12/23/24
January 08, 2004
Top 10 Sports Scandals, Controversies, and Oddities of 2003.: ('cause lists can be a fun read and are often good for discussion)
My headlines: Russian oil oligarch blows 100 million on Chelsea! Juan Pablo Angel turns out to be a decent player! Gerard Houllier keeps his job!! (not that he'll keep it for much longer)
posted by BigCalm at 05:05 AM on January 08, 2004
"Do you know there are other countries?" Eddie Izzard - Circle Tour, New York
posted by JJ at 07:32 AM on January 08, 2004
Obviously this is a US-centric list, so I don't know why Beckham was in it. From a British point of view: -the rugby union team prove Engand can win things -Abramovic buys Chesea and goes on a spending binge -The Premiership rape case -Beckham's transfer -Dwain Chambers drug cheat
posted by salmacis at 09:00 AM on January 08, 2004
What about Ferdinand missing his pee date?
posted by garfield at 09:11 AM on January 08, 2004
Tea & Cake or Death! Tea & Cake or Death! Little Red Cookbook! Little Red Cookbook!
posted by lilnemo at 11:41 AM on January 08, 2004
1. The case against Kobe Call it O.J. Redux. Or The Trial of the Century, Part II. I don't mean to be nitpicky, and by "i don't mean" I actually mean "Fuck it, I'm going to be", but the O.J. trial was sooooo last century, man. And I'd love to play battle of the Izzard quotes. "Premature? Noooooo, mah-chuuuuure!"
posted by Ufez Jones at 11:48 AM on January 08, 2004
Hod-er-der-der
posted by BigCalm at 12:06 PM on January 08, 2004
You can't land on the moon and say, "Ooh, it's all sticky! It's covered in jam!"
posted by jerseygirl at 12:11 PM on January 08, 2004
It's male lesbian.
posted by lilnemo at 12:18 PM on January 08, 2004
"Yes, but have you got a flag?"
posted by Ufez Jones at 12:18 PM on January 08, 2004
You call it the City.
posted by lilnemo at 12:22 PM on January 08, 2004
Le singe est sur la branche.
posted by lilnemo at 12:24 PM on January 08, 2004
I have no idea what you people are talking about. This must be what it's like when a non-fan hears Simpsons fanatics talk... I'd like to add Chris Moneymaker winning the 2003 World Series of Poker as a sports oddity. He came from out of nowhere (rookie, first live tournament, qualified by winning $40 buy-in tournament ON-LINE) to knock off former-champion after former-champion and be one of the biggest surprises in sports this year. The equivalent would be for a busker on the street to win a Grammy Award.
posted by grum@work at 01:54 PM on January 08, 2004
I agree grum. Didn't Farha look like Moneymaker had pantsed him on that last all-in call? priceless. Do you remember which former champs Moneymaker took out? I know he got Johnny Chan.
posted by lilnemo at 02:18 PM on January 08, 2004
He got Chan, Harrington, and Nguyen (or did Farha get Harrington?) for sure. Not to mention Ivey, who won 4 other gold bracelets in things like Omaha and other games. He had a horseshoe up his ass, he made some really stupid moves and got lucky. Much like I had the luck last night - knocked one guy out when I hit a third 4 on the river after misreading him and putting him all in on a bluff, knocked another guy out after holding QQ, him calling all in with K10, then flopping 2 kings.... turn came Q for the boat, and to add insult to injury the river was a Q as well, giving him a boat and me 4 queens... I bet Moneymaker goes out on the first day next year.
posted by Bernreuther at 02:29 PM on January 08, 2004
yeah - no other winners... but also Umberto Brenes, who came in second once I believe.
posted by Bernreuther at 02:32 PM on January 08, 2004
My list: 1. Todd Niederlander separates his shoulder playing touch football in the Sentry parking lot. 2. The Madison Mallards win the first half-season championship in the Northwoods League. 3. Killing spam became a sport. 4. I ran three and a half miles (for all of you who do not know me, this is like running for five hundred yards in a football game or hitting in 100 consecutive baseball games). 5. The Seligs did not sell the Brewers.
posted by rocketman at 02:35 PM on January 08, 2004
Meanwhile... I like my coffee like I like my women... covered in beeeeeeeeeeeees!
posted by forksclovetofu at 03:20 PM on January 08, 2004
Europe... that's where all the history comes from!
posted by hincandenza at 03:28 PM on January 08, 2004
A jihad on you!!
posted by lilnemo at 04:00 PM on January 08, 2004
I notice that noe of you mentioned any top sports news stories out of Asia. What a bunch of euroamericanists!!!
posted by billsaysthis at 04:30 PM on January 08, 2004
Um...okay...the Greater Kuala Lumpur sepak takraw team won the grand national sepak takraw championships. Howzat?
posted by lil_brown_bat at 04:47 PM on January 08, 2004
That amazing win by Greater Kuala Lumpur was neither controversial, scandalous nor odd, good sir!
posted by billsaysthis at 06:40 PM on January 08, 2004
Mmmmm....David Beckham. Yummy.
posted by aacheson at 07:17 PM on January 08, 2004
I had to wonder how the SpoFi discussions about these topics went. 1. The case against Kobe - 13 threads + arrest thread July 6th - 13 comments + the Kobe is charged thread July 18th - 46 comments + scandal related merch thread on July 23rd - 15 comments + Kobe buys his wife a ring thread on July 25th - 24 comments + a police report thread on July 31st - 45 comments + some evidence chit chat on Aug 5th - 30 comments + Kobe vs OJ comparison on Aug 9th - 13 comments + strange coincidence thread on Aug 15th - 7 comments a thread that linked to a pontification on the possible outcomes on Aug 20th resulted in 10 comments (of mostly penis talk) + a post-start of scandal profile of Kobe thread on Oct 6th - 8 comments + the preliminary hearing thread on Oct 9th with 13 comments + the tabloids expose the accuser thread on Oct 31st with 42 comments + a where does Kobe play next year thread on Nov 19th - 5 comments 2. Designer steroid use comes into fashion - 3 threads + the first breaking of the story on Oct 17th - 19 comments + a further report on Dwain Chambers Oct 22nd - 28 comments + Victor Conte Dec 4th - 1 comment 3. Rush Limbaugh talks his way out of a job - 1 thread + the story breaks on Oct 1st - 82 comments 4. Jeremy Shockey and Matt Millen slur their speech - 2 threads + Shockeyon Aug 8th - 26 comments + Matt Millenon Dec 16th - 16 comments 5. Annika Sorenstam crosses over - 5 threads + the story breaks on Jan 24th - 20 comments + Vijay reacts on May 12th - 25 comments + Vijay reacts some more May 18th - 4 comments + and Vijay reacts some more on May 19th - 5 comments + a thread about the ball she tossed into the crowd at the tournament on May 28th - 10 comments 6. Curses foil the Red Sox and Cubs in their League Championship Series - 3ish threads + Red Sox lose on Oct 16th - 106 comments + Cubs lose on Oct 15th - 31 comments + a Cubs game 6 curse thread - 64 comments 7. Joe Horn makes a call - 1 thread + ring ring, Dec 14th - 21 comments 8. Sammy Sosa is caught with cork - 1 thread + Sosa and his bat - both busted on June 3rd, 46 comments 9. Baylor University's basketball nightmare - 2 threads + played Patrick Dennehy is missing and eventually found murderd by a teammate from June 28th - 6 comments + the intended smear campaign from his coach on Aug 18th - 9 comments 10. David Beckham goes to Spain - 6 related threads + early rumblings on April 25th - 7 comments + general transfer speculation thread mentions Beckham to Barca? June 4th - 20 comments + Beckham to Barca! on June 10th - 19 comments + correction, Beckham to Real Madrid on June 17th - 21 comments + word that Beckham's physical for Real Madrid will be broadcast on June 22nd - 5 comments + Beckham dons a new jersey on July 2nd - 5 comments So, the spofi interest index would change the rankings: Re Ranked
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posted by gspm at 06:31 AM on January 09, 2004
I can respect gspm's style of posting... :)
posted by hincandenza at 09:41 AM on January 09, 2004
For gspm, the "com" in "comment" is short for "comprehensive". That comment was awe-inspiring.
posted by Scott Carefoot at 10:20 AM on January 09, 2004
Someone should really cut/paste and save that comment and send it in to some newspaper. It might give SpoFi some overdue recognition. If anything, the Pantheon should save that comment for the "about" page to show the diversity of topics. Plus, it's hella cool.
posted by grum@work at 10:44 AM on January 09, 2004
jesus. you guys have more spare time than I do... and I wash myself with a rag on a stick... Sepak Tekraw reference! Hell yes!
posted by forksclovetofu at 01:31 PM on January 09, 2004
gspm, I appreciate your efforts. Many a smirk crossed me face going through those old threads. I tried to do a year in review in the lockerroom, and its a monumental task. Cheers!!!
posted by garfield at 02:57 PM on January 09, 2004
Great post gspm...
posted by StarFucker at 04:07 PM on January 09, 2004
The list be damned. My top oddity of the sports year is still Joe Namath's sideline interview.
posted by nath at 04:36 PM on January 09, 2004
Good god, gspm. I thought it was forksclove doing that post. Unpossible!
posted by worldcup2002 at 06:38 PM on January 11, 2004
David Beckham goes to Spain!!