Liberal Sports Writer Doesn’t Understand What Pro Sports Really Is About

Posted on July 7, 2011 by steve

It’s no secret that most sports writers are hard-core liberals. It is also no secret that liberals really don’t understand economics.

Mix the two together, a liberal sports writer discussing an economic concept and it can be a train wreck.

For a shining example of the concept, look no further than this article by Detroit Free Press (Detroit’s more liberal news paper) sports writer Drew Sharp:

Salary caps are nothing more than a publicly endorsed corporate bailout. It’s billionaire welfare, a free pass for owners who amassed the financial riches necessary to buy a NFL or NBA franchise through high-risk, high-reward business decisions to wantonly mismanage their sports properties because there’s little risk of consequence. It doesn’t matter if an owner spends recklessly because legislated cost controls will limit the extent his competitors can exploit those mistakes.

I’m really surprised Drew doesn’t get it. He is a sports writer after all.

The various franchises within a given league (i.e. The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers) work together following mutually agreed upon rules (salary cap) to produce a product the league markets. The game day spectacle. The more people who watch the product or attend the games, the more money the league makes and is distributed among the various franchises per predetermined agreements within the league.

Drew continues:

If artificially propping up the economically fragile is blatantly un-American, then how is the redistribution of wealth acceptable when it’s subsidizing a dying Sacramento Kings franchise staying in a market that already has proven it cannot support a competitive NBA product through the necessary corporate support?

I wonder if Drew missed the futility and blatant mismanagement of the Detroit Lions? If pro sports was truly about winning, losing and competition, the NFL would’ve yanked the Lions franchise from William Clay Ford long ago. In reality, pro sports is about making money for the league. If the NBA thinks it’s a good idea to put a team in Sacramento and someone is willing to pony up the hundreds of millions of dollars necessary to set up an NBA team there, that person owns the franchise. As long as the team is making money for the league, I’m sure the owners could care less if the team stinks.

When you boil it down, professional sports is not about competition between teams. The real economic competitions is between the various sports leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, NASCAR) fighting for consumers entertainment dollar.

Video: Pikes Peak Hill Climb On Motorcycle

Posted on June 23, 2011 by steve

The 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb is getting under way, with the official race this Sunday.

The race is run on a 12.42 mile course with 156 turns that begins at 9,390 feet and finishes at the 14,110 foot summit of America’s Mountain; Pikes Peak! As the drivers climb toward the summit, the thin air slows reflexes and saps muscle strength. The thin air also robs engines of 30% of their power at the summit. Competitors and vehicles must be in top shape simply to finish…let alone win!

This year the race has 11 classes and features a variety of automotive, semi truck, exhibition, open wheel, super stock car, pro truck and motorcycle classes with a field approaching 200 competitors.

Ducati produced video (the racing footage starts around 2:40):

The $100,000 Jetpack

Posted on June 6, 2011 by steve

While Martin Aircraft’s Jetpack is not exactly ’jet’ powered it still is pretty cool:

The Martin Jetpack is the world’s first practical jetpack. It consists of a purpose-built gasoline engine driving twin ducted fans which produce sufficient thrust to lift the aircraft and a pilot in vertical takeoff and landing, enabling sustained flight.

The Martin Jetpack is creating a new segment in the aviation and recreational vehicle markets. Initially designed with the leisure market in mind, commercial demand for the Martin Jetpack has seen the research and development programme focus on readying the product for use in a number of sectors including emergency response, defence and recreation, with numerous applications in each sector.

One novel feature of the Martin Jetpack is the incorporation of a rapid deployment parachute in case of an engine failure.

All this for $100K…

Video: PGA golfer Kevin Na cards 16 on 9th hole during round 1 of Texas Open

Posted on April 18, 2011 by steve

Via Golf Digest:

The AT&T Oaks Course at the TPC San Antonio is generous off the tee but woe unto those who stray too far. In the Texas version of the Florida recount, Kevin Na went for 14, no 15, oops 16, on the ninth hole after driving it right, hitting a provisional, finding the first ball, declaring it unplayable, re-teeing and hitting it back into the gunch, then flailing about in the forest primeval, hitting himself with one shot and whiffing another.

Going into the ninth, Na was one under par. He was three under on the back. But, a 16 rarely does wonders for the scorecard. “I thought I made a good putt on the last hole to break 80 and I was pretty happy,” he said afterward, only to find out he posted the eight-oh on the number.

And here is the video-

Looks like a normal round of golf to me.

Video: One Bad Motor Scooter

Posted on September 12, 2010 by steve

This is really cool:

According to BPG Werks, the DTV has a top speed of over 30mph and can scale 40 deg slopes and the military version can be remotely controlled to carry offensive weapons.

This thing reminds me of the Montrose song:

Video: Skateboarder Hits 56 mph and Passes Truck On New Zealand Highway

Posted on July 23, 2010 by steve

Via Autoblog:

There’s crazy, and then there’s this level of all-out insanity. A group of longboarders in New Zealand have taken to hopping onto the local highway and coasting down a sizable hill while overtaking local traffic. The speed limit? A heady 56 mph.

And here is the helmet-cam video:

Former Detroit Red Wing Bob Probert Dead at 45

Posted on July 6, 2010 by steve

This is really sad:

Bob Probert, one of the most popular and rugged players in Red Wings history, died Monday at the age of 45.

Probert collapsed around 2 p.m. on a boat on Lake St. Clair in Windsor, Ontario.

Emergency crews performed CPR on Probert, then transported him to Windsor Regional Hospital, where attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Dan Parkinson, Probert’s father-in-law, said in a news conference at the hospital Monday evening Probert developed a “severe chest pain” before collapsing.

“This is a tragedy for the family and totally unexpected,” Parkinson said at the news conference.

The family took no questions at the news conference.

Probert spent nine seasons with the Red Wings seven with the Chicago Blackhawks. One of the most feared fighters in NHL history, Probert accumulated 3,300 penalty minutes with 163 goals and 384 points and played in 1988 All-Star Game.

Bob Probert vs. Ty Domi

The Bruise Brother Bob Probert and Joe Kocur

Video: Base Jumping Using Wingsuit

Posted on July 1, 2010 by steve

This is intense:

Ducati Makes Short Film Of Pikes Peak Hill Climb Using iPhone 4

Posted on July 1, 2010 by steve

Via TUAW:

the Ducati motorcycle team filmed the entire commercial above on eight different iPhone 4s over a period of four days — watching it in HD shows off just what this camera is capable of.

They did use the Owle Bubo, which explains some of the better shots a little bit. And you can also see that slight shudder so common to low-end HD cameras, especially when the camera pans quickly or tries to capture fast motion. But especially without color correction, the images still look terrific for a camera on your phone. The audio is great as well, but I’m not convinced they did that with only a phone. The final video was edited together in Adobe Premiere, just because “there were enough unknowns” without trying to use iMovie on iPhone for the first time.

This video is pretty amazing… Plus I would like to have a Ducati Multistrada

*BTW in case you are wondering, this is a OWLE Bubo

Friday Night Links: The Hockey Fight Edition (Video)

Posted on June 19, 2010 by steve

Its Friday Night and after a full day of listening to soccer snobs, I’m in the mood for some old school hockey. And as an added bonus, follow the links for some excellent right wing writing.

Obama’s Oil Spill

I’m Sorry

Please allow me to be the first to apologize for the Representative’s apology. Not the first apology mind you, which was wholly appropriate in my opinionated opinion, but the second apology that was offered just five hours after the first. Congressman Barton was absolutely correct when he characterized El Presidente’s handling of the matter and should retract his second apology or at the very least, apologize for it. That being the second apology and not the first.

Obama surrenders part of America to Mexican thugs

Bob Probert vs. Ty Domi

Video: Another videographer assaulted by Democrats

I Don’t Care About Soccer

With Obama’s leadership lacking, bureaucracy wins

Mike Vernon vs. Patrick "I can't hear you because I have my Stanly Cup rings in my ears" Roy

My Boss Goes Before the Small People

Like yesterday, when BO puffed out his chest (yeah, I know, you need a microscope to tell) and called the $20 billion damage claims fund he extorted from BP a good start, saying he’d “continue to hold BP accountable.” That’s some ass kicking right there. At least you all weren’t too dumb to understand it.

Hanger 42 – Celluoid Burns Like Napalm

Hillbuzz won’t support Obama, even if Hillary is his VP