| Honorary Executioner – The Naval Academy
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| Normally, the Fryer mocks those that dishonor the world of sports. At times, however, the Fryer celebrates a winner. This is done by naming a team or person as the Honorary Executioner for the week. This doesn’t happen often, but this week it does.
The Honorary Executioner this week is the Naval Academy. They earn this by defeating Notre Dame in football this week. This is the first time since 1964 that Navy beat Notre Dame in football. Hence, after a forty-plus year losing streak, the Midshipmen deserve some praise.
So congratulations to the Naval Academy for beating Notre Dame. This win was long in the making, and hopefully will be repeated sooner than 43 years from now. No matter what, the Naval Academy is the honorary Executioner for this week’s Friday Fryer.
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| Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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| The Fighting Irish return to the Friday Fryer yet again. This week, Notre Dame lost to a very average Navy team. This is the first time that Navy has beaten Notre Dame in over four decades. The loss also leaves Notre Dame at 1-8 for the season.
Imagine that – a Notre Dame football team sits with a record of 1 win and 8 losses. Say it ain’t so, Charlie Weiss. The sad truth is that is exactly where Notre Dame is sitting. And things may get worse. Next up for Notre Dame is a game against Air Force. This is followed by a game versus Duke.
A loss of Duke will be the ultimate low point for the Notre Dame program. It will also earn the Irish another Friday Fryer appearance. But that is for a later time. Now is the time to enjoy this week’s nomination!
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| Eric Lindros
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| Eric Lindros retired from the NHL this week. When he first came into the league, he was considered to be the “Next One.” He had the physical tools to be one of the greatest players in hockey history. Yet, due to injuries and personal issues, he never came close to fulfilling his potential. For this, Lindros gets a Friday Fryer nomination.
Lindros played in 13 NHL seasons. He collected a total of 865 points. This includes scoring close to 400 goals during his career. Lindros, however, never won a Stanley Cup. During the last few years of career, he also drifted from team to team. First from New York to Toronto and then to Dallas.
Lindros was hurt by several concussions he received while playing for the Philadelphia Flyers. Those concussions changed the way he played the game, for the negative. Further, Lindros had off the ice issues that involved his over-bearing parents and the Flyers organization. The combination and injuries leading to diminish production and off the ice began the long, slow decline that his career suffered through.
This is truly sad, for many great things were expected from Lindros. In the end, Lindros had a good career. Not a great career, and definitely one that is not Hall of Fame worthy. Sadly, the potential was never reached for Lindros. For this sad fact, Eric Lindros earns a Friday Fryer nomination this week.
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To get the chair for this is kinda wrong. Isn't this what we all say we want in baseball? For the players to confess and move on? Didn't we reward Giambi with the comeback player of the year award for this?
Again, steroids are bad. But I feel that what Golic did is nothing more than an experiment with something he was unfamilar with. Does it excuse it? No. Does it at least put it in a different light than had he not come clean? Yes.