Sunday, November 10, 2013

A FEW QUICK POINTS

***IS BASEBALL THE NATIONAL PASTIME?***
...or is it the NFL? How about college football as a choice? Nebraska and Michigan played at Ann Arbor, Mich. this past weekend. They are ranked 31st & 32nd in the nation in most polls, yet the game in "The Big House" drew 112,204 fans. Boston doesn't draw that many fans in a holiday weekend against the Yankees.

***ADDING INSULT TO INJURY***
They auctioned off Bill Mazeroski's baseball memorabilia this past Saturday. It brought in $1.7 million dollars. I assumed a full size baseball stadium was included, but no. Has anyone in the sport ever made more out of one swing of the bat than Mazeroski?

***GENERAL MANAGERS MEETING***
They will meet starting on Monday in Florida (what, you were expecting maybe Duluth, Minnesota?) They'll be discussing things like rule changes, instant replay and safety issues. Even though it is all the GMs, don't expect any trades, especially major ones. They kind of pussy-foot around and try to learn who's after what, who might be available and willing to spend money. The big moves will take place at the Winter Baseball Meetings (owners, presidents and GMs)  on December 9th. In Florida, of course (the Taj Mahal was booked). So the GM meeting is like an EBT, Examination Before Trial, where information is exchanged before they go at each other, hammer and tong. Because agents like Scott Boras will also be there, hammer and tong seems appropriate.

***TWO MORE FOR THE SPORTSCASTERS DICTIONARY***
Phil Mushnick, NY Post, gives us these gems:
Neutral-zone infraction (Offsides, if all you speak is English)
Score the basketball or Put it in the hoop, Hit the bottom of the net (We called it making a basket)

***SOME CITIES TAKE THEIR SPORTS SERIOUSLY***
Martin Walsh was elected Mayor of Boston last week, defeating John Connolly. What's interesting here is that David Ortiz finished third with just write-in votes. This is not a joke, at least not in the traditional sense. Okay, he was some 67,000 votes behind Connolly, but Derek Jeter has never gotten that kind of recognition.  First, they hire Bobby Valentine, now this. Boston is becoming a very scary place.

***THEY SAID IT***
"Nebraska defeated Michigan 17-13 despite a rash of injuries. To give you an idea how banged up the Huskers are, during the winning drive three guys in the huddle were on crutches."  -- Brad Dickson
"Pat Knight says he hopes his father Bob, who still holds a grudge against Indiana University for firing him, will eventually return for a basketball game. Maybe the Hoosiers could someday invite Bob to throw out the first chair?"  -- Janice Hough
"Hackers got into the Miami Dolphin cheerleaders’ website, rerouting visitors to a porn site. Even that wasn’t as obscene as what came out of Richie Incognito’s mouth."  -- RJ Currie
"Boston Red Sox have made qualifying offers to free agents Ellsbury, Napoli, Drew and those two guitarists from ZZ Top."  -- TC Chong
"The Guinness Book of World Records crew is on high alert after a surfer off the coast of Portugal reportedly caught a 100-foot wave. Or as surfing sabermetricians prefer to call it, hanging 10-squared."  -- Dwight Perry
"Colorado has a 1-7 record in pregame coin flips. A team spokesman said the Buffs would spend extra time practicing coin-calls this week."  -- Steve Harvey
"A sure sign your favorite team is having a bad season: “The gift shop sells brown paper bags."  -- RJ Currie
"The annual Soap Opera Awards are coming up. The Miami Dolphins have been nominated."  -- Brad Dickson
"This year’s Breeders Cup horse races were a tremendous success with thirteen races run to determine champions in their respective classes. The “Horse of the Year” award still went to incumbent Camilla Parker Bowles."  -- TC Chong [I don't write 'em, I just copy 'em - CP]
"Reuters reports a hunter aiming at a moose accidentally shot a senior in a distant house. Who was the hunter? Tim Tebow?"  -- RJ Currie
"There’s a move afoot to change the name of Lake City, Tenn., to Rocky Top — as in the title of the University of Tennessee fight song. So what’s next, changing New Haven, Conn., to “Boola Boola”?  -- Dwight Perry

CP-


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