General Sports

Some quick Olympic notes:

--Its always bugged me how they rank the countries by the total number of medals won.  That is why Definitive Dose has devised the AOMR, or Actual Olympic Medal Rankings (patent pending).  Each medal is weighted according to it's worth (3 points for gold, 2 for silver, 1 for bronze) and then a new total is formulated. Using this system, the US led the way in both total medals (37) and AOMR (70).  Although Germany had six more medals than host-nation Canada, the two tied for second place with an AOMR of 61 apiece.  Norway and South Korea round out the top 5 with AOMR's of 49 and 32 respectively. 

--For the first time in its history, Canada won gold at an Olympic Games that they played host-nation to, having failed to do so at both the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Not only that, Canada also became the first host nation since Norway in 1952 to lead the gold medal count.  Their 14 broke the record for the most gold medals won at a single Winter Olympics.  The United States' 37 medals broke the record for the most medals won at a single Winter Olympics.  Boo-yah!

--Blame Canada. Vancouver had what can only be described as a less-than-savory time hosting the game s in 2010.  First Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili is killed during a training run moments before the Opening Ceremony.  Queue Olympic torch statue to raise from ground.  Hello?  Anyone?  Then we have breakdowns of ice resurfacers that delay speedskating events, bad weather that delays a host of others, and thousands of voided tickets and angry would-be spectators.  Then again, Sid Crosby did win Olympic gold for Canadian hockey, so I’m guessing there aren’t too many Vancouverians (?) that are all that concerned. 

--Speaking of hockey, how good was that gold medal hockey game?! Although the US fell short in the end, it was everything you could have asked for and then some.  And how fitting that Sid the Kid got the game-winner in OT; 23-years-old and he's the best hockey player on the planet.  Sorry Ovechkin, but if we learned anything from this Olympics, its that Sidney Crosby is the heir-apparent, hand-down.  And congratulations to hockey itself; you've officially sold me.  And I suspect there are a lot more casual fans out there who feel the same.

If you missed it, here is the Tiger Woods press conference in its entirety for your viewing pleasure. No big revelations to speak of, ("I do plan to return to golf one day. I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out that it will be this year") but you still probably owe it to yourself to take a look.                                                                            


And now to Bill Simmons of ESPN.com for the insta-nalysis:

"...Trust me, you should have gone with 'I got married too soon, I should have sowed my oats first, I didn't, I'm an ass.' Much better...

...In a few weeks, or a few months, Tiger will start hitting golf balls and everything will be fine again. I just want to get there. For now, we apparently have to put up with a few more weeks (and possibly months) of the Tiger Woods Rehabilitation Tour. There will be more rehab, more staged photos, more secrecy and eventually a carefully planned interview with the right person who won't be a threat to ask him anything interesting. Wake me up when he plays a tournament..."

Read Simmons' full speech here

I listen to a lot of sports radio.  Probably a little too much for my own good.  Listening to the daily Patriots-related bitching and moaning this morning, it occurred to me that this has got to be the only team in football (with the possible exception of the Colts) that could head into the postseason with an assured first round home game and still incur daily abuse from its fanbase.  Every day, there is endless complaining, that the coach has lost his magic, the star receiver is dogging it,  the running game is garbage, the defense is too young, and the team as a whole is essentially a big fat disappointment and the signaling of the end of a dynasty.  And it was then it occurred to me how truly far this city has come.  With all the decade-in-retrospect articles flowing out of every publication on the planet, I thought it would be nice to put this little situation in perspective.  Lets take a look back to where Boston’s three major sports teams were on the eve of December 31, 1999.

The year 2000.  I was a typical tortured Boston sports fan in my first year of high school, which I guess made me a typical tortured high school freshman to boot.  The Red Sox were neck deep in their (then) eighty-two year World Series drought.  The Celtics were positively attrocious and the Patriots were still without a single ring to show for themselves.  Looking back, it feels like another lifetime.  Probably because in the past decade, every Boston sports fan has enjoyed literally a lifetime of golden sports memories, and that’s a good lifetime at that.

So it was the dawn of the 21st century, and the Celtics had won their last championship fourteen years earlier when I was less than a year old.  Then Len Bias died (on my first birthday), and then Reggie Lewis died seven years later.  Then the Garden closed up shop, and then Rick “all the negativity that's in this town sucks” Pitino took over the reigns.  From the 93-94 season until we landed Allen and Garnett in ‘07, the Celts posted a dismal 472-645 record.  And then it all changed.  The Green Men (well, black men if you wanna split hairs) won 66 regular season games in 07-08 en route to their first title of my conscious lifetime, and from there, anything less than another championship was a disappointment.  Literally.  With this squad, its #18 or bust.  

Then there’s the Red Sox.  In 2003, when Aaron bleepin Boone’s towering home run landed in the upper deck of Yankee Stadium to send the piteous Sox home in the 12th inning of game seven of the ALCS, I was sure I’d never watch another game of baseball again.  Cowboy up, my ass.  In 2004, it looked like it was all happening again, as the Sox lost game three of the ALCS to the Yankees 19-8, falling to 0-3 in the series.  And then Mr. Dave Roberts stole 2nd base, and the rest is history.  I still get goosebumps just typing that sentence.  The curse had been broken, and three years later the Sox would once again sweep the series en route to title #8.  Today, like the Celtics, its World Series or bust.

And finally there’s the Patriots.  The year I was born, the Pats would go to their first Super Bowl, in which they would get destoyed 46-10 by da Bears.  A little over a decade later, they would again fall in the Super Bowl, this time to Brett Favre (cringe) and the Green Bay Packers.  From 1998-2000 the Pats would finish 4th, 4th, and 5th in the AFC east.   And then Mo Lewis clobbered Drew Bledsoe  into the sideline, and a little-known 6th round pick named Tom Brady took the field.  3 Super Bowls, 6 division championships, and 1 perfect regular season later (sadly, they canceled the Super Bowl that year), the Patriots are the cream of the NFL crop. 

Well, almost.  The Patriots are a team in transition, a team that is undeniably a shadow of their middle-of-the-decade selves.  Ten years ago, just making the playoffs alone would have been cause for celebration.  But times have changed.  Boston sports fans have gotten accustomed to success of the highest order, and they’ve grown to become quite fond of it.  For the big three in Boston, anything but the top of the mountain is simply, for better or worse, unacceptable.

Ok.  I'm sick to death of this story already, but I feel like I've gotta weigh in here. And maybe its a little ironic that the last time I did an editorial, it was on Steve Phillips and his sorry excuse for venturing outside the bonds of matrimony. Well, at least I guess you can say Tiger knows how to pick 'em.

So on the way to work this morning one of the radio jockeys I happened to be listening to suggested that this Tiger debacle might be the biggest sports story of the decade. Really? Personally, I feel like this has got to be the biggest non-story since the bubble boy. So Tiger Woods cheated on his wife. I’m not saying that what he did wasn’t wrong, but why is this considered an earth-shattering, Extra-Extra-Read-All-About-It news story? Tiger Woods is famous. Tiger Woods is rich. This has got to be the 87th time a rich, famous person has cheated on their wife in the past year.  We've gone through this so many times, I've just been desensitized to it at this point.  He is certainly not the first star athlete to go “rogue,” and he certainly won’t be the last.

Now alright. I know there’s people out there who will say this is different. Tiger was supposed to be the good one. The squeaky-clean poster boy for all that is right in athletics. He had about a trillion endorsements and was just about the last person anybody would suspect of such a transgression. But did we really know Tiger? All he was for us was a soft-spoken guy who pretty much only talked about golf, stayed out of the limelight, and kept his personal business personal. He was a blank slate for us to fill with the qualities we all desired out of a sports hero, and so we did. So it turns out Tiger wasn’t all that we had imagined. Now this might be a big deal for Nike, but I frankly remain unfazed.

And back to that whole “biggest sports story of the decade” claim. Um, remember Michael Vick. The guy electrocuted dogs! Now, I suppose if he had had sex with them, this might have been a contender. A better comparison would have to be Kobe, and lest we forget that that whole scandal broke with a rape allegation! Turned out he merely cheated on his wife, and for awhile his rep took a beating. And then he won another championship and just like that, Kobe was back. America is a fickle nation. Trust me, once Tiger wins another green jacket or two, maybe passes Nicklaus, we’ll all be saying “who cares about a little infidelity. That guy can mash it.” As far as I’m concerned, that day can’t come soon enough. 

In honor of the retirement (or not? stay tuned...) of basketball's OG Allen Iverson, we fondly recall his greatest moment.  And no, its not a game...not a game.....   Here are the the eight greatest press conference moments in recent memory.  Enjoy...

For all my fellow Beantowners feeling a little down with the latest Yankees Series win, let's step back for a second and remember who has OWNED this decade.  Yes, the Yankees have won a series or two (or 27...sigh) in their day, but New York also has the lowely Knicks and Jets representing them.  So to lay it all out, here are the top 30 professional sports cities in the country.  The criteria used was:
--Must have at least 2 professional teams of the big four sports.  
--Both past and present performance is considered, with greater weight given to the present.
--Though success is the greatest indicator used, fan dedication is also a factor.  For instance, though the Cubs never win squat, Chicago is a far greater baseball city than, say, Tampa Bay, which has had some recent success but still can't get fans in the stadium.
--For all intents and purposes, Toronto is being included as an "American" city.
--Boston still gets the Pats even though they're technically from New England.  Dido for the Indianapolis and the Pacers.  However, New York doesn't get the Bills.  7 freakin' teams is enough.
--Four teams is better than three, and five is better than four.  Still, having less teams isn't a dealbreaker.

Be sure to vote on what city you think is tops.  So far, it looks like there are a lotta haters out there...

1. Boston (Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, Bruins)
2. New York (Yanks, Mets, Giants, Jets, Knicks, Islanders, Rangers)
3. Chicago (Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks)
4. Philadelphia (Phillies, Eagles, 76ers, Flyers)
5. Los Angeles (Lakers, Dodgers, Angels, Clippers, Kings)
6. Pittsburgh (Steelers, Pirates, Penguins)
7. Atlanta (Braves, Falcons, Hawks, Thrashers)
8. Minnesota (Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild)
9. Cleveland (Cavaliers, Indians, Browns)
10. Denver (Broncos, Rockies, Nuggets, Avalanche)
11. St Louis (Cardinals, Rams, Blues)
12. Dallas (Cowboys, Mavericks, Stars)
13. San Francisco (49ers, Giants)
14. Detroit (Tigers, Pistons, Lions, Red Wings)
15. New Orleans (Saints, Hornets)
16. Miami (Heat, Dolphins, Marlins)
17. Indianapolis (Colts, Pacers)
18. Toronto (Raptors, Blue Jays, Maple Leafs)
19. Baltimore (Orioles, Ravens)
20. Houston (Texans, Rockets)
21. Washington (Redskins, Nationals, Wizards)
22. Milwaukee (Brewers, Bucks)
23. San Diego (Chargers, Padres)
24. Oakland (Raiders, A's)
25. Seattle (Seahawks, Mariners)
26. Cincinnati (Bengals, Reds)
27. Arizona (Diamondbacks, Cardinals)
28. Carolina (Panthers, Hurricanes)
29. Tampa Bay (Devil Rays, Lightning)
30. Pheonix (Suns, Coyotes)

"I am not a role model," proclaimed Charles Barkely in the now infamous 1993 Nike Commercial.  "Just because I dunk a basketball, doesn't mean I should raise your kids."  And you know what?  With athletes like these, that's probably a good thing. 

1. OJ Simpson--The white Ford Bronco, the bloody glove, the "if it doesn't fit, you must acquit."  Arguably the most sensational trial in American history, OJ walked away from a double murder a free man.  However, karma is a bitch and the Juice is currently serving a 33-year prison sentence for a 2007 Las Vegas robbery.
2. Michael Vick--In 2007, evidence of the dog-fighting ring known as "Bad Newz Kennels" was uncovered at a property owned by Vick in Virginia.  Vick was later accused of electrocuting, beating, and strangling the dogs in addition to directly financing the operation.  He ended up serving 18 months
3. Tonya Harding--In 1994, Harding's ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, and her bodyguard, Shawn Eckhardt, hired Shane Stant to strike rival figure skater Nancy Kerrigan on the knee. Harding went on to win the US figure skating championship while Kerrigan was forced to withdraw due to her injury.  Tonya insisted that she had attempted to prevent the planned attack, even going so far as to say that when she attempted to call the FBI, her ex threatened to kill her following a gunpoint gang rape by Gillooly and two other men.  However, nobody bought it and Harding was eventually stripped of her title and banned from the US Figure Skating Association for life.  Harding has since release an utterly horrific sex-tape (so I'm told) and beaten up Paula Jones on the short-lived Fox experiment Celebrity Boxing.
4. Mike Tyson--Though arrested 38 times by age 13, the crime that really shook the sports world was his alleged rape of 18-year-old Miss Black Rhode Island Desiree Washington in 1991.  Iron Mike served 3 of his 6-year prison term before being released, going on bite the ears of grown men, rack up a slew of DUI and drug charges, and care for his pigeons.  (He owned over 350 at one point)
5. Adam "PacMan" Jones--In 2007, during NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, as Pac Man and rapper Nelly "made it rain" on several strippers at the club Minxx, Jones became enraged when one girl began collecting some of the money without his permission.  Like any upstanding gentleman, Pac Man grabbed the stripper by her hair and slammed her head on the stage.  During the ensuing scuffle with security, Jones threatened one of the guards' lives.  Later that evening, a member of Jones' entourage returned to the club and fired several shots into a crowd, twice hitting the guard whom Pac Man had threatened and also ultimately paralyzing former professional wrestler Tommy Urbanski. Jones pleaded no contest to one charge of conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct and was given a suspended prison sentence of one year, probation, and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.
6. Rae Carruth--In 1999, the former Panther receiver allegedly blocked the car of Cherica Adams, his girlfriend and baby-mama to-be while another car drove alongside and opened fire on the woman, killing her. Carruth was eventually found by police hiding in the trunk of a car outside a motel in Tennessee alongside $3,900 in cash, bottles to hold his urine, extra clothes, candy bars, and a cell phone.  He was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and is currently serving a prison sentence of 18-24 years.
7. Nate Newton--In 2001, police found 213 pounds of marijuana in Nasty Nate's van.  Unbelievably, five weeks later, while out on bail, Nate again had a run in with the police, this time with only a mere 175 pounds of pot in his possession.  The six-time pro-bowl offensive lineman was given 30 months in the slammer and has reportedly renounced his old ways.
8. Ugueth Urbina- In 2005, this former Sox reliever was accused of attacking five of his Venezuelan farm hands with both a machete and by pouring gasoline on them.  He is currently serving 14 years in prison for attempted murder.
9. Riddick Bowe--In 1998, the former heavyweight champ was convicted of kidnapping his wife and children, driving them from North Carolina to Maryland, and then threatening his wife with a knife, handcuffs, duct tape and pepper spray. Bowe actually got off with 30 days by claiming that he had suffered brain damage as a result of repeated blows to the head.  However, this ridiculous decision was eventually overturned and he served 17 months in prison.
10. Plaxico Burress--Talk about adding insult to injury.  Guy shoots himself in the leg, then gets thrown in jail for two years all because he didn't have a permit for the weapon. Coming from someone who literally had his heart broken by Plax, I'll be the first to say this is beyond ridiculous.  Donte Stallworth kills someone in a drunk driving accident and gets off with a few months, while at the same time Plaxico gets two years for shooting himself??  Horrific crime it was not.  But sensational?  Very.

1. Bill Russell--11 championships in 13 years and a gold medal to boot.  Just insane.
2. Rocky Marciano--Only heavyweight to retire undefeated at 49-0.  Not bad for a white guy from Brockton, MA.
3. Jack Nicklaus--73 PGA Tour wins, 4 US Open wins, and 6 green jackets.
4. Tiger Woods--71 PGA wins, 37 European tour wins, 3 open championships and 4 green jackets.
5. Yogi Berra- 10 World Series rings
6. Lance Armstrong--7 Tour de France wins, and heck, the guy even beat cancer.
7. Henri Richard--Nicknamed "The Pocket-Rocket" (I kid you not), Richard won 11 Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens in his 20-year NHL career.
8. Michael Jordan--6 championships in 8 years, 2 gold medals, and 1 NCAA championship with the Tarheels.
9. Michael Phelps--14 Olympic golds, 23 world championship golds, 37 world records held, and 1 marijuana charge beaten.
10. Joe Dimaggio--9 time World Series champion and 1 Marylin Monroe.
11. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar-6-time NBA champion, 3-time NCAA champion with the Bruins, and he was even assistant coach of last year's championship Lakers
12. Joe Montana--4 time Super Bowl champion and an NCAA national title at Notre Dame.
13. Pete Sampras--64 career titles including 7 Wimbledons and 5 US Opens.
14. Roger Federer--61 career titles, including 6 Wimbledons and 5 US Opens.  Shouldn't be long before he edges Sampras out for the top spot.
15. Pele-Only soccer player to be apart of 3 World Cup-winning teams.  Pele also led his original club team, Santos, to 10 championships in the Campeonato Paulinista league.  And let us not forget his 1977 North American Soccer League championship with the New York Cosmos.
16. Alexander Karelin--Though most remembered here in America for his stunning defeat at the hands of Rulon Gardner, "Alexander The Great" went undefeated in international Greco-Roman wrestling competition for thirteen years, the last six of which he didn't even give up a single point.
17. Mickey Mantle--7 World Series rings in 12 years and a 1956 Triple Crown.
18. Larissa Latynina--9 Olympic golds and 9 world championship golds.  Then again, it is gymnastics.
19. Carl Lewis--9 Olympic golds and 8 world championship golds.  Side note: Lewis was drafted by both the NBA and NFL, though never played a game for either.
20. Robert Horry--7-time NBA champion with 3 different teams.
21. Martina Navratilova- 167 singles and 177 doubles career titles (both records for men or women) Her singles career includes 9 Wimbledons and 4 US Opens.
22. John Havlicek-8-time NBA champion and a NCAA title
23. Cael Sanderson
24. Bill Dickey- 8-time World Series Champ
25. Magic Johnson--5 time NBA champion, 1 gold medal, and enough money to makes AIDS his bitch.
26. Bart Starr--5 time Super Bowl champion
27. Terry Bradshaw--4 Super Bowl rings and 5 crappy country albums.
28. Lou Gehrig--6 time World Series champion and the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.
29. Shaquille O'Neal--4 time NBA champion, 6 crappy albums and 11 crappy movies (see: Kazaam)   And he beat up Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya.
30. Babe Ruth--7 World Series trophies with both the Sox and Yankees.
31. Derek Jeter--4 time 5-time World Series champion.  Aaaand...moving on.
32. Tom Brady--3 time Super Bowl Champion, 105-29 career record, and 29 game-winning drives after a Patriots' fourth-quarter tie or deficit.
33. Larry Bird--3 time NBA champion and a gold medal.  He's also a pretty nasty coach.
34. Tim Duncan--4 time NBA champion with the Spurs.
35. Steffi Graf

Honorable Mentions: Sean White, Tony Hawk, Kobe Bryant, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada.

With the latest Red River Rivalry result in the books, thought I'd bang out the top 10 sports rivalries.

1. Red Sox-Yankees-Yanks lead 1129-940.  They also happen to SUCK!
2. Ohio State-Michigan (Football)--aka The Game.  Michigan leads 57-42.
3. Celtics-Lakers--Celtics have won 9 of their 11 finals matchups.
4. Duke-UNC (Basketball)--aka The Battle of Tobacco Road.  UNC leads 130-97.
5. Packers-Bears-Professional football's oldest rivalry, dating back to 1921.  Chicago leads 91-81 overall, while the Packers have 12 championships to the Bears' 9.
6. Army-Navy (Football)--Originating in 1890, Navy currently leads the rivalry 53-49.
7. Barcelona-Real Madrid--aka El Clasico.  Generally considered to be the biggest rivalry in soccer, the matches are watched by hundreds of millions of people around the world.
8. Giants-Dodgers--Longest standing rivalry in baseball.  Giants lead 1163-1145.  Dodgers have 6 titles to Giants 5.
9. Texas-Oklahoma (Football)--aka The Red River Rivalry.  Texas leads 59-40.
10. Bruins-Canadiens--Montreal has won 24 of their 32 playoff meetings.