A Little Sports Potpourri

1. I miss Dandy Don. Early Monday Night Football announcer Don Meredith passed away yesterday. For all you folks who like watching football, I am not sure I can explain the importance of Don Meredith and his two buddies, Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford to the sport. They came along when football was just another game, along side basketball, and right after the baseball season. But Monday Night Football changed that. It was an event. It was appointment viewing, either at home or in a bar. Monday Night Football made the NFL and sports television what it is today. If you go to sports bars to watch games these days, thank Don, and Howard, and Frank. Rest in peace Don Meredith... and say hello to Howard. 2. Auburn vs. Oregon in the BCS Championship. I admit, I am conflicted about this. I grew up rooting for the Pacific 8/10 and have been a fan all of my life. But my son went to Auburn and I have come to love that school. I have many friends who have attended Oregon, and a nephew who is also an Auburn grad, so picking a winner is going to be tough. But here is where I am. I am taking Auburn in a lower scoring game than most people think. I think Auburn coach Gene Chizik is a better defensive coach than Oregon coach Chip Kelly, and defense wins championships. Sorry Gordon. 3. Adrian Gonzalez signs with the Red Sox. With apologies to my blogging friend Shaw over at Progressive Eruptions, this is another nail in the baseball coffin. Following a trend that started when Curt Flood challenged the reserve clause of baseball, Gonzalez is the latest star to leave the team that gave him his start for more money. Is it any wonder kids have no allegiance to a specific team. Except for a few rare exceptions, gone are the days when players were identified primarily with one team. Think Mays and the Giants, Ripkin and the Orioles, Koufax and the Dodgers, and now Jeter and the Yankees. While good for the Red Sox, this was bad for baseball. 4. With apologies to Peyton Manning, Tom Brady is the man in the NFL. A winner and champion to me is someone who can elevate those around him to another level. Think Magic Johnson here. He came to a team that had all the parts and made them champions. If you take Tom Brady off the Patriots, they are not the same team. They'd still be good, but not the dynasty they are on the verge of becoming. If this team wins the AFC and the Super Bowl this year, Brady just might replace Joe Montana in the eyes of many as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. 5. A judge has ruled in favor of Jamie McCourt in the Dodger Divorce Duel. This potentially means that to settle their divorce, the McCourt family will have to sell the Dodgers. I could only hope that maybe Magic Johnson might be interested. We could do a lot worse.

A Little Respite

I love sports. Perhaps one of the reasons is because it provides me with a needed respite from the realities of day to day life. I find in sports many of the qualities that I believe are essential to succeed, excel, and really enjoy life. Things like drive, determination, passion, and hard work. The other day my son Joseph posted on his blog Shadow Sports, his Top Ten Sporting Events. Check it out. That got me to thinking about my list. So I decided to do mine with a twist. So here it is…10 of my favorite sporting events, in no particular order, that I have seen live on television or in person. Fernandomania. This was in 1981 when Fernando Valenzuela broke in with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was phenomenal. He pitched great, the park was full, and he was young and full of charisma. Almost single-handedly he rescued baseball from the strike doldrums. UNLV vs. Georgetown. A great basketball game in the early 80’s. The Thomas and Mack Arena was packed and the house was rockin’. You cannot imagine what it was like in those days. Not even the MJ led Bulls had a house like this! The Rebels lost but had the Mighty Hoyas, led by Patrick Ewing, down late in the game. I think G’town won by only 2 or 3 points. UNLV moved up in the college basketball rankings with that loss. Virtually unheard of before, or since. Jerry Reuss No-Hitter. Nothing short of brilliant. Reuss allowed one base runner, after an error by Shortstop Bill Russell. Simply one of the most dominant pitching performances I have ever seen, and I have seen Hall of Famers Gibson, Seaver, Carlton and Marichal. The fact that it was against the hated Giants was just icing on the cake. Monday Night Football. Live with Howard Cosell. Face it, there was nothing better. It was what came to be known as appointment viewing. You had to watch. Maybe the best part was halftime and the highlight reel. It was SportsCenter before ESPN! Magical. NASL. Yeah that's right…soccer, in 1976, here in the US. But not just any soccer, the New York Cosmos vs. the Los Angeles Aztecs, played in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. What made the game great? The Pele led Cosmos beat the George Best led Aztecs 2-1. To see two of the greatest soccer players in history (both pictured here) was an unbelievable experience. The greatest player ever, Pele, scored the winning goal. USC vs. Notre Dame, the 1974 Edition. SC trailed 24 – 0 late in the second half when Anthony Davis went in to make the score 24 – 6. It did not look good for the Trojan faithful, until lightning struck. In the third quarter SC scored 35 unanswered points to demolish the Irish 55 – 24. 2002 World Series. The Angels won, beating the Barry Bonds led Giants 4 games to 3. As a lifelong Angel fan, to finally see “my” team win a World Series was unbelievable. US vs. Brazil. Yep, soccer again! I was in Guadalajara, Mexico where the game was being played and was given a ticket to the game. One problem, I had to preach that night at a small church just outside of the city center, so I couldn’t go. After church I was invited to a member’s home where they had a small black and white television from the 60’s. We put the game on and saw the entire second half. The US lost 2 – 1, but it was a great game and watching with the family made it all the better. Game 6, NBA Finals, 1980. If you know your sports history, there is nothing else I need to say. If not, here is your clue… Magic jumped center. That’s right. Magic Johnson, in my opinion the Most Valuable Player in NBA History, a guard, jumped center against the Dr. J. led Philadelphia 76er’s. Magic’s line that night… 42 points, 15 boards, 7 assists, and 3 steals. Not bad for a rookie! Dr. J called Magic unreal after that game. And I saw every minute of it from the floor of a local hardware store in Las Vegas, while on break from my job, with one of my best friends, on a TV set they were selling, with half of the store crowded around. But my favorite sporting event I ever saw was a small college hockey tournament in a small gym outside of Chicago a few years back. What made it so special? I spent the whole day in that freezing place, watching some great hockey, with my son Joseph. The world did not exist that day. It was one of the best days of my life. (Just so you know, I think hockey is the best sport in the world when you see it live. The speed, grace, and power all mixed together in that cold arena can’t be beat.) So there you have it. If you feel like it, add yours to the list. Sorry if you have tried to comment on the last two posts. For some reason "New Blogger" is not allowing that on my blog. I hope to get it fixed real soon. Dave technorati tags: Sports, Life, MNF