Derek’s Top 5 of 2012

Derek DeNote

Let’s take some time and appreciate the best people of 2012. My top 5 (not top 10 because frankly I don’t feel like putting the time into thinking of five more and these five came rather easily)…

5. Alex Morgan

As she was capturing a gold medal for America, she was also capturing the heart of every pubescent boy across the world (or at least every pubescent American male). Attractive and Athletic, what more can you ask for… well how ‘bout coming from an affluent family, too. So, let’s fully comprehend this now, she’s beautiful, the best athlete in her sport, and wealthy…needless to say Alex Morgan is the most sought after girl in the world. I don’t say this often about woman’s athletics, but it really is a shame that women’s professional soccer isn’t televised more because I can speak on behalf of every male in America when I say that I’d like to see more of Alex Morgan. Also, since I’m positive Alex Morgan reads this (I’m 100% sure she doesn’t) if things between you and Servando Carrasco don’t work out, I think you should give me a shot. I may not have been a D-1 soccer player and a professional soccer player, but I am a State Champion Manager and D-1 Manager.

4. John Calipari

Let’s finally give this man the credit he is long overdue. This guy is the reason the NCAA looks so diligently into programs now. He’s a charismatic guy that understands teenagers, probably better than he understands basketball. This isn’t a shot at him, it’s more of a praise for the way he is able to relate to teenagers and year after year get the top recruits in the country to commit to his program. Calipari’s team in 2012 predicated themselves on their defense that was coached brillantly by Calipari (Yeah, start your bitching “he had the best defensive player of our generation…anyone could have coached them” but I say this to you, who brought him to campus? Exactly.) Calipari sells that he can get you to the next level; having this years 1 and 2 picks in the NBA Draft definitely solidifies that. But now being able to sell National Championships, too, might make Calipari the greatest recruiter….ever.

3. The USC Manager who deflated the balls against Oregon

After diligently searching for his name (going through the first Google page with the search “USC manager”) I came to the conclusion that they did not release his name. Being a manager, I’d be pissed if I wasn’t properly recognized for me doing my part in helping the team. This kid didn’t get the proper recognition he should have, it’s all about going the extra mile for your team and that’s what he did. People always say managers aren’t part of the team, but it seems to me that he did a lot more to help his team win than Lane Kiffin did this entire year. Also, there is zero chance this kid did this on his own…managers do exactly what is told of them, so that they do not get into trouble, nothing is more demoralizing than being an adult and getting screamed at for screwing up your duties (like not getting up all the sweat off the court after a players falls).

2. Charlie Weis

Your reaction right now has to be either “Who is Charlie Weiss?” or “Didn’t he go 1-11 this year?” Well, yes you are correct if you’re thinking the ladder. But, you know what he did do…he recruited a majority of these Notre Dame players playing for a National Championship. Charlie Weiss got one of the rawest deals I’ve ever seen, while at Notre Dame, but I guess his colossal pay out sorta kinda makes up for it. Weis was left with virtually no depth (not talent, don’t get this confused) at Notre Dame. Everyone likes to say that Willingham left Weis Quinn, Samardzija, Stovall, McKnight, Walker, Carlson, and Zbikowski, but other than some key starters Willingham left Weis nothing for the 2007 season…and well the 3-9 (actually, 4-8 since Penn State vacated that win) record certainly sowed that. If Notre Dame wasn’t so impatient, I’m quite confident Weis could’ve had the same success that Kelly is having right now. Weis is responsible for Notre Dame’s 2 best players, in Eifert and Te’o and over half of Notre Dame’s opening day starters. Whenever Weis won, everyone was quick to say they were Willingham’s guys, but quite frankly they were mostly 3 stars that Weis developed and well Weis left Kelly the cream of the crop with an abundance of 5 stars all over the field. So, come January 7^th I’ll be rooting for Charlie Weis.

1. Mark Titus

With the release of his hysterical book, Don’t Put Me in Coach, that I managed to finish in under 24 hours, I realized that if write it, people will read it. So, though I don’t consider myself half as humorous as Titus, I do consider him the inspiration to this blog. Titus made everyone laugh by telling stories of mundane practice situations with added humor, but it was explicitly explained to me that I cannot divulge anything from practice, so I couldn’t do the same. Titus’ impact on my life is profound (not really, but I feel like giving him the number 1 spot I have to build it up a little bit) Quite frankly, he gets the number 1 spot because without his blog getting me through my entire second semester at school…I would have never started this blog and what a shame it would have been for all you readers!     

Honorable Mention (Meaning I thought of this after I already wrote the five):

The broadcasters during the MLB postseason: I know it’s already been beaten like a drum how bad Joe Buck is, but I’m going in another direction. First off whose decision was it to assign Ripken to the Orioles’ series? He totally won’t have any bias there!! But, the two things that stick out it head the way the broadcasters chuckled as Jeter went down with a terrible injury. I’m not upset because I thought it was wrong to laugh at a gruesome injury. I’m upset because those announcers truly believed Jeter just fell…and they still have jobs. Secondly, when Tim McCarver gave viewers the most mind-numbing pitching instructions that included “you want to throw strikes that look like balls and balls that look like strikes.” Well if you don’t feel like you can be a Cy Young winner with that instruction, then maybe there’s no hope for you.