Sportsattitude

From USA Today…ESPN NBA basketball analyst Ric Bucher was on their radio network, allegedly trying to explain why the Utah Jazz get a real boost from their home fans, who are notorious for getting on the opposition pretty good…

Ric decided the Jazz fans are so rabid because they are Mormons and, “you gotta smile and be happy all the time.  This might be one opportunity for fans to get vicious.” 

After ESPN obviously explained to Ric this wasn’t the best explanation he could have given…he said in his APOLOGY(?), “the point I was trying to make is that the manner in which some Jazz fans get on visiting teams is counter to the general friendliness that the people of Salt Lake City are known for.”

I like Ric, but he should be emptying the cubicle he rents out at Bristol.  ESPN really picks their spots when their people make these kind of comments…their HR department has no consistency whatsoever…depends on which gender and color makes the comments and how large a percentage of the population is insulted, etc.  Flagrant foul, Ric.  Double technical for the lame apology also.

Also from USA Today…the case of Cincinnati Reds announcer Marty Brennaman, who originally suggested frustrated Chicago Cub fans throwing baseballs onto Wrigley Field “makes you want to see the Cubs lose.”  Why, Marty?  Connect those dots for me please?

Well, on the heels of that remark…Marty tried his best “Ric Bucher” clarification on ESPN’s Chicago radio outlet and said, “I understand all these fans are all upset.  Half of them are probably brain-dead to begin with.”  Marty, at least the Cubs HAVE fans.  Have you looked around your home park lately or have you had your face buried in some of that famous Cincy chili?

And continuing the theme of people with their feet in their mouths, let me submit myself for doing everything on this blog but come out and predict “Pistons in three” in their first-round, best-of-seven match-up against my hometown Sixers.  You had to see the Philly 90-86 win over Detroit in Game One to believe it.  Down 15 with six minutes left in the third quarter and showing off their inability to shoot…the Sixers then set about beating the Pistons at their own game, at their own pace. 

But a post on sports and mouths would not be complete without a quote from Detroit’s Rasheed Wallace, who missed a crucial short shot with ten seconds left to help Philly steal that first game in Motown.  Don’t get me wrong, it was not classic Rasheed…no cursing or smack…he simply said, “that was a bunny I should have had.”

I’ve been watching basketball for a long, long time now and still have not tracked down the true origin of who first said a layup in basketball was a “bunny.”  I know ESPN college hoop analyst Steve Lavin says it at least a half-dozen times every outing, but reading Rasheed saying it has me asking out loud…where in the world did this “bunny” deal come from when someone misses in close? 

At least after the tough loss Wallace was hopping about “bunnies” instead of hopping mad.  Then again, if the Pistons had shown a little more fire in the belly maybe they wouldn’t be down 0-1.  This young, aggressive Sixers team made Detroit look awfully old, at least for one night.  And that’s some straight talk.