Category Archives: Sports & Leisure

Rob Neyer: Selecting the top 100 players of the decade – ESPN

Yes. I know the decade doesn’t really end until next year. You know that too. But the media doesn’t work like that. According to Talibangelicals, People magazine readers, and other morons, we apparently had a year zero way back when.

So, the “end of decade” articles are up. I’ve ignored most of them but seeing as this one ranks the best baseball players of the decade, I figured I’d link it.

Incidentally, here’s a chance to rank your own Top 25. Incidentally, Jeter is ranked WAY too high. People forget that he is directly responsible for the Yankees losing the 2001 Series based on his shitty defense.

Just saying.

Also, not that I minded that a bit.

In Sports, Red Is Winning Color, Study Says

Apparently you can trend success by uniform color. Granted, this didn’t work so well for the Phillies this year, but their loss had something to do with Blue blowing calls that got the Yankees to the Series more than anything else.

In most instances however, wearing red is usually the color of success for sports teams.

I found this blog entry that gives more examples of this (you’ll have to go halfway down the page):

  • Stanley Cup Champions (2000-2008): teams that wore RED won 4 of the 8 (Detroit Red Wings-2 times, New Jersey Devils, and Carolina Hurricanes)
  • World Series Champions (2000-2008): teams that wore RED won 6 of the 8 (Arizona DiamondBacks, Anaheim Angels, Boston Red Sox-2 times, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Philadelphia Phillies)
  • Super Bowl Champions (2000-2008): teams that wore RED (or have traces of RED) won 4 of the 8 Super Bowls (New England Patriots 2002/2004-2005 and NY Giants 2008)
  • NBA Champions:(2000-2008 teams that wore RED only won 2 of the 8 NBA Finals (Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat). However, keep in mind that RED was a dominant color in the 90’s with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls
  • English Premiere League (English Soccer) (2000-2008): teams that wore RED won 7 of the 8 titles (Manchester United 5 times, Arsenal 2 times)

Ut-Lee show too much for Yanks in Game 1 | MLB.com: News

Cliff Lee shut down the Mercenaries Yankees, and Chase Utley treated The House That Exorbitant Cable Fees Built like his own personal Southern marriage and the Phillies won Game 1 of the World Series.

Granted, I’m not a huge Phillies fan, but the team seems to be full of good guys and hell, I’d root for a team full of cracked-crazed murderers over the Yankees. Besides, I’m a National League guy anyway.

Here’s a look at a very nonchalant Cliff lee I’d like to pass along.

Granted, it is only one game, but a quote from this recap tells the tale:

They call it a long series, but Lee just shortened it. If he’s going to be Beckett, or Schilling, or Morris, he just shortened it a lot.

A couple of more notes on the Yankees. Turns out that on top of gouging their fans for seats, they also like to jerk their fans around as to whether tickets are available or not.

Up next, the possible restoration of the Legend of Pedro Rodriguez.

Yes, the Phillies may yet lose the whole damn thing, but today feels good.

SPORTSbyBROOKS » NFL Got It Wrong But Rush Got What He Deserved

Making hundreds of millions of dollars fomenting artificial conflict which does nothing but divide otherwise amiable Americans does not come without consequences.

Unlike the off-air hypocrises which somehow served to redouble the devotion of his massive audience, Limbaugh doesn’t get a do-over on this one. Money and fame will never erase this public embarrassment – despite his inevitable, eternal denials.

Goodell’s remarks today scarred Limbaugh personally probably more than anything that has every been said about him. His love for the NFL, if you’ve ever heard him speak about the league, was perhaps the only thing genuine he’s ever consistently represented on his show. Almost childlike.

One of the few (the only?) enterprises for which Limbaugh has a genuine affection caused him, besides perhaps the stolen pharma fiasco, the most significant public embarrassment he’s suffered.

Brooks argues that the NFL basically did the wrong thing, but for the right reasons.

As an owner, Limbaugh would probably had been ancillary since he was just a part of a group. However, no doubt he was going to eventually say something so heinous, he would have to be sanctioned, fined, and maybe jailed considering how close to the line he’s come before.

So, yeah, maybe they should have let him try – and ultimately fail – before judging him. I would have loved to have seen if players would pass up tainted money and not play for the Rams. I would love to have seen the circus surrounding the Fat Blowhard destroy any positives his money could have provided the team.

I know why the NFL did what they did: to save their ass. But, unlike what happens to corporations, Lush Rimjob should not be treated as “too big to fail”. Fuck him, yeah, he’s a fat body, but I say we should have allowed him all the room in the world to fail.

And then chortled with glee when he did.

Think Progress » Black NFL Players ‘Wouldn’t Play’ For Limbaugh’s Team: ‘He’s A Jerk’

“A lot of us took it as more of a racial-type thing. I can only imagine how his players would feel. I know I wouldn’t want to play for him. He’s a jerk. He’s an –. What he said (about McNabb) was inappropriate and insensitive, totally off-base. He could offer me whatever he wanted, I wouldn’t play for him. … I wouldn’t play for Rush Limbaugh. My principles are greater and I can’t be bought.”

– Jets linebacker Bart Scott

Looks like the prospect of Lush Rimjob buying the St. Louis Rams doesn’t sit well with some NFL players.

Let’s hope every player – regardless of color – thinks the same way. They won’t, but you’d like to think something this foul would inspire them to do the right thing.