We lost two high-level sports personalities on the first day of the new year.
Don Larsen, the only man to pitch a perfect game in the World Series, passed today.
He really didn't the world's greatest pitching career, but for one magical October day, he etched himself into immortality in a way no player has done before or since.
The more endemic one to this blog, however, is the passing of former NBA Commissioner David Stern.
I think I've made my contempt for Stern as Commissioner well known, from the Ewing Draft to the Jordan Rules to all but allowing Donald Sterling to destroy the LA Clippers while being a racist fuck...
It really was his "We Create Heroes" philosophy, though, with the Foolish and Wretched One at the forefront, which will be his lasting legacy. And, to be clear, he did not invent game-rigging by the leagues and referees.
But he perfected and normalized it, and set the table for what both the NBA and NFL, especially, have become in this regard.
Still, not like this...
Actually, Stern created championship teams with asterisks by their name. In my opinion, none of the titles when NBC had the contract were legit except for the 94-95 Rockets titles and the 99 SA title.
ReplyDeleteIf you're going that far, then the two Rockets titles can't be either, because the only reason those two happened was because jordon was out.
ReplyDeleteGood point. Also, if Nick Anderson doesn't miss the FA's in Game 1 in 95, that series may have been different.
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