Hit for the cycle
A LOOK AT THE LAST MONTH IN SPORTS
ROMER BAUTISTA STAFF
Anybody who had followed sports the last couple of years knew what the Dallas Cowboys had coming to them when they signed Terrell Owens in the off-season. It wasn’t a matter of “if” something was going to happen, it was more like “when” something was going to happen. For Cowboys fans, that “when” was Sept. 26. No matter how much the Dallas organization anticipated a T. O. blow-up, nothing could prepare them for the media circus that soon followed. I figure that it is the best place to start, as I hit for the cycle, and recount the biggest stories from the past month in sports.
SINGLE: Terrell Owens is hospitalized
On Sept. 26, medics rushed to the home of Terrell Owens after the star receiver had a negative reaction to the pain medication that he was taking to help heal his injured hand. By the next morning, however, a report had come out claiming that Owens’ hospitalization came as a result of an attempted suicide. The report spread like wild fire, and soon every large American media outlet was reporting that Owens was depressed and trying to take his own life. This forced the Cowboys to hold a press conference so that they could deny the reports, and clear the air. As T. O.’s publicist Kim Etheridge said so eloquently at the press conference, “Terrell has 25 million reasons why he should be alive,” referring to the three-year, $25-million contract that Owens signed with the Cowboys.
DOUBLE: Colts and Bears stay undefeated
With so much media attention focused on Terrell Owens, it’s easy for some stories to be overlooked, such as the stories of the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears. These two teams have risen above the rest of the NFL, and established themselves as the teams to beat in their respective conferences. After week seven, both the Colts and the Bears have spotless 6-0 records, and they’re each winning in their usual fashion. The Colts are undefeated thanks in large part to their explosive offence, while the Bears remain undefeated thanks to their unrelenting defence. Not only are they both on course to meet in February in Florida for Super Bowl XLI, but if both keep up their current level of play, then both teams have a legitimate chance to challenge the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only team to get through the season undefeated.
TRIPLE: the start of the NHL season
We’re only a few weeks into the new NHL season, but there are a few things that are apparent.
§ Wayne Gretzky will not have the same success as a coach that he did as a player. At least, not while his starting goalie is Curtis Joseph.
§ If he plays the entire season, then Eric Lindros will be the biggest free agent signing of the year. The impact that Lindros has made on the Stars can only be rivaled by . . . .
§ Martin Havlat and the impact he has made on the Blackhawks. The ex-Senator has found a nice little niche in the Windy City. Before injuring his ankle on Friday night, Havlat led the league in goals and points.
§ Toronto fans can breathe a heavy sigh of relief, as the Maple Leafs will not be as horrible as everyone thought they would be. Young players like Alexander Steen and Kyle Wellwood have injected new life into the once-listless franchise.
§ Calgary fans, however, may want to get ready to hit the panic button. The Flames offence has been deplorable, scoring only 2.14 goals a game (good for 27th in the league), and their power play has been just as bad, converting on only three opportunities in 44 chances.
HOME RUN: the World Series is going on, but does anyone really care?
Unless you’re a Tigers or Cardinals fan, you probably aren’t interested in this year’s fall classic, the 102nd edition of the World Series. And who can blame you? These two teams huffed and puffed their way through the month of September, and looked ripe for the picking for the rest of the playoff teams. But lo and behold, look at who the last two teams standing are. Detroit has looked masterful in the playoffs. Backed by the pitching of Kenny Rogers and Justin Verlander, the Tigers made easy work of the Yankees and Athletics en route to the finals. The Cardinals have had a tougher trip, disposing of the Padres before defeating the team everyone picked to represent the National League, the Mets. Many experts believe that the Tigers will make short work of the Cardinals, but as the first two games of this series have shown us, the Cardinals will not go out without a fight, and these two teams will battle to the bitter end to find out who the best team in baseball is this year.
Hit for the cycle appears the third week of every month
