The Opinionator

Becky Hammon Sells Out

American Becky Hammon of the WNBA's San Antonio Silver Stars will play for the Russians in the Olympics. She was not one of the 23 players invited to try out for the team which makes no sense. I can understand why Hammon would be upset by not being asked to play on the US team. In my opinion, Coach Anne Donovan made a tremendous error in not inviting her to try out.

Hammon also has a multi-million dollar contract to play in Russia. Given that WNBA players do not make much money, I do not begrudge her playing in that league. However, it is my understanding that her financial incentives are not tied to competing for Russia in the Olympics.

With that in mind, her accepting Russian citizenship and playing for the them in the Olympics is her choice, a choice she has because she enjoys that freedom as an American. Once she walks into the stadium under the Russian flag, she will lose my respect forever. Perhaps I am from another era, but for an American to wear a Russian jersey in the Olympics smells like betrayal.

Lie Down With Dogs....

.......And wake up with fleas. The International Olympic Committee is learning that lesson the hard way the last few days as Olympic Torch Run has been marred by "Chinese Thugs" and protests in London, Paris and coming up in San Francisco. The IOC decided to give China a worldwide stage, now they are seeing why most of the world thought this was a bad idea. Now the Torch has been extinguished several times and the "Olympic Movement" has been disgraced along with China. So IOC, how is that Beijing decision treating you?

H/T: Drudge.

Saturday Highlights

Saturday was filled, as usual, with sports. Today was basketball day. My daughter's team is the Fireflies and they were locked in a tight game. Their opponents had taken a 22-21 lead with less than a minute left in the game. The Fireflies brought the ball up court, shot and missed. There was a scramble for the ball. My daughter came up with it and was fouled with 24 seconds left in the game. It was the other team's seventh foul so she would shoot free throws, one and one. That means you have to make the first free throw to get the second. It is very high pressure in normal circumstances. Given the score and the time left in the game, this was about as tense as it gets. She looked up into the stands with an "oh no" look on her face. Then she stepped to the free throw line. The gym was silent except for the sound of her bouncing the ball. She shoots...swish! She hits the first free throw, her first of the season in several tries, and ties the game at 22-22. She then bounces the ball a few times, shoots and the ball rolls around the rim before falling through the basket giving her team a 23-22 lead. The gym erupts and 24 seconds later, the game is over. Fireflies win 23-22.

I hope the years I lost off my life watching all this happen were bad ones!