What’s the buzz from the world of sports? Here are some items that will have people talking:
America’s sigh of relief could be heard across the globe when the NFL lockout came to an end.
Both the players and owners made major concessions, which usually means it was a good deal . . . you know, when nobody’s happy.
But each side knew that they had too much to lose, and that they couldn’t risk relinquishing the NFL’s stronghold atop the nation’s sports consciousness.
Unfortunately, this now puts the emphasis on another lockout — the NBA — where the chances of keeping the full season intact are much more dire.
It’s too bad, because the league is reaching levels of popularity not seen since the Michael Jordan era, but its fan base (unlike, say, the NHL) is so mercurial, that it may use any excuse to switch to a different sport.
Both the NBA owners and players are looking out for their future, but if they’re not careful, they may be ruining it.
Perhaps the most shocking loss of July was not the U.S. Women’s National Team falling to Japan in the World Cup final, but rather the U.S. men’s 400 relay swim team not even placing in the top two in the World Championships.
That was the first time the team failed to finish anywhere but first in a major event since 2007, and after falling to Australia and France, Michael Phelps said “we have some work to do.” Indeed.
This could be a good thing, though. Phelps helped swimming transcend the sports world via his supremacy in the past two Olympics. His sport no longer needs dominance, but rather an interesting plot line to sustain viewers’ interest. This recent fall might be what both the swimmers and the fans need.
