12/21/24
February 19, 2002
Thinking About Jamie Sale: The past week in sports
I have to admit, I stopped watching the Olympics. I mean, yes - I watched curling (good God, what the hell is going on?), some of the short track skating (short guys in bunches!) as well as the downhill and ski jumping events (people doing things on mountains they were never meant to by nature). But I just dipped in to NBC's coverage, because as cute as she is, I am sick of Jamie Sale's face. And it's a cute face - but please take them off the screen. You know the people most upset at the IOC's decision to give them the gold wasn't the Russian team (who must feel double gyped) but NBC. I was getting ready for Scott Hamilton (The Head Shrieker) to bust out with film of the event, and break it down Zapruder style. With that dying down, we can probably look forward to 1 billion rehashes of The Michelle Kwan Story.
I may sound like an old man, but I liked it better when the biggest story of the game wasn't about trailer park ice skaters or "fragile" judges, instead it was about crazies from Jamaica who figured "why the hell not" and tried to bobsled.
I'm not sure I'd like to be Jon Gruden. Sure, he gets paid up the wazoo - but he's effectively on a team that dealt their future to get him, along with a whiny loudmouth wide receiver who seems intent on dividing the locker room and a good defensive player who's usually a leader but in a slump. Oh, and your bosses are totally clueless bumblers who make Dan Snyder seem like a well reasoned master of the game. Well, maybe not that clueless - but still.
I'm worried about Anna Kournikova. As noted here on Sportsfilter, she is in Enrique Iglesias' new video. Tie in the modeling, acting, and commercials - when is she going to find time for tennis? Who cares if she wins (and I hope she never does), but guys around the world will lose their excuses for watching her. When she's on TV you can be "watching a tennis match", otherwise you may as well be watching the Victoria's Secret special - and there goes your excuse. Anna, the men of America implore you to slow down.
Spring training gets ready to rumble, and I prepare myself for another sad, sad year with the Orioles and Marlins. Cal Ripken's gone - so even that is thrown out. I've been in LA for 3 years, so I could adopt the Dodgers but I have a sneaking suspicion that won't turn out well either.
I'm not getting the NASCAR thing either. Every time I flip through the zoom-zoom is somewhat calming but I always get the feeling there's something more scintillating on. Usually there is.
For guys like me, who are deeply tied in to one sport with everything else on the periphery - we're just awaiting Mel's return from the top of Mount Draftstuvius. Because we know there's a kid with "intangibles" hanging around in the 4th round...
Oliver Willis thinks there's a good chance LaVar Arrington will knock 3-4 quarterbacks into the following Tuesday during the course of the 2002 season. God willing, at least one will be from Dallas.
posted by owillis to commentary at 05:03 AM - 0 comments