The Sporting Life category archive
Game Changed 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, sociology professor Thomas Henricks explores why football has for all practical purposes supplanted baseball as America’s “national pastime.” It’s interesting and, in some ways, rather depressing read.
Me, I’ve pretty much lost interest in both: football because of the moral bankruptcy of the NCAA ruling body and and the odious behavior of too many of the NFL owners; baseball because the games have gotten just too darned long to be worth my time.
(But I still read Bob Molinaro’s column every week, because he is fine writer with a wicked sense of humor.)
A Bridge Too Favre 0
The Los Angeles Times’s LZ Granderson, who has ties to Mississippi, digs into Brett Farve’s role in–er–misappropriating public funds intended to help the less-well-off to serve his own private ends. A snippet:
Once is a mistake.*
He came back for seconds.
______________________
*Yeah. Right.
Illegal Procedure 0
At AL.com, Roy S. Johnson takes takes a long look at Brett Farve’s role in misappropriating public funds intended to help the needy. Johnson points out that
Follow the link for the play-by-play.
The Maddening Maddened Crowd
0
Yet another (particularly vile) example that “social” media isn’t.
The Shills 0
SFGate’s Drew Magary marvels as ESPN’s relentless promoting of sports betting.
Danny Dodges the Man 0
Joe Patrice says, “Bon voyage, Dan Snyder.“
“Fake Left, Run Right” 0
I used to enjoy watching football, both pro and college.
What turned me off was the corruption.
I get so much more useful stuff done on weekends any more.
Aside:
I never had enjoyed basketball or hockey on the television, though I used to enjoy them in person when I lived conveniently close to an arena. I find them too fast-moving to fit inside the screen. I still enjoy baseball, but the games are getting so looooooooonnnnnnggggg.
Vaccine Nation, Prima Donna Dept. 0
Bob Molinaro, sportswriter extraordinaire:
We are a society of selfish.
It’s All about the Benjamins 0
Bob Molinaro, sportswriter extraordinaire:
Who asked for 17, anyway? Not the fans. They were content with 16, but for owners and TV, increased revenue comes before the interests of players and fans. Soon, there will be an 18-game schedule, because why not if it means more money?
Shills 0
It would seem I’m not the only one bugged by all those sports (and other) betting ads that are now flooding my telly vision.
Bob Molinaro, sportswriter extraordinaire, has a wonder:
Aside:
Personally, I spell gamble “l-o-s-e” (except for that one time I hit an exacta at Delaware Park; my then-father-in-law like the play the ponies–and he was pretty good at it, too–so we’d go to the track when he visited during racing season).
I will confess that he tutored me on how to read the racing form, but I picked those two horses myself.
Faking a Passing a Fake
0
Wall Street’s got nothing on the Green Bay Packers.
Game Day 0
I was in the ABC store yesterday and a couple of the customers and one of the staff were joshing with each other about Sunday’s football games.
I realized that I had no clue as to what they were joking about.
When I got to the checkout, the young lady at the register said, “This concludes the entertainment portion of your visit.”
I said, “I lost interest in football . . . because of the corruption. In the NFL, it’s the owners. In college, it’s the NCAA. It’s amazing how much more fun I have on Saturdays and Sundays now.”
I realized that I don’t miss football.
Not at all.
The Lies of the Land, True Believers Dept. 0
Psychology professor Cortney Warren parses Aaron Rodgers the Dodger’s vaccination doublespeak (as you will recall, he said he was “immunized,” but avoided the word “vaccinated”) and probes the question of whether or not he believed his verbal dance would be seen as the lie that many others see it as. Here’s a bit (emphasis added):
Aside:
Methinks the sentence I emphasized sheds a spotlight on lots of what goes on in “social” media.
Stray Thought 0
Athletic skill and intelligence are independent variables.
Vaccine Nation 0
Sportswriter extraordinaire Bob Molinaro (emphasis in the original):
We are a society of stupid.
Vaccine Nation 0
The coach of the Washington Football Team is fed up with vaccine disinformation and the anti-vaxx crowd. Here’s a bit from the report:
“And then one specific news agency, every time they have someone on, ‘I’m not a doctor, but vaccines don’t work,’ Or ‘I’m not an epidemiologist, but vaccines are going to give you a third nipple and make you sterile,’” Rivera continued. “Come on. That, to me? That should not be allowed.”
Hmmmmm. One wonders what “specific news agency” he has in mind. No, one doesn’t.
