What a difference 21 years makes ...

I remember the summer of 1990 when, as an 11-year-old kid playing Painesville Little League for the Orioles, I was selected as an alternate for the AL All-Star team.

We had 24 All-Stars and four alternates in Painesville. And all the All-Stars were more than excited about adjusting and pulling-on their new mesh ballcaps.

Back then, the MLB Mid-Summer Classic was a 2-0 AL win at Wrigley Field. Julio Franco was named MVP for smashing a double off NL reliever Rob Dibble, plating Sandy Alomar Jr. and Lance Parrish in the 8th inning. Yeah, two slow-moving catchers scored the only runs that year. Strange, I know.

In 1990, MLB had 58 All-Stars. There were 700 players on MLB rosters then. So about 8 percent of Major Leaguers were named All-Stars.

That number has been just about the norm over the years. Players selected who didn't get the chance to play, either couldn't play (due to real injuries) or were prevented from playing (because of a managerial decision). But there was one constant: everyone showed up. Even the guys who were injured made an appearance. That's because the All-Star Game used to be fun. Little League or Major League. Didn't matter. Being named an All-Star used to mean something.

But it's changed over the past 21 years.

Players have been skipping the All-Star Game. More and more "phantom injuries" and "fatigue excuses" have been popping up in recent years. MLB has also installed a rule that prevents several top starting pitchers from participating, for "scheduling concerns and injury prevention." This, despite the league raising the stakes on the outcome of the game. Whichever league wins the All-Star game is rewarded with home-field advantage for the World Series. Yet guys like Justin Verlander and Cole Hamels are ruled ineligible because they started a regular-season game on Sunday? Give me a break!

The 2011 edition of MLB's All-Star game had 81 players earn the All-Star "distinction." Now, with 750 roster slots in MLB, more than 1-in-10 players make the All-Star team. So much for distinction. Remember when card values would increase for All-Stars in the August editions of Beckett Baseball Card Monthly? Those were the days.

Nowadays, several big names are guilty of cashing-in on All-Star bonuses, only to sit back in their million-dollar homes watching the game from their plush recliners on the big screen. How many kids punched-in their ballots for Derek Jeter and were excited to see his No. 2 Yankee jersey leading-off yesterday, only to be disappointed when Jeter promptly punched-out due to fatigue? Jeter will make $15 million to play baseball for seven months this year. Over the course of his career, he's made more than $200 million in Yankee salary, excluding his earnings from several top tier endorsement deals. He owns four mansions, and during his Yankee career he's dated Mariah Carey, Miss Universe, Joy Enriquez, Jordana Brewster, Vanessa Minillo, Jessica Biel and currently Minka Kelly. Fatigue? Please!

There were 12 All-Stars selected for the Painesville Americans and Painesville Nationals. Each team had two alternates. Rules stated alternates must attend and view games from the bleachers, wearing only the team hat and team jersey. The rest of your uniform stayed in the trunk of your Dad's car.

Didn't matter to me. I was good with simply being recognized, and I proudly sported my team hat - even after our All-Star team was eliminated. We'd wear the hats to Senior League games, Cedar Point, family picnics, etc. We'd dirty 'em up. And next year ... first practice ... we broke out the Painesville American hats. You were good if you could pull off that feat at the start of your "12-year-old season." Not many 11-year-old made the All-Star team.

Today, it's the same way at the Little League level. Kids still run around the neighborhood playing whiffle ball, wearing half their All-Star uniform. They emulate their favorite players' batting stances just like I did with Julio Franco's unorthodox stance and Don Mattingly's sweet left-handed swing. And that's fine, because that's how America's Past-Time is supposed to be celebrated.

We can only hope today's Little Leaguers draw the line and ignore their favorite players' recent All-Star game shenanigans, which takes the fun right out of the game.

A Legacy That Will Last Forever

Bottom of the 8th inning, Indians batting, down 5-3.

Albert Belle walks. Manny Ramirez flies out to right. Herbert Perry pops out to first. Paul Sorrento walks, moving Belle to second. Sandy Alomar pops out to third.

I sat in my seat about midway up in section 184 thinking I was about to witness another Indians loss. But then again, this was a time when the Tribe were transitioning from bad baseball to pennant-winning baseball. It was July 18, 1995. I was 16. Justin Falcone sat next to me. He was 15. Next to him was his grandpa, Mr. Chic. He was 67 at the time, a HUGE fan of Cleveland Indians baseball. He was one of the old-timers who would follow pitch-by-pitch the entire 162-game schedule, either in-person, on the tube or from the voice of Herb Score on 1460 AM radio. The only games he’d miss were probably because of family functions. Yes, his priorities were in order.

Justin offered me the ticket earlier that day. We’d get a ride to the stadium in Mr. Cicconetti’s truck and he’d hang out with us to watch the game from the bleachers at the new Jacobs Field.

While trucking down Route 2 I remembered him asking me if I’d been to the new stadium. I had. But he gazed through the windshield and told me anyway, that it was nice, but it didn’t compare to the old Municipal Stadium. I remember him saying that and found it odd because my grandpa Felix used to say the same thing when plans were in place to start building it. Grandpa Felix died in 1992 and never got so see The Jake (it debuted in ’94), but then again, he was an old-timer too and he hated to see the old stadium go.

I ran the plans by my parents and they were on board. I remember sprinting from the garage and down the street to the Falcone’s house so Justin and I could get ready and cut through the backyards to his grandparents’ house. We were amped for this game and didn’t want to go back home with a loss.

Anyway, after Alomar popped out to end the 8th, Tribe fans began heading for the exits in typical Cleveland fashion. Gotta beat the traffic! It was a sellout crowd that day and I’d guess about 10,000 fans headed for the exits. Normally, we too probably would’ve bolted for the parking lot. But Justin and I looked over at Mr. Chic and he remained seated, staring toward the field smiling. We weren’t going anywhere until the fat lady sang her song.

Paul Assenmacher mowed ‘em down 1-2-3 in the top of the 9th, with the then-California Angels still leading 5-3.

Bottom of the 9th, Wayne Kirby hustles-out an infield single on a grounder to first base. He was stubby, but he was fast! Jim Thome, who was supposed to have the night off, pinch-hit for Ruben Amaro, and ultimately struck out swinging. That was a run-and-hit, and Kirby swiped second. So we had one out, one on second. Just as good as a sacrifice.

Next up, Omar Vizquel singled between short and third. There was no play as the speedy Kirby ran on contact and made it from second to third, and the quick young Vizquel made it to first without a throw. One out, runners on the corners. Angels 5, Tribe 3.

Carlos Baerga comes to the plate and walks, loading the bases. Angels closer Lee Smith is now shaking in his Mizunos as none other than Belle chucks his donut to the ground in the on-deck circle and slowly makes his way to the batters box, setting the stage with the bases loaded. The crowd is on its feet, John Thompson is banging his drum behind us.

Belle falls behind in the count, 1 ball / 2 strikes. Next pitch, THWAP! The crack of the bat never sounded more sweet. It was a long, powerful, line-drive to deep left-center. The ball was carrying, carrying, carrying … then … GONE! Into the seats! GRAND SALAMI!

TRIBE WINS! TRIBE WINS! Final score 7-5!

I remember not being able to see the field because everyone was up, out of their seats jumping up and down and the place was going bananas. Mr. Chic, Justin and I were high-fiving complete strangers and hugging one another.

One of my best Cleveland sports moments, definitely the top of my list as far as Indians baseball goes. And I got to share it with a man who had given me so much. The thing is, at that time I hadn’t known exactly what he’d given me.

Mr. Chic passed away 10 days ago. I’ve read about him and I’ve spoken with my parents about him since that somber June 11th day. I’ve learned EXACTLY how much he’s meant to not only his family but also how much he’s meant to the community where I was born and raised – and where he lived his entire life.

There was a connection there that I hadn’t seen before until I sat down and reflected. What did Mr. Chic share with me? Well, he shared quite a lot.

My earliest memories of him were going over to the Falcone’s house for summer cookouts. He’d be putting together teams for games of side-yard, scramble-style bocce. He always seemed to have a smile on his face and there’d always seem to be a young grandkid in his lap. Sometimes he’d simply be sitting there in a lawn chair, keeping to himself, observing his family with an arm dangling down toward the grass scratching the head of one of the dogs. He seemed content, having such a huge family that loved each another and always shared these moments amongst one other (and with a few of the lucky neighbors.)

Whenever the Cicconetti-Falcone family would go out of town for their family vacations – whether it be to Salt Fork or Maumee Bay – I’d somehow become trusted enough by Mr. Chic to take care of his garden with a simple watering chore, twice a day. Damn his garden was magnificent, probably still is. But that simple task made me feel important. I knew how much those flowers meant to him. He’d show me EXACTLY how to use the hose, so as not to apply too much water pressure because the flowers were delicate. My Mom would remind me, “Have you taken care of Mr. Cicconetti’s flowers yet? You better get over there before it gets dark, mister!” I couldn’t have been more than 12 years old at the time.

Now, 20 years later, I asked my Mom, “I remember you telling me about how grandma and Mrs. Cicconetti would wash everyone’s hair or something. What was that about?”

Apparently, Mr. Chic and my grandpa Felix worked together at Diamond Alkali back in the 50s, 60s and 70s. They became good friends and their wives, Jackie and Helen, respectively, formed a close bond. Jackie had 7 daughters and my grandma Helen had 2. So, while their men were at work, Jackie and Helen would get together, hang out while the children played (12 in all, including the boys), and apparently all I remembered from those stories was the hair-washing chores for the 9 girls. Must’ve been a long process.

The friendship was so special that it bridged not one, but two generations. My parents remained close with the Cicconetti-Falcone family, and their kids continued that sacred bond with sleepovers, card trading, squirt gun fights, foot chases and whiffle ball games. And to think, all this started way back in the 1950s with Mr. Chic and my grandpa Felix. Two cronies who shared a love for gardening and Indians baseball. I look back now and wonder if Mr. Chic thought of my grandpa Felix when I sat with him and Justin at the Tribe game in 1995. I wonder if they ever went downtown and saw a game together.

To this day, although we rarely see one another any more, I still consider Mr. Chic and Jackie as a third set of grandparents, I consider their children as aunts and uncles, and I consider their grandkids as cousins.

I have many other fond memories of Mr. Chic, from trips to the Oasis ice cream store with his grandkids to driving around in the truck splashing through rain puddles as we giggled in the back. He always treated my brothers and I as if we were part of the family.

He was a truly remarkable man and he has left behind a truly remarkable family. When the world loses men like him, they are not replaced. They leave a void that cannot be filled. But one thing is for sure, men like him leave behind a legacy that will last forever.

Who the hell is Mel Kiper?

I don't know who Mel Kiper is. But his son is an overpaid television sports personality who I mute every time I see his face and fruity mop on the tube.

I mean, what does this guy do? Really. And is what he does worth the money he's paid?

Well I'll tell you what he does and it isn't anywhere close to being worth the check he cashes from ESPN.

Mel Kiper, Jr. pretty much just provides general information to fans about potential NFL draft picks. That's it. He's a cheap scout who is paid like an entire team of NFL scouts. He rambles on and on about how the information he provides is golden and what each NFL team needs to do in order to have a successful draft. And God forbid if your opinion differs from his. He'll start jerking his head up and down. He'll look around the room with that Peyton Manning face of disgust.

Every year ESPN hypes his mock drafts and touts him as "King Kiper," but for what? His analysis of college players is nothing special. He's even been accused of over-hyping prospects on his draft boards based on their player-agent relationships.

For instance, in 2010 he had Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen ranked as the top college quarterback and the No. 4 overall talented player entering the draft. Scouts, Inc. had Oklahoma's Sam Bradford as the top QB and No. 3 overall talent, with Clausen ranked at No. 38.

Anyone with a pulse knew Kiper's analysis was dead wrong. Notre Dame hadn't produced a solid NFL quarterback in more than 30 years (Joe Montana, 1978). So naturally, Bradford was selected No. 1 overall and completed 60 percent of his passes as a rookie. He tallied 3,512 passing yards, 18 TDs, 15 INTs and had a QB rating of 76.5.

Clausen was taken in the 2nd round (No. 48 overall) by a team with NO quarterback. He completed 52 percent of his passes, totaling 1,558 yards, 3 TD passes and 9 picks. QB rating: 58.4. After that Brady Quinn-like stat line (and now that "Yes I" Cam Newton has been drafted by the Panthers) I wouldn't be surprised if Clausen never again reached QB1 on another depth chart.

So how could Kiper get this so incredibly wrong? Isn't he the top dog? The draft expert? And isn't quarterback ALWAYS the most talked-about and hyped position heading into the draft? Well maybe, just maybe, it's because Clausen's agent is a longtime friend of Kiper's?

Another time, a couple years ago, Kiper projected that a junior running back would be drafted by no later than the top few picks of the 2nd round. There was buzz around Virginia Tech's campus and the kid ended up leaving school early. After all, Kiper's word is golden. Right? The kid ended up being drafted No. 243 overall, now makes the league minimum and mostly stands on the sidelines on Sundays holding his helmet, wondering what could have been had he remained on campus, finished his degree and bolstered his draft position by playing his senior season. Damn you Mel Kiper, Jr.!

Kiper usually starts generating his mock drafts one week after bowl season. He calls the first installment "Mock Draft 1.0." How trendy! Kiper released his 2011 "Mock Draft 1.0" on Jan. 19. Of the 32 first round picks, Kiper's initial mock draft had 2 that were right. Yep. Two.

With each month leading up to the draft, he updates his mock draft as a Mock Draft 2.0, Mock Draft 3.0 ... and so on.

He released his polished and sparkling "Mock Draft 5.0" the day before the 2011 NFL Draft. This was after shuffling players up and down and all around, based on having nothing else to do in life but scour over more and more film, dissect the NFL Combine, and listen to the buzz from NFL teams about who they were going to target on draft day, etc. He waits until the last possible second before his editors at ESPN.com scream "DEADLINE, MEL! WE NEED VERSION 5.0 STAT!!!! DEADLINE!" ... then, he releases his best million-dollar effort.

"Mock Draft 5.0" yielded 9 correct picks out of the 32 first round selections.

That's a 28 percent success rate, which is clearly better than the first installment of only 6 percent correct. So pretty much every 5 mock drafts he increases his percentage by 22.

If we weren't already overexposed to his weird face, I'd suggest he try generating more mock drafts. Because, you know, by the time he got around to "Mock Draft 20.0" he might have a success rate of 94 percent.

And that, my friends, might be worth the check.

Winning!

When the Tribe were down 14-0 in the 4th inning of their season opener April 1, ESPN's Scott Van Pelt posted the following Tweet:

"Snapshot of the Indians season after 4 frames: Tell that man he can stop banging the drum."

Only John Adams, much like Tupac and Biggie, hasn't stopped (and won't stop) banging. Can't nobody hold him down. Dude is a beast. In this case, it's not "Levitation, Homes," it's "Dedication, Holmes."

Maybe the opener, during which the Tribe fought back, made a game of it, and ended up losing 15-10, was just an April Fool's joke? Because now the Indians sit atop the AL Central Division in first place.

Keep banging the drum, please.

After rattling off eight consecutive wins, the Indians (8-3) dropped a game on the road last night to the Angels by a score of 2-0. They were one-hit in a pitcher's duel.

Despite the loss, this young season has been a sign of good things to come.

Offensively, the Tribe will surely have its ups and downs this year. The team is young and will probably be inconsistent at the plate. At times, they will look unstoppable. Then again, other times they will probably look unwatchable.

What's great is the Tribe have a quality mix of young talent showing flashes of what the young Indians team was doing prior to moving into Jacobs Field in the early 90s, and some older veterans playing like they are 25 again.

The regulars are hitting a combined .281 (79-for-281), with 13 homers and 48 RBIs. And Choo hasn't even found his rhythm yet.

But pitching will be the key for this team.

The Tribe's current rotation of Carmona, Carrasco, Masterson, Tomlin and Talbot have combined to earn seven quality starts out of the team's first 11 games. Their combined ERA is 3.62. Combined WHIP is 1.19. The staff has allowed just five home runs in the first 11 games. Those numbers are Phillies-esque.

Even better, the bullpen has a 3.18 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP and has allowed only two homers.

"Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!" said John Adams' Ludwig tenor drum mallets as they continued striking the face of his bass drum from the bleachers beneath the left-center scoreboard. That sound is a staple and it reminds Tribe fans that, even if we are down by 14 runs, you never know which batter might start the rally. It reminds us not to listen to the doubters (as if Clevelanders ever do), to stick with what works, to stay focused and to keep on WINNING!

The beat goes on ...

Karma?

Let's see...

Cavs beat the Heat in Cleveland. Game was intense, as I blogged before.

Tribe opened the season looking horrible at 0-2. How are they now? 6-2. 6 game winning streak. As Chris Perez said: a young team with confidence is a scary thing. Well said, Perez. Liking the hair, keep it up.

Charlie Sheen just came to town - came out on stage wearing his Tribe jersey.

Lake Erie Monsters clinched their first ever spot in the Playoffs.

Cleveland Gladiators have looked pretty good!

Scene Magazine's Best Of Cleveland Party was insane.

It's going to be 70+ degrees today.

Burn on big river, burn on. It's good to be a Clevelander, hell, it always has been. It's funny how some small success and warmer weather breathes life into this city. Take away the snow, dark clouds, pouring rain and heartless local talent that leaves for South Beach, and what do you have left?

You have pride that's as strong as the industries this city was founded on. Keep digging back, Cleveland. We've missed you.

LeBron's Mom Arrested - Again.

Karma rears it's ugly head.

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/sports/LeBrons-Mom-Arrested-for-Assault-119394369.html

Cavs - Tribe - Maybe even some Browns?

Had the absolute privilege of attending the Cavs vs. Heat game last Tuesday. The place was electric. (Thanks again Conley)

Cavs, obviously, won the game, and Lebron, obviously, cried afterwards. Ryan Hollins played like an All Star caliber big man. Baron Davis orchestrates the game like no point guard we've seen in a Cavs uniform for YEARS. The rest of the team played like the playoffs were on the line. We are not a playoff team, but they were playing for pride.

It's really a shame what's happened to the Cavs this year. Obviously LeBron bailed like the coward that he is, but literally, nothing else went their way. Andy Varejoa - their energy catalyst - went down with a season ending injury. Antwan Jameson also suffered a season ending injury.

When you look at next year, and add in healthy Andy, 'Twan and Baron Davis, I think the Cavs will be fun to watch. Granted, I thought they'd be a playoff team this year, but who's keeping track. Right?

Had the non privilege of attending the Indians home opener on Friday. Fausto Carmona was lit up like a leg lamp in an old mans window. We left when the Tribe trailed 14-0. Yes, that's a baseball score, the Browns are still locked out. The Tribe rallied a bit, but it was still ugly baseball. They then lost on Saturday as well. Today, Sunday, they played a great game of baseball and beat the White Sox for their first win of the season. Justin Masterson threw a great game, Orlando Cabrera went yard, Lou Merloni came up big, and Pronk continued to hit the ball hard. Enjoyed watching it, and look forward to their series with the Boston Red Sox.

We are now in April. That's big for two reasons: 1. It's the month of ManCation. A vacation trip for the fellas where we do everything Manly.

Quick game break: The Cavs were being manhandled by the Knicks, and Baron Davis just went on a run. The guy is on fire. 11 points in a minute. Cavs are now down by 10. That was fun.

2. April is also the month of the NFL Draft. Lucky for the NFL that fans are focusing on the draft, and not the fact that they are still bickering over $9 billion dollars. Who are the Browns going to take? I honestly don't know. One thing I do know: there should be some serious talent on the board when the Browns send their pick to the podium. Some serious upgrades. We may snag another franchise corner, or a run stopping tackle, maybe even a linebacker. You noticed I mentioned all defensive players there. That's because I want them to take a defensive player with that first pick, OR, trade down if the deal is right. I will say: We don't need a QB early, and that feels good, BUT, we do need another RB. Free agency? Sure, if there is one.

Ok, dinner is ready, and the Cavs are back on. Boy, it feels good to be a Sunday.