The Smith Factor -- Rambling on for the last issue as Sports Editor
Matt Smith
Issue date: 3/2/06 Section: Sports
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One of the biggest drawbacks to Concordiensis is the fact it goes to print eight times throughout the trimester. This of course limits our playoff coverage of Union sports teams, as well as other momentous upcoming sports events like March Madness, the World Baseball Classic, NFL draft ramblings, and of course, fantasy baseball drafts.
I began the term issuing my NFL playoff picks, and needless to say, I was about as on par as Time and Newsweek Magazines in their proclamation of Bode Miller as the next great American Olympian. So in the spirit of redemption, here are a couple predictions to take with you while you're hitting the beaches of Cabo and staring at the "2006 version of College Co-eds Gone Wild."
But before we began, one more quick note on the Olympics, which ended last Sunday. I know lately I've been displaying a penchant for lambasting Miller, but its like Don Corleone sat me down in his office and gave me an offer I can't refuse. But my disdain for U.S. Olympians doesn't stop with Bode. What about speed skater Shani Davis, the guy who after winning a gold quickly donned a Chicago White Sox cap? I've always found it offensive when athletes drape the American flag around their bodies like a JCrew cardigan, but pulling out a New Era fitted was tasteless. But Davis didn't stop there, and to top it off, he refused to acknowledge his second place finishing country mate. I'm still having a difficult time figuring out which is more repugnant: Miller's bust on the ski slopes or Davis' complete and utter lack of respect for his country and teammate. Either way, both actions warrant Fernando Vargas-like black eyes. It's events like these, on the globe's biggest stage, that makes it transparent as to why the world holds Americans in such contempt.
The only consolation for Americans like me who feel shammed is the fact the inaugural World Baseball Classic begins this week. And trust me, it couldn't have come at a better time. For those of you who don't already know, the WBC is an attempt by Major League Baseball to showcase the game's burgeoning cultural globalization phenomena. 16 teams from the likes of Australia, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Chinese Taipei and the US (to name a few) will compete in four pools of four teams each. The games will be held in Japan, San Diego, Anaheim, and Puerto Rico and will all be shown on ESPN and ESPN2.
I began the term issuing my NFL playoff picks, and needless to say, I was about as on par as Time and Newsweek Magazines in their proclamation of Bode Miller as the next great American Olympian. So in the spirit of redemption, here are a couple predictions to take with you while you're hitting the beaches of Cabo and staring at the "2006 version of College Co-eds Gone Wild."
But before we began, one more quick note on the Olympics, which ended last Sunday. I know lately I've been displaying a penchant for lambasting Miller, but its like Don Corleone sat me down in his office and gave me an offer I can't refuse. But my disdain for U.S. Olympians doesn't stop with Bode. What about speed skater Shani Davis, the guy who after winning a gold quickly donned a Chicago White Sox cap? I've always found it offensive when athletes drape the American flag around their bodies like a JCrew cardigan, but pulling out a New Era fitted was tasteless. But Davis didn't stop there, and to top it off, he refused to acknowledge his second place finishing country mate. I'm still having a difficult time figuring out which is more repugnant: Miller's bust on the ski slopes or Davis' complete and utter lack of respect for his country and teammate. Either way, both actions warrant Fernando Vargas-like black eyes. It's events like these, on the globe's biggest stage, that makes it transparent as to why the world holds Americans in such contempt.
The only consolation for Americans like me who feel shammed is the fact the inaugural World Baseball Classic begins this week. And trust me, it couldn't have come at a better time. For those of you who don't already know, the WBC is an attempt by Major League Baseball to showcase the game's burgeoning cultural globalization phenomena. 16 teams from the likes of Australia, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Chinese Taipei and the US (to name a few) will compete in four pools of four teams each. The games will be held in Japan, San Diego, Anaheim, and Puerto Rico and will all be shown on ESPN and ESPN2.