Slammin' Sam on Sports Media Links

Hello Free Keon and Slammin’ Sam Readers,

Looks to be a great sports day from all the stories that are circulating fairly early in the day. Let’s get started right away.

First, a story that made me go “Oh, my.” Butler guard Gordon Hayward is staying in the draft. I almost feel apologetic, but I guess I still thought of Butler and Hayward were a Cinderella story and not much more. Now reality sets in. I hope he has a solid NBA career. Bob Kravitz of the Indy Star has the details.

On to somebody I wish I could be surprised about, Milton Bradley. Jerry Brewer shares his opinions in Seattle.

Another guy I am rooting for to overcome his struggles is David Ortiz. Big Papi took another step last night.

Giants hurler Barry Zito is in the midst of his own comeback, Gwen Knapp writes.

Last, in case you didn’t get a chance to read it in your paper this morning, here’s a story on Wednesday night’s Blackhawks hero.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sam Miller/Free Keon

Slammin' Sam on Sports Media Links

It’s Thursday, and of course that means Slammin’ Sam’s Links.

We start with a goodbye, followed by a hello.

Goodbye LT. LaDainian Tomlinson ranks eighth all-time in rushing yards and second in career rushing touchdowns. Not to mention he’s one of my favorites. Here’s hoping for a rebirth for No. 21.

Hello to Marlon Byrd. Most view him as Milton Bradley’s replacement with the Cubs, but don’t let Byrd hear disparaging words about his former Rangers teammate.

Staying in the Windy City, at least one Blackhawks player appears bound to receive a hero’s welcome after the Olympics.

As for the man who shot the Hawks’ Patrick Kane and his teammates past Switzerland on Wednesday, props to Zach Parise.

Last, boos for Jay McGwire. Predictably, he wants to capitalize on his brother’s re-entry into the spotlight.

Thanks for spending part of your Thursday here at Free Keon.

Sam Miller/Free Keon

Let's play the Blame Game

The 2009 Cubs season is nearly over, and it is time to decide who is responsible for the $135 million monstrosity of a season, and what should be done going forward. Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Tribune just wrote an article about how General Manager "Jungle"Jim Hendry deserves to keep his job.

This, of course, is ridiculous. Hendry has created a team of aging players with untradeable contracts that can't win a damn playoff game, or in the case of this season can't even get a sniff of the playoffs. There is a laundry list of horrible signings and bad trades. This season, everything he has done was wrong. It started out in the offseason with extending Ryan Dempsters' contract(4 years $52 mil), then he traded Mark DeRosa, the 2008 Cubs MVP, for 3 minor leaguers. Hendry then snorted a mountain of crack and decided he could replace DeRosa by signing Aaron Miles. Then he allows good closer and Cubs hero Kerry Wood to leave town and signed the 2008 leader in blown saves Kevin Gregg. And low and behold, Gregg blows a ton of saves and loses his closer job. In order to prepare for a big free agent signing, Hendry also gave away Jason Marquis for free.

All of that is just a preface to his most egregious mistake, the signing of Kanye Bradley. The worst free agent signing the Cubs have ever made. Throughout the season it has just been a circus act in right field for the Cubs. Bradley has not produced at the plate, been a huge distraction for the team, and blamed everything else possible, including the fans, umpires, Lou, and racism for his own poor performance.
The Bradley circus keeps on playing even after he was suspended for the rest of the season on Sunday. In an interview with Bradley's mom, Charlena Rector, reported in the Sun-Times, there was another accusation of racism. "When racism hit his 3-year-old baby in school, he couldn't take that," Rector said "Parents, teachers and their kids called him the n-word. He didn't even know it was a bad word until his mom told him." It's not difficult to see where Bradley gets his craziness. I don't often call people liars, but that is just not true. Is Miltons' kid enrolled at Jim Crow Preschool? It's amazing, overtly racist 3-year olds and teachers tossing the ol' n-bomb around.

It has given me an excellent idea for a new product. It's called the Blame Game -patent pending- and it will be made by Milton Bradley (the company, get it). Someone will draw a card with a problem or bad situation of some kind. Example: You sign a big contract and then only hit .257 with 12 Hrs and 40 RBI. And then everyone else will come up with something to blame it on. Example: I was distracted because my 3-year-old son was enrolled at a daycare where the n-word was tossed around like Kix cereal. Then you can choose who had the best blame. Fun for the entire family. It is almost as fun as the Jump to Conclusions Mat.