|
 |
|
"Reclamation
Rick" Ankiel:
Gotta feel good about the Cards P, out of the majors since May 2001, making a successful big-league return in the 6th last night: 1H, 0R.
|
|
The Lead Item
Two Words For You:
REPLAY. CHALLENGE.
In our Golden Age of ever-slower-slo-mo's and "Mac
Cams," is there a justifiable reason for controversially wrong tennis
calls to go unfixed?
After watching Serena get jobbed by the ump (then bumped by
Capriati), it shouldn't even be a debate in the sport to add:
The replay-challenge rule.
Not every call: But each player gets three challenges,
just like an NFL coach, to use when they want to.
In less time than it takes a player to engage in a lengthy
complaint session with the ump, the call could be clarified.
If the players' challenge is denied, they lose the point (which they
would have lost anyway). Inconclusive replays default to the chair
ump's ruling.
Why rely solely on imperfect human judgment when technology
provides a tool to get sketchy (even wrong) calls
right?
It may be soulless, but at least it's fair.
Boston Wins (West?!)
The hot AL rumor is that with their 7-1 W at Oakland
last night, the Red Sox have now clinched the AL West. Who needs the
Wild Card when you're one Pedro win today from sweeping the mighty
A's?
Tracking the NL
Who else has stopped paying attention to the WC-leading
Cubs and Giants, instead transfixed by the streaking Astros (11 Ws in
a row; Oswalt wins 17th) and Marlins (8 straight, even with a Frances
break).
Which upstart has the edge? Call it the "Cards Effect": Houston
has six games left vs. St. Louis; Florida: None.
Meanwhile, bad news for Chicago: Because of Frances PPDs, the
Cubs will have to finish the season with 26 games in 24 days -- with
no days off -- starting Friday. Good news: Most of them vs. NL dregs
(but 6 vs. FLA).
|
|
|
 |
CHECK OUT THE QUICKIE EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING! |
|
| WHO'S GOT THE MOMENTUM ... |
Morten Andersen: 44-year-old NFL kicker signs with Vikings
Avg NFL ticket prices: Up 5 percent from '03 (to $54 per)
ESPNU: All-college ESPN network; what a phenomenal fit
|
| ... AND WHO'S GOT NO MO' |
Yankees ridiculous forfeit bid: Dropped; NY/TB play DH Wed
A. Mauresmo: US Open No. 2 loses to upstart Dementieva
College $$$ on sports: Study says no school donations ROI |
|
|
|
|
Fins Getting Gordon
That pig pile at the top of your FFL's waiver wire is
the scramble to pick up Lamar Gordon. Yesterday, he was an
afterthought as the Rams' 3rd RB; today, he's likely to be shipped to
Miami for more carries than he's ever seen before. (In 2003?
71-298-1.)
NFL Preview: AFC
Division Picks:
E: Pats; W: Chiefs;
N: Ravens; S: Titans;
WC: Colts (S), Denver (W)
AFC Champs: Pats d. Ravens
Superlatives:
Overrated: Chiefs
Must finally prove p'off clutch
Underrated: Jaguars
3-1 preseason the best sign
Disappointment: Bengals
Palmer starting? 2 steps back
X-factor: Miami
Overlooked? Worse than looks?
Thursday: SB pick, awards
Deion Wears 37
Takes "looking your age" to a whole new, narcissistic
level: Deion Sanders picked No. 37, to remind everyone of how old he
is. As we've reminded many a good-looking older hottie: If you've
got it, flaunt it.
|
|
|
|
Next Great Chump
Who would have thought boxing's only hope for survival
would come via reality TV? My boxing-fanatic friend Nathan watches
"Next Great Champ," so the rest of us don't have to:
"Call it the De La Hoya Theory of Relativity: These guys remind us how
good pro fighters really are. 'Danger' ranked No. 1 because he did the
most sit-ups? The prepster is going down faster than Wladimir
Klitschko."
ESPN25 Top Moment
"Miracle on Ice": Crushed under the weight of its own
mythology and eroded by the development of the Drago-like 24-hour
sports-news cycle, I think it has lost a lot over time. Obviously, it
didn't impact hockey's long-term fortunes. How many core ESPN devotees
were even cognizant enough to remember it live?
Meanwhile, today's must-read, for something inherently more
contemporary, is Jeff Merron's comprehensive Page 2 list of the Top
100 sports innovations of the ESPN Era, one of the great pieces of
argument fodder I've seen this year. See Q It Up to read it; Big 5 to
see the Top 5; and today's Poll to vote on it.
 |
|
US Open ump
Mariana Alves:
After horrendous calls on Tuesday night, US Open head ump announces
that she won't be working any more '04 US Open events.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Today on ESPN.com
|
| Page 2: 100 Innovations |
| A.M. Quickie |
| Fantasy Football |
|
 |
| Top 100 innovations |  Air Jordans
| "Sparked marketing revolution"
|  Fantasy sports
| Hugely "increase(d) interest"
|  Drugs/Drug testing
| "Cat-and-mouse game"
|  West Coast offense
| But is "influence waning?"
|  Retro ballparks
| | Started in '92 (Baltimore) |
| 
|  |
Morning Quickie: Launched this morning, but you can
catch it EVERY weekday morning (9-10 a.m.) See Q It Up
for today's transcript ...
Great MLB TV day: StL/SD (3:30, ESPN); TB/NY (7, ESPN); BOS/OAK
(10:30, ESPN2) How about live look-ins for Ichiro's
at-bats?...
Bonds Watch: Hits No. 698, 40th HR for 5th straight season (8th
overall, tying Aaron for the NL record)...
Reason No. Umpteen human CFB polls bite: Coaches drop LSU from 3 to 4,
even though they *stunk* on nat'l TV. Why not out of Top
10?...
For whatever reason, Robin Ventura is a sick Grand Slam hitter. He
whacked his 18th career GS (ties McCovey for 3rd all-time)...
10-second delay on the TNF NFL season opening kickoff concert
tomorrow: Because you never know what that crazy Toby Keith might
do?...
After noting his 16th W, I was curious about Kenny Rogers, so I
checked his run support (6.13/G). Helps mitigate a mediocre 4.56
ERA...
Always wary when a top golfer switches clubs (see Tiger's blinding
success). Keep an eye on Mickelson, switching to Callaway...
|
|
|
