Throwing Out More Thoughts on Sports, Life, and Whatnot

Was anyone surprised with National League All-Star starter Brad Penny’s performance (5IP, 10 hits, 6 runs, and the loss) in his first post-All-Star game outing? He was hitting 100 on Fox’s radar gun and threw nothing but fastballs for two straight innings. If I had been in Vegas last week I certainly would have bet against him in that start. Of course I thought I’d find some stats to back me up, but apparently the only thing I had to go on was the memory of Pedro Martinez fanning 5 over 2 innings in ’99, then giving up 9 runs in his next start and landing on the disabled list. Try as I might to pad the stats, the reality is that in the last 7 years, in their first post-All Star start, guys that pitch 2 innings and strike out 3 or more in the All-Star Game are 5-1 with a 4.10 ERA, and one no-hitter (David Cone in ’99). Apparently Penny and Pedro were aberrations.

Danica Patrick won’t be leaving IRL for NASCAR. I can finally sleep again at night.

Patriots’ wide receiver Deion Branch—Super Bowl XXIX MVP—is considering holding out of training camp in an attempt to negotiate a new contract. While lesser talents such as David Givens and Antwaan Randle El are cashing in this year, Branch is stuck with his original five-year contract. To make matters worse for him, the NFL Players Association reached an agreement with the NFL to allow teams to raise the daily fine for a player holding out of camp from $5,000 to $14,000. The baseball union will basically let the players destroy their bodies with steroids in the name of good representation, while the football union gives away the store. And no one in either union speaks up. What a system.

What is the deal with Shea Hillenbrand? He gets traded from the Red Sox a few years ago and tears everyone in the organization to shreds. Last week, the Blue Jays had to trade him to San Francisco because he had become a nightmare to deal with (one report said that he wrote “this is a sinking ship” on the team whiteboard). Listen, we’ve all been tempted to throw a little napalm on the bridge on our way out the door. But twice in the span of three years? Maybe the problem isn’t the teams you’ve been on, Shea. Maybe the problem is you.

It’s been a while since I updated the Yahoo Link of the Moment, but this one almost made it: Houston, Philly dropped from Olympics bid. First of all, Houston or Philly? Neither is quite Olympic caliber, if you ask me. (Then again, was Atlanta or Salt Lake City?) Why is it that other countries get the Olympics once in a blue moon, but, here in America, we have to narrow the field and end up with multiple bids every 12-20 years? How about we move these things around a little better, stop letting NBC run the show, and keep the Olympics a world event?

Everyone keeps talking about how bad the British Open course looked last week. What’s the big deal? My lawn looks like that too and you don’t see me complaining.

Do the Detroit Tigers really have the best record in baseball? I’m still trying to come to grips with this. And now they have an 8½-game lead on the White Sox. A Tigers-Mets World Series is looking good right now. (And I wrote that without laughing.)

I’m no fan of reality TV, but I have to admit that Who Wants to Be a Superhero? has me intrigued. I’m a comic book geek after all, so this is right up my (secret hideaway) alley.

NFL training camps are open this week. 42 days until opening night.

You’ve heard of the Big Dig, right? Who hasn’t? It’s the multi-billion dollar boondoggle that built a system of underground highways for the city of Boston. It turned from a funny joke to a sick joke three weeks ago when a 3-ton ceiling tile fell and killed a woman in one of the tunnels. Here’s my question: If you or I were in charge of the authority that had jurisdiction over a project like this and someone were killed, we’d be fired in an instant, right? The New York Islanders fired their general manager after a month on the job—in the offseason! So how is it that Matt Amorello, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority chairman, kept his job until today? A $205,000 job, by the way. And he apparently weaseled himself a 6-month severance package.

Speaking of jobs—the NFL is looking for a new commissioner. Someone with big ideas and an even temperament. Someone just as comfortable discussing policy with billionaires as he is discussing play selection with knowledgeable fans. Look no further. You’ve found him. I can start tomorrow.

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