“What is Fraud?”

Posted on August 19, 2010 by | 10 Comments

Earlier today, I had the “pleasure” of listening to ESPN’s own, Colin Cowherd, give his definition of “fraud.”  This was in response to a budding rivalry that has been developed between Cowherd and Ohio athletics.  And more specifically between Cowherd and Cincinnati Enquirer Sport’s Columnist Paul Daugherty (Cincinnati’s best writer).

According to the Merriam Webster diction, “fraud” is “a person who is not what he or she pretends to be.”  It is a negative term.  Not something that anybody would ever like to be referred to as.  According to Colin Cowherd, once he got through all of his rambling and talking around the actual subject, “fraud” in athletics is a team that does not bring home the championship.  Or at least that is what I got out of his shenanigans and incoherent thought process as he tried to stir up the pot in typical Cowherd fashion.  So if we were to go with Colin Cowherd’s definition, then every team in the NFL last year was a “fraud” except the New Orleans Saints.  Every team in the MLB was a “fraud” except the New York Yankees.  Every team in College Football was a “fraud” except the Alabama Crimson Tide.  And I could go on and on.

Also, Ohio apparently is the biggest “fraud” of them all.  Cowherd actually had the audacity to say, “You could argue no state has had more frauds over the last decade than Ohio.”  Boasting teams such as the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Cincinnati Bengals, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.  According to Cowherd, “he owns Ohio.”

Well I hate to break it to you Colin, but you’re the “fraud” in this case.

Here is a message for Mr. Cowherd:

Number one, your definition does not make any sense.  Just because  a team wins a division in baseball, does not mean that they have to win the World Series in order to not be a fraud. Only one out of eight teams that make the playoffs every year win the World Series.  I and most of Cincinnati would be perfectly content with the Reds taking home an NL Central Crown and not winning the World Series.  We would not consider this team to be a failure who tricked us into believing that they were something that they were not. In actuality, they would be exceeding most of the city’s expectations.  You state that the AL has proven time and time again to being the supreme division in baseball.  And you are somewhat correct in this sentiment.  The AL once again won interleague play this year by the margin of 134 games to 118.  And they have won it every year since 2004.  Though the National League finally was able to win an All Star Game this year.  But you also talked about the American League proving their utter superiority in World Series victories.  Since the year 2000, the American League has won 6 World Series titles to the National League’s 4.  I would say that is pretty darn close.

You say the Ohio State Buckeyes are a “fraud.”  They have won 5 straight Big Ten titles.  And so what if they have struggled in BCS Bowl Games.  This does not make them a fraud.  Nobody has said that the Big Ten Champion will go on to win every BCS Bowl Game.  You call the Cavaliers a fraud.  So what if they had the best record in the NBA the past 2 years and did not end up winning the title.  Playoff basketball is a completely different beast than regular season play.  And then you called the Bengals a fraud for losing a home game to the lower seeded Jets in last year’s playoffs.  Most Cincinnatians were ecstatic that the Bengals even made the playoffs.  Very few actually expected the team to make a deep playoff run.  Also did you forget that the Jets had beaten the Bengals the week prior to the playoffs?  The Jets even went in and beat a seemingly invincible San Diego team the next week in San Diego.

So I guess according to your definition of “fraud,” all of the Ohio teams are “frauds.”  And for that matter, 99 percent of teams in athletics are “frauds.”  But according to my definition and everyone elses in America, just because a team does not win a title does not make them a “fraud.”  And I am proud of you for being undefeated against Ohio.  Most guys who call all teams a fraud that do not win the title set themselves up pretty well to go undefeated.  Even though I never realized that you were in direct competition with a state?

Why don’t you actually learn about the topics that you discuss?  The UC Bearcat’s football team was 12 and 0 last year heading into the Sugar Bowl, not 11 and 0.  And way to go picking Florida to beat us.  But also realize that this team had their coach abandon ship on them.  Nobody said that the Big East Champion was expected to go in and beat the SEC powerhouse.  Also, you are the same guy who claims to have never heard of Joey Votto before the All Star Break this year.  The man was putting up MVP numbers and you get paid to follow sports.  How wouldn’t you know who this guy is?

Lastly, don’t ever speak to or about Paul Daugherty in a demeaning manner.  He is the best sports writer we have in Cincinnati.  He actually understands the topics that he discusses in full.  Even if you claim to be undefeated against Cincinnati and the whole state of Ohio, we still claim our own such as Paul Daugherty.  A guy who does all the right things and is truly a great ambassador of the Cincinnati sporting scene.  Even people who do not agree with all of Daugherty’s opinions respect him and his amazing writing abilities.  He represents all that is right in sports journalism.

I will not consider the Reds a “fraud” this year if they win the NL Central, but come up short in trying to capture the World Series.

And by the way, your show SportsNation is awful.  People only watch it because of Michelle Beadle.

Stay tuned for the next edition of TheSportsKraze.

-TheSportsKraze

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