ESPN: SportCentury: Bo Jackson

Source:ESPN– The Mystery Man.

“Sports century Bo Jackson”

From Majik Man

All the time, you hear about great, talented athletes and how good they could’ve been, had they not just got into illegal drugs or alcohol, could’ve stayed out of prison, didn’t party as much, took care of themselves, etc. And they get asked the question about their careers, what if. That’s not Bo Jackson and the career that he had.

At some point, I think Bo would’ve had to choose either baseball or football and became the best baseball or football player that he could’ve been. He was essentially a full-time baseball player, who played for the Los Angeles Raiders in the offseason.

But who knows how good of an outfielder and hitter that Bo would’ve been, had he been playing for the Kansas City Royals or another MLB club, full-time, in the 1990s. As great and cool as it might be to be a great two-sport athlete, it takes a tole on you physically and mentally. Who knows who great a running back had Bo been, had he played for the Los Angeles Raiders full-time and didn’t play baseball in the spring and summer. We’ll never know, of course.

I’m not saying that playing two sports is the reason why Bo Jackson broke his hip on what look like a simple running play and gain, that he had against the Cincinnati Bengals, during the 1990 AFC Divisional Playoff. But like I said earlier, Bo is not a what if because of bad or illegal habits that he was involved when he wasn’t playing baseball or football.

But, Bo might be a what if, because he was simply too talented and didn’t have enough discipline to decide for himself that he needed to be the best baseball or football player that he could’ve been and let nature take its course. But it’s his life and decision to make and his responsibility to live with.

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ESPN: SportsCentury Magic Johnson

Source:ESPN – the man who brought, magic, love, and fun, back to the NBA, Earvin Magic Johnson.

“Magic Johnson Sports Century Documentary on the career of one of the greatest basketball players ever, Lakers Point Guard, magic Johnson.

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for -fair use- for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.”

From Rxan Smith Brainstorm

If there is only one player that I could have at the end of the game, when my team needed a basket to either win the game or tie the game, Earvin Magic Johnson would be my only choice. If I needed one guy to take the last shot, I would probably choose Larry Bird, but one guy to have the ball at the end of the game and for the last play of the game, I’m taking Earvin Johnson over every other play whose ever played in the NBA. Because Magic will either get a good shot, make the shot, or get the ball to the open teammate who wins the game with the last shot.

At risk of aging myself, I remember what life was like before cable TV, where CBS was the only game in town, at least at my home, to watch any basketball, at least that was on national TV, let alone old enough to remember what life was like before cell phones and the internet.

I only say this, not to bore you to death and put you into a coma (contrary to what some people might think) but to give you an idea of how big the NBA was in the 1980s, where even if you didn’t live in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, or Boston, you looked forward to Sunday every week, not just because it’s a day off for most people and a day to spend with your family and friends, but it was a great opportunity to not just see the Lakers, Celtics, and 76ers, as well as Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Julius Erving play, but to play against each other. And not just to play each other, but to try to beat the hell out of each other, as if that game was the most important game to them that season.

This is what Magic Johnson represents for the NBA, the man, along with Larry Bird, that didn’t bring the NBA back, because they were never at the level of the NFL or MLB as far as popularity, but to bring the NBA to the point where it was at the same level of the NFL and MLB. The NBA became part of the big time thanks to Eavin Johnson and Larry Bird and I think at the end of the day regardless of how great you think those two players are, that’s their real legacy. Every other great player post-Earvin and Larry, owes their opportunity to be part of the greatest pro basketball league in the world, to Earvin and Larry, including Michael Jordan.

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Carl Milton: SEC Football 1988- Tennessee Volunteers @ Georgia Bulldogs: Full Game

Source:Carl Milton– with the 1988 Volunteers – Bulldogs game.

“Rodney Hampton and the Georgia Bulldogs defeat the Tennessee Volunteers 28-17 at Sanford Stadium in the season opener for both teams. I do not own the rights to this video and do not profit in any way.”

Source:Carl Milton

One of the better rivalries in the SEC Tennessee-Georgia. Even though both teams arch-rival plays in Florida and perhaps you know the same of the school. Also two of the best and traditionally two of the best football programs in the SEC. Seems every year the last twenty-years or so either Georgia, Florida or Tennessee has won the SEC East and gone on to play in one of the BCS bowl games. And in Tennessee’s and Florida’s case have won national championships. Something Georgia is still trying to win again for the first time since 1980.

So these are not only two of the best football programs in the SEC, but also perhaps the two best schools in the SEC. Whether you have to be a real student and do the work as a student to play there. So this is always a great matchup when these two teams play each other.

You can also see this post at FreeState MD, on WordPress.

You can also see this post at FreeState MD, on Blogger.

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