TNF: Sports Weekly
This week has been slack for yours truly so I want to take the time frame I have today to talk about some random events occuring everywhere in sports…
- Last Sunday: Chicago v. Chicago had an interesting play which exposed baseball and it’s commentators who know nothing about the game. When you watch basketball or football games you generally hear a color commentator know exactly what’s going on with a random play and why a call was made. Well in this baseball game the commentators didn’t know and neither did the sports guy on the desk in Toronto knew either. That also means nobody in that network knew it either. Because I still umpire, I can clear that play up easily:
The runner collided with the shortstop at second base in an attempt to go to third, which is interference. A defensive player cannot make contact with a runner as he/she is still running, whether they are running from one base to another or going back to a base when the fielder is not attempting a play.
The White Sox got the runner on 3rd base in a rundown and got him out, as well as the guy between first and second. So instead of 2 outs, all runners were sent back because of Juan Uribe’s stupidity around the bag at second base. But here is where the commentators and Toronto sports network dropped the ball…
The desk idiot said the play should have been called dead which is absolutely false. The play must play out because if there was an overthrow and a runner scores on that play, the play stands. Best example I can give you is this: When a defensive player is offside in football, do they give the offense a free play? Yes. So if Peyton Manning throws a TD does it count? Yes. If they call the play dead while Marvin Harrison is wide open I would bet the Colts would be really ticked right? Well, the same rings true with baseball as that kind of play warrants the teams to finish the play before making the call. If the team committing the foul benefits, the umpires will not let them. But if the team being hindered benefits with the play continuing, the play will stand and the call would be null and void.
The Chicago commentators we’re yelling about the game being played under protest. "Hell yeah this game will be played under protest!". Great, too bad your team will lose the protest. As for the network in my neck of the woods, not having one person in that building sure about this call means they are not taking their sports not named hockey serious enough.
- Frank Thomas is a hall of famer regardless of playing more games at DH than First Base. His statistics at first base were incredible during his time. Ken Griffey may have been a better homerun hitter and Barry Bonds may have been the best all around player during Thomas’s prime, but was there a more dangerous hitter than Frank? He was one of the first in our time to personify the importance of challenging for the Triple Crown. He was Albert Pujols before Albert Pujols, and Big Hurt’s On-Base Percentage was always high. He would have played more first base had the DH rule not existed and probably would have ended his career a few years back. And even then I thought he was a Hall of Famer because of the dominance he had during the prime of his career.
- I don’t care about his career batting average being 12 points better than the average second basemen or the fact that he just got to 3000 hits, Craig Biggio is no better than Barry Larkin who will not go to the Hall of Fame. Biggio has to be credited for his longevity in the game of baseball, but the Hall of Fame is a bit extreme. Look, he is a guy you’d have on your team in a second and would love to have him without a doubt. He has been a very good player and second baseman, but the Hall of Fame? I realize he’s as solid as they come and his consistency is incredible but when I think of solid players at their position I think of Biggio as a Barry Larkin. I also think if Biggio gets into the Hall of Fame then an argument can be made for Jeff Bagwell, who’s impact for Houston was felt just as much as Biggio’s. if not more. If solid is another way to get in, then the Fred McGriff hype-train should start now. And let’s also remember that the best second basemen during Biggio’s time were Roberto Alomar and Jeff Kent.
- The Boston Celtics got one of the best pure shooters of our time, Ray Allen. The guy can absolutely stroke the rock and despite his ankle surgery he should still be more effective than the next option Boston has. Only problem I saw with the trade involving them and Seattle is this: What will Seattle do with 3 point guards who are neither great or bad, and which ideal shooting guard will Boston move to play the point. Each candidate are better suited at the 2 but they feel one of them can play the point. Otherwise they would not have traded Delonte West.
- Great move by Charlotte to get Jason Richardson. The guy is very underrated and he’s the best dunker I’ve ever seen. Vince Carter may get all the hype but remember that J-Rich did all of Vince’s dunks with greater difficulty and without a helper in the 2003 and 2004 slam-dunk contests. And before last season J-Rich had improved his game every single year until injuries derailed his season last year. If he’s healthy he should thrive in the East.
- If Rashard Lewis goes to the Miami Heat you can pencil them in as the favourites to win the East Conference (keywords: East Conference).
- Good morning KG and Kobe. How are you gentlemen feeling this morning?
- To anyone that is from or currently resides in Kansas City: Can you guys and gals honestly support an NHL franchise. I’m really curious as to why the NHL would like to have a team in that market.
…If I don’t get the chance to say this tomorrow, I wish Canada a happy 140th birthday on July 1. Have a great long weekend my fellow Canadians!
