*Update, 1/10…Roger Clemens is now not scheduled to appear
before Congress until Feb. 13, but this is because Congress needs
time to begin its own investigation into his denials. This is very
good, folks. He is sweating big time.
Also, the Golf Channel”s Kelly Tilghman was suspended two weeks.
See story below.
NBA Quiz: 1) Name the top five in career points. [Hint: Elvin
Hayes is No. 6.] 2) Name the only five to average 27.0 for their
career (min. 400 games). [Hint: Only two are also part of No. 1]
Answers below.
BULLETIN…. “Dog shoots goose hunter dead”
From Agence France-Presse:
“An overexcited dog accidentally shot and killed its owner on a
goose hunting trip in Texas, authorities said today.
“Perry Price, 46, had just shot a goose and went back to his
pickup truck to let his dog out to go find it in the brush.
“He leaned over the bed of the truck and lay his shotgun inside as
he unhooked the tailgate, his hunting companion told
investigators.
“ ‘When the dog got to jumping around it went off,’ deputy
Nacheal Bonin of the Chambers County Sheriff’s Department
said.
“The shotgun pellets went through the truck’s tailgate and struck
Price, a high school teacher and avid hunter, in the thigh.
“His friend rushed Price to a hospital just a few miles away but
the pellets had severed an artery and Price could not be saved.”
There is no further investigation because the gun was covered
with the chocolate Labrador Retriever’s muddy paw prints. Last
October, an Iowa man was shot in the leg by his dogs when they
stepped on the gun’s trigger. He was badly injured but survived.
It isn’t as yet known how these cases will impact the upcoming
All-Species List, to be revealed Jan. 17.
Roger the Dodger
At his Monday press conference, when asked why Roger
Clemens never directly answered the ‘what do you want me to
do’ question from trainer Roger McNamee, his lawyer, Rusty
Hardin, said: ‘The last thing Roger wanted, just as we did, was
any suggestion that we were trying to interfere or coerce a
federal witness. So, yeah, all he kept saying (was) nothing.
Except you hear him throughout saying, ‘Tell the truth.’”
But on Wednesday, Teri Thompson and Michael O’Keeffe of the
New York Daily News report the following:
“Investigators sent by Roger Clemens to question Brian
McNamee about his statements to federal investigators and
former Sen. George Mitchell asked the former trainer if he might
want to reconsider his claims that he injected Clemens with
steroids and human growth hormone, according to Earl Ward, the
trainer’s attorney.
“The Daily News first reported on Monday that investigators
arrived in New York a day before the release of the Mitchell
report…and grilled him about what he told Mitchell, asking him
if he would back off on his testimony. The Daily News cited a
person close to the McNamee camp as having knowledge of the
interview.
“ ‘Brian told me they asked him to recant,’ said Earl Ward, last
night. ‘I spoke with him tonight and he confirmed it.’”
The private investigators presented McNamee with signed letters
from Clemens and Andy Pettitte, authorizing them to question
McNamee about what he told Mitchell. McNamee told the
investigators he told the truth to the feds and wasn’t about to
change his story.
Richard Sandomir / New York Times, re: “60 Minutes” and
Monday’s press conference.
“Clemens got to portray himself as a John Henry-like figure
whose career was based on hard work, not a vial of that nasty
Winstrol. And (Mike) Wallace elicited a confession that
Clemens seemed very eager to spill, about the only injections he
got from McNamee being the vitamin B12 and the painkiller
lidocaine.
“But in admitting that he downed Vioxx ‘like it was Skittles,’
Clemens seemed not to realize that his recklessness with a
painkiller that is now banned may lead as many people to marvel
at what he would do legally to keep his body pitching as to
wonder if he would be incautious enough to illicitly juice
himself.”
Mike Vaccaro / New York Post
“Brian McNamee is no hero. And he has done nothing heroic.
Remember that, too. But neither has he been exposed as a liar.
That makes him as dangerous to Clemens now as he was before
this silly little charade of a press conference.
“Clemens? Before he left the stage yesterday he bared his teeth
and cursed on live TV and tried to treat the rest of America the
way he treated Brian McNamee. And if McNamee didn’t break,
even if he sounded as if he were about to break down, what
chance did Clemens have against the rest of us?
“We’re the ones with the clear consciences.”
Mike Lupica / New York Daily News
“(Along with the continuing war of words between the lawyers
on both sides), you keep coming back to this: That out of all the
words we heard yesterday (Monday), the back and forth between
Clemens and McNamee, here are the ones we didn’t hear from
McNamee, that he lied.
“This tape and this press conference were supposed to settle a lot
and did not. All that was confirmed is that every time Clemens
steps in front of the public these days, he doesn’t seem to help
himself very much. Once he did start taking questions yesterday
– he is the one who called this press conference and still made
the job of answering questions seem like a nuisance – he really
did sound as desperate as McNamee, even as he tried to cowboy
everything up, up to and including when he said he didn’t give a
‘rat’s ass’ about the Hall of Fame.
“He wants us to believe that he didn’t take steroids or HGH, but
will take a shot from trainers like Brian McNamee every time his
back or shoulder is sore. Wants us to believe he’ll take any drug
to pitch, but draws the line at steroids. Has all this outrage about
being accused of being a juicer, can’t bring himself to call other
juicers – even now, in the age of drug testing – cheaters….
“But after another appearance that won Roger Clemens nothing
except more questions, here is one last question to add to the list:
If he can’t do better than this with an interview show and his own
press conference, how does he think he’s going to do in front of
Congress?”
Jemele Hill / ESPN.com
“ ‘I don’t know if I can defend myself,’ Clemens said. ‘I think
people – a lot of people have already made their decisions. And
that’s our country, isn’t it? Guilty before innocence – that’s the
way our country works now.’
“By the way, this is the same country that has made Clemens
millions.
“At this point, all we can expect from Fraud-ger are well-
constructed lies disguised as genuine outrage. It’s not like we
haven’t seen this before. Marion Jones held a teary-eyed news
conference proclaiming her innocence, threatened to sue BALCO
mastermind Victor Conte and even lied in her own
autobiography before she finally admitted she took performance-
enhancing drugs. Pete Rose maintained his charade for years
before finally admitting he bet on his own team.
“One thing Clemens said definitely was true. He said the Hall of
Fame is the least of his concerns. He’s right. He’s playing a
game of chicken. We’ll see if he’s bluffing.”
Goose In…McGwire Not Even Close
Ah yes, the Baseball Hall of Fame. Goose Gossage became the
fifth relief pitcher to be elected on Tuesday, the only player to
get in this go around. [Incidentally, the other four relievers are
Rollie Fingers, Bruce Sutter, Dennis Eckersley, and Hoyt
Wilhelm.]
But what of the others on the ballot? Jim Rice, in his next to last
year of eligibility before he’s left in Veterans Committee limbo,
finished with 72.2%, shy of the 75% requirement. In 2007 Rice
picked up 63.5%, after 64.8% in 2006. Rice was hurt in ’07 by
first-timers Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn.
Next year, though, Rice can take heart from the stat that of the 20
others who previously polled 70% but less than 75%, all got in.
So even with first-timer Rickey Henderson on the ballot in ”09,
you’ve got to believe Rice will receive a groundswell of
support to pick up the stragglers.
Meanwhile, 2007 was Mark McGwire’s first year of eligibility
and in light of his pitiful performance before Congress, he
received only 23.5% of the vote. This time it was just 23.6%.
Roger Clemens is studying this closely, no doubt, though you
can build a case that Clemens and Barry Bonds were clearly first
ballot picks before they went bad; unlike McGwire who was
nothing spectacular before he turned to the juice.
Back to Goose, he told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale before the
Hall results were announced:
“This game has been manipulated out of its mind. It’s a shame
what this game has become. All you hear about is steroids, but
steroids is only one of the factors that have contributed to this
offensive explosion the last 10 years.
“The owners should save themselves money and not even use
pitchers. Just put a tee up at the plate and have the players play
T-ball…..That’s what the game has become.”
Goose told Nightengale that he’ll forever be appreciative of
advice Richie (Dick) Allen gave him on the art of intimidation.
“You can’t even scare a guy today without getting kicked out of
the game. When I made a bad pitch, it was at the head. I
remember telling Dick I was afraid I was going to hit somebody.
“Dick said, ‘That’s the key. That’s the great purpose pitch.
When you miss inside throwing around the letters, you really
miss. Believe me, you do that, the rest of their dugout is looking.
They want no part of you.’
“That’s the sad thing today, the intimidation part of the game is
gone. If a hitter even looked at you, you would drill him.
Everyone did that. But these hitters are protected today.
“I mean, when was the last time Mark McGwire or Sammy Sosa
were knocked down? Never. How about Bonds? Never.
“It’s such a soft game today. The first thing Hank Aaron had to
worry about every game was getting drilled or getting knocked
down. Not just once. But at least twice a game. That’s the last
thing on hitters’ minds these days.”
Stuff
–I’m sorry, there is just way too much time between the end of
the regular college football season and the BCS title game. They
have to figure out a way to hold it no more than two days after
New Year’s. I can’t be the only one who just plain loses interest.
Of course ideally it should be at night, New Year’s Day, like the
old days when the Orange or Sugar (or the Rose Bowl) was for
the national championship.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the NCAA executive committee, the
president of the Univ. of Georgia, is now touting an 8-team
playoff format. But while the plan hasn’t formally been unveiled
yet, it would use the Rose, Sugar, Fiesta and Orange bowls to
host the quarterfinals on Jan. 1. So the national title wouldn’t be
decided until around Jan. 15! Geezuz, who will care when
you’re in the midst of the NFL playoffs at that point? It’s also
not as if you’ll have a Hawaii or Boise State in the final eight to
offer us an upset possibility in the first round, though I do have
to admit the games on Jan. 1, under the proposal, would be far
more exciting than they are now……………………………
hmmmmmmmmm……I reserve the right to change my mind.
Final AP Top Ten
1. LSU…12-2
2. Georgia…11-2
3. USC…11-2
4. Missouri…12-2
5. Ohio State…11-2
6. West Virginia…11-2
7. Kansas…12-1
8. Oklahoma…11-3
9. Virginia Tech…11-3
t-10. Boston College…11-3
t-10. Texas…10-3
*I love this bit….if you carry out the poll to those ‘receiving
votes’ in the top 25, Div. I-AA Appalachian State would be No.
34.
–Speaking of which, Phil W. passed along a Lenox Rawlings
piece from the Winston-Salem Journal on the ACC’s pitiful
performance in the bowl games, 2-6, with only Wake and BC
winning their contests. Rawlings quotes Wake coach Jim Grobe,
who doesn’t want to schedule Appalachian State.
“It’s not that I’m afraid of playing anybody, but in fairness to our
players, there are teams in (Div. I-AA) you don’t want to play.
Appalachian State is at the top of the list, along with James
Madison, Furman and some others. You know you’re going to
take their best shot, and it’s going to take your best shot to beat
them. It’s smart either to stay away from that division or play
somebody you’re apt to beat. I’m probably being too honest, but
that’s the way it is. If I scheduled Appalachian State, I wouldn’t
be too smart.”
–The SEC went 7-2 in bowl games and has now won 4 of the 10
BCS title games, as well as being the first to go back-to-back.
–Yikes…Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman, the main play-
by-play announcer during its PGA Tour telecasts, said that
today’s young players should “lynch Tiger Woods in a back
alley.” This is your basic nightmare, to say the least. Tilghman,
one week into 2008, may have already wrapped up the Bar Chat
“Idiot of the Year” award.
–In Golf Digest’s annual ranking of the all-encompassing money
list, both on course and off course, Tiger is once again handily in
front for 2007 with $122.7 million [$22.9 on course, $99.8 off
course]. Phil Mickelson is 2nd with $49.6 million [$9.4 on, $40.2
off] and Vijay Singh is 3rd at $31.8 million [$6.5 on, $25.3 off].
Amazingly, Arnold Palmer is still 5th at $29.55 million, virtually
all ‘off.’ But Michelle Wie was 12th with $12.5 million, all but
$9,899 ‘off.’ Oh yeah, her sponsors are fired up.
[Tiger’s ‘on course’ winnings include the $10 million FedEx Cup
bonus as well as overseas winnings. And cumulatively, since he
turned pro in 1996 he has earned $769 million.]
In the entertainment world, it’s said Oprah earned $260 million
in 2007. Geezuz, Rachael Ray is at $16 million! And glancing
at the list, Jerry Seinfeld picked up another $60 million.
–Shu passed on a note about Playboy’s Super Bowl party this
year outside Phoenix. As always, it’s the hottest ticket around
with just a handful of 1,800 still available at $2,000 apiece.
Playboy brings 26 playmates from across the country, including
2007 Playmate of the Year Sarah Underwood, plus numerous
hired models and go-go dancers.
Last year’s party also drew Danica Patrick and Alyssa Milano.
Sadly, Bar Chat did not receive its invite in time to make
appropriate flight plans. Then again, we”re going to be in
Vegas for the Super Bowl…..developing.
–Rutgers running back Ray Price is entering the NFL draft a
year early and one scouting expert says he may not even be a
second-round pick with the glut of running backs teams will
have to choose from. I’m telling you, any team selecting Rice in
the third round, let’s say, is getting one of the steals of the draft.
He will be a solid player for a long, long time. [I haven’t talked
about a draft ‘steal’ of any kind since I noted the same of the
Dallas Mavericks’ Josh Howard, and that turned out pretty well.]
–Scientists from Oregon State University say that the dinosaurs
were not killed off by a massive meteor, but instead by tiny
pests; i.e., mosquito borne diseases and ticks. George Poinar
points out that the dinosaurs didn’t disappear immediately, to
which I’d say, “Hey, how do you know, George, you weren’t
there!” At which point he’d turn to talk to someone else.
–The Star-Ledger’s Fred Aun reports that “The number of black
bears that got in trouble between late November and late
December nearly doubled last year as compared to the same
period in 2006, according to New Jersey’s Division of Fish and
Wildlife.” Clearly, the bears are testing the defenses before
launching a spring offensive.
–Speaking of bears, I read a column by Craig Medred in the
Anchorage Daily News on the recent killing of a Kodiak brown
bear whose hide “squared at 10 feet, 6 inches.” The guess on
total weight was 1,500 to 1,800 pounds.
–The aforementioned Phil W., a Charlotte resident, now has
cause to worry about his personal safety as a South Carolina
businesswoman plans to transform the Charlotte Metro Zoo into
“Tiger World,” a sanctuary for abandoned cats and primates.
According to the Charlotte Observer, “Lea Jaunakasi, 31, is
investing $1.5 million in the recently shuttered small zoo south
of Salisbury to house about 30 tigers, 10 lions, two leopards, a
jaguar and 10 primates and reptiles.”
Oh brother. Jaunakais, whose family owns a water-testing
company, expects to turn the spot into a premier educational
center where the public could watch the big cats in a natural
setting, while from a security standpoint, she said cameras will
monitor the animals 24 hours a day. Remember one thing, folks.
When you see a lion or tiger bouncing a tennis ball against a wall
or rock, that’s your clue something is up.
But back to Phil, who is thinking of moving to South Carolina to
avoid being mauled, he notes that while more than 40 states ban
owning exotic animals such as tigers, North Carolina isn’t one of
them. Also from the Charlotte Observer:
“David Jones, director of the N.C. Zoo in Asheboro [a great one,
by the way], said that means the state may become even more
attractive to people who breed and sell tigers.”
–On Tuesday, Bob Eubanks turned 70, Soupy Sales 82, and
Larry Storch 85. Some of us of a certain generation feel old.
Top 3 songs for the week 1/6/79: #1 “Too Much Heaven” (Bee
Gees) #2 “Le Freak” (Chic) #3 “My Life” (Billy Joel)…and…
#4 “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” (Barbra & Neil) #5 “I Love
The Nightlife (Disco ‘Round)” (Alicia Bridges) #6 “Sharing The
Night Together” (Dr. Hook) #7 “Y.M.C.A.” (Village People) #8
“Hold The Line” (Toto….Dorothy’s dog scores with smash hit)
#9 “(Our Love) Don’t Throw It All Away” (Andy Gibb) #10
“Ooh Baby Baby” (Linda Ronstadt)
NBA Quiz Answers: 1) Top five points, career – Kareem Abdul-
Jabbar, 38,387; Karl Malone, 36,928; Michael Jordan, 32,292;
Wilt Chamberlain, 31,419; Moses Malone, 27,409. 2) Top five
scoring average – Michael Jordan, 30.1; Wilt Chamberlain, 30.1;
Allen Iverson, 27.8; Elgin Baylor, 27.4; Jerry West, 27.0.
*Wilt holds the top four single-season scoring averages – 50.4,
44.8, 38.4, 37.6. Michael Jordan is the only other to average 37
(37.1).
**Just a note on some of the new pictures you may have noticed
up above. The polar bear is Knut, now over one-year-old and no
longer cute. The shaggy looking animals are our heroes, yaks.
There are also some pictures with yours truly at Checkpoint
Charlie in Berlin, as well as at Potsdamer Square, and two photos
from Red Square. And I keep forgetting, like for months and
months, to note that the photo of me and the pig is from the
world famous Johnny Mac Pig-Picking….held each summer at
Johnny’s Mountain, his secret hideout and the place where some
of us have begun stockpiling provisions for the rapidly
approaching revolution……….Or the party to be held when the
Mets and Jets win, whichever comes first.
Next Bar Chat, Monday am.
