Albert Pujols a bust? The thought is laughable.
What’s more remarkable than the statistical oddity of Pujols homer-less April (.217 BA/0 HR/4 RBI) is the reaction; fans and the media are giving baseball’s best hitter critical advice. Make this adjustment. Be more aggressive … no, be patient, protect the plate. Take a day off. Deep breathes, relax.
There’s losing and then there’s … uh, well, whatever the Boston Red Sox did Saturday. Leading 9-0 through five innings at home, the Red Sox surrendered a single run in the sixth, seven runs in the seventh inning, seven more in the eighth inning to the New York Yankees, triggering an audible fury in the seats at Fenway Park.
My mouth gets me in hot water every day. That’s the way I am. No one’s going to change me. And I never regretted anything I said. Never. A lot of people say that I don’t think when I speak. Of course I do. But I’ll say stuff in a different way with different people … If you like it, you like it. If you don’t, you don’t. I don’t care. The people I care about are my boss and my players. The fans and the media don’t win games for me. — Ozzie Guillen, Men’s Health, 2006
Five games into his managerial tenure with the Miami Marlins and Ozzie Guillen is again under fire. Please don’t act surprised. What, did you believe a change of scenery would produce a calming effect on Guillen? You certainly didn’t think his new $10 million deal would buy Ozzie a new persona, did you?
Bob Knight is Key West; he is the shell on a hard-boiled egg; an outsider, Coach Knight lives a polar life. His unvarnished personality has proved motivational on occassion, but stirs the deepest depths of hatred in student-athletes, fans and media more often than not. Now, at age 72, he is still the maker of few friends and many enemies.
In a report on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered Thursday, fans in New Orleans bristled at the fines and suspensions the NFL leveled against their beloved and heroic team. Speaking to NPR, one fan said the punishment handed down by Commissioner Roger Goodell will hurt the team, the fans and the city.
Stop right there.
Peyton Manning will celebrate his 36th birthday this weekend knowing his future is secure; not like he had anything to worry about before Tuesday’s announcement that he’d signed a five-year, $96 million deal to play for the Denver Broncos. The combination of his NFL salary and multiple endorsements has made Manning one of the highest paid athletes in history.
Wait … How long? How much? He’s how old?
I am a 25-year media/marketing/public relations professional. I have worked in radio, television, print and digital media. I contnue to pursue journalism as a freelance sports reporter for print and digital publications. You can follow me on Twitter @johnstrubel, friend me on Facebook or +John Strubel on Google. Story ideas? Comments? Questions? Email me at: john@johnstrubel.com.© 2012 John Strubel | Powered by JGS MEDIA INC.