Can we move on, please?

Couple of notes from the world of sports, with a similar theme.

• Everyone should have taken their pot-shots at Panthers QB Jake Delhomme by now. Give it a rest. The guy didn't become Jeff Lewis overnight (and yeah, I know he's played like it in his last 2 outings). Give credit where it's due. The Eagles did things on defense that surprised Head Coach John Fox. Fairly bold statement there, because he basically said they didn't prepare for everything. Jake is not without blame, but laying it all at his feet is unfair. Jake is on the hook for his share of things that went wrong, but there were others that are on the guilty list.
• Should also point out (again), that a missed penalty might have changed the outcome. I say might, because there was so much time on the clock. Still, if the officials make the correct call on the block in the back during DeSean Jackson's punt return, it's a completely different ballgame. I am not blaming the refs for the loss--just pointing out that if they get the call right, it's still a 10-7 game, the Eagles get the ball at their own 20, and we move from there. Find me another team that doesn't panic when the opposition posts 14 points in under 3 minutes. I'll take the advice of the blog title, and move on from this....

We should also move on from these nuggets....

Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame induction speech is getting broken down, and analyzed, and ultimately ripped. Huh? When MJ was a player, fans couldn't get enough of what he had to say. He didn't stray outside the lines of basketball much, but when he spoke people listened. That was a knock on MJ in Chicago during his career. He didn't speak out against things, using his massive influence to help make changes. While I understood those wanting MJ to help make a difference, I also understood his choice not to. So, he goes to the Hall, and pokes at everyone in his life that offered him a challenge. From Buzz Peterson, to the coach at Laney H.S. in Wilmington, to Dean Smith, to Bryan Russell. MJ hit everyone. Heck he even poked at his sister for pushing him. Why are we surprised by this? Because MJ wasn't nice. That's right, he wasn't very nice in what he said.

Again. Huh?

MJ, the image, was a polished, corporate America goldmine. He could sell ice to the good people of Canada. That MJ is a nice guy.

The player was a cold-blooded killer. Not only did he want to beat you, he wanted you to know how badly he beat you. He was (and still is) a competitor. Last Friday night, MJ showed us where those fires began to burn, and now, nearly a week later, people are ripping him for it. I loved a lot of what he said, but only because we finally got to see him with his guard down a bit.

And finally, the US Open ended on Monday, but not before 2 of the games biggest names had some verbal meltdowns. Serena Williams blew up at a lines official, dropping f-bombs and allegedly threatening her. Then Roger Federer, in a discussion with the chair umpire, used some choice language in expressing his displeasure at a ruling.

Was watching some of these things play out on TV with my boss on Tuesday, and he summed it up with this beauty. "Why are people surprised when they see people who make millions of dollars as athletes, suddenly show they are competitive and don't like to lose?"

Spot on.

Mike Solarte