Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Unbalanced.
Why do People So Hate Lebron James?
When Lebron James came into the league, he was considered the Chosen One. Before he could shoot at an NBA basket everyone was anointing him as the greatest of all time. Now those were some lofty goals to achieve and from it he took a lot of heat. The bad part it was not of his doing it was mostly press clippings that people wrote about James. Let's take a closer look at the hatred of Lebron James and why it still persists today.
By Kenneth Watkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
All That Glitters is Not Golden Knights
I've written two stories on the Vegas Golden Knights already. The first one centered on how the team and their fans have become immensely unlikable in less than five years of existence. The elitism that has blanketed the culture of the Golden Knights is due to the results of their inaugural year. As we all know, Year One saw the Golden Knights finish first in the Pacific Division, surpass the 100-point mark, and reach the Stanley Cup Final. They even won the first game of the Final, but lost the next four, but in spite of the defeat, just getting there on their first try was enough to pump the egos of the Golden Knights and their fans. They expected this every year. I'd go as far as to say that the team felt they deserved to be handed the Cup on the following year.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
A Look at Major League Baseball's Many Changes as the Lockout Ends
It's over. The latest Major League Baseball lockout finally came to an end just one day short of the 100-day mark, with a tentative CBA agreement. The collateral damage was minimal; spring training was lost, and Opening Day ended up pushed back a week--from March 31 to April 7. Despite the later start, a full 162-game season is the plan, with the regular season set to end on October 2, 2022. This work stoppage is the first one since 1994, and that one saw the remainder of that season canceled, as well as that year's postseason and World Series. It also resulted in the 1995 season starting late and containing 144 games, and that season ended with the Atlanta Braves winning the World Series.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Who Will Be the Female Inductee in the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame? (Top 5 Possible Choices)
It's WrestleMania time, and that also means that it's time for the annual WWE Hall of Fame class to be built. Each class is interesting; it always involves a headliner, a secondary headliner, a celebrity inductee, a legend outside of WWE, and of course, a female inductee. While I am always interested to see who the main headliner will be (in the case of this year, it's The Undertaker), my main concern is the female inductee. Which woman will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame? Who will join the likes of Trish Stratus, Lita, Alundra Blayze, Jacqueline, Beth Phoenix, and recent inductees Molly Holly and The Bella Twins, among others?
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
A Look Back: John Cena's 1st WWE Championship Reign
April 3, 2005. On that evening, I watched my very first WrestleMania, and I'll never forget it. The hype for WrestleMania 21 was quite big, and part of that hype included John Cena, as he entered the grand stage as the #1 Contender for the WWE Championship, a title he would win at the event and would hold for quite a long time. I knew Cena would win at the event, it was one of the many reasons why I watched WrestleMania 21, and it was as awesome as advertised. Cena's inaugural run as champion was also quite entertaining, and here's how it started.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Are There Any Reasons for Optimism Regarding the Toronto Maple Leafs?
The Toronto Maple Leafs are having another good season so far. They are in the Atlantic Division's Top 3, going toe-to-to with the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, the latter being the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup Champions. They have the fifth-best record in the entire league; other than the Florida teams, only the Colorado Avalanche and the Carolina Hurricanes have better records. Speaking of the top five, the Leafs are in that group in a lot of categories: they are third in GFA (Goals For Average) with 3.65, they have the top Power Play in the entire league at 30%, and they Penalty Kill percentage is 4th overall at 85%. With all of that, I ask, "Are there any reasons for optimism for this team?"
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
A Historic Quest Disguises the Washington Capitals' Many Problems
The Washington Capitals are a fascinating team. For decades, the team was snake bit. I still remember their Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1998, but it resulted in zero games won, and they were desperately looking to get back there. Then the 2005 draft happened, and that's when he joined the fray. Alexander Ovechkin. Talk about hitting the jackpot. Both he and Sidney Crosby were part of that same draft, but while Ovechkin was looked at as more of a star between the two, Crosby was the one racking up the hardware--winning three Stanley Cups while Ovechkin couldn't get past the second round of the playoffs.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
A Look Back: Eve Torres' Heel Run
One of my favorite moments was the inevitable heel turn from Eve Torres, which occurred on February 20, 2012. I remember wanting Eve to become a villainess for a good while; she looked like she could pull off being a heel, she definitely had the look to do so. Eve's WWE career began with winning the 2007 Diva Search (the last one to date) and making her televised debut as SmackDown's backstage interviewer in 2008. She began competing in the ring in 2009, and engaged in feuds with women such as Michelle McCool and Layla before being moved to Raw in October of that year. It was in April of 2010 that Eve captured the WWE Divas Championship for the first time, with the reign lasting two months before losing the title to Alicia Fox as the Fatal 4 Way event, doing so in the titular match that also included Maryse and Gail Kim.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Inferno: The Rise of the Calgary Flames
It's ironic; the Pacific Division is clearly the worst out of the four divisions this season, yet it has the most intriguing storylines. The up-and-down play of the Edmonton Oilers, as well as their signing of Evander Kane. The Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks becoming playoff contenders. The Vegas Golden Knights struggling, the Vancouver Canucks staying in the race, and the Seattle Kraken's first season. The biggest story, without question, is the Calgary Flames suddenly going on a winning tear and taking the lead in the Pacific Division.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
A Look Back: Melina's 1st Women's Championship
Hard to believe it was 15 years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday. Monday, February 19, 2007: the very evening that Melina Perez reached the top of the women's division and won WWE's Women's Championship for the very first time. It was a long time coming, and the road to that title was a very interesting and entertaining one
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
The Sad Golden Rule in Sports: White Can, BIPOC Can't
The continuous racial double standard in sports continues to rear its ugly head, and it's hit this year's Winter Olympics. I'm familiar to how harshly athletes of color are treated in comparison to white athletes. I've seen it in football constantly. Players such as Terrell Owens, Keyshawn Johnson, Chad Johnson, and many other Black players get lambasted for having a personality, for their celebrations, but it's OK if White athletes do it. I've seen Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski act up numerous times during games, but with White athletes, "They're passionate about the game." But when it comes to POC athletes, that's when the negative connotations come in:
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Super Bowl LVI Recap: A Hollywood Ending
Super Bowl Sunday. Even as a diehard hockey fan, I know how absolutely sacred that day is. It's not like any other day. It's a day full of celebration, prestige, and pomp and circumstance--and that's when the game is in other cities. Super Bowl LVI emanated from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California; though, let's face it, it's Hollywood. It's Los Angeles. And it's home NFC franchise, the Los Angeles Rams, were playing in their home stadium against a Cincinnati Bengals team who exceeded so many expectations. Regarding myself, I'm always excited for the Super Bowl, but for this one, I was extra elated, as it featured two teams I was happy for in regards to reaching this big game.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
