My wide-ranging list-ical take on the world of sports

My hero: The Wizard of Westwood AP

Favorite sports event I've attended: 1995 Final Four -- UCLA's championship in Seattle

Most exciting sports event I've attended: Game 6 of the 2002 World Series -- Angels vs. Giants

Most depressing sports event I've attended: Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals 1993 L.A. Kings -- Montreal Canadiens [the game after Marty McSorley got caught with an illegal stick and the series momentum changed. Kings lost this one, 4-3, and fell into a 2-1 hole on the way to a 4-1 series loss.]

Events I'd like to attend: U.S. Open (tennis), the championship game of a 4-team collage football playoff, an L.A. Kings Stanley Cup clincher. (I know...)

Best sporting adventure: Taking the red eye to JFK, a hopper to Buffalo, renting a wreck and driving to Toronto for Game 3 of the Western Conference finals between the Maple Leafs and Kings in 1993.

A good day in sports: Any day that UCLA beats USC

Who I like: David Robinson, Charles Barkley, Jerry West, Hank Aaron, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Peyton Manning, Derek Fisher, Mike Scioscia, David Eckstein, Vlad Guerrero, Steve Nash, Barry Sanders, Pat Tillman, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart, Carl Lewis's National Anthem attempt, Kenny Smith, Jamaal Wilkes, Kurt Rambis, Aaron Affalo, A.C. Green, Andre Agassi, Tiger Woods, John Stockton, Rick Monday, Orel Hershiser, Karch Kiraly, Steffi Graf, Pete Sampras, Brandi Chastain, Mia Hamm, and almost every player in the National Hockey League.

Who I most admire in sports: John Wooden

Sport with the best athletes: Basketball

Toughest sport: Olympic wrestling

Sport with hottest groupies: Not hockey...

Most annoying and embarrassing sportsmen: Diving soccer players

Most annoying and embarrassing sports trend: Pro athletes who rap.

Worst thing about sports: Performance enhancing drugs

The Tour de Dope, er, France. AP

Sport that broke my heart: Cycling (the Tour de France)

Sport that saves my heart: Little League Baseball

Sport in most need of radical marketing change: Hockey

Sports going backwards: Pro basketball, pro baseball, tennis, Olympics

Sports going forwards: College basketball, colege football, golf

Sports on the bubble: NFL, NASCAR

This is a sport? Don't think so... AP

Sports that are irrelevant here in the U.S.:: Soccer, boxing, track & field (to my regret)

Sport that is no longer a sport: Cycling,

Sports I don't want my son to watch: Men's soccer, cycling, Ultimate Fighting

Cool underground sports: Surfing, volleyball, archery, water polo

A sport I do not get: Cricket

Not a sport: Poker

Best game that is not a sport: Chess

A quasi-sport they should bring back: Roller derby