Pope and basketball
This week's top 10 (down to nine after one item was left blank by a writer who can't count):
- 9. Money talks. Granted, the news of Pope John Paul II's death hardly came as a shock yesterday, but it was nevertheless a dubious move by CBS to end its coverage of the story (a full hour before other broadcast networks) in favor of an extended Final Four preview show.
Not the actual games, just 2 1/2 hours of manufactured conflict between analysts; weepy sob stories of players, their mothers, their dog, or quite possibly their mother's dog; video montages set to the latest musical release of CBS' Viacom sister company's pop tart du jour; and, most importantly, scads of commercials from "official corporate sponsors" to help pay for the rights fee.
When the NBC news division left the air it was to at least go to a golf tournament in progress. Fox departed to a rainy race track, but - as did NBC - had a cable news network to fall back on. ABC bumped its scheduled soccer game to ESPN, taking advantage of Disney's corporate synergy.
During the last few days of the pope's life, we were reminded of the pontiff's admonition to the United States of our materialistic consumption. Evidently he was on to something.
- 8. Speaking of the pope … A story on the AP wire Saturday detailed John Paul's sporting youth.
"He has been a terrific sportsman," said George Weigel, author of a biography of John Paul. "As a young man he was a very active soccer player, a skier, a hiker."
The story went on to say that in the winter the pope and his friends would play hockey on the frozen Skawa River in his hometown of Wadowice in Poland.
Even after he ascended the papacy John Paul remained active until his health deteriorated. He frequently held audiences with sports luminaries from around the world, most recently blessing the Formula One racing team of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher.
- 7. Speaking of the pope and sports … All sporting events in Italy were canceled this weekend in honor of the pope's death. I wonder if there's as much embarrassing bickering and debate over that decision as there was here after the Sept. 11 attacks.
- 6. Speaking of CBS … Was I the only one who noticed that CBS only offered up three different views of Patrick Sparks' tying 3-pointer to force overtime in the Kentucky-Michigan State game last Sunday?
A regional final with a trip to the Final Four on the line and all we've got to look at is the typical sideline shot, a remote from behind the backboard and a sideline floor camera? Surely there were more cameras than that in use, right? Of course there were, but instead of following the game action, they were more than likely focused on Tubby Smith, Tom Izzo and Ashley Judd, because no telecast is complete without 250 shots (each) of the Super Genius floor generals and the celebrity fan(s).
Perhaps no better view of Sparks foot would have been available if the other cameras were trained on the court, but it would have been nice to find out.
- 5. The long arm of the law (makers). Congress is now going to look into the NFL's steroid policy after it was revealed some members of the Carolina Panthers received prescriptions for steroids, had them refilled multiple times, yet were never caught by the league.
It always seemed a tad unfair to single out baseball, so as long as they're at it Congress should call in every league and every federation and get a more complete picture of steroids in sports. Then if they want to enact legislation, as some suggested after the baseball hearings, they'll have a better foundation from which to do it.
- 4. Here we go again. The 2005 baseball season begins tonight with - of course - Red Sox-Yankees (also known as ALCS Game 8).
For the first time in my life I find myself lamenting the start of the season. It just feels like we got over with the last one.
I think I've officially been poisoned by my baseball-hating boss. Thanks, Dave.
- 3. Start the bidding. The operators of RFK Stadium in Washington want to sell the naming rights to the facility honoring Robert Kennedy. (Following in the footsteps of Redskins owner Daniel Snyder selling Jack Kent Cooke Stadium off to FedEx.)
One of the candidates is … the U.S. Army. Corporate names for stadiums and arenas is already pretty tacky, but for the military to get involved? Isn't that the kind of thing we would expect out of China or Cuba or the old Soviet Union?
If the military really wants to get involved in sports sponsorship, why not the drafts? At least that would be funny.
"With the first pick in the 2005 United States Army NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select …"
Instead of threatened holdouts like Eli Manning last year we'd have players burning draft cards like the old days. It'd be a hoot.
- 2. Art imitating life, or vice versa? It was announced last week that Jose Canseco would join the cast of "The Surreal Life" next season. The VH1 "reality" series throws together C- and D-list celebrities into a house to live together for a period of time, with cameras everywhere to record the shenanigans.
It's just too bad they couldn't have corralled him for this season's installment. It would have been fun to hear Canseco and former WWE wrestler Chynna swap steroid stories.
- 1. Speaking of the WWE … Hulk Hogan was inducted into the WWE's Hall of Fame (who knew they even had one?) Saturday.
The Hulkster was the hottest thing going (back in the WWF days) when I was a kid, always reminding us to "say your prayers and eat your vitamins," and his ridiculous attempts to act in the cheesier TV shows of the day were always cringe-worthy.
I am curious as to how a wrestler gets into the hall. I'd like to think a group of old-timers like Ted DiBiase, George "The Animal" Steele, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, and Jerry Lawler get together and decide. The idea of those people together in a board room just makes me laugh.
Andrew Hinkelman is a sports writer for The Daily Inter Lake. He can be reached at hink@dailyinterlake.com