Blame the messenger.
“While the media have anointed Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning the greatest ever, the facts are: His record is 9-9 in the playoffs. He has lost three playoff games at home as a favorite. His team is considered a strong Super Bowl contender every year, and he has won only one. Do the media ever look at facts?”
Frank, Denver
Kiz: In the ESPN age, there is a tendency to believe that whatever is coming up next on SportsCenter must be the most amazing athletic feat we’ve ever witnessed. Not true. While I don’t blame Manning for Indy losing the Super Bowl, he’s not the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. In fact, I believe Manning is the second-best QB in the history of his own franchise, behind Johnny Unitas.
Hold the sarcasm.
“Having been a thrill-seeker who went to the emergency room a few times, I don’t feel guilt for a young Olympic athlete’s desire for an adrenaline rush that ultimately resulted in death. I don’t watch sports hoping for catastrophe. I don’t even like seeing a bowler hyperextend a thumb, if you know what I mean. On the other hand, as I watched the TV news, the report of luger Nodar Kumaritashvili’s fatal accident was followed by a story of three American soldiers getting blown up in Afghanistan. That’s a little sadder for me. Thrill-seekers are not heroes. Once in a while, they pay a big price for their fun. Let the Games begin and hope no figure skater breaks a nail.”
Hank, safe on the sofa
Kiz: Do they award gold medals for sarcasm? Just wondering.
Easy on the Canucks.
“You’ve got to be kidding, Kiz. Yes, I’m sure the Canadians planned for this tragic event to the luger from Georgia to happen. Whether it’s health care, gun laws or what I hope is the last tragic event ever to take place at the Olympics, there is always a common theme in the United States of “We good, they bad” when it comes to Canada.”
Darlene, the perfect neighbor
Kiz: OK, I admit it: “Snowbird” by Anne Murray is one of the worst pop songs of all time. I don’t blame Canada for it. None of our fine neighbors to the North wanted to see a Georgian luger die. But the decision to give foreign athletes limited practice time at Whistler Sliding Center was a stupidly selfish act.
Skins game.
“Mentioning tennis player Anna Kournikova in the same column as U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn to make some point is laughable at best. Kournikova was a champion of nothing. With two World Cup overall titles under her belt, Vonn need not apologize to anyone for her choice to appear in Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue, least of all to an armchair quarterback who has staked a good portion of his career in writing negative articles.”
Bill, Denver
Kiz: Thanks for so eloquently reiterating precisely the reason why I compared Kournikova to Vonn. Of course, folks sometimes get so upset they can’t hear you agreeing with them. Life’s funny that way.
Sympathy for the devil with a blue dress on.
“You made a good point about women’s athletic prowess not being taken seriously, but female athletic success will never be taken seriously so long as women demean themselves by being sex objects. The crux of the problem? The fundamental nature of men and women will never change. Forgive me for being politically incorrect, but the femi-Nazi attempts to destroy true femininity and masculinity have failed. Women need to be recognized for their wonderful contributions to sports. Once they become sex objects, they stay that and inhibit all female accomplishments from being recognized on a par with men. So what to do? Whatever happened to dignity, modesty and all those old-fashioned values that separated women you marry from women you took out for a good time? I feel sorry for Vonn. She is going to have a very hard landing.”
Mary, Golden
Kiz: In September 2007, the former Lindsey Kildow married Thomas Vonn. The research department here at Kickin’ It Headquarters could find no laws against a married woman looking good in a bikini.
At least she wasn’t ogling Lasorda
And today’s parting shot asks: Does thinking impure thoughts about an attractive athlete make you a bad person?
“So much of Americana is sex, whether we want to believe it or not. My mom used to attend Los Angeles Dodgers games so she could see first baseman Steve Garvey in tight baseball pants. Sex in sports works both ways. It’s there. Why ignore it? Embrace it.”
Anthony, Commerce City
