Daily Roundup- Thursday, Febuary 12th

More fallout from the A-Roid controversy has surfaced and it deals with Cooperstown. Its an issue that I didn’t touch because well baseball’s Cooperstown is with names that don’t belong on there while there are names that do belong there that aren’t. Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe has a terrific piece on rule number 4 and what will be a fascinating debate for sportswriters who have to judge this era’s players differently.

Rule number four is interesting in the sense that character is the big word that needs to be in bold. Sports writers pass judgement every day on players who they appear to lack something special, or players who don’t play up to their own perceived potential, or even players who do things that are questionable. But like it or not, that’s what they are paid to do.
But to expect them to decipher the different players who played in this era when it will be nearly impossible to know for sure how many players cheated is what drives them crazy and will have them up to all late hours of the night before they cast their vote for Cooperstown every year.
In my opinion, the Hall needs to figure out how to judge this era because the widespread use of steroids makes it impossible to completely ignore a fifteen year time period. Its very clear that it wasn’t just the best that were using, but also guys in the minors and guys that were role players. Also, there are so many substances in different supplements that these players take that for them to know which will show up on a test tube as positive is asking all of them to have degrees in chemistry and well, we all know they became baseball players to escape the class room.

One story that I never got time to put up was the story of Roberto Alomar’s former squeeze coming out with a $15 million lawsuit claiming that he exposed her to the AIDS virus while they were together. Well, in this morning’s issue, Alomar who won’t comment on his health status or situation, Alomar’s current girlfriend Maripily Rivera says that it’s a vicious lie.

Frankly I was sickened to hear the story of Robbie Alomar who prior to the Mets signing him, was the best defensive second baseman to play the game. Hopefully this woman is telling the truth. But its funny that this woman would come out and say anything considering that she was once his flame and he bought her the house that she currently lives in and he’s now not dating her. Seems kind of fishy to me. Plus, how could Robbie land that beautiful woman Miss Rivera if he were in any way shape or form HIV positive or with AIDS? All I know is, if I were Maripily Rivera I would ask Robbie to get a test, pronto and then get one myself.

Speaking of surprising, Giants officials had to be surprised to hear that Plaxico Burress’ agent Drew Rosenhaus (think, the Scott Boras of football, but not as smart), was shopping the troubled star to every team in the league.

While there are varying opinions on this, I believe the Giants hope to hold on to Plaxico. There just isn’t a receiver like Plax that can be had that does all that he does. This is a guy without previous major incidents, just small infractions that made you question his dedication. Of course that sounds like I’m making excuses for a man which I shouldn’t and maybe your right. But knowing that we were ONE PLAYER from playing against Arizona IN New York where we could have beaten them, makes me more able to allow him back. But the Giants, are not run by a bunch of clowns like Dallas is, so the rope that they extend to Plax won’t be long, and they have to let him know that.

Its tough whenever sports teams are lost from cities and that could happen to two more franchises. One city, that needs its sports teams could be on the verge of losing out. This AP report shows that the city of Louisiana needs to come up with cash quickly or risk losing their teams.
The idea that a town can come up with $27 million in this economy is a difficult enough one, but a town like Louisiana who is still rebuilding from Katrina makes this story a very important one to watch and pay attention to. Both of those factors make this interesting to see how the city responds. It’s a very valid case that the city needs their sports teams simply for morale purposes.
Conspiracy theorists would have the Saints moving to Los Angeles as the NFL has long wanted a team there. Also, the city of LA just approved $500 million in bonds to build a stadium. Imagine Reggie Bush and Drew Brees in Tinseltown, it just sounds too good to be true. Atleast Reggie can be closer to Kim.
As for the Hornets, one fan base that was stripped of their team just a year ago, the Sonics, could make a play if their township approves a building of an arena. I’m sure if Bill Simmons does a few more podcasts, it could happen.


Long time NBA legend Elgin Baylor is set to hold a press conference today to announce that he is suing the Los Angeles Clippers for firing him based on age and race and for never paying him up to par with other GM’s around the league.

I love sports legends, they get it in their head that they are somehow still as great today, in whatever capacity, as they were when they played. Unfortunately Elgin, you are judged based on what you did for the franchise, not for what you did for basketball while a player. His record as an executive speaks for itself. The fact that the Clippers employed him for 22 years is amazing and maybe the fans should be suing the NBA and Donald Sterling for keeping him around that long. Oh and forward that memo to Isiah Thomas, and Michael Jordan.

NBA, where legends suing for ludicrous purposes happens.


Finally we find a reporter willing to accept blame for not seeing the steroid era while it was underneath his nose. Kudos to you Mr. Randy Galloway.

I’ve been writing all along that no one is innocent in this whole steroid mess, especially not the writers who were supposed to be covering all aspects of the game, not the ones that they wanted to tell us about.
I find it funny that Buck Showalter knew about it yet never blew the whistle. Or maybe he tried and Mr. Tom “I feel betrayed” Hicks decided to keep it hush hush. I know that without A-Rod the box office draw of the Rangers, Hicks took a huge hit and thus has reason to stand on his soap box now and look down on A-Rod which is just absolutely laughable. This is the same guy who thought it was a good idea to give ONE PLAYER a $252 million contract.


Dwayne Wade is getting charged on some ridiculous charges that if they are true, make me wonder about him as a player.

Seriously Wade? I just saw his commercial and I was trying to see whenever he gets up out of bed if he had women there or there was impressions on the bed sheets that there were multiple women there. I’m not condoning this kind of stuff but hey, if you can, would you pass it up? Ok, let me stop right there.