Bleacher Report - Articles by Christopher Whalen

Going Out in Style at Yankee Stadium

Christopher Whalen — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 20:29:52 -0500

Morning came on Oct. 5, 2009, with Yankee flags adorning shops and residents homes in the Bronx. Traffic is scarce, a few cars can be seen driving on Main street, yet not one of them is a cabbie.

Businesses around New York declare a holiday in honor of the evening's New York Yankees-Chicago Cubs Game 7 World Series Game.

To make up for a lack of transportation to the game, bus drivers are volunteering their services for Yankee fans.

Sunday was actually scheduled as a make-up work day for many NY companies, making today off possible. Most people ravingly agreed, considering the Yankees long anticipated return to the biggest stage in baseball.

What was supposed to be the finale season for the Old Yankee Stadium in 2008 was postponed in favor of helping tax payers save some money for one year.

Mayor Bloomberg decided that he would make extra-special preparations for the game, via extra policemen outside the stadium as well as inside it.

These boys of blue would provide a presence around the perimeter of the stadium as monitors, making sure that no ticket scalper earned one dollar above market value for a ticket.

What was really strange about this surprise empathetic move proved to be Bloomberg's insistence that if a ticket goes over it's pre-determined price, that the proceeds must be donated to a charity on site.

The Mayor promised that a different charity would be situated outside of each of the gates to the stadium.

Yankee Stadium has a new shine to it on this day, much like a brand new penny.

Around 10 in the morning, I pull up in the only running cab in New York City. The driver is actually a Yankees representative, and the cab is rented out for a few hours from the city.

Half a dozen reporters are awaiting my arrival, just outside the front gates to the House That Ruth Built.

As I open my door, I take notice to the carpet lain right before me, leading all the way to where the reporters are standing. It's a royal blue color, with a pin stripes background just like the Bombers uniforms. The Yankee logo appears embroidered in the center of this expensive looking carpet, jumping out like it was part of a 3-D movie.

To think all of this is a creation of Zander Freund and Bleacher Report makes me pinch my skin, wondering if this is reality.

Zander somehow managed to arrange this with the Yankees brass, with the premise that a winning essayist from the site, providing a report on New York Yankees history would be treated to a VIP experience for a day. As Bleacher Report editor Rory indicated to me, 1 million hit the sweet spot for the Yankees GM.

Not just any VIP treatment mind you, a VIP athlete-like pampering with full-access.

Getting out of the cab I felt like I was Broadway Joe, just without the mink coat and a couple of girls on my arms.

Just like a flash, I walked down the carpet, some what dizzy from the spinning feeling in my head from the sheer awe of what was happening.

As I reached the end of the carpet and was about to enter the gates, a hugely familiar figure stepped in front of me.

"My sons are running the day to day operations now but I'm still the owner around here. I want to show people that I'm not evil like Darth Vader."

"Plus the boys are busy with the series game looming and I'm the only one left to be your guide."

"Think of me as your buddy today, and please call me George and not Mr. Steinbrenner like I'm sure you'd be inclined to do."

It sounded phony coming out of Mr. Steinbrenner's mouth. I wanted to call him George but how could I when his words seemed rehearsed, like they had been on a cue card he was reading before my arrival.

"Sorry, Mr. Steinbrenner, I have too much respect for you to call you by your first name. Thank you for being so genuinely open with the gesture though."

"I understand. Brian Cashman didn't start calling me George until just last year."

Mr. Steinbrenner handed me an envelope which displayed my name. Inside was my itinerary, starting with a tour of the club house, a visit to the field, and then a seat next to the leader of the Evil Empire, my host, in the best suite available.

"You're going to love what we have in store for you, Christopher, in our club house."

"I'm already loving all of this so far with the carpet ride I just got off, Mr. Steinbrenner."

There we were walking down the hall heading toward the surprise that awaited me in the clubhouse; The man who made the New York Yankees the standard for winning championships, and the man who hoped he could have a World Series replica ring made for him by opening day of next season.

We entered the clubhouse where so many Yankee greats had suited up, maybe or maybe not using steroids to take them to greatness.

Looking around the room I saw all the jerseys hanging up with care, just like stockings at Christmas time.

Jeter, Teixeira, Posada, Sabathia all hung in their places with a Sony monitor built in to each of their lockers.

I looked around wondering what was in here for me, until I saw a jersey with my No. 40 from high school basketball right next to Alex Rodriguez's.

The word WHALER was spelled right above the number. It was near perfect, my last name was almost spelled correctly.

"That is really amazing, Mr. Steinbrenner that my name is on a jersey, but the spelling is wrong. There should be an 'n' instead of an 'r' on the end of my name."

"Son, since we are buddies and all, don't worry about the mistake. I'll have it fixed in a New York minute."

Then just like a Rickey Henderson steal, a few seconds later a Yankee representative brought out a corrected jersey.

I put the jersey, an XL, on and soaked up the moment, courtesy of Bleacher Report.

As I put my cap on I thought: Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.

Someone before me said something like that, it seemed, but then again maybe it was an original thought.

None of the players could be seen in the locker room since they were finishing batting practice on the field.

"I'd love to take you to meet the guys on the team, except they are extremely focused right now and we do not want to mess with that dynamic."

Mr. Steinbrenner promised me I would see the players before tonight's ball game instead.

He told me that seeing the field would have to wait until prior to the game as well.

Night time came on Yankee Stadium and I returned in a limo this time. Wearing my jersey and cap I was ready to see the my Yankees break the Cubs hearts and send them home into the cold, windy city air.

Despite being told I would meet the players before the first pitch, that I would see the field, the opportunity never came. Brian Cashman saw the game as too crucial to risk the player's concentration with a face-to-face meeting.

To say I was disappointed was like saying that Terrell Owens is down when he doesn't get 50 passes thrown his way.

First pitch was minutes away, and I was making my way up the elevator along with Mr. Steinbrenner, who was right next to me.

We took our seats in the so-comfortable-it-should-be-a-crime reclining chairs in the suite. Dinner choices were between Lobster or steak.

All I wanted were hot dogs and some nachos, without the inflated prices.

"I think we're about to find out who the celebrity throwing the first pitch will be Christopher."

"I hope it's Billy Crystal, Mr. Steinbrenner."

The PA announcer came on about a minute after we had all stood for the Star spangled banner, performed by Bruce Springsteen.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO GAME 7 OF THE WORLD SERIES BETWEEN THE CHICAGO CUBS AND YOUR NEW YORK YANKEES! PLEASE GIVE A ROARING APPLAUSE FOR OUR SPECIAL GUEST WHO WILL THROW OUT THE FIRST PITCH, CHRISTOPHER WHALEN FROM BLEACHERREPORT.COM."

If I was drinking a soda at that point, I would have spit it out of my mouth.

Making my way down the aisles came with a security escort, along with the hundreds of high-fives which came from both Yankees and Cubs fans.

The left hand was as red as a tomato by the time I reached the field.

I'd never thrown a pitch that far before in my entire life.

It showed.

After being so hyped up and trying to wind up like a major-league pitcher would, I threw the ball high above Jorge Posada's head.

Fans still screamed, while others laughed and cat called my efforts.

Before I knew it, I was back sitting in the suite with the Boss.

The bottom of the eighth inning came and the Yankees were up 14-4 over the forever cursed Chicago Cubs.

This day could get no better than this were my thoughts at the time.

"It's about time you met the Yankee players, I'd say, my boy."

What he meant is that I was to sit in the dugout with them and watch the game from the most unlikely of places.

I walked down the stairs to the dugout, wondering where I was going to sit, if I could even talk to anyone even though it was a Cub killing.

"You aren't going to sit here with us just yet. Grab a bat and head for home plate."

This I was told by Yankee manager Joe Girardi.

When I heard that I froze, was handed a bat, a helmet, and almost feel down walking towards the plate, like I had my head on the end of the bat and spun around 10 times.

I had specific instructions-don't swing the bat-no matter what I did. My job was to stand there and take every pitch and not embarrass the Yankees.

Taking each pitch just like the good boy I am, I smiled the whole time as Mark Prior screamed 90 mph fast balls by me three times for strikes.

The players may not have said more than a hello to me in the dugout when I returned, but I didn't care.

I ended my VIP experience in the locker room celebrating with the Yankee players, after a 18-4 victory over those lovable Cubbies.

They let me wear goggles, take some champagne spray, all of five exactly timed minutes.

I had my day with the greats though, my Bleacher moment in the sun and in lights.

Dwight Howard: Superman for NBA MVP?

Christopher Whalen — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:54:10 -0500

One of the handful of players worthy of being the 2009 NBA MVP also happens to smile more than any other player on the court.

He is the lone player who has earned the right to call himself "Superman." He won the 2008 Slam Dunk Contest wearing a cape and a Superman emblem on his chest.

The man I speak of is, of course, Dwight Howard. You will not find a player who is a more intimidating force in the National Basketball Association.

Sorry, Shaquille O'Neal. You are no longer the player most feared in the paint.

Even if SI and its players' poll named him the most intimidating player in the association, "The Big Cactus" does not have the same prick to him that he once had.

Howard is garnering attention for the most coveted of postseason awards, and should continue to do so throughout the season.

His statistics really belie the overall impact he has on games and the league. They are impressive, still: 20 PPG and 14 RPG. He also posts almost one steal per game (.98) to go along with his super-shot blocking of nearly three per contest (2.92).

Funny thing is, two of his Orlando Magic teammates have taken more than 70 more shots than No. 12 this season, and he still manages to dominate.

But Dwight has intangibles in addition to stats.

Dwight Howard Controls the Paint

Shots flying toward the rim is a regular occurrence in league play. What is not the norm is one player sending so many shots back, flying in the opposite direction.

Many teams are forced to settle for jump shots outside the painted area due to the presence of Howard. When you block as often as a young child with Legos, you will have that sort of impression on an opponent's tendencies.

More Than Just a Space-Eater

Howard does take up room in the lane, but like the comic book hero Superman, he has more than just strength. His long wing-span makes for adjusted shots (and sometimes nothing more than desperate attempts at the rim).

He gathers rebounds as if he were a magnet gathering metal. Imagine if his only duty was to focus on rebounding, à la Dennis Rodman for so many years. Might we say that 30 boards on a nightly basis would be possible?

Consistently Playing Valuably

Shooting 50 percent from the field in one NBA game is respectable for one night. Play around 40 minutes that same day and you get a little more respect for the day.

Now apply those averages game-in and game-out. That's almost Dwight Howard-good. He's making shots at a clip of 56 percent to this point.

But Superman Does Have His Kryptonite

There is a weakness in Dwight Howard's game: free throws.

He does shoot an average of 58 percent from the line. He also gets to the stripe pretty frequently.

But in doing so he takes on many defenders' personal fouls. That makes his weakness a team strength as well.

The pervasive turnover bug bites Howard too. His 2.8 per game give the other team more chances to score.

But, just for comparison, the other MVP candidates aren't doing any better: Kobe Bryant averages 2.68 turnovers per game, while King James turns the ball over at a peasant-like 3.0 per game, and New Orleans superstar Chris Paul gives the ball up at a 3.1 clip.

Even though turnovers are a large part of wins and losses in the NBA, one can't weight that too heavily when deciding the MVP. You will not hear any expert or pundit say that LeBron shouldn't win the award because he coughs up about three extra possessions for the other team each game.

Even Tim "The Wise Veteran" Duncan has a high turnover margin: 2.23 per game. Think of this stat as more food for thought.

Image Is Everything

As far as a spokesman for the NBA, Howard could be no more perfect for the role. Coming in as a rookie four years ago, Dwight vowed to spread Christianity.

The difference now is that he is less naive but just as adamant about spreading his faith. Couple his good values with the humble, balanced nature that he possesses, and every writer who casts a vote could be in his corner.

There are many tall buildings to leap and many speeding bullets to be faster than in the NBA season. But if Howard continues to act like a "Superman" and gets the Magic to the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, he should scoop up the MVP hardware.

What if he falls short of that feat, without Jameer Nelson, and still leads his team to 50 or more wins?

Simply cast your vote for Dwight Howard if his impact is the greatest.

Kay Yow: Farewell to an Inspiring Soul

Christopher Whalen — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:40:33 -0500

Before today I knew very little about Kay Yow, the woman pictured above. After learning some about her life in less than a day, I wish I had known her as a friend.

This story has a somber mood but a happy ending—even in death.

Kay Yow at age 66 passed away this morning after some tenuous battles with cancer. She dealt with that "monster" of a disease that takes so many, on and off since 1987.

Even though I cannot consider myself a fan of women's basketball, I am a fan of the way the women play the game. They seem to have an inspired fire to compete, strong fundamental play from what I gathered watching parts of some games.

The late NC state coach since 1975, with many other women's coaches have everything to do with why women's basketball has such inspired play overall. You do not see these coaches playing just to win, but to help develop the young minds which they are presented with each season. Kay was her own inspiration in addition to serving as one for countless of others who came into her path.

More than the over 700 games she won as a head coach, Kay Yow had winning as a human-being down to a science. Over her 33 years at NC State she was a mentor whether she was the person leading her team during a season in progress or not. Her refusal to give in to cancer for so long is evidence in its actions alone of her perseverance.

While serving as a parental figure and role model to numerous girls, Kay would put together 21 seasons of 20 wins or more.

The women's court in Raleigh was aptly named "Kay Yow Court" in February of 2007 for the woman who always leaves a positive mark wherever she goes.

Compassion was in Kay's nature, as she affectionately gave every indication of that fact in her words:

"In the end, it is the relationships that matter. They are far above everything else because they continue for a lifetime."

"The more you know them, the more you can help them."

A coach who fights for her players and herself is one that is given absolute respect by all who witness those acts. Kay possessed a spirit and toughness that was everywhere she would venture. Think of a basketball player aggressively fighting through a full court press every time his/her team is on offense, splitting each double team with a driven purpose. Now magnify that attitude towards tribulations around 1000 times, that's how Kay Yow's determined heart worked.

It was Kay's faith and strong convictions of winning her battle against cancer which should make any sports fan stand up and give a roaring ovation.

"run the race strong and press on"

"Don't drown in self-pity. Swish your feet around a little, then get out"

"Almost everybody is dealing with something."

What's in a person's legacy? Maybe it's in a team's insistence to go on despite its leader being absent for good, like at North Carolina State. It seems to exist in the voices of people who could not help but be touched by Kay's constant living approach. The president of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, Sherri Coale, celebrated what that legacy is to her and many stadium's worth of others.

"In sickness and in health she was a bastion of courage and kindness," said Coale, who is the head coach at Oklahoma. "Her zest for life and her determination to make a difference in this world have galvanized our profession while inspiring millions."

Kay Yow had such an overwhelmingly bright personality and brought such magnetism that it is hard not to be deeply saddened. It seemed like I should honor her with a tribute the more I noticed just how significant she was in the spectrum of basketball and life itself.

Kay has finished roaming the sidelines with her unrelenting passion, that's for certain. What will not end is the bouncing ball that is the trickle-down effect that has girls and boys cherishing life more, whether a basketball is involved or not.

Let's keep our hopes up that Kay Yow still is coaching in another place where there is no scoreboard, no shot clock, no record of winning or losing.

Inspiration has lost an advocate but her energy remains in those she inspired.

Some of the information in this article was taken from blogspot.com and from espn.com.

Arizona Cardinals Are Last Year's New York Giants, Only More Fun

Christopher Whalen — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:37:48 -0500

As the sun can be a metaphor for a team's season, the rising and setting of the last two NFL Champions seasons, the Arizona Cardinals now have the scorching heat New York had—Super Bowl Champions.

It's the "Greatest show under the sun" leaving no doubt that they deserved to be in the game of all games.

I'll leave the recap to the guys who watched the contest from down on the field. Let their credentials handle the highlights.

What is the more interesting scene is how one team, cast off into the desert from day one, found ways to look like a team from a year ago.

These defies-of-the-odds played the Super Bowl like they knew an inside joke and the doubters during the season were just jokers.

If you can believe the flea-flicker pass from Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald that led to a touchdown in the NFC championship game, you should have no trouble believing this story.

From day dreamers to the "real deal." Arizona and New York each would scale the mountain of make believe, the chances everyone else was giving them to end up winners.

Look at these two respectable teams but with disrespect in your eyes now. You are much like the odds makers, media, most fans of football before the 2007 and 2008 seasons began. New York stood as a 30-to-1 shot to win SB XXLII last year. The now soaring Cardinals, you will find them nestled in as 45-to-1 birds prior to this season.

People doubted Eli. People doubted Kurt.

Manning was getting "old" in New York. Warner was plain getting old.

It's not a stretch that these team's share some of the same magic. Their quarterbacks were teammates not that far back.

As finishes go, the Giants won some big road tests to end the regular season. Hopes seemed finished for the Cards, who lost four of the final six pre-playoff games.

Neither team was starting to see its band wagon garner attention come wildcard time.

Distractions were both a part of each season, as both slew their "giants" to get to the big game. You could get technical and say the Cardinals did not have to slay any Giants.

As warriors of the road go, the Giants had that moniker. Take the other side of the road and you have the Cardinals flying steady at home all season. Seemingly arduous odds followed the teams when they would go out of their "comfort zone" and travel, either to home confines of the Meadow lands or to anywhere that was not in the desert.

Arizona's players and a good sampling of its fans can feel like a kid again.

Kurt Warner did just what Eli Manning has done: Force everyone with a camera and tape recorder to chew on his sound bites.

Heading into the last two Super Bowls questioned would arise as to whether both underdog defenses would hold up under the sometimes too bright lights of the game. New York and Arizona double unchecked the skepticism with stanch performances when needed.

If you loved the drama of last year's game, this one out does its predecessor. Fourth quarter stand with a bang (insert sack here).

Pittsburgh and it's no.1 defense found themselves sacked by athletic play on the other side of the field.

New York once defeated a no.1 rated offense in order to claim what it needed for validation.

Just like Eli would see his career rejuvenated, Kurt can share in his jubilant revival. The Super Bowl XLIII win could be what Warner needs to play until he is forty-three.

Anyone having a deja' vu experience but with a warmer twist?

Loyalty and Pro Athletes: They Go Together Just Like a Horse and Carriage!

Christopher Whalen — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 01:55:40 -0500

Alex Rodriguez is a very loyal man for the New York Yankees. He loyally takes his $28 million a season, and will continue to until 2014.He soldiers on every day, staying completely loyal to New York without any complaints. He needs to be placed along with webster's definition of loyalty, at least on a poster for the quality itself.

Just think how loyal more athletes could be to their teams if they were able to garner the kind of contracts that A-Rod has come into. Take December of 2000, he loyally accepted $252 million for 10 years. Then again in December of 2007, he once more found the loyalty to sign take $270 million for another 10 years. These contracts weren't with the same team though. The first deal was with the Rangers, then the latter with the Yankees.

Hold on a minute. Wait that's not loyalty? Maybe it is loyalty after all. It's self loyalty.

The Yankees slugger is not alone when it comes to professional players in this era being loyal only to me, myself, and I. Kevin Garnett, Mark Texiera, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Peyton Manning, and many others get their "market value" and then a little extra on the top.

Two pairs of teammates above in two different sports were even generous enough to both be "loyal" and leave enough money to field a whole team. Nice job to you gentlemen!

It's become the sports culture to get what-you-can while-you-can with all these agents having so many hands in our games now. Even the players who are not represented by someone use an agent negotiated financial agreement as a point of reference for their own contract.

It's a good thing fans are loyal to their teams. Well I mean most fans. OK a lot of fans stay loyal. Alright many fans are loyal, many are not.

Maybe you have to be loyal to yourself before you are loyal to your team. No, that was true to yourself before anyone else. There's too many sayings out there.

I'm sure there are cases of loyalty with players to their teams out there. But they seem to be hidden behind the Latrell Spreewells having "a family to feed" and the Carlos Boozers who are opting out of his contract after this season no matter what happens. Please don't worry Utah fans he "wants to see what will happen with the Jazz and stay here."

If only loyalty was down loadable into your brain like software. You would understand it all, then use the principles of the program and remain objective.

I'd buy that program, wouldn't you? But that might depend on how much it costs too.

The most "loyal" of athletes are in MLB. There is no salary cap, luxury tax be damned.

Seems that the product of our sports could be much better if salaries were more divided instead of having the Upper class, and the much more upper class. Teams management would not have to tax themselves over the effort to remain below a league's salary cap. Trades would be accomplished with less difficulty, less head ache's would emerge from owners and general managers.

Notice the players who perform better in the final year of their contracts hoping for a larger pay day the next season. Eddy Curry with the Chicago Bulls, Andruw Jones of the Atlanta Braves, very nicely done.

It's been proved that making millions of dollars while playing "a game" can and does lead to complacency.

Ron Artest was so complacent that he promoted his record label.

Maybe Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury and Anfernee Hardaway wouldn't have had to "suffer" on their teams benches with those large contracts if true loyalty among the players existed.

Think of all the teams through the years that could have been better or even competitive if their players took loyalty to heart, instead of to their wallets. The Yankees from 2001-2008, the Braves from 1991-2006, the Red Sox of any year in the nineties until recently, and basically any other team in any other pro sport that is not the Patriots, Lakers, Detroit Red Wings or Boston Celtics. Let's not leave out every Chicago Cubs, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Clippers teams from their inception.

Let's hope that we as sports fan's witness loyalty's rebirth into the professional ranks. It's lost in the past and fan's minds for now.

When the NHL leads the way in lowest dollars-per-contract year among its athletes it's a long ways off toward progress.

I know the money being made from all the ticket sales, merchandising, and television revenue sharing has to go some where. It does not have to filter to so few people while those who spectate these sports suffer for entertainment value.

When players have guaranteed millions coming to them fundamentals do not matter. I'm sure they sound good to every player though.

There is a chance that loyalty could make a comeback in sports in 2010. If every team goes bankrupt.

Loyalty is just a word anyways. What's one word?

Super Normally Isn't Super for too long: Watch your sports expectations

Christopher Whalen — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:10:40 -0500

Ever notice how when a team wins a championship, most everyone involved in their glory, except the players, is high on more success right away? It's difficult to win a playoff series, or a playoff game, let alone a sports title. So much can and does go wrong for teams trying to repeat. Take the Pittsburgh Steelers of '05 or every team that was a reigning champ from MLB since 2001. None except the Red Sox from last year managed to get to the conference finals of their sport.

It seems that while fans expect more titles immediately after the first one, the owners are more geared toward marketing and selling luxury boxes. You can look at teams like the Spurs, Celtics, and Yankees as well as the Patriots, even the Detroit Red Wings and see true commitment to the fans and share holders. The rest often seem to lose key players or don't take enough chances to improve their teams the following season.

The bar being set by owners, and in turn fans, is too high every year. The Patriots were not going to win 18 games again this year, even if Tom Brady was not taken out like Homer Simpson after too many beers. Consider the Yankees, and all that George has yet to swallow again (rings) for years now with his evil empire. With all money involved and the inflated egos of owners, the fans have leaped over reality too often.

Maybe if the big bosses who run these franchises thought more about the team and its chemistry rather than the outside opinions, then things could take more gradual courses instead of dramatic mood swings. Seems that every team which struggles, or even the ones that "under-perform" feel like they have to sweep a coach out the door or ship a player out to see progress again. The Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos all get A's for sweeping out the old in favor of something-new-but-who-knows if it's progress.

It would put a mental shine on my overall sports outlook if more owners would think like the San Antonio Spurs or New England Patriots top men. These two organizations keep their coaches for longer periods, but find new ways to use the crayons in their boxes. I know resources (money) is different for all the franchises but it seems to suggest that there is not enough accountability within these teams. At least the Florida Marlins know how to get small fish and see them grow into bigger ones, even with their annually low payroll.

Imitation is arguably the greatest form of flattery so why is there not more copying on teams homework? You notice in the NFL that teams take from the Patriots and try to get undervalued players at cheaper rates, thus there is a lot of parity within the sport. MLB has a greater appeal now with revenue sharing, even though without a salary cap Steinbrenner can spend like his pockets are as deep as outer space. Even with those positives you can watch a game in any sport with professional athletes and see a lack of discipline and mediocrity abound.

Let's hope that more fans decide to root for their teams with less criticism and more patience. There are many reasons why money can get your team fame but also many reasons why it can hinder your chances. Less ulcers, heart attacks, and stress could follow if fans take on realistic expectations, meaning that your team will play either good or bad. Let super feel super when it happens, just don't expect it.