Rich Harden was the Real Deal on Monday

In 2002 I remember when I first heard the player name Rich Harden. He was part of Oakland A's Double-A affiliate, Midland Rockhounds for half the season. In 2003 he started the season back in Midland and in two games, both on the road, he pitched 13 perfect innings. I never get a chance to saw him because the A's quickly sent him up to AAA. His pitching dominance continued in AAA that saw him get a late season call up to Oakland. I took notice becoming a fan of him dubbing him "Real Deal" Harden. I bought and collected his cards and ordered his jersey. I knew he was All-Star in the making. In his time in Oakland he was wheeling and dealing on the mound. Despite having one of best young arms he has one problem: being healthy. Each year he spent time on the DL with an arm injury. After three half seasons with the A's and being a risk he was shipped off to Chicago Cubs, a team I loathe, in 2008. While he shined in the second half with the Cubs, in 2009 it was different story he was had up and down season finishing with 9-9 record with 4.09 ERA. Signed an one year contract with Texas Rangers hoping to live up the billing as the "Real Deal." Instead he struggled on and off getting pulled out of the games five times after pitching less than 5 innings. Also five times he pitched past the 5th inning and this was after 15 starts. He also dealt with the arm injury issue putting him on the DL for six weeks. Looks like his shining star was fading fast and so was his "Real Deal" moniker. Then came Monday pitching against the Twins in his 16th start. He became the "Real Deal" tossing 6 2/3 innings of no-hit ball with 6 strikeouts before getting pulled. The no-hitter kept on til bottom on the 9th when Joe Mauer broke it up. While it was heartbreaking for him to lose a no-no yet it was great moment. On that night "Real Deal" Harden was the one I heard, read, and watched: a dominating pitcher on the mound. Job well done Real Deal.

NASCAR screws Brad Keselowski

Brad Keselowski got screwed by NASCAR. Kyle Busch got loose in the turn and Brad Keselowski force to bump him and take the lead. Busch retaliated bumping Keselowski into a spin. You expected a penalty out of this but NO! Busch wasn't given a penalty and ends up winning the race. Busch admitted to spinning him out. Likely next week NASCAR will fine and might put Busch on probation but its too little too late. What Brad Keselowski did was a racing incident. What Busch did was blatant. This is second potential win Brad Keselowski lost in Nationwide series adding along top 10 finishes lost in Sprint Cup because a driver spun or wrecked him. Ever since NASCAR slapped the handcuffs on Brad Keselowski drivers have taken advantage of Brad Keselowski wrecking and spinning him on the track with no consequences til days after the race. It's complete joke NASCAR kept screwing Brad Keselowski just to "teach him a lesson." Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch are current NASCAR poster boys while Brad Keselowski is more of an old-school driving style and a rebel against the current NASCAR system. Hey I know that style! It's the style Dale Earnhardt and Tim Richmond drove. The Intimidator became a legend in NASCAR and a 7-time champ. Richmond would have won a championship if it wasn't for his untimely death. Is no one in NASCAR to "emulate" them? NASCAR should be ashamed for continual screwing of Brad Keselowski.

Jim Gray is a douche

This hack of a sports reporter known for douchebaggery in the media with his interviews and claims. He known for bombing Pete Rose with did he bet on baseball question during live TV raining on his special moment:

Players took notice and gave him a payback when Chad Curtis dismissed him on live TV.

He never fails with more of his douchebaggery riding on anyone coattails from LeBron James to Barry Bonds. Last week his idiot self got himself in the news for every wrong reason again. He claimed golfer Corey Pavin has guaranteed Tiger Woods a spot in the Ryder Cup. This led to Pavin denying there was a guarantee during a press conference.

There's more to the story as off camera Gray got in the face on Pavin. Reports that Pavin's wife recorded the entire thing. Hope that video gets release showing Gray being a douchebag. It may get all his media credentials revoked and will no longer allowed to work in sports ever.

Happy endeavors Roy Oswalt

Roy Oswalt is no longer an Astro. He's now a Phillie as he approves the trade to Philadelphia. I seen "Big O'" pitched twice in my trips to Houston catching an Astros game. Both games he was impressive and victorious. He's impressive pitcher that deserves better than the garbage Astros signed and put on the field currently right now. Going to miss "Big O" in Houston. Good luck in Philly!

Chone Figgins is a lazy bum

Here's another player underachieving his worth than the money he's being paid for: Chone Figgins. In the offseason he signed four-year, $36 million contract. So far he's hitting a lousy .229 with 22 RBIs. Not worth the money paid for and has ripped off the Mariners with his laziness. He took laziness to the extreme when he let a throw go when it was within reach allowing Mike Cameron running with a sports hernia to stretch a double to a triple. Manager Don Wakamatsu had enough and benched him. It resulted in a dugout fight between the two. The player that replaced him, Josh Wilson, proceed to hit a double. Wilson making the minimum and proceeds to get the job done. How about taking money from Figgins from that game check and give it to Wilson for doing his job? Mariners should not only bench him but trade his lazy ass to any team that will use him as a salary dump.

George Steinbrenner dies

George Steinbrenner died at age 80 of a massive heart attack. You gotta give the devil his due. He was a hands on owner that did anything to have his team win the World Series from signing players to big money contracts and hiring/firing any manager that did/didn't get the job done. George gets to enjoy one last World Series win last year in the first year of their brand new ballpark. He's a character and an owner that loves his team to win. He will be missed.

Can Beasley breakthrough or be busted?

While talk continue to surrounded of a newly formed superteam in Miami the Heat made a small transaction to clear up cap room. The transaction? Trading Michael Beasley to the Timberwolves for a 2011 second round pick. That is how much this guy is worth now after two years in the NBA. From 2nd overall pick in 2008 to being salary cap trade bait being worth a 2nd round pick.

He was highly touted being "NBA ready" coming out of Kansas St. Instead becoming a budding star like Derrick Rose his attitude and lazy work ethic showed up with a trip to a drug rehab. While he improved his points per average by almost a point from his rookie season Derrick Rose, the player taken ahead of him, became an All-Star and the face of the Bulls. Not a good way to start off NBA career with Rose off to a hot start and the players picked after him such as O.J. Mayo and Russell Westbrook becoming a nucleus pieces of their team.

With a new change of scenery from Miami to Minneapolis he gets a "re-start" to his short NBA career. Hopefully he becomes the monster scoring machine like he was at Kansas St. and not fall into his old habits. It's make or break time for Beasley to show off potential and become a team/league star player or becoming a journeyman with the word "bust" hanging over his head.

Who got snubbed from the All-Star team bad?

These days there's many players that doesn't deserve to be there at all. This year there was plenty that didn't make it all despite the good numbers they put up. My big time snubs:

Matt Latos (San Diego Padres) - 9-4; 2.62 ERA - he's almost unhittable with batters hitting .193 against him and has .96 WHIP. That's impressive consider he's a rookie.

Jaime Garcia (St. Louis Cardinals) - 8-4; 2.17 ERA - has successfully came back from Tommy John surgery to pitch very well as he's currently second in league ERA. Held batters to .229 with 1.25 WHIP.

Jared Weaver (Anaheim Angels) - 8-4; 2.92 ERA; 130 strikeouts; 115 IP - a strikeout behind Tim Lincecum for the MLB strikeout lead. Big mystery on why he's not chosen to play in it especially in front of his hometown fans. His WHIP is at 1.07 holding hitters to .209

Paul Konerko (Chicago White Sox) - 20 HR; 61 RBIs; .298 AVG - how come his play fell on deaf ears? He's been key to ChiSox offense this year currently standing 5th in MLB HRs.

Jose Guillen (Kansas City Royals) - 14 HRs; 52 RBIs - he's one of two Royals' offensive players that deserves it mainly they were key players to the team's offense. He done well to be on the All-Star team. Problem he has to climb the big mountain to get there from fan voting and roster picks.

Billy Butler (Kansas City Royals) - 104 hits; .327 AVG - Guillen's partner in crime is this under-appreciated fellow name Billy Butler. He's one of the league's top young hitters as he's currently 10th in the league in hits and 9th in batting average. Like Guillen he faced an uphill battle from fan voting and roster picks. I rather have him on the team than Ty Wiggington who only got there because Orioles needed a player to represent and that was the best they could able to come up with.

Michael Young (Texas Rangers) - 12 HR; 54 RBIs; 107 hits; .306 AVG - even put on the final roster ballot and didn't made it when he should. Compare his numbers to Nick Swisher who won the popularity final roster vote Young far exceeds him. Fans picked the wrong guy to the All-Star game when it should be Michael Young.

Who really shouldn't be there at all: Ty Wiggington, Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn (even Astros fans willing to admit that), and Omar Infante (current generation of Alfredo Griffin pick)

Max Heat in Miami

Dwayne Wade to re-sign with the Miami Heat but also bringing along a friend with him. A friend as in the name of soon-to-be former Raptors player Chris Bosh. Well done job for the Heat for netting in a big name to go alongside with D-Wade. The last two years been hard for the team and getting a player like Bosh is worth the price paid. The hottest free agent market in NBA history gotten a little bit cooler with D-Wade and Platinum Bosh joining forces in Miami and Amare Stoudemire going to New York. That just leaves where will LeBron go. Will he stay in Cleveland or go elsewhere? Could LeBron join the both in Miami forming the "super team?"

Didn't take long for JaMarcus to get arrested

NFL draft bust JaMarcus Russell was arrested for possession of Codeine syrup without a prescription. The arrest was enough for the Jets not to sign him at all. He got Ryan Leaf beat from being a draft bust and getting in trouble with the law. It took Leaf a decade before finding trouble with the law. JaMarcus Russell is officially the face of a NFL draft bust and the reason why there should be NFL rookie salary cap.