We received such a positive response from Tuesday’s Greg Maddux 1987 baseball card - featuring the Hall of Fame lock sporting a mustache that’s part Adam Morrison, part Zorro, part porn star - that we’re going to close each week with Baseball Card Friday, wherein we present to you iconic baseball cards from our youth – the 80’s - for your viewing pleasure. There will probably be some mockery, and perhaps even some pre-juice photos will surface. But it’ll be fun. Promise.
For this week, we’ll start with this 1988 Fleer card of Bill Ripken – the younger, not-nearly-as-talented brother of Cal - that may or may not have been doctored. Anyone know if this is a fake? The more we googled, the more we began to think this photo was legit.
We’re a bit ticked off that it’s taken us a whopping two days to get to the first official college football of the year: Oklahoma quarterback/boozehound Rhett Bomar has been thrown off the team for pretending to work, and getting paid (handsomely) to do so. Bomar had the system down – he’d punch in on the clock, leave for a few hours, attend practice, and then go back on the job and clock out.
Hope you invested wisely, Rhett.
Our parting shots at Bomar will be tame, but only because we’ve always known he was a jackass. Sept 2005. Bomar is busted for underage drinking by the cops. To show what a little prick the kid is, the cops asked him what was in the mug, and he said, “Dr. Pepper.” When they further inquired if there was alcohol in the cup, he said yes. Jackass.
A mere six months later, Mr. Hotshot Quarterback – who looks like an extra from Varsity Blues - is attending a New Orleans Hornets NBA game. Mind you, he’s probably one of the five most famous fans in the arena. Dollars to donuts says his face, at some point during the game, appeared on the Jumbotron.
Since we’ve gone two straight days without blogging about the mysterious season-ending shoulder injury suffered by indispensable Mets setup man Duaner Sanchez (the jist: he was in the backseat of a cab at 2 a.m. on Sunday night Miami, and while allegedly looking for a Dominican restaurant, the cab got in an accident), we might as well look at a more current Mets quandary: Who got shafted in yesterday’s Jose Reyes signing?
The All-Star shortstop – who leads the majors in triples and stolen bases, and he’s second in runs scored – was inked to a 4-year, $23.25 million contract. Jeter money, it’s not.
For a point of reference, here’s what a few other Major League shortstops are making, courtesy of USA Today:
Miguel Tejada…..Baltimore…..$11.8…..’06: .328, 19 HR, 77 RBI
Edgar Renteria…..Atlanta…..$9.0…..’06: .315, 11 HR, 45 RBI
Carlos Guillen…..Detroit…..$5.0…..’04: .318, 20 HR, 97 RBI
Julio Lugo…..Dodgers…..$4.95……’06: 308, 12 home runs
Omar Vizquel…..San Fran…..$3.64…..39 years old
Michael Young…..Texas…..$3.07…..All-Star Game MVP
In our assessment, Reyes has elevated himself into the upper echelon of shortstops in the league – he’s probably one of the five best (Jeter, Tejada, Young, and Guillen). Sure, Reyes’ checkered injury history is cause for concern, but assuming he stays healthy for the remainder of this season, that will make two consecutive injury-free years heading into his prime.
Our verdict: The Mets got him on the cheap, especially considering Reyes and David Wright form one of the best SS-3B combos in baseball. How will Reyes feel when Wright signs this summer for $10 million per?
Were dumbfounded by two amazing facts to this case: A) Davis rolls with three cell phones, and B) The mild-mannered Davis evoked a lilne from Steven Seagal’s Out For Justice when confronting police.
Police say they asked again, and Davis pulled his hands from his pockets, holding three cell phones, money and credit cards.He put them back into his pants and said if the officers removed their badges and guns, he’d beat them up. Police asked him to calm down, but Davis continued shouting.
Then, grinding his teeth, Davis removed a chain from his neck, balled his fists and walked toward the officers in an “aggressive manner,” the report read. The police advised Davis they would use a Taser if he continued.
He kept advancing, so the officers used the Taser on him. Davis fell to the ground with two puncture wounds in his chest and abdomen.
Hearing this story, coupled with litany of other stories of athlete malfeasance in South Beach in the last six months, we totally want to move there, hang out in the streets around 2 a.m. with a video camera, and then put it all on You Tube.
Three hits last night for Chase Utley, extending his hitting streak to 35 games. We’re happy for the Phillies second baseman, as we would be any other athlete stringing together such a torrid streak. Get through the weekend series against the Mets, and we’ll throw your name into MVP contention with Albert Pujols, Carlos Beltran, and David Wright.
Friday: vs. Orlando Hernandez
Saturday: vs. Tom Glavine
Sunday: vs. John Maine
For the season, Utley is a none-too-shabby 13-for-37 against the Mets, and our humble prediction is that he extends the streak to 38 games Sunday afternoon.
Not quite sure where to start in regards to Team USA’s 114-69 drubbing of Puerto Rico last night. So please allow us to ramble:
- Chris Bosh looked a bit lost, Kirk Hinrich seemed trigger happy, and Bruce Bowen ain’t making this team.
- 11-31 from three won’t cut it. The best Euro teams shoot 40% or better.
- Damn, Dwight Howard is fun to watch. Seriously, we’d like to check his shoes for springs.
- There really isn’t much to say about Dwyane Wade. He is incredible.
- Is it wrong to say we’re happy Kobeisn’t on the team?
- Props are in order for Puerto Rico’s Carlos Arroyo. A joy to watch. Still surprised he’s not starting in the NBA.
- Somebody needs to ask Joe Johnson what he thinks of Atlanta’s first-round draft pick Shelden Williams. Johnson is on an island in Atlanta, which is unfortunate, because he’s got star potential.
- We see Carmelo Anthony’s perimeter game as the key to the offense, because if Puerto Rico is any indication, teams are going to give him whatever outside shot he wants.
- It’s a good thing the press came around in the second half, because in the first half, it was unbelievably ineffective.
A morning peek into what sports bloggers around the web are saying, interspersed with various news, gossip, and analysis. Chances of us getting a new server this weekend: 85%. Hoorah, server.
Greg Maddux descended from the firmament and threw six innings of no-hit ball last night against the struggling Cincinnati Reds. Who knows what might have been, were it not for a lengthy rain delay. The 3-0 win was the Dodgers sixth in a row, while the Reds’ loss was their fifth straight. (Dodger Thoughts)
Christina Aguilera once dated an athlete, right? Maybe. Maybe not. But we urge you to check out these GQ cover photos of her. Just do it. (Hollywood Tuna)
Isn’t it a riot when two bloggers, both backing the same team, duke it out online? Internet fights rock. (Only Baseball Matters)
Boy, Pete Carroll really screwed the pooch turning down all those lucrative offers to return to this mess at USC. (LA Times)
With the retiring of Eddie Pope from international soccer, team USA must now replace its best defender, midfielder, and forward before the 2010 World Cup. Plus, find a coach. (Blog Blog Woof Woof)
After the firing of analyst Harold Reynolds last month, ESPN tabs Joe Morgan as the new voice of the Little League World Series. (NY Post)
The line that pushed the Red Sox a game behind the Yankees in the competitive AL East: 6 innings, 11 hits, seven earned runs, three home runs allowed. For a guy who hasn’t had an ERA over 3.79 since 2002, Josh Beckett sure is struggling against the American League. After tonight’s shellacking, his ERA stands at a robust 5.00.
Fortunately for the Red Sox, it gets exceptionally easier over the next 10 days: the easiest nine-game road trip in the American League. Three at Tampa Bay, three at Kansas City, three at Baltimore.
We received such a positive response from Tuesday’s Greg Maddux 1987 baseball card - featuring the Hall of Fame lock sporting a mustache that’s part Adam Morrison, part Zorro, part porn star - that we’re going to close each week with Baseball Card Friday, wherein we present to you iconic baseball cards from our youth – the 80’s - for your viewing pleasure. There will probably be some mockery, and perhaps even some pre-juice photos will surface. But it’ll be fun. Promise. 
We’re a bit ticked off that it’s taken us a whopping two days to get to the first official college football of the year: Oklahoma quarterback/boozehound Rhett Bomar 
Since we’ve gone two straight days without blogging about the mysterious season-ending shoulder injury suffered by indispensable Mets setup man Duaner Sanchez (the jist: he was in the backseat of a cab at 2 a.m. on Sunday night Miami, and while allegedly looking for a Dominican restaurant, the cab 
In a story rapidly become our favorite athlete arrest in quite some time, 
Three hits last night for Chase Utley, extending his hitting streak to 35 games. We’re happy for the Phillies second baseman, as we would be any other athlete stringing together such a torrid streak. Get through the weekend series against the Mets, and we’ll throw your name into MVP contention with Albert Pujols, Carlos Beltran, and David Wright.
Not quite sure where to start in regards to Team USA’s 
A morning peek into what sports bloggers around the web are saying, interspersed with various news, gossip, and analysis. Chances of us getting a new server this weekend: 85%. Hoorah, server.
