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05/21/2007: "Der Monday Sports Rant"
Spent all weekend working on application configuration, save one quick run to the beach to catch an AVP match, so most of my highlights came via computer ...
- What is it for the Dodgers when they visit Angels Stadium? There's not a guy on the Anaheim ... er, Los Angeles ... roster who can hit it out of the infield, yet all the Blue Crew has to do is roll down the 405 and the losses are already on the books before they get off the bus. They didn't lead once in three games this weekend, and made Mike Scioscia's gang look like Dodger-killers ...
- The MB sends our condolences to NBC horse racing announcer Tom Durkin, whose voice died a horrible death Sunday near the end of the Preakness. Services are pending. Durkin's vocal histrionics aside, it was an incredible race as Curlin nipped Kentucky Derby Winner Street Sense by the smallest of margins at the wire. There's often a debate as to whether racehorses are athletes or simply a well-bred product, but there's no greater sporting moment than when twenty thoroghbreds round the final corner and head for the line in a big race. You don't have to be a sports fan to appreciate the power and beauty.
- Have you ever seen a more heartbreaking loss than the one faced by the Detroit Red Wings last night? They outplayed the Anaheim Ducks for 58 minutes and led 1-0, only to take a late penalty. The Ducks pulled their goalie and, with the two-man advantage, Duck Scott Niedermeyer managed to chip one in. In the overtime, a poor clearing pass was intercepted by Duck forward Teemu Selanne, who's made a career out of putting mistakes into the back of the net, and this was no exception. Instead of a win and a 3-2 series lead, the Wings take a cruel home loss and head to Anaheim down a game. Amazing how it can change in a instant.)
- It was a pretty good weekend for the Trainor family. Husband Matt, a backup catcher for the Florida Marlins, helped his team sweep the Tampa Bay Devil Rays over the weekend, catching submariner Byung Hyun Kim Friday night in a victory. Meanwhile, his wife, beach volleyball star Misty May-Treanor, was partnering with Kerri Walsh to top Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner to win the AVP Hermosa Beach Open not more than a mile from the SCMO Home Office. It was the second straight event in which these two teams competed in the finals, and for May the victory was the 73rd in her career, breaking a tie with Holly McPeak for the most career victories. At 29, you can bet Misty has a lot more in the tank, and Karch Kiraly's overall career record of 148 titles isn't out of reach.
- On a personal note, I managed to get away long enough to watch my girl Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner in one of the Saturday matches. If you've never seen an AVP event, you really should. Amazing beauty, amazing talent, amazing event. I probably would have included a picture from one of the matches, but then I saw this shot of Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria trying to play during a charity match held on center court yesterday. I'm sorry ... I couldn't help myself, but I knew you'd understand. As Popeye so elequently put it,
"I yams what I yams, and that's alls what I yams ..."
