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Sports acquire foreign flair

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By By Kermit Rowe, Staff Writer 11:03 PM Saturday, June 27, 2009

The rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night ... that American pro sports stars are still there?

Granted, they are still there, but not in the numbers that we saw just a generation ago. Or a decade ago for that matter.

American pro sports have truly gone international. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but a bit sobering to think about heading into the most patriotic week of the year.

The fact is, two of the big four sports leagues really have to stretch it to call themselves an American sports league.

The NHL is where it is most noticeable. You’ll be hard-pressed to find an American star among the league’s top 20 players. A look at the top four statistical categories in scoring and goaltending shows that only one of the eight leaders is from the United States.

After Minneapolis, Minn., native Zach Parise of the New Jersey Devils, who finished fifth in the league in scoring this season, you have to go down to 40th to find an American-born player — Chicago Blackhawks right winger and Buffalo, N.Y., native Patrick Kane.

Checking out the goalies, things are a little better with five American players in the top 30 in victories — Boston’s Tim Thomas, Buffalo’s Ryan Miller, Detroit’s Ty Conklin, New Jersey’s Scott Clemmensen and Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings.

The International Hockey League would be a better name for the top pro hockey league in the world. Oops, someone’s already got that one.

In Major League Baseball, the trend continues.

Looking at the MLB’s top 10 hitters (through Wednesday), six are foreign-born — Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki, San Francisco’s Pablo Sandoval, New York’s Carlos Beltran, Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, Washington’s Cristian Guzman and Houston’s Miguel Tejada. It gets a little better in the next 10 — only four international players. But still, 10 of the top 20 aren’t from our country.

The NBA was on the international kick for awhile. But it seems as though it hasn’t paid off as only three international players — Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks, Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets and Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers — were among the top 30 scorers in the league.

That’s likely to continue as among the top-rated players in the Thursday, June 25, NBA draft, only Spain’s Ricky Rubio seems to be a top talent.

Just last year, 11 foreign players were drafted, including four in the first round. There were five international prospects taken in the first round and 13 drafted in all in 2007. Three years ago, there were six first-round picks and 16 overall international selections.

The NFL doesn’t have much international flavor as the game isn’t played much overseas.

But you can see the picture. With the increase of technology, American pro sports has for the most part gone global.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0364 or krowe@coxohio.com.

KERMIT ROWE COMMENTARY

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