Despite the date, don't expect any fireworks today.
It was bad enough when Katie Couric had her colonoscopy on TV. I don't want to see that on any channel even those that are only available for an additional fee in hotel rooms. Now David Beckham's physical exam with Real Madrid FC was sponsored and televised over about 40 channels worldwide and the sponsor paid almost $500K for the rights to this "event". Oh swell. I really want to know if David Beckham has bone spurs in his feet or an irregular heartbeat or - perish the thought – a huge internal gas bubble that will be escaping imminently. I am not a privacy freak, but taking a physical exam is something that need not be televised. Not nowhere. Not no how.
Jay Leno had the right idea. He suggested the televising of Beckham's physical exam should have been called, "Bend Over Like Beckham". Only problem with that is that it brings back the Katie Couric colonoscopy image again and that is not part of my "happy place".
Duke and UNC opposed the ACC expansion and some of the media folks who thought the expansion was a bad idea in the first place have lauded the presidents of these institutions for their stance. Whatever. But here is a data point to tell you that at least one of these scholarly executives needs someone to write some better talking points for her. The Duke president, Nan Keohane, says that the new teams in the ACC will create too much travel for her scholar-athletes and that will keep these dedicated natural-philosophers-to-be away from their professors far too much. Of course, the fact that Duke basketball players have been traveling to Alaska and Hawaii and Europe to play games seems not to bother her at all. This woman is over her head in a university presidency where big time athletics meets big time academics. Maybe she needs to go back to Wellesley or on to one of the Ivy League schools where that kind of rhetorical flourish can go unnoticed – or at least not be so patently silly as to warrant mention here and in any other sports media venue where logic prevails over posturing.
Am I the only one who thinks that it was predestined for a basketball player named Travis Outlaw to be drafted by the Portland Trailblazers? I hope not.
I am not going to try to make the case that Sam Cassell belongs in the Hall of Fame, but who thought that it was a good idea for the Bucks to trade him and then draft T.J. Ford? Certainly not me!
Speaking of people named T.J., T.J. Simers is a caustic columnist for the LA Times and the Dodgers have been in his crosshairs for several seasons now. Lately, he has been all over the manager, the general manager and the players with not a lot of respite. I suggest you go and read his columns online at the latimes.com for 29 June and 2 July and 3 July; let's just say that he does not take many prisoners in these essays.
I must admit that I do not understand the media fascination with the story about the disappearance – and possible demise – of the Baylor basketball player. People are reported missing in every city of the US every day of the year; murders and homicides happen every day. Until two weeks ago, only the most geeked up sports fan outside New Mexico and Texas would have known this guy from Manny, Moe and/or Jack. And now the media has gotten to the point where they are reporting that the whereabouts of missing Baylor basketball player Whoever Whatever is still unknown. Excuse me, but if you don't know the whereabouts, that is what makes him a "missing player". I fear that nothing good will come out of this story as it ages just as I never really thought Chandra Levy was going to show up one day and shout "Olly, olly infree". But enough already…
For all the golf commentators who are speculating that Tiger Woods slump might be something that is actually significant [It isn't!], let me offer two things for them to consider when and if they ever stop blowing in each others' ears and look at the real world:
-
Tiger Woods has a beautiful young lady in his life and it is a good and natural thing for him to divide his mental focus and his energies between golf and her.
Tiger Woods gets paid millions and millions of dollars by sponsors just to show up at events as Tiger Woods. As long as he doesn't lose his red shirt for his Sunday round or get caught on videotape having his way with a household pet, Tiger is going to get paid. His golf earnings are tip money. So why should he worry?
Finally, the LA Kings took Brady Murray in the fifth round of the NHL draft; he is the son of coach Andy Murray. Naturally, coach Andy was asked about this pick and coach Andy replied, "He has a nice mother." Sounds like a good pick to me.
Have a happy and safe 4th of July.
But don't get me wrong, I love sports...
= Archives = Pros = Scores = Contact =