Yankees Suck?
The Boston Globe’s Tony Massarotti thinks Red Sox fans should root for the Yankees in the WS [story]. I disagree. I would love to see the Yanks lose after spending $201 million in payroll (the next closest team was the Mets, $52 million behind) and after winning 103 games in the regular season. Also, I’ll be dusting off my #45 jersey for Game 2.
[I like how they had to Photoshop a Yankees hat on Mazz, like he refused to take a picture with one on but still claims to be rooting for them.]
This documentary (only 22 min.) on outspoken Australian distance runner Craig “Buster” Mottram does a great job of taking you inside the mind of an elite athlete.
Over the last five years, Mottram has been one of the only runners to challenge East African dominance in the distance events. In 2005, he finished third in the 5K at the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, becoming the first non-African to medal in the event since 1987. In 2006, he earned a silver in the 5K at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, running 12:58.19.
Mottram had a disappointing Olympics in Beijing, failing to reach the finals in the 5K, but at age 29, still has some years left. He holds every Oceanic record from the mile to the 5K: 3:48.98 mile, 4:50.76 2K, 7:32.19 3K, 8:03.50 2 mile and 12:55.76 5K.
The short film leads up to the 2006 Healthy Kidney 10K in New York City’s Central Park.
Part 1
Rippin’ on Ripken
Cal Ripken Jr. prepares to strikeout.
In August 2007, I apparently made a huge mistake when I had the audacity to question the fanfare surrounding Cal Ripken Jr.’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
(That’s right, “the fanfare surrounding,” not even the induction itself, which I clearly stated that I had no qualms with.)
In a column for the Bennington Banner, I suggested that Cal’s “every-man” personality caused sportswriters and fans alike to misremember his often lackluster on-field production. The column ran shortly after the Iron Man was inducted into the HOF with the third highest voting percentage in history (98.53 percent) behind Tom Seaver (98.84 percent) and Nolan Ryan (98.79 percent). And shortly after that, hate mail flooded my inbox: