Neal Tucker

A-Rod

Speaking of Newser…

I just did a search for A-Rod on Newser.com, and I got 286 current results.  I was watching my daily 6 hour dose of SportsCenter yesterday (and the day before that), so I got to see the A-Rod interview with Peter Gammons about three different times.  It makes me really sad that A-Rod did what he did, but, as so many people have said in the media, it somehow redeems him because of his admission of his use.  I don’t really feel sorry for him, any more than I feel sorry for Bonds, McGuire, Clemons, or any of the other users.  But it does take him off of at least one list that the others are apart of: blatant lying.

I love sports, and I played baseball for most of my childhood, watching Braves games, etc., and now that this steroid endemic has struck, it brings back all of the memories of the innocence of sport in general, of the love of playing it, watching it, competitiveness and winning, losing with style.  All of the things that make “sport” great.

As I’ve blogged before, an NPR reporter said that the best moments in sports are when the athlete is able to make the human spirit ascend.  I agree 100%.

It is for all of these reasons, the little league, watching the games on TV, going to the Major League stadiums, the love of sports, that we feel so badly when we see the greatest players succumb to steroid use, I think.  The bigger they are, the harder they fall, takes on new meaning.  I can’t wait for the day when performance-enhancing drugs are specials on ESPN Classics, not on SportsCenter.  Hopefully sooner, rather than later.

SEC Championship! Roll Tide Roll!!!

Here’s some info/links to stay up on the SEC Championship game.

When: 4pm EST
Where: Atlanta, GA @ Georgia Dome
TV: CBS and CBS-HD

NCCA BB Marathon!

ESPN is right now starting a college hoops marathon, with the tip off for the Memphis v. UMASS game having just started at 11pm CST.  I don’t think they’ve ever done this before, but this is really cool.  I’m watching the game, and, even though I’m probably about to hit the hay, I think it’s really freaking awesome.  I love college basketball.  ROLL TIDE and GO WILDCATS (UK)!!!