In a desperate attempt to qualify for next years World Cup, the U.S. Soccer Federation has scheduled the national teams grudge match v. Mexico for the night of February 28 at the Columbus Crew Soccer Palace. You mean Lambeau Field at three in the morning wasn’t available??? What is Mexico’s record when the game time temperature is below 40 degrees anyways???
The most scary prospect about this matchup however will be the presence of KAC SPORTS very own John Crowley. BigJohn presents the very real possibility of hooliganism – similar to what one Homer Simpson caused at the Portugal v. Chile exhibition held in Springfield a few years back. Not to mention how BigJohn would turn on our boys the second they face a 2-0 deficit in the first half. He would be calling for the coaches head quicker than you can say John Cooper or Ray Rhodes.
January is balloting time for the hall of fame. The holier than thou sportswriters have just turned in their baseball ballots, and the NFL's inductees will be announced later in the month. And of course any debate about the Hall of Fame would not be complete without the name of Pete Rose coming up.
Before we get into “but Ty Cobb hated everyone and went into the stands to beat up someone with no arms” or “football hasn’t taken down O.J. Simpsons bust yet” or “Selig is a blank blank for not letting Pete in” lets remember this. Whether one agrees with the verdict or not – Bart Giamotti literally drew his last breath nailing Pete to the wall, and didn’t do so until a thorough investigation and after compiling a mountain of evidence concerning Pete’s gambling on the sport, and on the team he played and managed for. For Bud Selig, or any future commissioner for that matter, to reinstate Rose would be an act of utter disrespect to the memory of Bart Giamotti. Sure it would help a lot if Pete came clean and confessed to his wrongs, but don’t hold your breath waiting for that to ever, ever happen.
Considering his continued defiance in the matter, Pete remains a dead man as far as reinstatement to baseball is concerned. The HOF however, should be another matter. After eleven years, it’s time for the commissioner to make Rose eligible. Just put his name on the ballot and let the writers – who take HOF voting very seriously, decide. If the required 75 percent determine that Rose’s 4256 hits, along with his countless All-Star appearances and other contributions to championship ballclubs, outweigh his character rap, then Pete gets in. If not, then he goes on the ballot for the following year, like any other candidate. If not elected within 15 years, then the onus goes on the Veteran’s committee, as in any other case.
My opinion is Pete would never get the necessary votes. Just look how some old issues with Steve Garvey’s personal life has hurt him in HOF balloting, and there are other examples as well. But this way at least Pete’s fate is then on the people who carefully decide on everyone else (and most do take off-the-field matters into consideration), and not just the head honcho running the game.
I’m not saying let Pete Rose in the Hall, just let Pete be eligible for the Hall…
