- 01:58 PM
- 12/21/24
| Member since: | March 01, 2005 |
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| Last visit: | July 21, 2006 |
the red terror has posted 38 links and 458 comments to SportsFilter and 0 links and 0 comments to the Locker Room.
An American Tragedy: Pat Tillman's Uncertain Death.: ESPN today published an exhaustive investigative report into the death of America's most celebrated volunteer -- former Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman. In Part One, ESPN asks: "Was the Army and/or the White House so desperate for a positive spin that they morphed Pat Tillman into a male version of Jessica Lynch? ... Tillman's Silver Star suggests the possibility of spin."
posted by the red terror to culture at 05:20 PM on July 20, 2006 - 116 comments
Protests a turning point in the history of New Zealand. : In Tri-Nations action this weekend, South Africa visits New Zealand. NZH and TVNZ look back 25 years when the 1981 Springboks toured NZ. The ensuing public protests polarised the New Zealand population as no other issue has in that nation's history. In scenes reminiscent of South Africa itself, protesters clashed with police and enraged rugby fans; rugby grounds resembled war zones, barbwired and barricaded. During the final test match at Eden Park, a low-flying light plane disrupted the match by dropping flour-bombs on the pitch. One of the flour bombs brained an All Black on the head. The pilot served six months' jail for the stunt. From Robben Island prison, Nelson Mandela said "the sun shone through the dark corridors of the cells" when he heard about the protests. TVNZ has a 24-minute documentary broken into three separate small javascript video clips of the tour (each about 8-minutes long; the "flour bombing" is on the 3rd clip.) Definitely worth a look!
posted by the red terror to culture at 09:21 AM on July 19, 2006 - 4 comments
Rugby player declared brain dead after being beaten and kicked in the head during game. : Police are still undecided if a South African rugby player is going to be charged with murder after killing an opponent on the playing field. Boland (South Africa) rugby player Riaan Loots was "pummelled" and "kicked in the head" by an unnamed member of the "Delicious Rugby Team" during a game last Friday. Loots was in a coma and declared brain-dead on Sunday. A club manager of "Delicious" said racism was the cause and blames the ref for being unfair.
posted by the red terror to extreme at 08:54 AM on June 27, 2006 - 21 comments
"The most bizarre match in the history of Super 12/14 football.": Super 14 Final went Saturday between the Crusaders and Hurricanes. Those at Jade Stadium, Christchurch, were asking each other after the bell "Who won?" The only obvious reply was: "Haven't the foggiest."
posted by the red terror to other at 10:12 AM on May 28, 2006 - 7 comments
132nd Run for the Roses: America's most prestigious horse race, the Kentucky Derby goes this afternoon. Brother Derek is the best look here, he has been a phenom in California and thrashed the field in the Santa Anita Derby. But he gets a terrible barrier draw (18 post) and of course, favorites haven't won the Derby in decades. So back some roughies like Showing Up (20-1) and Sweetnorthernsaint with Kent Desormeaux riding. Fill out your boxes and wheels: Barbaro goes at short odds (4-1) with hot rider Edgar Prado up. Mike Smith won last year on Giacomo with one of the best Derby rides seen in years -- he saddles up today on Giacomo's brother Flashy Bull (50-1) from the extreme outside gate post.
posted by the red terror to other at 11:26 AM on May 06, 2006 - 7 comments
"Whatever the merits of the article, I feel like ESPN is exploiting Tillman as much as the current administration did." O-kay, let's assume for purposes of your point that ESPN is indeed exploiting Tillman's memory. Does that mean we're supposed to accept this as a moral equivalence? Or might we be dispassionate and reasonable enough to discern one party exploiting Tillman's life and death with fake phony revisionist lies that would make Stalin proud, and the other exploiting Tillman's life by trying to get at the truth? Is one exploitation exactly the same as the other? Or might there be a wee small sliver of difference? Not trying to pick a fight here, I'm just asking. Maybe it's just me, but being a sports fan has never meant leaving my brain at the door and letting others take advantage of my fandom and intelligence. Even professional wrestling fans know a "mark" when they see one.
posted by the red terror at 01:13 AM on July 21, 2006
"An American just put in one of the most courageous, gut-wrenching performances in the history of the Tour de France... (moan, gnash, whinge...)" I suppose volunteering for service and taking three bullets to the head lacks sufficient courage and wrenching of guts compared to a bicycle race. Glad to see you have your priorities in order. Here's a clue: if you don't like a headline, feel free to pass over the story and read something else. Nobody is holding a gun to your head. IMO the Tour de France will receive widespread coverage from AP and Reuters and more all over the globe today, tomorrow and this weekend. And I suspect most articles will all read exactly the same. ESPN's investigative report is an important piece of journalism, even if it does make some of us sleep a little less comfortably at night. If it distresses you, feel free to ask a loved one to tuck you in to bed, and know that as long as you're not sitting in a filthy trench with a helmet strapped tightly to your head, you'll wake up tomorrow morning no worse for wear.
posted by the red terror at 12:58 AM on July 21, 2006
"I read just the headlines about him deserving the Silver Star? He deserved the Silver Star for leaving millions of dollars to die for his country." So, what you're telling me is it's all about the money, and not about the life lost. Thanks, that changes everything. "Regardless of his cause of death. LET IT GO ESPN...please." Why? Because it pains you? ESPN did the most thorough investigation and reporting on the Tillman scandal I have yet seen or heard, and that was only Part 1. The facts indicate the Pentagon glorified Tillman's service and exploited it to recruit new enlistees. And it wasn't just Tillman they exploited, but NFL fans too. When he paid the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, the signs indicate politics took over. There was a cover-up, the truth was hidden from his FAMILY and his service was sold as a FICTION. That is everything Pat Tillman stood against. It seems to me that some sports fans actually expect and enjoy being played for gullible fools. The Silver Star was awarded to Tillman for one reason and one reason only: he was a celebrity athlete whose name recognition, service and death was exploited as a propaganda tool. Pat Tillman deserves better than that. His memory deserves the truth. Every American deserves the truth, especially since they are bankrolling it with their income tax.
posted by the red terror at 12:48 AM on July 21, 2006
"This happened like five years ago." At least you can count. All the way up to two. 1+1=5. "Can we please move on to something that is actually current?" The article was published today. "Sure its tragedy but who needs to hear about it all the time?" All the time? I bet you knew all the facts five years ago, right? I guess that's why you felt you didn't have to read the article. Thanks for the valuable comment.
posted by the red terror at 12:32 AM on July 21, 2006
Vizzini: "He didn't fall? INCONCEIVABLE!" Inigo Montoya: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
posted by the red terror at 12:59 PM on July 20, 2006
If Gibbons was going to blow up and challenge his players to a fight, he would have been better off directing his anger at middle relief. It's not Shea Hillenbrand's fault this team collapses in the 7th and 8th innings.
posted by the red terror at 12:54 PM on July 20, 2006
The team is imploding. Hillenbrand's departure isn't going to change much. The players are in shock, they say they didn't see it coming. Now reports are that Gibbons stormed into a players-only meeting and lost his temper. He is saying players will no longer be allowed players-only meetings. The more I hear, the more Gibbons sounds like a control-freak with a short fuse. Sounds to me like you've got two hot-heads here, and it reached a boiling point. Both guys probably deserve blame. If Hillenbrand was a cancer in the clubhouse, then Gibbons and Ricciardi should have seen it coming and dealt him weeks or months ago instead of letting it get this far and seeing his value plummet.
posted by the red terror at 12:35 PM on July 20, 2006
Hillenbrand's former manager at Arizona, Bob Brenly is on Fan 590 and says he can't speak for the Jays, but claims in his experience he never had a problem with Hillenbrand, claims he was a hard-nosed gamer that never caused him problems, was never a distraction. Says he loved the guy and couldn't have asked any more from him. Brenly believes there's a lot more to this story that none of us will ever find out.
posted by the red terror at 12:14 PM on July 20, 2006
Hillenbrand says Gibbons cursed him in front of the team and challenged him to a fight. He claims Gibbons wanted him to "punch him in the face," but Hillenbrand refused, saying "I'm an adult." If the fight challenge was in front of teammates as Hillenbrand claims, that doesn't make Gibbons look like the worlds best manager, either. Was he sending other teammates messages that no dissent will be tolerated. Maybe an insight into why Frank Catalanotto says he stands by the decision. He said/she said.
posted by the red terror at 12:04 PM on July 20, 2006
"I think Chacin pitched on his wedding day last year." Hardly a commendation. Baseball players get paid millions of dollars, they shouldn't schedule their weddings during the season.
posted by the red terror at 11:48 AM on July 20, 2006
Hillenbrand was on The Fan 590 a minute ago. Says he loves the team and city. He denies he ever ripped any Canadian flag off his cap. He denies he ever wrote the "sinking ship" comment on any chalkboard. He claims he wasn't in the dugout because Gibbons told him to get out. He claims he had his agent doing communication with Ricciardi because Ricciardi wouldn't talk to him. He even thanked the Blue Jay organization and said he "had a fun time." He said/she said...
posted by the red terror at 11:43 AM on July 20, 2006
J.P. Ricciardi on the Fan 590 this morning.
posted by the red terror at 09:36 AM on July 20, 2006
Joke taken. I apologised. Settle down. Let it go.
posted by the red terror at 09:35 AM on July 20, 2006
"There are also reports that he ripped the Canadian flag off his uniform and wrote "THIS SHIP IS SINKING" on the locker room blackboard." I have since heard he refused to sit in the dugout the other day, too. If true, then that would certainly be grounds for dismissal. Having said that, a team needs a CAPTAIN who can step forward and take responsibility for reading riot acts and kicking a players ass before it ever gets to the level of management. I'd be disappointed if his teammates didn't try sorting him out first.
posted by the red terror at 09:33 AM on July 20, 2006
An American Tragedy: Pat Tillman's Uncertain Death.
The last comment I will make about the matter for readers disturbed that ESPN did this investigative report and angry that people like me think it important, is to point you in the direction of the "About" link at the top of the SportsFilter page. It reads in part: "SportsFilter is a weblog where anyone can contribute a sports-related link and participate in discussions. The range of topics includes anything in the world of sports, from football, baseball, horse racing, and the Olympics to sports personalities, culture and the impact of sports on society." Far as I'm concerned, the topic qualifies. If I can add a disclaimer, the thread was posted in the category of "Culture," not "Football." Peace.