This sport is utterly breathtaking
They may still be celebrating in India, where the World Cup trophy for kabaddi will remain this year.
Kabaddi, you say? Why it’s that grueling game of agility, endurance and, of course, lung capacity. A player -- or “raider” -- from one team tries to touch defenders and return home, while holding his breath, before being caught.
Yes, it’s tag.
Some may scream in horror, “Holy Arena Football!” but it should be noted that while the sport was invented in India, there are tournaments in England, New Zealand and Fairfield, Calif. Does that have Versus executives frothing at the mouth over a prospective programming lead-in to an NHL broadcast?
The true pros reside in India, which won the kabaddi World Cup in 2007 behind the play of tournament most valuable player Manpreet Singh, the sport’s Hold-Your-Air Jordan. (Note: players must repeat the word “kabaddi” rapidly while in action to prove they are not breathing.)
Still, kabaddi does share something with every other sport: cliches.
Said Dinesh Kumar, India’s captain: “I want to give the credit to my coach in my village and the Indian team coach who made this possible for us.”
Someone took the Crash (Davis) course in talking to the media.
Trivia time
What team has the best overtime record in the Stanley Cup playoffs in the last 10 years?
Oh my darling, Clemens time
Evidence the baseball world revolves on a New York-Boston axis -- at least in New York and Boston -- was on display after Roger Clemens re-upped with the Yankees.
“COMEBACK? ROGER THAT!” screamed a headline in the New York Post. Meanwhile, Boston Herald columnist Michael Silverman wrote that the $28-million Clemens contract “smacks of the kind of desperation that a team like the 2007 Yankees would make.”
All that was needed was a little bulletin board material. Enter Curt Schilling, who when asked about the deal, said, “I could care less now.” Schilling also pointed out, “it would have been nice to have him, but we didn’t need him, we don’t need him.”
Clemens is expected to return to the mound the first week of June, when the Yankees play the Red Sox. Not even World Wrestling Entertainment could have mapped that one out better.
Students grin and Berra it
The commencement speaker at St. Louis University this year will be Yogi Berra, which has to make the English department a bit edgy. About 1,900 students are expected to graduate, though they better heed some advice: the semester isn’t over till it’s over.
Wacky Lackey?
Angels pitcher John Lackey described his pregame preparation on his blog.
” ... I get really locked in about 30 minutes before the game. I grab a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich and a couple of Red Bulls and I’m ready to rock. That’s a big part of my routine. I actually stole the peanut butter and jelly thing from Darin Erstad. He used to have two of them before every game. I can’t do two of those, just one. The Red Bulls, that’s all me. After the sandwiches and Red Bulls I get stretched out by the trainers, take a couple of Advils and I’m ready to go.”
That rapid stream of consciousness leads to one conclusion: one less can of Red Bull there, big guy.
Trivia answer
The Kings, who are 5-0, a record that will hold at least one more season.
Footnote: The Ducks are second with a 12-2 record.
And finally
San Antonio Spurs forward Robert Horry, describing the gushing cut Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash suffered on his nose, said, “You only see things like that in a boxing match.”
You didn’t Saturday.
