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06/04/2007: "Sports Rant Plus"
It was a damp, gloomy weekend here at the Home Office - a perfect excuse to catch up on sports ...
- Everyone who believed in the promise of LeBron James saw it validated last Thursday when James scored his team's last 25 points in a double-overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons. They finished the job Saturday, and James truly demonstrated his maturity by letting the Pistons key on him while others got open looks. James came into the league with more fanfare than any previous player, and at times it seemed he couldn't live up to the hype. Clearly, though, his time is now, and how he fares against Tim Duncan and the Spurs should go a long way towards establishing his legacy.
- Just when you thought the Chicago Cubs couldn't sink any lower, they manage to find a new bottom. A note to banquet planners in the greater Chicago area - don't invite pitcher Carlos Zambrano and catcher Michael Barrett to the same event. They were last seen in a brawl that started in the dugout and spread down into the clubhouse. Manager Lou Pinella, ever one to set a good example, followed that performance with a diva turn of his own, going ballistic on Saturday, tossing dirt and bumping an umpire. He'll have 4 games to think about that stunt. The Cubs spent freely in the offseason, bringing in Alfonso Soriano and putting together an expensive roster that should have been competing for a pennant. Instead, they're keeping the cellar warm. Look for Lou to be back in Florida with time on his hands before the summer fishing season starts.
- Here's a thought for Gary Sheffield, Tigers outfielder: shut the hell up. Sheffield, blessed with Hall of Fame talent but apparently no more than double-A brains, believes he knows why there are so few blacks in the game today. It's because whitey doesn't want to deal with blacks who won't do what he says and demand respect. No, he'd rather stock the roster with hispanics, who have a language barrier and won't stand up for themselves. At least, that's why Sheff thinks. I think he's an idiot. Apparently, he doesn't see all those black kids who opt for a basketball instead of a fielder's glove. They've seen what we've all seen - they can spend the money for a glove, bat, balls, etc., just for the chance to spend a few years in the minors with only the hope of getting a shot at cashing in at the major league level - OR - they can pick up a basketball and some sneakers and maybe will be the next Kobe or LeBron and jump straight from high school to the NBA. In the mean time, the Dominican Republic is full of kids who will use a mitt made from rags and a stick as a bat. They'll do anything for a shot at baseball, because it's the only way off the island. You're not really that stupid, are you Gary?
- Chalk this up as one of those things you'll only see in the South Bay. The AVP was holding a tourney this weekend in Tampa, Florida, one of 4 straight weekends of play on the east coast. The women's draw went by the script, with Misty May-Trainor and Kerri Walsh once again beating Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branaugh for the win. But the men showed it was going to be a funny weekend when #1 team Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers got dropped into the contenders bracket early. In the end, it was second seed Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal breaking through for their first win of the year over the ageless Karch Kiraly and Kevin Wong. The last time Kiraly won was in 2005 with partner Mike Lambert. He's still part of a top ranked team playing with Stein Metzger, but they got knocked out early on Saturday. After following the final matches online Sunday afternoon, I headed out to Pep Boys for some car supplies. Who do I see there? Mike Lambert, getting an oil change. Can't imagine finding Gary Sheffield that way ...
- Our last entry is about a different kind of sport - dodging the paparazzi. For those keeping score, it's Paris Hilton 1, Gossip Photogs 0. For three days, the media has been staking out the best spots outside the South Central LA jail where Hilton was scheduled to turn herself in today. But she punk'd them all by showing up last night at the downtown Twin Towers jail - just hours after walking the red carpet at the MTV Movie Awards. She was processed in and transported to jail without the paparazzi having a clue. You gotta love that ... 
