How on earth do you pick a number 1

rw2win

link

helionaut

Well, it seems to me most of those stories aren't really sports stories. Martha Burk and Lisa Olson were about women's rights. Shoal Creek, Rocker and Campanis were race issues. Tyson, Harding and Sprewell were about violence that just happened to be in sports contexts. O'Leary, Rose, Alomar, and Knight were about failure of personal responsibility and their punishments right or wrong. Almonte and Johnson are basic true/false questions that come down to whether you believe in the science and documentation. The strikes were purely business issues. Carter's decision to boycott was pure politics. Other things were not really controversial as they were just boneheaded, like the Colts moving (at least the way it was done). The only real questions of sport are the interpretation of rules, like Brett's pine tar and Brady's tuck. Even in Brett's case, it was pretty clear that the rule was violated, even if he hadn't been called on it till it mattered (Billy Martin was a particular kind of genius that way).

From this list, I'd have to say the biggest controversy is the BCS, which was never necessary, has been in place for almost a decade and is still screwed up. When it does produce the right matchup, they get excited and say,"look it does work." If it really worked, they wouldn't have to point it out each time it does. Or the Casey Martin deal, which was really a cultural issue but is more entwined with sports than any of the others because it was a direct application of civil law in the peculiar context of the rules of a game. I've also wondered why little people don't sue the NBA for discriminating against them.

Personally, my favorite controversy isn't on the list. J.D. Drew's holdout was the one that really got me. While there have been other holdouts (and I was quite happy with the way Eric Lindros's turned out in 1992), when Scott Boras threatened to have Drew renounce his American citizenship and go to Costa Rica (however hollow a threat that was), it really made me rethink about the draft situation and how inherently unfair it can be in certain situations to an individual for the benefit of the teams in the name of "competition."

There are others that maybe should have been on the list. Michael Jordan, et al, trying to get the Player's Union decertified was big. The NHL strike/lockout almost lost that whole season. US Basketball using NBA players. Pippen sitting in that playoff game. Jordan trying baseball.

Tabe

<< <i>I've also wondered why little people don't sue the NBA for discriminating against them. >>


Discrimination laws don't apply when a particular job can be shown to have specific requirements (i.e. in basketball, it can be shown that height is essential). That's why you don't see men suing Hooters for not letting them be waiters there.

Tabe

phreakydancin

<< <i>Discrimination laws don't apply when a particular job can be shown to have specific requirements (i.e. in basketball, it can be shown that height is essential). That's why you don't see men suing Hooters for not letting them be waiters there. >>

Bingo.

Not surprisingly, I ranked the Sale/Pelletier and Ben Johnson stories much higher than average, I guess because I'm Canadian. Another story that could have gotten consideration was Eric Lindros challenging the NHL draft system by refusing to sign with Quebec, eventually forcing a trade to the Flyers (AND the Rangers!), and almost single-handedly creating a hockey dynasty in Denver.

fsjeter

<<That's why you don't see men suing Hooters for not letting them be waiters there.>>


Actually, Hooter's was sued by some men and settled.

Scott

helionaut

I got really mad that time in high school when I wanted to apply at Frederick's of Hollywood and they wouldn't even give me an application.

If you're four feet tall you could be the greatest ball-handler of all-time. MLB did ban little people after the Eddie Gaedel thing, though I am curious how the rule actually reads. Is there a cardboard cutout of Freddie Patek in every clubhouse that says,"You must be THIS TALL to suit up?"