Category: Sports

Commentary and news about sports and sports teams — and media coverage of them.

TMQ on women in college football

Near the end of this week’s column the Tuesday Morning Quarterback discusses Katie Hnida, University of New Mexico kicker who made two PATs in last week’s 72-8 blowout of Texas State-San Marcos. TMQ has some provocative arguments, including: “Fourth and finally, under the college Title IX criteria, football is classed as a men’s sport which must, in almost every case, be balanced by the school sponsoring a women’s sport. Scatter a few stunt-category women around the nation’s collegiate football teams, and some smart athletic director will assert that football is no longer a ‘men’s’ sport that must be balanced by a women’s sport. Mark TMQ’s words.”

Teddy Ballgame

Ted Williams is 85 today. He’s planning to spend the day hanging out and just chillin’.

Not counting games when he only pinch hit (i.e., only one at bat), there were just eight instances in Williams’s career that he went consecutive games without getting on base — seven times he failed to get on for two games, once it was for three.

“Moonlight” Graham

Those who have seen Field of Dreams or read the book on which it was based, Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella, will remember the character “Moonlight” Graham, played by Burt Lancaster in the film. Archibald Wright Graham (1876-1965) was an actual player, and a doctor.

Graham played in one game for the New York Giants in June 1905; in the movie it was the last game of the season in 1929. Graham played two innings in the field but never batted in the major leagues; he was on deck when his one game ended.

Is the name denigrating — or not?

ESPN’s Tuesday Morning Quarterback (TMQ) opens this week’s column with news:

[T]hat Federal judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly is expected to rule soon in the marathon 11-year lawsuit against the Potomac Drainage Basin Indigenous Persons and their ‘R*dsk*ns’ trademark.

TMQ objects to both ends of the ‘Washington’ R*dsk*ns name. The front end: This club practices in Virginia and performs in Maryland, lacking the decency to so much as maintain an office in Washington. The back end: R*dsk*ns is a slur. Fans don’t mean to denigrate anyone, of course; fans view the name as mere tradition. A slur it is, nonetheless. What if the mere traditional name were the Washington Darkies?

There is a 1946 federal statute prohibiting the government from registering a trademark that disparages any race, religion or other group. In 1999 the Patent and Trade Mark Office agreed that the name “Redskins” was a violation of that law. The team could keep the name if it chose — and owner Dan Snyder is adamant about keeping it — but it would no longer be able to protect its rights to market the team name and logo. TMQ says that would cost the team $5 million in lost revenue annually.

NewMexiKen agrees with the Indian critics, and with the Patent and Trademark Office, that the name is derogatory. Further, I don’t like the team or its owner and am happy to see them sweat. I’m pretty certain however, that there is not a consensus among American Indians on this issue. As one example, check out the Red Mesa High School Redskins of Teec Nos Pos, Arizona.

Catty caddies

From the “Morning Briefing” in the Los Angeles Times:

Golfer: “Do you think we can find that one?” Caddie: “Sir, you could wrap that ball with bacon and Lassie couldn’t find it.”

Golfer: “Do you mind not checking your watch so often—you’re really making me nervous.” Caddie: “This isn’t a watch, it’s a compass.”

What does Daddy do?

According to Rick Reilly in Sports Illustrated, “[Lance] Armstrong and his three-year-old son, Luke, play a little game. Lance asks Luke, ‘What does Daddy do?’ And Luke always answers, ‘Daddy makes them suffer.'”

Best Sports Cities

Sporting News announced its 2003 Best Sports Cities last week. Anaheim-Los Angeles was number one. Others of interest: Denver 10th, Baltimore-Washington 14th, Portland 39th, Tucson 66th, Albuquerque 105th. Albuquerque is asking for a recount — Las Cruces was 101st.

SI’s Top 20 Venues of the 20th Century

1. Yankee Stadium
2. Augusta National
3. Michie Stadium (West Point)
4. Cameron Indoor Stadium
5. Bislett Stadium (Oslo)
6. Wrigley Field
7. Roland Garros
8. Lambeau Field
9. Fenway Park
10. Saratoga Race Course
11. Pebble Beach
12. Wembley Stadium
13. The Pit
14. Boston Marathon Course
15. Camden Yards
16. Lamade Stadium (Williamsport, PA)
17. Daytona International Speedway
18. Notre Dame Stadium
19. St. Andrews
20. Rose Bowl

Details

The game about the game

Madden – Sports’ new arbiter of cool

To a new generation of football players, landing on the cover of the latest version of [Madden NFL] is a career-defining experience, the way an enormous shoe contract, or the Wheaties box, or the cover of Sports Illustrated once determined which sports stars had hit the big time. “I mean this is a dream come true, for me to be on the cover of Madden NFL and be part of the game,” this year’s cover boy, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, gushed to the Sporting News. “It’s something you think about as a kid, but you don’t think it will ever happen.” (Vick is 23, which means he was 9 when the original John Madden Football was released for the Apple II.)

NewMexiKen walked into Best Buy to purchase the new Eva Cassidy CD the other evening. A football game was in progress on a large screen TV near the front of the store. The depiction was so real I wondered who was playing, then realized it was Madden 2004.

A’s Pass Red Sox in Wild Card Race

And are just three back of the Mariners in the AL West. (Where are the Angels?)

Which brings me again to Moneyball by Michael Lewis, which I read last month. Lewis spent a lot of last season with the Oakland A’s front office, primarily General Manager Billy Beane. Lewis shows—convincingly—why the A’s can win 100 games a year with one of baseball’s lowest payrolls. It’s a fascinating insight into modern baseball, complete with enough baseball anecdotes to animate the story. Lewis is a superb writer.

Ya gotta believe

“Ninety percent I’ll spend on good times, women and Irish Whiskey. The other ten percent I’ll probably waste.”

Tug McGraw on what he’d do with his 1980 World Series share ($34,693). In 2002 the winner’s share (each player) was $272,147.