Just a small sampling from the contempt file this week…To be honest, it really slipped my mind to keep up with who should make this week’s list over the past week, so…it’s a thin group today, and most of what we do have is thanks to our loyal reader, Harold ‘Hac’ Huston.
4. Pro Football Hall of Fame voters…This honor comes belatedly to those who select the newest inductees to Canton each year, and Mr. Huston had them on his radar for once again passing over former Washington Redskins standout Art Monk. Marvin Harrison is held in high esteem these days for his classy demeanor, but long before Syracuse sent Harrison to the NFL, another product of the Orange was cutting a graceful path across the league, on and off the field. When you think of Monk, think of the anti-T.O., a man of great humility and compassion, a man just as interested in philanthropic work and making his world a better place. He rarely played in an offense ideal for putting up huge numbers, as Joe Gibbs’ versatile attacks often favored either the run or multiple-receiver sets, but Monk still managed to haul in 940 passes in a 16-year career. There will be critics who take issue with the inclusion of Michael Irvin into the Hall before Monk, and I certainly understand their frustration, but I would remind them of this…Irvin was the better player. It is true that Monk had nearly 200 (190 to be exact) more receptions than Irvin, but he compiled them in 65 more games. Monk’s candidacy may be hurt by the fact that he had a pedestrian 13.5 yards per catch average over the course of his career, and the fact that he only had 68 touchdown catches (Irvin, by contrast, averaged 15.9 yards per catch and had 65 touchdowns in those 65 fewer games). But this isn’t about whether or not Irvin deserves to be in…he does (his shitty character notwithstanding). It is about the fact that one of the outstanding men ever to wear an NFL uniform DOES deserve to be enshrined in Canton. Art Monk was a three-time Super Bowl champ, an outstanding receiver, and he remains an outstanding example as a human being. So let’s correct your error next year voters…or you’re back on the list…
3. The Chicago Bulls…This one also comes from Mr. Huston, who pointed out that the Bulls fined rookie forward Tyrus Thomas $10,000 dollars for saying he was attending the All-Star Game Slam Dunk contest just for the money. The truth hurts, eh Tyrus? Especially in the wallet. I guess we understand why John Paxson and the organization had to slap Thomas hand…the NBA would frown on us getting the idea they do anything for the money. Say…where’s that All-Star Game being played this year? Oh yeah. Vegas. And it isn’t like the whole point of the All-Star weekend is to make money or anything…right? We wish you luck Tyrus. Win the big check. If you can keep from opening your mouth before the contest gets here, you just might come out ahead…
2. The Boston Celtics…It’s a good thing Red Auerbach passed before he had to see it. A sixteen-game losing skid, the longest in franchise history, is still rolling along. Paul Pierce, the only thing resembling an NBA player on the Celtics roster, has been in the hospital, and while out of the lineup Pierce may have won himself the MVP award. The Celts are a dismal 2-22 without their star, a number that points out his value in a way that words never could. Danny Ainge has saddled his organization with a bunch of young talents, all of whom, sadly, would be better off if they were on college campuses across the nation. Because that’s exactly where Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Rajon Rondo, and Sebastian Telfair could be. Instead, their busy getting their brains beat out as their fans sit and pray that they keep losing and can somehow win the lottery and a chance at Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. What in the name of Bob Cousy is going on? Celtic Pride indeed…
1. The Chief Justice, The High Court of Sports…I promised yesterday it would be me for my poor handling of the OJ Mayo case, and here I am. For those of you who missed it, scroll down to the post below as I revist the Mayo saga with a little more information and a little different perspective. The fact of the matter is, I deserve the #1 spot for a variety of reasons, not least of which is an overall poor performance. Truth is, I often find mysef struggling to find consistent inspiration in the world of sports on a daily basis, and I am increasingly discouraged by an audience that has dwindled to a few loyal souls (and I do appreciate all four of you a great deal). So today The Chief gets top billing as the most contemptible figure of the week, and he promises to raise the level of his work in the future.
As always, I encourage audience participation, both with your commentary and with more suggestions for this week’s or future weeks’ contempt lists. And finally, for a very good (and lengthy) read about a very successful small-town girls’ basketball program, be sure to read this article by ESPN.com’s Wright Thompson.
