SUDAN- Let’s make a list of challenges a 7 ft. 7 in. lanky man the size of a twig should avoid:

1. Climbing in a boxing ring to go toe-to-toe with a 375 pound ex-NFL lineman named “Refrigerator”.

2. Lace up a pair of skates and take a shot at professional ice hockey.

3. Become a licensed horse jockey.

Manute Bol, a Dinka Tribesman and former center in the NBA who weighed a measly 190 when breaking into the league did all that. His skeletal-like legs were so long, he stood like a giraffe, his legs buckled, looking ready to collapse.

Utilizing his towering height and 102″ reach, the second-round pick of the Washington Bullets set records for blocks during his 11 year, four team NBA career.

After his basketball career, Bol became a side-show circus act, whoring himself out. He would sign on the dotted line for most any paid gig but his intentions were heart-warming.

Bol was on a mission to bring attention to, and raise money for, his fellow citizens of Sudan who were in the middle of a severe conflict in his war-torn country.

In 2002, the lanky Bol fought Chicago Bear lineman Refrigerator Perry in a Springer-style, celebrity boxing match. It was as pitiful as it was humorous to watch.  Against all speculation, Bol was actually the aggressor and utilized his 102″ reach to win the fight.

Afterwards, he donated the $35,000 paycheck he received for the bout to his freedom-fighters in Sudan.

Some time later after being fitted with custom-made size 20 skates, Bol signed a standard CHL contract and played in a game with the Indianapolis Ice in a professional hockey game.

A season-best crowd of 5,900 fans filled Concesco Fieldhouse to see the circus act. Bol lasted just one period, was falling flat on his face and again donated his paycheck to his worthy cause in Sudan.

Freak show . . . circus act . . . call it what you want. Bottom line is,  Bol was willing to make a spectical of himself for the sake of the children in his homeland of Sudan.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

LOS ANGELES – USC Trojans’ quarterback Mark Sanchez has made the decision to leave Southern California and enter the NFL Draft.

Normally people close to these athletes line up and pat them on the back, wish them well in their challenging journey, the ticker-tape parade ensues and the player rides off into the sunset.

That is, unless you have a selfish coach who’s team failed to win the national championship he was predicted to win at the start of the season. A coach like that may decide to fizzle out the hype by telling the press how the player hasn’t had enough experience to go pro and “should have postponed his dream another 12 months”.

Trojans head coach Pete Carroll responded to the news of Sanchez leaving with dialogue that could only drop his quarterback down lower in the draft and take money out of his player’s pocket. “Mark is going against the grain and he knows that”, said Carroll who added “he made a bad choice”.

A man in Carroll’s position should support, without question, any young man who is in a position to be in an NFL uniform with a contract loaded with enough guarantees to provide a lifetime of financial security for him and his family.

Projected by many as the No. 2 quarterback behind just Georgia Bulldog Matthew Stafford, Sanchez should not risk injury or a bad season and ignore Carroll’s remarks.

This is not the first time Carroll has pitched for one of his QB’s to play out another season in gold and cardinal red.

In January 2005 after winning the Heisman Trophy and being touted as a possible No. 1 or No, 2 pick, Trojan QB Matt Leinart like Sanchez was expected to opt out of his final year of college and join the NFL Draft. After speaking to Carroll, Leinart had a change of heart, remained in college and was later selected much lower the following year and has been collecting splinters from the Arizona Cardinals’ bench ever since.

So if and when Pete Carroll ever says he is leaving college for the NFL again, should his athletic director remind the NFL owners, Pete and everyone else how college icons like Steve Spurrier, Lou Holtz, Barry Switzer and Bobby Petrino fell on their faces on NFL sidelines? And how Carroll was fired after one season as head coach of the 6-10 Jets in 1994?

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

Biting incidents in sports are nothing new, but with mega-billions of bytes passing through high-speed Internet connections worldwide on a daily basis, the most recent perpetrators are gaining notoriety overnight.If fans want to be entertained by biting, they can tune in to Discovery’s Shark Week or pick up an Anne Rice vampire novel; it doesn’t belong in sports.

Sport’s most recent chomper is a high-school kid by the name of Cody Fields from Springfield, Ohio. Fields took a morsel out of a recent opponent during a wrestling match, here’s the photo.

It’s possible Fields is an NHL hockey fan and stole the move from Ottawa Senator Jarrko Ruutu’s playbook. Ruutu just last week clamped down on an opponent’s thumb during a hockey skirmish and the ruthless act cost him a two-game suspension, $31,707.32 in salary and a place in the NHL biters Hall of Fame joining Derian Hatcher and Jordin Tootoo.

Back to that wrestling kid Fields from Springfield.

Lucky for his opponent he isn’t an Australian Football fan following in the footsteps of players like Australian footballer Peter Filandia who was suspended for 10 games after admitting to biting the scrotum of another player during a match.

Filandia’s excuse was he was being smothered under a pile and biting his opponent’s sac was a reflex move.

To date the most famous biter has to be Mike Tyson who chewed a visible chunk of flesh out of Evander Holyfield’s ear during a fight in 1997. After spitting it out in front of a shocked crowd, the fight was stopped and Tyson was disqualified.

Decades earlier, to Tyson’s brutal act, Sports Illustrated named NFL tough guy Conrad Dobler the “Pro Football’s Dirtiest Player” in 1977 after Dobler admitted biting Minnesota Viking Doug Sutherland during a game.

Dobler offered no excuse because, well, he was the dirtiest player in the league.

Regardless what the excuses or reasons are, it’s time to clamp down on these embarrassing infractions. Simple rule is, unless you’re McGruff the Crime Dog, you shouldn’t be taking a bite out of anything.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

NEW YORK – I got burned putting my head on the chopping block, sticking up for another athlete who then turns around and makes a cocky, classless move to bring the axe down.Weeks ago I wrote a column about Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb called, “McNabb is class act and Philly fans are not”.

I was inspired to write the column shortly after people began throwing the fierce competitor under the bus after his benching against the Ravens and for being unaware of a simple rule pertaining to the Eagles’ 13-13 tie with the lethargic Bengals.

In case you missed it, during yesterday’s 23-11 win against the New York Giants in N.Y. McNabb ran out of bounds with 3:07 left to play and grabbed the sideline phone to the Giants’ coaching booth and acted like he was in a conversation.

This asinine move officially placed McNabb on the NFL list of clowns, joining New Orleans’ Joe Horn on the cell phone in the end zone and T.O. slamming the Dallas star in Dallas.

McNabb has now set himself up for ridicule and is the butt-end of jokes speculating what the phone conversation was about, “Hello, can games played in Arizona end in a tie?” or “Mama, since I won today, will you make me some of that Campbell’s Chunky Soup?”

It isn’t often we can literally feel the signs and symptoms of embarrassment for someone else but McNabb looked so foolish pulling that childish stunt, I actually “felt” embarrassed for him.

Troy Aikman didn’t hesitate to respond, “Sometimes I don’t know what’s running through that guy’s head.”

During that idiotic move, obviously not enough blood to operate the brain cells.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

DETROIT – Almost with a cult-like feel where everyone is watching each other’s back, the NFL is becoming a place where one can fail miserably, get canned short of contract obligations and be rewarded with huge guaranteed buyouts followed by job offers from other teams around the league; technically resulting in ‘pay raises’ when you combine both salaries together.Believe it or not, members of the Detroit Lions’ ‘coaching staff’ have been rewarded with new NFL jobs after their record-setting 0-16 implosion in Motown this season.

The biggest failure, incompetent defensive coordinator Joe Barry, son-in-law of fired head coach Rod Marinelli and beneficiary of the Lions’ nepotism program, has found a new home in Seattle as the linebackers coach.

Barry’s ‘Dad’ has been handed a headset by Detroit’s rival Chicago Bears where he will be assistant head coach/defensive line coach. Amazing how far friendship can go.

Bears’ head coach Lovie Smith and Rod go way back to their days of sharing hotel rooms while on road trips with the Tampa Bay Bucs. As bad as Marinelli has been out of touch with football over the past three years, Smith still extended his hand. Examiner Paula Duffy talks about Marinelli going ‘Back to the Future’.

Offering jobs and paychecks to guys like Barry and Marinelli after their orchestration of the disaster in Detroit, is like bringing Enron’s Kenneth Lay back from the dead and putting him on the payroll to run the World Bank.

While Matt Millen’s stench remains with the Lions and people are still celebrating the end to the Matt Millen Era, the incompetent exec was handed a warm, comfortable spot in the NBC booth where he will share his ‘knowledge’ (?) with fans across the nation during this year’s Super Bowl.

The vicious media onslaught and negative response Millen has received from many of the fans and media since that hiring is the same cold welcome these two coaches deserve; but in a country where people have grown more short-sighted than a napping amnesiac, expect business to go on as usual.

Too bad Sports Climax isn’t run like the NFL. I could create 16 articles containing a roster full of typos that generates 0 hits (like a Joe Barry defense). After creating the 0-16 run with no traffic I could toss in a few articles that make no logical sense like, “Millen has knowledge to share with NFL fans” only to be promoted to Webmaster with a pay raise.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

After an NFL week full of ‘Pacman’ Jones ‘ cut by Cowboys and Brett Favre ‘retire or not’ news, teams took the field in two NFL Playoff games on Saturday.

The Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals’ were handed the ball and road victories by the favored Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers Saturday in NFL Playoff games.

In the AFC match-up, the Titans dominated in the stats category outgaining the Ravens 391 to 211 in total yards, 21 to 9 in first downs and 34:07 to 25:53 in time of possession.

The Ravens ignored the stat sheet and took advantage of several Titans turnovers to make QB Joe Flacco the first rookie quarterback to ever guide a team to two playoff wins. Veteran placekicker Matt Stover sealed the win with a 42-yard field goal with just 57 seconds remaining in regulation time sending the heavily-favored Titans home packing 13-10.

In the NFC match-up, QB Jake Delhomme and the Panthers were reminded you cannot get away with handing the ball over 6 times, even to an underdog like the Cardinals.

Arizona QB Kurt Warner and his potent offense converted six Jake Delhomme turnovers (5 interceptions- 1 fumble) into 23 points in their 33-13 blowout win in Charlotte.

Cardinals’ WR Larry Fitzgerald ended up with 8 receptions for a team record 166 yards.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

After an NFL week full of ‘Pacman’ Jones cut by Cowboys and Brett Favre ‘retire or not’ news, teams took the field in two NFL Playoff games on Saturday.

The Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals’ were handed the ball and road victories by the favored Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers Saturday in NFL Playoff games.

In the AFC match-up, the Titans dominated in the stats category outgaining the Ravens 391 to 211 in total yards, 21 to 9 in first downs and 34:07 to 25:53 in time of possession.

The Ravens ignored the stat sheet and took advantage of several Titans turnovers to make QB Joe Flacco the first rookie quarterback to ever guide a team to two playoff wins. Veteran placekicker Matt Stover sealed the win with a 42-yard field goal with just 57 seconds remaining in regulation time sending the heavily-favored Titans home packing 13-10.

In the NFC match-up, QB Jake Delhomme and the Panthers were reminded you cannot get away with handing the ball over 6 times, even to an underdog like the Cardinals.

Arizona QB Kurt Warner and his potent offense converted six Jake Delhomme turnovers (5 interceptions- 1 fumble) into 23 points in their 33-13 blowout win in Charlotte.

Cardinals’ WR Larry Fitzgerald ended up with 8 receptions for a team record 166 yards.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

BAGHDAD – In the latest strategic move by General Raymond Odierno, American troops will be allowed to enjoy their Super Bowl celebration in the company of weekend player’s ‘Samuel Adams’, ‘Miller’ and ‘Bud’.Odierno lifted the strict ban of drinking alcoholic beverages in a combat zone for Super Bowl weekend, Feb. 1-2.

This may be the first time such a move has occurred and while the kegs will be flowing, the troops will be limited to two 12 ounce cold ones each day.

I suggest for the guys who consider two drafts a warm-up to shine the boots of the few non-drinkers and have them slide them their two beer passes.

Assuming the “less filling, tastes great” arguments do not evolve into anything more than a friendly bantering between the soldiers, this is hard not to support.

Taking these men and women away from their stressful environment for a while will only escalate their morale, at least until they return to reality after America’s biggest game concludes.

If you would like to tip one with the troops, you’ll need to do it after midnight. The kickoff in Tampa will be occurring at 2 a.m. Baghdad time.

Hats off to Gen. Ordierno, this Bud’s for you!

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

NEW YORK – Now that the Green Bay Packers and their Cheesehead fans have settled into the fact Aaron Rodgers is their starting quarterback, it’s the Jets’ turn to climb aboard the gut-wrenching amusement ride known as the ‘Favre roller coaster’.Brett Favre, like he did over the past few season in GB said he is ‘going to wait’ to announce his plans for next season. Yes as expected the aging quarterback is beginning his annual guessing game with the Jets, but after faltering and struggling through the last five games with 9 interceptions and only 2 TDs, don’t expect this fiasco to go the distance in a place like the Big Apple.

New York is the media capital of the world and along with that title comes aggressive reporting and a lot more pressure. People are known to be a little more polite and less aggressive in a smaller town like Madison, maybe that’s the reason Favre has not met with the N.Y. media and spoke to an ESPN reporter instead. Does the term, ‘chew him up and spit him out’ come to mind here?

The 39-year-old Favre is a warrior, we all know that. There’s a reason he set the record for most consecutive starts in the NFL in a position where guys wear a bulls-eye on the front of their jerseys. Favre has survived many Sunday afternoons as a human piñata, spent the week in ice packs and managed to climb back into the ring just days later.

Jets’ teammates like Thomas Jones and Kerry Rhodes recently used an interview with that New York media I was speaking of to voice his concerns over the All-Pro quarterback not offering to take a seat on the bench during that five-game skid.

When asked about the recent comments, Favre responded, “It’s upsetting that a couple of guys have said some negative things, but what can you do?”

What do you do? Normally ignore the comments and move forward but in this case, Jones may be concerned about another badly-timed Favre circus that could interfere with the Jets prepping for the 2009 season.

Favre has a weak argument for asking the Jets for too much time this time around.

Last season in Green Bay he was coming off a 13-3 season, this year he led the league with 22 interceptions and the Jets’ lost 4 of the last 5 games, blowing a chance at the AFC East title and a sure playoff spot.

To make matters worse he lost the final game in front of the hometown fans against ex-Jet QB Chad Pennington who also was voted this year’s AP Comeback Player of the Year.

Favre commented on his weak performance down the stretch, “Do I have to redeem myself for the last five games? No. There is nothing left out there for me from that standpoint. I’m disappointed with the last five games, sure, but I know I did everything I could have.”

If that is ‘everything you could have done’ then the writing is on the wall because that was not enough, it’s officially time to retire.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

The NHL has officially joined Mike Tyson and boxing when Ottawa Senators’ Jarkko Ruutu put a bite on an opposing player last night, literally. Although Ruutu denies clamping down on Buffalo Sabres Andrew Peters’ thumb, watch the video and join many of us who believe the contrary.

The NHL has mastered the art of burying news like this.

Recently, they received vicious ridicule from the mainstream media after allowing their poster boy Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby to walk away unscathed for attacking Atlanta Thrashers player Boris Valabik from behind and punching him in the genitals. Watch that video on Deadspin here.

Crosby got away with his cowardly act, skating away with a two-minute penalty and no discipline from the league but Ruutu may actually have to pay. Unlike Crosby, Ruutu is scheduled to meet with the NHL and explain the incident.

Hockey is somehow avoiding the negative exposure it deserves, maybe because so few care to watch the sport. How many of you readers are even aware of NHL former All Star Patrick Roy sending his son on an assault rampage in the QMJHL, an incident so severe it resulted in criminal charges?

While Roy and both of his sons were suspended for lengthy periods, the NHL ignored the incidents and allowed Montreal to include Roy in a heavily-publicized ceremony earlier this season that actually featured retiring the French hothead’s jersey. The Montreal fans responded by booing when the Roy family walked onto the ice.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has gotten away with brushing violent and classless acts under the rug for years now but this may come to a close sooner than later since the death of a minor league player occurred in Canada last month, a death caused from a hockey fight.

Steve Cardwell, a team official related to that incident, explained later, ”At the time it looked like so many other fights that anybody connected with hockey would have watched over the last number of years.” Cardwell went on to say, ”If you lose just one life and you don’t learn from it, then we’re all making a big mistake.”
How true that is and what has the NHL done since that incident, nothing but let the guys play and let the guys continue to fight.

Crosby’s low-blows went ignored without a slap on his pinky and the last time I looked, the death in Canada appears to be avoiding any aggressive investigation or charges.

You have to wonder what Sean Avery is thinking right now.
Bettman had the audacity to suspend the pesky forward from Dallas for making a crude remark during an interview concerning an ex girlfriend. Avery received a suspension more severe than many other players have received for performing violent assaults with their sticks on other players on the ice.

The verbal messages the NHL makes during their premeditated press conferences sound wholesome and family- oriented and go something like this, “We are a classy league and it is a privilege to play in it” and “The league will not tolerate actions like Avery’s comment”.

While fans and players repeat those comments, spreading the news about how the NHL and its players are a class act, the league’s actions appear to contradict their statements.

Even after a death, the NHL and other leagues continue to allow fighting, in fact fighting majors have statistically increased this year in the NHL, how many tickets has that sold, Mr. Bettman?

I’ve always been one to believe what I see not what I hear.

Let’s see if the league brushes this latest joke of an act that Ruutu stole out of Mike Tyson’s playbook under the rug, the same way they did Crosby’s. And more importantly, how will they respond to the damage and potential long-term injury or death that fighting may cause to its players.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax