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1.31.2006
Aussie Tennis Star Comes Out: Rennae Stubbs may be less than a household name in the United States (considerably less), but in Australian she's the queen tennis bee. With 52 doubles titles (and six of them Grand Slam events), she has won more than all but 10 women in history; and she has won more than any Australian ever.
In Australia, she's known as a champion and a loudmouth. She's gotten herself into a bit of trouble with her willingness to address every question about every issue presented to her. She's gone after Martina Hingis, Fed Cup officials and anyone else whom she saw as standing between her and her version of justice. Now, Stubbs is telling the world what she says the tennis world has known for a while: she's gay.
"I always say to my friends, 'Wouldn't it be great if everybody who was gay said they were?'" Stubbs told The Age. "'If we said: February 21, or whatever, this is the coming out day. So, if you are, you have to come out to everybody you know'. It would be phenomenal.
"And it would be nice if everybody could just accept that it's not a choice, this is who you are. You would never, ever choose this, choose to be gay. It's such a difficult thing to deal with and coming out to people and talking about it, and coming out to your family.
"But I don't hide who I am any more. Everyone in the tennis world pretty much knows who's gay and who's not; the only reason I would like it spoken about publicly more is that I wish everybody would realise that, 'See all those people you admire? Out of 10 of them, four are gay, and I just want you to know that your child can still idolise them'."
She's coming out now surely in part because she's nearing the end of her tennis career. At 34, she's 10 years removed from her highest singles ranking (64th). At this year's Australian Open, she lost in the quarterfinals of both the mixed doubles and women's doubles events. And while she has been ranked No. 1 in doubles in the past, she presently sits at No. 5 ? a respectable spot from which she can say she went out on top.
She says she's also doing it in hopes of reaching young lesbians who are, as she did, struggling with their sexuality. Stubbs did not have a homosexual encounter until she was 25.
"I'd just like to be a little bit more open about it now because I want some 16-year-old girl out there to think, 'It's OK'. All it is is somebody loving somebody." -Cyd Zeigler jr.
1.30.2006
Tears for Federer: There might be no crying in baseball, but there sure in hell is in tennis. In fact, it was the world's most dominant tennis player, Roger Federer, tearing up after he won the Australian Open by beating the world's No. 54 player, Marcos Baghdatis, 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2. It was Federer's seventh Major title and he is now 7-0 in Majors finals.
It's reassuring to see an athlete who seems so untouchable on the court act so human. There is a great aura around the masculinity of the world's top athletes, and for an athlete of Federer's caliber to allow himself to break down and cry with all the media watching makes him a lot more likable to me.
He had a lot to shed cheers of joys about. With seven titles under his belt, he is now halfway to tying Pete Sampras' record of 14. He has won Wimbledon three times and the U.S. Open and Australian Open twice each. Only winning the French Open stands in his way a career grand slam; and, we just might get to see him pull the ultimate Grand Slam ? grabbing all four in one year ? in the next eight months. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
Tiger?s back: Tiger Woods shouldn?t have even been in the playoff, let alone win it. But, there he was on the second playoff hole of the Buick Invitational, watching Jose Maria Olazabal miss a four-foot putt that handed Tiger Woods his first tournament win in four months. It was also his first tournament in 10 weeks.
Interestingly, the last tournament Woods won, the American Express Championship at Harding Park, was won by Woods when John Daly missed a three-foot putt on the second playoff hole.
"You don't ever take pleasure out seeing your friends do that," Woods said, according to the Associated Press. "I would have felt fired up if I made the putt in the playoff for birdie on 18 and ended it right there, but not when a friend of mine misses a short one."
It?s just amazing how other players wilt when Woods is around. It seems like, if Tiger is anywhere near the top of the leaderboard on the back nine on the fourth day, someone?s going to miss a putt and someone?s going to miss a fairway and somehow Woods is going to come out on top. Twelve players had a share of the lead at some point on Sunday and eight were on top
In tournaments where he has made it to a playoff, he is 12-1 in his 10-year career.
It?s why I?m such a huge fan of him. It?s so enjoyable to watch an elite athlete take the field and just dominate seemingly every opponent. And that he went to Stanford doesn?t hurt, either. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
Crazy Comeback: Speaking of Stanford, it was a crazy one at Maples Pavilion Sunday night. No. 10 Washington was visiting Stanford in men?s basketball and had dominated most of the game. But, they were only able to edge out to an eight-point lead in the second half. With 2.1 seconds remaining, Washington held a three-point lead and Stanford was inbounding the ball from Washington?s side of the court. The ball went to midcourt then was passed to Stanford guard Chris Hernandez who, as he was shooting a threepoint basket, was fouled. He hit three straight freethrows, sent the game into overtime and Stanford won the game by nine ? larger than any lead either team could muster in regulation.
In a weak year for the Pac-10, it was a good game for the conference to be carried on Fox Sports Net. Only two teams from the conference are ranked in the top 25; and only three teams are receiving any votes in the AP Poll. Stanford, after having been in the preseason top 15, fell to 4-6 with losses to UC-Irvine and UC-Davis before running off a 5-1 run, capped by this, their biggest win of the season. They will struggle to get one of the Pac-10's three tournament bids (I doubt there will be four). Either way, they at least provided me some highlights in the one game of theirs I got to see this season. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
1.28.2006
Mauresmo wins in Australia: In a win with a bit of an * by it, out lesbian tennis player Amelie Mauresmo indeed won the women?s singles title at the Australian Open, her first Grand Slam title. The * is because her opponent, Justine Henin-Hardenne, retired in the second set with what was described as "stomach pains", the second match in a row that Mauresmo has benefited from her opponent not being able to continue. Maybe it was the way that the match had been going that had given Henin-Hardenne the stomach pains: she had been thoroughly dominated up to the point of her retiring, having lost the first set 6-1 and trailing in the second 2-0. Good for Amelie Mauresmo, who now won?t be saddled with the label "Best player never to win a Grand Slam".
More Thorpe: After yesterday?s item about the Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe, I was e-mailed a link to a story where Thorpe dances around the issue of whether he is gay or not. He?s a huge superstar in Australia and has been since he was a teenager in that swimming-mad country. It seems that he gets yelled at abusively while going about his business and "They do [target his sexuality] to an extent. But I think we're past that now. I think most people are over that most of the time. But that's not what people are always yelling abuse at me about. I don't know what it is, but it happens and it's ridiculous". Not surprisingly, he can?t wait for his career to be over so that he can fade from public view.
I certainly don?t think that every time his sexuality is brought up that Ian Thorpe has to hold a press conference to declare "I?m straight!" but I feel sorry for the guy that his fame in his homeland seems to limit the amount of swimming competitions he enters. I know a lot of gay sports fans are waiting for a major athlete to come out while still active, but I?ve come to think that it won?t really matter all that much, after the initial media frenzy. Some seem to think that such an event would automatically make life better for closeted athletes at all levels, but I?m not so sure that?s the case; in fact, I think a huge backlash against gay athletes would ensue. Oh well, it?s all theory at this point, because if Ian Thorpe is indeed gay, then he?s definitely not blabbing about it any time soon. -- Jim Allen
1.27.2006
Thorpedo done in 2008?: Jim B. and I love the Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe (I?m not sure about Cyd). Not only is he a great athlete, but his sexuality is somewhat ambiguous and man, does he have big feet. Jim and I might only have one more chance to see Thorpe at the Olympics, as he recently announced that the Beijing Games in 2008 will be his last Olympics. He?ll only be 24 in 2008, so it?s thought that he might hang around until the London Games in 2012. "Swimming on is not out of the question, but at the moment I intend to retire in Beijing" he was quoted as saying. If he does retire, I hope it?s really a retirement, not some Roger Clemens-esque farce of retiring, then coming back again. By the way, I didn?t know that as a boy, Thorpe was allergic to chlorine, something of a problem for a swimmer. The things you learn on the Internet?
Mauresmo in Australian Open final: Out lesbian tennis player Amelie Mauresmo of France reached the women?s singles final at the Australian Open on Thursday in an easier fashion than her finals opponent Justine Henin-Hardenne: Mauresmo was awarded the match, which was in the third set with Mauresmo leading 3-2, when her opponent, #1 ranked Kim Clijsters of Belgium, twisted her ankle and after playing one more point, had to forfeit the match. It?s Amelie Mauresmo?s first Grand Slam final in seven years and she has to be considered the underdog against Henin-Hardenne who dealt efficiently with Maria Sharapova 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 to book her place in the final. Go Amelie! -- Jim Allen
1.26.2006
Skeleton coach, accused of sexual harassment, kept out of Turin: Even though an arbitrator found no evidence of sexual harassment, and even though he has been reinstated by his sport?s national governing body, skeleton coach Tim Nardiello will not be allowed by the U.S. Olympic Committee to coach at the Olympics in Turin next month.
"It is our belief there has been a pattern of conduct on the part of Mr. Nardiello that simply does not meet the standard of what is acceptable for a coach with the United States Olympic Team," said Jim Scherr, the committee's chief executive officer.
The accusations were lodged by longtime team member Felicia Canfield, who said Nardiello tried to kiss her and made inappropriate sexual comments to her and other teammates. Another complaint was filed by Marsha Gale, the mother of 2002 Olympic gold medallist Tristan Gale , who alleged that Nardiello had made inappropriate comments.
Whether it was a reason or rationalization, according to the Associated Press, the USOC said in its letter to Nardiello that they would not allow him to coach because he is dating Kelly Moffat of New Zealand, one of four international competitors whom he helped coach this season and who recently retired as a competitor. According to AP, the code says coaches "do not coach athletes with whom they have engaged in sexual intimacies" and coaches "should not engage in sexual intimacies with a former athlete for at least two years after cessation or termination of professional services."
Good think they didn?t have that rule when The Front Runner was written! -Cyd Zeigler jr.
1.25.2006
?That guy has his tongue up Federer?s arse? I don?t know if Tommy Haas is just a sore loser, or if he is privy to some deep, dark secret. Ummmm, I?m thinking it?s the former. After losing to Roger Federer in the Australian Open in five sets, Haas attacked the notion that Federer is the greatest player in the history of men?s tennis.
"Everybody is talking about him being the greatest ever," Haas said. "He still has to do a couple of things, I think, in my mind, to be that. If you ask Jim Courier, I mean, that guy has his tongue up (Federer's) arse. I think the whole time when you actually listen to him commentating or talk about Roger Federer. Sometimes makes me sick almost."
Oh, he goes on: ?I love Jim Courier, but it's unbelievable. Maybe in six years, I'm going to shake Jim's hand and say, 'Listen, you're right'. Maybe this guy wins 15 grand slams. Who knows? This guy right now is pretty much the man to beat. If somebody can do it this week, great."
So, if you followed all that, Jim Courier?s got his tongue up Federer?s arse because he thinks Federer is the greatest player of all time, which he might be. Maybe Haas is hoping for some of that arse action himself. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
?Oh, what to wear.? While the Pittsburgh Steelers have already been made the darlings of the Super Bowl, they?ve ruffled some feathers just 48 hours after punching their dance card. Head coach Bill Cowher made the executive decision that the Steelers would wear their white jerseys in the Super Bowl, bucking the long-time Men in Black tradition of the team.
"We're not playing at Heinz Field so, in my mind, it's an away game," Cowher said. Surely playing into his decision is the fact that the Steelers have won three straight playoff road games in those white jerseys. The only other team to win three playoff road games in one season were the 1985 New England Patriots en route to Super Bowl XX. The Patriots wore their red jerseys in that game and got stampeded by the Chicago Bears, 46-10. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
1.24.2006
More dick-grabbing in new Long Island hazing scandal: Yet another sports team has been hit by a hazing scandal; and this time, the school administration is hitting back hard. The Deer Park school district on Long Island in New York has cancelled the remainder of the season for the high school's JV basketball team, suspended three players and removed the coach from the classroom (he is also a teacher) while it investigates reports that older boys hazed a younger teammate, school officials told Newsday.
The victim was an eighth grader playing on the team, as happens with many JV teams in smaller school districts. The three suspects allegedly put the boy in a headlock and touched his private parts.
"After all was said and done, it really became clear to me that the season could not go forward wtih the kind of integrity that you would want to attach to it," school superintendent Richard Organisciak told Newsday.
Long Island was rocked in 2003 by a high-school hazing incident that involved members of the Mepham High School football team sodomizing younger players with golf balls, pine cones and broom handles at a football camp in rural Pennsylvania. The school cancelled the entire football season and fired the entire coaching staff.
Just as many in Mepham did two years ago, many parents in Deer Park are attacking the decision to punish all of the team for the actions of a few. I disagree. Hazing is a terrible phenomenon in American athletics and fraternities and it needs to be dealt with in the gravest of manners. If three members of a JV squad are hazing an eighth grader, it’s likely that the whole program needs to learn a lesson. Chances are, the coaches and teachers at Deer Park won’t soon forget the repercussions of hazing. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
1.23.2006
Kobe scores more than a club kid in WeHo: You can say what you want about Kobe Bryant - that he's a whiner, he's too pompous, he's an accused rapist. But, he's also a damn good basketball player; and anyone who doubted that he's one of the game's best - maybe one of the best ever - just needs to look at his performance Sunday night.
In leading his Los Angeles Lakers to a 122-104 route of the Toronto Raptors, Bryant put up 81 points on 28-for-47 shooting that was the second-best point total in a game of all time. That 81 points was five more than the entire Sacramento Kings put up at home on Saturday, and it bested the combined total put up by the Raptors' top four scorers against the Lakers.
Only Wilt Chamberlain's century mark of 100 points stands above Kobe's Sunday-night output. That number is only 9,900 fewer than the number of women "The Stilt" claimed to have slept with in his infamous revelation. Wilt put up the record 100 points against the New York Knicks in 1962, when he was with the Philadelphia Warriors.
I for one have never liked the Lakers or just about any player to run through their franchise. But, you have to respect a guy who can put up numbers like that. Heck, I think it probably takes most gay guys in Los Angeles a year to put up that number, even if they are living in West Hollywood. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
1.20.2006
Knicks Player Suspended: Antonio Davis of the New York Knicks was suspended for five games (and $700,000 in salary) after he went into stands in Chicago on Wednesday thinking his wife was being threatened. Davis, also president of the NBA Players Assn., issued this statement: "I witnessed my wife being threatened by a man that I learned later to be intoxicated," he said. "I saw him touch her, and I know I should not have acted the way I did, but I would have felt terrible if I didn't react. There was no time to call security. It happened too quickly."
The fan in question, Michael Axelrod, 22, disputed this account and said he was not drunk. He said that Davis? wife Kendra actually came over to him, upset that he was cheering for the Bulls, and at one point put her hands on his face and that he called security. He is planning to sue Kendra Davis for assault and Antonio Davis for slander. His father, David, is a prominent Democratic strategist, so don?t expect the son to go away quietly. "When I go to games, I cheer as hard as I can for the Bulls, and I boo as hard as I can for whoever they're playing," Michael Axelrod said. "I don't feel comfortable if players are allowed to easily jump into the crowd whenever they feel like it's necessary."
As these cases often are, what actually happened is murky. The website Deadspin had an account from another fan that said Kendra Davis was at fault and that Axelrod did nothing. Various NBA players, as can be expected, sympathized with Davis.
"At the end of the day, what we had to decide on was the issue of Antonio breaking the barrier from the court into the stands," NBA vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson said. "At the end of the day, that was the most important aspect of making that decision."
I don?t have an opinion on who is right here on the details, though I suspect most people will sympathize with Antonio Davis. I would have done the same thing as Davis if I perceived someone I cared about being threatened. It?s just another sign that these days little good comes about through fan and player interaction during a game. --Jim Buzinski
1.19.2006
Jazz Owner Afraid of ?Brokeback?: Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller continues to be defiant about yanking ?Brokeback Mountain? from a theater he owns in a Salt Lake City suburb. According the movie website IMDB, ?Prior to the annual NAACP Martin Luther King luncheon in Salt Lake City on Monday, where he was due to speak, Miller reportedly grabbed the microphone away from the reporter and remarked, ?I said everything I had to say when I pulled the movie, OK? Anything else you want to know?? "
Miller pulled the film, which deals with the love affair between two Wyoming Cowboys, after just two hours after he was told about the movie's subject matter by a radio reporter,? KUTV reported. He has refused to comment on his decision, but he told the Deseret News, "I see the attention I'm getting is a lot more positive than negative."
Miller?s decision prompted this retort from a Utah resident in a letter to the editor of the Salt Lake City Tribune: ?Such hypocrisy. Although movies shown at his theaters have regularly violated one or more of the Ten Commandments, and all of them at one time or another, Larry H. Miller has chosen to invent one of his own - Thou Shalt Not Love - and adhere to it in banning ?Brokeback Mountain,? a beautiful, if tragic, love story.?
I understand that no theater has an obligation to show ?Brokeback Mountain? or any other film, but the difference here is that the movie was scheduled to show at Miller?s theater and only hastily pulled after he was told of its content.
L.Z. Granderson, an openly gay editor for ESPN The Magazine and past contributor to Outsports, took Miller to task in a terrific piece on ESPN.com:
"Perhaps the greater injustice is that few, including the NBA, have taken Miller to task for it. After all, if he opted to pull "Glory Road" because he found out the black team won, I'm sure Jesse Jackson and Nancy Grace would be on the first flight to Utah.
"Maybe Miller is getting a pass because we're all still a bit squeamish about the whole gay thing -- either because we don't agree with it or because we're afraid of being considered one of them. Maybe he's getting a pass because it's his candy store and he can do whatever he wants with it. I don't know. I've called the Jazz front office to ask, but Miller, who's known for talking, ain't. I've called some NBA types too, but they're not feeling chatty about the subject either.
"Earlier this season, when commissioner David Stern was asked about having a gay player in the NBA, he said his only concern would be, ?How many points? How many rebounds? I think that it's a nonissue.? Now that one of his owners has made it clear that it is an issue, the question is: Will Stern do anything about it?"
If Stern had any guts, he?d forced Miller to watch ?Brokeback Mountain? with the Jazz team, then engage in a panel discussion with out athletes Billy Bean, Esera Tuaolo and David Kopay. Maybe he?d learn something. --Jim Buzinski
1.18.2006
Fumble Causes Heart Attack: How exciting and bizarre was Sunday?s Colts-Steelers? NFL game? It caused one Steeler fan to have a heart attack.
Terry O?Neill, 49, was watching the Steelers trying to run out the clock when Jerome Bettis fumbled the ball in one of the most extraordinary plays in NFL history. "Bettis fumbled the ball, with about a minute left in the game, and next thing you know, everyone?s screaming, 'Call 911! This guy?s had a heart attack!' " said Kristy Meade, a bartender at Cupha?s in Pittsburgh.
Two firemen watching the game performed CPR on O?Neill, who was taken to a hospital where he is recovering. The Steelers survived Bettis? fumble and so did O?Neill. "I wasn't upset that the Steelers might lose," O'Neill told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I was upset because I didn't want to see [Bettis] end his career like that. A guy like that deserves better. I guess it was a little too much for me to handle."
I loved what Deadspin surmised about the firemen giving CPR: Diehard Steelers fans, watching one of the most amazing playoff games in recent memory, everything coming down to one insane final drive ? and you gotta give some fat dude CPR. We?ll just say we wouldn?t be surprised if they looked at each other for a moment: "Uh, you go ahead and take this one. No, I insist, really." --Jim Buzinski
1.17.2006
NFL: We Goofed: The NFL took the rare step Monday of admitting its officials blew a call from the Pittsburgh Steelers-Indianapolis Colts playoff game.
At a critical point late in the game, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu intercepted a pass from Peyton Manning, but the Colts asked referee Pete Morelli to review the play. Morelli went under the replay hood and inexplicably decided that Polamalu never had possession and gave the ball back to the Colts. They went on to score to pull to within three points, but Pittsburgh hung on to win.
Mike Pereira, the league's vice president of officiating, said in a statement that Morelli should have let the call on the field stand. "He maintained possession long enough to establish a catch," Pereira said. "Therefore, the replay review should have upheld the call on the field that it was a catch and fumble."
Had the Colts won the game, Morelli?s reversal wound have gone down as one of the great screwups in NFL history, so I imagine league officials were glad when Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt missed the game-tying field goal with seconds left.
The reversal was a mistake but not a conspiracy as Steelers loudmouth linebacker Joey Porter contended. "I know they wanted Indy to win that game. I know the whole word loves (Colts quarterback) Peyton Manning, but come on," Porter said after the game. "Don't take the game away from us, and on that play, they tried to take the game away from us. ? The way the refs were going, I wouldn't have trusted them in overtime. If we hadn't won, they would have cheated us in overtime." Expect the NFL to fine Porter as much for being an idiot as anything else. NFL games aren?t rigged; refs are human and make mistakes. For the NFL, it was better to publicly acknowledge an error than to let the conspiracy-theorists like Porter gain any credence. --Jim Buzinski
1.16.2006
Venus Out Down Under: Well, that was quick. Venus Williams is already out of the Australian Open, falling in the first rounf to Tszventana Pironkova, 2-6, 6-0, 9-7. In was only the third time that Williams has lost in the first round of a major.
"It happens to the best of us," Williams said. "I had so many unforced errors (65), I struggled to keep the ball in. I just couldn't get it right -- she benefited from my largesse.
Weir a Pretty Flower: Saturday?s Washington-Seattle NFL playoff game was so boring in the first half that I actually switched over to watch some men?s figure skating. I got to see Johnny Weir hold on to win the U.S. nationals and a spot on next month?s Olympic team. He will be joined by Evan Lysacek and Matt Savoie.
Weir is a cutie and very quotable. "Figure skating is an amazing ride," Weir said after Thursday?s short program. "You're feeling like the lowest scum in the pond two hours ago, and go to the prettiest flower in the pond. It shows you the best and worst attributes." --Jim Buzinski<.i>
1.14.2006
Friday quick hits: Earlier this NBA season, I wrote about the woes that the New York Knicks and the man they were hoping to save them, Larry Brown, were having. They?re still 8 games below .500 (13-21) but two milestones happened Friday night: the Knicks won their sixth in a row, beating the Atlanta Hawks 105-94, and Brown won his 1,000th game as an NBA coach. It took Brown 23 seasons to reach that milestone, one that only Lenny Wilkens, Don Nelson and Pat Riley have also done. Want a cool trivia question to stump someone at a bar? Here it is: What do all of those coaches have in common? Answer: they all coached the Knicks at some point.
Speaking of coaches, Jim B. and I talk sometimes about how the hardest part of being a professional coach/manager is actually getting your first job, because unless you?re really awful (hello, Rich Kotite, how ya doin??) you?re always available to be recycled somewhere else. Case in point: the Buffalo Bills. Coach Mike Mularkey shocked the team by resigning this week. Who is a candidate to replace him? 80 year old Marv Levy, now the team?s general manager and the coach during their ignonamous run of four Super Bowl losses from 1991-1994. Who else has been mentioned? Former Bills linebacker and recently fired New Orleans Saints head coach Jim Haslett. Former Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions head coach Dick Jauron. Who?s been linked to the vacant Saints job? Why, none other than Mike Martz, former St. Louis Rams head coach and Mike Sherman, recently fired by the Green Bay Packers. How many talented assistants have withered because teams prefer to go with a proven guy ? even if he stunk up his last job ? over the unknown?
Bode Miller, the United States premier men?s World Cup skiier, apologized for his "I like to ski drunk" comments that were aired on Sixty Minutes last week and then did things that make me wonder if he was on the sauce on Friday. He was disqualified from a World Cup race at the Lauberhorn in Wengen, Switzerland after being disqualified from a slalom race after hitting a gate. He failed to show for a mandatory public event where the racers are given their starting numbers. He was pushed to the back of the field for today?s downhill and after his disqualification got in to an argument with Gnter Hujara of the International Ski Federation. "It's a pity that he wastes so much energy on this kind of thing" Hujara said, referring to the no-show and other recent events. It wouldn?t surprise me to see a "Bode Miller checks in to rehab" story in about a year. -- Jim Allen
1.13.2006
Bush declares: In a move that was expected, stud running back Reggie Bush declared he is leaving USC to make him self eligible for the NFL draft. He?s already got the "say nothing controversial" thing done pat. When asked about being drafted by the awful Houston Texans (2-14 in 2005), he said "If they were to pick me, I wouldn't have a problem with that. I'm just excited to have an opportunity to make my mark at the next level, just to play for an NFL team". With Bush leaving early, and with their other running back of quality, LenDale White, having done so already, USC suddenly doesn?t have an experienced running back or a proven quarterback, what with Matt Leinart finally using up his eligibility by taking a ballroom dancing class for his last year at the school. Maybe ULCA will actually give USC a game next year?..
Ouch: I became a bandwagon fan of the Cinncinati Bengals this year, largely because of quarterback Carson Palmer. It was a real bummer to see him go down with a an injured left knee on the second play of the Bengal?s first playoff game but the injury turned out to be worse than thought at first. He tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), the MCL (medial collateral ligament), dislocated his kneecap and also thrashed some cartilage. Yikes.
Palmer had surgery on the knee on Thursday in Houston and his surgeon, Dr. Lonnie Paulos, described the MCL damage this way: "On a scale of 1 to 3, it was a 4. It was off the chart. It was pretty badly damaged -- shredded is the better term". Yikes, again. Palmer is expected to be ready to play by the start of the NFL season, but I wouldn?t be surprised if he was on the shelf longer. That?s too bad, as he and the Bengals were one of the best stories of the NFL season so far. -- Jim Allen
1.12.2006
Hazing gets more athletes suspended: Three varsity wrestlers and three coaches at Argo Community High School near Chicago have been suspended for a hazing incident that involved the "teabagging" of several freshman wrestlers.
On a bus trip home on Dec. 1, following a 67-0 thumping of Bremen High School, the team was jubilant on the bus. According to the Daily Southtown, the three varsity wrestlers pulled freshman, one by one, to the back of the bus. There, two of the boys held each freshman down as the third boy shoved his testicles in the freshman's face.
The wrestling coaches, who will serve partial-season suspensions one at a time, were apparently at the front of the bus and had no idea what was going on. The coaching staff has been instructed to, in the future, disperse themselves throughout the bus when traveling.
Oddly, according to the Daily Southtown, many parents and wrestlers interviewed had heard, seen or even participated in hazing incidents at Argo and other high schools, some of them still defending hazing as an important part of initiation in athletics at all levels.
That line of thinking is absolutely absurd. Hazing is never okay, because it involves forcing someone to do something that is generally against their will. In college, I started a fraternity that had no hazing. We had activities that we did together, for sure. But, if it was anything that could be misconstrued as hazing, we always had at least one person sit out, to demonstrate that that was always an option.
If it takes sexual misconduct to build a team, then the leadership on that team is failing. Their replacement should be at the forefront of everyone's mind, not sticking a senior's testicles in a freshman's face. (Thanks to Towleroad) -Cyd Zeigler jr.
1.11.2006
Paterno gets vote of confidence: For the fifth time in his career, Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno was named coach of the year by the American Football Coaches Association.
"I think [Texas coach] Mack Brown deserves to be up here to be honest with you," Paterno said upon receiving the plaque, according to the Associated Press. "But you know, at 79, I figure this is my last shot. Mack's still a young guy."
Brown himself voted for Paterno. "Usually the coach of the year is the guy that overcame something," Brown said. "We didn't overcome anything. We just won a big game at the end and we hadn't been doing that. For Joe to do what he's done over the last few years and turn his program completely around is really, really special. I don't think there's any question he's deserving of this award."
It had been 19 years since Paterno last won the award, but only days since the National Organization of Women called for his resignation after he spoke compassionately about a Florida State football player who was being accused of sexually assaulting a woman. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
1.10.2006
Will The Front Runner be next? Acclaimed author of "The Front Runner," Patricia Nell Warren, is hoping that the increasing box office success of "Brokeback Mountain" will spell a greenlight for a movie based on her historic book.
In a Monday story in the Los Angeles Times, Warren talks about the 30-year saga that has taken the projet from the hands of Paul Newman through various stages of development and now is a full-time focus of the author and her business partner.
"There are still a lot of people who would like to see this movie made," Warren told the Los Angeles Times. "We get e-mails and letters all the time. One of the issues is economics. There are a lot of people in the industry ... who think of gay films as low budget. 'The Front Runner' is not a low-budget film. Its backdrop is the Olympic Games. You can't do the Olympic Games for $2 million. You have to be willing to spend the money for the talent and the production values. What I'm hoping is that now there is going to be more courage to putting money into gay-themed films.
"I think people are just watching the box office of 'Brokeback Mountain' very closely," she said.
Warren has been a contributor to Outsports for several years. She writes a regular series chronicling some of the most important stories that detail the history of gays in sports.
With 10 million copies of "The Front Runner" in print and in languages that encompass the world, the period piece about a runner and his coach in love on the way to the Olympics may be an even better bet than two cowboys in love. "The Front Runner" on the big screen would certainly be something to cheer about. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
1.9.2006
National Organization of Women wants JoPa out: If there's one thing that "minority"-rights groups do well, it's overreact. The National Organization of Women (NOW) is demanding the firing of Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno because of comments the group is calling insensitive.
Paterno was asked about Florida State linebacker A.J. Nicholson, who has been accused of sexual assault. Paterno was trying to sympathize with an athlete who was sent home before the Orange Bowl because of the accusation.
"There's some tough -- there's so many people gravitating to these kids," Paterno said. "He may not have even known what he was getting into, Nicholson. They knock on the door; somebody may knock on the door; a cute girl knocks on the door. What do you do?"
Guido D'Elia, communications director for Penn State football, said Paterno was commenting on general distractions at the Orange Bowl. However, the explanation isn't enough for Joanne Tosti-Vasey, president of the National Organization for Women in Pennsylvania.
"When someone of his stature makes light of sexual assault, we have a serious problem," Tosti-Vasey said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. "It sends a message that this behavior is not serious ... that sexual assault or rape or violence against women is acceptable for an athlete."
Sexual assault is never OK. However, a 79-year-old man trying to sympathize with an athlete who is considered by many to be guilty before he's had the chance to defend himself should not be the target of NOW's efforts. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
Cheerleaders have something to cheer less about: A recent study shows that, while participation has grown just 18 percent, the number of injuries in cheerleading doubled from 1990 to 2002. The culprit? Bigger, higher, taller, faster routines will tosses, flips and jumps that send girls flying around a basketball court at halftime.
"Cheerleading is not what it used to be. It's no longer standing on the sidelines looking cute in a skirt," Erin Brooks, a former cheerleader who teaches a safety course in Mississippi, told the Associated Press. "It's more body skills."
Who says gay men can't play a physical game? -Cyd Zeigler jr.
1.8.2006
Weir Tells It Like It Is: U.S. figure skater Johnny Weir is easily my favorite athlete in the upcoming Olympics. The fact that he is totally cute helps, but I love his candor and style. The guy is funny and says what's on his mind, and it drives many in the figure skating establishment crazy.
There are no out athletes that we know of at the Torino Games, but Weir, 21, seems to be skating close to the surface when he answers questions about his sexuality. For the record, I don?t know much about him, but his answer to the following question pinged my Gaydar. Witness this exchange from his terrific online Q&A with fans
on his website, when a questioner from Russia wanted him to comment on his skating and clothes being of the "gay style:"
Weir: "People talk. Figure skating is thought of as a female sport, something that only girly men compete in. I don't feel the need to express my sexual being because it's not part of my sport and it's private. I can sleep with whomever I choose and it doesn't affect what I'm doing on the ice, so speculation is speculation. I like nice things, and beautiful things, so if that is the only way people are determining that I swing one way or the other, then to me, that's sad. You can't judge a book by it's cover, ever. I never get angry about things because it's human nature to be jealous and rip people to shreds if you don't like them, regardless of the subject. I am who I am, and I don't need to justify anything to anyone."
We also learn that he's a Boston Red Sox fan and that his favorite female singers are Christina Aguilera, Madonna and Kelly Clarkson. His favorite actors are Orlando Bloom, Adrian Brody and Ewan McGregor, and he favors black cavier, filet mignon and Jaegermeister. He also lists his 10 favorite fashion designers, which are about nine more than I could name. He also has a varied philosophy, citing favorite quotes from Tolstoy ("It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness.") and Justin Timberlake ("You should never be comfortable, you should be like; 'Is this gonna work?' That's what being an artist is all about.")
He was also asked about his skin care regimen from a male fan. "I am anal retentive about my skin," Weir wrote. "I have a lot of things to help with not having 'teenage skin.' I take care of myself. I eat healthy, I take my vitamins and that helps your skin look good. I am loving a skincare line right now called Ren. It's all organic from Great Britain, and I love it. My skin has trouble dealing with weather and climate changes and travel, but other than that I do okay. Thanks for noticing! I do send out autographs to fans."
Then there was this great line about press coverage of him during the U.S. Nationals in St. Louis: They said "I was wearing a chinchilla scarf that someone thought was a boa," Weir wrote. "First of all, boas are so out. Secondly, I would never wear a boa to a press conference."
And his brashness continued when he arrived in Torino and panned the accommodations at the Olympic Village, telling AP: "I am very princessy as far as travel is concerned and having a nice room and things like that. Sorry to say 'princessy,' '' he added, laughing, "but that's what we do.'' He also added that the village is "a little dusty, very underdecorated, the beds aren't very soft. But I'm enjoying it!''
"I'm roughing it,'' he said, chuckling some more. "It'd be the same as me going out into the woods, I think. Camping. Camping.'' Does he mean "camping" or "camp?" Johnny Weir rocks! -- Jim Buzinski
1.7.2006
Friday quick hits: The Kansas City Chiefs have a new coach, technically, after New York Jets coach Herman Edwards was in essence traded to the Chiefs for a paltry fourth round draft pick. Edwards still has to come to terms on a contract with the Chiefs, but that?s expected to be a formality. About his future with the Jets, Edwards was quoted on Monday as saying "I'm happy to be the coach here and I'm going to be the coach here, like I said before, and that's as far as I want to comment on it". Well, okay then. The Chiefs needed a new coach after Dick Vermeil retired and he inherits a great offense and a shaky defense, but he?ll probably be glad to have a solid running back (Larry Johnson) and quarterback (Trent Green) at his disposable instead of an aging Curtis Martin and overmatched Brooks Bollinger or oft-injured Chad Pennington like he had in New York.
Marcus Vick, the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons star Michael, was kicked off the Virginia Tech football team after the university came good on its promise to drop if he got in to any more trouble. After assorted problems like giving booze to underage girls, marijuana possession and driving with a suspended license, the final straw appears to have been Vick stomping on the calf of a Louisville player after a play in Gator Bowl. Vick didn?t appear to be devastated by the school?s action, saying "I'll just move on to the next level, baby". Yeah, NFL teams just love quarterbacks who have a bunch of off-field problems. Good luck with your future endeavors, Mr. Vick.
United States slalom skiier Bode Miller sees no problem with skiing drunk. In an interview to air on Sunday?s 60 Minutes he says "Try and ski a slalom when ... you hit a gate less than every one second, so it's risky. You're putting your life at risk. ... It's like driving drunk, only there are no rules about it in ski racing". He also admits that his partying has affected his performance at times and that he won?t rule out skiing drunk again. I love to drink a lot of beer on occasion, but never while flying down a mountain on a pair of skis. Party on, dude, just don?t expect any sympathy if you end up paralyzed after crashing in to a tree or something.
There was a bizarre incident at the Orlando Magic and New Jersey Nets game in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Friday. At halftime, referee Jim Clark was knocked out by a performer in the halftime show doing back flips. I saw the clip of this on ESPN, and the poor ref just got clocked in the head by the person doing the backflips. He was tended to by Nets trainers but he missed most of the third period but came back with about five minutes left to go in the quarter. I bet a huge headache awaits him this weekend. -- Jim Allen
1.6.2006
Record Rose Bowl ratings: The hype over yesterday?s Rose Bowl game between USC and Texas paid dividends for Disney and its subsidiary ABC as the game was the highest rated college bowl game since the Nielson ratings firm went to an electronic format in 1990. More importantly for Disney, they made their advertisers very happy as they delivered the prized 18-49 demographic in record numbers as well. The game deserved the hype, unlike a lot of sporting events and it delivered in terms of entertainment value. To echo Jim B. from yesterday, what a choke job by USC. As a UCLA fan, I couldn?t be happier. Expect the rumors about coach Pete Carroll jumping to the NFL to heat up again, despite his recent signing of a contract extension.
Vince Young?s stock rose through the roof after the game, as the Texas quarterback put on an electrifying performance. He still has his senior season left and if he declares himself eligible, he could make a fortune as a probable Top 5 pick. When researching his leaving early, an article I read this list of quarterbacks who left college early for the NFL:
Jeff George, Andre Ware, Todd Marinovich, Tommy Maddox, Drew Bledsoe, Trent Dilfer, Heath Shuler, Ryan Leaf, Tim Couch, Michael Vick, Rex Grossman, Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers.
What a great mixture of total stiffs (Tim Couch, Todd Marinovich), journeyman (Trent Dilfer, Heath Shuler), stars (Drew Bledsoe, Michael Vick) and one of the great busts in all of NFL draft history, Ryan Leaf. Vince Young has until January 15th to declare for the NFL draft and Longhorn fans will anxiously await his decision. -- Jim Allen
1.5.2006
Texas Wins the National Championship: Texas toppled USC on Wednesday, 41-38, to win the college football national championship, ending the Trojans? 34-game winning streak and the incredible college careers of USC?s Heisman Trophy twins, Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart.
Texas won the game. Nothing changes that. They?re the national champions. But, I?ve got to revisit two huge no-calls that in the first half that both went Texas? way and that changed the face of the game. Reggie Bush?s fumble, which was actually an illegal forward pass, and Vince Young?s illegal forward lateral, which was made after he was already down and that resulted in a touchdown, was at minimum a combined six-point swing that changed the face of the game ? and most likely the result. It was the second national championship game in the last four years that was marred by a very questionable call that helped change the outcome (the other being the OSU-Miami Fiesta Bowl).
Texas won the game and there?s no taking away from that; but, I just wish that referees who have replay capability would get 100% of the calls right and not miss out on at least two monstrous calls that changed the face of the game.
Still, USC has no one to blame but themselves. They were up by 12 in the fourth quarter and couldn?t stop the one guy everyone else knew was going to carry the Longhorns the rest of the way. Did they not have a spy on Vince Young? What were they thinking?
I did find it curious that the bar I was watching the game in was mostly for Texas. When I asked a couple people why they were cheering for Texas, the answer was unanimous: ?I?m sick of USC.? It?s an odd response. It has seemed to me that people on the East Coast here resented USC because 1) they didn?t understand how a West Coast team could be so good and 2) because they?re gay men and they wanted to tear down anyone who wasn?t on the verge of greatness and whose name isn?t simply one word.
Despite cheering for USC, I will say I do take some enjoyment out of Texas? win. For the last week, ESPN has anointed USC as one of the greatest teams of all time. The question wasn?t how they would beat Texas, but by how much. To ESPN?s ?college experts? (heavy on the quotes), USC was the greatest team of all time. I guess that makes Texas immortal.
After the game, USC quarterback Matt Leinart said, ?I still think we're a better football team, they just made the plays in the end.? I agree with him. But, it doesn?t matter who is better; Texas beat USC and that?s all that matters. Period.
So, congratulations to Texas. After so many years of being chokers in football and basketball, Mack Brown was finally able to put a team together that could take the national championship; and no one can take that away from them. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
Where Was Reggie? Cyd hit a lot of the main points in Texas? amazing 41-38 win over USC, but one thing had me screaming at the set. That was when Reggie Bush, the Heisman Trophy winner and USC?s best player, was on the sidelines on the Trojans? next-to-last drive when a first down would have run much of the clock off. Huh? On the sidelines? The guy who has the ability to make something of nothing? Even if he was a decoy, Bush would have drawn attention and opened something up for another player. Instead, USC tried on a key 2nd-and-7 play a pass to a fullback; it fell incomplete. Too cute and too dumb. USC failed to make the first down on fourth-and-2, Texas took over and won the game. And Bush stayed on the sidelines. Incredible! --Jim Buzinski
1.4.2006
Denver pro athletes talk about gays in sports: A reporter for the Denver Post has written an article about gays in pro sports that offers few surprises, but which is rich in quotes from players and other sports personalities about the issue.
"It would be very tough for someone in that situation," Denver Broncos running back Mike Anderson told the Post?s Anthony Cotton, when asked about how a gay player would be accepted by his team. "You're talking men, testosterone, egos. ... I just think guys would find it harder to accept - if a guy came out in the locker room and said he was gay, I don't think (his teammates) would accept it."
Denver Nuggets center Marcus Camby wouldn?t address the issue at all. "No comment. It's hard to think about. I just don't see it happening too soon."
"Man, I can't even go there," PGA Tour golfer and ABC television analyst Paul Azinger told the Post. "This is like the taboo subject. It's like talking about race or something. If you talk about it, you're just going to get slaughtered."
Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe offered some hope, putting forward a gay-positive attitude. "It's not like 30 years ago, it just isn't," he told the Post. "It just wouldn't factor into what the guy does on the court. If he can play basketball, he can play basketball; that's the end of the story."
Openly gay former Major League Baseball player Billy Bean was also interviewed by Cotton for the article. Bean attacked Vandeweghe?s comment.
"There's a perfect world, and then there's the real world," Bean told Cotton. "He's saying the right thing, but he's not the guy who's going to have to go out there in Madison Square Garden and stand at the free throw line with the game on the line and see someone hold up a big sign calling him a faggot."
For someone who?s supposedly helping to lead the gay-sports movement, it?s too bad to see Bean be consistently negative about even the smallest positive advancements. Instead of dismissing Vandeweghe?s comments, it would be nice to see Bean start pointing to these sentiments as examples instead of continuing to harp on fears in the locker room and ?faggot? signs. Just because he didn?t have the courage to come out while he was active in the pros doesn?t mean he should continue to paint a picture discouraging others from doing so. <-I>-Cyd Zeigler jr.
An Orange Bowl to be remembered: It was supposed to be a battle of the coaching giants. Joe Paterno, who has been the head coach for Penn State for 40 years, and Bobby Bowden, who has been the head coach at Florida State for 30 years, led their teams to Miami for what was supposed to be a lopsided win for JoPa.
Instead, fans got a thrilling triple overtime 26-23 victory for Penn State that left the Orange Bowl rocking and the two head coaches both smiling and sharing hugs after the last field goal was true. It was neat to watch Paterno and Bowden show the true colors of their friendship after the game. We can so often get so focused on the contest on the field that we forget that many of these coaches - especially these men who have coached at their schools for so long - are friends. ABC's interview of JoPa, interupted by Bowden, was a special acknowledgement of that friendship and it was cool to see. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
1.3.2006
New Year's Day - a day late: Lucky for college
football fans, most people got Monday off. While
January 1 is generally a feast of great college bowl
games, the NFL booted the bowls from Sunday this year,
leaving many of the top bowl matchups to take place
January 2.
The defensive struggle of the day was the Cotton Bowl,
featuring Alabama and Texas Tech. After combining for
a whopping 13 points in the first 57 minutes, the two
teams were scoring machines after that: Texas Tech
scored a touchdown and Alabama kicked the game-winning
field goal, both in the final three minutes.
Notre Dame and Ohio State met in the much-anticipated
Fiesta Bowl, and ABC did not disappoint with some
incredible shots of Notre Dame quarterback Brady
Quinn. They could barely fit Notre Dame coach Charlie
Weiss and Quinn's biceps on the screen at the same
time. But, Quinn's strong arms weren't enough as Ohio
State scored three touchdowns of over 50 yards in a
34-20 win.
Heading up to the much-anticipated Rose Bowl, it's
interesting to see how the two participants'
conferences have done in bowl games. Texas' Big XII is
4-3; USC's Pac-10 is 2-1. -Cyd Zeigler
jr.
Marty strikes again: San Diego Chargers coach
Marty Schottenheimer has made a reputation for great
regular-season coaching; that reputation is adding an
asterisk lately for making bonehead decisions. The
latest is starting Drew Brees ahead of Philip Rivers,
saying Brees gave them the best chance of winning and
he wanted the team to get a 10-win season (even though
they were out of the playoff race). Not only did they
not get the win, but Brees suffered a shoulder injury
that will put him in rehab for four months. Another
genius move by the coach who inspired the term "he
pulled a Marty" for Jim and me. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
12.31.2005
New Orleans? San Antonio? Saints: This morning, I read a couple of articles about where the NFL?s Saints franchise will be playing next year. There?s so many cavaets contained in the stories that I don?t know what to think. After the team was displaced by Hurricane Katrina just before the start of the 2005 NFL season, they?ve lead a nomad?s existence this year, playing home games in New Jersey (!!!), Baton Rouge and San Antonio. Owner Tom Benson was chided for making love-dovey eyes at San Antonio and the Alamodome. This week, officials for the Superdome said that the facility will be ready for play in September?after earlier saying November.
Saints player Kendyl Jacox was less than optimistic: "I don't think the Superdome will be ready next year at all. They were saying November. I don't think it'll be ready by then, either". His scepticism is well founded, as even before Katrina, the Saints were playing the "If you don?t build us a new stadium largely with taxpayer money, we?re leaving" dance. New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin isn?t sold on the team?s promises either. "We look forward to the day when the Saints organization will fully commit to this community and be a vital part of our recovery for many years to come". Ouch.
In the article I read, Kendyl Jacox brought up a very good point: will New Orleans be safe to play in, no matter what the venue? Though I couldn?t find any solid answers after a few minutes of Googling, there?s a line of thought that says that New Orleans is a toxic site due to the floodwaters that ravaged it being less than drinking quality. NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue met with the players this week, but consider Jacox unimpressed by what he heard. "My question to him was, `Would you take your family there to live?' He tried to ignore me". The Saints have had a horrible season and it would be nice if the league and city/cities sorted out the various problems before next year so that the team can concentrate on playing football.
In Bloom: Outsports message board favorite Jeremy Bloom actually did something sports-wise that wasn?t related to taking his shirt off and oiling up for a photo shoot this week. Bloom nabbed a spot on the United States Olympics freestyle skiing squad on Friday at the Olympics trials in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. I suspect the ratings for the freestyle skiing portion of the Olympics telecasts just got a boost with that news.
After Bloom competes in Torino, Italy, he?ll head right home to prepare for the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, where he will try to kickstart a career as an NFL wide receiver/kick returner. Be careful in Italy, dude.
Have a great and safe New Years Eve and a fantastic 2006. Go Everton!-- Jim Allen
12.30.2005
Coach Dungy back: In something of a surprise, Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy returned to the Colts? a week after the apparent suicide of his 18-year old son James. The general feeling was that the terrific Colts coach would wait until the team has some time off while waiting for their first playoff game, which would have been after Sunday. "It was the right time to come back. I talked about it with my wife, and we went through the grieving process and now we're starting with the healing process". Dungy was greeted with hugs and condolences by his players, who seem to really like their coach. Defensive lineman Raheem Brock said "I thought maybe he might wait until probably after [the regular season] when we started to get ready for the playoffs. I hope being back helps". Me too, as Dungy seems like one of the real class acts in the NFL. Of course, winning the Super Bowl would be the best thing his team could do for him professionally, but there?s still a long way to go for that to happen.
Contracts: Two men connected with the USC Trojans football progam got some job security this week. Coach Pete Carroll signed a rumored five year extension to his contract at an estimated $2 million a year, putting him in the top tier of college football coaches. The extension might quiet down speculation that Carroll would parlay his great success at USC ? 54-9 in five seasons, including a possible third straight national title if they beat Texas at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday ? into a return to the NFL, where he was, to be charitable, less than successful. It will also help recruiting, as high school players can be relatively assured that Coach Carroll will be there when they are seniors. Carroll will likely have to really earn his money next year, what with quarterback Matt Leinart definitely leaving and running back Reggie Bush likely to leave early after this season for the NFL. He?s got highly rated replacements ready in John David Booty and LenDale White respectively, but it?ll it be interesting to see what happens in the transition.
A former Trojan, the gorgeous Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, also scored big in the contract sweepstakes this week, as he signed a six year extension to his existing deal. He could make over a $100 million over the life of the deal and it could mean that he?ll be a Bengals player for a good while. "I'm excited that, hopefully, this is the place I end up playing [his entire career]. That's so rare in this league these days. It's so rare to see one person play a five, eight, 10, 12-year career in one place. I feel very fortunate that that looks like that's going to be my future".
It?s rare because of injuries, bad coaching decisions, what players Palmer has around him and so forth, but the former Heisman Trophy winner has put it all together this year, as he?s helped lead the Bengals to the NFL playoffs for the first time since Palmer was playing Pop Warner football. The Bengals are an exciting young team with a great head coach in Marvin Lewis, so by locking up Carson Palmer for the foreseeable future, that future looks bright in Cincinnati. How weird it is to be typing that?? -- Jim Allen
12.29.2005
How Much Will You Play?: The Indianapolis Colts clinched home-field advantage in the AFC for the NFL playoffs and have since rested key players. Some, such as quarterback Peyton Manning, played little a week ago and the same is expected this week in the regular-season finale against Arizona. Manning, like a lot of the Colts, is getting sick of being asked how much they will play.
"I think we reveal too much around here as it is," Manning said. "Every time someone asks me that question, I assume someone is asking me because of their fantasy football team or they have action on the game." He?s right on both counts. I had a friend call me from Hawaii last week asking whether it was wise to place a large bet on the Colts getting points at Seattle. His concern was based on the amount of playing time for Manning and other starters. I told him betting on the Colts was dumb, he heeded my advice (Seattle covered) and he saved a bundle.
Manning is also very aware of the power of fantasy football. Earlier this year, the Colts were winning (they started 13-0) but Manning was not putting up huge numbers. He said that people would come up to him and express concern, to which Manning would reply: ?Buddy, you and I have different priorities.? --Jim Buzinski
12.28.2005
Short Takes: -- Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy buried his 18-year-old son James on Tuesday, five days after he was found dead in his Tampa apartment of an apparent suicide. Players from the Colts and around the league attended the funeral. "We loved our son very much," Dungy said. "He loved us, and we miss him terribly. . . . Our grief is great. But from our family, we just say thank you. We just say thank you to everyone. We appreciate everybody that's touched his life, everybody that's been part of him growing up. James was -- he was a good young man with a compassionate heart, and we were glad to have him for 18 years. . . . God has him now for the rest of eternity."
--Jeff Reardon, one of baseball's all-time best relief pitchers, allegedly robbed a jewelry store in Florida mall Monday and later blamed it on depression medication. "He said it was the medication that made him do it and that he was sorry," Lt. David O'Neill said. Reardon, 50, said he had a gun but he had no weapon and surrendered peacefully.
--Earlier this year, Sports Illustrated asked PGA golfers if they would give up sex for a year if they were guaranteed to win a major title. Thirty-eight percent said yes.
--Defense was missing from the Insight Bowl in Phoenix as Arizona State beat Rutgers, 45-40. The teams combined for 1,210 total yards, a record for any bowl game ever played.
--In a marquee men?s college basketball game, Darius Washington and fourth-ranked Memphis defeated Adam Morrison and No. 8 Gonzaga, 83-72, in Memphis.
12.27.2005
ESPN?s Made-Up News: I think USC will beat Texas Jan. 4 in the Rose Bowl to win college football?s national title. However, I could be wrong, so any discussion of USC?s place in college football history has to wait until the game is played. Nothing so trivial as a game stops ESPN, though.
The network this week is asking its viewers to decide how SC ranks among the top teams of all time by playing a ?schedule? against 11 all-time great squads. That?s a fine idea ? after the Rose Bowl, if USC wins. It will look awfully silly if the 2005 Trojans are deemed the greatest team in history, only to lose on the field to the Longhorns.
It seems that ESPN is no longer content with reporting on actual events. Why bother analyzing how the 2005 Longhorns match up with the 2005 Trojans when you can vote on whether ?Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and Co. will still be able to light up the scoreboard against the stifling defenses that 1955 Oklahoma and 1979 Alabama possessed??
ESPN, though, loves making crap up these days. In November, the network ran a series of fake ?press conferences? featuring analyst Steve Phillips playing the role of different general managers being asked ?questions.? It was a low moment from ESPN, and that?s saying a lot about the same folks that brought us competitive eating as a sport this summer. --Jim Buzinski
12.24.2005
London calling: The competition among cities vying to host the Summer Olympics is fierce. There?s national pride at stake and, oh, by the way, a lot of money to be made if the event is handled right. The International Olympic Committee likes to operate in secret when voting on what city will host a future Games but the system is not perfect. London, England was awarded the 2012 Summer Games in July, winning a close vote 54-50 over Paris, which made the English very happy. Now it appears that all wasn?t exactly sweetness and light in the voting process.
Lambis Nikolaou, president of the Greek Olympic Committee, now claims that his vote in a preliminary round was miscounted. Moscow and New York City had already been eliminated from contention when the voting turned to Madrid and Paris. Paris won that round, or so it would seem, 33-32 but Nikolaou apparently meant to vote for Madrid, which would have meant a 32-32 tie; a "vote-off" would have siphoned support from London to back Madrid over Paris, with Madrid possibly nipping London in the final round of voting.
A British member of the IOC, Craig Reedie, didn?t sound very sporting when he was quoted as saying "If you're looking for reasons for London's win, I suspect you should probably look at the quality of the bidding effort that went in in Singapore and the quality of the lobbying effort", not the voting snafu. Well, that settles that, I guess. -- Jim Allen
