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04/30/2007: "Mixed Bag O' Sports Rant"

Most of this week's rants have nothing to do with actual on-the-field results ...

- Lightning of the worst kind struck the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend as relief pitcher Josh Hancock was killed early Sunday morning in a car accident. Hancock, 29, was a journeyman who played a key role in the Redbirds' World Series championship and was a workhorse again this season - he pitched three innings Saturday only hours before his death. It was only five years ago that the Cards had to deal with the death of Darryl Kile - the last roster player to die during the season. The parallels between the two instances are eerie - both Cardinals, both pitchers, both causing the cancellation of a Cardinals-Cubs game. They say the clubhouse is a substitute for family during the season, and for the second time in far too short a time the Cardinals family is having to deal with a death in the family. the MB's heart goes out to them as they struggle through this difficult time.

- One of the reasons women's sports tends to get second billing is that the physical differences between the genders precludes playing each other on the same level. For some sports, though, that's not the case, and we got an example of that this weekend. At the IRL race this weekend, three women raced against the men - the most ever. The wonderful thing about a race car is that it doesn't care of you have a penis - only a lead foot. Joining series regulars Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher was sports car vet Milka Duno, who passed her rookie test in time to qualify for the race. Some have questioned her racing credentials, and it's a valid concern. But it's still good to see more people who are traditionally shut out getting a chance. So now the question is, where's the minority drivers?

- The NFL draft once again showed it's as much fun as you can have off the field. Just watching the folks in the green room twist as other guys are named is grand theater. In seasons past, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Leinart took the wild ride; this year it was Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn's turn to twist in the breeze. Expecting to go as high as 3 and no lower than 9, Quinn had to wait over 4 hours to finally be picked by the Browns at 22. He'll pay a price in pride and cash (as much as $10 in guaranteed money) because of the fall, but is likely in a better situation in terms of opportunity. BTW - did anyone else notice how the Patriots quietly continued to load up on receivers yesterday? They traded a meaningless pick to the Raiders for Randy Moss, who joins free agents Donte' Stallworth and Kelley Washington and trade acquiree Wes Walker to give Tom Brady quite a set of targets. Think Bill Belichick is still stinging from last year?

- The cycling court of public opinion claimed another victim yesterday as Ivan Basso, lead rider for Team Discovery, asked for and was given his release from the team. The ongoing doping investigations, which have dragged on for nearly two years, have cast such a pall over Basso and the hundred-odd riders involved that they have been told by the Tour de France organizers not to enter the event. All this, mind you, without any demonstrated evidence of guilt. I know we can't try to automatically apply our idea of justice to the world, but you'd think "innocent until proven guilty" would apply to the world of cycling. But I guess you can just ask Floyd Landis about that ...