Today is St Patrick's Day.... a day in which will celebrate somebody who did something somewhere at sometime by wearing green, listing to Celtic music and drinking green beer. Office workers across the land will have their green ties on....or green socks...or a green pin or brooch. Someone will have a "Kiss Me I'm Irish" something on. Maybe even a homemade sweater.
So, while I took today [and yesterday, and the next two days] off to watch the NCAAs....I'll help ya thru it with some non NCAA takes.
THE USA IS DONE IN THE WBC: Should we have expected anything different?? The United States lost last night [um, late last night] to get eliminated from Round 3 of the WBC. So, we won't be the best team in the World. PEOPLE, WE AREN'T THE BEST TEAM ON OUR CONTINENT!!! We lost to both Mexico and Canada during this tournament. We should have lost to Japan....which would have made us 0-3 during Round 2 [and it's poetic justice that Japan got in on the USA loss]. While every other country looked as if they were having fun during this thing....the Americans looked like a bunch of stiffs just there to show up. And that's why they lost.
By the way, there needs to be major tweaks in this tournament. I agree with everyone that the timing of being held up against March Madness is tough. The only other time I'd like it would be in July.....just as the NHL allows a break for their Olympic hiatus....we should do it then. November is bad. I think that it would be more lethargic after the postseason [anyone watch those USA-Japan Series???]. This thing would breathe life into the dull middle portion of the regular season [that's the only good thing about the All Star Game anyways], guys would be in midseason form. If that seems to excessive in the middle of the season....then keep it during March Madness, but backload the games for Monday-Wednesday.
Also, the structure needs to go away. This is baseball, not basketball or soccer. Have actual SERIES. I think we split everyone up into those four round robin pools...with the top two in each pool advancing [maybe having everyone play each other twice- so 6 games]. Then have 3 game series...the first to win 2 moves on. Those series would take a total of two weeks and be more interesting than having everyone just play each other again. Have the better seeded team host these series. And have a better tiebreaking system than the NASA equation that's out there now. How hard is it to do the "head-to-head" way??
OH, AND YA GOTTA LOVE ROUND 3: Japan, Cuba, Domitican Republic and Korea have advanced to the next round. Hmm...three countries that the USA have been to war with [in one form or another] in the past 65 years. I'm rooting for the DR.
THE NBA WEARS GREEN: Well, the NBA is taking notice of St Pattys. Always ready to pimp something to their customers....the NBA is unveiling GREEN uniforms for the Bulls and Knicks to wear. It is an attempt by the NBA to start having "holiday themed uniforms". Huh? Does that mean at Easter....the Spurs and Lakers will be wearing pastels?? Will there be a team wearing pink and yellow out there?? Will they have an orange and brown uniforms set aside for Thanksgiving? How about a NBA uniform that looks like Santa's suit??? Or a tuxedo for New Year's Eve! Red jerseys for Valentines Day! This is nothing more than about money. You can buy the t-shirts shown below [there are others too] and the NBA Store. These are called....and I swear to God this is true....the "Top O' The Mornin' t-shirts". NBA and WNBA Store: Knicks Reebok Men's NBA St Pats Day Top O' the Mornin Tee. Good God!
BODE MILLER: No offense to ESPN, but they made a breath-taking discovery!! Bode Miller, the Winter Olympian in the something event, doesn't get as much fan mail as he used to. WELL DUH!!! Hi, ESPN....welcome to America! Dudes, we only like these Olympians during the Olympics. We forget about them until the next Olympics come along. To me, all these people go back to North Dakota or something and live in a rink getting ready for the 2010 games.
BONDS PROBE: Bud Selig was on ESPN's coverage of the WBC and was asked about Bonds. He essentially pushed it aside saying that he may look into it a bit...and if stuff shows up, he'll look a bit harder. Well, great. Ya know, when the Olympics were going on....the firestorm against Wayne Gretzky died quite a bit. But during this WBC, the Bonds stories still clouded the entire games [and he wasn't even it them]. In typical baseball fashion....they are hiding their heads in the sand until someone actually comes along and kicks them in the rump. They won't do anything until someone tells them too. Why would they? They don't want to unearth that the guy with the single season home run record and possible all-time HR king [both records Selig himself said were the two biggest records in Amarican sports] to be owned by a cheater. He's seen how [alleged] use of steroids caused Mark McGwire to suddenly retire and go hide.....and Sammy Sosa and Raphael Palmerio essentially ran out of the sport. Bonds is on his way out anyways....so the feeling would be that Selig drags his feet until Bonds heads out. Of course, Bonds' name will be at or near the top of many, many records...and there is the matter of the Hall Of Fame awaiting. That's why, as much as I wanna like Selig, he is a poor commissioner to me.
RON ARTEST IS BACK IN INDIANA: So, Mr Tru Warrieris back in Indy as a member of the Sacto Kings. Should be quite a welcome back, eh?
NBA RELOCATION ISSUES: ESPN.com reports as many as 6 NBA teams could move in the next decade or so. We all know that the New Jersey Nets want to relocate to Brooklyn, but getting the land deals done has been horrid. We all know the New Orleans Hornets situation...where Hurricane Katrina knocked the Hornets to Oklahoma City and they love the Hornets more than the Crescent City ever did. We also know about the Orlando Magic, who have been trying to get out of the O-rena for years now. We know about the Kings, who's owners want out of the Barn Named Arco and possibly head to Las Vegas...making this franchise's homes in Rochester, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Omaha, Sacramento, Vegas]. And we know know about the Sonics and Blazers....who have more to do with each other than anyone thought. Paul Allen, one of the richest men in the world, is having that disease called "bad investments"....and the Blazers seem to be one. So he wants a new arena [though the old one is fine] or the team may leave. Up the coast, Seattle wants a new arena...and I can't say I blame them. The Key Arena, though renovated a few times, is one of the oldest arenas in the NBA. They have a horrid lease and should deserve something better. After all, the city shelled out for new beautiful digs for the Mariners and Seahawks. Many people feel that Paul Allen will swap places with Seattle's ownership if something can get done in Portland. The cities that could benefit from all this?? Oklahoma City [Hornets], Las Vegas [Kings], Brooklyn [Nets], Kansas City [Magic], Vancouver [Sonics] and Anaheim [Blazers]. Of course, San Diego could look spiffy as well. Cuz on the horizon, the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors could be looking for new homes as well.
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