Sporting Fools
Sporting Fools
Sporting Fools
Sporting Fools
The frequent and occasional humorous musings behind two of the World's greatest underappreciated sports minds.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Hotties and the ESPN That Doesn't Suck...I must applaud friend of the site and fellow co-worker in the Tuscaloosa (Ala.), Lakeland (Fla.) family of newspapers Warren St. John for being voted at one of the two hottest men of the New York Times according to the good folks at Gawker media [Link].
St. John, a Birmingham native, is the author of "Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer" which despite the obvious pornography theme is actually a wonderful book on the people that follow Alabama football.
So outside of being a bestselling author and the top writer in the NYT's Style section, St. John can now apply for the 2006 Men of Journalism calendar. Congrats WSJ!
On to more important things, thanks to mgoblog, this is a list from radio personality Steve Czaben on ESPN personalities that do not suck [Link].
For the most part Czaben's list is on point with the exception of Bob Ryan, who will always suck after the situation with Jason Kidd's wife.
So with that being said I have a few more add-ons.
Shelley Smith: Oddly enough he had no women on his list when ESPN employs two of the best. Smith is a very professional veteran who has the ability to break news. She gets a lot of respect in the NBA circles because she's always prepared and she doesn't try to make her segments into a "look at me" session. She's also one of the nicest people I've met.
Michele Tafoya: Tafoya is absolutely money as a sideline reporter, along the lines of Leslie Visser and clearly better than any of the eye candy that's out there right now.
Brian Kenny: Mostly known for his work on ESPNews and Friday Night Fights, he's good in both areas. He's also got a really good, acoustic voice. It's a little different.
Tony Kornheiser: Some think he sucks, but here's what impresses me about Tony. Never at any point on PTI does he or Wilbon truly sacrifice their journalistic integrity. They joke around a lot, they clown a lot, but they are serious when need be and that's the reason why PTI is so much more successful. Meanwhile Skip Bayless and Woody Paige have no shame in the way they've disgraced themselves.
Trev Alberts: He used to suck, but Alberts has really turned the corner and become a solid college football analyst. I'm willing to say he's better than Kirk Herbstreit because he doesn't mince words when he's on camera.
That's it, got convention this weekend.
St. John, a Birmingham native, is the author of "Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer" which despite the obvious pornography theme is actually a wonderful book on the people that follow Alabama football.
So outside of being a bestselling author and the top writer in the NYT's Style section, St. John can now apply for the 2006 Men of Journalism calendar. Congrats WSJ!
On to more important things, thanks to mgoblog, this is a list from radio personality Steve Czaben on ESPN personalities that do not suck [Link].
For the most part Czaben's list is on point with the exception of Bob Ryan, who will always suck after the situation with Jason Kidd's wife.
So with that being said I have a few more add-ons.
Shelley Smith: Oddly enough he had no women on his list when ESPN employs two of the best. Smith is a very professional veteran who has the ability to break news. She gets a lot of respect in the NBA circles because she's always prepared and she doesn't try to make her segments into a "look at me" session. She's also one of the nicest people I've met.
Michele Tafoya: Tafoya is absolutely money as a sideline reporter, along the lines of Leslie Visser and clearly better than any of the eye candy that's out there right now.
Brian Kenny: Mostly known for his work on ESPNews and Friday Night Fights, he's good in both areas. He's also got a really good, acoustic voice. It's a little different.
Tony Kornheiser: Some think he sucks, but here's what impresses me about Tony. Never at any point on PTI does he or Wilbon truly sacrifice their journalistic integrity. They joke around a lot, they clown a lot, but they are serious when need be and that's the reason why PTI is so much more successful. Meanwhile Skip Bayless and Woody Paige have no shame in the way they've disgraced themselves.
Trev Alberts: He used to suck, but Alberts has really turned the corner and become a solid college football analyst. I'm willing to say he's better than Kirk Herbstreit because he doesn't mince words when he's on camera.
That's it, got convention this weekend.
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Blogpoll Question #4This week it's from the good guys at Blue-Gray sky.
1. Who are your rivals? Well for Florida State it’s simple: Florida and Miami, don’t have to even leave the state. Hard to say who’s the bigger rival. Most Seminoles tend to hate the Gators more than the Hurricanes, but I think most would rather beat the Hurricanes because of the conference implications. Florida State and Miami have been really battling in this current environment since 1983 when Miami defeated FSU 17-16 en route to their first national title. And it’s been a series of 1-point Miami wins since. The 1987 game (Miami 26-25) is probably the best in the series. As for Florida, FSU has had more significants wins over them historically, there was the “Go for Seven” game in 1964 and the “Lights Out” game in 1987. Florida won the infamous mulligan game in the 1997 Sugar Bowl to win a national title and won an even better game during that season (32-29) to shut FSU out of title contention. But FSU won the great 2003 great when Chris Rix did something right for a change and they’ve also won good games in 1996, 1998 and 1999. The Choke at Doak, a 31-31 tie in 1994 is well remembered by all.
2. Size up your chances in your rival games this season: Hmmm I’d say that Miami has a decisive mental edge, having won six in a row. FSU will survive the loss of Wyatt Sexton well enough, but losing shut down cornerback Antonio Cromartie is devastating. Miami will be starting a new QB as well. My bet is that the Miami game will tell me how well FSU does against Florida.
3. If you could start up a new rivalry with another team, who would it be? FSU-Auburn was a tremendous rivalry in the 80s and then Auburn just quit it cold turkey. It was to be rekindled in the late 90s, but the “War Chickens” backed out, fired Terry Bowden and dropped the series.
4. Overall what do you think the best rivalry in college football is? I would say for my money it’s Ohio State-Michigan or Alabama-Auburn. Those are two blood rivalries. Woody Hayes wouldn’t even get gas for his team bus in Michigan. The Iron Bowl has split families, caused divorces and probably caused death.
5. Lastly, game trophies. What are the best and worst rivalry trophies out there? The best trophy by far is Floyd of Rosedale, the bronze pig that Iowa and Minnesota play for each year. The worst is the hat that OU-Texas play for. With a rivalry like that you would think it would be for more marbles than a hat.
1. Who are your rivals? Well for Florida State it’s simple: Florida and Miami, don’t have to even leave the state. Hard to say who’s the bigger rival. Most Seminoles tend to hate the Gators more than the Hurricanes, but I think most would rather beat the Hurricanes because of the conference implications. Florida State and Miami have been really battling in this current environment since 1983 when Miami defeated FSU 17-16 en route to their first national title. And it’s been a series of 1-point Miami wins since. The 1987 game (Miami 26-25) is probably the best in the series. As for Florida, FSU has had more significants wins over them historically, there was the “Go for Seven” game in 1964 and the “Lights Out” game in 1987. Florida won the infamous mulligan game in the 1997 Sugar Bowl to win a national title and won an even better game during that season (32-29) to shut FSU out of title contention. But FSU won the great 2003 great when Chris Rix did something right for a change and they’ve also won good games in 1996, 1998 and 1999. The Choke at Doak, a 31-31 tie in 1994 is well remembered by all.
2. Size up your chances in your rival games this season: Hmmm I’d say that Miami has a decisive mental edge, having won six in a row. FSU will survive the loss of Wyatt Sexton well enough, but losing shut down cornerback Antonio Cromartie is devastating. Miami will be starting a new QB as well. My bet is that the Miami game will tell me how well FSU does against Florida.
3. If you could start up a new rivalry with another team, who would it be? FSU-Auburn was a tremendous rivalry in the 80s and then Auburn just quit it cold turkey. It was to be rekindled in the late 90s, but the “War Chickens” backed out, fired Terry Bowden and dropped the series.
4. Overall what do you think the best rivalry in college football is? I would say for my money it’s Ohio State-Michigan or Alabama-Auburn. Those are two blood rivalries. Woody Hayes wouldn’t even get gas for his team bus in Michigan. The Iron Bowl has split families, caused divorces and probably caused death.
5. Lastly, game trophies. What are the best and worst rivalry trophies out there? The best trophy by far is Floyd of Rosedale, the bronze pig that Iowa and Minnesota play for each year. The worst is the hat that OU-Texas play for. With a rivalry like that you would think it would be for more marbles than a hat.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Make Sure the Mute Works...Al Michaels has decided to stay with Monday Night Football and join ESPN. That's not so bad, however he will be joined by Joe Theismann.
From the wire:
Two sideline reporters!?!?! I love Tafoya, she's absolutely money when she wants to be. But why "Screaming" Suzy Kolber? She's almost as useful as Eric Dickerson was in a similar role.'
Here's hoping that Michaels gets sick of Theismann after a season and kicks him to the curb much like he did with Boomer Esiason.
And my Dr. Z prediction for the team is: 1.5 stars.
From the wire:
Michaels has been the play-by-play man on Monday Night Football since 1986, the last three with Madden as analyst. After this season, Madden is moving to NBC, which is taking over the Sunday night time slot in 2006 for what the NFL considers its main prime-time package.
"I feel like I'm a creature of Monday night. I'm home and I'm staying home,'' said Michaels, who had been heavily pursued by NBC, but said he wanted to stay where he has worked for 29 years _ ABC and ESPN are both owned by the Disney Co.
"The three words 'Monday Night Football' resonate like no other,'' he said during a news conference Tuesday to announce the lineup.
Michaels will be joined in the booth by Joe Theismann, who had teamed with play-by-play man Mike Patrick and Paul Maguire on ABC's Sunday night games. Michelle Tafoya and Suzy Kolber will be the sideline reporters.
Two sideline reporters!?!?! I love Tafoya, she's absolutely money when she wants to be. But why "Screaming" Suzy Kolber? She's almost as useful as Eric Dickerson was in a similar role.'
Here's hoping that Michaels gets sick of Theismann after a season and kicks him to the curb much like he did with Boomer Esiason.
And my Dr. Z prediction for the team is: 1.5 stars.
