Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Derek Jeter gets honors, Chip Caray gets heave-ho

I've written two pieces for The Faster Times that should be of interest to Squawker readers.

* First is about Derek Jeter winning Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year. My point is that while it's well-deserved, SI went too far in suggesting that Jeter is on the same level as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Isn't it enough that the captain is a first-ballot Hall of Famer and the most beloved Yankee since Mickey Mantle? Why make such over-the-top comparisons with two of the greatest players of all time?

* Second is about TBS firing Chip Caray. I would like to see TBS dispense with the national broadcasters for the playoffs. Why not have, say, Michael Kay and Jerry Remy together in the booth if it were a Yankees-Red Sox ALCS? Would save the network money, and please fans, too.

What do you think? Tell us about it!

4 comments:

Lisa Swan said...

I'll take my lumps when necessary for not worshiping Derek Jeter sufficiently. But I've written literally three pieces in a row where I said he was the best choice for Sportsman of the Year. Yes, better than Alex Rodriguez.

But just because I don't think Jeter is on the same level of Babe Ruth, the greatest player of all time, I'm a hater. Good grief.

Uncle Mike said...

Maybe, Lisa, you should have a filter for those who choose to remain "Anonymous." This probably isn't the same "Anonymous" who's said nasty things about the Yanks all season long here, but nobody associated with the 2009 Yankees needs to sit here and let themselves be called an "idiot" (not even Johnny Damon, long past his self-proclaimed "Idiot" phase in Boston) by someone who doesn't even have the guts to identify himself.

Jeter was the Sportsman of the Year. A-Rod was the Sports Story of the Year. I think most Yankee Fans will consider those statements reasonable.

In fact, now that I think about it, maybe the most fair thing to do would be to have Jeter share it with Mariano Rivera. Or to give it to the entire team, as has been done before: The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, the 1999 U.S. Women's World Cup soccer team, and the 2004 Red Sox -- but then, the Sox have since been exposed as unsportsmen, haven't they?

nutballgazette said...

I agree with Uncle Mike about these (Anonymous) posters, I have mentioned this before here, Give us an idenity to who you are when you post, I know I have said some outlandish things here and on my blog as have Mike and you and Jon has (IMHO), and we all know who we are and who says it, I for one wrote some of the strongest Anti-A-rod stuff ever written and I have been doing it for years, I also have been there praising him for the way he conducted himself as the year went on,
Now as far as the Chipster goes, My first experience with him was as Play by Play of the expansion Orlando magic, He was a good guy for an expansion team as he was enthusiastic and fun to listen too, but sometimes Color Guy Goose Givens had to get him to calm down as he went overboard, Now the magic have a terrific TV Play by Play man in David Steele, a true pro.

nutballgazette said...

This from Len Berman (Lens Top 5)

3. Sportsman of the Year

I normally don't pay a whole of attention to the Sports Illustrated
Sportsman of the Year. After all, isn't the whole idea to sell
magazines? I've felt that way since 1969 when Tom Seaver won the award
and Rod Laver didn't. All the "Rocket" did was win a second Grand Slam
that year, all four major tennis tournaments. Nobody had ever done
that. Having said all that, I'm thrilled Derek Jeter won this year's
award. He is the real deal (unlike a certain golfer in the news.) All
these years in the New York media spotlight and not a single blip. Not
one. Congratulations Derek, well deserved. You truly are a sportsman.

Search This Blog