An Old Fogey Rants about Sports

I was a soccer player before soccer was cool (in high school and college in the 70s).  But I can’t stand watching it on TV now.  This is why.

And women’s tennis (men’s too) has become almost unwatchable because of all the grunting. I used to be a pretty proficient tennis player. I might have whined about bad calls, but I never thought it necessary to grunt – not once.

I love a good dunk. I dunked a basketball once. Once. The rim might have been an inch low. I could get my wrist to the rim, but had trouble holding onto a basketball enough to “throw down.” But I love a good dunk. I’m just a little old school. Dunk the ball then go back and play defense. I hate the mugging and gloating after the dunk.

Here’s an Amare Stoudamire dunk. Brilliant. Truly. Its everything AFTER the dunk that I hate.

I loved Tony Dorsett. He scored a touchdown, handed the ball to the ref and went to the sideline. He didn’t mug and gloat and generally make a fool of himself. He did his job then went to the sideline. I like that. Remember, I warned you this would be an old fogey rant.

And, no videos here, but I’m tired of cheaters. I followed the Tour for seven years, watching Lance Armstrong with admiration. Bubble burst. I got caught up in the home-run derby between Sosa and Mac in 1998. Memories tainted. I hated Roger Clemons with the white-hot intensity of a thousand burning suns until he was converted to pinstripes. Over the years, I grew to love watching him pitch. I thought it would be so cool to see one of the Red Sox greats inducted into the Hall of Fame as Yankee. Dreams dashed.

And then there’s Tiger. We will just leave that be.

I guess it is a sign of advancing age that I find myself longing for the “good old days.” I like hustle and hard work and sportsmanship.

And the Yankees of course.