Exciting time in sports
It's not uncommon to hear that the sports scene sucks this time of year. No football or basketball, college or pros. Baseball dominates Sportscenter, but it's boring without Barry.
So how is it that I find myself overwhelmed with exciting sporting events and news to follow this week, dominated by hockey (in the summer), bike racing, poker, and golf? Forget the big three. This is where the action is:
Hockey is back, baby!
After the disgraceful loss of an entire season, the owners and players have finally come to a labor agreement, and training camps will open on time. Hockey's ills won't be cured by labor peace, but they certainly weren't going to be cured during another protracted holdout, so this is a big first step. Next action item: opening up the game and making it more accessible to the average fan. This starts by regulating and enforcing goalie pad sizes, the #1 most important step that can be taken (besides actually playing) to improve the game. As big a Ducks fan as I am, comparing Jiggy's pads in '03 to those of goalies in the early '80s is ridiculous. I also hear that the red line may be going bye-bye. Anything to open up the game is good. The one thing I don't 
want to see is overtime shootouts, which are on the table. I'm fine with ties. I just want the 5-5 variety.
So now that hockey is back, I look forward to going to many Sharks games at the Tank (hockey is the best sport to watch in person) and watching games at Russell's and Lisa's places on HDTV (hockey is the best sport to watch on HDTV)! There's nothing like it.
Lance going out like Elway
It was awesome to see Gerald watch his first ever stage of the Tour de France last night on OLN, because I could literally see a new fan being created. During the pre-race discussion, he walked over to my room and said, "No way they race 120 miles in one day. They make stops, right?" Yeah they stop, after the 120 miles are done. Then they do it again the next day, and for the next 20 days after that.
Later, during a mountain descent, he screamed, "Sixty miles per hour! Holy $#!*! These guys are insane!" Yes they are. And the 14 percent grade they just climbed over the previous 15 miles to get to that descent is even more insane. Compare that to the 6 percent grade my car struggles to climb when I drive through the Grapevine. Sick.
We watched the entire stage, all 120 miles of it, and it was thrilling! It was the first mountain-top finish of this year's tour, and as Lance has done at the same stage of his previous six tours, he took control of the race and decimated his top rivals. The race isn't over, and I won't jinx him, but if he maintains his current form and avoids any hazards, he'll go out like one of my other all-time favorites: on top. That guy was also fond of the number 7.
Raymer the real deal
The Fossilman came out of nowhere to win the WSOP Main Event last year, but he's proving this year that it was no fluke. Over 5,600 people entered (barely 500 entered back when Johnny Chan was winning the thing), only 27 remain, and Raymer has the 5th-largest chip stack. To come back and make it this far after winning it all last year is amazing. How can I not root for him to do it again?
Chip lead is, ugh, Mike the Mouth Matusow. I can't stand him (who can?), though this does set up the possibility of a repeat from last year's tournament, when Raymer busted Matusow and literally sent him off crying. I would enjoy seeing that again.
Stack #2 belongs to the very intimidating Phil Ivey. Gotta respect that guy's skills. He's probably the best player remaining and has to be considered the favorite, but I'll be pulling for the jolly big guy in the goofy glasses. We'll have our winner in a couple days, so stay tuned. Or avoid my blog and be surprised on ESPN in three freakin' months. Ridiculous.
Wie back in action
What do you know, she's playing the guys again, though this time in an amateur event, and she's been clutch! The first two rounds are medal play to determine the top 64 for a match play tournament, and despite a really poor start, she pulled herself together to make it to the tournament portion of the event. Then she sunk a 15-foot birdie on the 18th hole to win her first match, 1-up! Go Michelle!
So this morning she's in the round of 32, and if she wins, she'll immediately go back out for the Sweet 16 in the afternoon. A ton is at stake in this tournament. Winner gets an automatic invite to the Masters at Augusta, where no woman has ever played, let alone a teenage girl.
Another player already came out earlier this week and said that she doesn't belong in this tournament. The reason: "Guys aren't allowed to play in women's tournaments, so I don't see why they should be able to play in ours." You don't see? Really? Then it's a good thing you're good at golf, dumb ass. How about because there is no men's tour? It's just a tour for everyone (as the rules state), and the only reason it's all men is because the best players are all men. Or were. Wie qualified fair and square, through the same process as everyone else, and she's already beaten most of the field. This ass clown is still alive in the tournament, and I hope Wie gets a chance to take him down. The (huge) galleries have been really supportive, and the fact that she's gotten this far is already a fantastic achievement. Have I ever mentioned that she's only 15?
Eldrick the favorite at St. Andrews
The third major of the year kicks off this morning, and Tiger is an overwhelming favorite to win the second Claret Jug of his career (and his second major of the year). It could be due to the fact that he won by 8 strokes the last time the Open was played there, with the largest ever score under par at a major. That'll usually do it. I don't want to jinx him, but if there were ever a sure thing in golf...
I frankly don't care for watching golf unless Tiger wins, so I'm hoping he puts a pounding on the field (and I think he will). I often wonder how closely I'll follow the Tour de France after this year, once Lance is retired. I know I'll still watch, because I do enjoy the sport, but it'll be with less passion. With golf, I don't have to wonder at all. I know I wouldn't watch without Tiger, and now Michelle. I also wouldn't have bothered writing about the WSOP if it weren't for Raymer's encore performance. Without him, it's just a bunch of guys I don't care about playing cards (granted, for $56 million in prize money). So if you think I'm strange for being so excited about bike racing, poker, and golf, it's more (or entirely) about the people involved, and less about the sport itself. Hockey I love regardless. Which brings us to:
Rove feeling like a puck
I had to throw this one in, because the way these guys play, politics is most definitely a sport. I must say, I'm bored with the minutiae of the scandal. Did Rove leak a CIA operative's identity? Was the identity already known before the leak, which, even if he didn't know at the time, would get him off the hook? Can he be classified as a whistle blower? How does one define "is"? I could care less.
I am, however, enjoying the relentless fervor with which Jon Stewart has been going after this story on The Daily Show. He showed one clip of Press Secretary Scott McClellan being absolutely hammered by reporters for ducking their questions with the official stance that the White House will not comment on an ongoing investigation, when just a while back it was happy to comment on the same investigation when the $#!* had yet to hit the proverbial fan. Then Stewart leans in and whispers, "We've secretly replaced the White House press corps with...actual reporters."
Stewart then cuts to a clip demonstrating McClellan "losing his cool" in the face of this onslaught, where he says to a reporter, "I already answered that question, Dick." Stewart: "Oh, that is so low, calling a reporter a dick." Hilarious show; I highly recommend it.
On the serious side, I am very curious to see whether Bush cans Rove's ass as promised, or whether he tries to sweep this one under the rug. Two things about Bush that are admirable, but in serious conflict with each other: he absolutely hates unauthorized leaks (he has mastered the art of the authorized ones) and has already sworn to fire the person responsible for this one, but he is also fiercely loyal to his friends. What's this mean for Rove? The White House does not comment on an ongoing investigation. Sigh.
So how is it that I find myself overwhelmed with exciting sporting events and news to follow this week, dominated by hockey (in the summer), bike racing, poker, and golf? Forget the big three. This is where the action is:
Hockey is back, baby!
After the disgraceful loss of an entire season, the owners and players have finally come to a labor agreement, and training camps will open on time. Hockey's ills won't be cured by labor peace, but they certainly weren't going to be cured during another protracted holdout, so this is a big first step. Next action item: opening up the game and making it more accessible to the average fan. This starts by regulating and enforcing goalie pad sizes, the #1 most important step that can be taken (besides actually playing) to improve the game. As big a Ducks fan as I am, comparing Jiggy's pads in '03 to those of goalies in the early '80s is ridiculous. I also hear that the red line may be going bye-bye. Anything to open up the game is good. The one thing I don't want to see is overtime shootouts, which are on the table. I'm fine with ties. I just want the 5-5 variety.So now that hockey is back, I look forward to going to many Sharks games at the Tank (hockey is the best sport to watch in person) and watching games at Russell's and Lisa's places on HDTV (hockey is the best sport to watch on HDTV)! There's nothing like it.
Lance going out like Elway
It was awesome to see Gerald watch his first ever stage of the Tour de France last night on OLN, because I could literally see a new fan being created. During the pre-race discussion, he walked over to my room and said, "No way they race 120 miles in one day. They make stops, right?" Yeah they stop, after the 120 miles are done. Then they do it again the next day, and for the next 20 days after that.Later, during a mountain descent, he screamed, "Sixty miles per hour! Holy $#!*! These guys are insane!" Yes they are. And the 14 percent grade they just climbed over the previous 15 miles to get to that descent is even more insane. Compare that to the 6 percent grade my car struggles to climb when I drive through the Grapevine. Sick.
We watched the entire stage, all 120 miles of it, and it was thrilling! It was the first mountain-top finish of this year's tour, and as Lance has done at the same stage of his previous six tours, he took control of the race and decimated his top rivals. The race isn't over, and I won't jinx him, but if he maintains his current form and avoids any hazards, he'll go out like one of my other all-time favorites: on top. That guy was also fond of the number 7.
Raymer the real deal
The Fossilman came out of nowhere to win the WSOP Main Event last year, but he's proving this year that it was no fluke. Over 5,600 people entered (barely 500 entered back when Johnny Chan was winning the thing), only 27 remain, and Raymer has the 5th-largest chip stack. To come back and make it this far after winning it all last year is amazing. How can I not root for him to do it again?Chip lead is, ugh, Mike the Mouth Matusow. I can't stand him (who can?), though this does set up the possibility of a repeat from last year's tournament, when Raymer busted Matusow and literally sent him off crying. I would enjoy seeing that again.
Stack #2 belongs to the very intimidating Phil Ivey. Gotta respect that guy's skills. He's probably the best player remaining and has to be considered the favorite, but I'll be pulling for the jolly big guy in the goofy glasses. We'll have our winner in a couple days, so stay tuned. Or avoid my blog and be surprised on ESPN in three freakin' months. Ridiculous.
Wie back in action
What do you know, she's playing the guys again, though this time in an amateur event, and she's been clutch! The first two rounds are medal play to determine the top 64 for a match play tournament, and despite a really poor start, she pulled herself together to make it to the tournament portion of the event. Then she sunk a 15-foot birdie on the 18th hole to win her first match, 1-up! Go Michelle!So this morning she's in the round of 32, and if she wins, she'll immediately go back out for the Sweet 16 in the afternoon. A ton is at stake in this tournament. Winner gets an automatic invite to the Masters at Augusta, where no woman has ever played, let alone a teenage girl.
Another player already came out earlier this week and said that she doesn't belong in this tournament. The reason: "Guys aren't allowed to play in women's tournaments, so I don't see why they should be able to play in ours." You don't see? Really? Then it's a good thing you're good at golf, dumb ass. How about because there is no men's tour? It's just a tour for everyone (as the rules state), and the only reason it's all men is because the best players are all men. Or were. Wie qualified fair and square, through the same process as everyone else, and she's already beaten most of the field. This ass clown is still alive in the tournament, and I hope Wie gets a chance to take him down. The (huge) galleries have been really supportive, and the fact that she's gotten this far is already a fantastic achievement. Have I ever mentioned that she's only 15?
Eldrick the favorite at St. Andrews
The third major of the year kicks off this morning, and Tiger is an overwhelming favorite to win the second Claret Jug of his career (and his second major of the year). It could be due to the fact that he won by 8 strokes the last time the Open was played there, with the largest ever score under par at a major. That'll usually do it. I don't want to jinx him, but if there were ever a sure thing in golf...I frankly don't care for watching golf unless Tiger wins, so I'm hoping he puts a pounding on the field (and I think he will). I often wonder how closely I'll follow the Tour de France after this year, once Lance is retired. I know I'll still watch, because I do enjoy the sport, but it'll be with less passion. With golf, I don't have to wonder at all. I know I wouldn't watch without Tiger, and now Michelle. I also wouldn't have bothered writing about the WSOP if it weren't for Raymer's encore performance. Without him, it's just a bunch of guys I don't care about playing cards (granted, for $56 million in prize money). So if you think I'm strange for being so excited about bike racing, poker, and golf, it's more (or entirely) about the people involved, and less about the sport itself. Hockey I love regardless. Which brings us to:
Rove feeling like a puck
I had to throw this one in, because the way these guys play, politics is most definitely a sport. I must say, I'm bored with the minutiae of the scandal. Did Rove leak a CIA operative's identity? Was the identity already known before the leak, which, even if he didn't know at the time, would get him off the hook? Can he be classified as a whistle blower? How does one define "is"? I could care less.I am, however, enjoying the relentless fervor with which Jon Stewart has been going after this story on The Daily Show. He showed one clip of Press Secretary Scott McClellan being absolutely hammered by reporters for ducking their questions with the official stance that the White House will not comment on an ongoing investigation, when just a while back it was happy to comment on the same investigation when the $#!* had yet to hit the proverbial fan. Then Stewart leans in and whispers, "We've secretly replaced the White House press corps with...actual reporters."
Stewart then cuts to a clip demonstrating McClellan "losing his cool" in the face of this onslaught, where he says to a reporter, "I already answered that question, Dick." Stewart: "Oh, that is so low, calling a reporter a dick." Hilarious show; I highly recommend it.
On the serious side, I am very curious to see whether Bush cans Rove's ass as promised, or whether he tries to sweep this one under the rug. Two things about Bush that are admirable, but in serious conflict with each other: he absolutely hates unauthorized leaks (he has mastered the art of the authorized ones) and has already sworn to fire the person responsible for this one, but he is also fiercely loyal to his friends. What's this mean for Rove? The White House does not comment on an ongoing investigation. Sigh.
posted by Chang Kim at Wednesday, July 13, 2005
5 Comments:
So seriously, why couldn't you put a sumo wrestler in the hockey goal and give him padding to cover up whatever holes might be open? Give him a magazine to read and tap him on the shoulder when the game is over.
Actually, I've often wondered the same thing. Find the biggest guy in North America, throw on his pads, and slide him into the crease. Voila, the next Patrick Roy.
Raymer....i dunno man...after watching him last year i didn't respect him too much since he got lucky a few times and if the odds came out the way they should have, then Raymer would've had a lot of big chip stack hits that would've brought him down *one being when pocket tens beats pocket aces* but maybe this yr it'll be different. As much as i hate "the mouth" i...forget it i hope he loses and goes home and cries to his mommy...what a fricken dick he's like those obnoxious players in Warcraft that just scream profanities and racial slurs at you
plus he won almost every one of his coin flips...lucky. And i'm not talking out of my butt when i talk about the WSOP cause i've watched those episodes way too many times...i know who's going to win the hand with what before it even comes out =D
But you are just reinforcing my point, which is this: it's easy to attribute last year's result to luck, say he's not a good player, that he just got the cards. That's fine. A lot of people have said it, which is why I brought it up in the first place.
But for him to come back the very next year and finish 25th (he finally busted out), ahead of 5600 entrants, do you think he just got lucky again? You're welcome to that opinion, but I think this year's performance has shown that he is the real deal.
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