I Heard A Rumor.....

It's one of the juiciest words in sports - "Rumor." It gets fans jacked up, adrenaline pumping, and in many cases, has the ability to cripple your work day and cause you to focus all your time surfing the internet looking for confirmation.

Free Agency period and Trade Deadline are words that are typically synonymous with rumors. With the NBA free agency period starting tomorrow (July 1st), there are rumors-a-plenty around the internet. The latest one in my world here in Atlanta is Josh Smith for Amare Stoudamire. The minute I read that rumor I began to check every website I have bookmarked in my "Sports" folder to see if there is any truth to it. In this day of blogs, columnists, talk shows, google, I'm convinced if you search long and hard enough, you will find whatever you want to believe "might happen" for your team.

Rumors give fans hope for the most part. They signify change and make you believe for just a few minutes that the general manager of your team actually has a pulse. Rumors mean change is coming. However, rumors can also give fans ulcers. Depending on the sport and the city you live in, that "change" can provoke thoughts like, "here we go again." Try being a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. Every time a player gets good, the rumors start that the front office is going to move that star player to a contender. Conversely, if you are a Yankee fan, every Winter you get to read rumors that your team is going after "All Star (insert position and name here)."

For every trade rumor or free agent signing rumor there is a fan that "loves it" and a fan that "hates it." That's what makes sports so compelling. One guys trash is another guy's treasure. In the span of 20 minutes, I heard 4 callers on the local sports station in Atlanta be divided down the middle about bringing Amare Stoudamire to Atlanta for Josh Smith.

There is also something very satisfying amongst friends when you are the first one to break a sports story. Once a rumor becomes "fact", it's a fierce competition to see who can get the email out first with the news. There is a sense of accomplishment, achievement. In your own sad way, you feel like you broke a story. The reality is, you were the one guy in your circle of friends that clearly wasn't doing much work in the office and probably had more time on your hands than your boss would like.

So over these next few weeks of NBA Free Agency period, I urge you all to scour the internet. Read the rumors freely and dream about what could be for your favorite team.

Time to get back to my commercial real estate world. Rumor has it, my boss doesn't want us blogging at work......