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Juiced When former Senator George Mitchell unveiled the findings of his 20-month investigation into Major League Baseball's "dirty little secret", it caused quite an uproar. Why? How can people be surprised that Roger Clemens' name appeared on the Mitchell Report? The guy basically pulled the same trick on the baseball public that Barry Bonds has been performing in San Francisco. The only difference is that Bonds is a surly jackass to the media....and the fact that he lied to a grand jury during the Balco witch-hunt. Roger Clemens is a great player, so is Bonds....and I truly believe that both guys will be found in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The 7-time Cy Young winner has pulled the same stunt as Bonds...he got better with age. It didn't seem natural, and based on the Mitchell Report, it wasn't. Barry Bonds was mentioned a record 103 times in the 409-page document....Clemens received 82 mentions. Anybody that acts like this is newsworthy is either a Yankee homer or a member of Clemens' family. It's funny how people compared pictures of Barry Bonds' years in Pittsburgh to his final days in San Francisco. Somebody needs to take the same look at Rocket's first few years in Boston, compared to this season's edition in the Bronx. Better yet, take a look at your mug in the early 90's and compare it to what you see in the mirror.....it happens to everybody unless you're a freak of nature or Dick Clark. The most amazing item of the Mitchell Report is this....the former Senator had 20 months to break down the seedy side of baseball as it pertains to steroids and human growth hormones....and he basically interviewed two guys. I don't count Balco, since it has been public knowledge since the Bonds witch-hunt....man, if that's all there is to it, where do I sign up? That guy works less than the suits in my office. The bottom line to all this hoopla is that Major League Baseball will continue to give lip-service to this epidemic until the Players Association allows their members to be tested for human growth hormones...and regardless of Mitchell's rhetoric, that isn't going to happen anytime soon. Congratulations to Appalachian State and coach Jerry Moore. The Mountaineers made history by winning their third consecutive Football Championship Subdivision national title....damn, I hate that name. No team in the history of 1-AA football has won back-to-back-to-back. What is the most impressive facet of this feat is the fact that App State took everybody's best shot. Plus, when you add all the fanfare the school and the team received by beating Michigan to start the season, you realize how impressive a feat was accomplished by the Boys in Boone. You can always tell when you have arrived...and that's when people start rooting against you, due to your success. App State was always one of those teams that most people rooted for, regardless of their affiliation. They were similar to Wake Forest, but instead they were Swiss-Lite. The third straight title, the win over Michigan, and now some ASU fans are beating their chests as if the world is afraid to play them...that is a bit ridiculous. But I can absolutely understand the great amount of pride that exists in the N.C. mountains over Jerry's kids. Enjoy the ride, Mountaineers....and good luck in the four-peat. Huh...Matt Moore played well in his first start with the Panthers. Who would have known? Surely, not John Fox. The Panthers' coach continued to force-feed Vinny Testaverde down our throats until he had no choice. The 44-year-old quarterback was too beaten up to practice last week, so Fox finally gave in and played Matt Moore. Fox continues to be brain-dead as the Panthers' head coach; his last two years have been weak, at best....but the good news is that Moore showed some poise, patience, and that he can help the club for the remainder of the season and perhaps even in the future, too. This weekend, the Dallas Cowboys come to town, and the Panthers will conclude their home slate by trying to win their final three in the friendly confines. That sure beats the previous streak, which included going 377 days at home without a victory. Of course, I'm wondering what the split of the home crowd will be this Saturday night in Charlotte. Panther fans had bagged this season months ago, and the Cowboys come riding into Charlotte as the team to beat in the NFC. My guess is that it will be very close to a 50/50 split....the good news for Jerry Richardson is that all of the seats will be used....and given the past couple of months at the BofA Stadium, that will be a first. |
Packman
on Sports Commentary
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