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7.31.2007
Bill Walsh, R.I.P. Bill Walsh, the Hall of Fame San Francisco 49ers coach who won three Super Bowls, died Monday of leukemia at 75. As Paul Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated wrote in a tribute, "How many real football geniuses have there been?" as he recounted Walsh's brilliance. There was his record: Walsh went 102-63-1 with the 49ers, with six division titles, a 10-4 playoff record after three Super Bowls. There is the legion of former assistants who went on to fame and glory as head coaches. And there was his innovative offense, what he called the "Cincinnati offense" after his days as an assistant there, but what others came to call the "West Coast offense," replete with short, precise passing that changed the run-heavy NFL forever; Joe Montana was its chief engineer and after that the mantle was passed to Steve Young and has spread around the league.
I was once told a Walsh story that I was never able to verify but it seems to fit in with everything I had heard about him as a coach and person. Walsh was asked how he would have handled a gay 49er coming out. He said it would be a one-week story because he would not let it be a distraction; he didn't care about a player's orientation, but only whether he could play.
In a 2004 ESPN the Magazine article about Lindsy McLean, a former 49ers trainer who suffered many taunts after his homosexuality became an open secret in the locker room, we learned a secret about Walsh.
Walsh, who hired McLean from the University of Michigan in 1979, told the trainer that his son, Steve Walsh, died of AIDS in 2002, a revelation that shocked McLean. As a retirement gift, Walsh gave McLean and his longtime partner George Paiva a trip to Hawaii. But Walsh was also troubled by the abuse McLean received and that he kept to himself. "I'm sure bad things like that happened," Walsh told the magazine. "There's no way I would have known these things because he was so private. If he'd come to me, he knows all hell would have broken loose. I suppose that's why he never told me."
Priest has a dream Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes, whose career appeared over two years ago with a dangerous spinal condition, says a dream last week led him to want to play again. "Revelations and signs and things of that nature, and believing in Christ, having dreams -- those are definitely some things I believe in," Holmes said in an NFL.com story. "I don't know why I had the dream. But I saw myself playing football. I went to my church and I asked them if they could see me playing football again. And the word that that came out of their mouths was 'yes.' And that's the reason why I'm here." Holmes has still not been cleared to play, and realizes he has an uphill climb.
Holmes reminds me of Cyd, who always lets me know when he has had some weird dream, usually dealing with the NFL. There was this in an e-mail right before the Super Bowl: "I had my most vivid NFL dream in maybe two years last night. The final score of the game: Bears 10, Colts 3." Actual final: Colts 29, Bears 17. I hope Holmes' dreams prove more prophetic than Cyd's. --Jim Buzinski
7.30.2007
Gay ex-Yankee employee wants you to write tell-all book: Paul Priore made a splash a few years ago when he sued the New York Yankees, claiming he was fired for being gay, and that he was sexually harassed by members of the team. He has claimed first-hand knowledge of the kinds of stories (involving, say, future Hall of Famers and the steam room) that many gay men would love to get their hands on. And now, he wants to write a book about his experiences.
Rather, he wants someone else to write it. Priore posted a classified ad on Craigslist titled, "Co-Writer Sought for Proposed Explosive Book on New York Yankees." Said writer would be working "on spec," and would get paid if the book is sold to a publisher. The National Enquirer, it seems, wasn't willing to pay for the story. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
His feminine side: Patrick Kane, 18, is a 5-10, 160 hockey phenom and the first draft choice this year by the Chicago Blackhawks. He is also not afraid to show he has a softer side.
In a Q&A with the New York Times, Kane (photo above) revealed some things few male jocks would admit:
FAVORITE MUSIC: Lately, I have been into '90s love songs, like "Kind and Generous" by Natalie Merchant.
FAVORITE TV SHOW: "Friends." I like chicklike stuff. I like love songs, and when I saw "The Pursuit of Happyness," I cried.
Bravo to Kane; here's hoping he leads Chicago to the Stanley Cup and cries every minute of it.
Iraq wins soccer title: Iraq won its first Asian soccer championship with a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Indonesia, a rare bit of joy for a country where dozens are killed daily in car bombs, shooting or abductions. "Those heroes have shown the real Iraq. They have done something useful for the people as opposed to the politicians and lawmakers who are stealing or killing each other," said Sabah Shaiyal, a 43-year-old policeman in Baghdad. "The players have made us proud, not the greedy politicians. Once again, our national team has shown that there is only one, united Iraq."
It's highly doubtful that one soccer win will do much to united a country torn by with sectarian strife, but reports from Iraq say that for one afternoon people were able to celebrate. Four people died in post-match gunfire; dozens died last week in suicide bombings as people went into the street to celebrate the team's semifinal win. Iraq's coach, the Brazilian Jorvan Vieira, looked on in relative calm, announced after the game that he was quitting to go back to Brazil. The players credited Vieira with making them a team and getting them to forget their religious differences. But in Iraq today, the coach's safety was far from guaranteed, so one can't blame him for going to his relatively safe country.
"I can't describe my feelings because I've never had such a great feeling,' Qusai Hadi, 31, from Basra, a largely Shiite Muslim city in southern Iraq, told McClathchy news service. "Those players planted happiness in every Iraqi's heart. I wish I could kiss them, one by one. I hope this happiness lasts forever.' --Jim Buzinski
7.28.2007
In defense of the Tour de France: Two days ago, we ran an item called "Tour de Farce" (see below). Reader Matthew Feitshans takes us to task and offers a rebuttal:
I disagree with your "officially a joke" comment about the Tour. I would rather watch an event like the Tour, which actively pursues cheaters and bounces them out of the race even when it will be bad for ratings, unlike baseball which is clearly looking the other way when it comes to the topic of doping. Other sports also have much less oversight (tennis being a notable exception) than cycling.
We happen to be at a point where the cycling world is just pulling back the covers on the issue (at least, more successfully) and so there appear to be a disproportionate number of stories. Start to test NFL players like they do cyclists and I think there would be a shocking result. Valid criticism in the cycling community (of which I am not a part, only an occasional fan) justly points out that individuals and teams are doing a better job at anti-doping policies than the international cycling body. That needs to change.--Matthew Feitshans
7.27.2007
Scandal: What a time to be be a sports fan. There's always been an element of scandal surrounding sports, especially when in the 1970's the sports media stopped being little more than extension of leagues/teams' PR departments and, in the wake of Watergate, started to do more investigative journalism.
Now, however, I almost dread clicking on the sites and blogs that I get my sports news from. What new thing will I find that means some sport or other takes another hit to its credibility? For example, when I got to work on Thursday morning, all two of my co-workers, huge cycling fans, could talk about was the meltdown of the Tour de France that Jim B. chronicled yesterday. They did enjoy his headline, however.
My scandal de jour is the potentially really nasty series of events surrounding NBA referee Tim Donaghy. It's bad enough the revelations that have come out so far: he's under investigation by federal authorities for betting on games and even more damning, providing insider information to gamblers and people who are Not At All Nice (i.e. the Mob) who got their hooks in him over gambling debts.
These revelations have sent people scrambling to find evidence that he fixed games and sadly, there might be a case. What's interesting is that, although don't really involve fixing games, that the man who was so nondescript that the NBA media gave the incorrect pronunciation of his name (it's Dahn-ah-gee, hard 'g') until the story broke, was involved in the two biggest messes in recent NBA history.
Malice in the Palace, the still-astonishing brawl that broke out between the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and their fans in Auburn Hills, MI in 2004 was a game Tim Donaghy worked. That's unfair to connect him and his alleged gambling issues, really but the second one....not so much. Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals between the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs was widely considered the "real NBA final" as it was obvious that whoever won the series was a good, erm, well, a good bet to win the NBA title (the Spurs did just that).
The Game was a PR nightmare for the NBA as the officiating came under scrutiny after Robert Horry hip checked Steve Nash into the scorers table and the Suns big man Amare Stoudemire and teammate Boris Diaw were suspended for leaving the Suns bench area. That's not controversial --they clearly broke the rule about that, though whether the actual rule is any good is still up for debate-- but the fact that there was a series of baffling calls, including the fact that the Spurs Bruce Bowen was pounding on the Suns key player Steve Nash all night and only picked up two fouls.
t really, really suck if it turns out Tim Donaghy had action on the game and refereed accordingly. It would make the bizarre events of this years Tour de Farce or the recent refereeing scandal in Italian football (i.e. soccer) pale in comparison. I don't think any American sports fan, or a fan of the NBA wherever one might live, wants *that* to happen. --Jim Allen
7.26.2007
Tour de Farce: The Tour de France is officially a joke. From the New York Times: "Chaos and disgrace enveloped the Tour de France early Thursday after the event's overall leader, Michael Rasmussen, was removed from the race by his Rabobank team for lying about where he was training." This year's Tour has lost at least two teams, the winners of four stages and the overall leader." All dropped out after suspicions about doping, a year after American Floyd Landis failed a drug test after he won.
There is no doubt that the sport of cycling is awash with drug users, at least among the very elite racers. Seven-time winner Lance Armstrong retired just in time, able to claim that he has never failed a drug test, a true statement but one that strains my credibility given how many people have come forward to claim he was doping. But the Armstrong brand is so solid that he has been able to escape with his reputation still intact. Not so for the racers snared the last two years, nor for 1996 winner Bjarne Riis, who admitted he was doping when he won that year. Sponsors have dropped teams and interest has waned. The shame is that minus a foolproof drug test it may be impossible to clean up the sport.
A night to remember: Ryan Raburn is a household name only in his own. The backup Detroit Tigers outfielder had only 15 at-bats heading into Wednesday's against the Chicago White Sox and was only called up from the minors on July 6. He was in the lineup when Gary Sheffield was scratched and all he did was hit two home runs, a double and a single that drove in seven runs in Detroit's 13-9 win. All this came after he was asked to bunt in the first inning.
"I don't know who the dumb (guy) was who had him bunt the first time," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "I wanted to try and get a run on the board in the first inning. It didn't work, obviously. Maybe it made him mad." Said Raburn, 26: "I think it's probably the best game I've ever had, and probably ever will." --Jim Buzinski
7.25.2007
Sign of the times: At a Los Angeles sporting goods store I visited Tuesday they were advertising Michael Vick #7 jerseys for youths, 50% off. There were a lot on the rack.
The news that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has told Vick to stay away from the Atlanta Falcons training camp indicates he is unlikely to play this season. The NFL can simply say it wants to keep Vick out until it conducts its own investigation and that can take months. Peter King of Sports Illustrated says he doubts Vick will ever play again for Atlanta. That sounds about right and Vick may be finished permanently unless he is totally exonerated from the dog fighting charges. Right now, the totally adorable but erratic Joey Harrington is Atlanta's quarterback.
He Who Shall Not Be Named: He is now the manager of the Greenville Drive, a Boston Red Sox affiliated Single A team. Charles P. Pierce of the Wall Street Journal wrote about the new manager and his players that "He's as fascinated with them as he is with the fact that he's in charge of their lives now, even though he's not much older than they are, and he sports more tattoos than any of them do, and is as far from the tobacco-chomping career minor league skipper as Pearl Jam is from Porter Wagoner."
He is Gabe Kapler, and he got his nickname "He Who Shall Not Be Named" from the early days of the Outsports message board. We used a very primitive system that did not have categories so each message was simply stacked on top of the other. Kapler made some waves when he posed shirtless for a fitness magazine and some of our readers went ga-ga. So many messages were posted about Kapler that it drowned out other messages and drove other posters crazy, and they instituted a HWSNBN policy. --Jim Buzinski
7.24.2007
Is the NBA fixed? The news that the FBI is investigating NBA referee Tim Donaghy for allegedly betting on games he officiated is the worst of the scandals surrounding sports right now, even worse than the Michael Vick dog fighting indictment. "Authorities are examining whether the referee made calls to affect the point spread in games on which he or associates had wagered thousands of dollars over the past two seasons, according to a law enforcement official," AP said. "The referee had a gambling problem and was approached by low-level mob associates through an acquaintance, the official said."
"Fixed" is the deadliest word in sports because it strikes at the heart of the idea that matches are won fairly in the arena. Sure, refs make horrible calls in all sports, but mistakes are ultimately forgiven because they don't call into question the essential fairness of the officials. But the accusations swirling around Donaghy are more dangerous to the NBA than players going into the stands after fans.
Of all the major team sports in the U.S., basketball would seem the easiest to fix, given the high number of points per game, where swings of a couple of points late make little difference to the outcome but can make or break a gambler who has bet the pointspread. Longtime NBA observers have been talking this weekend about how common tales of conspiracy have been talked about from players, owners and those in management. The Donaghy charges will make all NBA games suspect unless they can be disproven or shown to be an isolated incident.
Fans are already trying to "prove" that certain games are fixed. A YouTube video called "Tim Donaghy and crew fix game 3 of Suns-Spurs" has been viewed 120,000 times, and one called "Dwyane Wade gets Preferential Treatment from Tim Donaghy" is also online.
The NBA will need to drop its usual PR spin and face this issue head-on if charges are filed. Total transparency will be needed to prevent a sizable number of fans from confusing the NBA with the WWE. --Jim Buzinski
7.23.2007
British Open, Day 4: Wow. Just....wow. What a finish to the 136th edition of the oldest of the four major men's golf tournaments, the British Open at Carnoustie in Scotland. As much as I got really sick of seeing Jean Van de Velde's infamous 1999 meltdown at the same course replayed ad naseum over the last four days, I suspect there's going to be clips from the last portion of this years tournament that will be highlight reel staples for years to come.
Poor Sergio Garcia. The handsome Spaniard seems to have become that favorite cliche of lazy golf writers everywhere: The Best Golfer Never To Win A Major, ever since Phil Mickleson got that monkey off his back. He's been in the hunt a few times in recent years but has faded badly on the final day. On Sunday, he was in the hunt all the way to the fourth and final hole of his playoff with gorgeous Irishman Padraig Harrington and still fell short, Harrington holding on despite his very own "Van de Velde moment".
I'm never one to shy away from calling a team or athlete (a) choker(rs) --hey, I have a lot of experience with that as an Angels fan!-- but I just can't do it with Garcia after seeing his post-tourney press conference. He looked like he was going to burst in to tears at any moment (he could barely look up as it was) and for good reason: entering the final round with a three-stroke lead, he pooched his chance for golfing immortality away.
While rightly so, the majority of media attention will go to Garcia and Harrington, there was actually another player in the mix until a disastrous 17th hole, Andres Romero of Argentina (Americans weren't really a factor Sunday). Romero hit a shot off the wall of the Barry Burn, the river that runs through Carnoustie, it bounced across the 18th fairway out of bounds, he took a double bogey and ultimately finished one stroke behind the playoff players. Wow.
Sergio Garcia's day on Sunday can be summed up by his tee shot on the second hole of the playoff. With Padraig Harrington making a poor shot near the rough on 16, Garcia *killed* it of the tee, a great shot. It bounced a couple times, smacked the flag pole in the cup and bounced 18 feet away. The shot of his reaction was priceless: stunned disbelief. After he's able to sleep, maybe in a week, Garcia will probably accept that his putting let him down.
A consistent weakness of his game, he changed styles (using the long putter that nestles in his stomach) and had good success. In the play I watched this morning, he had at least three shots that lipped the cup, including one agonizing 10-footer that would have won the tournament in regulation; how heartbreaking the sport of golf can be! Another 1/4 inch to the right and he'd have been the one hoisting the fabled Claret Jug.
Mr. Harrington showed some real mental toughness to win the tournament, because he had a catastrophic 18th hole in regulation and still won. He hit in to the Barry Burn twice on 18 but forced a playoff when Garcia couldn't make an almost impossible shot from the bunker. He didn't play especially well in the playoff but Garcia hit a horrible tee shot on the first hole and that pretty much sealed his fate. As....The Best Golfer Never To Win A Major!
Congratulations to Padraig Harrington, you've made the 1/8th of me that's Irish blood proud. Special note must be made of the weather and water droplets refracting light in just the right sunlight, as right around the time that Harrington was saying his congratulations during the trophy presentation in that lovely Irish brogue of his, and Garcia looked like he wanted to to die, a rainbow could be seen in the distance. Perfect! So, three majors down, one to go, the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa. I can't wait. --Jim Allen
7.22.2007
Beckhamania: Pele, now 66, had this to say about the uproar during a recent trip to New York: "It is a beautiful time now for Beckham to come, but ... It is going to be very tough. They are making big publicity about Beckham, but on the field he will have to prove himself to the people."
Meanwhile, it was all pretty predictable Saturday. Predictably Beckhamania packed the Home Depot stadium in suburban L.A. to the last seat. Over 300,000 Beckham T-shirts were sold. Even the publication of Harry Potter Novel No. 7 was eclipsed, not to mention the Iraq war. Predictably Beckham handled the enormous pressure with dignity, and forewent his more flamboyant hair styles for a buzz cut. Predictably his ankle injury kept him on the bench for most of the game -- he finally played the last 15 minutes, and stayed away from free kicks. Predictably the ESPN crew chewed over his history as a comeback kid -- how he recovered from his disastrous slump at the FIFA World Cup last year, to lead the Real Madrid to their only La Liga victory. Predictably some commentators dismissed Beckham as a tired old war-horse.
Predictably the Galaxy got whomped 1-0 by Chelsea. Predictably Tom Cruise threw a big party afterwards for the Beckhams and 600 other A-list folks.
It will take more than parties and paparazzi to bring U.S. soccer to the level that the game enjoys in England, Brazil, Spain, or even the African villages that are now producing outstanding players. "Proving himself to the people" will take not just good play, but leadership and more grace under pressure. But hey, the predictable beginning was a good one. I hope the stadium stays packed -- not by celebs, but by real fans. As an Angeleno, I'm glad the "beautiful game" has turned up the heat in my city, and I hope Beckham pulls it off.--Patricia Nell Warren
7.21.2007
British Open, Day 2: I've really got nothing to say about the British Open, despite my contractual obligation to do so, because I wasn't able to watch it at work and haven't seen a highlight one of it (and I don't like writing sports stories based purely on reading about it online), so I will just say that my cliche that I mentioned yesterday about "Unknown Leads After Two Rounds..." has officially been sent out to pasture due to Sergio Garcia playing just well enough to lead the first two rounds. A more informed report will be up Sunday as I plan to watch all of ABC's coverage that day.
Setting the record, erm...straight: In the excerpt from the new Outsports book that's on the left of the link to this fine feature called Why should I give a damn about sports?, is a bit about me, Jim B. and Dave Kopay watching the Colts v. Steelers playoff game a few years ago. It explains why the three of us are rooting for the Colts. There's this sentence: "Allen is a fan because he thinks the Colts have some of the hottest guys in professional football".
Now, it's true that Colts team that had Lips Manning, Dallas Clark, Mike "Total Fucking Stiff" Vanderjagt and especially *swoon* Brandon Stokley *swoon* was a wank image heaven. However, every single NFL team has a bunch of guys I think are hot. I'd rather have my eyes gouged out with an ice cream scoop than root for the Dallas Cowboys, despite having Jason Whitten and Tony Romo and, until he proved to be a total fucking stiff AGAIN and was cut, Mike Vanderjagt. See also: rooting for the Boston Red Sox (Angels, ALCS 1986), Liverpool FC (Go Everton!), Boston Celtics (Go Lakers!) and the Atlanta Braves (America's Team my hairy balls).
No, the real reason I rooted for that Colts team is simple: during the Lips Manning era, they've had the most exciting offense I've ever seen in the NFL, except maybe the Dan Fouts-led San Diego Chargers. I really am a fan who loves sports and will watch anything except NASCAR on TV if there's nothing else on; oh the hours I've spent watching some shitty little nothing non-major golf tournament or a late-season "play out the string" Devil Rays v. Royals game just because it's sports! How many people, gay or straight, can say that?
I consider the sport the NFL plays, simply as a sport, apart from the cultural and media aspects of it, to be the equivalent of watching paint dry --I think golf is a better sport, for fuck's sake!-- and think it generally sucks balls. I rooted for the Colts because I hoped their brand of football would catch on and rid the NFL of the "we have to run to set up the pass" bullshit, so that when I went over to Jim B.'s place to sit on his couch, read the Los Angeles and New York Times, eat, play with his great cats and..oh yeah...watch all the day's NFL games on the Dish I wouldn't be screaming "Arrghhh! this is boring shit to watch!" to myself in my head all the time as teams trade 15 punts a game.--Jim Allen
7.20.2007
British Open, Day 1: Let me state upfront, if I see video, hear a pundit mention or read about Jean Van de Velde's epic meltdown on the 18th hole of the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie one. more. damn. time., I'm not going to be responsible for my actions. Jeebus, what is wrong with the sports media? It's infuriating enough that they go in to events like this with scripts and *shudder* storylines, like JVDV's choke or Tiger this, Tiger that, but it's maddening that once the event begins, they continue to beat that particular dead horse until it's just equine pulp. A radical notion: how about you wankers cover what is actually happening in the here and now once the first player of the
tournament tees off?
Anyways. So, I was watching Jean Van de....only kidding. Through the miracle of the Intertubes (tm G.W. Bush), I was able to watch a stream at work today of play from the last three holes of the first round of the British Open from Carnoustie in Scotland. If the Golf Channel was to be believed on Wednesday night, it was going to be raining all day; however, from what I saw it was weather that you'd expect on the northern Scottish coast by the North Sea, no matter the time of year: cold and blustery.
To be honest, I must cop to a bit of hypocrisy re: the rant about scripts and storylines. Ever since I was dumb enough to tell Jim B. and Cyd that I'd write this superb Outsports feature three out of the four days during the four major men's golf tournaments, I admit I have a storyline that I've used in almost every one: The Total Unknown Who Leads The Major After One Or Two Rounds But Who Will Inevitably Shoot An 83 On Day 3 And Never Be Heard From Again.I'm happy to report that my script got a right kicking on Day 1 because total freaking hottie Sergio Garcia of Spain is leading the pack. I've had a major crush on Mr. Garcia since his first appearances on the American tour, and have watched with dismay as he's become the press-anointed "Best Player Never To Win A Major" after Phil Mickelson shed that label a few years ago. Mr. Garcia leads by two strokes over Ireland's Paul McGinley after shooting an impressive 65, six under par.
It is now 12:37 Pacific Time as I type this and due to the time difference, some players have already teed off for the second round, thus making informed commentary about the first day futile. Special mention must be made, however, of Tiger Woods jaw-dropping first day 90 foot putt that nestled in to the cup of the 16th hole. "I was trying to get it up there close, anywhere where I could have an easy second putt. Lo and behold, it falls in" said Woods. You don't say, Eldrick! Now *that's* a video clip I could watch over and over and.... --Jim Allen
7.19.2007
Gay sex allowed at South Pacific Games: Leading up to the South Pacific Games, to be held in Samoa in August and September, Team Samoa managers published a set of rules for their own athletes, which included a ban on homosexual sex. Samoa National Olympic Committee president and organizing committee chairman Tapasu Leung Wai ordered the rules be changed after some criticism came streaming in.
"I regret that it appeared that gay people were being singled out in the draft instructions," Leung Wai said, according to ABC Radio Australia.
Singled out? "Don't have homosexual sex" kind of inherently singles out gay people. Sure, there's the occasional straight person who dabbles. But, for the most part, it's gay people who have gay sex. And given how many condoms are distributed at the Olympics, it's hard to believe they were trying to stop straight athletes from having sex. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
Races tighten: Don't look now, but the New York Yankees are making a run in the American League. The most disappointing team money can buy has picked up five games on the Boston Red Sox in the last 10 games and now trail in the East by only seven games, a manageable deficit in July. Seattle is also hot, and trails Anaheim by only 1.5 games in the West. The Angels were not helped when Sports Illustrated last week picked them to win the World Series.
In the National League, it's happy times on Waveland Avenue as the Chicago Cubs continue to be hot, winning five of six since the All-Star break and 17 of their last 22. Carlos Zambrano became the league's first 12-game winner. It's good for baseball when its marquee teams like the Yankees and Cubs are playing well, because it gets even lukewarm fans like me to pay attention.--Jim Buzinski
7.18.2007
Vick indicted: Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and three others were indicted on federal felony charges in Virginia of operating a dog fighting ring that included the deliberate killing of dogs that did not make the cut. If convicted on the most serious charge of conspiracy, Vick, 27, and the others face up to five years in prison, in addition to a year for fighting dogs.
"According to the indictment," read a release from the U.S. attorneys office in Eastern Virginia, "the defendants were involved in an ongoing animal fighting venture based out of a property located in Smithfield, Virginia, from early 2001 through on or about April 25, 2007. The property was purchased by Vick in June 2001. Since that time, the named defendants formed a dog fighting enterprise known as 'Bad Newz Kennels' and used the property for housing and training pit bulls used in dog fights.
"For a particular dog fight, the participants would establish a purse for the winning side, ranging from the hundreds to thousands of dollars. Participants and spectators would also place side-bets on the fight. The dog fight would last until the death or surrender of the losing dog. At the end of the fight, the losing dog was sometimes put to death by drowning, hanging, gunshot, electrocution, or another method."
As recently as this April, the indictment says, Vick and his associates killed eight dogs who weren't aggressive enough to be fighters, killing them "by hanging, drowning, and/or slamming at least one dog's body to the ground." "If you want to kill a dog, why exert the energy to slam him into the ground or drown him? Why not just shoot him, which is the most common method?" John Goodwin, dogfighting expert for the Humane Society of the United States, told Sports Illustrated. "That is insane. These guys, if they did that, have serious problems."
Dog fighting. Drowning. Electrocution. In addition to the huge legal mess he is in, Vick also has a serious PR fight on his hands, as do the Falcons and the NFL. It's hard to see how Vick recovers his reputation unless the charges prove to be 100% false, unlikely given that Vick owned the property where the dog fights were held. An indictment does not mean guilt, but the image-conscious league will have to decide whether it wants to take separate action against one of its most recognizable players, now charged with gruesome and disgusting acts. The league, in its first statement after the indictments were announced, said, "The activities alleged are cruel, degrading and illegal. Michael Vick's guilt has not yet been proven, and we believe that all concerned should allow the legal process to determine the facts. The matter will be reviewed under the League's Personal Conduct Policy."
Since Vick is a first-time offender, he might escape immediate NFL punishment of the type handed out to "Pacman" Jones (a year suspension) or Chris Henry (eight games), and the federal case could take two years to adjudicate. However, there will be calls for the Falcons and league to take action for conduct detrimental to the game, a vague standard. The Falcons signed Vick to a $130 million contract in 2004 and now face a massive black eye if they are seen as condoning anything he did. Countering the "innocent until proven guilty" standard set by law is the public factor of a player on the field charged with massive cruelty to animals. It is hard to see how the Falcons can let Vick practice and play as if nothing has happened, so I suspect some sort of suspension, at the minimum. Anyone reading an indictment
that accuses Vick of authorizing the "wetting down and electrocution" of a losing female dog will never look at him in the same way again. And if he is convicted, he deserves the maximum penalty.--Jim Buzinski
7.17.2007
A player's revenge: Adam LaRoche was not happy after being traded over the winter from the Atlanta Braves to the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates, so he recently got a measure of revenge, wrote Furman Bisher in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"Late in June, the Pirates played the Marlins in a day game in Florida while the Braves flew in from Washington for a series. Their uniforms and other trappings had already arrived and were hung in their assigned lockers at the Marlins' ball park. Before the Pirates checked out, LaRoche fetched some scissors and cut the crotch out of every pair of underpants in the Braves lockers, and left a note behind that said, 'Let it all hang out, fellas.' "
LaRoche said there have been no reprisals yet but he is watching his back. Said the Braves' equipment chief, "He may not have it yet, but the bill is in the mail." Good, old practical jokes like these are rare now days, and let's hope that whatever the Braves concoct is as clever, though the mere trading of anyone to the Pirates is good in and of itself.
Outsports tailgate tour: College football is thankfully just around the corner and our Tailgate Tour will be making six stops this year. The tour is the brainchild of Todd Heustess, a huge college football fan who hooks up with gay groups at every stop. Here is this year's tentative schedule:
Sept 1: Washington State at Wisconsin Sept. 22: Air Force at BYU Oct. 6: Florida at LSU Nov. 8: Louisville at West Virginia Nov. 10: Florida State at Virginia Tech Dec. 1: Cal at Stanford
We will more have details as the games draw near.--Jim Buzinski
7.16.2007
Beckham loves the gays: The David Beckham Coming to America hype has been unrelenting, at least for those of us living in Los Angeles, where the English soccer megastar now lives. Yet one thing to really admire about Beckham has been the way he has embraced his gay fans. Unlike many other attractive athletes who go out of their way to stress their hetero bonafides or get all huffy and indignant if even hinted to be gay, Beckham welcomes the attention. He reiterated that in his first press conference when introduced by the Los Angeles Galaxy.
"It's always nice to be loved and liked for not just the soccer and what I do on a football pitch," Beckham said. "I've always been honored for the people that have made me feel special all around the world. I've had that from the gay community around the world, the black community around the world, the Jewish community, which I'm half Jewish. I've had that from all different communities and people from all around the world, so I'm actually really honored when people say different things about me, not just about the football, that I make a different impression to many other people. If I can have that effect again in America, then great."
This is not the first time Beckham has said he welcomed his gay fans. In an interview in the August issue of W magazine, he was asked again about his sizable fan base. "I feel it's an honor. It's nice to be loved." Said gay British actor Sir Ian McKellan: "David Beckham is a beautiful man. He's got a nice smile. I spoke to him at a party. He's a gay icon and I know he likes it." Beckham once told Sports Illustrated, "Being a gay icon is a great honor for me. I'm quite sure of my feminine side, and I've not got a problem with that at all. These days it's the norm, and it should be." It's a sign to how comfortable Beckham is in his own skin that he willingly poses for photos in a sexual way, a big no-no with American jocks especially. Beckham, married to Posh Spice and the father of three, once even posed for "Attitude," a gay British magazine.
In a sports world where being gay is still a no-no and public utterances of support are still rare, Beckham stands out as a shining light. -- Jim Buzinski
7.14.2007
The Beckham era beckons: Living in Los Angeles, you tend to tune out all the celebrity chatter that happens here. There's so much hype and puffery going on 24/7 that it becomes a blur after a while. Case in point: David Beckham. The man being paid huge piles of money to, in essence, make the real football at least as popular as the NHL in America --how fucking sad is that in terms of ambition?-- was given the full on Gods Entering Valhalla treatment on Friday as he was unveiled officially for public consumption by the Los Angeles Galaxy.
I was asked by my clueless-about-the-real-football boss the other day if Beckham was any good. "When he played for Manchester United in the mid-to-late 90's, he was incredible, an amazing player" was my reply. Of course, implicit in my response is that was ages ago and in typical fashion, we Americans get a bona-fide footballing genius to play here well past his prime. See: Pele, Cruyff and Beckenbauer in the 70's for the North American Soccer League.
While I abohr the celebrity culture that the working class lad from Leytonstone revels in, I will happily admit that he's pulled off one of the trickiest things in all of sports: being a media whore and still giving his all when he plays. It's no coincidence that his last club, Siemens, erm, I mean Real Madrid, were going nowhere in the Spanish La Liga when Beckham was benched in the wake of the announcement of his move to Los Angeles but as soon as he was put back in, went on a tear that saw them win the title over hated Catalanian rivals Barcelona.
Tickets will be impossible to come by to watch the lad play in the small Home Depot Center and....gah, Jim B. wants to talk about shirt branding, don't even get me started on the American habit of naming stadiums after corporate sponsors instead of evocative names like Stamford Bridge, The Bernabeau or Old Trafford. Anyways, any help David Beckham can give to boost the profile of my beloved football in this country is all good.
Gays 1, American Taliban 0: As an avid consumer of gay websites and blogs, it's been hilarious to read about the Religious Reich's handling of the San Diego Padres Gay Day recently. After threatening all sorts of dire spiritual and economic woes for the Padres, the day of the event turned out to be pretty uneventful. The usual small gaggle of deranged loons showed up to protest, most people didn't give a damn, the Gay Men's Chorus got a warm reception for singing the utterly vile Star Spangled Banner--worst. national. anthem. ever.-- the absurdly named PetCo Park didn't collapse in to a ball of fire and life, in general, meandered on. Memo to the Religious Reich: You've lost. We're here, we're queer, we're not going anywhere, so shut the hell up. Please?
Kiss him: On a lighter note comes this nice story from one of the abovementioned gay blogs I read, Friend Of Outsports (FOS), Towleroad. When Ian Roberts, the Australian rugby star, came out in 1995, it was something that got major play, especially in the hyper-masculine world of Australian rules football. Roberts has had his ups and downs since, but I like this part of the story in the link. His strategy for dealing with homophobic taunts from the stands? Winking at the guy. It helps that Ian Roberts is built like a Coke machine, obviously, as no fan would be stupid enough to take him on, but it's a hint of how an athlete coming out in a major sport here could handle the situation. Good on Ian Roberts. But why oh why is yet another non-actor coming here to clog up the freeways while they pursue a career in the movies? We have enough waiters here as it is. --Jim Allen
7.13.2007
Jocks as billboards: Jim B.'s entry from yesterday had me both rolling my eyes and laughing at the same time. The eye-rolling was because it was
another in the litany of Real Football (i.e. soccer) bashings that is a staple of Jock Talk from people not named Jim Allen. The "sponsor logos on the uniform" thing is one of those bizarre anti-Real Football arguments I see all the time from Americans, the other favorite being the pathetic "they end championships with penalty kicks". I laughed because of the sly rhetorical trick Jim used to make his weak as four day old tea point.
The rhetorical trick involved one word, which I'll bold in this sentence: "But I can at least stand proud and know that our major pro team sports leagues haven't totally sold out; at least, not yet". Sure, it could be argued that the equivalent of Major League Soccer is the NFL or NBA, not NASCAR or the PGA due to the team v. individual thing, but in my view, that's just semantics. This ringing claim of superiority because the Cleveland Browns don't have a big Cleveland Plain Dealer or McDonald's patch on the front of their jerseys is risible in light of the wall-to-wall advertising plastered all over NFL, baseball and NBA stadiums, not to mention the endless ads and hype for network shows during telecasts.
I loathe NASCAR with all the fire of all the suns in this universe and the other 10 or 11 that might exist, but I couldn't help but watch a few minutes of fluff coverage on Fox Sports Net (I think) about that ghastly sport when I got home from work to do a compare and contrast in light of Jim B.'s item. Obviously, the drivers and cars are covered almost completely in corporate logos, almost to the point of parody.
After eating dinner, I had the Golf Channel on in the background as they broadcast the first day of the John Deere Classic from Silvis, IL. While Woody Austin was lining up a putt, I hit the pause button on my DVR and counted at least six different logos on his shirt and hat. Even his freakin' sun glasses had a big white logo on them, though I couldn't tell which company it was he was shilling for.
I don't begrudge sports teams or individual players from accepting cash and putting a logo on whatever surface. I certainly don't begrudge companies desperate to stand out in a saturated and hyper-competitive ad market for offering Woody Austin a chunk o'change to stitch their logo on the sleeve of his golf shirt. I'm sure the NFL isn't all purist about the sanctity of the Baltimore Ravens uniforms, they probably haven't figured out a way to make the logos viable on such a small uniform space. I'm convinced that within the next ten years the NFL will use the technology that allows TV to superimpose the yellow first down line will be used to superimpose corporate logos on to the field itself.
I'm completely happy with Everton's kit sponsor, as it's a beer, the Chinese brand Chang. Of course, if it tastes like piss water (I haven't had any yet), I'd be totally opposed to it. I was very disappointed when Newcastle United stopped being sponsored by the extremely tasty Newcastle Brown Ale, in favor of Northern Rock, a mortgage lender. Now *that's* tacky. --Jim Allen
7.12.2007
Soccer billboards: With the signing of David Beckham, set to play his first game for the Los Angeles Galaxy on July 21, the Major League Soccer team is unveiling new uniforms. "The new uniforms are an important step in the re-branding of the Galaxy, which commenced with the signing of Beckham," Billy Witz of the L.A. Daily Newswrote last week after he got a sneak peek.
What's most jarring about the uniforms, designed by adidas (see left) is the large "Herbalife" text, much bigger than the team's crest. But such prominent displays of corporate sponsors is par for the course for soccer uniforms worldwide, and one area where U.S. sports leagues have an edge. While NFL uniforms may sport a logo of the manufacturer of the apparel, it is always small and tasteful (an adjective I know does not always fit the NFL). In contrast, even hallowed soccer franchises like Manchester United sport large "Sharp" banners across the chest of the uniform, bigger than any other symbol. Real Madrid looks more the "Siemens" team that anything Spanish, and the same shilling occurs in rugby.
I saw "Sicko" and agree that many other industrialized Western countries provide better access to health care than the U.S., and I'm not proud of our decreasing image in the eyes of much of the rest of the world. But I can at least stand proud and know that our major pro team sports leagues haven't totally sold out; at least, not yet.--Jim Buzinski
7.11.2007
Gay Games break even: It's not often that an event brags about merely breaking even, but when talking about the Gay Games it's the equivalent of winning a gold medal. The organizers of Gay Games VII, held last July in Chicago, announced that they have closed a $300,000 budgetary gap and are even. This is the first time the event has not lost money since Gay Games II in 1986 and is quite an achievement considering that Chicago got the bid two years later than normal.
"This $300,000 was covered with a combination of donations and negotiated expense reductions with some vendors, typically in exchange for a non-cash asset," Gay Games VII co-vice chair Kevin Boyer wrote to Outsports in an e-mail. "The largest donors were 1) Dick Uyvari (who competed in six Gay Games) and Joe LaPat, a Chicago couple who also coincidentally contributed the lion's share of the cash required to implement our Scholarship program, 2) Chicago businessman and philanthropist Fred Eychaner, 3) Chicago philanthropist Michael Leppen, and 4) former U.S. Ambassador James Hormel and his partner Tim Wu." The group also made money by selling merchandise and selling some assets.
After financial fiascos in 1998 (Amsterdam) and 2002 (Sydney), the Gay Games showed they could be financially viable if organized by people who had a clue about economics. Chicago relied on dozens of sponsorship deals to raise the lion's share of money, a model that any future Gay Games needs to emulate. Absent large amounts of government money and without a viable TV contract like in the Olympics, staging an economically feasible multisport event with more than 10,000 athletes is simply not possible without large amounts of sponsorship dollars.
"In 2003 when we launched the bid to host the 2006 Gay Games, we promised our local LGBT community, the City of Chicago, and the worldwide LGBT sports movement that the 2006 Gay Games would break even financially," said Chicago board co-chair Sam Coady. "We also made the commitment to leave a lasting and positive legacy for future Gay Games hosts -- a sound business model upon which future Gay Games could be built. We are proud today to have fulfilled those promises."
In contrast, the rival Outgames, started in 2006 by Montreal after it broke away from the Gay Games, is bankrupt, owing $5 million, $2 million of it to small businesses (disclosure: Outsports is among those owed money by Montreal). There was a lot of discussion on Outsports and elsewhere about which event, Chicago or Montreal, was "better." It was always a highly subjective debate, but if one event overspends by $5 million, it's easy to see why Montreal seemed more dazzling to some (Cirque de Soleil is among those owed money). In 1976, massive overspending by Montreal nearly killed off the Olympics and it took a successful Los Angeles effort in 1984 to make those Games viable. The same can be said in the gay world -- Chicago 2006 made life much easier for future Gay Games cities (Cologne is up next in 2010), while Montreal 2006's trail of unpaid bills will cast a pall over future Outgames (the next one is set for 2009 in Copenhagen). --Jim Buzinski
7.10.2007
Coach wins huge award: A jury in Frenso, Calif., awarded $5.85 million in damages to the former women's volleyball coach at Fresno State, in a case where her "perceived sexual orientation" played a role. The university said it will appeal.
Lindy Vivas sued the school after she was fired in 2004 after 14 years at the school by Athletic Director Scott Johnson. Her firing came seven months after she filed a Title IX complaint against the university with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. Her suit alleged that the complaint and her "perceived sexual orientation" were the reasons she was fired. "My understanding is that the athletic department would cheer when certain women's programs would lose," Vivas said at the time of the suit. "They stole my career intentionally and illegally." For more background on the case see our story from 2005.
Vivas, who has not disclosed her sexual orientation, was gratified by the ruling. "I think it validates what we've been saying, confirms what we said what happened at the university all these years," Vivas told the Fresno Bee. "And I hope it shines a big light on the university -- all the way up to the chancellor's office." This is part of a big mess at Fresno State -- there are two additional lawsuits pending, one from a fired lesbian administrator who used to work in the athletic department, and another from the fired women's basketball coach, who is not a lesbian.
Jurors told KSFN-TV that the school administrators who testified had zero credibility. Based on testimony, juror Tina Richardson told the station there should be a major overhaul of the Fresno State athletic department. Vivas was fired despite an overall record of 263-167, three NCAA Tournament appearances and three NIT appearances. According to the Bee, the school said she was fired "because she scheduled too few top-25 opponents, didn't win in the postseason and failed to increase attendance."
The verdict is believed to be the largest ever to a coach suing under Title IX, which guarantees women the same rights to sports as men. Fresno State softball coach Margie Wright told the AP that she was ecstatic. "It explains to everyone that we weren't crazy, that it was real," she said. "It's awesome."
Richardson, the juror, said the size of the award was to compensate Vivas for the damage done by her firing. "I believe that when it comes to feelings and emotions, you can never put a cost on that," Richardson said. "That's going to be something that she's going to have to deal with the rest of her life."
7.9.2007
Five for Federer: It took a grueling five sets, but Roger Federer cemented his place in tennis history with his fifth consecutive men's singles title. Federer needed his A-game in besting his only real rival Rafael Nadal, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2. It was Federer's 54th straight win on grass and his fifth win in a row ties him with Bjorn Borg.
Federer can't beat Nadal on clay, but it's a different story on grass. "I win my share. He wins his. We've been at the top for over 100 weeks together. It is like building up to one of maybe the great rivalries," Federer said. "We sometimes haven't lived up to the expectations in the past ... but you can't always play five-set thrillers, you know. I'm happy it happened today. I left as the winner. Perfect."
Members of the tennis forum on Outsports were buzzing after the match. "Federer should be grateful for Nadal because it's really cementing his 'best ever' status to be tested so and still come away with these record-matching/breaking wins," wrote one. "Bravo -- what an amazing, amazing match. In many ways the best in their rivalry to date," said another.
On the women's side, Venus Williams won her fourth Wimbledon title, despite being seeded No. 23, proving that seeding is irrelevant whenever the Williams sisters are in a tournament.
All-Star break: Baseball is off the next three days at what is basically the halfway point. In the American League, Boston, Detroit and Anaheim are pretty much tied for the best record in baseball, but the Red Sox are in the best position since they lead their division by 10 games. Detroit and Anaheim, meanwhile, are only one and 2 οΎ½ games in front in theirs. The Yankees are 42-43 and show little sign of being a team capable of making a playoff push the second half. Seattle is perhaps the league's surprise team and is still winning despite the sudden retirement of Manager Mike Hargrove.
In the National League, San Diego has the best record, a surprise given their low payroll, while Milwaukee and New York lead the other two divisions. The Mets have been up and down but neither Atlanta or Philadelphia can sustain momentum after going on a streak. The world champion Cardinals are five game below .500 but still within hailing distance of a wild card. --Jim Buzinski
7.6.2007
Venus soars, Andy chokes. What a day at Wimbledon. It started out slow, with Federer, Nadal and Venus Williams losing one set among the three of them. Williams, the No. 23 seed coming into the tournament, has been a woman on a mission. In ousting No. 6 Ana Ivanovic, 6-2, 6-4, she is one win away from winning her first tournament title since she won Wimbledon two years ago. All that stands in her way now is No. 18 Marion Bartoli of France, who pulled off the first complete shocker of the day -- a three-set win over No. 1 Justin Henin.
What is more shocking about Bartoli's win is that Henin rolled over Bartoli in the first set, 6-1. Bartoli gutted out a 7-5 second-set win that looked to be just a tease. But Bartoli took complete control of the match in the third, winning that set, 6-1. Henin struggled with the wind in the third set, while Bartoli, who often hits with both hands, was able to power her way through it. A very rare collapse and total choke by the No. 1 player in the world. But, it happens.
Not so rare, but an even bigger choke and collapse came soon after from No. 3 Andy Roddick. Roddick was up 2 sets to none against No. 12 Richard Gasquet. It was supposed to be a walk-over at that point. But Gasquet won a tiebreak in the third (7-3), won a tiebreak in the fourth (7-3), and then won the fifth set in extra games, 8-6. When the pressure was on in three straight sets, Roddick just collapsed.
Before the tournament, a bunch of "experts" were touting how this was the year Roddick would break through and beat Federer. Instead, he blew a 2-set lead in his failure to even set up that rematch. For all of those who hold out hope that Jimmy Connors or the Tooth Fairy will be able to finally make Roddick a worthy champion, in the words of Jim Allen, "bwahahahahaha!" -Cyd Zeigler jr.
7.5.2007
I'm Only Happy When It Rains: My recent trip to England was plagued by ghastly hot weather and humidity, which made me yearn for some of that
allegedly abundant English rain. As John Lennon noted, it's the best way to get a tan, standing in the English rain. It rained for three weeks straight
before I arrived and as soon as I left, the bastard weather turned gray and drizzly again, just in time for.....Wimbledon. Sorry tennis fans, I couldn't
afford to stay in England any longer than I did.
Due to the time difference and work, I've only been able to watch ESPN's ludicrously named
Complete Wimbledon highlights show after work. It's actually a pretty well done clips show, a way to get a feel for the competition. Rain, of course, has been a major factor, with high profile matches sometimes played over two days. Tim Henman of England can tell you what that means: in 2001 he had beaten defending champion Pete Sampras in the quarters, and was ahead of Goran Ivanisevic in the semifinal when rain caused an overnight delay, which
allowed Ivanisevic to get his game together and ultimately prevail. *sigh* the English and sports at the highest level.
As usual, I have more fun watching the woman play, as I find the men's game, despite all the marvelous eye candy, to be too much of a slug it out power game. On Thursday, Venus
Williams booked a place in the women's semifinal with a comprehensive pasting of Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova. Venus looked awesome at times, reminiscent of the form that has brought her three Wimbledon titles since 2000. She'll face Serbia's Ana Ivanovic, who won a tense match against Nicole Vaidisova of the
Czech Republic. At one point, it seemed that Ivanovic was going to blow three match points that Vaidisova held, but she toughed it out. "I knew I could do it" she said afterwards. That's the spirit.
I cracked up watching highlights of Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis play Russian hottie Nikolay Davydenko. In the usually staid world of tennis, it was fun to see Baghdatis pump his fist, jump around and mug like there was no tomorrow. They played on one of the smaller courts and the crowd was great from what I heard, waving Cyprus flags and chanting. Rafael Nadal of Spain was a total stud Thursday, playing five
sets after playing for the previous four days, needing every one of those sets to be yet another Russian, Mikhail Youzhny, to advance to the men's quarterfinals.
I was really looking forward to seeing some extended highlights of Swiss master Roger Federer v. Juan Carlo Ferrero of Spain, but alas, like the Andy "Don't need to always wear the baseball cap, we know you're balding and love you anyway" Roddick v. Richard Gasquet match, the rain did both matches in, delayed until Friday. If you're in to major eye candy, the Federer v. Ferrero and Roddick v. Gasquet matches will be a feast on Friday, weather permitting obviously. I've already planned to get up at the absurdly early time of 6:00 am Pacific time on Sunday for the men's final, it'd be a drag if it got postponed until Monday or Tuesday. --Jim Allen
7.4.2007
Two for two: It was a good day to be an armchair horse racing fan. At Hollywood Park, the Angeleno fans and punters on my TV screen were getting worked up for an afternoon of local favorites. For older horses, it might be a day of two for two.
First, the Grade 2 American Invitational Handicap. The Tin Man went off as 4-5 favorite. How can you not love this big bay son of Triple Crown winner Affirmed? Like his solid-metal namesake in "The Wizard of Oz," The Tin Man is all heart -- and he's still throwing it down at age 9. Age nine is young for a dressage or cutting champion, but it's almost unique in U.S. flat racing, where youth rules like it does almost everywhere else. The Tin Man doesn't always win (his record is 13 for 29). But he clearly loves to run, and doesn't give up the lead without a huge fight.
Sunday afternoon, he carried the heaviest weight by 10 pounds, and lost by a hard-fought nose to Brazilian-bred Out of Control. But his L.A. fans went into sentimental meltdown anyway.
On to the Grade I Hollywood Gold Cup, and the hot hope that California's best-loved Thoroughbred, Lava Man, would win for the 3rd straight year. At age six, Lava Man is not a spring colt either. But he is loved mostly because he fought his way up to richest claimer in racing history. Claimed for $50,000, this dark bay grandson of Seattle Slew has richly repaid his owners by winning over $5 million. He's quirky -- winner of every big race in California, but a predictable loser outside the Golden State. In the Breeders' Cup Classic in Kentucky last year, he ran 7th, not to mention a dismal 16th at Dubai in March. But his rags-to-riches story appeals in a city where every young actor hopes to rise from waiting tables to leading roles. So his fans went to the box office for him on Sunday, and bet him down to favorite on his home turf.
Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Lava Man carried the heaviest weight in the race, but hung at A.P. Xcellent's girth till the far turn, when he surged even. The two battled it out down the homestretch, with gutsy Lava Man getting his nose in front just before the wire. The win put Lava Man in the record books by Native Diver, who won the Gold Cup three times in a row in the '60s.
With this year's Breeders' Cup soon to be held in far-off New York State, I suppose we won't be seeing Lava Man winning anything there. But nobody seemed to care in the crowded Hollywood Park winner's circle. Everybody who had the remotest connection with Lava Man wanted to be in the photo op. Co-owner Jason Wood told the press that he could live with the horse's failures outside California.--Patricia Nell Warren
7.3.2007
Dramatic win for Serena: Serena Williams stayed alive at Wimbledon with a three-set win over 10th-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-2 despite basically playing on one leg. Williams hurt her left calf so badly so lay on the court and was saved by a two-hour rain delay and 28 unforced errors by Hantuchova. Williams played even though her mother urged her to stop. She now faces Justine Henin in the quarterfinals, assuming she is healthy enough to play.
As with everything with the Williams sisters, Serena's injury (was she really that hurt?) stirred up emotions of tennis fans, including those on the Outsports message board. Wrote a defender: "Instead of criticizing Serena for winning a match that she shouldn't have, she should be praised for even attempting to continue to play. Before you trash Serena's actions in the Hantuchova match, think about Henin quitting at last years Australian Open final against Mauresmo. Any other player would have retired in that match, but Serena, being the champion and great player that she is, decided to continue to play. I respect her for that. ... Based on how hard Serena has been judged in the past, she would have been trashed by you guys if she lost or if she retired in the match...so Serena is damned if she does or damned if she doesn't."
But a detractor took this view: "Serena and [her father] Richard played up this injury like a mother freaking fiddle. It was a cramp with a mild residual strain. That is evidenced by the fact that she also had the other leg taped after the rain delay. This is an injury that many athletes have and continue to play. I am sorry -- she was moving way way way too well in the 3rd set to have the extreme "career threatening potential" they were claiming. I don't buy that drama cause I ain't stupid."
Say this about the Williams sisters -- they are ultimately good for tennis since they get fans to care and take sides. Few other players have that ability. --Jim Buzinski
7.2.2007
Out NBA ref: Violet Palmer made history by becoming the first female referee in the NBA. She made another sort of history in the pages of the Advocate by coming out as a lesbian.
"I wanted my merit and my work to be the focal point," she told the magazine. "Now, 10 years in, saying I'm a lesbian doesn't matter." She added that her partner of 12 years, Tanya Stine, comes to her games. During the past season, Palmer refereed 72 of the 82 games in the NBA season.
Palmer's declaration will almost certainly be greeted with a shrug, while a male ref coming out would be a huge story. It seems to always happen this way when lesbians come out. Sheryl Swoopes is a women's basketball legend, yet her coming out garnered only a fraction of the publicity as did that of Jon Amaechi, who as a player was never a star. This feeds into the perception that being a gay male jock is a anomaly, while being a lesbian athlete is considered par for the course. There is also the fact that a lesbian ref would be seen as no threat to the players, while a gay one would have to answer the usual questions about staring, showers etc. Bravo to Palmer for breaking down yet another barrier.
Mariners manager quits: The Seattle Mariners are the hottest team in baseball with eight straight wins and they have a legitimate shot of at least a wild card berth the way they are playing. Which is why the announced retirement of manager Mike Hargrove stunned the organization. He quit the team saying the "passion has begun to fade."
"There are no dark, sinister reasons for this decision. This has been my decision," the 57-year-old Hargrove said before his final game with Seattle. "I have no reason to lie." By all accounts, Hargrove simply got tired of the grind after 37 years in baseball. He caught everyone in the Seattle organization off guard, management and players alike.
The Cincinnati Reds fired manager Jerry Narron on Sunday, but the Reds suck. Hargrove had the Mariners playing good baseball and no one could remember a scenario of a manager quitting with his team playing so well. It's likely the simplest explanation is the real one -- he just got tired of the drain that is a baseball manager. --Jim Buzinski
6.30.2007
Show 'em the damn money: While I find the sport of gridiron (i.e. what the NFL plays) pretty boring purely as a sport for the most part, I'm totally in awe of how the NFL is run as a business. Oh if baseball only were run half as well! What's amazing is that in the space of about 40 years or so, give or a take a decade, the NFL transformed itself from a popular sport but one that had no national cache to one that supplanted baseball as America's Sport, while being run on what can only be called socialist lines. The marketing saavy and financial muscle of the NFL is simply awesome, which makes the issue that was debated in Congress this week even more galling than it should be.
Jim. B, Cyd and I are friends with former NFL player and out gay athlete trailblazer Dave Kopay and after reading about the issue of NFL disability pensions over the last few days, I'd have to say we're lucky that he's still in one piece and alive and able to hang out with us. A gaggle of former players testified before Congress this week about the appalling state of the NFL disability system and some of the testimony has been heartbreaking. The players were before Congress in part because the NFL enjoys a partial anti-trust exemption that doesn't bind it to the same labor laws as "regular" companies; baseball has a full exemption.
The former players want a more streamlined application process when applying for disability, the findings of independent doctors to carry more weight than they currently do and a bump in benefits. Admittedly, I'll almost always side with workers in disputes against The Man, but from my reading, the players aren't asking for anything outrageous, just a more efficient system that isn't tilted in the NFL's favor.
But man! those horror stories. For example, Curt Marsh has had both hips replaced and his right foot and ankle amputated due to the pounding he received in seven NFL seasons as a lineman with the Los Angeles > Oakland Raiders. Other players testified about the awful way that constant concussions have scrambled their brains, the debilitating bone and muscle injuries that playing in the NFL engender, the way their lives fell apart after leaving a brutal sport that left them barely able to fend for themselves. Yikes.
Leave it to former player and coach Mike Ditka to get to the nub of the gist: "All we're here for is to see that the system gets fixed. The system does not work. The reality is if you make people fill out enough forms, you discourage them enough, you make them jump through hoops, eventually they will say, I don't need this, I can't do all this. This is ridiculous. These are proud people. They are as much a part of this game as people playing today. Hopefully these players today understand that the treatment former players are getting could come to them, regardless of what they're making". Wow. --Jim Allen
6.29.2007
Yawn: In August 2005, the Philadelphia Phillies held an increasingly common sight at major league ballparks: a Gay Night. If I remember correctly, baseball hater Cyd got to throw out the first pitch. The event was marred by something else that's common at these events: a protest in the stands by an extremist religious group, that group in this case being Repent America. Maybe they didn't like the way Cyd throws a baseball?
Fast forward to 2007 and San Diego. The division leading Padres (by .001) are hosting a Gay Night on July 8. Cue another group of extremists protesting, this time in the form of the really pathetic ex-gay movement (motto: we still like cock, but we'll pretend we don't so that people won't hate us). A loon named James Hartline is leading the protest, which might include some concessions workers walking off the job in protest. Oh yeah, Hartline, *that's* the way to make people listen to you: cause longer lines for nachos and beer. What a genius! (/sarcasm).
NBA Drafzzzzzzzzzzz: I simply don't get the appeal of watching the NFL and NBA drafts. I guess a lot of it has to do with the mindnumbing hype they receive these days. Twenty years ago, you'd read about the picks in the paper the next day, but in this instant communications age, you have 47 analysts sitting around pontificating and the cringe-inducing sight of 20 year olds in really shiny new suits posing with David Stern. It's hilarious to see some 6'11" dude stand next to NBA poobah Stern, who barely comes up to that dude's belly button. I mean, heaven forbid that ESPN and Fox Sports fill the endless chasm of hours that they need to fill with programming by paying a pittance and actually showing cool sports like pro handball from Europe (sort of basketball meets lacrosse) or sports desperate for exposure in non-Olympic years like track and field or swimming. Mmmmm.....swimmers......
Apart from the ESPN-ization of the drafts, they are important to individual teams, of course. This year's NBA draft features two players that analysts have been fellating like crazy for the last few weeks, Ohio State behemoth Greg Oden and Texas' wunderkind Kevin Durant, both of who left school early. The sad sack Portland Trail Blazers took Oden with the first pick and that will inspire much debate in the coming years if either Oden doesn't pan out and/or Durant is All-Universe in his first few years.
Durant went to equally hapless Northwest brethren of the Trail Blazers, the Not Going To Be Playing There For Much Longer Seattle (Super)Sonics. Those two once-proud franchises have been awful for a while now and while they're not as pathetic as the *tee hee* Boston Celtics *hahahahahaha* or anything, it's hard to imagine that Oden or Durant will be able to single-handedly lift them up out of the muck. Buwahahaha, the Celtics, longtime nemesis of the Lakers, suck. Life is good. --Jim Allen
6.28.2007
What in hell are the Suns thinking? The latest hot NBA rumor is that they're looking to trade Amare Stoudemire and get Kevin Garnett in return. Why would a team that was (possibly) a technical foul away from winning the NBA title trade away their second most valuable player (who's 24) for a 31-year-old who has never, despite all the talent, been able to get even to the NBA Finals and only went to the Conference Finals once? I guess the feeling is, if it hasn't worked yet, let's try to fix it. I just think it's insane to ship off a guy with tons of upside and MVP potential to get another guy who's seven years older. But, chemistry is key; and if Steve Nash thinks he can dish off to Garnett better than he can to Stoudemire, this I gotta see. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
6.27.2007
Curiouser and curiouser. The Chris Benoit story is getting stranger. And it was already bad. For those who don't know, WWE wrestler Benoit killed his wife and son over the course of last weekend before taking his own life.
According to several reports, he killed his wife on Friday by binding her arms and legs and then strangling her. He then spent the weekend in the house (where his wife's body was) with his 7-year-old son and then choked him to death late Saturday or Sunday. Needle marks were discovered on the boy's arm; according to ESPN reports, the parents were giving the boy growth hormone because he wasn't as big as they wanted him to be. Bibles were found next to the bodies of both. Benoit then killed himself Monday after sending odd text messages to neighbors.
Some will blame steroids for much of this, but this doesn't sound like steroids to me. It sounds like insanity. Most people on steroids don't go on two-day killing sprees of their family before taking their own life the next day. This wasn't a sudden burst of 'roid rage. The guy was clearly unstable far, far beyond the use of any drugs, though they certainly couldn't help. -Cyd Zeigler jr
6.26.2007
Beware of golfing in Florida. My first experience with an alligator was visiting my grandmother in Sarasota, Fla., when I was all of 13. She lived on a golf course that was bespeckled with ponds. And in those ponds you could see alligators. They were floating on the surface or sunbathing on the shore. Not big ones, but big enough to know you didn't want to go chasing your ball into them.
Too bad Bruce Burger didn't know better. The dumbass went after his ball on a golf course in Venice, Fla., and was met by the chomping teeth of an 11-foot alligator. He warded the thing off, but now the alligator is captured and either has to be relocated or killed because idiots like Burger don't know how to read' the pond has a "Beware of Alligator" sign. I'm a Darwinist, and I'm thinking maybe the alligator should stay and Burger should be shipped off to some remote pond.-Cyd Zeigler jr.
Kiwis sink Cheeses. Laurence Maroney would be proud of Team New Zealand in the finals of America's Cup. Not only did they not even have to chase the cheese, they have the cheese chasing them! The Kiwis now have defending champs Alinghi, from land-locked Switzerland, trailing 2-1 in the best-of-nine series. I'm on the edge of my seat. -CZ
WWE star suspected of killing his family, himself. Man this sucks. WWE wrestler Chris Benoit was found dead with his wife and 7-year-old son on Monday. And according to the Associated Press, investigators think Benoit did it. Apparently he killed his family then shot himself. Yes: Alleged, alleged, alleged. He was supposed to appear at an event in Houston Sunday night but bowed out for "personal reasons." I'll say. -CZ
Speaking of untimely deaths. I haven't avoided writing about Rod Beck for any reason other than I don't know how to do him justice. ESPN, CNNSI, Deadspin -- they're all doing a great job. For a guy who was drafted in the 13th round of the 1986 MLB draft (do they even have 13 rounds anymore?), I'd say 286 career saves is pretty damn good. The guy was 38, and we're supposed to find out this week why he died. In several other sports, I'd suspect steroids if a 38-year-old died suddenly. But a pitcher who stopped playing when he was 35? Doubtful. -CZ
6.25.2007
Bulletin board material. Thack thack thack. That's the sound of Randy Moss nailing the rantings of the latest "expert" to dis him. SI's Bucky Brooks has written a column ranking Moss at No. 10 of all the receivers in the NFL. While Bucky calls virtually everyone else on the list of his top 25 "outstanding" and "consistent," he virtually says, "I don't like Moss and I don't want to put him on the list, but I'll get more crap than I can handle if I don't." As a Patriots fan, I can only hope the dissing keeps coming.
Gay runs away. I just loved opening up CNNSI.com tonight and seeing the headline "Gay runs fastest 200m ever at nationals." It's a dream come true: That someone gay would all of a sudden come to dominate the track and field scene and look fantastic in those skin-tight shorts doing it. Well, one out of two ain't bad. The gay the headline referred too does fill out the shorts nicely, but he's not "gay," he's "Gay;" i.e., his last name is Gay. Tyson Gay (above), to be exact. For those of you now saying, "I thought Tyson Beckford was gay," this Tyson has nothing to do with that one. Gay ran the 200m in a time of 19.62, which I believe is the second fastest time ever. Earlier in the meet he ran off a 9.84 in the 100m. In other words, this guy is the next Carl Lewis-Michael Johnson.
And he's Gay.
I wonder if USATF will let you order a jersey with his last name on the back of it. -CZ
