That's All She Wrote: Rivera Is What's Good About Baseball
By George Ofman-
(CBS) Mariano Rivera is what's good and right about baseball. Alex Rodriguez is what's emblematic about it.
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Can you remember someone as incredibly disingenuous as A-Rod. He clearly doesn't have a clue, but it appears baseball has enough evidence against him to lessen his back account. "Let the process play out," retorted the hated one. I can't wait.
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And how can we believe anyone? Just before spring training, Tigers' shortstop Jhonny Peralta issued a statement through his attorney: "I have never used performance-enhancing drugs, period. Anyone who says otherwise is lying." He should have gotten an EXTRA 50 games for lying.
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Please, whatever you do, don't get overly excited about the Bears' preseason opener. Don't get very disappointed, either. Preseason football is like spring training baseball games: meaningless. Jay Cutler will play limited minutes. He might only take a handful of snaps. That's meaningless… unless he throws an interception.
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The more things change, the more they stay the same. 25 years ago, Wrigleyville was up in arms over the installation of lights at the ballpark that needed them for 25 years. The hue and cry was how it would destroy the neighborhood. How are property values now? Not sure what Tom Tunney was doing then, but I imagine complaining about something. And where was Tom Ricketts? I'll take my chances and say he was in the bleachers. And where was yours truly? I covered the game that didn't make it past the fourth inning. Lots of electricity in the air that night and most was provided by Mother Nature.
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Magglio Ordonez is running for mayor in a Venezuelan coastal town. Good for him only he supported Hugo Chavez's 21 century socialism. Does this mean Mags will turn on the country that paid him tens of millions?
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Stat of the month: White Sox starters have an ERA of 2.60 in the last 12 games and that, of course, includes a 10-game losing streak. What do the Sox really need to compete? It's very simple and its one word: power.
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Stat of the month No. 2: Donnie Murphy had 18 homers in 577 major league at-bats before joining the Cubs. That's one every 32 at-bat. After hitting two Wednesday night, he has three every 4.3 at bats with his new team.
The Bulls will open their season at Miami when the Heat will get their championship rings and proceed to get walloped by Derrick Rose and his teammates. It won't mean a thing in the long run, since the Bulls won't be getting rings the same time next year.
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Stanford will retire John Elway's number. Think it's about time? He would have led The Cardinal to a bowl game in 1982 had it not been for the team band and the infamous finish allowing Cal to win. So wouldn't it be apropos for that same band to return and interrupt the ceremony?
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Do you think Johnny Manziel really cares a great deal about college football? He simply wants to pass go and collect his $200 million from the NFL.
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And that's all she wrote.
George Ofman is a sports anchor and reporter for WBBM Newsradio 780 & 105.9FM. Look for him on Facebook and find him on Twitter at @georgeofman.
