Sports world suffers day it wishes it could forget
It was a rough day in sports.
Call it Black Tuesday.
Some could argue it was the worst day in sports history. Even Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears are thinking, "At least I didn't electrocute a dog!"
Yes, it's not a good day when the commissioners get more face time on the tube than the players.
It's not a good day when the main topics of conversation are illegal dog fighting, point shaving by an NBA official and Barry Bonds.
But that's what sports fans were treated to on Tuesday, as the television was dominated by guys in suits doing some serious damage control.
•
Scandalous topic No. 1: Michael Vick.Perhaps no topic was as morbid as this one.Don't ask Vick to walk Fido for you, especially if even half of what the Atlanta quarterback is accused of doing is true.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told Vick to stay away from training camp.Even Michael's brother, Marcus, who has been accused of such misdeeds as brandishing a gun, having sex with a 15-year-old girl and giving alcohol to minors, is thinking, "Dude, I'm ashamed to be a Vick."It's unlikely Michael Vick will take another snap for the Falcons. Lord Voldemort might be more popular in Atlanta than Vick is right now.Don't plan on seeing him play for the Browns, either. I don't think he will be a fan favorite in the Dog Pound.•
Scandalous topic No. 2: Tim Donaghy.NBA referees have been vilified lately. It seems at least one actually deserved it.Donaghy is accused of gambling and point shaving. NBA commissioner David Stern spent more than an hour Tuesday insisting that Donaghy was a rogue, isolated criminal.It appeared Stern was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to persuade the cynical masses.But the first time a ref makes a questionable call next season, people are going to wonder, "Is he on the take?"Especially the fans — and Mark Cuban.•
Scandalous topic No. 3: Barry Bonds.Instead of rejoicing in the fact that Bonds is about to break the most hallowed record in all of sports, people are greeting it with the dread of an impending apocalypse.Even Bud Selig has resigned himself to the fact the record is going to fall and will begrudgingly be in attendance when it does.I can see his stilted smile and golf clap now.• Other assorted bits of bad news to round out the week: Drew Carey is going to replace Bob Barker on "The Price is Right." ... I'm going to end it like Beckham if I hear one more thing about Becks and Posh that has nothing to do with soccer — I swear I'm going to go Psycho Spice on someone. ... Madden 2008 is still three weeks away, which means Vince Young's subsequent curse is about four weeks away.
