Sports News and Notes for August 12,2008

• The disgraceful Bay Area media once again made critical comments of Barry Bonds after Bonds decided to show up to a ceremony on Saturday night celebrating former outfielders who played for the Giants.  Gary Radnich of KNBR bashed Bonds for showing up and then leaving after three innings.  If Bonds didn't show up to the event, they would have bashed him also. When it comes to the media, you can't win if you are Barry Bonds.  They hate the man with a passion. 
• Owner Peter Magowan of the Giants made some ridiculous comments to the San Francisco Chronicle last week. He said that it was a good thing they didn't get Manny Ramirez two years ago because Aaron Rowand would not have been signed this year if Ramirez and his big contract was on the team.  Isn't that a good thing if Rowand was not on the team and Ramirez was? What a joke.  Rowand is an average player at best and Ramirez is a future Hall of Famer. This is why the Giants organization is one of the worst in baseball.
• Speaking of Rowand, the Chronicle also wrote a piece last week about how great Rowand is and how he is the leader of the Giants.  Rowand is not a good player and if I recall correctly, he was the fourth outfielder on the White Sox roster when they won the World Series a few years ago. What's so great about being a leader of a fourth place team? 
• Here is my bold prediction for the day. Mike Nolan of the 49ers will be fired during this 2008 season.
• The A's are going with a youth movement now and losing a lot of games. The good news is that players such as pitcher Gio Gonzalez and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez look to be big time players in the future.  Carlos Gonzalez's defense in the outfield has been very impressive and he has made many great catches already this season.
• The Olympics are entertaining to watch but who is watching the events that are shown in the wee hours of the evening? NBC was showing the gymnastics finale around midnight last night.  I know the unemployment rate is high right now but there are still many Americans who sleep earlier because they have to go to work the next day.
• Spain's blatant racism and disrespect of the Chinese was disgusting and deplorable. Spain's basketball team took a picture with all their players pulling at the sides of their eyes. All the Chinese fans are upset and rightfully so. Pau Gasol has lost a lot of fans  due to this. 
• I don't feel bad if your favorite baseball team does not make the playoffs. If teams really cared about the playoffs, they would sign Bonds. Thanks to collusion, he has no shot of a roster spot on any team. Look at the Yankees last night starting Jason Christian in the outfield. Jason who? Look at the Astros without Carlos Lee in left field for the rest of the year. But no one will sign Bonds.