by so that we all have an equal opportunity. I don’t see how involving race in any decision that would affect the entire nation could be beneficial to a people.
The elephant in the room these days is that we do in fact have a black president. He might be mixed, he might have another religion, whatever. The point is, Obama is black. This fact alone has put the entire country on its head and has driven a wedge into relationships, the government, and the way we interact on a day-to-day basis. My assumption as to how this man was elected president sounds racist, and it may be. It also may be a proven fact but that would take extensive research to truly figure out. I have to admit that I believe Obama was elected because a large number of blacks and ethnic groups came out to the polls to vote for him solely because of his ethnicity. The many times I saw women walking around the grocery store with shirts reading “The First Black President,” only convinced me more. It wasn’t “The President to Change This Nation,” or, “The 44th President of The United States.” The thing these shirts aimed to let everyone know was that there was a man in office and he was black.
On Election Day, a young black man stood in front of me in line. He had mentioned that this was his first time voting and they sent him off to a polling station. I walked into mine, began marking slots as usual, when the same young man poked his head out of his station to ask, and I say this verbatim, “Do we gotta vote for anything but the president if we ain’t know what it is?” If this man had not taken the time to inform himself on the issues on the ballot, I’m going to go ahead and assume that he didn’t do any research on Obama’s platforms either. This situation makes it very easy to establish his reasoning for coming to the polls if he both did not know anything on the ballot and did not care, and that his only interest in coming was to vote for the president, who is in fact of the same ethnicity.
I’m not here to patronize a culture for having pride, by all means there’s quite a bit of a lack of that in this country. But cultural pride and racism are of completely different natures. Since Obama was first announced as the democratic candidate for president, I have opposed. I always have and I can assure you I always will. I do not care if he is Muslim, if he is black, or if his middle name is Hussein. What I care about is his stance on political, economical, and social issues, with which none of them I agree. Yet since the day I voiced my opinion, I have been chastised, attacked, and labeled as a racist. I missed the part where my disagreeing with a political candidate caused an automatic hate for anyone other than my fellow Caucasians. I live in a mostly black community and I attended a mostly black high school. I’ve been surrounded by it. Why someone can’t accept my views for what they are baffles me.
What baffles me further is that I am a racist for not supporting the black candidate, yet those who only supported Obama because he was black, and yes there are some, are not considered the same. Denying a man of any other race a chance because you want to vote for someone of an ethnic background, is in my book profiling and racist. I didn’t write the rules. I won’t attempt to change them. If my solely voting against him because I’m white makes me a racist, then solely voting for him because he is black is racist all the same. I don’t get why negativity toward an ethnicity is prejudiced and racist, yet positivity solely for one ethnicity is not. I’m talking about giving people a fair chance. I’m asking that they’re considered, that they’re recognized, and that this country can focus on what’s more important than the blacks, the whites, the Asians, the Hispanics, the Native Americans and so on. What matters here is the nation, the whole, that is supposed to be under God, and indivisible, not confirmed or denied as racist by your party affiliation.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Everyday Celebrity
Can anyone truly define “celebrity” today? A dictionary definition would explain it as “the state of being celebrated” or “a famous or celebrated person.” How about fame? Fame is “public estimation” or “popular acclaim.” The words fame and celebrity 50 years ago were associated with untouchable people. Movies stars, broadcasters, political figures that no one of lesser status could ever associate themselves with. Fame and celebrity today roll off the tongue like a dirty word, almost as if being associated with either is a bad thing. Whether we like to admit it or not, it’s a result of our own doing. These days, social status is everything but social status itself is losing its own worth.
It wouldn’t surprise me if you looked up those same words again and things like YouTube, MySpace, and reality television were listed. There is no trick, no recipe, and even no talent needed to call yourself famous. This decline in the worth of fame could be attributed to the internet, to the music industry, or maybe even to the human need to be entertained 24 hours of the day, seven days a week.
“Celebrity status” is no longer determined by your work ethic, your profession, or the talent you possess. It has become solely a popularity contest based on your ability to put your face anywhere in the public eye. We all see it happening, we all see people on red carpets, at Hollywood premiers and wonder how on God’s green Earth these people got here. It’s no surprise because the most ironic part about it is that we’re the people who put them there. No one will admit it, but we perpetuate the cycle. We make what we hate, and what we hate to see.
You can relate it to something we refer to as a “guilty pleasure.” You love to watch it, hear it, be entertained by it, but you’re too embarrassed to admit it. Those television shows that are too cliché to watch, the songs so manufactured and catchy you only sing in the shower; those are the kinds of things we don’t discuss. The attention given to all these forms of media is what propels these guilty pleasures into stardom.
There is always someone in Hollywood we love to hate. I don’t know that anyone can explain it, but it’s true. Usually that person earns a ridiculous sum of money from something so simple, anyone could do it. But the attention they get from us, from the public, and from the media is what causes them to be a household name. One of the biggest and most widely-known examples of this is Perez Hilton. The guy runs a celebrity gossip blog site, which in itself is the beginning of this problem. Why do we care so much who Is dating who and who went out to the club last night? We don’t know, but we care. Anyone can sit at home and blog about the “buzz” and the latest scoop, but Perez Hilton is now a superstar. He’s at premiers, he’s on the red carpet, and he’s judging beauty pageants for crying out loud. The guy’s flamboyancy and attitude beg for attention, and we give it all to him. The majority of people I have met can’t stand him, but I know they’ve all visited his page. He earns a celebrity status by doing what? Gossiping about celebrities. Now that’s ironic.
What about all the music superstars we have today? The pop queens, the R&B crooners, the latest dance crazes in the clubs started by the rappers and the manufactured beats; do any of these have real talent, something to last beyond the stages of a “trend?” Some do, and some do not. I think you all know what music I’m talking about. Artists Ke$ha and Soulja Boy. Ke$ha can’t hit a high C on a bar staff, and Soulja Boy comes up with the most moronic “dance” moves while talking his way through some beats a producer fed him. But we all love it! You can’t wait for their songs to come on the radio or hit the dance floor when the DJ turns them on. Then you turn around and wonder, how does someone like Soulja Boy make millions upon millions of dollars? What does he do? He doesn’t create music with lasting power for one thing, and the other is that the seizure-ridden dances based on sexual innuendos he creates are eaten up by the public. He makes money and blows up in the record industry with less talent than those of the people with pipes that are rejected time after time by the industry. We envy his money and fame for what he does, yet we are the ones who put him there.
Things like blogs, and YouTube, and any other medium that allows us to express ourselves has propelled the average Joe into “the next big thing.” People in home videos are used in music videos, millions of views on YouTube causes the next social uproar, and a few kids hitting the Jersey Shore for the summer cause an obsession with New York-Italian “guido” culture. They burst onto the scene, and make more money in a year than we can gross in a lifetime. We love it all; the reality television and the catchy music, while we sit back and scoff at their fame. There’s no one to blame but ourselves.
It wouldn’t surprise me if you looked up those same words again and things like YouTube, MySpace, and reality television were listed. There is no trick, no recipe, and even no talent needed to call yourself famous. This decline in the worth of fame could be attributed to the internet, to the music industry, or maybe even to the human need to be entertained 24 hours of the day, seven days a week.
“Celebrity status” is no longer determined by your work ethic, your profession, or the talent you possess. It has become solely a popularity contest based on your ability to put your face anywhere in the public eye. We all see it happening, we all see people on red carpets, at Hollywood premiers and wonder how on God’s green Earth these people got here. It’s no surprise because the most ironic part about it is that we’re the people who put them there. No one will admit it, but we perpetuate the cycle. We make what we hate, and what we hate to see.
You can relate it to something we refer to as a “guilty pleasure.” You love to watch it, hear it, be entertained by it, but you’re too embarrassed to admit it. Those television shows that are too cliché to watch, the songs so manufactured and catchy you only sing in the shower; those are the kinds of things we don’t discuss. The attention given to all these forms of media is what propels these guilty pleasures into stardom.
There is always someone in Hollywood we love to hate. I don’t know that anyone can explain it, but it’s true. Usually that person earns a ridiculous sum of money from something so simple, anyone could do it. But the attention they get from us, from the public, and from the media is what causes them to be a household name. One of the biggest and most widely-known examples of this is Perez Hilton. The guy runs a celebrity gossip blog site, which in itself is the beginning of this problem. Why do we care so much who Is dating who and who went out to the club last night? We don’t know, but we care. Anyone can sit at home and blog about the “buzz” and the latest scoop, but Perez Hilton is now a superstar. He’s at premiers, he’s on the red carpet, and he’s judging beauty pageants for crying out loud. The guy’s flamboyancy and attitude beg for attention, and we give it all to him. The majority of people I have met can’t stand him, but I know they’ve all visited his page. He earns a celebrity status by doing what? Gossiping about celebrities. Now that’s ironic.
What about all the music superstars we have today? The pop queens, the R&B crooners, the latest dance crazes in the clubs started by the rappers and the manufactured beats; do any of these have real talent, something to last beyond the stages of a “trend?” Some do, and some do not. I think you all know what music I’m talking about. Artists Ke$ha and Soulja Boy. Ke$ha can’t hit a high C on a bar staff, and Soulja Boy comes up with the most moronic “dance” moves while talking his way through some beats a producer fed him. But we all love it! You can’t wait for their songs to come on the radio or hit the dance floor when the DJ turns them on. Then you turn around and wonder, how does someone like Soulja Boy make millions upon millions of dollars? What does he do? He doesn’t create music with lasting power for one thing, and the other is that the seizure-ridden dances based on sexual innuendos he creates are eaten up by the public. He makes money and blows up in the record industry with less talent than those of the people with pipes that are rejected time after time by the industry. We envy his money and fame for what he does, yet we are the ones who put him there.
Things like blogs, and YouTube, and any other medium that allows us to express ourselves has propelled the average Joe into “the next big thing.” People in home videos are used in music videos, millions of views on YouTube causes the next social uproar, and a few kids hitting the Jersey Shore for the summer cause an obsession with New York-Italian “guido” culture. They burst onto the scene, and make more money in a year than we can gross in a lifetime. We love it all; the reality television and the catchy music, while we sit back and scoff at their fame. There’s no one to blame but ourselves.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Wake Up Grammys! Talent is Knocking
I grew up sitting on my living room floor watching The Grammys every year in awe. I loved watching the uber-famous stars in dresses and spiffy outfits, performances I’d remember for years to come, and hoping for the most talented of artists to be rewarded for their accomplishments. It was a night of prestige. I sat in front of the television Sunday night in awe once again, but not for said reasons.
I was more or less shocked that I was even watching The Grammys. I picked up the remote checked the channel a few times, and attempted to restrain my need to throw it at the T.V. What I was looking at was more of a mixture of The Razzies and a Betsy Johnson fashion show. Where do I even begin?
I know we’re not talking about The Oscars here. It’s not all ball gowns and stuffy penguin suits. But is there any originality other than looking like you stepped out of an institution? Lady Gaga looked like a planet. No, seriously – a glittery planet in a yellow wig. Rihanna looked like a feather cushion after a pillow fight.
“But it’s runway! But it’s couture,” but it belongs in the trash.
Imogen Heap was dressed in a see-through petticoat with a studded, well, dog collar. Ciara rocked the feathers followed by a floor length dress of black mesh. Beyonce sat in the audience in a dress made of gold and silver chain link. That’s not trendy, just tacky. It’s not like we don’t expect off-the-wall fashion from some of these celebrities but how far can you go and have it still called fashion? It is an award show. Keep it classy, ladies.
Moving on now to what makes The Grammys prestigious. Of course I’m talking about the music, or so I thought. Many performances anymore are all about scandal, shock value, and the sex factor. This is where The Grammys held my attention and lost me all together. Since when did live acts become medleys? Half of these were carried by musical pioneers that came ages before them. There is a list of Grammys acts that made no sense to me. Beyonce sang an Alanis Morrisette song? The woman doesn’t have enough angst to carry a tune like that. Who can forget Taylor Swift’s act? She sang alongside Stevie Nicks, and the woman made Swift look like the amateur that she is.
There were three of the best combinations I’ve seen in quite a while. Elton John and Lady Gaga blew the roof off of the Staples Center. This is an exception to my dislike of medleys. Two terribly gifted pianists and vocalists, both advocates of equality in sexuality rights, and yet they are of staggeringly different generations. They melded together, while remaining in their own natural state to create an unforgettable act. Put Lady Gaga in front of a piano and the amazing talent she has is showcased. A true artist, with musical and lyrical skills, and shines the most live. I’d say that’s a lost art today.
Next in that list was the stirring duet from Andrea Bocelli and Mary J. Blige. An unlikely and seemingly incompatible pair, that is until they open their mouths. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” is a classic itself, and Bocelli is a musical wonder, but for Blige to hold her own against a famed opera singer shows some serious pipes and gumption. The duet was of course all for a good cause, in the interest of raising funds for Haiti, but I believe it will have a more lasting effect even after Haiti recovers.
Above all, done just as properly as it should have, was the tribute to the late, great Michael Jackson. Simple. Not smoke and mirrors, no rope tricks, no sex appeal, just pure voices in honor of one of the greatest artists there will ever be. Creatively enough, the effect of Jackson’s music was personified by the people chosen to sing in his honor. Bringing together generations, people of different genres and races underneath his music. This was more than fitting for the King of Pop.
The nominations and the awards are what baffled me the most about this year’s Grammys. I have no idea when the raw talent in the nominees was replaced with mixers, soundboards, and synthetic instruments. Today’s Grammy’s seem to honor more manufactured music than ability. Album of the Year sadly goes to Taylor Swift. The girl can write her own music and strum a guitar, but she can’t sing outside of a studio. I would like to think anyone thought highly enough of to win such a prestigious award can sing anywhere. The girl is “relatable” but I don’t think that justifies a Grammy. She now stands alongside legendary greats like U2, Frank Sinatra, Eric Clapton, and The Beatles. If that doesn’t blow your mind, I would have to assume you are musically inept.
Cheers to the 2010 Grammys having passed, and my television still being in one piece after the fact. Here’s to hoping The Grammys will wise up in the coming years and get back in touch with the roots of music and what it takes to be recognized worldwide as an outstanding artist.
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