Agent O, Goodbyes & Cupcakes

Thank You Agent O
This is a story of a professional athlete who recently provided us with the most dead-on quote of our current free agent (aka: mercenary) team sports era.

Gilbert Arenas of the NBA’s Washington Bullets – we still like the original name better – recently gave his team a “hometown discount.” They offered him the max contract worth $127 years, and he in essence gave back $16 million, settling for a mere $111 over the length of the deal.

Arenas refreshingly said the following to explain his reasoning – “What can I do for my family with $127 million that I can’t do with $111 million.”

Absolutely brilliant! In sports terms history, that ranks up there with E=MC2 in my book.

Compare that to Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing’s infamous statement when he was the NBA Players’ Rep during the lockout of the mid-90s – “Yea, we make a lot of money, but we spend a lot of money too.”

Folks, we have now come full circle. There is some sanity in the sports world after all. Every once in a while it shines through.

Arenas, as we stated in our July 4 entry, is “different” to say the least. His thoughts, which are often put into words for the media and public to decipher, confuse folks because he seems thoughtful, reflective and not like those that often come from your average NBA player.

He proved it again by taking less money. For him, it was never about leaving Washington. In his blog, he made clear he wanted to stay with the Bullets and if the team re-signed teammate and friend Atwaan Jamison, he would do so as well at a slight discount.

So when he made good on his promise, it confused some. Why should it? This was Gilbert being Gilbert.

No, we stated last week we did not think Arenas was a max player – especially coming off a serious knee injury. However, we applaud Agent O for showing everyone that some sanity remains in sports – even at a price tag of $111 million.

He did what he said he would do all along and did it literally his way – by negotiating his own deal. Arenas is already a millionaire many times over, who was comfortable in Washington, wanted to stay right there, playing with his friends and teammates, in an organization he appreciated and appreciated him.

That is simple and refreshing. The two sides found common ground.

So the next time a player of Arenas’ caliber enters his free agent season and tells you he loves his hometown team and the organization, he truly enjoys his teammates, and he adores the fans, etc…

Well, you get the point.

When that player says all the right things, but clearly is going to “test the market” at year’s end, remember there is still some loyalty left in sports. There isn’t much, but there is some. Gilbert Arenas provided a reminder of it last week and we thank him for it. It doesn’t happen often.


Goodbyes
By the way, I wonder what the Milwaukee Brewers’ rental, CC Sabathia, – a multi-millionaire many times over already - will be able to provide his family with the $20million a year he will sign for this coming off season he would not have been able to provide them with the $16-18 million per the Indians were offering?

I hope CC helps the Brewers win a World Series. I really do. I root for the small market teams in baseball as you know. I would like to see nothing better than a Devil Rays - Brewers World Series.

But as I have said many times over – I do not like my intelligence insulted.

CC was doing just that by talking a good game and waiting for free agency. The Indians did the right thing – albeit six months too late. For Tribe fans sake, let’s hope Mark Shapiro got real quality in return.

We also wish Joe Borowski the best. We saw his release coming over a month ago and stated as such, but that does not diminish his efforts. He’s the “Wayne Chrebet” of MLB – an overachiever of the first order.

No Comment
We hear Astrubal Cabrera is not talking to the media since his demotion to AAA.

Grow a pair Astrubal! You aren’t the first player to be sent down after making a splash as a rookie.

Anyone can be professional when things are going well, but can you be professional when things aren’t going your way? In his case, the answer is a resounding NO. That’s disappointing. We like his talent.

More & More Cupcakes For OSU
Hurry up and sign up for the Big Ten Network or you will miss viewing Ohio State butcher Youngstown State and Troy State to open the college football season next Fall. Right. I’m sure the phones are ringing off the hook at the BTN.

Someone should tell Jim Tressel scheduling cupcake after cupcake year after year doesn’t help you in the long run against SEC teams come January.

And please don't tell me about playing Texas in the past and USC in the future. When you schedule only one good non-conference team a year, and you play the bulk of your schedule at home year in year out, it tells me you like playing it safe.

Imagine the heat Tressel would be taking had not absolutely everything bounced the Buckeyes' way during their magical National Championship year in 2002?