By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
August 9, 2003
Cleaning out the Rants &Rambles office of cobwebs and half-eaten ham sandwiches, while having fun in the world of sports.
Big league pitcher Jeff Nelson wasn't shy about expressing his opinion of the Seattle Mariners apparently sleeping straight through the baseball trading deadline.
The handy bullpen hurler fired off this salvo at the team's front office.
Nelson quickly apologized for his remarks, but he was still backing his bags just a few days later to go back to the New York Yankees. At least, he is with a team that will never be seen as staying pat.
Terrifying sight
Minor League baseball teams have long been trying to one-up each other in the land of wacky promotional stunts to draw fans to the ball park.
Apparently the Philadelphia Phillies owners have been taking notice and are throwing their hat into the ring of outlandish things to be done during a baseball game.
When the St. Louis Cardinals play in Philadelphia on Aug. 15, history will be made at the park. The Village People will be on hand to lead those wacky, fun-loving Phillies fans and maybe, just maybe, the Cards in a record-setting group "YMCA" dance.
The current record, a 13,588-person dance, was set at a minor league game in Omaha.
Annika under fire
Annika Sorenstam is the latest sports figure to draw the ire of PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The group is squawking about Sorenstam's role as a Kentucky Fried Chicken pitchwoman.
Now that's some strong clucking.
Priorities Mike, priorities
Boxing lunkhead "Ironhead" Mike Tyson filed for Chapter 11 protection, after squandering $300 million in boxing earnings and roughly $400 million in total income.
A feat that is even harder to wrap one's mind around than him gnawing off his opponent's ear in the ring.
But how does one man spend that much money?
Here is just one example: From 1995 to 97, Tyson spent $230,000 on pagers and cell phones alone and $410,000 on a birthday party.
Even more disturbing, Tyson reportedly only spent $8,000 to feed his pet Tigers.
Now we here at R&R are no zoo keepers, but if you are spending nearly half a million on a party and a quarter of a million on pagers and cell phones, isn't eight grand skimping on the tiger chow?
You too can coach
For everyone wanting to be NFL head coach out there in reader land, here is a tip on how to handle kickers straight from Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren.
The Seahawks sideline skipper is breaking in rookie kicker Josh Brown during training camp this season, and he is giving the kid some solid advice.
Why haven't the Seahawks won the Super Bowl since Holgrem arrived from Green Bay?