Lately, I don't have enough time to put into writing full blown topics on sports news so here are a few of my thoughts on varioius topics. I tend to do this on Sundays, hence the title, Sunday Socal Rants:
A-Rod: Why is his "hah" thing such a big deal? Yeah I know its Bush league, but did that really cause the third baseman to miss the catch? When I see an NBA game and all the fans behind the basket waving things to distract a player at the charity stripe, this seems so trivial. If you ever attend an NCAA game and hear fans yelling and screaming at opposing players then you will see how meaningless this really is. It sounds like some of you should go root for Gonzaga or some other Catholic school where taunting is outlawed.
Dale Earnhardt: Is he really that good of a driver that people are making all this fuss over landing him on their team? Hendricks Motor Sports doesn't want him and that should tell you something. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Tony Stewart are all better drivers and even guys like Mark Martin have performed better over the last few years. I think it's mostly name recognition because wins certainly are not a factor in wanting this guy or you would choose 10 other drivers for your team.
LeBron: I would not bet against the Cavs when they play the Spurs this week. Of course, I still think the Pistons are cursed by having Flip Saunders as a coach and then bringing on one of the most unlucky players ever in Chris Webber. The Pistons never stood a chance and will never win another NBA title as long as Flip is at the helm. LeBron is the real deal and belongs with the big boys. Hopefully this is just one year of many to come and in the future the East will be a battle ground between the Cavs and Heat for supremacy.
NHL: Does anyone really care that the Ducks and Senators are playing for the Stanley Cup? I have seen zero on the major networks and I don't even know who is carrying the games on the TV. It should be a big deal, but it isn't. Of course the US is owning Canada again in what is essentially a Canadian sport. Sorry Dan!
Roger Clemens: He is now scratched from his first start because of some tightness in his groin. Geez, I get tightness in my groin every time I see Sharapova serve a tennis ball. I think it is all a ploy so that Roger can get his first start against the cellar dweller Pirates. He is sure to get a win against them, but oh how sweet it would be if the Buccaneers could somehow steel that game away from the Rocket. I have a feeling this is the deal that will eventually cost Brian Cashman his job.
French Open: Almost as bad as hockey but we do still have one lone American contending. Serena Williams advanced to the quarterfinals, but then again does anyone really care. Since Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi left center court, I just can't get into tennis. As much as I like Andy Roddick, the Americans don't have anyone that can stand toe to toe with Roger Federer. Of course we do have the Williams sisters, but tennis is only 25% of their life, and you just can't win forever when you are not dedicated to your sport. No matter how dominate you once were, the Williams sisters are finding out they can be beaten.
Floyd Landis: He doesn't stand a prayer in his arbitration meeting. With a manager trying to black mail Greg Lemond, any appeals chance he had is now shot. The guy cheated and we are about to see the first Tour de France title ever stripped, stripped from an American. Somewhere, I think Lance Armstrong is smiling because he is just so lucky it wasn't him. Armstrong is the Barry Bonds of cycling. He never tested positive, but was he really clean?
Hank Aaron: No one wants to say it, so I will. Aaron is a very bitter old man. The guy is a legend and an ambassador for the game of baseball. He went through hell breaking Ruth's record and he should know better than anyone what Barry is going through. He should attend the game or at least make an effort to attend. Also, he should publicly support Bonds as he approaches his record. Aaron probably used "greenies" which are not only illegal but are also on MLB's banned list of substances. If they are not performance enhancers then why are they banned? They do allow players to get up for games and perform and if Aaron used them then his record is just as tainted as Bonds. Get real Aaron and become a stand up guy. Bonds will break your record and you can look classy or petty. Which one is it going to be?
That's all I got for now, but I am sure I will start fuming over something else this weekend. I have graduation ceremonies this week as well as baccalaureate services today so I might not respond to any comments that quickly, but feel free to leave your opinions below.
As I listened yesterday to Dan Patrick whine about Giambi's statement that, "steroids do not help a person hit a HR," he asked the question over and over, "If they don't help then why did he take them?" Our own LSUfan asked me the same question, saying I am an educated man and surely I couild see that taking steroids makes one stronger and therefore helps a person hit the ball farther. Other bloggers have latched onto the Dan Patrick argument as well insisting if steroids were of no benefit then why would athletes take them. Well let me tell you why.
Athletes are idiots for the most part. They will try anything they THINK will give them an edge. That doesn't mean it will, but they always try. Cases in point:
Sammy Sosa using a corked bat. Many scientists have tried to prove that a corked bat will not help a hitter hit the ball further, but yet here was Sosa using one in a game.
Floyd Landis using synthetic testosterone right in the middle of a race knowing he will be tested.
Ricky Williams using pot after he asks to be reinstated.
Giambi and others will always try the next best thing, but that doesn't mean it will work. The fact is that steroids do not make you stronger. Working out makes you stronger and all athletes work out for more hours than the average person, with or without steroids, they put in hours each day in the weight room. The whole recovery argument is also lame, because these guys work out every day even without steroids. I do acknowledge that steroids help muscles recover faster, but even without them these guys work out daily. Pitchers have more to gain than hitters on steroids, but that fact is often overlooked. Happy Saturday.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year. It is one of the only times where millions of Americans sit around a table with tons of food stuffing their faces without worrying about Robert Atkins, (may his soul rest in peace.) Today as I plan on sitting in front of the TV and watching three NFL games I thought I would share all of the many blessings I have as well as a few that I can think of for some of our favorite athletes.
Eli Manning: He should be thankful for a running back that has helped deflect all the criticism leveled towards him and the unfair comparisons to Philip Rivers. Eli does not have an LT in his backfield, but he does have Tiki who went out on a limb and put the blame on the coaches for the loss.
Michelle Wie: She should be enormously grateful for the over 8 million in endorsement deals she has from Sony and Nike because after this year finding that kind of money is going to be hard to do. In order to be resigned by companies, they like to see you win, something Wie has not done yet. Eventually she will win against the ladies, but these sponsors were hoping to see her contend against the men and that ain’t happening!
Sean Merriman: While he sits out his suspension for four games the Chargers are 3-0. Now if the Chargers don’t make the playoffs he can not be blamed.
Tiger Woods: Elin Nordegren, enough said!
Isiah Thomas: That he still has a job.
Lance Armstrong and Barry Bonds: They should both be thankful that they never tested positive for steroids, unlike Floyd Landis.
Roger Clemens: Same as Lance and Barry, but also that he is allowed to pitch home games only and still makes millions of dollars. What’s more amazing is that he will be in high demand come next April.
Alfonso Soriano: Enjoy that huge paycheck while you remember that you are playing for the Cubs.
Chicago Cubs: They get Pinella for a manager, they sign a huge bat, and now Colangelo is interested in buying the franchise. This may be the Cubbies year.
As for me, I am thankful for a wife, four kids, my health, and all my friends at this Fox Blogging site. After all, if you have a family that loves you and you are healthy and able to enjoy it, what more is there? Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Just perusing a few headlines over the week and thought I would pose a few questions based upon that content. Run your mouse over the links to see my answers.
What if:
Tom Brady did use steroids? Should he be stripped of his Super Bowl rings?
Floyd Landis’ cheating caused the suicide of his father in law?
Annika Sorenstam, was not competing against media darling Michelle Wie, would the press even notice that she won again last week running her total to 82 victories world wide?
Just a few of the puzzling questions that I deal with on a day to day basis and none of them have easy answers. I have my opinions, but I would like to hear yours. I will respond to each and every one as I have time.
The Floyd Flip Flop will someday be as famous as the Fosbury Flop, or maybe as infamous as the other is famous. The Fosbury Flop is a method used in the high jump while the Floyd Flip Flop is the method that Floyd Landis is using to defend himself from the terrible accusations that he "doped" while participating in the Tour de France. Landis was interviewed by Matt Lauer on the NBC Today Show Monday and in it he said he did not ingest anything that would cause his high testosterone level. Then last night on the Jay Leno show, he said that one theory is that he may have ingested something that would cause these high levels.
Floyd, get your story straight. You are blaming the press because you can not come up with theories to match the information being leaked and then you go and refute everything you say in one interview on the very next one. Does anyone really believe he is innocent after hearing him defend himself on national television? I don't. At least Lance Armstrong has always steadfastly maintained his innocence and never changed his answers on his potential doping whereas Floyd can't keep his stories straight. Would his attorneys please keep him off of television too. He has the worst "poker" face. He just looks all nervous and guilty when he speaks. Oh well, it's not like they are going after him for tax evasion.
Did anyone else watch the interview with Matt Lauer (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3032633/) this morning? I know Floyd can't catch a break with the media and reports are being leaked faster than a Barry Bonds' grand jury statement, but is this really the best excuse he can give?
He stopped well short of saying I did not put anything into my body, he only said that he did not cheat. There is a big difference between the two. If you don't think taking steroids is cheating then he can legitimately make that claim. He might also think since everyone else is using steroids that it should be legal for him. Whatever he believes, he did not come out and say I did not inject myself with synthetic testosterone and I know he is smart enough to know what he is saying and what he is not saying. His lawyers have prepared him very well so that he can go to trial and not be prosecuted for perjury.
Also, it appears he is expanding his attacks on the French press and upon the testing center because all of the testing information has been released prior to his approval. For some reason he claims that if the center used the appropriate protocols, meaning they notify him first, he would have had enough time to get his story straight and he would not look like an #### when he keeps changing his tune. If you would just tell the truth, you would not have to keep changing your story and seeking for excuses to what is obvious to the rest of the cycling world. Admit it, take the punishment, and move on.
SoCalSportsFan
*Lastly, it appears the folks at Fox do not want pictures because the editor does not allow it anymore nor does it allow links. Maybe if you are html profecient, which I am not, you can continue this practice. I will need to take a few lessons from someone.*
Floyd Landis triumphant entry into Paris will soon be forgotten and overshadowed by the fact that his B sample also came back positive.Landis still wants the opportunity to clear his name so he agreed to be interviewed by Stephen Colbert of the Colbert Report.The following is a transcript of the upcoming episode.
SC:Welcome to the Colbert Report, Mr. Landis.Can I call you Floyd?
FL:Sure Stephen, call me Floyd.
SC:That’s Mr. Colbert to you Floyd.Well, let’s get right to what everyone wants to know, did you inject yourself with an outside substance?
FL: Mr. Colbert, I did inject myself with anything!I would never do that.
SC:But Floyd, I read that you took cortisone injections for your arthritic hip.
FL:Well yes Mr. Colbert, I did inject myself with cortisone.
SC:And cortisone is a steroid from the corticosteroid family, so you did inject steroids.FL:Okay, I injected cortisone, but that is considered legal because it is used for pain.
SC:Is it possible someone may have tampered with the contents of that syringe?
FL:I suppose anything is possible, but I don’t think so.Just my trainer and I handle all of my supplements.
SC:So you’re saying, you did not take any steroids during the race.Am I correct in that?
FL:Yes.
SC:What about prior to the race and what explanation do you have for your unnaturally high levels?
FL:No, it is a common misconception that you have to take steroids to be competitive.I have never used them; my body just produces a high level of testosterone naturally.Maybe it was the beer and whiskey I had after stage 16 that caused my testosterone to shoot off the charts.
SC:Beer and whiskey;Come on, then that means every male watching this show might be elevating their testosterone levels as we speak. Did you not have any beer or whiskey during any of the other stages?
FL: No, I was trying to drown my sorrows after falling eight minutes behind Oscar.
SC: Whose Oscar?
FL: Oscar Pereiro, he is the Spaniard who came in second.
SC: I think you mean first don't you. After all, after this second test you are going to be stripped of the title and he will be crowned the victor. Why do you hate America?
FL:I don’t hate America.
SC:But you DID ride for the Swiss Team Phonak, but they have recently fired you, and now you let a Spaniard win! Why didn’t you stay on Lance Armstrong’s US Postal Team?
FL:Lance and I don’t get along too well.
SC:Maybe because you are jealous of his 7 wins?
FL:I have nothing but the utmost respect for Lance and what he accomplished in this sport and his fight over cancer, but I wanted to be the lead rider for his team, and Lance had other ideas.
SC:Do you think you will win in your arbitration case with the US Doping Agency?
FL:I don’t know, but I intend on proving it.
SC:How will you prove your body produces high levels of testosterone on just one stage of the race?
FL:I think after the show I am going to go down a six pack of Coors and chase it with some Jack Daniels.
SC:It might not elevate your testosterone, but it might just help you forget.Good luck Floyd and thanks for coming on the Colbert Report.
SoCalSportsFan
*This is fictitious for those who would believe it to be true although the dialogue contains many true statements. To see a photo of Floyd receiving his testosterone click on this link.*
I just read the latest news article on Floyd Landis and if I were him I would just apologize and admit that I am guilty.This latest statement by his attorney is laughable at best.His attorney, Jose Maria Buxeda admits that the second sample will test positive and then went on to say,
“However, Landis is "certain" he hasn't ingested banned substances and is "pretty sure" he can prove his innocence,”
Of course Landis is certain he did not ingest anything, he injected it into his rear end.“Pretty sure” he can prove his innocence is not the same thing as I did not dope. (I think this picture clearly shows that someone from Landis' race team is inserting a testosterone laced suppository up his arse.) His original statement in which Landis had to recite was bad enough, but now his attorney has all but admitted that Landis did the unthinkable.There is an old saying that goes, “With friends like these who needs enemies.”The same could be said for Landis’ attorney.Take a look at this statement by Buxeda who is trying to explain why Landis could have a higher ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone,
"For instance, in cases of dehydration, maximum effort etc. sometimes the body does not behave as it usually does and that could maybe explain abnormal results, as it could be if the result is confirmed in our case,"
Once again trying to prove dehydration or any other natural cause for a high ratio does not explain the “synthetic” testosterone that has been confirmed to be the cause of the high ratio.In other words, the fact is that the testosterone level was disproportionate because of something that was added to your system and not created by your body.
Let me be the first to congratulate Oscar Pereiro, picture to the right, on his Tour de France win. Pereiro was Phonak's lead rider from 2002-2005 until Floyd Landis moved over from Armstrong's team to become their number one guy. I find that just a wee bit ironic.
Tamba Hali, a rookie defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs, received his U.S. citizenship on Monday.Many of us here in the United States still take our citizenship for granted, but not those who have gone through the system to be here legally. When a permanent resident immigrates to this country and finally passes the test to become a citizen and gains the right to vote, it is a joyous occasion.It is amazing to me that as negative as some people outside of the U.S. are about this country, people still flock by the thousands to our country from China, Cuba, Mexico, Liberia, and many other African and Middle Eastern countries.Some of the reasons that the United States are so great apply to sports and others do not.The reasons that I think we are great and their application to sports are listed below.
Due Process:
Floyd Landis, Jan Ullrich, and Ivan Basso have all been accused of doping in the cycling world.Ullrich and Basso decided not to race in the Tour de France, but Landis did race and then one of his samples came back positive for synthetic testosterone.Many people are crying, “What happened to innocent until proven guilty?”Well, you are only afforded that liberty by being in the United States.The laws of our land do not extend to the international community nor should they. I would also add that even in the United States that applies to the criminal justice system and not into the entire private sector.With that said, due process is important even in the arena of sports and business in America.
Voting Rights:
Many countries still do not have the freedom to vote.America was not always perfect in this realm, but we have made tremendous strides over the past 210 years.Women and minorities can all vote today for the candidate of their choice.If you are not happy with the choices, you can do a write in for someone else even though the odds of them getting elected are slim.Communist countries like North Korea and Cuba still have dictators who run everything.Watching the news last night, I found it amazing to see the people of Miami cheering that Cuba was no longer under the dominion of Fidel Castro, albeit even if it was only for a few days.Cubans in Little Havana were celebrating in the streets.One would have thought the Miami Dolphins had won the Super Bowl.
Freedom of the Press:
In this country, the news media can basically print whatever and whenever they want.That does not mean that they have "carte blanche", because they are driven by market forces, but our newspapers can print any cartoon they so choose.On the internet, blogs pop up everyday with anything and everything imaginable. We are free to do so.This is not always true in the Middle East or some other communist countries.Women who have written blogs in Iran are fearful this new liberty will be taken away.Our country while not perfect has put a premium on this liberty.
There are many more freedoms that we have in this country and trying to list them all would make this post entirely too long.Feel free to list the reasons you love this country, but I for one want to welcome our newest citizen, Tamba Hali, to the United States of America.
Today as we await the verdict on the Floyd Landis an interesting comment was left on my post titled, “I Know Why Landis Doped.”The comment basically alleges that Landis did win the Tour de France, but he will be stripped of his win by the International Cycling Union, the sanctioning body for cycling.
My point of contention is that if you cheat and you are caught and then stripped of the win, then you did not win at all.If a high school team is found to violate recruitment rules or play ineligible players, then they are forced to forfeit games they have already competed in and won.The record books are changed.Ben Johnson had his gold medal stripped by the Olympic committee when he was found to have used an illegal steroid.
So, I would like to pose this question to the Fox bloggers and see if we can arrive at some consensus of opinion; did Landis win?Do you consider someone who cheats and wins an event to be the winner?Do you consider someone who has a medal taken away even though they physically came in first to be the winner?I do not.The tricky part is that many winners who have medals or first place finishes may have cheated also, but they were not caught and therefore still retain their titles.What say you?
Of course Landis is certain he did not ingest anything, he injected it into his rear end.
Once again trying to prove dehydration or any other natural cause for a high ratio does not explain the “synthetic” testosterone that has been confirmed to be the cause of the high ratio.
Many countries still do not have the freedom to vote.
