By Eddie Mayrose
New York Mets GM Omar Minaya Feeling The Heat
In the middle of a week that saw John Lackey sign with the Red Sox and Roy Halladay traded to 
the Phillies, Omar Minaya has taken his share of pounding in the media for failing to do anything to improve the Metropolitan Baseball club. Made me think I missed an announcement that had Major League Baseball awarding a championship in December without playing a regular season schedule. Minaya offered little more than a request for patience; explaining that the Mets do have a plan and they’re content to let it run its course.
One thing in the GM’s favor is that three superstars; Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Johan Santana will be returning to the roster. The presence of Reyes and Beltran in the lineup should serve to boost David Wright’s stats back to their normal range. While the Amazins’ desperately need starting pitching and failed to bring either Halladay or Lackey into the fold, Minaya does hve a little credit in the bank when it comes to preaching patience. He outlasted all contenders in free agent negotiations with Beltran and Pedro Martinez and gave up next to nothing to acquire Santana after waiting out the Red Sox and Yankees.
Fans and media alike are calling for any kind of deal as if the Mets are obligated to provide some show of good faith. They’ve already offered Jason Bay a four year deal but won’t go for five. Good for them. Putting fanatacism aside, does anyone really think Jason Bay will be worth $16 million in five years? If Minaya can ship Luis Castillo out of CitiField for Orlando Hudson, sign Bay and bring in one or two mid level starters (Ben Sheets, Justin Duchscherrer), he’ll be heading into 2010 with a very similar roster to the one that was picked by many to win the NL East in 2009.
Listen To Your Father, Kid. New York Jets December Preview
Have to admit I received the following preview of the Jets’ stretch run from Cheap Seater Keith Whelan with more than a little satisfaction. My attempt to educate fans of Gang Green to the presence of outside forces dedicated to their demise has started to hit home. Whelan, a long time season ticket holder, offered this opinion on how his favorite team would finish the season.
“It’s just too easy to expect the Jets to break our hearts again. We all know they will. But, now, I’ve taken your advice to go beyond the pessimistic view and look for the twisted one that will not only hurt but pour salt in the wound.” “The way I see it, we’ll easily beat Atlanta this week while Miami, Baltimore and Jacksonville lose. That puts us a game up and in control of our own fate; a very bad sign.” “We’ll head to Indy next week and shock everyone by knocking off the unbeaten Colts as they rest players.” “Then, facing a ‘win and we’re in’ game at home, we’ll be crushed by Cincinnati. They’ve hurt me too many times for me to see this thing turning out any other way.”
Nice job, Keith. The only thing I might add is a few Patriots’ losses that will have that Cincinnati defeat cost them the division as well. So, if you’re torn between holiday commitments and watching the Jets, it’s been our pleasure to free you up for some parties and shopping.
Russian Billionaire Takes Control of New Jersey Nets
Nets’ owner Bruce Ratner announced that an agreement has been reached with Mikhail Prokhorov regarding his stake in the Nets franchise and the proposed arena in Brooklyn. The final hurdle is approval by the remaining NBA owners who have already indicated they’d sign off on the deal. No decision has been reached on Prokhorov’s request that the Nets be allowed to play with seven men on the court and shoot at a nine foot basket.
Hey, Giants Football Fans, Come In Off The Ledge
While Sunday night’s loss to Philadelphia probably cost Big Blue any chance of winning the NFC East, the Giants still find themselves in the driver’s seat for a Wild Card berth. Yes, I know the defense was terrible; allowing back breaking plays at the end of the firat half and then, again, after the Jints had finally taken the lead. Yet, regardless of how the D performed, the Giants still win that game if not for the two TD returns allowed on a fumble recovery and a punt. Hang tough, Giants’ fans. A 9-7 record is easily attainable and more than likely secures the postseason for your football team. Refresh my memory. How’d the Giants do the last time they were a 9-7 Wild Card team?
Tiger Woods Named AP Athlete of the Decade
For the first time in three weeks, Tiger Woods got a little good news when he was named AP Athlete of the Decade. Obvious jokes aside, Woods’ selection was as easy as you’ll see with an award so open to different interpretations. Interesting to guess where Tiger would have finished had the vote been taken after Thanksgiving, though. After all, Barry Bonds, four time MVP, batting champ and all time Home Run leader didn’t garner a single vote. Wonder why?
Dallas Cowboys Football Stadium Debuts 3D Screen
So I’m watching Chargers-Cowboys in Jerry Jones’ brand new palace last Sunday. CBS fulfilled what seems like a contractual obligation by extolling the virtues of the new stadium ad nauseum. There were views of the promenade, the enormous standing room area, six or seven thousand shots of Jones in his luxury box and, of course, many references to the enormous video screen that hangs over the field. Now, I find that a video screen in a stadium is quite useful for replays; after all, it’s the one concession you make to television when you attend a game in person. However, I’ve never seen the logic of broadcasting the game as it’s being played. Why would anyone pay good money for a ticket to, essentially, enjoy less comfort for an activity that could have been enjoyed at home for free?
Be that as it may, the ‘Pokes went over the top with an “Emperor’s New Clothes” feature that really gave me a laugh. At one point in the game, we were shown an image of a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader wearing a pair of 3D glasses. Apparently, Jones and the Cowboys were quite impressed with themselves for showing a three dimensional view of the game on the giant screen. Fans seemed very excited about it, too. Wonder if any of them realized that, along with the fans assembled in every other NFL stadium, they were already enjoying a 3D version of the game by simply looking down at the field. Somewhere, P.T. Barnum must have been smiling.
Mayrose Honored
Congratulations to Virginia Mayrose, Staten Island High School Volleyball Coach of the Year. Recognized for leading St. Joseph Hill Academy to its first title since she founded the program, Mayrose completely revamped her team’s style of play; raising the competitive bar in her own league while bolstering the reputation of Staten Island volleyball among the more established schools in New York City. She’s really cute, too. Well done, Gin.
By Eddie Mayrose
After Long Wait, World Series Gets Started
Finally, after what seemed like interminable Division and Championship series, we get to the business of the World Series. Even though these teams seem
like mirror images of each other, many have given the Yanks a slight edge due to their advantage in the bullpen. I disagree. Not that Mariano Rivera isn’t better than Brad Lidge; at this point so is Chita Rivera. But the Yankee bats have just rendered two of the top closers in the AL powerless and there’s no reason to believe they won’t do the same to Lidge. In other words, even if the Phillies’ closer was at the top of his game, Charlie Manuel would be making other plans, anyway. What I think it’ll come down to is who starts Game Five for the Bombers. We know Sabathia goes in Games One, Four and Seven but the Yankees don’t want A.J. Burnett to pitch in Philadelphia. If they save him for a Game Six in the Bronx, that’ll not only put an inexperienced starter on the mound, it’ll mean Andy Pettitte goes just once in a seven game series. Still, I like the Yankees in seven.
Major League Baseball Needs a Salary Cap
Last night’s Game One starters, Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia, stood as monuments to baseball’s biggest problem: the disparity in payrolls between small and large market teams. As the last two winners of the AL Cy Young Award, they would have been a huge help to an Indians’ staff that featured both until Cleveland couldn’t afford either. Much is made in New York about the “Core Four” of Yankee vets, Rivera, Posada, Pettitte and Jeter, all homegrown and together for much of the Yankees incredible run since 1996. What most miss in that analysis is that, unlike many teams, the Yankees could afford to keep all of them once they became stars. Would the Yanks have swept a Twins’ team that included Johan Santana and Torii Hunter? Would that Twins team have even won the division if the Royals still had Carlos Beltran and Johnny Damon? The fact is, large market teams don’t do anything better than their small market counterparts. They simply make more money because of their location; something baseball needs to address.
NY Jets’ Leon Washington Hurt at Worst Time
Next time you want to come down on an NFL player holding out for a contract extension, think of the Jets’ Leon Washington; on the verge of stardom until a broken leg ended his season. These guys have a very small window to earn their money and each week brings the possibilty of a career-ending injury.
On Bob Griese, Jay-Z and Hypocrisy
ESPN college football analyst, Bob Griese, received a one game suspension from the network for remarks he made last Saturday about 
NASCAR’s Juan Pablo Montoya. When a Top Five list of drivers was posted, another broadcaster asked where Montoya was. Griese replied, “out having a taco.” For his part, Montoya told reporters after Sunday’s Sprint Cup series race that he “couldn’t resist making fun of the controversy. I could say I just spent the last three hours eating tacos, but I was driving the car.” Montoya said of Griese, “I don’t even know who he is and I don’t really care.” That Griese apologized for the remark twice during the broadcast and ESPN later stated that it considered the matter closed was of no consequence once the PC police got their teeth into it. Bob Griese is and always has been a professional gentleman on the air and it’s a shame that we no longer look at an entire body of work and simply see a good guy who screwed up. Instead, Griese and others like him suddenly and inexplicably become bigots.
I’m wondering how long Griese would have been suspended had he, instead, glorified the rape and murder of prostitutes, African-Americans, homosexuals and police. Didn’t seem to matter much to Major League Baseball or the Yankees last night as they invited rapper Jay-Z to perform before Game 1 of the World Series. In a song whose title is too despicable for print, Jay-Z promotes each of those; something that doesn’t seem to concern the NBA, either; as he’s a part owner of the New Jersey Nets. Just because freedom of speech cuts two ways doesn’t make a double standard less hypocritical.
Is There Life After High School?
I write weekly about college and professional sports because of their high profile and the fact that I just love sports. But, I must confess, despite all of the time spent watching, analyzing and enjoying these televised events, my heart still belongs to the high school athletes. Their spirit is as irresistible as it is inspirational. Whether it be the jubilation experienced by a basketball team winning a championship in the last minute, the despair of senior football players weeping at the realization that they’ve just played their last game together or the apprehension of a cheerleader waiting to step on the mat while praying to avoid a misstep, each emotion is so raw as to take me back to the wonderful time when I felt that way, myself. It’s why I still go to my school’s football and basketball games even though my sons have graduated, why I have my daughter’s competitions circled on the calendar and why I found myself at St. Joseph Hill Academy High School last week for a critical volleyball match with St. Joseph by the Sea.
Seven years ago, the Staten Island Catholic Girls’ High School league was established, with three schools initiating programs and joining two others in their infancy. Sea quickly established itself as the loop’s dominant force while another school, Notre Dame Academy, grabbed last year’s title. This time around, Hill started the season 7-0; a record that featured a big home win over Sea but would later include a loss to their rival in a rematch; sending both teams into last week’s rubber match with identical records. The winner would take the title. Now, the result, (Hill won), is secondary to my point, even though I have to admit , the victory made for a much happier home as my wife, Virginia, is Hill’s fearless leader. As I sat there in a packed, noisy gym watching the Hill girls in the stands screaming their support to their classmates, I was reminded again of why I eat this stuff up. High school is the only sports arena in which the athletes and the fans are bonded by friendship. The fans don’t cheer for love of school but, rather, love of the players; their friends. It is the reason the passion is unmatched. Yes, I know all about the Cameron Crazies at Duke, the Bleacher Bums in Chicago and Cleveland’s Dawg Pound but how many of them studied for a chemistry test with a player the night before a game? How many had a player decorate their locker on a birthday, cry on their shoulder after a failed road test or celebrate the birth of a baby sister? And where else is a coach so concerned with a player’s development as a person?
On the prep level, coaches are not motivated by financial gain. If you ever broke down their stipend to an hourly wage, it would work out to just pennies. Instead, it is the dedication to young men and women that drives so many of them and it is that same dedication that serves as a model for how their impressionable, young players should lead their lives. It is why I am so grateful to the incredible people that have coached my children and a reason I am so proud to say I am my wife’s husband. It’s also why I’ll be sitting courtside this weekend watching the St. Joseph Hill girls volleyball team, Staten Island Champion, take on the other boroughs in the city playoffs in front of a gym full of their close friends. Let me know how Notre Dame does against Washington State.
By Eddie Mayrose
Major League MVP?
That Derek Jeter is enjoying perhaps the finest season of his Hall of Fame career comes as no surprise to those who 
believed he should have always been the Yankees’ leadoff man. Why it took so long to insert him into the top spot remains a mystery, especially since he was always the choice to bat first in most of the post season games played during the dynasty of the late 90’s. Regardless, he’s there now and is one of the main reasons the Bombers seem poised for another World Series run. What Jeter is not, however, is a serious candidate for the American League MVP award, as Minnesota’s Joe Mauer should be the unanimous choice.
Over the last two seasons, we’ve seen deserving, small-market candidates like Justin Morneau and Matt Holliday robbed of the award as voters focused on the more highly publicized exploits of Dustin Pedroia and Jimmy Rollins. To shun Mauer, though, would be a monumental oversight, as his incredible performance at the plate may be second only to the job he’s done behind it. Never has a catcher so prodigiously combined such excellent defense with as lofty a batting average. That he’s also on pace for 30 HR and 100 RBI despite missing a month to injury only adds to the resume.
So, celebrate Jeter’s season as one of his best and settle in for a long playoff run. Just don’t go overboard when Awards Season rolls around.
A New Yankees Closer?
Is Joe Torre a Cheap Seats reader? Maybe not, but he was my hero for a day last week when he used his closer (and best available pitcher) Jonathan Broxton to face the middle of the Cubs’ batting order in the 8th inning. George Sherrill finished the game by facing the bottom of Chicago’s lineup in the ninth. Finally, a manager chose not to drink the Tony LaRussa kool-aid.
After the game, Torre faced questions about whether Broxton would be upset that he wasn’t credited with a save. A sticky point, actually, as saves are the basis for a closer’s salary level. “We’re not as concerned about who gets the stat, as the only stat that’s important is that ‘W’ on the left-hand side”, said Torre. “If somebody gets offended by pitching to the 3-4-5 hitters in the eighth inning, they’re not the person I think they are.”
Regular readers are well aware of where I stand on how closers are used. I do acknowledge, however, that, as long as the current statistical situation exists, bullpen stoppers will insist on being in position to get the save. So, how about a rule change that puts the onus on the official scorer to assign the save? After all, in facing the meat of the order, hadn’t Broxton done more to preserve the lead than Sherrill? A similar rule already exists to cover situations where a starter does not go the mandatory five innings for a win. In such cases, the win is assigned by the scorer to the reliever determined to be the most deserving; not necesarily the first man out of the pen. Well, maybe that’s too much to ask in one column. I’ll have to be satisfied with a little progress and hope for more.
NY Jets’ Worst Kept Secret
Jets’ Head Coach Rex Ryan revealed the worst kept secret in New York when he named Mark Sanchez his starting quarterback this week. Considering all the Jets gave up to acquire Sanchez; two picks, three players and $50 million, there was no way Ryan could hand the car keys to Kellen Clemens.
Sanchez has a world of talent and all of the tools to become a star in the NFL. It just won’t happen overnight. So, with the Jets likely facing, at best, a 1-3 start to their season, here’s hoping Jets’ brass and fans have the patience to allow the rookie all the mistakes necessary to learn the league and achieve that lofty status.
Mets and the ER
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the emergency room, Oliver Perez and Johan Santana become the latest members of the Mets’ casualty list. If you’re scoring at home, that’s four starting pitchers, one reliever and the number one, four and five hitters down for the season. In addition, every opening day starter has had at least one stint on the disabled list. So, how, exactly, can manager Jerry Manuel be held responsible for a lost season? Love him or hate him, you can’t decide on him till next year.
Michael Vick
….appeared in a Newport News, Va. courtroom yesterday morning to address the details of his Chapter 11 filing and then returned to Philadelphia in time for the Eagles’ exhibition game last night. In doing so, he might be the first person transported to and from his own bankruptcy hearing on a private jet.
Little League World Series Coverage
As I do every August, I’ve enjoyed the Little League World Series from Williamsport, Pa.; this year’s version, especially, as it featured the Mid-Atlantic champs from Staten Island. And, as I also do each year, I’ve resisted the urge to throw a shoe at my television every time ESPN/ABC commentator Orel Hershiser tries to minimize the commitment, skill and aptitude of these accomplished Little Leaguers.
Hershiser would have us believe that the actual playing of the tournament games is almost an inconvenience to these kids; that the swimming pool, food and video games offered to the players in their living quarters, (“the Grove” as Orel endlessly reminds us), are the main reasons they’ve come to Williamsport. Pitcher gives up a home run? “He’ll forget about it in a minute once he starts playing video games back at the Grove”. Second baseman makes a crucial error? “He’ll be fine once he has some pizza and gets in the pool.”
Now, I have five children of my own and have coached a few hundred others so no one need educate me on the qualities of resilience possessed by a child. However, to promote the idea that these players don’t really care all that much about their own performance is to disrespect the hours of practice and sacrifice they’ve endured to get to this level. As a matter of fact, Hershiser’s very presence contradicts his own theory. His employer pays big bucks for the exclusive rights to broadcast the event. Would that be the case if, as Hershiser asserts, the outcome didn’t really matter to its participants?
When I was sixteen, I relieved our ace pitcher in the eighth inning of a championship game that would eventually go eleven. In the top of the eleventh, the opposing catcher, big kid named Perez, took me deep on the longest ball I’d ever seen hit, costing us the title. Today, thirty one years later, I just wrote that sentence with clenched teeth. I rebounded, enjoyed the rest of my summer and came back the next season but never got to a point where I wasn’t upset when I thought about it. I just thought about it less as time went on. However, it still bothers me now because it mattered so much then. Just as it matters so much to these Little Leaguers and, I suspect, just as it mattered to Hershiser when he was young.
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It was the kind of weekend Yankee fans imagined when C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett 
and Mark Teixeira were signed last winter. Burnett and C.C. each turned in a dominant performance on the hill while Teixeira’s big bomb sealed the four game sweep over the hated Red Sox. Heading into the home stretch with a six game lead, the Yanks have hit their stride; getting contributions from every part of the lineup. With Phil Hughes filling what was a gaping hole in the Bombers’ pen and Mariano Rivera enjoying a career year; it’s looking like there may be a deep October run in the new stadium.
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In what may be a sign that MLB clubs are feeling the effects of the weak economy, the Blue Jays jettisoned their two time All Star outfielder, Alex Rios, for, essentially, nothing but relief from the obligation to pay the balance of his contract. Even more alarming is that, despite the fact that Rios is just 28 years old; no team other than the White Sox was interested.
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When they tee it up today in the PGA championship at Hazeltine, it’ll be the last chance in ’09 for Tiger Woods to win a major; something that hasn’t happened since 2004. He comes in on the heels of two straight wins that followed a missed cut at the British Open. The way things have gone for him this year, however, if he doesn’t get out fast, it’s not likely he’ll come back.
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Could we please cease and desist with the ridiculous notion that the Red Sox and Yankees are part of the “greatest rivalry in sports”? They play each other at least eighteen times each year, the regular season results usually mean nothing as both routinely qualify for the post season and they rarely meet each other in the playoffs. Earlier this season, New York lost eight straight to Boston and yet, found themselves six games ahead of the pack just two months later. If Michigan lost eight straight football games to Ohio State, they’d have suffered almost a decade of misery that likely included zero trips to the Rose Bowl. That’s a rivalry.
The networks and talking heads calling the games can say anything they want to hype the matchups but can’t undo the reality that the players just don’t care as much as the fans. They’re too transient and have a much larger financial stake than emotional. Head down to Philadelphia this fall and ask a Navy offensive lineman what it means to beat Army. Walk into the Duke locker room on the first day of basketball practice and ask any of the players the date of the North Carolina game. They’ll know. There was a time in baseball when Jackie Robinson retired rather than accept a trade to the hated New York Giants. Remind Johnny Damon of that little bit of history when you ask if he circles the Boston games on his schedule. Yanks-Sox is a great watch because the teams are two of the game’s most talented and each is a contender for the AL East crown, not because the outcome is a matter of life and death to the participants.
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NationalFootballPost.com reported that the Jets have spoken to an NFC West team to gauge interest in RB Thomas Jones. A Jet source claimed the report was untrue and I hope that’s the case. Heading into the season with a new coach, new QB and a scarcity of talented receivers, it’s inconceivable to consider dealing the team’s best offensive player.
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I’ve been chastised at times by Cheap Seats readers unhappy with the lack of attention given to soccer in this column. So, with the World Cup qualifying game (sorry, match) being played yesterday in Mexico City, I thought it’d be a good time to take a peek. Imagine my surprise then, when I learned that, despite the fact that the U.S. hasn’t won a game (sorry again, match) against Mexico in its last twenty three tries, its players only worked out together for two days. Two. Seems that the players have other commitments and the whole qualifying system is an inconvenience to many. Could it possibly be that this World Cup stuff isn’t as important to the players as my soccer antagonists would have me believe?
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In a season that’s become unwatchable, Johan Santana gives disappointed Mets’ fans a reason to tune in every fifth day. In an ongoing tribute to professionalism, Santana is tied for the Major League lead in wins. Each offseason, the agent for a sub .500 pitcher will make the case for a salary increase by pointing out that his client’s team averaged a paltry amount of runs during his starts. It’s a ridiculous argument as it doesn’t take into account how many runs the pitcher allowed. It doesn’t matter if his run support was bad if his ERA was worse. Anyway, think about Santana when you hear that argument next year. If a pitcher is a big, tough guy who cares more about the team’s record than his own, he’ll have plenty of wins no matter how meager the run support.
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It’s time. After Omar Minaya’s meltdown at the press conference called to 
announce the firing of Tony Bernazard, there is no logical course for the Mets to follow other than tearing the whole thing down and starting over. Just three years after coming within one game of the World Series, theirs is a fractured organization lacking both leadership and direction. Minaya’s performance on Monday is just the latest in a series of embarrassing incidents that have reduced the franchise to a laughingstock.
We often hear talk in the sports world of the “window of opportunity”. With salary caps and free agency now the order of the day, sports teams must take advantage of the circumstances that allow them to assemble as much affordable talent as possible because, eventually, they will not be able to pay all of their stars. For the Mets, the window seemed wide open in 2006. After years of mismanagement created by the Wilpons’ affinity for soliciting every opinion in the building, Minaya, as the single voice, was able to assemble a strong mix of young and veteran talent that looked as good as any in the NL. Then Yadier Molina’s homer in Game Seven of the NLCS sent the Mets home and two straight late season collapses gave evidence the window was closing. But Minaya recruited J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez last winter to help fix the team’s biggest problem and the faithful were, once again, filled with optimism. That is, until the ambulance was backed up to the players’ exit.
Injuries abounded as five members of the team’s Opening Day lineup went down along with two starting pitchers and a reliever. Compounding the problem was the misdiagnosis of Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran. Reyes was originally treated for a calf problem that turned out to be a hamstring while Beltran received a cortisone shot for a bone bruise that actually doubled in size as he continued to play on it. This week, John Maine will receive a second opinion on a shoulder injury that has kept him out much longer than originally expected. These incidents have all served to call into question the competence of the team’s medical staff.
The bloated disabled list has also exposed a lack of depth in the minor leagues where the organization is not only absent the major league ready prospects that could bring help by way of a trade but has seen its top affiliates wallow near the bottom of the standings. These failings apparently took their toll on the head of player development, Tony Bernazard, whose often erratic and bizarre behavior has been well chronicled over the last two weeks. All of which culminated in Minaya’s now infamous performance on Monday.
First of all, why was there a need for a question and answer session with the media over the firing of a relatively lower level administrator? I’m not sure that even the most astute fan can identify the player development guy for his or her favorite ballclub. But, in the Wilpon’s world where, once again, no chain of command seems to exist, everyone has the ear of the owners, even a Tony Bernazard. Secondly, if it was decided that a press conference was actually in order, why wasn’t Jeff Wilpon at the microphone? The fact that Bernazard was let go for cause made the issue organizational and not departmental. And, finally, what did Minaya accomplish in his attack on Daily News beat writer, Adam Rubin, other than exposing himself as mean spirited and vindictive? That Wilpon spent Tuesday apologizing for his GM’s behavior and lamenting the embarrassment Minaya had caused both him and his dad, Fred, is an indication that even they have had enough.
The news isn’t all bad, however. The team’s two young stars, Reyes and David Wright, are signed for three more years. Two of the game’s best, Johan Santana and Francisco Rodriguez, anchor the pitching staff while, in Beltran, the Amazins’ have the game’s best centerfielder. But fences must be mended, especially with Beltran, who is reported to be furious with the organization over the original diagnosis of his injury. He’ll be looking for a new contract next year, one that should be given him based on his terrific production since joining the club. The GM that negotiates that contract should be the face of the franchise, the guy whose been given the keys by ownership to build a winner by whatever means he sees fit. Over the last few weeks we’ve learned that that person can no longer be Omar Minaya. The question is, have the Wilpons figured it out yet?
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USA Today writer, Christine Brennan, in response to ESPN reporter Erin Andrews being secretly videotaped in her hotel room, stuck her foot squarely in her mouth with this little gem that she shared on Twitter. “Women sports journalists need to be smart and not play to the frat house. There are tons of nuts out there.” Then, in trying to explain away the faux pas, went on television Monday and stuck the other foot in even deeper. “If you trade off your sex appeal, if you trade off your looks, eventually you’re going to lose those. She doesn’t deserve what happened to her but part of the schtick, seems to me, is being a little bit out there in a way that then you are encouraging the complete nutcase to drill a hole in your room.” Nice. Last week, when I pointed out that the dogs abused by Michael Vick had more advocates than women abused by other NFL players, I caught some crap from a few people who thought that women shouldn’t need advocacy; that they can speak for themselves and call on their own strength to leave their abuser. Thank you, Ms. Brennan, for reinforcing my point. Erin Andrews is a competent professional who covers a wide range of sports. She may not be a probing, investigative reporter but she performs well within her own arena. To say that she trades off her sex appeal and looks is as insulting as it is mean. Yet, her ability is not the issue here. Even if she was a bumbling, talking hairdo doing her sideline reports in a Hooters outfit, she does not deserve the violation of privacy that she suffered in that hotel room. To even insinuate that she somehow contributed to it is, well, playing to the frat house.
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So, Bud Selig is considering the reinstatement of Pete Rose to Major League Baseball. Who cares? Just do it already and let Rose take his chances with a veteran’s committee not all that happy with the hit king’s legacy of lies. That Rose tries to somehow contest the fact that he bet on baseball after having accepted a lifetime ban for it is one of the more brazen stances I’ve ever seen. Ironically, had he admitted his offenses, he more than likely would have been reinstated long ago and would already be enshrined in Cooperstown. But, as long as he’s arrogant enough to think he can deny his way into the Hall, he’ll make his induction that much tougher.
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Any word on those Yankee fans that gave the team up for dead back in April and then, again, in June? I’ve been tuning into sports radio hoping they’d turn up but, as yet, have been unsuccessful. I’m figuring the next place I’ll see them will be on Broadway during the ticker tape parade.
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