This week it is time to take out some garbage and give some random insight to the world of sports. ...
The first topic of business is Arizona All-Pacific 10 Conference offensive lineman Warner Smith. This past week, I discussed with Smith his NFL future and also his lack of attendance at the NFL scouting combines.
"The projections I've seen see me going somewhere in the fourth to seventh rounds," Smith said.
Smith added that he didn't go to the combines because he feels he might be a little undersized right now for the NFL, and that he is going to be working hard to become more NFL-caliber.
My feeling is that Smith made the right choice by not going to the combines because he is now an unknown. He won't be grouped in with the 30 or 40 other linemen that were looked at in the combines. He has to be considered because of his accomplishments at the UA, and his name will come up more readily because of his lack of attendance. The scouts will now look more closely at Smith and I think they will find a diamond in the rough. ...
Some more garbage from the Pac-10 mid
officials was seen in Arizona's improbable comeback win against Washington State last Thursday.
First of all, the technical foul called on the WSU crowd for throwing objects onto the floor with less than a minute left in the game was the most garbage call I've ever seen in my life. Referees can't jeopardize the outcome of a game by making calls like that. I don't care that the call helped Arizona, it's ludicrous that WSU probably lost that game because of the officials. Good old Pac-10 officials proving once again that they are, by far, the worst officials in the country. ...
Now onto more garbage.
Bryant Reeves, the Oklahoma State center, has been touted as a possible player of the year candidate. Bogus.
In the OSU game against Kansas Sunday Ä probably the biggest game of the year for both schools, who are vying for first place in the Big Eight Ä Reeves was held to no points for the first time in his career. He played 33 minutes and said after the game, "I'm embarrassed."
I'd be embarassed too and I think the only thing that would be more embarrassing than Reeves' performance would be for any NBA team to take him in the draft. I would rather have Ed Stokes than Reeves. Well, maybe not. ...
Some rare praise from The Winners' Circle goes to professional golfer Bruce Devlin. Devlin, a long-time pro on the regular PGA and the Senior PGA tour, earned his first victory in 23 years Sunday at the FHP Health Care Classic, a Senior PGA event. Devlin won a playoff in the rain-shortened event, and literally cried after winning.
It's great to see in today's greedy world of sports that there are still competitors that go out there because they love to play rather than just for the money.
More Warner Smith: Smith also added in my discussion with him that he just wants to play even if it is just for $100,000 or $200,000 a year.
Maybe Smith should take up baseball. We need more professionals in other sports today that are playing for the love of the game, like Smith, and not for cash. ...
The last garbage take out this week goes to the striking baseball players. Talks in Scottsdale broke off again Sunday night with one of the owners stating that it would take a miracle for the season to start with regular players.
Well, great.
If the season starts with replacement players, there would unlikely be teams playing in Toronto or Baltimore. Baltimore has refused to field a replacement team, even for spring training, and Toronto is prevented by Canadian province law to play with replacements in Toronto.
This whole baseball strike is stupid, ludicrous and above all else garbage.
Patrick Moran is a business and public administration senior and, despite what some may think, he is always right. His column appears every Wednesday.