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Volume CXXXIII, Number 8 |
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Thinking outside the Box
J.P. BOX
ORIENT STAFF
With the World Series, regular season football, and the return of the
Jordan, there are simply too many sports stories to cover. In other words,
I have too many opinions and sports angles to chose solely one. The result?
"Thinking outside the Box: The Week in Sports."
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: The recipient of this penalty is New England's
Brian Cox who was injured last week in a game against the Denver Broncos.
According to Cox, Broncos' offensive lineman Dan Neil intentionally and
malignantly chop-blocked him in the third quarter.
In other words, Neil dove into Cox's legs to slow him up. Because of
the risk of a knee injury, the league often fines players who partake
in this activity. Cox left the game limping back to New England with a
broken leg.
Instead of allowing the league to take action against Neil, however,
Cox vowed personal revenge: "To be honest, I don't care if it takes
the rest of my career. If I ever play football again and play against
the guy, he's going to have a blown-out knee. He had the audacity to ask
me if I was OK. No, I was not OK."
Standing up for yourself is one thing, but promising to end another player's
career is completely unprofessional and reprehensible. Hence the unsportsmanlike
conduct.
Surprise of the Week: The Arizona Diamond Backs are actually making a
series out of the World Series. With each team winning both home games,
the series is knotted at two games a piece. What's going on here?
Although it is not highly publicized, the Yankees made a deal with FOX
and promised not to sweep the D-Backs. In return, the Yanks get a hefty
pay-off.
Either that, or the D-Backs are actually a bonafide contender.
Redemption of the Week: Doug Flutie led the San Diego Chargers past his
former team, the Buffalo Bills, in dramatic fashion in a 27-24 victory.
With 1:10 remaining, the 39-year-old Flutie scrambled 13 yards for the
game-winning touchdown.
Last February, the Bills cut the diminutive quarterback citing his age
and lack of physical talent. Bills owner, Ralph Wilson decided that Rob
Johnson was the man to lead his franchise.
At 6'3" and 215 pounds, Johnson has a rocket arm and can actually
see over linemen-traits that Flutie lacks. However, Wilson forgot that
Flutie is a natural leader and a born winner-traits that Johnson lacks.
Putting his trust in Johnson, the Bills have sputtered to a 1-5 record
while the Chargers are 5-2.
During the off-season, Wilson declared that a victory against the Flutie-led
Chargers was more important to him than a Super Bowl victory.
Unfortunately for the Bills, Johnson and Wilson won't get either. Coal
all around this Christmas in Buffalo, but "Flutie Flakes" are
abundant in San Diego.
Comeback of the Week: Michael Jordan played his first regular season basketball
in three years on October 30. "Michael and the Jordanaires"
(as TBS termed the Wizards) took on the New York Knicks.
Jordan finished the game with 19 points on 7-21 shooting. He also had
five rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Starting at point guard but
playing shooting guard and small forward as well, Jordan proved to be
one of the best players in the NBA-over 35 years of age at least.
His jump shots were flat for much of the night and his driving skills
nonexistent. In fairness to his Airness, he faced double teams throughout
as the Knicks forced the Jordanaires to make the big plays.
However, late in the fourth quarter, Jordan found himself open on the
perimeter with his Wizards down by three points. He heaved up a three-ball
hoping to push the game into overtime. The mythical, magical Michael drilled
the trey and reasserted himself as the greatest clutch player in the NBA.
Right?
Actually, Jordan's three-pointer clanked off the side of the rim, and
the Wizards eventually fell to the Knicks 93-91. Not a bad first showing
for the Wizards or Michael, but one thing is obvious.
The Jordanaires are as far away from an NBA title as Michael is from
his former self. Paradoxically, the young Wizards need to get older, and
the old Michael needs to get younger.
Outrage of the Week: The World Boxing Council (WBC) stripped Australian
middleweight boxer Anthony Mundine of his number 26 ranking and indefinitely
expelled him the the WBC because of his reaction to the September 11 terrorist
attacks.
Mundine, who is a Muslim, said "I really feel that it's not our
problem. They call it an act of terrorism but if you can understand religion
and our way of life, it's not about terrorism."
He continued, "It's about fighting for God's laws, and America's
brought it upon themselves (for) what they've done in the history of time."
Pretty outrageous, huh?
The truly outrageous part of this story is the WBC's reaction to his
comments. Banning him from boxing in WBC events contradicts what the United
States is hoping to accomplish in the war against terrorism.
The WBC said that Mundine's remarks "are unbelievable and intolerable,
and seriously hurt world society and boxing."
If the September 11 attacks were truly against American democracy and
freedom, as President George Bush asserts, then protecting our values
and ideals is paramount to the success of a rebuilt nation.
Denying freedom of speech and coercing people into patriotism is not
the solution. Diverging opinions and substantially different viewpoints
are actually necessary for a world-wide understand of what happened on
September 11.
Mundine, who is still a member of the International Boxing Federation,
said that his comments "have been taken out of context by the Australian
media" and that he does not support terrorism in any form.
What message does the WBC's actions send to other athletes throughout the the United States and the world? Support the United States' actions or your professional career may be in doubt.