Thursday, July 19, 2007

Michael Vick is an idiot. Even if he didn't personally hang and electrocute dogs, and he may have, it's beyond a stretch to think all this despicable criminal activity went down on his property without him knowing. The Feds don't indict unless they're sure they've got you, and I think Vick's headed to prison...

Kudos to Greg McDermott for booting team MVP Mike Taylor. Taylor never did anything violent---like Berryman---or truly awful---like Pierce, but he was one of those guys who just doesn't get it. How many second chances do you want? McDermott's not just talking a tough game, he's following through. The Cyclones will be better for it. I'm so sick of coaches who say they're disciplinarians, and are as long as it's a second or third team player in trouble, but once it's a star, we're treated to the same old speech about due process or second chances. Nice job, Greg...

For the first time in a long time, I'm encouraged that the sports culture is slowly changing. I think everybody has had it up to HERE with thugs. The NFL & NBA Commissioners seem to sense we're all sick of these pampered and spoiled athletes acting like they're entitled to whatever they want, laws be damned, and we're supposed to keep paying to watch them play. Enough already. They're blessed with a great opportunity. If they don't appreciate it, toss them out on their butts...

The Big Ten Network and Mediacom better figure this TV deal out soon. Does anyone want to hear more spin from each side? The one thing that should not happen, cannot happen, is no option. Put the channel somewhere. I sat in disbelief last January when KDSM went to color bars on my Mediacom cable, and couldn't believe I had to break out the tinfoil and rabbit ears for the BCS title game...

Some Major League players are not the most agreeable guys to deal with when they're sent to Des Moines for rehab or because they're demoted. I'm happy to report Cubs closer Ryan Dempster was really cool, couldn't have been nicer to Shawn Terrell & Chris Hassel...

My friend B-Ross loves to defend Barry Bonds. He knows I think Bonds is a jerk who cheated the game and (soon) sport's most hallowed record. Nothing will change my mind about that, but B-Ross makes a good point when he says "at least Bonds aint no phony". True. And "at least Barry didn't put the hurt on anyone else". Also true, unless you count the scores of people he's verbally abused, but point taken. Bonds is not a good guy, but there are far worse role models in sports (see first paragraph)...

Zach Johnson needs to find the joy in golf again. He's been pulled in so many directions since winning the Masters; he looks like he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He has trouble saying "no", and it's wearing him out...

Our other Johnson, Shawn, is going to go from star to superstar next summer. I think the West Des Moines dynamo will win the women's gymnastics all-around gold medal, which is the most watched night of television at the summer Olympics (think Mary Lou Retton). Shawn has the total package of appeal, and five medals (four gold) at the Pan Am Games proves she's a force...

Which Johnson is a bigger star? Vote on the whotv.com sports page...

As promised, took the kids to High School Musical at the Des Moines Playhouse. It was packed full of parents and grandparents with their kids, and I saw nothing buy smiling faces on the way out (I can't imagine how many hours the young and talented cast had to log to get all the choreography down). The story is beyond simple and G-rated right out of the 50's, but my boys loved it. The only problem is Cade (age 6) wanted to rent the movie, and it was checked out everywhere, so I had to splurge for the full $20. While shopping, Cade discovered this entire cottage industry of High School Musical stuff. I should never go in to Target...

Shawn Terrell keeps playing Go Cubs Go here in the office, and I can't get it out of my head. Not sure I want to either. They're on a roll...

Chris Hassel says mascots kind of freak him out. You know, the way they stare at you and never blink. We changed his screensaver to Cubbie Bear. Chris nearly had to go home sick...

Things I'm thankful for on TV this week: The incomparable Denis Leary is back on Rescue Me; Scott Baio is Single and 45 is actually entertaining and wise; The Bronx is Burning is not very good, but I still enjoy all things baseball. Well, not all. I tried to get a refund for Major League 3...

Can't wait to see Rescue Dawn. It looks awesome...

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why should Barry Bonds take the heat for everyone who cheated? First, you said in your blog that the Grand Jury goes after someone when they know they got them. Well, Bonds would have been put in prison a year or two ago if they found something on him. There's no proof he took steroids. Remember, innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around. You do not hear other people calling McGuire (sp?) a cheater, or Sosa a cheater when they hit all those home runs did you? People loved it. Nobody's calling Giambi a chaeater now, no one ever said that Canseco cheated the game. Every sport has a tainted history through almost every decade. Did you read the article about golfers taking steroids? Are we going to call them cheaters? What about the pitchers who have pitched to Bonds who have taken steriods, we don't call them cheaters do we? Until it is proven that he did steroids and tried and guilty, then call him a cheater all you want. Say what you want to about Bonds, he is still one of the greatest players to ever step on the field and he stays out of trouble. You don't hear about him punching anybody, killing anybody, killing dogs, doing drugs, etc. Yeah, Bonds may be a jerk, but I think we should appreciate witnessing history in the making.

Keith Murphy said...

I appreciate your passion, but let's clear up a few things. I said "when the Feds indict" they almost always convict, not when a Grand Jury convenes. Big difference. Furthermore, Bonds has admitted under oath to "unknowingly" taking steroids and illegal performance enhancers, which "Book of Shadows" shows he did both knowingly and continuously for years.

As for him being a jerk, but not a dog-killer, you're repeating my point. I completely agree. I need to check myself because compared to many people in sports these days, Bonds is an upstanding citizen.

Bonds is one of the greatest players to ever step on the field, no doubt, but prior to his unprecedented late career power surge, he wasn't even on the All-Century team, and there's no way he would be approaching the great Hank Aaron without illegal boosts. Hall of Famer, yes. 756, no way.

We've all knew Sosa only hit home runs when they meant absolutely nothing, but now we know most of his teammates despised his phoniness and selfishness. I absolutely think he cheated, and not just when he corked.

I also believe Mark McGwire cheated---along with thousands of others. However, McGwire is retired and not chasing the most famous record in sport. How can you possibly expect him to be catching the same grief Bonds is? McGwire wasn't despised by most of his teammates, reporters and fans either. He got off easy, but he lives quietly in shame, and it cost him the Hall, at least for a while.

We all had our heads buried in the sand for far too long. Now we don't know what's real and what's not (remember Palmeiro? Who saw that coming.) It all stinks, and Bonds is the face of an ugly, artificial era that ruined records forever. Maybe it's not fair, but he's about to bring down the big one, and he already has the other one (73).

Thank you for your feedback.
Keith

Anonymous said...

I meant to say the Feds, sorry about that. I was a little passionate when I wrote the original post that I screwed up my typing. My thoughts where going faster than what I could type.

Brad S. said...

Greg McDermott has it right. Mike Taylor...kicked off the team. Nebraska football coach Bill Callahan suspends star receiver Maurice Purify for one-game against mighty Nevada after DUI, assault, disturbing the peace and hindering/delaying an arrest over two separate incidents. This doesn't include the three other charges that were dropped or amended.s

Anonymous said...

I totally agree with Greg McDermott kicking Mike Taylor off the ISU basketball team. He was a ballhog and undisciplined. The Cyclones will have a much better team without him in the long run.
CyFan

Anonymous said...

Last night on SoundOff the last caller made a comment about "What's wrong with Dog-fighting!" He went on to mention that Boxing and UFC is the same thing. What an idiot!!!! As Keith mentioned, professional fighters choose to engage in a combat sport and that animals do not! One more thing.......fighters who lose are not executed by being electricuted or hung from a tree!!!! In my opinion Michael Vick is just the first athlete/celebrity to get caught doing this crap! It wouldn't surprise me if Vik drops names and throws some high profile names into the mix. How many times do we see athelets spotlighted on ESPN or MTV's Cribs showing their backyard's full of kennels with Pitbulls??? Breeding my ass!!!

Anonymous said...

You let pitbulls breed your ass?

Anonymous said...

Murph~

You didn't talk about this in your blog, but I just wanted to thank you for not airing the gruesome details of the compound fracture the high school kid sustained in the game at Principal Park last night (7/24). I saw it both on Channel 8 and Channel 5, and I was disgusted - it was almost like they were taking pleasure in the "train wreck" atmosphere created by that young man's pain.

Thanks for taking the high road and thinking of your viewers (and the poor kid who was hurt!)

Thanks,
Emily

Anonymous said...

Emily, I think you have your stations mixed up. KCCI never showed ANY of the play involving the injury. WHO showed much of the play, showed the kid hopping and rolling around in obvious pain, and then the kid being carted off he field.

Anonymous said...

Wow Murph, you must be doing really well if the competition is reading your blog (and comments)! :)