Buss Stopped

I hesitate to even make light of this because he obviously has a problem. NBA Commissioner David Stern fined L.A. Lakers owner Jerry Buss, the man who has been fueling the Kobe-watch, $25,000 and suspended for 2 games after a misdemeanor drunk-driving conviction over the summer.

First, Jerry Buss is 74 years old. That's all I'll say about that.

Second, what is a 2-game suspension and $25,000 going to do? If anything, he's probably looking forward to having an excuse to not go to a game. And $25,000 is a drop in the bucket for this guy. If Stern really wanted to penalize him, then he would have fined him more and dropped that suspension stuff.

I can't wait to see what Stern comes up with after Zeke, James Dolan and the Knicks lose their appeal!

The Mavs and the Cav-Nots

Bron Bron has a problem. Well, let me take a step back. LeBron is OK, but the Cleveland Cavaliers are not.

The Cavs opened their season Wednesday night at home against the Dallas Mavericks, probably wishing they could close it back up again, losing 92-74 to the Mavs.

Man, NBA fans are really getting the hang of this booing your home team thing. First the Laker fans last night, and now the Cavs fans - twice. Once at half time and again at the end of the game.

I think the booing was as much for the players as it was for the whole organization that failed to make any real power moves over the summer after being unceremoniously swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals last season. Their only acquisitions were guard Devin Brown, and forward Cedric Simmons from a trade with the New Orleans Hornets . . .

In addition, the Cavs are missing some "key" players from their "run" to the Finals -- Sideshow BobAnderson Varejao, Sasha Pavlovic, due to contract issues. Pavlovic will be back soon, now that he just signed a 3-year deal whose terms have not been disclosed. He revealed during the Cavs game earlier in the night (more on that later) that he was having some documentation issues and he missed two flights, but he should be back soon. I'm going to need him to get it together a little better than this.

Varejao is still overseas while he holds out for a better deal. Well, if their first game is any indication, the Cavs may want to give the man what he wants or look for someone else to help them out. I believe the Cavs WAY overachieved in making it to the Finals last season, but without some changes this year, they may just barely make the playoffs if at all.

Granted, the Cavs opened the season tonight against ehe Western Conference powerhouse Mavs, a team that many thought would make a run at a ring last year but ended up making history by losing to the 8th seeded Golden State in the first round (and with Nowitzki as their leader, I see this being the rule rather than the exception).

But the Mavs made the Cavs look like a D-III team. LeBron had 10 points on 2-11 shooting, and no points in the first half after he sat for a while with foul trouble. Said LeBron about his team, prior to tonight's game:

"We didn't do any reshaping," James said candidly. "We didn't do any regrouping. You start to think a little bit, 'How are we going to continue to get better?'"

"We're worse," James said. "We're not as good as we were if we have those guys. We all know that. Those two guys are a big part of our team. There's no reason to sit here and say we're better without them. Hopefully something happens."

Hopefully. Well, Bron Bron, you have to at least do your part, too. Kobe did his part, scored 45 points in the loss. No sense making it worse for the fans with your own terrible play, even if you are trying to make a point to the powers that be. At least Kobe's "fans" only booed him at the beginning of the game.

Westside Story

I was excited to see that basketball returned tonight. I've missed Ernie, Chuck, and Kenny - and Cheryl (the TNT Inside the NBA team).

Tonight, we visit the land of the Western Conference, where temperatures are only exceeded by the scores in their games, and defense can't be found even on the back of a milk carton (unless you won the championship last year).

The first game up featured the San Antonio Spurs vs. the Portland Trailblazers. The Spurs received their rings (zzzzz) and this game was just "eh" in my book. Of course, it was intended to be the debut of Greg Oden, but alas, no Oden all season, so this was just the rather boring game that I expected it to be. Actually, with players like Lamarcus Aldridge, the Blazers look like they'll be a good team, and when Oden comes back next year, they could definitely be one to watch.

Then the second game. I almost went to bed, but I'm glad I stayed up. On the marquee: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets. Yes, Kobe Bryant's long awaited debut . . . and he got booed by the fans! Not a total surprise, but for a second I thought this was Philadelphia. I think Kobe has the distinction of being booed by his hometown (Philly) and by his home crowd (L.A.).

Just when it looked like the Lakers were out of it, Kobe (and friends) made a run, down by two with under 15 seconds to go. On the next play, Kobe passes it to Derek Fisher for two . . . it's good, and we're tied. The same boo-birds suddenly loved him again.

And then in an instant, the homecoming was spoiled At the other end, with 4.5 seconds left on the clock, former Naismith Player of the Year and Duke alum Shane Battier hit a three-pointer to put the Rockets up by 3. The silence was deafening. 2.5 seconds to go. The Lakers had one good play left, and Battier fouled Kobe, apparently right before the act of shooting, but they were still in the penalty. Kobe went to the line and made the first, purposely missed the second, came up with the ball, and had it knocked away as time expired. Of course he screamed and cursed that he was fouled, but the game ended nonetheless. Life did not, despite his ranting.

Kobe had 45 points, as usual, but it's apparent that he and this team are not going to be making a deep run in the playoffs. I still don't see him going anywhere in a trade, and I was happy to see Chuck and Magic (Johnson) agree with what I said about him earlier.

East coast is up tonight . . . which should mean more interesting games, if you ask me!

Oh Snap!

My favorite fantasy QB Tony Romo re-upped with the Dallas Cowboys - America's team - for six years, and $67.5 million, and $31 million in guaranteed money.

One year after replacing Drew Bledsoe, less than a year since his "snap, cackle, drop" that knocked the Cowboys out of the playoffs - and prompted this action figure of Romo after he was tackled while he scrambled to recover the botched snap:

and now he's the golden boy. (If I weren't so nice, I might have put that picture at the top of this post.). It's amazing how a little success makes everyone forget the bad times. I just hope he earns his keep.

Well, he has already taken a page from the Tom Brady school of dating celebutantes ( . . . and Brady took it a step further), so he should be on his way to several Super Bowls like Brady, too. (Or did the ladies start showing up after the Super Bowls. . .?)

For all my annoyance with him for ruining my first fantasy matchup, he does seem to have all the trappings of being a good guy (in public anyway) after that crying and apologizing to his teammates right after "Snap-gate" and asking to be the holder at the Pro Bowl shortly thereafter. And he seems quite humbled by the contract he received.

Congrats, Romo. No pressure or anything.

They Used To Call Me Crazy Jose But Now They Call Me Batman

A few months ago, former major league baseball player and All-Star Jose Offerman attacked a pitcher with a bat after the pitcher hit him in the calf with a pitch.

There was no video there, but these stills were put together to look like a silent film:

http://extras.connpost.com/offerman/

As it was, the pitcher injured his off hand, and the catcher who rushed the mound suffered a concussion, although it's unclear exactly how each was injured. Offerman had been working to try to get back into the majors, but following that incident, he was, and still is, suspended indefinitely. He was also arrested after the game.

Today, he received two years of probation and was ordered to go to anger management classes.

I don't know if that was enough. From the stills, that attack looked pretty vicious. Had he just attacked the guy with his bare hands, that's one thing, but if he had landed that bat, who knows what would have happened? Scary.

NBA Opening Day Today . . .

Kicking off opening day in the NBA is the west coast. The only game you probably care about is Kobe vs. the Houston Rockets. In 48 minutes, if you believe the hype, we'll get to see what he's really worth and if he's really staying or going . . .

Enough talk. Let the games begin!



P.S. Kobe, are you sure you're not trying to play for the Detroit Pistons with this get up? This can't be part of the NBA dress code.

Spoke Too Soon!

Tonight's Monday Night Football game started off, and almost ended, pretty ho-hum.

But never underestimate Brett Favre on Monday night football. With Denver inside the 10 yard line with under 30 seconds to go and down 10-13, the Broncos just needed to push their way to the touchdown. But alas, they couldn't score so they brought out veteran kicker Jason Elam for the field goal to tie the game.

Being a kicker has to be pretty nerve-wracking. You don't get much credit, but if you miss, you get all of the blame. I guess I can see why they take a lot of heat - they pay them to do one thing and one thing only. They're not out there getting hit, or at least they shouldn't be. I can't recall having ever seen a kicker just kick without actually setting up (he only had a second, literally). But he made it so that's all that matters.

Back to Favre. I guess after his wife, Deanna, got to sit in the booth (this is not what I meant, but she did promote her book which discusses her bout with breast cancer) with the rest of the Monday Night Football guys, Favre was not content just winning the game.

Nope, he went and threw an 82 yard touchdown to win the game on the very first play in overtime. Way to overachieve, Brett. AND kudos to Greg Jennings for escaping Dre Bly to make that catch.


I've never considered myself a huge Packers fan but Favre makes it pretty hard not to like him.

Dropping Like Mike Williams' Passes*

Another one bites the dust in the case against O.J. A third co-defendant has decided to take the plea deal and testify that O.J. told him to bring guns to the meeting to get his stuff back.

How many guys were in that room? O.J.'s lawyer says that he believes this was the last snitch"cooperating witness." There can't be any more co-defendants willing to throw the Juice under the bus. I think they're just grabbing guys with criminal records and asking them to testify against him. Glad to see that it has the possibility of backfiring, too.

I'm pretty sure I said this before, but I don't buy into the idea of snitching, in so far as it means you tell what you know if you're NOT involved in the crime. But if you are, there should be no incentive for selling out your co-conspirators. None. You did it, then you should pay, too. Period. If you want to tell on people, feel free to do so. At the most, that should get you a better jail cell. I don't like a system where there's a perverse incentive to lie and to escape punishment for tattling. I have no respect for these guys.

And I actually find myself feeling sorry for O.J. . . . but then I hearken back to the days when I watched his trial between practices that summer. It's in that moment that I am reminded that payback really is a . . .

Enjoy your remaining days of freedom, O.J.





*See here.

When Will She Be In the Booth?

I've been watching Monday Night Football (up tonight, Favre and the Green Bay Packers vs. the Denver Broncos. Nothing too exciting.Update: Great ending!). As I watch Michelle Tafoya pop up periodically to give us the scoop from the sidelines, I think to myself, "Well that's good. But how come there's never a woman in the booth?"

While more women are getting opportunities (Tafoya, Suzy Kolber, Pam Oliver, Lisa Salters, or Bonnie Bernstein, to name a few, and Jemele Hill sort of counts, but she's not on TV as often as the others), no women are getting the big jobs of analyst or play-by-play. Gayle Sierens once did an NFL broadcast in a local market (or was it national?), but it must not have gone too well because they never asked her to do it again, and no woman has ever been in the booth for an NBA, NHL, or MLB game. Ok, so it turns out the MLB is a little bit more advanced, or at least its teams have been in their local markets. As Cecilio's Scribe pointed out in the comments, Suzyn Waldman (now infamous for crying following the Yankees loss in the playoffs), did a play-by-play stint on local TV for the Yankees in the mid-90's, and another woman, Gayle Gardner, was the first woman to do play-by-play -- with the now-World Series runner-ups, the Colorado Rockies.

So it's not only possible, but it has happened before. Yet today, you can't find a woman doing the play-by-play or the analyzing on TV.

I'm sure much of this has to do with the fact that women don't see other female sportscasters, and we certainly aren't encouraged to pursue the field. Heck, I wasn't even encouraged to do the blog, but seeing Jemele Hill do it gave me the extra "oomph" I needed to say that I could do it, too. Those women who have made it even onto the sidelines are putting in a whole lot of work to be where they are. The one thing about sports is that no matter how good you look, if you don't know what you're talking about, you are going to be the first one on the chopping block.

Not to mention that many of the sports fans, who are overwhelmingly male, have nothing better to do than compare which female sportscaster they'd rather sleep with, concocting entire "tournaments" devoted to the debate. I will not be linking to any of them on here, so you will just have to check that out for yourself.

Despite the women as sexual beings issue, I don't think men can't get used to hearing a woman do the analysis or the play-by-play for a major men's sport. We heard this all before when we entered the work place. This is nothing new. Someone (or some network) just has to let it happen once, be willing to take all the criticism, and then open the door for the rest. Like I said before about the NFL in London, change is always painful. But it's about time that the networks felt the pain of breaking that glass ceiling and put a woman in the broadcasting booth.

If you're a female sports fan, and you're reading this, I challenge you to be the first.

Peanut Butter Jelly . . . and Pop!

For today's Make Ya Smile Monday video, I went back to the mascots. Because mascots are funny to me, and apparently some of you.

This mascot was cool until he tried to drop it like it was hot - apparently a little too hot since he "split" his suit (get it?), and then really tried to split.

And because this Monday feels like it could be particularly trying for all, here's a bonus dance off. Shake it!:

Happy Monday!

No Deal

While you were enjoying the day before the most awesome day of the week, likely American League MVP Alex Rodriguez, better known as A-Rod to baseball fans (not necessarily of his), opted out of his $252 MILLION for 10 YEARS contract with the New York Yankees to test the waters of free agency. In doing so, he gives up the remaining $70+ million in guaranteed money. He must really want out.

Actually, so says his agent, he had to give the Yankees a deadline to let the Yankees know if he was going to stay or go, and he hadn't heard definitive answers from some of the other key members of the team as to whether they were staying or going. So he's going.

The Yankees were reportedly ready to offer him between $25 and $30 million per year. He had already set records with his original contract, and this would have topped that. $25 million to play a sport for about 5 months (6 months if you're a typical Yankees squad). That's $5 million per month of work, and that's so many more times my salary that it's not even funny.

The happiest people in this story are probably the Texas Rangers, who had been paying the Yankees $3 million a year since they traded him to the Yankees in 2001. It doesn't look like another team will match what he was making with the Yankees (it is the Yankees, after all). You mean he's willing to chance taking a pay cut to win a World Series? What a guy. If he would swap my monthly pay for one week of his "job," I'd think he was even more highly of him.

So now the media will spend as long as it takes him to decide figuring out where A-Rod's going next. That's because the Yankees have said prior that if he opted out, they weren't going to try for him. They haven't commented on this situation just yet. At least we are reasonably certain that he's actually leaving, which beats Kobe-watch any day in my book.

In other news, the Boston Red Sox won the World Series. What, you didn't see it?

A Little Money, Some Giants, Some Dolphins, Little Football, Lot of Rain . . . And Bob's Your Uncle!*

So the NFL decided to take a regular season football game to London for the first time ever. The lucky guinea pigs were the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins. As if the Dolphins season wasn't already going bad enough, they now have the distinction of losing every game in America and Europe, dropping to 0-8 after losing to the Giants, 13-10. I know the NFL wanted to take teams from two major cities - that not so coincidentally probably contain two of the highest numbers of people from other countries - and they likely had this scheduled prior to knowing how good either team would be, but this game was not the best that American football has to offer:

The teams combined for 492 yards, only 187 passing -- numbers teams often put up by themselves in a game. They combined for seven fumbles, two missed field goals and 14 penalties.

Tough. But kudos to both teams for playing a fairly decent game in the cold, rainy conditions of Wembley Stadium. I know the players only play once a week, but that still can't be enough time to get used to the time change (4 hours ahead of the east coast). And that certainly wasn't enough time to get used to the British food, which has not improved even after the 1,000,000th joke/comment about its distinct awfulness (confirmed by a friend who currently lives there). Their cars look nice on the outside, too, but they can't seem to get those totally right either. At least they're consistent.

Despite my glum commentary, the game was a positive for the NFL, as they sold out the 80,000+ stadium in two hours (with a request for half a million tickets made within the first 72 hours after the game was first announced), and from all reports the crowd was amped, as would be expected for their first NFL (not to be confused with NFL Europe) game ever. I found it amusing that the only time they booed was when the Giants kneeled on the ball three times to end the game, either not understanding (said the Giants' coach) or not caring (says I) that this is a common play when a team has the lead and possession of the ball at the end of the game. They wanted to see more football (not to be confused with futbol), and who can blame them. They waited a long time for this. They probably thought they were going to see Dan Marino.

Presumably, the NFL will take both teams' feedback and decide whether they want to field a team there at some point down the line. Thus, the decision will be based on whether the dollars make cents. I'd hazard a guess that jersey and other team apparel/accessories sales were huge, with the British fans snapping up anything they were offered, even for teams that weren't playing there. A European team would be right in line with the move to globalize that the major sports leagues (i.e., the NBA in China) have been tossing around as they consider adding teams outside of North America (What, nobody wants to play in Hawaii, Alaska - North Dakota?).

In that system, every week, one team would travel there or the European team would travel here. If any sport is more conducive to traveling long distances between games, football would be it. I'm sure the away team would not be looking forward to that trip, but with the right catering - these boys gotta eat! - perhaps something could be arranged. Not surprisingly, those in and around the game are not as enthusiastic about the prospect. Change is always a bit painful.

What do you think about fielding a team in London? I was skeptical at first, but now the idea doesn't seem so far-fetched. I just might travel there for a game.


* "Bob's your uncle" is a British expression something like "It's as simple as that!" as in, "Add a little of this, a little of that, and wala! Bob's your uncle!"

And lastly, this is exactly what Travis Johnson was so pissed about:

College Basketball Preview #1: Duke Blue Devils

Love them or hate them, for the vast majority of the nearly thirty years that Coach Krzyzewski (pronounced Shuh-shef-ski) - or simply Coach K -- has been head coach of the Duke University basketball program, Duke basketball has been one of the premier programs in college basketball.

The team took its knocks last season, however, while they struggled to find their groove, but being a Coach K team, you just couldn't count them out completely. Ultimately, To the glee of Duke haters the world over, they were upset in the first round of the NCAA tournament by Virginia Commonwealth University. If you're not familiar with VCU, then that should give you some indication of the level of the upset.

Well, it seems that they did a little work over the summer to make sure that history does not repeat itself.

Saturday night, Duke hosted its annual Blue-White scrimmage at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the first chance for the fan(atics) to see the team play each other. Blue topped the White, 69-64, and the youngsters stole the show. Freshmen Kyle Singler, one of the top five prospects in the nation, Nolan Smith, and Taylor King, looked very good on the offensive end as they combined for 61 points during their debut.

Also quite impressive during this outing was sophomore Gerald Henderson, who put up 21 points (including 3 for 3 from the three-point line), 7 boards, and 4 assists for the winning Blue team. Said the DukeBasketballReport.com:

Perhaps the most improved player from last year is Gerald Henderson, who moved like a big cat, moving along like everyone else, then suddenly accelerating or elevating, then striking. He had one stunning blocked shot, quite a few aerial maneuvers, but, unlike last season, he was always, always, under control. There was concern last year that he wasn’t grasping the system as quickly as he might have and that he tended to improvise when it wasn’t such a great idea. That’s over. Henderson was superb in every aspect.

Sounds like it's going to be a very interesting year for the Duke squad. Talented freshmen, and experienced upperclassmen who still have a bitter taste in their mouths from that loss at VCU. Never underestimate a team that expects to win.

I may be headed to Duke on Saturday for an exhibition game, and my first ever Duke game, so I will keep you posted!

Next preview: UNC

In The Wrong Hands, They're Like Drugs

(Note: I published that one below a day or two ago on ArmchairGM.com and forgot to put it on here. I decided to post it today so we'd have a frame of reference for this next story.)

In a sure sign that the NCAA might want to take a page from the David Stern School of Rulemaking, the N-(was blind but now I) C-A-A is investigating the University of Alabama's football team after the startling revelation that several members of the football team have been taking . . . wait for it . . . extra textbooks.

Who lets these criminals on campus? We are not safe. Now, none of the articles I found went further than to say that, but the logical conclusion as to why the NCAA cares is that they are allegedly selling the textbooks to students. Yes, if a player is somehow benefiting from his or her athletic prowess in any way other than what NCAA says, then no sport for you! Coach Nick Saban says we'll find out the results of the investigation when he does, which means the NCAA is doing all the legwork on this one.

Seriously, come on. The program at Alabama has been struggling to get clean from past "indiscretions" - ones that there is no doubt in my mind the NCAA is ignoring right this minute. And here they come like Debbie Downer to "save" the day. Has anyone seen the price of textbooks lately? Apparently this came just a day after a similar issue at Ball State University, and while the NCAA just so happened to be on Alabama's campus. Apparently the players didn't have enough time to flush the textbooks down the toilet before their arrival.

Of course, whoever gave them multiple textbooks has likely been fired, but you won't hear much else about those people because it's the players who are doing wrong, right?

So they're using their textbooks as currency to get some money since they can't have jobs during the season, and the NCAA won't give the players a dime of all the money they make off of them, even though sports (including moneys for bowl games, post-season wins, etc.) generate a lot of the revenues for big sports schools. Nothing beats free labor!

BC Football Full of . . . Evening Students?

Some folks came down on me on ArmchairGM.com when I said that there is really no "student" in student-athlete (at least with respect to the "prime time" sports).

And now this article :

Touch of class goes a long way for Boston College

---

By Ivan Maisel ESPN.com

=== Night School Dividends ===

Once you get past the obvious difference in talent, one of the biggest ways in which NFL football is more advanced than college is the amount of time that the players devote to the game. In college, coaches are limited to 20 hours of practice and meeting time per week. In the NFL, 20 hours barely gets a team into Day 3.

Matt Ryan has been able to devote more time to football this season.

The pros have all day. There are no classes, no study hall, no tests, no finals. It's a job.

If there is a hybrid form of football somewhere between the NFL and college football, it is being practiced at No. 2 Boston College. That's not because of the Eagles' talent, although several players will be drafted in April.

"I don't have any classes during the day," quarterback Matt Ryan said with a straight face. He tried, anyway. Then he started laughing. College without classes is pretty much the ideal way to live.

Ryan and 16 teammates, 12 among them starters, already have graduated. NCAA rules dictate that players must be enrolled in a minimum number of hours. Ryan and most of his graduate teammates take a class three nights a week.

Their days are wide open. Though the NCAA imposes the 20-hour limit, there is no limit on voluntary work.

This is a loophole that the NCAA wishes every school exploited. Few universities have the graduation rate that Boston College does. This season, it's paying off on the field.

"To really be able to concentrate on football and not have the distractions that school brings -- as it should; that's the point of being a student-athlete, but it does take time away -- I've been able to prepare a little more," Ryan said. "I can enjoy it … I always prepared the best I could. I feel like I'm prepared better."

Ryan spends his days hanging out with his co-captain, fellow fifth-year senior and postgraduate student Jolonn Dunbar.

"We're the type of guys that are going to go in there and watch and try to put the team in the best situation we can," Dunbar said. "It has nothing but an upside to have guys like that. The whole day, we're hanging out, watching film, working out. I think that helps tremendously. I'm sure that's part of the reason we're in the position we're in."

I know they said this means higher graduation rates . . . but did you catch that quote:

To really be able to concentrate on football and not have the distractions that school brings -- as it should; that's the point of being a student-athlete, but it does take time away -- I've been able to prepare a little more," Ryan said.

Distracted from football by school? Now you tell me where the priority is . . .

Everybody's Doing It

I have to give it to David Stern for even publicly admitting this, but maybe he didn't have a choice.

Following the NBA board of governors' meeting, Commissioner Stern made the revelation that every single one of the 56 NBA referees had engaged in gambling in some form or another.

Ha! That is too good! You mean not one of them hadn't played the lotto, pulled the one-armed bandit, or bet on a horse race. That has to be a bad feeling, when you have a rule that every single person who is supposed to follow it has broken.

Wisely figuring out that "it's not you, it's me" is the best way to get out of this one, Stern has decided to change the rule to make it workable.

"Everyone violated the rule in some way, whether it was playing poker, buying lottery tickets & but I don't consider it a violation of the rules to buy a lottery ticket or play golf for $5," Stern said.

($5? What are you paying these guys?)

Well, either change it, or become a laughing stock when all of the refs take turn serving their suspensions. The new rules will allow some gambling, including casinos during the off-season, although some owners thought that in-season casino gambling should be allowed, too. Some other rules changes:

• The identities of the referees assigned to specific NBA games will now be released the morning of the game, rather than 90 minutes before tip-off. Stern said this would eliminate that information being used as currency in the gambling business.

• Referees will be given more training and gambling-related counseling during the season, rather than the past practice having them attend one lecture prior to the season.

• Referees will be subject to more detailed background and security checks, and the league will begin to look at statistical trends in NBA games and how they correspond to gambling trends in those games.

• The league will promote more accessibility between referees and NBA teams, and more formal interaction between them.

This last one is interesting. Maybe to know the refs is to love them?

I actually respect Stern more for being man enough to admit that the rule didn't work. It looks like nobody had an interest in enforcing the rule to begin with:

"About half had gone to casinos over a period of years with no great frequency. No sports books. No bookmakers," Stern said, adding that enforcement of the gambling rule was so lax that referees traditionally held a large poker tournament at their annual meeting.

Wow. That's not lax enforcement. I believe that's called sanctioning.

NBA players, take note. If you want to get Stern to change the ridiculously strict rules on attire, band together and agree to show up in hoodies with your jeans around your knees. Karl Malone's gone, so you just might be able to get everyone to go along with it. . .

In other news, Stern announced that the NBA definitely won't be sanctioning all involved in the Anucha Browne Sanders case until the appeals process has been completed. Fair enough. But he has ordered that every employee on all 30 teams undergo sensitivity training. Hmm. I wonder how will Isiah will feel when they play his deposition tape as Exhibit A: Do NOT Do This.

Oh, It's Definitely Gonna Fit This Time

In other news, O.J. Simpson had a 12th charge added to the 11 he had already been charged with, which by themselves amounted to life in prison. Make that life in prison plus 6 more years with the latest charge of felony coercion. This added charge stems from the allegation that Simpson and another defendant (one who hasn't said "let's make a deal") conspired to persuade other co-defendants to tell investigators that no weapon was used in the alleged robbery.

As the gov-uh-nuh of California, whose citizens found Simpson not guilty of murder in 1995, Arnold Schwarzenegger must have put in a call to the Vegas prosecutor's office to make sure they really say "Hasta la vista, baby" to Simpson this go round.

It's looking more and more like they might finally put the squeeze on the Juice. You know what they say about throwing crap on the wall - some of it has to stick.

Still Fab, Fifteen Years Later

I saw this billboard when I was scouring the Internet a few weeks ago but I didn't have a reason to post until one intrepid (like a Dodge) reader sent me a link to Jemele Hill's latest offering on Page 2. As a way of background, Jalen Rose paid for this billboard to be posted along a freeway in Detroit last December, and it has stirred a little controversy as of late, apparently because no one saw it until the freeway opened back up again. (Note to those who advertise on closed roads/freeways).

Jemele is from "the D" and from her article, appears to have love for Jalen. But I disagree with a few things she said.

First, she poses the question:

What was Rose thinking with the billboard, which has the five players' jerseys and the word "Timeless" underneath? Did he not get that, while the Fab Five gave college basketball a flair and style that has yet to be duplicated, the colossal damage inflicted by scandal-stained reputations indirectly contributed to Michigan basketball's being irrelevant for nearly a decade?

She is referring to all the hubbub that occurred following an investigation into the alleged money laundering and other illegal activities of one Ed Martin, who was what one calls a "booster" - literally, one who helps boost the team by giving it (and sometimes the players, as it seems) money. The investigation led to the revelation that Martin loaned (to be repaid upon turning pro) over $600,000 to several Michigan basketball players over the course of nearly 10 years, including approximately $280,000 to Chris Webber, who eventually pled guilty to obstruction of justice for lying to the grand jury about his involvement with Martin. The three other players to whom it was shown Martin gave money were Maurice Taylor, Robert Traylor, and Louis Bullock. Michigan's Coach Steve Fisher was fired after it was shown that he gave Martin free tickets. Rather than face punishment from the NCAA, Michigan sanctioned itself, including (courtesy of Wikipedia):

• No postseason play in 2002-03, even though the players who took Martin's money were no longer at the school.

• The school forfeited the entire 1992-93 season and every game it played from the 1995-96 season through the 1998-99 season. This included the 1997 National Invitation Tournament title and the 1998 Big Ten Tournament title. It also vacated its two Final Four games in 1992 and its entire NCAA tournament record in 1993, 1996, 1998 and 1999. All told, Michigan forfeited 112 wins.

• Returning $450,000 received from the NCAA for postseason play in 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.

• Banners commemorating the 1992 and 1993 Final Four runs, the 1997 NIT title and 1998 Big Ten Tournament title would be removed from the rafters at Crisler Arena.

• Two years' probation.

Shortly thereafter, the school deleted all reference to Webber, Taylor, Traylor, and Bullock from Michigan's records.

The NCAA apparently felt that they didn't go far enough, and sanctioned the team for an additional two years, docked it a scholarship from 2004 to 2008, ordered Michigan to keep away from Webber, Traylor, Taylor and Bullock until 2012.


Yep. Long sordid story. Back to Jemele's article.


So given all of this history behind the billboard, Jemele talks to Jalen himself about it. He tells her that he felt that they deserved to be honored and not discarded as if they didn't exist, and that he probably wouldn't have been able to post this billboard in Ann Arbor. They weren't angels, he says, but on the other hand:

What bothers me is that, at the end of the day, the checks that changed hands, from sponsors to everyone else, those were cashed," Rose said. "No checks were returned."

Jemele responds that they were ordered to give back $450,000, but says she understands his point, and that the longer she listens to Jalen explain the hypocrisy of what happened in the Michigan scandal, the more it starts (to her dismay) to make sense.

But does she really understand? She ends the article with the following:

Maybe this billboard isn't the end of the world, as Manny Ramirez would say. I know. I waffled. Don't worry, Rose and I will always disagree on a few things. College athletes do operate in an unfair system that allows them to be exploited, but it's the fairest system we have. It's still not an excuse for players to not follow the rules.

But preserving a memory? I've got no problem with that.

Actually, I think you do have a problem with preserving a memory, Jemele. Your first question and the above statement leads me to believe that you think there is something wrong with Jalen putting up the billboard because the Fab Five (including Jalen, who admitted to taking "pocket money" from Martin) "tarnished" the Michigan name and tainted the hallowed halls of college basketball with their conduct.

First off, Jemele went to Michigan State, so as much as she tried to hide it, I'm sure she never felt much sympathy for the Wolverines.

But the real issue is with the implication that these young college-aged kids are to blame for what happened to them. You take kids, often with little or no money, put them around millionaires (including sponsors, boosters, sports TV execs, other students, etc.) who can't wait to make a buck or a million more off of them, who are willing to give them a taste of the good life in order to make themselves richer in the long run, and then expect them to act like they don't see it. As much as I think I have a lot of integrity, I don't know what I would have done in a similar situation.

And so the University of Michigan and the NCAA would rather sell out its players and act like this is the first time this has ever happened, like this is the worst case of this ever happening, like they really didn't know it was happening, and Michigan happily cuts all ties with those "money-grubbing players"? Give me a break.

Who should be held more responsible: 50 year old men with the money, or 18-year olds with no money?

You all know my feelings on how the NCAA treats its "student athletes." It's all a sham. Whether people want to admit it or not, this exact same Michigan situation is happening all over the country as I type this. The NCAA can try to turn a blind eye to it, but I firmly believe they know what's going on.

Perhaps the Michigan situation is worse only because it actually came to light, which was only because the guy who had the money (Martin) made it illegally. Had he made his money on top of the table, Rose, Webber, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson would likely still have their banners, still have their records, and still have their respect for being arguably the most talented (talent doesn't always win championships), and indisputably the most influential college basketball team in the history of the game.

But instead, Ed Martin was caught, and the Fab Five got caught up with him . . . erased from the history books as if we never saw them play.

Unfortunately for the NCAA, they can never be erased from our memories (or the Internet). And thankfully, 15 years after they first stepped on the scene (man, I am getting old!), Jalen Rose had the awesome audacity to make sure that that memory stays alive in the place where people admired them the most: home.

Because home understands. Home understands where these kids came from. Home understands what they went through when they were thrown in an environment with kids who were driving nice cars and wearing designer clothes. Home understands that, whether you're rich or whether you're poor, money is hard to ignore when it's thrown in your face. Home understands that the people who made the most money off of these kids never shoulder any responsibility whatsoever for any NCAA violations, and, as Jalen pointed out, never gave a dime of it back. Home understands that the people who end up taking the blame are not always the ones to blame.

Jemele may be from the same neighborhood as Jalen, may even return to Michigan to live when she retires, but until she fully acknowledges the utter hypocrisy and intense pressure faced by many of the top-recruited college athletes to bend the rules, she'll always be far away from home.

Could It Be Something I (Allegedly) Said?

Instead of the warm welcome that he may have been expecting, NY Knicks' coach Isiah Thomas received a chorus of boos from the Knicks fans. It's unclear if they are just warming up for the rest of the season, or whether they heard that Isiah told his co-worker, Anucha Browne Sanders, "B----, I don't give a f--- about these white people," in reference to the season ticket holders.

The Knicks eventually beat the Boston Celtics, who have been on a roll this preseason, but we'll see when the real games start October 30.

Man, I can't wait for basketball season to start up again! If you try to do something else on a Sunday besides watch football, you've pretty much missed all the fun for the whole week. The return of Tuesdays with Chucky* (Barkley, and Ernie, and Kenny) couldn't come fast enough.

NBA Action . . . It's Faaaaaaaaaaantastic. I'll take my shiny nickel for the advertising now, thanks.



* - Horrid play on Tuesdays with Morrie, a great little book by sportswriter Mitch Albom**



** -- Make that 10 cents for pushing that book.

"AH" Will Just Enjoy Mah Retirement

Allan Houston ("AH") decided that rather than facing the possibly of not making the roster of one of the worst, talent-heavy basketball teams of all time, he's just going to stay retired.

Good choice, Allan. Maybe the best choice by an athlete all year, in any sport. There is no chance you're going to win a ring with the Knicks, and short of that, I really don't see the point in you coming back. Especially if there's really no position for you there.

He seems like a nice enough guy. If money's the issue, I'm sure he could make money doing something else besides playing for a crappy team, like co-hosting The View or something, a la Tiki Barber. Maybe not as much as he would in the NBA, and not as much as he has when he wasn't even playing in the NBA the first time, but enough to feed his family, which should make Sprewell happy.

In other news, Tony Massenburg(?) has also decided to stay retired. If you aren't familiar with him (as I barely was myself), refer to this previous post. Excuse me, he was told to stay retired after being waived by the Washington Wizards, thus ending his bid to play for an NBA record 13th different team. Well, I always said if you can't be a superstar, then break a random record. I'm sorry to see that Tony didn't quite do that, either.

Tigerer vs. Federer

So I've been going back and forth all day with some folks about who is the most dominating athlete between Roger Federer and Tiger Woods. Both are smashing records, both are currently tops in the field. . . and both are in a Nike commercial with Thierry Henry (?) (I know he's a popular "futbol" player but I doubt most Americans get it -- but maybe bravo to Nike for making us care)

I won't tell you which one I think and why just yet, because I'd like to hear from you first.

What does it mean for a player to be dominant? Between Tiger and Federer, who is the most dominant?

Tiki Torching the Today Show

This morning I worked from home and had the pleasure of watching former NFL star running back Tiki Barber on The Today Show. I recalled that he had been hired but I never turn on the TV in the morning so I've apparently been missing out. Even his wiki page is calling him a "news and sports broadcaster" first before a former RB, and he only quit at the end of last season.

When Al Roker did a tour of the studios and I saw Tiki sitting on a desk, it still hadn't dawned on me that he was actually a part of the show. I thought he just got caught flirting with the blonde whose desk he was perched atop.

I was in and out (since I was working!) through most of the show but I did catch one of the co-hosts telling him that he had a great-shaped head for wearing the bald look. Just like he used to hear in the NY Giants locker room.

His neck may be a little thicker than some of the guys . . . , but he does look like he fits right in, and he's actually pretty darn likable. He's quite smiley for a guy who's used to having defensive lines try to end his career, but I guess I would smile more now, too, since those days are over and I am getting paid to sit still rather than run all the time. I'm definitely not mad at him, but I am a little surprised he's doing "soft" news. If he wants to maintain any shred of credibility with the NFL set, it might be wise to avoid those pet trick segments.

If Lebron Couldn't Bring Up the Ratings . . .

So baseball has sagging ratings, and the small-market Cleveland Indians are up 3-1 in a best of 7 series . . .

THEN the big-market Boston Red Sox win three games in a row, with the Indians never scoring more than 2 runs and losing by at least 6 runs in each of those three games.

Coincidence or bad pitching?

MYSM: Be Glad This Is Not You

You and I have probably nodded off dozens of times. In fact, I fully fell asleep at my desk today. Good thing there weren't any cameras around!

Kobe-watch Is Better Than This. So Is Almost Anything

Not unlike the NFL, the NBA has had way more than its fair share of problems with off-court drama. Who can forget when we were on Kobe-watch not because he wanted out of L.A., but because he wanted out of the trial that lost him all of his endorsements.

But time heals all wounds, and for the most part (especially since that girl didn't want to go forward with the charges), Kobe's past as a would-be-rapist is not of concern.

Maybe the alleged actions of a few others should be. I had always heard that the off-season is when NBA players get into the most trouble (i.e., Kobe's memorable night in Denver), but the pre-season is making a run at that title.

Today, one big star and one player you have probably never heard of are in hot water for their alleged sexual assaults in two separate incidents.

Let's start with the big star. New Jersey Nets superstar Jason Kidd, not immune to controversy for his treatment of women, has been accused of molesting a 23-year old woman in a club when he allegedly grabbed her crotch at a club. Incredibly, after the woman yelled at Kidd, she claims that he grabbed her crotch again.


On the opposite coast, facing more serious allegations is Sacramento Kings player (I use that term loosely because he was already barely with the team, and this won't help matters) Justin Williams, who has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in his home last Friday. No formal charges have been filed.

I don't know what's going on with these guys, or if these allegations are true or not, but something has to give. If they are true, then we really need to do a better job of teaching these guys to respect women, and the women need to stop letting these players disrespect them just because they want attention. There is no way that Jason Kidd should be getting into an altercation with anyone unless they attack him. But as I have been saying from the beginning, this behavior doesn't start as an adult, it starts a a child, and its everyone's responsibility who encounters a prospective star athlete to make sure that the behaviors are monitored and kept in check.

If these ladies' stories aren't true, and both or one of these guys is completely innocent, then I would not be surprised because it happens just often enough to make one question every situation that occurs. We know people will do anything to get money or fame but it shouldn't have to come at the expense of falsely accusing an NBA player, and possibly ruining his life and career. Even Kobe, widely considered the premier player in the league, was going to be locked up for a loooooong time until the alleged victim decided not to continue on with the case.

I think a little boost to the self-esteem - not the ego - would go a very, very long way for all involved. This is truly getting out of hand.

Whitlock's A Tough Crowd

Jason Whitlock, for those who don't know, is a black journalist who currently writes for Fox Sports. White people love him because he doesn't defend blacks, and black people generally don't like him because he seems to be selling out to satisfy "the man."

Whitlock's latest offering, sent to me by a reader, is about buffoonery in football. Actually the article title is a little more raw than that: " NFL Buffoons Leaving Terrible Legacy"

He has updated the title and the article, because when I read it earlier in the day, the focus was on hip hop culture ruining football.

The gist of this latest version of the article is that 1) NFL teams are getting and will continue to get whiter because black players are acting up, 2) black NFL coaches aren't being hard enough on their black players who get out of line, and 3) hip hop culture is leading the way in this downward spiral.

Whitlock is definitely a little heavy-handed and blunt with his criticisms, but I can see why he is outraged. Some of the best black players in the NFL get fined regularly or are in some sort of legal trouble that their white counterparts either are not doing or just aren't receiving the attention for their actions.

While I see the source of his contention, I think his blame is misplaced. Hip hop culture is not made up. It's not a figment of anyone's imagination. It's real life to a lot of kids, and some of those kids are now grown up and playing in the NFL. I will be the first to admit that the record companies pushes what sells - disrespect, discontent, and the general "I don't give a _____" attitude - despite the effect it may have on those who hear it.

But I don't think it's fair to blame this all on hip hop or the record execs. I listened to hip hop growing up (much more than I do now), and I'm not going out there acting up. A lot of others listen to it and are not affected either. That's because it's not just the music, it's the life you live, the "hood you grew up in," that will determine how you react to the music. (And let me add that not all hip hop is negative, but let's assume that it is for the sake of argument.)

Whitlock does mention the issue of failing to "annihilate the abhorrent cultural norms we have allowed to grab our youth," but blaming hip hop music and culture doesn't do much for fixing what's wrong in our communities. There is definitely a problem, but it takes a commitment from everyone to fix it, not just the parents, who are products of their environments who will no doubt have difficulty teaching if they never learned themselves. Everyone.

And changing the culture starts with individual efforts. Even though the politicians tell you every vote counts, which is not totally true, it is true that every, single person counts when it comes to fixing what ails the black community. Mentor a child. Coach a kids sports team. Tutor children in the tests they need to get into the good schools. Give them hope. Give them confidence. Give them something intangible so they won't give up their lives to hold on to the tangible.

Calling NFL players buffoons is outrageous, of which Whitlock is well aware. It seems that he's hoping by shocking and offending, he will stir someone into action. We don't have to go so far as to hand hold and defend the players' actions, like Whitlock says his opponents do, but I think there has been enough name-calling to last a lifetime. Calling Chad Johnson a buffoon isn't going to make him take those gold teeth out of his mouth, anymore than it will make T.O. stop talking (although maybe he's learning on his own). As I said when the Vick situation was all the rage, you have to get to these guys early, nip the bad behavior early and not reward it, because by the time they've gotten to the NFL, it's too late. And I guarantee there were opportunities to address the behavior prior to then, too.

As the famous hip hop saying goes, "Don't talk about it. Be about it." Think about it.

End of the Yankees Dynasty. . . At Least For Today

NY Yankees' manager Joe Torre will not be returning for another year as manager for the team. When they tried to offer him less money than he was currently making, he said "Next!" and turned down their offer. Well, sort of less money. More like more hoops to jump through to get the same money he earned this year plus $500,000 more, tied to playoff success which he and his players had not been able to deliver in the past few seasons.

No word on where he's going, but it looks like he's attracting interest from several teams. And they're also indicating that the other players may not return if their contracts so allow. That means A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez) could be testing the free agent waters, and might even be coming to a city near you.

Be afraid.


Either way, I'm sure the Yankees have enough money to buy themselves a better team in no time. I'm also sure that that day can't come soon enough for the TV execs faced with a Colorado Rockies-Cleveland Indians World Series. Since they may well be giving away advertising slots, maybe they'll let me run my own commercial -- advertising what, I haven't gotten that far yet. But it can't hurt to ask.

I Will Not Participate in Kobe-Watch

If anyone is wondering why I haven't commented on the Kobe Bryant "is he or isn't he" trade charade, I have decided not to weigh in until something really does happen, if anything happens at all. Otherwise I will feel obliged to continue to report the every day, (non) newsworthy items that make it appear he is/is not going to leave the Los Angeles Lakers for greener pastures.

What team could afford him without decimating their team? And who would the Lakers get for him that would make their tickets NOT worth giving away this season? (Then they will wish they were affiliated with the L.A. Spark)

Thus, until Kobe makes a decision - since his contract is the only one in the entire NBA that contains a no-trade clause - I refuse to play this yo yo game. Like J.Lo. I don't feel like guessing if she's pregnant. Just let me know when she makes the announcement. (Which she did, and she is.)

Wake me up when it's Kobe's turn.

But His Opponents Still Drink Haterade

Unbelievably, until it was announced yesterday, Tiger Woods did not have a major beverage deal. You mean "Grant Hill drinks Sprite" and Tiger's just been drinking colored water all these years?

But that is no longer since Tiger inked a deal with the folks at Gatorade, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, to promote a new drink called "Gatorade Tiger." Expect to see it on shelves sometime around March of 2008.

Now because it's Tiger Woods, this is not just any ordinary beverage deal. Rather than getting paid for the use of his appearance like most celeb endorsement deals, Tiger has entered into a licensing agreement, which means he will get a portion of the sales in exchange for the use of his image and likeness. This sports business reporter does an excellent job of breaking down the benefits of this deal to both Tiger and Gatorade, as well as the deal's significance. He notes that Vitamin Water put the pressure on Gatorade to give up the goods when (before Coke bought them out) they started offering athletes a piece of their company for endorsing their drink. Estimates are that this deal could be worth $100 million when it's all said and done. Dayum. All for drinking some colored water.

This is right on time for Gatorade, too, which has taken a hit in the market with all the energy and health drinks out there. As far as taste goes, Gatorade is still my hands down favorite sports drink.

And now, it's Tiger's, too. Gatorade Tiger will come in three flavors: cherry blend, citrus blend and grape. Those don't really say "Tiger" to me, but I guess it is Gatorade, after all. And he picked them.

I'm not a big believer in celebrity endorsements to boost sales, but getting Tiger Woods on board is a big deal. This is the same guy who is probably the main reason Buick finally designed a car in which Tiger wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen. And if you have seen the Buicks that they had him in prior to the roll out of the Enclave, you know that that is saying a lot.

I never wanted to "be like Mike" (even though the commercials were superb) but I think I will try out Gatorade Tiger, if only so I can help Tiger pay his bills. I'd want him to do the same thing for me.

He'll Teach You How To Shoot. But Winning Games ? You're On Your Own

I have to hand it to whoever was in charge of promoting the heck out of J.J. Reddick, arguably one of the most overrated players in all of college basketball. This guy was like the golden child while he was at Duke. If I Google his name and some other famous white basketball player (i.e. Larry Bird), I'm sure I will find some 0ff-comparison. Yup, I did (I like The Onion's take on this the most).

Not to take anything away from J.J., as he was certainly one heck of a shooter in college, but his promotions team was working overtime when he played at Duke. The way the commentators spoke about him (including our beloved Dickie V), you'd think he was leading people to the Promised Land between games.

Yet, when it was time for J.J. to leave and head to the NBA, those cheerleaders all but disappeared. For example, you probably didn't know that he plays for the Atlanta Hawks Orlando Magic and hasn't really been heard from since he played his last Duke game, except for that little DWI he got right before the draft.

That is, until today. While watching TV just now, I saw a commercial for Better Shooting 2, an instructional video featuring - you guessed it - J.J. Redick. I didn't know I missed Better Shooting 1. It must be because J.J. wasn't in it. According to the website, this video will teach you how to shoot like the "best shooter in college hoops history." (At least the page for this particular video qualifies that with a "perhaps the best shooter . . .").

So it looks like the Redick marketing machine has wisely figured out a way to extend the J.J. brand further than his NBA career. Because if you can't be a successful NBA player, at least you can teach other people to shoot like you so they can possibly be a successful NBA player. What a great guy.

Best Team in Atlanta Doesn't Have Any Players Yet

So Atlanta has a new team in town.

The WNBA has decided to expand their brand with a new franchise in the "New York of the South." This blogger was quite modest about his feelings on this decision:

The NBA has a hard time expanding, and their game is actually interesting to watch, and we certainly can't make that distinction for the WNBA. It's amazing that this story even exists. They bring a game that no one cares about to a town that doesn't care about basketball. Should be a happy marriage.

I'm sure a lot of people agree with this sentiment, including the one comment to that post:

"Awards"? [In reference to title of this ESPN.com article] That's not really the first word that came to mind when I read that. I was thinking something closer to "forces upon".

I think that's a little bit harsh. I just read an article about how buying boxes for WNBA games are great marketing tools for companies and small businesses alike. It's taking some time, but the league is fairly new, and it's growing. Heck, I even watched the WNBA Finals, and as I reported, they were surprisingly exciting - much more so than the championships of their male counterparts.

Considering the state of sports teams in Atlanta, this can only be an improvement. The Falcons (no comments necessary), the Braves (ok, but just ok), the Thrashers (the who?), and the Hawks. Right now, Atlanta sports writers are saying the Hawks are going to be the best team in town, right after admitting that the city's been conditioned to laugh hard when the Hawks are mentioned. (Just keep in mind that one decent draft does not a great season make.) If you don't believe me, check these comments from the new franchise owner, J. Ronald Terwilliger, that the team does not have to be affiliated with an NBA team, as previously mandated by the WNBA:

Terwilliger said not having to be affiliated with an NBA team was one of the main reasons he pursued a franchise. That means, Terwilliger said, he won't have to "be distracted by going off and selling Hawks tickets."

Perhaps it's just me, but I read this to mean that trying to sell Hawks tickets is a bit like trying to get that piece of toilet paper off the bottom of your shoe: not going anywhere.

So maybe this WNBA team will be the best thing to happen to Atlanta sports in a long time. There should be a lot of support for them, especially if they start winning. One thing's for sure: they're coming in with one of the best winning percentages in town, and they haven't even played a game. Now that's impressive.

You're Not Watching, Either

Yesterday, I was beating myself up for not posting about the MLB playoffs. But I just couldn't force myself to care enough to write anything worthy of being searched on Google.

Today, I found out that I am not alone. At least with respect to the National League series. Because the usual biggies (i.e., NY, LA) markets aren't playing or got knocked out, and the games are a tad on the late side (10 p.m. starts), it looks like ratings are hovering near record lows.

As a sports fan, I couldn't care less if no one is watching my team, so long as they keep showing the games on TV so I don't have to sell my belongings to buy tickets to all the games. Sure, this is not so swell for the networks, but I don't think a few low ratings are going to break their banks too much.

Anyone watching the World Series? Hello?

No More Dance Floor Knockouts

Apparently, America is no longer feeling Floyd Mayweather, so Tuesday night, they sent him home on Dancing with the Stars.

I, for one, am sad to see him go. His partner, who was nearly killed by a maneuver that can only be fairly said to resemble roping a calf (pay close attention at 3:02 of the video), probably did not feel the same way. When it was announced that they were in the bottom 2 vote-getters for the week, she said "oh no" but her face said "oh, yes!"

What did Floyd in? Besides his table-top booty moves, I'd have to say his utter inability to feel the music combined with his involuntary roughness toward his partner contributed to Floyd getting the ax. I thought the judges were trying to save him by being kind to him last night, but alas, America was not buying it.

Part of me thinks he just went on the show to promote his fight. December 8th. Pay-Per-View.

"I Told You My Beer Tasted Funny"

Baylor University has had some troubles in the past with their basketball team, including the murder of Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy by his teammate, the suspicious conduct following the murder along with egregious NCAA violations that led to the resignation of the head coach Dave Bliss and the school's athletic director, and the forfeiture of games and post-season appearances. These events prompted the NCAA to take the unprecedented step of allowing all players to transfer to another school without penalty. This on top of having fired a coach and being sanctioned by the NCAA for previous violations less than 10 years earlier.

So when I heard that an assistant football coach pissed on a bar, I can't help but think that the school must be somewhat relieved (no pun intended) that it wasn't something more serious:

“While we were kicking everybody out, he apparently thought that nobody was looking and whipped it out and (urinated) on the bar,” [bartender Danny] Severe said. “He tried to deny it, but there was definitely a puddle and there was no one else around him.”

So many jokes, so little time. Despite speculation by some that athletes would be treated more harshly than staff, said assistant coach has now been suspended indefinitely for his actions.

The football players know enough not to do this, but the staff doesn't. Isn't that interesting. I do think Baylor needs to run a tighter ship over there, though. Given their past, anyone on the staff who acts up should be fired pending confirmation that what is alleged actually occurred. There is no way that they're ever going to replace their negative image with a positive one unless they start becoming better judges of character.