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07/30/2007: "Sports Rant - Couch Potato Edition"
After flying in from Seattle Thursday night, flying out to Reno Saturday morning - and then driving back Saturday afternoon - all I wanted to do on Sunday was collapse. Thank God there was a wide variety of sports to absorb ...
- I'll be honest; I didn't think there was a chance in Hell that the Marlins would escape San Francisco without giving up the record-setting home run to the Giants' Barry Bonds. Surprise! After a rude awakening for Rick VandenHurk (he gave one up to the Pumpkin Headed Freak on his first at-bat of the series), Bonds went homerless in the rest of the games and remains one dinger away from tying the Hammer. Props to Dontrelle Willis and Sergio Mitre for having the stones to go after Bonds - particularly Willis. The D-Train grew up in Oakland as a Bonds fan, and make no attempt to hide the fact that he's in awe of him. But when he took the mound, he rared back and brought it - 12 straight fastballs - that resulted in one strikeout, a pair of pop-ups and a walk. Even Bonds had to smile afterwards - as his manager, Bruce Bochy, put it later, "He saw more good pitches today than he does in most weeks." Now Bonds has to come to LA, and the fans will be ready. "Baaaaaaary .... Baaaaaaary ... Baaaaaaary ..."
- The Tour de France ended yesterday on the cobblestones of Paris and I am forced to admit that I couldn't care less. If ever a sport deserved to be eliminated, at this point it would have to be professional cycling. I have never seen a single sporting event be so riddled with controversy and poor decision-making - it makes the missteps by the NHL look like nothing. In the end, Alberto Contador of the Discovery Channel team took home the title, through attrition as much as talent. To be sure, Contador is a rising star - declared to be "the future of cycling" by no less than Lance Armstrong himself. Contador came to this event looking for the white jersey of the under-24 champion, not the overall title, but as all the favorites were kicked to the curb he was the one left standing ... er, pedalling. A good way to go out for Team Discovery, but a pathetic display overall.
- Congrats to Natalie Gulbis, who won the Evian Masters in a playoff yesterday for her first LPGA victory. Known primarily for her looks rather than her golf, Gulbis was part of that loose group that included Anna Kournakova and Danica Patrick - looks good, can't perform - which wasn't helped by her calender and reality TV show. But she's always had game and had come close before. This could be the beginning of good things for her - which should be good for the LPGA as well. Nice to see a story about someone who actually performs, instead of just showing up. Which reminds me - Michelle Wie actually made the cut.
