Did I Leave The Iron On?
Created | Updated Aug 12, 2004
A solo effort from several this week
Several A/K/A Random's 'sporting blues'
Well, another busy week for AmSports (and things not-so-sporting) with pro football's semi-ovoid Hall of Fame ceremonies honouring Denver's quarterback John Elway, Detroit's running back Barry Sanders, Minnesota's defensive end Carl Eller, and one of the original BIG LINEMEN, offensive tackle Bob Brown. Brown played in the mid-1960s into the 70s and, at 6-feet-four inches and 280 pounds, became the prototype for the large, but quick, overpowering blocker so desired by the new millenium teams.
And, in wrapping up last week, I make special note that Karen Stupples, the British Womens Open winner of, started strong in the Jamie Farr Classic, but was edged out by one stroke for the Jamie Farr Classic title by US Womens Open champion Meg Mallon. And following up on golf, the 104th US Womens Amateur is being held nearby Erie, Pennsylvania while the men's PGA Championship is along the shores of Lake Michigan at a hilly, sandy and windy Whistling Straits golf course in Wisconsin.
I've got six pages, double-side printed out on soccer for the Olympics, how the Euro club teams want their players for the season, rather than participating for their home countries, the American Women's team and all that, but I'll just leave that aside, with one note: the US women have 'adopted' Chicago Cubs baseball team team caps after Mia Hamm's husband, shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, was traded from Boston to Chicago two weeks back.
Nomar, making around $8 million/year, had a case of caps shipped to the Olympic team.
Which is my baseball lead-in (funny how these things work, ain't it?) for this coming weekend in AmSport. As the 30 owners and one each of their chosen assistants meet to discuss 'financial matters' and make preliminary plans to negotiate with the Player's Agents' Association for a new Basic Agreement in 2006 (how to split the loot), baseball itself heads into the last eight weeks of the season.
By far, the premier baseball series this weekend matches the East division-leading Atlanta Braves with the Central-leading St Louis Cardinals down in steamy Georgia. While the Cards have the best record in baseball at deadline and hold an eleven-game lead over the aformentioned Chicago Cubs, the Braves hold a decent 5-game lead in the East over the Phillies of Philadelphia and their brand-spanking new ballyard. Longtime East champion Atlanta has long been noted for its pitching and faces a formidible Cardinal lineup featuring OF Jim Edmonds, with INF's Scott Rolen and Albert Pujols (30 home runs, 26 HR's and 31 long shots each for the trio).
The Cards also recently traded for Colorado's Larry Walker, a four-time batting average champion, as the league-best hitting Cardinal team faces the league-best pitching Brave team. Atlanta is also notable in that it has owned its own cable teevee station, WTBS, which is on every cable teevee system in the States, and has since the advent of cable in the 80s.
Also this weekend, on a somewhat lesser scale, perhaps, is the Red Bull Flügtag competition in nearby Cleveland, Ohio. Flügtag (pronounced (FLOOG-Tog), German for 'flying day', originated in Austria in 1991 and has spread its wings all over the world. It's sponsored by the makers of Red Bull, an energy drink/supplement. The idea is to launch a homemade, human-powered craft off a 25-foot ramp and fly it the furthest before splashdown - though most simply nosedive. Points are also awarded for creativity and showmanship.
Organizers say:
'Outrageous is what we want... Something that both physics and common sense tell you has zip chance of flying, just just happens to be aeronautically sound.'
Aeronautically sound. Aeronautically sound. Sounds like someone's got their Sub-Etha Sens-o-Matic and massive amounts of Pan-Galactic Gargle Blasters to me.And their towel.
Over and out.
Did I Leave The Iron On? Archive
Master B
with Several a.k.a. Random
