RANDOM THOUGHTS...

RANDOM THOUGHTS… July 17, 2008
A number of issues came to my attention this week and instead of getting too in depth with each of them, I figured I would put down a few thoughts on some of these issues.

*The All-Star game in New York the other night lasted for almost 5 hours and 15 innings before the American League won once again. The game was scheduled to start at 8:00pm est. When I turned on the game a few minutes after 8:00pm, they were just starting to announce the players. These introductions took 45 minutes. While it was kind of cool to see former All-Stars at each position as the two starters were announced, the fact that the “introductions” took 45 minutes is ridiculous. It was almost 9:00pm before the first pitch was thrown. How does starting the game so late help baseball? While I live on the east coast and don’t want to stay up too late watching tv, I understand that the west coast is likely still at work when the game starts. However, baseball basically lost at least half the country before the game ended, since it was so late. I have the same problem with the NBA during the playoffs. The professional sports leagues need to understand that by starting games so late at night, most of the country is not going to watch the game.

*At the All-Star celebration in New York this week, Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton won the Home Run Contest. Well, not really since Justin Morneau took home the trophy, but Hamilton hit the most home runs including 28 during his first round. The 28 he hit got the crowd behind him and basically made sure that he would hit the most over the course of the contest. Much has been made about Hamilton, the former #1 overall draft pick in 1999 of the then Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Hamilton got involved in drugs and missed three seasons battling his addiction. Last year, Hamilton was chosen by the Chicago Cubs and then traded to the Cincinnati Reds during the Rule 5 draft. This off season, the Reds traded him to Texas for another young all star pitcher, Edinson Volquez. Hamilton is currently a triple-crown threat, batting .310, with 21 home runs and 95 rbi’s. It is a great story that he has overcome his demons and is now a productive member of society. Hopefully, he will continue his play on the field and continue his sobriety off the field as well.

*A lot was made of the All-Star game being played at Yankee Stadium. Yankee Stadium, or the House that Ruth built, is in its last season as home of the Yankees. Words such as shrine, legend, hallowed hall, temple, and others were used to describe the stadium. I have never been to Yankee stadium. However, at the same time all the gushing over Yankee Stadium was going on, another old ball park was seeing its last few days. Detroit’s Tiger Stadium has started to be demolished this past week. The Tigers, who moved into Comerica Park a number of years ago, have moved on, but unfortunately some, such as former Tigers radio announcer Ernie Harwell refuse to allow the stadium at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull to be destroyed for new development. The Detroit City Council seems to be too afraid to officially end the life of Tiger Stadium. Over the past years, ideas such as making it a minor league stadium, making it a museum, turning it into condos have all been floated. Something needs to be done with it and something needs to be done soon. The old stadium has been falling apart over the past several years and has turned into more of an eye sore than anything else. Hopefully, a final decision will be made sooner rather than later on the future use of the corner.

*The Brett Favre saga continues. He has been on Greta Van Susteren’s program on Fox News the past four nights. He has basically been saying that he was forced to retire and has now come out firing against Packer GM Ted Thompson. He has basically called him a liar and it looks like he is trying to get the Packers to release him. However, the Packers in turn filed a tampering charge against the Minnesota Vikings, claiming that Favre has spoken with former Packer qb coach and now the Vikings offensive coordinator, Darrell Bevell. This situation is getting worse each day and while Favre has the right to change his mind, he has to understand the position he has put the Packers in and their desire to move on with Aaron Rodgers.