It’s amazing that great athletes can sometimes flat-out rag doll other great athletes. Last night on MNF Tampa Bay fell back towards reality. Pittsburgh went on the road, and got a much-needed win. This seventy-five yard play that included a catch, run, STIFF arm, and run for a touchdown ignited the Steelers’ sideline and changed the momentum of the game.
Engage. Enrage. Enjoy.
There are Stiff Arms and There Was This Last Night.
Urban’s Intent Not Taken Out Of (Con)Texts.
Well, well. A Wall Street journal follow up story on the legend that Urban Meyer is has found that the esteemed panel that led the investigation into his actions decided to not attempt to recover deleted text messages. The deleted texts that might have made a difference in discovery were wiped from AD Gene Smith’s phone. Smith stated that he always deletes texts after sending or receiving them. The texts of Urban Meyer were deleted at some point in the past too. Urban is said to have asked a university employee how to delete texts just as the controversy festered.
Deleted texts are recoverable just like deleted emails are and deleted IP address searches are as well. It only takes time and some forensic effort. Time-hmmm. Maybe that would have kept Urban on the sidelines of the sidelines for too long.
If the convened panel was convened to make THE Ohio St University look like they really cared about the matter it failed nearly as badly as Coach Urban Meyer did in his duties, denials, and cover up.
Let Mike the Tiger Geaux! Neaux!
A well-meaning, California-based group has collected 35k plus petition signatures encouraging the powers that be to let Mike VII the Tiger, the live two-year old LSU mascot, go free. Read more here. This isn’t new news. The group Care2, which claims 40 million members, started a similar petition after Mike VI lost a long battle with cancer about 18 months ago. Mike VII replace Mike VI last August.
The Boom Boom Room has a few thoughts about the Care2 initiative if you care to read them below.
- This live tiger was born in captivity and rescued due to poor living conditions and violations by the previous owner.
- According to animal experts he has never been in the wild and cannot be released into it since he has never had to hunt for food and therefore could not survive.
- His habitat cost over three million to build. It covers over 1.5 acres. It has an indoor area as well as an expansive outdoor area.
- The outdoor area includes a cool pool. The indoor area has a “warm” area and a “cooling” area. He can choose his body temp whether he is inside or out essentially.
- The LSU vet examines him regularly and is on call 24/7 making his health a great priority.
- Vet students care for the animal daily. This gives them an ongoing learning opportunity. This gives Mike great attention.
- His diet is better than yours and mine.
- LSU no longer encourages or forces the animal into a smaller mobile cage to parade him around the field on game day.
- The average lifespan of these glorious animals increases by over 33% when placed in this type of environment.
- The worldwide wild tiger population is and has been under siege due to poaching. Skins can fetch several thousand dollars in the black market.
Maybe Care2 should care more about that illegal poaching that kills thousand of tigers each year than one tiger who lives a pretty pampered existence. And, isn’t it easy to “sign” a petition online? “Sign here if you are against caging live tigers.” Duh. Thirty five thousand signatures from an organization that boasts 40 million members sounds pretty darn indifferent too. Aren’t there many trees that still need a hug?
Mike sez, “I am tiger, hear me happily roar.”
Tired Themes for $50 Alex
Maybe, just maybe, I am getting a bit older and a tad bit crotchety. Probably. Ok, I am. I think what I think. My lifelong love of genuine, inspirational, sport competitions make me wish for the old days. It was a day when you could go to an event or tune in on TV (only 3 channels to choose from) to enjoy a competitive event, match, or game between competitors that preferred to allow their abilities do their talking. For the most part the only controversies were offsides or false start, safe or out, or foul or not.
Sure there was the occasional Billie Jean King v. sexist Bobby Riggs match. There was also the raised closed fists in the 1968 Olympics. There were even a few betting or point shaving scandals along the way.
Heck, even old Jimmy the Greek got liquored up one night and talked about how African-Americans are better athletes due to their physiology. It was probably some fine Scotch though.
But today. Today. Oh boy. The intersection of social media, social outcry, equality, gender this and gender that, racism, and sports is a complicated one. It has yield signs, stops signs, red lights, and numerous lane change opportunities. It’s a well-worn road now traveled far too often. It’s always crowded and always under construction. It’s a turn off for me and a sign that says dead-end ahead.
And, now, Serena says that she may have been the victim of “sexism.” She lost because the chair umpire was a “liar” and a “thief.” What’s weird is that she was playing in her match against another woman of course. I’m not sure if he was equally sexist against her as well. We should ask Serena.
Naomi Osaka take a well deserved bow. 
You won. Sports lost. Tennis got lost in the “I am a sports figure hear me roar.” You deserved better on your very big day. The only racquet you made was with your racquet. Unfortunately, the very diluted, over saturated media, ever desperate for an angle to better ratings, soaks this up like a towel on center court.
This noise comes on the same weekend that Colin Kapernick, desperate for attention, and Nike, desperate to regain lost market share, launched a campaign that said its important to stand up (or kneel down) for what you believe in.
You know what I believe in? I believe in beer, popcorn, two TVs and two damn remotes. I want my sports served early, competitive, often, and without discussions that drone on incessantly about who feels a certain way about whatever topic du jour that is soon sure to crush society. It feels like two months (not two weeks) ago that Urban Meyer forgot to fire an accused wife beater until he forgot too many times. His agent would like to thank Serena, Colin, and Nike for getting him off of the front page.
Isn’t Monday early AM till Friday PM enough time for MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News to incessantly pound all that’s wrong with us into our feeble craniums?
I just wanted to watch the US Open final and the over hyped NFL season openers. Damn.