Sports Roundup
Today has been an unusual day in sports.
It started on a high note with the announcement that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would sign Eric LeGrand to an NFL contract. LeGrand, a standout at Rutgers University under then-coach -- and Rutgers grid savior -- Greg Schiano, was paralyzed in a hit in October of 2010. His story is truly an emotional one, mostly because of LeGrand's seemingly God-given gift to accept his situation with hope and good humor. Schiano, now the coach in Tampa Bay, made the classy move today.
Then, I read that Andy Pettitte may have sunk the government's case against Roger Clemens. Clemens is on trial for lying to Congress about use of performance-enhancing drugs. Pettitte was called to testify because he had said that in 1999 or 2000 Clemens told him he had used HGH (human growth hormone). Pettitte and Clemens were once as tight as two sports buddies and fellow Texan pitchers could be. Their relationship chilled, but perhaps it's back on after today. In testimony this morning, Pettitte said it was “50/50” that he may have misheard Clemens. The final ruling, in many people’s opinion, seemed to rest on Pettitte, who, other than a brief dalliance himself with HGH, is considered to be an athlete and man of the highest principles. The others in the case all have some serious flaws.
Finally, just in the past hour or so, I see that Junior Seau has died from either a self-inflicted gunshot wound or in some sort of gunfight in his California home.
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Jun '10
Re: Sports Roundup
I know nothing about Seau's demons, but the high-life of being a professional athlete seems to make retirement difficult for many athletes.
I have the privilege of knowing a young man who plays in the NFL. He and his wife became friends of my daughter and son-in-law (and they have kids the same ages). When my daughter had a preemie, his wife was an angel of mercy.
As a result, I've gotten to know him. He views his NFL career as a gift. He doesn't have a huge contract but makes way more than others in his age group. He told me that he's saving most of his money so that when his career ends he'll have a career. In fact, with some partners, he's already creating a business.
It has been refreshing to see someone so grounded and who takes the long view. He's conservative by nature and is interested in politics/public policy, so I've been trying feed him some Hayek, Buckley, and others.
And the drafting of Legrand was a major class act.
Edited on May 2, 2012 at 9:32pmMay '10
Re: Sports Roundup
I am really fed up with the Clemens case and the amount of taxpayer money that is being wasted in trying to nail him. Is there a single person that cares? His reputation has been already appropriately damaged in the court of public opinion.
Let the private sector authorities (Hall of Fame, etc.) chastise him as they see fit, but let's direct the government resources more prudently than trying to extract some meaningless fine or infintessimal amount of jail time for a crime that administration officials commit nearly every time they schlep up to the Hill.
Jul '11
Re: Sports Roundup
Legrand, just awesome that someone cared enough!
Clemens, big deal. The scum in congress are 80% liars and 50% crooks and I'm being generous. Place an asterisk next to his name and move on.
Seau, so very sad. He was one of the best of all time and a fierce competitor.
Jun '10
Re: Sports Roundup
Trace Urdan: I am really fed up with the Clemens case and the amount of taxpayer money that is being wasted in trying to nail him. Is there a single person that cares? His reputation has been already appropriately damaged in the court of public opinion.
Let the private sector authorities (Hall of Fame, etc.) chastise him as they see fit, but let's direct the government resources more prudently than trying to extract some meaningless fine or infintessimal amount of jail time for a crime that administration officials commit nearly every time they schlep up to the Hill. · 2 minutes ago
Agree. Maybe some of those prosecutors could assist in some deportation proceedings.
Re: Sports Roundup
Trace Urdan: I am really fed up with the Clemens case and the amount of taxpayer money that is being wasted in trying to nail him. Is there a single person that cares? His reputation has been already appropriately damaged in the court of public opinion.
Let the private sector authorities (Hall of Fame, etc.) chastise him as they see fit, but let's direct the government resources more prudently than trying to extract some meaningless fine or infintessimal amount of jail time for a crime that administration officials commit nearly every time they schlep up to the Hill. · 9 minutes ago
Wow. I'd actually never thought of this, but upon reflection, you are totally right, Trace! I guess I'm blinded by my own personal dislike of Clemens -- he wasn't exactly Mr. Nice Guy to me -- and I am so steamed that he keeps trying to slip past any "official" wrongdoing or humiliation. But you are so right on the money that this is a waste of resources. This is the Hall's problem, although I'm not sure they'd take a stand here. Great comment, Trace. Thanks.
May '10
Re: Sports Roundup
Back in December I wrote about David Duerson's suicide (Enjoy the game: Destroying myself for your amusement) and the effects of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.
Last month it was Ray Easterling and today Junior Seau, who may have tried suicide once before in 2010. Terrell Owens tried overdosing twice.
I can find five documented suicides of former or active NFL players between 1942 and 1990. Since then I count 11.
Edited on May 2, 2012 at 10:10pmRe: Sports Roundup
You missed Vilma getting suspended for a year in bounty-gate.
Sep '11
Re: Sports Roundup
I think Greg Schiano of Tampa Bay just won the 2012 Sportsman of the Year award. And deservedly so.
Dec '10
Re: Sports Roundup
On the LeGrand signing, he was signed as a "workout" player, along with 2 dozen others. That designation doesn't count against roster spots, draft picks, etc. His ambition, now, is to get in the booth and work towards broadcasting games. One of the local sports stations (WDAE) is gonna make some room for him during broadcasts, without booting one of of their employees, but just to give him some of that same "workout" opportunity. All around, a feel good effort.
Dec '10
Re: Sports Roundup
Oops. There is some lack of clarity, but apparently "workout" players do count amongst a "hard 90" number of players on rosters, under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. So, a spot there does cost a team a tryout player, unlike in the past. However, unlike in past years when teams typically signed less than 10 players to this group, they are allowed a larger total this year, so most teams have signed more than 20.
Jul '10
Re: Sports Roundup
Trace Urdan: I am really fed up with the Clemens case and the amount of taxpayer money that is being wasted in trying to nail him. Is there a single person that cares? His reputation has been already appropriately damaged in the court of public opinion.
Let the private sector authorities (Hall of Fame, etc.) chastise him as they see fit, but let's direct the government resources more prudently than trying to extract some meaningless fine or infintessimal amount of jail time for a crime that administration officials commit nearly every time they schlep up to the Hill. · 3 hours ago
Right.
Cut taxes!
Dec '11
Re: Sports Roundup
Ditto. I'm still verklempt that David (Boomer) Wells was traded for this diva...
Couldn't agree more.
Edited on May 3, 2012 at 6:22amApr '11
Re: Sports Roundup
I could care less about Clemens, but Seau is very sad. He was one of my favorite all-time players.
Jun '10
Re: Sports Roundup
Eight players from the San Diego Super Bowl team that Seau played with have died of various causes.
"The unsettling thing about the Chargers' deaths is their randomness. Five months after the Super Bowl, running back David Griggs died in a car accident on an off-ramp of the Florida Turnpike that was no more than 10 minutes from where the game had been played at Joe Robbie Stadium. The next year, running back Rodney Culver and his wife died on a ValuJet crash in the Florida Everglades, also not far from Miami. In 1998 linebacker Doug Miller was struck twice by lightning while camping in Colorado. Backup center Curtis Whitley died of a drug overdose in 2008 only months before Mims died from an enlarged heart and heart disease. Linebacker Lew Bush and defensive tackle Shawn Lee had fatal heart attacks last year.
And now Seau. The irony is that as a player he might have been the liveliest of them all – the first one to laugh, the one with the biggest smile, the biggest star – and to hear reports he had killed himself? It didn't make sense."
Excerpted from an article by Les Carpenter at Yahoo sports.