When Sports Don't Matter

1) Does it seem odd to you that San Francisco is in a tizzy over a yacht race? The America's Cup is coming to the city, and I'm not quite sure whether or not this should be classified as a sporting event.

It seems more like an indulgence for the 1%, doesn't it? I have to wonder what the Occupy movement makes of this. It seems likely to be a target, or at least a potential target, if the movement persists until then.

How would the America's Cup transfigure the city? Will it leave a lasting benefit? There are talks of new places to stash yachts, but I think the city has enough of those already. And I don't think the majority of the city--as extrapolated by surveying my own opinions--would really care who can sail a yacht faster than another person.

Will the organizers and sponsors find a creative way to make it relevant to the city? What lasting benefit will they provide? And most importantly, how will they protect the waterways of the Bay, so as not to harm marine life?

As long as they can provide acceptable answers to these, then I don't mind if they have their boat race.

2) I love the Niners. The Niners fans, not so much in the last couple of weeks. First, there were myriad reports of harassment and verbal abuse of Saints fans that just crossed a line. Then there were the reports that police had to kick more than 100 people out of the game the other day.

Even worse, though, was this story.

Threats against our own player? Seriously, just because we lost the game? Yes, Kyle Williams had unfortunate turnovers, and they proved turning points on the game, but that doesn't justify the vitriol he received.

As one might expect, the vitriol was via the Internet, home of the shamelessly rabid and lunatic.

There is no room in sports for that sort of reaction.

I mean, if one must be vitriolic, limit it to REASONABLE targets, like complaining about biased refs and East Coast Bias. The fumble on the Giants' Ahmad Bradshaw that apparently wasn't a fumble? Justified by Mike Pereira, head of NFL officials, based in New York. I mean, that is justifiable irrational vitriol.

What? What are you looking at?

Seriously, though, stories like this make me recoil from rooting for sports. There is no justification for reacting like these fans reacted towards Williams. Maybe they lost a lot of money betting on the game, money they couldn't afford. To them, I would say, "Don't bet money you can't afford to lose on a football game, moron."

Playing With House Money

The Niners' playoffs begin today, when they host the New Orleans Saints. This game worries me, because I'm not sure the Niners can keep up with the Saints' high-powered offense, but it will be interesting to see how the defense copes with Drew Brees and his multiple weapons.

Even though the Niners are the home team, I would say they have nothing to lose. This whole season has been a success, a surprising turnaround from the recent struggles, especially since this was their first season under new coach Jim Harbaugh, and it was a season that began with a curtailed pre-season due to the lockout, reducing the preparation time.

It's great to see the playoffs back in Candlestick, for perhaps the last time. Either the Niners will move to Santa Clara, or San Francisco--or interested private parties--will come up with a stadium plan to keep them in the city, which looks doubtful.

I obviously want them to win today, but anything they do in the playoffs has to be considered a bonus. Still, the playoffs are the natural home for Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, and Patrick Willis, so let this be the beginning of a dominant run in the NFC.

Of course, I will be upset if they lose. I'll undoubtedly burn Drew Brees in effigy, but I mean, that just goes with the territory of fanaticism. You can't call yourself a true American sports fan until you've burned someone in effigy. I'm just saying, I'll get over it sooner than I would otherwise, and that's really all any of us can ask for in terms of keeping sports in perspective.

Seriously, what is the proper perspective on sports? Is there magic in sports? There seemed to be in 2010 when the Giants won. Some people think that Tim Tebow is magic, but he isn't. I'm sure Tebow's a nice guy, but if there is a God, I would hope it doesn't put a finger on the scales of a football game, because sports, let's face it, are not the most important thing in the world. Sports are at best number two in the world. And that's the way it should be. The magic of sports is entertainment, a diversion, and there is nothing wrong with that. Just don't be confused about the significance of sports compared to economic woes, religious persecution, poverty, etc.

This is ignoring the question of sports as business, the economic benefits a successful sports team can bring to a community, any tangible or pragmatic questions like that, because that's boring. I'm talking just about the playoffs, as in The Playoffs, as in what Jim Mora did not want us to talk about, but Jim Mora's clip has been reduced to advertising for a cheap American beer, which means that his opinion, like the beer, is irrelevant to my life. Newcastle and Fat Tire all the way for me today.

Let the run begin, Niners. If you leave SF, it will be the last time I care, even though Santa Clara is technically closer to me, so let's enjoy this moment while it lasts.

P.S. Dear Fox and all other TV broadcasters--when one of your skits is not funny, don't pretend that it worked. It makes you look silly.

P.P.S. On a related note, but not about sports, Kaley Cuoco, it would have been okay for you not to be excited that Two Broke Girls won an award on the People's Choice Awards. You don't have to pretend that it is a good show just because you work for the same network.

Random Sports Thoughts For The New Year

1) Everyone-and by everyone, I mean me-has made fun of Ron Artest for pulling a Chad Ochocinco and changing his name to the bizarre Metta World Peace, but the more I think of it, the more I think it is brilliant. It will certainly help his offensive game, because what defender will try to block his shots when that would prompt a television announcer to say, "So-and-so rejects World Peace"?

2) Odds are that David Beckham will sign with the LA Galaxy to play one more season in Major League Soccer instead of moving to Paris Saint-Germain. This is exciting to me, because Marina bought us season tickets for the Earthquakes for next season, so there is a chance I will be at the same soccer field as David Beckham, which will therefore make me glamorous and rich by association.

3) I keep reading about football teams signing random players who were not under contract during the current season to 'future/reserve contracts.' This means that once the next season officially starts in March, these players will THEN be under contract. They aren't technically employed by the team now, but they can't be employed by another team, is my understanding. This seems random and weird. Still, it isn't like the old reserve clause that basically kept players bound to one team, back in the days before free agency. The players who sign these non-contract contracts aren't being conscripted, after all.

Still, this does seem to be splitting hairs. Why not say that the teams have signed these players to contracts? Does anyone really care about the labor-related details as to why things are set up this way? Other than the lawyers who get paid for labor law work, that is.

One more example that sports are WAAAYYY more complex now than a bunch of men and/or women getting together to play a game with a ball. Not sure if that complexity is a good thing or a bad thing.

4) The 49ers scored a touchdown on a fake field goal on Sunday, with kicker David Akers tossing a pass to Michael Crabtree, who was hanging out way out to the left. The Rams completely ignored him or just weren't paying attention, which is why they are 2-14 and looking for a new coach. The touchdown was certainly important because the game was a one-touchdown victory for SF, but more importantly, that's just fun. Totally unconventional, even if it seems a little sneaky.