The Weekend That Was

Good weekend for sports on the tube. After breaking out of BC for spring break on Friday, among other events I witnessed at least parts of the Matsuzaka’s debut, BC Ice Hockey vs. New Hampshire, Wisconsin/MSU Basketball, the Celtics in double OT, BC Basketball, and the US Open*. While I don’t really want to get into the particulars of all the events, I would like to make a few general comments.
(*-indicates the sport of bowling)
Matsuzaka looked very solid after giving up a double to Johnny Ayers on his first pitch of the afternoon. Dice-K looked like he was ready for April 2nd already. Spring training isn’t that necessary these days except for the guys trying to make the team. Most players are smart enough to work out on their own in the off season. It probably takes a guy like Manny Ramirez 4 days to get his sweet stroke back in the groove. As my dad joked, it’s a wonder more guys don’t come later, because once you show up you are playing every day for the next 8 months. So yeah, Manny shorted the fans for a couple days by coming late to camp, but these guys have been in camp for a only a week and they are ready to go. I say let the regulars stay at home for a few extra weeks to deal with those mysterious family ailments or arrests. Hey Manny and Pedro make those excuses every year, so we might as well dedicate the first 3 weeks of spring training as the Optional Grandmother Illness Period.
Second thing I had to point out was the Wisconsin vs. Michigan State basketball game. Much like an SEC football game, this one had very few actual points scored. The final score was something like 52-50, a painstaking affair like those 9-6 supposed SEC “Classics”. There is a difference though, between SEC football and Big-10 basketball. The SEC is actually good at football. Big-10 basketball is terrible. I thought that I would let it slide, being as it was a Saturday morning and knowing what college kids are thinking about at 12PM Saturday morning (along the lines of “why am I awake right now?”), but then I saw the scroll from halftime of the Texas-Kansas game, 54-42. Durant had 25, more than the University of Wisconsin. The Big-10 is just not very good, sorry I have to break it to you. Of course if Oden decides to assert himself and scores 40 against BC in the second round of the tournament in the 2-7 matchup, I will shut up.
Skipping the Celtics, who are on the wrong path (remember, Oden and Durant) and leaving BC sports mostly out of this column, I have to turn to the most captivating event of the weekend: the Denny’s Professional Bowler’s Association US Open, LIVE ON ESPN from North Brunswick, New Jersey. Don’t knock bowling. It’s covered by ESPN, which is more than the NHL and PGA Tour can boast these days. In the semifinals, I watched in amazement as 3-time champ Pete Weber started off with 8 straight strikes. Dare I say, En Fuego? If you have ever seen me bowl, you would know why this would be particularly impressive. I once bowled 9 straight gutterballs and the mere fact that these guys could keep it on the lane till the end was fascinating to me. Weber was a docile looking middle aged man, with slicked back, thinning brown hair and his NASCAR-esque shirt over his small frame. He was wearing his signature sunglasses indoors as well, which gave him the general characteristics of a good ol’ boy just along for the ride, having some fun on the road and playing the game he loves. This is what I thought, but I was dead wrong. He had the mouth of every other 21st century poster boy athletes, flashing outrageous 300 signs to the crowd with every strike. I saw him make the Degeneration-X “suck it” sign before they cut to a commercial break. Then when the semifinal match was all but over, he pointed to the camera and said “you better bowl a 260, Wes, or you are done,” complete with a slashing motion across the neck. I couldn’t believe it. I changed back and forth to a NBA basketball game just to make sure it was, in fact, bowling that I was presently viewing. I’m not making this up.
The killer came during the finals, when they showed a clip of Pete Weber’s father, the legendary Dick Weber, winning the ever US Open back in the 1962. After rolling the winning rock, the ever-classy Dick said “I’m so glad to have won, I am going to give my wife all the money, and this trophy here is never going to leave my arms.” There’s irony for ya. He was probably rolling over in his grave Sunday as his son went on to win his 4th title amid his outbursts of “boo ya” and “how you like me now?”
Good to know some things in sports are still sacred.
That’s about all I got today, happy Monday for all our readers. (I’ll be spending this one in bed)

Dave