Sports

Selig sells out national pastime

In a perverse, reverse way, credit Bud Selig for mission accomplished, for fulfilling the terms of his agreement.

He has proven that we’ll take anything; we’ll suffer all that once was out of the question — too illogical, impossibly indecent — to allow the former national pastime’s biggest games to be played on dates and at times and in conditions that compromise The Game and tax the intelligence of its patrons.

Selig has proven that one can, on behalf of 30 team ownerships, remove MLB’s essential organs — heart, lungs, eyes — sell them to TV, and get away with it. He stands for nothing else and has stood up for nothing else.

And MLB’s sales pitch is no different from a street hooker’s: “Do as you wish with me, sir, just pay me — accordingly.”

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Nothing disarms an audience faster than, “My bad.” When Tim McCarver said, “I was wrong,” Saturday, in view of that safe call at second in the 10th — following what should have been a double play, McCarver first claimed that shortstop Erick Aybar also hadn’t touched second on previous double plays — McCarver became a winner. More remarkable was that Fox, in-game, went back to check video that would refute his claim.

During the ALDS on TBS, then the ALCS on FOX, we heard that Bobby Abreu this year had to take a huge pay cut, to $5 million. But neither TBS nor FOX provided an address to send donations. . . . The word on FOX’s pregame was that Giants-Saints is a Jeremy Shockey revenge game because “the Giants didn’t want him.” Left unsaid was why, after making him a first-rounder, they didn’t want Jere-Me.

Two out, none on, Phillies’ down, 2-1, top ninth in LA, Friday, TBS’s Chip Caray could’ve said, “Stay tuned for the postgame show.” But as a nonsense-talker he had to add, “but this game is not over by a long shot!” It ended four pitches later. Earlier he said he’s astonished that Pedro Martinez was unsigned much of the season. Try this, Chip: He’s nearly 40, missed most of 2007 after surgery on his pitching shoulder and he wanted big dough. Where ya been?

Hype king Brent Musburger, Saturday on ABC/ESPN, after quarterback Sam Bradford was re-injured: “A heart-breaking moment for Bradford and the millions of Oklahoma fans.” With 6:30 left, 1st quarter, Musburger: “Texas has only 14 yards of offense.” For those actually watching, that stood to reason; Texas had run six plays, including a lost fumble.

But what’s TV without stoopid stats? ABC/ESPN studio man Jesse Palmer reported that Terrelle Pryor “is trying to become only the fifth Ohio State quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in his career.” Only? At a school known for running backs? . . . With Purdue about to beat Ohio State, Big Ten Network posted this gem: “Purdue vs. No. 7 in nation — 1st win since 13-7 win over Minn. in 1949.” Yeah, vs. No. 7, thought so.

Sean McDonough at the wheel, ABC’s Minnesota-Penn State was easy on the senses. After noting that inmates from a nearby prison nearly were needed for snow removal, he said that would have been a case of “the state pen helping Penn State.” . . . Thom Brennaman, on FOX’s Giants-Saints, also was easy on the nerves.

After USC defensive end Everson Griffen was flagged for flexing/taunting – leading to a Notre Dame touchdown — NBC’s Pat Haden said that such penalties “drive coaches crazy.” Oh, stop. Then why don’t coaches ban such behavior from day one? Why does TV select such images for promos? Earlier, NBC cut to commercial with tape of Griffen in a self-smitten, chest-pounding demo.

Pssst, Troy Aikman. If a Saint recovers a Giants fumble, runs with it before fumbling into the end zone, where it’s recovered by a Giant, how can it be a safety? Touchback. . . . Hey, by now you should expect to lose the end of close, out-of-market games — Ravens-Vikings, CBS, yesterday — to commercials prior to the kick of a Jets or Giants game.

Joe Buck, who owes his soul to the (Budweiser) company store (St. Louis), during Angels-Yanks didn’t sound particularly enthused saying, “the Coors Light Freeze-Cam is brought to you by Coors Light the world’s most refreshing beer.”

Last MLB postseason TBS flooded our senses with Frank Caliendo promos. This year it’s ads for Symbicort, a steroid (!) inhalant. And, while we hear, “Symbicort contains formoterol,” it sure sounds like, “motor oil.” . . . NFL keeps fining Ray Lewis for excessive brutality, hits to the head. Lewis keeps telling the NFL to get lost. And the NFL keeps choosing Lewis to star in ads for NFL-licensed goods — the bad dude whose brutality epitomizes the sport.

phil.mushnick@nypost.com