I’m not a Yankees fan, so seeing Don Mattingly wearing Dodgers blue after the MLB All-Star Game won’t bother me. However, my two best friends live in a world of pinstripes, and I can’t speak for them. As a matter of fact, one named his son Mickey. However, with much disdain from Dad, Mickey is a Red Sox fan!

It was inevitable that Mattingly would be making his way back into uniform. He signed to be the LA Dodgers hitting coach in November 2007, but was temporarily replaced by Mike Easler in January, due to personal problems.

It’s one thing to see Torre in Dodgers blue - Joe has worn many uniforms. However, Mattingly is a life-long Yankee who has never worn anything but pinstripes. He was a 19th round draft-choice of New York in 1979, and he played 14-seasons in the Bronx. Don was AL MVP and MLB Player of the Year in 1985. He was a 6-time All-Star and won nine Gold Gloves. While not as admired as Mantle or DiMaggio, Mattingly was well-respected by his peers and Yankees fans. Even Red Sox fans had a hard time disliking this classy Yankee. So, while seeing Mattingly in Dodgers blue is really no big deal, I’m sure diehard Yankees fans will have a hard time dealing with it.

Hell, I grew up as a Boston sports fan - and had to deal with seeing Ted Williams in a Senators uniform and Bobby Orr wearing a Chicago Blackhawks sweater. Williams wasn’t too bad, as he joined the Senators as the manager. But, Orr, despite his problematic knees, went on the ice…albeit for only 26 games in two years with Chicago.

Who was the worst sight in a different uniform? How about Willie Mays wearing Mets colors?

Has the newness worn off for you yet? Are you tired of seeing pitchers hit or the DH walk to the plate? Has MLB Interleague Play run its course - or, is baseball now just playing too many games?

I know, attendance for Interleague games remains up versus regular league play, but that might be skewed by real rivalry games, such as: Yankees-Mets; Cubs-White Sox; Angels-Dodgers; Giants-A’s; Indians-Reds; Royals-Cardinals; Marlins-Rays. Plus, any National League team relishes a series with the Yankees or Red Sox - the two biggest road-draws for years.

Call me old-fashioned, but I’d prefer waiting for October to see American League versus the National League.

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While I’m on the subject of Interleague Play, I might as well add my two-cents regarding the DH rule. Having lived in an AL city most of my life, I’ve been watching the DH for so long (it was introduced in 1973) that I no longer have interest in watching pitchers hit. Nor does Hank Steinbrenner, especially after losing pitching ace Chien-Ming Wang to a base-running injury. Two sets of rules in one league are ridiculous. Plus, one would think the MLB Players Association would push for the DH in the National League to extend time-served for some aging players.

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Be sure to vote in this weeks www.HOFN.com Poll regarding Interleague Play. Are you for or against?

Here’s another question for you…other than baseball, is there another sport where the defense has the ball?

The Texas Con Man was a name given to Roger Clemens during his tenure with the Boston Red Sox by the late, great Boston Globe sportswriter William “Will” McDonough. Will took much grief from Sox fans and some media colleagues for what many thought a harsh title for one of the Red Sox all-time greats. Little did we know the true wisdom of Will.

Unfortunately, McDonough passed away on January 9, 2003 at the tender age of 67. However, I’m sure those who knew him – or was occasionally in his company at sporting events, as was I – know that Will has a huge grin on his face today. How right he was.

I was a huge Clemens fan. I remember the skinny kid’s debut with the Red Sox in May of 1984. I watched him pitch many times at Fenway Park and saw every one of his 20-strikeouts in the historical game versus the Seattle Mariners in April 1986. It was a masterpiece – and, to this day, probably one of the great pitching performances of all-time. I also recall numerous arguments with a New Jersey friend – a Mets’ fan, regarding who was better; Clemens or Dwight Gooden. That argument faded after the 1986 season when Clemens posted a 24-4 record and won both the CY Young and MVP awards.

For many Sox fans, McDonough’s The Texas Con Man name began gaining popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as Clemens’ words became more confounding and nonsensical. But, little did we know how much real truth there was to Will’s insightful nickname.

Has any sports hero fallen from grace as quickly as Roger Clemens? In 2006, a poll of 32 ESPN analysts voted Clemens the greatest living pitcher – and many considered him the greatest pitcher of all-time, or at least of the modern game. However, in a matter of a few months, Clemens has been accused of possible steroid use, potential infidelity, a questionable relationship with an under-age girl, and only God (and the New York Daily News) knows what’s next.

Clemens has gone from Cooperstown to OJ-town … the town of non-desirables.

My apology to Will McDonough. You were accurate from the beginning.

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Would you vote Roger Clemens into the Baseball Hall of Fame? Cast your vote on The Hall Of Fame Network poll: www.HOFN.com.

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After a thrilling season of football upsets and an epic championship basketball game, we’re reminded why we love college sports. But, which college can boast the #1 sports program? In a HOFN.com exclusive, Jim Weber ranks this year’s top athletic programs.

See how they rank at HOFN.com …

This year’s Hall of Fame Baseball Game in Cooperstown, New York will be the 69th and last. Major League Baseball has cancelled the game. The Annual Hall of Fame Game began in 1940, with the Chicago Cubs defeating the Boston Red Sox, 10-9. This year’s game, showcasing the Cubs versus the San Diego Padres, will be played on June 16 at Doubleday Field.

The cancellation of the game has created controversy and anger. Below is a letter from Baseball Commission Bud Selig in response to various members of Congress asking him to reverse MLB’s decision to cancel the game. Below the Commissioner’s letter is a response from www.savethefamegame.com creator Kristian Connolly.

Posted by Don Gilbert
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Commissioner Selig’s Letter to Lawmakers

Note: Bracketed text indicates the two parts of the letter that were different in the various versions.

Dear [Lawmaker]

Thank you for your thoughtful letter of [Date]. I certainly agree with you that the Hall of Fame and Cooperstown are important parts of Baseball’s heritage.

While I appreciate the sentiments expressed in your letter, allow me to elaborate on some of the reasons that went into the decision to eliminate the annual Hall of Fame Game in its current format after this year. As you know, our teams play 162 games in 180 days. With interleague play and interdivision matchups, finding two teams that could be scheduled into Cooperstown during an off-day has become exceedingly difficult. As you know, for several years the game has not been played in conjunction with the Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, making the logistics of presenting the game that much more complicated.

Also, as you are aware, the Hall of Fame, while a key part of Baseball history and lineage, is independently owned and operated. Major League Baseball and my office provide significant support to the Hall. I, myself, serve on its Board. Just this year, we committed to an $8 million dollar grant over three years to assist the Hall in its funding requirements. We share your view that the Hall is a special place for all baseball fans and a significant tourist attraction for that part of the State of New York. That is why we have embarked on a program to make our fans more aware of the Hall of Fame and its importance. This year at the All-Star Game in New York’s own Yankee Stadium, we will be featuring a tribute to all the living Hall of Famers, bringing as many as possible to New York for this historic event at considerable expense to Baseball. Beginning this year, and continuing into the future, we will use the Hall of Fame’s Induction Sunday in all of our major league parks where games are played that day as a special event, complete with video and on-field tributes and a recognition of what is going on in Cooperstown that day. We developed this plan in full conjunction and cooperation with the Hall of Fame’s management.

Frankly, we think this is a much better deployment and our resources in terms of ensuring the Hall of Fame’s long-term success, and will attract far more visitors to the area than a single game, played on a variable date each year, with the Major League players participating for a only a few innings. While I am sure the local residents of Cooperstown will be disappointed, we are hopeful that a thriving base of visitors each year enhanced by our promotion will help assuage their disappointment. And remember exciting minor league baseball can be found in the area all summer in Oneonta, Binghamton, Troy and Syracuse among other locations.

Thank you again for your interest. I hope you will be able to attend the Induction ceremony some year. It is always a memorable occasion.

Sincerely,

Allan H. Selig
Commissioner of Baseball

Commissioner Selig’s letter to lawmakers can also be found at savethefamegame.com. PDF copies of each letter are also available from savethefamegame.com upon request.

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Response From www.savethefamegame.com

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig recently responded to requests made by various United States senators and representatives to reverse the decision to end the annual Hall of Fame Game in Cooperstown after 2008. The savethefamegame.com campaign obtained copies of three of those letters — sent to Representatives Michael Arcuri, Maurice Hinchey, and Senator Hillary Clinton — and savethefamegame.com creator Kristian Connolly responds as follows:

“Commissioner Selig’s identical, form-letter response to members of Congress is stunning in its refusal to directly address the lawmakers’ concerns, and in the way it sweeps the central issue under the rug in favor of self-congratulating or hollow statements. It’s insulting to the senators and representatives that have expressed their desire to see the tradition continue, and insulting to baseball fans across the globe.

“The commissioner’s obvious disregard for his responsibility as the steward of America’s national pastime — not national industry — is appalling, as is his clear lack of caring about the sport’s fans — unless it involves how they can increase the bottom line. For all intents and purposes, Commissioner Selig should have used the word ‘customers’ rather than ‘fans’ or ‘visitors’ in his response, since it is unmistakable from his words that he views those of us who care about baseball — its past, present and future — only as sources of revenue.

“Furthermore, I am in complete and utter disbelief that the commissioner of baseball believes that people need to be made ‘more aware of the Hall of Fame and its importance.’ As someone who grew up in Cooperstown and has traveled all over the country and met many different people — baseball fans and otherwise — I feel confident that there is not a single village in America that is more well known than Cooperstown, and baseball and the Hall of Fame are the main reasons why. For some, Cooperstown and the Hall of Fame are symbols. For others, they’re a goal. For others still, they’re the centerpiece of debate. And for many, Cooperstown and the Hall of Fame are destinations held in such high esteem that people spend months, years, or even a lifetime dreaming about and planning for a trip to visit them.

“As the commissioner and his deputy Bob Dupuy know first-hand from the letters that savethefamegame.com has helped facilitate, disappointment over the decision to cancel the Hall of Fame Game is found not only among the local residents of Cooperstown and the surrounding area, but stretches far and wide across the United States, and beyond.

“To say that the Hall of Fame Game creates a scheduling problem is completely ludicrous. The CBA specifically allows for the Hall of Fame Game, and even allows for it to be factored into consecutive-days-played and off-day provisions, so saying that the game takes place on an off-day is disingenuous, at best. If the commissioner was so concerned about giving players days off in lieu of maximizing profits during a 162-game, six-month season, then perhaps his office could craft a schedule which contained a few doubleheaders mixed in, to create further opportunities on the calendar for players to get some rest. But simply throwing in the towel on a nearly 70-year-old tradition rather than making it work — in the interest of what is best for the sport — should be embarrassing for those making that decision.

“The recent steroid and drug scandals, the late starts to playoff and World Series games, and more have all helped to put baseball on the defensive against accusations of greed, of having lost sight of tradition and sportsmanship in baseball over profit motives, and of ignoring and/or imperiling its most impressionable fans, the nation’s children. Since 1940, the Hall of Fame Game has celebrated the national pastime on the sport’s historic home field in the sport’s celebrated hometown. It has been symbolic of sportsmanship, of exciting kids and adults alike about the game, of connecting to the present and reconnecting to the sport’s revered history, and of fine athletic traditions.

“Many of the game’s greatest players have played on Doubleday Field, and they’ve done so for fans in a setting that is as pure, intimate and historical as there is in baseball today. Baseball is a sport that thrives on values and traditions, and preserving the Hall of Fame Game is a relatively easy way to help restore and retain the values and traditions that have been celebrated annually for almost 70 years.”

Kristian Connolly, Creator
www.savethefamegame.com

I’m a believer in our capitalistic society. As a businessman, I understand marketing and maximizing profits. However, as an American sports fan, I’m not in favor of our professional leagues’ fascination of playing games on foreign soil. International marketing and the selling of product is fine – but, do we they really need to send our teams to other countries? We open our doors to international athletes, but having actual games played beyond our borders seems to be going too far.

For some reason, I’m having trouble with regular season NFL games in London and MLB games in Japan. Does America really need to force feed the world our culture, including our sports? Exhibitions, as the NBA recently did in Europe, seem reasonable, but let’s keep games that count in league standings in America.

The Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox will be playing two regular season games in Japan – that’s two fewer games the fans in Oakland will get to see. Baseball games are a hard enough draw in Oakland these days, so why take away two Red Sox games from them? The New York Giants and Miami Dolphins played a game in London this past NFL season. How memorable was that? And God forbid the NFL does the most sacrilegious of all – and plays the Super Bowl in England! The next thing you know, we’ll be moving the New York City 4th of July fireworks to London, too!

NFL Europe was a failure, Japan has its own professional baseball league, and the world has soccer (excuse me, football). Let’s leave the rest of the world alone and play American games on American soil.

While opinions regarding whether of not Roger Clemens used performance enhancing drugs may not have been altered by the recent Congressional hearings…you must admit, it was great theatre. And even better politics.

Make no mistake about it, good ‘ole boy politics’ was at work. The Clemens – McNamee Congressional hearings had nothing to do with gaining the truth or protecting America’s youth from drugs. It was Democrats versus Republicans. It was time to call-in political favors. Clemens’ Texas roots were prevalent. How else can one explain this becoming a battle of political parties? Do you think it was a coincidence that most Republicans came to Clemens’ defense? Do you think it was coincidence that leading Republican Tom Davis rushed to Clemens side immediately after the hearing?

American politics is often behind-closed-door deals. Unfortunately, we saw it at its worst during this hearing. And politicians wonder why Americans question the integrity of its leaders? When lobbying is allowed during depositions and prior to Congressional hearings regarding the use of illegal drugs, it has gone too far.

My opinion as to whether Clemens used steroids or HGH is irrelevant. However, I find it difficult to believe that McNamee was telling the truth about Pettitte, Knoblauch, and Debbie Clemens, yet lying about Roger. Why? I also find it difficult to believe Debbie Clemens would get a shot of HGH from McNamee without her husband’s knowledge. Plus, if Roger wasn’t getting shot-up by McNamee – nor did he ever discuss drugs with him (as he claims), how did Debbie know to go to McNamee for the injection?

In every poll I’ve seen, most American’s believed McNamee. So what did the Republicans hear that the rest of us didn’t, which led them to support Clemens? Maybe they heard a Republican “voice” who was the former General Managing Partner of the Texas Rangers.

By the way, that former Managing Partner currently lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

A three-ring circus has nothing over Major League Baseball. Whatever happened to arguments about who’s better – Mantle or Mays, Williams or DiMaggio, Koufax or Gibson? What about a good old-fashioned debate regarding the designated hitter? Or how about this one: Who hit the greatest home run ever – Bill Mazeroski, Bobby Thompson, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Joe Carter, Calton Fisk or Roger Maris?

Nope…none of that talk anymore. This good ole baseball bar-room banter is now replaced with talks of steroids, cheating, congressional hearings, and phone-tap conversations. Thank you Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, MLB, et al.

To make matters worse, we now have a potential cheater even downplaying the importance of his election into the Baseball Hall of Fame. If he made nothing else clear in his recent press conference charade, Roger Clemens made it perfectly clear that he doesn’t give a “rat’s ass” about getting inducted in baseball’s most treasured shrine in Cooperstown. I wonder how that plays with some of the legendary players of the game who cherish their place in the Hall – or, even more so, with those still waiting for the honor like Rice, Blyleven, Dawson, or Lee Smith?

Whether innocent or guilty, I hope writers remember how important the Hall of Fame is to Clemens. A one-time first-ballot lock, I guess he now has more to worry about than Cooperstown.

As I listen to admissions and denials of players named in the Mitchell Report regarding steroid use in Major League Baseball, I am neither surprised nor disappointed. Since the McGwire-Sosa run at immortality in 1998, it has been apparent that Major League Baseball players had joined the ranks of Olympians and other professional athletes using performance-enhancing drugs. But for those thinking drugs in baseball began in the 90s, keep sticking your head in the sand – as most did during that fraudulent year the Maris family politely watch Roger’s record demolished by the two Hulk-like characters.

Denial is a trait most often used when it relates to oneself or a loved one. To be in denial regarding a baseball player’s use of steroids is bewildering. No one questioned the use of testosterone by the Soviet Union’s Olympic team in 1954. And lest we forget Dr. John Ziegler who aided the CIBA Pharmaceutical Company in the development of the drug Dianabol (methandrostenolone) in the mid-50s to help western Olympians compete with the Soviet Union. So, to think performance-enhancing drugs were only available to modern-day baseball players is naive.

How will all this steroid-use influence baseball writers who are entrusted with the privilege of voting for a player’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame? They negated McGwire in his first year of eligibility. What about Bonds, Sosa – and now Clemens? Is it a vote for all, or a vote for none? Are we to believe only Olympic athletes used performance-enhancing drugs during the Dianabol years?

So many questions, so many decisions for Baseball Hall of Fame voters.

The word greatness is often used callously in the world of sports. To me, individual greatness means Ali, Robinson, Ruth, King, Owens, and a few others. The top 10 most influential people in sports history are analyzed in an excellent piece published in HOFmagazine.com. http://www.hofmag.com/content/view/642/60/1/0/

Regarding great team dynasties, the consensus top three are the 1957-1969 Celtics, 1964-1975 UCLA Bruins, and the 1947-1962 Yankees. The order is debatable.

The Boston Celtics won 11 championships and were in 12 NBA finals in 13-years. The UCLA Bruins won 10 NCAA championships and were in 11 finals in 12-years. The New York Yankees won 10 championships and were in 13 World Series in 16-years.

After those top three, a plethora of teams are considered dynasties, including other Yankee and Celtic teams, plus the Steelers, Canadians, Edmonton Oilers, Packers, Lakers, Bulls, et al.

As the NFL moves into week 15, the 13-0 Patriots already fit into that second-tier of dynasty teams with 3 Championships – and with 30-year-old Tom Brady leading the way, who knows how long this run will last. A perfect 19-0 season this year would mean championship number four and would put them atop of the NFL greatness list.

Love them or hate them, this Patriots team appears unbeatable. From this seat, only the Colts might be able to derail them and enable the Dolphins old-guard to drink from their crusty cups. To the Patriots and the football world, a 16-0 regular season followed by a loss in the playoffs would mean failure. Like the Yankees and Celtics before them, only championships are acceptable.

If the Pats do run the table, then re-sign Moss, their road to greatness will continue. And don’t forget, even though they lost their number one draft pick to Spygate, they do have the 49ers number one pick which, at the time of this writing, is the number two overall pick in the draft. The rich get richer.

Naysayers beware…with a healthy Brady at the helm another decade, the Patriots could join the elite list of Celtics, UCLA Bruins, and Yankees by the time he hangs up his cleats.