an outside view

Today is Valentine’s Day. It’s a day of love. It’s a day for sweethearts to go goo-goo over each other. It’s a day for flowers, candy, and romantic dinners. I may skip the flowers and candy but I will take my bride out for an evening on the town. Perhaps dinner and a movie.

But let’s face it. There are all kinds of love. Oh sure, the love of a woman is the best kind but as a sports guy I have lots of loves. Here are just a few of mine.

I love to hear college football coaches say with a straight face that they will not tolerate their players being anything but good citizens and role models and then punish a player who is arrested by making him help kids at the Boys & Girls Club.

I love to see Congress, the only American institution with less credibility than Major League Baseball, passing judgment on players of the game.

I love to hear college presidents say not having a college football playoff is all about looking out for the student athlete.

I love to hear a dad say he doesn’t care if his son plays sports or not and then goes out and buys his 10-year old a $300 baseball bat and a $150 glove.

I love the fact swimming has become so popular that Sports Illustrated devotes an entire issue to swimsuits.

I love it that men are still free to subscribe to Playboy so they know whether or not their favorite players make the pre-season All-American football team.

I love it when politicians who make their living lying to the voters want to pursue perjury charges against an athlete who testifies before Congress.

I love it when Big Blue fans in the Bluegrass State really are blue about their basketball team.

I love it when a college athletic director fires a coach and then says influential boosters played no role in the decision.

I love it when the Super Bowl game is better than the Super Bowl commercials.

I love it when NASCAR forgets its roots and tries to appeal to the Park Avenue crowd.

I love when women basketball teams play a man-to-man defense.

I love when a David knocks off a Goliath and the pundits are left trying to explain it. 

I love it when legitimate sports outlets try to sell a dog show as a sport.

I love when college coaches say the polls don’t matter and then they vote in one.

I love it when a basketball player knocks down an opponent and then acts shocked when a foul is called.

I love to hear Barry Bonds credit hard work and exercise for his increased bulk and subsequent power.

I love the fact there are no big games on TV on Valentine’s Day so I can concentrate on that other kind of love.