by Adrian Doerfler
Daily Lobo
The middle of the summer is usually the least active time of year for the active sports fan.
It's a time when the top ESPN sports writers take their vacation time. Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser of "Pardon The Interruption" are replaced by the traditionally annoying Dan Le Batard and "Around the Horn" castoffs. It's a time filled with money talks and trade rumors, but with little action. Yet, this summer was different. The NBA, MLB, and NFL all found ways to make headlines.
It seems like the referees in the NBA will be the largest supporters of keeping the All-Star Game in Las Vegas and will be blowing their whistles in excitement if the Seattle Supersonics' owners decide to move their team to Sin City.
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Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy admitted to speaking in code during telephone calls and giving high-stakes gamblers inside information on which teams to bet on. When he was correct, he collected $5,000. Now he is going to snitch on about 20 referees, and he could face up to 25 years in prison.
Elsewhere in the NBA this summer, another kind of green that became popular in the '60s is making a huge comeback. The Boston Celtics helped balance power in the Western and Eastern conferences and became immediate contenders by trading for both Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to help
Paul Pierce.
In baseball, Barry Bonds finally broke Hank Aaron's coveted career home run record. Also, Jose Canseco will be coming out with another book no one will buy. But the book will start more steroid controversy, because Canseco claims to have information on future home run king Alex Rodriguez, who already has the same amount of 40-home run seasons as Bonds. I hope the game of baseball doesn't receive an asterisk in 15 years because of this "Surreal Life" loser.
When the NFL preseason comes around, it usually signifies the end of nothing but baseball, which makes many American sports fans happy. Even though I have no interest in watching 12-year-olds compete in the Little League World Series, the preseason should be cut in half by two games. There have been too many injuries over the years, and coaches making the final few cuts on their team cannot be anymore stressed. Players are signed and cut through the active roster and practice squads every week. Michael Vick, for example, was injured during the 2003 preseason. This probably led him to spending more time with his beloved pit bulls than with his playbook. Now we won't be able to watch the most exciting athlete in the most exciting league play for another two or three years.
