By Tyler Tjelmeland
1. Fowl expletives against Selig
- Recently, Major League Baseball took over ownership of The Los Angeles Dodgers due to financial troubles plaguing the owner Frank McCourt and The Dodgers organization. Frank McCourt has expressed some displeasure for the take-over by MLB commissioner Bud Selig and how the league is handling the situation. The Dodgers organization were potentially discussing a huge deal with the FOX network that McCourt argues would virtually eliminate the controversy surrounding McCourt’s financial troubles and his divorce. The deal would bring close to 3 billion dollars to the organization over the next 17 years. McCourt went on MSNBC this week and was quoted as saying, “I want to talk to Bud, and I want to know why he is ducking me!” referring to how Bud Selig and the MLB are not trying to work with McCourt to solve the financial problem. This is not the first time that the MLB has had to take over a team, most recently The Texas Rangers last season and the 2001 Montreal Expos which ultimately moved the team to Washington D.C. Mr. McCourt is allegedly going to sue Major League Baseball for taking over the team. McCourt’s fowl (great pun right?) language against Selig brings the Los Angeles Dodgers situation into our Bottom 5 for the second straight week.
2. $2, 445,680.00, is cheap according to Granger
- After the Chicago Bulls squashed the Indiana Pacers hopes of moving on to the next round of the NBA playoffs Tuesday night, Pacers forward, Danny Granger, had some choice words about big man for the Bulls, Joakim Noah. Granger was quoted as calling Noah “cheap” and “cowardly.” Referring to Noah taking cheap shots during the game against Pacers players such as Josh McRoberts, which ultimately resulted in McRoberts getting ejected from the game due to a retaliation. Noah has become known for his ability to instigate technical fouls from other players due to his tough play and his demeanor during the game. Hopefully Granger makes enough money to go and buy some tissues because after the sob fest that was his statements towards Noah, he is going to need quite a few. Good thing the Pacers will have the entire offseason to have team therapy to blame.
3. Tweet Tweet, Shut Up!
- Todd Tichenor, home plate umpire during the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees game on Wednesday ejected White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen for arguing balls and strikes. No big deal right? Ozzie gets ejected all the time because of that loud, fiery mouth of his, so it should come as no surprise, but thanks to the unlimited access to the internet and social media via Twitter, Ozzie was not done. He tweeted during the game on Twitter, “This one going to cost me a lot money, this is patetic” and “Today a tough guy show up a Yankee Stadium.” Yes, those quotes are verbatim from Twitter and are exactly what he wrote. Ozzie, we know you do not like umpiring when it goes against you, but if you are going to bash umpires and are going to make a rouse out of getting ejected, please, for Pete’s sake, at least use the common courtesy to spell things correctly and not look like a total idiot. Thanks.
4. All-time Lowe
- The lowest of the low this week is just that. Derek Lowe, opening-day starting pitched for the Atlanta Braves was arrested late Thursday night after making an illegal lane change. The police officer that pulled him over smelled what he believed to be alcohol on Lowe’s breath so he made him do a sobriety test after Lowe refused to blow in the BAC indicator. Any time a professional athlete is arrested for a DUI it is low, but rumors have spread since the accident that Lowe was actually involved in street racing. Derek Lowe is 37 years old and a seasoned veteran in Major League Baseball. It is unclear what the repercussions will be for Lowe. This is not the way that a veteran leader like Lowe is supposed to act and that is why he breaks into the Bottom 5. Lowe man, real Lowe!
5. Homophobic Remarks Not Just In Basketball
- According to a fan that attended an Atlanta Braves game this week in San Francisco against the Giants, pitching coach Roger McDowell made homophobic gestures and comments to heckling fans. The content of the comments has forced the Atlanta Braves to place McDowell on administrative leave starting Friday April 29, 2011. According to a report on AOL.com McDowell asked a group of fans in the outfield bleachers, “Are you a homo couple, or a threesome?” and then made an obscene sexual gesture with a baseball bat. Are you kidding me? This homophobic blast from McDowell comes just barely 2 weeks removed from the controversy surrounding Kobe Bryant and his homophobic slurs directed at officials in the NBA. Come on people, this is the year 2011, get with the program and start being more accepting