The Herald Bulletin

Afternoon Update

Sports

Discussion

July 22, 2008

MIKE BEAS: Wilkinson not worth rooting for

Things I’ve thought about while wondering how many more minutes, uh, weeks, Shawne Williams will be able to call himself an Indiana Pacer:

LAURA WILKINSON: It’s un-American to hope someone representing the United States in the upcoming Beijing Olympics fails, but Wilkinson recently brought out the red, fight and blue in a lot of us.

Appealing to attempt to represent the U.S. along with Jessica Livingston in 10-meter synchronized platform diving threw some scary moments into 15-year-old Elwood resident Mary Beth Dunnichay, who along with her partner, Haley Ishimatsu, had previously secured the spot.

Wilkinson, 30, lost her appeal, not to mention a portion of her reputation as a dignified ambassador of the sport.

Individually and collectively, the Dunnichays are too nice to publicly sling poison-tipped verbal arrows at Wilkinson. Not me. Even if Wilkinson takes home bronze in her specialty, the individual 10-meter platform, it will be a major bummer that she finished so high.

Nice try, Tex. Now go bring us home ninth place.

THE LUCAS OIL STADIUM TOUR FIASCO: Sure am glad Lucas Oil Stadium offered free tickets for the Aug. 16 tour of the new home of the Indianapolis Colts. Something like 37 seconds later a whole bunch of them were floating around eBay. SOLD ... to the highest bidder.

A shame we can’t find out the identity of the eBay scalpers and blacklist them from any Lucas Oil Stadium event for the next two years. Doesn’t sound like they’re true Colts fans anyway, so what’s the harm?

HAS JAMAAL LEFT YET?: Credit Larry Bird for drastically altering the look and character level of the Indiana Pacers with his draft day wheeling and dealing. But until the franchise works a trade for troubled point guard Jamaal Tinsley or cuts him altogether, the Pacers cannot move on to greener emotional pastures.

Hearing Bird speak publicly of Tinsley is like listening to someone describe a bad automobile they used to drive. The voice, completely void of any hint of enthusiasm, is a lesson in Deadpan 101.

Indiana won’t get much for Tinsley, if anything. Yet he’ll be gone, and that sure is something.

PEYTON’S KNEE TROUBLES: Question: Why was Peyton Manning’s knee treated in July when the Indianapolis Colts’ first sampling of the offseason came Jan. 14, one day after that ultra-inspiring 28-24 home playoff loss to San Diego?

Hope old Peyton wasn’t doing something that violated the small print in his contract and injured himself in the process. Not that anyone affiliated with the franchise would tell us anyway.

THE BORE DE FRANCE: Is anybody paying attention? In this country, I mean. The moment Lance Armstrong retired, the Tour de France could have had Hooters waitresses riding Big Wheels and it wouldn’t have made a difference.

As the greatest cyclist of the modern era, Armstrong brought attention, television ratings to a total yawner of an event.

Talk about your impact players. All those years the French loathed Armstrong when they should have been loving him.

GREG NORMAN’S RUN AT THE OPEN: Hard to feel too sorry for Greg Norman after coming up short at The Open, golf’s annual showcase for winds strong enough to lift Sergio Garcia and deposit him in the middle of Switzerland.

Norman is a walking business empire whose golden touch applies to everything from fine wines to athletic field turf to quality dining. And he gets to go home to Chris Evert. That may be his most impressive feat yet.

Mike Beas is a sportswriter / columnist for The Herald Bulletin. He can be reached at mike.beas@heraldbulletin.com .

Text Only
Sports
  • 0208 sports phhs vs greenfield 081.jpg PH moves on

    On the roster of every successful team is a player or two who will do the unpleasant work. The ones who actually find satisfaction in this pursuit are worth their weight in wins to any coach. Pendleton Heights sophomore Kiawna Cottrell was just that player Tuesday as the Arabians advanced to the second round of sectional play with a 55-45 victory over Greenfield-Central.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • 0208 sports ahs vs connersville 060.jpg Indians slay Spartans

    The last time these two girls basketball teams met on Jan. 17, Anderson defeated Connersville 83-74 in overtime. Lady Tribe coach Chad Cook knew the Spartans would come out with a chip on their shoulder ready for revenge in Tuesday’s opening round of the Class 4A sectional.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • 0208 spts frankton 2586.JPG Eagles eke by Raiders

    Back in November, the Frankton girls basketball team handled Shenandoah by 29 points. Tuesday’s sectional opener at Shenandoah wasn’t as easy, but the end result was the same as Frankton moved on with a 44-43 win over the host Shenandoah Raiders.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • 0208 spts lapel 2794.JPG Wapahani ends Lapel’s season

    With both teams scrapping for loose balls and rebounds often, the second game of the first-round girls basketball sectional Tuesday night at Shenandoah seemed destined to become a backyard brawl. And as is so often the case, the more experienced team came out on top. A sloppy but hard-fought contest turned into little more than a war of attrition late as finally Lapel ran out of gas, falling to Wapahani 49-33.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • madisongrantbuttonlogo.jpg Madison-Grant survives, advances

    Madison-Grant girls basketball coach Kyle Douglas reminded his team before Tuesday’s Class 2A sectional opener that the state tournament marks the beginning of a new season. With 4.6 seconds remaining against Alexandria, Argylls senior Taylor McNutt held the first game of that new season in her hands at the free-throw line. She calmly made her first attempt, and wild scramble for the loose ball erupted when her second try glanced off the rim. The clock expired before either team could gain possession, and Madison-Grant (14-8) escaped with a 58-57 victory and a ticket to Round 2.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • 0120 sports elwood daleville gbb 073.jpg Daleville bucks Liberty Christian, heads into Class A semifinals

    Not much changed in Sectional 55 on Tuesday at Wes-Del as Daleville pressured the Lions into submission on the way to a 51-24 win and the chance to face the host Wes-Del Warriors.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • Ken de la Bastide Ken de la Bastide: Barrichello might move to IndyCar

    Although the IZOD IndyCar Series lost its most identifiable driver with the move of Danica Patrick to NASCAR, possible changes could raise the level of competition to new heights. The IZOD IndyCar season starts on March 25 and there is a chance a veteran Formula One driver could be in the mix.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • 0208 sports ahs vs connersville 003.jpg Tribe win over Spartans 50 - 46 Photos from the opening round of the Class 4A Sectional at Greenfield-Central on Tuesday.

    February 7, 2012

  • 0208 sports phhs vs greenfield 011.jpg Arabians advance after 55-45 win over Cougars Photos from the Greenfield-Central sectional as the Pendleton Heights Arabians faced the Cougars.

    February 7, 2012

  • girls preview.jpg Girls teams eye possible sectional titles

    Many of this year’s girls basketball teams featured many young players on their rosters.
    As a result, there was uncertainty about how many teams would contend for sectional titles.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo