04/19/24
June 11, 2010
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
The Daily Show (helmed by a former William and Mary player) has given John Oliver the terrible, awful, unenviable task of travelling to South Africa to do funny reports on the World Cup. His first report, done stateside, is a cracker.
posted by etagloh at 09:29 AM on June 11, 2010
That linkdoesn't work for me, etagloh.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 10:29 AM on June 11, 2010
Me neither. Is John Oliver actually travelling to South Africa, or or will he be reporting the way the Daily Show usually does their 'on location' spots? (i.e. green screen 10 feet away from the news desk)
posted by bender at 10:36 AM on June 11, 2010
Hm, try here and skip forward to the second section.
And yes, Oliver's in South Africa.
posted by etagloh at 12:14 PM on June 11, 2010
That's Why They Play the Games from a blog inspired by Soccernomics.
posted by billsaysthis at 01:52 PM on June 11, 2010
Boise State jumping to Mountain West conference.
posted by graymatters at 02:34 PM on June 11, 2010
I think that is a big move for Boise State. With the Big 12 implosion underway it would seem that their days with an automatic BCS bid are numbered. Obviously with the Big 10 and Pac 10 expanding there will be a great deal of competition for that open slot, but a Mountain West conference containing Utah, TCU, and Boise State could make a solid argument for consideration. If only they were in a bigger TV market...
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 04:54 PM on June 11, 2010
Did anyone catch the recent episode of The Bugle where Oliver detailed being serenaded by US futbol fans?
posted by yerfatma at 05:18 PM on June 11, 2010
The government case against Barry Bonds continues to disintegrate.
The reason that teams shouldn't sign him is because he could be on trial for perjury in 2007 2008 2009 2010, and the government's case is air-tight strong prosecutable virtually gone.
Some estimates put the prosecution costs at over $50million since it began in 2003.
posted by grum@work at 05:45 PM on June 11, 2010
Grum: You're the one who's been beating that lousy prosecution drum for years, correct?
I hereby concede the point. Though Bonds is an unsympathetic defendant, this prosecution is a traveshamockery of justice.
posted by rcade at 06:26 PM on June 11, 2010
Big 10 officially takes Nebraska from Big 12.
posted by graymatters at 06:58 PM on June 11, 2010
that lousy prosecution drum
a traveshamockery of justice
It's never been about justice; it's been about "winning" at all costs (through legal or illegal means, which the courts keep saying are illegal means and try to stop); and it's been about perpetuating the existence of all those involved in the prosecution. Expect some more "leaked" information to come out of the prosecution side in the near future to try to continue justifying their work. May not be about Bonds specifically though, because they get their publicity by revealing "confidential" information on others as well.
posted by graymatters at 07:04 PM on June 11, 2010
He's not the only one beating that drum; I'm still pissed that arguably the greatest hitter of his time was absolutely blacklisted through illegal collusion which prevented him from finishing his career because of the hypocritical media circus of anti-PED propaganda.
I wonder if Albert Pujols will eventually use his HoF acceptance speech to argue for Bonds' belated induction into the Hall of Fame... I mean, assuming we never find out what Pujols was doping with.
posted by hincandenza at 07:14 PM on June 11, 2010
Did anyone catch the recent episode of The Bugle where Oliver detailed being serenaded by US futbol fans?
Indeed. That trip to the Czech Republic match -- in Philly, cradle of sporting warmth and generosity -- is what showed up in the piece last night.
posted by etagloh at 10:22 PM on June 11, 2010
Though Bonds is an unsympathetic defendant, this prosecution is a traveshamockery of justice.
I agree on both counts.
posted by grum@work at 02:23 AM on June 12, 2010
Texas A&M may jump the trend and join the SEC, which could leave a Pac-10 slot for a Kansas school. Or maybe the Pac-10 will prefer easier wins and exotic location if the WAC implodes after Boise St. switched to MWC and take Hawaii.
posted by billsaysthis at 05:07 PM on June 12, 2010
The story is that Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State will go to the Pac 10. Colorado is already in, and if Colorado State can somehow make the move to the Pac 10, the symmetry of the conference (2 teams per state) would be preserved. If the Big Ten picks up 2 more from the Midwest (Kansas/Kansas State or Missouri/Kansas or whoever), they might raid the Big East for 2, picking up West Va/Pitt or Pitt/Syracuse or Notre Dame/one of the aforementioned. This would create 2 "superconferences", and the SEC would then move to add 4 more. Texas A&M could be a pick, and they could perhaps steal Georgia Tech, Clemson, Florida State, or a North Carolina team or 2. The big losers will be the Big 12, and either the Big East or the ACC, depending on which steals the remaining decent teams from the other.
posted by Howard_T at 06:35 PM on June 12, 2010
Or maybe the Pac-10 will prefer easier wins and exotic location if the WAC implodes after Boise St. switched to MWC and take Hawaii.
I doubt it. I can't see those teams wanting to make the trip out to Hawaii every two years or so for a football game. Great location yes, but I imagine the trip is extremely draining.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 11:07 PM on June 12, 2010
An extra day of rest between games and no travel appears to be the recipe the Celtics need to succeed.
Game 5 is the last time that will happen in this series. After that, the schedule gets compressed, and it's back out to LA with a game every other day. This should favor the Lakers.