BECKETT fucked up my Jackie Robinson rookie

I guess this is what happens when you entrust your memorabilia to "The World's Most Trusted Source In Collecting."  I can't believe I paid these people to grade my cards and they sent me back my property damaged.  My card went from 6-Excellent Mint or 5.5-Excellent+ to a 4-Very Good/Excellent grade, about the equivalent of $500 to $1000 diminished value.  And the Grade itself is not even the issue.  It's the fact that I paid for a premium service, guaranteed to increase the value of the item, only to receive my historic piece of Americana in worse condition.  This was the first and the last time I will ever submit my memorabilia to Beckett Grading System.

The Cathedral Gallery

Robert Griffin III 2012 Topps Chrome Tall Boy Refractor #96/99

Jimmy V Coaching Maestro

Jim Valvano had cancerous tumors throughout his entire body when he gave this speech in 1993, 10 years after he led the North Carolina State Wolfpack to the NCAA Tournament Championship.  Two months later Jimmy V passed away.  It didn't matter how sick he was or how stacked the odds were against him.  Jim Valvano was going to win.  His mind set was that of believing in the power of positive reinforcement.  Valvano's life is like a motivational blueprint for how to maximize one's abilities.  As a coach he taught his players to rely on each other on and off the court.  He didn't just yell and scold his players.  He coached, yelled, scolded, listened, loved, talked, encouraged, inspired and motivated them.

To say the 1983 NC State team won against all odds is 100% factual.  They were a talented team, but they had no business winning the National Championship.  From the very beginning, Coach Valvano instilled a belief in the minds of his players.  He told them they would win the national title.  Year by year they got closer and closer.  1980 to 1983, Valvano's first class of players had become seniors and they had one last chance to realize their coach's dream to "cut the nets down."

They did the impossible.  They won the ACC Tournament.  They beat the defending champion Tar Heels & MJ.  They defeated Ralph Sampson and Virginia twice.  They overcame one deficit after another.  Coach Valvano game-planned and improvised strategically whenever the situation demanded it.  He coached with the same fervor and love that which he lived.  His players responded to every challenge.  Insurmountable odds meant nothing to Valvano's Wolfpack, for the only thing insurmountable was the dream & the belief.  And it wasn't just rah rah speeches and powerful words that carried that team to victory.  Sidney Lowe, Dereck Whittenburg, Ernie Myers and Thurl Bailey all averaged double figures in scoring while shooting close to %50 from the field for the season.  Finally in the Championship Game when the chips were all-in, the Wolfpack outcoached, outsmarted and outclassed the supremely talented and athletically gifted Phi Slamma Jamma University of Houston team, with 2 future NBA Hall of Famers Drexler & Olajuwon.

The story is too good for words, and the words don't come even close to the man Jim Valvano.  He was and is the words.  He wrote the script and directed the character of the characters along the journey.  The V Foundation created by Jimmy V and ESPN in his name, continues to provide for cancer research in the hope that one day another dream of Jim's will be reached.  Jim Valvano continues to inspire the World twenty years after he left us and he always will.  Visit the V Foundation for Cancer Research website, watch "The Speech" and prepare to be moved... http://www.jimmyv.org/

Country of Grammatica's & The Creed

In honor of NCAA Tournament time I'd like to tackle Excessive Celebrations.  No doubt the college kids from each hopeful school will eagerly be awaiting the opportunity to storm the courts in the tradition of youthful exuberance.  There's nothing wrong with students relishing in victory the same way athletes do.  Safety and the well-being of our fellow man/woman should always be of utmost concern, but it should not take away from the climactic experiences that can be had when passioniate fans emote.  A Fearful & Hypersensitive society has been created through the mass media's proliferation of scare tactic consumerism. But no need to get all Mike Moore on everyone.  Willy Wonka probably said it best, "A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men."

Granted, a healthy amount of restraint could do some good on the ever-present need for kids & adults alike to show-boat and look good, rather than play hard.  It infuriates me to hear NBA analysts like Jalen Rose proudly profess their willingness to 'get out of the way' of a potential highlight reel dunk, as opposed to Playing Defense.  Shudder the thought of actually making the effort to foul someone or attempt a shot block that might result in you getting dunked on.  Yet given any chance to shoot a 3 at the buzzer or perform a circus dunk so they can be seen on SportsCenter, most players will abandon all strategy in such circumstances to seek the flash bulbs.

Michael Jordan and ESPN undeniably have contributed to Sports & American Culture in many ways.  Though I never saw Jordan give the eye goggle after a 3, he did on rare occassion give a pointed stare or a monstrous-yell after thunder-dunking on someone.  And rightly so.  Making a great play is absolutely an appropriate time to express emotion and maybe a little flair.  But when every time-out becomes a mosh pit of jump-butt-bumping and dancing, the game begins to suffer.  When
did it become acceptable to celebrate every good play, instead of expecting & demanding such effort without unnecessary, added antics?  I prefer making the play and then making another play and then making another play and then another.  If my team needs a boost, I will shout out loud.  If the crowd is lackluster, I will try to get them up.  But I won't divert my attention from the task just to gain admiration.  I won't sacrifice my team or the win for the limelight.  Every player doesn't need a creed, but every player does need discipline.

Don't get me wrong.  I hate the NFL for being so anti-fun.  Fining players for high-socks and different colored wrist bands is beyond Corporate Conformist Fascism.  Endzone Celebrations & Rehearsed Dramatic Acting in football are welcome diametric occurrences from the rigid play calling and strict rule enforcement of the NFL.

Like any other discipline or activity, a Balance must be found to reach a harmony.  The Martial Arts teach people to appreciate their successes internally.  To supress ones overt jubilation is to realize a level of self-command most athletes will never understand.  The Point is to never sacrifice performance and strategy for popularity and attention.  Winning is not about Vanity.  Success is not a product of incessant celebration.  Learn to put others above yourself.  Sacrifice for the good of the Team.  Set a screen so your teammate gets an open look.  Get back on D.  And Wait to Celebrate.

2100 SATs, FAT Pockets & Scholarships

So I'm filling out my bracket in the Midwestern Region and I get to the #2 seed Duke Blue Devils.  All of a sudden I'm feeling very nostalgic about the first basketball team that got me interested in hoops.  It was 1992 and I'm in the middle of a Book-It Pizza Hut book reading challenge when I see they're giving away basketballs with the Final Four Team's logos on the front.  The Devils had won the NCAA Championship the year before and were looking to repeat with a squad of potential future NBA stars.  Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley were already college basketball royalty from the most prestigious private school in all the land.  Just a Side Note, tuition @ Duke University is $44,000/year so it's worth it if your family is rich or you've got a full ride.  The dopest squad in the country was seasoned & battle-tested for a Tournament that would prove epic.

Another team from the Midwest with five starting freshman on the come-up would meet Duke in the Final game.  The Blue Devils owned Michigan's Fab 5, 71- 51 to capture their second straight national title.  Before that game it took a full court pass, from the guy pictured below, and a turn-around, fade-away buzzer beater to defeat Kentucky in the greatest college basketball game ever.

This year, Duke's Tournament hopes are promising even with difficult placement in a region with Louisville, Michigan St and St. Louis.  Player for player, the Devils can match-up with any team in the country.  They have size up front with Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly.  Seth Curry, Tyler Thornton and Quinn Cook are all adept at shooting the 3 and can handle the rock.  Depth will be their biggest concern.  Rasheed Sulaimon is their other weapon inside, averaging double figures in scoring.  They do have a good mix of youth and experience (4 Seniors, 4 Freshman, 2 Juniors and 1 Sophomore).

No Team in College Basketball is perfect or anywhere near the level of the '92 Duke team.  Indiana is stacked with players, but they always lay an egg every couple games.  Louisville is the popular pick of the moment.  They're hot.  They've won 10 in a row, all while beating top 25 teams on the road and at home.  Kansas is very similar to Duke, but the Jayhawks are soft.  Louisville, Duke, Indiana and Ohio State are the teams most likely to win the Tournament.

Another item on my bucket list is to see a Duke game @ Cameron Indoor Stadium, now named Coach Krzyzewski (sha-shef-ski) Court.  The most innovative fans in Sports are the Cameron Crazies, always coming up with creative chants and supportive rooting techniques that seem to catch on everywhere.  The place looks tight & hot like a high school gym with the wood bleachers and student sectioning.  Has to be one of the top venues to watch a game.  #5 Alive Coach K!!!  Let's Go Duke!!!

Wilt Chamberlain

He was one of if not the most dominant player in the History of Sports.  A true legendary figure that changed the way his sport was played and paved the way for future athletes to succeed on and off the court.  To say he dominated the game doesn't even do justice to the level at which he excelled above his competition.  Wilt Chamberlain gave a face and a name to the term "Big Man" in the middle.  Basketball analysts refer to "the Big Dipper" as the quintessential Center when talking about the best players at their position from a historical perspective.

The Greatest Players always appear to be better than everyone else on the field or court by a wide margin.  And speaking of a wide margin, Chamberlain is responsible for the widening of the lane (16ft wide painted area under the basket was 12ft before Wilt).  This is significant in that players could no longer camp out closer to the basket and impose their will by physically overpowering
opponents for shorter shots at the hoop.  The 3-second rule, which was enacted from George Mikan's inside dominance in the 40s & 50s, affected the amount of time players could operate inside the paint with the ball.  3 seconds was more than enough time for Wilt, so the NBA decided to increase the paint area forcing Chamberlain further outside, making him work much harder to score.

The numbers Wilt Chamberlain put up illustrate just how ridiculously talented he was.  1959-60 as an NBA rookie he averaged 38 points and 27 rebounds.  In his third year he upped the scoring to !!!50!!! points and 26 rebounds per game.  The next year he averaged 45pts & 24rbs.  After the 63-64 season the NBA decided to make the rule changes because Wilt was dominating to the point of utter absurdity.  We're not talking 25 or 40 game seasons either.  The NBA Schedule is the same now as it was then.  82 games.  And Chamberlain was incredibly durable.  He played 80 games in nine of his fourteen seasons.  Wilt's dedication to physical fitness separated him from the rest of his skinny NBA contemporaries.

Here are some Chamberlain records: Only player to average 50 points in a season.  Only player to average 40 points in a season.  Most Points scored in a season 4029.  All-Time Leader in Rebounds 23,924.  Most points scored in a single game 100.  Only player to average 30pts & 20rbs for a season.  Had sex with over 20,000 women without contracting a single STD.  OK i embellished on that one a bit, just like Wilt did.  Several calculations have been done on that figure.  The actual number is closer to a couple thousand, if Wilt was as sexually active as he claimed (I was born in the wrong decade).

Chamberlain, like most transcendent people, was way ahead of his time.  He was a physical specimen unlike any other.  Wilt left college a year early to play for the Harlem Globetrotters because the NBA required college players to play 4 years.  He and famous Globetrotter teammate Meadowlark Lemon performed a skit where Wilt would throw Lemon into the air and catch him like a baby (Lemon was 210lbs).  According to Lemon, Wilt was the Strongest Athlete To Ever Live.

People debate Chamberlain's greatness with reference to the Era he played in and the fact he only won 2 NBA championships.  Fact is it takes a team to win.  Wilt and his teams played against the Greatest Celtics team, quite possibly the best basketball team ever.  Russell, Cousy, Havlicek, Jones, Sharman and Heinsohn coached by Red Auerbach won 11 championships in a 13 year span from 1957 to 1969.  5 of the top 50 NBA Greatest Players were on those Celtics teams.  Wilt Chamberlain won a title in '67 & '72 with the 76ers and Lakers.  After his basketball career Wilt continued with his entrepreneurial pursuits and acted in films.  Wilt played an integral part in the Cultural Shift of the time period from the 50s through the 70s.  He changed perceptions and made people take notice to the all-encompassing talents of black people.

Hall of Fame

What does it take to get into the Hall of Fame?  The typical answer is prolonged dominance. 10+ years of statistical excellence.  500 Home Runs.  10,000 Yards.  100 Touch Downs.  3000 hits.  20,000 points.  A lot of importance is also placed on winning.  Joe Namath put forth what most would consider below average stats, but he won an AFL Championship and a Super Bowl.  Namath is one of the least statistically accomplished professional athletes to gain entry into his sport's HOF.  He didn't break any barriers but I guess you could say he was a cultural vanguard.  He earned the moniker "Broadway Joe" for his flamboyant sideline wardrobe & for his bold prediction in Super Bowl III, which wouldn't have come true if Johnny Unitas started the game (Jets fans & Namath can thank their lucky stars for that fact).  I think if you asked guys like Deacon Jones or Jim Brown about Joe Willie, they'd give an interesting editorial on how screwing broads and doing commercials shouldn't get you into the Hall.  Or maybe that's just my take.

Football is the ultimate team sport.  Statistics are of less importance in a game where team cohesion and winning are the prime goals.  Although offensive positions like QB, RB and WR are often judged by the numbers, the act of getting the 'W' always supercedes individual accomplishments and stats.  The Pittsburgh Steelers are the best example of this premise.  Players like Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth won 4 Super Bowls for the Steelers from 1975 to 1980, but none of them accumulated 'the numbers' usually attributed to top offensive players.  The three of them were elected to the Hall of Fame along with five other members from that team.  Obviously the "Steel Curtain" defense of the 70s Steelers teams played the most prominent role in their victories, but in the NFL key role players are rewarded when teams win multiple championships.

Baseball & Basketball are historically different from Football in this regard.  The Yankees in MLB and the Celtics in the NBA have a host of players in their respective HOFs, none of whom achieved average or below average statistically with the exception of Phil Rizzuto (Sorry Scooter).  The intangibles i.e. personality, leadership, drive, intensity etc... won't get you into Cooperstown or Springfield.  The Yankees of the late 90s, early 2000s won 4 titles in 5 years.  Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are the only two that will be enshrined from those teams (Tim Raines & Andy Petite might get in eventually).

Recently Major League Baseball's 2013 HOF ballot was unanimously rejected by the Baseball Writers Association.  The last time this occurred was 1996.  Biggio, Bonds, Clemens, Piazza, Schilling and Sosa were all on the ballot for the first time.  The unified snub was an indictment on the 'Steroid Era' and a clear message to all those suspected of PED use.  You're not going to get in without a fight or proof that %50 of the league was doing it.  All the HOFs have Character & Integrity criteria in their guidelines so until the Writers feel they've made the suspected players wait long enough, guys like Bonds and Clemens will be made to suffer maybe 10 extra years added to the 5 they must wait after retiring.

If you want to know what a First Ballot Hall of Famer looks like just look at the picture above.

10 Favorite Sports Movies

10 - Hoop Dreams - A story of 2 inner city boys who become men through basketball and all the hardships of life.  William & Arthur endure the highs and lows of high school stardom and drama.  Almost every kid can relate to dreaming of making the Pro's.  And almost every adult can relate to that dream not coming true...
9 - Varsity Blues - This is the film that gave birth to all the other high school sports movies, tv shows and reality series' post 1998.  Highly underrated movie only because of some teenage hijinx, but that is what makes it authentic.  Friday Night Lights got their blueprint from this film.  Good Old American Southern Football with jock-parents, girls, booz and high-on-their-horse coaches.  And a half-time speech that's been repeated probably over a million times since (Tebow @ Florida).
8 - Eight Men Out - The 1919 Chicago White Sox became known as "The Black Sox."  The film focuses on the character of each player as the story unfolds.  You choose the ones you like and
dislike, but in the end everyone loses, except the Owners and Bookmakers.  If you don't like baseball, it may not be your cup of tea.  But if you like it when a movie holds the mirror up to your face, which is the main purpose of film, then this one is for you.
7 - When we were Kings - Documentary of "The Rumble in the Jungle," fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.  All the real footage, interviews, sparring, pre-fight hype and touring
around Zaire, Africa.  Ali, no longer the young punk but the elder statesman, is at his mental zenith.  He uses his guile to befriend the entire continent of Africa and hoodwinks young Foreman.  A true look inside the psyche of both Fighters and a host of other real-life characters pulling the strings.
6 - The Hurricane - A true story so powerful Bob Dylan wrote a song about it.  Not necessarily a film about sports or anything in a sporting context, but the backdrop is a champion boxer in a whole lot of trouble.  Ruben "Hurricane" Carter is middleweight champion of the world, but in 1960s America he is subject to great injustice.  One young fan takes a leap of faith, changing everything.  Great Film.
5 - The Sandlot - Baseball is my first love so this film cracks my top 5.  Every neighborhood has a kid that can run faster, jump higher and throw further than anyone else.  The Sandlot is no different.  And if you grew up in a town where you and a bunch of other kids roamed the streets and fields like you owned the place, then you'll appreciate this one.  It'll make you feel like it's Summer Time & you're twelve-years-old all over again. 
4 - Field of Dreams -  For every Father who played catch with his son in the back yard.  A little romance and fantasy for the heart to grow fonder.  This is the quintessential Baseball Film, for if you love the game, it will love you back in ways you can only imagine.
3 - Rocky - For story, for film, for setting and dialogue Rocky is the best sports movie.  Running up the Philadelphia Metropolitan Museum steps should be on every sports-fan's bucket list (and posting it to YouTube for the younger generation:).  We all enter this world as underdogs no matter what our circumstances.  It's the people we grow up around and the choices we make that determine who we become.  But then again, in America serendipitous things occur everyday to ordinary people.  Great Soundtrack too.
2 - Rounders - A film that will change your life if you ever sat at a table with a deck of cards and a stack of cash on the line.  Play the hand you've been dealt, but don't forget the people sitting across from you.  One of the most underrated films.  Damon & Norton are young & reckless, while Turturro & Landau are the experienced wisemen.  Turn a couple hundred into a couple thousand, a couple thousand into a hundred-thousand, then into a million & World Series of Poker Bracelets.  Like Poker or not, this movie is just plain cool.
1 - The Fan - Baseball.  I may be biased, but love makes it so.  My sinister side is the same as I throw.  I hit with a style that sprays to all fields.  Lined at the pitcher's head until he yields.  This film begins with a poem similar in nature.  A man scorned by life recites the words.  His retreat from a world of injustice and regret is the game that's pure.  "baseball is better than life; because it's fair!"  De Niro is the fan whom we appreciate, but only from a distance.  His passion is contagious, his rage frightening.  My Dad once said with a chuckle, "You're sick for liking this movie."  He understands me:)

I WORK OUT...

The Number 1 question I get as a Personal Trainer is: How do I burn the fat off my stomach, hips, thighs, butt, etc...?  The answer is simple.  GET YOUR HEART RATE UP.

The Human Body is a complex machine capable of amazing feats and keeping it In Shape is suprisingly easy.  The amount of exercise techniques, programs, dvd's, machines, diets, gyms and celebrity trainers have created a $20 billion Fitness Industry.  There are so many choices & so much information available, people don't know where to start or what to believe.  First off, don't think about eating food as eating FATS or eating CARBS or eating PROTEIN.  Think about your food as ENERGY.  Because that is what food is for.  You eat food for ENERGY, period.  Second, EXERCISE is all about working your body to consume more OXYGEN.  Your HEART beats faster, making your body transfer or pump BLOOD & OXYGEN faster i.e. getting your heart rate up.  When you do this, you burn more energy (fats, carbs, sugars, meats, cheeses, burgers, salads, bananas, slim jims, water, apples, milk, soda, mcdonalds, beans, etc...).

Burning Fat takes time.  Just like gaining fat takes time.  You don't gain 1lb of fat by going to your favorite fast food restaurant and pigging out (It takes approximately 3500 fat calories to equal 1lb of fat, that means you would have to eat about 5 Double Quarter Pounders in one sitting).  Now, if your diet consists of regular visits to these restaurants and consistent large quantity fat consumption, then you are more likely to gain fat.  Wow! Big Surprise!  If you eat a lot of fat, you will get fat!  Eating Fast Food once or twice a week is not going to make you fat.  You don't have to feel bad about yourself for going to McDonald's or Wendy's a few times a week.  Just remember, you should eat a varied range of food groups i.e. Fruits &Vegetables, Milk &Dairy, Meat & Fish, Bread & Cereal and Fats & Sugars.

A Good Diet is all about Variation.  You should eat a variety of foods.  And if at all possible, eat 5 - 7 meals per day.  That means 5 to 7 smaller meals.  5 to 7!!!  I know not very realistic.  So instead of 5 to 7 try 4 or 5.  The Idea behind eating more consistently throughout the day is to keep a steady flow of energy in your body, which will allow your body to stay in a consistent energy building & burning cycle or the Krebs Cycle.  Eating 2 or 3 larger meals per day disrupts the Body's natural energy burning cycle.  If you've ever heard the term METABOLISM, you know a FAST Metabolism is preferred over a SLOWER Metabolism.  METABOLISM is the rate at which your body consumes, breaks down and transfers energy to all systems of the body (When you eat, your body breaks down the food into energy).  Keeping your Body in this cycle of Energy Building & Burning makes your METABOLISM FASTER.  Now not everyone has a schedule that allows for consistent food eating, so keep it simple.  Try to have a Healthy Snack in between your Meals.  This way you will not be as
hungry when you sit down for your next MEAL & you will keep your METABOLISM faster.

Now that you have EATEN and your Body has Energy, you can EXERCISE.  It helps to exercise at least 1 Hour AFTER you've eaten, that way you've digested the food to the point where you won't throw it up:)  Some people are afraid or cringe at the word, "Exercise."  If you don't like the word, then think of it as MOVING.  Just get MOVING.  JUMP, RUN, SWIM, BOUNCE, BIKE, JOG, WALK, THROW, CLIMB, SWING, BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, FUTBOL, BASEBALL, VOLLEYBALL, TRACK, GYM, TRAIL, SIDEWALK, STREET, FIELD, PUSH-UP, PULL-UP, SIT-UP, LEG-LIFT, BENCH-PRESS, LEG-PRESS, LIFT, PULL, PUSH, STRETCH, BREATHE, DRINK, KICK, PUNCH, ROLL, DODGE, TWIST, TURN, DANCE, SWEAT, HYDRATE, TUG-O-WAR, NINJA WARRIOR, PARKOUR, PLAYGROUND, YMCA, GOLD'S, PLANET, LA, 24-HOUR, HOUSE, BEDROOM, BASEMENT, ATTIC, LIVING ROOM.

The choices & locations for Exercise are endless.  As long as you choose 1 or maybe a couple of them, you'll be in Better Shape for it.  If you can do 15 or 20 minutes everyday you'll be in Better Shape.  And don't worry about how much or how little you do.  As long as you're doing something and not just sitting, you'll be GREAT.  TRY TO BREAK A SWEAT.  If you're SWEATING and BREATHING FASTER than normal, then you're doing it right.  I hope this helps someone.  & if you need more motivation or someone to direct you, send me an email or call me @717 693 2374

30 for 30: You don't Know Bo

ESPN 30 for 30 has a great piece on Bo Jackson, "You don't Know Bo."  The film details Bo's brief, but mythic careers in baseball & football.  This film is Pure Sports Nostalgia Greatness.  You'd think Bo Jackson was the inventor of the Sportscenter Top 10, what used to be the "Plays of the Week."  Director Michael Bonfiglio commentates during breaks in the film, detailing his choices and reasoning.  "I wanted to present Bo Jackson as this Superhero figure."  Bonfiglio does just that.  Crazy thing is at the time that's exactly how people viewed Bo.  The Nike commercials added to the mythology of Jackson and serve as a mirror for the present state of Branded Culture we live in.  Professional Athletes & Clothing Brands amalgamated in the 80s, lifting Nike into the stratosphere of Fortune Companies, thanks to guys like Mike & Bo.  Not many people can say they've never heard of Michael Jordan or Bo Jackson or better yet never owned a pair of Nike's.  http://www.ddotomen.com/2012/12/10/30-for-30-you-dont-know-bo-full-episode/

I was just becoming a sports fan when Bo Jackson's career was coming to an end, so I was really transfixed by this film.  I knew about Bo from friends and from the Nike commercial, but I never saw him play except for with the White Sox.  I felt almost as if I missed a major cultural happening while seeing the footage of him in Kansas City and with the Raiders.  The film illustrates Bo being more than just sports.  Bo was a once in a lifetime athlete who possessed skills even Michael Jordan had to envy.  Imagine being a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Baseball Hall of Fame.  How ridiculous is that?  That's exactly where Bo Jackson was headed.

And think about watching Bo Jackson run the 40 @ the NFL Combine today.  The Headline would be on every Web page and Newspaper: BO JACKSON RUNS 4.12 40-YARD DASH!!!!!  The Baseball Story would of course be very skeptical and negative.  No one would believe he wasn't on HGH.  Infact, if Bo Jackson began his pro career now, he might be the reason Pro Sports mandate testing for HGH.  His abilities were literally unbelievable.  That throw he made from Left Field in the Kingdome to gun down Harold Reynolds was Cyborg-Like.  His diving catches were more like Gymnastic Maneuvers.  Bo beat out ground balls to 2nd base no player ever did before.  NO PLAYER EVER.  And then he was gone.

The tackle that broke Bo's hip was done by Kevin Walker of the Cincinatti Bengals.  The play is the antithesis & the destruction of Bo Jackson's pro career.  Though you'd never know it from watching it.  The only noticeable, alarming image from the play is an abrupt jerk and hyperextension of Bo's lower left side.  The replay is not gruesome, but it does make possible injury apparent.  A simple summation: It just didn't look right.  Bo's left hip could not withstand the negative force placed on his right side, while his left leg broke free and continued to gallop.  The Negative force placed on his right side from the tackle, coupled with the awkward angle & immense left side positive force snapped his hip.  Bo's unmatched power, the gift that separated him from every other athlete, ironically caused the injury.

Bo's teammates, friends, fans, coaches and colleagues all sing his praises.  The film marvels at Bo Jackson like the comic book hero Superman.  Not just for his ability but for his humility.  He was not cocky or arrogant.  A man with that much talent and he's as unassuming as any guy on the street.  The Nike commercial was cool.  The reality is even cooler.  Bo knows Humility.  Bo knows Humanity.  Bo Jackson is one of the Greatest Athletes.  Maybe even the Greatest.  Not a Myth or a Legend, but a Man.