Good Week; Bad Week
A look at this week's winner and losers in the world of sports
Johnny Manziel: The Texas A&M quarterback was rewarded for his efforts on U.S. college gridirons with the Heisman Trophy last Saturday after doing some wonderful things with a football throughout the 2012 season. Not so much the bowling ball, though. Just days after becoming the first freshman to win the coveted award as the nation’s best player, Manziel celebrated with his girlfriend and promptly got whupped by 44 points. Guess there’s a reason he’s called Johnny Football.Henny Ray Abrams/The Associated Press
Robert Griffin III: Nice to see the Washington rookie sensation divides sports commentators as easily as he parts defensive lines. ESPN First Take contributor Rob Parker, who is African-American, was suspended Friday for comments he made about the quarterback’s “blackness.” “Is he a brother or a cornball brother?” Parker said after reminding viewers that Griffin has a white fiancée and is thought to be a Republican. How remiss of us to think that Redskin, white skin or black skin, he would be judged first and foremost as an NFL player.Nick Wass/The Associated Press
Manny Pacquiao: The Lord moves in mysterious ways, and, according to the boxer’s mother, so does karma. After her son’s sixth-round knockout to Juan Manuel Marquez last Saturday, there were many theories why the Filipino boxer-cum-congressman lost consecutive fights for the first time in his career, but according to Dionisia Pacquiao, it’s all down to his switch from Catholicism to Protestantism. “That’s what he gets for changing his religion,” she told Yahoo Sports Philippines.LANDRY MAJOR/The New York Times
Manchester City: These are dour days on the blue side of Manchester. If last Sunday’s 3-2 derby defeat against United wasn’t bad enough – a game in which Robin van Persie gave his best Michael Owen impression on his derby debut – the defending Premier League champions also had to swallow the fact that they lost £97.9-million (more than $156-million) last season. Of course, manager Roberto Mancini continued to turn the other cheek, claiming the loss to United showed that City is the better team. Not for the first time, the word deluded springs to mind.PHIL NOBLE/Reuters
Bode Miller and Morgan Beck: While Rio Ferdinand was the unfortunate recipient of a two-pence coin toss to the face, he made out better than pro volleyball player Morgan Beck, who took an errant golf ball just above her eye Wednesday. To make matters worse, it came courtesy of her husband, the Olympic champion skier, and required 50 stitches to close the wound. Here’s hoping he’ll give her a better gift on Dec. 25.The Associated Press