LESAProject

This upcoming fall might be challenging for sports fans all over the United States. The NFL has been locked out for 40 days now, and has already seen ugly public battles between players, owners and union reps, failed mediation, court hearings and is currently in its second round of mediation meetings. True progress is yet to be seen.The NBA is next in line with its collective bargaining agreement ending June 30th with similar battles brewing behind the scenes. The NFL and NBA are two of the big three sports leagues in the United States and losing both at the same time would ...

Let’s get the obvious out of the way.  Immediately upon reading the title you’re probably expecting me to be a dog lover who still hasn't forgiven Michael Vick for his deplorable actions. Part of that statement may be accurate, but I’m not a dog lover.  I love my dog and that’s it.  In fact, I can’t stand dog lovers. When I visit home, I sometimes take my dog to a dog park that is located on an old nine hole golf course.  There are trails through the woods for my dog to roam and agility courses and ponds for her to play ...

Do you remember the famous line from the 1989 film Field of Dreams: "Build it and he will come"?Well, Pepsi Max took this sentiment to heart when they turned an old warehouse into a cornfield for a new series of soft drink commercials that spoofed the classic baseball flick.While Shoeless Joe Jackson doesn't appear in any of the three short television spots, the résumés of those who did are long enough to satisfy even the most enthusiastic baseball fanatic.From the past to the present, the talent on hand is enough to give the Ghost of Moonlight Graham goosebumps.The combined talent ...

Perhaps the most difficult sports moment is anything personal that happens in public, whether it is under the eyes of 18,000 crazed fans or the relentless eyeball of the camera. The intrusive camera eyeball is worse than public eyes. It throws moments into everlasting film clips without context, without comprehension. Nowadays, the camera is ubiquitous. As the first New York Knicks-Boston Celtics playoff game wound to a close after the heart-stopping three-pointer from Ray Allen, chaos broke out as the Knicks raced down the court for one last shot as 11 seconds ticked away. When the ball rebounded to Kevin ...

Multi-time Olympic winner of the Gold, Carl Lewis was a patriotic American athlete in his spindly youth and short shorts. Now he is older, heavier, grayer, 49 years old, and running again—this time to help Americans feel better about themselves. He is a Democrat and has chosen to try his luck at the State Senate of New Jersey, a modest start. Abe Lincoln was as unassuming in his political career. Lewis notes that he wants children to be inspired to be better people, and he wants seniors to feel they can afford medical expenses and stay in their homes. These are hardly ...

A reader with an eye for news and a nose for a big story recently asked when the NBA will return to the thrilling days of yesteryear with short shorts for its Big and Tall shot blockers. Today’s meat and potatoes story may shock some diehard NBA fans and their most admired players. The concept was brought back briefly in 2007 by the Los Angeles Lakers, which lured a laughing Rick Fox to the Staples Center, this time with a camera aimed at Kobe Bryant.  When the Lakers lost the game to the Celtics (in long johns for the ...

We have got to look at the bright side of things. I read an article saying that some folks may need to see a therapist if the 2011 season does not start on time. Let's look at the bright side. Now there is time to sit down, talk with and show love to family members. Rather than have our eyes glued to a big screen, screaming and yapping about football, we will have time to look at and talk with family. There will be more time to play video games with children. That's a good thing. Right? If football is delayed in 2011, there ...

When the playoffs are over, the NBA will feature a new Dynamic Duo. Superman Dwight Howard will at last escape Kryptonite gas in Orlando with free agency. If rumors about Dwight’s inner feelings have any validity, he wants to play with a winner, or with playmates that can meet the standards of his superhero fantasy world. One name that could be a puzzle piece for Howard is the big riddle of the Boston Celtics: Rajon Rondo. Bereft without his beastly Kendrick Perkins, beautiful Rondo has expressed varying degrees of dissatisfaction with the Celtics since the now-infamous “Trade” debacle. How could ...

No player wants to have his life reduced to a trivia question, but no other player ever had a career like Gene Conley. Among his teammates were Hall of Fame players like Hank Aaron, Warren Spahn, Eddie Matthews, Bob Cousy, Satch Sanders, Bill Russell, Tommy Heinsohn, and Carl Yastrzemski.  He was coached by the legendary Red Auerbach.   Gene won three NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in 1959, 1960, and 1961, and one World Series with Milwaukee Braves in 1957. He may be the only athlete with rings from two sports. He had over 2200 rebounds off the ...

Leave it to the Los Angeles Laker star to return to the glorious past when racism and homophobia were all the rage. He has called a referee in the NBA a “f----ng f—g-t.”  Spin your Wheel of Fortune to find the proper vowels. In its wisdom, the NBA has fined him $100,000 or as NBA thugs call it, “Chump Change.” Some indignant souls are calling for his immediate suspension—good luck with that at playoff time. Kobe apologists want to dismiss the comments. If his fans use that language, he believes he can too. Ten years ago, baseball Cro-Magnon John Rocker was suspended for less. What’s even more ...