Kurt Warner Retires, Mayweather and Mosley Agree, & Other Headline Truths

TheDailySportsHerald.com presents our quick truths on today's top headlines in the world of sports. The truth shall set you free . . .


#5
HEADLINE: Kobe Bryant Leads Lakers over Sixers and Iverson
TRUTH: The Lakers attempted to salvage a rocky road trip with a 99-91 victory in Philadelphia over the Sixers. Kobe Bryant had 24 points for the Lakers and the supposedly washed up Allen Iverson led the Sixers with 23 points.

Overlooked amid the star power was another solid road performance from Lamar Odom, as he chipped in with 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists. LA will need another similar effort from Odom on Sunday, when the Lakers face the Celtics in Beantown.

#4
HEADLINE: Clippers Fall To Minnesota On The Road
TRUTH: Yes, the Clips did not have Blake Griffin or Chris Kaman, but two ugly losses to the Timberwolves and the lowly New Jersey Nets have made this a disappointing road trip for Mike Dunleavy's underachieving team.

At least Baron Davis tried to show some fight. Davis called a players-only team meeting prior to the game, and then scored 23 points in the third quarter to bring Los Angeles back within striking range before they eventually collapsed.


#3
HEADLINE: Federer Cruises Into Austrialian Open Final
TRUTH: Roger Federer made short work of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-2,6-3,6-2. He now faces the dangerous Brit Andy Murray, who actually holds a winning record against Federer (6-4). Of course, never were the stakes quite this high. Nobody but Nadal has ever beaten Federer in any of his previous 21 Grand Slam finals so don't over-think this one. Federer should have his 4th Australian Open Title by Sunday.


#2
HEADLINE: Mosley-Mayweather Is All But Signed According To Both Camps
TRUTH: Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer indicates that all major issues have been agreed upon and an announcement should be coming soon. According to ESPN, Mayweather advisor Leonard Ellerbe also asserts that "everything has been agreed to" as well.

Will we actually see Mosley-Mayweather happen? If yes, Floyd Mayweather Jr. will finally deserve some credit for stepping up his competition . . . after circumstances basically backed him into a corner and left him no other viable option.

Don't allow the "let-down" feeling of the failed Pacquiao-Mayweather event distract you from the truth: The biggest challenge of "Pretty Boy" Floyd's life will be the 38-year old Shane Mosley, even if Mosley will not have fought in 16 months prior to their May 1 bout.


#1
HEADLINE: Kurt Warner Retires After A 12-Year NFL Career
TRUTH: Kurt Warner's retirement is surprising in several respects. First, he obviously can still play at an extremely high level as evidenced by his phenomenal performance against Green Bay in the NFC Wild Card game. Second, the Cardinals play in the weak NFC West division, so it is very likely he would enjoy significant team success. Finally, he also had tremendous offensive talent surrounding him to make his job that much easier.

On the other hand Warner had some real health concerns related to the concussions he suffered throughout his career. Further, the beating he took in New Orleans two weeks ago was a reminder of how he could potentially damage himself permanently.

However, even with those concerns, many athletes playing at his level just can't let go of their sport. Of course, most of these athletes did not follow Kurt Warner's path to success.

Most great players achieve stardom at a young age and essentially are never forced to "grow up" from their youthful dreams of playing professionally. Usually the athlete's deteriorating performances are necessary to force them into the "real world" for the first time.

In contrast, Warner is the classic rags-to-riches story, having worked in a grocery store before trying a late run at an NFL career. So it is safe to assume that Warner knows what is best for him at this point.

One question that remains, however, is Warner's legacy among the greats.

His MVP years, Super Bowl ring, prolific passing numbers with the "Greatest Show on Turf," and excellent Super Bowl stats, certainly are the strongest parts of his resume.

Then came the down years: run out of St. Louis for Marc Bulger, mediocrity with the Giants, the annoying religious preaching, and a thumb injury which affected his ability to throw.

But Warner, the classic survivalist, again resurrected his career in Arizona throwing to Larry Fitzgerald and company. The past two years he was among the NFL's elite gunslingers, and nearly won his second title before the Steelers mounted a last-ditch comeback effort.

So where does Kurt rank?

Well, first things first, he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

As for his standing among the best quarterbacks, he should not be viewed in the same top flight class as a Staubach, Montana, or Peyton Manning. But he does deserve a place among the elite second-tier class of gunslingers because when he was on his game, he was devastating. In the end, Warner's several seasons of inconsistency in the middle of his career, prevent him from being considered a Top 5 guy at his position.

In any case, the league lost an exciting, great competitor on Friday. Kurt Warner was the NFL's ultimate "Rocky."

By Manish Pandya and Mike Elliott
Staff Editors for TheDailySportsHerald.com