The worst week ever?
Skip Prosser is dead. Completely out of nowhere came that thunderbolt a few hours ago. And now, it seems fair and appropriate to ask the question on everybody's mind even before this horrific news:
Is this the worst week you can remember in sports, ever?
I know, technically, it has been more than a week since the avalanche began with Michael Vick's indictment. But between then and now, we've seen the NBA ref scandal, the almost-daily Tour de France disgraces, the acceleration of the Barry Bonds mess, a first-base coach killed by a line drive, and even a couple more depressing extra chapters to already-miserable tales: reprimands in the Pat Tillman cover-up, and Mike Nifong taking another step toward completely 'fessing up.
And now, the death of a coach about whom I personally have never, ever heard an unkind word spoken. So now, just add college basketball to the list of sports you have to watch with either a knot in your stomach or a lump in your throat.
I'm only in my early 40s, so I go back only so far. But the weeks that stand out for me, as ones in which it seemed as if the misery would never stop, are the week Len Bias died in June 1986 (and as if that wasn't bad enough, amazingly a week later the Cleveland Browns' Don Rogers also died of a cocaine overdose), and the week of Sept. 11, 2001. But those were singular tragic events with massive impact on their own. This has just been an endless procession, day after day of depressing events that make you want to turn off the TV, afraid of what you'll hear or see next, that make you question why you care about sports as much as you do if it's going to hurt this much and suck away this much of your happiness.
I'm not alone on this, am I? And are there other weeks anyone out there can remember as generating those feelings?
I really wish that getting absorbed in the Cal celebration was enough, as Peter Schmuck suggested. But it ain't working. It wasn't quite getting it done before today, and now, definitely not.
Comments
I don't think it all came down in a week, but back in 1989 there was a confluence of bad tidings with the Pete Rose banishment, the death of Bart Giamatti, and the earthquake. This has definitely been a sour week.
Posted by: Frank Alden Jr. | July 26, 2007 8:57 PM
I'll grant you this: outside of Baltimore, this is the worst sports week ever. If Barry Bonds homers thrice on Cal's Sunday, you can have worst sports week in the world (throwing in Tour de France and the McLaren-Ferrari espionage issues too).
I read somewhere that Grubbs signed, so it can't be that bad.
Posted by: J-Red | July 27, 2007 12:17 AM
It has been a pretty rough week in sports. I'm guessing it won't get much better with the Vick issue heating up.
Posted by: Barry | August 2, 2007 3:33 PM
Kevin Garnett goes to the Celtics (below)
Juan Pablo Angel to Red Bull New York
Cuauhtemoc Blanco to the Chicago Fire
David Beckham to the LA Galaxy (below)
Pitcher Eric Gagne to the Boston Red Sox
Willis McGahee to the Baltimore Ravens
Daunte Culpepper to the Oakland Raiders
Mark Teixeria to the Atlanta Braves
Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn to the Hall Of Fame
Trent Green to the Miami Dolphins
Grant Hill to the Phoenix Suns
Forward Paulo Wanchope to the Chicago Fire
Running Back Gary Douglas Jr. to the University of Maryland Terps (football)
Power Forward Terrance Jennings to the University of Maryland Terps (basketball)
Offensive Tackle Antonio Logan-El to the Towson University Tigers (football)
Posted by: JMK | August 9, 2007 10:45 PM
I am in full agreement with you. Last week I literally vomitted as a result of watching television. I called it the "demon box" after one hour. I am a big fan of most sports, contrary to what most men may think about women. I believe most people have lost a since of hope and faith. "For the love of the game" is slowing slipping through our fingertips. In part, because individuals, who are or have been confronted with allegations of steriod use and/or gross misconduct, are self-absorbed with "me" and "I" as oppose "this one is for the team" attitude. Accountability, responsibility, and integrity are becoming a thing of the past! What we must do to get back on track will become an age-old question!!!
Posted by: Michelle Edwards | August 13, 2007 9:51 AM