Manny sighting in the 505

Amid the hype of a Manny Ramirez sighting in Albuquerque, NM for his 4 game stint with the Isotopes, I still couldn’t help but chuckle when reading that over 25,000 tickets had been sold for the 4 game series. I never even realized that 20k baseball fans existed in the Land of Enchantment, but with no professional sports whatsoever, AAA baseball is where it's at. First off, let's be real about one thing. An athlete of Manny's caliber would never be in the state of New Mexico under any circumstance, unless for something like a work mandated rehab of course. Many of the fans don’t seem to care one bit that the Dodgers superstar left fielder took performance-enhancing drugs, as is evidence with the turnout in Duke City. I happen to side with Danny Masterson, an avid Yankee fan, who feels that the cheaters should be erased with Roger Maris being re-instated as the true Home Run King. Think of the impact that Manny had on last season alone. Not only did he completely alter the course of the National League playoffs and put the D-Backs on a freight train for oblivion, he drastically altered many people's lives . You see the astronomical figures on player salaries these days and you forget that in the past pro athletes actually had to carry 2nd jobs in the off-season. How tense do you think the atmosphere was in Dodgers owner Frank McCourt's office the day the news of the impending suspension broke. Manny Ramirez virtually pitted the Dodgers against themselves all off-season, with no other clubs realistically in the mix to garner his services. All of the dramatic hoopla, the press conference upon his arrival, the media frenzy, only to find out that he was indeed dirty, and Manny knew all along. Granted he will have lost roughly $8 million of his $25 million salary for this season but that is besides the point. From what we've heard in the past from former teammates and journalists alike, Manny isn't worried that much about money anyways.

However credit shall be given where it is rightfully due. Joe Torre has managed to keep the Dodgers in cruise control during Manny’s 50 game suspension, with the Dodgers 8 ½ games ahead of 2nd place San Francisco with the best record in the majors at 47-24.

Note: Manny was 0-2 in his first start of a rehab stint with the Isotopes. He left the game in the 5th inning, and left the ballpark shortly thereafter.

Dog days of summer

The worst part of the year for sports fans everywhere is always the end of June thru July as we await the opening of NFL training camps across the country. Having just concluded the NBA Finals & Stanley Cup Finals within days of one another, broadcasters and sportscasters alike often complain of the lack of newsworthy material on a daily basis. Yes we are in the middle of baseball season, but as my old high school coach used to say “ol’ stand-ball ain’t too exciting in June.” They play an absurd 162 regular season games, often stretching into two different basketball seasons. Shoot, the D-Backs just played two games in one last week, and all they did was TIE a franchise record for longest game played. Note: check out some interesting, yet useless info from ESPN baseball writer Jayson Stark regarding that game against the Padres. If I didn’t watch a single baseball game all summer, but picked it up again around my birthday, I’d see all I needed and then some, almost assuredly with AZ further from the playoff race than we currently are. After a fairly exciting NBA playoffs (all things considered-Suns) there is that void to fill every night without basketball. The Cardinals open training camp on July 31. If the Redbirds can get Karlos Dansby re-signed, and resolve the Anquan Boldin saqa before training camp, then our chances of winning the NFC West again should be fairly high. Until then though we must resort to all stand-ball, all the time. Wake me up when it’s time for Bradley’s fantasy draft, and not a moment sooner. Unless of course Steve Kerr is fired or Robert Sarver is made an offer he can't refuse between now and then.

Ignorance is bliss

We have crowned a new NBA champion as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic 99-86 to claim their 15th title in franchise history. Who else but Kobe Bryant lead the way averaging 32.4 points and 7.4 assists while garnering Finals MVP honors for the first time in his career. However, if you turn on the television or radio here in Los Angeles this morning, all you are hearing about is how ridiculous the fans are with their over the top celebrating, looting, and rioting. ABC and ESPN made such a big deal about this being the Lakers 15th championship in franchise history, but judging by the reaction of the fans, you’d think this was the first championship of any sort for Tinseltown. The saddest aspect about the whole affair is the biased news coverage, in an attempt to defend the postgame celebrations. ABC 7 and their repeated claims that these actions and events aren’t indicative of true Lakers fans, or that the people committing these acts are just the “dregs of society” according to Colin Cowherd. Right, so all those people that we see wearing Kobe jerseys, waving Lakers flags, jumping on cars, setting trees on fire, and looting stores right across from Stapes Center aren’t Lakers fans. Are these the same “fans” who want Manny Ramirez to start in the All-Star game in July? After all, this is a city where Raja Bell received death threats by simply walking down the street in L.A. after his choke slam of Kobe in the ’06 playoffs. Citizens were scared to get in their vehicles and even make an attempt to leave downtown Los Angeles on Sunday night for fear of what may happen to themselves or their vehicle. This city may have been better off had Orlando actually won, but don’t take my word for it. The local news media would rather play you for an ignorant fool. AP photo by Jae C. Hong

Worthy references

Here are a few blog sites that are worth a reference on the daily. Not only does Bill Simmons write a fabulous blog for ESPN page 2, but the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, has his own website where he maintains his blog, as well as former Red Sox & Diamondbacks pitcher Curt Schilling. Renowned celeb-blogger Perez Hilton as well as TMZ have blog sites that are not only popular with fans, but un-popular with the celebs themselves. Websites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter & Flickr have all become personal social networking databases for millions across the globe. Couple that with the website Technorati not only maintains but rates all blog sites on the internet through their online database, and there something out there for everyone. If you are struggling in this recession, it might just take a simple click here or there to find an opportunity online that you didn't even know existed.

Don't call it a comeback

The makings of yet another Brett Favre comeback are beginning to take shape, this time apparently in Green Bay. It has been widely reported that Vikings coach Brad Childress has given Favre until the end of the week to make his decision on whether or not he will be come out of retirement again and return for a 19^th season. It is also no secret of Favre’s desire to stick it to GM Ted Thompson and the rest of the Packers front office. Now it is being reported by ESPN that family members of Favre have already reserved 30 hotel rooms at Midway Motor Lodge in Green Bay for the weekend of Nov. 1^st. That just happens to be the same weekend the Vikings make their annual trip to Lambeau Field. Coincidence? I think not.

Game 2 Preview

The all important Game 2 for the Orlando Magic as they try to avoid going down 0-2 to the Lakers, before the series shifts to Amway Arena for games 3, 4 & 5 (if necessary). Dwight Howard also will try to avoid being held dunk-less two games straight for the first time in over a year and a half. Fouling him and forcing him to beat you at the free throw line reminds me of another previous young Magic center with a knack for foul shot ineptitude. It seems that free throw shooting still remains kryptonite to these self-proclaimed “Men of Steel.”

2009 NBA Finals

Check out Bill Simmons preview of the upcoming NBA Finals. Fantastic insight, while always supplying an adequate amount of comic relief.