TheLounge
06-12-2007, 08:48 PM
David Beckham hits a little hot streak and suddenly his club, Real Madrid, is trying to find a way to keep him around instead of letting his go to the Los Angeles Galaxy and Major League Soccer.
Don’t buy it, David! C’mon, you’re not a stupid man, are you? You couldn’t possibly be thinking about staying in Spain? You have to know that as soon as you fall into a slump again, the management and fans be wanting your head on a platter — much like they did only a couple weeks ago, before your flurry of assists in international games.
You need MLS, really, more than MLS needs you. True, you would be a tremendous marketing coup for MLS, but lets be real. MLS is a solid domestic league but does not have the skill level of the top leagues in Europe. Truth be told, it has become a place for international players to go and fade away.
Beckham will, however, be adored and looked at as a savior for MLS. He will be given a lot more leeway than he was afforded at Real. The pace of life for Beckham himself should be a lot less hectic in L.A. He and wife Posh Spice can still attend all the red carpet events and big parties, but they’ll get to go grocery shopping in relative obscurity.
***
What’s the most exciting moment in sports? In baseball, it’s the triple. Football has the bomb. Basketball is the spectacular dunk or long-range jumper.
For me, however, the best moment of sport —*at any level — is a great horse race. Nothing in sports rivals a battle down the stretch between horses.
Saturday was such a day when Rags to Riches became the first female horse in 100 years to win the Belmont Stakes. She and Curlin’, along with two others, came around the final turn four-wide. Rags to Riches and Curlin’ broke away from the other two and were neck-and-neck the final 20-30 seconds of the race. Sitting on my couch, my call drowned out the announcer on television.
It doesn’t have to be a Triple Crown race involving million-dollar horses. It could be the rattiest horse winning by a nose at any non-descript track any where across the country.
Any race at any time has the potential provide the kind of excitement the Belmont had Saturday. That’s what makes horse racing great.
***
Another teenager had a break through weekend at the LPGA Championship over the weekend.
It wasn’t Michelle Wie — again. In fact, Wie’s star is quickly fading. Her performances are becoming an embarrassment —*she shot an 83 Saturday, quick on the heels of an 86 and a withdraw at the Ginn Tribute the previous Thursday.
I’m not saying that I can go out there and shoot an 83 over 18 holes. Heck, I shot a 9-over 40 on a par-31 executive course Monday. I have I have never played with anybody who shot an 83. That is a darn good score for a very good golfer.
An 83 from a professional golfer? Pros are not supposed to be merely very good. They are supposed to be the best. Wie is not in that conversation right now.
I don’t know if she’s getting bum advice from what seems to be a very controling father. Maybe her management and sponsors are pushing her before she’s ready.
Wie said she wants to be the first woman to play the Masters. She wants to play with the boys. Right now, she’s hardly competitive with the women. She needs to step away from the competitive aspect of professional golf, get her wrists healthy and work on her game.
***
San Mateo High hired Chris Tingo as the girls’ varsity volleyball coach. Tingo was the frosh-soph head coach at Notre Dame-Belmont.
Nathan Mollat can be reached by e-mail: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 117.
Don’t buy it, David! C’mon, you’re not a stupid man, are you? You couldn’t possibly be thinking about staying in Spain? You have to know that as soon as you fall into a slump again, the management and fans be wanting your head on a platter — much like they did only a couple weeks ago, before your flurry of assists in international games.
You need MLS, really, more than MLS needs you. True, you would be a tremendous marketing coup for MLS, but lets be real. MLS is a solid domestic league but does not have the skill level of the top leagues in Europe. Truth be told, it has become a place for international players to go and fade away.
Beckham will, however, be adored and looked at as a savior for MLS. He will be given a lot more leeway than he was afforded at Real. The pace of life for Beckham himself should be a lot less hectic in L.A. He and wife Posh Spice can still attend all the red carpet events and big parties, but they’ll get to go grocery shopping in relative obscurity.
***
What’s the most exciting moment in sports? In baseball, it’s the triple. Football has the bomb. Basketball is the spectacular dunk or long-range jumper.
For me, however, the best moment of sport —*at any level — is a great horse race. Nothing in sports rivals a battle down the stretch between horses.
Saturday was such a day when Rags to Riches became the first female horse in 100 years to win the Belmont Stakes. She and Curlin’, along with two others, came around the final turn four-wide. Rags to Riches and Curlin’ broke away from the other two and were neck-and-neck the final 20-30 seconds of the race. Sitting on my couch, my call drowned out the announcer on television.
It doesn’t have to be a Triple Crown race involving million-dollar horses. It could be the rattiest horse winning by a nose at any non-descript track any where across the country.
Any race at any time has the potential provide the kind of excitement the Belmont had Saturday. That’s what makes horse racing great.
***
Another teenager had a break through weekend at the LPGA Championship over the weekend.
It wasn’t Michelle Wie — again. In fact, Wie’s star is quickly fading. Her performances are becoming an embarrassment —*she shot an 83 Saturday, quick on the heels of an 86 and a withdraw at the Ginn Tribute the previous Thursday.
I’m not saying that I can go out there and shoot an 83 over 18 holes. Heck, I shot a 9-over 40 on a par-31 executive course Monday. I have I have never played with anybody who shot an 83. That is a darn good score for a very good golfer.
An 83 from a professional golfer? Pros are not supposed to be merely very good. They are supposed to be the best. Wie is not in that conversation right now.
I don’t know if she’s getting bum advice from what seems to be a very controling father. Maybe her management and sponsors are pushing her before she’s ready.
Wie said she wants to be the first woman to play the Masters. She wants to play with the boys. Right now, she’s hardly competitive with the women. She needs to step away from the competitive aspect of professional golf, get her wrists healthy and work on her game.
***
San Mateo High hired Chris Tingo as the girls’ varsity volleyball coach. Tingo was the frosh-soph head coach at Notre Dame-Belmont.
Nathan Mollat can be reached by e-mail: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 117.