I’m crying tonight because Cubs legend Ernie Banks has died at 83 and part of me is glad that my hero and friend no longer has to be here reading about a culture of crass, corrupt, evil, greedy, losers cheat their way to fame and fortune in sports any more.
I’m not asking people to play for the love of the game when there’s millions of dollars at stake every minute, but for god’s sake please think about Ernie Banks when you put that needle in your vein or deflate your balls. But I repeat myself..
I hate contemporary pro sports.
With the frickin’ replay and the steroids, public relations and ginormous Jumbo Trons – I can’t stand it anymore. Sorry, I know you’re making more money than you ever have, but the product sucks. The athletes are jerks and the leagues will forgive and cover-up for rapists, cheaters, abusers, losers and serial maniac lunatics if it means three more dollars in their bank accounts.
Yeah I used to ride my bike to Wrigley Field and dream I’d be a pro baseball player one day and yes – I’m old school – but explain to me how sports are somehow better today with a culture of thuggery, wife-beaters, cheaters and illiterates?
Give me Ernie Banks any day, my friends. Gold Glove, Triple-Crown, 500 steroid-free homers and never turned a fan down for an autograph, a smile, a word of encouragement.
My god he is the most wonderful person to ever grace pro sports. The love of the game is Ernie and the love of the game is dead… It’s over, it’s all over.
You know what? If you’re sitting there trying to think up something to justify modern sports and modern stars – go climb up a rope. We got nothing but hyped-up greedy illiterates dressed-up like humpbacks, disguised as athletes and trotted out with talking points for the most part out there.
I remember in 1985 we had a guy named William “The Refrigerator” Perry, named so because he weighed over three hundred pounds.
A freak.
Guess what – everybody on the offensive and defensive line now weighs in over three biscuits and no one is nick-named after an appliance because the age of steroids and cheating is the every day norm. Nobody cares.
You all are witnessing a bunch of losers trying to win. By cheating, lying and knocking their girlfriends out in an elevator on video. But you won’t stop paying your money because you want your stupid team to win and that’s all that counts today – winning.
I will always love you, Ernie Banks – because you deserve it. And I’m a fan who deserves you.
Friend Rodney Lee on Facebook – if you dare. No one turned away.
Banks began his professional baseball career at 19 when he signed a contract with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues. After two years in the army, Banks’ contract was sold by the Monarchs to the Cubs for $10,000. Starting in 1954, he rarely left the Cubs lineup for 18 years. Banks rose to stardom in 1955 with a 44 home run season. He won the National League MVP in 1958 and 1959.
Friend me on Facebook – if you dare. No one turned away.
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