Twistity Sports Exclusive WEEKEND IN REVIEW: HALL OF MANAGERS, ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL …

 
The Baseball Hall of Fame knows how to manage its affairs. As well it should, with managers pouring through its sacred doors.

Sunday’s induction ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., welcomed three superior skippers – Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox. The other inductees were pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine and slugger Frank Thomas.

Torre, fired three times as a manager after a fine playing career, found his greatest success late in life with the New York Yankees, where he won 10 division titles, six American League pennants and four World Series. La Russa managed the Chicago White Sox, Oakland A’s and St. Louis Cardinals and won 12 division titles, six pennants and three World Series. Cox, Glavine and Maddux and were part of a tremendous run by the Atlanta Braves. They won an unprecedented 14 straight division titles and made 15 playoff appearances. Together they brought Atlanta its lone major professional sports title.

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL: Jeff Gordon, on the cusp of turning 43, won a NASCAR record fifth Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Speedway.

Happy anniversary, fella. And happy motoring. Gordon won his first one, the inaugural Brickyard 400, 20 years ago, and then again in 1998, 2001 and 2004. Because no NASCAR report is complete without mentioning Danica Patrick, well, hi Danica. She finished 42nd

ELSEWHERE: Vincenzo Nibali won the Tour de France, the first Italian to do so since Marco Pantani in 1998. Nibali, 29, is only the sixth rider to win all three Grand Tours — France, Italy and Spain. … Byron Scott announced his hiring as the coach of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers, however, did not announce it. That could make for some embarrassment somewhere. Scott (like Torre) has been fired three times but coached the New Jersey Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances. …

Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch didn’t exactly announce his holdout in hopes of a new contract. He simply did not show up for training camp with the defending Super Bowl champions. A man of few words, everyone knows what he wants without much of a declaration. And Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson, who wanted a trade to a team that is not rebuilding and threatened to hold out, reported to camp. Johnson skipped all of the offseason work to make his point but relented. In 11 seasons with the Texans he has played on only three winning teams. Hence his frustration.

Today’s question: Should the Seahawks redo Lynch’s deal or wait him out? Answers in the box below, please.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .