It's a record-setting third post on the Stack Blog today, which follows my then-record second post of the day a couple hours ago. I'm heading into Phelps territory...
Anyway, I will start posting my amNew York articles here for those interested in reading more professionally written articles. You can see what amNew York is all about by clicking here.
And here is link to the web version of the article...
Monday, August 18, 2008
What happened to the men's 100m final?
Ummm, did you see the men's track & field 100 meter final in Beijing? I'm pretty sure it happened because I saw a scrolling line on ESPNEWS on Saturday stating that Jamaica's Usain Bolt won the event with a world record time of 9.69.
I've been attached to the television morning and night watching the Summer Games, but I still don't when the race occurred. I intentionally didn't find out for this posting to communicate how even an interested Olympics watcher didn't know when the 100 meter final began.
What's more confounding is that this race used to be a showcase event in the Olympics. What the big gymnastics event are to the female viewers, the 100 meter men's final is to the males. Or at least it used to be that way. According to a poll in the August 18-24 issue of Sports Business Journal, 65 percent of the 487 respondents would rather watch swimming or diving (diving!!!) than track and field.
It seems like people are alienated by the persistent doping stories that have accompanied track and field in recent years. Michael Phelps' amazing eight gold-medal performance surely took attention away from the 100 meter event, but that brings up another question: didn't the event used to be run on the Friday or Saturday night before closing ceremonies? Since closing ceremonies occur next weekend, why wasn't this event pushed to that time? Why was the final run concurrently with Phelps' final two quests for gold? These are questions of which I need answers.
I've been attached to the television morning and night watching the Summer Games, but I still don't when the race occurred. I intentionally didn't find out for this posting to communicate how even an interested Olympics watcher didn't know when the 100 meter final began.
What's more confounding is that this race used to be a showcase event in the Olympics. What the big gymnastics event are to the female viewers, the 100 meter men's final is to the males. Or at least it used to be that way. According to a poll in the August 18-24 issue of Sports Business Journal, 65 percent of the 487 respondents would rather watch swimming or diving (diving!!!) than track and field.
It seems like people are alienated by the persistent doping stories that have accompanied track and field in recent years. Michael Phelps' amazing eight gold-medal performance surely took attention away from the 100 meter event, but that brings up another question: didn't the event used to be run on the Friday or Saturday night before closing ceremonies? Since closing ceremonies occur next weekend, why wasn't this event pushed to that time? Why was the final run concurrently with Phelps' final two quests for gold? These are questions of which I need answers.
Jeff Kent is a miserable human being
He said Dodgers announcer Vin Scully "talks too much." He called Vin Scully "some guy." Jeff Kent, the irritable bastard that he is, insulted Vin Scully. The same Vin Scully who has been calling play-by-play for the Dodgers since 1950 -- when they were in Brooklyn. Scully is a legend in Los Angeles. He ranks among the city's most beloved sports figures, next to John Wooden, Magic Johnson, Sandy Koufax and fellow broadcaster Chick Hearn. It's not that he could get away with murder (although even ex-Southern Cal running back O.J. Simpson pulled it off in L.A.), but there is a certain respect that is maintained for the 80-year-old Scully.
So, when Scully opined over the airwaves recently that Kent's increased productivity (.410 batting average so far in August) has coincided with the arrival of Manny Ramirez, who hits behind Kent in the lineup, it would have been best for Kent to do what he so often does: keep his trap shut. In Kent's interview with L.A. Times sportswriter T.J. Simers, the 40-year-old expressed his dissatisfaction with anyone and everyone who could possibly question Kent's ability to hit a baseball with a bat.
Now, it should be mentioned that Scully has perpetuated a long-held baseball myth: that one hitter can have a significant effect on another hitter's performance. Many nerdy baseball statgeeks have devoted countless lonely Friday and Saturday nights to prove that the "lineup protection" myth, is, in fact, just that. But that doesn't make it right for Kent to say Scully talks too much. First Christ sake, it's Scully's job to talk.
Anyway, Kent has argued in the past with ex-teammate Barry Bonds (hey, who can blame him?), current teammate Matt Kemp, assorted sportswriters and other members of the media. Scully hasn't offered a retaliation to Kent's illogical comments, but there's something to be said for a man who has too much class to get involved in Kent's childish tirade. Scully's been in the game too long to let little pests like Kent bother him. That's why he's got to treat Kent like a Jay-Z song and scrape that dirt off his shoulder.
So, when Scully opined over the airwaves recently that Kent's increased productivity (.410 batting average so far in August) has coincided with the arrival of Manny Ramirez, who hits behind Kent in the lineup, it would have been best for Kent to do what he so often does: keep his trap shut. In Kent's interview with L.A. Times sportswriter T.J. Simers, the 40-year-old expressed his dissatisfaction with anyone and everyone who could possibly question Kent's ability to hit a baseball with a bat.
Now, it should be mentioned that Scully has perpetuated a long-held baseball myth: that one hitter can have a significant effect on another hitter's performance. Many nerdy baseball statgeeks have devoted countless lonely Friday and Saturday nights to prove that the "lineup protection" myth, is, in fact, just that. But that doesn't make it right for Kent to say Scully talks too much. First Christ sake, it's Scully's job to talk.
Anyway, Kent has argued in the past with ex-teammate Barry Bonds (hey, who can blame him?), current teammate Matt Kemp, assorted sportswriters and other members of the media. Scully hasn't offered a retaliation to Kent's illogical comments, but there's something to be said for a man who has too much class to get involved in Kent's childish tirade. Scully's been in the game too long to let little pests like Kent bother him. That's why he's got to treat Kent like a Jay-Z song and scrape that dirt off his shoulder.
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