Today's Sports Talk

Despite the primacy of sports in my life, I haven't really written much about them. Not sure why. But several things have happened recently that I want to comment on.

• Regarding the Beckett/Lowell deal...love it. I actually had a draft of a big post about it, but then Simmons wrote this, and since I agree with pretty much everything in there, he's a better writer than I, and I have other things to do tonight, I'll just say "What he said." With emphasis on the fact that though Hanley has been touted for a few years, if he was truly "can't miss" we wouldn't have signed the decaying Renteria for 4 years. Plus, and SG overlooks this, even in a hideous offensive year, Lowell won the gold glove at third. Worth mentioning.
  

• Reggie. Bush. Any questions? (Parenthetically, why couldn't the Vikes have just gone in the tank to make sure to get him? I mean aside from the fact that the Texans, 9ers and (snicker) Packers might not win 4 games combined the rest of the year...

• As that commerical says, "football is football." While on this side of the pond, we have the T.O. imbroglio, over in England they have Roy Keane, who parted ways with Manchester United late last week. Much like Owens, Keane has recently had some harsh words for teammates. Largely at that point the similarity ends, (though Keane has had his prima donna moments, most notably a spat with his national team coach during World Cup '02). Maybe they are just better at saving face, but everyone seems to be saying the right things. It was just time to move on. Keane is no longer the player he was from 99-02 (when, the best American analogy I can give is a cross between Steve Nash and Ron Artest, with less psychosis involved. But not too much less.), and the team is younger, and, to an extent rebuilding. So, they part ways, no harm really done, and Man U. thumps Charlton 3-1 on the weekend. The Eagles? Enjoy the JimVinceMike McMahon era...
  

• From the very little I've seen so far, I might have to give Neo-Hockey a chance.
  

• Can I, without being struck by lightning, ask whether Brett Favre is even above-average at this point in his career?
  

• Ruben Patterson was sent packing by the Jail Blazers. Mainly for being Ruben Patterson: a monstrous jackass with an over-inflated sense of ability and self-worth. In fairness he's had a decent career, but really, has there been a more 'win alot of games with NBA jackass and/or bust players' program over the past 10-15 years than Huggins's Cincy? I think the school was stupid to dump him when they did (why not just do it right after last season? Why wait til right before school starts. No comprendo), but I don't feel bad for him at all. As much as Pat Riley did to thuggify the NBA in the mid-90's, Huggins did to college hoops a few years later. His teams usually resembled a squad of roided up linebackers, except for the one wiry kid. I imagine the practices being held in the weight room, "Get in here, Brutus, Bluto, Hulk. Skippy, you stay out there and shoot jumpshots, we have to score someone..." And aside from NVE, who in his prime was legitimately terrorizing in clutch time, they've all been terrible and headcases. Plus, there was Josh's idol, Bobby "Barb-Wire Tat" Brannen...