Around the Leagues

So there was this story on MSNBC's Today
Show page discussing relationships and it
somehow ventured into the "Bro Code".
Don't know what the "Bro Code" is you say.
Well they show a video clip of Toronto
Raptors guard Leandro Barbosa holding hands
with teammate Reggie Evans just after a game
in the tunnel on the way back to their locker
room. From there they had thoughts and
opinions on what is and isn't acceptable
with teammates before venturing into possible
homosexual assumptions. Check it out, and
you make the call.

Another NBA item has us looking at Lakers
bad boy Ron Artest and his winning the NBA
Citizenship Award. Now I am all for second
chances and am certainly glad that he has in
so many ways changed his ways, but the
Citizenship Award? REALLY? Is this the same
guy that helped his sister defraud the welfare
system out of thousands of dollars while all
the while she was getting substantial amounts
of my from her brother Ron?, and is this the
same dude that tells a story where he may or
may not have killed an individual by stabbing
him with the broken off leg of a table in a
schoolyard in Queens growing up?, and You thought
I was gonna mention Pistons Pacers incident,
didn't you? I'm just saying.

The NBA is so much fun that perhaps we'll do one
more. Remember the Decision?, Ha! who doesn't?
well it looks like that the money raised from
that fiasco, and no I don't mean LeBron's contract,
I mean the money raised from the ESPN special,
was actually put to good use, and about 60
Boy's and Girls clubs across the country will
benefit from this. Heck why should comedians and
sports talkies get all the fun.

OK, now football.So Peyton Hillis is on the
cover of Madden 2012, WHY? Seriously, why?
So they can ensure this guy will follow the
trend make sure that he ends his season early
with and injury or mishap, like so many past
honorees have? The way this guy runs he is
a lock to get injured or not finish the full
season anyway. Let's be fair he is no better
than Mark Van Eeghan (one of my very favorites
by the way) was in the 70's, and they never
would have put Van Eeghan on the cover of
Madden any year, and Madden was his coach!
And oh yeah, he beat out Michael Vick for this
honor. This I can only believe is due in large
part to the deep pockets of Andy Reid??? Hmmm,
Maybe there isn't going to be football this
year after all.

In Europe this is also called football, so let's
roll with it shall we? The other day Dutch
Football(Soccer) Club VVV-Venlo signed 1 year
old Baerke van der Meij to a contract, yes they
signed a one year old to a contract. Now this
was seen as a publicity stunt, and it was, and
they didn't deny it either. BUT below is a video
of this kid taking shots on "Goal", and even
though the contract was more honorary than real,
I'm not sure sure they shouldn't lock him up to
a futures deal anyway. Check It Out !!!!!

"Ranting With Rizzo" Replay

Coverage of the NBA Playoffs and the
NHL Playoffs takes center stage, but
we still find time to discuss a little
baseball and the wonderful and strange
world of sports. Enjoy !

San Antonio Spu(r)ds

The title may seem harsh for a team that's
accomplished so much in recent history, but
like Jerry Seinfeld says we "root for the
laundry", meaning just because they wear the
same uniform as their predecessors, it doesn't
mean they will share the same success, or even
demise for that matter.

With the true exception of Tim Duncan, Manu
Ginobili, and Anthony Parker, the rest of
these guys haven't done much of anything and
I pointed out how suspect they were a few weeks
back on my show when they kept the consistent
theme of losing big, but let me give it to you
by the numbers.

Of the Spurs 21 losses:
33% Have been blowouts*
42.8% Have been by 10 points or more
9.5% Were road losses that avg. 27 point beatdowns
(Lost @ N.O. by 24 & at MIA by 30)

Blowout number remains consistent vs Memphis in
the first round of the playoffs thus far. As they
trail Memphis 3-1, 33% of those losses were blowouts
or rather one out of those three games was a loss
were they were defeated by 13 or more, in this case
18 (104-86). Their only win was by a 6 points margin.

No reason to believe they can't come back though,
their winning percentage throughout the season
was 74.3%, but I wouldn't hold my breathe.
These aren't your daddies Spurs.


* = Blowout is defined by losing by 13 or more

For your Entertainment

Did the http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifCubs blow the 1918 World Series to
the Boston Red Sox? At least one document
may shed some light in this, or may it?

Toomer's Corner tree poisoner/creep Harvey
Updike attacked. Did he deserve it?

1. Win the Trophy
2. Celebrate
3. Throw it under a bus ? ? ?

You threw a no hitter? GREAT
No one even touched the ball? AWESOME
You struck out all 21 batters? COOL
Nobody's perfect though, huh?

"Ranting With Rizzo" Replay

This show we go over the NBA PLayoffs, the
NHL Playoffs, and a little MLB as we discuss
what the heck may ail the Red Sox and whether
it will last, as well as the hot starts by
Kansas City, Colorado, and Cleveland. Enjoy !

Calling David Stern

So let me get this right, you suspend Amare
Stoudemire while he was a member of a Mike
D'Antoni coached Suns team in 2007 because
he was gallant enough to defend his scrawny
175lb teammate from getting mugged by Robert
Horry, but don't feel in any way compelled
to do anything about Ray Allen chest bumping
a teammate who was supposed to be on the bench
but came out onto the floor while the ball was
still in play, after the three he hit against
the Knicks that wound up being the game winner.
And these same referees that you constantly
make sure aren't criticized are ok by you, even
though on Carmelo Anthony's game winning shot
attempt Paul Pierce was hanging on the rim.
Do I have that right? David? Mr Stern? Do I?
Or is it a Mike D'Antoni, Amare Stoudemire grudge
you got going on?......Just Asking.
Oh and by the way, was that Celtics assistant coach
Lawrence Frank on the court during live action?
Again, Just Asking?

Lingerie Football on "Ranting with Rizzo"

This show had so much to squeeze in and
make sure it made room for our special
guest JJ Thacker of the Orlando Fantasy
of the LFL (Lingerie Football League).
An entertaining show for sure. Enjoy !

Still Think Librarians Are Dull?

The Yahoo NCAA Basketball tournament bracket
contest has its winner, and you think: all
that research, and all the film study, listening
to experts and your gut. Going with hunches and
clues that just couldn't steer you wrong, was
enough. Meanwhile some lady in Oregon,
who happens to work at a library and knows nothing
about college basketball, and would only recognize
John Wooden if she looked him up via the Dewey
decimal system, beat 3 million of you so called
experts and not only predicted the final four, but
she got the final two and Champion correct
as well! Nice Job guys

"Ranting With Rizzo" Replay

The show last week was all over the place
but we tried to cover as much as possible.
NBA, NHL, MLB Yes!, Football, well, not so
much. And then of course there was
listener email. Rizzo@wdisam.com is you
wanna share your two cents, lay it on me !

India Wins World Cup, So Where's The Nudity

Catchy headline huh? Well there's no false
advertising here. I wanna know if the story
I read last week in the Huffington Post online
has any teeth. Poonam Pandey who happens to
be a model of Indian Descent said that she
would go nude if India won the Cricket world
cup. She also said that this was not a
publicity stunt, but rather something she
wanted to do to "excite the boys", and that
she was a "diehard supporter of her nation"
They won ! Let the Gawking begin. Where do
I sign up. She is certainly not terrible to
look at. Great Name Too !

A List, Imagine That

In our world of lists, where someone is always
coming up with a new list for something, I thought
I would share this list of two sport athletes that
a friend of mine shared with me. I particularly
like number 2, but am completely dismayed at how
far they took this list with number 8. Hope you
enjoy it and feel free to let me know who you think
they left off and should have added.