What A Knucklehead

    

     

    How do you say “I told you so” in Spanish? I am sure Vander Blue will be able to tell me in a couple months as his basketball journey has taken the turn for the worse after going undrafted. 

    After declaring months ago that he would forgo his senior season to test the NBA draft waters, Blue finds himself in the same situation as me: without a degree, not associated with an NBA team, and suddenly craving Marquette Gyros. While I do not know the latter for sure, (let’s face it he probably likes Dogg Haus much better) I do know that Blue made the stupidest decision of his life. Sure Blue could latch on to a team in the summer league and make an impact in the NBA. However, the odds of this happening are slim to none. 

    As I watched players from every land in the world get selected last night, I felt a burning feeling in my stomach. (it could not have been the ten piece chicken nuggets I had earlier because I already took TUMS for that)

    It was anger over Blue's decision to leave the greatest opportunity Marquette has had to win in years. Everything was set up for Marquette to have a break out year with the best recruiting class in school history coming in. Players like Davante Gardner and Jamil Wilson were coming into their own which would have been excellent compliments to Blue. 

   Why leave a school that has been nothing but great to you to pursue a career in Croatia or Poland? Why throw away an opportunity to improve your leadership skills and lead your school to the promise land all to not hear your name called on draft day? I have not spoken to Vander and I do not plan on ever sitting down with him, but let me give you my opinion on why he did it (it is very simple really).

   The thought process behind his decision can be broken down to one word: GREED. You may be asking yourself “Nick you are just a hater who dislikes all the basketball players because freshmen women adore them and not you”. Yes this is true. I am jealous of the basketball players' ability to be more appealing to women than hot cookie night. While I do envy the “ballers”, I am also a realist.

   Blue saw the opportunity to make a few million and jumped at the chance. He thought he could capitalize on an above average junior campaign. Instead of tuning up his shooting deficiencies, Blue thought he could just transition to the point guard position like the process was a walk in the park. Would I do the same? Hell no. Why not you ask: because I would want to finish what I started. 

    I would have wanted to lead Marquette to the championship. I would have wanted to be known as “the guy” on campus. I would have known that having a stellar senior year would have laminated myself as a sure fire draft pick. But, I am just a below average athlete that will never get to make the decision Vander did. 

    Oh well life goes on. I will still get to enjoy stuffing my face with cheese curds while Vander explores interesting food choices in places like Albania and Finland. Best of luck to you Van, I hope you have your passport updated.

Follow Nick on Twitter @KapN93

Nick Kapetan hosts The Sports ReKap on MarquetteRadio.org along with DJ Vogt.

The Sports ReKap will start airing again in late August

Check back to see more blog updates throughout the summer

Just One of Us

     The Sports ReKap is starting a new series where we catch up with a former or current professional athlete to give you a glimpse into their life.  I sat down recently with former White Sox outfielder Michael Huff.

    After going to school in what is technically deemed the North Shore, the northwest suburbs of Chicago, I struggle to imagine many people coming from the area and making an impact in the professional sporting world. There are an immense number of players who come and live in the fancy residences the North Shore provides, but few home grown individuals make a name for themselves in sports. Former major league baseball player Michael Huff is the exception. 

    Huff, who attended New Trier East and Northwestern University in Evanston, came from these parts and has had a lasting impact on the sports scene in the Chicagoland area, even after the end of his career.    

   Michael Huff may not be a household for most of the readers of this blog. In his three years with the White Sox, Huff played in one hundred and fifty four games while striving as a defensive replacement as well as a pinch hitter and runner. He was a part of the 1993 American League West Champion White Sox as a key asset coming off the bench. 

   While his contributions on the field may be overlooked, his work since retirement stands out. Huff, the Vice President of Sports for the Bulls-White Sox Academy, takes pride in teaching kids, no matter their talent level, to be active instead of just playing video games. Just like any former ball player who teaches kids, Huff preaches that “the fundamentals, especially balance” is key. 

    The number of responsibilities Huff has would take up an entire business card. He oversees the fast pitch, baseball, and basketball department as well as the planning of special events, to just name a few. 

    Along with his work at the Academy, Huff fills in for White Sox broadcasts from time to time. After sitting down with Huff, two observations stood out to me: he knows what he is talking about and being a professional athlete has not affected who he is as a person.  

    As a baseball nerd, I jump at any opportunity to talk about the game with someone, especially a former major league baseball player. Huff quickly pointed out to me that the White Sox struggles so far this year can be attributed to the “offense in general” and the defense. In a way that made it seem like I was listening to him give his analysis during a game, Huff commented on how the Sox meager defense “puts an extra strain on pitchers.”

    Our conversation quickly shifted to his time in the majors as he described his first plate appearance against Tom Glavine which resulted in a base hit. Huff, who also played for the Dodgers, Indians, and Blue Jays, has countless stories to tell about his time in the big leagues. The former ballplayer spoke about his favorite teammates including “John Olerud, Chuck Nagy, and Robin Ventura.” He also describes the excitement of being a part of the 1993 postseason chase. 

    I am taken aback by the stories Huff has about his time living out most young boys' dreams. While Huff could have puffed his chest out and acted as if I was sitting in the presence of greatness, his down to earth personality was welcoming. 

   We discussed the famous New Trier-Loyola rivalry and how, after he scored a touchdown in a football game between the schools, lifted the football over his head in a celebratory fashion. Just like most individuals who attended either school, he enjoyed the rivalry and wanted to perform to his highest capability during the match-ups. 

    As I searched for the source of his humbleness, I discovered it when Huff began talking about his family and his time at Northwestern University. Huff preached the importance of having not a lot of “unused time and surrounding yourself with the right people.” Preaching this message, which teenagers now a day hear embedded in rap lyrics, Huff has the view on life needed to teach those that are the future of America.

    He never expected that he could make the majors when he was at Northwestern playing with the great Joe Girardi , but he worked hard both on the baseball field and in the classroom (he received a degree in computer science and industrial engineering). Through events out of his control (his sister was diagnosed with leukemia and his own personal injuries) he faced hardship but was able to have a seven year MLB career playing with the likes of Frank Thomas and Carlton Fisk. Huff shows that people from the North Shore can make an impact in professional sports by possessing the right mindset and caring about more than just oneself.

To find out more about Michael Huff and the Bulls-Sox Academy please visit their website http://www.bullssoxacademy.com/

Follow Nick on Twitter @KapN93

Have a suggestion on who The Sports ReKap should reach out to next, please comment below