I’ve got to say I’ve been a little surprised by the brouhaha that has erupted over Michael Vick’s alleged dogfighting. I understand that they’re ‘man’s best friend.’ I love dogs, really I do, but the outrage and jumping to conclusions about guilt in this case has surprised me. Nobody but a psychopath thinks the electrocution, strangulation and beating to death of dogs is a good thing — but there’s less outrage expressed over the deaths of humans all the time.

I also think that only one person should decide whether Michael Vick plays football this season and that’s Michael Vick. The idea that a commissioner can come in and just say, “Conviction? We don’t need a conviction, just ONE criminal indictment, it doesn’t matter, you’re done for the year,” seems a little too much for me. That’s not American. If Vick feels he can play under the stress, then by all means he should be allowed to play until he’s convicted of a crime. Again, it just seems un-American to me, you know the part about innocent until proven guilty?

But we live in an America where the deaths of underperforming pit bulls garner more news coverage and outrage than the deaths (every single day) of innocent human beings.

I’m not saying that Michael Vick is a role model. It seems that at the very least he’s immature and irresponsible. He could be a sadistic psychopath, too. I don’t know.

I do know that there are plenty of things going on in the world right now that deserve our outrage and protests outside of government buildings.

Michael Vick executing even 10,000 dogs (as much as I love them) is way down the list.

- Padraic 

As one of the biggest NBA fans I know, it’s taken me some time to try to digest this entire gambling/mafia/FBI fiasco that has ensnared former NBA ref Tim Donaghy. From preliminary reports it sounds like Donaghy was betting on NBA games — including those he worked — and may have been shaving points and trying to affect the outcomes of games.

I know that for those poeple that have a built-in distaste for the NBA this won’t matter — they don’t watch or care anyway — but for people that are fans of the game, how does this sit? Will the league recover? Or is this something that is just too much to fix? No pun intended.

Obviously pro baseball and football (and a bunch of collegiate sports) have had their share of gambling ’scandals’ but I can’t remember anything where an official or umpire was trying to win money off of the contests he/she was there to referee. 

Does the NBA recover? Do you care? What sport would a dirty ref have the easiest time controlling the outcome of? 

- Padraic  

Rapid City’s Becky Hammon, a member of the San Antonio Silver Stars, won the WNBA Dribble, Swish and Dish title over defending champ Seimone Augustus, Betty Lennox and Nikki Teasley on Sunday.

The Rapid City Stevens grad also scored 13 points in the All-Star game for the Western Conference. The East beat the West 103-99.

I’ve got to say that I’m not surprised. Hammon is one of the most skilled basketball players — male or female — that I’ve ever seen.

- Padraic

We’ve been more than a little derelict in our duties on the blog lately, but it’s hard to come up with much to write about. I always loved the summer as a kid because it meant no school and plenty of basketball to play, but as an adult working as a sportswriter it’s tough. I did have a lot of fun at the Iron Creek Off-Road Triathlon. That’s a really cool event in one of the nicest locations I get to go to, but not a lot happens during the summer.

I don’t mind baseball, but it’s not something that I care enough about to watch on TV (at least until the playoffs roll around). I love golf, but it’s not exactly the most spectator-friendly sport. I’ll watch bits and pieces of majors. Tennis? Hard time getting too worked up about it. The WNBA plays all summer, but unless Becky Hammon or Megan Mahoney are playing I don’t really care. Auto racing? This is where I remember something about saying something nice or not saying anything at all.

I had a friend say the other day, “I thought something was wrong with me because I never watch ESPN any more, but then I realized that there’s just nothing on.” I don’t mean to be crass or disrespectful, but you know that it’s a slooooooww sports month when the biggest story is a professional wrestler killing his family.

I’m jonesing for some football; high school, college or pro.

What’s your favorite time of year to be a sports fan? Least favorite? 

- Padraic

We, the fans, have until Thursday to decide who will get the final MLB All-Star roster spot. Both the NL and AL need one more guy.

I’ve already voted for the Twins’ Pat Neshek 50 times tonight, so we’ll see if that pays off.

It’s easy to vote. Go to MLB.com.

 

–Sean Welsh

One of the most controversial athletes on the planet, although not for the typical reasons, is struggling mightily with her golf game recently. A WD when it looked like she might shoot an 88 a few weeks back and be banned from the LPGA for the rest of the season; squabbles with Annika Sorenstam and Dottie Pepper; a poor showing last week at the U.S. Women’s Open after just a terrible stretch for the 17-year-old.

Remember, she is only a high school junior, but did she try to bite off more than she should have tried to chew too early? Or is the recent slide just a combination of a wrist injury and the fickle nature of golf?

Will she ever be the dominant female golfer of her generation, an anointment that was given before she ever even won a tournament?