Draft Reactions
I've spent the past few days trying to decide which fanbase has the better reactions to its team's draft picks: the Knicks, or the Jets? The responses to Thursday's selection of Iman Shumpert were pretty good, but nothing compared to the outpouring from the 2006 Renaldo Balkman fiasco (taken one pick ahead of Rajon Rondo).
This, from Simmons' 2006 Draft Diary:
Stern: "The New York Knicks select ... Renaldo Balkman"
MSG Crowd: (Explodes in horror).
Stern (over the booing): "Renaldo is not here tonight."
Dan Patrick (anchoring the draft coverage): "And that's probably a good thing."
But then there's the Jets, and the video that gets played annually when they take the clock. I've seen it over and over again, but it gets me everytime!
Mike Tannenbaum's solid draft history has helped Jets fans cope with the Ghosts of NFL Drafts Past.
My favorite exchange from the video (comes at :35 mark):
Rozelle: "New York Jets first round selection: Fullback"
Rozelle: (Brilliantly pauses without saying the player's name, allowing Jets fans to think, "Wait a second, we took an effing fullback in the first round!?!?)
Crowd: "Ohhhhhhh Nooooooooooo!"
Rozelle (grinning): "Roger Vick, Texas A&M"
Crowd: (Stunned).
Foreigners at the NBA Draft
With the top of the draft stocked with international players (they made up four of the top seven picks) there was a feeling we would be treated to some funny moments, and we weren't disappointed. My two favorites:
1.) Mark Jones' post-draft interview with Jonas Valanciunas, the No. 5 pick:
Jones (desperately trying to save interview): "You told me that your game is a little bit like Chris Bosh...how is it like Chris Bosh?"
Valanciunas: "I don't know, I have not so strong body, so I don't know." "I can move fast, so I think like this."
2.) Fran Fraschilla's analysis of Bismack Biyombo, the No. 7 pick, when Fraschilla bluntly stated the future Bobcat doesn't have an offensive game and is "allegedly" 18 years old.
WNBA Opening Week
I kid, I kid.
Atmosphere of College Football Saturdays
Nothing gets me more excited to spend the next 12 hours watching football than hearing ESPN's College GameDay crew broadcasting live from a raucous, highly drunk college campus. I like college football for the following reason: Unlike with the NFL, I don't participate in office pools/regularly gamble on games/play high-stakes fantasy football when it comes to the college game. Therefore, my Saturdays are not spent rooting for 47 different things to happen, and I can actually enjoy the game.
Few things in sports beat a great build up for a highly anticipated game that lives up to expectations and produces an electric atmosphere. For me, the best example of this would be the 2005 USC (5-0, No. 1 in polls) vs. Notre Dame (4-1, No. 9 in polls) game in South Bend. That game had it all, and here's a list of some things I remember that added to the plot/produced a great storyline/made that Saturday afternoon stand out.
- USC entered the game undefeated, and with Leinart back for his senior year, there was talk of this being the best college football team. Ever.
- Notre Dame was in the first year of the Charlie Weis era, and had defeated nationally ranked Pittsburgh and Michigan to open the season. His penchant for offensive play calling was showcased right off the bat: In the nationally telelvised ABC primetime season opener at Pitt, Weis' offense scored 35 points. In the first half. Now, he had two weeks to create a gameplan for the Trojans.
- Reports circulated the week of the game that Notre Dame was intentionally growing out the grass in Notre Dame Stadium in an effort to slow down Reggie Bush and the USC athletes.
- Notre Dame's Friday night pep rally was televised live on ESPNews.
- The Irish came out for warmups in their home blue jerseys, then switched to the green jerseys in the locker room prior to kickoff and sent the crowd into an absolute frenzy when they ran onto the field.
- A game that lived up to the hype in every way possible. 21-14 Notre Dame at halftime. 21-21 entering the fourth.
- A 4th-and-9, season-on-the-line completion by a quarterback who was running on fumes of his fumes at this point in the game. (I'll always remember Leinart not celebrating, but instead sitting on the bench and staring straight into the ground with his helmet still on after his game-winning quarterback sneak, physically and mentally drained).
- Simmons describes that play as Leinart's "I'm Keith Hernandez! Moment," and that's a spot on comparison. Look at it this way: By this time, Leinart had achieved golden boy status, and was basically saying, "Screw it. It's fourth down, and we're on the road in Notre Dame Stadium. I'm going to audible to a streak pattern and hit Jarrett deep down the sideline. Why? Because I'm Matt freakin Leinart! Even if it doesn't work, I'm taking one class and can have any girl in Southern California."
- The clock hitting zero. Notre Dame storming the field thinking they had won, only to have seconds put back on the clock.
- Pete Carroll franitcally calling for a spike, and Leinart deciding to go with the sneak. Stonewalled at first, he then twists and turns, aided by the "Bush Push." What a memorable game.
Sadly, because I announce fall sports for AU Athletics, for these past two years and the next two years, I'll have watched/will be watching American U volleyball matches and 0-0 soccer games instead of afternoon college football. (Shaking head).
Doc Emrick
Nobody captures the feeling of playoff hockey like Emrick. Even if I'm on the computer and not paying attention to the game, all of a sudden I'll hear the following booming from my television and I'm compelled to look up: "A shottttttt.... and it's sent WIDE past an outstretched Luongo.... it's taken at the point and ANOTHER SHOT..... REBOUNDDD.... SAVE LUONGO!!" It's nearly impossible to take your eyes off the game when he's in the booth, as the next play sounds like it's the most exciting in the history of hockey. After a commercial break I feel like I'm drained, but his announcing style perfectly portrays the intensity of playoff hockey.
M7XNDSANNXWB
