John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Thinking out loud…and wondering if Rhode Island is “first” in anything, since we’re apparently “last” in business…
• From the Twitter-verse this week, and the one-and-only Larry Bird, on whether this year’s Olympic basketball team could beat the “Dream Team” of 1992: “They probably could. I haven’t played in 20 years and we’re all old now…”
• Seen this past week while on my Clark Griswold-like vacation…while stopping in Dallas to visit the JFK Memorial, a sign on the entry way suggested you could take the tour in one of several languages – including “Youth” English. Yo, could someone please explain just what that might be, bruh?
• Here’s a great lead-off “first” for the Ocean State: The first circus in the United States was in Newport. I’m sorry, but didn’t the circus begin in Providence? And isn’t it still going on? Just sayin’…
• The Penn State scandal reached new depths this week, with the revelation of the Freeh Report finding that Joe Paterno could have/should have done more to stop a 14-year cycle of abuse. But rather than actually contemplating how any subsequent moves might be used to keep these horrors from happening again, we’ve got thousands – millions? – of people who seem to want Penn State football abolished…
• This may not be a popular opinion, but that’s not the answer, people. Sure, the Nittany Lions’ gigantic “football culture” played a role in the gross mismanagement of the Jerry Sandusky aftermath. Criminal mismanagement? Ok. But if you give Penn State football the death penalty, what does this do to the actual criminals involved? N-O-T-H-I-N-G…
• The sport of football at Penn State isn’t the guilty party here. The administrators who didn’t want to rock the boat for fear the boat would spring monetary “leaks” in the school’s coffers should be the only targets. There are many wonderful people – students, teachers, alumni, friends – associated with the university in State College, PA who don’t deserve to be included with this horror story. The bad should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law…and the good should be allowed to continue to live their lives to the fullest extent possible…
• And not for nuthin’…but the Joe Pa statue should stand…just not in front of the stadium where it is…
• Ray Allen, would you please just come out and say it? “I don’t like Rajon Rondo.” There. Said it for you…
• This Red Sox season is not going to finish well. Which is saying something, because it didn’t start out very well, either…
• And it’s not really Bobby Valentine’s fault. Can’t blame him for injuries, or for clubhouse pettiness, or for poor performances. Blame the tip-top of the pyramid for allowing the culture to change, firing perhaps the most successful manager in team history to bring in an “enforcer,” then hand-cuffing said enforcer from doing what he does best…
• So let’s whip this rented mule one more time – the Sox won’t win anything for one primary reason over all others – pitching, or a lack thereof. Word…
• But as we approach the July 31 trade deadline, perhaps the best deal the Red Sox could make…is the one they don’t have to. Jacoby Ellsbury, Carl Crawford and Dustin Pedroia returning to the lineup should be bangin’…
• Those players aren’t Cole Hamels, though. His arrival from Philly to bolster a weak pitching staff would be wicked cool...
• OMG, I’m so done with this…my dudes…
• The country’s first shopping mall was built in Rhode Island? Nice piece of history, but why can’t anything be done with the soon-to-be-defunct Rhode Island (nee Midland) Mall?
• The latest example of athletic highway robbery comes from New Orleans, where Drew Brees held up the Saints for a new five-year, $100 million dollar deal – of which a reported $60 million is guaranteed. That would be a record…and the sports world is buzzin’ over the deal…
• But why? Why would anyone care about a guy who basically extorted his salary from his employer? Brees was on the record saying he would not report to training camp without a new deal. So…the Saints caved, and gave it to him…after the offseason embarrassment of “Bountygate…”
• I don’t knock Brees for getting paid like that, however. I’m knocking the disingenuity of his comments. "I love my organization, team, and the city of New Orleans. Thank you especially to (owners) Gayle and Tom Benson for the opportunity.” Just once, I’d like an honest comment from a player that sets the next three generations of his family up for life…
• Speaking of set-ups…my buddy Statbeast sez he was recently in small-claims court when he heard the case of a woman who held a good job but still had trouble paying her bills on time. “Can’t you live within your income?” the judge asked. “No, your Honor,” she said. “It’s all I can do to live within my credit…”
• Brees’ signing shows, however, that the NFL is – and will always be – a quarterback’s league…
• And you can get your up close look at the newest New Orleans golden-boy when the Saints take part in two days of joint practices with the Patriots on August 8th and 9th during Training Camp at Gillette Stadium…just prior to their pre-season opener on the 10th…
• Also during this time, the Providence Fullcourt Boardroom will be holding their “summer weekend of stars,” to benefit the Marshon Brooks Foundation and Ryan Gomes’ Hoops for Heart Health Foundation. A billiards tournament and golf invitational will be part of the festivities for Friar fans and many former players. For more information, contact PFBinfo@aol.com...
• The US OIympic basketball team beat the Dominican Republic by 64 points in a warm-up this week. John Calipari coaches the DR team…and lost by more than his last three Kentucky teams did in all of their games – combined. The DR failed to qualify for the London Olympics…
• Which begs the question…is Coach Cal a better coach, or recruiter?
• One battle I’ll be watching when Patriots’ training camp opens later this month – at center, where Dan Connolly and Dan Koppen will square off. Connolly came on in relief of an injured Koppen after Week 1 last year, and by all accounts, performed well. Pro Football Weekly even named him one of the top underrated players in the NFL (2nd among interior linemen). Koppen has his hands full in reclaiming his job as a starter…
• Forget the new contract, or the TV appearances and nude photo shoots…does anyone else get the feeling that Rob Gronkowski will have a hard time living up to his 2011 season in 2012?
• Ok, so you’ve probably seen it by now…but Robert Kraft’s helping Ricki Noel Lander with her audition for a movie role has suddenly disappeared from several locales on the internet. Perhaps with power comes great persuasion?
• Stupid is as stupid does…the US Olympic Committee is dressing the Olympic athletes in the traditional red, white and blue for the Summer Games…but the uniforms for the opening ceremonies are designed by Ralph Lauren, and actually made in China…
• The NCAA has made the decision to keep its academic performance procedures in place, meaning UConn will remain ineligible for the post-season in men’s basketball next season. Connecticut filed an appeal, hoping newer data would be used in determining their fate. Hey, if the Huskies had barked this much in study hall, maybe they wouldn’t have had the problem to begin with…
• Win one, lose one for SMU’s Larry Brown this week…one-time Friar target Jordan Dickerson said he would attend the Dallas school, while former Arizona guard Josiah Turner said “no thanks,” he’ll go pro. The Mustangs already seem at home in the big time, with their Big East debut still a year away…
• The top-rated recruit for 2013, Chicago’s Jabari Parker, has two Big East schools listed in his Top 10 – Georgetown and his hometown DePaul Blue Demons. Sports Illustrated anointed Parker as the top prep talent since LeBron James. Reportedly, he’ll make his school choice in November…
• BYU is also a choice for Parker…who will also have a tough choice to make concerning his religious faith (he’s a Mormon) and a potential two-year overseas mission when he turns 19…
• Gotta get a shout-out in for the 13U Rhode Island Rays AAU baseball team, who just recently completed an astounding 53-1 run by claiming the New England Championships, and finishing 3rd at the AAU Grand Nationals in Orlando...
• Is Rhode Island business-friendly? Hardly. Lil’ Rhody got punched in the nose this past week, with CNBC ranking RI dead last in their “Top States for Business” survey…
• Take heart, however. There are some firsts to brag about…polo was played for the first time in the United States in Newport, back in 1876. The first open golf tournament (US Open) was held in 1895, and the first national Lawn Tennis championship started in 1899, which continues today as the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. Wasn’t this about the last time period we had any substantial “new” business enter the state as well?
• Our mailbag question/comment this week comes from Paul in McAllen, TX via Facebook, who responded to the vacation postings from my recent trip to Texas with this idea: “Fort Worth's marketing motto should read: "Fort Worth--As Cool as Dallas THINKS It Is." Paul: You couldn’t be more correct…and I’ll pass this on to the FW Chamber of Commerce, they’ll love it…
• Interested in having your questions on local RI sports (including the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Send ‘em to me! It’s your chance to “think out loud,” so send your questions and comments to jrooke@golocalprov.com. We’ll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Follow me on Twitter, @jrooke0722…and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...
• And you’re up early anyway…don’t forget to join us for GoLocal Sports on 103.7 FM, every Saturday from 7:00-9:00 am! Call in (401) 737-1287, or text 850850…and send email to the show - golocal@weei.com .
Comments:
Howard Miller
12:09pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
John
Are we first in anything get real we have more politicans in jail per capita then any state in the union take out the per capita thing and we are still right there