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Monday, 15-Apr-2002

 

Spurious thoughts and idle musings from the sports week just past ...

 

Dear Vince ... Take all the time you need to let your bum knee heal.  No, really, rest up, dude.  It's only by amazing coincidence that we lost 17 outta the last 18 games with you in the lineup and now we've won 11 outta 12 since you shut it down.  Pure chance, babe.  Hey, you know we love you, dog.  It's just that we don't want to see you get hurt again so take your time and go easy on the rehab.  We'll be in touch.  Best regards ... The Raptors.

 

Just curious but why does The Eye insist on calling The Masters "a tradition unlike any other" ???   Aren't all traditions unique ???  I mean, if two traditions are exactly the same, then they're not traditions anymore, are they ???  I mean, you don't see anything else like the Indy 500, the Kentucky Derby or Wimbledon, do you ???  Hell, even my mother-in-law's Turkey Day stuffing is "a tradition unlike any other".  Look, I love The Masters.  It's the only golf I look forward to all year.  But hype is hype.  And stuffing is stuffing.

 

However, if Eldrick keeps this up, The Masters is soon gonna be his personal playground.  Back-to-back green jackets and another $1,008,000 check.  Longer course ???  No problem.  Monsoon rains ???  No problem.  Six of the best golfers on the planet sharing the Sunday morning leaderboard ???  No problem.  All Tiger's gotta do is break open a fresh burgundy polo shirt and the thing is d-o-n-e, done.  Truly a player unlike any other.

 

SI ran a recent article on NBA posses.  Never mind that once again the mag is only about five years behind a trend but this inside look at the fellas who surround today's Association stars is priceless.  Didja know that Shaq Daddy's got a bro on his payroll whose only job is to warm up the car and make sure Fu's fave CD's are locked and loaded ???  Kinda makes you wonder what occupation he puts down on his 1040. 

 

"During the marriage the parties have accumulated and acquired various assets and liabilities that are marital in nature and need to be equitably distributed by the Court.  Due to the Husband's extraordinary contributions to the acquisition of the funds as a result of his hazardous, life-threatening occupation, the Husband claims that he should be entitled to greater than 50% interest in the net marital estate and asks for an unequal distribution of the marital assets."  Unquote.  Nice try, Jeff, but since you and Brooke lived in 50-50 Florida without a pre-nup, you're soon gonna be hearing the worst four-letter word in the English language ... Half.

 

"Topless dancer, boyfriend accuse boxer Tyson of assault" ... And in other headlines of the obvious ... "Ref calls technical foul on Rasheed Wallace", "Golf fans clap politely for Mickelson's back nine bogey", "Michelle Kwan plans next Olympic disappointment", "Astros consider K-Mart to replace Enron" and "Kiper says Al Davis to select Pelican Bay State Prison flag football team".

 

The New Jersey Nets are the top seed in the NBA Eastern Conference and that alone should earn Jason Kidd the MVP.  Meanwhile, Hell Ay played the Minnesota T-Pups last Thursday wearing replicas of their old powder-blue, George Mikan-era Minneapolis Lakers uniforms from fifty years ago.  Which got me thinking ... How long before the soon-to-be Nawlins Hornets will wear replicas of their old teal-and-purple Charlotte threads ???  Fifty years ???  A hundred ???  Until Ray Wooldridge stops lying ???

 

Ah, one of my favorite events of the year is just a week away ... Yes, that special Hallmark moment when angry J-E-T-S fans curse and wail their latest first-round bust-in-waiting is just around the corner.  Not to mention our annual NFL Draft Day sighting of The Hair That Is Mel Kiper Jr plus hours and hours of breathless ESPN coverage of times in the 40, Wonderlic scores, combine reports, cell phones and overgrown kids in big pimpin suits.  Got my chips and dip and plenty of cold Dew on ice.  Bring it on.

 

Detroit skipper Phil Garner got The Show's first official in-season heave-ho as the inept Tiggers have dropped their first 11 ballgames.  Also, another boo-boo for Junior threatens to send him from The Kid to The Afterthought in record time while two more Barry bombs last week means he's all but a lock to crank his 600th jack just one incredible year after the magic No. 500.  Meanwhile, an honest-to-God controversy blew up over whether Gonzo really did chew the now-famous piece of gum on auction while the Yankees' new YES network is officially NO until Cablevision decides whether to slot it as basic or premium cable.  And you thought baseball was boring.

 

You know, I get a lotta strange spam e-mail messages in my Inbox ... Free cell phones, guaranteed credit cards, that little X-10 spy camera, Miss Cleo, on-line diplomas, you name it ... But until I heard about the Cricket Bar, I guess I really didn't know what I was missing.  That's right, if I want I can now get "simple commentary and ball-by-ball scores" from cricket matches around the world all delivered to a small window I can dock at the bottom of my screen.  Of course, now my only question is ... What the hell did I click on to get on that mailing list ???

 

Thanks for the memories, Arnie.

 

See ya nexted week ...

 

Robert E Hunt Jr

 

Copyright ã 2002 by Robert E Hunt Jr.  All rights reserved.