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The Sports Report – February 2018

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with Packer Dave, Steve Leventhal, and Jeff Rich

Our special guest, former UCLA Bruin and NBA veteran Ed O’Bannon talks about his lengthy legal battle with the NCAA over the “amateur” status of college athletes, as chronicled in his book, Court Justice.  Plus, the guys talk Winter Olympics, NBA, Jimmy Garopollo’s new contract, the Lions new coach, and the fiasco over Josh McDaniels. The Pats offensive coordinator took the Colts head coaching job, then promptly changed his mind.

Don’t miss cameos from Dick Vitale and Jeff Foxworthy on The Sports Report for February 2018.

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Blame Lolo Jones for Olympic bobsled fail?

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Blame Lolo Jones for Olympic bobsled fail?It could have been three American bobsleds, not two, in contention for women’s 2-man bobsled medals.

If not for a bad choice on the part of the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation.

After all,  USA-1 pilot Elana Meyers and brakeman Lauryn Williams, the most experienced of the bobsledders, are currently in first place with a two-heat time of 1:54.89, .23 seconds ahead of Canada-1 pilot Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse and .56 ahead of USA-2 pilot Jamie Greubel and Aja Evans, a Chicago native.

Where are the third American team…former Olympic track star Lolo Jones and and pilotJazmine Fenlator?  They are currently in 11th of 19 bobsleds heading into Wednesday’s final two heats. On Tuesday, their first heat brought them in 58.27 seconds. In the second heat, they were .19 seconds slower at 58.46.

“Everything went as expected,” Jones told theWashington Post. “We knew we would have to fight. We knew it would be four tough runs.”

She expected to come in 11th? I don’t think that’s why the Federation picked her.

Though anything can happen in the final two heats on Wednesday, Jones and Fenlator, according toUSA Today and other media outlets, are unlikely to medal here.

I agree.  Why blame Jones?

Actually, I blame the Federation, not so much Jones. They made two critical errors:

1) The Federation went for better publicity, not a better pushman

Yep my heart is hurting and moments like these I just praise and worship God. This song on repeat pic.twitter.com/eOIMGU0mBy

In this case,  Jones was selected over the blonde, beautiful, and experienced Palos Hills native Katie Eberling. She was an immediate favorite for the Olympic team after claiming the 2011 U.S. National Push Champion title in her rookie season. Eberling, 25, was left off the team despite three bronze-medal finishes in four World Cup races this season. She was the national team’s most decorated brakeman and the reigning world silver medalist in the two-woman bobsled. She won three bronze medals on the World Cup circuit this season and finished second behind Evans at the national push championships, which clock how fast athletes can thrust the sleds off the starting line.

Katie Eberling, who's an alternate on this year's Bobsled team after being passed over for Lolo Jones

Katie Eberling, who’s an alternate on this year’s Bobsled team after being passed over for Lolo Jones

Yes, Jones had two silver medals in four bobsled races, and ultimately bobsled officials liked Jones’ chances. She’s also ‘hot,’ she’s charismatic, she’s a Christian, reportedly a virgin, and has achieved worldwide fame for her looks, her omnipresence on social media, and her ability to bounce back from failure.  The Des Moines, Iowa native has a sad backstory, which always makes for good press.

And now, she’s a two-sport Olympian. More good press.

But she’s failed in heavy competition for any Olympic medal, let alone a gold.

The former U.S. track star missed bronze by a 10th of a second in the women’s 100-meter hurdles in the London Olympics in 2012, taking fourth place in her second attempt at the Summer Games. Her poor showing at the 2012 Olympics  kept her out of the “world class runner” tag she has long desired.

She won indoor national titles in 2007, 2008 and 2009 in the 60 m hurdles, with gold medals at the World Indoor Championship in 2008 and 2010. She was favored to win the 100 m hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but tripped on the penultimate hurdle, finishing in seventh place. She went on to win silver at the 2008 World Athletics Final.

2) They went with inexperience in USA-3

To earn her silver medal, Jones was paired with Elana Meyers, arguably the best of all drivers in US bobsled history. How much push was actually necessary?

Paired with Fenlator, their chances were weakened considerably.

Why would they have paired these two? Well, the bobsled federation cuts itself a wide berth when picking the Olympic team. The vaguely worded nominating procedures state that athletes should be selected based on current season results, past performance, push times, work ethic and driver input.

In her seven years as a ‘slider,’  Fenlator’s best finish was a silver during the 2012-13 season in Lake Placid, and a 5th in Park City.  She ran track at Rider University where her coach encouraged her to try a bobsled camp after graduation.

Maybe on paper, the team looked like they could maybe muster a respectable run.  But both lack the experience to win big in such an important event.

Yes, we have our publicity. But we also want our medals. Go USA?

But Elana Meyers, who I’m predicting will win gold on Wednesday, played the peacemaker on her Facebook page:

“In a sport where medals are won and lost by hundredths of a second, it is very important to analyze all the numbers and make the best decision to try to win Olympic medals for our country. Everyone may not agree with the decision, but the fact of the matter is, the numbers supported the selection committee’s decision and 3 athletes were chosen. The three that were chosen have worked hard to earn there spots, and I am proud to call them my Olympic teammates. “

 

Hero and Zero of the Week

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Michael Jordan, on playing for UNC, and also for Bob Knight on the 1984 Olympic Team:

“My Coach, Dean Smith, and Coach Knight are about the same except for the language.”

From the other calendar, this in a candy store in Pakistan: “Butt Sweets.”

Jimmy Fallon: “Justin Bieber and President Obama, both in New York tonight. Traffic gridlock with the most powerful man in the World, and right down the street, President Obama.”

Happy Birthday to Amanda Donohoe!

For the ZERO of the week, how about NBC?? NO, nothing political this time, although the way they keep editing footage (Trayvon Martin Case, Mitt Romney talking about Wa Wa’s) is interesting. Instead, we’ll go to an interview Bob Costas had with Jerry Sandusky. Everyone knows the horrific things Sandusky did, however to defend himself months ago, he had an interview on NBC. However NBC cut out a few of his statements, including when he said he didn’t target all of the children he helped for sexual favors! Yes, he said he did not target ALL! Rather self-incriminating, not sure why NBC would edit that out. Bob Costas is usually a pretty good journalist, maybe it was NBC, and he knew nothing of it. I can’t imagine why NBC would want to help Sandusky, although honestly, it’s difficult to figure out anything they do.

For the HERO of the week, how about Leroy Neiman, the famed artist, who died last week. No doubt all of you have seen some of his work, and he is possibly best known for his sports work. I’ve never been much into art, however some of his stuff I’ve happened to see has been striking.

Twenty Finalists Named for 2012 Olympic Basketball Squad

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from the YourSportsFan.com news wires…

The finalist consists of eight 2008 Olympic gold medalists, 10 members of the 2010 USA World Championship gold medal winning team, one national team player and one newcomer to the USA Basketball National Team were among the 20 finalists named today for the 2012 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team by USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo. The official 12-man U.S. Olympic team roster will be announced later this year.

The finalists for the 2012 USA team were: Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls);LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trail Blazers); Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks); Chauncey Billups (Los Angeles Clippers); Chris Bosh (Miami Heat); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets); Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers); LeBron James (Miami Heat); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); Lamar Odom (Dallas Mavericks); Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers); Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat); Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder); and Deron Williams (New Jersey Nets). Griffin was also officially added to the USA Basketball National Team roster.

The 2012 USA coaching staff is led by Duke University’s Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski, and serving as USA assistant coaches are Syracuse University’s Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, New York Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni, and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan.

“The USA Basketball Men’s National Team program has come a long way as the elite list of players who are now part of our program shows. The selected finalists are a very, very talented group; the depth of the talent is extraordinary. This selection decision was as difficult of a challenge as I’ve faced since I took on the USA National Team program in 2005,” said Colangelo, who has served as the managing director of the USA Men’s National Team since 2005.