Lovable in losing

Andy Roddick became a winner by losing Sunday. It was how he lost to Roger Federer in the epic Wimbledon final. He showed heart and guts and class that he never showed before, not even in victory. His reputation improved in a losing effort, more so than it would have had he won in straight sets. We take a look at others who lost but whose reputations grew because of it.

Rocco Mediate
Many might have forgotten that Michael Campbell won a U.S. Open. So did Steve Jones. But no one will ever forget that it was a smiling Rocco Mediate who stood toe-to-toe with Tiger Woods for 19 playoff holes in the 2008 U.S. Open. Mediate has never won a major, but his runnerup finish to Woods made more of an impact than if he had actually won in the traditional way like Campbell and Jones.

Joe Frazier
Smokin' Joe was a fine heavyweight champion, but it was a loss that moved him to legendary status. The final bout in his epic trilogy against Muhammad Ali -- the Thrilla in Manila in 1975 -- was one of the most brutal fights ever. Ali won only because a near-blind Frazier quit seconds before the start of the 15th round and just before Ali was ready to throw in the towel.

Arizona Cardinals
Football's lovable losers pulled off a string of upsets to reach last season's Super Bowl, but few gave them a chance to even stay close to the Steelers. Yet it took a two-minute drive for the ages for the Steelers to pull out the victory. Kurt Warner and the Cards would rather have a Super Bowl ring, but even in a loss they earned the respect they had not experienced previously.

John McEnroe
With his bad-boy image and awful temper, McEnroe was cast as the villain in the 1980 Wimbledon final against the cool and classy Bjorn Borg. Five sets later, including the greatest tiebreak in tennis history, Borg prevailed, but McEnroe was given the respect in losing that he never gained in winning. His effort drew out an emotion from fans that they had never shown McEnroe before: sympathy.

Harvey Haddix
This Pirates pitcher retired the first 36 batters he faced and took a perfect game into the 13th inning against the Braves in 1959. But he ended up losing when he gave up a run in the 13th. Despite the 1-0 loss, many consider his one-hit complete game the greatest pitching performance in baseball history.

Dara Torres
Torres had won four Olympic gold medals from 1984 to 2000, but that just made her another really good American swimmer. It was three silver medals in the 2008 Olympics, when she was 41 years old and competing against women half her age, that made her a swimming legend.

Phil Mickelson
He has been runnerup five times at the U.S. Open. The first four times, he was criticized. The fifth time (last month at Bethpage), Mickelson played as his wife battled breast cancer. He smiled. He engaged the crowd. And he played magnificently. He came up short but won over fans with his performance.

Rocky Balboa
This is what this category is all about -- the epitome of a man in an event where the final result didn't even matter. As Rocky said, "If I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood.''
Amen.

Lost traditions in sports

Wimbledon -- the coolest tennis tournament in the world, the one with the richest tradition -- jumped the shark Monday. In the name of progress, innovation and fan friendliness, it closed the retractable roof on Centre Court to keep rain from interrupting its precious tournament. Fans cheered and players praised, but a tradition was lost, just like when lights were installed at Wrigley Field. The thing that was supposed to make it better actually made it a little worse. Here are some sports traditions lost in the name of advancement.

Roof at Wimbledon
Rain is part of the tournament's charm. It changes momentum. It adds intrigue. Last year's final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer became an epic, partly because of the rain. When you think of Wimbledon, what comes to mind? Grass, strawberries and cream, and rain. Not anymore. Now we have a roof. At Wimbledon. Blasphemy!

New Yankee Stadium
These days it's all about private suites and swanky clubs and plush clubhouses. But not only does the new stadium lack the charm and tradition of the old digs, it's a joke with homers flying out at a record pace. It's like a new easy chair that might look nice and have a place for your drink and remote. The old chair had stains and rips and a missing handle, but it sure was comfortable.

New Year's Day bowl games
You're supposed to have the Cotton Bowl in the mid afternoon, the Rose Bowl in the late afternoon and the Sugar and Orange at night. And by the end, we're supposed to have a national champion. Now these classic bowls are spread out. Did you know that last year there was a bowl game on Jan. 6? And it was the GMAC Bowl, for crying out loud.

Organ music at hockey games
Go to a hockey game and prepare to have your senses blasted. Loud music, screaming promotion announcers, overly caffeinated "spirit'' team kids firing T-shirts out of air guns. Teams still have an organ, but we're subjected to AC/DC and Guns N' Roses and ear-splitting levels before every faceoff. Maybe just once a season, teams could have "organ night.''’ No announcers. No T-shirts. No rock music. Just a guy playing an organ during the breaks.

Scheduled doubleheaders
The holiday baseball doubleheaders -- Memorial Day, July Fourth, Labor Day -- were great. Twi-night double­headers were the best. Now, the only time there's a doubleheader is to make up a rainout. And it's always a day-night doubleheader so teams can squeeze out full gates from every game they play. Once again, another example of greed taking one of the great traditions from sports.

World Series day games
Gone for good are the days when kids would sneak a transistor to school and listen to the first couple innings before racing home to watch the end. Or maybe you had a really cool teacher who would close the blinds, turn off the lights and wheel in that black-and-white television on that huge stand so you could enjoy the game. Memories like that build fans. The first night World Series game was in 1971, Orioles-Pirates Game 4. Now games end so late that kids can't stay up to watch.

Braves on TBS
Atlanta's "SuperStation''’ was one of the first cable stations. The best thing was, anywhere in the country, you could watch the Braves. They were horrible, the old "Launching Pad'' was practically empty and announcer Skip Caray talked more about what movie was on after the game. You didn't always watch, but it was comforting to know they were on. These days, TBS shows a national Game of the Week, and fans can watch any game they want. But there was something special about watching the Cubs on WGN during the day and the Braves on TBS at night.

More things that annoy us in sports

Last week in this space, I gave you a list of annoying things that should be banned in sports, like all those yahoo golf fans who scream "Get in the hole'' after every shot, or basketball players who give high-fives to a teammate after a missed free throw. That drew a reaction from many of you, including those who are totally disgusted with Rays pitcher Matt Garza's spitting. So I add a few more to the ever-growing list, including many sent in by you.

Wrong season
One of the comments on the Two Cents blog: "Throw the idiots out who show up to a game decked out from head to toe with gear of a team that is not even playing in the game they are watching. You can also add in the idiots who wear gear for a sport they are not even watching (see Philadelphia fan wearing an Eagles jersey to a Phillies game).'' We might add that going shirtless and painting your face isn't necessarily a reason for ejection, but it is a reason to call you a loser.

Hello, idiot
Wayne Koehler wrote in with, "Let's make it illegal to sit behind home plate and wave at your friend who you are talking to on your cell phone.'' Amen! Along with that, let's also kick out those hockey fans who sit along the glass then turn around and wave to the camera while on their cell phones whenever the puck is in front of  them.

Act like a grown-up
Speaking of attire, there should be a rule that no adult is allowed to wear a team jersey with the name and number of a player who is younger than him. So, if you're 40 years old and a St. Louis Cardinals fan, you cannot wear an Albert Pujols jersey, but you can wear a Lou Brock or Stan Musial jersey. Along those  lines, anyone over the age of 15 should not be permitted into a professional baseball game with a glove unless you're playing in the game.

Excuses, excuses
An old colleague of mine, David Alfonso, offered up this: "Anyone who brings up a 'concern for academics' in a discussion over a college football playoff would immediately be slapped silly upside the head with a 20-pound textbook.''

Nice shoes
Golf fans, leave your golf shoes at home. Again, the only people allowed to wear golf shoes on a golf course are golfers, caddies and Dottie Pepper. That's it.

Money woes
Here's another reader response: "Eliminate any and all reporting of athletes' contracts/negotiations/terms as if it were 'sports news,' which it clearly is not. I never need to know that any player wants $96 million over four years, but management is offering only $80 million over three years.''

Add these ads to the list
I wrote last week how much we can't stand that cell phone commercial where the guy dumps sprinkles on the counter. You said the commercials you want to see yanked off the air include those Progressive insurance commercials with the saleswoman named Flo, the Geico ads with the stack of money and Rockwell's Somebody's Watching Me and all those "dysfunction''’ commercials with people taking baths outside.

Good riddance
Another reader said what he wanted banned has already been banned: "My prayers were answered when (Tony) Kornheiser was asked if he wanted to resign or get fired (from Monday Night Football).'' Hey, I liked Kornheiser on MNF, but I'm guessing I'm in the minority on that one.

Enough of these sayings
Readers wrote in to ban the following from the sports lexicon: "can of corn,'' "performance-enhancing drugs'' and "it is what it is.''

Enough of these people
Readers wrote in to ban the following people from sports: Chris Berman, Joe Morgan and anyone who thinks it would be a good idea for the Lightning to trade Vinny Lecavalier.

Enough of these songs
Readers wrote in to ban the following songs from sporting events: Rock and Roll Part 2, We Will Rock You, We Are The Champions and Crazy Train.

Well, that's it for now. But if you have more, leave a comment below or e-mail me at tjones@sptimes.com.

Things to eliminate from sports

The International Tennis Federation is considering a rule that would, essentially, ban  female players from screaming, grunting, shrieking or groaning when they hit a ball during a match. Aside from being annoying in general, it's a form of cheating, according to tennis great Martina Navratilova, who said opponents can't hear the sound the ball makes coming off the racket. Well, the following might not be cheating, but it drives me bonkers. Here's a list of other things that should be banned from sports.

Know why baseball games often take more than three hours? Because two of the hours are spent with a batter stepping out of the box to adjust his batting gloves, take four practice swings, fix his helmet and take two more practice swings. Unless a seagull flies into a batter's eye, the batter should be allowed to step out of the box only once per at-bat.

Basketball players should not be allowed to give handshakes, high-fives or low-fives to a teammate who just missed a free throw. Come to think of it, they shouldn't be allowed even if a player makes a free throw. It's a free throw!

Any fan who yells "Get in the hole!'' or "You da man!'' a split second after a golfer hits a tee shot on a par 4 or par 5 should immediately be escorted to the parking lot, have his mug shot taken and never be allowed on the grounds of a PGA Tour event ever again. Also, baseball fans who yell "balk''’ when it is not a balk need to be shown the exit.

If there's a fumble in football and a player starts to signal like a referee that his team has the ball, but it turns out his team does not have the ball, that player should be forced to sit out a play and his team should be penalized 5 yards for giving his fans false hope.

If a wide receiver drops a pass  then immediately jumps to his feet and pulls out several invisible penalty flags from his hip to beg for an interference call, he should be penalized 15 yards for impersonating a referee … and a wide receiver.

If a golfer misses a putt, then has a look of astonishment that the ball didn't break and it somehow was the fault of the earth and the laws of physics, add a stroke to his score.

This one is specifically for Rays pitcher Matt Garza: enough with the spitting! It's hard to tell if the guy's out there to pitch a game or water the infield.

Okay, this doesn't pertain to actual sports, but if I see that Verizon commercial where the guy pours sprinkles all over the counter one more time, I'm going to buy a machete and just start swinging.

A professional wrestler should be disqualified if he uses a foreign substance, hidden object or metal folding chair at any point during a match.

No more of those wormy little grad assistants, who look like they're wearing their dad’s suits, on the end of a college basketball bench and do nothing but jump around and throw up their hands after every single foul. If you're not a coach or player and you have never actually sweated in your life, you should not be allowed on the bench.

Aside from the grunting, here's another for tennis. Do players really need to towel off after every point? Worse, they make some kid bring them the sweaty, smelly towel. You don't see Kobe Bryant calling for a towel after every possession.

Finally (for the time being anyway): Dumping Gatorade on a football coach. Seriously, I don't get it. It doesn't even make sense. Dumping an ice cold beverage on a coach? If any team does that, 10 minutes should be added to the clock.

Dos and don'ts for Little League parents

Two years ago, in this space, I wrote a column on the Dos and Don'ts of being a Little League parent. Basically, it was quick reminder of how parents should behave as they watch their sons and daughters play youth baseball or softball. The e-mail reaction was incredible. Yet for all the pats on the back and requests for copies, here we are two years later and many of issues in that column continue to happen time and time again.

For the record, I have two sons, ages 12 and 16. Both play or have played youth league baseball in St. Petersburg and in Minnesota. They've played on city teams, all-star teams, AAU teams. They've been on really good teams and really bad ones. They've played locally, all across the state and in national tournaments. So I've seen it all -- a few too many times.

All-star tournaments are kicking up all over the area this week. Go watch one night and you're guaranteed to see adults screaming -- at kids, at coaches, at umpires. So here is that column from two years ago, with a few revisions.

Don't take it so seriously
What happened to the days of playing a game and going out for snow cones? Now it's all about winning tournaments, going to state, going to nationals. They're kids, for crying out loud. They go swimming, play baseball, go home and ride skateboards and play video games. Baseball is just one thing they do. Win or lose, there are a lot more important things going on in the world. Wins and losses fade quickly, but the lessons learned last forever.

Don't argue with the umpire
Give these people a break. It's hot. The umpire's gear is heavy, sweaty and smelly. These guys are calling two, three, four games in a day. Most are volunteers. Those who are getting paid barely make enough to cover the gas to drive to the game and hot dog and a soda when it's over. Yes, they will miss calls and it's frustrating. A strike one inning is a ball the next. But, trust us, these umpires don't go out there intentionally trying to put the screws to anyone. They really are doing the best they can. And if you think you can do better then grab a mask and a chest protector and start calling games.

Be supportive of your kids
That means two things: Go to the game. And give him or her a hug afterward and say, "Good game'' even if it wasn't a good game. Don't get angry if your child makes an error or strikes out. If he makes an error, don't say something stupid like, "Hey, you gotta make that play!'' He knows. He tried to make the play. He made an error. Just like major-leaguers do every night. A kid feels bad enough when he makes a mistake. He doesn't need you -- the person he is closest to in the entire world --  making him feel even worse by pointing out his mistake for everyone to hear. The only time a parent should discipline his child is if he or she is being disrespectful to an umpire, coach, teammate or opponent. But don't you dare yell at him because he's not Derek Jeter.

Watch your language
Just because you think it's okay to swear in front of your kids doesn't mean it's okay to swear in front of other people's kids. Remember where you are. This isn't an R-rated movie. It's a ball park with kids and grandparents.

If you have a problem, talk to the coach privately, not in front of the kids
Getting into an argument with a coach in front of the players does one thing: embarrasses your child. Even if you have a legitimate complaint, airing it in public is a recipe for disaster. Do it in private and don't do it during or right after a game. Emotions are high. If it's after a loss, everyone -- coaches, players and parents -- is frustrated, and that is not the tone you want when you're trying to solve a problem. And don't bad-mouth the coach or one of your kids' teammates in front of your child.

Remember there is crying in baseball
Regardless of what Tom Hanks said, there is crying in baseball. They're kids. Kids cry. They cry when they get hurt. They cry when they make a mistake. They cry when they're embarrassed. But, being kids, they'll stop crying in a minute, and they'll move on. Telling them to "grow up'' or "shake it off'' isn't going to help at that moment. It will only make matters worse. Just give them a second and they'll bounce back. Kids are resilient.

Let the coach coach
When you start giving your child instructions and secret signs, he is suddenly put in the impossible position of having to decide between what his coach is telling him to do and what his parent is telling him. If you notice something, mention it to the coach. But don't go behind his back and undermine him. In this category: If you don't know what you're talking about, be quiet. And if you don't know baseball, just say the generic stuff like, "Let's get a rally going'' or "Let's play some defense.''’

Respect your team
Don't get frustrated with a kid on your son's or daughter's team because they are not as good as your son or daughter. Hey, those kids are trying, too. And don't complain to other parents about that kid either. And while we're at it, let's bring up something to all those parents out there who think little Johnny is destined for the majors. At this very moment, there are 750 men in the majors. That's 750 from the entire planet! You have a better chance of being struck by lightning than making the majors.

Respect your opponent
Anyone who has ever had a child play youth sports has run into the Jerk Team. The other coach is a jerk. The players are jerks. The parents are jerks. Don't you become a jerk by sinking to their level. Don't let them engage you. Don't cheer for your team by putting down the other team. Don't say things like, "You can hit this kid.'' Or, "He throws it nice and slow.'' Or, "He doesn't even want to swing. Just throw it in there. He can't hit it.” Look, there will always be a Jerk Team. Don't let your team be it.

Watch your behavior
This is for the coaches. You have a greater influence on these children than you realize. Everything you say is taken as gospel. When you criticize them, it stings more than you know. You can coach without being insulting. Plus, he or she wants to do well more than you want them to do well. In addition, they follow your example. If you cry about umpires, so will they. If you're a poor sport, your team will be full of poor sports. And remember this: 20 years from now, the players you coach won't remember which games you won and lost, but they will remember if you were a man with good character or not.

Remember, it's just a game
Kids seem to understand this, but parents don't. Five minutes after a tough loss, the parents are in the parking lot griping about the coaches, criticizing the lineup and blaming the umpires. Meanwhile, the kids are eating candy, playing Wall Ball and trying to figure out the best all-time episode of SpongeBob SquarePants. Take a cue from your kids and realize that when it's over, life goes on.

Guys you like to dislike

Jonathan Papelbon? You just made the list, buddy. Sometime between fist pump Nos. 2 and 3 of about five following his striking out the side to preserve a victory Sunday night against the Rays, the Red Sox closer solidified his spot on our list of the people Tampa Bay sports fans like to dislike. You know the guys, the ones who get under the skin of the bay area sports fans for something they've said or done, and, usually, because they're so darn good. So here's the latest in the ever-changing list:

Jonathan Papelbon  .
The Red Sox relief ace ran his mouth after last year's bench-clearing brawl with the Rays, saying, "Payback is a (expletive).''’ That came, seemingly, after the score had been settled and tensions had calmed. Then came Sunday and his flurry of fist pumps for getting out of a nasty jam that he created.

Alexander Ovechkin
The NHL's best player was involved in two incidents that put him on Lightning fans' spit list. The first: a shady hit from behind on Lightning defenseman Jamie Heward on New Year's Day that put Heward on a stretcher with a concussion. Then came Ovechkin’s 50th goal celebration on March 19 at the St. Pete Times Forum when he drew the ire of Lightning coach Rick Tocchet and goalie Mike McKenna, both of whom thought the Capitals wing was showing up the Lightning.

Coco Crisp
Crisp has moved from the Red Sox to the Royals, but memories of last year's brawl with Rays pitcher James Shields remain fresh. Crisp was upset with Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett blocking second base. Then he took a hard slide against the innocent Akinori Iwamura even though Crisp later told the Rays if they had a problem they should go after him and not his teammates. Shields plunked Crisp on the behind and Crisp charged the mound and charged right into the category of disliked opposing players for Rays fans.

Curt Schilling
Hey, another former Red Sox player. Back in 2005, Schilling ripped the Rays organization and, in particular, manager Lou Piniella, calling Sweet Lou an "idiot.''’ Oh, but suddenly the Rays were good enough to be on his list of teams that he would consider pitching for this past offseason. To be fair, because of his constant need to be heard, Schilling is on the disliked list of most teams, maybe even Boston's.

Rays bullpen
They might wear the home team's uniform, but these days the Rays bullpen is taking heat from the locals. Dan Wheeler, Grant Balfour, Troy Percival and even J.P. Howell are hearing it from fans as they struggle to meet expectations raised from last season's solid performances. Percival, especially, seems to draw the ire of Rays fans even though he converted 28 of 32 save opportunities last season and is a perfect 5-for-5 this season. The bullpen is not alone. B.J. Upton, Gabe Gross and Dioner Navarro also have their names kicked around on local talk radio.

A.J. Pierzynski
He is one of those guys who just grates on everybody, even his teammates. He was involved in an infamous incident last season when the Rays lost a key game after he faked getting interfered with during a rundown. The umpires butchered the call, yet it was Pierzynski and his reputation that somehow took the hit for the play. Maybe that's because it seems the White Sox catcher is always involved in those type of plays.

Lightning management
Judging by Monday's town hall meeting, Lightning fans aren't too happy with owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie and GM Brian Lawton. They took a last-place team, fired its Cup-winning coach, made a mess of the next coach, promised playoffs, had the No. 1 pick in the draft who turned out to be a pretty good player and still finished with fewer points than the year before. Now they're talking about trading Vinny Lecavalier. No wonder the natives are restless.

Lane Kiffin
Gator football fans in these parts can't wait to run up the score on Lane Kiffin, and he hasn't even coached a game at Tennessee. Do you think before he started running his mouth about Urban Meyer Kiffin knew that the next meeting between the teams was in Gainesville and not Knoxville?

Hank Steinbrenner
Not only does he own the Evil Empire Yankees, he can't help but rip into the Rays. Remember last season when the Rays finished in the playoffs and the Yankees did not? Somehow Steinbrenner talked about subsidies as if he wanted some credit for the Rays making the postseason.

Melrose's accusations should include names

Ever since Barry Melrose was fired as Lightning coach last week, he has made the rounds on national TV in Canada and the United States, talking about how the players revolted and got him fired. Certainly he has the right to say whatever he wants. And maybe what he is saying is true.

But if you are going to blame it on the players, then the upright thing to do is to actually name the players who did you in. By making broad accusations, every player comes under suspicion, especially high-profile ones such as Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis.

In his most damning interview so far, Melrose went on the highly-viewed Hockey Night in Canada and blasted away: "Yeah, I think the players didn't want to play for me. You don't have to be Kreskin to figure that out. … Obviously, a lot of guys didn't like to be held accountable with this team. And obviously they went to (management) and said they don't like this style of coaching and would you get rid of him? I don't think there's any secret about that.''

Actually, it is a secret if Melrose isn’t naming names.

The interview was conducted by Ron MacLean, one of the best in the business and one of hockey's most-respected voices. But in an ill-timed off moment, MacLean clearly let Melrose off the hook by not pressing him on these accusations and demanding that he name names -- first to make his accusations more believable and, second, point the finger solely at the players who deserved to have the finger pointed at them.

It's a question Times hockey writer Damian Cristodero asked Melrose on Tuesday. Would he name names?

"No, I don't think so,'' Melrose said. "I'm done with it now. It's water under the bridge. I'm going to move on.''

So you drop bombs, make accusations against players who cannot defend themselves, then walk away and say it’s over? That's neither fair nor honorable. Players like Lecavalier and St. Louis always have held themselves accountable and played for a coach (John Tortorella) who was one of the most demanding hockey has ever seen. And because of that, their names are on the Stanley Cup -- something Melrose can't say. Yet their names and reputations are now in question because of Melrose's sweeping generalization that the "players'' got him fired. That seems wrong.

It's Tampa BAY, not Tampa!

Ugh, it happened again Tuesday night. Did you hear it? Moments after the White Sox had defeated the Twins to win the American League Central Division and earn a date against the Tampa Bay Rays in the playoffs, White Sox star Jim Thome mentioned his team's next opponent.

"We know they have a great team down there in Tampa,'' the slugger said.

TBS reporter Marc Fein ended the interview by telling Thome, "See you in Tampa.''

Unless the two have dinner plans at Bern's or something, the two will not be seeing each other in Tampa. They will be seeing each other in St. Petersburg. After all, that IS where the Rays play.

But get used to the rest of the country being geographically challenged for as long as the Rays are in the playoffs. ESPN, TBS, Fox, Web sites, bloggers, newspapers and talk-radio hosts will all join the parade of misinformation by referring to the team as the "Tampa Rays'' and will insist the games are being played in "Tampa.''

Fox's baseball pregame host Jeanne Zelasko was the worst offender. All season long she referred to the Rays as "Tampa,'' dropping the "Bay'' and never once uttering the words, "St. Petersburg.'' After being the constant target of columns in the St. Petersburg Times and being flooded with angry e-mails from Rays fans, she actually sent the fans an open letter in an e-mail to the Times apologizing for her mistake.

But Zelasko has hardly been alone. After the While Sox victory Tuesday night, a headline on the ESPN.com baseball page blared, "On to Tampa.'' Tribune Media Services syndicated a crossword puzzle -- which ran in our Baylink section -- with the five-letter clue, "Home of the Rays.'' Turns out, the only answer that fit was T-A-M-P-A.

Some do get it right. Jeopardy, proving once again why it is the best game show in the history of television, correctly named "St. Petersburg'' as the Rays' home. For every ESPN announcer that gets it wrong, one usually gets it right. Same with TBS and the newspapers and bloggers. For the next week or two or four, the team will constantly shift from Tampa to Tampa Bay to St. Petersburg back to Tampa.

Maybe there is only one way to solve this whole mess. The Rays can win the World Series and then announce it's victory parade route -- in downtown St. Petersburg.

Reasons to like the Red Sox

Wednesday's Two Cents ...

The list
The last time the Red Sox were in town, I poked a stick into the beehive that is Red Sox Nation by listing 10 reasons to hate the Red Sox. Why 10 reasons? Because we didn't have room to list 20. (By the way, No. 11 on the list would have been: Because Red Sox fans can't take a joke.) Anyway, there are a few things about the Red Sox that are okay. So, in the interest of fairness, here are 10 things about the Red Sox and their history that are cool:
1. Bill "Spaceman'' Lee. The ace of the Cosmic All-Stars pitching rotation.
2. Fenway Park. Still the best digs in baseball.
3. Terry Francona. Sox skippers seems like a decent enough fella.
4. Jerry Remy. One of the better TV analysts in baseball. Should be on Fox's Game of the Week.
5. Fans take the game seriously. (Maybe a little too seriously, but at least they go to games.)
6. Actually, I'm going to have to stop here because that's all I can think of. Sorry.

E-mail of the day
NFL referee Ed Hochuli is getting bombarded with e-mails from angry Chargers fans after he blew a call that helped the Broncos beat San Diego on Sunday. Hochuli ruled an incomplete pass on a play during which Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler fumbled and the Chargers recovered, leading by seven in the final minute. Denver scored a touchdown two plays later then won the game on a two-point conversion. Anyway, here's the e-mail Hochuli sent to many of the fans who are writing him to complain:

I'm getting hundreds of e-mails -- hate mail -- but I'm responding to it all. People deserve a response. You can rest assured that nothing anyone can say can make me feel worse than I already feel about my mistake on the fumble play. You have no idea. … Affecting the outcome of a game is a devastating feeling. Officials strive for perfection -- I failed miserably. Although it does no good to say it, I am very, very sorry.
Ed Hochuli

Maybe instead of peppering Hochuli with e-mails, the Chargers fans should be writing their team complaining about losing two games by giving up last-minute touchdowns.

Word of the day
And today's word, boys and girls, is "awesomeness.'' That's the word Dale Earnhardt Jr. used to describe what winning NASCAR's Chase for the Cup would mean to him.

"It would improve my overall awesomeness,'' Junior said. Nice word.

"Yeah. I worked on greatness for a while, but I tapped it out,’’ Junior said.

What do you care?
This is not to defend the Rays' support this season, or lack thereof. The Tampa Bay market should be embarrassed by this season's attendance. But it still kind of rankles us when outsiders take swipes at us, such as Steve Buckley, the otherwise fine columnist from the Boston Herald, who wrote, "Now it's time for MLB to take care of another disaster: The so-called Tampa-St. Petersburg 'baseball market.' Seriously, if the plucky, exciting Tampa Bay Rays make the playoffs, shouldn't their games be moved to a place where fans actually care about the product?''

I thought I would just throw this out there. Led by rookie sensations Fred Lynn and Jim Rice, the Red Sox made the playoffs in 1975 for the first time in eight years. Know what their average attendance was that season for the plucky, exciting Red Sox? 21,857. Or exactly 7,915 fewer people than attended Monday night's Sox-Rays game. And was anyone suggesting playoff games be moved out of Fenway in 1975?

There are reasons to doubt this market, but let's give it more than one winning season before we start suggesting moving playoff games, don't you think?

Unnecessary apology of the day
ESPN's Monday Night Football marked the start of the NFL's celebration to honor Hispanic Heritage Month. So after the Cowboys' Felix Jones ran back a kickoff for a touchdown, ESPN aired a replay of the Spanish-language call of the run. Analyst Tony Kornheiser said, "I took high school Spanish and that either means, 'Nobody is going to touch him' or 'Could you pick up my dry cleaning in the morning.' It's one of those two.''

Then in the fourth quarter, Kornheiser apologized, saying, "I said something before I shouldn't have said. I apologize for it. Not my first mistake. Undoubtedly, it won't be my last, but a 100 percent apology.''

The apology wasn't necessary because there was nothing offensive about the comment. Tony K wasn't making fun of anyone except for himself for having not learned Spanish in high school. File this under: No Big Deal.

Three things that popped into my head
1. USF quarterback Matt Grothe was on the Jim Rome radio show Tuesday. He plays quarterback a tad better than he sounds on radio.
2. Let's say the Oakland Raiders eventually fire coach Lane Kiffin. Does anyone even want that job anymore? Would you?
3. It still seems so strange that the Bucs have started (and have a quarterback controversy), that the Lightning opened training camp with new coach Barry Melrose and that we have a nationally ranked college football team at USF … and the Rays, in September, are the story of the day. 

What bugs you

This week, Times sports writer Tom Jones listed things in sports that had his goat, crawled under his skin, got on his very last nerve. Like how the Rays never bunt and that stupid AFLAC duck that quacks and wakes him from his Saturday afternoon baseball naps, and the Red Sox's Kevin Youkillis, for no particular reason.

Then he gave readers their chance to vent. What bugs you?

Some answers were funny. Julie Upman of Clearwater, for example, hates watching ballplayers spit ("Maybe it's a girl thing).

Some answers made perfect sense. Reader Frank Harrell pointed out that it's impossible for a player to give 110 percent ("100 percent is the maximum!'' he practically shouted through his e-mail.)

And one answer was funny and made sense, depending on your point of view. Joe Montemarano of Tampa wrote, "You want to know what bugs me? You!!! Tom Jones!!!'' And, Joe from Tampa? You're off the Christmas card list!

Here are some of the comments we received:

When a star pitcher states he is almost where he needs to be physically and mentally to be at peak performance when the season is more than half completed. What does he do in the offseason, play Nintendo and eat bonbons?
Carl Decanini
via e-mail

The unforgivable greed ballplayers have when negotiating a contract. Bad enough that free agency makes players loyal to dollars and not to teams goes along with their lackadaisical effort. Also teams wanting to build new stadiums when the current ones suffice. This all leads to high ticket prices.
Dick Smith
Spring Hill

The lack of hustle by the Rays, especially B.J. Upton.
Rich Tron
via e-mail

Maybe it’s a girl thing, but does anybody else think watching baseball players spit on TV is gross and disgusting? They spit constantly during the game and the TV crews get lots of closeups. And given the Rays have an indoor field where the rain never falls, where does all this stuff go? Carry that thought one step further: What’s it like in the dugout? No wonder manager Joe Maddon  stands up by the railing during the game and so many of the players sit up on the back of the bench with their feet off the floor. They probably need knee-high waders to walk around in there.
Julie Upman
Clearwater

Chris Simms claiming to be held hostage. I would give up my spleen to be paid millions of dollars. When people call NASCAR and horse racing a sport. And Bob Costas, left. Just the sight of this guy makes me want to do something illegal.
Anthony Saylor
Tampa

It’s one thing to have a corporate sponsor but quite another to completely change the name of a sporting event. I was dismayed that the coverage of NASCAR’s 15-year-old 400-mile race on Sunday  omitted its traditional name, the Brickyard 400. Instead (as in the Times) it was referred to as the Allstate 400. What’s next? The State Farm 500 at Indianapolis?
Carolyn Cotton
Tampa

Athletes who  say they’re insulted or disrespected by a club’s offer of millions of dollars. Please, someone disrespect me.
Bob Beninati
Tampa

How come every time you watch baseball, the players and coaches have to spit? It literally makes me want to hurl!  Jeanne Zelasko — who taught her how to dress?  Manny Ramirez and that smirky look on his face!
Polly Stamp
Largo
Joe Maddon quotes in Tuesday’s paper after the Rays lost to Toronto, like, “I really liked the way we played tonight a lot” and “If we keep doing what we did tonight … we are going to the playoffs.” Sorry, but in my opinion that is a LOSER speaking, and if they continue to play like they did last night, they won’t even get close to making the playoffs.
Don Hill
via e-mail

Listening to radio or TV broadcasters who feel they must get so in depth analyzing each pitch — four-seam, two-seam, cutter, sinker, heavy sinker. Hey, they are all variations of a fastball, okay; let’s move on. Having to step out of the batter’s box and re-Velcro batting gloves after having just done it 10 seconds ago, then simply standing there and taking the pitch.
Nick Quartaro
via e-mail
Joe Maddon’s “Loved the way we played” after losing to Toronto on Monday night. He is a good loser. All I can say is a good loser is still a loser! The idea of attending a Rays home game in anything other than a 74 degree, dry dome. Jonathan Papelbon — his lip is better than his grip, either on the ball or reality. The Indianapolis Colts have Tony Dungy and we don’t.
Timmy Kitchen
via e-mail

Golf announcers who continue to prattle inanely when we, the viewers, have a chance to hear dialogue between caddie and player or player and rules official. Golf announcers who say, after a player hits a good shot from a bad lie that lands close to the pin, “He couldn’t have hit it any better than that!” Well, if it went in the hole, wouldn’t that be better?
Tom Shille
Temple Terrace

You want to know what really bugs me? YOU!!! Tom Jones!!!
Why is it that you badmouth most professional franchises that are actually good, especially NEW YORK!? You’re always bellyaching about Northeastern teams being on the tube. That’s because they are good!
Joe Montemarano
Tampa

The angle sports networks choose to show the pitches from the mound to the batter’s box. Since the advent of the electronic ad behind home plate, the angle has been increased to always include the ad visible behind and to the right of the batter’s box. Used to be the camera angle was over the pitcher’s shoulder and the viewer could better appreciate the balls and strikes called by the umpire. Not anymore; money has defined how the TV viewer sees the game.
Tom Goodrich
via e-mail
Enjoying the Rays on TV from the Trop, and then having to watch people act like idiots while yakking on a cell phone and waving to the camera, usually from seats they didn’t pay for.
Jim Jackson
Apollo Beach

A coach or sports announcer enthusing about an athlete who “always gives 110 (120, 150, 200) percent effort on the field/court/ice.” A hundred percent should be the MAXIMUM! How can an athlete give more than the maximum?
Frank Harrel
via e-mail

I have a grinding, growling, desperate complaint — the artificial, fake noise on Fox Sports Net that is so loud, I cannot hear what Joe Magrane and Dewayne Staats are saying. Grrrrr. What can we do ?
Libby Lockhart
via e-mail

Those women tennis players who scream each time they hit the ball at Wimbledon. That Pete Rose isn’t in the Hall of Fame. And the designated hitter.
Paul Wyness
St. Petersburg