He lied then, lied thru the entire process, and has been caught in another lie at this very late hour. It seems to be a way of life for him..

The Pete Rose saga has spilled out again onto Main Street-Cooperstown, home of the Hall of Fame.

26-years after he was exposed for addictive betting on baseball, we find out now, thru a legitimate paper trail, not rumor and hearsay, that Pete Rose was placing bets on his Cincinnati Reds and other major league games, while he was player-manager of the Reds.

It just wasn’t when he managed the Reds in 1986. It was more than presented in the Dowd report, that led to his lifetime suspension from the game.

Now thru ledgers of his gambling friend Michael Bertolini, who had links to the mob on Long Island City, New York, we find out, Rose was placing bets on Reds games, while he was a leadoff hitter, while he was playing lst and 3rd, while he was managing and playing, from 1984-85-86.

Unsealed documents this week,uncovered by ESPN, in another gambling court case, provide all the data. How much he bet, on which Reds game, on other major league games, and on other sporting events.

No longer can Rose dictate nor describe the narrative. It’s not that he was just betting on the NBA or the NFL. It’s not just that he was betting on other baseball games. It was not just that he bet on the Reds to win. It was all the above.

Now his latest lawyer says Rose wants to go forward and have a full meeting of his history, infront of new Commissioner Rob Manfred. I am sure there will be some long explanation-excuse.

That being said, Cooperstown can be for great players, regardless of whether they were superstars, racists, drunks, womanizers. From Ty Cobb to Cap Anson, Babe Ruth to Hack Wilson, and alot in between, there are all types of issues of some whom have plaques.

But of course, none from the steroid era have been voted in, while on the ballot. And Rose has yet to be placed on the ballot, until baseball decides on his reinstatement.

It may not be the popular thing to say-write, but I put Rose in the Hall for his playing accomplishments. They have put Rose’s memorabilia on display there in the tiny shrine in upstate New York.

I’d have a tough time letting him give an acceptance speech. I would not allow him to work for a ballclub. A tough call on whether he should be involved in any baseball promotions. I don’t want to hear anything that he says.

The latest revelation is just an addendum page to his wrong doing. He didn’t throw games, or impact the outcomes that we know of. Somehow you have to honor the legality of his basehits, his playing style, and his persona, even if you dislike the person.

His statistics are his legacy, much like the lies he has told for decades. It still does not take away from what he did on the field. Let the fans decide about him, once they see his plaque, and read his stats.

At least baseball would be truthful in honoring the greatness of the player, even though there seems to be little greatness about the person.

We know what these NBA teams look like on paper.   We know the names on the Thursday-NBA draft board.  And we hear rumors everywhere.

What happens at the top of the NBA draft board surely impacts everything else.

Minnesota seems a lock at number 1-to stay with and draft Kentucky’s spectacular center Karl Anthony Towns.

The Lakers, for months, seemed destined to get Duke’s big center Jahlil Okafor, until what just happened in the last 30-days.

Spanish 7-1 center Kristaps Porzingas has shown up for private workouts, and has dazzled people.  He is big, has huge reach, is a better jumper, plays bigger, and can run the floor.  Some think he might be a bigger-longer version of Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzke.

And now when you start comparing notes, you start to wonder about Okafor-vs-Porzingas.

Okafor didn’t measure up to 6’11, more like 6’9 without sneakers on.  He has offensive skills, but he is more power forward, than big center.  He won’t jump out of the roof, though he is pretty tough to muscle off the block.  He can shoot, but maybe he is at his ceiling right now.

Maybe Okafor’s shortcomings as an ‘athlete’ are the reason the Lakers called around to see if there was a trading partner that would allow them to get another number 1-pick, to take the bigger and more explosive Frank Kaminsky of Wisconsin, who can run and shoot.  No body seems interested, mainly because no one wants to drop from the 10th pick, the likely Kaminsky slot, to all the way to the 27th pick, even if LA throws in their second and a young guard.

If the Lakers change their mind with the 2nd pick, it sure sets off az chain reaction.  Philadelphia needs a guard at three.  The Knicks need a big body at four.  Orlando needs lots of players at five.

At one point I got amped up when I thought of a Lakers front line of last years top pick, Julius Randle, along the baseline with Okafor and Kaminsky.  That won’t happen now without a trade partner.  And it might not happen either if Porzingas becomes their pick.  The Lakers would wind up with a kid center, last year’s rookie forward, Kobe Bryant and 3-other guards led by Jordan Clarkson and Wayne Ellington.

I just don’t know how imposing all that would be, for no-one really knows how good the Spanish star will be from the get go.  He’s surely not a Pao Gasol.

Rumors, they are everywhere.  Some involving the Lakers, a bunch involving the always-under-fire Knicks GM-Phil Jackson, and Boston GM-Danny Ainge, who has a bad team, and lots of draft picks falling out of his pockets, and seems ready to deal.

Stay tuned.  What is rumor on Tuesday, could become fact on Wednesday, but then again, could all change by Thursday-draft day.

 
 
The next US golf superstar has arrived.  The Masters wasn’t a fluke, the US Open trophy was earned.

Jordan Spieth, the 22-year old phenom from Dallas, ralled from a shaky double bogey 17th hole, to hit a key birdie shot at 18, and watched as the field faded away at the end of the day.

He was running uphill all day long, beating the field, and beating the course at the same time.  He didn’t  worry about harsh greens, basement bunkers, or all the swales on the greens.  The others faltered as he gained momentum.

He became the youngest golfer to win the US Open since 1923.  He was the youngest to claim the Masters and the Open since 1922.

Dustin Johnson had a chance to claim the trophy, but 3-putted on 18, going for the eagle to win, missing, then missing the follow up shot, to skid into a tie for second place, rather than a tie to force a full 18-hold playoff on Monday.  It was the 4th time in his young career, Johnson has been in the final four of a major  on the final day, only to fall short.

The stunner of the day was Louis Oosthuizen, who reeled off 6-birdies in a 7-hole sequence, but ran out time.

Rory McIlroy hit a 72′ putt late in the final round, seemed close to making a run to the top, but then went bogey-bogey, and was done.

The gallery gave a standing ovation to Jason Day, the Aussie, for his gusty three days of play.  He faded on Sunday, but he got up off the course, after feinting on Friday with vertigo problems.  He became ill 4-different times on Saturday, and found the fortitude to grind thru Sunday.  He wound up playing the final 43-holes while ill.

Phil Mickelson fell apart Saturday and finished a distant 64th.  Of course Tiger Woods wound up 152nd after going (80-76) in the opening two days.

But this weekend, and now this year belongs to Spieth.  Quiet, stoic, focused.  What he did at Augusta was rubber stamped by what he did in Tacoma.

Now you can’t wait to see the next one, the British Open, coming up soon.  A star in the making, and lots of great expectations on the horizon, thanks to Jordan Spieth.

Time out from all the problems at home with the Chargers and the Padres. Time in to talk about other storylines in sports.

If you love golf, you’ll feel for the guys on the PGA tour as they tee off in the 2nd round of the US Open at Chambers Bay, just outside Tacoma, Washington. Do a double take and you’ll think you are watching links golf, at its finest, and its hardest, somewhere just off the Irish Sea.

The greens and fairways look like your and my backyards. Burnt grass. The course has the five longest par 4s in the history of the Open, and that’s before you even get onto the rolling greens, the swales as they call them. And then there are the pin placements. By the time we were finished, Tiger Woods was 151st with an 80…some-15-strokes behind the leader.

-0-

Dynasty is an oft-used word in the sports world, when a team repeats and does well. The Chicago Blackhawks don’t really fit that word, despite winning their third NHL Stanley Cup title in six years. When I think dynasty, I think Mike Bossy and Dennis Potvin and the NY Islanders. Or I think Gretzky-Messier-Lowe-Fuhr and so many others in the northlands of Edmonton. Or, for old time hockey fans, LeBleu-Blanc-Rouge, the dominant Montreal Canadiens.

Take nothing away from the Hawks, and what they have built, a big tough swarming defense, and wave after wave of goal scorers. The fact they they have done this in the NHL salary cap era, without making mistakes on players, is superb.

-0-

You may have disliked him for the “Decision” years back in NBA free-agency, but I think you can respect him now. LeBron James ran out of gas, his Cleveland Cavaliers team ran out of players, and they eventually got run out of the playoffs by the Golden State Warriors. But King James earned his pay and then some. In the finals, he averaged 46-mintes per game, 34-points per nite, 14-rebounds and 9-assists a game, with everyone defending him, every trip down the floor. It was amazing, if not a rewarding series.

-0-

They’re headed to the knockout round in the Women’s World Cup of soccer, being played in Canada. Team USA still has remnants of greatness, led by goalie Hope Solo and Amy Wambach and others. What’s surprising is the lack of crowd support. I thought there would have been sellouts, but some nights, they have drawn just 5,000 to games.

-0-

I don’t know what’s more surprising on the Pro Tennis Tour, the continued dominance of Serena Williams, crossing the age 30-threshold, or the fact none of the international stars has been able to surpass her, or challenge her on a year to year basis. Not Carolina Wozniacki, not any of the Serbs, or anyone else. When you’ve won 20-Grand Slams, and three straight as she has, you’d think her name would be mentioned in the same sentence as Martina, Chris Evert, Billy Jean King. I just don’t hear that.

On the men’s side, it is indeed as laundry list of veteran stars, stay atop the money list, and winning tourneys week to week. Novak Djokvoc, Nada, Federer, and occasion flash from Andy Murray. That’s been pretty good dominance for a while.

-0-

It’s been quite a first half of the season in NASCAR racing too, where Jimmie Johnson, the El Cajon legend, is the points leader, thanks to four wins this year. Chasing him is Kevin Harvick, who hasn’t take many checkered flags, but has 10-top-5 finishes this year. Finishing second may not count for much in other sports, but you do that in NASCAR Sprint Cup, you get a huge payday.

-0-

NFL teams take a break from off season workouts, till the end of the July. Wish we could take a break from the off the field messes players have created for themselves, their clubs and the league. So here we are, headed towards the end of June into July, and we still have sanctions pending with appeals for Greg Hardy, Tom Brady, Adrian Peterson, and wondering if anyone will give Ray Rice a job offer before real camps open. The games will be coming, but the controversies won’t go away.

-0-

You anxious for the All Star game? Baseball has a mess on its hands, with this electronic ballot box stuffing, via computer votes, going on right now. What will the Commissioner do? Kansas City, that bastion of great baseball, has had two nice seasons, after decades of losing, and now their fans are jamming computers to nominate starters for the AL squad. All eight of the points leaders by positions are Royals or ex-Royals. Of course we all want to see Omar Infante, hitting .204, start at 2nd base in place of say (338)-hitting Houston star Jose Altuve. And of course, not forgetting old friends, they have ex-Royal Nori Aoki as the starting leftfielder, so you won’t have to see Giancarlo Stanton and his mammoth home runs. Fix it-it is so fraudulent right now.

-0-

Time’s up. We return you now to the Chargers-City-Stadium war and underachieving Padres baseball.

-0-

The city of San Diego has gone on the offensive. The San Diego Chargers, in their Fortress bunker, are taking hits.

One guy who spoke out yesterday, was smooth and slick. The other who spoke was a rough as cement pavement.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer, ever the PR maven, was eloquent praising what his City and its attorneys have done to fast forward a plan to build a new Stadium.

County Supervisor Ron Roberts came from a different direction, harsh, blunt an accusatory.

The trench warfare between the two sides continues. The city says it is doing everything in its power to fast-track the process. Everytime the Chargers present a differing opinion, the city seeks a way to solve the issue.

They’ve met three times, but have not yet opened talks about dollars and cents, stadium designs, or financings. The meetings have been all about Environmental Impact studies, interpertations of the law, and a timeline that is growing shorter.

The City-County all star team is of the opinion it is time to go back to the negotiating table and work on all the other aspects of the CSAG financing proposal, and let the legal teams develop the EIR side of the deal.

The mayor maintains the finest minds in the state legal system support their approach to solving the Environmental impact study problems. Everytime they believe there is a solution, the Chargers throw up another road block question. The city “is positive about this, the Chargers are negative”. He is demanding to have a willing partner at the table, not an antagonist, as the team portrays.

City Attorney Jan Goldsmith called out Mark Fabiani, saying “neither of us are CEQA specialists in doing EIR’s, so let the pros handle this”.

But Roberts was the harshest, directly accusing Dean Spanos of not being a willing negotiating partner, saying it appears “the team is trying run out the clock” , so they can move to Los Angeles.

The Mayor has gone public, demanding the Chargers prove they want to stay in San Diego.

At the end of the day, the city brings solutions to every meeting, the Chargers exit with criticism, with no progress being made but they want you to buy their tickets and their jerseys, and they want you to believe they want to stay.