I have been hearing Kanye West’s “The Good Life” in my head all day. A dope track and cool video.

Maybe it’s cause things have been kinda dragging lately. And we all need something nice to get it going. The good life would be a perfect day with the sun shining brightly and everything just nice as can be.

Rather than bother with the Alex Rodriguez daily circus, I decided instead to do a more fun video feature of one of my all-time favorite legends Bob Marley.

Sometimes, sports can be downright annoying. Music is far from it even if it has its own set of agendas as this fellow Gunner knows all too well. But if you’re a little tired of the A-Rod Saga, you can always find time to chill out and listen to a good song and not have trouble smiling as with the state of baseball.

Since it does look like the world’s most egocentric superstar will be out an extended period to a torn labrum in his hip caused by a cyst causing him to miss the World Baseball Classic for adopted country Dominican Republic, perhaps the media can get back to what’s in their job description which would be covering the rest of the Yankee team during Spring Training and the game itself rather than their Ea$y Target.

And now, for some classic Marley to lighten the mood.

“Misunderstood”
by Derek Felix AKA D Flex

I’m not like anyone else you know
So don’t bother trying to figure me out
Far from predictable in this place
Like being on a different planet in outer space

As misunderstood as the weather
That runs wild from hot to cold
Suddenly with the wind blowing everything around
Gusting and creating a funky kind of sound

I’m like those stormy clouds you see up above
Floating wherever they desire without care
Rolling thunder and lighting up the sky
Ticking off strangers who curse wondering why

As misunderstood as mother nature itself
Freezing temps one day to mild the next
Almost as if going through its own mood swings
Who knew that it was so much like human beings

Not sure how this really became
Confusing like clear skies turning gray
Turning our moods from delight to somber
Telling us it doesn’t want to be bothered

As misunderstood as the ever changing sky
Going from puffy white to pitch dark
Like the bright happy sun becoming a sad moon
That’s who I am smile fading away into gloom

“I wish [Jose Reyes] was leading off on our team, playing on our team. “That’s fun to watch. Anytime you have that type of speed. I mean, we have a guy in [Brett] Gardner that’ll be fun. That’s probably the most you can have, watching those guys run.“-Alex Rodriguez

Ever since Alex Rodriguez became a Yankee, it’s been a three-ring circus. Arguably the game’s best player who during his time here has won two MVPs including a memorable 2007 eclipsing Joe DiMaggio for the greatest season by a right handed hitter in Bronx Bomber lore, it’s always something else with this guy that makes him such a distraction.

We could cite all his postseason failures resulting in only one Yankee playoff round victory but what’s the point? It’s old news around these parts with the admitted steroids user creating a whole new reason for teammates to hate him.

Oh. They won’t say it to his face or publicly as with that phony press conference with him faking tears while pausing a couple of weeks ago in Tampa looking totally uncomfortable reading a written statement he didn’t even write.

Anything for needless PR even in a time when Mr. Rodriguez should’ve been more sincere not worrying about his image which already had been destroyed by the stunning discovery forcing him to come clean even if he protected his cousin. Of couse, that became a running joke around here with the “My Cousin Vinny” references. If only it were as amusing as Joe Pesci’s classic character from the 1992 box office hit.

Nothing A-Rod does is ever funny. Have you ever heard him try to make people laugh? They had him speak at a University of Miami dinner for their baseball facility which he donated thousands having it named for him. All well and good for the kid who grew up in South Florida. It just was a little awkward watching him attempt humor referencing his tough week leading up. Sometimes, it’s better not to say anything.

In that spot, the focus wasn’t performance enhancing drugs but something one of the game’s greatest stars did out of kindness. Perhaps he should’ve stuck to the topic leaving the other stuff for the media vultures when Spring Training continued at the Yankee complex.

It’s true that nobody’s perfect no matter what the Mike Lupicas of the world tell you acting all high and mighty while cashing in on a fake home run race with books and then acting all stunned when the truth comes out. Everyone makes mistakes. Rodriguez committed a bad one making a poor choice which he was forced to fess up to because his Player’s Association didn’t destroy some random positive tests in 2003. The general public was never supposed to know proving you can’t rely on anyone.

It hasn’t been entirely fair to A-Rod whose name has been kicked around in the mud ever since while 103 other players haven’t had their reputations damaged. You almost want to feel bad for the guy because a dark storm cloud seems to follow him no matter what he does.

If only he’d let us in and not come off so fake. It’s why the whole notion of him being referred to by former bench coach Larry Bowa in Joe Torre’s book The Yankee Years as A-Fraud wasn’t a surprise. It just reaffirmed what we already knew even if it was meant to lighten the mood taking pressure off.

Alex Rodriguez is a magnet who will always attract a large crowd. That’s what happens when you go from a 10-year $252 million deal to 10 years $300 million while becoming the youngest slugger to reach 500 home runs in line to chase down another cheat Barry Bonds who has his own battle in court coming. Speaking of circuses.

So, was it any shock that on a day Rodriguez learned he had a cyst in his hip which could sideline him from competing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic that he’d make another silly comment indicating that he wished Mets shortstop Jose Reyes could play on the Yankees and bat leadoff?

While it was a nice notion paying tribute to how great and exciting Reyes is, it probably wasn’t the brightest idea given that Rodriguez is a teammate of Derek Jeter and another pretty good leadoff guy in Johnny Damon.

Predictably, it created another big story for the New York media to discuss while panicked Met fans already have the sky falling due to their ace Johan Santana being pushed back from Opening Day to the fifth game of the season due to his elbow which the club won’t take an MRI on. That is a whole other topic about a franchise which clearly needs a good kick in the ass. Maybe they’ve been hanging around A-Rod.

Is it bad to say what he did about the rival shortstop in the big city? Probably not. Jose Reyes is a very fun player to watch. The way he worded it wasn’t the best and immediately put him on the defense indicating that’s not what he meant.

New York Post columnist Mike Vaccaro had a good column entitled, “Alex Not In Same Class As Captain America ” about the big difference between Jeter and him when it comes to leadership.

This excerpt sums up why so many respect the declining Jeter including Phils’ shortstop Jimmy Rollins who will sit out most games despite being a better player:

A leader? Would you like to know what a leader does? A leader, when asked the other day about David Wright, says something like this: “I have a great deal of respect for him, because he’s talented and he loves to win, and he plays hard. It’s a great challenge playing against him, so I’m happy to have the chance to play with him for a little while.“

That’s what Jeter said about Wright. He didn’t say how wonderful it would be if Wright joined the Yankees – even though there have to be moments when he feels exactly that. He has been criticized for not publicly defending A-Rod more, but it is on days like this that you realize his silences are as loud as any words he might employ.

You can’t be appointed to that kind of leadership. You either have it or you don’t.

 

Some friendly advice for Rodriguez. Next time, think before you speak.

A joke of a trade involving 10 maple bats for pitcher John C. Odom turned into a sad tale.

Once in a while, everyone likes to joke around and keep things loose. If we’re serious 24/7, most of us wouldn’t last.

However, sometimes a silly joke can go too far. Sadly, that was the case last year when former Giant prospect John C. Odom was traded for 10 maple bats. The bizarre deal took place between Laredo Broncos of the United League and the Calgary Vipers of the Independent Golden Baseball League last May 20.

At one time, Odom was drafted by the Giants in the 2003 44th round. But in four years, he never got further than Single A with injuries setting him back.

He still wanted to pitch and got the chance to for Calgary before they needed 10 maple bats worth 665 bucks accepting the ridiculous offer from Laredo GM Jose Melendez after they couldn’t agree to trading him for a player or even a thousand dollars because the Vipers didn’t do cash deals. But they did the trade for freaking bats! You really can’t make this stuff up.

“People are like, ‘I’d kill myself’ and stuff,” Odom said when the bizarre deal went through.

Unfortunately, following a poor outing in which he was taunted by home fans off the mound, it was the beginning of the end for a guy who had battled demons off the field. He lasted three weeks before spiraling downward to his death on Nov.5 of an accidental overdose of heroin, methamphetamine, the stimulant benzyl/piperazine and alcohol.

Explained former skipper Dan Shwam who managed him on Laredo last year of the novelty act gone bad:

“I guarantee this trade thing really bothered him. That really worried me. I really believe, knowing his background, that this drove him back to the bottle, that it put him on the road to drugs again.”

“There were some demons chasing him, they’d been after him for a long time. But there’s no way to really know whether the trade did it, is there?”

Imagine what must’ve gone through his mind. Many former teammates didn’t even become aware of his death until recently during Spring Training.

“It really is sad,” 2008 NL Cy Young winner and former ‘mate Tim Lincecum expressed last weekend.

“He was a fun-loving guy. I mean, just high energy all the time. I stayed on his couch just because he was on the same team I was on. I asked around a couple guys who I could stay with until I could find a place.”

Noted infielder Kevin Frandsen:

“He was always wanting to joke around, always wanting to keep the clubhouse mood light.”

Sadly, a stupid joke probably contributed to his death.

There’s never really a bad time to blast some classic old Guns N’ Roses. Of course, if you love them as much as I do dating back to my days as a kid, it makes it just a tad easier.

It would be nice to one day see Axl and Slash sharing the same stage again but given what the lone remaining member expressed in interviews, there’s a better chance of Hell freezing over. Speaking of frozen, it sure is bitter cold out there given the eight or so inches of snow the winter storm brought bringing in March with a bang. Mother nature must be taking that comes in like a lion thing just a little too seriously.

I never do mind some snow as it just makes things a little prettier. Try telling all the whiners that. Hey. What would winter be without at least one good snowfall? Here’s some classic GNR to blast away over your speakers out there:

“So Fine” is often overlooked on the Illusions but it sounds so damn fine in this live version with Slash and Axl teaming up in better times.

A damn good Black Sabbath cover by the very gifted but eccentric Axl. Many can say what they want but the guy has always been immensely talented. Not bad on that piano either.

This is just a rehearsal of the very complete Locomotive with Slash doing his thing working with Jeff Beck and the rest of the band. Sounds pretty great.

One of my favorite covers of Bob Dylan’s classic “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.” In 2002 at the final show of a disastrous tour under old management Clear Channel, Axl dedicated a much more emotional and slower version to all of NYC for 9/11. The new band now plays it that way. Both sound very good tho I prefer the faster more uplifting version.

Sidenote: By then, Izzy was gone with Gilby Clarke filling in nicely and Dizzy Reed already on board. Dizzy still does keyboards now and is the one guy who has remained with Axl through everything. Matt Sorum also was already on drums in place of drug addict Steven Adler. Poor guy even has a sad VH1 reality show in which he’s really lost it. God bless.

This is a pretty cool version with Axl running around the stage like a maniac and Slash and the guys playing reggae between verses.

The great Paradise City that they always close with these days as a tribute to Queen’s Freddie Mercury. Another damn great lead singer. I always was preferential to the actual video cause it freaking rocked! Look at all the damn views!!!!! Epic version.

This looks really old and where it’s shot, damn! That must’ve been awesome. One In A Million of course was severely critiqued for some of the racy language and issues Axl discusses in it. But it still is a very good song. Here are the lyrics:

“One In A Million”

Guess I needed
Sometime to get away
I needed some peace of mind
Some peace of mind that’ll stay
So I thumbed it
Down to sixth and L.A.
Maybe your greyhound
Could be my way
Police and niggers
That’s right
Get out of my way
Don’t need to buy none of your
Goldchains today
I don’t need no bracelets
Clamped in front of my back
Just need my ticket till then
Won’t you cut me some slack

Chorus:

You’re one in a million
Yeah, that’s what you are
You’re one in a million, babe
You are a shooting star
Maybe someday we’ll see you
Before you make us cry
You know we tried to reach you
But you were much to high
Much to high
Much to high
Much to high

Immigrants and faggots
They make no sense to me
They come to our country
And think they’ll do as they please
Like start some mini Iran
Or spread some fucking disease
They talk so many goddamn ways
It’s all greek to me
Well some say I’m lazy
And others say that’s just me
Some say I’m crazy
I guess I’ll always be
But it’s been such a long time
Since I knew right from wrong
It’s all the means to an end, I,
I keep on movin’ along

Chorus

Radicals and racists
Don’t point your finger at me
I’m a small town white boy
Just tryin’ to make ends meet
Don’t need your religion
Don’t watch that much TV
Just makin’ my livin’, baby,
Well that’s enough for me

That’ll do it for this GNR edition as we look back. I’ll have some new stuff from Democracy up giving my viewpoint on what is a solid album by the new guys.

Peace.

Sometimes, I get in one of those modes for something different from a few years back. Guess this snowy March NYC day is one of those moments.

I was craving some Fuel “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)” which truth be told is a phenomenal song very easy to listen/rock out to.

No other explanations needed.

 

I liked this acoustic set of “Falls On Me” as well. Acoustics rule and really give you a better idea of what kind of musicians these guys are. Me being a big guitar guy, it comes as no surprise.

So here it is as a bonus:

 

And one more acoustic for good measure because they sound so good:

Like any big music fan, I love concerts and have been to my fair share. But acoustic sets are more intimate and would be fun to catch live just to feel a different vibe. Perspective.