February 1, 2008

WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO TURN WHEN THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS YOUR NAME

       So Roger, tell me, how does it feel when the one person in this world that you thought you could call a friend deceives you? What does it tell you about the life you have led and the people you pushed away simply because they wanted to care about you but found that there wasn’t enough room in your world for anybody but yourself? What does that say about you as a person? How do you rationalize that you have succeeded in sports, and failed in life? 

      So Roger, how do you get up in the morning knowing that the life you have created is nothing more than a mirage made out of glass and easily broken? How is to sit and dine at your table in your house with your family surrounding you and feel hungry and all alone? What can it be to sense that a man’s worth was built on lies and deception as much as it was built on hard work and dedication? Do you know? Tell me Roger, do you know? 

      So Roger, when the evening arrives and you sit in your chair do you smile and cheer as your accomplishments occur right in front of your eyes, or do groan slightly with regret as the list of those you’ve hurt scrolls across your mind? Where does your mind go as you watch your children, each with a name linked to your success, slowly become independent of you and begin to question your every word? What can it be like to have your children look at you with quizzical eyes and wonder if everything you’ve ever said should be taken with a certain amount of disbelief? Where are your friends now that you need them? They’ve all turned their backs on you, haven’t they Roger? 

      So Roger, how do you live the remainder of your life trying to hide from a secret that you know in your heart will one day be exposed? Are you doing anybody, least of all yourself, any good playing this losing game of subterfuge? Do you really think you can hide when everybody knows your face? 

      So Raptor fans, would you really have forgiven Damon if he had chosen to sign here? Could you have put to rest this sense of betrayal you carry and cheered him as he became an important part of your team’s playoff push? Can you realize that Damon’s only flaw was that he was young and impressionable and fell victim to the seemingly altruistic charm of a basketball great? When will you realize that while it may feel good to deride those who have scorned you enough time has passed for you to heal? And when will you understand that they’re all just children anyway, children looking for love in often the wrong places? 

      So Leaf fans, do you feel well and secure in the knowledge Uncle Cliffie has ridden back into town confident that he can bring about a renaissance? How about the joy you must have felt knowing that the messiah you have prayed for all these years will soon ride into town in the company of the men who hired him, a businessman and a lawyer? What must it be like to be a Leaf fan? Do you spend each and every day having to control the immense feelings of frustration that boil within you? Do you really live each and every day knowing that you have have been and forever will be abused and scorned by your love? Do you know deep within your soul that you will never experience ultimate joy? Do you not think that it may be in your best interests, Leaf fans, to simply find another lover? 

      Does it really matter if the Super Bowl is a good game or not? Don’t we understand by now that fate has dealt the cards for this game and that the result has already been ordained? How else to explain the loss of their primary competition before they could meet again, or the unbelievable notion that the living legend with an incredibly long history of success in cold temperatures would fail because of the weather? Can any other ending have been written for this season? I think not.

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