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Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy Birthday, America! 237 Reasons To Love Our Sports.

   Don't look now, but things aren't real swell in American sports. More like red, white and boo.
   We used to dominate. But what not long ago was Mike Tyson and Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong and Andre Agassi and Mike Modano has slowly deteriorated into a bunch of foreigners in first-place named Wladimir Klitschko and Justin Rose and Alberto Contador and Novak Djokovic and Alex Ovechkin.
   Even Serena Williams - the most dominant athlete on the planet - couldn't lift the U.S. at Wimbledon, leaving America without a ladies' semifinalist on the grass for only the sixth time since 1968. We won't win the Tour de France. We didn't win the World Baseball Classic. We never sniff advancing in the World Cup. We're not even a lock to win next week's sailing of the America's Cup.
   Of course, all is not lost. We still have the best player in football (Adrian Peterson), basketball (LeBron James) and one of the best in baseball (Chris Davis, yes that Chris Davis). And the July 4th Hot Dog Eating contest should be won by Joey Chestnut, but only - get this - because Kobayashi is in a contract dispute with Major League Eating.
   We may have to squint a little harder these days to see it, but there are still countless reasons to be proud of American sports. And on this - our country's 237th birthday - I urge you to spend part of your Fourth of July, between the burgers and bikinis, admiring and appreciating each unique candle on this homemade cake.
   Here's hoping my list reminds you how friggin' fortunate we are to have a variety of sports, and the freedom to choose which ones we love and loathe.
   Happy Birthday, America's sports! Celebrate with fireworks, and by feeling better about your games, your country and, yes, even yourself.
   As usual, add to the list if you want. Or just pick and choose. Whatever.
   It is, after all, a free country.

237. Johnny Football, with his Heisman and without his Twitter.
236. Wiffle Ball in the back yard.
235. Labor peace.
234. Failure Jesus, working his magic on Tim Tebow.
233. The right to hate Tom Hicks and the responsibility of remembering Chuck Greenberg.
232. Cowboys' Super Bowl expectations. Every single year.
231. Tiger Woods' rise. And fall. And almost rise again.
230. Ron Washington's relentless optimism.
229. Cowboys Stadium.
228. The New Orleans ... Pelicans?
227. Jordan Spieth's future and Dez Bryant's present.
226. The star on the helmet.


9 comments:

  1. Nice...A list to appreciate, discuss and disagree with. But your point is dead on...to have the freedom to appreciate, discuss and even disagree with. Have a happy Independence Day, Richie and Sybil!

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  2. Absolutely!!! Despite problems in DC, we still got things to be proud of here. Like A-Rod watching strike 3 go by to send the Rangers to the World Series and Brett Hull's Stanley Cup winning "no-goal". Good stuff Richie

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  3. 47. Bear Bryant and Nick Saban.

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  4. 238. Having a decent Sportatorium blog to read again.
    Thanks RW and have a nice 4th

    - Storm_71

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  5. Nice well thought out list

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  6. 239. Cheerleaders
    240. Wrestling-WWF
    241. OJ Simpson
    242. 42
    243. Michael Phelps

    Great job on this one! Happy 4th

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  7. Thanks Ritchie for all of the Boston references. Been here in north TX for 10 months now.

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  8. You Had me right up to Christian Laettner, he sucks always will same as every other Duke player ever.

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