Opinion: Thugs dominate basketball, legal courts

• The ink had scarcely dried on the column I wrote about my deep appreciation for any music that is performed by talented artists when the news came from England of a robbery at the home of alleged “musical performer” and reality TV “star” Ozzy Osbourne. You may ask what this story has to do with my talent fixation. It has everything to do with it. In fact, the event insults two of my biases toward talented artists.

The first insult is the site of the robbery: the Osbournes’ English country mansion in Buckinghamshire. The second, the magnitude of the robbery: family jewelry valued at $3.7 million. No one of sound mind would make a case for Osbourne having a modicum of anything approaching talent. To assess his singing talent, one need only watch the much-aired video tape of Ozzy singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh inning of a Chicago Cubs game.

That the Cubs management had the judgment to ask him to “sing” may explain why the Cubs haven’t made it to a World Series in nearly 60 years.

Ozzy Osbourne is a no-talent clod whose “art” has somehow brought him, among other perks, nearly $4 million worth of jewelry and life in, among other homes, an English country mansion. I think of the many enormously talented performers who are literally starving to death while trying to catch a break. Is there no justice? Well, the dysfunctional Osbourne family will receive justice: Lloyds of London underwriters have offered a reward of $185,950 for information leading to return of the loot. If that tactic doesn’t pay off, Ozzy’s insurance will.

• In a past column, I wrote that I had lost interest in professional basketball. It was and is my opinion that true superstars like Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan have been replaced by thugs. Recent events in Detroit prove some thugs – albeit millionaire thugs – are playing professional basketball.

The video footage of the melee in the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Indiana Pacers has been shown often, and proves my point. What began as a shoving match on the court ended up in the stands with some Indiana players fighting with Detroit fans. It was a scary sight. However, the players weren’t the only thugs in the arena. It was fans throwing beer on players and screaming insults that brought the players into the stands.

This incident proves that nothing good will take place when two groups of thugs get together. Players who fought were suspended for various numbers of games. Ron Artest of the Pacers was suspended for the rest of the season – which will cost him $5 million. The shameful event is far from over. Criminal charges will be filed against players and fans. It will be open season for lawsuits: players, fans, team owners, the owner of the arena, and the security provider, all will be fair game.

• Recently, Rusty Saber noted how difficult “The Star-Spangled Banner” is to sing and mentioned some patriotic songs that might be candidates for a new national anthem. “The Stars and Stripes Forever” was one. But I said – as though I knew what I was talking about – that John Philip Sousa didn’t write words to the tune. Of course, I was wrong. Long-time friend and official Missouri ragtime piano player Gary Ellison sent me a copy of the music and the words.

The error is erased; I feel better.

• A reader complained to me that the cartoon inserted at the end of the Rusty Saber never has anything to do with the topic of the column. As nicely as I could, I explained that the cartoon isn’t supposed to have anything to do with the column. It belongs in that space.

In fact, I must leave room for it, which is what I’m doing now...

Joe McAdoo is former chairman of the communication department at Drury University.