I love reading the newspaper. I get a lot of things out of it. I get "current events" information out of it for my students. I get to read what is going on in the world around me. I read it and am then able to make my own, hopefully, somewhat informed opinions on what I read. I use a lot of it in school and some of it I just like to mull over in my head and use it to make conversation. My favorite section is, not surprisingly, the Sports section. Well...lets just say it has been my favorite section...until now. After reading the news in today's sports page I promptly threw the entire paper into the trash.

In the last month I have had to endure news about Roger Clemens' apparent current...and not so current...affairs. This is why we in education need to use "current events" instead of "current affairs" because...well...the meaning is often not in line with what is appropriate for school. So Clemens is not the saintly vision of the good husband. Oh, well. Sorry, Debbie that your husband, apparently, hasn't been faithful to you. Equally sorry that this information has been shared with the entire world through a media gone mad. Sorry that your husband put himself in a situation that your family could be put up in ridicule by some merciless #### attorney who needs this information to defend his equally #### client in a defamation suit brought about by your husband...who...at this point in time...may or may not have used PED's and HGH during his playing career but who, apparently, is a bit of a #### himself. Actually...I need to correct myself. I'm not really sorry about all of that. More than sorry...I'm a bit po'd that some newspaper man/woman deemed all of this newsworthy and proceeded to beat us to death with it. In my Sports page...my favorite section of my local paper.

I got to hear about how a future NBA superstar (cough, cough) made no qualms about his intent to play in the NBA in as quick a time as he could and was dealing with an agent...while playing B-Ball at USC. Excuse me...my fault...while he was in high school. I got to read how a friend spurned by the agent got so po'd that he started singing to officials louder than the lead singer of a rock band (insert your choice) screaming the lyrics to a song to be faintly heard over the lead guitarist screeching lingering cords that attempt to make the hearing impaired able to hear the faintest whisper. OJ Mayo did what has been done before by a large number of athletes. And the blame is falling everywhere. The agent, the institution, the coach, the player, the NBA's age policy, the friend. etc., etc., etc. They took up space in my favorite section of my local paper...the Sports section...to rail me with all of the sickening accusations and rambling finger pointing that I do so detest. Sadly, they will keep beating me into the ground with it and, yet, they will never offer a remedy to the problem. Just more rambling and finger-pointing.

I got to read how bloggers are evil and are ruining sports. This made me burp up my breakfast because it sounded more to me like a paranoid sportswriter worried about his job than it did anything that made much sense. I don't really think bloggers carry all that much power out there in the "real" world. I think we do a lot of responding to what these simple minded morons write than we do posting things that make any kind of a difference. Personally, I don't think anything that I post here is anything of great value to the world as a whole and I think that holds true for most people that blog...here...and maybe at other places. Maybe I'm being a bit naive but I just don't think we hold the great power some sportswriters seem to think we do. I wish we did because then we might be able to do something about all of the aforementioned rambling and finger-pointing...and wasting space in my Sports page...the favorite part of my local paper with accounts of player's mis-deeds based on reports from "anonymous sources."

I picked up the paper and read about another NFL player breaking some kind of law. I get to read about Marvin Harrison and his gun that was used to SHOOT someone but we don't know who shot it or how...I guess...it ended up back in Marvin's hands after he reported it stolen. In my Sports page I read about former Viking Darrion Scott assaulting his 2 year old son with a plastic laundry bag. The police on some lake in Austin, TX are apparently a bit overzealous in discharging their duties when it comes to boat safety and black NFL players...or maybe it is just Cedric Benson. Or...maybe Benson is the one who has problems when confronted by authority figures. Who knows? Had to wait three days to hear from one of the 15 people on-board Benson's boat to tell us she had to call her dad...on her cell phone...to have him call 911 (the police)...because a "black" friend of hers was getting beat up by police...presumably from the same force that would send out new police once dad got ahold of them. Ryan Perriloux (and if I spelled it wrong...I don't care) has the world at his hands and throws it all away because he can't follow a few simple rules...like stay out of the way of law enforcement officers...go to class...quit smoking dope...follow team rules, etc., etc., etc. As has been posted here on a few occassions the Cincinnati Bengals off-season is generally spent dealing with police blotters and rostered players. Pick almost any college football program and you are sure to see that the Compliance Department of the school has to not only comply with the NCAA...but with the local law enforcement agencies as well. I get to hear about all of this in my Sports page...the favorite part of my local paper.

Today I picked up my paper to see that Barry Bonds had been charged on 14 felony accounts...only to see it changed to 15 later in the day. This was in a headline...in the Sports section...the favorite part of my local paper. I read it because I thought 14 felony charges was a lot. But after reading the article I came to the conclusion that...as has been a lot of the problem with this story from the beginning...there is a bit of grandstanding going on...by the government and by the media. Seems Bonds hasn't been charged with anything he wasn't already charged with. It is just that the judge at Bonds' last hearing ordered the prosecution to re-write the charges. In doing that they were to write them more clearly. Apparently the government can be very clear with more charges. So...instead of the original 4 charges...they threw it up to 14...oops...my fault...now 15 charges. And what happened? Media outlets everywhere jumped all over the new charges. Bloggers went crazy with the news. And it started for me when I picked up my paper. People...!!! Of course they increased the number of charges. This is standard procedure...at least from my limited experience with the judicial system. Prosecutors throw a whole slew of charges against the accused because they need to have something to lose in the negotiation with the defense in pre-trial negotiations. If they go after Bonds on 4 measley charges and lose they have all of that egg on their face and the argument for having the government stay out of stuff like this picks up steam. With 15 charges they have some negotiating power. Now when they whittle it down the original 4 charges may stick around and they will still have to hope that Bonds admits to doing something wrong. But I got the gyst of this story in my Sports section...the favorite part of my local paper.

My local paper has a section titled, "News of the Weird" that reports strange goings on around the world. I suggested that they include all of the mis-doings (new word?) of any and all people associated with the sports world. They said they didn't have enough space to write it all in that section on a daily basis. Well...no real surprise there...is there? But now that I have ranted a bit would you like to know why I really threw my paper away today?

It is because with all of the #### (BLEEP) I have to read in my sports section on a daily basis I search hard for anything good. Generally reading about sports personalities that aren't problematic away from their chosen arena of competition are considered a good thing...in my Sports page...the favorite section of my local paper. And today two of those "good things" retired. Annika Sorenstam has been as strong a competitor as the LPGA has ever seen...and there are a lot of great women golfers past and present. OK...more so past than present...but the point is made. She is retiring after this season. Justine Henin...is also hanging it up. She no longer has the desire to compete at the level she has played at for so long. While she is not my favorite female professional tennis player I have always admired the tenacity with which she attacked her opponent. This is the stuff that sport is about. The things these two accomplished on their respective fields of endeavor are what sports are to me and these are the things I want to see in my Sports page...the favorite part of my local paper. The Sports page...the favorite part of my local paper...often gives recognition to high school athletes in a ####-hum, half a page, we need to say something about them, sort of way. While bombarding me with criminal activities and cheating athletes and all of those horrible coaches who are to blame for all of the criminal behavior of their rostered players.

This kind of stuff belongs in the entertainment section or the regular news section. This isn't about sports coverage anymore. It is in the sports section because these buffoons make their living playing sports. But these aren't sports stories. They are ridiculous fodder for the scandal pages. Sportswriters need to write about people who deserve the ink and give credit where credit is due. Stop inundating us with the latest misdeeds of Mr. NFL Dipstick or MLB Bozo and the great pitcher who has problems with infidelity or PED's or the extremely talented player who can't stay out of fights at strip clubs. Go beyond the obvious...do a little digging...and write a decent sports story. About something decent...and sports/newsworthy. Or...get the hell out of the way and let us bloggers have a whack at it. We probably couldn't be any worse...even with all of the so called hatred between bloggers that is out there. But that is for a different post...maybe! Give me back my Sports page...and make it my favorite part of the local paper...again.

And if they won't...like I said earlier today on a comment to Lisa...a lonely cabin on a remote mountain somewhere is starting to sound really good to me.

And that's the bottom line...

BOOMER SOONER!!!

One of the things that I like to do, and try to do, on a daily basis is visit this blogosphere and see who is posting and what they are posting on. Drives my wife crazy but I enjoy it so...I do it anyway. There is the cast of "Usual Suspects" roaming around with Lisa, Rev and BGL, SoCal, Dudski, Flying Pig, Hogfan and...well...you know who they are if you have been around for any period of time. And I am not here to sing their praises although I enjoy what they post for the most part. And I am not here to blast them in any way because neither has done anything to deserve a good blasting andI wouldn't be the guy for that job anyway, despite what the avatar represents. But lately I've come on here and read some very weird posts. I also am not here to deny the authors their right to blog here but with a large portion of them I have to say...ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?

It seems like every day that Barry Bonds sits at 754 homeruns there are at least 2 or 3 posts by new bloggers about Barry Bonds. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? And I'm not asking that of the bashers only. I ask it of the Bonds supporters as well. Where the hell have all of you been for the past year or so? It's like now that he is on the verge of becoming the all time homerun leader in MLB people can't jump on either bandwagon fast enough. Give it a freakin' rest. He will do it eventually. Personally I wish he would do it tomorrow night so we could move on to the next phase of this is why he shouldn't be the all time home run leader. Start throwing him strikes and let's get it done. People p and moan about why he hasn't done it yet. I think it is obvious. Pretty hard to get into any kind of a rythmn when you see 3 strikes and 16 balls a night. I've laughed the past two nights when the Dodgers walked him and it ended up costing them. Tonight in the 8th inning they go 2-0 on him and then walk him intentionally. Whatever. Pitch to him...end it...move on...resume the bashing all over again. And then we don't have to watch Bonds highlights every Sportscenter. It's like the TIGER watch. Then all you last minute bandwagon humpers can scream your disdain or your pleasure all you desire. Until then...ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?

Michael Vick (only accused at this point in time)...PETA...dog fighting and inhumane treatment of animals (dogs in this case)...humane treatment of animals...blah, blah, blah...ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? "Good night and remember to spay and neuter your pets...help control the pet population?" OK, Bob Barker used to end The Price is Right with this plug. I always wondered how I would feel about that if I were an animal? Not popular. Options...PETA...Michael Vick and buddies...hmmmm...neither popular...however, do I want to be abused and mistreated, electrocuted, left laying around with gaping wounds all over my body as I bleed to death, starved to death...or, because my human owner is a human turd who doesn't care for me and lets me run amok and become a stray I fall into the hands of an organization like PETA...or the local Humane Society who, after a certain period of time will euthanize me if I can't be placed with people who will care for me (long sentence...run ons...so what). Neither is popular but given an option...Vick scares the hell out of me. I couldn't care less if he is black...that is not the issue...I couldn't care less if he is a celebrity...that is not the issue...I couldn't care less if the media is making a mountain out of a mole hill because  Vick is black and a celebrity...that is not the issue... I couldn't care less if someone argues that PETA is as bad or worse or better than Michael Vick if they had a legitimate argument. I couldn't care less if Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton spoke out supporting Vick or opposing Vick or just stayed the hell out of it and let it run its course. What bothers me is when someone tries to say that what PETA does is as bad or worse than what Vick and his buddies are accused of and rattles off some kind of statistical rambling that has nothing to do, contextually, with the issue at hand. PETA does some strange things...so does Greenpeace...but they do them in a somewhat controlled situation with some kind of regulation to them. They don't operate a business that is ILLEGAL. They don't mistreat animals before putting them in pits to fight and die for the monetary rewards of people. Well...people hunt and kill animals...where is the sport in that? Personally...there isn't any. Arguments can be made that some areas are hunted for population control. Happens in Minnesota all the time during deer hunting season. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? The argument about PETA vs. Vick is lost in context. PETA isn't perfect but you can't compare them to an ILLEGAL operation. Or justify it by saying, "well I think Michael Vick is guilty of some of the stuff he is accused of" and let that be your justification for a lame argument. What Vick is accused of is morally, ethically and legally...WRONG! Don't even bother trying to make his actions seem more acceptable by saying PETA is as bad or worse. YOU LOSE!

And while I am on this rant about Bonds and Vick...ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? Michael Vick's bestest lifelong friend is getting ready to sing like the birds in the sky (how is that for poetic) against his lifelong bestest buddy to make things easier on him. Plea bargaining at its finest. Grand Jury jumped all over that. So if this is how Grand Jury's are supposed to work ( and I'm obviously no attorney)...what the hell is wrong with the one working on Bonds. Its been a couple of years at least and they still haven't done anything on anything. We've had ex-lovers testify against him (and apparently getting ready to do it again...naked)...we've had books citing him as the all evil one...we've had one guy go to jail, still in jail, instead of testifying against Bonds. Chemists from BALCO are giving him up while the owner of BALCO says the chemist doesn't know what he is talking about. Vicks bestest buddy is giving him up, more than that have tried to give up Bonds and yet...NOTHING has happened after all this time. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? Charge him with something or let it go...this farce is costing people money.

The Minnesota Timberwolves traded Kevin Garnett to the Boston Celtics. Or did the Boston Celtics trade a bunch of kids and a problem child to the Wolves for Kevin Garnett. Boston becomes immediate contenders and the Wolves...will have to wait a while to see how this plays out. There are those who don't like it here in Minnesota.  ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? All you had to do to be convinced this was a good move was listen to Garnett at the press conference announcing his arrival in Boston. It's hard to go the arena every night knowing there is a greater than 50% chance you were going to lose. That was the gist of KG's comments. IT IS TIME FOR HIM TO MOVE ON. The Wolves get youth (Al Jefferson and Gerald Green) and draft picks and a better salary cap situation. So they suck for a couple of years...big deal...they do that now with no direction as a franchise. The down side...they also get Sebastian Telfair...Stephon Marbury's cousin who has been arrested twice since on gun charges since 2005. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? He averages 6 points a game and roughly (benefit of a few % points) 3 assists a year. Good enough reason to pay him 2.56 million this year! Can you say...MAYDAY!

Duante Culpepper signed with the Oakland Raiders today after a couple of weeks without a team. Tampa Bay, Jacksonville and a couple others were mentioned in the past couple of weeks since Miami released him but nothing came up. Until now. ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? All this does is show you that Al Davis is still in need of analysis. He sees no problem. Why not...look at what he has seen for years now. Culpepper can't wait to silence his critics. Duante that means you'll have to play. As soon as Russell signs the only playing time Culpepper will see is as the other team's QB in practice...if his knee holds up. Culpepper is a season late. Randy Moss is a Patriot now (how scary does that sound) so his meal ticket left before he got there!!! It's good to see his timing hasn't changed.

In all reality I probably shouldn't have written this tonight but I'm struggling with something. And that something makes all of this fairly meaningless. But I had to do something.  ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME? Nope! A bridge going over the Mississippi River collapsed tonight in Minneapolis. As I write this 7 are confirmed dead and 38 are injured...some critically. Some were children. It happened at about 6:05 in the evening...during rush hour. An estimated 50 cars fell when the bridge collapsed as the bridge is also a section of 35W. I'm struggling because of the catastrophe and the effect it will have on so many families. Frantic phone calls to siblings and from siblings and parents confirmed that I wouldn't be sharing in the grief of a loved one lost or injured in this horrible situation. And I will pray for those who will be feeling those things tonight. And I'm feeling weird about this. Like I dodged something. One of my kids had a soccer game roughly 30 minutes north of this accident. Her game was at 5:00 pm. We drove through there about 4:30. A few days ago this game was changed from a 7:00 pm start to a 5:00 pm start. If the game had been at 7:00 there is a pretty good chance that some of my family and I would have been in that area at the time the bridge collapsed. So...do I feel lucky tonight? Nope...just kind of weird and sad.

And that's the bottom line...

 

 

 

There were a few things on the ol' Fox Sports news page this morning that I found of interest. After reading them I was moved to respond. But first I want to speak to a comment that was made, albeit indirectly, toward myself and another blogger here. I should say that it was not a comment that I found offensive for I have been called much worse by, I'm sure, much better. At any rate my comments regarding the hatred of Barry Bonds on some posts has earned me the honor of having a "man-crush" on Bonds. I'm alright with that if that is what people wish to believe or think for much the same reasons I support Bonds and his endeavor to become MLB's All-Time HR hitter.

For the record I have never met Barry Bonds. I have no desire to meet Barry Bonds. I couldn't care less about Bonds aside from the fact that I don't grasp the reality that this man, this baseball player, could garner so much hate for doing so little. You see, in the grand scheme of things Bonds hitting more HR's than anyone else doesn't mean #### I know there is a world of baseball "purists" out there who cry foul whenever his name is mentioned. There are people out there who wish harm, physical harm, on this guy because they think he cheated something or cheated them. These wishes have ranged from intentionally walking him everytime he comes to the plate, to intentionally throwing at him when he comes to the plate, to hoping he dies before he attains the record. There are all kinds of arguments as to why these things are inappropriate but most of them should be based in the obvious. Wishing physical harm, or any harm, on anyone, ANYONE, is morally and ethically reprehensible and in some cases illegal. I am not the advocate for the Moral Majority, he just passed away. I don't begrudge the "purists" their argument regarding his alleged steroid usage. I do oppose their desire to hang this guy out to dry for what many others have allegedly, with the exception of those who have either been proven guilty or admitted to, done in the past. And with such veracity and venom. Did he break into your homes and steal something from you? Has he physically assaulted any of you in a way that would make you wish such things on him.? Does he not answer the burning questions you so desperately need the answers to when he does speak to a sports reporter? I don't get it and I suppose that will open me up to all kinds of nasty and snide comments from those who think he has done something desperately wrong. So be it. All he is is a freakin' baseball player and a damn good one at that. As a matter of fact ya'll can say I have a "man-crush" on Barry Bonds, I'm alright with that. I will cheer and applaud him when he breaks Aaron's record for the accomplishment and for the skill it took to get there. I know how hard it is to hit a baseball. And in all reality he hasn't really done anything to me to warrant the burning hatred so many languish upon him. Now if he hit my Mother with a baseball bat we'd have some serious issues. I don't see it happening.

And to that end I am tipping my hat to Jason Giambi. Hip, Hip Frickin' Hooooray to Jason Giambi. Thank you for saying what should have been said a long, long time ago. Giambi thinks MLB should apologize to the public for it's perfomance-enhancing drug problem.

"We should have apologized back then and made sure we had a rule in place and gone forward. Steroids and all of that was a part of history. But it was a topic that everybody wanted to avoid. Nobody wanted to talk about it."

"What we should have done a long time ago was stand up players, ownership, everybody and said, "We made a mistake."

This comes from a guy who admitted using steroids who plays this game at a level higher than high school. This comes from a guy who says he is probably the most tested player in MLB, more so than Bonds who the "purists" are trying to crucify. He is glad that MLB now has rules in place to control this stuff. Good for you Jason. And good for you for putting it squarely on the shoulders of those who should have done something about it. Everyone in MLB. Hey, Bud, this ones for you! I was impressed when Giambi admitted his use of these performnce-enhancing drugs but I am more impressed today. He may have taken a bigger step today with his comments. He just laid it all out there. I especially liked the use of the word "we" in his comments. Not Barry, not me, but we!!! Oh and for the "purists" Giambi admitted using them. Bonds has not. In my book, much like the Supreme Court, one is innocent until proven guilty, unless you admit it. And also for all of you "purists" who claim Bonds is only reaching Aaron because of the "steroid" usage. Here is a final quote from Giambi, who plays MLB and admitted using performance-enhancing drugs.

"That stuff didn't help me hit homeruns. I don't care what people say, nothing is going to give you the gift of hitting a baseball." Thank you Jason Giambi. Hip, Hip Frickin' Hooooray!

Also from the world of MLB. Yankee reliever Kyle Farnsworth has issues with the "Family Clause" in Roger Clemens contract. I do to but I think Farnsworth's is legit and so much more important than mine.

"As far as a teamate and player, I think everybody should be here whether they are pitching or not," he said. "You don't see guys who are hurt not sit on the bench. They're always there."

Farnsworth makes a great point. As a coach I require my players to attend everything, hurt or not. Sometimes this rule can be amended based on individual circumstances. For example a death in the family, recovering from surgery or in some cases, college visits, etc., etc. Part of being on a team is being a part of that team. Superstars demanding special attention like this is joke. Is someone ailing in Roger's family? If so I most certainly can understand special attention. Does he want to watch his son play baseball? Does he want to hang out at the farm between starts for the sake of say...hanging out? If those are the reasons for his "Family Clause" then the Yankees are more ridiculous than I could have ever imagined. One of the girls on my soccer team came up to me the other day and said, "Let me tell you how I work." I thought she was Roger's daughter for a second there. Farnsworth also went on to say that he didn't really see it as being a problem for now. He commented that "You asked my opinion and I gave it." You have to be careful Kyle because some sports reporter/writer is going to take that, spin it, and run with it to who knows where. But, to that end, Hip, Hip Frickin' Hooooray to Kyle Farnsworth for speaking up.

From the NFL. The Minnesota Vikings stated today that surgery WILL NOT be required on Adrian Peterson's collar-bone. It is healing sufficiently for the Vikings and Peterson to think he will be ready when Training Camp opens. Just like Peterson told evrybody and showed everybody at the combine. But the "experts" said no way and dropped him from Top 3 to lower Top 10 and on some boards out of the Top 10. This kids collar bone has been examined by more Dr's. and team medical personnel than jointsRicky Williams smokes in a week or days that Paris Hilton was sentenced to (45), not the days she actually has to serve (23). There is too much going on and too many people and things involved to predict what kind of year Peterson will have (again my realistic approach to things) but maybe now all the "experts" will back off on the collar bone thing. And kudos to the Vikings for taking a kid they considered a Top 3 player with their first pick and not falling into the jumbled mix that said noway, too risky. To the Vikings (and it pains me to do this) Hip, Hip Frickin' Hooooray!!!

And that's the bottom line...

 I try, I really try.

 I see things and read things that make me wonder and sometimes I can blow them off and, well, other times I can’t. But it is getting to the point where every time I turn around something makes me want, no, need to say…Are you freakin’ kidding me? A lot of you have already posted on some of this stuff and I have commented on a lot of your posts. But I just need to throw in my comments for anyone who visits my blog to read and either respond to or just move on. It’s all good, one way or the other. Let me start from last night and retrace the weekend.

 

 

 

I sat down to watch the Giants-Phillies game last night and to enjoy a night of baseball and see if Barry Bonds could hit his 745 career HR.

 I am one of those who really want Bonds to break the record and then get into the HOF. I don’t get west coast games very often and when I do they are usually on late and I don’t stay up to watch them. So an evening game on ESPN figured to be one of the few times I will be able to watch Bonds until he gets close (and they start updating me on everything from his AB’s to his bowel movements) to breaking Aaron’s record. Are you freakin’ kidding me? I didn’t even see Bonds in the dugout or hear his name mentioned in connection with the game in progress. I got to hear a lot of Willie Mays but not Bonds. Oh, well, so much for trying to figure out baseball scenarios.  I’ll get over it because in the next few weeks the Bonds attacks will increase and I’ll end up so ticked off that when they interrupt what ever it is I am watching to show me his historic HR (and it will be) I’ll scream loud and cheer on the athletic achievement and watch him round the bases with a smile on my face. That will make up for missing him last night.

 

 

 

However, speaking of Barry Bonds, there was important news regarding him last night that came out during the game.

 Are you ready for this?  In a poll conducted by ABC and ESPN black people are more supportive of Bonds in his pursuit of the all-time HR record than white people are. Significantly more supportive. Are you freakin’ kidding me? No freakin’ s—t. Duh, thanks ABC and ESPN for conducting a poll to tell me what common sense had already led me to believe. Where or where would I be without solid information like this to guide me through my evening of baseball watching? I needed this important information almost as much as I needed the report last week that white referee’s called more fouls on black players in the NBA than on white players. Thank you so very much for that little racial shot. Are you freakin’ kidding me? It’s no freakin’ wonder we can’t get out of the stone-age in regard to racial issues when we are being force fed “studies” like this ####. Sadly, I found Joe Morgan’s attempts to justify Bud Selig’s and Hank Aaron’s support or non-support of Bonds more acceptable than the ABC/ESPN poll. And that is pathetic.

 

 

 

Speaking of pathetic.

I ordered my first PPV event in years and years on Saturday night when I ordered the De La Hoya/Mayweather, Jr. boxing match. I got the under-card bouts and got to watch Marc Anthony’s fine rendition of our National Anthem. I got to see Mayweather and his group in prayer and I got to watch De La Hoya crack his jaw a couple of hundred times and then my screen went black. Are you freakin’ kidding me? The picture never came up again and I ended up tracking the fight round by round on ESPN online. It’s kind of hard to discuss the fight with anyone on Monday when you didn’t get to see it. The good thing about this is that even though I spent an hour and a   half on hold with my cable company and expected a major battle of my own over billing, they had already reversed the order and would not be billing me for what I didn’t get to  see. Cool! But, alas, I digress (not much of a shock there).

 

 

 

Back to pathetic.

I realized that I had not ordered a PPV boxing event in many, many years, not only because I think boxing has more issues than MLB and Paris Hilton combined, but because of the commentators. Are you freakin’ kidding me? I have absolutely no freakin’ idea how Jim Lampley became a HOF broadcaster. It must be the hair. Or maybe it is because he actually looks, and sounds, like there is life left in him compared to Larry Merchant. I watched the most painful interview I HAVE EVER SEEN when he interviewed Floyd Mayweather, Sr. I listened to the interview and I still have no idea what Sr. said or why Merchant is allowed ringside with a microphone in his hand. Merchant should retire, seriously. He was annoying years ago and he has only gotten worse. So, from my perspective, another good thing about losing the picture for the fight meant that I didn’t have to listen to these two twerps ramble on for another hour or more.

 

 

 

As for the fight itself.

Are you freakin’ kidding me? I kept hearing that Mayweather, Jr. wanted to fight De La Hoya in his prime. Did he mean his prime or De La Hoya’s prime? Because honestly, and I know there will be those who disagree with me, how can any fighter be considered “in his prime” when he has lost 3 of his last 5 fights. You can be in great shape and condition, as De La Hoya said he was, and not be in your prime. Skills diminish with age and time. Is this De La Hoya’s prime? And if it isn’t his prime anymore did Mayweather, Jr. accomplish what he wanted? Sure he won another belt but I wonder how many people will mention in the years to come that De La Hoya wasn’t the De La Hoya of old. I have already heard it from a few people. When they show it on television in a couple of weeks I will be able to make my own opinion. But I know what I used to think of De La Hoya and I thought had he not had a few distractions along the way he had the boxing world at his fingertips. And hadn’t he been away from the ring for a while before coming back for this fight? Hey Floyd, you won the fight and you are a very, very good fighter…but I don’t think this De La Hoya is in his “prime.” I think he is past it.

 

 

 

And that’s the bottom line…

 

 

So many ramblings, so little to say.

Therein lies the problem with sports reporting today. When the sports world is so full of so little then sports reporters (HA!, HA!) have to step out and make something up that will get the masses squawking. So, in their ability to "improvise" are they masters, or, are they cons? Cons I would say. Right after I say, "Are you freakin' kidding me?"

Curt Schilling wasn't bleeding through his sock a few years ago when the Red Sox beat the Yankees and eventually broke the curse.

He drew on his sock with a red marker, or so a reporter would like us to believe. Are you freakin' kidding me! Why is this even news worthy? It isn't but this guy knew that the fuel that would be added to the Red Sox - Yankees rivalry/ debate would be intense so he dropped it out there. Hey, he was right. I was almost embarrassed when I went on blogjam's site and saw 148 comments about this. Most of them were from Red Sox and Yankees fans. Sorry Boston and New York but this hardly comes in as pressing news. It was an interesting spin a few years ago while the drama was being played out but it is terrible fodder for fill now. Let me see, Schilling was lying and he wasn't really hurt but did it to motivate his team. Or, he was hurt and he should be rewarded with hero status for playing baseball (which we assume he loves aside from making a living at it) and being successful at it. Take your pick. What side of the argument do you want to be on? Frankly, I couldn't care less. However, if he was lying then he has no doubt ruined the integrity of the game (like it takes much for people to start shouting that these days). And if he ruined the integrity of the game then we shouldn't even consider him for the HOF when he is done playing (Or that). If he isn't lying then #### a statue to him and put it up there with any historic monument you want in Boston.

Next MLB "improvisation" concerns Tori Hunter and the Kansas City Royals.

Last year when the Twins were fighting for the playoffs they got help from the Royals that helped them win the division. Hunter commented that he should buy the Royals a case of champagne for the help. Apparently he did and now there is the swirling rumor that MLB is investigating the situation and Hunter because it falls under the "betting on baseball" mentality. Rumor has it that Hunter could be suspended for three years because of this. Are you freakin' kidding me! Now we should believe that MLB has the ability to control after the fact actions by its players for something this innocent. Like MLB doesn't have enough #### to worry about. Barry Bonds will break Hank Aaron's HR record this year and that just irks the #### out of MLB and Bud Selig. Bud is going to help improve the image he already has by not being in attendance when Bonds does it (I heard he is softening up on that a bit). Aaron says he will not watch. Steroid investigation is going nowhere but wasting time and money for a situation MLB knew about. And Schilling may or may not have lied about the ouch on his ankle a few years ago! But Tori Hunter moves to the front of the group because he bought a case of champagne for another team that beat the Detroit Tigers down the stretch and allowed the Twins to sneak into a division championship. O.K., it's a rumor but even at that why is this getting attention? To me it is a non-issue that should be done and over with. If anyone should have issues with Hunter maybe it should be the Tigers. Did he or didn't he? Are you freakin' kidding me? Who cares, lets move on.

Following the "champagne controversy" Hunter got hit in the mouth on an inside pitch yesterday against the Royals.

The news services reported it as a major injury, then took it down to "Hunter's status is day-to-day." He is so hurt that he wrapped his head in an ace bandage yesterday and mugged for the cameras. He got 3 stitches in his lip and he and the pitcher talked after the game and all is right in their worlds. Hunter gave the best quote to all of this ####. "It was a tough week for me. I've been in the champagne scandal, the Jackie Robinson comments. And I thought about it and said Man, I can't give nobody else something to talk about. So I just shut it down."  Are you freakin' kidding me? By the way. He expects to play today against the Tigers without any added protection.

Sadly Tori, while you have decided to "shut it down" and not give people things to talk about you will never be exempt from people making mountains out of molehills.

 And you have to be real careful because if you stay quiet too long people (sports reporters) will make you out to be someone who is crass and disgusting and rude and they will call you Barry Bonds and stuff like that. You can't win. So join me and throw your hands in the air when you hear or read such mundane and un-important ramblings and just say, "Are you freakin' kidding me?"

And that's the bottom line...

***Hunter's quote is out of the Mpls Star Tribune today, April 27, 2007***

There have been quite  few comments lately on Bonds and the media. These comments have mentioned that media coverage is over the top. There have been comments about how the media spins things regarding Bonds to get the reader or listener to their product. This is what the media does. After reading a few of these I was scouring the Foxsports home page and ran into something that spurred my interest.

On the home page, at the very lower right part of the page there is a section titled, "Hot topic of the Day."

This is an interactive poll regarding input to the following question:

What will be your reaction when Bonds hits No. 714?

The answer options are:

I'll celebrate a historic event.

I'll watch it, but won't care much.

I'll watch it, but only to boo Bonds.

I'm avoiding it at all costs.

To me, this is an example of the media and their spin. With the exception of the first one, none of the answers have a positive spin on them.  That said, most people don't recognize it as a historic event because they either dislike Bonds, think Ruth will always be the number two, oops, number one, well wait a minute...at any rate it is not really a historic event, not like going to number one would be. And "won't care much", "only to boo Bonds", and "avoid it at all costs" are all pretty negative. Therefore, Bonds passing Ruth for second place on the all time homerun list is a negative thing.

If they were even going to consider being fair, maybe the second answer could have been something like, "I'll watch it and enjoy the moment."

But, then again, why should we expect fair in this?