It's Vadertime no it's Mike Vicktime!

First off I am a SanFran fan. Shaun Hill will be the starting QB and Frank Gore will dominate the league this year. So that's that. I have not been an Eagles fan since the whole T.O. McNabb incident, but I will NOT root against them this year. I want them to excell and I want Mike Vick to be an integral part of there success. I'm not sayn' I'm just sayn' sporty nation.

Today, Chris Rock was on Dan Patrick's show and he had some incredibly insightful things to say see below...

Rock had interesting comments on Michael Vick. He said if he could interview him, he would ask him what dog-fighting meant to him growing up. Rock says these things are always relative. Rock said the Kennedy's were drug dealers. They sold alcohol during prohibition. But it doesn't seem that bad from a different perspective years later.

Rock said that maybe Vick grew up in a situation where dog-fighting wasn't so bad.

"Dog-fighting's very prevalent in the South," Rock said. Rock also pointed out that we hunt, and many people consider that wrong.

"Why is a dog so much better than a deer?" Rock asked. "I see no difference between a dog and a deer."

Rock said look at marijuana ... it's illegal now, but who knows. "In our lifetime, pot will be legal," Rock said.

"I don't think marijuana is any different than selling beer," Rock said. "We know there's more deaths related to alcohol than marijuana."

Rock said the NFL doesn't care about animal rights. That's not what this is about. "The ball is made of pigskin," Rock said. "They don't care about animals."

Rock says this is all about convenience. "We want to cite the law when it works to our advantage," Rock said.





Again, it's not about defending Vick, but rather truly thinking about happened. He made a huge egregiously heinous mistake, he lost hundreds of millions and two years of his life. However, it is reasonable to say that he received a punishment disproportionate to the crime. Two years of his life for his calculated mistake. Hundreds of millions of dollars for his calculated mistake.

What would have happened if he shot a lion or an elk or a bald eagle or caught a Manatee? What would happen if he ate a dog (it does happen)? What would have happened if he were white? Are these circumstances significantly different? And, how do you decide what is worse?

Culture, society, and the media are responsible for the outrage and his ridiculous sentence and penalties. Remember we live in a society of second chances, and Vick definitely deserves a second chance. Far worse members of society have received second chances.

I hope that things work out for the better. I hope that Vick is wiser and can make meaningful contributions to society. And, I hope that he is left alone an able to live his life like we all would want to be able to do. There undoubtedly are SIGNIFICANT racial undertones within the Vick case, and I'll be the first to point them out, but that is for a later date. I hope that these undertones can be minimized and we as a society can move in the right direction. I know I'm hoping a lot, but let's keep hope alive.

Sportynation, this is my Minority Report.

Justice!

Kill a person you get 23 days.

Kill some dogs you get 23 months.

Shoot yourself in the leg you get a minimum of 3.5 years.

It is an escalating scale my friends. Geez!

Indeed, there are extenuating circumstances and many things at play, but still, superficially, something just ain't right here.

The real question is...what will the suspensions be like from the Commish Roger Goodell?

Sportynation, this is my mini-Minority Report.

Further proof golf is NOT a sport.

Catriona Matthew won the Women's British Open by three strokes Sunday, capturing her first major title just 10 weeks after giving birth to her second child.

Noteworthy uplifting story Matthew is. She had a baby and won a major tournament. You can't do this in "sports" so soon after having a baby. What other "sport" is this possible? Track and Field? Basketball? Soccer? Tennis? The question is not whether you can play the sport after having a baby only 10 weeks ago (had a baby in May!), but rather or not you can play, compete, and ultimately WIN at the highest level. She WON. SHE WON!

Sporty nation, golf is not a sport. It is a highly skilled activity that is exceedingly difficult, but does not rely on athleticism. It is an activity where diet and exercise are not THAT important.

This is my Minority Report, and I have provided further proof.

Money buys Pennants

"You can't just buy championships" people argue in baseball...the Yanks have no chemistry and are the best team that money can buy, or the Mets are collection of overpaid players, or the Sox are contributing unfairly to outrageous MLB salaries, or the Cubs just pay a lot of money to not win are simple minded and asinine. Money buy opportunity and wins. The Florida Marlins are an anomaly, an outlier, and a product of luck.

Currently, 9 of the top 10 payrolls in baseball are in first place or playoff contention with the Mets being out of it due to a plethora of injuries to its best players . While 4 of the bottom 5 payrolls are in last place by an average of 20 games.

The MLB chemistry issue is overblown. Baseball is an individual sport masquerading as a team sport. It's reasonable to argue that winning uplifts morale and is positively correlated with chemistry. So, spend money, get good players, and you increase your chances of winning. Don't spend money and pray that you get lucky with a young player. Money is the most reasonable, tangible factor involved in constructing a winning team.



Any and every team can spend more or less than they currently spend. Indeed, all teams can't spend the same amount of money, but they all definitely can spend significantly more or less than they currently do. It's just many owners would rather not spend money on payroll and would rather pocket the money.

Sportynation, this is my Minority Report.

American harcourt season begins

US Open Series got under way this week!

The US Open Series is the six-week summer tennis "season" linking 10 ATP Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour tournaments together. The Series leads to the US Open. It is often referred to as the U.S. or North American hard court season. Points are accumulated and distributed (see below) based on a player's success in the designated summer hard court tournaments. The winner of the US Open Series receives more money depending on his success in the US Open. For example, in 2007 Federer won the US Open series and went on to win the US Open, winning $1.4 million plus the US Open Series bonus of $1 million, bringing his prize winning total to $2.4 million. Lot of money and definitely an incentive to play and do well.

Round ATP Masters 1000
Champion 100
Finalist 70
Semifinalist 45
Quarterfinalist 25
Round of 16 15

ATP World Tour 500

Champion 70
Finalist 45
Semifinalist 25
Quarterfinalist 15
Round of 16 N/A

Robby Genepri started off the summer hardcourt season with a win in Indianapolis. He won an All-American final against the up and coming Sam Querrey. Side note (Querrey has gotten a set off of Nadal on both hardcourt and claycourt before. Not a win, but a couple sets.

Nonetheless, neither one of these guys will win the US Open Series or US Open. The winner of the US Open Series will be one of the hard hittas such as Murray, DelPotro, Roddick, Nadal, Federer, Soderling, Djokovic, Verdasco, and Tsonga.

HOWEVA, Federer just had twins with his wife and has practically no points to defend because he did so poorly last year. Fed has nothing to lose and not terribly much to play for. If he plays it helps his ranking and if he doesn't play he doesn't lose much and is spending time with his newborns and his wife. Fed should probably play less and less to preserve his body. That being said, I don't expect Fed to play.

Rafa, on the otherhand is coming off knee problems, HAS to have some doubt, hardcourt is definitely his worst surface and the hardest on his body, and he has a boucou of points to defend. He has everything to lose. Infact, Murray could pass Rafa and Fed this fall depending on his success. That being said, I expect Rafa to get to the quarterfinals in both tournaments which is pretty darn good.

Then we have Andy Murray. Murray is as polarizing as they come, but I don't get why. Well I kind of do. He is somewhat petulant and has a look of "I don't give a you know what." But, his game is great. His fitness is unparalleled. And, he is crazy young. He turned pro in 2005 and is only 22. Expect Murray to be #2 on the US Open Series leaderboard at the start of the USOpen.

Finally, there is Andy Roddick. Roddick's game benefits from the hardcourts, he is rested, and he will probably play more tournaments than the other big name players.

Nole is talented, but he is falling off and due to lose to a rando.

DelPotro has a million points to defend from last year and may be approaching burn out for the year.

Verdasco, has a really good lefty baseline game that is very well suited for the American hardcourts.

Tsonga is very good, but has issues with consistency and a slight injury proneness.

Soderling, is hot and is starting to prove that the Nadal defeat was absolutely NOT a fluke.

Sporty nation, I don't know what will happen in the next 6 weeks and 10 tournaments, but I do not we are all in for some great tennis and storylines. The US Open is right around the corner! Get ready. This is my Minority Report.

Gilles imitates Gigli

Gilles Simon does his best Gigli impression ever. For you non-movie buffs, Gigli is one of the worst movies ever. It has literally won awards for this honor, but back to tennis.

Gilles Simon lost to Daniel Brands, a German qualifier, today in Hamburg, the former Master Series event.

This was a pretty big defeat for Gilles. Please note that Gilles Simon is a 25 year-old accomplished French tennis player. He has a lot of game. He is the 7th ranked player on Earth. Gilles has won more money in a single tournament than his opponent has in his entire career including doubles and singles. And, Simon has never lost to the best player in the World and maybe history. Simon is 2-0 against Roger Federer, but couldn't beat a guy who consistently plays guys ranked in the 200s. Tennis players that have to play in the qualifies do not get automatic bids to major or main tournaments and have to play in the week before the major tournament to just get the opportunity to play in the main tournament, and once in the tournament they draw top players. This is very similar to a play in game in NCAA hoops. For a little more perspective, qualifier spectator tickets are like $3. Simon lost to this qualifier.

France has had ups and downs of late with the unexpected death of Mathieu Montcourt and then the IMMENSELY talented Richard Gasquet getting off with a bogus cocaine consumption story, and finally Simon inexplicably losing to a rando.

Sporty nation this is my Minority Report.

Golf is NOT a sport.

The Open Championship or simply The Open or the British Open which it is called outside of England is a quirky, funky yet difficult “major” professional golf tournament. Year after year unexpected golfers like the train wreck John Daly and the tragedy known as Jean Van win, contend, and compete, and this year was no exception.

Tom Watson, a 59 year old golfer that last one a major tournament in 1983 (26 years ago), found himself in contention to win the Open Championship from day 1 all the way to the final day and the final minutes of the tournament. Watson chipped well, drove the ball deep and accurately, and made puts from everywhere (uphill, downhill, left, right, and far away). Simply put, he played exceptionally well. But, how could this be?! Golf is a sport. Right? However, as Corso says, “Not so fast my friend!”

Tom Watson almost won the Open because golf is not a sport. Stewart Cink won the Open because golf is not a sport, and Tiger Woods missed the cut because golf is not a sport.

Golf is a highly skilled activity that most anyone can play. Members from Corporate America, football players, basketball players, politicians, men, women, children, out of shape people, unhealthy people, and old people play golf and do exceedingly well on the golf course! Golf is an activity and not a sport.

To further illustrate the shortcomings of golf, please see the list below.

-Today, Michael Jordan played golf while simultaneously smoking a cigar. What “sport” can you puff a cigar while playing?

-John McCain I mean Tom Watson (whom is a cohort of Jack Nicklaus) almost won The Open. Is there such thing of a sport where age does not matter? Should your dad or grandfather be able to compete with 20 something year olds?



-Tony Romo and Ben Roethlisberger whom play golf as their second sport and cannot dedicate a lot of time to golf because they are starting NFL quarterbacks, can play on par with professional golfers every once in a while.

-John Daly is addicted to cigarettes, is an alcoholic, and has a weight problem. Daly famously refused to partake in the British Open Champions Dinner because "You can't get this fat boy into a suit." Daly has also admitted that has admitted the only reason he does not lift weights is because the health club does not let him smoke there and he would get sick after he worked out. John Daly has won the Open Championship, the PGA Championship, and has placed 3rd at the Masters. Daly almost won 3 of the 4 majors. But, he does have soft hands and a pretty good short game. How can this guy be successful? He can be successful because golf is not a sport.



Sportynation, this blogpost emerged from the shock of Tom Watson almost winning The Open Championship and Tiger Woods missing the cut. The Open Championships of 2009 also led me to consider the travesty of Tiger Woods winning athlete of the year multiple times. I love Tiger Woods and what he has done to golf and how he has impacted the world, but he cannot be the athlete of the year under any cirumstances. Should and/or could Earl Williams or win athlete of the year? And, do you know who these two people are? These are two of the greatest bowlers ever. Sportynation, are you going to argue that bowling is a sport? It is practically the same thing as golf. It is just perceived differently.

Golf is a really cool activity, but it is no sport. As “The Dan LeBatard Show” says so so frequently. If aliens come to earth and challenge the humans to a battle and we need to present our absolute best athlete are you going to pick Tiger, or John Daly, or Watson? Of course you will not. However, you just may be Usain Bolt, LeBron James, Michael Phelps, or Brock Lesnar.




Sportynation this is my Minority Report.