Monday Musings - Valentine's Day Style

     I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day. I am a fan of what it symbolizes, loving someone and expressing it, so this week in celebration of another overly commercialized holiday and for the love of all things sports, here are a few things we can love - or choose not to:

• Rumor has it Davis Love III was just selected to be the Ryder Cup Captain in 2016. Love didn't get a lot of love from his squad last time he captained back in 2012 at Medinah when the US held a 10-6 lead heading into the final day. They lost 14 1/2 - 13 1/2 and most players felt they let him down. Maybe this time the boys can love him up.
• In case you didn't know, the 2015 Cricket World Cup is in full swing down in Australia & New Zealand. Not a common household experience here in the states, the event and the game don't get a lot of love on this side of the pond. It did however remind me of the great John Goodman slamming a "home run" and rounding invisible bases in his royal cricket training in the classic 1991 comedy King Ralph. Not the cricket clip, but check out the classic dessert scene full of love:

• For all you dog lovers out there, it's also the 139th Annual WKC (Westminster Kennel Club) Dog Show and because we all LOVE to say Shih Tzu over and over, it must be mentioned that Rocket the Shih Tzu won the Best of Group in the Toy group. Personally I think it has a face only a mother could love, but that's just me.

• I loved watching the NBA All Star game on Sunday. The NBA is about entertainment and watching Stephen Curry DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) a few defenders and then toss it up in the air for some freak athletes to rip down the rim is priceless. And how about the brotherly love of the Gasol hermanos going head to head during the game? Pau won the tip between the two least athletic guys on the court. Also in  the running for least athletic - Dirk Nowitzki. Does it look like Dirk is in serious pain every time he jumps these days? Gotta love his alley oop though - classic love.
• And finally, tough love for the Little League kids from Chi-town. Great story last summer as the first all-black team to win the US championship and represent the USA in the global championship game. However, bad parents right now as it has been revealed that they cheated by using kids from areas outside their defined geographical boundaries to create a super squad. Some are saying punish the parents, some are saying the kids deserve to keep the championship they were stripped of, and some say the kids are innocent. Here's what I know. I played Little League in my home town growing up and I was a Little League All Star twice. I also knew the rules and I guarantee every other kid on our team knew the rules. We knew the names of every kid who was a flame thrower or monster bat or already had chest hair at age 12 on the other All Star teams in neighboring communities as well. Had one of those kids all of a sudden appeared on our All Star team there's no way it would have flown under the radar or gone unnoticed. I'm not sure how they kept it quiet but I'm quite certain the parents aren't the only ones to blame in this case. I have a 12 year old - they get it. Not a lot of love from the former Little Leaguer. 

Gotta Love sports, especially this week.

Front Butt Sports is not responsible for your poor opinion.