This, that and the other
Brian Churney
On the Hot Corner
The ever-changing world of sports has given us too many stories this week and not nearly enough time to write them!
Friday night marks the beginning of another Irish basketball season. Midnight madness is upon us. With a women's team that's ranked in the top 10 of many publications and a men's team that seems on the brink of re-establishing itself as a formidable team, this season promises Domers an opportunity to support a team other than the football team struggling to land a coveted spot in the prestigious Insight.com bowl.
Speaking of football, could we please beat USC? We Californians have always been able to justify leaving the sun and beaches of the Golden State for the gray clouds and cornfields of the Hoosier State by saying that at least we have a good football team. After three years of painful defeats, the argument is losing some force.
Lou Holtz used to say that every Domer deserved at least one title in his or her four years here. All we're asking is one victory over the Trojans. My, have standards changed.
Indians pitching debacle
Was this year's pitching debacle enough to help the Cleveland Indians recognize the one thing that all of the teams still left in the playoffs have in common, good pitching? They've spent millions of dollars compiling a team of offensive superstars that rivals any offensive line-up in the history of the game. Yet they still send out Charles Nagy, whose ERA is nearly five, in the final and deciding game. The Indians scored a whopping 32 runs in the five game series, averaging over six runs a game. But, alas, this could not compare to the nine-plus runs a game that Boston was able to score, leaving Indians' fans to hope that Curt Schilling will someday leave the City of Brotherly Love.
Brotherly Love in Philly
Boy, was that a lot of brotherly love that Philadelphians extended to Michael Irvin as he lay motionless on the Veteran's stadium turf. What could make fans behave in such a classless and unfeeling manner? You try rooting for a team that features Duce Staley as its only form of offense and ask that question again.
Kurt who?
Would someone please tell me who Kurt Warner is? Wasn't he an aging running back for the Seattle Seahawks? Now he's the best thing that happened to St. Louis since they started giving out all of those Big Mac's.
Passing of a legend
With the passing of Wilt Chamberlain, the basketball world is left to mourn another life ended too soon. Hopefully, he will be remembered for the numbers he racked up on the court and not the numbers he racked up off it.
Can Elway
News flash to Dan Patrick and Coors Brewing Company: JOHN ELWAY IS RETIRED! The commercials should feature Brian Griese getting the snot beaten out of him instead. He's tasted quite a bit of that Rocky Mountain dirt.
Blazing new trails
Good thing the Portland Trailblazers rid themselves of Isaiah Rider and picked up Scottie Pippen. They didn't need his attitude disrupting the team. Pippen's attitude apparently never has disrupted a team.
Mets and Sox
Wouldn't it be poetic justice to see a New York Mets versus Boston Red Sox World Series? Game 6, down to the last out, and "the greatest infield ever" lets a ball roll through its legs, thus erasing the name of Bill Buckner from the minds of Red Sox fans forever, and leaving the rest of us to put up with the irritating Boston fans. I guess we'll excuse you from celebrating once every hundred years.
Miller saves all
And the Lord sent to this Earth a savior to rid all peoples of unhappiness and bring joy to his people. The Lord named him David Miller. Does anyone honestly think that Jim Sanson wants to kick against USC again?
Spurrier? No way.
Talk about bad flashbacks.
Who's gotten the email claiming that Steve Spurrier has talked with Athletic Director Wadsworth concerning taking over the Irish coaching position after this season? Does it strike anyone as odd that the report came out of Tallahassee? Florida is located in Gainesville. Florida State resides in Tallahassee. Nice try though.
One phone call
Peter Warrick may be the first Heisman trophy winner ever to be interviewed by phone. They still do allow one phone call in prison, don't they?
What happened?
Does anyone know what happened to the Minnesota Vikings? They lost players on defense, but their offense is basically in tact. They've gone from scoring something like 40 points a game to losing to the Bears. Maybe it's the presence of Jeff George that prohibits teams from winning.
From the desk of Doherty
Dear Ruth Riley,
Would you mind playing center for our basketball team?
Sincerely, Coach Matt Doherty.
As Kenny Mayne so aptly puts it, she's tall.
Bad Bands
Finally, say a prayer that USC is leaving its band at home. If I have to hear that song one more time, well, that's another story.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Sports Stories for Thursday, October 14, 1999
