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Recent articles...

Dwyane Wade - " COOL?"..............
05/19/2012 @ 06:24 AM
Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade throw tantrum during Game 3 nd it's all caught on national television....

"Clemens & Sleeping Juror's".................................
05/15/2012 @ 09:53 AM
The Judge dismissed a second juror for sleeping....

"BASEBALL in IRELAND?".................
05/13/2012 @ 08:55 AM
Did you know there's an organized baseball league in Ireland? I never did and the American games spreading across the Irish Nation.

"Let's Go To The Game!"...................
05/11/2012 @ 10:11 AM
Taking your kids to a pro game these days near impossible for the average working stiff......

"Defining Seasons"" ............................
05/10/2012 @ 07:27 AM
In my generation there was a time when you could tell the change of seasons by what sport was playing...now, forget it....

'"God Protect's Fool's and Drunk's!"................
05/09/2012 @ 07:12 AM
That expression most of us have heard before certainly can be applied to baseball's Josh Hamilton.....

"WHO CAN PITCH?"......................
05/07/2012 @ 07:48 AM
The Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles played 17 innings of baseball last night and both managers stood in their dugouts and shouted, "who the hell can pitch?"

"JUNIOR, WHY YOU NEVER TELL ME?"....................................
05/05/2012 @ 07:04 AM
The suicide of NFL's most dominant linebacker Junior Seau once again puts the spotlight on suicide's of our pro athletes.

Mariano Rivera - "tough act to follow".........
05/04/2012 @ 07:50 AM
New York Yankee closer Mariano Rivera may be out for the rest of the season. Shagging fly balls prior to last nights game in Kansas City, Rivera suffered a torn ACL to his right knee.

"STOP THE MADNESS" .........................
05/03/2012 @ 07:29 AM
Former MLB great Roger Clemens is back in court with his pal Andy Pettitte being used by Federal prosecutors to "hang" his baseball friend. Stop the "charade."

"DON'T THREAD ON ME"..........................

Posted on 01/25/2012 @ 07:25 AM

Boston Bruin's star goalie Tim Thomas set off a firestorm of controversy when he refused to join his teammates at a White House reception Monday to celebrate the team's memorable run to the 2011 Stanley Cup title. The man who played the biggest role in the Bruins winning their first title in 39 years "turned" his back on President Barak Obama. His reason, "I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties and Property of the people." Thomas said much more, but the overall tone of his public statement suggests he believes the Obama administration is "twisting" the "Constitution" and "Founding Fathers" vision for the Federal government. Thomas added, "because of my beliefs I exercised my "right" as a Free Citizen and did not visit the White House!"

It can be argued that sport events at the White House are a tradition, and not "political," but, if you believe that, there's a great old bridge connecting mid-town Manhattan with Brooklyn that's available for sale. It's a "PHOTO-OP" period. Presidents and Washington politicians never let great "photo-op's pass them bye. That's a Washington "tradition."

Tim Thomas snub of the White House invitation isn't the first time one of our pro athletes snubbed President Obama. In September, former Chicago Bears great Dan Hampton (1979-1990) declined an invitation to the White House for a 25 year celebration of the team's Super Bowl XX win, stating flat out, "I'M NOT A FAN OF THE GUY IN THE WHITE HOUSE!" The month of September wasn't a good month for the President. He invited NASCAR drivers to the White House for a celebration, and five of NASCAR's top drivers rejected Obama's invitation. They were, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick.

President Bill Clinton, during his stay in the White House, was once snubbed by Green Bay Packer star tight end Mark Chmura. The Packers were invited to the White House by Clinton to celebrate their Super Bowl win. Chmura rejected the invitation because he didn't approve of the President's behavior with Monica Lewinsky. One of America's greatest athletes, refused many White House invitations during the entire Vietnam War period. Can you name him? I'll tell you who it was at the end of this story.

Tim Thomas had every right to reject the Presidents invitation. The tradition of honoring sports teams at the White House for winning the World Series, Super Bowl, or any other Championship doesn't "trump individual" rights. The right to choose. The right to exercise his political, religious, or personal belief regardless what invitation the company he works for receives. The man has strong beliefs, who has the right to fault him for that?

The star goalie's reputation may be diluted because he decided not to go to Washington with his team. Especially in a city like Boston where Democrats, liberal Democrats, have ruled for decades. If his reputation does take a hit I'll be disappointed in my home town fans. This Boston hockey Icon won't be the last athlete to pass on shaking hands with a President of the United States. Tim Thomas should be commended for making a platform and standing on his beliefs. Too many people "talk" a good game, but never follow up with their ideas, and dislikes, about how the country is run. Bruins star Tim Thomas is not one of them. Written on his hockey face mask are the words,"DON'T THREAD ON ME!" Next time the Bruins are in town check out his face mask. I'm not making this up.

The great American athlete who refused to visit the White House during the Vietnam War was "MUHAMMAD ALI.".........................

Larry Upton
"Upton on Sports"-source:boston/washingtonpost/