The Strange Desire To Mythologize Derek Jeter Above All Things

South Torrance girls hoops coach stuck to his guns in thus regard.

 

Sapp was the most vocal about Strahan's phony sack- pretty much the only one.
The fuss made over "breaking" that record is one of the biggest jokes of the league in the last 20 years.

 

Nykesha Sales was the UConn player.

Were there rumors about Chan Ho Park grooving the pitch that Ripken knocked out of the park in 2001? I don't remember that at the time, but there have been a few Ripken references in some of the blogs I've read.

 

Never understood why anyone wants the various all-star contests to mean anything more than what they are supposed to be: A chance to see the biggest names in a given sport to play together.

If the players decide they want to just have some fun and/or have a feelgood moment, let it happen. They aren't taking it seriously, and nor should anyone else.

But, hey, some sportswriters just feel that everything in every sport has to MEAN SOMETHING.

 

Well, before Bud Selig legislated that the All-Star Game "means something," I don't think anyone really did think it was anything more than an exhibition, other than maybe Pete Rose.

 

I don't think that's true. At least the stories I've heard, there was a lot more pride in the leagues when they were two distinct entities, and this was especially true for black players who remained second-class citizens in the A.L.

 

"Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio, a nation turns it's lonely
eyes to you."

 

How about when that NBA dipshit (Javale McGee?) started missing layups on purpose so he could get enough rebounds for a triple-double?

 

That's the narrative.

 

That was the extreme version of it, but less obvious versions of that happen all the time. I'm talking about the opponent being involved.

 

I'll say this. Jeter is the first (maybe last?) post-strike HOF player whose career I've followed from the beginning. Pre-strike I could name every manager and the best player on every team, after it - baseball seems like just another one of the big four and I don't bother to keep track.

 

There was a game in the '80s where James Wilder was going for an all-purpose yardage record.
The Jets were on the Tampa Bay goal line late in a blowout game, with the Bucs ahead.
Bucs defense rolls over and lets the Jets score so they can get the ball back.
Jets cried revenge and ran up the score on the Bucs the next season.
Beat them 62-28.