John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud
Saturday, June 09, 2012
Thinking Out Loud…while wondering what it takes to have true success…
• Congratulations to Cranston’s Olivia Culpo, who won the title of “Miss USA” last weekend and will represent us all at the Miss Universe pageant in December. Well ok, maybe she won’t represent ALL of us…but I’d say becoming the first Miss Rhode Island to win Miss USA’s crown is pretty successful…
• Good news, we could use you…it’s so bad now in Rhode Island, the state is laying off workers in the Department of Labor and Training, who mostly handle unemployment insurance claims…
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST• Will there be anyone left to handle Curt Schilling’s claim, now that 38 Studios has officially filed for bankruptcy? What’s next? Armageddon?
• Former Mets and Orioles executive Jim Duquette may or may not have been successful in baseball, but the kidney he donated to his ailing daughter Lindsay this week was certainly the ultimate sacrifice. Father and daughter, at last report, were doing well…
• Daniel Bard? He actually told reporters this week at McCoy Stadium “you can’t think and pitch at the same time.” Let’s make this real easy. Two words. Bull. Pen.
• And will someone let me know when Matt Albers has a good game? Because I haven’t seen one yet…
• The good news from Fenway is that Ryan Kalish is killing it, as his rehab stage has reached Pawtucket. There was a suggestion before last year’s injury he could stay in the minors for a bit longer, as he’s only 24. But if he’s producing, and the big leaguers don’t…how can he remain at McCoy much longer?
• Dice-K is back. Oh boy. YAWN…
• In case you’re not keeping score…the latest DL tally in the AL East: Boston 12, Tampa Bay 10, New York 10 and Baltimore 8. At least the Sox are winning something…
• Success? How about pitching in the major leagues at age 50? Jamie Moyer, rumored to be a potential pickup by the Orioles, might just get there…
• Is it safe to say “success” is a relative term? Jose Canseco doesn’t seem to be having much of it with the Worcester Tornadoes…he’s hitting .171 in the first 12 games of his “comeback,” but the team is second in the Can-Am league in attendance…
• So…can LeBron play, or what? But in sports, we have either “good guys” or “bad guys,” and after his ‘take my talents to South Beach’ debacle almost two years ago, LeBron has been forever cast as a “bad guy.” Direct your hate to his PR people, or his posse, but you can’t hate the man’s talent…
• One other point about LeBron (and I won’t call him LBJ, there was only one, and he was a President of the United States)…as fans, we keep expecting him to “be like Mike.” Why is that? No one – and I mean no one – will ever really “be like Mike.” So is it completely fair to criticize him for his shortcomings? Or is he just human?
• If Dwayne Wade’s Game 4 buzzer shot goes in, the Celtics are already out. Sometimes, success just isn’t meant to be…when you want it to be…
• It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the Miami Heat offense – LeBron or DWade left, LeBron or DWade right, shoot. The next time they run a set play for someone other than James or Wade will be the first time…
• Love the moxie shown by Rajon Rondo at halftime of Game 4 (calling the Heat whiners and complainers) and through the entire effort on the road for Game 5. But he’ll need some help in this department if the Celtics are to actually win Game 7. And someone has to hit a shot or two. Paul Pierce, where are you?
• It has been a great series. Predictability and surprise. Intrigue and intensity. Youth and experience. Grit and balls. Go back five years…are you disappointed with the 21st century edition of the Celtics’ “Big Three?” Or did they give more than you bargained for?
• Guess I put the “kiss of death” on my old team from San Antonio…and speaking of old, did they just fossilize before our eyes in that series with OKC?
• Turnarounds do happen. And this is a good one. Oklahoma City is three years removed from a 3-29 start to their season…and they went through Dallas, LA and San Antonio (combining to win the last 14 Western Conference crowns) to get to the finals this year…
• First appearance in the NBA Finals for the Thunder since they moved from Seattle, yes…but they are also looking for the first franchise title since PC’s Lenny Wilkens coached them, and Joe Hassett played for them in 1979…
• Want to feel old? Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were born in 1988. James Harden and Serge Ibaka? 1989…
• KG may have “grit and balls,” but KD has game. Just sayin’…
• Louisville’s late pickup of 6-8 forward Montrezl Harrell might just put the Cardinals at the top of the list when it comes time to considering hoop favorites for 2012-13 in the Big East. Originally a Virginia Tech signee, he asked out of the commitment when Seth Greenberg was fired at VT. Harrell is a physical player, and the Cards could be looking at real success next year…after reaching the Final Four this year…
• Not for nuthin’…but what happened to the days of parents naming their kids John, Robert or David? Louisville’s front court next season could feature Gorgui, Montrezl and Chane…
• My buddy Statbeast sez what’s in a name, really? If Ivana Trump married, in succession, Orson Bean (actor), King Oscar (of Norway), Louis B. Mayer (of MGM), and Mark Wiener (RI Democratic big wig, and wouldn’t that make the Donald happy?), she would then be Ivana Bean Oscar Mayer Wiener…
• UNC Asheville, an NCAA team last season, has stepped in to replace Southern Mississippi at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off in November, where the Friars will still potentially face a couple of tough teams. NC State, Tennessee, Penn State and Oklahoma State from the power leagues, plus UMass from the A-10 will all be challenging…
• Get ready for it…replacement refs are on their way to a stadium near you (including Gillette) this fall in the NFL. The league is already scouting for replacements as current officials are at a contractual impasse with the league. Labor strife in the NFL. What else is new?
• Is it safe to say Troy Brown is one of the all-time Patriots? Is he up there with Bledsoe, Grogan, Hannah, Cappelletti and the other greats who had success in wearing New England uniforms? Absolutely. Selected by fans on Patriots.com as the newest inductee into the Hall at Patriot Place, Brown is a Patriot in every sense of the word…
• And he’s got a successful, hall-of-fame commercial (made for the United Way) to go along with it. “Bingo! I got Bingo!”
• I’m actually surprised the Patriots released Chad Ochocinco this week, considering he reduced his salary for next year. Ocho and Bill Belichick have a real mutual admiration society-thing going on…but when you apparently don’t have the trust of the QB, and since this is going to be a “carpe diem” kind of season, well…
• Go ahead. You’re thinking it. What are the chances Ocho ends up with the J-E-T-S? Buffalo or Miami could also be interested…
• Maybe some of the man-love (if not $$$) for Ocho has now been showered upon Gronk? The Patriots signed Rob Gronkowski to the richest contract (6 years, $54 million) in NFL history for a tight end. Success for a 3rd-year player? Sure. But will his deal cause future angst? I'll wager Wes Welker, among others, has noticed. Chances are strong that after this year, you may not see Gronk, Welker or Aaron Hernandez on the field together. Carpe Diem...
• Stupid is as stupid does…Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wide receiver Justin Blackmon was arrested this week for DUI. That’s bad enough, but he compounded the problem when he said he’s swearing off alcohol “for now.” Uh oh. And the Jags traded up to get this guy…
• In two weeks’ time (June 20-23), one of the true gems of a sporting event begins its’ 2nd 50 years…with the Northeast Amateur Invitational Golf Tournament at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford. And just why is it a “gem” on the local scene? Where else can you go watch future PGA superstars do what they do best…for free?
• Here’s the true measure of success – tell a former Northeast Am participant you’re from Rhode Island (like Ben Crenshaw, for instance), and the first thing they’ll say is “Wannamoisett is something, isn’t it?” True enough, some of the game’s greats have played there. And through all of the places they’ve traveled, courses they’ve visited and holes they’ve played…they remember Wannamoisett. Now that’s success…
• I’ll have “Seven Letter Words” for $300, Alex. And the answer is: Something that Rhode Island legislators can’t smell, and economic developers have not experienced in recent memory. What is S-U-C-C-E-S-S?
• I’ll Have Another could have ended a 34-year drought of Triple Crown winners this weekend at the Belmont Stakes, but shockingly scratched due to a swollen tendon. He becomes the first horse since 1936 to win the Derby and Preakness, but not start Belmont. Triple Crown success has been tough to come by, as the 34-year dry spell should tell you. What it doesn’t tell you is that during those 34 years, 11 different horses had the chance to win it at Belmont and break the drought…and all of them lost...
• Speaking of racing…I’d like to apologize to the police for not having my ID readily accessible when they stopped me from timing myself to see how long it would take to go from the Rhode Island Mall Wal-Mart to I-295 Wednesday night. I just didn’t have a pocket available…
• What is success? Meghan Vogle, a high school distance runner from West Liberty, OH, can show you. If you haven’t seen it, here’s the link: http://vimeo.com/43490354
• Our mailbag question/comment this week comes from Tom in Boston via Twitter: “Any word on a date for PC-URI? Saw rumors of Thursday, December 6, hoping for a Saturday game.” Tom: With the Friars playing a national TV game at home against Mississippi State on Saturday, December 1st, and the following Saturday on the cusp of final exams…my guess is the only way your wish happens is if they schedule the game after January 1st. I don’t think that’s likely to happen…
• Interested in having your questions on local RI sports (including the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Send ‘em to me! It’s your chance to “think out loud,” so send your questions and comments to [email protected]. We’ll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Follow me on Twitter, @jrooke0722…and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...
• And you’re up early anyway…don’t forget to join us for GoLocal Sports on 103.7 FM, every Saturday from 7:00-9:00 am! Call in (401) 737-1287, or text 850850…and send email to the show - [email protected] .
