Just Shut Up and Play!

A couple of funny observations from highly paid athletes. Instead of taking their "defeats" and dealing with them, they choose to air our issues through the media. But it should be this simple. Shut up and play what you're paid to do.

Case #1 involves Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez and his little feud with his manager Fredi Gonzalez.

Tuesday was an un familiar seat for Ramirez.
He should be in today's starting lineup.

In a Monday evening affair against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ramirez was going after a blooped ball into shallow left field. Ramirez couldn't get to the ball in time. When he tried to filed the ball, he accidentally kicked the ball into the left field corner. No big deal and I'm sure we've all seen the replay by now. It was Ramirez didn't do after that.

Instead of busting his rear end into the left field corner to retrieve the ball, Ramirez appeared to be lightly jogging to get it, an effort not appreciated by his manager. Gonzalez pulled Ramirez from the game for his apparent lack of hustle. Ramirez was none to kind to his skipper.

"He can do whatever . . . He doesn't understand that. He never played in the big leagues."

And Ramirez proceeded to throw his Marlins teammates under the bus as well.

"We got a lot of people dogging it after ground balls. They don't apologize."

The apology part is in reference to Gonzalez wishing Ramirez would apologize to his teammates for his poor effort. While Gonzalez could actually care less if he personally receives one, he does feel strongly that the Marlins as a team deserve such. As of yet, Ramirez has neither delivered that apology and appears in no way to waver from his stance.

What cannot be lost is the support a couple of Marlins players have for Gonzalez and the move to not only pull Ramirez on Monday, but to bench him on Tuesday. Dan Uggla seem to place himself in his manager's corner.

"I think Skip needed to do what he needed to do, which was take Hanley out of the game at that time. Does that mean we love Hanley any less? No, we have all made mistakes. We've all done things like, 'Oh, maybe I shouldn't have done that.' But you move on, you move forward you get past it."

What Uggla very well could be saying is this. You showed a lack of effort. Sit down and take your medicine. Get over yourself and play the damn game. Most importantly, shut up! Well, that's how I take it anyway.

And by the way, Ramirez is the highest paid player on the Marlins roster due to 6-year, $70 million contract and he is the face of the Florida Marlins. Act like it.

The same could very well be said of Phoenix Suns big man Amar'e Stoudemire and is Case #2.

Odom played a brilliant Game 1 and deserved
all praises for it.

During an interview yesterday, Stoudemire was questioned about Lakers "asset" Lamar Odom and Odom's 19 point, 19 board effort in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Stoudemire didn't exactly give Odom any props. Not so much as any ackonwledgment that Odom had a superb game. In fact, Stoudemire belittled Odom's effort.

"I'm not giving him no hype right now; he had a lucky game in Game 1."

I'd rather be lucky with a line like that Amar'e. What were your stats for the game? You managed 23 points which was a +4 in the scoring column (compared to Odom). Good, good. What's this? 3 rebounds? 3 freakin' boards was all? That's a -16! Plus, Odom only had one less rebound that the whole Suns starting five (20 to 19).

Another thing here. Stoudemire also talked of not having total focus. How can you not be focused playing the the conference finals? For the record, Stoudemire gets paid $16.4 million for not being focused compared to Odom getting $7.5 million for being lucky. Maybe Odom shouldn't be as focused. He could make more money.

I was always taught that rebounding isn't luck. It's effort and nothing else. You have to want the ball.

Odom could have taken Stoudemire's ball and run. But he didn't.

"So be it. Hopefully I can have another lucky one."

Way to take the high road, Lamar. Although I guess a great line or two would have been awesome for E! to put on your wife's show, but I'll take this classy move any day.

Amar'e - shut up and play. And don't forget, it's the Western Conference Finals. You need to be focused.