COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY - MIKE IN DA - DECEMBER 3, 2010

COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY

Written by: Mike in DA

Date posted: 12/3/2010

FLUB OF THE DAY!

Though it is not sports, this flub is sports-related. On Thursday's (12/2) "News at Noon" on KHOU (Channel 11), during the weather segment, meteorologist David Paul was giving the local forecast. He then mentioned Thursday's Eagles-Texans game and gave the evening weather forecast for D.C. The last time I checked, the Eagles played in Philadelphia, not Washington, D.C.

The Houston Chronicle continues to make daily flubs. An obvious one in Wednesday's Chronicle (12/1) on Page C7 showed Aaron Williams of  Texas A&M as a DB on the Chronicle's Second Team Big 12 All-Star Team. Williams, however, is a junior who plays for Texas, not A&M.

I committed a flub myself when I sent in an e-mail to the "John and Lance Morning Show" (1560) on Wednesday (12/1) saying that there were only 67 teams bowl-eligible at the time. I forgot to include the three Independents (Army, Navy, and Notre Dame) who were also bowl-eligible. John and Lance spent a whole segment discussing my flub, but it was probably the most thought-provoking segment of that day's show.

ROUND ONE: FINNEGAN VS. JOHNSON

A friend of mine said that the Cortland Finnegan vs Andre Johnson "fight" reminded him of Robert Parish's takedown of Bill Laimbeer back in the 80's. Parish had enough of Laimbeer's cheap play and just hammered him to the floor. Parish was fined $1,500 for his actions and had lots of players across the league volunteer to pay the fine. Johnson likewise had several such volunteers who called in to the local sports talkers, but they were all blowing hot air. Talk is cheap for Texan fans.  To see Parish's hit check out: http://media.photobucket.com/image/parish%20laimbeer%20fight/nbacardDOTnet/zz%20NBA%20Photo%20Gallery/z%20Funny%20NBA%20Photos/Funny%20Situation/parishlaimbeer.gif

WTF! YOU MEAN YOU DIDN’T FOLLOW THE UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE (UFL) THIS SEASON!

I guess you’re not the only one who didn’t follow the parity-laden UFL in 2010. Our local sports talkers rarely talked about it either, but the Peanut Gallery will brief you on what you missed this season. Remember that if there is an NFL lockout next season, the UFL will be your only source of legitimate pro football in the U.S.

The UFL just completed its second season of operation, as it played its championship game last Saturday and it may have a dynasty on its hands. Break up the Las Vegas Locomotives! They have won the championship two years in a row.

Las Vegas defensive lineman Alfred Malone blocked Nick Novak's 45-yard field goal as time expired to give the Locos their second straight UFL championship with a 23-20 win at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE. A year after the Locos spoiled the Florida Tuskers' unbeaten season with a 20-17 overtime win in the Championship, the two teams delivered another classic finish in front of a crowd of 15,310 fans, some of whom came disguised as empty seats.

The 2010 Championship Game's Most Valuable Player was former Rice QB, Chase Clement, who threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns as Las Vegas rallied from deficits of 7-0 and 10-7 in the first half. Clement started the year as the teams' third-string quarterback.



The UFL season provided for competitive interest all the way to the end of the season. The two teams making the championship game - Las Vegas and Florida both had season records of 5-3. One team, the Sacramento Mountain Lions, went 4-4 on the season. The worst records in the league belonged to the Hartford Colonials and the Omaha Nighthawks at 3-5. This is real parity.


I know that leagues have a need to plan ahead for championship games and seek to get sponsorship and promotional ventures squared away in advance. Nevertheless, I have to wonder why the league put the championship game in Omaha; that could not have been convenient for the vast majority of the fans of the Locomotives or the Tuskers. Imagine if an NBA Final series between Boston and Los Angeles was played in Memphis, TN or Oklahoma City, OK. Yeah, that would not be smart either.

The UFL will add a sixth team next year -  the Virginia Destroyers. The team will play in the Hampton Roads/Virginia Beach/Norfolk area of Tidewater, VA. For the moment, the owner and the head coach are the same person - Joe Moglia. Given how close that part of Virginia is to the Washington, D.C. area, I wonder if Redskin owner, Dan Snyder, is looking and wondering if he can get a piece of the action.










MOMMY ALWAYS SAID "DON'T LET STRANGERS TOUCH YOUR PEE PEE!"

THE JETER NEGOTIATIONS ARE GETTING  INTERESTING!

The New York Yankees made Derek Jeter an offer he could refuse and he did. The Yankees offered him a deal for three years and $45M and Jeter rejected it. So the Yankees upped it a little with an extra year thrown in. If anyone thought that Jeter would accept the Yankees’ first offer or that the Yankees would accept Jeter’s first offer for a contract, that person would probably have believed the Nazi war propaganda machine, also. However, a Yankee official dismissed Jeter’s refusal asking, “Where would he get a better offer?”

 

We all know Jeter had a poor year for him last season. His performance in the field was way below par for him and his batting average was off by 40 points. At age 36, Jeter is not a prime candidate for a long-term contract.

Having said all of that, Derek Jeter is “Mr. Yankee”. There was a time early in my life when Joe DiMaggio was “Mr. Yankee”; then it was Yogi Berra/Mickey Mantle/Whitey Ford; now it is Derek Jeter. Reggie Jackson was never “Mr. Yankee” nor was Catfish Hunter or even Thurman Munson. Maybe someone would anoint Don Mattingly with that title even though I would not. He was “Donnie Baseball”.


And therein lies the issue facing the Yankees in this negotiation. Just as it would have been “wrong” ever to see DiMaggio or Mantle in another MLB uniform, it would also be just as “wrong” to see Derek Jeter in a Tampa or Boston uniform. Both sides have to find a way to make this work with no ill feelings. Stay tuned!

FROM THE HMW MAILBAG!

Lil Mike, Ron E., and Earlis all commented on Craig Shelton’s 12/1 post, "ALL EYES ON NUNO! - CRAIG SHELTON - DECEMBER 1, 20...": (http://sheltonmedia.blogspot.com/2010/12/all-eyes-on-nuno-craig-shelton-december.html)


“This is good to know. I used to listen to 610 at night but ever since Barry (Warner) joined, I no longer listen. I have nothing against him with his opinions but he comes off as rude to the callers. I will listen to him but I hope like hell he is not cocky and rude. From Lil Mike” END.


“I appreciate the abbreviated history on sports radio in the local area. I agree with your assessment of Barry Warner, seems like dude projects a real attitude problem. I will most definitely check out Nuno at Night. Thanks for the heads up. From Ron E.” END.


"Wow, I must confess I  have not listened to 610 weeknights in a while... I have never heard the Nuno Show. Sounds refreshing and more filling... I had just got into him and Hoffman and the show canceled...hopefully, I am not the kiss of death... Maybe I should wait a few weeks. On the real, why does KGOW promote as though John and them are straight stupid...you know what? I just had a vision, Granato u owe me...all u gotta do is put the damn tee-shirts in the Valero service stations baby. Do the math Johnny, how often do people buy gas? Now write down how often we the people go to Academy? Case closed. From Earlis." END.

HMW reader, Robnemar, left comments relating to the section, “STEVIE JOHNSON AND GOD ALMIGHTY” of Wednesday’s (12/1) “Peanut Gallery”  (http://sheltonmedia.blogspot.com/2010/12/comments-from-peanut-gallery-mike-in-da.html):

"I think when it comes to God and sports, people misunderstand what people mean when God is thanked for whatever he is thanked for by whatever athlete. I don't think people think that God chooses sides per se. But I do think people are sincere for the opportunity to succeed or fail when it comes to playing a game on that high of a level or stage. I think it would be foolish or naive to think that people who are given such extraordinary talents aren't the recipients of some sort of gift.


If it weren't a gift, then people with extraordinary talents wouldn't be extraordinary. Everyone would be able to run fast, catch a pass, and grow to be 6'6”. I think when they do thank God for a touchdown or a score, they are saying thank you for the chance to be who they are and where they are. They could easily be one of the 60,000 people that is at the game buying a $10 beer.


I don't know for certain how God works in the scheme of sport. To me there is no proof that he barely exists or thoroughly exists. So who am I to really say. I just think when you know for certain that when only one percent of the population is that gifted with a talent, it would be a disservice to not think that they are blessed with something that the ordinary citizen will never experience. I think where we lose track especially in this era of society is that we compare actions that we see on the field to what we see in how they can live. Especially when the way they live is perceived as negative.


Regardless of their relationship with God in profession or in life, I don't think it means that because they don't always honor the gift of the talents and the gift of the ability to utilize the talent, that the awareness of the gift is any less evident to them or to me. No one is perfect. God is not only involved when we have good days or moments.


Sometimes people don't know how to cope when things don't go there way. You have to learn from them. I think this guy just didn't know how to cope with a bad moment. It blinded him from revisiting the good moments that he has had just to be in position to make that play. Hopefully, he will calm down and see that rain or shine, it is all good having the chance be in the NFL. That is just my two cents anyway." END.

THERE'S ALWAYS A SILVER LINING!

 I don’t think there will be an NFL lockout that will go deep into next season, if any, but as the possibility of a lockout/work stoppage for the 2011 NFL season comes closer to reality and therefore comes into focus, some folks are starting to consider what that kind of work stoppage might mean for people beyond the owners and the players in the NFL.

Many of the “working stiffs” who do things like sell beer or hot dogs at the games or who clean up the stands after tens of thousands fans make a mess of it could feel a major impact. You can feel sorry for those folks, but here is something that I read that does not make me flinch even a little bit and that is that agents for NFL players could stand to lose over $100M if a lockout/work stoppage were to go on for a full season.


Just in case the league and the players union cannot find a way to prevent an interruption of NFL action next year, keep that thought in mind and you can use it to prove that there is a silver lining in any dark cloud.

 

BESIDES THE LONG BALL, CHICKS DIG BLOODIED FACES!

NEWTON’S DAD MIGHT HAVE UNDERVALUED CAM!

A couple of weeks ago, the Peanut Gallery mentioned that if Cam Newton’s dad asked Mississippi State for $180,000, he might have actually undervalued his kid.

Sports Illustrated (SI) tried to answer the question of what a player like Newton is worth to his school in its November 22nd issue. SI used Peyton Manning’s value to the Colts as a measuring stick for what Newton might be worth to Auburn. Manning earns about $14 million per season, which is 5.6 percent of the Colts' annual gross income of $250 million.

Someone estimated that the Auburn football program is expected to generate about $60 million in revenue this year. That would give Newton a salary of about $3.5 million, if you use the same 5.6 percent of the annual gross income that was used for Manning. After Newton's latest heroics against Alabama, at $3.5 million, the Auburn QB and leading Heisman candidate, might still be underpaid.

I understand the argument from the NCAA and from college presidents that the athletes are being paid in the form of a free education. If I were Cam Newton, I would tell the NCAA that I would be willing to pay for my education, however, I want a percentage of the revenue generated by the Auburn football program, members of the SEC who will financially benefit from Auburn’s success, and from the NCAA, which always has its hand in the cookie jar.


It’s time for Alabama fans to tear up all those “Scam Newton” signs and come to grips with the real scam going on in college football.

ODDS AND ENDS:

1. Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh promised to make history in Miami. However with their tenth win of the season on Monday night (11/29) over Washington, they are no longer able to match the Sixers’ record of 9-73 in the 1972-73 season.

2. Speaking of the Miami  Heat, there is no truth to the rumor that Heat president, Pat Riley, surprised Heat head coach, Erik Spoelstra, by presenting him with a baby he adopted for Spoelstra to raise as a single father in hopes that Spoelstra would leave the team to spend time with the new family.

3. Another rumor that has been quashed is the one that the CIA was interested in speaking with Cam Newton with the idea in mind that foreign governments were involved in Newton’s recruitment. This rumor came about after the word got out that FBI agents involved in a probe of Newton’s recruitment received 50-yard-line tickets for the Alabama game last Saturday, as well as this Saturday's SEC Championship Game against South Carolina in Atlanta. The CIA
likes to get "comped" also. 

MIKE IN DA

HMW


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