Can you feel the pain of these NFL stars?
Do unhappy NFL stars really expect fans to hold pity parties for them?
Apparently so. As we all know, Rams running back Steven Jackson, under contract for another year, is holding out for a contract extension.
He is unhappy being the 48th highest-paid running back in the league, but he declined the team’s request to report to work while ironing out a lucrative extension. Apparently Jackson believes he can bring the franchise to its knees by withholding his services.
The team went 3-13 with him last year, so how much worse could it be without him?
In Arizona, receiver Anquan Boldin has three years left on a four-year, $22.75 million extension. But he says he isn’t speaking to coach Ken Whisenhunt. And he has asked agent Drew Rosenhaus to demand a trade.
The situation is deteriorating rapidly.
“If I’m not going to be treated fairly, if my hard work and loyalty isn’t going to be rewarded here, then let me go somewhere where it’s going to be rewarded,” Boldin told reporters. “That’s how I feel.”
Cue the violin music. Meanwhile, average Americans are dealing with unemployment, underemployment, rising costs of living, soaring personal debut, home foreclosures . . .
MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE
Questions to ponder while watching the Redeem Team lay into Australia:
- Wasn’t it great to see Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Co. apply themselves for the greater national good?
- Why in the world would Michael Phelps get back in the pool to prepare for London 2012? What more can he accomplish?
- At what point in time did Ian Snell turn into Don Drysdale?
THE RAYS OF HOPE
The Tampa Bay Rays could make the playoffs this autumn. This is a jarring concept, for sure, and one that some of their own players are adjusting to.
Franchise cornerstone B.J. Upton keeps slipping into parachute mode even though the pennant race is heating up. Manager Joe Maddon has benched the young star three times in the last two weeks for not hustling.
In the latest episode, Upton trotted out of the batter’s box Monday night after hitting a near-homer against the Angels. When the ball failed to clear the wall, Upton didn’t shift into high gear – and the Angels threw him out at second base.
Upton fled the ballpark without speaking to reporters Monday night, but he was accessible and contrite Tuesday.
“It wasn’t something that I think I was ready to deal with last night,” Upton told reporters. “I’ve got to do what I can to push it behind me and move on. The last thing I want to become is a distraction to this team. We’ve got something way too good going on right now to have to deal with this.
“There’s no excuse for it, It can’t happen, especially in the middle of a pennant race.”
USAIN BOLT IS A FUN GUY
As you can see for yourself:
QUIPS ‘R US
Here is what some of America’s leading sports pundits have been writing:
Chuck Culpepper, Los Angeles Times, on Slovenia: “Through history, it’s come under the rule of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Republic of Venice, the Duchy of Carantania, the Holy Roman Empire, the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austrian Empire, the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Germans and Italians during World War II and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. You think they can’t handle the hammer throw?”
Mike Lupica, New York Daily News: “Rowdy Gaines is apparently under the impression that he gets some kind of medal in swimming if he out-shrieks everybody.”
Jerry Greene, Orlando Sentinel: “Despite everything Phelps did last week, he couldn’t top an episode of Empty Nest as NBC’s biggest Saturday night prime-time draw of all time. The Olympics averaged 31.1 million American viewers Saturday night — but on Feb. 24, 1990, Empty Nest got 31.4 million. My question to you: Do you even remember Empty Nest? I didn’t until going to YouTube. It was a spinoff of Golden Girls that starred the amusing Richard Mulligan as the widower father of two adult girls living at home. It was kind of a watered-down safe version of the classic sitcom Soap. We were so easy to please in the ’90s. Not like now when we demand quality TV — such as Wipeout and Big Brother 10.”
Greg Cote, Miami Herald: “Saw an NBC Olympic tease that read: ‘Coming up next: Women’s Yngling.’ And I’m thinking, when did beer drinking become an Olympic sport? And why am I not competing?”
MEGAPHONE
“That was softball at its best. Great pitching, great defense, some great adjustments at the plate. The international tiebreaker. The 20-second pitch clock. You saw a little bit of what the sport has to offer.”
Team USA coach Mike Candrea, after his team advanced by beating Japan 4-1 in extra innings.
Why wonder if Wainwright and Carpenter will return from injury? Apparently it only takes an Ian Snell to win at this level.
Can we agree that Izzy’s career ended several months ago?
Speculators talk about Bolt going to the NFL but its difficult to imagine what a cross between Ocho Cinco and Ricky Williams would look like…or how many people would cheer when he got his nice Pumas knocked off on his play.
Does any other team have the injuries (especially pitching) year after year like the Cardinals? At some point, this medical staff has to be held accountable. First for not diagnosing properly and also for the course of treatment. Would anyone take their dog to the team doctor?
S.W., how can you blame team doctors? They diagnose problems after they happen, not before. And the specialists they use are the same ones that half the other teams use. It’s not like the Cards are the only ones to use these quacks.
The problem is throwing a baseball is an unnatural motion for the human arm to endure over and over. Arm injuries to pitchers is as old as the game.
Izzy is done. I wihs him well and thank him for his time in STL. Not to be an a-hole, but now that he is gone can we put someone in the bullpen who can actually come into a game and get someone out? Carrying him on the roster was a waste of space.
With the level of breaking balls thrown at the MLB level, arm/elbow injuries are bound to happen. Too much torque and rotation at the elbow snaps those ligaments. Pitchers who throw anything a lot develop shoulder issues since the arm isn’t meant to rotate repeatedly the way it does when throwing a baseball.
Doctors can only do what they can, but the only way to not injure your elbow or shoulder is by not throwing. Shoot, Albert has a bad elbow and he plays first base! Remember Bagwell’s shoulder? These things happen.
A misdiagnosis on the other hand, a la Rolen, should have some level of accountability. I think the docs ruined him by not getting it right the first time.
Just a quick thought on Rolen. I think he was damaged goods when he got here, but was so determined to get out of Philly that he didn’t mention it. That first collision in Arizona was an atypical injury for baseball. They seriously should have consulted a football doctor about it…
I don’t think it is the doctors’ fault. Maybe the coaches if they see something in someone delivery that puts them in danger.
But 80% of the Cardinal pitches are damaged goods. Either mentally or physically, Dave Duncan can help the mental part. But only God can handle the physical.
I agree that many of the injuries are due to the type of pitches thrown.
Going back many years, I do not recall the following pitchers constantly having to face surgery or extended time on the disabled list:
Warren Spahn Juan Marichal
Don Drysdale Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson Luis Tiant
Gaylord Perry Jim Palmer
Catfish Hunter Don Sutton
Frank Tanana Steve Carlton
Tom Seaver Fergie Jenkins
Wasn’t it great that NBC rushed to interview the seventh place finisher in the womens 110m hurdle finals instead of first interviewing Gold Medal winner Dawn Harper of East St. Louis? Considering the lack of class that NBC brings to sports, I’m surprized they didn’t have Jim Grey doing the interviews.
I’m an over-the-top sports fan, but give me a break. Gordo is right- these spoiled pro athletes need to read the paper (not their own headlines) and see how the other 99% of the world lives. Maybe the pro leagues should have mandatory training upon signing the first contract- how to appreciate what God has given you.