Something in the Water?

Is there something in the water today? I’m being serious. There are a few rather off stories in the news today, and while a couple of them have nothing to do with baseball, I just couldn’t resist writing about them today.

Even if you aren’t a hockey fan, you just have to love the passion that Alexander Ovechkin shows on a nightly basis. Not just the passion mind you, but the unimaginable skills as well. If you haven’t seen The Greatest Goal Ever Scored watch it, and make sure you watch the slow-mo replay – it will blow your mind. In addition to his on ice exploits (he has won the league MVP award the past two years), you have to love, and I mean LOVE what he recently said when interviewed by a Russian journalist.

Question: How do you prepare for the game? Is it true that you can’t have sex before the match?
OVECHKIN: Sex really helps, actually.
Question: Is that before or after the match?
OVECHKIN: Before and after.

As my college Ted Carlson said when he read this report – he shoots, he scores!

One of the classicest of all classic statements — ever.
(And yes, I know I made up that word).

Football player Charles Rogers, the wide receiver who was taken second overall in the 2003 NFL Entry Draft, was a complete and total bust – probably one of the top-5 in the history of the league. The second player taken in the country out of Michigan State went on to record 36 receptions, 440 yards and four touchdowns in his three year NFL career. What happened? Were the talent evaluators that far off? Was Rogers lazy? Well, turns out that one of the main reasons was that Rogers was “high”, and I don’t mean happy, pretty much every single day of his NFL career. In a recent interview Rogers admitted that he smoked marijuana almost every day while he was an NFL player. So let’s review. (1) A potentially lucrative career filled with ladies, fame, fortune went up in smoke. (2) Rogers was so stupid, and I mean absolutely devoid of intelligence, that he actually smoked himself out of the NFL. (3) Where was the NFL and their drug testing when all of this was going on? Steroids are bad because you are “cheating,” but no one cares if you do illegal drugs as long as you don’t use them to build muscle? Do you get it? I don’t.

Back to some baseball.

Erik Bedard was looking good in his rehab work raising hope that he would be able to contribute soon. Alas, he threw 25 pitches in the bullpen on Tuesday and his shoulder started barking again. Face it. The guy is the AL’s version of Rich Harden – dominant when on, though that occurs about as often as a full moon. Bedard should be on the Mets, he would fit right in.

Jason Giambi continues to await a return from his quad injury. Hitting just .193 on the year, there is no truth to the rumor that Giambi hurt himself while pulling on his magical golden thong.

Bobby Jenks is back in the hospital with kidney stones. I’ve fortunately never had them, but I’ve heard they are about as much fun as trying to hit a Tim Lincecum fastball with a fungo bat in 22 degree weather while wearing shorts and a flip flops. I wish you well Mr. Jenks. Hurry back.

By Ray Flowers