Shanoff’s Wake-Up Call: Bonds, All-Stars, More!

By Dan Shanoff
Today’s Calls: Bonds’ Asterisk vs. Bonds’ Typo, Kobe vs. Kobe, Rudy Gay vs. Dwight Howard, LeBron’s shoes vs. Kobe’s shoes, Junior vs. Tony, Kidd vs. Shaq, Arizona State vs. Stanford, Arlen Specter vs. Roger Goodell, Henry Waxman vs. Rusty Hardin, Zach Thomas vs. the Dolphins and More!
The Opening Pitch: The Asterisk has been replaced by The Typo.
When fans were hit with the news yesterday that Barry Bonds had tested positive for steroids a month after he hit No. 73, you could feel the knee-jerkery of the sports-shout machine springing into action: “See?! Worst. Cheating. Ever. Yaaaargh!”
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As it turns out, the report was prompted by a typo -- nothing to see here, folks:
Just the same old report of a positive ‘roid test for Bonds in 2000 that we got hysterical about a while ago. Yes: He allegedly tested positive for steroids just before the season in which he crushed the all-time single-season home-run record.
You can put the pitchforks and torches away, self-righteous sports yakkers. It’s old news. Let’s stick to this week’s developments:
Roger Clemens remains your biggest villain... “Pitchers and Catchers Report” is still the salvation of the game... and, as of next week, we’re right into spring training.
Instead, there are a LOT of better things to talk about...
I love NBA All-Star Weekend: I know it’s been down in recent years, but between the gimmicks and the special-edition sneakers, it is the most fun all-star experience in sports:
Will Kobe play actually play?! Bryant’s pinkie is damaged enough that a doc suggested surgery that would keep him out 6 weeks. Kobe rejected that, opting for rest, and the Lakers are asking the league to let their star skip the All-Star game.
Lakers fans better hope Kobe enjoys the game... as a spectator.
Who will Kidd play for? Here’s hoping his trade to the Mavs goes through, opening up the amazing potential that David Stern could let him play for both sides, one per half. Would be an instant classic.
Dunk Contest: It’s been a YouTubing, trash-talking, can-you-top-this battle among the participants. Could be the most competitive dunk contest since the mid-‘80s. Don’t forget: Fans decide the final winner! Pick: Dwight Howard.
3-point Shootout: I was really looking forward to seeing Kobe compete (I was going to pick him to win), but his injured finger will keep him out of it. He’s been replaced by Dirk. Pick: Dirk.
Rookies vs. Sophs: The Sophs traditionally own this game, and despite the insanely talented rookie class, watch for Rudy Gay to continue his breakout season.
D League Events: I love the D League (and not just because I coached D League president Dan Reed in college on a club basketball team). As Reed says, they are the NBA’s R&D lab: Let’s hope the D League’s All-Star H-O-R-S-E is a big enough hit to go to the L in ‘09.
Sneakers: Look out for All-Star versions of the Nike Zoom LeBron V (royal blue, silver, red) and the Kobe III (red, gold, white), which I think will take home my coveted “Best in Shoe” award coming out of the weekend. (If you’re in NOLA, there’s a special-edition Kevin Durant T-shirt on sale around town at Foot Locker, too.)
As for the All-Star Game itself? The stage is set: Chris Paul caps an incredible first half of the season in front of the hometown fans with an MVP performance in a West win.
Daytona 500: As a VERY casual NASCAR fan, I have always appreciated that their biggest race of the year was the season-opener. I can tune in and figure I’ve seen the best the sport has to offer, then ignore it until the points system crowns a champ who can finish 7th in the season finale and still win the title. Pick: Junior.
NBA Last Night: The Heat backpedal into the All-Star Break with 9 consecutive losses after losing to the Bulls (who had 5 players in double-figures and out-rebounded the Heat 53-35)... Meanwhile, do the Suns still beat the Mavs by 12 if Dallas has Kidd? What if Phoenix has Shaq?
CBB Last Night: Arizona State shocks Stanford. Sun Devils fans might have thought it couldn’t get better than beating Arizona in Tucson in OT -- it got better last night. Down 7 with under 2 minutes to go, ASU rallied to beat No. 7 Stanford in OT, behind James Harden (23 pts), one of the more under-the-radar talents in this Year of the Freshman.
CBB Weekend Preview: The top game is Michigan State at Indiana, where we’re on the Kelvin Sampson Termination Watch. Doesn’t IU realize that they’re going to fire him eventually over this, so why not do it now?
Women’s CBB: LSU stuns No. 1 Tennessee in Knoxville. Tennessee has all the headlines this season, but LSU has been lurking behind; no longer, as the Tigers are now leading the SEC. At one point, LSU was down 21-2; they won 78-62, the Vols’ worst SEC loss at home since ‘85. Put LSU on the short list of contenders for the national title.
Clemens Watch: Henry Waxman said he regrets holding the Clemens hearing. Oh, great: NOW he tells us?
Waxman said it tainted both Clemens and McNamee -- but also said they held the hearings because Clemens’ lawyers demanded them.
So don’t blame Congress for Wednesday, and Clemens shouldn’t blame Congress that the vast majority of people didn’t believe his testimony (according to Waxman). Blame Rusty Hardin.
Arlen Specter threw “red flags” toward Roger Goodell and the NFL, implying that he would like further review of the Pats cheating scandal:
Why did Goodell destroy the evidence? Why did Goodell punish the Pats without seeing all the evidence? Why has Goodell been so aggressive (some might say intimidating) about talking with Matt Walsh?
Some folks think this is a joke or a waste of time: I think it goes to the integrity of the game, at the very top: From its best team of the decade to the guy who runs the league. And it’s important.
Meanwhile, does Goodell really want to get into it with Federal judge David Doty over the league’s accusations of judicial bias? Wow. They better have some strong evidence. Mike Florio is on the case.
Dolphins release Zach Thomas: Who wants to bet he ends up with the Pats?
FSU gives itself 2 years of probation for its rampant academic cheating scandal. What: Like you thought they’d do anything meaningful?
The Last Word: Thoughts and prayers with the Northern Illinois community and the families of the victims as they suffer through yesterday’s horrific tragedy of senseless violence. It helps to put the superficialities of sports into perspective.
Dan Shanoff writes The Wake-Up Call every weekday morning for SportingNews.com and blogs daily at DanShanoff.com. Got any comments, questions or feedback? Email Dan at shanofftsn-[at]-gmail-[dot]-com.
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