Nothing in life is easy.  You have to bust your hump to succeed in this world.  You praise yourself when you've reached a goal.  Then you try to get your new wireless network up and running and end up feeling like the dumbest man who ever took a breath; that plus a few other reflections on the things I’ve picked up over the past few days. 

Manny being D-U-M-B

I’m pretty lax when it comes to professional athletes being fragile and needing special treatment.  I can only imagine that living a life under a big, hot, spotlight is hard.  Their family, friends, fans, charities, team management, the press, their publicists, sponsors and many others pull them in every direction imaginable.  You would think that any professional athlete would relish in the comfort of teammates during training camp.  It’s an escape.  It’s your time to focus on your job.  So why is Manny picking up the Pedro torch and showing up late to camp on March 1?  Everyone else is going to be there on Wednesday.  It’s not determined, but if Manny plays in the WBC then he leaves the Sox a day later on March 2.  Huh?  Does this even make the slightest sense? 

There are two things at play here and I’m sure the truth will surface when the Kennedy Assassination Report is released.  There is either a trade in the works and management doesn’t want Manny to suffer a groin injury while walking to Outback Steakhouse or to quote Tanaka from Major League 2 "You have no... you have no... marbles.  You have no marbles. "  This reeks of the latter, which means it’s an ownership decision.  I’m sorry, but my sensitive side takes a backseat to brutal truth when I’m paying somebody $20 million/year to play baseball.  I could care less about hurting Manny’s feelings.  Show up and play. 

Unfortunately, Manny is taking advantage of a clause in the collective bargaining agreement that states a player has until March 1 to show up to camp, without the risk of being fined or suspended, regardless of when the team schedules the start of their spring training season.  This is where the marbles come into play (no pun intended...ok maybe a little).  If management has none then it's going to be a debacle of a season filled with headaches and anuerysms, thus forcing me to start my daring escape from the Manny Express Bandwagon.  However, if they do possess a sack of marbles then I'd play the same game Manny is playing.  You want to hold things to the letter of the contract?  Fine, then we're going to be thorns in your side by holding your responsibility as a player to the absolute, black & white, letter of the "law".  No more babying.  No more "Manny being Manny".  No more Tito "Everyone has their own personality" crap that he learned in the Dick Vermeil Sentivity Training seminar.  Put your foot down and tell him you aren't standing for it anymore.

NBC SUX

I do not know one person who has said to me “Wow, did you watch so and so at the Olympics?” or “How about that hot luger from Moldovia?”.  This pre-packaged garbage has got to stop.  If the justification for pre-recorded, prime time viewing is higher ratings then it’s a false one.  Of course they’re higher, because NBC saves the sports that people really want to watch for this time slot.  On top of it, they save the really good stuff for the 11pm-12am timeslot.  Well if you’re going to bombard me with 2 hours of ice dancing prior to the bobsled finals then chances are I’m watching neither. 

I’ve seen three events live since the Olympics started.  They are cross country skiing, curling and hockey.  I’m fascinated with curling so I cannot complain about that and I love hockey, but when I cannot see downhill/freestyle skiing, snowboarding, speed skating, bobsled and luge until 11 pm every night then I’m watching something else.  To screw your precious ratings I’m checking online for results after they occur.  When an event like the Olympics occurs every four years you appreciate and remember when everything stopped because you had to catch a HUGE event.  You sneak out of work to a bar, pop into a TV shop to watch in silence or go home.  It’s not like we get the chance to do this all the time and NBC has sucked the fun right out of it.

Team USA Hockey

Who picks these teams?  It’s not like you need to worry about sponsorships or selling tickets.  I want to see them succeed more than anything, but when I have to subject my eyes to watching old, slow, players like Chelios (He’s 44 years old!) Modano, Thachuk, Guerin and Hatcher I’m going to cry.  It’s painful to watch them on that big sheet of ice against those graceful skaters from Europe.  On top of that they appear to play with no heart.  If you have a chance to catch the Swiss team you’ll see what you’re supposed to do when the talent level of the opposition is superior.  More Gionta and Gomez and less AARP please.

Bad Moves

Bode Miller and his tank job.  Oversensitive.  Overwhelmed.  Oversaturated.  It’s like last year was his contract year and now that he’s gotten his money he’s on cruise control. 

Lindsay Jacobellis and he moment of zen.  Why showboat when you are 3 seconds away from a gold medal and a guarantee of 10 more Dunkin Donuts ads?

Speaking of every four years the World Cup will be upon us soon.  I read that Ronaldo went to the Manny Ramirez School of Overpaid Sensitive Athletes and whined that he’s not appreciated.  Again, when you’re paid $20 million a year just shut the vocal apparatus and play.

My Fast

“Sweetie, you make it’s really hard to hear the sound of the engine with all that yakkin.”  Seeing that ad may be the only reason I’ve watched the Olympics.