A Splinter Sprint

Really quick post today since I have a lot of work to do.

Baseball has officially adopted instant replay. I'm curious to see how this works out. The purist in me doesn't like this at all. However, it doesn't seem like it would slow the game down much and you'd get the call (presumably) right. I'm still waiting to see where Jeffrey Maier weighs in on this one.

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UVA has banned signs made by fans at sports arenas. This is weak. If the school's concerned that a sign is offensive, have security take the sign. And this still won't stop them from screaming. Wonder what Wisconsin can do to halt their famous and oh-so-classy "Eat S---, F--- you" cheer. Available on YouTube for mature audiences. Maybe Home Depot can sponsor duct tape night and The Man can tape fans' mouths shut. Or Dial can have Wash Your Mouth Out Weekend!

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Speaking of foul language, anyone catch Tiki Barber's "slip up" deriding his co-host Jenna Wolfe and their painfully awkward interaction that ensued for the remainder of the day. Here's the YouTube clip, you be the judge if Tiki drops the C-bomb. It comes at about the 45 second mark. Keep in mind, that this clip was preceded by Wolfe claiming that she's been wearing Tiki's Super Bowl ring all week ... and yes, that would be the Super Bowl Ring that Tiki does not own since he prematurely retired from the Super Bowl Champion N.Y. Giants last season.

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As a followup to yesterday's post, the U.S. women won in basketball and claimed the gold medal in soccer. Though the women's 4x100m relay also dropped the baton, prompting the U.S. to look into their failures on the track this year.

And the IOC says there's no proof that China's female gymnasts are underage, but asked official to investigate anyway. Odds of that investigation turning up substantive? About as good as Usain Bolt losing a race to a constipated sloth.

Bad Day for USA?

Rough Olympic news to start the day. The U.S. softball team, who looked completely unbeatable ever since softball became an Olympic sport, lost in the finals to Japan. Moreover, the women's water polo team lost to the Netherlands despite being favored. To top it all off, the men's 4x100m relay team dropped the baton. At least Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh prevailed over China in the women's beach volleyball final. Still ... Ouch.

At least, "ouch" in the sense that as a sports superpower losing at all is unexpected. But maybe there's even more disappointment on the way.

The U.S. women's basketball team was only up one point at halftime and the U.S.-Brazil women's soccer final just got underway. Losing to Russia in hoops would be a huge shock. Brazil may in fact be the better team on the soccer pitch. Should be some exciting finishes.

Oh, Henry

Looks like Cincinnati police officers will again have no problem meeting their monthly arrest quotas ... The Bengals (Bungles?) are close to bringing back Chris Henry according to his agent.

"We're in talks and we're real close," [Marvin] Frazier [his agent] said. "I'm just glad they're willing to let the past be the past and give him a chance. I just hope that the Cincinnati fans will give him the same type of chance."

That chance would be Chance No. 17 I believe ...

How weak is this. The Bengals already have two world-class wideouts, but they have to bring back Henry too. Henry had his chances. Lots of them. He screwed them all up. Any guesses on how this one will end?

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Tough luck for a few kids with bright futures in the pros as Texas's Ian Kinsler and Milwaukee's Ryan Braun look like they're going to miss time with injuries. Kinsler looks to be done for the year with the dreaded sports hernia.

The Brewers are right in the thick of the pennant race and the Rangers have an outside shot at the Wild Card, but both blows can't help their causes.

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An injury may also have ended the career of shoe-in Hall of Famer Tom Glavine. The 300-game winner and two-time Cy Young Award winner is set to have the dreaded meeting with Dr. James Andrews (he of Tommy John surgery fame) to diagnose Glavine's ailing arm. If it requires surgery, that will most likely end the pitcher's career.

On Diamond, China Leaves U.S. Red, White, Black and Blue

The U.S. and China got chippy on the ball field today, when Chinese pitchers drilled six U.S. batter, including Indians power prospect Matt LaPorta in the head. Just prior to the LaPorta bean ball, the U.S.'s Nate Schierholtz dropped his shoulder and absolutely trucked China's catcher on a play at the plate.

You can read up on it, here.

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SI's blog is hosting conversation about Bela Karolyi's work with NBC. The dude is extremely entertaining and I have no problem with the enthusiasm. But if he's going to sit on the set of a "news" broadcast and critique the performances of all gymnasts while openly rooting for the American team, there needs to be a more clear definition of his role for the viewers.

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The Washington Nationals failed to sign their first round draft pick by last weekend's deadline, meaning RHP Aaron Crow will go back into the draft in 2009. GM Jim Bowden blames Crow's agents, Crow's agents blame Bowden's unwillingness to give their client the money he wanted. Looks like both parties lose now. ESPN baseball writer Keith Law puts it all on Bowden, saying Crow's high asking price was well known prior to the draft and he should have either been willing to meet it, or pick a different player.

My only concern is this: The Nationals need young talent. Ross Detwiler and Josh Smoker, last year's first round "can't miss picks" have thus far missed. When D.C. built the stadium for the team, ownership said they'd spend money on talent. Thus far, they haven't spent it on free agents (not that they should have, but they haven't) and now they didn't pony up to meet Crow's last-minute price of $4.4 million (down from $9 million). It's a bad PR trend for a team that could stand to generate some goodwill from season ticket holders looking for a reason to renew after a disastrous 2007 season.

8 Is Great, but Now What?

Michael Phelps completed his unlikely and unparalleled quest for eight gold medals last night. Oh, and by the way, there's another week left in the Olympics.

Now that the men's 100m record was again shattered by Usain Bolt, who could have done a cartwheel over the finish line and still posted the fastest time in history, what's left? Yeah, there's the men's 200m, anyone think Bolt isn't going to win that one? There's Jeremy Wariner in the 400m, but have you heard a peep about him from the press? (Besides the feature in ESPN the Magazine's preview issue that is ... )

To date, and perhaps deservedly so given the historic implications of the achievement, these Olympics have been all about Phelps, all the time. But now that his story has been written, there feels like there's little left to get excited about.

Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of great athletes yet to come, but the way NBC has covered Phelps, he's left everyone else in his wake. Will viewers give those who have yet to compete a chance to catch up? Or will they change the channel?