STARTING FIVE

1. Reali TV

So, Good Morning, America taps Tony Reali, the purloined letter of ESPN programming, to sorta replace Josh “Misdemeanor” Elliott. Good move. The Fordham alum hosts Around the Horn with aplomb and does a fine job as PTI‘s red pencil.

Meanwhile, Max Kellerman has carved out a smaller fiefdom, on radio primarily, in Los Angeles.

At some point during his first month on GMA, Reali should share this story. Lara Spencer will just gape.

Like Jim Nantz, Reali grew up in Marlboro, N.J., just a town or two over from where this scribe grew up.

2. Teed Off

The Masters begins without Tiger Woods for the first time in 20 years. Both Jim Nantz of CBS and ESPN assure us that there’s still plenty of drama that awaits. Okay, sure. But they also have a vested interest in us watching. It’s spring time in New York City after a winter longer than even Ned Stark could imagine, so I’ll be outside, anyway.

3. Oscar, Oscar, Oscar

The Pistorius trial ratchets up the drama as prosecutor Gerrie Nel becomes your ex-girlfriend (“You just refuse to take responsibility for anything!”) and also accuses him of being terribly self-centered (an Olympic athlete?!? Mon dieu!). I have a hunch that the Blade Runner will break down and confess to knowingly shooting Reeva Steenkamp, but…that’s just a shot in the dark.

Also, take note of how Oscar will never utter the word “kill” no matter how many times Nel baits him to do so. Not that saying the word “kill” would be a confession to murder, but Oscar’s defense counsel, Barry Roux, understands that if you get Oscar uttering that word it’ll be on every news cast from now until people stop caring about this trial. He won’t let that happen.

4. NC-PAY-A

ESPN puts a story on its rundown about how former NFL MVP Adrian Peterson, the most deserving Heisman Trophy winner who didn’t win a Heisman Trophy in the past quarter century, believes that college athletes should be paid.

Well, of course he does.

Peterson cites himself and Johnny Manziel as examples of guys who earned a lot of money for their schools –he is correct –and LeBron James as someone who would have made a school tens of millions. Again, correct.

Peterson fails to mention –and the ESPN scribe who wrote the story, Ben Goessling, never does, either — that that trio would represent 0.02% of college football and basketball players in any one season. By this reasoning, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are the reasons that you should drop out of college.

That idea, by the way, is a spoof premise in the series premiere of “Silicon Valley.” The idea that college is a dead end.

Peterson’s belief comes from a very personal perspective, and in his case he’s correct. Also, he’s correct that high school grads should be eligible for the NBA and NFL drafts. Let the owners decide individually whether or not to take the risk. But to use those three men as examples of why college jocks should be paid ignores the 99-plus% who are actually getting the better deal than had they not accepted the scholarship.

5. The Colbert Rapport

“Nation… the next host of ‘Late Show’ will be Stephen Colbert.”

I’m a Catholic white guy slightly younger than Colbert, so it’s no surprise that I love this choice. That and the fact that he’s fearless, smarter than the other kids in class, and hilarious.

The New York Times has its doubts, but then didn’t they just print a retraction about their dismissal of evolution or heliocentrism or women’s suffrage (something like that)? A reminder of just how funny Colbert can be.

So, yes, Reali and Colbert get upgraded TV gigs in New York City today. That’s Catholic Power, bitches.

Think about how difficult it is to play a character night-after-night, a satirical send-up of the far right who still manages to be engaging enough to draw in most everyone. Excellent choice. Other prospective hosts who would’ve been solid, at least to me:

1. Ellen Degeneres

2. Neil Patrick Harris

3. Kevin Spacey

4. Seth Meyers

5. Pablo Torre….He’s a quick study

 

 

The Hall

Charter Inductees: Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner 1937:  Tris Speaker, CF; Cy Young, P ; 1938: Grover Cleveland Alexander, P; Eddie Collins, 2B 1939:Nap Lajoie, 2B; Joe Jackson, LF; 1940: Billy Hamilton, OF; Cap Anson, 1B; 1941: Wee Willie Keeler, RF; George Sisler, 1B; 1942: Rogers Hornsby, 2B; Pie Traynor, 3B; 1943: Mickey Cochrane, C; Frankie Frisch, 2B 1944: Ed Walsh, P; Old Hoss Radbourn, P 1945: Lou Gehrig, 1B; Kid Nichols, P 1946: Ed Delahanty, LF; Lefty O’Doul 1947: Pud Galvin, P; John McGraw, INF 1948: Carl Hubbell, P; Addie Joss, P 1949: Harry Heilman, OF/1B; Monte Ward, P/SS 1950: Cool Papa Bell, CF; Jimmie Foxx, 1B 1951: Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown, P; Josh Gibson, C 1952: Paul Waner, RF; Charlie Gehringer, 2B 1953: Mel Ott, RF; Hank Greenberg, 1B 1954: Eddie Plank, P; Dan Brouthers, 1B 1955: “Wahoo” Sam Crawford, OF; John Clarkson, P 1956: Chief Bender, P; Bill Dickey, C 1957: Sam Rice, RF; Joe DiMaggio, CF 1958: Bill Terry, 1B; Heinie Manush, LF 1959: Dizzy Dean, P; Tim Keefe, P 1960: Gabby Hartnett, C; Mickey Welch, P 1961: Bob Feller, P; Ducky Medwick, LF 1962: Luke Appling, SS; Jesse Burkett, LF 1963 Jackie Robinson, 2B; Zack Wheat, LF 1964: Jake Beckley, 1B; Rube Waddell, P 1965: Ralph Kiner, 1B; Lefty Grove, P

 1966: Ted Williams, LF; Smoky Joe Wood, P/OF 1967: Roy Campanella, C; Max Carey, OF 1968: Goose Goslin, LF; Rabbit Maranville, SS 1969: Stan Musial, 1B/OF 1970: Ferris Fain, 1B; Earle Combs, CF 1971: Warren Spahn, P; Yogi Berra, C 1972 Satchel Paige, P; Sandy Koufax, P 1973: Robin Roberts, P; Whitey Ford, P 1974: Mickey Mantle, CF; Eddie Mathews, 3B 1975: Lefty Gomez, P; Hack Wilson, CF 1976: Jack Pfiester, P; Johnny Mize, 1B 1977: Ernie Banks, SS; Mickey Welch, P 1978: Roberto Clemente, RF; Chuck Klein, RF 1979: Willie Mays, CF; Luis Aparicio,  SS 1980: Al Kaline, RF; Enos Slaughter, RF 1981: Bob Gibson, P; Harmon Killebrew, 1B 1982: Hank Aaron, RF; Frank Robinson, OF 1983: Brooks Robinson, 3B, Juan Marichal, P 1984: Hoyt Wilhelm, P; Arky Vaughan, SS 1985: Lou Brock, LF; Pete Browning, OF 1986: Sidd Finch, P 1987: Willie McCovey, 1B, Roger Maris, RF 1988: Willie Stargell, 1B, Catfish Hunter, P 1989: Earl Averill, CF, Billy Williams, LF 1990: Johnny Bench, C, Carl Yastrzemski, LF 1991: Jim Palmer, P, Joe Morgan, 2B 1992: Rod Carew, 2B; Gaylord Perry, P 1993

Tom Seaver, P; 1967-1986, Mets, Reds, Indians

Tom Terrific helped the Miracle Mets to their unlikely 1969 World Series win while also winning 311 career games (18th all-time) and recording 3,640 strikeouts (6th). A 12-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner and the 1967 NL Rookie of the Year.

Reggie Jackson, 1967-1987; A’s, Yankees

No one in the history of baseball whiffed more times (2,597) than Mr. October, but that from-the-heels swing also accounted for 563 career home runs, 463 doubles, 2,584 hits, 14 All-Star Game appearances and five World Series rings.