Monday Blogdome: Jon Miller wants investigation of Rockies' balls

* ESPN’s Miller: Investigate Rockies For Cheating. Last Thursday ESPN and San Francisco Giants announcer Jon Miller appeared on KNBR-AM in San Francisco and said the Colorado Rockies may be manipulating the supply of humidor-stored baseballs at Coors Field to suit their needs in certain game situations. It wasn’t a coincidence that Miller’s accusation came the morning after the Rockies scored nine runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Cardinals 12-9. Miller used that game as one example of his theory. Though as noted by Troy Renck of the Denver Post, it’s more than a little ironic that the man who called countless Barry Bonds’ steroid-era games is now advocating for transparency as it pertains to the rules of baseball. [SportsbyBrooks]
* Stuart Holden Has Personal Experience On The Wrong End Of The De Jong Ninja Kick. It will not be news that the Netherlands put on the most thuggish performance in the history of the World Cup final yesterday, what with breaking the record for most yellow cards for both teams by themselves en route to getting nine of 10 outfield starters in the book. No account of the game has gone without a sneer at Mark Van Bommel’s magic ability to not get kicked out of every game or what can only be described as Nigel De Jong’s flying ninja kick on Xabi Alonso. [The Sporting Blog]

* Eight Simple Rules for Being a 30 Year-Old Sports Fan. 2. You cheer for teams, not players. I’ve been at events where 50 year-old men get positively giddy when a 23 year-old athlete deems to enter their realm of existence for 30 seconds to scribble their name on a baseball. It’s one of the most embarrassing things I’ve ever seen. If I’m that dude’s wife (if he has one), I’d be filing for divorce at 9 a.m. the next morning. [Deuce of Davenport]
* Gary Bettman makes $7.2 million more than you think he should. Tripp Mickle of Sports Business Journal looked at the NHL’s most recent tax filing and dug up some absolute gold — or at least enough financial information to make you scowl slightly harder when purchasing a $30 officially licensed hat. [Puck Daddy]
* Heaven’s New Announcer. Years after fans stopped behaving as ladies and gentlemen, Bob Sheppard continued to give them the benefit of the doubt. [Bugs and Cranks]
* The Hangover: The 2010 San Diego Padres First Half Review. There are only five words that come to mind when thinking about the first half the 2010 San Diego Padres just finished: What the hell just happened? [Rumors & Rants]
* Also: Two sets of boxing gloves from the second Ali-Liston fight sell for $950,000. They’d make lovely oven mitts … The Tebow Nike Trainer 1.2 may be the most, um, interesting shoe ever … The only person in this 2010 All-Star Game commercial who looks at all comfortable is Tim Lincecum. Naturally.
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Contact Rick Chandler at Rickchand@gmail.com. Join the party on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Rickchand.