Sportscolumn.com – Page 294 – Sports News and Commentary

Coach K- Spurrier’s on Line One

Post author By Vin
Post date July 2, 2004
1 Comment on Coach K- Spurrier’s on Line One

This is one of the most improbable stories of the year, yet it seems that it just might come true. LA has offered Mike Krzyzewski the head coaching job. (Rumors about it being a $40M deal.) Somehow I just don’t see Coach K being a good fit for Hollywood but that’s a lot of cash to turn down.

I love high profile jumps from college to the pros because more often than not, it shows the limitations of those coaches. Rick Pitino anyone? How about John Calipari? In a twisted way, I am hoping Coach K takes the job. Let me state for the record right now, and you guys can blast me for it later, Coach K will never win a championship with the LA Lakers.

General Sports

2004 Tour de France Preview

Post author By sluggo
Post date July 1, 2004
No Comments on 2004 Tour de France Preview

I recently got into a friendly argument about whether any activity that does not involve a ball should be counted as a sport. Given Lance Armstrong’s condition, I have even fewer balls to use in my argument for the Tour de France. But: doping scandals, rock star girlfriends, the 24th highest-paid athlete in the world according to Forbes.com, drunken and rowdy fans yelling at the athletes – it sounds like a sport to me.

So, who should you be watching when the 2004 Tour de France starts on July 3? For those who don’t know the difference between chamois cream and shinola, I’ve included some sports movie references for your reading pleasure.

Boston Red Sox

A Flawless Day… Almost

Leave it to the Boston Red Sox to ruin a perfect day.

The script was all right there in front of me, every detail pointing to June 30, 2004 going down in history as one of the watershed days of my life. The weather was gorgeous, a moderate mixture of temperature, sun intensity, and gentle breeze that could have passed for San Diego in April as easily as Boston in early summer.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Win streak at 5- but could be More

Post author By AlanSmodic
Post date July 1, 2004
No Comments on Win streak at 5- but could be More

The last place Pittsburgh Pirates just completed a sweep of the first place St. Louis Cardinals with a 6-5 victory on Wednesday. The win lengthens the Pirates’ win streak to five, after a horrid month of losing in June. While starting pitching has been a huge key during the streak, the timely hitting from the Pirates’ younger stars could come as more of a surprise.

But is this something that Pirate fans should get hyped about or no?

Houston Rockets

The McMing Dynasty

McGrady and Yao. Yao and McGrady. This is fair, why? Remember how the Lakers threepeated on the strength of having the two best players in the league and a great coach? Well that’s exactly what the Houston Rockets will have soon enough. When it comes to the best inside-outside combo, they might have that already.

General Sports

Never waiting; the death of decline

Post author By Twin Cities
Post date June 30, 2004
1 Comment on Never waiting; the death of decline

I just can’t wait for Agassi and his wheaties.

At the heart of any lasting athletic legacy is fulfilled expectation: knowing Michael Jordan is going to hit the shot in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, knowing Tiger Woods will hold off a surging opponent on the back nine of a major and knowing Joe Montana will lead his team on one final march to the end zone.

NBA General

The allure of potential- fool’s gold

Post author By Twin Cities
Post date June 29, 2004
3 Comments on The allure of potential- fool’s gold

As Jameer Nelson’s disappointed eyes fell to the floor, his hands enveloping his indisputably adorable son, Jameer Jr., while eight high schoolers climbed the stage and walked to the podium, adorned in their new team’s hat, drafted above the Naismith Player of the Year, the “future” of the NBA climbed into the warm womb of potential with the ominous specter of miscarriage hanging overhead.

NFL General

Brock n’ Roll: He’s a trend-setter

Post author By jmclaughlin
Post date June 29, 2004
No Comments on Brock n’ Roll: He’s a trend-setter

Brock Lesner is trading in his wrestling boots for a pair of football cleats. An agile and athletic monster of a man, Lesner turned down a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract with the WWE to try his hand at a sport he hasn’t played since high school. Who is to say that the former NCAA wrestling champion can’t do it? For one, I hope that he does succeed. Not because I’m a Brock Lesner fan, but because maybe this would lead to many wrestlers crossing over to mainstream sports. Here are some examples that I’d love to see…

LA Lakers

Dear Shaq and the Lakers…Work it Out!

Post author By JVill
Post date June 29, 2004
No Comments on Dear Shaq and the Lakers…Work it Out!

The following is a plea to Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal, GM Mitch Kupchak, and owner Dr. Jerry Buss to please work out their differences. The Lakers are considering the unfathomable option of trading Shaq and altering the destined path of the storied franchise.

Boston Red Sox

Eager Sox- Anxious Fans Ready for Stadium Invasion

Post author By BostonMac
Post date June 29, 2004
3 Comments on Eager Sox- Anxious Fans Ready for Stadium Invasion

Pressure? Urgency?

The Red Sox could get swept by the Yankees this week and still hold a 6-4 lead in the season series.

Unfortunately, the glass-is-hall-full approach is not shared by many citizens of Red Sox Nation, who have been known to demand the firing of pennant-winning managers and other field generals who take the team to the ALCS. In some baseball cities, reaching Game 7 of the ALCS would be seen as a triumphant season. In the hardball meccas of Boston and New York, however, such a season is a disappointment, a chapter in the annals of the franchise that deserves to be skimmed over. In these two cities, where baseball is not as much a diversionary sport as it is a fan’s validation of his own self-worth, the greatest rivalry in professional sports is renewed (for the eighth time this year) this week in the Bronx.