We are on the Wild Mouse of news these days.
We had barely enough time to take in the transgressions of South Carolina governor Mark Sanford when the celebrity death march began (Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett), highlighted by the death of Michael Jackson (you would think with all of the news going on, the media would not have the opportunity to overindulge in Jacko hype, but it didn’t seem to slow down the coverage one bit — not even when Sarah Palin resigned as governor of Alaska).
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Then this dark cloud spead to the sports world with the death of boxing legend Alexis Arguello in Nicaragua, and now with the startling news of the shooting death of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair.
You wake up every morning wondering what is next?
After 11 seasons with the Tennessee Titans, McNair came to Baltimore in 2006 and led the Ravens to a 13-3 record and an AFC North championship. He did so pretty much on his presence and sheer will, because he had very little left physically at that point in his career and was done after the 2007 season. He had an immediate impact on that team and was, for the first time there, the equivalent of linebacker Ray Lewis as a leader on the offensive side of the ball.
There may be some unpleasant details coming out about his personal life — a married man being shot with his girl friend —but this is what I always tell people when they ask me is this or that guy a good guy, I say, “He is — for an athlete.” It means that in his field of play he is, but away from the field and the locker room, most of them live by a different set of rules than the rest of us.
Thank goodness for Roger Federer and Tiger Woods. They gave us a glorious Sunday to remember, between Federer’s epic Wimbledon championship battle against Andy Roddick (who also deserves kudos) and Woods winning his own tournament right here at Congressional Country Club.
It was a respite from the tragedy and turmoil, but you still have to wonder what’s next, especially when you wake up Monday morning and find that former defense secretary Robert McNamara has died.
Radio
I will be on The Sports Reporters on ESPN 980 AM Washington today (Monday) from 4 to 7 p.m.
To learn more about Thom Loverro, go to www.thomloverro.com
