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[Marshy]

Top 10 myths and lies in sports
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Kevin Hench / Special to FOXSports.com
Posted: 9 hours ago

1. Bad calls even out

Really? When? Are the St. Louis Cardinals going to win the World Series this year on a terrible call?
And doesn't the mere fact that this misperception exists mean that umps and refs and linesmen pretty much suck at their jobs? I mean, if bad calls do even out, it's only because officials compound their mistakes by making more mistakes. "Don't worry, the next one he blows will be in your favor." How comforting.

And what about when an ump like Eric Gregg decides the strike zone should be as wide as he is? For those calls to even out, he would then have to squeeze Livan Hernandez for an entire playoff game. The truth is, the damage guys like Gregg and Don Denkinger do to the game can never be undone.

They always talk about what a high percentage of calls major league umpires get right, but what's their percentage on tough calls? On bang-bang plays? On borderline pitches? I'll guarantee you it's nowhere near as good as my percentage sitting at home watching Super Slo-Mo.

How often does replay show conclusively that an ump has blown a call? Every night. (Several times a night if you're pathetic enough to have the baseball package and bounce around the dish trying to catch every AB of your roto team.) They call foul balls home runs, fair balls foul, etc. They rarely ask for help and when they do it's from one of the other hugely fallible guys in their crew. We're all sitting at home being shown perfectly conclusive angles of the call while they stand around on the field getting dirt kicked on their shoes. Why? Isn't getting the call right much more important than "the pace of the game" — of which there isn't any — or "the human element," which consistently ruins the game?

I say get out the red flags — two challenges per nine innings and one more if the game goes extras. Ridding umpiring of the human element would be a lasting legacy to be proud of. Better than, say, presiding over a steroid scandal, declaring a baseball All-Star game a tie and making nice with inveterate bad guy Pete Rose.

2. "I don't use steroids."

This is the lie for all seasons.

"Seriously, I just work out and eat right. Oh, that? I know it looks like my back is covered with acne, but that's just a rash. My neck? I don't know; I haven't seen it in years. It seems to have been swallowed by my head, which is three times the size it was my rookie year."

And this is my favorite, from the world of track and field: "I've never tested positive." The all-time non-denial denial.

I want to know how many times in the relatively brief history of steroid allegations have the allegations been untrue. I mean, what percentage are we talking here? Has one person been wrongly slandered? If so, I'm guessing it was Randy Velarde or Marvin Benard, they just don't seem to fit the profile of the other guys on the BALCO list. They've either been defamed or given lousy steroids.

As for Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi, how remarkable is it they all had lower-back problems crop up on the same day earlier this season? This is like girls in a college dorm getting on the same menstrual cycle. I'm just saying, it's an interesting coincidence. Three MVPs, three names on the BALCO grand jury list, three bad backs flaring up at the same time. Things that make you go hmmmmmm.

3. Wayne Gretzky is, without question, the greatest hockey player of all time

To suggest otherwise is blasphemy. Hell, we're practically forbidden by international law from even discussing it.

But there's no way you're going to convince me that a guy with a concave chest who couldn't knock Michelle Kwan off stride was a more dominant player than Bobby Orr, Mario Lemieux or, for that matter, Mark Messier.

All the pro-Gretzky arguments are about numbers. Offensive numbers. Well, hockey is a physical game, and just because a guy was the greatest offensive player in a cartoonish offensive era does not mean he's the greatest hockey player of all time.

Just to give you a sense of what NHL hockey was like in the early 1980s, in the1982 series opener before Gretzky's Oilers were shocked 6-5 on six unanswered goals by the L.A. Kings in the Miracle on Manchester, the Kings won 10-8. Think about that. An NHL playoff game with 18 goals. So Gretzky's crazy numbers need to be looked at with some sense of perspective.

But let's look at another number: Gretzky's plus/minus. After leaving Edmonton, where he was surrounded by a bunch of Hall of Famers in their primes, over the last 11 years of his career, he was a net minus. That's right, from 1988-99, when Gretzky was on the ice at even strength, the Great One's teams were outscored by 33 goals. In his last eight seasons, he was a woeful minus-86. You see, backchecking — it turns out — actually helps your team. Crunching a guy into the boards helps your team. Clearing guys out of the crease helps your team. In all these ways and more, Gretzky did not help his teams. Sure, he put up mind-boggling numbers, but wouldn't you rather have your mind boggled than your bones jarred?

Now no one would suggest with a straight face that Gretzky was as good in his own zone as any of the other nominees for greatest hockey player of all time. The case for Gretzky is that he was so much better offensively that it made up for his defensive limitations.

Is this true?

(Sports Nerd Alert: Stat-heavy analysis ahead.)

In his best offensive season, Gretzky tallied a record 215 points. The league average for goals was 7.94 per game. Gretzky's 2.69 points per game average represented 33.8 percent of average goals per game. In his best season, Orr averaged 1.69 ppg, or 24.6 percent of the total goals per game. Do you suppose Orr made up for this gap in his own zone as the best defenseman of all time?

A comparison with Lemieux invites the possibility that Gretzky wasn't even the best offensive player of his generation. In 1988-89, when he scored 199 points, Lemieux's point per game total as a percentage of league average goals was even higher than Gretzky's best year (35 percent to 33.8). So Lemieux not only matched Gretzky as a scorer, but he also lugged the puck from end to end with guys hanging all over him and made goal scorers out of Warren Young, Terry Ruskowski and Rob Brown. Lemieux also had a higher career points per game average than Gretzky before his last two injury-plagued seasons, despite having a career that bridged a high-scoring era and a low-scoring one. As it stands now, Gretzky's career points average (1.92 ppg) is one one-hundredth better than Lemieux's (1.91).

But Orr and Lemieux each won only two Stanley Cups as compared to four for Gretzky. It's hard to argue about the bottom line, which is, after all, winning championships. Given that criterion, however, Gretzky might not have been the best player on those Oilers teams. After Gretz went to L.A., the Oilers' amazing two-way center Mark Messier led them to a fifth Cup. Then, in one of the coolest, most incredibly clutch runs in NHL history, Messier carried the Rangers to their drought-ending title in 1994. So that's six rings for Messier (two without Gretzky) and four for Wayne (zero without Mess).

So if Gretzky might not be the best offensive player and is certainly below-average defensively and didn't win as many Cups as Messier, by what measure is he the greatest player ever?

He's not. It's a lie.

4. You can't buy a championship

Don't tell this to Wayne Huizenga, who proved not only that you can indeed buy a championship, but that even if you do, losing can be more profitable than winning.

After signing Moises Alou, Bobby Bonilla and Alex Fernandez and re-signing Gary Sheffield, the 1997 Marlins won the World Series. But Huizenga said he lost tens of millions of dollars that season and dumped his whole team in 1998, turning a winner into a loser and red ink into black in the process. The fire sale was part of yet another petulant tantrum by an owner seeking corporate welfare from the taxpayers in the form of a publicly funded stadium.

The key to buying a championship is adding the big-ticket free agents to an already high-priced nucleus. Red Wings owner Mike Illitch understands this. That's how the 2002 Cup winners ended up with a roster that included: Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, Dominik Hasek, Chris Chelios, Nicklas Lidstrom, Sergei Federov, Luc Robitaille and Igor Larionov. Assuming Larionov gets in for his body of work — a la Vladislav Tretiak — that's nine Hall of Famers. You gotta sell a lot of pizza to meet that payroll.

But no one has spent more to guarantee a championship than George Steinbrenner has on this year's New York Yankees. Even before what is certain to be some monster midseason signing, the Evil Empire has broken its own payroll record in the Boss' quest to turn the rest of baseball into the Washington Generals (something Yankees fans would apparently welcome). The Yankees will win the World Series this year and it won't be because of their grit and pluck and Joe Torre's genius. It will be because they spent almost $200 million securing A-Rod (thanks for the subsidy, Tom Hicks), Giambi, Sheffield, Jeter, Matsui, Sheffield, Mussina, Rivera, et al.

You can't always buy a championship, but you lead the league in payroll every year and you'll win more than your share.

5. Willis Reed won Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals just by walking on the court

Okay, let's lay this one to rest once and for all. If your center plays 27 minutes and scores four points and grabs three rebounds, he is not the key to victory.

This moment has become so ridiculously mythologized because, like all myths, it's a damn good story. Wounded warrior limps onto the court, slays Goliath. Except it's not true. Yes, the Lakers had a Goliath in Wilt Chamberlain, but their best player that season was Jerry West, who led the NBA in scoring (31.2 ppg) and was first team All-Defense.

West was destroyed by Walt Frazier in this Game 7. Clyde had 36 points, 19 assists, seven rebounds and four steals, including one off West at midcourt that he took to the hoop for the three-point play (West fouling him from behind) that symbolized his dominance of this game.

I'm sure Willis Reed taking the court did give the crowd and the Knicks an emotional boost, but NBA games are simply too long with too many possessions to make it through on sheer emotion. Someone needs to make plays, and on this night it was Clyde.

What if Kareem had staggered onto the floor on his bad ankle in Game 6 of the 1980 Finals and scored the Lakers' first two baskets? Would that moment of inspiration trump Magic's phenomenal performance? I doubt people would refer to it as the night Kareem inspired his team to victory just by taking the court.

Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals was won by the Knicks because of the physical abilities and clutch performance of Walt Frazier. Beginning and end of story. Reed can hobble into the middle of the story but should not be the headline.

6. The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team won the Cold War

The political impact of this game has been egregiously overstated. You'd think those 20 college kids had beaten the actual Red Army instead of the Red Army hockey team.

This is how the story goes: Under the malaise of the Carter administration, America was beginning to lose faith when a plucky band of underdogs showed what we were made of and restored pride in the U.S. of A. (Never mind that Herb Brooks' dictate of sacrificing individual glory for the good of the team is a decidedly Communist philosophy.)

Don't get me wrong, this is the greatest sports moment of my lifetime. But the Russians did not withdraw the tanks from Afghanistan because they just couldn't solve Jim Craig. Leonid Brezhnev did not resign. The Politburo did not become a Starbucks. Can't it be enough that a bunch of college kids beat the best hockey team in the world?

7. You have to have played the game at a high level to fully understand it

If this were true, Elgin Baylor and Michael Jordan would be the greatest executives in NBA history.

If this were true, Al Michaels wouldn't always have a better grasp of what's going on in a football game than the jocks he's shared the booth with.

And Bill James would not have changed the way a new generation of GMs puts together a baseball roster.

8. "I'm on the pill."

This sports lie is spun mostly by NBA groupies.

9. "If I don't get it, it sucks."

This goes for NASCAR and soccer. Sure, I don't understand the appeal of a "sport" where the internal combustion engine is much more important than the athlete, but that doesn't mean it sucks. Enough people love it — one of whom, my buddy Tony, I even like — that there must be something there beyond the monotony of left turns. Of course the biggest fans of NASCAR are the oil-producing nations of the world.

As for soccer, I defy anyone to take in a game at St. James' Park in Newcastle, England and not come away transformed. Yes, that transformation may be a physical one from having a bottle broken across your face, but you will be transformed. Hint: Root, root, root for the home team.


Take in a game at Newcastle's St. James' Park and you might become a soccer (football?) fan. (Michael Steele / GettyImages)


10. "Wave the final year of my contract and I promise I'll sign for the mid-level exemption." — Carlos Boozer

It takes a special kind of chutzpah to lie to the GM of a franchise owned by a benevolent blind guy.

Kevin Hench is a contributor to FOXSports.com.

[Dark Knight]

Interesting and controversial. I'll definitely will think about some of them. As far as steroids go, hell let them all take them. Wouldn't sports be more fun if I guy could score 10 TDs in a game? Or hit 100 home runs a year or throw a ball at 150 miles an hour? :lolsg:

[QuacksMeUp]

9. "If I don't get it, it sucks."

I just had my 20 year old American nephew try to explain to me what he saw on the field in Melbourne during a "footie" match. We were laughing so hard when he got to the part about running backwards with a ball the shape of a football, but also bouncing it every now and then that I decided I would have to go down to Melbourne to see one of these games for myself!!! And I absolutely despise American football mainly because I can't figure it out to this day...... But I can despise a sport, and not say it sucks. I just don't have to watch it. Except for the Super Bowl.... well, the commercials are fun. And you never know what you're gonna see on stage anymore!!! lmao

[Veca]

May I just add that I love ALL sports equally....I also don't understand all sports equally so it's no problem for me!!!

[Stumpedos]

I just had my 20 year old American nephew try to explain to me what he saw on the field in Melbourne during a "footie" match. We were laughing so hard when he got to the part about running backwards with a ball the shape of a football, but also bouncing it every now and then that I decided I would have to go down to Melbourne to see one of these games for myself!!!

it's "footy" Running backwards? I'm confused...We'll have you here in Melbourne!!!

[JasonAKADfan8]

It's an interesting article and some of those points he makes are pretty valid...but you have to know that in Sports certain things become legendary cause it happened at the highest level in the biggest game and so on and so forth...Willis Reed did not beat the Lakers...however people remember to this day that man limping onto the court and playing in that Game 7...sure Clyde Frasier was da man that night there's no contesting that...but for one moment a team thought it had lost something but when he came back on that floor that game...the fans, players,etc. knew they could and would win.....1980 Team USA was the most amazing upset in Olympic history....yes the US college players beat the greatest Russian team ever....they had dominated our NHL All-Stars and the US team in an exhibition before the Olympics...but the US team never backed down and came together and showed that Russian team they were going to play their game. Well anyway Herb Brooks got it right by learning from the BEST!!! Much respect goes around. I am excited for more special hockey moments. x: :bbn: :jason:

[QuacksMeUp]

I just had my 20 year old American nephew try to explain to me what he saw on the field in Melbourne during a "footie" match.  We were laughing so hard when he got to the part about running backwards with a ball the shape of a football, but also bouncing it every now and then that I decided I would have to go down to Melbourne to see one of these games for myself!!!

it's "footy" Running backwards? I'm confused...We'll have you here in Melbourne!!!

Obviously, my nephew was pretty confused while he was watching it, but he loved the excitement of it and how much the fans got into it. Worlds collided! He wants to go back and see it some more. I also taught him how to love hockey games -- he use to only watch basketball. Expanding horizons is a good thing!

[SacredCow]

Great article. The Gretzky point was particularly interesting to me. Thanks for the post.

[pixiedawn]

Funny thing about the steroid issue...ESPN interviewed Mark McGwire, I noticed that his face had remarkably cleared up. Unless he's the new spokesman for Proactiv solution, he was on steroids, but denied it.

[fedorov-fan91]

The Gretzky part was definitely an intriguing read and it seems to be unholy to say that he isn't the greatest player, but a lot of facts point out different. Thanks for posting it.

[MrsBevo]

I think there were plenty of valid points offered and really did counter some of the "givens" in sports. Of course, when I first read the topic, I thought I'd see something like, "No really, it's the cold ice rink that causes it to be that small...."

[Veca]

I think there were plenty of valid points offered and really did counter some of the "givens" in sports. Of course, when I first read the topic, I thought I'd see something like, "No really, it's the cold ice rink that causes it to be that small...."

:uh: MrsB........

[PortBeach13]

The Gretzky part was definitely an intriguing read and it seems to be unholy to say that he isn't the greatest player, but a lot of facts point out different. Thanks for posting it.

Yes I agree!

[Dark Knight]

I think there were plenty of valid points offered and really did counter some of the "givens" in sports. Of course, when I first read the topic, I thought I'd see something like, "No really, it's the cold ice rink that causes it to be that small...."

lmao MrsB!!!! Want to name names?

[Baltic Gal]

I think there were plenty of valid points offered and really did counter some of the "givens" in sports.  Of course, when I first read the topic, I thought I'd see something like, "No really, it's the cold ice rink that causes it to be that small...."

lmao MrsB!!!! Want to name names?

Maybe she will once she becomes a Power Player. :bbn: :bbn:

[MrsBevo]

I keep telling you - I won't name names because if I did, then I would be out of a job in nothing flat. However, nothing preventing me writing about my experiences after the season is over!

[Baltic Gal]

I keep telling you - I won't name names because if I did, then I would be out of a job in nothing flat.  However, nothing preventing me writing about my experiences after the season is over!  

A tell all book?!

[Dark Knight]

I keep telling you - I won't name names because if I did, then I would be out of a job in nothing flat. However, nothing preventing me writing about my experiences after the season is over!

I got the tilte for MrsB's book: "The Whole 6 Inches."

[JasonAKADfan8]

I got the tilte for MrsB's book: "The Whole 6 Inches."

That's a great title DK lmao lmao lmao x: :bbn: :jason:

[Stumpedos]

I just had my 20 year old American nephew try to explain to me what he saw on the field in Melbourne during a "footie" match.  We were laughing so hard when he got to the part about running backwards with a ball the shape of a football, but also bouncing it every now and then that I decided I would have to go down to Melbourne to see one of these games for myself!!!

it's "footy" Running backwards? I'm confused...We'll have you here in Melbourne!!!

Obviously, my nephew was pretty confused while he was watching it, but he loved the excitement of it and how much the fans got into it. Worlds collided! He wants to go back and see it some more. I also taught him how to love hockey games -- he use to only watch basketball. Expanding horizons is a good thing!

It is a very confusing game for people who haven't grown up with it and hard to explain. Because there are more fans at matches (90 000 max) it would be a surprise to Hockey and Basketball fans just how vocal we can get

[Veca]

I just had my 20 year old American nephew try to explain to me what he saw on the field in Melbourne during a "footie" match.  We were laughing so hard when he got to the part about running backwards with a ball the shape of a football, but also bouncing it every now and then that I decided I would have to go down to Melbourne to see one of these games for myself!!!

it's "footy" Running backwards? I'm confused...We'll have you here in Melbourne!!!

Obviously, my nephew was pretty confused while he was watching it, but he loved the excitement of it and how much the fans got into it. Worlds collided! He wants to go back and see it some more. I also taught him how to love hockey games -- he use to only watch basketball. Expanding horizons is a good thing!

It is a very confusing game for people who haven't grown up with it and hard to explain. Because there are more fans at matches (90 000 max) it would be a surprise to Hockey and Basketball fans just how vocal we can get

I have a hard time just understanding hockey.....man I'm glad I don't live in Australia.....as in down under

[Veca]

I keep telling you - I won't name names because if I did, then I would be out of a job in nothing flat.  However, nothing preventing me writing about my experiences after the season is over!  

I got the tilte for MrsB's book: "The Whole 6 Inches."

:beat: Sooooo DK. I see you have met Mr. Veca #1 AND #2.......

[Dark Knight]

I keep telling you - I won't name names because if I did, then I would be out of a job in nothing flat.  However, nothing preventing me writing about my experiences after the season is over!   

I got the tilte for MrsB's book: "The Whole 6 Inches."

:beat: Sooooo DK. I see you have met Mr. Veca #1 AND #2.......

:uh: Combined???

[Veca]

:beat: YUP!!!!!!!