Sports Then and Now

Joe Niekro's memory lives on through the Joe Niekro Foundation.

On the day that would have been her father’s 65th birthday, Natalie Niekro will honor the memory of her father, former major league baseball star Joe Niekro, by telling a national audience about the importance of awareness about and funding for aneurysm research.

Since starting the Joe Niekro Foundation, Natalie Niekro has been a one-woman crusade to ensure that the tragic death of her father from a brain Aneurysm in 2006 helps save the lives of others who unknowingly suffer from Aneurysms.

After raising $450,000 earlier this year by hosting the first-ever Knuckle Ball at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Natalie set her sites on other ways to use the notoriety of her father’s baseball career to help the cause.

Throughout the last week of October, the Joe Niekro Foundation and the Arizona Fall League teamed up for “Aneurysm Awareness Week.”

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Power and Greed seem to be running rampant in sports.

In a week in which the New York Yankees claimed the World Series title it seems fitting to look at greed and power in the world of sports. Unfortunately, it isn’t very hard to find, even in the case of college athletics.

It’s All In The Shoes

Given that his father is synonymous with the company, it is likely that Marcus Jordan had a Nike swoosh on his pacifier as a baby and certainly grew up wearing shoes and clothes designed by the famous sports apparel company.

Now a freshman basketball player at the University of Central Florida (UCF), the young Jordan has become a central figure in a “shoe war” even before playing his first college game.

Seems that UCF has a long-term relationship with adidas and recently agreed on a new 6-year, $3-million deal that called for all UCF athletic teams to wear adidas apparel and equipment.

Evidently, at the time Jordan was being recruited to UCF, he asked if he would be able to wear a Nike shoe endorsed by his father instead of the adidas shoes provided to the school. According to all accounts from UCF, the regional adidas representative gave approval for Marcus to wear Nike shoes during games. I’m willing to bet it was an important component of why he ultimately chose UCF.

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Some people tend to forget that Andre Agassi hasn't always been the prim and proper "pitchman" that we have become accustomed to over the last few years.

Even though it has yet to hit bookstores, Andre Agassi’s new book “Open” has some revelations that are already causing some controversy. Most notably among them is his admission to using crystal meth during his career.

In his first entry for Sports Then and Now, noted tennis writer Rob York looks at the reaction some notables within the tennis world have had to the news along with perhaps how Agassi should respond to each comment.

What Martina Navratilova said:

“Shocking. Not as much shock that he did it as shock he lied about it and didn’t own up to it. He’s up there with Roger Clemens, as far as I’m concerned. He owned up to it, but it doesn’t help now.”

“Andre lied and got away with it. You can’t correct that now. Do you take away a title he wouldn’t have won if he had been suspended? He beat some people when he should have been suspended.”

How Agassi should respond:

Apparently when you when enough majors you feel you have the right to pass judgment on anyone who has won less. Sadly, Martina, your memory isn’t as good as your Grand Slam record: I didn’t win any titles while I was using meth, and only won a total of 12 matches in 13 tour events.

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BJ Armstrong made an appearance in Chicago as part of the HP Windows 7 promotion.

HP, Windows 7 and Best Buy have teamed with the NBA to give fans a chance to win two tickets to a 2010 NBA Playoff Game or one of seven HP computers equipped with Windows 7 Home Premium being offered each week during this seven week contest.

The promotion kicked off in Washington with an appearance by Eric “Sleepy” Floyd and then last week in Chicago as former Chicago Bulls guard BJ Armstrong made an appearance at a local Best Buy store promoting the products.

Sports Then and Now Chicago Bulls correspondent Scott Ottersen had a chance to interview Armstrong during the event. Check out Scott’s interview with the former NBA superstar.

As part of the promotion, former NBA superstars will be appearing at Best Buy stores across the country promoting HP and Windows 7.

You can register to win here.

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