The Decision.

There is now a torrent of sportswriting and sports talking and guys talking and self-congratulation of Liverpool’s perceived ill-gotten penalty kick in the final minutes of their Champions League Semifinal Match with Arsenal. Many believed Arsenal’s failure in the game was the result of the penalty kick awarded by referee Peter Frojdfelt to Liverpool’s Ryan Babel in the game’s 83^rd minute. You will read:

Arsenal lost because of a soft penalty kick awarded to Ryan Babel.

or,:

Liverpool won the match due to an penalty kick decision.

or:

The match was decided in the 83^rd minute free kick decision.

or:

I thought we were hard done by with that decision, and we lost the match.

SS believes this unbearable truth to be very circumstantial, or perhaps superficial. SS saw the decision in question. However, SS believes that Arsenal did not lose the game, but that Liverpool won the game. Liverpool looked the better team throughout. Their angles were sharp, their spacing excellent, all more apparent because Arsenal did not play well. Arsenal did not play well. They did not lose because of a penalty kick decision. In fact, Arsenal fans' collective cry should not focus on penalty kicks but perhaps on lack of defensive concentration and small squad fatigue, or perhaps on Arsenal's inability to cope with Steven Gerrard’s powerful presence in the midfield. SS would prefer not to become semantic, or technical, however. It simply believes it folly to reduce a soccer match from tens of thousands of wondrously instantaneous and instinctual actions to one, and extends its congratulations to Liverpool for winning the match.

The face of Bill Shankly was seen in the moon that night.

Letters to the Editor.

Dear SS-

The NBA in OK city! Finally! WHOO-OOO! We waited for it, and now we get it! Seattle don't deserve a team anymore, won't even build a new arena for 'em. Bring it on!

OK with the OK City Sonics in Ardmore, OK.

Dear OK-

SS is aware of the financial viability of relocating the Seattle Sonics. This will make money, presumably, because presumably the NBA would not consider a relocation without considering the money it will generate.

SS, however, objects:

SS believes fans in Oklahoma are excited at the prospect of supporting an NBA franchise. Fans in Oklahoma. And that is all. To say that NBA basketball fandom at large is excited by this prospect is surely wrong. It even suspects that a sizeable majority of Oklahoma is excited only by an abstract idea of an NBA franchise, thinking that perhaps it will lend national importance to a region that currently has very little. SS also recognizes the fallacy in assuming that a region with strong links to college basketball programs will automatically forge strong links with an NBA franchise. The Charlotte Hornets (and now Bobcats) will agree with SS, as will the Memphis Grizzlies.

The second objection is infinitely more important. SS believes the NBA is failing. It is failing itself. It is failing to create excitement, it is failing in providing anything of substance on or off the basketball court. Perhaps it has grown too large, perhaps it is making too much money. There is no single or simple reason why, nor is SS seeking one. It is merely enough to note the astounding lack of energy, or inertia, attendant in NBA basketball games. It is merely enough to wonder why SS cannot bear to think of the NBA of the 1980s and 1990s without cringing in remembrance of things past. (Please note, however, that SS is not advocating unnecessary nostalgia, nor will it ever. It strives to look not to the past, nor the future, nor even necessarily to the present, but to sports as they could be, and are in rare golden moments.)

SS does not understand how the relocation of the Seattle Sonics to Oklahoma is a positive step in this context. To conclude, SS will share Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's thoughts regarding the matter (Mr. Cuban provided the sole vote against the relocation, approved by NBA franchise owners 29-1):

"My prejudice is against having a Dust Bowl Division... My preference is that they stay in Seattle. That's my preference."

SS.

..........

Dear Sportsmen's Sketches:

What the hell is this Ty Cobb bulls***?

C. Lueker, NY, NY.


Dear Mr. Lueker-

Better ask Mr. Cobb himself:

Ty Cobb: I kicked your ass once, and I'll kick it again you motherf*****.

SS.

Basketball.

There is now a torrent of sportswriting and sports talking and guys talking and self-congratulation of Memphis's inability to convert free throws in the final minutes of the NCAA Championship game. Before the NCAA Tournament began, many believed Memphis's chances in the tournament would be compromised by poor free throw shooting. You will read:

Memphis lost because they could not convert free throws in the final minutes.

or, before the Tournament:

Memphis will not win because they cannot make free throws.

or:

Chris Douglas-Roberts and Derrick Rose missed four of five free throw attempts in the final minutes, and Memphis could not win.

or:

I thought we were about to cut down the nets, but we could not convert free throws.

SS believes this unbearable truth to be very circumstantial, or perhaps superficial. SS saw that Memphis did not make free throws. However, SS believes that Memphis did not lose the game, but that Kansas won the game. Kansas looked the better team throughout. Their angles were sharp, their spacing excellent, all the more apparent because Memphis did not play well. Memphis did not play well. They did not lose because they did not make free throws. In fact, the sports fans' collective cry should not focus on missed free throws, but perhaps on offensive disorganization and unnecessary fouls, or perhaps on Memphis's inability to defend lob passes and screen and rolls. SS would prefer not to become semantic, or technical, however. It merely extends its congratulations to Kansas for winning the basketball game.

The face of James Naismith may be seen in the moon tonight.