Ken Burns' 'Tenth Inning' Worthy Successor to 'Baseball'

by Milton Kent

Filed under: MLB PEDs, Sports Business and Media

There are those who earnestly believe that "The Godfather Part III" is a fine film whose only significant flaws are exposed when it is compared to the two films that preceded it, which are among the finest American movies made.

So it is with Ken Burns' addendums to his landmark "Baseball" documentary series. "The Tenth Inning," which premieres Tuesday and Wednesday on PBS stations around the country, is an exceptional piece of historical film-making that documents the last 20 years in baseball superbly.

Alas, the two-part "Tenth Inning" doesn't quite resonate with viewers the way the original nine-part, 18 1/2-hour masterwork did, for a variety of reasons.

Some of those reasons are beyond the control of Burns, his co-director Lynn Novick and David McMahon, who wrote the screenplay with Burns and Novick.

It's not their fault that the period covered in "The Tenth Inning" -- from the 1992 playoffs through last season -- is a largely joyless, soulless time marked by the increasing intrusions of big-money players and franchises and performance-enhancing drugs.

 

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Darcy Tucker Retires With One Regret

Filed under: Avalanche, Canadiens, Lightning, Maple Leafs

Gritty forward Darcy Tucker, who made a name for himself as both an agitator and a scorer, announced Friday that he is retiring from the NHL.

Tucker, a native of Castor, Alberta, came into the league after being drafted by Montreal in the sixth round (151st overall) in 1993.

The 35-year-old enjoyed 15 seasons in the NHL playing for the Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Colorado Avalanche, often pushing the envelope with his physical, in-your-face style wherever he suited up.

 

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Ryder Cup Opening Pairings Made, Now Let's Go Play

Filed under: Ryder Cup

NEWPORT, Wales -- Enough with the wall-to-wall banquets. No more making polite and politically correct conversation. Finally, it's time to suit up in the work clothes -- even if that includes rain gear.

The Ryder Cup's opening pairings were announced on Thursday. Here's how the action will get started in the best-ball format:

Americans Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson will begin against Europeans Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer. Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar will follow against the Northern Ireland duo of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell. Next off will be Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker opposed by Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher. Finally, Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton take on Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington.

When asked why he chose Mickelson-Johnson to begin the day, Pavin responded with, "Well, because I think they are pretty good players."

Questioned as to why the Woods-Stricker combo, which teamed to go 4-0 in last year's Presidents Cup, was held to the third match. Pavin was quick with a quip.

"Because the first two spots were already taken."

As the first ones out for the Americans, Mickelson and Johnson will be looking to transition from this week's team bonding period into the down and dirty battle on the course.

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"The first couple of days we've been here, I think fun is the word I would use," Mickelson said. "We have really had a good couple of days as far as getting adjusted and hanging out."

Now it's time to sweat. After a full week of meet-and-greets and social pleasantries -- including a Super Bowl halftime-like show that featured attendance by Prince Charles -- the 38th playing of the Ryder Cup matches begins Friday morning at Celtic Manor, turning golf into a contact sport.

 

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All That and a Bag of Mail: Jersey Blues

Filed under: Mississippi, Nebraska, Tennessee, Big 10, All That and a Bag of Mail

The long regional nightmare that is the Ole Miss mascot selection is nearing an end. After years of analysis, and much ridicule from me because Ole Miss people won't simply name William Faulkner as their mascot, the Rebels have three final nominees: a. Hotty and Toddy -- a nebulous idea that is associated with the school's cheer; b. a bear; c. a land shark. It's time to put this mess to rest once and for all. If Ole Miss is serious about these three choices, as it must be at this point, you have to select the bear as the choice.

Absolutely have to.

I'm putting whatever limited endorsement power I have, and trust me it's limited, behind the bear. Today on my radio show, we learned that there are still 75 black bears alive and well in Mississippi woods. And if you're not going to go with William Faulkner, then you might as well go with the most famous animal that he ever wrote about in the best short story ever written by a Southern author. So it has to be the bear.

In fact, just to ensure it happens, I'm making the Ole Miss bear our Beaver Pelt Trader of the Week. Now on to pink hippos, Nebraska jersey sales, drunken Englishmen, Derek Dooley's shower discipline, Big Ten props, Bama Bangs analysis and more in today's mailbag.

 

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David Beckham Reportedly Paid $10,000 for Night With Prostitute Irma Nici

Filed under: MLS, Los Angeles Galaxy

A former prostitute is spilling the beans about her reported affair with soccer superstar David Beckham, as Irma Nici is claiming the L.A. Galaxy midfielder spent $10,000 for one night with her.

In an exclusive interview with In Touch magazine, Nici claims that she and Beckham slept together five times in 2007. Nici said that Beckham paid her $10,000 for sex during one of their meetings. Reportedly, after an hour of foreplay, Nici and Beckham had protected sex for about 15 minutes. She said Beckham was "gentle and kind," rating him as a partner as a 7.5 on a scale of 1 to 10.

"It was a high," Nici, 26, told In Touch. "All of these women dream of being with him, and I got to hook up with him. It was very exciting."

 

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All That and a Bag of Mail: Jersey Blues

Filed under: Mississippi, Nebraska, Tennessee, Big 10, All That and a Bag of Mail

The long regional nightmare that is the Ole Miss mascot selection is nearing an end. After years of analysis, and much ridicule from me because Ole Miss people won't simply name William Faulkner as their mascot, the Rebels have three final nominees: a. Hotty and Toddy -- a nebulous idea that is associated with the school's cheer; b. a bear; c. a land shark. It's time to put this mess to rest once and for all. If Ole Miss is serious about these three choices, as it must be at this point, you have to select the bear as the choice.

Absolutely have to.

I'm putting whatever limited endorsement power I have, and trust me it's limited, behind the bear. Today on my radio show, we learned that there are still 75 black bears alive and well in Mississippi woods. And if you're not going to go with William Faulkner, then you might as well go with the most famous animal that he ever wrote about in the best short story ever written by a Southern author. So it has to be the bear.

In fact, just to ensure it happens, I'm making the Ole Miss bear our Beaver Pelt Trader of the Week. Now on to pink hippos, Nebraska jersey sales, drunken Englishmen, Derek Dooley's shower discipline, Big Ten props, Bama Bangs analysis and more in today's mailbag.

 

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Tony Stewart Feels the Love After Crushing New Hampshire Finish

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Chase for the Sprint Cup, FanHouse Exclusive, NASCAR

Editor's Note: FanHouse is teaming up with two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart for weekly, in-depth spotlight stories as he competes in the 10-week Chase for the Sprint Cup. Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet, is contending to become the first owner-driver to win NASCAR's most coveted title since the late Alan Kulwicki in 1992.

As the sympathetic text messages, emails and cell phone calls rolled in Sunday evening, Tony Stewart showered, grabbed a Coca-Cola and the TV remote and simply lay on the bed in his motor coach inside New Hampshire International Raceway, flipping through the channels and contemplating one of the most heartbreaking days of his racing career.

As his mind raced, the two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champ kept going back to one image -- and it wasn't the moment he realized his race-leading No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet was out of gas with a little more than a lap to go in the Chase for the Sprint Cup playoff opener earlier that afternoon.

Instead, Stewart's thoughts kept returning to the pleasantly surprising reception he received from the fans that day as his car silently and solemnly coasted around the track before getting a push into the garage.

"Maybe I was reading it wrong, but I felt like the crowd was applauding that we ran good and were appreciative of what we had done that day,'' said Stewart, who led three times for 100 laps and had a 1.3-second lead on the field when his car ran out of gas just before taking the white flag.

"There are times when you're the unpopular guy and they're cheering because you had bad luck. But I honestly didn't feel like that was the case Sunday and it was the one good feeling I had coming home this week. ''

 

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