Why must some people attempt to stain a wonderful sports moment?

In the last couple of days since the All-Star Game, some have speculated that Dodgers pitcher Chan Ho Park intentionally grooved one to Cal Ripken so the retiring star could hit one out in his last All-Star appearance. Not only is the suggestion insulting to Park and Ripken, it defies common sense.

On Tuesday Park became the first Korean to pitch in an All-Star game. Given that scenario, it seems extremely unlikely that he would decide to intentionally give up a gopher ball, regardless of who the hitter was. And there has been no evidence presented to suggest that Park and Ripken are friends. Why would Park help a stranger who has a reputation for being a cold individual? It would make more sense for Park to want to pitch well and honor his country and the millions undoubtedly watching back home.

Park’s pitch was a 92-mile per hour fastball. Not exactly a batting practice pitch. Given that Ripken hit .240 with 4 homers over the first half of the season, Park likely figured he would be safe starting the old-timer off with a strike. He just didn’t count on the Iron Man having the juice to turn on it.

If Major League Baseball had wanted to fix the game so that Ripken would hit one out, they would have selected Steve Trachsel for the N.L. squad.

Ripken’s homer was a special, legitimate moment. Anyone who thinks otherwise is either Oliver Stone, or just isn’t paying attention.

The other supposed fixing in sports this past week occurred in racing, but since it did occur in racing, who cares?

The Crime Dog Should Go

Fred McGriff does have a no-trade clause that he intentionally bargained for. And it is hard to criticize a man for wanting to play for his hometown team and be with his family.

But is says here that there is something wrong when a player has a chance to leave baseball hell in Tampa for a shot at the World Series with the Cubs. After all, it would only be for less than a half of a season, plus potentially the playoffs.

McGriff’s message is loud and clear: forget winning and all that other stuff, I play for the money. And while we know deep down that is the reality for most players, it seems worse when a player basically comes right out and admits it.

Somehow the Critic believes a buyout of the no-trade clause would change the Crime Dog’s mind.

Random Musings

Before you instinctively complain about the NCAA’s plan to keep teams closer to home during the hoops tournament, understand that it makes sense and won’t affect your enjoyment of the tournament in the least. The highest ranked teams will still be in different brackets, but each tournament site will have games played from different brackets.

What the change will do is create a greater demand for tickets in the first round, as it will be easier for fans to follow their teams to closer locations. Gee, do you think the NCAA thought of that, or were they solely concerned about decreasing the amount of class the players miss?

The Critic liked it better when players announced they were going pro after the college season rather than before, ala Carlos Boozer. Maybe Boozer should come back and play well first before making his decision. How about that for a crazy idea.

How hard do you think Carlos will be cracking the books at Duke this year?

Andre Agassi announced that he and Steffi Graf will be having a baby. Here’s hoping the baby gets the mother’s hairline and the father’s nose. Clearly the baby will not be a serve and vollyer.

Something stinks when the price for a week’s pass at the New Zealand Open goes from $20.50 to $200 just because the tournament is trying to recoup the $2 million appearance fee it paid Tiger Woods.

It isn’t Tiger’s fault if the tournament is willing to pay him the money. However, as the British Open is next week, one would think Woods would be better off playing links golf this week in Scotland instead of chasing every last dollar around the world.

Are you, like the Critic, rooting against Gary Condit? Assuming Chandra Levy is dead, and unfortunately it looks that way, somehow it will be easier to take if that scumbag Condit did it. It has been revealed that Condit had numerous affairs, including one with the 18-year-old daughter of a minister. What a sleaze. Why hasn’t his wife commenced divorce proceedings yet? And this was one of the guys who voted to impeach Clinton (not that the Critic wasn’t on board against that loser as well)!

By: Scott Shuster