Top 5 Things that Died Yesterday (11/8/11)

It is very unusual to have a day like we had yesterday. We had so many things perish in a 24 hour period that I had to make a list (it actually shows that I have no soul...at all). But seriously, we all grieve in our own ways, and this is mine so just deal with it.

5- The Eagles Playoff hopes - The team that back-up QB Vince Young proclaimed 2011's "dream team" has fallen on hard times (that's why he's an f'n back-up). The Eagles blew yet another 4th quarter lead against the Bears late Monday night into Tuesday morning, dropping them to a 3-5 record and placing them a full three games behind the NY Giants. Further more, it is the big names that are costing the "Iggles." Huge free agent pick-up Nnamdi Asomugha hasn't been huge at all. As a matter of fact, he was flagged for a pass interference late in the game that cost the Eagles perhaps a victory and hasn't played very well as a whole; BTW, you don't see that out of Revis island, just sayin'. Things are looking bleak in Philly, and this was only the beginning of a very grim 24 hours for the great state of Pennsylvania.

4- The NBA bites it - I mean really, these bitches are fighting their battles in the press now. They can't even set up a f'n meeting without whining about the other side. There were at least 27 conflicting reports leading up to the meeting they were supposed to have on Saturday night; and I still don't know if it happened or not. And here's the best part, while all this is going on, LeBron James is tweeting and challenging real football players to flag football games. WTF? Doesn't this ass-hat care that his bread and butter, the game he's supposed to be passionate about, is pissing away any hope it had of being a relevant part of this years sports story. Anybody miss the NBA right now? Anyone? Yeah, me neither. It would be amazing if Ray Lewis accepted LBJ's challenge and then f**king decapitated him as he crossed the middle.

3- Heavy D Dead at 44 - This is just tragic and sad. Even though I'm not much of a Hip-Hop fan, I've grown to appreciate old school Hip-Hop as I've grown up a little. I've also, like most 30+ year olds, grown nostalgic about my childhood, especially my high school years. Well Heavy D and The Boyz were very much a part of the fabric of my high school years. The song "Now That We Found Love" was on every Top 40 station, and played at every Sweet 16 party I went to. Then possibly one of the best shows on TV at the time was "In Living Color" and Heavy D did the theme song to that. It's always sad when a 44 year old dies, especially one that seemed to be a class act and not into the negativity of all of that "gansta" non-sense that seemed to be going on at the time. He was positive, and fun, and those are the memories his songs will always bring to mind for me. Heavy D (Dwight Arrington Myers) RIP.

2- Joe Paterno's Legacy - Boy, I can't even joke about this. This whole story is distressing on every level. I'm not a big fan of change, and Joe Paterno retiring alone is too big a change for me. Now add in the fact that he's going out like this? It is very upsetting. First off, I need to say Joe, what were you thinking? A kid-toucher? That's who you're going to protect? You've been coach long enough that I'm sure you went through extreme racism, sexism and most of the other "-isms" that could possibly happen to a culture (he's been coach for a very long time) and this was the mountain you chose to die on? A filthy kid diddler? It is disgraceful. Penn State, who as an institution, has tried to be the good, clean program for so long have now tarnished it's image forever more. You can't wipe away the image of a child molester that was protected by the powers that be at that institution. Ohio State and all that Jim Tressel did last year looks like a dream now compared to what happened in Happy Valley. Yuck, that name even has a creepy overtone now. Happy Valley? Sounds like "kid-toucher central." It's very sad that a career that has spanned 60+ years has to end this way. Joe wanted to go out on his terms. Maybe a championship run or a top 10 finish, but now he will be linked to this monster forever. This topic hurts my head, time to move on.

1- Smokin' Joe Frazier - It happened quickly, like a George Foreman phantom punch. Last week, news surfaced that Joe Frazier had Liver Cancer and was not doing very well. Well, yesterday, one of the greatest fighters ever lost his bout with cancer and past on at the all too young age of 66. I unfortunately was entirely too young to remember ever seeing Frazier fight, but the stories I would hear from my father about the man who posed the biggest challenge to Muhammed Ali were thrilling and make me wish I had seen them when they happened. Frazier boxed when boxing was legit. When boxing was THE event. Today, it's almost poetic that as guys like Frazier, Ali, and Foreman enter the twilight of their years here on earth, so is the sport of Boxing. It almost feels right to me, because Boxing will never reclaim the status it had in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Mayweather-Pacquaio may prove to be a big deal if it ever goes off, but it will never rival "The Thrilla in Manilla," Hagler-Leonard, and definitely Frazier-Ali at MSG. I've heard more about this fight than any other, and it took place 5 years before I was even born. I've seen it hundreds of times, but it's makes me wish I was around to catch it live. Joe Frazier was a great boxer, and a legend in American sports and he will be missed. Joe Frazier RIP.