Published on Sunday, October 28, 2007

The weekly rant, or random thoughts and observations while happily singing in the rain.

My son has an annoying habit when it comes to washing his clothes. If he needs a pair of jeans that are dirty, he’ll wash only the jeans. If he needs a clean shirt, he’ll only wash that particular shirt.

As a result, my wife and I are always on him about doing all his laundry at one time.

What does this have to do with sports?

Well, at the Crown Coliseum on Friday, some laundry was finally hung when the Fayetteville FireAntz raised a large black, red and yellow banner commemorating last season’s Southern Professional Hockey League championship.

But while it added a nice touch of personality to the otherwise generically bland atmosphere at the Crown, it shouldn’t be the only banner hanging from the building’s rafters.

Yes, some of the teams that earned those awards no longer exist. But that shouldn’t matter. Their accomplishments are still part of the 10-year-old arena’s history and should be celebrated.

That’s why the flags paying tribute to the Force’s 2000 Central Hockey League regular-season title, the Patriots’ 2003 NBDL regular-season title, the Wildcats’ two division championships and the Guard’s 2005 NIFL conference crown should also be put back on display.

And if the banners for those accomplishments have been destroyed or lost, copies should be made and the replacements put back into the public eye. It could even be done as part of the FireAntz’s tribute to the Crown’s anniversary, to be held next Saturday.

Every great building is defined by the great teams that played in it and the Crown shouldn’t be any different.

Joe Torre, a manager with four championship rings and who has led his team to the postseason for the past 12 seasons, was essentially fired because of his inability to get the New York Yankees back to the World Series.

So what are George Steinbrenner and his sons getting ready to do? Hire Don Mattingly, a man with absolutely no major league managing experience.

In a related story, the Evil Empire has reportedly offered Alex Rodriguez — you know, Mr. April, a player who is to the postseason what Harold Stassen once was to Presidential elections — $30 million per season to stay in the Bronx.

I’ve heard of trying to buy a championship, but what would you call this?

Am I the only one who finds it ridiculously ironic that the adults who make the decisions in the Cumberland County schools system will send our kids out to play football and march at halftime in 100-plus degree weather, but call off their games in a blink of an eye at the first hint of rain?

That’s enough for this week. The boxing gloves are on Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth.