Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Since there was no Treehouse Fort show this past weekend, the regulars (Matt Sussman and Tuffy) as well as yours truly lost a chance to discuss a great (or horrible, depending on your view) week of idiocy in the sports world. And I’m not about to let these sports figures off the hook, so here are this past week’s nominees, with links below for you to read more on (pun totally intended), comment on and vote on via the weekly poll, with longer descriptions after the voting:
1. Larry Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs running back
How rude do you have to be to get on a list like this? How about spitting your drink in woman’s face, which is exactly what Johnson did on October 10 at a local nightclub, for which he was charged with assault on Monday, October 27. This was the fourth time the former Penn State star has been alleged to have assaulted a woman in five years. As Sports Illustrated reported last week, Johnson’s incidents all included “anger, alcohol and women” and he is now “seeking help to get better as far as getting my life on track.” Good luck, man. In the meantime, ladies, stay far away from him!
2. NBA legend/TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley
According to Newsday, when asked by the press recently about the state of the New York Knicks, Barkley, never one who avoids speaking his mind about anything, pretty much went over the line with a bad joke about fellow NBA legend Isiah Thomas overdosing on sleeping pills recently: “In discussing ways in which the Knicks should be improved this season, Barkley said, ‘I think they have a better coach. This coach probably won’t try to kill himself.'” Quickly realizing his joke wasn’t funny, Barkley said, “That’s
my fault.”
3. MLB commissioner Bud Selig.
At the beginning of last week, the World Series between the (now champion) Philadelphia Phillies and upstart Tampa Bay Rays was nearing its end, but halted by rain in Philly. And not without controversy. It was Game 5 and Philly was up 3 games to 1 when, after 6 innings and a 2-2 score, baseball fans everywhere were wondering: “Is Philly going to win the championship via a rain-shortened game?” Bud Selig, not one known for anticipating and dealing with problems before they get out of hand, waited until the press conference after the tie game to announce that the rules guiding rain-shortened games will be suspended, meaning the Phillies-Rays would have to play out the full 9 innings of all remaining games to decide the World Series championship. That would have been nice for the players, managers, fans, and broadcasters to know before Game 5 (and even Game 4, to be honest) wouldn’t it, Mr. Selig?! So Selig gets a nod for stupidly waiting until it was almost too late to change the rules regarding rainouts.
4. Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga, who mouthed off to the media a couple of weeks ago that he would try and sell the Dolphins before Democrat Barack Obama (possibly) gets elected, because he (wrongly) thinks Obama’s going to raise his capital gains taxes by 50%. Not to get too political here, but some straight facts for you: Obama proposes to raise the rate modestly from 15% to 20%, which is not only just a 33% increase but 1/3 lower a tax rate than Ronald Reagan’s capital gains rate of 28% in his 2nd term as president. Whether you are or aren’t a fan of Obama and his tax plans is one thing. But for a sports owner to say he’s going to try and sell his team in a couple of weeks based on a misreading of a presidential candidate’s proposals is not only unnecessarily divisive but just plain bad business, in my opinion.
5. Fox Sports reporter Danyelle Sargent, for saying new 49ers coach Mike Singletary called 49ers legend Bill Walsh upon finding out he was coaching the team. Problem is, Walsh is dead. Oops!
6. North Texas football coach Todd Dodge, who said his team didn’t have drug issues – even though 15 of 86 players tested positive for illegal drugs this year.
That’s it. Now discuss, vote (here and in that OTHER election while there’s still time), or all of the above.
