By MATTHEW WOODS
Staff Writer
1. Pete Rose Wants Chance at Reinstatement
The reinstatement of “Hit King”, Pete Rose, has been a widely discussed topic over the past few years, mainly due to the retirement of former commissioner Bud Selig, and the beginning of the newly minted regime of Rob Manfred.
With a new commissioner, there is new hope for Rose who has been banned by the MLB since 1989. Rose was banned for betting on his own team while he played and coached the Cincinnati Reds in the mid-1980s. Rose has tried countless times to be reinstated, but to no avail.
In an interview with USA Today Sports, Rose said that he would, “Love to talk to him [Manfred].” Rose was convinced that Selig would pardon him before his reign as commissioner ended, but that scenario never unfolded. Manfred joined ESPN’s “Outside the Lines,” and explained that Rose was on his radar, but not at the moment due to a slew of other important issues, but at one point or another we may get a decision.
So, the question is asked, should Pete Rose be in the Hall of Fame? The answer is absolutely. The MLB notoriously recognizes him as one of the best players to ever play the game, his game used memorabilia is in Cooperstown, and hasn’t he suffered enough from the ban already? If commissioner Manfred wants to make an impact on baseball immediately, he should meet with Rose and reinstate him, making him eligible to be elected to the Hall of Fame just like every other player.
2. NFL Films Founder, Ed Sabol, Dies
The founder of NFL films, Ed Sabol, passed away early last week at the age of 98. Sabol transcended sports broadcasting and developed a new way to enjoy the NFL.
Sabol started his film career when he won the rights to film the 1962 NFL Championship game. He then started NFL Films in 1964 where his son, Steve, was a cinematographer.
Sabol introduced fans to many of the modern day sports broadcasting techniques, including slow-motion replays, bloopers, and the use of microphones on players and coaches.
Sabol was succeeded by his son in 1985, but stayed on with NFL Films until 1995, totaling 52 Emmy’s for his amazing portrayal of the NFL. Both Sabol and his son were recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 2003. His son passed away in 2012 after a long fight with brain cancer.
Ed Sabol changed the way sports broadcasting is brought to fans. Nearly everything we see today involving the way we watch sports was influenced in some way by Sabol’s endless dedication to provide fans with the stories of the players and coaches that loved the game.
3. Incognito Found In Buffalo
Newly hired Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan found the bully he so desperately wanted. The Bills signed former Miami Dolphin, Richie Incognito, to a one year/$2.25M deal to provide a tough mentality and help bolster their offensive line.
We all remember Incognito for the bullying scandal in which he harassed Dolphins teammate Jonathan Martin to the point Martin took a leave of absence from the team. Incognito was released by the Dolphins following the high-profile scandal and did not play in the NFL in 2014. Jonathan Martin was signed and played for the San Francisco 49ers last season.
Incognito realizes the opportunity the Bills have given him and has called this his, “Last chance,” in the NFL. Who knows if a Rex Ryan led Bills team is the right place, but either way, Incognito will have to prove to everyone that he has changed as a teammate and a person.
4. Remembering A UNLV Legend
Former UNLV and Fresno State men’s head basketball coach, Jerry Tarkanian, passed away at the age of 84 this past week. He was known for the dynasty that he built during his time at UNLV as he led the Runnin’ Rebels to 4 Final Four appearances as well as a national championship in 1990.
Known for chewing a towel on the sideline, Tarkanian’s teams were known for their gritty defense and their ability to get on the fast break and play an up-tempo style of basketball. With a 729-201 record that spanned 31 years, Tarkanian also faced adversity. He was constantly harassed by the NCAA for violations and actually sued the NCAA and won after they tried to suspend the coach for two years following his leave from Long Beach State to coach UNLV.
“Tark the Shark” as Tarkanian was called, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. He’s already considered one of the innovators of the way college basketball is played today and his legacy will certainly live on not only at UNLV, but throughout college basketball.
5. Popovich Reaches Win Milestone
San Antonio Spurs legendary head coach Greg Popovich won his 1,000th game this past week as the Spurs beat the Indiana Pacers 95-93 on a clutch 3-pointer in the waning seconds by guard Marco Belinelli. The Spurs had to comeback from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Pacers.
Popovich is the third fastest head coach to achieve 1,000 victories and has the second best winning percentage of coaches with at least 1,000 wins (.684). His career winning percentage ranks fifth all-time and there is no stopping Popovich and his Spurs any time soon. He has won five championships since the start of his tenure as Spurs head coach and 929 of his career wins have come with future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan on the floor.
Popovich’s Spurs, the defending champions, will be in the hunt again when the playoffs start and Popovich looks to not only add to that win total, but to that ring total as well.
