I used to like Bob Costas.

When he first broke into broadcasting, he was one of the best in the business. His knowledge of any sport he covered and style of delivery had eloquence without pomposity.

As he became more well-known and famous, his opinions started to matter. I didn't always agree with them, but they were thought out and well-expressed, so I gave him a pass. He was still Bob Costas, one of the best broadcasters in sports.

Then came the movie appearances and the moving away from sporting events to host talk shows. Costas, while still eloquent, wasn't always as funny as he thought. But that was OK, because he was Bob Costas.

But his latest salvo at an entire community during Los Angeles Dodger Manny Ramirez's minor-league assignment as he prepares for his return tonight from a 50-game suspension for using a banned substance shows that Costas now has become pompous and overbearing and self-righteous.

Continue reading "Memo to Costas: I'd Rather Watch Manny Than Listen to You"

As we Laker fans begin to ponder Los Angeles' acquisition of Ron Artest at the expense of Trevor Ariza, a sense of dread came over me.

Not that the roster shakeup is necessary a bad one, but that now I'm a full-fledged fan of the NBA Villain.

The Lakers now are the Evil Empire. They're Darth Vader, Lex Luthor, Dr. Evil and Rush Limbaugh rolled into one purple basketball mass -- the team the NBA will love to hate.

Most people outside L.A. and Laker fandom have a considerable dislike for Kobe Bryant. Even with his renaissance this season as a world champion.

The rape allegations. The feud with Shaquille O'Neal, with many people believing an arrogant and selfish Bryant drove O'Neal out of town and coach Phil Jackson into retirement in 2004.

Continue reading "In Taking an A for an A, Lakers Become NBA's Super Villains"

Sunday, the many lives of A-Rod increased by one.

While the more famous -- or infamous -- A-Rod, a.k.a. Alex Rodriguez, was enjoying a day off while his New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-8 for their 10th win in 11 outings, his moniker received a huge boost in a different sport played on grass overseas.

A rejuvenated Andy Roddick nearly pulled off the unthinkable -- preventing Roger Federer from claiming an unprecedented 15th Grand Slam title. At Wimbledon, of all places.

Alas, Federer was too much Federer in the end of an epic 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14 victory in the Wimbledon final. So a tell-all book on this A-Rod will have to wait.

Federer, the Swiss Army of One, endured the longest fifth set in Wimbledon finals history en route to his sixth trophy in England, one short of Pete Sampras and William Renshaw.

Continue reading "A-Rod: Disgracing Baseball or Saving American Tennis?"

Tiger Woods is the biggest icon in the sports world today.

No athlete has transcended his sport the way the man with the most famous fist pump ever has transcended the game of golf. Countless fans tune in to golf tournaments only to check Tiger's progress. His popularity has made several other golfers rich because of his appeal as a marketing instrument.

Sure, soccer start Cristiano Ronaldo can attract a crowd of 80,000 to Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu for his introduction as a member of Real Madrid, but no casual soccer fans (is there such a thing?) tune in just to watch Ronaldo or any other soccer player.

Kobe Bryant?  LeBron James? Though Kobe apparently is doing quite well as Yao Ming's replacement in China, he's about five more consecutive titles away from erasing his tarnished 2004.

Continue reading "With All Due Respect, Tiger, Federer Is Da Proverbial 'Man'"

LeBron James' alleged confiscation of a tape in which Xavier sophomore basketball player Jordan Crawford executed a two-hand dunk on him took on a larger life of its own than it would have had the tape been made public.

The story of James getting dunked on during a pickup game at the LeBron James Skills Academy by now has made the rounds several times over -- not to mention piqued the interest of basketball fans of what that scene might've looked liked.

Hmm. ... My first thought that comes to mind is Michael Jordan reversing course baseline against Patrick Ewing and throwing down in a classic Bulls-Knicks confrontation. My second thought is of Nate Robinson using Dwight Howard as a prop and jumping over him in the NBA Slam Dunk competition in February.

In any case, I began to wonder what the cameramen recording the event must have thought of The Chosen Brat after he reportedly dispatched a Nike official to take possession of the tapes.

Continue reading "Your Worst Face-to-Face Experience With a Sports Celebrity?"

As long as everyone else is throwing in their two cents about disgraced NFL quarterback Michael Vick's next career move, I thought I should chime in because the answer is just common sense.

Mike -- can I call you Mike? -- this is what you should do: Forget about a return to pro football for 2009 and contact dog whisperer Cesar Millan about becoming his sidekick.

Seriously.

It's evident by the latest unconfirmed internet reports that Vick, the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback went to a Virginia Beach (Va.) strip club just hours after he completed a 23-month sentence for operating a dogfighting ring, that he's still too much of a hot button for any NFL franchise to touch.

Leaving the morality issue out of attending a gentlemen's club, even if Vick did attend such an establishment, who cares? He's not Pac Man Jones. Vick's never been accused of making it rain with either money or bullets at a strip club. Billions of men frequent such places without incident.

Continue reading "Two Words of Advice for Vick: Reality Series"