Pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training this week, and they couldn’t have arrived sooner. It’s about time the attention shifts back to baseball, and not the buzz around it.
This off-season hasn’t exactly been the best for baseball. Instead of revolving around trades and free agency transactions during winter meetings, the baseball landscape was forever changed by 500 pages of finger pointing and accusations in what could be viewed as the biggest witch-hunt since the Cold War.
Who knows if the Mitchell report has done more damage then good, but one thing it did do is change the landscape of baseball forever, and the lives of many current and former players, most notably, the lives and friendships of two of the Pinstripe Club’s most recognizable faces.
Unless you have been living under a rock, The Yankees’ Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte are currently involved in a battle royal with congress and Clemens’ former personal trainer, Brian McNamee. McNamee, a former cop, alleges he injected, on several occasions, Clemens, Pettitte and former Yankee infielder Chuck Knoblauch with performance enhancing drugs. Pettitte admitted it, Knoblauch admitted it, but one of the game’s most decorated pitchers is holding his ground and saying no, he’s clean. Obviously, either McNamee or Clemens is lying, and lied under oath.
At this point, I really don’t care who lied. I want to know exactly what this hearing is accomplishing. So far, it’s only proved that McNamee was a stereotypical a crooked cop by withholding information to investigators that is now coming out, and Clemens doesn’t exactly have a grip on the English language, using words like “misremembered.” Looking back, it was the Mitchell Report that began all of this, and it was the Mitchell Report that was supposed to end all of this. It has ended nothing, and, in fact, reinforced the steroids era even more so than before.
This hearing has reached an audience much broader than the casual sports fan. People that have never watched ESPN in their lives were watching the same hearing on CNN, and vice versa. It has now reached everyone, but that has gotten us no farther than where we started, and baseball now not only has to deal with the steroids problem amongst the players, and an image crisis as well.
The political theory of Postcolonialism involves ridding society of preconceived stereotypes that have been around since colonization. But political scientists say those stereotypes aren’t about to leave society because all we do to try and rid them is talk about them more. Talking about them only reinforces them.
It has become the exact same deal with the Steroids Era: Talking about it only has reinforced the problem.
So thank god it’s Spring Training, meaning opening day is just around the corner. Now, hopefully, we can get back to talking about baseball, and the substance of the game — not the substances of the past.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Five Reasons to go to the Northern Trust Open
Five reasons to go to the Northern Trust Open
Maybe I’m just in golf-mode; the Northern Trust Open (formerly the Nissan Open and still called the LA Open) this weekend at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades will be my third golf tournament I’ve covered this year (I’ve already done the Buick Invitational in Torrey Pines and the AT&T National Pro-Am in Pebble Beach).
And I know what most of you are thinking: It’s golf — it’s slow, it’s boring, it’s uneventful and unexciting. That, and Tiger isn’t playing. But that leads me to my first reason…
Reason No. 1: Tiger isn’t playing
The No. 2 player in the world, Phil Mickelson, almost won last year but played horrible in Pebble last week, missing the cut at the event he won in 2007; Vijay Singh made a good come-from-behind effort in Pebble last week but dropped a large lead and a playoff; most of the top international players will tee it up at Riviera — it’s anyone’s ball game now. British Open Champ, Irishman Padraig Harrington, will be there, and Paddy has had little trouble conquering Hogan’s Alley in the past.
Come on, you know it’s much more exciting when you don’t know who is going to win.
Reason No. 2: John Daly will be there
Move over Britney Spears — you wont be the only trainwreck in Hollywood this week. Big John, known for heavy gambling, heavy boozing, heavy smoking, heavy marrying and being just plain heavy usually does well at Riviera, finishing T22 in ’07. Daly will always put on a show, and regularly draws fans like Kid Rock in his galleries. Plus, he’s a great multi-tasker: Who else can yell at one of the many ex-wives on a cell phone, drink a beer, smoke a cigarette and putt at the same time?
If Daly doesn’t end up making the cut, you may be able to find him out in Pechanga and get some gambling tips.
Reason No. 3: John Mallinger
Former 49er golfer John Mallinger wins the comeback of the year award — and it’s only February. Mallinger picked up his second third place finish at Pebble Beach in as many years Sunday, but it was the way he did it that you don’t exactly see every day. After finishing in second in the first round, Mallinger then struggled through rounds two and three, starting Sunday tied for 37th. But a 7-under day on one of the toughest courses pulled him all the way up to a T3 finish.
Mallinger had quite a party following him at Pebble, and I’m sure that party will nearly double with a tournament in Los Angeles. Why not join the party?
Reason No. 4: The 19th hole
Michelob Ultra isn’t exactly the best beer, but it’s an entire extra “hole” set up specifically for one’s drinking pleasure. Now tell me golf is unexciting? And you never know who you’ll run into there.
Last week at Pebble Beach, the usual amateur roster of CEO’s was cut drastically in favor of actors, currently with a lot of time on their hands to fill due to the writers strike. James Denton, who plays Mike on Desperate Housewives, made a surprise appearance with his band at a Dockers party in Spanish Bay. Why did they drive all the way up to the Monterey Peninsula to play for one night?
“I’m out of work right now,” Denton said. “What else do I have to do?”
Reason No. 5: It’s Riviera Country Club
It’s historic; it’s beautiful and it’s Hollywood without the paparazzi. Members of the Rat Pack used to be members of the club, movies were filmed there and the polo matches in the 1934 Olympics were played there. It’s old Hollywood glamour from the minute you step on the beautifully manicured bent grass greens.
Maybe I’m just in golf-mode; the Northern Trust Open (formerly the Nissan Open and still called the LA Open) this weekend at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades will be my third golf tournament I’ve covered this year (I’ve already done the Buick Invitational in Torrey Pines and the AT&T National Pro-Am in Pebble Beach).
And I know what most of you are thinking: It’s golf — it’s slow, it’s boring, it’s uneventful and unexciting. That, and Tiger isn’t playing. But that leads me to my first reason…
Reason No. 1: Tiger isn’t playing
The No. 2 player in the world, Phil Mickelson, almost won last year but played horrible in Pebble last week, missing the cut at the event he won in 2007; Vijay Singh made a good come-from-behind effort in Pebble last week but dropped a large lead and a playoff; most of the top international players will tee it up at Riviera — it’s anyone’s ball game now. British Open Champ, Irishman Padraig Harrington, will be there, and Paddy has had little trouble conquering Hogan’s Alley in the past.
Come on, you know it’s much more exciting when you don’t know who is going to win.
Reason No. 2: John Daly will be there
Move over Britney Spears — you wont be the only trainwreck in Hollywood this week. Big John, known for heavy gambling, heavy boozing, heavy smoking, heavy marrying and being just plain heavy usually does well at Riviera, finishing T22 in ’07. Daly will always put on a show, and regularly draws fans like Kid Rock in his galleries. Plus, he’s a great multi-tasker: Who else can yell at one of the many ex-wives on a cell phone, drink a beer, smoke a cigarette and putt at the same time?
If Daly doesn’t end up making the cut, you may be able to find him out in Pechanga and get some gambling tips.
Reason No. 3: John Mallinger
Former 49er golfer John Mallinger wins the comeback of the year award — and it’s only February. Mallinger picked up his second third place finish at Pebble Beach in as many years Sunday, but it was the way he did it that you don’t exactly see every day. After finishing in second in the first round, Mallinger then struggled through rounds two and three, starting Sunday tied for 37th. But a 7-under day on one of the toughest courses pulled him all the way up to a T3 finish.
Mallinger had quite a party following him at Pebble, and I’m sure that party will nearly double with a tournament in Los Angeles. Why not join the party?
Reason No. 4: The 19th hole
Michelob Ultra isn’t exactly the best beer, but it’s an entire extra “hole” set up specifically for one’s drinking pleasure. Now tell me golf is unexciting? And you never know who you’ll run into there.
Last week at Pebble Beach, the usual amateur roster of CEO’s was cut drastically in favor of actors, currently with a lot of time on their hands to fill due to the writers strike. James Denton, who plays Mike on Desperate Housewives, made a surprise appearance with his band at a Dockers party in Spanish Bay. Why did they drive all the way up to the Monterey Peninsula to play for one night?
“I’m out of work right now,” Denton said. “What else do I have to do?”
Reason No. 5: It’s Riviera Country Club
It’s historic; it’s beautiful and it’s Hollywood without the paparazzi. Members of the Rat Pack used to be members of the club, movies were filmed there and the polo matches in the 1934 Olympics were played there. It’s old Hollywood glamour from the minute you step on the beautifully manicured bent grass greens.
Monday, February 4, 2008
If sports ruled the world...
I'm not voting in the California Primaries tomorrow. There are a couple reasons for that. The first being that it turns out I'm registered in three counties, Sacramento, San Diego and Los Angeles. I don't know how that really happened but either way I'm not driving all the way down to San Diego, or up to Sacramento just to vote for a candidate I'm not 100 percent sure about.
The second reason I'm not voting is because I'm driving up to Pebble Beach tomorrow morning to cover the AT&T Celebrity Pro-Am for my dad's radio show, Golf Talk. Not quite all the way up to Sac, and San Diego is out of the way.
And the third reason I'm not voting is because I really just don't know who the hell to vote for. I know which candidates stand where on certain positions but to be completely honest, I have become so disillusioned with politics in the past few years. (This, from a poli sci minor who once had a weekly political column her her junior college newspaper.)
You may have read Opinion Editor Duke Rescola's column today that included some of my picks, and you're probably thinking they're absolutely ridiculous and I probably need to think about something other than sports. But thats not how I think.
Instead of being forced to choose someone who is on the ballot, I decided to just create my own.
My Republicans Candidates
President: George Mitchell
Vice President: Bud Selig
Their Cabinets
Chief of Staff: Barry Bonds
Press Secretary: Jason Giambi
Yes, I know George Mitchell is a lifelong Dem, but his recent steroids report just seemed like a McCarthy-esque witch hunt, and Joseph McCarthy was a Republican.
Bud Selig is his little partner in crime these days so it only makes sense he would be the VP.
In terms of Mitchell's cabinet, Barry Bonds seems like the likely choice for chief of staff because he's been the ring leader of much of baseball's steroids gang. And Jason Giambi is the obvious choice for White House Press Secretary because we all know the former Long Beach State Dirtbag just loves to talk to the media. And I'm all for someone from CSULB in the White House.
My Democratic Candidates
President: Tiger Woods
Vice President: Phil Mickelson
Their Cabinet
Chief of Staff: Bill Belichick
Press Secretary: Plaxico Burress
I am all about the "Tiger Woods For President" campaign. Enough with the Ron Paul Revolution, Tiger Woods wins everything. Really though, he wins everything (except for the one tournament in his hometown of LA, but he never plays in it for that reason anyway). It only makes sense that if he ran for president he'd probably win that too.
Phil Mickelson always comes in second to Tiger in the big tournaments (green jackets from Augusta aside). He just can't catch up to him, so if he ran against him he'd probably come in second, just like he does every year on his home course of Torrey Pines. Taking the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" mentality, Phil should just run with him.
Now as for their cabinet, Bill Belichick is well versed in the art of espionage so he'd make a great chief of staff. Plaxico Burress loves to voice his predictions to the media, therefore making him the perfect candidate for Press Secretary.
My Independent Candidates
The entire Manning family
President: Peyton
Vice President: Eli
Their Cabinet
Chief of Staff: Archie (Peyton and Eli's father)
Press Secretary: Cooper Manning (oldest of the three Manning brothers)
I know Eli did just lead the Giants to a huge Superbowl victory just yesterday, but Peyton is still one of the best QBs in the league, and as the older, more established Manning, it would have to be Peyton for Pres. Little bro would have to settle for VP.
Their daddy Archie would run the staff since he obviously did a good job of managing the Manning clan while they were growing up. And their oldest brother Cooper, whose football career ended with a serious spinal injury in college at Ole' Miss, would be the spokesperson of the clan.
Now here are my picks for athletes that should be kept out of politics:
* Kobe Bryant: The guy can't make up his damn mind! He loves LA, he hates LA, he hates the management, he wants to star, he wants to win, he wants to go to the team that is as good as the joke of the NBA and play for fellow sexophile Isiah Thomas. How in the world is he supposed to make a decision on national security?
* Shaquille O'Neal: He makes more enemies than friends on the court - just imagine him in a UN meeting.
* Ron Artest: Artest actually may make a decent defense secretary since no one will dare mess with him now. Jason Kidd as well since he's always defending himself against his wife (allegedly). But Artest's temper is way too volatile to be in a high-powered position.
You know now that I think about it, I think it would be best to just keep the NBA out of politics all together.
The second reason I'm not voting is because I'm driving up to Pebble Beach tomorrow morning to cover the AT&T Celebrity Pro-Am for my dad's radio show, Golf Talk. Not quite all the way up to Sac, and San Diego is out of the way.
And the third reason I'm not voting is because I really just don't know who the hell to vote for. I know which candidates stand where on certain positions but to be completely honest, I have become so disillusioned with politics in the past few years. (This, from a poli sci minor who once had a weekly political column her her junior college newspaper.)
You may have read Opinion Editor Duke Rescola's column today that included some of my picks, and you're probably thinking they're absolutely ridiculous and I probably need to think about something other than sports. But thats not how I think.
Instead of being forced to choose someone who is on the ballot, I decided to just create my own.
My Republicans Candidates
President: George Mitchell
Vice President: Bud Selig
Their Cabinets
Chief of Staff: Barry Bonds
Press Secretary: Jason Giambi
Yes, I know George Mitchell is a lifelong Dem, but his recent steroids report just seemed like a McCarthy-esque witch hunt, and Joseph McCarthy was a Republican.
Bud Selig is his little partner in crime these days so it only makes sense he would be the VP.
In terms of Mitchell's cabinet, Barry Bonds seems like the likely choice for chief of staff because he's been the ring leader of much of baseball's steroids gang. And Jason Giambi is the obvious choice for White House Press Secretary because we all know the former Long Beach State Dirtbag just loves to talk to the media. And I'm all for someone from CSULB in the White House.
My Democratic Candidates
President: Tiger Woods
Vice President: Phil Mickelson
Their Cabinet
Chief of Staff: Bill Belichick
Press Secretary: Plaxico Burress
I am all about the "Tiger Woods For President" campaign. Enough with the Ron Paul Revolution, Tiger Woods wins everything. Really though, he wins everything (except for the one tournament in his hometown of LA, but he never plays in it for that reason anyway). It only makes sense that if he ran for president he'd probably win that too.
Phil Mickelson always comes in second to Tiger in the big tournaments (green jackets from Augusta aside). He just can't catch up to him, so if he ran against him he'd probably come in second, just like he does every year on his home course of Torrey Pines. Taking the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" mentality, Phil should just run with him.
Now as for their cabinet, Bill Belichick is well versed in the art of espionage so he'd make a great chief of staff. Plaxico Burress loves to voice his predictions to the media, therefore making him the perfect candidate for Press Secretary.
My Independent Candidates
The entire Manning family
President: Peyton
Vice President: Eli
Their Cabinet
Chief of Staff: Archie (Peyton and Eli's father)
Press Secretary: Cooper Manning (oldest of the three Manning brothers)
I know Eli did just lead the Giants to a huge Superbowl victory just yesterday, but Peyton is still one of the best QBs in the league, and as the older, more established Manning, it would have to be Peyton for Pres. Little bro would have to settle for VP.
Their daddy Archie would run the staff since he obviously did a good job of managing the Manning clan while they were growing up. And their oldest brother Cooper, whose football career ended with a serious spinal injury in college at Ole' Miss, would be the spokesperson of the clan.
Now here are my picks for athletes that should be kept out of politics:
* Kobe Bryant: The guy can't make up his damn mind! He loves LA, he hates LA, he hates the management, he wants to star, he wants to win, he wants to go to the team that is as good as the joke of the NBA and play for fellow sexophile Isiah Thomas. How in the world is he supposed to make a decision on national security?
* Shaquille O'Neal: He makes more enemies than friends on the court - just imagine him in a UN meeting.
* Ron Artest: Artest actually may make a decent defense secretary since no one will dare mess with him now. Jason Kidd as well since he's always defending himself against his wife (allegedly). But Artest's temper is way too volatile to be in a high-powered position.
You know now that I think about it, I think it would be best to just keep the NBA out of politics all together.
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