Just Give Me The Scores

Ahh, for when times were simpler.

It'll be 25 years on the air in Montreal come mid August and yes I'm feeling a little age.
The bones are not creeking though the hair has greyed quite a bit.
I haven't suddenly developed a paunch around the middle, I already had that.
It's how we gather and deliver the news and especially the news itself.
Once upon a time we waited by the ticker machine for all the news,
yes kiddies there was a time before computers and the internet.
There was big trouble for the idiot that left that machine off all night or forgot to put a new roll of paper in it.

Scores, standings and stats were pretty much what you needed to know.
A clear understanding of alphabet words were soon to come.
ACL, MCL and CBA amongst them.
I'm not a doctor or lawyer but have been forced to play one on the radio.

Shocking things can come at you when you least expect it.
I was in the press box talking with beatwriter Jeff Blair for just a moment one night in St Louis when all of a sudden I had to run back and help out Bobby Winkles on the broadcast because Moises Alou's ankle was hanging by a few tendons as he wailed in pain on the turf.
We were all surrounding a television set watching O.J.'s bronco while the Expos played a few feet away at the Big O.
What to say when an umpire dies in front of your eyes on opening day in Cincinnati.
One Hilton after another finding their way to the big house including Paris who I didn't have to talk about.

THE Expo season wiped out.
An entire campaign in the National Hockey League.

Now,
Football has gone to the dogs with Michael Vick, Baseball is Barry Bonds better homers by chemistry, a betting scandal in the NBA and don't get me started on the Tour De France.
All this nonsense of course has spawned 24 hour sports radio stations,
which of course means I get to be employed.

So if you will, please raise a glass with me as I toast:
O.J. Simpson, Todd Bertuzzi, John Rocker, Zinedine Zidane, Michael Vick, Rae Carruth, The Hiltons, Mike Tyson, Pete Rose, Kobe Bryant, Lawrence Phillips, Pacman Jones, Ron Artest, Ricky Williams and all their friends.

And now if you'll excuse me, I must go play golf.