ZENYATTA MONDATTA

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE


One of my favourite quotes is from the book, 'The Young Duke' by British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. It is said that the term 'darkhorse' gained popularity from it.



Zenyatta isn't a true 'dark horse'. The first filly to win the Breeder's Cup classic had won her previous 13 races. The big question was whether or not a filly could win the race. Still her amazing performance made me wonder what was anyone even thinking, that because she a girl that she wouldn't be able to run the race.

Right now there is a couple (or three!) of female issues that have been running through some of the 'free space' of my mind. Some of it is embodied by Zenyatta here.

Today Elizabeth Lambert, the thug for the New Mexico University Women's soccer team who rampaged thru the Brigham Young side, released a statement alledegin that she was a victim of sexism as much as anything for her being excoirated in the national media.

First, I think she was falling off the radar. If she is worried about her image, she shouldn't have done what she did on the pitch! It just so happens that this football season, several pro players have been fined and suspended for the kind of stuff she did. Granted, none of the trangressions were allowed to be repeated, but that is the point.

Fail, fail. Miss Lambert's antics were poorly officiated. Most of the big time men's sports have been neutered of such thuggery, even hockey. And with what happened in college football with Oregon's LeGarrette Blount and the response of his coach, that brings me to the next level of fail, the team and her coach.

How the soccer team coach let her get away with that is beyond me. Don't get me wrong, because crap stuff goes on in the low levels of any competitive sport. But she is a D-I soccer player, not some rec league gals having a go. The people that surrounded the program should have already known she was a hot head. Once, twice, maybe. But three times and that is a trend. Reminds me of the beloved 'Bad Boys', Bill Lamibeer and Rick Mahorn. Were they dirty? I guess if you rooted for Chicago!!

My point being if that kind of stuff was endorsed, even if it was tacit, then the COACHING STAFF has issues and she wasn't the only girly who has her 'panties in a bunch' in Albuquerque.

Finally, the reverse discrimination card doesn't play as well when something is so bloody obvious. No matter if it was men or not, she was near criminal in her assualt. Had someone been injured by her, I don't doubt that something would have been filed against her.

Betty left a comment that I agree with in part regarding Sarah Palin and it came to mind when I heard Miss Lambert whine about her infamy. If anything occurs in the near future to her, it won't be because the media picked on her. It will more than likely be due to her lack of comportment. She would simply fade away.

But Sarah isn't going away. She is reveling in her spotlight and making the most of her time in the sun. I do hope it sets, though. I dread the thought that she will run for President. I think that it is bad enough that her popularity means the 'sleeping giant' has awakened. (thank you, Katy Abram!)

Like blacks who want to PMS about stereotyping, I think that some women want it both ways. Is Elizabeth right about it being different if she was a man doing the same things? How about a man wouldn't have DARED to have tried that crap.

DIDN'T YOU KNOW ..?

That sometimes I write simply to write? Who said that this had to make sense?

I am still wondering about the wisdom of the Newsweek cover. I remember the O.J. Simpson cover of time, and for SURE I thought that was deliberate and spoke to the unconscious. The Newsweek cover of former Govenor Palin was an attempt at something ... but what, I wonder. That is what bothers me, why someone went to that extreme to make a story of her?

She did make me want to go runnin', though!

Elena Delle Donne, other than having a great name is a wonderful basketball player. In Sports Illustrated (cover date: Nov. 16, 2009) was considered one of the top basketball players coming out of high school in Connecticut, the entire country. At 6'5, she could have been on the tips of tongues already by now. Yet, when she graduated high school and accepted her scholarship to UConn, she felt an emptiness. She'd tell UConn before the season started that she was dropping out and they released her from her scholarship.

She had been pushed towards excellence as a ball player since she was young and she did excell. But after her senior year of high school, she was tired of it all. Tired of the nutritionists, the camps, the endless practices ... but at UConn, she was mainly tired of the thought of leaving her sister behind.

Her older sister, Elizabeth was born with cerebal palsy, deaf as well as blind. She can communicate with the same method that Helen Keller used. Rather than be the next 'it' girl in Women's basketball at UConn, Elena has enrolled at Delware to be closer to her sister.

Of course, she is going to change the direction of the program. But she makes me think of Larry Bird who had trouble adjusting to IU and deciding to go to Terre Haute (that is a fun name to think ... I like it!!). Didn't seem to hurt him in the long run!!

Sometimes, you have to go small in order to go big!!