Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Some things never get old

Twenty-nine years ago Tuesday Kansas City Royals' third baseman George Brett hit a go-ahead two-run home run against New York Yankees' closer Goose Gossage. After examining his bat the umpires ruled Brett out because of excessive pine tar on his bat, and, well, I'll let the video speak for itself.


Watching Brett leap out of that dugout with that crazed look on his face is one of those things I'll never get sick of watching. Also on that list are:



Vince Carter hurdles Fredric Weis
 


There are so many amazing things in this video I don't know where to start. Vince Carter with hair. Vince Carter playing defense. Vin Baker on an Olympic team that won gold... Read that last one again. But by far the most amazing is the 6'6" Vince Carter leaping over the 7'2" Fredric Weis and throwing the ball through the hoop. Ridiculous.


 
HE DID WHAT?!?!


Apparently the year 2000 was a banner one for a 14-year-old sports fan. Antonio Freeman's pinball catch in overtime to defeat the Vikings is unbelievable, but more memorable is the reaction of announcers Al Michaels, Dan Fouts and Dennis Miller. I still use "he did what?!" way more often than I should.


 
Tiger's Masterful chip


As a college freshman I rarely watched professional golf, but I decided to tune in for the end of the 2005 Masters. I remember watching the shot and thinking "Tiger, that isn't even close," but then the ball kept rolling... and rolling... and rolling. Then it stopped before deciding to take that last half roll and drop in the cup.


 
The Helmet Catch


 He catches the ball with his helmet. Enough said.

What about you, what sports moments can't you get enough of watching?

Thursday, July 12, 2012

'92 Dream Team would crush the 2012 Olympians

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant recently made headlines proclaiming this year's Olympians could beat the original 1992 Dream Team. I think Kobe needs to brush up on his Aerosmith: "Dream on."

Bryant's logic is the players on the 1992 team were near the end of their careers, while this year's players are in their primes. Sure, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were near the end of their careers, but, with the exception of Clyde Drexler, every other player on the team played into the 2000s. Honestly, I have a hard time envisioning Kobe playing eight more years in the NBA.

Also, who on this year's team matches up with Patrick Ewing and David Robinson? Tyson Chandler and Anthony Davis Blake Griffin Anthony Davis? Sure Davis swatted shot after shot against Kansas, but the Dream Team is an entirely different monster.

The original Dream Team was also full of ferocious defenders. If you throw Carmelo Anthony on Scottie Pippen, Pip would go for 50 and hold Carmelo to 12. Easily. And after watching Chandler duck every time LeBron James went up for a dunk during last year's Finals, I'd hate to see what Michael Jordan and Co. would do to him.

The biggest edge the '92 Dream Team would have over this year's squad is killer instinct. Johnson and Bird were in constant competition throughout their careers to one-up the other. Jordan and Pippen battled with the Bad Boys. The other guys were always measured against Jordan, and wanted to take him down. I have a hard time imagining today's practices are intense as they were in 1992. 

These guys are looking forward to playing with their buddies for the world to see. Those guys wanted to destroy everything in their way, including each other. Kobe has that same mentality, but doesn't realize some of his teammates lack it.

That mentality is what makes him bold enough to make such a foolish prediction.

It's also why he doesn't realize he's wrong.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Top 5 sports movie quotes

Yesterday our sports editor here at the Dispatch, Perry Novak, charged us with the impossible task of naming the top movie quote of all time as he was on his way out the door. Maybe he was curious or maybe he was looking to rub in that, "there's no place like home." (Did I mention he was off for the night?) Either way, he got me thinking, and I compiled my five favorite sports movie quotes, in no particular order.
  1. "If you build it, he will come." - Ray Kinsella, "Field of Dreams." - How Perry left this one off his all-time general movie quote list baffled me, he's lived it.
  2.  "Yo Adrian!" - Rocky Balboa, "Rocky." - One of those iconic quotes that I knew who said it before I ever saw the movie.
  3. "Juuuust a bit outside." - Harry Doyle, "Major League." - I've never played a family softball game without hearing this gem, courtesy of Bob Uecker.
  4. "So I got that goin' for me, which is nice." - Carl Spackler, "Caddyshack." - Bill Murray's improvised, imaginary "Cinderella story" soliloquy gets most of the love, but I prefer the "Dalai Lama" anecdote. Big hitter, the Lama.
  5. "Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and sometimes it rains." - Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh "Bull Durham." Truer words have never been spoken.
The best part of these lists are they're open for interpretation. Feel free to leave your favorites in the comments.