I apologize in advance for doing two basketball related blogs in a row, but it is the NBA playoffs and Jason Collins did come out of the closet today, so 'tis the season.
First, I want to continue my discussion from the last post about how Mike D'Antoni destroyed the Lakers. I compared him to Obama destroying our country. I still contend both are probably nice guys with good intentions, but they're just not the right leaders for their respective teams. It occurred to me last night, when the Lakers were swept out of the playoffs by the Spurs, that the Lakers are kind of like the Republican Party.
They are a team with a rich history of championships, superstar players and unmatched greatness. The Republican party is very much like this. We are a party with a rich history of achievements (abolished slavery, ended the Cold War, prevented terrorism on U.S. soil after 9/11), superstar presidents (Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, etc.) and unmatched greatness (I still think we're pretty great). Like the Lakers, in recent years, we have lost our way. Those who hate our party (like those who hate the Lakers) are quick to jump up, point fingers, ridicule, mock, and dance on our graves.
Anyone who follows sports knows that truly great teams don't stay down for long. Anyone who follows politics knows that truly great political parties and candidates don't stay down for long either. I think, as a party, we've made some poor decisions...just as Laker ownership made a poor decision when turning away Phil Jackson and hiring Mike D'Antoni. That said, mistakes can be corrected.
I may sound like a broken record, but I can't stress enough how much we need to be more progressive on social issues like gay marriage. Today, a very brave NBA player, named Jason Collins came out as openly gay, while still an active player in the NBA. 10 years ago...hell, 5 years ago this never would have happened. This is a sign of how much things are changing. So many prominent Republicans have come out in support of gay marriage just as top NBA players came out in support of Jason Collins. If these macho athletes can do it, so can our party. The party platform on this issue has to change. Homosexuals may only make up a small part of the population, but their heterosexual supporters are increasing everyday.
Let's get on the right side of this issue.
Thanks for listening,
The Urban Republican
Follow me on Twitter @TheUrbanGop
Like me on facebook www.facebook.com/UrbanRepublican
Monday, April 29, 2013
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Poor Management Destroys Greatness
I haven't written or a few weeks...not for a lack of trying, but because inspiration hasn't struck me and I don't believe in writing just for the sake of writing. Last night, inspiration struck, though under the circumstances, I wish it hadn't.
Most of you have probably heard by now that Kobe Bryant was injured last night and it is believed that he tore his Achilles' tendon. This, unfortunately, is a season ending injury (hopefully not a career needing injury) for one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball.
If you follow basketball, then you know the Lakers have had a very difficult season and are struggling just to make the playoffs. This is not typical of this team and it is especially not typical for a team that has four potential Hall of Famers (Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, and Pau Gasol). It is downright shocking that they have struggled as much as they have and I can only blame one person...Mike D'Antoni. Without getting into the mechanics of basketball, he's been an awful coach, who seems to know absolutely nothing about defense. He has run this great team into the ground and he has run its greatest player into the ground, because he let Kobe play just about all 48 minutes of the last several games in a desperate attempt to make the playoffs.
If you're wondering where I'm going with this...here it is. Kobe Bryant and the Laker are the United States of America and its people. Mike D'Antoni is Obama. I know it's a stretch, but it's how I see it. Kobe struggled and sacrificed only to endure a devastating injury doing a basic move he's done thousands of times, because he was fatigued from being overworked. Hard working Americans struggle and sacrifice only to have our efforts stifled by a government that seeks to penalize (tax) success and greatness. D'Antoni is probably a good coach and a decent guy, but he just doesn't know how to coach this caliber of a team. Barack Obama is a smart guy and probably well-intentioned, but he just can't lead a nation of this caliber. The lakers had an opportunity to rehire Phil Jackson last Fall. They didn't. The American people had the opportunity to rehire the Republican Party last Fall. They didn't. I doubt the Lakers will ever make a mistake like this again and I hope the American people won't either.
Thanks for listening,
The Urban Republican
Like me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/urbanrepublican
Follow me on Twitter @The UrbanGOP
Most of you have probably heard by now that Kobe Bryant was injured last night and it is believed that he tore his Achilles' tendon. This, unfortunately, is a season ending injury (hopefully not a career needing injury) for one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball.
If you follow basketball, then you know the Lakers have had a very difficult season and are struggling just to make the playoffs. This is not typical of this team and it is especially not typical for a team that has four potential Hall of Famers (Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, and Pau Gasol). It is downright shocking that they have struggled as much as they have and I can only blame one person...Mike D'Antoni. Without getting into the mechanics of basketball, he's been an awful coach, who seems to know absolutely nothing about defense. He has run this great team into the ground and he has run its greatest player into the ground, because he let Kobe play just about all 48 minutes of the last several games in a desperate attempt to make the playoffs.
If you're wondering where I'm going with this...here it is. Kobe Bryant and the Laker are the United States of America and its people. Mike D'Antoni is Obama. I know it's a stretch, but it's how I see it. Kobe struggled and sacrificed only to endure a devastating injury doing a basic move he's done thousands of times, because he was fatigued from being overworked. Hard working Americans struggle and sacrifice only to have our efforts stifled by a government that seeks to penalize (tax) success and greatness. D'Antoni is probably a good coach and a decent guy, but he just doesn't know how to coach this caliber of a team. Barack Obama is a smart guy and probably well-intentioned, but he just can't lead a nation of this caliber. The lakers had an opportunity to rehire Phil Jackson last Fall. They didn't. The American people had the opportunity to rehire the Republican Party last Fall. They didn't. I doubt the Lakers will ever make a mistake like this again and I hope the American people won't either.
Thanks for listening,
The Urban Republican
Like me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/urbanrepublican
Follow me on Twitter @The UrbanGOP
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