It's playoff time at The Sharpest Point, and in this week's first round matchup we have Corey Griswold going head to head with John Norman.
Norman and Griswold will once again have to answer the featured question, but judging their arguments will be a three-person panel (third judge if necessary) made up of sports editors from other Mid-American Conference school newspapers.
Best of three wins this playoff game and will in turn advance to the finals to face the winner of Jim Byrne and Darren Riethmiller.
Let the games begin.
This Week's Question: Who is the most obnoxious personality in the pro sport world?
John Norman: A few weeks ago the most obnoxious man in sports, Warren Sapp, said that the NFL was making him, and other players into "slaves" to make money for themselves, the "slave masters."
Sapp then tried to clear up the previous comments by telling ESPN, "I said 'slave masters.' I didn't say I was a slave. I said it was a slave master system."
This statement came from a man who makes $6 million dollars a year, to play football. He's also going into a year where he will be the biggest name on the free-agent market. That also isn't taking into account all of the endorsement deals Sapp gets, and Warren had the audacity to liken playing in the NFL to slavery.
The sad thing is, this isn't even the clear-cut dumbest thing Sapp has done during his eight-year tenure in the NFL.
Last season Sapp blindsided Packers' offensive tackle Chad Clifton 15 yards away from the play. The play rendered the 26-year old Clifton to using a walker to get around. The hit, which was cheap but legal, may have ended Clifton's career, but Sapp the ever-classy one, got up and celebrated the hit.
Earlier this season, he purposely bumped into a referee during warmups. The week later, Sapp kicked an end-zone pylon into the stands during the pregame.
He has run through the opposing team's stretching lines week after week, until LaVar Arrington said he'd had enough of it and wouldn't stand up for it.
There is no one else in sports nearly as repulsive as Sapp; no one could even come close.
Corey Griswold: Clearly the most obnoxious person in sports is Michael Jordan.
Let me state first that this has nothing to do with his playing career. On the contrary, his playing career is the only thing that makes him practically impenetrable to this sort of criticism. However, his business dealings and meddling in the NBA since his playing days are, well, just down right annoying.
First of all, no athlete in his right mind should make a cologne. You know what you think of when you mix athletes and scents. No, it isn't pretty. Thanks, but no thanks Mike.
Secondly, the NBA clearly needed a period where a new superstar could take hold, and new names and faces could represent the NBA to a public not exhausted, but filled with the Michael Jordan aura. Instead, Mike decides he wants to be an owner, then a GM, and then to play again.
I couldn't care if he tarnished his playing legacy by putting on a Wizards uniform and playing at half the level he once did. It was that I was tired of him, and I had to be blatantly subjected to his selfish desire to eat up more glory and minutes on the NBA's tab. No other star could truly take hold in the NBA, because Jordan dominated the headlines and highlights with his comeback.
I know he was the greatest athlete to play the sport. I also know that he completely screwed up the Washington Wizards administratively. A great manager he is not. Now that Jordan is off the court, he should be out of the headlines.
Get lost Mike, and give me back my NBA.
The Judges Panel
Dan Gedney, Asst. Sports Editor for Bowling Green News: I have to go with John on this one. He did an excellent job of documenting the numerous escapades of the ultimate jerk Warren Sapp. What is up with that whole slave master thing anyways? While I am in agreement with Corey that MJ needs to go away, Jordan does not come to close to the level of obnoxiousness that Warren Sapp is at. So John, you get my vote. Good job.
Mike Genet, Asst. Sports Editor for Ball State Daily News: I have to agree more with John on this one.
The Victor: John Norman (advances to finals on November 19)
