Ichiro and Hunter win Gold Gloves...again

In the last nine years, the economy has gone from mighty juggernaut to slightly healthier than a veal calf. We thought the World was coming to an end (Y2K) and we watched Jay-Z and Brett Favre retire and come back. Some of us even watched two American League players become arguably the greatest fielders at their respective positions in more than a generation.

Torii Hunter and Ichiro Suzuki are consistently flawless fielders. Anyone who cannot achieve joy watching Hunter track down a rocket in the gap or isn't floored by Ichiro's m16a2 of a right arm doesn't deserve love.The two have roamed outfields in relative obscurity for their careers. Yes, Ichiro is a rock star in Japan and parts of America. Hunter plays in Los Angeles for a perennial playoff contender. So what?

The Los Angles Angels of Anaheim of California of the United States of Earth of the Milky Way will always be a second class citizen to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

And Seattle? Please. They will eventually play the San Francisco Giants in the World Series, and both teams will find a way to lose.

Obviously, both teams play on the West Coast. That really doesn't help these players. And even though Hunter played for the Minnesota Twins for a decade, they really aren't talked about. Doesn't matter that they are regularly one of the most exiting teams in baseball.

These players, somehow, aren't well-known. And that is just sad.

How do I back this up? Not empirically, that's for damn sure.

It's proven in who gets the advertising, and who gets the national recognition.

For one day each year, the All-Star game, casual fans a quick refresher on what these two are doing every day for their respective teams.

And then, they go back to toiling in virtual anonymity.

Should we feel sorry for them? Absolutely not.

Both are paid handsomely and get amazing health care to play a child's game. Both are widely respected among their peers. Ichiro is a lock for the Hall of Fame, Hunter is getting there.

But that doesn't change how sad it is that more people aren't understanding and appreciating what these two do. If either of them played for the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees, they would be on the covers of video games. Their jerseys would be worn around the country by posers and 'roided-up frat boys.

But maybe it's good it's like that. It keeps fans like us what makes us better than casual fans.

So congratulations to Ichiro and Hunter. I look forward to telling future generations about watching you two play the game with style, respect and hustle. (A preemptive "screw you" to all those who say since Ichiro rarely dives he isn't gritty or doesn't hustle.)

Thank you both for your energy and enthusiasm.

Grandma-ma is gone-ma-ma

Running back Larry Johnson must have decided it would be funny to use a gay slur on his Twitter account, because he did exactly that the other day and it got him fired. Two weeks ago, Johnson used a derogotary term for gay men in a Twitter post, but finding out which one is like trying to discover a government secret – Google “what did Larry Johnson say” if you want to waste some precious moments of your life. Allegedly, Johnson used a common slur that begins with the letter F and won’t be repeated here because journalism is still sort of my day job.

Johnson was also critical of Chiefs head coach Todd Haley, and was suspended for his conduct. But apparently, Johnson had completely worn out his welcome because the Chiefs outright released him today.

It’s been clear for a long time that Johnson is an arrogant jerk – although Priest Holmes put up insane numbers as the Chiefs’ leading tailback, Kansas City drafted Johnson in 2003 and almost immediately the young punk began to voice his desire to usurp Holmes. When Holmes got hurt in 2005, Johnson took over and never gave the job back.

Since then, Johnson has been arrested three times, each time after allegedly assaulting a woman in some fashion. He has always been a prickly character, but his production has fallen off in a huge way. After finishing first in the league in rushing in 2005 and second in 2006, he hasn’t gotten more than 900 rushing yards in a season since. Because of his size (six-foot-one and 230 lbs) and athletic ability, some contending team will undoubtedly pick Johnson up. But if he hasn’t learned a lesson about how to behave like a civilized person, he’s going to be joining the unemployment line again very soon.