Questionable Hard Slide Fuels New Cityball Rivalry
By Ken Rosenthal for Fox Sports
It was big news when it happened. Ron Murdock, the long time face of the Pour-Howzers franchise, was not tendered a contract in a bold move by Howzer management.
"It was nothing personal at all. I have a strong personal relationship with Ron and have nothing but respect for what he's brought to our team and our bar over the years," Howzer's GM and Captain, Justin Kolikof was quoted as saying. "We just couldn't meet his asking price, not when we had young players ready to take the reigns. We felt it was best to let Ron go and allow him to make his money elsewhere."
And so he did this off-season, signing an incentive-laden three-year deal (with a team option for 2012) with expansion franchise O.D.B. Sources close to the disgruntled Murdock have intimated he has yet to get over last season's playoffs, when weak knees and slow bat speed prompted manager Kolikof to put him in a platoon situation. While that shrewd decision led to the Howzers' first ever NL pennant, Murdock took it as a personal affront, charging privately that he hadn't been treated this harshly since the last time INS agents raided his home in July 2007.
Fast forward to June 2008, with "Rivalry Week" finally upon Cityball. It was the first meeting between two old friends and the tension was in the air. For the most part, the pre-game was civil with both sides shaking hands and wishing each other luck. But then...the play...
Murdock hit a single to left-center and attempted to stretch it to a double. He slid - hard - into second base and in the process took out second-baseman Meg Kross. Kross had to leave the game with a head injury and is currently listed as day-to-day. Murdock later attempted to downplay the incident, as he iced both knees in the clubhouse while fumbling with his cane. Kolikof, however, was steamed, arguing that a slide of that sort has no place in the game.
When asked to comment, the usually tight-lipped captain held nothing back..."you know, that was real [expletive], we all play hard to win, but some of us are able to do it without hurting the other team...funny, that's what he has to do to win and he still couldn't get a victory...I'd say we'll see him in the finals, but I'm pretty sure there's no chance he makes it that far."
The last comment, among others, is particularly true. With the loss, O.D.B. fell to 3-3 and in a tight National League pennant race, will have trouble emerging past the likes of the Blue Team and Bayside Tigers. Meanwhile the Pour-Howzers improved to 7-0 and in the process clinched the American League East and all but sewed up the top seed in the AL. The Howzers still have some very tough competition from their old foe the Swingers, but are clearly in a stronger position than O.D.B and their creaky captain.
Kolikof, it should be noted, wasn't the only one who took notice on the play. The commissioner's office has declined comment other than to say that league officials are reviewing tape of the play to determine if a one-game suspension or fine is warranted. In fact, Commissioner David Sack was summoned to an emergency meeting of Cityball officials in New York, which interrupted his standard post-game preening in front of the bathroom mirror.
While this latest drama plays out, one has to wonder, with these two franchises heading in opposite directions, does Murdock regret leaving behind the Green and Gold for the Black and White...
