Armchair Weekend in Review (August 4-6, 2006)

by user JB82

When last we left the sports world, Floyd Landis was basking in his Tour de France victory, the New York Yankees still had some deadwood to be traded away, and the Baseball Hall of Fame was preparing for its induction of Bruce Sutter. But oh, what a difference a couple of weeks makes!

L'Affaire Landis

Almost two weeks after coming, as we said in the last edition of the AWIR, "Over the Hills and Far Away" to win the 2006 Tour de France, Floyd Landis finds himself the champion no longer. Landis stated that he has naturally high levels of the male hormone, but the medics didn't buy it. Thus. the title all but goes to Spaniard Oscar Periero. Landis' team also did away with him, and he also faces a two-year ban.

MLB Weekend

The Los Angeles Dodgers have all but awakened from their post-All-Star slumber, sweeping the Florida Marlins over the weekend.
New Yankee addition Bobby Abreu continues to be an impact player. Further edification came with a 3-4 Sunday performance against the Baltimore Orioles, a 6-1 win.
For the second month in a row, fan rioting American-style occurred. The latest incident took place at AT&T Park after San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds was given the gate after arguing balls and strikes with umpire Ron Kulpa. This episode was in support rather than frustration.
When the last AWIR came on line, the Boston Red Sox were in first place in the American League East. Since then, the BoSox have been in a bit of a freefall. Further evidence: the Sox dropped two of three to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the capper being a walk-off home run by Greg Norton. You could say that Norton sent the Sox to the moon, Alice! (Giant round of silence, replete with crickets)

Horses for Courses

Pardon me if I get in some self-indulgence, but for those of you who wonder where AWIR world headquarters is located, it is in the great city of Saratoga Springs, New York. During this time of the year, the city and the surrounding area is overrun by tourists. The main reason for their presence: the Saratoga Race Course. The month of August brings the tourists (and the occasional celebrities) to the "Spa City", as the famed thoroughbred track hosts its annual meet, which actually runs from late July to Labor Day weekend. As a lifelong resident of Saratoga, the track holds a special place in my heart.

Okay, enough of the sap, on to why this section is here. This weekend saw the annual Whitney Handicap. With the namesake, socialite Mary Lou Whitney, in attendance while recovering from a stroke, a horse named Invasor dumptrucked the field, beating Sun King by a nose. The favorite, defending Travers Stakes champion Flower Alley, finished third-to-last.

Meanwhile, on the Jersey shore, Bluegrass Cat held off all comers in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.

Fast Track

Jimmie Johnson becomes only the second Hendrick Motorsports driver to take the checkered flag at another venerable institution: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (aka The Brickyard). The night before, Kevin Harvick won the Busch Series race at nearby O'Reilly Raceway Park. All this the weekend Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby cleaned up at the box office.
Fernando Alonso, the defending World Driving Champion, found his lead cut further after Jenson Button won the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Induction Saturday at Canton

It's a shame I took last week off. I missed Bruce Sutter get inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. But, I came back in time for the induction ceremony at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The inductees in the Class of 2006:

Troy Aikman: Three-time Super Bowl winner, MVP of SB XXVII, 32,942 yards passing
Harry Carson: Finally got his due after being snubbed for so many years; nine-time Pro Bowler.
John Madden: Oakland Raiders head coach turned color commentator extraordinaire.
Warren Moon: First player with CFL connections to be inducted, as well as the first African-American QB and first undrafted QB to be so honored; 49,325 yards passing (fourth all-time)
Reggie White: Late, lamented defensive end; his induction speech, delivered by his widow, Sara, was the emotional high point of the afternoon.
Rayfield Wright: Other than nicknamed the "Big Cat" and the fact that he was in every Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl appearance in the 1970s, not much to say about him.

Odds and Sods: Monday Extra

Travis Pastrana came out the top winner at the 12th X Games in Los Angeles. Pastrana provided the most memorable highlight of the competition with a historic double backflip, the first ever executed, in Moto X Best Trick. There must have been a relative of the judge at the 2002 Winter Olympics amongst the panel, as there was one who did not give Pastrana full marks, thus leaving him with a final score of 98.60.
Tiger Woods hit the half-century mark in career wins on the PGA Tour, wnning the Buick Invitational by shooting a 66 in each round. Michelle Wie lost out in the Women's British Open at Royal Lytham-St. Anne's, losing to fellow Amerk Sherri Steinhauer. Wie finished in a tie for 26th place.