Fascinating & Bizarre

I wanted to pass along a couple of things I happened across this morning.

Why can't major league pitchers throw the ball faster than 100 mph? It would seem, with advances in sports science being made at astronomical levels, that pitchers would be able to increase their pitch velocity past the century mark. Yet that hasn't happened. This article endeavors to find out why. It's kind of technical, and somewhat nerdy, but it's fascinating (to me, anyway).

You may recall one of the most bizarre stories I've ever come across--former Raiders kicker Cole Ford was charged with shooting at Siegfried & Roy's Las Vegas mansion with a shotgun last September. Pretty weird, huh? The unanswered question in this entire mess was: "Why would former Raiders kicker Cole Ford shoot at Siegfried & Roy's house?" Good question.

Here's the answer. (if you need a login/pass, use donttrack@donttrack.com / donttrack) I will allow Dr. Norman Roitman, the psychiatrist that evaluated Cole Ford after he was charged, to provide some insight:

"While watching Siegfied and Roy, he had a sudden realization that what was wrong with the world was linked to the illusionists' treatment, dominance and unhealthy intimacy he saw them having with their animals. He saw their illusions as their power to distort and change reality. He felt they threatened (the) world, and he began to figure out how he could stop them."

What was wrong with the world was linked to Siegfried & Roy's dominance over animals? He felt Siegfried & Roy threatened the world? Now, I have to admit I haven't seen Siegfried & Roy's act live, but I always assumed it was a show involving animals, choreography, and sequins. Hard to dominate the world when you've got 2 shows a night at the Mirage, you know. So, even for a crazy guy, Cole Ford is CRAZY. But it gets better:

"Mr. Ford was completely unguarded in his report of his beliefs of unhealthy sexual contact being committed by the illusionists against their animals."

Oh dear. Cole Ford felt that the development of diseases like AIDS was in some way related to Siegfried & Roy, um, "performing" with their animals. I don't like to shoot down theories without investigation, but I feel safe in saying that Siegfried & Roy had little, if anything, to do with the spread of AIDS. I didn't think that even needed to be said, but apparently it does.

Hard to believe Cole Ford was found psychologically incompetent to stand trial.