Odds & sods

Manny Legacy is no longer a Red Wing. Talk about a anti-climatic announcement. Once the Wings were unceremoniously dispached by the Oil, we all knew the Wings were going to scapgoat the goalie. It was a given that the Wings would go in another direction with their goalies. What direction that may be, be it crazy ass lunatic Eddie Belfour, a goalie who has never sniffed the playoffs, Roberto Luongo, the goalie who if you can't beat 'em, sign 'em, JS Giguere, the kid who is the Red Wing goalie of the (distant) future, Jimmy Howard, or a goalie off the street to be named later, is yet to be determined. At least the Downriver puck bunnies will still have Chris Osgood to swoon over. Manny now belongs to a not quite so exclusive club, the "I didn't win in the playoffs so I'm no longer the Red Wings' goalie" brotherhood. I'm sure Bob Essensa, Curtis Joseph, Greg Stefan, and Tim Cheveldae, to name just a few, will welcome Manny with open 5 holes.

The US soccer team was smoked 3 ways from Sunday by the Czech Republic in the World Cup today, 3-0. I'll admit to you, I'm not a soccer fan. I grew up in an era where all 7 year olds played baseball, the game of the USA, a game where if you weren't good enough, you either sat on the bench or played right field. We didn't play soccer, the game of the Godless communists and socialists, where any kid with a pulse is allowed to play. In other words, I grew up in the 70's, before soccer moms became all the rage. But I thought I'd give the World Cup a chance, as there has to be something to a tournament that causes those Godless commies and socialists, along with the rest of the world, to come to a complete stop. After hearing all the talk that the US has bridged the talent gap in international soccer, I was saddened to see that, at least going by today's result, that the talk was nothing but hype. Even a soccer neophyte as myself could see the huge talent difference between ourselves and the Czechs. Even worse was that team red, white, and blue appeared to be out hustled. All I can say is that if team USA gives a similar lax effort against the Italians on Saturday, for all intents and purposes, the World Cup will be over and so will the interest from casual fans. US soccer will have shot itself, not in the foot, but in the head, allowing soccer to be ignored for another 4 years.

There were some matches over the weekend that were pretty darn entertaining. But one thing bothered me to no end. I know this has been brought up time and time again, but the shamelessly blatant diving drives me absolutely f'n crazy. I find the over the top histronics from someone who was basically kicked in the shin to be insulting. Disgusting might even be a better word. After writhing around of the pitch for what seems like several minutes, a stretcher is brought out? What the Hell? Pro wrestlers have nothing on these guys. I know they are trying to draw a penalty, but it goes against all I was taught when I played competive sports. You left the field under your own power, unless you were knocked unconcious or parts of body your body looked like Joe Theisman's leg. Rub some dirt on it, then walk it off. For someone who was born and raised on North American sports, the diving (And the Oscar worthy acting) is umseemly at best, and revolting at worst.

To paraphrase Bobby Boucher's momma, Todd Jones is de debil.

Does it make me a bad sports fan if I admit that I've been paying very little attention to the NHL Stanley Cup finals? Unfortunately for the NHL, if I have a choice between the NBA finals, the Tiger game, or the NHL on the tube, hockey comes in 3rd. Not that the NBA finals have been all that compelling...

I'm not for the government becoming a "Nanny state." I don't the government to dictate what's good for me. You shouldn't have to legislate common sense. So I see where the anti-helmet law motorcyclists are coming from. We have enough laws already. But...to willingly ride without wearing a brain bucket, to me anyway, is the height of stupidity. We all heard what happened to Ben Rothlesberger this morning. I feel for Big Ben, but I don't feel sorry for him. He should know better. I can't help but think that he had a death wish. Or a recessive Darwin gene.