Players stand by fluke injury explanations
Baseball players often get a bad rap for not being the toughest professional athletes.
It's clearly an unfair charge, as no other professional sport requires its players to compete nearly every day for a full 162-game schedule.
And just because there has been an occasional example of a goofy injury suffered by a few baseball players through the years, there's not enough evidence to make a blanket statement proclaiming the fragility of those who play the national pastime.
OK, so first baseman Russell Branyan of the Seattle Mariners and pitcher Mat Latos of the San Diego Padres don't exactly have the best stories to explain their recent injuries.
Branyan stubbed his toe while trying to close the curtains at 5 a.m. at the team hotel. He's day to day.
The incident was dismissed as common by Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu, further contributing to the negative stereotypes.
"We've all done that, not to that extent," he told the team's website.
The Latos injury might be worse, though he may be able to cite precedent as a valid excuse for his misfortune.
Latos will have his season interrupted by a trip to the disabled list caused by his attempt to hold back a sneeze.
After he fought off the sneeze, he felt a pain in his side and sheepishly told a teammate what had happened. Perhaps Latos was thinking of Sammy Sosa, who was famously injured when he sneezed too hard.
Either way, Leftovers is going to move on now. We have allergies and have no idea whether to hold back our impending sneeze or let it out. Both options seem so dangerous.
■ MARRIAGE MATERIAL -- J.R. Smith was a surprise entrant in the NBA Summer League this week. The Denver Nuggets guard happened to be in Las Vegas rehabbing an injury and decided suiting up and playing in a couple of exhibition games was a good way to do that.
He is also a surprise advocate for men going through divorces. Apparently, Smith was inspired by his time in Las Vegas to give some serious thought to divorce laws.
He took to his Twitter account Thursday to share his thoughts with the world -- or at least his 45,000 followers.
"If have 30 mil an get married to chick an she bring a bag full of clothes why is it that if we brake up I have to give her 15," he queried. "She don't shoot no jumpers or nothing not one rebound or nothing don't even tie my shoe for the game but I have to give her half."
Smith just eliminated himself from appearing on the next season of "The Bachelor."
■ FALLING FAST -- If JaMarcus Russell is not signed by another NFL team, his next stop could be Omaha.
The expansion Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League listed the former NFL No. 1 overall pick on a roster on the team's website, but a source close to Russell denied to the National Football Post that the former Raider would play in the fledgling league this year.
The Nighthawks might not win any more games with Russell on the roster, but the sales of Purple Drank at the concession stand could skyrocket.
COMPILED BY ADAM HILL
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
