the value of 12 years worth of brilliance. Id from corse178's blog
Rafael Nadal?is into the quarterfinals at the Olympics in his first tournament in two-plus months. Nike Juvenate Hvid .Nadal, winner of 14 Grand Slam events, beat 15th-seeded Gilles Simon of France 7-6 (5), 6-3 in a match delayed a day by rain. He also plays doubles and mixed doubles later Thursday.The 2008 gold medalist withdrew from the French Open because of an injured left wrist and has said he wouldnt be playing this week if it werent the Olympics.Nadal was supposed to be Spains flag-bearer in 2012 but missed the London Games because of a bad knee. He finally led out the delegation at last Fridays opening ceremony.In his toughest test of his three singles matches so far, Nadal had 28 unforced errors in the first set but just 12 in the second. Nike Huarache Sort . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Air Huarache Triple Pure Platinum Hvid .com) - The Montreal Canadiens embark on their first road trip of the season as they head out west to battle the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. http://www.nikehuarachedanmark.com/ . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. There once was a time when every team in baseball deserved to have an All-Star to call its own. Unfortunately, that time was, oh, about 1957. Not now.So on Tuesday night, when the 2016 All-Star teams were announced, Eduardo Nunez wound up on this team -- as the Minnesota Twins mandatory rep -- but Carlos Correa didnt.And Alex Colome was on this roster -- as the Tampa Bay Rays designated All-Star -- but Aroldis Chapman wasnt.The Philadelphia Phillies had to have an All-Star, too, so Odubel Herrera will be jetting to San Diego. Not that he hasnt had a nice year. But Starling Marte wont be there (unless he wins the Final Vote nuttiness). And neither will Gregory Polanco. And thats just crazy.Now before I go on here and set the Twitterverse ablaze, I want you to understand where Im coming from. Im not writing this to dump ice water on Nunez, Colome or Herrera. Im genuinely happy for all of them. Theyre about to enjoy the experience of a lifetime. And I guarantee you that not so long ago, they never saw that coming.Nunez was once stuck behind that Derek Jeter guy in New York and didnt get a chance to play regularly until he was 29 years old. Colome is an emergency closer who probably would have finished about 18th on your preseason list of most likely Rays pitchers to make the All-Star team. And Herrera has now completed that improbable journey from Rule 5 pick to All-Star, which happens about as often as we launch a satellite to Jupiter.Im also not writing this to imply that I believe the Twins, Rays and Phillies should have their franchises wiped off the face of the baseball map. I obviously dont think that. I have tremendous respect for the history of those teams, the fans of those teams and the people who run those teams.So this isnt about them, even though I predict that about 750,000 people who wont bother reading this far will conclude otherwise. You know what this is about? Its about the All-Star Game. About what it means. And about what makes it great.Well, this just in: What makes it great isnt finding a way to cram a utility guy from a team 27 games under .500 onto the roster, only because somebody wearing that uniform has to be there.I laid out that scenario to a longtime baseball executive this week. Pointed out that Nunez, fine fellow that he is, was almost certainly going to make this team, but guys such as Correa and Ian Kinsler probably werent. The exec I was speaking with had an instant, heated reaction.That, he said, emphatically, would be wrong.And whats so wrong about it? Heres what: This is no longer just a show. No longer just three hours of yuks and big swings. No longer just ann evening for the best pitchers in the sport to see what kind of crazy numbers they can hang on the radar board. Nike Huarache Grå. And you know why?The. Game. Now. Means. Something.Doesnt matter how you feel about baseballs decision to use the All-Star Game to determine who gets home-field advantage in the World Series. Its a real thing. It has an actual impact on who rides on the parade floats. So why the heck arent the 36 biggest stars in each league about to line up on those foul lines Tuesday night?Well, they wont be. And wheres the logic in that?If it was just an entertainment thing, then who cares? the same exec vented. Put anybody you want out there. But if it matters, put the best players out there.This really isnt a complicated concept, is it? Does the sport want the game to count for something, or doesnt it? If it does, then the hallowed every team has to have an All-Star rule is dumb. Makes no sense. Doesnt fit the narrative.Big game. Huge game. Not just an exhibition game, like those other sports All-Star shows. This one counts! (Except for the part in which we overlook some of our biggest stars so other, less-deserving guys can go.)Where is Kinsler on that American League roster? Where is Adrian Beltre? Where is Dustin Pedroia? Where is Chris Davis? Where is Nelson Cruz? Those men are Stars with a capital S.Where is Brandon Crawford in the National League? Where is Matt Holliday? Where is Max Scherzer? Id be fine with Yadi Molina, because I understand the value of 12 years worth of brilliance. Id even be cool with Ichiro Suzuki, as he chases his 3,000th hit. Those gentlemen belong in an All-Star Game because they, too, are Stars.And if anyone ever elects me as the All-Star Roster Czar, I promise that I will always err on the side of star power. You want to make sure you continue to have the greatest All-Star Game in sports? Keep those stars coming. Its a star-driven society. Feed it.There must be other ways to acknowledge the best players on the worst teams in baseball besides giving them a real All-Star. How about, if youre on pace to lose 100 games on July 1, you get to send an honorary All-Star to the Midsummer Classic? He can wave to the crowd. He can get an invitation to the gala. He can hang out in the clubhouse. He just cant take up a spot that could be used on a more deserving luminary.Just follow my simple logic. You want the game to count? Send in the stars.And if you want someone there from every team? mused the exec quoted earlier. Send the mascots. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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