The Foreignist

While watching the highlights of the US-Germany game, I saw Demond Greene out on the court for Germany. He’s really an American, and I normally don’t like that sort of thing…. but in his case, I was just glad to see him back on the court competing after this incident in Euroleague ball just a couple of years ago.

I haven’t watched much of the Olympics so far, but I had to watch 4×100 freestyle relay. I heard the French had been talking trash about the Americans. Alain Bernard of the French team said something like: “The Americans? We’re going to smash them. That’s what we came here for.”

While I’m no Francophobe, I also have no great love for anything French. I’m pretty ambivalent about France. They did us a few favors early on in our history, but only because it was in their interest to strengthen the colonies in hopes that would weaken Great Britian. It was in their interest to help us. But I do acknowledge their assistance. But that might be outweighed by them foisting Louisiana on us.

Anyway, for some reason this trash-talking Frenchman really stirred up a temporary hatred of all things French. After hearing repeatedly how good the French team was, I sat down in front of the TV expecting to be disappointed — but holding out hope that the US team could defend our country’s honor. That’s why it took me by surprise when I yelled out, “$%#@ YOU FRANCE!!” when Jason Lezak hit the wall 0.08 seconds in front of the strident Frenchman Bernard. I find most of NBC’s coverage of the Olympics insufferable (with the sappy human interest stories). But if some trash-talking can stir up a little nationalism for an event, then it becomes something that I can get excited about.

Story here.

A couple of weeks ago, Shaq put a fan in the hospital by diving into the stand to save a loose ball. Here’s what happened the next time it looked like he might try to be Superman again.

I was talking with somebody the other day about how excited the kids on my Upward Basketball team get when we start scoring. I called it “the thrill of victory.” Then in my head I immediately hear “and the agony of defeat.” I’m guessing I’m not the only person 30-or-older who would make that association. When I was a kid, I thought ABC’s Wide World of Sports was just about the coolest thing on TV (we didn’t have 1/100th the programming we have now). I don’t remember anything about what they showed on ABC’s Wide World of Sport intro for the “thrill of victory”, but as soon as I thought “the agony of defeat” I immediately pictured that poor idiot crashing at the end of the ski jump ramp. That image is forever burned into my mind as “the agony of defeat.”

Turns out that poor idiot was from the part of the world where I just spent the last 4 years. It all makes sense now.

I love the last 10 seconds of this interview with the incomparable Bill Walton. The man is a walking hyperbole.

As the broadcast of Arkansas’ epic 3OT victory over #1 LSU ended just a few seconds after Matteral Richardson intercepted the 2-point try, CBS play-by-play guy Verne Lundquist exlaimed, “The dream is dead at LSU.” No better way to describe what Darren McFadden did to LSU on Friday. Certainly, no more dramatic. It made it sound like 94,000 people walked out of Tiger Stadium utterly hopeless after D-Mac wrested their dreams from them. He ruined their entire lives. And knowing SEC football fans, he probably did.

The 4% who picked Arkansas to win must be big-time Nutt-supporters. That just gave me an idea for a mens underwear line.