Do we deserve to call ourselves sports fans, or have we transformed into faultfinders?  Criticism is never lacking in the realm of sports, with constant judgment being chucked from every possible angle - media, fans, has-been athletes, coaches, players, owners...everyone.

Somewhere in Normalville, USA...John Q. Fatcan sits in his leather recliner with a mouthful of Cheetos griping about how Shaquille O'Neal would be better if he worked harder to stay in shape.

While his unemployed buddy, Ivan A. Hanndoubt, laughs at the way Michelle Wie's golf career has been mismanaged.

I'd quote some scripture about casting the first stone...but I think you get the point.

And I'll admit, I can be overly critical sometimes...just like anyone else.  The problem is, when someone genuinely deserves to be criticized...that individual usually takes an unnecessary amount of punishment.  OK, that concept isn't new...it's just something that continues to be a piece of okra in my box of chocolates.

There is an endless amount of examples, but I'll just stick to a few:

Never Big Enough for The Big Apple

Nearly half of the MLB season is gone, and Yankee fans seem temporarily pleased with Alex Rodriguez.  And why shouldn't they be?  All he's done so far is drive in a league-leading 80 RBI's...to go along with 28 homers.  This is the same guy that was booed by his home crowd for a meaningless error against Tampa Bay on Opening Day.  Looks to me like the demands are simple...be the best player in baseball every single day, and we'll like you.

And now that his game is clicking on all cylinders...A-Rod's personal life is being attacked.  But that's another story.

Just A Wie Bit Too Much

I'll be the first to concede, Michelle Wie has been over-hyped about as much as any athlete could be.  The world expected this 17 year-old to be the female version of Tiger Woods by now, and she has received a lifetime's allowance of criticism because of it.  Though Wie has played in Pro tournaments, she isn't officially eligible to be an LPGA member until her 18th birthday.  Maybe it wasn't executed to perfection, but how can her career path be "mismanaged" before it even really begins?  And what makes any of us experts on creating a golf champion anyway?

I think the Michelle Wie saga can teach us two lessons.  First, maybe we shouldn't chastise an athlete that isn't even considered a legal adult.  Second, don't hype athletes before their professional career begins.
   
How Did They Manage to do That?

How can someone get paid millions to manage a major league baseball team, but can't even manage their own temper?  You could argue that other sports are guilty of this same affliction, but baseball managers operate on a completely different level of rage.  The irony here is...baseball is probably the most simplistic of all the major sports.  The strike zone can be negotiable at times, but other than that...an out is an out, and a foul is a foul.  Yet you see grown men throwing tantrums that would impress Bobby Knight over the most basic of calls.

News flash...kicking dirt on an umpire's shoes doesn't change the way the game is called.  Barking like a pit bull hopped up on greenies doesn't either.  Oh, and thanks for setting a great example.  Now every player that disagrees with a strike call can turn into the Incredible Hulk, too.

The Bitter End

I know...it wouldn't be much fun if we couldn't criticize athletes or officials.  But wouldn't it be great if just once in a while, a discussion about sports would include...well, an actual discussion about sports?

This blog brought to you by:

AND

Angry Man Spicy Beans
"If you had fire in the hole...you'd be angry, too."