The View From Wisconsin
Just a random set of rants from a Sports Fan from Wisconsin.
Sunday, May 29, 2005
A lot of cards
Some random thoughts on a holiday weekend:
- 27,180 cards. That was the total once I finished with the last box of my collection. Cards from the first 1952 Topps set (okay, one card from that set) onward to a few packs of Pacific Hockey that I picked up last week. I have a set in particular that it will be my goal to finish out the set (my 1990 Score Baseball set, which consists of around 1,800 cards - but I'm missing 19).
- ESPN said goodbye to the NHL a long time ago. They just now got around to acknowledging it.
The NHL could have used the WWLIS, but they dropped the NHL just as the Gretzky era was taking off. The NHL could do better - and hopefully they will.
- Speaking of better - how would this be for conspiracy theorists? The NHL sets up a draft lottery that basically all but gives Sidney Crosby to the New York Rangers. He goes in, takes the league by storm - and the Rangers still don't make the playoffs. (laughing)
- Ben did not look good last night in his first start back. I've already got co-workers who are thinking the "curse of the Big Brewers Contract" is starting up again. Come on, people - it's his first start in over a month.
- As much as I'd like to see Danica Patrick beat the boys at the Brickyard, I can't help but think that she won't even finish the race. And as much as ABC is wanting the 500 to be a ratings success, it probably won't ever be the same as it was in the Foyt/Mears/Johncock/Andretti days.
- Speaking of the ladies, I've seen a couple of glowing articles about how the WNBA is "really taking off" now that there's going to be a team in Chicago next season. Yawn. I'd wager that Major League Soccer will last longer than the WNBA.
- And as for the game of "real football" - ManU chairman Sir Roy Gardner decided to step down after a few weeks of speculation. And, Nike is considering dropping their sponsorship of the club, because of the backlash from the anti-Glazer crowd. Even Vodafone, their primary "kit" sponsor, is considering dropping their sponsorship out of fear of fan backlash against their product. I still say that the MU fans should wait until the club takes the pitch next year - if they stink it up in the Premiership because of the takeover, then you might have something. Right now, all that boycotts are doing is just digging the hole for the team. And, even if they were to somehow convince Glazer to dump the team, they'd end up with nothing for all the money they've taken out. Someone really has to read these blokes some basic Econ.
- Every week that I've been thinking, "this is the week they get the deal done," the NHL and NHLPA trash my hopes. I still honestly believe that the framework is there, and the only thing that needs to be filled out is the numbers that will determine the caps, taxes and shared revenues. But the way they're going... (sigh)
Copyright © 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, Joseph Houk. All rights reserved.
