Monday, July 24, 2006

Sports universe collides with Miss Universe

It's tough to focus on the big game when the Miss Universe pageant is on.

Worse yet, how can we absorb Monday's sports headlines when the Web is plastered with stories (and even more photos) of Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza, the new Miss Universe?

Did you realize Tiger won the British Open again? Of course you didn't. Too busy downloading pics of Puerto Rico's latest celebrity beauty weren’t you?

Ricky Williams broke his arm too. I know—you missed it. Poor Ricky was quietly admitted to hospital while the world was more concerned about Mendoza's recovery after fainting.

The Tour de France finished as well. America's Floyd Landis took the honors, and became the eighth straight US winner. What's that? You didn't have time to scroll down to the sports links? Those photos can take a while to open. I understand.

Did you catch any stats at least?

You did?

Age 18...height 5'9...hair color brown...eye color brow...riiiiiiight.

No, no problem here. Good info—solid stats. Let's talk more tomorrow though...sports might be back on your mind by then.


Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Made in Japan

Clocking long hours without complaint appears a virtue of Japanese employees. They are the ironmen of the office, but more importantly, on the sporting field. Especially when it's Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners.

Take Mariners catcher, Kenji Johjima, for example, who has logged more hours behind home plate than any catcher in the majors. The team's website recently reported that as of July 16th, Johjima had caught for 681 innings this season, Johjima had caught for 681 innings this season—six more than the next catcher, Oakland's
Jason Kendall at 675. That's more time spent on the knees than in a Boyz II Men music video.

Seattle don't seem too concerned with the "overtime", nor does Johjima. The Mariners star has said he's used to a heavy workload, even though in Japan he played 22 games less than in the American season. He actually twice caught the full 140 games back home, surely exhibiting to Seattle's management an ability to cope with MLB's marathon campaign.

Perhaps an even stronger reassurance of Johjima's endurance, is that his countryman and teammate, Ichiro Suzuki, is one of the most consistent performers in baseball history. In case you've forgotten, the great Ichiro has had at least 200 hits, 100 runs scored and 30 stolen bases in all five of his MLB seasons. (He also holds the team record for consecutive games played).

To put these numbers in context, compare them to one of baseball's most consistent performers ever, Derek Jeter. In his last five seasons, Jeter has logged over 200 runs twice and stolen 30 bases once. He has scored more than 100 runs four of the last five seasons. Not too shabby, but not quite Ichiro's figures.

They certainly make 'em well in Japan; from Sony to Toyota, Suzuki to Johjima.


Saturday, July 15, 2006

Bueller? Bueller?

Remember the scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off where Ed Rooney asks "What's the score?" as a Chicago Cubs game blares in the background?

That shabby cook in the diner responds, "Nothin nothin."

To which Rooney ignorantly inquires, "Who's winning?"

The guy's next line, delievered with a straight face, became a classic. "The Bears!"

Most people watch the scoreboard, but it occurred to me recently that there's a whole other side to sports; those who attend, participate in, cheer for and even gamble on them with no real interest. They're the ones who make up the numbers, or in some cases, take those 100-Level seats you were hoping for.

This isn’t necessarily bad, but it does say something interesting about sports; many enjoy elements outside of the game. I know, I know, there should be a written test before entering the stadium.

But think about it. We all know guys who love anything offering beautiful women dancing: clubs, bars, the American Pie movies, and big surprise, football. It'd be safe to assume that the NFL draws many of its crowd members, due to the sideline entertainment. I mean the Dallas Cowboys have lived by that promotional ploy for decades—heck, they invented it.

The NBA isn't far behind. Lakerland anyone? Oh sure, I go to watch Kobe as well.

I began thinking about this issue when a female friend remarked that she loved watching the Argentineans during the World Cup. Was it their splendid teamwork that took her fancy I wondered? Not quite. I similarly witnessed great female approval for the Italian team during the Cup final, as I sat quietly watching the game at my local bar. Apparently the actual game wasn't intriguing enough a contest for some.

Perhaps the strangest observation we can make about all this, is that the slowest game in sports, baseball, offers little extra-curricular activity for fans; no cheerleaders, no mascots leaping through flaming hoops and certainly less celebrity spotting.

I think this speaks volumes for baseball fans. They know the score, and that’s all that matters.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Zidane deserves better

Zinedine Zidane has apologised for headbutting Marco Matterazzi in the World Cup final—but did we need it?

I didn't. I'd rather an apology from all the players guilty of diving during the tournament. That was a bigger disgrace. Some remorse for several hairstyles wouldn't go a stray either. And while we’re at it, that weird dancing that some teams do when they win—could leave that at home as well.

But I digress. Amongst the "two cents" commentators and lynch mob media, everyone is forgetting how great an ambassador Zidane has been for the game. He's a soccer icon, above and beyond every player who ran that pitch Sunday. He plays the game with a control and vision rarely seen. His timing, touch and most importantly, his decision making, are almost flawless when it comes to football. It's easy to forget this when you're in the peanut gallery.


Don't we owe him the benefit of the doubt here?

Violence should never be condoned but surely the verbal abuse lobbed at France's No.10 was violent itself. Zidane made his decision, which OK, ranks up there with Iron Mike's "ear snack attack" and Ron Artest's "paper cup retaliation". But let's be reasonable. We don't have to agree with it, yet can we at least acknowledge that the man deserved better than Matterazzi's irreverance? I mean come on, everytime you Google the poor bloke now, you're going to find that headbutt shot. Is that really fair?

This is France's great captain after all, the three-time FIFA player of the year and the best we've seen in the last two decades. For those petty enough to recall Zidane's red card tally, or call him a "monster", how about considering his goal tally. Think about his splendid passing. Study his sublime balance. Replay all of his last minute heroics. Revel in his teamwork. He's a football genius and nothing will change that.

Zidane was fairly awarded the Golden Ball, the best player of the World Cup, and it’d be a travesty to strip him of it. Nobody's perfect and sometimes temperatures peak. But national heroes, like grandparents, surely deserve more respect than they're often shown.




Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Strange decisions

Too often in pro basketball, size matters. "Take the big man, he'll make us unbeatable." It's the stuff of a kids pick-up game. Other than Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan and maybe Dirk Nowitzki, who else over seven feet currently matters in the NBA?

And even if they do matter, they ain't winning anything.

The Toronto Raptors made Andrea Bargnani their No.1 pick in this year's draft, and I'm still waiting for someone to explain this decision to me. A well-below .500 team and one light-years from reaching the playoffs, had a "community chest" card that could have boosted the guard spot—or at least helped out with a swingman.

So, they opted for a seven-footer instead.


Not only that, but the brains trust over at Raptors Central, just traded away one of their best players in Charlie Villanueva for TJ Ford. What?! Charlie V, one of the club's brightest spots in a mostly darkened 2005-06 season, traded for a flashy and overrated point guard with average numbers. Say it isn't so. Ford was in the top ten turnover makers last season, something the Raptors must be looking to compound even further.

Clearly Bryan Colangelo wants to revamp the Raps—change the face of a struggling organization. While he's certainly re-jigged personnel, he's messing with the foundations of the team. He's chosen an unproven big man, moved one his best young frontcourt talents for a questionable guard, and is likely to lose a lively backcourter in Mike James. Where is this all headed?

As a result of Toronto's decision, Gonzaga All-American Adam Morrison fell to the Charlotte Bobcats at No.3. To my mind, this wasn't right; he should have been one or two. But hey, the Bobcats are the big winners here.


Morrison was the best pick available. Six-foot eight and twenty-eight points a game, he has the necessary numbers to succeed. But more importantly, The Big Moustache has the intangibles. He's a winner, plays with heart and with a superb offensive repertoire, how could you overlook him? He's ready to go for Pete's sake. Plus there's more than a little Larry Legend about the guy. Surely pure skill out-values wishful thinking? Not in the current NBA, however.

I'll never understand the decisions made by some NBA execs. They are often strange and without any real insight
.