But, Steve Nash is at the World Cup, and he is actually letting me go with him.  Albeit through his video camera as he is a special correspondent for …CBS Sports.  Huh?  CBS Sports is known for two things:  college basketball games, and uninspired NFL broadcasts.  It’ is not a kind phrase, but they really are the poor man’s sports network.  I would not consider myself a fan.  I would not press the “Like” button.

However, in an apparent effort to broaden their appeal beyond white guys from the midwest, CBS Sports has hired America’s favorite international (South African born, Canadian raised) white guy to report on the goings on at the World Cup.  Well, it’s not really reporting.  They just want him to do funny videos with them like the ones on my link above, or this one that he did with Amar’e Stoudemire:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Maybe they are hoping that it will be the Steve Nash Effect in action outside of basketball.  He seems to bring out the best in others, and perhaps he is doing the same thing with CBS Sports.

Here is the last video that he made himself just before teaming up with CBS Sports:

(If you just watch one of the videos in this article, watch this one.  It’s the shortest and the best by far.)

Click here to view the embedded video.

For some reason, his videos with CBS Sports don’t have the same type of pop that his other videos have.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

As I watch these, I want to laugh and be engaged in the spirit of the video, but it’s just not happening.  I’m a ridiculously huge Steve Nash fan, and an even bigger World Cup fan, but the mixing of the two has not been a recipe for success.  The CBS Sports curse brings Steve Nash down a couple of notches in the funny department.

Oh well, he’s back in America now for his charity soccer match on June 23.  I’m sure that Steve will find his touch with the video camera again soon.

Just to show that not all of these grapes are sour, I will leave you with the one video that did actually have me laughing out loud.  Enjoy:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part of speech: noun

Definition: person who takes chances, departs from accepted course

For a long time, I was politically drawn to Arizona Senator John McCain.  A lot of it had to do with the fact that he was my “home” senator from AZ, but I liked how he seemed to cross party lines to do what he believed was best for his constituents.  While the definition above seemed to fit, I didn’t really realize that he was known as a “maverick” until the 2008 pairing with vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and all of the subsequent media fervor.  Over the last few months, McCain has begun to resemble a maverick less and less.

Nash (right) with Mark Cuban and Dirk Nowitzki

Before you start thinking that this is a political article, you should know that my new favorite maverick isn’t a politician at all.  Steve Nash, technically speaking, isn’t actually a Maverick either (as in the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA).  While I have articulated my man-crush for Steve in the past, that was mostly tongue in cheek.  I have a genuine fascination with why he is who he is, and how he does what he does.

What he does, on a regular basis, is dominate basketball games. Many of these games are played with men who are stronger, faster, bigger, and younger.  He leads his team by example, and doesn’t need to preach.  What he does, works, and people want to know how.

To say nothing of his mental toughness, the guy takes amazing care of his body.  He doesn’t have bulging biceps or a washboard stomach, but he can run up and down the floor for 36 minutes a night and often saves his best moves and shots for the end of games.  He doesn’t take special pills or sleep in a hyperbaric chamber.  He just avoids sugars, red meats, processed foods, and anything fried.

That’s right, I’m looking hard at the Nash Diet.

Now that I’m on the other side of 30, I’m actually starting to feel it in my body.  The golden arches don’t send a rumble through my tummy anymore.  Well, actually they do.  But, it’s the yucky kind or rumble.  It seems to happen precisely after I’ve finished consuming one of their lovely paper-wrapped salt bombs.  The garbage disposal that has been hitherto known as my stomach, is starting to beg for mercy.

We’ve had some good times.  A glorious Monte Cristo sandwich with a plate full of fries.  Been there.  Ten White Castle cheeseburgers and a pitcher full of Big Red.  Done that.  One time, I actually managed to eat an entire DiGiorno’s Stuffed Crust Pizza and a 6-pack of Honey Brown lager.  In a very real way, food makes me happy.

But I’ve wondered more and more lately about how food affects my mood.  I can affirm my delighted demeanor until I am blue in the face, but my mind sometimes has trouble overcoming all of the crap that I put in my body.  I don’t want to live from energy drink, to coffee, to whatever emotional high I get from some sort of greasy meal that my tongue loves.

Steve Nash’s diet, according to him, is pretty basic.  5-6 small meals per day, lots of fruit, nuts, grilled chicken, and fish.  Oh, and drink plenty of water.  And probably a bit of vitamin water:

Click here to view the embedded video.

So, I’m not ready to make some sort of public commitment and post my progress online (yet…).  I’m just interested.  My reticular formation is tuned in to what I am eating, and how it is making me feel.  This is definitely something maverick for me.

How it all will happen, I’m not sure.  But it is a real dream and one that I swim in from time to time.  If you’re not sure why hanging out with Steve Nash would be such a great thing, just check out some of his commercials assembled below.  I love this guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxE4Urt2pHs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzqO5csAhhc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zcE1q4J7PQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP2NfkKoqjw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9ZBGmTlp2g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zwk0d-WkCg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E88VThXVlI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv9CBaeTXYo

We will see if my dream becomes a reality.  Until then, I’m going to keep dreaming.