Barry Bonds Indicted

Barry Bonds has been indicted on federal perjury and obstruction of justice charges.  Investigators say that Bonds lied while on the stand about not taking performance-enhancing drugs.  Part of the indictment reads as follows:

"During the criminal investigation, evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing substances for Bonds and other athletes."

At this point, it is unlikely that Bonds will return as a player to baseball.  Four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice could result in up to 30 years in prison (5 years for each perjury count, 1 for the obstruction of justice)

Ricky Williams is back with the Dolphins

30-year old running back Ricky Williams has decided to heed the call of his former team and return to the Miami Dolphins.  Williams was recently reinstated after an 18-month drug related suspension, and was asked by head coach Cam Cameron to return to the team almost immediately.

When asked by the media what his motivation was for returning, Williams responded as follows:

"My motivation is to get my life going again. Being out of football in the situation I was in makes it difficult, you know? I want to create a better life for myself and for my family, and being a football player, for me, is a big part of that."

Somehow I think what he's really saying is that he couldn't really find a lot of money doing drugs and nothing else.  Either way, he'll be back on the roster Monday, and the Dolphins, struggling through a winless season, couldn't be happier for it.  The real question is whether or not the aging player is going to really turn it around for them.

Alexander Rodriguez re-signs with the Yankees for $275 million

So A-Rod has decided to go back to the Yankees, in a decision that completely circumvented his agent and advice from legendary rich-man Warren Buffet.  I'm not sure of the technicalities of such a move, and if it's completely within his reach to do so, but the bottom line is that he's back in New York, and a lot of fans don't know what to think about it.

On one hand, he produces more stats than anyone else in the league right now, and is nominated MVP right and left.  He will definitely put up world-class numbers for the Yanks and make lots of money.  However, after he first left the team, fans everywhere were left hurt and confused, and A-Rod has since been referred to as a cancer on their very beings.

Now, with his return, fans will need to decide whether or not it's alright to have a change of heart and like him again, or if his previous transgressions are too much to endure, and that he's just a necessary evil to their favorite team.

Belichick Proves a Point

I am a firm believer in the upholding of fair-play in all sports.  Any team that seeks out an unfair advantage over another isn't really playing the game, but simply scouting out illegitimate ways to score money.  It is for that reason that I didn't flinch much when the NFL commissioner dealt out penalties to the New England Patriots for their usage of videotapes during the first season victory against the New York Jets.  I personally didn't feel that this was cheating in the truest sense, as technology exists (and is often provided) for teams to take rapid snapshots of play formations and the like, and the videotape isn't too far away from that.  But rules are rules, so I accepted the ruling and carried on with my life.

Since then, we've seen the Patriots go undefeated in 9 consecutive games, improving their record to 10-0.  A good number of those games have been decided by margins of over 20 points.  I believe that head coach Bill Belichick is determined to prove to everyone that those videotapes meant little to nothing in how well this team plays.  

We now have teams like the Washington Redskins complaining of the Patriots ramping up huge score margins over them, saying that it's poor form.  It really goes to show just how much of a point they've proven this season.  I've never heard of a professional team actually complaining about being beaten so badly, as if it was the other team's fault!  I think that instead of asking for mercy, a team should perhaps prepare themselves better and earn a victory themselves.

Either way, I continue to watch the Patriots season with awe.

The Commercialization of a Quarterback

Peyton Manning has certainly made a name for himself in recent years.  His record-breaking success as Indianapolis's quarterback is well deserved and has garnered a great deal of attention from fans around the country.

However, there is an unfortunate trend among highly-hyped athletes these days.  The more famous a player becomes, regardless of sport, the more likely they are to be asked to show up in advertisements of all kinds.  Companies want to sell their product through an identifiable medium, and what's more identifiable than an all-American quarterback?

So now when we turn on our televisions, we watch not only Manning during the game, but during the commercial breaks, where he delivers "priceless pep-talks" and demonstrates the speed at which Sprint mobile networks operate.

It's enough to make me wonder who really has control over the game and the players who play it.  What's really at the top priority list for the top players around?  Is it purely the love of the game, or is there some higher financial incentive at work that takes precedent over the game?

I personally commend the silent heros, who's faces don't show up in our commercials, yet show up to play in each and every game they participate in.  They put on a fantastic show of talent without having to talk about it, and let their actions speak louder than words.

Why did I choose this beat?

The world of sports is a dynamic universe of entertainment and business - one which draws attention from all corners of the planet. If the total net worth of all of the professional sports teams out there were combined, I'm fairly confident that it would likely be larger than the GNP of some small countries. Sports carry a lot of opportunity for debate and discussion, and often allow for playful (and sometimes not-so-playful) rivalries between people.

Some people put a lot of emotional weight into their favorite sports team. They will paint their houses to match uniforms, name their pets after players, and turn the simple act of watching or listening to a game a sort of ritual. Those sharing a common favorite team may find it much easier to form a bond or friendship.

While I personally have not done anything as drastic as paint my room the colors of my favorite team, I have grown up in a household that frequently watches sports programs, and have developed a significant interest. It was a way of bonding with my father as I grew up, and still serves as a common point of conversation between us.

I chose to write on this beat partially because of the impact which sports have on people. I also chose it because of the speed and rate of which events take place. There are routine games in at least one sport on a weekly basis, and their outcomes all have some sort of meaning to people. When you add team transactions, various off-camera player dramas, and other major changes/events, you have an exciting and engaging atmosphere filled with opportunities for news-writing and reporting.