The Good
If this award was based on performance, the "Male Athlete of the Year", Tom Brady would win it easily for his record breaking season as the so far undefeated Patriots quarterback. Since the award is given out for off the field achievement, I was torn between two candidates but in the end I felt that this individual did more for the betterment of sports than the other candidate. For that reason, former Maine Senator and current New York lawyer, George Mitchell is this year's recipient. Mitchell rocked the sports world with the publishing of his report on steroid usage in baseball. While some might question it, his naming of names was well justified. Sorry ACLU. It took guts to name some of the biggest names in the sport, such as Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. It's a wake up call for baseball to get its house in order and I hope similar reports on other sports will follow. Runner-up: Anucha Browne Sanders for blowing the whistle on MSG for harassment to the tune of $11.5 million. Just this morning, the New York Daily News is reporting on another sexual harassment case settled yesterday by MSG and Courtney Prince, the fired captain of the Ranger City Skaters. Prince charged that the Garden was "a virtual frathouse where male executives treated cheerleaders like sex objects." When will this nonsense end at the 'House of Dolan?"
Here's a clip of our 'Good' Award winner, George Mitchell in action: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xtbtibvSIV8&feature=related ...
The Bad
There are many candidates for the 'Bad' Award but the athlete who did the most damage to the sport she represents and herself is Marion Jones who paid the steepest price for continually lying about using enhancement drugs and then finally admitting it - the loss of 5 Olympic medals in track. Judgement day is still coming for Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, the biggest baseball names associated with illegal steroid and HGH use. There's enough evidence in the Mitchell Report and elsewhere (Balco, etc.) to warrant both men tying for Runner-Up in this award. Bob Costas recently vented on the subject: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZbHQue2q7p8 . I found this 'doctored' Roger Clemens clip on YouTube that is hilarious: http://youtube.com/watch?v=LBWLQjmdXTE ..
The Ugly
This came down to two candidates but in the end the winner was a clear choice. I've consistently used the taking of a life as the criteria for the awarding of this dubious distinction. Since this candidate admittedly took several canine lives in his hideous dog-fighting avocation, the winner of the 'Ugly' award and therefore 'loser' of the year is: Michael Vick, the former Atlanta quarterback who is now serving a 23-month jail sentence. Here is Vick admitting his quilt: http://youtube.com/watch?v=XzytivQsPGI . Runner-up: Garrett Reid and Bret Reid, Andy Reid's two sons, both serving time for separate crimes involving guns and drugs...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1900] "RAID": Carrie Nation stages her first raid on a saloon in Kansas, breaking every liquor bottle she can find...
- 1903] "But oh how they could harmonize": "Sweet Adeline" is sung for the first time by a barbershop quartet in New York City but no one sings it better than Ted Kennedy: http://youtube.com/watch?v=uZBbBMVoamY ...
- 1904] Premiered on this date: "Peter Pan" opens in London...1932] Radio City Music Hall opens...1947] "Howdy Doody" debuts on NBC-TV hosted by Buffalo Bob Smith...1964] The Supremes make their first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show"...
- 1967] Knicked: Red Holtzman replaces Dick McGuire as New York Knicks coach. Holtzman turns the Knicks around and wins 2 NBA titles before retiring in 1982...
- 1968] Curtains: "The Breakfast Club" with Don McNeill signs off for the last time on ABC Radio after 35 years...1970] "Hello Dolly" closes on Broadway after an initial run of 4 1/2 years. The musical keeps resurfacing from time to time...
- 1971] "They say we're young and we don't know": "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour" begins airing as a regular series on CBS-TV after starting as a summer replacement on August 1, 1971 and here they are, America's favorite couple of the 70s: http://youtube.com/watch?v=v07J56wuoH8 ...
- 1971] On the cover of: Newsweek features 'Snoopy', Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy and Woodstock of Charles Schulz' 'Peanuts' on its cover...
- 1985] "Happy Trails": Dian Fossey, 53, American naturalist who studied gorillas in the wild, is found murdered at a research station in Rwanda by a inhumane human...
- 2001] Talibanned: U.S. officials announce that Taliban and al-Qaida prisoners will be held at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay...
- 2005] Putting down their arms: Indonesia's Aceh rebels formally abolish their 30-year armed struggle for independence under a peace deal born out of the 2004 tsunami...
Music Memories:
- 1975] Released on this date: "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" - Four Seasons (without Frankie Valli singing lead: http://youtube.com/watch?v=liyiT_DGREA ...
Commentary:
I'm glad that the NFL finally came to their senses about making the Patriots attempt at the first 16-0 season in NFL history more readily available. For the first time since the first Super Bowl, which was not called the SB yet, a game will be simulcast on 3 TV networks. In addition to the NFL Network, NBC and CBS will carry the action live. Roger Goodell said, "We have taken this extraordinary step because it is in the best interest of our fans." It's also in the best interest of the NFL which will expand its coverage from their networks' 40% of the country to close to 100%. We can thank the fans and pressure from lawmakers for this gift. The Patriots vs. Giants game coverage will start at 8 p.m. Saturday, December 29 and now you'll be able to be there...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Arthur ('Scud Stud') Kent (54), Tovah Feldshuh (55), Mick Jones of Foreigner (63), Cokie Roberts (64), John Amos (68) and legendary Sun Records musician Scotty Moore (76)...
Timeline Countdown: 4 nights until New Year's Eve, 9 days until the NFL Wild Card Playoffs, 15 down and 1 to go for the Patriots and 16 days until the NFL Divisional Playoffs...
