Category: Sports

David Stern

In response to a question from a NY Post reporter who failed to identify herself before asking her question, David Stern used the word ‘replete’. It seemed like a perfectly timed, deliberate verbal bitch slap. His expression made it clear that he did not expect her to know the word. Just vicious. Hey, harsh quoter!

Be well.

And oh yeah, we’re baaaack!

TP

The Fed

I had the chance to watch most of the Roger Federer- Tommy Robredo quarterfinal match at the French Open today. On clay, Fed’s worst surface, he was clearly practicing. Clearly. In the quarterfinals of the tournament he needs/wants to win most. Bear in mind that Robredo is Spanish, something of a clay specialist (all his tourney wins have been on clay) and top 10 in the world. That practice cost him a set but he’s hopeful that it will lead to a Sequential Slam and a genuine opportunity to win the calendar year Grand Slam.

If Fed wins in Paris he’s indisputably one of the top 5 players in history; if he wins the Grand Slam, most everyone will anoint him as the GOAT.

Thanks for the workout, Tommy.

TP

NBA Playoffs

Yes it’s true. My hope for these most exciting playoff series has petered out. The Suns can only be furious that the dirty players (and while Horry is not dirty, his shot on Nash certainly was) won out and the guys who tried to do it the right way have lost their best opportunity as a group. Now, if Stoudamire, a pick and some cash can be converted or (even better for the Suns) Shawn Marion into KG, we can write about how wonderful Phoenix is/will be for the next 3 years. Let’s hope.

Let’s also hope that the Warriors can get a couple more tough minded players that fit the mold they’re creating. The Fun Bunch needs a little more muscle and a little more grit. Big Shot (not Cheap Shot) Rob would be a great fit for a crunch time center for Nellie.

TP

Cry Me A River

Okay, here’s the link. The Sports Guy on ESPN.com writes about Cry Me A River as “the most destructively vengeful song of all-time”. My wife and I have been talking about this for a couple years now. It’s hard for me to remember sometimes (or maybe I just want to forget) but Britney was the first White Aailyah.

{Eventually I ‘ll work through why NKOTV was the Black New Edition but it seems so obvious I haven’t bothered.}

When Aaliyah died it was national mourning for Black America; I suppose what we’re seeing now is the possibible slow death of Britney.

In Freakonomics, there’s a great line from Stephen Dubner about Britney Spears being ‘an effect not a cause’ (of her given name not anything more, uh, public). I like to think of her that way sometimes, ‘an effect not a cause’.

Apparently, vengeance hath no fury like a Justin scorned.

TP

more on Bonds

A couple months ago, before the baseball season began, I suggested that we should celebrate Barry Bonds as the best current athlete in a team sport. Despite getting a bit of grief over those sentiments I hold to them steadfastly. A couple folks have asked why I didn’t mention the MVPs more urgently. Part of that is simply because I assumed everyone familiar with the arguments would already be fairly aware however I should mention a couple things. One- Bonds has won 7 of them. No one in else in major team sports has that many. Two- He clearly earned at least one more of them (1991). Tery Pendleton owes Bonds and it was almost immediately apparent that he was jobbed that season.

Beyond the formal achievements are any number of unique or nearly unique elements to his career (intentional walk with bases loaded, more times on base than official at bats, higher than .600 OBP for a season). He’s the best we have. Warts and all.

TP

Disco Nap

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I’d need disco naps during the NBA playoffs. Well, I took that advice to heart Thursday. I DVRd the Mavs-Warriors Game 6 from Oaktown and watched it during the small numbers of the clock. So worth it.

The Warriors have the kind of fun openness that characterize the best of pickup basketball. Playing with people you know and like who want to win but want to have a great time even more. The Warriors have so much fun and play like it. The Mavs on the other hand seemed incredibly nervous. Despite playing in the Finals last year (or maybe because of it) they were never able to utilize their strengths in Game 6. When they played well it was only in spurts and spurts that began with offense. In 2003 that would have been the plan but since Avery took over from Nellie he’s continually force fed them the defense wins mantra. Thursday their only chance was to ride an extraordinary Jerry Stackhouse through the first half storm and then hope that the Warriors self destructed.

Thanks in large part to Baron Davis’ offensive aggressiveness, Nellie’s confidence (in the whole rotation not named Al Harrington) and Stephen Jackson’s Redemption Game, the Warriors are moving to Round 2 in yes, the biggest upset in NBA playoff history. With lots of confidence. In fact, even before the Rocket-Jazz finale later today, I want to go out on a limb and predict a Suns-Warriors Western Conference final. That final will also be the most exciting two weeks of basketball since the original Dream Team used the Barcelona Olympics to spark the global explosion of basketball.

Finally, just imagine how much the Warriors win helps the Heat. After an unsettling season and a ridiculously bad loss to the Bulls in their first round series Miami is already off the hook. How many offseason stories about the Heat’s debacle will include some caveat about how much worse the Mavs loss was? Pat Riley may soon enter my Ringo all-Starr band. (The luckiest people on Earth.)

TP

Say it Ain’t So!!!

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/basketball/nba/04/19/wolves.mchale.wittman.ap/index.html

McHale thinks he’s coming back as GM of the T’Wolves. And bringing Wittman back too. Ish. This is now beyond embarassing. McHale has been simply atrocious for the last several years and yes, the team went from a .500 team with Casey to miserable with Wittman. And guess who stays. Again, ish.

TP

Rhodes a Raider

Dominic Rhodes is a Raider.

If anyone besides Al Davis cared about the Raiders just imagine how many jokes would have already been made about how well Rhodes (Mr. DUI) fits in with the Raiders. As it is now, almost total silence…

Sad, ain’t it?

TP

Celebrate Barry Bonds?!?


We should take some time to celebrate Barry Bonds in his pursuit of the most important record in American sports, the ML career home run record. No other record is as hallowed, so seemingly inviolable. We just don’t care as much about any other number in sports.

Bonds is one of the athletes most everyone ‘knows’ and knows as a bad person. That matters. It shifts the public perception of this record; we downplay it automatically just because it’s easier that way.

Immensely important record, registered bad guy= complicated story that we’ll perpetually diminish

Here’s a way to feel a bit better about Barry Bonds being the guy who we celebrate. Remind yourself that he’s the best player in American team sports today.

Okay, it takes a moment to get there. But ask yourself, is Barry Bonds one of the five best players in the history of baseball? Even if grudgingly, you have to say yes. It’s simply that clear. And he’s the only active player in American team sports for whom that is true.

In the NBA there are at least five players who are sometimes considered among the top five ever. There’s no consensus on anything in the league right now. Dwyane Wade plays for a sub .500 team and is going to become a chic pick for MVP since the defending champs will only be a playoff team if he comes back too soon from serious injury.

But really, the closest you could come to putting a current NBA player in an all time top 5 is Shaq and a 6-3 white Canadian point guard may boast a 3-1 MVP advantage on him by the end of the season. Duncan, Garnett, AI, Kobe may appear on an occasional list if you’re young and fixated on a certain element of the game.

The NFL is so specialized that it’s hard to even generalize a best ever argument without defining it specifically by position. And really, unless you’re trying to be a pain in the butt, there are at least 3 quarterbacks in your top 5. Having all 5 being quarterbacks would not be a popular or cool choice but certainly legitimate.

There are only 2 top 5 possibilities in the NFL right now. And no, despite how vogue it is to consider, LaDainian Tomlinson is NOT a possibility. (Deepest sympathies, man. The worst thing in the world.) The two are Tom Brady, if you’re a championship resume person or Peyton Manning, if you’re an historical greatness fan. If QBs are the most important player and your team has won the most Super Bowls you’re the best. That’s a pretty limited way of deciding in my eyes but hey, some folks go there. In the historical greatness views, Peyton Manning is the Barry Bonds of his sport. (Remind me to develop a contrast between these two. How fun would that be?) Peyton is certainly a legitimate top 5 candidate but someone would need to justify that argument and you’d probably both be right.

The NHL may actually throw out my theory if a) they’re still considered a major sport (why isn’t it tennis? Beautiful people; a very cheap sport to play; distinct personalities; real rivalries; American strength; beautiful people; simple rules; specific numbers and history. We should push for this to happen.) and b) Mario Lemieux is still playing. Back when I knew what network broadcast hockey, it seemed clear all the puckheads agreed that Super Mario was top 5. That all seemed a little tough to figure but nobody seemed to dispute it so I just went with it.

In MLB, there are a couple other guys who might show up on someone’s top 5 list. If you love power pitching then you could ginny up a case for Rog-, oh no, who am I kidding? There’s no chance any active player can show up on your top 5 list besides Barry Bonds.

And you can’t pull Bonds from your list, either. Whether it’s the homers or the MVPs or the defense or the walks or the steals or the two stretches of dominance or the RBI total or the fear he instilled in entire teams or the disruption of the Manager Guidebook.

So maybe it makes a little more sense. Like him or not, Bonds is the best we have right now. And no, he’s not a hero like Henry Aaron but maybe we live in a world where heroes are less important to us. Maybe, for a while at least, being the very best can matter a little more.

After all, it’s only baseball.

TP