SPORTS NOTES - WAYNE ROONEY HOT - ENGLAND NOT

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

England is coming apart at the seams as the John Terry scandal has yet to be resolved. The playboy image of the squad far outweighs what it takes to win the World Cup. When it comes to extra marital comparisons the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers have some skeletons in its closet.

Thursday March 18, 2010

A LOOK IN THE MIRROR

With Wayne Rooney burning up the football world with 32 goals and counting the bad karma for the England World Cup bound team continue to mount with the torn Achilles tendon injury to David Beckham thus ending his bid to play in four World Cups. Beckham's injury takes away the celebrity of the team but some pundits feel that is a good thing since it was his celebrity that caused the friction with Sir Alex Ferguson which resulted in his departure from Manchester United to Real Madrid.

England have bigger fish to fry as the chemistry of the team continually has to be predisposed in overcoming the John Terry tampering with former teammate Wayne Bridge's girlfriend. His captain's band was taken away for his sex-capades and his replacement Rio Ferdinand has his own sorted past including avoiding a drug test reveals more about England being scoundrels than their football skills.

The injured Ashley Cole's torrid lifestyle has come into focus thus reinforcing our opinion that England isn't tough enough to win the big dance at the World Cup. Their playboy persona override their seriousness to compete on the pitch. This is a case of their lack of a serious of purpose mentality and which outweighs talent.

Manager Fabio Capello has a tough job on his hands to get the team psychologically right but it may be a job too tough for the serious task minded Italian. The job is difficult now but when the team arrives in Africa the vampire media types will sink their fangs into the off field antics of the England squad and that will be a distraction.

What's worse is the Terry has been largely excused from his behavior. He has been supported by his teammates while his transgressions are more severe than what Tiger Woods has been severely criticized for. With all of the negative media reaction for Woods was as if he was not a Catholic priest having sex with young boys but to the extreme as if he were the pope.

What is most annoying is that one ESPN pundit in Singapore supported in an apparent attempt to support Terry by stating that Woods plays an individual sport and Terry plays a team sport.

We argue why is that better? Is it better that you have sex with a teammate than with women on the outside of sport? Is it better to have sex with a teammate's girlfriend when there is a child involved? Why support Terry's inexcusable behavior while at the same time overly crucifying Woods? This ESPN pundit talks too much and thinks too little.

You could say tat it's a matter of opinion. FIFA president Sep Blatter claims that the reaction to what Terry did depends on the culture and that he would be admired in South America. Excuse me!!!! Argentina's Carlos Tevez said of Terry's actions that he would have his legs broken from where he comes from. (Argentina is in South America isn't it?).

Since Tevez's statements he has been accused of some hanky panky while he was in Argentina with his wife who gave birth to their child. After his return to Man City he bumped chests with Terry in a example of his displeasure with the Chelsea players conduct and disrespect towards now teammate Bridge.

When you look at the big picture of other famous athletes what they endured pales by comparison to what Woods has been put through.

The NBA's Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant was accused by a teenager of forcing himself on her. Bryant received the John Terry go easy on him he's our star treatment from the media.

The Lakers Magic Johnson who at one time was more revered than Michael Jordan had extra martial affairs it can be said suffered the most for his escapades as he lost his stellar NBA career.

Johnson was involved with a porn star and also contracted the HIV virus. He received some heat particularly from NBA players who refused to compete against him for fear of catching the HIV virus from being cut by Johnson and absorbing his tainted blood. At that time it was believed by some that the virus could be caught from an infected persons sweat.

The result was the NBA installed a rule where when player was cut they had to come out of the game and have their injury bandaged.

The aftermath was that Johnson eventually retired from the league November 7, 1991. The fear of catching the virus in the NBA cooled down and Johnson was permitted to play in the NBA All-Star game in Orlando, Florida in 1992 where he scored 25 points and was selected the games MVP. He was still in retirement at the time but given special permission and treatment.

I covered that game and there was a great deal of tension surrounding Johnson's condition. As Johnson took medication for the virus over the years he looked healthy and defied the idea that the virus would deteriorate your body. During that time Johnson gained weight.

He came off the voluntarily retired list January 29, 1996 played 32 games but was nothing near his former self. Comedians including Jay Leno joked about how fat he was. He announced his second retirement on May 14, 1996.

The Lakers renounced their rights to him on July 16, 1996. During Johnson's absence from the game and undergoing treatment Michael Jordan became the premiere player in the league. The league thrived without Johnson but one of the NBA's greatest ever players had another game plan.

Johnson became a 5% owner of the Lakers and has defied all odds and the belief that once one contracts the virus they would be dead within 10 years. He invested his money wisely and is a thriving businessman with a worth over $700 million.

Johnson is the only athlete whose extra marital affairs have been more scrutinized than Woods but the contraction of HIV was the main center of attention for the interest.

Tiger Woods has had more scrutiny heaped upon him and his actions don't compare as severely as Terry's or Johnson.

Terry's aloof, arrogant attitude is deplorable. Has he apologized as did Woods? Terry has some heavy dues to pay and his bad karma will be eventually come to fore and the England squad will pay the price.

Woods now intends to play in next months Master tournament. Terry's heat has yet to come but will truly commence in the World Cup.

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