Rick_Garcia's Blog

Let it go Brett!
You have been the poster boy for class the past 17 years in the NFL. Your teammates admired you. Your opponents respected you and your fans loved you. When you bid a tearful good bye last March football fans came to grips with the fact they would never see your gritty play again. After all Brett we thought you might retire two seasons earlier. At the end of the 2006 season you made it sound like you were done. You have nothing left to prove. You have a super bowl ring. You have shattered records. And now you may be breaking hearts!
Why did you ask the Packers to give you your unconditional release? They are now damned if they do,,,damned if they don't! If they allow you to come back for another season at the age of 38 then your understudy Aaron Rodgers will be forced to watch his 5th season from the bench. Sports is steeped with the not so rich tradition of superstars fighting one too many fight (Ali), Playing one too many games (Mays,Jordan) and being practically embarrassed doing it.
If the Packers release you... their fiercest rivals could sign you and rub it in the face of the team that has cherished you, paid you well and treated you with the ultimate respect. Go away Brett.
Ride off into the sunset with your head held high. That's how we want to remember you!

Nothing like a wedding to test a couples love for each other!
Take my buddy Rob and his fiancee Regina. I've changed their names to preserve the pending nuptials. A wonderful couple in their mid 30's who have both been married before. But when Regina was married the first time her mom was the wedding planner leaving Regina nothing to do but show up. When Rob was married the first time it was short and sweet. Vegas style. So both figured this would be their first REAL wedding.
Now this may come as no surprise to anyone that weddings can bring out the worst in people...BUT THEY CAN!
Rob is a low key guy. Says he wants things to be perfect for his bride. And like many grooms Rob is happy to stay as far away from the planning as necessary. Regina seems cool with that to a point. On one hand she wants to feel like her husband is really into this wedding. So she asks his opinion of things. Problem is she doesnt like the answer most of the time. For example. Regina found a dress. Rob liked it. As soon as he told her that she decided she needed to look for another. Three dresses later and three deposits to go with them she has finally found a dress. Now, She only lost the despoit on one dress since the store with the second dress allowed her to apply the deposit to the brides maids dresses. Oh, the brides maids! More on them in a minute.
Time to pick out the cake. A fun, taste testing experience for Rob. And guess what? He liked the first cake. Three cakes later and two more lost deposits and this loving couple has found their cake.
Did I hear someone say "what about the music" ? Well Rob picked his favorite three songs for the reception. Regina chose 10. Regina didn't like Rob's choices and of her 10 , Rob didn't recognize three or four of them. When he asked why she chose songs he wasn't familiar with, she said, "but they have meaning". To which Rob responded., "They don't mean anything to me since I have never even heard them".
At this point Rob has resigned his position as assistant wedding planner. And is still hoping to be invited to the wedding at all.
But let's not forget the bridesmaids. You see, they don't care much for their dresses and have since let the Bride know it with just weeks to go before the big day. She is now a wreck and wants Rob to help her figure out what to do. Yes, the same Rob who's opinion has been shot down nearly every time he has expressed it.
Well I must tell you I am looking forward to the wedding. But I think Rob may need a good therapist to help him recover from the "happiest day of his life"!

If you play golf regularly you probably understand when I say I hate golf.
That's the problem. I've played sports my entire life. Was pretty decent at anything I tried. Except golf!
Let me get this out of the way. My index is 21. That makes my handicap at my home course Valencia Country Club 23. For those of you who don't play golf. An 18 hole golf course with a par 72 pretty much means that I average a score of 95 or higher when I play a round.
Not very impressive to some. And sadly I look good on the tee. It's just by the end of the round I have a terrible score. Here's the thing. Golf is like a relationship. You're feeling euphoric one minute...crazy  the next. I mean there's nothing like walking around the serene, lush, green outdoors watching the wildlife. It's the kinda thing that makes you call home to tell your family you love 'em. The next minute, you're 117 yards out and you hit it fat sending that little white ball a measly 50 yards. The hole in the ground you've left behind should be surrounded by caution tape so nobody falls in. You know how many clubs we've bent or broken after that shot?! And yet we come back. Giving away more of our hard earned money on green fees, equipment, attire. Why?
For that one shot. That amazing, beautiful shot that we stick right next to the hole. Man that feels good!
Boy I love golf!

Great news Lakers fans!
 In the same breath I can pat myself on the back for predicting the Boston Celtics would beat the Lakers in the NBA finals before the playoffs even began, I can say with confidence the Lakers are the team to beat next season.
Here's why:
The Lakers will add one very important player in the off season. And he's a player they already have.  Andrew Bynum. I know Bynum only really had three good weeks this season but even forgetting his steady improvement, Bynum has something that will make a big difference next year. A big body. With Bynum down low fighting for the much needed rebounds the Lakers couldnt grab against the Celtics, Pau Gasol can the move outside and play a more natural position. Lamar Odom can also concentrate on scoring more as a 4th option taking some pressure off him. But the Lakers will need one more fix. Defense...Defense...Defense!!
The it was easy to call the Celtics champs in advance....they know how to play defense like a college team. Aggressive,smart and like a team. If the Lakers learn the importance of defense...get Bynum back and healthy...mix in Kobe's new affection for team play and the sky or should I say the NBA Championship is the limit!

So Cheer up Lakers'  fans. This is one case where "there's always next year" really means something!

Maybe it's because this is the first time they have met in the NBA finals in 21 years. But it just doesn't have the feel of those magical series from the 80's. Perhaps if we see the these Lakers and Celtics in the finals a few more times maybe we will learn to hate or love them.
See that's the key to a great rivalry. Wasn't it fun Lakers fans to hate Robert Parish, Larry Bird, Kevin Mchale and Cedric Maxwell. They were the bad guys. The cowboys who wore black hats. You remember Kurt Rambis getting thrown around like a rag doll. Those Celtics were characters. So were Magic, Kareem, Worthy and Cooper. I'll bet fans all over Boston cursed those Lakers all day long too! But for some reason today's Lakers and Celtics just don't seem to have that edge. Sometimes I think it's because I don't get the impression they play as much for the name on the front of the jersey as they do for the endorsements they hope to get as individuals. It's funny but I was thrown for a loop one day when I was covering sports in Phoenix Arizona some years ago. I was at a Suns practice one day and was interviewing Maurice Lucas. Lucas was sort of an enforcer in the NBA. Wasn't afraid to mix it up on the court. That's why the Lakers signed him in '85. I asked Mo if he could pick one guy to be his teammate who would it be. Magic??? Kareem??? Jordan??? He told me he'd want Danny Ainge. I was shocked. Ainge??? The ANTI-Laker? Lucas told me he'd take Ainge over everybody else for the same reason he hated playing against him. The guy was tough. The guy hustled. The guy would step in front of a bus for his teammates. Ainge was just one example of that era.
Characters! Guys who would try to bash your head in on the court. But would give you the shirt off their back off it!
This years Lakers/Boston series looks like a great one. But it may take another one next season or the season after to convince me these guys should be put on the same shelf with the Lakers and Celtics of the '80's.

Refer to my previous blog dated April 18th titled "Lakers close but no cigar".
In that blog I predicted the Lakers would win the West. I also predicted the Celtics would take the East. So far so good. But bad news for Lakers fans. I predicted the Celtics would beat the Lakers in the NBA finals. I just don't think the match-up favors the Lakers. This series will come down to defense. My fear is the Lakers are vulnerable in that area. But here is the intangible,. Phil Jackson may be the key. He can out coach Doc Rivers in my opinion. But does he have the horses for Garnett, Pierce and Allen? And will Kobe listen to him down the stretch in crunch time and run down the shot clock instead of putting up an ill-advised shot giving the Celtics one more chance to score? (Remember game 4 in San Antonio?)

I challenge you to think with your mind basketball fans and not your heart and tell me who you think will win this series and why?

In my 21 years covering sports in Los Angeles one thing has been consistent. More celebrities seem to go to Lakers' games than any other sport in the country. I was at the Lakers/Spurs playoff game the other night and did my usual people watching. Saw Denzel, Tobey and Eva. Of course Eva Longoria is sort of obligated to go since her husband Tony Parker plays for San Antonio. I also saw Beckham but he doesn't count since he is a soccer star. Then again his wife Posh was with him and she counts since she's an entertainer. Jack was there too. But I don't think he should count any more. I consider Jack more a member of the Lakers than an Oscar winner. He knows the triangle offense better than Kobe.
I see celebs at Dodger stadium and Kings,Ducks and Clippers games too. But not nearly as many as I do for a Lakers' game. A close second might be a major championship boxing match. De La Hoya and Tyson could pack the stars in but that was only once or twice a year. It's one big mutual admiration society. Stars and athletes. But the Lakers win the award when it comes to being admired by Hollywood.
If you were a celebrity, who would you have front row seats to see?

Went back to my old high school the other night. It was senior night at Quartz Hill High and I was there to hand out a couple of scholarships to some kids.
A couple of years ago a series of events inspired me to create the Unity Award.
The first event was the sad and untimely death of one of my daughter's classmates. When I used to pick her up at school she would point out the boy to me. Said he was strange. That he was always in trouble and that nobody liked him. So I guess I didn't like him. Eventually she got to know the kid and became one of his few friends. Turns out he came from a broken home. Sounds like he was abused in many ways. I never got to know him. As I said I had already judged him and didn't want my daughter hanging around him. I wish I would have gotten to know him. He eventually committed suicide. Maybe I could've done something to help him.
Around that same time I was anchoring the news one night on Channel 13 and I wound up having to read a story about the arrests of some students on the campus of my old high school. Apparently they were in the process of planning a Columbine style attack.
Geez, High School isn't what it was when I went in the late 70's. Or is it?
So often these kids who either take their own lives or the lives of others are the outcasts. My school was full of cliques back in the day. And there were kids when I went to school who I didn't feel I could be caught dead talking to. Why is that?
I wonder what would happen if we ever took the time to say to hello to someone who isn't like us. Just let a stranger know someone knows they're alive.
The Unity Award is presented to two students who write the best essay on what the words "tolerance" and "inclusive" mean to them. And how THEY can bring students from all walks of life together.
One conclusion I think I've come to about tolerance is. Outcasts don't isolate themselves from us as much as we try to keep them isolated. Now why on earth do we do that? Some people have a hellish existence. It's what makes them act out the way they do. And sometimes the rest of us perpetuate those actions by either ignoring them or bullying them.
I challenged the QHHS graduating class of 2008 to do one thing in the final days of their high school careers. Just say hello to one person who they went out of their way to avoid. The picked on kid. The outcast. Just tell them what a pleasure it was going to school with them. May not make much of a difference.
But at this point isn't it worth the shot? I mean would it kill any of us to be nice to someone who rarely has anything nice happen to them?

It's the best kept secret in sports. But why?
 I was at Staples Center not long ago doing an interview with Lakers center Andrew Bynum. During the interview I heard some noise coming from an adjacent room that sounded almost like motivational speaking. After I wrapped up with Andrew I went next door and met a man who now was alone in the room. His name is Rick Harville. And he is the Lakers' Chaplain. Heck I didn't know there was a team chaplain. I'd heard of prayers on the basketball court. I'd even heard of prayers from fans. But players actually praying?
Now I'm not naive. I was raised Catholic and I'm familiar with athletes who are religious. I guess I just didn't expect to hear it first hand less than an hour before a Lakers game. When I played sports in high school many years ago we often said a team prayer before a game. But that seemed more symbolic than anything else. They actually really do hard core praying before the game. With a team chaplain. With a bible. It's casual but it's a service.
It's strictly voluntary. Rick Harville sees anywhere from one to six players on a given night. And the Lakers opponents are invited.
Back in the day Harville went to Europe to play pro ball but suddenly turned down the offer and came back home even though he didn't know why. Then one night Harville saw a preacher on television and knew at that moment that he had a higher calling. He has been handling the services at Staples and before that at the Forum for the past 23 years.
Back to the players.
I decided to do a story on Lakers Chapel. I thought it would be a positive story that would show a different side of pro athletes. What I learned however is a lot of players aren't comfortable talking about their faith. Our camera wasn't allowed in dressing room three where they hold chapel.  And most of the players didn't want to talk about it.. Now that didn't make a lot of sense to me. But we did the story anyway and we were lucky to get Lakers guard Derek Fisher to talk. Derek regularly attends chapel. He'd better. His mom attended church, as Derek put it, "Sunday to Sunday". He leaned heavily on his faith when his daughter was diagnosed with cancer last year. She is now in remission. Derek explained that religion is a personal thing. Something players just aren't comfortable talking about. A.C. Green who played forward with the Showtime Lakers has a different take on things. He wore his faith proudly on his sleeve as a player during the 80's. He says he's disappointed with athletes who aren't afraid to go wild in public at a nightclub at all hours of the night  but when they are in church look around with embarassment to see if anyone notices them praising God. A.C. says going into that little room before every game gave him the strength to go out and do his job mightily.
I don't think athletes are any more prone to trouble than the rest of society. And the truth is nothing can start an argument faster than discussing politics or religion. But as I talked with those involved in the services, whether they be current or former players, all I could think of is boy I wish their fans could see them now. Nobody hitting them up for autographs. No courtroom scenes. No silly antics. There they were humble and vulnerable. And at that moment Real human beings.
Fancy that!
Lakers Chapel. Coming soon on your FOX 11 10PM and MY13 11PM News.

Will being named the NBA's most valuable player finally make Kobe Bryant happy?
I mean it's not enough that he's won three NBA championships. For Kobe Bryant to feel fulfilled does he need to win the sports most prestigious INDIVIDUAL honor? Sadly I think the answer is YES. If Kobe is the greatest player in the NBA then why did the Lakers need to pull off their biggest move since they signed Shaq to make them a winner again?
And look at the numbers starting with Kobe. He averaged 28 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. The surprising New Orleans Hornets would have never made the playoffs without Chris Paul. He averaged 21 points, 11 assists and 4 rebounds. A most valuable player in my eyes is one who a team can't do without.Or one who makes those around him better. Paul did that this season. How about the Cleveland Cavaliers? Lebron James averaged 30 points almost 8 rebounds and 7 assists. And you can hardly name anyone else on his team. That's an MVP. Now back to the Lakers big acquisition. No matter how well the Lakers were playing when Andrew Bynum was healthy they were not as good as they are with Paul Gasol. In fact I find it interesting that the guy who was the biggest disappointment on the team, Lamar Odom, has never played better. Where was Lamar all this time while side by side the best player in the league? Does that mean that Pau Makes everyone around him better? Perhaps? Or perhaps it's as simple as Kobe does not. Kobe may be the best athlete to dribble a basketball. But I've been told by people in the know that his basketball I.Q. leaves a lot to be desired. That may be due to his strong urge to not play within the teams system but rather his own. Pau on the other hand picked up the Lakers triangle offense like he invented it. Lebron and Chris Paul realize that in order to be succesful you get your teamates involved all the time not just when your'e in a slump.
Now if winning the MVP means Kobe no longer has to prove how great HE is. Then the Lakers will go back to being GREAT!

If you believe Dallas Mavericks player Josh Howard, there is an entire market for marijuana in the NBA.
Howard went on a radio show and talked about his fondness for pot. He also said it's use is prevalent in the league and everyone knows it. Here's a reminder...pot is still illegal and the use of it is against the NBA's drug policy.
Now, regardless of your opinion on whether pot should be legal. Or that it "may" not be "that bad" for people let's just consider one of the important reasons these guys get paid millions of dollars.
TO BE IN GREAT SHAPE!
I don't remember seeing the five leaf symbol on the nutrition pyramid next to fruits and grains. When was the last time someone who smoked weed felt like eating a salad afterward? Even if these players only smoke during the off season, if YOU owned the team and were paying a millions to a guy who would rather smoke a joint than go to the gym wouldn't you want some of your money back?
Let's think of it this way. If you like smoking pot or let's say you love eating junk food but you were offered ten, twenty or even thirty million dollars a year for ten years under the condition that you stay away from the stuff for your own health and the sake of your team....wouldn't you quit smoking or eating junk?

I am of the opinion that the Lakers will get close to winning their 14th NBA championship. Surviving the Western conference playoffs will be no easy task. They open the playoffs against the second highest scoring team in the NBA the Denver Nuggets. I don't expect this to be a tough series but the next one or two will be. The Lakers enter the playoffs as the #1 seed in the west but their big win over San Antonio recently is a little deceiving since the Spurs were missing one of their best players for that game Manu Ginobili. Still I think the Lakers will prevail if those two teams meet again. I think Phoenix is a tougher match-up because of Shaq. There isn't anybody on the Lakers who can cover him. Then again Shaq's conditioning is still an issue.
So if I'm correct the Lakers will win the Western Conference. But I don't expect them to beat the Boston Celtics should Boston win the east (and I think they will). The match-ups don't favor L.A. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are too much for the Lakers. But I will also say this. After seeing the Lakers in practice recently they seem to have a confidence about them that they haven't had in past playoff appearances (post Shaq). I especially see that in Kobe. Pao Gasol has made a huge difference for Kobe and Lamar Odom. But don't discount what the return of Derek Fisher has meant to this team. As Derek told me at practice the other day even after 11 years he feels like a kid. The only way he'll quit is if they drag him off the court.

Enjoy their run Lakers fans...but don't expect a ring this year unless something very strange happens in Bean Town!!

    The news of Charlton Heston's passing was sad. I always think of him as one of my favorite interviews. I didn't agree with him politically in a lot of ways, but why should that matter.
    The Dodgers were celebrating an anniversary in the late 80's and FOX/11, home of Dodger telecasts at the time, aired a 24 hour Dodgers' marathon. A cool idea and  I was lucky enough to host a good chunk of it from the stadium. The coverage culminated with the Dodgers season opener being broadcast on FOX/11. We interviewed tons of celebrities and Dodger greats over those 24 hours. Heston really stood out for me. The Dodgers put on a huge show before the game complete with music, dancers and a narrator. That voice belonged to the man who famously portrayed Moses in the Ten Commandments and won an academy award for Ben Hur. But our producers were running into brick walls trying to get him on our marathon. Heston's "people" wouldn't budge and the Dodgers P.R. folks were afraid to ask. I thought how ridiculous. I'm standing ten feet from the guy. So I approached him with the idea and he seemed thrilled to join us. The interview lasted about five minutes and was live on t.v. He was incredibly charming. Said he loved the Dodgers and when we finished he went right to work on  the pre-game show like the professional he was. His strong, recognizable tones gave me and I'm sure Dodger fans chills as he read his lines.
    I mention his politics because Heston was a proud conservative. And after his passing I'm reminded how in today's divisive world of politics the civilian population can't seem to stomach actors or entertainers just because of their political views. Doesn't seem to matter how talented they are. 
So, why can't we separate their on screen work from their off screen beliefs? How do political views figure in to make believe?
I know conservatives who won't watch anything Alec Baldwin stars in. He's a terrific actor. But an activist.  And I know liberals who think anything Heston did on the big screen is tarnished because of his work as president of the NRA.
I say who cares! Why is it so hard to just agree to disagree? I know the last thing I'm thinking when I'm watching a great movie is whether the actors are Democrats or Republicans. In fact I admire them even more for being active in politics. Tells me they love this country as much as I do even if we don't agree on how to run it.

Bottom line for me is I  want actors to entertain me. And I wish politicians would stop entertaining me!

David Beckham picked a good time to score his first MLS goal. It came in the L.A. Galaxy's home opener against San Jose. Remember the British Jewel arrived stateside with a few hundred millions dollars worth of fanfare yet injuries last season led to a disappointing year for American soccer fans.  Is Beckham's presence a novelty once again? Keep in mind the team opened the season by getting clubbed in Colorado 4-0.  And truth is Beck's passing not necessarily his scoring is what Galaxy fans might want to get used to seeing. Landon Donovan might be the beneficiary there. He's the teams biggest American star and the perfect guy for Beckham to set up although they took good care of each other Friday night.
Now that he's finally healthy this is as good a time as any to ask.
If you are not a soccer fan already is Beckham enough to make you care any more about Futbol. And I don't mean American Football.

Even if he leads the Galaxy to the a title. They've already been there done that.  What's different now?

I'm not quite sure where I stand on free trade. And I am okay with the leaders of American Baseball wanting to make the sport international. But it makes no sense to me to start the regular season on any soil other than American. It's a great idea having Major League baseball teams travel abroad like the Dodgers did when they met the San Diego Padres in China. But that was during the exhibition season. The league then made the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics go to Japan last Tuesday to open the major league season. Then the teams traveled back to the U.S to resume the exhibition season. Does this seem fair when these players will have to play 162 games over the next several months? Maybe one day there truly will be a World Series. One where the best team in  America (and I mean really best...not a college or minor league team) meets the best from Asia or Latin America. But can we please allow the fans of this country to enjoy opening day with their teams in their parks while eating hot dogs and cracker jacks. After all it is still America's Pastime or is it??