What Green Pastures, Mr Howard?

With the tragedy of Newtown, Connecticut still fresh on our minds, I flailed around trying to decide what I should post on my blog this week. It is hard to think or write without the visions of a Bushmaster, Glock, ambulances, first responders, or visions of little six-year old kids in funeral coffins swirling around in my head. We all need to grieve together. The entire nation! Maybe we should offer an offering of repentance for the shameless gun policies that make such tragedies as easy as stealing candy from a kid. Instead, we take their lives. Here, I express my personal sympathies to the many parents, siblings and extended loved ones closely connected to this tragedy. Enough of that and maybe a little distraction can be a salve to the soul in these troubling times. So, I will write about sports. Sport has always been used in our culture as a distractor – a symbol that life goes on and the struggle of yesterday is the fertilizer of tomorrow’s successes. My distractor this week is basketball, especially as my Chicago Bears crash down the standing – another disappointment to Windy City fans. So, would have believed that after the first quarter of the 2012-2013 NBA season, the Orlando Magic (12-13) would have a better record than the Los Angeles Lakers (12-14). Really? The purveyors of Vegas would be richer than Dwight Howard. The Magic traded their best player, Dwight Howard to the Lakers. The roster was gutted with a desire to rebuild a franchise that made the NBA playoffs for the last 6 years, and ironically played against the Lakers in the NBA finals in 2009. Howard joined Kobe Bryant, arguably the best player of the last decade (even if not at the present time) , Pau Gasol, a top 10 power forward , and Steve Nash, regarded as one of the best point guards in the Western Conference, and Metta World Peace. Who? Yea! That guy formerly known as, Ron Artest. Howard, after months of denials, waffling, and team disruption asked to be traded and got his wish. The bright lights of LA would certainly deliver him his much coveted NBA title. After all, LeBron James got his ring after moving from the frigid northern tundra of Cleveland to the subtropical climes of South Beach to join his friends, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. The season is far from over and the Lakers may yet emerge from the graveyard of lottery bound teams. My Mom used to say, “Son, the grass is not always greener on the other side!” That truism, Mr. Howard may yet discover, is not a myth.