I've often wondered if the stigma that surrounds the New York Yankees has more to do with its history or with its owner, George Steinbrenner. Honestly, how many professional team owners have the ability to overshadow their team, even if they have 26 World Championships. It seems as though Steinbrenner may have done such a good job of overshadowing his team, that he single handedly "managed" his team to an early exit in this year's playoffs. I wonder if the Yankees players felt any extra pressure to "win one for the skipper?" And I also wonder if Joe Torre felt any extra pressure, knowing his "Boss" had just gave him an ultimatum; either win the Series, or find another job.

New York fans have had more than just a baseball team to cheer for over the years. They've had the longest running soap opera in history. Who can ever forget the Babe Ruth "call", as he pointed to the sky, and promptly sent the next pitch into orbit. And who can ever forget the homerun chase between Micky Mantle and Roger Maris, which was ultimately won by the underdog Maris. The Yankee fans still weren't happy.

Now it's 1973. CBS, who owns the Yanks is selling to a couple of business gurus. Enter George Steinbrenner. This was the beginning of one of the most notorious love/hate relationships in professional sports. Who can ever forget the ongoing soap opera between Steinbrenner and Billy Martin. Billy Martin was either fired, or he resigned, on five different occasions under Steinbrenner. In 1990, George was banned from baseball "for life" following a gambling allegation. This came as a pleasant surprise to Yankee fans, who hadn't seen a competitive Yankee team in almost a decade. However, after only three years, he was reinstated under the condition that he would allow the Yankees farm system to work for them, rather than trading away younger talent for overly expensive veterans. In 1995, that young talent, got the Yanks to the playoffs for the first time in many years. That began a string of four World Championships and 13 straight trips to the playoffs, all under the direction of Joe Torre.

So you can imagine what Joe Torre must have felt when he "heard" that George Steinbrenner had told the media that the Yanks needed to win the World Series in order for him to keep his job. But that wasn't enough. Instead of firing Torre after their loss to the Indians, Steinbrenner decided to make Joe a one year offer, which would reduce his salary by more than $2,000,000. Yes, you heard me correctly. Rather than "man up" and just fire Torre, George decided to insult him by offering him something he knew he would reject. This is the thanks Joe Torre gets for bringing the Yankees from the depths and making them the most feared and successful team in baseball.

There are those who are just classless, and there are those who are just cowards. Well, George, you've managed to show us you can be both. And in the words of Kevin Costner in his film "For Love Of The Game", "I can't think of a better reason not to be a Yankee!" You got that right Kevin. Thanks George, you've just reminded us how truly messed up professional sports is today. Who will you jerk around next, COWARD!!!

I know I know.....haven't we heard enough about Mikey V and the dogfighting?  Well, it appears as though one prominent actress isn't quite finished "expressing her opinion" on the matter.  While a guest on "The View" yesterday, Whoopi Goldberg stated her support for Vick by saying, "He's from the South, from the Deep South ... This is part of his cultural upbringing,".....ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!  She also said, "For a lot of people, dogs are sport," Goldberg said on the show. "Instead of just saying (Vick) is a beast and he's a monster, this is a kid who comes from a culture where this is not questioned."

http://www.ktu.com/pages/WMVControversy.html?feed=213636&article=2599724

Hmmm...the deep south?  So Virginia is the deep south? 

Hmmm...so it's okay that Vick did what he did because it is a cultural thing?

Hmmm...I thought dogfighting was ILLEGAL!!! 

Hey Whoopi...wasn't racism once a cultural thing in the south...does that mean it's okay to be a racist too?

Hey Whoopi...attended any dog fights lately?  Hey Whoopi...ever heard the screams of dogs being tortured?

I wonder if Whoopi would have had the same to say if it were Peyton Manning who had been caught instead of Mikey V.  Just a thought!!

There is a little known town, nestled in the northwest mountains of North Carolina, that has become a household name over the past three days.  Boone, North Carolina is home to those "upstarts" we all know as the Appalachian State University Mountaineers.  And on Saturday, it was home to a few thousand students, who instead of taking the Labor Day Weekend trek home, decided to stay in Boone and cheer for their beloved Mountaineers.  Little did anyone know that history was about to be made.

For anyone who lives outside the "Tri-State" area of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, the words "Appalachian State" mean nothing.  It is a school with around 13,000 students that most like to label a "suitcase school".  Most students, unless they are athletes, are close enough to home that they can travel home during just about any weekend they choose.  For me, it was literally a 30 minute trek up the mountain.  So you could literally say that Appalachian State was my "home school".

Football has always been "the sport" at App State.  During the mid 90's, they began asserting themselves as a top Division 1-AA threat for the National Championship.  But it always seemed that the Championship game was illusive, in an almost taunting sort of way.  Very little is known about their football program, simply because the only Division 1-A school that seemed to be willing to play App State on an annual basis was Wake Forest.  And we all know, up until last year, that Wake has never been a football power.  We always looked forward to that game as ASU fans...because more often than not, we seemed to come away with the win.  But in recent years, Wake Forest has shown no interest in playing App State, probably because of the damage losing to them would do their egos and to their program. 

So in recent years App State has played such foes as Auburn, LSU, NC State, and this year Michigan.  Two years ago, they gave a LSU, a National Championship contender, all they could handle in Baton Rouge.  Although the score showed 24-0, most of those points came late, and the stats showed that the game was very close.  Last year, they played NC State very tough, and should have come away with a victory.  But it was not to be.  So after two years of hard luck and losing games to the "big boys", it was their turn to take it a step further, and try their luck with a perennial national power, Michigan. 

Keep in mind that Kidd Brewer Stadium, where App plays their home games, holds a measly 17,000 spectators at full capacity.  So when the opportunity came to play in the "Big House", it was too hard to pass up.  They would leave their cozy little home in the North Carolina mountains, and voyage to a place that most high school football players could only dream of playing their college careers. 

Most football experts, and fans alike, seemed to believe that the game this past Saturday would be a blowout.  Press releases from all around the country talked about the "meaning" of playing a Division 1-AA team.  Most believed this was nothing more than a "tune up" for Michigan.  There were some who stated that Michigan only hoped to play Henne for no more than two quarters, or at least until Michigan had had time to "build a sizeable lead".  Reporters were tauting the receiver corps for the Wolverines, and wrote of limited playing time for them also.  Michigan students and fans alike had no idea who this App State team was...or where they were from.  They only knew it was supposed to be blowout city for the Wolverines and company. 

Appalachian State has little to show for their football program.  Players like Dexter Coakley and Matt Stevens have been lucky enough to make it to the NFL.  But there has only been a select few to represent App State in the NFL over the years.  So how could it be that this little school with this "suitcase" mentality could ever dream of playing a perennial national contendor in "their" house and dream they could come away with a win? 

Michigan was supposed to win this game 55-0.  Michigan was supposed to use this game as a "tune up" for bigger games.  Michigan was supposed to intimidate this little team from nowhere.  The only problem is, someone forgot to tell that to the App State Mountaineers.  Someone forgot to tell Michigan that they were playing a team who had only lost 4 of their previous 30 games.  Someone forgot to tell Michigan that there is more to football than talent, size, and ability.  Someone forgot to tell them that they needed heart to beat this upstart team of "nobody's". 

If you want to see the biggest and hear the biggest heart in college football, please feel free to come to the mountains of North Carolina where the clouds bleed black and yellow.  But don't forget to bring your radios and "in car televisions".  Because finding a way into this little 17,000 seat football stadium may be the hardest ticket you'll ever find. 

By the way, I'm more than just a fan of App State.  I'm also a graduate.

GO MOUNTAINEERS!!!!!

Really?  Is anyone surprised that the NAACP is just now getting involved?  I think everyone needs to read this article from CNN.  If you're not as appalled by what Mr. White had to say in this article than I am...then I give up. 

"White also said he didn't understand the uproar over dogfighting, when hunting deer and other animals is perfectly acceptable."

UNBELIEVABLE!!!

If you agree with Mr. White, I'm saddened by your obvious bias.  If you cannot see the difference in torturing dogs and hunting deer, you need to be examined for a loose lugnut, Mr. White included.  Not to mention the fact that Mr. White feels that Vick should not be treated any different than any other NFL player who has made mistakes.  Didn't I read somewhere where Vick lied to Mr. Goodell, the Falcons, and to a judge when he pleaded "not guilty"?  How is that not perjury, by the way?  That's about all I got to say about that.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/08/22/vick/index.html

I must preclude this post by saying the first four paragraphs, and the last paragraphs are my own.  The "Star Spangled Banner" and the supporting paragraphs in between are not to my credit.  I received that content in an email from a great friend of mine.  If you would like that email, please feel free to leave your email address in your comments here, or email me at mattfaw@gmail.com.  Thanks.

The playing of the Star Spangled Banner has long been a tradition at our American sporting events.  It is one of the few songs that bonds all Americans who cherish our freedom here in this great land.  We look forward to standing in unison, before our major sporting events, and singing along to those words that represent our freedoms and our culture.  It is one of the few times where Americans come together in mass, no matter what political party we are associated with, and agree in unison to sing the song that represents our great nation.

In recent times, we have been confronted with issues in this country, regarding "God" being used in our schools and in our public venues.  As a young boy growing up in North Carolina, we would stand in our classroom and recite the Pledge of Allegiance "one nation, under God" with no hesitation.  Songs such as "God Bless America" were sang at gatherings.  No one complained, and if anyone didn't want to join in the "festivities", they weren't persecuted.  Prayers were offered before high school games by a local minister.  No one kicked you out of the stadium if you decided not to join in the prayer, and you lived to see another day.  Well, it appears as though those days are over.

Our country is being picked apart by special interest groups who have taken their individualistic views and desires straight to the top.  It is becoming a nation where our Constitution is being twisted and turned into nothing more than a "I have rites" document.  Don't get me wrong, this country was set up in such a way that the intentions were to do away with religious persecution.  Our country is now a melting pot for all of the world's major religions.  However, it has also become a melting pot for the minorities.  And I'm not talking about race.  I'm talking about ideals and lifestyles.  Unfortunately, we are headed in a direction that is seeing the minority rule, as opposed to the majority.  Our legal system has been abused in such a way, that it makes it almost impossible for the majority to rule in many cases. 

This leads me to the idea behind my post.  Our National Anthem actually has four verses to it.  Although all we hear is the first verse, which doesn't mention God, God is mentioned in other verses.  When Francis Scott Key wrote these great words to this great song, he was watching on as the British Navy was bombarding Fort McHenry.  In the distance, Francis Scott Key could see the American Flag flying over the fort.  His song describes the bombardment, and the subsequent results.  Here are the words to this great song....

"  Oh say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
   What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
   Whose broad stripes and bright stars,through                the perilous fight,
   O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
   And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air ,
   Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
   Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
   O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

(Ramparts, in case you don't know, are the protective walls or other elevations that surround a fort.) The first stanza asks a question. The second gives an answer:

   On the shore, dimly seen thro' the mist of the deep
   Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
   What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep.
   As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
   Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
   In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream
   Tis the star-spangled banner. Oh! long may it wave
   O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

"The towering steep" is again, the ramparts. The bombardment has failed, and the British can do nothing more but sail away, their mission a failure.  In the third stanza I feel Key allows himself to gloat over the American triumph. In the aftermath of the bombardment, Key probably was in no mood to act otherwise? During World War I when the British were our staunchest allies, this third stanza was not sung.  However, I know it, so here it is:

   And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
   That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
   A home and a country should leave us no more?
   Their blood has washed out their foul footstep's pollution.
   No refuge could save the hireling and slave
   From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave,
   And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
   O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

(The fourth stanza, a pious hope for the future, should be sung more slowly than the other three and with even deeper feeling):

   Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
   Between their loved homes and the war's desolation,
   Blest with victory and peace, may the Heaven - rescued land
   Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
   Then conquer we must, for our cause is just,
   And this be our motto --"In God is our trust."
   And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
   O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

I hope you will look at the national anthem with new eyes. Listen to it, the next time you have a chance, with new ears. Pay attention to the words.  And don't let them ever take it away ... not even one word of it.

And oh yeah, if you don't want to be around when it is played, show up a few minutes late to the game, or wear your headphones.  And no, the majority should not be the one's wearing the headphones...after all, this country is set up to be ruled  by the majority...right?