Sporticulture

It's been a week of loss in the sports world, and today the trend continued. Silas Simmons, the oldest living ex-professional baseball player on the planet, died at age 111 (not a typo). He played pro-ball starting in 1912 or 1913 -- the records are shoddy -- for all African-American barnstorming teams that predated the formal organization of the Negro Leagues, and then joined the Negro Leagues upon their formation in the 1920's. To give perspective on his extreme age, he was born in the same year as Babe Ruth (1895) and had been playing professional baseball for at least four years prior to the birth of the late Red Auerbach. That Simmons was still alive only came to the attention of the baseball world a couple months ago, however it was in time for a large 111th birthday celebration on October 14th.

Yesterday Boston lost a peerless sporting legend. Red Auerbach, coach, general manager, mastermind and architect of 16 Celtics championships, died at 89. Though he still served as Celtics team president, his heyday of wheeling, dealing and winner building had long since passed, and I personally have little recollection of the glory days of Auerbach-fashioned teams. But I do know that beyond doubt, he was in the top five greatest figures in Boston sports history, and among non-athletes, by far the greatest (I suppose Bill Belichick would be a distant second in this category).

If you don't know the details of Red's life, you owe it to yourself to learn them. Born in Brooklyn, he made basketball his life and coached the Boston Celtics to nine championships, including eight in a row from 1959-1966 (may well have been ten straight had Bill Russell not injured his ankle during the '58 finals). As my father has said, in 1960's Boston, it was just taken for granted that the Celtics would win every year. He never had an assistant coach and retired with the most wins in NBA history and the most championships (now he's been surpassed in wins and equaled in championships).

Auerbach broke barriers; he brought the first black player to the Celtics and hired the NBA's first black coach. He outmaneuvered two other teams to steal his center and centerpiece, Bill Russell, in the 1956 draft. As GM, he constructed seven more winners and managed to snag Larry Bird with the sixth pick in the 1978 draft. By all accounts, he should have ensured the future success of the franchise with his selection of Len Bias in 1986, but bad luck and cocaine united to doom Bias and the continuing excellence of Celtic basketball. He could be fiery (he was tossed on one occasion while coaching in an All-Star game), but was always in control.

To mention Red, of course, is also to conjure the image of the "victory cigar," born of and defined by his ubiquitous post-win smoke. Like his love of the Celtics, Red's taste for cigars never diminished. He came in eighth in Cigar Aficionado's list of the top hundred cigar smoker's of the Twentieth Century, an unusually low finish for a man who endured just one losing season in his tenure as Celtics coach. As he once said to my dad (sitting in the stands) towards the end of a game, "I like to smoke, kid."

As an innovator, winner and legend Auerbach goes unsurpassed not just in Boston sports lore, but in the history of the NBA as well. While affectionate memories of Red pour in from former players, friends and fans, the impact of Auerbach is clear. A 5'9" man still rises above the rest in the sport of giants.

For much, much more on the life and impact of Red Auerbach, see the Boston Globe coverage. Particularly worthwhile are pieces by Jackie MacMullen and Dan Shaughnessy.

After Floyd Landis failed his first doping test, my first reaction was not anger or sadness, it was embarrassment. And not for him, for myself. I hoped he was innocent, of course, hoped that his litany of excuses - his cortisone shots, his whisky drinking, etc. - actually included the reason why his testosterone levels were inordinately high, but alas, the evidence continued to pile up against him, culminating with his B sample failing a backup test on Saturday.

Obviously, Landis should be humiliated. He let down himself, his team, family, fans, and his country. He further disgraced a sport which has seen more than its share of steroid related scandals. He deserved being fired from his team and losing his title as Tour de France champion. And for all of that, I feel sad for him and the sport.

However, I finally understand just why some reporters may indeed have it in for Barry Bonds. Granted, I think Bonds scapegoats the media for his problems and that the extent of a "media vendetta" has been wildly exaggerated, but doubtless there are some writers and commentators who enjoy piling on Bonds. When an athlete accomplishes something truly special, putting up record numbers or making a heroic comeback, writers celebrate them and the deed. They attach their name and credibility to columns and TV specials to honor our athletic victors, and when those individuals are proven to be cheaters and liars, the journalist feels betrayed.

At least that was my immediate reaction to the news that Landis had doped during the race. (Not to say I consider myself a journalist, but that I spent time lavishing the man with praise below.) The sadness and anger followed shortly. Maybe this too is why the greatest athletes receive the greatest abuse when branded with alleged steroid use. Because not only are Bonds, McGwire and Landis the biggest names, but because so much ink has been spilled in tribute to their successes.

In the 21st century, no athlete is wholly above suspicion for using performance enhancing drugs. Not Tom Brady, Dwyane Wade or even Tiger Woods. It may not be fair, but it's the nature of the beast for the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, we love sports, we love to celebrate our sports heroes, and steroids should not impede that. The love and trust only flow in one direction though, and that's why it's all the more important that we tear down the false idols.

Gotta give some credit to Floyd Landis for extending the American Tour de France streak to eight (of which Lance owns seven) with his victory this weekend. Though the field was weakened due to doping allegations, Landis' place is secure after his heroic comeback to contention in Stage 17 after falling to eleventh place the day before, a feat which many cycling experts have said ranks among the all-time greateast in the sport's history. Add to that Landis' injured hip which will require replacement surgery this fall, and you have a legendary race. Perhaps it doesn't equal the sustained dominance of Armstrong's seven triumphs, but Landis certainly performed with grit, strength and class, and for that he deserves many congratulations. Especially since his secret weapon was beer (frankly if beer works so well, this should make me one of the world's preeminent cyclists).

The perfect gift for infants who are already embittered Red Sox fans.

Fewer than 24 hours after being handed an extra out in the bottom of the 9th, an umpiring mistake that ultimately turned a Yankee loss into a win, the Bombers believe today's loss can be blamed on the men in blue. A timeout was granted to the Seattle Mariners in the bottom 7th of a 2-2 and Andy Phillips was forced to return from third to second base with one out. I'll let A-Rod make his fourth error in three days:

"That was the most ridiculous call I’ve ever seen. It was awful. Brutal. Terrible call.”

Thanks A-Rod, where was the consternation when an even worse call handed you the game the previous night? Must have bobbled it.

Congrats to Jason Varitek for breaking Carlton Fisk's record of most games caught with the Red Sox. On Tuesday night, Varitek caught his 991st game with team, becoming the Bosox' all-time catchingest player.

He had to sign a one day contract, get buzzed by a high fastball, be traded mid-game, walk on FIVE pitches and take a swing, but 94-year old Buck O'Neil became the oldest person ever to play in a professional baseball game today when he took an at-bat for each side in the Northern League all-star game.

Besides the stunt, the game provided another opportunity to rally support for Buck's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was a Negro League star, the Majors' first black coach, a successful scout and an ambassador for the game for 70 years. Bud Selig should use his authority as commissioner to put the beloved O'Neil in Cooperstown. I don't know who could possibly object to that decision. What's the hold up, Bud?

It's been awhile since I last updated, so I thought I'd catch up on some baseball notes over the past few days. First, I had to mention the Red Sox' pre All-Star break record run of 17 straight errorless games. Anyone who has been a Red Sox for more than a few years appreciates the magnitude of this accomplishment. Few Red Sox teams have even been competent defensively, let alone excellent. The chances of the Red Sox winning 120 games in a season seemed greater than of they're setting a major league record for errorless games. Yet, there it is. Truly a testament to the terrific play of Theo Epstein's retooled infield: Kevin Youkilis, Mark Loretta, Mike Lowell and especially the sure-handed Alex Gonzalez.

Two other quick MLB notes:

The U.S. post office will soon release four stamps bearing the images of sluggers Mickey Mantle, Roy Campanella, Mel Ott and Hank Greenberg. The stamps represent the athletic achievements of African Americans, Jewish Americans and Alcoholic Americans. Well deserved.

And finally, an oddity occurred yesterday when not a single save was recorded in the major leagues. The last time that happened was in 1978. Just a lovely piece of useless trivia that any seamhead would love.

Next Wednesday, Pedro Martinez will pitch in Fenway Park for the first time since Game 5 of the 2004 ALCS (won by the Sox in 14 innings). Unlike Johnny Damon I think Sox fans should cheer him. First of all, though they both went to New York for the money, and Pedro did indeed stab the Sox in the back to a poinnt (for saying he only wanted a three year deal out of them and then parlaying their offer into a four year deal from the Mets), but he had the good sense not to abscond for the archrival Yankees. Damon did so fully aware that there was a price, which he'll pay with four years of Fenway Park boos.

Also, while Damon received praise for the '04 championship last year while still on the Sox, Pedro could not attend the ring ceremony (he pitched that day). Thus, this will be the first opportunity for the Fenway Faithful to thank Pedro. Let's not forget, his starts were quasi-holidays for seven years in Boston (especially 1998-2001). The electricity filled the Fens in the hours before his home starts and only grew in voltage as his K's piled up. Few pitchers for any ballclub have ever generated comparable buzz for regular season starts, and it's likely the Red Sox will never see the likes of it again. Frankly, I miss the Pedro Era (and not just because a rotation of Schilling, Pedro, Beckett, Wakefield with Papelbon cleaning up would practically guarantee another World Series).

The ever media-savvy Martinez has already paved the way for a favorable reception next week by praising the city and fans, and describing his Sox days as "my best memories in baseball." Gordon Edes has more.

Catchers have always made good managers (nine of today's 30 managers played as catchers in the majors), and a new poll among ball players and executives verifies that today's catchers may have a second career waiting for them after retirement. Unsurprisingly, Jason Varitek led the vote of which active players would make the best managers in the future. ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick elaborates.

Why Is Kobe Bryant the biggest loser of this year's NBA playoffs? Let me count the ways.

1) Despite a 35.4 scoring average (highest in the league since MJ averaged 37.1 in 1987), he finished fourth in MVP voting. (This was announced after the playoffs began.)

2) His unselfish play in the first four games of the opening round was largely praised, but completely forgotten after his disappearance in the second half of a Game Seven blowout loss to Phoenix. Also long forgotten is Kobe's 50 point performance in a Game 6 overtime loss.

3) The emergence of a new generation of stars has rendered Kobe the youngest grizzled veteran in NBA history. Lebron James, Gilbert Arenas, Dirk Nowitzki and of course Dwyane Wade all took All-Star caliber games to a new level this postseason. Hard to imagine a player falling out of the top five best players in the NBA after a 35 ppg season, but somehow it happened. (My top five: Duncan, Lebron, Wade, Nash, Nowitzki.)

4) The final kick to the groin, Shaq wins another championship. Within ten minutes of winning his first title without Kobe, I heard Shaq say that Wade was the best player with whom he ever played, Pat Riley was the best coach under which he played and that this title meant more to him than any other (and he won all three Finals MVP's in his previous three championships). Ouch.

I think this sums it up pretty well. (Incidentally, Portgal's 2-1 win over Mexico today confirmed that they are, indeed, the greatest nation on earth.)