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The conflicted number

Posted by pblackwell | 08/08/07

So many things about the 756th home run hit by Barry Bonds on the night of Aug. 7, 2007 in San Francisco speak to the divided nature of this event, but two come quickly to mind.
First, it took place just before midnight EDT, so despite its significance, the number of TV viewers that saw it live was not too large, a vivid contrast to the national treatment Henry Aaron got 33 years ago when he passed Babe Ruth.
Second, amid the horde of Giants fans scrambling for that historic ball after it cleared the fence, the lottery winner turned out to be – Matt Murphy, a guy from Queens in a Mets jersey on his way to Australia. Safe to say, he can afford the plane fare now...

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Living in Tiger’s world

Posted by pblackwell | 08/15/07

All seemed normal in the golfing world by the time the sweat-soaked PGA Championship ended in the Oklahoma blast oven known as Southern Hills.
Tiger Woods, the game’s most famous new father, had Sam Alexis on hand when he claimed possession of the Wanamaker Trophy for the fourth time.
As it turned out, the 63 Tiger spun on Friday at Southern Hills decided the affair, for though Ernie Els and Woody Austin made spirited Sunday runs, they could not quite catch up, allowing Tiger to safely claim major no. 13 by two shots.
After a while, the numbers begin to numb anyone. Count all his majors as a professional (44), and Tiger is batting close to .300, with four more runner-up spots, plenty of other top-10s and just one missed cut...

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Follow the sun

Posted by pblackwell | 08/22/07

As we return to Saturdays full of tailgates, cheerleaders, marching bands and fight songs, it’s important to consider that college football might be a metaphor for America itself.
Certainly the 2006 season fit that narrative. Most of the regular-season talk centered around Michigan and Ohio State and the rise of Rutgers from purgatory, all in places where our nation’s story began.
Yet by bowl time, the spotlight had shifted west, to Boise State’s bag of tricks to cap off a perfect season, and south, where Florida humiliated the Buckeyes and snatched the national championship.
Just like the population, there’s no denying that the college game has established a permanent power base in the Sun Belt...

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The games, at last

Posted by pblackwell | 08/30/07

As a public service to all the fans out there, the following piece on the upcoming NFL season will not include any direct references to players in trouble with the law or a tough-guy commissioner suspending them. You’ve heard enough of that for a while.
Believe it or not, there are model citizens in professional football. They do exist. And if we’re not careful and continue the endless condemnation of those who aren’t playing anyway, the good guys will get painted with the same broad stroke, and that’s not right.
All right, that’s enough preaching. On to the 32 teams that want to be in the Arizona desert five months from now.
AFC East – It’s already been conceded to New England...

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