Balls And Strikes

An experiment with a motif: random sports thoughts, labeled as elements of a 'pitch count.' Too obvious, perhaps, but then, maybe that's a good theory for life: write like no one's reading.

BALL ONE: Here's an excerpt from an article in World Soccer, concerning the original Ronaldo--not the newer model from Portugal--and his successful return to Brazilian League soccer:

"But almost a decade and a half in Europe has reduced his tolerance for some of the more informal aspects of Brazilian organisation. In May he was critical as the podium caught fire when his club received the Sao Paulo state championship trophy."

What a prima donna.

STRIKE ONE: Michael Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman, reacted sternly after Phelps lost a race--and a world record--to a German wearing a polyurethane bodysuit that swimming's international governing body has voted to outlaw sometime next year. Bowman talked about encouraging Michael to boycott international events until this swimsuit is banned, implying that such technological elements ruin everything.

Losing Phelps would cost organizers lots of money, so it is an effective threat, whatever your position on Swimsuitgate might be.

Nevertheless, I can't help but picturing Bowman as a spoiled kid announcing he's going to 'take my swimmer and go home.'

It's also an ironic development when you consider the controversy over the Nike-designed LZR suit Phelps wore in Beijing--and which he is contractually obligated (there's that money motif again) to keep wearing, which prevents him from trying these other suits.

BALL TWO: Considering the potential effects of Brett Favre's summer-long flirtation with and eventual rejection of former rivals, the Vikings, one is tempted to think it was all orchestrated by Green Bay and Favre to rattle and destabilize Minnesota. All that talk by the Packers last year of not letting Favre un-retire to sign with Minnesota, the mediocre season with the Jets, it was all a prelude to keeping Minnesota on tenterhooks right up to training camp, telling quarterbacks Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels that they weren't necessarily first- and second-choice for the position. And now there are even rumors that the Vikings might turn to just-released ex-con Michael Vick in the wake of being spurned by Favre, which would pretty much slam the door on Brad Childress's talk of building a team without character issues.

It proves how loyal a Green Bay son Favre really is, that he let his name be dragged in the mud for being wishy-washy all these months, just to screw over the Vikings one last time. Clearly those snow-bound, apple-cheeked Wisconsin natives have read their Machiavelli.