Hey, NFL, just wait your turn
Tracee Hamilton of The Washington Post doesn’t think much of the NFL’s concerns about having to move the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens’ season opener because the Baltimore Orioles are playing that night (Sept. 5) at home against the Chicago White Sox.
“If the Thursday night opener were important, I’d feel differently,” Hamilton writes.
“But we’re not talking about a postseason game. We’re talking about a faux-opening day - as opposed to the real opening day that baseball’s had for, well, for longer than the Ravens have existed, certainly. The NFL cooked up this Thursday night spectacle featuring a pregame of middling rock stars and lots and lots of blather.
“And while it would be nice if the Ravens could take part in it, does it really matter if they don’t?Nine years does not a tradition make. Give them the Sunday night game or even the Monday night game: Make fans wait till the end of Week 1 to see them, like that chocolate souffle you had to order when you sat down for your meal. Who cares? Do we believe that the Ravens will sell out M&T Bank Stadium if the game is on a Thursday but beforced to give away tickets if they play at any other time? Please.
“They could settle this the old-fashioned way. Both the NFL and MLB are dependents of the Fox Sports machine. So if UFC - another Fox fav - wants to put [Roger] Goodell and [Bud] Selig in a cage and let them go at it, well, I’d pay to see that. Goodell has youth on his side, but Selig is wily and I believe he’d fight dirty. NBV - Nothing But Viewers.
“Otherwise - and I say this as someone who finds Selig incredibly annoying about 99 percent of the time - MLB should tell the NFL to go suck an egg.”Taking shots
From Brad Dickson of The Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald:
“Dwight Howard is being mentored by Phil Jackson. This is based on Jackson’s experience working with 7-foot centers who can’t shoot free throws or get along with Kobe.”
“LeBron James is getting married. There will be an hourlong show on ESPN where everyone waits on pins and needles until the end when LeBron announces the name of the bride he’s selected.”Hamlin the hero
George Diaz of the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel has a new hero: the “Dark Knight” of NASCAR, Denny Hamlin.
“He is picking fights at every turn - with the NASCAR establishment and with former teammates [Joey Logano]. He is not afraid to buck the system, even though the system seems intent on breaking him.
“In a silly season of contradictions for NASCAR - it supports victims of gun violence and the NRA, for instance - Hamlin has emerged as a classic anti-hero.
“He is 100 percent on point protesting a $25,000 fine for remarks critical of the brand - namely, the new Gen 6 car - after making some rather innocuous comments a few weeks ago in Phoenix. Hamlin has refused to pay the fine but also decided against an appeal, meaning that the money will be garnished from his purse money or points-fund bonuses, as per NASCAR rules.
“NASCAR has said it ‘considered this matter closed,’ although it really isn’t because it’s a public relations bloodbath.
Here’s a sport that says it wants to encourage ‘personalities’ yet stifles any kind of free thinking.”Quote of the day “I about passed out.
Lord, I had no idea we’d
be going to California.” UALR Coach Joe Foley on being sent to Stockton, Calif., to play Pacific in the first round of the WNIT
Sports, Pages 20 on 03/20/2013