Put Pete where he belongs

Enough is enough already, and it is time for baseball's all-time hit king to be in the hall of fame with the rest of baseball immortals. Pete Rose is one of the best baseball players of all time and there is no reason he should be not recognized with the ultimate honor in the game.

In 1989 Rose was banished from the game of baseball by the late commissioner Bart Giamatti with the hopes of soon being reinstated. However 15 years later Rose is still banned from the game and not in the hall of fame. The crime was done and Rose did more than serve the crime.

A man with 12 major league baseball records absolutely, positively needs to be in the hall. His 4,256 hits will probably never be duplicated and his record of 3,562 games played is safe in today's baseball.

Rose already has everything ranging from his bats, hats, uniforms and significant baseballs in the hall of fame, but he is still not able to have his plague up where it needs to be.

Rose recently came clean with his betting on the game in his book, "My prison without bars," and yes he should have done this much sooner without profit, but that does not nullify the fact that he is one of the best to ever put on a uniform.

Many argue he should never be allowed to manage or be involved with a team again and this can be compromised, but at least put the man on the hall of fame ballot. Let the baseball writers decide if he deserves it, just as they do for everybody else. They will vote him in, but if they do not they at least one can say he was given the opportunity.

The Baseball Hall of Fame is hardly full of all upstanding, moral citizens with alcoholics, drug addicts and wife beaters all members of the hall. So how one can argue that a man who placed a few bets and has been out of the game for 15 long years should not be in is beyond me.

Finally a book that explains the Philadelphia fan
to the World

It is a must read for any long suffering Philadelphia fan and could prove to be extremely useful to any out of towner who struggles to understand the psyche of a Philadelphian. Glen Macnow and Anthony Gargano hit a homerun with their recently released book, The Great Philadelphia Fan Book and they hit all the bases.

This book goes inside the
heads of the greatest, most loyal fans in America and along the way gives a behind the scenes look at some of Philly's most loved players and teams ever.

Whether it's the Broad Street Bullies of the 70's, the Dude's team in 93' or the 2000-2001 76ers this book has it all.

Last season's NFC championship game loss to the Buccaneers was the culmination of years of heart break, suffering and flat out torment due to being a die hard Philadelphia fan of teams that continue to come up short.

The book starts with the loss of this game and goes back through all the stories of about the past 30 years of sports odysseys in this city.

The book brings backs many memories and can give you chills, tears, make you smile and laugh all in one chapter.

It is painful to read at times but it provides an almost form of therapy to fans that lived these stories.

" The Great Philadelphia Fan book" is long overdo and most certainly should be a required reading for anybody that has every cheered and jeered the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers or Flyers.

Sapp puts foot in mouth once again

He is one of the most overrated players in the NFL who repeatedly makes himself look like a buffoon with every word that sputters out of his mouth.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle, Warren Sapp has never been shy in front of a camera when it is time to give a sound bite, but earlier this season he totally crossed line.

In a recent television interview on ESPN with analyst Michael Irvin, Sapp claimed that NFL players and especially black NFL players are treated like slaves by the NFL front office. He stated that the NFL is trying to keep NFL players down and they do not want people to know who the players are.

Sapp argued that penalties for trash talking, prancing around and getting fined for taking one's helmet off is a violation of a player's right to make money. Sapp claimed that these rules or restrictions are made to prevent the public from knowing each individual player's personality.

Warren, what the hell are you talking about and once again you have put your foot in your big, fat mouth.

First of all you are making millions of dollars to play a child's game and yourself as well as others have other millions waiting for you in endorsements.

Second of all, there is no need to rip your helmet off and dance around the field after making one of your few tackles anyway. Did you ever here of good sportsmanship and being an example for the youth of America?

Please shut up and learn something from some other great players that happen to be black and show great sportsmanship and class such as Barry Sanders, Warren Moon and the Eagles Troy Vincent.

For Sapp to compare himself and other NFL players to slaves is a disgrace. He is an embarrassment to the NFL and our entire society in general.

Also not to mention that he averaged less than three tackles a game this season and has not even been an above average tackle for the past three years. And let's not forget he's home watching the super bowl and the entire playoffs from home this year.

Warren go away and don't forget to cash your paycheck on the way out for signing with the new NFL network, that supposedly is run by a group of racist executives that want to keep you quiet. Please.

USA baseball shut out of Athens

The USA baseball team is not going to be winning any Olympic gold medals anytime soon. Why? The reason is because the sad excuse of a baseball team and Americans for that matter did not even qualify for the Olympics.

Are you kidding me? The United States is not even going to field a team at the 2004 summer games in Athens, Greece.

There is no reason for this to happen and the players, coaches, organizers and anybody that has anything to do with this debacle should be ashamed of themselves.

Mexico defeated the United States in the finals of the qualifying games and will join other powerhouses such as the "Netherlands" in competing for the gold medal.

USA baseball had already sent out 30 invitations to major league ball players to join their team in Athens, but that is not going to happen. It looks like Roger Clemens is going to have to play for Italy, Ireland or whatever nationality he is.

The brain trust of USA baseball really need to take a step back and figure out what they plan to do in the future, because this atrocity can not happen again. All those involved should be banned for life from going anywhere near a ball field.

Have and questions or comments?Agree/Disagree?Send all responses to blkovack@yahoo.com.