My Thoughts On The Week In Sports, 5/5-5/11

Normally I’d do a post like this on mainly baseball, but there’s a bit elsewhere happening this past week I wanted to offer my thoughts on. Click below to read on.

In Memoriam…Chuck Daly, NBA & Olympic Hall Of Fame coach, died Saturday of pancreatic cancer at 76. Daly was coach of the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons when I started watching basketball and led the Pistons to the 1989 & 1990 NBA Championships. He also led the “Dream Team” of NBA superstars to the 1992 Olympic Gold medal in men’s basketball. When he left he was the Pistons’ leader in wins. He’s being remembered as a leader with great class who was also a great coach. He was also voted one of the NBA’s 10 greatest coaches ever. And a great coach of great teams he was.

Dominic “Dom” DiMaggio, former baseball All-Star, died Friday at age 92. While his baseball achievements were somewhat overshadowed by his older and more famous brother, “Joltin'” Joe DiMaggio, Dom was a very good player in his own respects. Over 11 years from 1940-1953 he hit .298 for the Boston Red Sox and made 7 All-Star teams, and he still holds the Boston record with a 34-game hitting streak which, ironically, ended on a catch made by brother Joe. Of the 3 DiMaggio brothers, Dom was considered the best fielder.

It’s An Ache-Bomb…from Ache-Roid! Geez…it didn’t take long for Ache-Roid to perhaps further infuriate his detractors when he returned to the Yankees Friday. Actually, took all of one pitch. The first pitch he saw turned into a 3-run shot in Baltimore. Rodriguez was returning from injuries amidst steroid allegations but perhaps Manny Ramirez getting busted will take some of the attention off him. For another 7 weeks at least.

Cue the choking…Years ago when the Washington Capitals changed their logo from the original version of what it is now (but with more of an ’80s look) to a swooping eagle, I was one of a few who suggested it should be something involving choking because that’s what they did best at the time. They’re doing it again and could be tapping out tonight if they lose to Pittsburgh. It’ll revive memories of playoff frustrations past and be a very disappointing ending we’re used to…but at least we get bruiser Donald Brashear back tonight. There are of course allegations the officiating is favoring Pittsburgh because of Sidney Crosby. Wouldn’t surprise me.

Cuban Being, well, Cuban. Baseball has Manny Being Manny. So does the NBA, starring Mavericks owner Mark Cuban as Manny. According to ESPN he was at it again after Denver-Dallas Game 3, won by Denver, when he had some choice words for Kenyon Martin and his mother. Supposedly Mama Martin was a fan calling the Nuggets “thugs”. Only Cuban heard that and supposedly shot back “That includes your son”. Another report said Cuban called Martin “a punk” to his mother. Love him or hate him, Cuban’s antics as an owner, good or bad, do make the league more fun to watch considering how much Commissioner Stern can’t stand him. And memo to Mama Martin: You should be careful what you call your son’s teammates in the future, especially within earshot of the opposing team’s owner. And what if your son heard that? At least it happened Saturday and not on Mother’s Day.

The Saga Continues…The latest on the Brett FAAA-VRUH watch: First word came that he was considering coming back and wanted to play for Minnesota, then Minnesota coach Brad Childress would meet with Favre. It eventually fell apart and Favre said he’s retired. The annual ritual that will go right up until the season starts has begun. Believe favre will stay retired when the season begins without him. It’s funny at first when this starts up then it gets tiring quickly. Brett, if you want to keep coming back take up wrestling. Otherwise keep it to references to Real. Comfortable. Jeans. Or how it’s possible with a certain acid blocker. And get some Just For Men already!

Who Said Old Men can’t Drive Fast? When it comes to NASCAR anyway, Mark Martin continues to show that the old guard is capable of keeping up with those young whippersnappers. This guy’s all of 51 years old, looks just as old, yet won his second race of the year Saturday night. Doesn’t hurt that he has great equipment, but this guy is in about as good physical condition someone his age can be. Especially when he beats guys 20-30 years younger than him! It’s hard not to root for him because he’s never won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship (he’s been runner-up 4 times in his career) but you also have to like and respect him for being easily the most humble driver out there. He refuses to take all the credit for successand defers to his team & crew as much as possible and always tries to say something positive even in negative situations. That’s respect.

Quotable: “Can You Believe That?” The incomprable Gary Thorne on A-Rod’s first-pitch homerun Friday night on MASN in Baltimore & Washington. Since last year Thorne has been calling Orioles baseball games when he’s not calling other sports for ESPN, although I like others hope ESPN lets him go. He’s good on baseball and other stuff he does for the network but he needs to be calling NHL games again on Versus or elsewhere, where he has no equal.