NHL and Beer: During their recent Stanley Cup Playoff game against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Tampa Bay Lightening enticed fans to become season ticket holders for the 2004-2005 season by offering them free beer. Anyone who put $100 towards next year's season tickets received 4 coupons that could be redeemed for 12 oz. beers. Apparently, only 25 people took up the Lightening on this offer. Nonetheless, the promotion drew a negative response from MADD and from some local law enforcement officers. Critics said that the promotion encouraged irresponsible drinking. But, I think the more serious issue here is the state of the NHL. The Lightening are one round away from playing for Lord Stanley's Cup, and yet they need to entice people into buying tickets by offering them free beer. What a contrast to NFL tickets which pretty much need to be willed from generation to generation.
Tennis as a life-long sport: After a 10-year hiatus, Martina Navratilova will be playing singles this year at the French Open. Navratilova is 47 years old. That makes Martina more than twice as old as Justine Henin-Hardenne, the world's top-ranked player.
Baseball as a non-contact sport?: Yesterday, Yankees catcher Jorge Posada got his nose broken by a throw while sliding into second base. Posada was trying to break up a double play when a side-arm, relay throw from Angels' Shortstop Alfredo Amezaga hit him square in the face. Yankees manager Joe Torre seemed to think that the throw was uncalled for. Most of you know about my love for the pinstripes, but I would have to disagree with Torre on this one. I think it was just hard-nosed baseball (no pun intended). Posada was trying to break up a double play. Amezaga was forcing him to get down. Posada didn't get down fast enough. Such is life as a professional athlete. Posada plans to return to the field this weekend.
