Baseball Is In Search Of A Superstar

With Basketball finished up, and the NFL still in Lockout, Baseball is the natural choice for most sports fans looking to catch a game. However, this year in Baseball is noticeably unremarkable in terms of players. Previous years and decades had huge superstars the likes of Mickey Mantle, Don Mattingly, Ken Griffey Jr., Ichiro, and Albert Pujols. This year though, the biggest name in Baseball is probably Bryce Harper, who is still a Single A player.

Don't get me wrong, it's great to see Derek Jeter approach his 3,000th hit, a feat that few have ever accomplished, not to mention the fact that he has done it with no trace of the allure of steroids in his career. But where, I ask, are the players that are so great that even if you know nothing about Baseball, you recognize their names? Where are the monolithic phenoms that kids aspire to be? There's also Jose Bautista, the league's leader in practically every category, but he's not exactly a household name. He doesn't even play in this country, so it's hard to equate him with other Baseball heroes. As a Sports Cards seller, we need these sports greats. They help bring customers in the door. But as sports fans, we need them even more. Without them, the giddiness of watching the players come out onto the field is just nonexistent.

We flirted with a possible great last year, in the much-hyped Stephen Strasburg. However, with his injury setting him back, we are foaming at the mouth more than ever. To have someone that good just taken away from the sport is maddening. It was fun while it lasted, and we can only hope to see him back as soon as possible.

This is simply my observation on the sport of Baseball right now. It seems like it's been a mediocre year for sports fans everywhere. As we look on to the months ahead, we can only hope that it gets better. For many of us, watching these players do what they love to do is a driving force in our lives. Whether you're a social sports fan, or a lifelong, dedicated sports nut, it's hard not to realize that if we don't have anyone to root for, there's not much point in watching the game.

Derrick Williams Draft Status

The NBA Draft is upon us, and Tucson's own Derrick Williams is a hot commodity in the NBA right now. Rumors are flying around the internet at full speed, while everyone watches in anticipation to see where he will end up. Many people are saying the Cavaliers would be making a horrible decision if they don't pick him; while rumor has it that the Lakers will be trading Lamar Odom to the Timberwolves for the ability to choose Williams with the #2 overall selection.

Of course, the Cavs could torpedo that deal right off the bat by just picking him up first. Where would that leave the Timberwolves? Or Odom?  However, that would leave them open to snatching up another promising draft pick.

While a lot of us would like to see Williams replacing the likes of Lamar Odom, it would also be pretty cool to have him go #1, making him the first #1 Draft Pick to ever come out of the U of A. It's a toss-up; he could be making history at the U of A, or go to the Lakers and remain on the West Coast. Either way, we will all be holding our breath to see where Tucson's prodigal basketball son ends up.

McIlroy To Be The Next Tiger Woods...Or Not?

The US Open was astounded just yesterday by the up and comer, Rory McIlroy, who wreaked a path of destruction through the golf world, taking the Open by storm. News and media have been quick to compare him to all of the greats - including the legendary Tiger Woods, but many others aren't being so cut and dry. 

Of course, we can't know for sure what would have happened had Woods played, but it seems almost fate-like for Tiger to have stepped aside here, making room for the birth of a new Golf hero. Many are saying that he was only able to shine so brightly because the supernova that is Tiger Woods was not there to burn back, but these things were also said about the man himself when he first started his career, as well.

Rory McIlroy may be young, but the greats all have to start somewhere, and I am of the opinion that he will continue to dominate the golf world in the years to come. Some of the best judgement calls are made on the fly, and I want it put on the record here and now that I said that McIlroy will go on to beat Tiger's records, one at a time, until he has shown us all that it is possible to topple giants.

This relative kid showed us some great skill in these past four days. We all witnessed what he can do, and we here at Showtime Cards are ready to embrace the beginning of a new era. McIlroy will have the career of Tiger Woods to use as a map for his own - he has the ability to be just as great, without all of the distractions that can derail a legend. A smart man learns from his own mistakes; a wise man learns from the mistakes of others. We're putting our money on McIlroy being the latter.

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NFL Lockout Is Hurting The Fans

We all know that the recent NFL Lockout has been a hot topic for many sports fans as of late. We're all worried that we're not going to have a complete Football season this year, or maybe even no season at all. Some are taking comfort in recent gossip that the Lockout may be nearing an end, however. It's even been said that the discussion have gotten as far as 85% completion on their new deal. Whether or not this is true is beside the point; as of right now, the Lockout is still going on, and we are stuck wondering if we're going to be able to watch the Super Bowl this season.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said that this lockout isn't just meant to benefit the players; that it will benefit the fans as well. But I am not so sure about that. I mean, if they really had the best interests of the fans in mind, wouldn't they do everything they could to get this Lockout over with right now, rather than arguing over a few percentage points?

The players in the NFL change, but the true fans are always there. This is why I believe that the fans have more at stake in these negotiations than the players do. The players may be risking their sources of income, but the true fans are being forced to sit by the sidelines and watch as teams that they have devoted decades of dedication to may simply decide not to play anymore. Does that really seem fair? I don't think so. How are we supposed to believe these guys when they say that they play for the love of the game, and for the fans, after all of this?

The NFL is risking a lot more than money here. If they don't make the right call and end this lockout soon, they may find that some of their fans no longer wish to watch players that would stop doing what they supposedly love to do simply because the paycheck isn't big enough.