Depressing

The top stories on Sports Center tonight are just plain depressing. I feel like a bit player in The Plague – I shouldn’t have hope, it just gets you in trouble. Here’s the list of items:

1. NBA Ref indicted. Looks like Tim Donaghy (Don-uh-hee or Don-uh-ghee?) has been on the take and fixing games. Jesus, that adds more fuel to Mark Cuban’s fiery rants about refs. Perhaps that’s why Stern looked so glum today, he knows Cuban, who openly chides the NBA for its poor officiating, is going to release the hounds. Speaking of hounds…

2. Michael Vick is asked to not show up to Atlanta Falcons’ training camp. Out of shape? No, perhaps one of the most gifted athletes in the NFL. The problem? Having the remains of 17 dead dogs (ruh-roh Rastro) on one of your properties and under investigation for being involved in a dog fighting ring. This has to play itself out in the courts to know more of the facts but from a prima facie perspective, Vick looks a bit like a dope. Speaking of dope...

3. Alexandre “Vino” Vinokourov’s doping bombshell. Christopher has already done a great job on that one – if you haven’t read it go read it. From cycling’s greatest race to baseball’s most revered record.

4. Bonds. Well not Bonds as much as Bud “Have You Seen My Spine” Selig. The smarmy, push-over of a commissioner might make it to see Bonds break Hank’s home run record. It’s the right thing to do, but why did it take Bud so long to figure that out? He's still wishy-washy in his statement. Remember, this is the guy that let a labor dispute end the '94 season prematurely (as you all know the Sox were going to win it all that year) with no world series and he's the one that let an all star game end in a tie. There are no ties in baseball!!!

Remember kids, it is in the sporting arena where men really shine.