Showing posts with label Roger Clemens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roger Clemens. Show all posts

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Today's Topics: Ark., UCLA, ND, Modell/Browns, Clemens


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A couple of quick things from College Football Week 1:

Couldn’t help but smile when I saw the score: La.-Monroe 34, Arkansas 31 (OT)

That’s because Razorbacks head coach John L. Smith took over at Arkansas after ditching his alma mater (Weber State) before even coaching a game there.

Smith turned his back on his own to grab a spotlight job in the SEC.

He’s not the only coach who would have done that, but his bolting Weber State left a bad taste in my mouth.

La.-Monroe’s victory served as some mouthwash.

BTW, earlier last week, Smith filed for bankruptcy concerning debts incurred through real estate investments in Kentucky.

Smith last week paid the price for multiple decisions.

Not sure why UCLA football has suffered through such a long period of national irrelevance, but beating Nebraska might be a sign the Bruins are headed in the right direction under Jim Mora.

The team is very young – inexperience that will be costly at times during the season. Saturday’s night victory, however, got people’s attention.

Even people at USC.

Saints suspensions overturned

Funniest thing seen in light of Saints players having there Bounty-gate suspensions overturned by a three-person NFL panel was ESPN’s Mark Schlereth saying the league was a brotherhood and he never knew of a player intentionally trying to hurt another player.

Typing that has me laughing again.

A’s pitcher recovering

Never like to hear that a McCarthy is hurting, and that’s especially true after learning A’s right-hander Brandon McCarthy was hit in the head by a line drive on Wednesday night.

The most important update is that McCarthy appears to be recovering. He’s even Tweeting from the hospital!

How a guy who nearly dies after being hit by a lined baseball can take the mound again is beyond me.

But never underestimate a McCarthy. J

Former Browns owner Modell dies

As an outsider looking in, I thought it was a crime when Art Modell moved his Browns from Cleveland to Baltimore.

OK, he owned the team and felt he got a raw deal from the city officials. But the Browns had a large, loyal following -- the Cleveland fans had a right to be incensed.

At least Modell and the NFL did the right thing by leaving the Browns’ name and history in Cleveland. Thus, we have the Ravens.

Upon learning of Modell’s death last week, some Cleveland fans commented that time and a new Browns franchise helped heal the wounds. Good for them.

Sadly, other Cleveland fans reiterated hatred for Modell, among other things.

Let’s hope the bitter fans have better perspective when something really significant, tragic and/or important happens in their lives.

Irish delay (inevitable?) Kelly Watch

Notre Dame pulled out a last-second victory against Purdue, perhaps aided by a no-call when the play clock appeared to have expired.

The Irish avoided a loss that, fairly or unfairly, would have started the clock on the Brian Kelly Watch.

With a murderous schedule, Notre Dame likely will lose several times in 2012. But beginning 1-1 for a fourth straight year, and following a disappointing home defeat, many Irish fans would have been left feeling dismayed and unhappy quicker than expected.

The enhanced Rocket

Drug-aided or not, Roger Clemens clearly is an enhanced version of other 50 year olds.

Just taking the mound in an independent league and shutting down batters half his age is impressive.

Clemens should pitch as long as he can. It's not like his Hall of Fame status would be affected, since he's not going to Cooperstown for a while, at best.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Today's Topics: NFL officials, Lance, MLB druggies, Clemens

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Playing a little catch-up following a trip to Boston, NYC and New Jersey ...

NFL and its locked-out officials

Players and coaches are starting to get louder when expressing displeasure at the use of replacement officials.

But you know what? It doesn't matter.

I miscalculated on this one, and so has the officials’ union.

The NFL is intent on getting its way -- a larger pool of officials, work based on merit, and some full-time zebras.

Sure, there have been some blown calls and a few embarrassing moments during the first three weeks of the preseason. The league's spin is the replacement officials are improving weekly.

If the replacements are working come the regular season, you can be sure off-field officials will be wired to on-field refs to try and prevent obvious gaffes.

Teams will live with missed or erroneous calls just as they did when the locked-out officials were working.

The players and coaches can yell all they want. Right now, the NFL has deaf ears.

Armstrong loses Tour de France titles

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency gave Lance Armstrong a lifetime ban from professional cycling and vacated his seven Tour de France titles. (Of course, the USADA doesn't really have the authority to do either.)

Armstrong said he no longer would challenge USADA and declined to exercise his last option by entering arbitration. He again denied taking banned substances in his career despite about a dozen USADA witnesses willing to testify to the contrary.

So, we are to believe:

1. A sport full of dopers was dominated by a non-doper.

2. After years of maintaining his innocence in the public arena, Armstrong suddenly got tired of challenging allegations he doped.

It's hard to believe either one.

Colon joins Melky

Bartolo Colon and Melky Cabrera became the latest major leaguers to be suspended for violating MLB’s drug policy.

Since 2005, when MLB began suspending big-leaguers for performance-enhancing drugs, 24 of the 39 suspensions have been handed to players born in Latin America, including eight of the past 10.

Why so many guilty Latinos, who comprise about 25 percent of MLB rosters?

Many Latin players come from modest to extremely poor backgrounds. Those who strike it rich in America seek to maintain their status for themselves and, in many cases, their families.

It’s also easier to acquire banned drugs in much of Central and South America.

So what's the solution?

Unfortunately, increased education of Latino players won't solve the problem.

While a lifetime ban after failing one test would be extreme, perhaps a two-three year suspension with no pay would have a positive effect.

Rocket returns

Just what does Roger Clemens want?

OK, so he threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings for the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League. 

Does he want to pitch in the Majors again?  

Doing so simply would be a brief show.

Does he seek money? 

Hard to believe.

Does he expect to win over people who believe he used steroids and HGH? 

Not going to happen.