There's never a dull moment in the wide world of sports. Of course, this gives me the opportunity to digress, and at times vent, about what's happening outside our beloved community.
In no particular order, feel free to keep score as you follow along this topical list of issues:
O.J. Mayo: The situation surrounding Mayo and allegations that he received improper benefits in high school and during his freshman year at USC is sad - sad for college basketball. Should the NCAA find that Mayo indeed broke the rules, he, as well as North College Hill High School and USC, should be penalized.
Mike D'Antoni: Good luck, buddy. Not only is he a horrible fit for a bunch of underachievers like the New York Knicks, but this is a classic example of it being all about the money. Nothing else makes much sense, and with their current roster there's no way they can keep pace with D'Antoni's system.
Chipper Jones: Entering Thursday, Jones was batting .418 in 37 games played (146 at-bats). Conventional wisdom says that more than likely he won't continue this hitting tear, mainly because he's known for tearing down (averaging 122.5 games played over the last four seasons). Still, he has one of the sweetest swings in baseball and it never gets old to watch.
Spygate: At this point, who cares? By now the general public is obviously with or against the New England Patriots. Aren't there bigger problems in the world needing to be addressed?
Eight Belles: Yes, it was devastating and absolutely wretched to watch the ill-fated filly break both her front ankles during a second-place finish at the Kentucky Derby. And did it warrant her being euthanized on the spot? Yes, again. But will this have any affect on horse racing in general? Sadly, no.
Dave Bliss: Don't even think about returning to college basketball. As I personally watched him disgrace the game while graduating from Baylor University in the summer of 2003, rumor now has it that Bliss is slowly starting to creep back into coaching at the collegiate level. Though he has remained mum during the last five years regarding the darkest scandal in college basketball history, Bliss will never earn the respect of players, coaches and fans again.
Atlanta Dream: Game on! This is absolutely fantastic, not only for the city of Atlanta but also for the WNBA. After all, how is the league supposed to gain popularity without expanding into bigger markets such as Atlanta? Now that the Hawks have bowed out of the NBA playoffs, be sure to catch the Dream's inaugural home game May 23 at Philips Arena.
Joba Chamberlain: Let the kid show some emotion already! Geez, if there's one thing I can't stand it's watching these highly paid professional athletes go through the motions on the field or on the court, especially during clutch situations. And forget the double standard - if he can do that then a player has the right to pump his fist after belting a home run.
Don Cherry: Yes, he loves the NHL and is quite knowledgeable of the game, but could his outfits be any more distracting? How are we supposed to take someone seriously, especially a hockey analyst, when he's dressed like a rose petal? I realize ESPN is doing everything in its power to promote hockey and get more fans involved with the inclusion of the outspoken Cherry, but is this the best way to go about it? Wait a minute, on second thought, it's genius. Just don't forget to wear your shades.
Boston Celtics: Overrated or underrated? My guess is the latter, seeing how they have yet to play their best basketball in the postseason. Despite them not being able to win a road game yet, that will come. The real question is whether or not they will choke like the Patriots did last year.
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens: Whatever feelings you have for one is probably synonymous with the other. Personally, I'll pass on both and would rather take my chances with Giants' mascot Lou Seal and a pitching machine.
Ryan Perrilloux: What a waste of God-given talent. Obviously, someone has failed the troubled ex-LSU quarterback, who recently announced that he will transfer to Jacksonville State after a string of mishaps off the field. I'm all about second chances, and usually favor the "three strikes you're out" rule, but this is a golden sombrero.
Annika Sorenstam: Arguably the greatest female golfer of all time, Sorenstam will be missed after retiring at the end of the season. Though it came as no shock to her inner circle, it was a surprise to many. But who can fault her for going out on top? With 72 overall wins (10 majors), the 37-year-old certainly left a positive impact on women's, and men's, golf.
