FIRST Mike Tyson, now Marv Albert. It certainly seems this is the year for biting off more than you can chew. Braves over Orioles
still looking goodThankfully, I only put my foot in my mouth -- with my preseason choices to win the baseball playoff spots.
The Orioles, Indians and Mariners came through for me in the American League, while the Braves, Marlins and Astros did their part in the National.
OK, so six out of eight ain't bad, right? Well, it's nothing to brag about when the other two picks, the Blue Jays and Padres, are a combined 37 games out of first place.
The Braves over the Orioles pick in my long-range, partly-cloudy World Series forecast still looks reasonable, although Atlanta's starting pitching depth can be negated just a bit in a seven-game series with travel days. And a lack of dependable set-up relief could tell on the Braves again. But if Kenny Lofton is healthy atop the lineup, they'll score enough runs for Maddux, Neagle and Smoltz or Glavine.
I'll also eat some words regarding the Giants, whom I considered pretenders all season until a few weeks ago when they fleeced the White Sox out of their best starter, their best reliever and their second-best Darwin.
SPEAKING of great trades, making Dennis Scott disappear was a brilliant move by the Orlando Magic, even though they had to throw in half a million bucks. And Derek Harper probably doesn't have much game left, but you know he won't go psycho in front of a bunch of kids like Scott did at a clinic last summer.
If you saw him play in the Iolani Classic about 10 years ago, you might agree that Scott peaked when he was a junior in high school. He didn't just stand around on the perimeter shooting 3-pointers, like he's done ever since he went to Georgia Tech.
While at Flint Hill Prep, Scott was a do-it-all guard who played with a charismatic style similar to that of Magic Johnson. It was sad to watch "3-D" gradually devolve into an overweight, one-dimensional head case in the pros. Maybe a fresh start in Dallas will help, but Don Nelson doesn't exactly have a great track record of dealing with today's individualistic players . . .
Now here's another warped guy: Does anybody else agree that Earl Woods needs to get a life -- his own, not his son's? Tiger's dad blew a gasket over not being allowed to accompany his son at the Ryder Cup. Wives and girlfriends are given special access privileges, and since Tiger has no significant other, Earl thought he should have those privileges rather than just being part of the general crowd.
Get over it, Mr. Woods, and get a ticket.
WHILE we're on the Ryder Cup, it sure is a neat event and all, with the greatest golfers in America and Europe teaming up against each other and fighting for national or continental pride.
It's certainly a serious undertaking for these brave men. Consider how Nick Faldo talks about "protecting" the rookies:
"You've got to put them under your wing, shield them from the bullets . . . "
Wow. Pretty heavy for a no-prize-money tournament named after a moving truck company.
I've always felt the Ryder Cup would be more interesting if they added different events. I mean, better ball, best ball, match play . . . it's all basically the same thing -- golf. Hitting a ball with a stick. Let's spice this baby up and keep score on the 19th hole each day.
There's no reason the teams couldn't do battle in darts, billiards, video poker, bawdy joke telling and arm wrestling.
The tie-breaker would be best-chug beer swilling -- who's the fastest without spilling any on his green jacket. Let's see who the real men are and what continent they come from.
Sorry for not showing much deference to one of golf's greatest competitions. It's just that so much in sports is hard to swallow these days.
Dave Reardon is a magazine editor and freelance
writer who has covered Hawaii sports since 1977.
He can be reached via the Star-Bulletin or
by email at dreardon@hmsa.com.
