DC Metro Sports - “Another Good Off-Season of Sports Vol. 2”

Written by Barry Q. Barnes
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Football is king. Normally right after The NBA Finals, it becomes the off-season of sorts for sport fans around the country. No offense to baseball, NASCAR, WNBA, and other summer sports, but most sport fans in this country want football and little else. From a sample survey, the majority felt like it’s a drag for football season to end. With the emotions of sport fans aside, this off-season has not been bad. The Celtics returned basketball glory back to Boston, the Williams’ sisters dominated Wimbledon – Venus defeated she sister Serena in the finals and the sisters won the doubles title - after people said they were losing it. Rafael Nadal defeated the five-time Wimbledon champion, Roger Federer in perhaps the greatest tennis match of all times at the All England Club. Tiger Woods won the U.S. Open on one leg despite the fact that the tournament extended to an eighteen hole playoff. Formula One’s Tiger Woods, Lewis Hamilton, continued to make history in Great Britain. The Detroit Red Wings put the “kid”, Sidney Crosby, and the Pittsburgh Penguins in their place by winning The Stanley Cup and Indy Car’s Danika Patrick won her first race, thank goodness. There was some drama, as well. The MLB finally decided on using instant replay this season before the post-season because of some questionable calls made this year, but the officials are still tying to fight against it. In NASCAR, drivers are changing teams and teams are being put on warning. Two drivers from JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing), Tony Stewart and Joey Logano, were penalized 150 points and the crew chiefs were suspended indefinitely for cheating. It turns out that magnets were placed under gas petals for more horsepower. Former NBA official Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in prison for his betting scandal. The biggest event without question was the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The two weeks of worldwide coverage were filled with dominant performances, ups and downs for the US team. The most exciting display of athletic brillance of the Olympics was from none other than Baltimore’s own, Michael Phelps, who went eight for eight in gold medal events while becoming the greatest Olympian of all-time with 16 medals total – 14 golds. Congratulations to the women’s beach volleyball tandem of May-Treanor/Walsh as they successfully repeated as gold-medalist, winning 108 consecutive matches. The USA men’s basketball team – Redeem Team – set the hoops universe in order by trading in their bronze medal from 2004 Olympics for 2008 gold. The USA women’s gymnastics team held their own against China and the world by winning the silver medal but Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin stole the show. Individually, Johnson won three medals, two silvers and a gold, while Liukin won four, two silvers, a bronze and a gold. Liukin tied Mary Lou Retton (1984) and Shannon Miller (1992) for a record five medals in a single Olympics and accomplished more than her father, Valeri Liukin, who won four medals in the 1988 games. The USA women’s basketball and soccer teams came through as expected, but the disappointments for the USA women’s softball and water polo teams lingered as both lost their gold medal matches. The softball event is slated to conclude after this year’s Olympics. Speculation has it the reason for the removal of the softball event was the fact that USA was so dominate, that no team could beat them as they won the gold for three straight Olympics. For the Americans in track and field, the unexpected happened. Sprinter Tyson Gay did not qualify for the 100meters because he was hampered by a hamstring injury, (but he will not tell you that). Lolo Jones lost the 100meters finals in the hurdles largely due to clipping the next-to-the-last hurdle to finish seventh after leading the entire race. Dawn Harper for the U.S. won the gold. Sanya Richardson, another U.S. favorite, finished third in the 400meters and both the men’s and women’s relay teams dropped the baton and were subsequently disqualified from the 4x100meter events. Both teams however rebounded and won gold medals in the 4x400meter events. This is the first time since 1960 that the USA did not win a gold medal in any sprint event. The NFL is tremendously dedicated to it’s fans. Again, the league provided the story of the off-season. Last year, the Michael Vick’s dog fighting charges filled up the headlines and where the Atlanta Falcons go from here no one knows. The year previous, Terrell Owens’s issues with the Philadelphia Eagles and it’s quarterback, Donovan McNabb, dominated the headlines. This year’s drama was the I’m ready to retire – but they forced me to – so I want to come back – but they will not let me – so trade me – but not there (The Jets) – so I can play against you – saga of quarterback Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. The ordeal started in March and truly will not conclude until Favre retires, again. Favre was eventually traded to the New York Jets for a conditional draft pick before the Jets first preseason game. Well, the wait is pretty much over because training camps and preseason games are in full swing. It is a good time for tailgaters to stock up on meats and beers and remove the webs from the grills. The king is approaching and the sports season will begin, for many. Hopefully, everyone had a good break. Enjoy! Written By: Barry Barnes

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