When I left for my Baseball Odyssey, one of the festering stories was the contretemps between US Ryder Cup Captain, Corey Pavin, and nominal journalist, Jim Gray over whether or not Pavin told Gray that Tiger Woods would be one of his “Captain’s Choice” players on the Ryder Cup team this year. Gray got in Pavin’s face at a tournament telling the Captain that he was “going down”. Interestingly, I saw nothing in my catch-up reading to suggest that Gray made good on that threat, which puts the nail in his coffin as a reliable reporter. Let me review:
A few weeks ago, Jim Gray embarrassed himself, his ancestors and his progeny for the next several generations by affixing his lips to LeBron James’ posterior sphincter for much of ESPN’s hour-long presentation of “The Decision”. About the only thing Gray did not do in that pathetic performance was to pledge fealty to “King James” for all of the rest of eternity. Just watching that interview made me need to go and take a shower.
When Gray thought he had a golf scoop, he ran with it and announced to the world that Tiger Woods was a shoo-in to make the Ryder Cup team.
When Pavin said that the report was premature and speculative, Gray said that Pavin was “going gown”.
First of all, Jim Gray made himself part of both of these stories instead of reporting the stories. That makes him a D-List celebrity and not a journalist. Secondly, he made a threat and then did not deliver on it. Journalists live and die by their credibility; at this point, Jim Gray has precious little left.
By the way, in case anyone has not looked this up yet, the decision that Corey Pavin needs to make here involves the nominal best golfer ever to live and one who is too intimidating to play against when it matters – - and yet the “greatest golfer ever to live’s” lifetime record in Ryder Cup events is 10-13-2.
Greg Cote put a nice punctuation mark in this matter in the Miami Herald:
“Much debate over whether U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin will select a struggling Woods for the team. Cannot confirm LeBron will announce Pavin’s decision in a one-hour special on ESPN.”
With regard to a related matter, Bob Molinaro of the Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot had this observation recently:
“Wondering: What does it tell you that Nike’s three biggest superstar endorsers happen to be serial philanderer Tiger Woods, basketball villain LeBron James and rumored drug cheat Lance Armstrong? I’m not sure, but it probably means more work for Nike’s public relations department.”
Recall that Phil Mushnick of the NY Post reported that in order to assure yourself of tickets to the Notre Dame/Army football game in Yankee Stadium in November, you had to buy a $300 seat to a Yankees game against some team other than the Red Sox or the Rays AND a seat at the Pinstripe Bowl game. I just found out that tickets to the Notre Dame/Army game are priced in a category that matches some of the other outrageous prices charged at Yankee Stadium. Top shelf seats will be $175 each; end zone seats will be $125 each. Remember this is Notre Dame versus Army in 2010 and not Notre Dame versus Army in 1948…
John Canzano writes an interesting column in The Oregonian. Recently, more than a couple of Oregon and Oregon State athletes have been arrested under bizarre circumstances – - ones that might make you giggle at first. Canzano’s last column looks at these circumstances from a perspective that takes the “giggle factor” out of play. This column should be read in its entirety.
In yesterday’s Washington Post, a front-page headline read:
“Upset likely in Alaska primary”
Can someone explain to me how something that is “likely” can also be an “upset”? No, the aftermath of a dose of Ipecac does not count here…
On November 4, the defending NCAA champion Duke Blue Devils will host the defending NCAA Division II champion Cal Poly-Pomona Broncos in an exhibition game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. This is not a game for the record; it is akin to a scrimmage; and according to one report, Duke is picking up the tab to get the Broncos to the game and then back home. Obviously, this game does not mean anything in the grand scheme of things, but I think this is a cool thing and maybe it is something that all defending NCAA Tournament champions should do before the next season begins…
Scott Ostler of the SF Chronicle had these two cogent comments in one of his Sunday columns recently:
“Al Davis compared this year’s Raiders to his 1980 team that won the Super Bowl. Davis is being modest. This year’s Raiders would wax that team. Hell, Jim Plunkett is 62.”
“Rich Rodriguez got his hearing before the NCAA, and now he and Michigan will wait six to eight weeks for the final verdict on the football program’s punishments. Six to eight weeks? What is this, a war crimes trial in The Hague? It’s football goofballs breaking rules. Study the evidence, make a ruling and announce it by dinnertime.”
Finally, let me quote from a recent Associated Press report that has nothing whatsoever to do with sports. A woman in Pennsylvania is:
“… suing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts because she claims she was inappropriately groped by a man dressed up in a Donald Duck costume.”
Making no judgment whatsoever with the validity of her claim, can someone at the Associated Press explain to me and all of its readers how a man dressed up in a Donald Duck costume might “appropriately grope” a woman? Just asking…
But don’t get me wrong, I love sports…