With Memorial Day upon us, we all need to take a moment and reflect.

As a Baby Boomer, I’m fortunate to have been born from parents of “The Greatest Generation.” For those unknowing, the Greatest Generation is a term used for Americans born from about 1911 to 1924. Americans who lived through the Great Depression, served in World War II and some the Korean War, and rebuilt the world’s industries.

Since my father served in World War II and received the Purple Heart (he lost an eye during the Normandy invasion), I have always had a great understanding of Memorial Day. Like many WW II Veterans, my father would never speak about the war, his injuries, or loss of comrades. However, as a child, I leaned of his experiences from a family member. While my Dad was never pleased that I gained this personal information, I will always be grateful to my Uncle for sharing what he knew about my father with me. You see, my Dad was a true hero – and knowing of his experiences helped shape my life and gave me an ever greater appreciation and love of him, as I grew from a child to a man.

So come Memorial Day, I always take time to reflect on its meaning. However, since the National Holiday Act of 1971, I fear most think of it as just another 3-day weekend. Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, is supposed to be a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. Unfortunately, over time, I fear its tradition has been ignored and neglected.

With most of the Greatest Generation deceased, it’s our generation’s responsibility to keep the true meaning of America’s greatest holiday alive. Maybe we should begin by pushing for recognition of a Senator Daniel Inouye bill. On January 19, 1999 Senator Inouye introduced bill S 189 to the Senate which proposes to restore the traditional day of observance of Memorial Day back to May 30th instead of “the last Monday in May” – and not allow it as part of the Holiday Act and a 3-day weekend. Although re-introduced each year, the Senate has taken no significant action on the bill. By the way, Senator Inouye is not only a member of the Greatest Generation, but also the recipient of America’s highest military accolade – the Medal of Honor.

If nothing else, let’s start by recognizing the resolution, “National Moment of Remembrance,” passed in December 2000. In short, the resolution asks that at 3pm on Memorial Day, we voluntarily observe (in our own way) a Moment of remembrance and respect.

Thanks Dad.

If you were watching NBA basketball during the JFK, LBJ, and Nixon presidential era, you must have fallen off your chair when ABC/ESPN broadcaster Jeff Van Gundy recently proclaimed Kobe Bryant the greatest Lakers’ player of all-time. Hell, he doesn’t even make my top four (yet).

What makes Van Gundy’s comment even more surprising is that he was born in 1962 and comes from a basketball family. His father, Bill, was head coach at Brockport State University, so I know he recalls the names West and Baylor – not to mention Magic and Kareem.

Truth be told, I’m not a big fan of Kobe. However, there’s no doubt he’s a great player – and, arguably, the best player in the NBA today. However, the greatest player in Lakers’ history? C’mon Jeff.

Being a Celtics’ fan since the Russell era, I’ve seen or listened to all the great Celtics-Lakers match-ups. Young NBA fans believe it was the Bird-Magic confrontations that made this rivalry what it is today, but it started long before that duo were even out of diapers. From the 1961-62 to 1968-69 seasons, they played each other in six of the eight NBA Finals. They also matched-up in 1959, when the Lakers played in Minneapolis. The Bird-Magic era was indeed exciting and helped save the NBA, but it was just a continuation of the game’s greatest rivalry.

So, after 50 years of NBA history behind me, I offer my Top 10 Lakers of all-time. However, two things to note about my list: Wilt Chamberlain only played four full seasons for the Lakers (he was hurt during the 1969-70 season. Plus, I consider Wilt more a Warrior/76er). And, I never saw George Mikan play.
1.    Jerry West
2.    Earvin “Magic” Johnson
3.    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
4.    Elgin Baylor
5.    Kobe Bryant
6.    Shaquille O’Neil
7.    Gail Goodrich
8.    James Worthy
9.    Wilt Chamberlain
10.    George Mikan

Manny Ramirez, called by many the greatest right-handed hitter of his generation (along with Albert Pujols), is the latest potential casualty to become a Hall of Famer. Hit with a recent 50-game suspension for violating the MLB drug policy, Manny joins the likes of McGwire, Bonds, Sosa, Clemens, Palmeiro, and A-Rod who will be keenly scrutinized for possible entry in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

McGwire’s fate seems to be determined, as he has already failed to gain sufficient votes. We’ll soon find out about a few others, as their five-year retirement from baseball approaches. The wait on Manny and A-Rod could be to their advantage, as they are years from retirement. Time can deter memory. However, whether any of these cheaters get into the Hall of Fame, they have already ruined the fabric of the game. And who’s to know whether others who have been inducted weren’t also guilty of steroid use? I have my suspicions.

What made baseball so different from other major sports was its stats. Numbers have always been part of the game. As kids, we all knew 714, 61, and 2,130. Today, those numbers have been shattered. However, can you instantly tell me what the new numbers representing those records are today? Personally, those old numbers, along with 755, are the one’s I’ll forever remember.

Unfortunately, baseball stats have gone the way of basketball and football statistics. No one knows … and no one cares.