Silent Ice

In 2006, I heard of something only seen on a basketball court. A young 6′3″ African-American participating in the Winter Games, with a twist, speed skating. It was odd but interesting watching the fleet of foot twenty-four-year-old, like watching a surgeon’s scalpel motions executing each cut better than the first. Turin, Italy, and the world was witness as Shani Davis won the 1,000m in 1:08.89 and 1,500m in 1:46.13, capturing gold and silver medals in those Winter Games. Shani Davis has eight gold medals since skating in the world championships and two world records (in the 1,000m and 1,500m), a remarkable feet for a sport that stays in shadows until the Olympics. This journey was well-documented but seldom heard until February 2010. 1:08.94 of pure gold you could call this mechanical cutting of ice speed, sharp blades wielding accurately around the Richmond Olympic oval to start the men’s 1,000m speed skating. Shani Davis would not disappoint even when he needed to be next to perfect in time to capture gold in the 2010 Olympics. The second turn was zephyr gashing, sights set on shattering the clock and his opponents, calm and calculated mechanics invisible like air taking the lead and inside lane to make history… taking the gold not for the game or glory but for the doubters and nay-sayers who thought he was out of his league and not ready for the sport.

Another Chicago historian who is calm and paused on Pennsylvania Ave. is looking for a piece of history reforming US health-care and other political issues that have loomed for decades–a task not done by any Democrat or president. Many see the government as having fallen apart, split, as if there is not being enough done for the people of America. Let’s look at the breakdown: Democrats have 242 seats, which makes them the majority party, along with a Democratic president. 13 of those seats are up for re-election. The Republicans have 160 seats with 18 of those seats up for re-election, which they could lose swaying more favor to the Democrats. People shout the word bipartisanship resulting in a unity that couldn’t be as views and opinions are split on many issues. As voters we have to seek history; we have done it before. Let’s win our own gold medal in November and send our own trailblazers into office, forming a team of calm, paused history-makers who will lead us into the stratosphere so each state can make the government shine like the stars on our flag.

• March 3, 2010 -- 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics Wrap Up (0)
• February 22, 2010 -- US Medal Count – Vancouver Olympics (0)
• February 16, 2010 -- Olympics Blackout (2)
• February 13, 2010 -- Vancouver Winter Olympics and Sexism (5)

US and Haiti Leave It All on the Field

Read this great story a couple days ago on Yahoo! Sports about sportsmanship in the first qualifying match for the CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championships in Costa Rica between the United States and Haiti:

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/sow_experts/post/U-S-U-17-women-beat-Haiti-9-0-then-offer-hugs?urn=sow,227662

First, kudos to the Haitian team even for being there competing. It took great courage and had to be incredibly difficult for the Haitian girls to leave their country and play a sport in the aftermath of the disastrous earthquake.

But the heartfelt emotion displayed by everyone on both sides of the pitch after the game was truly wonderful, an example of the pure beauty of sports.

(For the record, I agree with the article’s author, Brooks Peck, that the US team did the right thing in playing hard throughout, even when the outcome was easily in hand. Anything else would have been disrespectful and insulting.)

• No Related Post

Tiger Googles the Mind

Ever been part of a sports conversation wherein you and friends discuss the day’s events, controversies, and the people involved in or affected by them, and then share opinions as to the cosmic meaning or those events?

Usually, after about half a minute, the subject matter has been as well covered as surface conversation will allow and one of the participants blurts out something meant to be pithy, but, more often than not, amounts to just another lame attempt to exit a boring conversation gracefully.

Something like…

“John Elway? Dude, he has a better arm than God.”

“Lebron James has more game than God.”

“Ron Jeremy, fuggedaboudit, he has a bigger–”

Well, I’m sure you get the idea.

When I hear mere mortals’ body parts compared to the alleged creator of the universe, I cringe at the eternal life prospects of the speaker–then my mind plays a short film of a white-haired old man chucking a football a half mile, throwing down a 720 slamma-jamma, or reverse wheel-barrowing an angel-winged Hustler centerfold.

Sometimes, I think my imagination is disturbing.

But, I didn’t imagine some insightful golf yakker actually saying last week that, “Tiger Woods is bigger than Jesus.”

Funny thing is, he was almost correct.

I checked.

Jesus rocks the Web for 67 million Google hits–let’s call them “Googlitz”. Tiger manages only 27 million hits, placing him ahead of the Pope who pipes in at a respectable 22. Despite fifteen less years of earth time, Tiger edges out the great Michael Jordan by two million Googlitz, Elvis and Marilyn score around 15 million, and Buddha has made 14.1 million Internet surfers contemplate his existence.

Tiger also out-Googles Allah, (around 12.1 million Googlltz); St. Theresa (9.5), Ron Jeremy (8), Ghandi (7.5), and Mohammed, who only manages paltry six million Googlitz. Maybe he needs a new ad campaign to get his face into the public domain…or, maybe not.

Tiger’s closest Googlitzers are Pamela Anderson and Shakespeare at 29 million hits each, which only goes to show–breasts, like words, are powerful things.

The most surprising results from my impromptu Google trek were the relatively tiny amount of Googlitz for some of history’s evil heavy hitters.

The guy Republicans like to compare President Obama to, Adolph Hitler, scores a paltry 785,000 Googlitz, (Obama himself, little more than a million.). Stalin dictates five million Googlitz which barely eclipses Charles Manson’s 4.8 but is dwarfed by Pol-Pot’s 13.4 million.

In case, you’re wondering, I indeed did Google “God” who maxes out at 218 million Googlitz. Unofficially, that has to be the most in history. Yes, “The Devil” is a distant third at 57.2 Googlitz–probably more if you count his many other monikers.

Second? Michael Jackson at 71 million and counting.

I don’t know if I find that more frightening than George W. Bush bumbling his way to fourth place with 44.2 million Googlitz.

Then again, W. always thought he had more supporters than God.

• February 26, 2010 -- Tiger Woods Hate Mail – PGA Golf (0)
• February 26, 2010 -- Tiger Woods Sex Scandal Spin Control – Golf (1)
• January 3, 2010 -- New Years Resolutions – Football, Boxing, Golf (0)
• December 9, 2009 -- Tiger And His Tail (7)
• August 11, 2009 -- Tiger Woods Infographic (4)

Rethinking Jim Tressel

I may have to rethink my opinion of Jim Tressel. I’ve never been shy in my criticism of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Year in, year out, I believe they are the most overrated team in NCAA college football. I also think serious eyebrows have to be raised at any program that would recruit and sign the likes of Maurice Clarett, perhaps one of the most corrupt players in college football history–even though he was eventually dismissed from the team.

Although no direct knowledge of Clarett’s dealings has ever been connected to Tressel or the Ohio State program and thus no actual accusations can be made, it is hard to believe that the writing was not already on the wall that Clarett equalled trouble when Ohio State was recruiting him. At best it seems Tressel and the Buckeyes were willing to look the other way in order to sign a player who could bring home a championship (which Clarett did in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl over the Miami Hurricanes); at worst, there may have been tacit consent of Clarett’s violations until the negative side-effects of his criminal activity devolved to such an extent that they outweighed his contributions on the playing field.

That having been said… Tressel’s candid answers regarding homosexuality in sports as detailed on Yahoo! Sports–and that he addressed the issue for a gay publication, Outlook Columbus, at all. I haven’t read the original Outlook article, but it is always a step forward to see an otherwise ignored issue receive press.

• September 15, 2009 -- The Mighty… MAC? (0)

NCAA College Basketball: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

With the NCAA Men’s Basketball regular season wrapping up this weekend and the madness before March Madness about to begin, I thought it worth taking a glimpse at the best and worst of the 2009-2010 campaign. After all, anything can happen in the Big Dance–the NCAA Tournament is not a great basis for individual team comparison.

Best Conference – Big East

Once again, the best conference title goes to the Big East. Five teams in the Top 25, with the possibility of sending eight or even nine to the NCAA Tournament. No one else comes even close.

Worst BCS Conference – Pac-10

Not a single team in the Top 25? Hard to conceive of for a BCS conference, and yet that has been the case for the Pac-10 for several weeks this season. When you consider how many national championships have been won by this league–admittedly, mostly by UCLA, but Arizona, Cal and Oregon all each have one, too–it really leaves one shaking his head. The Pac-10 may only be a one-bid conference. Wow.

Most Surprising Conference – Mountain West Conference

That pesky Mountain West Conference which has dared to challenge the Big Six on the gridiron is now making a name for itself on the hardcourt. Although currently only two teams are in the Top 25, the league at one point had three ranked teams this year and should land at least that many NCAA Tournament berths… maybe even four.

Most Surprising Teams – Butler, Cornell

Yes, Butler has been ranked all season and, after several successful runs in the Tourney, is no underdog. But kudos do the Bulldogs for not faltering under the weight of raised expectations. Butler could very well end up in the Top Ten in the final regular season poll, which would be a major accomplishment for a Horizon League school.

As for Cornell… when was the last time that you can recall an Ivy League team being ranked? The Big Red accomplished just that, spending two weeks in the Coaches’ Poll earlier this season. As last year’s Ivy League champ, conference success was to be expected, but to be ranked was still quite an honor.

Most Disappointing Teams – Connecticut, North Carolina, Texas, UCLA

Take a look at that list–there’s a lot of national championships among those schools (18, to be exact). Connecticut hit a mini rut that snowballed into a large one once the Huskies’ confidence was shaken. Losing coach Jim Calhoun to health problems for a few games at that critical juncture didn’t help, but is no excuse; that team has too much talent to struggle like it has. North Carolina has been similarly flat, mirroring UConn’s fall from grace. Texas started the year off highly ranked and playing very well, rising all the way up to the #1 ranking… from whence they have plummeted ever since until they are now out of the Top 25. And UCLA… abysmal. All year. Losing multiple games to teams for whom a single loss by the Bruins would be noteworthy news.

Unless one or more of these teams runs the gamut of their respective conference tournaments, the only one likely to make the NCAAs is Texas.

But then, that’s college basketball in a nutshell!

• February 8, 2010 -- Cornell University in Coaches Poll – NCAA College Basketball (0)
• November 2, 2008 -- Bowl Championship Series Big Craziness Shake-up (0)
• December 15, 2009 -- Crap 10 (2)
• March 27, 2009 -- Wildcats Humiliate Blue Devils (0)
• February 22, 2009 -- Live!: Big East Dominance (0)

PODS

I am going through Olympic withdrawal.

It happens after every Olympiad, whether Summer Games or Winter. Non-stop athletic competition for two-and-a-half weeks, mostly of sports that I have little opportunity to watch otherwise. And, as I’ve stated in previous articles, I watch almost–and I mean almost–all of them.

To make matters worse, I’m forced to lose my fix by going cold turkey.

The net of it is, I always feel a little depressed after the Olympics draw to completion. Call it POD (Post-Olympic Depression) Syndrome.

The Winter Games conveniently take place during that otherwise dullest period of the sporting year, the February lull between the Super Bowl and March Madness. In non-Olympic years, I hate February, but the Winter Olympics transform the month from one of non-excitement to non-stop excitement.

They thus form a perfect lead-in to what, in other years, is the most intense, non-stop sporting event of the year, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament–aka, the perfect cure for PODS.

P.S. Although the Olympics are over, I had some insights inspired by, but not specific to, the Games which I plan on writing about soon. So the aftermath continues…

• March 15, 2010 -- Shani Davis – 2010 Winter Olympics (1)
• February 22, 2010 -- US Medal Count – Vancouver Olympics (0)
• February 16, 2010 -- Olympics Blackout (2)
• February 13, 2010 -- Vancouver Winter Olympics and Sexism (5)
• April 15, 2009 -- Average Frank Views: Magic and Bird vs. Spike TV (1)

Who Dat?

As the football season came to a close with the glitz and glamour of a broadway production showcasing the NFL’s best, the Big Easy, known for it’s party atmosphere and Texas Hold’em coaching styles, led a team back by promising and rebuilding the confidence and strength in New Orleans. Standing tall and proud, the confident, calculated coach and the stong arm PhD quarterback led a team that was poised to take it all with a mental breaksown of X’s and O’s.

The Saints are known as the gamblers, taking a chance when given. Why not lay it all on the line for the big return with an onside kick and cornerback T. Porter cutting off a pass route for a interception that led to a 74-yard score as well as the lead, or wide reciever L. Moore and the coaches risking a two-point conversion to go up by seven playing for a tie if the Colts scored? Front office moves took a quaterback with a shoulder injury that some thought he would never come back from and a coach who plays a three-man defense stunt for all the marbles, just like the gamblers on Bourbon Street. Jim Caldwell played chess, never streaking or moving his pawns for upfield cross patterns and routes designed to confuse the gambler. With the valor of the defense J. Freeny led the warriors across the board with guts and determination. The accurate breakdowns of the Saints’ defense led to two scores and a field goal, cutting the air with tight spirals that P. Manning threw for 333 yards, finding the elusive D. Clark seven times for 83 yards. J. Addai pounded out 77 yards, rushing down the field while carrying tacklers and scoring a touchdown to help control the clock for a total of 29 minutes, a minute less than the Saints’ offense.

The guard of arms rained confetti in Miami with 228 yards to 8 recievers as M. Colston’s 83 yards led the way. P. Thomas danced like he was on Bourbon Street through the Colts’s defense for 30 yards. Although this game had many twists and turns and melodrama, it showcased something the League has been missing, a competive rivalry, a battle of wills on both offenses. Seconds clicked and the game of render began with passing and running plays to knock the oposition on there heels. A team wins and loses together but individuals who we call “playmakers” arrive through hours of studying playbooks. Countless reps hold the honor of becoming the one who changed the game. The Saints as a unit showed us how, and this is how you win. Each member became a playmaker, not just a player, by remembering why we study and practice.

As we learn there is power in numbers, as the shape of a new political world takes form, America is asking, “Who dat?” As new faces enter the political arena everday in hopes of leading, taking gambles by calculating the moves for the laws and future of tommorow’s economy and issues we face daily, America is still asking, “Who dat?” As a result, do we come together for the common cause when we are on the brink of depression, with half of the year done and a new budget set for review as one of those strategies that will jump start the economy? Democrats see this innovation and the Republicans sit and wait, calculating every situation with a counter-equation. This is our moment to become playmakers and bond as a unit, going into history as the ones who did it, the who dat’s with a voice from state to state. We send our gamblers to speak for us and lead our government.

• February 8, 2010 -- Super Bowl XLIV Recap – NFL Football (2)
• February 6, 2010 -- Super Bowl XLIV Saints vs Colts – NFL Football (1)
• February 18, 2010 -- Super Bowl XLIV Commercials (0)
• January 30, 2010 -- Pittsburgh Steelers Terrible Towel – NFL Football (2)
• December 16, 2009 -- December Tampy Noms (7)

Screw You, Tiger!

Hate Mail From Those Not Ready to Forgive & Forget

Are we really getting ready to let Tiger of the hook? After one scripted press conference, ESPN practically tripped all over itself saying that Tiger has taken the right steps to be restored in the hearts and minds of the American Public.

But what about those who are not so willing to forgive and forget? Most of them are too polite to rip Tiger a new one, too proud to sound off in public, or legally bound to keep their mouths shut.

What if they could tell Tiger how they really felt? What if they could write Tiger a letter, giving him a piece of their minds? And what if we could get a hold of those letters and share them with our readers.

Here’s just a sample of how those letters might read…

From Phil Mickelson – San Diego, CA

Screw You, Tiger!

Playing second-fiddle to you for the last decade is now officially “humiliating.” As I watched you rack up hundreds of millions of dollars in winnings and endorsements, I knew that, in any other era, I would’ve been celebrated as the best golfer in the game.

And while you were busy building up your phony “family man” image, I was actually living it, taking time away from the tour to look after my cancer-stricken wife.

I’m now going to rededicate myself to preventing you from breaking Jack Nicklaus’ vaunted record.

The sport deserves better than you.

From The Golf Writers of America

Screw You, Tiger!

We spent the last decade building you up to be an American icon. Though we endured your immature sense of humor, your penchant for swearing and your bratty vindictiveness, we instead wrote about your skill, your competitive spirit and your devotion to family life.

Maybe a few of us even caught wind of your extramarital affairs but chose to look the other way. Thanks in no small part to us, you’re now a billionaire.

And how do you repay us? By shafting us at your press conference. Next time you’ve got one of those planned, why not just invite TMZ.com and the National Enquirer?

Oh wait, you’ve already given them enough front-page material to last a lifetime.

From Apolo Ohno – Vancouver

Screw You, Tiger!

When you were sniveling through your script and saying absolutely nothing at your tearful press conference, did you notice that a little thing called the “Winter Olympics” was going on?!

Some of us have spent the bulk of our lives perfecting our skills while, at the same time, managing to NOT cheat on our girlfriends or wives.

If you haven’t noticed these athletes, perhaps you’ll recognize them for their love of sport, their pursuit of ultimate personal achievement and their spirit of international competition.

Or maybe not… you seem to be too busy stealing headlines, filling tabloids and wrecking people’s lives.

For more, please visit: http://www.zipgolfer.com/screw-you-tiger

• February 26, 2010 -- Tiger Woods Sex Scandal Spin Control – Golf (1)
• August 11, 2009 -- Tiger Woods Infographic (4)
• March 31, 2009 -- Tiger Not Out of the Woods Yet (3)
• December 9, 2009 -- Tiger And His Tail (7)
• April 8, 2009 -- Tiger vs. Jack, Part II (20)

DIS WEEKLY TIGER TAKE

Welcome to our weekly–until Tiger has the guts to face the music and return to golf–commentary on the plight of the most talked about Tiger in human history. We will explore the legendary (infamous?) golfer’s recent “situation” from various perspectives and try to help Tiger Woods get back to chasing Jack Nicklaus for the title of “Greatest Ever.”

Our still lively debate on who is most deserving of that accolade can be found on this site at: http://www.deepintosports.com/2009/04/08/tiger-woods-jack-nicklaus-best-golfer-ever/

This week, we critique Tiger’s damage control team and offer some helpful, and free, advice to the beleaguered winner of 14 majors…

SHOW ME THE MONEY

Obviously, Tiger seriously overpays his people. Could his recent fall from common sense have been managed with any more incompetence?

I wish I was the genius who convinced the elite and ultra-rich they must hire damage control demons and wizards after making terrible and very public mistakes.

We are talking seven figures, folks; professional help doesn’t come cheap–even when a kind assessment would conclude those services has transformed a delicate and volatile situation into an unmitigated disaster.

Imagine if you were Jeff Twelve-Pack and the feces hit the fan like it did for Tiger. Your wife, who gave you two children and still looks great, just found out you’re an otter hound who has had over a dozen affairs with what can fairly be described as skanks.

Who would you call?

May I suggest my cousin Butchie, the lawyer?

Don’t laugh. Butchie might have received his JD from Party Town State, but he’s probably intelligent enough to advise you to get the public show out of the way.

Here’s what Butchie would have told Tiger:

“Look Cuz, take responsibility for, say, “numerous” indiscretions and stay in control of the story. We’ll make a bimbos list and call each mistress to see if we can persuade them to not go public. Answer all media’s questions at what appears to be an impromptu and uncontrolled press conference. End that presser with a firm statement insisting further comments on your personal life will not be forthcoming by you or any member of your family.”

“The worse thing you could do is skulk away like some little bitch and squander a few million bucks to get some kind of snake-oil therapy for an affliction psychologists invented to convince filthy-rich smack-offs they can be cured of bad choices.”

“If you ‘nad up and take about a weeks worth of media shrapnel, you can better spend time trying to save your marriage.”

“‘Nother thing, DON’T WHINE like some prepubescent pussy about the paparazzi. They don’t care about you, your family, or your feelings. They care about the story or photo that can net them six-figures from a tabloid–they want to be rich just like you. Besides, you’ll only make them mad, and believe me, you’ll like them even less when they’re mad.”

“Everyone out there knows what you and those women were after. You’re sick rich. Hot ‘tang spreads for you faster than the Red Sea parted for Charlton Heston.”

“Americans love to forgive heroes who lie, cheat, and steal–makes it easier to forgive themselves.”

I bet, in fact I know, Butchie would have given that advice for a couple new sets of clubs, a lifetime supply of Pro V1s, and two memberships to Riviera.

Tiger should have called me.

NEXT WEEK: What has Tiger reaped from the seeds he has sown? What’s missing?

• February 26, 2010 -- Tiger Woods Hate Mail – PGA Golf (0)
• August 11, 2009 -- Tiger Woods Infographic (4)
• March 31, 2009 -- Tiger Not Out of the Woods Yet (3)
• December 9, 2009 -- Tiger And His Tail (7)
• April 8, 2009 -- Tiger vs. Jack, Part II (20)

Why Is the US Racking Up So Many Medals at the Vancouver Olympic Games?

I am on Olympic overload. You’d think, considering how much of the Vancouver Games I’ve seen to this point, that I’d have written more about them already, but that would mean stopping long enough to do so. After all, there is still food, sleep and work with which to attend. But other than NBC’s lackluster coverage (lackluster? more like abysmal), I’ve enjoyed the Olympiad immensely.

The US has been on a remarkable run in Vancouver, poised to shatter its previous foreign-soil record of 25 medals (Torino in 2006) and even make a run at its all-time Winter Olympic mark of 34 (Salt Lake City in 2002). In fact the former may have already occurred today, but since–as I mentioned in my previous article–I’m avoiding any sports news lest I see results before I can watch them, I wouldn’t know.

Why such a dramatic upswing? Several factors appear to be at play. Firstly, more American women play sports now than ever before. More general participation equates to more elite participation. Despite the IOC’s ridiculous banning of women from ski jump that Gairzo commented upon, female participation in these Winter Olympics is overall 40% of all athletes.

Secondly, the American athletic landscape is more fractured than ever before. Slowly but surely the all-important television coverage of these other sports is extending beyond the two-week period of the Olympic Games, thus opening them up to new audiences. More and more young athletes are drawn away from the Big Four team sports into the plethora of other games available to them. The diversification of talent is allowing the US to compete in arenas it has not previously (such as Johnny Spillane winning the United States’ first ever medal in the Nordic Combined).

Thirdly, a large percentage of the new sports that have debuted at the Winter Olympics over the last twenty years, if not originated in the US, definitely experienced their major growth in North America. Seven of the twenty-seven athletes in the Women’s Moguls were from the US or Canada. Snowboarding was developed in the US during the 1960s and 1970s and has reached new heights since Shaun White became the face of the sport. Thus the American influence on the very sports of the Winter Olympics has increased, and US success in those games has followed suit.

Lastly, these are, for all intents and purposes, a home Olympics for the United State, what with Vancouver’s proximity to the US-Canada border (the longest open international border in the world).

Jumping back to Shaun White… the guy is simply amazing, completely on another plane way above anybody else in half-pipe. His air was higher, his tricks more impressive and complex. I did not think he had the speed coming into his last hit to attempt the Double McTwist 1260 (or The Tomahawk, as he calls it), yet he somehow seemed to will himself through the trick. Incredible.

Has there been any bigger (positive) surprise than the US Men’s ice hockey team? It was almost inconceivable that they would score the top seed entering the elimination round, yet that’s exactly where the United States finds itself. Considering that the Peacock has the current NHL broadcast contract (for what it’s worth), NBC is doing itself a great disservice by relegating hockey coverage to MSNBC. A strong run by the US to the gold medal–along with strong coverage of such a run–could boost the NHL’s presence in the United States and thus NBC’s broadcasts of the league as well.

Instead, hockey plays second fiddle to ice dancing, a “sports” that’s an insult to all other Olympians! Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate dancing as an art form and a physical one at that, but it is not a sport. So instead of serving a potentially large hockey audience that could be watching NBC year-in, year-out, the Peacock coddles a small ice dancing audience with significantly lesser upside. Who are the fans of this “sport”, anyway? Most figure skating fans I know consider ice dancing a joke. If they don’t like it, who does?

It’s a shame, since this could very well be the best Olympic hockey tournament ever. The balance in the sport is at an all-time high, with the inclusion of NHL players actually benefiting the Olympic game as opposed to the farce of letting in NBA players that gives the United States such a huge advantage. Of course, we’re talking NBC, home of no ratings, The Jay Leno Show, the Jay Leno / Conan O’Brien flap, and no good decisions in the last ten years. What do you expect?

• February 16, 2010 -- Olympics Blackout (2)
• March 15, 2010 -- Shani Davis – 2010 Winter Olympics (1)
• March 3, 2010 -- 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics Wrap Up (0)
• February 13, 2010 -- Vancouver Winter Olympics and Sexism (5)