Sports are fickle and ever−changing. Herein lies both their ultimate tragedy and most enticing draw. New, exciting players enter their respective leagues each season, reinvigorating poor teams. Yet just as quickly as players rise to stardom, they may retire, become injured or — even worse — sign with a rival team.
Since the NBA lockout pushed the start of the 2011 season back to Christmas Day, fans have been in the midst of a rarity in sports: free−agent frenzies in two leagues at once. The NBA and MLB offseasons are coinciding, and both have been dramatic, to say the least. Former franchise faces have left in search of El Dorado and talented role players have reclassified teams with potential and knighted them championship contenders.
Both leagues are in the midst of profound makeovers. The reigning champs of each sport, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Dallas Mavericks, have each been stripped of one championship−caliber catalyst from last season, creating a new balance of power in both leagues.
In the MLB, the big winners of the offseason thus far are obvious, as they have been the two teams willing to shell out the most money for proven competitors. Despite their ridiculously unwieldy name, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim struck first in their battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers for LA hegemony. The Angels recruited star pitcher C.J. Wilson and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols to solidify a formidable starting rotation and a dangerous lineup. Meanwhile, the newly christened Miami Marlins made a splash with the acquisitions of reigning NL batting champ José Reyes, starter Mark Buehrle and closer Heath Bell.
As a minor aside, let me note that Reyes' batting title and subsequent signing with the Marlins is not devoid of controversy. In the final game of last season, Reyes — who had been a tenured New York Met since entering the majors as a 19−year old phenom — found himself in a tight battle for the batting title with Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun. After bunting for a single in his first at−bat, Reyes asked manager Terry Collins to remove him from the game, so that his batting average would not plummet several points by game's end. Thus, in what was purported to be his final game as a New York Met, Reyes decided to snub devout New York fans and preserve his average. Braun would go 0−for−4 in his game, played later that day.
Meanwhile, in the NBA, coveted big man Tyson Chandler has given the New York Knicks the frontcourt presence they previously lacked, and All−Stars Chris Paul and Dwight Howard could be on the move in the coming weeks as well. Also, in truly heartbreaking fashion, a crestfallen Brandon Roy announced his retirement after five injury−plagued years as the center of the Portland Trail Blazers' universe.
So, while some fans are devastated by the loss of personal favorites, others are enthralled by the prospect of enlisting new talent. That's the beauty of sports. A team can go from having a dismal decade to becoming a dynasty.
This constant state of flux, however, makes for sob stories that are too frequently overlooked. I am referring to the Chad Penningtons, Donovan McNabbs and Tom Seavers of the world. These men put in years of service and effort to one particular squad, only to be kicked to the curb when they either A) got too old or B) got too hurt.
The high−pressure, cutthroat nature of sports is difficult to understand. Some players are mistreated and others mistreat their loyal fan bases. But that's why fans keep watching, supporting and refreshing ESPN.com every 10 minutes for the latest news.
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