Randomness with Jay

A lot has happened this week.  We found out Winnipeg is getting a second crack at the NHL (they should have never left in the first place), what terrible sports fans Atlanta has, and even the back story about the obsession we have with Moe Mantha.  We at The Riot! celebrate this and hope you might get a laugh or two along the way, but there’s a lot more where that came from.

Jets Update

I caught some flak from Flyers fans for my comments regarding the Winnipeg TBD’s.  Some even said they would boo me and not sit next to me at a game if I was sporting a Moe Mantha jersey (more on him later).  One called me a fake fan and a traitor.  I say f*ck that.  We at The Riot embrace the TBD’s and the City of Winnipeg, so I’m standing my ground here.  To spite them I decided to take it a step further.  Should the TBD’s make the playoffs this season I will get a Winnipeg Jets tattoo (I’m thinking behind my knee).

I’ve been reading some blogs out of Canada bitching about the ticket prices for the upcoming season since they will be the second highest out of Canadian teams (behind Montreal).  These bloggers are assholes.  Why not be happy you again have an NHL team?  Live sporting events cost money no matter where you are.  You cannot expect to attend an NHL game and pay AHL prices.  It’s not realistic.  These bloggers should be as stoked as a guy like me in Philly that the NHL is back in Winnipeg and that they have something to write about besides curling and elk f*cking.

Tickets have gone on sale and almost 6,000 have been sold in 48 hours.  Not a bad start considering this is a pre-sale only open to Manitoba Moose ticketholders.  Tickets are open to the public on Saturday.  13,000 is the goal and you can keep track of it at www.thedrivefor13000.com.

Social Experiment Gone Wrong

Last week I was out with some friends having a couple drinks and we got on the topic of the absurdity of Craigslist personal ad.  Essentially they are funny as shit because some of the things written has to be made up.  So I wondered what type of people actually responds to these types of ads.  Well this got me thinking.  For social experimentation purposes I would place a personal ad on Craigslist and see who actually replies.

So here was my ad idea.  I offered a free trip to Atlantic City.  The conditions were that it was understood it would be overnight, she had to be able to hold her liquor, enjoyed a bit of gambling, and could handle whatever wildcard arose.

So I posted my ad and I waited for replies.  I did get one of a single mother in suburban Philadelphia and a couple replies that I’m assuming were escorts (I’d like to think that most women won’t send nude photos on an initial email).  After that the trail went dead.

This gave me hope in women that they do have common sense.  What kind of moron would go on an overnight trip 70 miles east of where you live with someone you have never met in your life?  I alone posting this ad made me feel like a total creep, so I could only imagine who would actually respond.

Well the other morning I got a reply; the first one in over a week.  After a few emails where she was asking for details she asks me why someone posted I’m a liar.  I found that to be interesting.  Then she asked if I had a girlfriend/wife.  I also found that to be interesting, but confused at the same time.  I had no idea where this shit was coming from.

I continued to inquire and she told me someone hacked into my email account, found the ad and put up an anti-ad.  Then a bunch of exes of mine posted some trash about me, and dudes did as well.  She also said a bunch of photos of me were posted, some of me sleeping (now that’s f*cking creepy).

Now I know I’m not the most popular guy with people.  I can be very opinionated and brash.  I don’t expect everyone to like me and to be completely honest I couldn’t give a shit.  I’m not running for public office.

So I went on Craigslist and looked for this hate ad.  Bingo…  Two days after I posted my ad an ad entitled “loser – Looking for Companion for Free Trip to AC”.  Upon opening the ad it read “dude is a total liar – don’t believe anything he promises” (At least they could have used proper capital and punctuation).  I didn’t see any of the other hate mail, or pictures of me.

So I replied to my new found friend saying I found the ad but nothing else.  She told me it was there but it must have been erased.

Now my confusion turned to wonder about this situation.  After looking at the ad again I realized there’s no way to post a comment on Craigslist.  It’s a want-ad, you can reply to it but you cannot post comments.  It’s not like it’s a goddamn message board.

This led me to believe either:

1 – I’m a moron and cannot figure out how to post a comment on a Craigslist want-ad.

OR

2 – The dumb bitch (be it female or male), contacting me is or knows the person who hacked into my email account and is blatantly f*cking with me.

I’m sorry sports fans, but I’m going with choice #2 here.  Whoever contacted me knew way too much about me and quite frankly it’s pretty f*cking creepy. 

Even so I replied to this person, trying to get more information about who this is, and this is when the person in question flipped the bitch, and started saying not so flattering things about me and things that were said about me on Facebook.  “She” claimed we had mutual friends on Facebook (of course we do), and “she” inquired about me  to them and they immediately responded giving the dirt on Jay.  That actually made me laugh because even if “she” did and wasn’t full of shit this had to happen overnight.  Highly unlikely.

So I called her out on all the holes in her story, and the reply I got was trash talking about some photos (I might not be the best looking guy, but ladies, I’m in the top three), of me on my Facebook page.  More bullshit.  If “she” claims who “she” said “she” was that wouldn’t happen because only friends can see anything I have on Facebook. 

It’s not over yet.  Oh no, when you’re being screwed with by lonely, immature dickholes they always go to the idiot extreme.  Yesterday I noticed some Facebook friends were deleted (I wasn’t taking inventory, that’s not my move, I was re-requested by people).  This seemed strange but I figured it was a simple glitch.  Then a non-glitch happened.

I was on the phone with a friend last night having a conversation when the person I was talking to asked about a instant message they received from me on Facebook.  I thought they were messing with me because earlier we were discussing my little social experiment.  That’s when the person texted me a photo of their computer screen showing the message.  That really freaked me out considering my laptop wasn’t even on.  So unless it was Jesus Christ or the Easter Bunny, someone hacked into my Facebook account.  I’ve been pretty much online raped.

I’m pretty sure who the person doing this is, and considering this person is dumber then a bag of dildos, they will slip up at some point and I’ll triumph.

Baseball Hall of Fame

I’ve spent a majority of my life living and breathing America’s Pastime and have been craving a trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame.  I went once when I was about 12, but a lot has changed in the past 24 years (holy shit I’m getting old).  Here’s the issue I have with the geniuses behind the HOF.  It’s in the middle of f*cking nowhere! 

The Hall of Fame is located in Cooperstown, NY, which is in the middle of nowhere and about the size of Mayberry.  If it was located in West Virginia strangers passing through would be squealing like a pig.  It’s just not an appealing place to be, and unless you’re a yokel it’s going to take you at least five hours to get there.

Now I know you’re thinking “Why would Major League Baseball put their Hall of Fame in the middle of nowhere?”  This goes back to the 1839 when Abner Doubleday supposedly invented the game in Cooperstown.  This is 100% bullshit.  Doubleday never took credit for inventing baseball and in fact isn’t even  in the Hall of Fame!  There’s also no documentation that Doubleday was in Cooperstown in 1839, or if he ever was in Cooperstown.

This story is on par with Santa Claus, Bigfoot, or the Tooth Fairy, but because of this line of bullshit baseball fans are forced to travel to the middle of nowhere to see where the greats of the game are enshrined.

If baseball actually got it right the Hall of Fame would be located in Hoboken, NJ, where in 1845.

Where Are They Now?  Moe Mantha

Now that you all know the origin of the obsession Chris and I have with Moe Mantha, I’m sure you’re wondering what ever happened to him.  Well here’s the low down:

After representing the United States in the 1992 Winter Olympics (although a Canadian, Mantha was born in Cleveland), Mantha retired.  He then turned his focus to being behind the bench, coaching the Hershey Bears and the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks before a four year stint as the head coach for the Junior USA team.  Then Mantha became the head coach and general manager of the Windsor Spitfires (OHL).

The Spitfires gig was short lived as Mantha was suspended for 25 games as a coach and one year as a GM for a hazing incident.  While on the team bus older players made four rookie players strip nude and Mantha did nothing to stop it.  While Mantha claimed he was sleeping in the front of the bus he took full responsibility for the incident.

Mantha is currently the owner, coach, and general manager for the NAHL Michigan Warriors.

On a complete side note, Mantha has a Facebook fan page.  He only has about 14 friends, but I encourage all to like the great Moe Mantha

Introducing Chad Steele 

Have you heard of Chad Steele?  If you haven’t yet you will.  To sum up Chad Steel in one word, it’s “epic”.  Little known facts about Chad Steele:

-          Chad Steele is a trained fighter.

-          Chad Steele doesn’t go to the doctor because Chad Steele heals himself.

-          One time Chad Steele saved me from being attacked from a rabid beaver.

-          Chad Steele’s tears have been known to cure AIDS.  Too bad he never cries.

-          Chad Steele almost raped Chuck Norris.  Then he realized that was gay so he banged Chuck’s wife and made him watch.

-          Chad Steele knows fat chicks need love too, just not Chad Steele’s love.

Mother’s hide your daughters because Chad Steele is on the loose.  Stay tuned for more fact and stories about Thee Muthaf*ckin Chad Steele.  Questions about Chad?  Hit me up at shatmeself@yahoo.com.

End of an Era?

A few months back I wrote this piece as the jury in the Barry Bonds case was deliberating.  I went to go post it, and our host crashed and lost it.  Apparently, when something disappears on the Internet, it's never truly gone.  Yesterday this piece showed up on my board, and now I'm sharing it with you.

In San Francisco last week the Barry Bonds trial finally came to an end. With the end of the trial hopefully came the end of the steroid era.  Even though Roger Clemens still needs to have his day in court, the steroid era was more about the hitting and the homers, and not the pitchers.  There were plenty of pitchers names on those lists, but the pitch forks never came out for the pitchers like it did for the batters. When Clemens won the World Series, when the Unit pitched a perfect game at 40, and countless other pitchers achieved success on the major league level, no one ever thought ‘Roids.  But when Brady Anderson went from 16 homers in ’95 to 50 in 96, we raised our eyebrows. Brady never hit over 24 homers in a season again. When Luis Gonzalez went from a career high of 31 homers in 2000 to 57 homers in 2001, our suspicion was raised. Luis’s single season high after ’01?; 28. But when Barry Bonds, went from a career high of 49 homers in 2000, to 73 in ’01, at the age of 36, the pitchforks were out, and they were aimed at the home run hitters of the game. The witch hunt was on, and anyone swinging a loud bat better beware. The steroid era was in full swing by then, and BALCO was the first to fall. It was like the Salem witch trials at that point.  If you had a big power year, you were automatically under suspicion.  A few guys flew under the radar; AROD, Pujols. But if you were a guy who one year was a big doubles guy with like 20 homers, and your number jumped to 40 or better, BEWARE…the eye was on you. 

            I never really cared much whether or not these players were using drugs.  So what? Not my problem. As long as my team wins, that’s all that mattered to me. But as time went on, and these names kept coming out, it began to catch my attention. One after another, with no proof or concrete evidence whatsoever, it began to annoy me true, but I didn’t care. It wasn’t until Rafael Palmiero waved his finger at congress with all eyes watching, that was some compelling TV.  Watching McGwire try to not talk about the past, like a husband caught cheating on his wife 5 years ago tries to pretend he’s done his time.  Guess what pal, you've never done that time, and neither had McGwire.  Watching Sammy “No Habla Engles” was one of the top 5 classic off the field sports moments of all time. But Raffy and his finger waving left a mark on me. It wasn’t his defiance, because God knows I love me some defiance, it was a few weeks later when a positive drug test came up, and it had Raffy’s DNA all over it.  What an embarrassment.  And then this guy just disappears. No real apology. No begging the fans, the organization or his teammates for forgiveness.  That was the beginning of my own ‘roid rage, but it wasn’t that bad….yet. You see, I still had the mentality that if David Wright smashed a 500ft, 3-run shot to win the pennant, with a needle still in his arm as he did it, it wouldn’t have bothered me. 

You know, the fact that all of the records and the memories of those records that have been set since 1993 have been BS is upsetting I guess, but the fact that we have to see an ass-clown like Jose Canseco every so often is what makes me want to kill myself.  Why couldn’t he just go the way of Palmiero, McGwire, and all the cheaters and just fade into the distance for a bit.  Then maybe emerge a little apologetic, and remorseful for what you’ve done to the game, and its’ fans. Like I said, it’s not the cheating that bugs me necessarily, it’s the “I don’t care” attitude that often comes with it.  Look at McGwire. He  lied and disappeared, and even tried that plead the 5^th crap with congress, but we all knew, and he eventually copped to it in his own Paul Bunyon type of way.  Jason Giambi got up in front of the world and basically admitted full guilt.  That took some balls, because it wasn’t as accepted as it is today. What is it about the latino players who have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar? 

The prime examples are Jose, Sammy Sosa, Manny Ramirez,and Rafael Palmiero.  These guys not only got caught cheating, but there acts were disrespectful and some were even funny.  These particular A*Holes not only didn’t care about their teams, but they didn’t care about the fans, the league or the history.  Now as a fan of baseball for my whole life, I know that players come and go, and teams go through periods of good and bad, but the history is forever, and for baseball to survive, it must have its’ history.  It’s the most compelling part of the game, its’ history. Its’ numbers. Its’ illustrious records and heroes of the past, present and the future. So when Sammy reached for 61, and almost caught McGwire that magical summer, he became part of history. When Palmiero became only the 4^th player to reach 500 homers and 3000 hits, he stamped his ticket for the Hall of Fame’s upper room where the Gods sit. When Jose Canseco became the first player to have 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in one season, he showed the promise of a young Hall of Famer and made history. All of these feats, and many others by ex-future Hall of Famers such as Manny Ramirez are wiped away, as if they never happened.  You see there is something about this latino macho thing that must forbid them to say they are sorry.  I’m willing to bet that if Raffy would have come out and apologized for what he did, or at least be aware that he were doing it and not show up the United States congress by waving your finger at them, we would have forgiven him. If Sammy didn’t claim “No Habla Engles” in front of congress, and maybe didn’t go into hiding afterward, we could have remembered that smile, and the good feeling he brought us those 3 magical summers in the late 90’s, and forgiven him.  If Manny would have apologized after the first OR the second time he let his team and his fans down, perhaps “Manny being Manny” wouldn’t be synonymous  with being a lying, cheating, douche and we would have forgiven him. You see, we all cheat on something. Tests, wives, girlfriends, husbands, taxes, poker, whatever.  But when those things come down, and you get caught, it’s the apology and sincerity that begins to make things right.

 I think as fans we could move on, and begin to get over the cheating and lying, if these players would just make amends in any small way.  Look at Mark McGwire.  I really thought he wouldn’t be able to show his face ever again around baseball without an arrow or 2 being slung at him. But he came out after a while, admitted fault and apologized for his actions and for what he had done to the history of the game. Now look at him, he coaches in arguably the best baseball town in the league. A liar and a cheater 4 years ago, now a professional hitting coach in the Majors, for a contender, and a well respected organization. Huh? An apology goes a long way.

There is a lot of power in this history thing. The steroid era will be expunged from it, one way or another.  And that brings me to Barry Bonds, the Thanksgiving Day float. Barry is caught right between these 2 groups of ex-hall of fame candidates. Barry is not white, or latino, but the only prominent black player accused of cheating the game. Barry’s situation is very unique.  There is no concrete evidence such as a fail drug test, a cancelled check, nothing linking Barry directly to PED use.  There is a he said, she said battle raging in a San Francisco federal court right now about whether Barry lied to a Grand jury or not.  But there is circumstantial evidence, and I think most fans believe he cheated.  The all-time Home Run king is way past the point of no return with regards to admitting it or not.  I think if he admits it now, he falls into the disgrace category. It will definitely keep him out of the hall, and I think most fans already have expunged his 762 home runs from the record books thus restoring Hank Aaron as the Home Run king for now. But I believe in the power of redemption, even in this case.  Barry, who is such an SOB to the press, would within 5 years regain at least a measure of respect,especially in San Fran, and maybe be able to rejoin baseball in a coaching position without ill feeling. But at what point do you admit guilt?  The court of public opinion has already convicted Barry maybe it will take an actual court to make him see the light. 

I wrote this on the day the verdict was handed down and at this point you all know he was found not guilty on all the major charges, and the one he was found guilty on, was a BS charge to begin with.  So where does that leave us? Well, basically right where we started. Manny high tailed it out of the league after testing positive for PEDs again, and the proverbial jury is still out on Bonds.  I think the truth will come out in 2013 when his name appears on a Hall of Fame ballot, and Cooperstown will decide the fate of the Home Run king. As for Roger Clemens, his day in court is coming, but I really don’t think the Clemens issue bears any weight on the Steroid Era in Baseball. Maybe it’s just me, but it was about the Homers and not the pitching.  Maybe it will explain why hitters started using in the first place. If Clemens is found to have used PEDs, what does that say for tactical pitchers like Maddux and Glavine who won 300 games without throwing a power pitch in their career?

So far in the 2011 season, runs are down across the board, ERA is lower and pitching is dominating the league like it’s the ‘60’s. So can we say it’s the end of the Steroid Era? I don’t know, but it sure feels like it.

Honorable Mention: The Moe Mantha Obsession Revealed

Moe Mantha has long been a favorite player of Jay and me not because he was a skilled player, or a great personality (hell he didn't even play for any of our teams back then). The story of Moe Mantha simply goes like this. Jay and I have been friends since I was 7-ish.  If my math is correct, that's about 27 years ago. Jay and I hung out like every day from the age of 7-16 or so and we were huge sports fans; obviously right? So it's 1985-ish and we didn't have good video game systems yet (Atari 7800 and intellevision were in my house and NES had just come out) so we had to resort to other ways of creating our favorite teams and having them play each other.  So we turned to a game called rod hockey.  No it's not some sick perversion we came up with, it's a table top game that had a series of rods on both ends of the board, and at the end of the rods were 2D plastic hockey players with pro jerseys on (it was almost always the Rangers and the Flyers but I think one year I got Islanders and Bruins. Jay might remember better). The board looked like pro ice, and the rods went back and forth and spun to hit the puck around.  It was like Foosball, only long ways. Anyway, we played that for hours a day for like 2 years until we got a Nintendo and the original "Ice Hockey" came out with the Fat F$%k player and the skinny guy player; what a great game.  So how does Moe Mantha come into this you ask? So Jay and I would play these games, but it was never Jay vs. Chris, it was a slate of NHL action that took place daily.  We each had roughly 1,000 hockey cards, and we held drafts of our hockey cards.  So we would divide the cards up into 10 or so teams and pit them against each other.  When there were line changes we would call them out so we would know who scored goals, and who assisted.  And this was no schlock operation either. Each one of us would control like 5 teams and we would keep actual stats, give postseason awards and award a Stanley Cup to the winner at the end of each season.  It got really cut throat sometimes too.  I remember Jay and I having many a heated moment over who scored a goal and who didn't. So Moe Mantha was a very popular player in the JCHL (Jay and Chris Hockey League). He won multiple MVP awards, and he was always high on the free agent market. I honestly believe it's because his name is Moe Mantha.  If you dissect the name, Moe is just a hilarious name, and then Mantha sounds like some sort of creature. Anyway, that's the Moe Mantha saga, and our secret is out; that's the real reason we also support the Winnipeg Jets.  As we got older and we learned about what a true "fandom" is all about, and we really respect the Winnipeg fans for their devotion to their teams.  But truth be told, it all started with the great Moe Mantha, and his Hall of Fame career in the JCHL.  Moe Mantha, we honor you.

Quick Takes the money and runs

Good day Rioters, it's Chris with another edition of Quick Takes. We are going to change things up a little with a format change of sorts. In the past this segment was used as a forum for me to sound off on topics on and off the field, sports and non sports related, and couple 5 or 6 topics in one posting.  I found myself becoming long winded in these so-called quick takes, and decided to post those longer thoughts as individual articles, and make "Quick Takes," just that. So here we go, the first true Quick Takes.

Shaq retires

Is he still playing?  I've been hearing his name on and off for the past 2 or 3 years, but I just thought they were waxing poetically about the past, or I made it up. Apparently he played for the Celtics this past season, the Cavs last year, and he was a Sun for 2 years.  Really?  What happened?  So I looked up some stats and low and behold, he did play this very postseason.  He played 12 minutes for the Celts with 2 points, 1 assist and 1 steal. Shaq-fu, no more, yuck. All kidding aside, we know how dominant Shaq was in his prime.  As recently as 08-09 in Phoenix he put up solid numbers (17pts, 8 rebs p/game). But it is never fun to watch a dominant superstar such as Shaq just fade away as he has.  His retirement being a blurb on Sportscenter, and not a triumphant final tour through the league is a direct result of the times we live in.  Free Agency has created this.  The fact that Shaq is not with the Magic, or the Lakers, or the Heat is just sad, and is the reason why very few people noticed today when Shaq announced he may officially retire.  What fan base cares?  Fans care about the team they root for, not the players.  This is why the Yankees went to the monetary lengths they did to keep Derek Jeter, who is currently hitting .264 with 16 RBI, at $17 million per season. Shaq would end his career with 4 championship rings, a 3 time Finals MVP, a League MVP (2000), a Rookie of the Year (1993), a 15 time all-star, a 2 time scoring champ and he will leave the game as arguably a top 5 all time player and a sure Hall of Famer.  Shaq will be missed, sort of. I mean we all know he'll be around. The NBA's best personality will be at the very least an analyst if not have a comedy show because he's funny as shit.  And boy what a good actor, who could forget "Shaq-Fu" or "Blue Chips" where he played.....a basketball player with an attitude; there's a stretch.

Stanley Cup Finals start......

........and nobody cares.  I mentioned this a few weeks back and I will say it again, hockey has fallen out of the "4 Major Sports" category into the ESPN 2 category.  Not even, because they aren't even on there. The good news is attendance at the arenas is way up, and buzz for the league online and amongst fans is great.  The NHL has come full circle.  I think the franchise moving out of Atlanta, Phoenix hanging on by a thread and God knows no one in Florida is watching hockey, are all signals that the NHL is returning to the cult status it used to have.  Back when only REAL fans watched hockey, and it was a regional thing.  There were no nationally televised NHL games back in the early to mid 80's. It wasn't until 1985 when ESPN took over the broadcasting rights from USA network, and began showing NHL games weekly, that hockey became part of the National sports map. Don't get me wrong, it was great when the NHL was in it's TV ratings golden era.  From 1992 to maybe 2000, the NHL was indeed in the "Major 4" conversation.  They had just as much pull as the NBA, especially when the Rangers were great. From 2000 to 2004 it wained a bit, and then the lockout ruined everything as it often does. So now with a crap cable deal, and an even worse network deal, (I believe NBC would preempt the NHL game of the week for a mild snow storm if they could) the NHL has relied on regional cable broadcasts and in house attendance to drive their sport, and it works.  Supposedly most of the NHL franchises are doing OK, and those who aren't (Atlanta, Phoenix, Tampa) have no market and should be moved to more viable areas. I remember when I was a kid, watching hockey on MSG (it wasn't "network" back then) and local Boston and Long Island affiliates, and that was it. I have to tell you, that I always preferred watching the Rangers during the playoffs on my local channel, rather than ESPN or whatever national network was carrying it. It had a hometown feel to it, and I think that's what the NHL should focus on.  Also if they focus on being a regional sport, and having more of a "cult" following, the fighting doesn't ever have to stop.  And you know my motto....FIGHT! (that's it really, I teach it to my kids)I've called them all dummies over the past few years, and I still think they are, but not going after a huge cable deal, or let me rephrase, not being able to get a huge cable deal has brought the NHL back to where it belongs....home.

Another note

So thinking about the regional "cult" nature of the NHL brought up a memory I would like to share.  I'm not sure if this only happened in NY, but do you remember when MSG (Madison Square Garden channel) used to show the WWF live?  The World Wrestling Federation LIVE! On TV! Every month, live from MSG would be Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, LIVE!  I don't know if I'm getting my point across here, IT WAS LIVE! This is unheard of these days.  I haven't watched wrestling in easily 15 years, but even 15 years ago it was very produced, and it was more like watching a well thought out play rather a sporting event. Back in the 80's, they talked, but it was like going up to Patrick Ewing during halftime and asking him about the Nets defensive scheme that night, not an involved drama involving girlfriends and wives, and shit blowing up under the building. Ok, maybe it was more like going up to Ewing on crack, but still, you get the point.  I know they do a "Live" show every week, but it was different.  IDK, it's just a cool memory.

ESPN astounds me
I'm stunned by this "Worldwide Leader in Sports" and their obsession with the NFL.  I understand you have Monday Night Football. I understand it's the countries most popular sport by far. I also get the 24 hour a day programming dilemma that arises everyday for ESPN.  But why in the world, at 4pm on a Wednesday is a one hour show about the NFL on my TV. WHY?  They've been running season predictions with analysts on ESPN 2's "First Take" every morning since the Super Bowl ended, they did two-a-day's on Mike and Mike in the morning on both TV and radio, and now this one hour show where they droned on about each teams practices and what news came out of that. WHY? We are not even sure that there will be a season in 2011; it's not looking good.  What are we going to do, prepare for if there is a season?  Here's the worst part....I F$%KING WATCHED IT! After 45 minutes I said to myself "why am I watching this?" Holy crap, stop with the NFL already. It is popular enough ESPN, they don't need your help.

Get Him to the Greek vastly underrated
So I finally saw "Get Him to the Greek," and I won't bore you with a full out review, but I will say that I think Sean "Puffy" Combs needs to do more movies.  I expected the movie to be funny with Jonah Hill and Russell Brand, but Puffy stole the movie.  He was in the movie for roughly 15 minutes, but it had me rolling, a definite recommend on my end.

THE Ohio State University
So here's a take for you, does anyone really care about this shit? Why are people so upset over the trading of tattoos for memorabilia?  Is this really a problem? Now let me say this, I do feel that Jim Tressel got everything that was coming to him. If you are a grown man, and you know the rules and you break them, you should go down.  Especially if you did it defiantly. Tressel has been covering for these guys since '02 apparently. Now I'm guessing two things entered into his thinking.  The first being that these are dumb rules, and my players deserve something for being the face of a sport, so let them get there tats, no big deal; which I happen to agree with, pay them something for God sake. The second is probably along the lines of "I'm Jim Tressel, and they can't touch me.  I've won so many games that THE Ohio State University would go to the mat for me." Wrong there Jimbo, wrong big time.  So what happens to Tressel now?  My guess is his fate will be in DIII somewhere, you?
Now as far as the kids involved, I can't fault them at all.  Imagine a fresh faced 18 year old Chris Riot! walking around a small city with the whole town treating him like a hero, and then going back to his shitty little dorm room with a roommate that smells like moth balls and talks to his feet on a Saturday night, and eats Cap'N Crunch out of a Tupperware bowl with a plastic spoon.  If someone offered fresh-faced 18 year old Chris Riot! a Jag to borrow for 3 days just because he's a bad ass football player you bet your ass he would take it, and probably more.  You can't expect a kid with the world at his feet to react morally and responsibly in that situation.  He will fail 95% of the time.

Riot! Math
It's time once again for a real look into the brain of The Sports Riot! It's Riot! math, where the equation doesn't quite add up in the real world, but they make perfect sense to us.

1) Atlanta Thrashers + 200 fans @ a "save the Thrashers rally" = The ATL Sucks
2) The ATL sucks + Empty stadium in Winnipeg since '93 = celebration in Winnipeg
3) LeBron in Miami + Title in 1st year = very long lockout in '12
4) free tats - BCS bowl rings and jerseys + a cover up = the end of a career
5) free tats - BCS bowl rings and jerseys - Tressel = Maurice Clarett Part 2

We Now Interrupt This Program for an Impromtu Top 5
As suggested by Jay via text message while I was writing this, I decided to "Quick Take" a Top 5.  I just hope worlds don't collide and we all make it out of the vortex alive.  Here we go.

Top 5 Winnipeg Jets of all-time
5- Teemu Selanne (NHL '92-'96) "Team Teemu" became a familiar phrase in the mid-'90's whenever the Jets came to town.  They were an explosive offensive hockey team behind Selanne who announced his arrival to the NHL in his rookie season shattering Mike Bossy's rookie scoring record by putting up 76 goals (Bossy's record was 53). That rookie season netted him a Calder Trophy for rookie of the year and made him one of only 8 players in the history of the NHL to score 70 goals in one season; all in his first year. Although he never quite lived up to that rookie season in Winnipeg, he did put up nearly 150 goals in one full and 3 injury plagued and strike shortened seasons.  He was traded to The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim after the lockout season in '95, but for those 3 seasons, he provided alot of excitement and promise to the Winnipeg faithful.

4- Anders Hedberg - (WHA '74-'78) As part of "The Hot Line" along side of Bobby Hull and Ulf Nilsson, Anders Hedberg was a tremendous talent.  Very instrumental in 2 AVCO cups, Hedberg is every bit a part of the Jets heritage even though he never donned the purple-ish blue and red in the NHL.  By the time Winnipeg jumped ship for the NHL, Hedberg had signed with the New York Rangers. Hedberg put up 458 points in 4 seasons in Winnipeg with 236 goals; 70 of those in one season. He was part of "The Hot Line" which was considered one of the best of the '70's in both the WHA and the NHL.

3- Bobby Hull - (WHA '72-79) How could this legend not make the list.  Even though he only played in 18 games in the NHL as a Winnipeg Jet, he perhaps made it possible for the Jets to become an NHL franchise in the first place.  In 1972, Bobby Hull joked in an interview about signing with the Jets for a million dollars.  Back in '72, that was AROD money. Of course it was widely considered a joke by the NHL and the Blackhawks, but it shouldn't have been considering he was vastly underpaid for being the league's biggest star.  The WHA owners did something that I don't think will ever be duplicated, they all made contributions to the Jets so that they could sign Hull for the one million he was asking for.  The idea was that Bobby Hull brings the league, not just the Jets, instant credibility.  Well, they offered, he signed and 7 years later the Jets were an NHL franchise.  Oh, his performance was "Hull" like as well with 303 goals, and 2 AVCO cups in 7 seasons with the Jets.

2- Tomas Steen - (NHL '81-'95) Arguably the most popular player in Jets history, Steen was the consummate play maker.  Always thinking of his teammates, Steen was everything but selfish as a player; his 553 assists are a testament to that.  Never possessing gaudy numbers, Steen always seemed to fly under the radar.  He was always polite to fans, and thoughtful when answering interview questions. In a 1990 poll of NHL players, Steen was voted as the leagues most underrated player.  With his personality, and unselfish playing style, I'm sure being the most underrated suited Steen. His number is one of only two that were retired by the Jets.  His number still hangs in the Jobing.com arena where the relocated Winnipeg Jets (now known as the Phoenix Coyotes) reside.

1- Dale Hawerchuck - (NHL '81-'90) Dale Hawerchuck was a star the second he was selected 1st overall in the 1981 entry draft.  Hawerchuck led the Jets to what was at the time the single greatest turnaround in one season (48 points). Dale also became at the time, the youngest player to reach the 100 point plateau (since broken by Sidney Crosby in 2006) and made the All-Star team. All in all in a Jets jersey, Hawerchuck recorded six 100+ point seasons, and two 90+ point seasons in his storied 10 year stay in Winnipeg.  Dale was traded to Buffalo during the 1990 draft which sent Phil Housley and eventually Keith Tkachuk with the Buffalo draft pick, to the Jets. That trade albeit rough on the fan base, set the franchise up for years to come. Dale Hawerchuck was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 2001 and retired 17th on the all-time points list with 1409 points. A mark of a players greatness can best be told by what their peers think of their performance. During the mid-80's, the peak of Hawerchuck's career, a poll was taken of NHL General Managers asking them which player they would want to start a franchise with. Hawerchuck placed 3rd in that poll. Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey were 1st and 2nd, that's good company.

Winnipeg has a storied history, from it's players to it's fans and the famed "white out," they are deserving of there team back. We here at The Riot! are big supporters of the Jets and will be from now on 'eh.

And Finally....

So since I'm kinda living in the past, let me end on this, do you get upset or pissed off when you hear or see something that you once loved, and realize that it's just shit. This happened to me this morning when HBO showed Wayne's World 1 and 2 back to back.  I have young children, so I'm up early, and it was on, so I watched.  Now before I go any further I believe that the first installment of Wayne's World is a great movie and defines what was happening in comedy and music at that time.  I was in 10th grade, and that movie is etched in my mind forever. But WOW, the 2nd movie sucks, and sucks badly. It might as well have been a really bad version of the first movie, because it's all basically the same.  Nerdy rock guy loves hot musician chick. She is courted by a rich, good looking man. Nerdy guy gets jealous, and it blows up in his face. He then has a melt down, leaves his friend in a lurch, fixes it, goes and gets his girl, and then returns triumphantly to a hero's welcome and a rock party ensues. Was that part one or part two? Answer: BOTH! SAME F$%ING MOVIE TWICE! Even the ending which was funny the first time with the three different endings, they did the same thing again in the 2nd one.  Now here's the real kicker, I loved Wayne's World 2 when I first saw it.  What a dick I am for liking that shit. So then I started thinking more about Mike Myers, because when I get annoyed at something, I blow the whole shit up. Wayne's World 2 was where Mike Myers became a whore. Look at the rest of the drek he has put out over the years. It's one flaming pile after another. With the exception of the first "Austin Powers", and brief cameos in "Mystery, Alaska" and "Inglorious Basterds" he hasn't made a decent live action flick since "So I Married an Axe Murderer;" which was before WW2. The "Shrek" movies are good, and thank God for those, because they have stopped him from forcing "The Love Guru 2" on us; or "Austin Powers: Shagadelic Baby! 2012".<yuck> Everytime I see Austin Powers now, I want to punch a puppy, that's how angry I get. I read somewhere that he is going to play Keith Moon in a biopic about the influential  drummer from The Who.  Well, this may gain some credability for him, because "Fat Bastard" is no longer doing it.  Let me say this though, if he makes Keith Moon look stupid, I'm may punch a whole litter of puppies, so Mike the pressures on. Either make this movie good, or the Beagle gets it.

Winnipeg Gets the NHL Back, Atlanta Gets What They Deserve

Last night I was at a bar watching the Phillies game.  Normally when you’re at a bar in South Philly, the Phils are the prime topic, even when they get embarrassed by a Triple-A team (much like they did last night).  But last night was a little different.  While there was a strong contingent discussing the NBA Finals, there was a big buzz amongst the hockey fans discussing the “shocking news” (yes I did overhear that quote) of the Atlanta Thrashers moving to Winnipeg.

Last Tuesday, Chris and I both gave our takes on the NHL returning to Winnipeg.  Both of us were stoking the idea, and went as far to say that it will happen.  For those of you who are loyal readers, you were in the know and didn’t have to wait until ESPN covered it for 30 seconds last night.  I don’t want to toot our own horn here, but we broke this story long before any of these other asshole media outlets did, so score one for The Riot!

Enough of me jerking the proverbial chain of The Sports Riot!  This isn’t about us; it’s about Winnipeg.

To quickly recap what was said yesterday, the True North Group officially bought the Atlanta Thrashers and will relocate them to Winnipeg before the 2011-12 NHL season (this is still pending Board of Governors approval, but it’s a simple formality).  The yet to be named franchise (which really needs to be the Winnipeg Jets, and it will bastardize all the excitement if it isn’t), will still play in the Southeast Division next season, but expect some realignment after next season (my call would probably be Columbus or Nashville heading east).

It’s definitely an exciting day in Manitoba and celebrations are in order.  I spent about an hour last night looking for my old Alexi Zhamnov jersey, only to realize I think it’s in a box that my mom might have somewhere (that’s no bueno), but I’ll grab some classic Jets gear in no time.  As strange as it seems, growing up in Long Island, I’ve always had a love affair with the Jets (insert gay joke here), and the Oilers (I’ll address this at a later date-- it’s a day for Winnipeg and Manitoba, not Edmonton and Alberta), but always thought the Flames could eat a dick (aside from Joe Mullen, and Lanny MacDonald’s bitchin’ moustache). 

In celebration of Jets day I have the following thoughts:

-          As I stated last Tuesday, once the purchase and relocation is announced I will go get Jets #2 Moe Mantha jersey.  I will be contacting Mitchell & Ness today to see about getting this custom made.  I do believe my esteemed partner and colleague will be doing the same.  Long live Moe Mantha!

-          Any beers I consume today (surprisingly I’ve yet to have any but that will change in a few minutes), will only be Canadian brew; preferably Moosehead.  I haven’t had that in a while but could be hard to find here in Philly.  I pledge to do my best to seek the shit out.  If not, I might have to settle for Labatt’s or Molson (pardon my ignorance of any other beers Winnipeggers, the Canadian beer market isn’t what it used to be in The City of Brotherly Love).

-          The team needs to be renamed the Jets, and I will do all in my power (I have serious juice), so push that this happens.  Fellow Jets fans unite!

-          I will no longer refer to Canadians as “Mexicans in sweaters”.

-          I will relinquish my ignorance regarding the CFL and start to root for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

-          Now this is a bold one because I breathe Flyers hockey, but anytime the Flyers and the Winnipeg TBD’s play each other, whether I’m at a bar or at Wells Fargo Center (if it still has that name when this occurs, since it’s already been changed 6 or so times), I will don my Moe Mantha jersey and root for the TBD’s.  This might seem pretty basic and even though it’s not bad as going to an Eagles game with a Cowboys jersey, it’s generally not wise to wear enemy colors when watching a game (Sidebar:  this mainly pertains to the Eagles and Flyers.  No one really gives a shit about the Sixers.  As for the Phillies it’s mainly Mets fans, but that’s when there was actually a rivalry.  Now if you see a Mets fan at a game, you laugh.).

Congratulations Winnipeggers!  It’s been overdue but you got what you deserved.  Now go out and buy some season tickets.  The goal is 13,000 season tickets sold by the June 21^st board approval.  Ignore these blogger assholes who are already complaining about ticket prices.  Go out and show support of hockey in Winnipeg.  The biggest hurdle was getting a team.  Getting fans to buy tickets is a no-brainer.  Remember this:  Winnipeg always has an ally in The Riot!, and we will always have your back.

Now while one city celebrates (actually all of Canada should be and a majority of the United States), the City of Atlanta probably isn’t wearing their happy hats.  Or are they???

As many of you know I lived in Atlanta for a few years in the late 90’s.  While a lot of the bars weren’t what I was used to in the north and there’s an above average amount of redneck white trash (the south will not be rising again), there were some good people and beautiful ladies.  I had some great times there and I made some great friends who I still regularly talk to.  If not for a stalker I had (another story for another day), I might have lived there longer than I did.  I would never have been there long term though for two reasons 1) eventually I would have ended up in jail for punching a redneck in the throat.  2) I can never live in a city with terrible sports fans, and Atlanta is the worst in the country.

I touched on this about a month ago when I did an article about Philly being the greatest sports fans in the world (f*cking A right!), and pointed out other cities and their lack of passion.  Atlanta topped that list.  Never have I seen a bunch of yahoos have such a care free attitude when it comes to their sports franchises and it absolutely disgusted me.  Unless its college football (BTW – Georgia and Georgia Tech both suck), pig f*cking, or NASCAR the average Atlantian is a simple-minded fair-weather fan.  For a team that HAD four major franchises, the city is an absolute abortion when it comes to fan support.

Hockey

I figured I’d start with the shitty hockey fans in Atlanta since we are celebrating the top notch fans in Winnipeg.

When Atlanta was awarded an expansion team I had mixed feelings.  I liked it because I missed watching hockey so I’d be able to see live NHL games again.  On the flip side I didn’t think they deserved a hockey team because they already lost one.  Now before you start calling me a hypocrite because Winnipeg already lost the Jets and I’m celebrating it, hear me out.  When a city loses a team to relocation it’s based on ownership seeing greener pastures elsewhere, the contract with the arena they are in, and league approval.  To be awarded an expansion team is based on the league and out of the bidding teams that best fit.  If you lose a team you shouldn’t be allowed a second chance.  So since Atlanta lost the expansion Flames in 1980 they’re automatically flagged.  It’s the equivalent of letting a bike shop owner who molested a kid an opportunity to teach elementary school. 

The Thrashers were a pretty bad team in their 11 year existence making the playoffs once (which they were swept by the Rangers).  They were always also in the bottom of league attendance (they ranked 28^th last year).  So any “Thrashers fan” who is upset about the loss of the team is 100% full of shit.  Had you given the team proper support you’d still have a hockey team. 

I attended 10-15 Thrashers games during my stay in Atlanta.  That’s probably more then 90% of the city’s population did.  The fact that the “Save the Thrashers” pep rally only turned out a couple hundred people is proof of what shitbag fans the people of Atlanta really are.

Don’t even get me started on the former owner crying about the sale of the team.  You’re a bigger asshole then you’re non-existent fan base and even more full of shit.  If you actually cared about the team you probably would have done more.  F*ck you dude.  Pardon my tangent but nothing twists my balls more than false sincerity.

Baseball

The Braves dominated the National League for over a decade and until the emergence of the Phillies, owned the NL East.  Last season the Braves finished 2^nd in the NL East and won the Wild Card yet they finished 13^th in overall attendance averaging 30,928 per game.  Turner Field holds around 50,000 people.  This is completely pathetic.  Even the Mess (yeah I know I spelled it wrong), who finished with a sub-.500 record averaged more per game.

Even in 1995, when they won the goddamn World Series they couldn’t sell out a game and averaged 6^th in attendance.  On the flip side, the Phillies, who finished below .500 and were 21 games out of first place averaged only 2,000 less people a game.  Phillies fans knew they’re team had no shot, but still showed up to support their team.

I’ve told this story before on The Riot!, but I remember in the late 90’s, while living in Atlanta, I wanted to catch a playoff game but didn’t have any tickets.  I figured I’d head down to the stadium and try and grab a couple scalped tickets.  There was no need because there were plenty of tickets available at the box office.  I sat about 25 rows behind first base and couldn’t believe the amount of empty seats. 

Pathetic, just pathetic…

Football

Aside from a couple decent years since drafting Matt Ryan, the Falcons have been an abomination (except for the miracle year they went to the Super Bowl).  Now every Falcons game is sold out.  It has to be or contractually it cannot be broadcast on TV in the local market, so Atlantians can watch their Falcons while they flip over to NASCAR to see if Dale Jr. is coming out of Turn 4.  While their attendance numbers appear to be good, it’s a facade. 

When I lived in Atlanta is was very common for corporations such as Publix, Kroger, and the local Fox affiliate to buy out the empty seats just so the game could be broadcast on TV and more importantly so no TV revenue would be lost.  I had watched a lot of Falcons games while living in Atlanta and unless everyone was at the beer line at once, the upper level was always empty.  Now that the Falcons are among the NFL’s elite the seats are magically full.  Hmmm…  Funny how that works.

Another story I told on The Riot! was I lived in Atlanta when they went to the Super Bowl.  The next year I had tickets to the opening game against the Vikings.  During the game, Jamal Anderson blew out his knee (mainly because the year before Dan Reeves treated him how Dusty Baker treats pitchers).  The Falcons lost the game 13-10.  The next game there were 20,000 empty seats and the game wasn’t even broadcasted on TV.

Nice to see a majority of Falcons fans are front running assholes.

Basketball

The Hawks have recently gotten better and actually surprised me by knocking off the Magic in this years playoffs.  Unlike hockey, the Hawks have support, but that’s only because they are good.  But not in all cases.  In the 1998-1999 season the Hawks finished second in the Central Division, only two games behind the Pacers.  Yet they were in the bottom five in league attendance.  I remember going to Hawks games with my buddy Melvin and we would buy $10 seats.  They were rafter shit seats.  It was a bargain though because midway through the first quarter we were almost courtside.  I guess I became the NBA bargain hunter.

To be honest, I could keep on my tirade of my disgust for the sports fans of Atlanta, but quite frankly I’m absolutely disgusted.  I’d rather be at the bar getting ready to watch the Phillies surrounded by real fans. 

So Winnipeg, you have my love and support and all of us at The Riot!, and we’ll be giving our takes on the relocation as it progresses. 

Atlanta, I only pray the second coming of General Sherman is around the corner and he burns your second rate city to the ground.

Top 5 Biggest A*Holes in Atlanta Sports History

In celebration of the city of Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada stealing away the NHL franchise formerly known as the Atlanta Thrashers (the cities 2nd such failure in this league) officially yesterday, we here at The Sports Riot! have decided to have another day of jubilant partying in honor of the Winnipeg Jets returning to the NHL next season. We don't want to blow our own horn here but, we were with this story over a week ago, and we've been with Winnipeg from the gate. The Riot! has decided to make the Winnipeg Jets one of there teams. So we are celebrating, but this time along with the praise that the patient city of Winnipeg deserves, there will be mostly some scathing commentary on the worst pro sports city in America for sure, quite possibly the world; I'd have to check out the Southern Zimbabwe Lacrosse league to verify that claim. So I will kick this one off in style with one of our great, if not legendary at this point, top 5's. Today, it's the city of Hot-lanta's top 5 Biggest A*Holes in the History of Atlanta Sports ever.  Let's face it, whether or not Atlanta has a great team, or a horrendous team, the fans wouldn't know it anyway. Evident by all those empty seats during those playoff runs the Braves made through the 90's. So this list is for us fans who are not oblivious to the results of the game, and aren't just there for the atmosphere. <yuck>

5- Scott Mellanby (RW Atlanta Thrashers 2005-06) - I know he only played 2 years for the Thrashers, and it was at the end of his career, but holy crap did I hate this guy.  As a Ranger fan, I saw him constantly with Philly, and he was a cheap shot giving, pain in the ass who always seemed to come up with the big goal.  Then that annoying crap with the "Rat-Trick" started in Florida in '96 and that just about did for me. (The "Rat-Trick" was a thing the Panther fans came up with after it was rumored that Mellanby killed a rat in the locker room with his stick. From that point on, every time a Panther would score during home games, fans would throw plastic rats on the ice. It was ghetto, and stupid.) He was a perennial leader in the Penalty-in-Minutes stat, so you know he was an A*Hole.  Sorry Atlanta for even including him in the top 5.  There are way bigger fish to fry in your armpit of a city, but I felt including a Thrasher on this list was necessary. 

4- Michael Vick (QB-Atlanta Falcons 2001-06) - I know that Vick would normally make the top two on almost any list made regarding A*Holes in sports, but I think Vick has done enough to slide out of the top two.  However, no player has left a team in such a lurch as this once self absorbed dog lover. After the team and the city stuck with him (as well as the ATL can "stick" with a player, since they suck, remember) through two injury plagued, non-playoff seasons, he gets arrested for masterminding a dog fighting ring.  I don't care how much you do to make amends, you will always fall on an A*Hole list for that.

3- Jerry Glanville (Head Coach - Atlanta Falcons '90-'93) - I bet Jerry is actually a nice guy. I bet he's a good friend and a loving father and husband and all those things that define a good guy. But this over-the-top caricature of a human being just grated on my nerves.  First off, he wasn't that good of a football coach.  Not in Houston and especially not in the ATL. Secondly, he had this way of speaking that made you want to stick some straw in your mouth and f$%k your sister. He's a hick is what I'm saying here. He's a love your mama a little too much, 3 tooth havin', eatn' mayonnaise sandwiches for dinner, big belt buckle wearin', falling in love with your cousin, kinda guy. You know, the kind of guy that when he speaks, you kind of here banjos in the background. That kind of guy is cute for 5 minutes if he's your head coach, much longer if it's a comedy of some sort, because that shit is funny.

2- Larry "Chipper" Jones (3b - Atlanta Braves '93-present) - Larry, Larry, Larry. Can I call you Larry? I know you like to go by "Chipper" but really, you're like 39 years old now, time to give up the nickname. I have to admit that this is a personal one for me.  Larry has been a thorn in the Mets side since '93 and it's made me hate him like he beat my wife in a parking lot. Yes he's a Hall of Famer, yes he was on great teams and yes there is very little evidence of him being a dick.  But he was to Mets fans, by beating them relentlessly all the time. I mean he never, EVER let us win. He is the National League version of Derek Jeter to the Mets.  If it was a big spot, and Larry stepped up to the plate, he was going to get the hit he needed to get. I'm aware that this is probably a really petty and immature way of dealing with the emotional damage that Larry has caused me over the years; about as mature as calling yourself "Chipper" at the age of 39, but F%^k it, that's why I have this site.

1- John Rocker (RP - Atlanta Braves (98-01) - This guy was the King of all A*Holes for about one year, but man when you have the spotlight, you must make the most of it and boy, Rocker sure did. First off, he was a flash in the pan closer for the Braves who was good for maybe 2 years. Second of all, he looks like a retarded caveman, which is somewhat redundant. His assent to King of the A*Hole heap began in Queens when he flipped the Shea Stadium faithful the bird while walking off the mound after an appearance against the Mets. Then an interview surfaced in 2000 where Rocker was asked about playing in NY and his answer was "hick" ignorant.
                    "I'd retire first. It's the most hectic, nerve-racking city. Imagine having to take the 7 Train to the ballpark looking like you're riding through Beirut next to some kid with purple hair, next to some queer with AIDS, right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time, right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing... The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners. You can walk an entire block in Times Square and not hear anybody speaking English. Asians and Koreans and Vietnamese and Indians and Russians and Spanish people and everything up there. How the hell did they get in this country?^"  

WOW! that is a special kind of racist A*Hole.  Rocker is so much of an A*Hole, that he even talked smack about his GM with the Braves calling him a "real a*hole," an "imbecile," and a "piece of shit."  I'm not one to disagree when someone is railing on a Braves official, but even I can say that that was over the line. Rocker was out of baseball by 2003 due to his lack of performance, and being one of the biggest douches in baseball history. His already tarnished career was totally invalidated when his name came up in the steroid investigations in the mid-2000's.  Awwww, poor Johnny.  I actually owned a shirt that said "F#$k Rocker" on the front in Mets lettering.  He is a dickbag, and Atlanta....he's all you yours.

So that's it, I'm sure I'm missing a bunch and by all means if I did send me an email at thesportsriot@yahoo.com.  Also, ATL faithful, all 20 of you, send us your thoughts, we are always up for a good laugh as you try to defend your fandom to a guy from NY and a guy from Philly, where the real fans live.  hey while your at it, why don't you write to a Cardinal and a Red Sox fan, that's where the real fans are....not in Atlanta.