A little of this, a little of that
This week's top 10:
- 10. Kobe haters coming out of the woodwork. These first few days of training camps have revealed the true meaning of NBA - No Bryant Allies.
The ongoing rift between Kobe and Shaq is nothing new (although the revelation that Bryant alleged to Colorado police after he had been arrested on the rape charge that O'Neal paid out hush money to cover up a similar incident was pretty shocking), but now Phil Jackson's new book has plenty of unkind things to say and Seattle's Ray Allen called Kobe selfish.
For his part, Bryant has pretty much avoided responding to these barbs and jabs, which would seem to indicate to me that he is preparing to do his talking on the court. Now that he is the primary offensive option for the Lakers, I think we can all be prepared to see him jack up 40 shots a night and lead the league in scoring.
But most telling in all this is the lack of Kobe supporters. Even the most wayward or arrogant athletes (or coaches) usually has a conga line of sycophants and apologists telling us we just don't understand so-and-so (think Rasheed Wallace, Bob Knight, Mike Tyson or any number of hockey goons who have committed acts of excessive violence).
In just over a year, the image of Bryant has gone from clean-cut, wholesome, suave All-American with a beautiful wife and young child to petulant, self-absorbed, glory-seeking adulterer who may or may not have raped a young woman.
- 9. College football I. Notre Dame defeated Navy for the 41st consecutive year Saturday, an NCAA record.
I guess that's just about the only thing left of the Notre Dame "mystique."
- 8. Roger to the rescue. The Houston Astros got back into their NLCS with St. Louis on Saturday thanks to Roger Clemens.
Although the way Fox is treating the NLCS - afternoon games on the weekend, shipped off to Fox SportsNet on weeknights - you may not be aware this is not a consolation series, and that the winner will actually get to play in the World Series.
- 7. College football II. Once-mighty Carroll College lost for the second consecutive weekend yesterday, 26-17 to UM-Western, after winning its previous 24 games.
The Saints are now in third place in the Frontier Conference just two weeks after being No. 1 in the nation in NAIA. Let this be a lesson to never take success for granted.
- 6. Whither Mel? ESPN has reportedly let go Mel Kiper Jr., Draft Expert after 22 years with the network, apparently over a non-monetary contract dispute.
So that begs the question, can there actually be a televised NFL Draft without Mel and his bulletproof helmet hair? Who is going to fill the 15 minutes between picks spouting off height, weight and 40-yard dash times with Rainman-like precision? It just won't be the same.
- 5. College football III. I think we've now entered a phase for Montana State where they are going to either win or lose the rest of their games by the slimmest of margins. Three weeks in a row now the Bobcats have pulled off come-from-behind wins.
It has to be more than a little maddening for all involved - why can't the 'Cats play the entire game like they do the fourth quarter when they're fighting their way back?
Either way, MSU is still perfect in conference play (as is Montana, more on that later), and that end-of-the-season game in Missoula is starting to look like it will again have more than state pride on the line.
- 4. The sound of one league folding. This last week would have been the start of the NHL regular season, but unprecedented levels of nincompoopery scuttled that, and likely the rest of the season since one of the Thrashers' owners is saying that the NHL will use replacement players - NEXT season.
With about six weeks since the last formal negotiations between the league and the union, and players scurrying overseas like cockroaches when the lights come on, it seems like both sides have already written off this season.
In turn fans will shortly write off the league.
- 3. The great rematch fizzles. Now that the Yankees have an historically insurmountable 3-0 lead in the much-hyped, much-anticipated ALCS rematch with Boston, it should be noted that this outcome was probably predetermined.
And not because of some silly curse, but by the attitude of the Sox going into the series. Wearing T-shirts that say "Why not us?" isn't something a team with a $130 million payroll should be doing. That's a slogan for Boise State or Utah trying to crack the BCS, not for a team of highly paid professionals.
They didn't believe they would win, and now they are getting a major league beat down.
- 2. College football IV. Like their cross-state brethren, the Montana Grizzlies have taken to waiting until the end of games to win, hanging on to beat Eastern Washington yesterday.
The only difference is the Griz are making defensive stops to preserve wins while the Bobcats are snatching victory from the jaws of defeat with comebacks.
Just one more road trip for the Griz - at Portland State after next week's bye - then three straight at Washington Grizzly to close out the season.
- 1. College football V. Congratulations to Army, which picked up its second consecutive victory, its first winning streak in seven seasons.
Last week the Black Knights snapped a 19-game losing streak. If Navy could have won, what a weekend it would have been for the service academies.
Andrew Hinkelman is a sports writer for The Daily Inter Lake. He can be reached at hink@dailyinterlake.com