Monday, 24-Jun-2002
Spurious
thoughts and idle musings from the sports week just past ...
Have you
figured it out yet, Bud ??? If not,
please pay attention. And don't worry,
we'll go real slow for you. Luis
Castillo's 35-game hit streak ended late Saturday night. But that's not the point, Bud. The point is that his streak got us babbling
about several old immortals ... Names like Rogers Hornsby, Ty Cobb, George
Sisler, Wee Willie Keeler and so on.
Any week we get to see old black-and-white photos of cherished
ballplayers from those good old days is a very good week indeed, Mr Selig. This is what you're supposed to be
selling. The game. The game.
The old ballgame.
Helluva
run for the US soccer lads ... Friday's 1-0 loss to the Germans was a bummer
but this team had no business being there.
Or did they ??? Think about it
... American moms have been loading up their minivans with soccer brats for
years. It's not that expensive. It's pretty simple to play and it doesn't
favor muscle-bound pituitary freaks either.
That's why thousands of kids play soccer. All this country needs now is better development programs. Let's face it, colleges are fixated on pig
and hoops, the Twin Towers of cash manufacturing. But if we somehow find a way to feed and grow 20 more Landon Donovans,
that little globe thingy is ours, baby.
And then the rest of the world will really hate us.
"It's
not my fault you don't play baseball.
It's not our fault you're not an actor or Bill Gates or anyone
else. Nobody is complaining about their
salaries or the owners' salaries. So
don't complain about ours. We have the
right to make it. It's entertainment. It will come back. A lot of companies go on
strike. Not just baseball. And people still ride the bus." ...
Barry Bonds. And he is absolutely
correct. Hell, that's one of the
smartest things Barry has ever said.
And if he had kept it to himself, he'd have been brilliant.
Looks
like the Houston Rockets are all set to take Yao Ming, the 7-5 center from
China, with the first pick in this coming Wednesday's NBA Draft. The Shanghai Sharks, Ming's current team,
have been bought off, the China Basketball Association seems happy with Yao's
commitment to play for the national team when needed and even his agents, both
Chinese and American, are apparently content with their slice of the
international wheel and deal. All
that's left now is a translator for the term "Shaq dunkbait".
And by
the way, Bud, the Twinks and Spos are kicking ass and taking names. And you and your daughter's Brewers are 15 1/2
out and deader than Arthur Andersen's office Christmas party plans.
Brazil,
Turkey, Germany, South Korea ... Also known as Duke, Coppin State, Kentucky and
Bucknell. Man, I'll have whatever the
South Koreans ordered and lots of it please.
These homeboys just can't lose.
With wins over traditional powers Italy and Spain, the Red Devils are
now the very first Asian team to make the World Cup Final Four. Next up is Germany and of course there's no
way they should win that one. But Ed
Pinckney wasn't supposed to outplay Patrick Ewing either, was he ???
Man, that
is some world class stank coming off these World Cup refs. Italy got vaffunculo, Spain got escariado
and the Damn Yanks got just plain old boned.
And these guys have honked on just about every kinda soccer call there
is ... Handballs, fouls, offsides, fake dives, end line outs, you name it. Plus they've been handing out yellow cards
as if they were invitations to a reunion of ringless Tar Heels. Next thing you know they'll have Phil Luckett
fly over there to flip a coin. Brutal,
Juice, brutal.
Ain't no
flies on the Tejas Longhorns who cold cocked South Carolina to win the College
World Series on Saturday in Omaha.
However painful the final result, at least the Cocks sent their blood
rival Climpson buddies home with a pair of double elimination spankjobs over
the Tiggers. And if you know anything
about these two schools, believe me, in time this Longhorn loss won't mean a
thang. Hell, Cock fans will cherish
these twin wins for years to come. At
least until Strom Thurmond retires.
Whichever comes first.
Still
more World Cuplets ... Despite my earlier admission that Italia really did get
the shaft, it's always great fun to see them serve up a fine whine for
dessert. Of course the entree was
Italian club Perugia's threat to fire Korean striker Ahn Jung-whan for booting
the Italians back to The Boot. Good
enough to play in your league, good enough to send you home to it, I suppose. And too bad for Jolly Olde England. If there was any justice in this La Coupe du
Monde, they'd have met Brazil in the finals.
And lost.
The WNBA
players are seriously thinking of going on strike. They've already filed a grievance against the New York Liberty
for interfering with a union meeting.
You've come a long way, baby. Oh
and thanks for hiring Bill Laimbeer to coach the winless Detroit Shock. You can never have too many bullies and
thugs running your teams.
Rest in
peace, Jack Buck. Tell Harry Carey the
Cubbies miss him. And you too, Darryl
Kile. Tough week for Cards fans.
See ya
nexted week ...
Robert E Hunt Jr
Copyright ã 2002 by Robert E Hunt Jr. All rights reserved.