a Greater Glory

Ok I have to admit it I am a sucker for a god TV movie. There is something different about watching a movie on TV versus popping in a DVD. TNT which according to their tagline “Knows Drama” may be my favorite movie channel. The only problem with this is that they show the same movies over and over again. A couple of my boys and I were talking last night and we decided that the movies which are always on TNT are: “The Replacements”, “Independence Day”, and “Con Air”. I can only watch “The Replacements” so many time, so I was happy to see when TNT put a new movie into their rotation. The movie is “Fracture” and while I didn’t get to see the whole movie the first twenty minutes or so looked really interesting. So hopefully TNT keeps up their reputation for playing the same movie over and over again because I would like to see this movie. So what is your favorite movie that is played on TV?

It looks like the Suns are close to signing tenured guard Steve Nash to a 2-year extension that will keep him in Phoenix through the 2011-2012 season.  Nash, who would become an unrestricted free agent after next season, is weighing his options.  Many factors come into play including his age (he’ll be 36 at the end of next season) and the nature of the market at the end of next season.  Everyone knows that next year IS the year of the free agent, with Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh poised to test the waters.  Does Nash wait, passing up a $20 milion extension, and try to prove himself in a contract season?  The other question is, as the Suns quickly fall from legitimacy in the West, will Nash have the opportunity to play for an NBA championship in Phoenix?

These questions may be answered in the next few days.  Phoenix is trying to entice Nash, especially with the signing of Grant Hill.  Also, the Suns open some cap space with the dumping of Shaquille O’Neal’s salary and the buyout of Ben Wallace’s contract.  These moves also raise big man questions because the Suns don’t have any.  Looking at championship teams the past 1o years, only the 2008-2009 Lakers didn’t have a dominate presence down low.  Nash will have to contemplate these questions and others, as the summer begins to wind down.

Former Phillies and Mets centerfielder, Lenny Dykstra, declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy Wednesday.  Sources say that Dykstra only has $50,000 in assets, compared to (at the worst) $50 million in liabilities – a balance sheet so lobsided, even Enron CEO Jeff Skilling would have a tough time justifying it.  Although Dykstra is in “good spirits”, he still is under pressure from 20 lawsuits brought up during his entrepreneural stint as president of the Players Club, a magazine for rich athletes.

It will be interesting to see what develops as a result of him filing Chapter 11, which is different from a Chapter 7 liquidation.  In Chapter 11, one can actually “reorganize” his business based on regulation deemed appropriate by a committee comprised of unsecured creditors.

Instead, here are three alternate carriers Dykstra should pursue:  1) Join former Phillies’ teammate John Kruk on Baseball Tonight and relive some of the 1993 glory days.  2)  Try out for Dancing with the Stars because…why not?  3)  Play himself in the movie 1986:  The Year that Got Away.  Of course, that gig would have a happy ending.

The world we live in is interesting to say the very least.  I remember my father always telling me that a man is only as good as his word.  In other words if you say you are going to do something, make sure you do it.  Jesus believed this same idea as seen in Matthew 5:33-37:

Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

It seems that this idea of letting your “Yes” be “Yes”, and your “No”, “No” has been forgotten in professional sports, specifically the NBA.  Just yesterday there were reports of LeBron James telling free-agent Trevor Ariza  that he would be staying in Cleveland past this year.  Today, there have been reports that this is not necessarily true.  If LeBron said he was going to stay he needs to step up and say, “Yes that is what I said”.  Unfortunately that will never happen.  If LeBron James stepped up right now and said “Listen, I am planning on testing free agency next year, but Cleveland is my first choice” would anyone have a problem with that? It could possibly affect some of the free-agent signings they make this year, but there is always a possibility that something could happen where LeBron never plays again.

There are numerous examples in the NBA where yes no longer means yes. Joe Dumars could not give Avery Johnson a straight yes on whether he would retain him past one year (see “When coaching isn’t enough” for more on Dumars), so Avery pulled his name from consideration for the Detroit Pistons job.  All Dumars needed to do was be straight with Avery and say, “You know I will probably be looking for another coach in a years time, you are more of a stop gap for this year, until 2010.  We are going to try and make a run at LeBron James and I want to bring in a coach that fits LeBron’s style”.  Hedo Turkoglu went back on his acceptance of the Portland Trailblazer’s offer and decided instead to sign with the Toronto Raptors.  Carlos Boozer did a similar thing to Cleveland in 2004.  Clay Bennett the owner of what is now the Oklahoma City Thunder originally had said he wanted to keep the Seattle Sonics in Seattle, when he was really just lying to keep people off of his back.  The examples could go on and on in the NBA.

Obviously not everyone will follow the idea of letting your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No”, but how different would the NBA, professional sports, and the world look if people followed the simple idea of keeping to your word, even if it means having to do something that is unpopular or not what you personally might want to do. What do you think?

It’s never a good sign when one of your players states that they will stay with your team only if your team contends.  Dwayne Wade who will be a free agent come next summer (2010) has already stated that if the Heat can become championship contenders again in the Eastern Conference that he would be interested in sticking around.  Unfortunately, the Miami Heat only boasted a 43-39 record last year which gave them the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference.  With teams like the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic picking up some big name free-agents it will be important and necessary for Miami to look to restock and put in place some players to help take the burden off of Wade.  If the Heat are hoping that players like Mario Chalmers, Michael Beasley, and Daequan Cook are the players that will take Wade and keep him around, they are most likely mistaken.  The Heat should be seriously pursuing a big man to contend with the likes of Dwight Howard, Shaquille O’Neal and even Kevin Garnett (although not a true center).

Eh…this isn’t really what Phillies fans are doing right now.  A source close to the Phillies says the NL east front runner will take a serious look at Pedro Martinez in the next couple of days.  A poll released today had 37% of Phillies’ fans wanting Pedro to join the Phils rotation.  While there is a legitimate argument that Martinez is the best pitcher of his era, last year didn’t go as planned:  5-6 with a 5.61 ERA.  Although, Philadelphia isn’t exactly packing the cupboard with Cy Young’s.  Currently, they are 15th (out of a possible 16 teams) in ERA, OPS against, BAA against, and WHIP.  GM Ruben Amaro needs to start proving himself in a town that doesn’t accept complacency.  Other arms possibly available at the July 31 deadline include All-Stars Jason Marquis and Ted Lilly.

According to the Boston Herald and sports agent Bill Strickland, Rasheed Wallace is set to join the Boston Celtics for this upcoming year. Wallace was set to have meetings with Orlando, Dallas, and San Antonio but has told his agent (Strickland) to call them off.  With Wallace, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Rajon Rondo,  the Celtics look poised to make another run at an NBA Championship.  The Eastern Conference is shaping up in to a conference that will have 3-4 top teams with other teams scrambling to maintain relevancy.  Cleveland, Orlando, and now Boston have all made big off-season moves to bolster their line-ups.

Former Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair was found shot dead late Saturday night.  McNair who was only 36 was found dead alongside a woman whom is being called a “friend” of McNair’s, Sashel Kazemi. McNair who was a three time pro-bowler may be best known for his drive of the Tennessee Titans against the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV in the last minute of the game where the Titans came up one yard short of sending the game into overtime.  During times like this many people will speculate about the life that McNair led and will remember the great things that he did on the field.

However, as Christians it is important that we take opportunities such as this to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ.  In a world as lost as this, it is essential that The Good News is shared with those in search of it. In times of hardship and trouble Christians can lean on Psalm 18:2-6:

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me;the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

The truth of the Gospel is that Jesus paid for our sins with his life.  Nothing we can ever do in this world will ever be enough to repay the debt that we owe.  As details will continue to emerge McNair and Kazemi will be cast into different spotlights.  No matter what the outcome of the investigation, it is important for Christians to remember that our life here on earth is short, it is only in God we can find our refuge and no matter what things come our way we can call upon the Lord and He will hear us.

Tim Lincecum delivered up his 23rd inning of scoreless pitching for the San Fransisco Giants.  The 25 year old Lincecum is pitching like the CY Young winner from last year and is 5-1 in his last 6 starts.  His ERA currently stands at a ridiculous 2.23 for the season and 2.93 overall for his still very short 2 year career.  There is a good chance that Lincecum will be starting for the NL All-Star team come July 12.

Talk about a stirring title! Now that I have your attention, we are going to take a look at James 3:5-10 to see what exactly I am talking about:

So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

The tongue a muscle that we use for chewing and swallowing and the main organ that we use for tasting.  This muscle is one of the main reasons you are alive, without it you would be unable to process the nutrients you get from food that hasn’t been broken down yet.  While the tongue may be an important part of your body, it is also a part of your body that causes more controversy and can destroy everything that you have worked for in your life.  What will Bill Clinton be remembered for? Lying.  What will Ken Lay (Enron) be remembered for? Lying. What will Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens be remembered for? Lying and Baseball.

The ways in which each of these players have handled this has been different.  Sosa all of a sudden couldn’t speak English when he was asked about it.  Mark McGwire simply didn’t want to talk about the past.  Rodriguez lied about it, then kind of told the truth only once he was caught in his lie.  Palmeiro, Bonds, and Clemens well they still adamantly deny taking anything, or if they did they took it unknowingly.

In a recent ESPN interview Palmeiro still denies that he knowingly took anything and even hints at being “set-up”.  I am not saying that Palmeiro is lying or lied, but let’s use our imaginations a bit.  If I am a world class athlete and I work all year round to keep my body in peak condition and a  teammate offers me a “pill” don’t you think I might ask what it is? Second, let’s just say I don’t ask what the pill  is and just take it.  What percentage chances are there that on that specific day MLB is going to be doing drug testing?

To be quite honest and frank I beleive that Andy Pettitte handled this the best, he admitted to taking them and apologized.  What Pettitte did doesn’t make it right, but he at least handled it and spoke the right way about it.  When these players adamantly lie and say they didn’t do it, it only darkens their credibility more and more.  Eventually some new report comes out and implicates them further.  Then they have to back pedal and reword what they previously said.  It would be good if all athletes took the verses from James and memorized them or put them inside their locker.  The tongue can destroy so much of what they have created and it is a shame to see such great careers get taken through the mud.