BEYOND some of the most outstanding, thus obvious – World Series that are played too late for kids is No. 1 – have you ever stopped to consider how many things that money and short-sighted leadership have changed about our sports?
The skill of an Oscar De La Hoya, for example, was lost to millions of sports fans because, from the time, 10 years ago, De La Hoya was identified as special, he became almost exclusively a pay-per-view boxer. Fights that should have been seen by all – not even including his biggest – were seen by fractions of fans.
From the moment De La Hoya was recognized as the kind of athlete no sports fan should miss, money ensured that many would. And now he’s done, or should be.
Football fans 30 and younger may never know NFL games as what they used to be and were designed to be – sustained action games. Before added TV commercial time and then the replay rule, momentum played a frequent and significant part of most games. For real.
The gain or loss of momentum changed games. Almost every telecast, radiocast and after-game interview included a refer ence to “mo” -momentum. Now? You rarely hear the word; momentum has been priced and legislated from games.
Can’t have momentum when the extra point try is followed by commercials, the ensuing kickoff is followed by commercials, punts are followed by commercials and every few plays the game is unplugged to examine video tape to examine super slo- mo tape as to where the ball should be spotted – after it’s determined whether the ball came out before/after a knee touched down.
Momentum used to be real, and big. But people can’t miss something they never knew about.
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Barack Obama‘s nominee for Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, co-captained Harvard’s basketball team 25 years ago, when it was coached by current Fordham AD Frank McLaughlin.
The only differences between ESPN and Comedy Central are 1) laugh tracks, and, 2) Comedy Central tries to make silly. As Boston-based reader Ed Bratz notes, an ESPNews graphic Monday noted that Titans running back Chris Johnson was selected to his “First career Pro Bowl.” Well, it’s about time! Johnson’s a rookie.
Does it strike you that the only people who still care what Terrell Owens has to say are media people? . . . Speaking of Cowboys, I stopped counting, Sunday night, after NBC showed its 10th shot of Jerry Jones. Twice Jones was seen on NBC watching himself on NBC.
Viewing Tip of the Week: When Emmitt Smith, ESPN football analyst, speaks, hit the closed captioning button on your remote. Let someone else try to figure out what he’s saying.
Dept. of Count Your Blessings: It could’ve been worse; Mike Francesa could’ve been a 911 operator. He’d have interrupted callers to tell them they’re wrong, told them what the real problem is and then hung up on them.
Any Stat, Any Time: So the Jets, Sunday, beat Buffalo on a sack/ fumble-recovery TD run with 1:54 left. And so, asks reader Ronald Balter of Brooklyn, “Will Brett Favre be given credit for another fourth quarter come-from-behind win?” Sure, dude, why not? Who’s going to look twice or know any better?
Syracuse University is racist. After tossing white head football coach Greg Robinson it hired yet another white man, Doug Marrone. What’s that? SU’s AD, Daryl Gross, is black? Oh. Well, then, never mind.
Silly me. When ESPN’s “First Take,” Wednesday, featured long-drive champ Jamie Sadlowski, chatting with host Jay Crawford, it at first seemed that the segment was designed for viewers to learn how to hit golf balls longer and straighter. Shoulda known. It was designed for viewers to learn that ESPN soon will carry the long-drive championship.
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Expectorating into the breeze: Evander Holyfield, 46, speech-impaired, given to blank stares through glassy eyes, and broke, despite $200 million in earnings, is scheduled to fight a WBA-sanctioned title fight tomorrow in Zurich.
The WBA even provided a ranking for Holyfield, No. 12, although he lost his last fight, 14 months ago, last won 18 months ago and lost two of his last four. Just before this fight was made, Holyfield wasn’t even in the WBA’s Top 15. Presto-Change-O! Now he’ll fight 7-foot WBA champ Nikolai Valuev for less than $1 million – Holyfield’s smallest cut from a title fight.
The fight and its pay-per- view are Don King co- promotions. There’s a shock. When you think about, Michael Vick isn’t too bad a guy.