Ruth’s watch a grand slam, are Russians tougher than us?
Journalists who travelled to Sochi, Russia, to cover the Winter Olympics found upon arrival that their rooms lacked some of the basics, including window coverings. See what happens when the Soviet Union dissolves? No more iron curtains ... Plumbing also appears to be an issue, thanks to things like missing pipes and toilets that don’t flush. That has led to a lot of cross-country peeing ... Russia’s deputy prime minister told reporters Thursday that surveillance videos from hotel rooms have shown people turning on their showers and wasting water by leaving them included the 53 members of the Denver Broncos who stood around and watched ... The Seattle Seahawks thumped the Broncos 43-8 in Sunday’s NFL championship game in East Rutherford, N.J., holding record-setting Denver quarterback Peyton Manning in check. It was Manning’s worst performance in the New York City area since his last appearance on Saturday Night Live ... “John Elway says the Broncos ‘came up short’ in the Super Bowl,” scribbled comedy writer Tim Hunter, referring to Denver’s executive vice-president of football operations. “In a non-related story, the Titanic may have had a leak.”
Before Sunday’s game began, opera star Renée Fleming sang the national anthem. Noted blogger RJ Currie: “She’s the first diva to appear in the championship on all day. So the Russians are watching people shower? Paging Janet Leigh!
Randy Turner of the Winnipeg Free Press must have heard some deep rumbling during Friday’s activities in Sochi. “Not long ago saw Turkey enter Olympic opening Ceremonies,” Turner tweeted. “Now it’s the Swiss. All of a sudden I’m hungry.” Moments later, he added: “I mean, Hungary.” ... Former NHLer Sergei Fedorov was asked what Russian hockey players are facing during the Games. “Just like the Canada guys in Vancouver 2010, a lot of pressure,” Fedorov replied. “Maybe more. Our fans might be a little tougher.” Uh, has he seen footage of the Vancouver riot?
Fox-TV announced this week that Super Bowl XLVIII was the most-watched event in TV history with 111.5 million viewers. That number since Terrell Owens.” ... The Red Hot Chili Peppers are being ripped for their performance at halftime because their guitars weren’t plugged in. The way they were jumping around, they sure looked amped up ... During one Super Bowl ad, Tim Tebow appeared as an obstetrician, a bull rider and a rock star. “Tebow previously portrayed an NFL quarterback,” wrote Greg Cote of the Miami Herald, “but was unconvincing in the role.” ... “After seeing that commercial with the horse & puppy, my kids wouldn’t stop bugging me,” TV’s Conan O’Brien tweeted in reference to another Super Bowl ad. “So I caved and bought them a case of Bud.”
The pocket watch that Babe Ruth received for leading the New York Yankees to the 1923 World Series title is to hit the auction block this month. Noted the aforementioned Cote: “Based on what I’ve read of the Babe, I’m guessing the watch is permanently set on ‘time for a drink.’ ” ... The watch is expected to fetch more than $1 million, its value driven up in part because it hasn’t been seen publicly since it was presented to Ruth. Just goes to show that timing is everything ... According to the auction house, Ruth gave the timepiece to a close friend after having it engraved with “to my pal, Charlie Schwefel.” It may not be poetic, but the message represents the Verse of the Bambino.
This week’s wacky soccer story comes from Italy, where Bologna signed Brazilian midfielder Ibson from Corinthians — and then forgot to send someone to the airport to pick him up. Without a ride, Ibson was forced to hail a cab and find his own way to the team’s stadium. He’ll no doubt get over the slight; he’s getting paid hundreds of thousands of euros, before taxis ... Forgetting to pick up your newest star player? That’s Bologna ... The last word this week goes to golfer Fred Couples, an avid Seahawks fan who had two tickets to the Super Bowl — neither of which, it turns out, he was able to use. Couples birdied his final two holes during the second round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic last Friday to make the cut, which forced him to miss the Super Bowl. As Couples joked to ESPN.com: “Call me stupid. I tried to bogey (No. 16) and I did. I tried to bogey 13, the par 5, and I did. I just couldn’t butcher enough holes.’’