JasonPafundi.com

Steinbrenner an owner every fan should want

 There are people out there who'll say that New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who died this morning of a massive heart attack, was bad for baseball.  I say that he is the kind of owner every sports fan and athlete wishes to have.

 When Steinbrenner bought the Yankees in 1973, the team was in the middle of a period of futility, but with shrewd decisions and deep pockets, the Yankees returned to glory, winning the World Series in 1977 and 1978.

 Steinbrenner's teams would win five more World Series championships and 11 American League titles in his 38 years as owner.  

 His willingness to spend whatever it took to win is a business model that helped make the Yankees the second most valuable sports franchise in the world.

LeBron takes the easy way out

  After being among the millions watching ESPN last night and their "The Decision" special (how embarrassing, I know), I have come to the conclusion that LeBron, for as talented as he is, will never be considered an all-time great.

 Sure, he may win numerous titles in Miami, but by deciding to play with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh and the Heat, he basically admitted that he needs help.  And he needs help in the form of one other superstar (No. 3 in the NBA behind Kobe and LBJ himself) and another all-star.  That, to me, is sad.

New York City 2010- It's a wrap

Yesterday I returned from my 10-day New York City vacation.  I’ve been to the Big Apple upwards of 35 times, but this was one of the best vacations yet.  From sports to celebrities, this trip had a little bit of everything.

I arrived in the Big Apple on Tuesday, June 22 after a 23-hour ride up the East Coast on Amtrak --note to self, never again.  My friend Stephanie, who lives in a great apartment on 53rd St. And 9th Avenue, was gracious enough to invite me to stay at her place while she was in Florida.  It worked out great.  When I got to the apartment on Tuesday, though, her cousin’s friend was apparently still there, and I was concerned because I needed to shower and sleep in a real bed.  It was taken care of and he slept on the couch that night and was gone before I woke up the following morning.

Off to the Big Apple

  Today begins my official "summer vacation" as I head to New York City for what is my 40th separate trip to the capital of the world.

  Since most of you that know me know that I don't like to fly, and since it's the summer and I love trains, I'm taking a leisurely 22-hour ride on Amtrak, leaving this afternoon at around 1 pm and arriving at Penn Station in Manhattan tomorrow at around noon (pending delays).

  I have a lot planned for the time I'll be in NYC (probably around 12 days), including a Mets and a Yankees game, a Broadway show, the Late Show with David Letterman, and more.

  Check back on the site for daily reports.  Hope you enjoy what I have to say!

Kobe's great, but he's no Michael

  It's just about the time where the comparisons of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan reach an absolute fever pitch.  After all, Kobe just won his fifth NBA title last night, putting him just one behind His Airness.

  Championships 1-3 for Kobe were won thanks more to Shaquille O'Neal, one of the most dominant players in NBA history.  Michael never had a dominant center, let alone another great, top-5 player alongside him.

  Sure, Michael had Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen, but having a dominant, dominant center is much different than having a Top-100 small forward.  Shaq commanded a double team, something Scottie Pippen has never seen before, allowing Kobe to get much more open looks than Michael.

Strasburg Debut is 14K Gold

 The hype machine that has followed 21-year-old Stephen Strasburg finally reached the pitcher’s mound at a major league stadium last night.  Labeled by many experts as the “Greatest Pitching Prospect Ever”, it was impossible for him to live up to the hype, right?  Wrong.  Not only did he do the impossible, but outside of throwing a perfect game, he exceeded the absurd expectations people had for his debut.
  Strasburg, the star hurler from San Diego State who was the first overall pick in the 2009 draft, dominated hitters in college and during his brief stay in the minor leagues.  But the question had to be asked if he would be that good once he faced major league hitters.

NBA Finals Preview

Click here for NBA Finals Preview (.pdf)

Inevitable decision, but the wrong one

The National Football League awarded the 2014 Super Bowl to the new Meadowlands stadium in New Jersey, giving the New York City metropolitan area it’s first big game.  It is also the first game that will be played in an outdoor stadium in cold weather, and the NFL had to waive it’s 50-degree rule to allow it.  This was an obvious decision by the NFL, but in my opinion, it’s a wrong one.

The positives for holding the league’s biggest game in the world’s biggest city are numerous.  The city is accessible from three major airports (Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark), and there are more hotel rooms in the area than could ever be needed, with a number of them being five-star luxury hotels for the corporate types willing to spend the money.

Lindsay just needs to SCRAM!

Once again, I have to admit I couldn't look away from the computer this afternoon as perennial trainwreck Lindsay Lohan appeared before a visibly upset judge in California.

The short-version of why she was in court is that she was arrested for DUI in 2007, placed on probation, and as a condition of her probation, she had to complete a certain number of alcohol education classes.  Over the course of the last 18 months, has had numerous issues with the court over the completion of the classes, and supposedly she had only completed 10 of the 13. 

Back from the dead

Ladies and gentlemen, after a hiatus longer than the self-imposed exodus Tiger Woods took from golf, I'm back and better than ever with the all-new, JasonPafundiOnline.com.

Check back throughout the day as I update the goings on around the world and in my life.