Nats in the XMAS Spirit

Check out this nice ecard I just received from the Washington Nationals. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman dives through the snow, just like Rock Raines used to do on the old Expos. Zimmerman probably isn't trying to protect the can of coke in his sock, but the image took me back.

Lists, and the Earbender Sports Personality of the Year

Everybody breaks out some sort of list or ranking at the end of the year of their favorite movies, records, meals, etc. and I am thinking about doing the same. I want to create a new approach, somehow do things a little differently than just saying "this is my top 10, get into it."

One thing I have always done is throw in a few non recordings, such as books, movies, concerts and other highlights of the year. I'll put up a Top 10 favorite entertainment items of 2007 sometime soon.

With a slightly different spirit than the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, a few years ago I started naming the Earbender Sports Personality of the Year. My nominees for the 2007 honoree include Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton (above), New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain, Rutgers Women's Basketball and Jamaica's Veronica Campbell. I want summarize and commemorate the year, publicize achievement and also "character."

Previous recipients include Ozzie Guillen (2005) and Drew Brees (2006).

Some folks who would have won a few of them include Hank Aaron, Muhammad Ali, Thurman Munson, Derek Jeter and Mark Messier. Maybe I should start an Earbender sports Gallery of Greats?

Incidentally, in the coming weeks we will be rooting hard for our friend Rich "Goose" Gossage to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Goose may even get me to mention music on this page!

And 2008 will be the year that I finally, officially launch The Rosenfelder Index, which comes out the week before the Super Bowl, whenever that is.

People like lists.

Evel Knievel

A little bit of the great Evel Knievel, one of my heroes (and so many other people too). Like many of my generation, I did jumps on my bicycle and had the action figures. I saw him on ABC's Wide World of Sports many times and besides being a term for doing something risky ("what am I, Evel Knievel?" or "Ok, Evel Knievel, have it your way."), I think he also represents a circus/carnival part of show business as well as anyone ever, PT Barnum and Col. Parker included. It's not like their artists didn't put their bodies in the mix right? I bet there are books about Evel's great career.

When I visited Las Vegas, I checked out the fountains at Caesar's to see where Evel did his tumble down the landing ramp and the ramp going down into the garage.

Once on a tour of the Astrodome, I asked the guide about the Evel Knievel jump they had there. He wasn't familiar with it much to his embarrassment, but thankfully, we can see it right here.

The bottom line was everyone was into him in the 60s and 70s. With all his injuries I'm sure none of us thought he was going to last forever, but I am glad we can at least still see him on the net the genius he had as a showman guaranteed that people will love what they see too.