Saturday, July 21, 2007

Saturday 07/21 A.M. (Very) Quickie:
Worst. Week. Ever.

The question must be asked: Was last week sports' Worst Week Ever? Consider:

NBA: Ref game-fixing scandal.
NFL: Vick dog-fighting scandal.
MLB: Bonds record-breaker in sight.

Now, I'm obviously using hyperbole, but it's hard to remember in the last decade or so a single week -- across the Big Three of professional sports -- that was this damaging.

(Actually, if I was the editor of Sports Illustrated, that's exactly what I'd put on the cover next week: A picture of Vick, of Donaghy and of Bonds, with the headline: "Worst Week Ever?")

The NBA is reeling from the scandal. "Tim Donaghy" -- previously anonymous -- is marked forever in NBA history. What's amazing is that my gut reaction "hyperbo-nalysis" yesterday morning -- that this may qualify as the biggest scandal in NBA history -- might have been right on.

Bonds is still at 753. For now.

The NFL's Roger Goodell met with ASPCA reps yesterday about Michael Vick. Normally, this would be a fringe group when it comes to pressuring the NFL, but I think the Vick case has stirred outrage among fans, too -- particularly ones who are pet owners -- to the point that they will be more sympathetic to groups like ASPCA and PETA than they would have been just a few weeks ago.

More:
*MLB Stud: Josh Beckett has 10 Ks in earning his 13th win.

*Beckham debut today: Is it really a "debut" if he doesn't play?

*F1: Lewis Hamilton involved in nasty crash. Bad week for European sports leagues, too, I guess.

Feel free to add anything I missed. And I'm sure I missed. By the way, I got my copy of Harry Potter at 2 a.m. last night at a local Duane Reade pharmacy, rather than deal with the mayhem at a traditional bookstore.

(Another book arrived yesterday -- arguably one I'm even more eagerly anticipating than Harry Potter: Clay Travis' "Dixieland Delight," which hits stores in 10 days. Looks like a long weekend of reading ahead.)

-- D.S.

11 comments:

Not A Gunslinger said...

I didn't want to be one of those fanatics, so I decided to wait till 3:30 am to go buy it. Was a good read and an entertaining way to waist 7 hours.

thistlewarrior said...

How ironic (or coincidental) that I was listening to "It's the end of the world as we know it" as I started reading today's post?

Anyways, I finally got around to actually reading the Vick indictment this morning - and holy shit he is so screwed! Honestly, if he gets convicted they should let Joey Porter's dogs loose on him!

Speaking of Joey, he is being fined 3 game checks for jumping Levi Jones in Vegas. Yea!!!

thistlewarrior said...

Oh, and by the way, I liked your article in Play about Cuban and the Cubs.

David Kippe said...

So wait, is the NBA one of the Big 3? Or is it a niche sport?

Mega said...

I KNEW those Laker games had to be fixed =)

MLB Dud: Contreras. Stick a fork in him.

Unknown said...

Our Potter book arrived through UPS from Amazon.com. My son is half way through already. He is determined not to find out the ending for this one other than by reading the book.

Vick's career is washed up. Zero chance of ever getting another endorsement deal. If he is cut, other teams will avoid him like the plague.

I could never understand the arbitrary calls made in the NBA which really detracts from my enjoyment of watching games completely determined by arbitrary calls. I really don't like the NBA. Maybe this is a way of explaining to fans that the calls weren't abitrary, they are to appease mob controlled bookmakers. So if you are really rich, bet against your team to increase the chance of them winning.

Unknown said...

cycledan-

Every sport is pretty much made up of arbitrary calls.

Balls/strikes?
When is it really holding?
What is pass intereference?

JCN said...

There's the Daily News story about Bonds' indictment in September. Which means the debate isn't even over after 756.

It never, never ends. You never cross the goal line, spike the ball and do your touchdown dance. Never.

Unknown said...

... especially not if you are a baseball player.

Maybe you could have gone with; you never cross home plate and stroll into the clubhouse.

Joey said...

Track Stud: 24 Year old Alan Webb breaking the American Record in the Mile run that stood for 25 years by Steve Scott. Even if you don't know much about Track & Field, you know that 3:46.91 is flying. It is in the top 8 times ever run as well. Webb has the fastest mile time and fastest 1500 Meter time heading into next month's world championships.

It is pathetic that this hasn't gotten any coverage from ESPN. You have to go all the way to Olympic Sports to see any mention of it there and even then it isn't the top story.

Erik Tylczak said...

Wow, I had no bleeding idea that Webb was so young. I watched him in the last Olympics and I figured he was 25 by then.

His best years should still be ahead.