Save the praise and publicity until after puberty

A costly makeover for Myers, Lefty, NASCAR does something cool, Amaechi, and other ramblings.

By Greg Wiley

As you get to know me you'll find that there are a number of people and things I am not too fond of in this world (customer service people located in India, the IRS, car salesmen and the designated hitter to name a few). I often use this phrase: "There are a lot of things I like, I just happen to 'dis' like almost all of them." However, I rarely use the word "hate." Hate is a strong word and there are truly few things in this world I hate.

Last Wednesday was National Signing Day, when high school football players have to pick the college they want to attend, and boy do I hate, hate, hate National Signing Day.

This is an event that has thousands, if not millions, of people waiting to hear what college a particular high school athlete is going to pick. That's right, I said "a high school" kid. Since when was it so important to the greater masses to know what school a teenager was going to choose? Most of these pimple-faced, hormone-driven kids are so unpredictable often times they don't know what they are going to do five minutes from now. Picking a college is stressful enough -- for the nation to watch is unnecessary. Most of the time these kids have changed their mind three times before settling in on a school. Even then, he will probably transfer after realizing the head coach lied to him.

Besides, a year from now who is going to remember any of these "five-star" recruits? Many will burn out or flop anyway. When they become an All-American then we can talk about them.

I also hate the vultures who are benefiting from this exploitation. Rivals.com, the Internet site that ranks these high school athletes, ESPNU and CSTV, just to name a few. First, I can't fathom how a man sitting behind a
computer -- sometimes thousands of miles away -- can determine who is a better player. And, why is it so important for the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" to report on it? Can't they just wait until the kid actually plays his first game for the school before they go completely ga-ga?

Let me say this, however. On a local stage these are some very good stories. To see what school the local standout picked gives your community a sense of pride, especially if he turns out to be something special. But for this to be a national media event is a little over the top.

High school sports used to be one of the few "pure" stages left for kids to enjoy the sport they are playing. Can we please leave it alone for a little while longer (ESPN is already starting to ruin it by broadcasting high school
basketball and football games)? Once these athletes get to college, it becomes more of a job than a passion anyway. Why start with the pressure so soon?...

Allow me a moment to catch my breath...

Okay, on to something else...

Phillies pitcher Brett Myers is paying for his domestic problems, so to speak.Myers recently signed a three-year $25.75 million deal with the Phils, who benefited financially big time from the right-hander's personal problems.
This became apparent when the Reds signed fellow righty Aaron Harang to a four-year, $36.5 million deal last week -- just days after Myers inked his deal. Harang, who will earn an average of $9.1 million annually, is not as
good as Myers, who will pocket $8.583 million per year on average. If Myers was on the open market he would easily make over $10 million per year even with his personal baggage. He is 54-40 since entering the league in 2002, while Harang is only 47-43 over that same period since debuting. Harang's ERA is slightly lower (4.28 compared to 4.34), but I imagine you would be hard pressed to find me one general manager or manager who would want Harang over Myers.

I have to think Myers was more concerned with cleaning up his image here in Philadelphia than worrying about a few million dollars. He could have easily made a big deal about the contract offer, but a spoiled athlete
bickering about a few million dollars, coupled with his wife-beating incident last summer and the Philly faithful would have really let him hear it. In three years, when he becomes a free agent, almost everyone will have forgotten the issue. Everyone but his wife, of course...

Maybe if the Sixers keep winning, both first-round picks they have will be horrid...

Peter Forsberg and Ed Snider met on Sunday with the end result being, well, nothing -- at least publicly. The two sides said they will meet again before the February 27 trade deadline, but if I was a betting man (which I am on
occasion) I think Forsberg will be shipped out of town with the chance of the Flyers signing him again when he becomes a free agent after the year...

Anybody watch the NFL Pro Bowl on Saturday? Me neither. I heard that Drew Brees dislocated his elbow. Do we need any more reasons why this game shouldn't be played?...

NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series is underway. I'm not a fan, but the racing circuit is offering a really great TV package only to DirecTV customers called Hot Pass. Viewers get to choose from five racing teams each week and follow that driver's action from start to finish. You get to pick from a number of views from the car and actually listen in to the communication between driver and pit crew. Since it is also broadcast in HD, viewers might have to wear helmets in order to avoid injury if your driver is in a crash. That's a fabulous idea. Imagine if the NFL offered something similar, in which you got to listen in to the coach's headset? Unfortunately, the NFL treats itself like the CIA, so don't expect anything similar soon...

Something good happened for golf on Sunday -- Phil Mickelson won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Mickelson, when on top of his game, is just one of a handful of players that can challenge Tiger Woods, who did not take part in this past weekend's tournament. Mickelson's tournament record-tying 20-under-par was convincing and resurrects Lefty's career, which was thought to be in flux after blowing the U.S. Open and then struggling though the last part of the 2006 season. Hopefully golf fans can enjoy some Sundays with Tiger and Phil in the final pairing this year...

New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury debuted his "Starbury 2" sneaker last Tuesday during the second half of the Knicks 102-90 win over the LA Clippers at Madison Square Garden. Marbury, who sells his "Starbury 1" for around only $10, scored 12 of his 15 points during the third quarter as New York turned a 10-point deficit into a double-digit win. I joked that the "Starbury 1" came with nine turnovers per game. Now, the "Starbury 2" was improved and also comes with foul trouble. Marbury played the first half foul free, but ended the game with five fouls. I bet you won't see that in the marketing campaign...

I hear that former NBA player John Amaechi is gay. Allow me to be blunt -- I DON'T CARE. I would like to think that in the year 2007 we (fans and teammates) can get past this already. I understand the "unwritten code" of professional athletes and that a gay teammate might be frowned upon because of the lifestyles that these athletes live. But, come on. Get over it. People in this world are gay and your teammate or favorite player just might be a homosexual...

This is the worst time of year for me in more ways than one. Not only is there no meaningful games on TV for a few weeks, but it's the heart of cold and flu season. I have three kids all under four years old and each one is sick right now. My 3 1/2 year-old twins each have an ear infection and sore throats and my 1 1/2 year-old has the never ending runny nose. I've already had to make a couple of trips to the pediatrician and it's only a matter of time before I fall ill (physically, that is. We can all agree I'm not there 100 percent mentally). I am tired of wiping noses and fighting with the kids to take their medicine. How many more days until the NCAA Tournament?...

-You can ramble with Greg Wiley at GWiley@phanaticmag.com