Sunday, August 5, 2007

Matchup 6: LeBron James vs. Michelle Wie

LeBRON JAMES--CREDENTIALS

  • One of the best young players in any sport
  • Carried the Cavs to the finals almost by himself
  • Scored the last 25 points in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals this year
  • Has mainly lived up to the ridiculous hype he received in high school
  • Hosted the ESPYs
  • Was not first-team all NBA in two of the last three years
  • Scott Van Pelt stole his chair
  • "The LeBrons" featured on SportsCenter
MICHELLE WIE--CREDENTIALS
  • Youngest player to qualify for an LPGA event
  • Youngest player to make the cut in an LPGA event
  • Has not won an LPGA event, but tries to qualify for men's events
  • Attempting to qualify for PGA events has turned her into a money-making, publicity-seeking sideshow instead of a serious golfer
  • Allegedly faked a wrist injury to avoid LPGA Rule of 88, which would have banned her from the tour
  • 14-year-old sex symbol
  • Gets more ESPN coverage than Annika Sorenstam

Matchup 5: Barry Bonds vs. David Beckham

Moving on to the Stuart Scott Region

BARRY BONDS--CREDENTIALS

  • Over 700 home runs
  • Was one of the game's best players, even before the allegations
  • One of sports' most polarizing figures (which equals ESPN publicity out the yin-yang)
  • ESPN feels obliged to stop everything EVERY SINGLE TIME he comes up to bat
  • "Chasing Ruth" and "Chasing Aaron"
  • The Giants have been the first team on the Bottom Line ever since he got close to Ruth
  • "Bonds on Bonds"
  • Steroids, BALCO, etc
  • Made Pedro Gomez famous
DAVID BECKHAM--CREDENTIALS
  • One of the world's most popular athletes
  • Helped Manchester United win a lot of titles
  • ESPN treated his arrival in Los Angeles like The Beatles' arrival for the Ed Sullivan Show
  • Posh Spice
  • The phrase "Bend It Like Beckham" (the movie wasn't ESPN's fault)
  • ESPN overhyped his L.A. Galaxy debut, in which he only played in the last 13 minutes of the game