Critical sports blog

Friday. It's not just for drinking or making movies. It's time to send warm thoughts to the people responsible for this....stuff and to shout out to our friends. In addition we add in a few suggestions for a decent week-end:

• If you're in Detroit or the area check out Sean Baligian. He's live on WDFN and Sean owns Detroit sports radio.

• Give it up for Hogonsports, the latest addition to the Critical List.

• Do you enjoy scotch? The Single Malts are by far the finest in existence.

• WPRB broadcasts all of Princeton's Games. Maybe I'm the only one interested.

• Dick's Sporting Goods is a leader in the world of sportswear.

• Weekend Tip: Don't do it. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?

• If you're a football fan, check out the Senior Bowl tomorrow.

The Critic will post over the week-end, including a mock interview with Andy Reid. The players include Gene Hickerson (Cleveland Browns), Thurman Thomas (Buffalo Bills), Michael Irvin (Dallas Cowboys), Roger Wehrli (St. Louis Cardinals), Charlie Sanders (Detroit Lions) and NFL ironman Bruce Matthews (Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans). The Hog has a few Hall of Fame observations: * Hickerson’s induction was way overdue. NFL great Jim Brown, the game greatest running back, had long championed his induction into the HOF. Hickerson (played from 1958-1973) was a pioneer. If he wasn’t the first pulling guard in professional football, he was the first to perfect the art of pulling and waffle-stomping defenders in order to spring free the ball carrier. Hickerson was an All-Pro from 1966-1970 and made the Pro Bowl from 1966-1971. He blocked for HOFers Jim Brown, Leroy Kelley and Bobby Mitchell. Before Hickerson’s entry into the NFL, only seven running backs ever rushed for 1,000 yards in a singled season in the history of the game. Behind Hickerson, John Wooten and Dick Schafrath, the Browns had 1,000-yard rushers in nine of his first 10 seasons and had a running back lead the NFL in rushing in seven times. The Hog knows a guy who met Hickerson on several occasions, and he swears that he was a gregarious, gentle giant whose hands were so big that they looked like bear paws. Jim Brown has been banging the drum for Hickerson’s induction for nearly a decade. He intimately knew Hickerson’s importance to his successful career that saw him lead the NFL in rushing in eight of his nine seasons and retire as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. Hickerson sacrificed his body for Browns success. Brown never forgot and relentlessly campaigned for his induction. * The Hog has mixed emotions about Michael Irvin’s induction. On one hand, Irvin was a great wide receiver and helped lead the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles. On the other hand, Irvin was a pimp. From his body-length fur coats, to his drug use and illicit acts of sex with women at “The White House” next to the Cowboys practice facility, Irvin was a pimp. Remember when Irvin was arrested in 1996 at a hotel or apartment? The po-po found drugs, hookers and a case full of sex toys - dildos and vibrators. The arrest and its seedy details prompted The Hog to spout one of his most memorable lines ever when Irvin’s career was cut short after a vicious hit at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. He was driven head-first into the unforgiving turf and had to leave the field on a stretcher as the Philly fans heckled him. Shortly thereafter, it was revealed that Irvin suffered from a narrow spinal cord, and his career came to a premature end. The day Irvin announced his retirement, The Hog was working at his desk in the sports department of The We Make Millions of Dollars of Profit But Pay Our Reporters A Pittance Gazette. I leaned across the aisle and said to my boy Cuervo, “You know how the country flies flags half staff when a prominent figure passes away? Do you think strippers and hookers across the country will run their vibrators at half speed and have a moment of moaning in honor of Irvin’s retirement?” Cuervo spit out what he was drinking, and The Hog snarkily chuckled as I went back to pounding out my 15th feature story of the week for the slave shop newspaper.