Dawgs, tigers, wardens and Mountaineers
by Bob Benedetti on 09/05/2007
Greetings, everyone! Welcome to this edition of B-Blast current events. There’s so much to discuss, so let’s get to it!
NOTHIN’ BUT THE DAWG IN ME
If you haven’t checked out my extended take of the Michael Vick dog holocaust, feel free to click here. Otherwise, here’s the condensed version…
For the longest time, I’ve resisted the impulse to join the fray, due to repetition and sheer revulsion. But seeing the recent press conference, one that displayed a contrite, apologetic Atlanta Falcon superstar Michael Vick, was the nudge I needed to join the media dog pack. Unlike Vick’s canines, I hope that my takes are of enough substance to avoid electrically charged proddings or a gallon of water directly to the greel. Stay tuned, and you can be the judge.
For Vick, a guilty plea to federal dogfighting charges was the backfield sack the Federal Department of Justice had long pursued. Vick’s participation in aiding and abetting dog fighting and related gambling were a long, reckless scramble; one that even the finest line of protection provided by legal counsel Billy Martin and Company were not capable of keeping the former quarterback from being hit with a loss of millions of dollars and an extended stay at a neighborhood federal penitentiary.
Vick may have apologized and, although a bit ambiguous, his apology may have been sincere.
Who knows? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, it doesn’t excuse the cruel, heinous acts he’s committed in relation to the torture and death of dogs he and relatives used during his “Bad Newz Kennels” recreational venture.
Vick should pay the maximum penalty for those acts.
And memo to those who attempt to go to “the race card,” viewing my takes as the venom of a stiff middle-aged white guy; a quote from my work comrade-at-arms, Kinston Free Press sports editor Richard Clark, described it with utmost clarity: “Those dogs didn’t know anything about black and white. They just know they got killed.”
Yes, mistreatment, cruelty and death are blind to race, creed and color. Dead is dead.
With that, I hope Vick is sacked for a deep loss. His acts were nothing but the dog in him, and he needs to pay the price… and work to clean up his act. I hope he does, and I hope other dogs are better off for it.
FALL IS FOR FOOTBALL
The recent kick-off of the college pigskin, is, in my mind, the true coronation of the football season. In most places across the continent, the weather is changing just in time for the autumn ritual.
One exception is home of my alma mater, Arizona State. In the asphalt-covered desert called Tempe, Ariz., the SunFelons are lead by head warden, errr coach, Dennis Erickson. A look back at Warden Erickson’s track record and you’ll find a history of speedy play on the field and gunplay off of it; from his days with the Miami Hurri-gangstaz to a completely retooled Oregon State Illegal-Beavers. If ASU athletic director Lisa Love thought she had problems with booty-groping, financial aid money handouts, points shaving and gun-toting before… look out. It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day… and the Glock is locked and loaded.
ON THE OPPOSITE COAST
During the annual “Bowden Bowl,” where father Bobby’s FSU Seminoles looked as old and tired as their coach during the first half, son Terry’s Clemson Tigers took until the bitter end to put Florida State out of its misery 24-18.
My curiosity is whether the elder Bowden or Penn State head coach and fellow fossil Joe Patterno will win the death pool… and who will win more games en route to it? It’s a ‘push’ on the death pool winner, but JoePa will win more purely because Bowden’s Seminole program is so done the players have a cutlery manufacturer's stock of forks stuck in their backs.
Now to the serious biz at hand… in what is most likely the game of the entire season… when Division 1-AA Appalacian State officially became House-wreckers, when they put the wood to 5th ranked and then-national hopeful University of Michigan Wolverines in front of more than 105,000 at the “Big House” in Ann Arbor, Mich., by a score of 34-32.
Aside from a late-game desperation toss of 46 yards from Chad Henne to Mario Manningham, UofM coach Lloyd Carr’s play selection was the usual, wooden, uptight “play not to lose” gameplan that just about ensures a Michigan defeat every time.
It looked as if the Wolverines might escape by converting a 37-yard field goal with 6 seconds left, but the Mountaineers had a different ending in mind…
It was a game for the history books.
AND THE ROCKET’S RED… ELBOW?
Here’s one for New York Yankee fans, when pitcher Roger Clemens took a cortisone shot in elbow in hopes of healing an irritated right elbow, started two days later and gave up 5 runs in 4 innings during a 7-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners… soon thereafter, Clemens an MRI performed… one of the hits he surrendered was a home run off the bat of Irciro Suzuki, the Mariner outfielder’s 200th hit of the season. The 45-year-old native Texan is 6-6 this season, with less than 100 innings pitched. Looks like the 18.5 million dollar experiment GM Brian Cashman hoped to pull off has bombed in the Bronx, and the Rocket has been mostly reduced to an overgrown sparkler – a lavishly paid one, at that.
ANOTHER BOWIE? SAY IT ISN'T SO
The Portland Trailblazers have nearly 4 million reasons to go “aaaawwwwwwww,” upon finding out their franchise’s future, number one pick in this year’s NBA draft, Greg Oden, just hit the DL with microfracture surgery to his right knee. And they’re not the only ones in disbelief, as according to ESPN.com, the 7’, 280 lb. freshman center who led Ohio State to the NCAA Finals had recently signed additional deals with Topps trading card company for more than $3 million and Nike for an undisclosed boatload of caysh.
Expectations are large for Oden, whose huge, stories-tall jersey hangs on the Rose Garden Arena and who appears on a billboard (along with teammates Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge) across the street proclaiming "The Road Back to Rip City." He was projected to be the Trailblazers’ cornerstone.
If his knee fails to respond to the risky surgical procedure, Oden could turn into this generation’s version of Sam Bowie (Portland’s No. 2 pick in the 1984 draft who injury-plagued career was a flameout; Michael Jordan was the next player chosen by the Chicago Bulls and… the rest is history).
A quiet guy and tireless worker, it has been reported that Oden apologized “more than 20 times” to Trailblazer General Manager Kevin Pritchard during a conversation the two had as immediately after the center’s knee surgery.
Here’s one guy hoping history does not repeat itself.
A HEFTY MOMENT
Meanwhile, Phil Michelson’s win the Deutchebank Championship was the first time Phil had ever defeated Tiger on Sunday when they’d been paired together. The win put Hefty, errr Lefty, atop the season’s standings – for a minute.
Perhaps Phil should have celebrated with a drumstick and double-chocolate shake: after he gets the proper lift-and-support to restrain those things just outside his armpits… a place that certainly provides no room to tote the FedEx Cup.
Enjoy your temporary victory Phil, because a meaner, snarlier, hungrier Tiger will be back on the prowl before you know it.
A FEW FLEETING THOUGHTS…
During the Memorial Day weekend, it seemed very odd to tune into ESPN’s sister station, only to find two parochial high school teams battling it out in a Sunday mid-day affair. A bit surprised, the Mrs. asked, “Wouldn’t you think they’d be in church at that time?"
I was as disgusted as she was astonished. “They’re attending a new church; the church of ‘jack’.” Hopefully the Lord will find a few screen passes and blitz packages OK on the “day of rest” in return for a fluffy pile of green in the wicker contribution basket.
That’s all for now. Thanks for joining me.
Until next time, enjoy and… Meeeee-chigan fans… how’s that taste?!
— Bob