GYGM: Haven't Had Enough

If you know me, then today's "get you going" offering comes as no surprise. This video is awesome, the backgrounds are even awesomer. The total package.


MICHAEL JACKSON - DON'T STOP TIL YOU GET ENOUGH




Happy Monday!

MYSM: Hitting You In the Mouth . . . Like A Bad Relationship

I always knew I liked Mike Singletary when he was starring for the Chicago Bears. This solidifies it. He just makes a lot of sense and he's not settling for crud.

There were many, many sound bytes from this that I found highly amusing. Feel free to share your favorite part!

Sunday Rundown

I've been MIA for a while, but not without good reason. My dad told me I should get to the point on here and no one wants to hear about how tired I am. Ha. Well, I don't tell you because you care, I tell you because I want you to know why I've slacked off! Work, work, and more work . . . but I'm not complaining at all because I'm thankful that I even have a job, much less one that I enjoy doing. But I digress.

Nice, full day of good football games. The Dallas Cowboys just barely held on for the win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but a win's a win, I guess. Just ask the Detroit Lions, who got close (again) but couldn't seal the deal against the Washington Redskins. Nice to see that they're still putting in an effort. Nicer to see Roy Williams doing what he should be doing and wasn't doing in Detroit - scoring. He couldn't do that for the Lions but he got that chance on Sunday in the Cowboys game. Hopefully, as long as the Cowboys keep winning, he won't fuss too much, but let's see how many more TD's Williams can catch before T.O. raises a ruckus.

The Philadelphia Eagles, and more specifically, Brian Westbrook, looked pretty good against the surprising Atlanta Falcons. Coming off an injury and rushing for nearly 175 yards is deserving of the top performer of the week award, I'd say.

The NFL crossed the pond again for the New Orleans Saints vs. San Diego Chargers game in London on Sunday. Last year, I noted that it was a mucky mess, so this year had nowhere to go but up. This year, the fans actually got to see some offense. Even LaDainian Tomlinson broke out of his season and almost-a-half long funk to step up his game. Perhaps I'm just a cynic, but I can't help but think that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell put in a call to the Saints and Chargers and asked them to go easy on the defense? If you're a fantasy football player (which, thankfully, this year I am not), you might want to take that into account for the Europe game every year. I also thought it was kind of cute (yes, I am a female) how one team (the Saints) was designated the "home team," and the fans waved Saints pennants and cheered loudly. A small touch but maybe just enough to make these guys not sulk so much about "having to" be the ones to make the ocean-jump mid-season.

More and more, it's looking like the "Terrible Three" (aka, the Lions, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Rams) might just be the Terrible Two. For the past few weeks, the Rams have looked like they really are interested in winning some games. Even the Lions are still making an effort. The Bengals, however, appear to have just given up. They don't get as much press for their terrible performance (they're now a perfect 0-8), perhaps because they don't have the legacy of losing of the Lions nor have they fallen from the ranks like the Rams, or maybe just because it's Cincinnati. And now that it looks like Carson Palmer is done for the rest of the season, the Bengals (who have been done for a long time aready) just never be mentioned again . . . unless, maybe, Ocho Cinco gets an 85 tattooed across his forehead.

Speaking of not-achieving (a step worse than underachieving, which implies that you are actually capable of achieving in the first place), the San Francisco 49ers, on the heels of firing their coach Mike Nolan last week, still looked a mess. Only everyone's not just going to roll over and die. New coach Mike Singletary has only been on the sidelines one game but already he's fed up and is not going to take it anymore. He sent underachieving (yes, he's capable) tight end Vernon Davis to the showers early, and benched his other major (in more than one way) underachiever, quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan. You have to watch the video of Singletary getting in Davis' face. Singletary's post-game interview definitely teetered on the edge of "rant" status - which makes him worthy of MYSM-status. Thanks, Mike.

You gotta love a man who's not afraid to go in and shake things up right from the start. I'm a firm believer that good things happen when you make a clean break from the status quo rather than gradually trying to turn things around. I'm definitely interested in seeing how this one shakes out . . . loving even more that we're not counting up black NFL coaches.

Monday Night Football should also be a good one, with Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts meeting the undefeated Tennessee Titans. Although, the Colts even record of wins and losses accurately reflects the likelihood that this game will be as good as it should be.

Tuesday Football Rundown

Time is money, so we're jumping right in:

1. This is hilarious. For people to suggest that he did this because he's betting on the games is even funnier. It seems there are better ways to alter the outcome than taking out the QB. I've watched it a few times and I just don't see how what the ref did can be seen as anything other than a ref losing his mind momentarily. Where's the fine??



2. Kellen Winslow may be coming out of his pocket for his mouth. Winslow is not happy about how the Cleveland Brown treated him following his three day hospitalization with a staph infection, a problem the Browns have been trying to sweep under the locker room floor. They should have known they were going to have an issue if this guy got it. He's a "freakin'" soldier, after all. Maybe now they'll try to figure out why it's happening instead of trying to hide it. Staph infections? Seriously, that's just gross . . . and Winslow's entirely too pretty for all that.

3. Let's call this one "more like 'sucking' Broncos." Monday Night Football featured a blowout courtesy of the New England Patriots, who whooped up on the Denver Broncos 41-7. Were the Pats looking to prove on the premier stage that they still got it even without their golden boy? I think so.

4. Adam "Pacman" Jones has entered alcohol rehab. I believe that means one of two things: a) he (or his people) reads the blog, and/or b) he's coming back to the NFL. "Both a) and b)" is also an acceptable answer.

5. Looks like we're going all football, all the time today. The morning-after death knell tolled again, and this time its victim is San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan. Apparently, he wasn't going to be fired:

Earlier Monday, [49ers VP Jed York] had said Nolan's job was safe for the time being."What changed," he said later, "was there were numerous reports (that Nolan would be fired) that were a distraction."

That may be one of the weakest excuses I've ever heard for firing someone. So Nolan's job was safe until people started saying his job wasn't safe, at which point his job became not safe and was in fact in extreme danger. Nice.

6. Try to catch the ESPN commercial with Dwight Howard and Tracy McGrady (and some others you probably wouldn't know) featuring new additions to the team RV. If I can find it online, I will post it. Good stuff.

And Now Introducing . . . GYGM!

New feature!!

I've decided to expand MYSM (Make Ya Smile Mondays, for the new folks ;-)) to include a song/video to get your Monday going. We'll call it GYGM - Get You Going Mondays. Sports, music . . . it's all entertainment.

I went back 41 years for this one, which was actually my get it going song this morning. Stevie Wonder is amazing. He may appear here several times, so I hope that's not a problem. (If it is, I'd question your love for music). Enjoy!

Any Given Sunday . . . Or Monday

Losing is starting to become a regular thing for the Dallas Cowboys . . . and the St. Louis Rams are on a winning streak, including a win against the Cowboys. I'd say that's bordering on unbelievable, and you would have had plenty of reasons to not have thunk it. Sure, Tony Romo and his pinkie sat this one out, but he was playing in the other losses. Is this another case of the quarterback makes the team (a la the New England Patriots and Tom Brady?) or would the 'boys have lost anyway? I like how people are writing them off as heading for implosion. I'd like to point out, however, that they still have a winning record and a lot more games to go. And pinkies heal. Let's not jump the gun (no pun intended - it is Texas, after all).

The expression "every dog gets its day" apparently does not carry over to cats because the Detroit Lions remain only-defeated.

Garnering an honorable mention for First Team, All Wish We Could Have Skipped This Week: New Orleans Saints RB Reggie Bush, who is getting arthroscopic knee surgery and will miss the next several games; Kelly Pavlik, who got whopped up on by Philly's son (who's now old enough to be a grandfather), Bernard Hopkins; Kansas City Chiefs RB Larry Johnson, who looks like he's going to be suspended for getting into a boxing match of his own with a woman in a nightclub; and all of the members of the New York Jets, who lost to the Oakland Raiders on a team record-setting 57-yard field goal. Better luck next time, boys.

Today's MYSM features one of the greatest boxers (and characters) of all time: Iron Mike Tyson. When he was in his prime, his opponents feared him because they knew the fight wasn't going to last long. Now, he's just scary to all of us . . . for so many reasons:



Happy Monday!

Happy Anniversary, Denny!

Thursday, October 16 is the second anniversary of the Rant Heard 'Round the World . . . . and of some really great sound bytes. (Hence the commercial).

On October 16, 2006, Arizona Cardinals then-coach Dennis ("Denny") Green truly exemplified what it means to "go nuts." We've all felt like he feels, where the frustration builds to the point where you just can't take it anymore, and then you snap. Who wouldn't be furious after losing a game in which you were leading 23-3 in the fourth quarter? That's what makes his rant so funny - because we do know what he's feeling, we're just thankful that no one was around to film us feeling that way.



So in honor of this occasion, I thought I'd post my top five favorite coach rants (In terms of a rant I might go so far as to condone, though, I'd have to go with this one.) You might be familiar with some of them, but hopefully there's at least one you haven't seen. These are nothing short of amazing.

5. Beyond not wanting to talk about playoffs, Jim Mora keeps it real, again and again - and again. Not many coaches will tell you the truth, that "we got our a** totally kicked."



4. John Chaney going for John Calipari. This a classic example of when keeping it real when goes wrong.



3. This is the best entry into a post-game press-conference I've ever seen.



2. "But here's my point" - just when you think he's going to whisper . . . I have to try this sometime. It seems effective.



1. Which brings us to #1. I love how none of the reporters actually leave the room because they are NOT about to miss this story . . . but they're also not about to get knocked in the head with a phone.






And just because no good rant list is complete without Mr. "I know I 'sposed to be there, I know I 'sposed to lead by example," even if he's not a coach. (With "practice" counter)



Happy Friday!!

Pleats 'n Cleats Likes Hockey . . . Seriously

I considered sharing my thoughts about Shaq's opinion of those who hack him, Tony Romo manning up like I asked him to, or Falcons owner Arthur Blank saying thanks but no thanks to Michael Vick.

But I'd rather talk about my first trip to a professional hockey game. It sounds like a Playskool set and to be honest, I was probably just as excited as if I had received one (when I was 4, of course). If you've never been to a hockey game either, here are my general observations:

1. Hockey games are probably as white as America gets. And maybe as drunk, although baseball games are probably #1. However, that could be the fact that the drinking at baseball games generally takes place in the hot sun, which leads me to #2 . . .

2. Wear long sleeves. I know there's ice but for some reason I figured that didn't mean the whole place had to be freezing, too. I had always wondered why people wore jerseys over sweatshirts at hockey games. I thought it was just to fill it out, but now I get it. What I don't get is why the mascot was so sweaty (he put his arm around me when we took a picture together - I wanted to get the full experience).

3. If you care about what the person right next to you is saying, be prepared for the complete inability to hear anything, including your own thoughts, every time play restarts. This is due to the use of the loudest buzzer known to man. They should have used this buzzer at recess to corral the kids - I'm sure we would have gone running inside even if we didn't really want to. If you're easily scared or don't like loud noises, this might not be the venue for you.

4. The "Kiss Cam" on the JumboTron here is the most inaccurate I've ever seen. Perhaps because there's so much movement in hockey, the cameras don't have time to focus on couples to make sure they are actually couples before the camera asks them to kiss. Seriously, I've never seen so many women point to the guy on the other side of them to indicate "that's who I normally kiss." There's no feeling like having a camera focused on you and your best friend's girlfriend with everyone, including your best friend, waiting to see if you'll kiss.

5. These guys really do fight. This is not wrestling. I've seen it on TV but watching two guys duke it out live and in person made me realize hockey players may be the best fighters in sports (obviously not including sports where punching is how you win). The suite I was in was fairly close so we got a pretty good view of the pummeling. Helmets flew. I think other sports should adopt this same "penalty box" idea where the player who gets a "foul" has to sit in timeout and his team is forced to play one man down. It sure would make for some interesting games . . . and maybe more fights, because if you can fight and just end up in the penalty box, it may be worth taking a swing or two. Then perhaps those NBA guys would learn how to throw a real punch.

6. Pay. Attention. To. The. Puck. Hockey pucks can go over 100 MPH, and there are a few areas where there's no coverage or there's a hole in the glass for camera lenses. During one shot on goal, the puck somehow made its way through to the small hole where the camera lens would have been (had the guy not been taking a break), causing a good portion of the people on that side of the rink to all yell and jump back at the same time. Not how I want to go out.

7. The sponsors are on the cheap side. During whatever they call halftime (because there are three periods, so it's not exactly the middle of the game), they had people take shots from mid-rink into the goal, which was hard enough but then they added a cardboard cutout with a rectangular opening the size of a mailbox slot. And if you made it? The grand prize was a whopping . . . wait for it . . . $500. Surprisingly, exactly none of the participants made it. This sponsor is clearly not coming off that $500 without a fight (maybe the opening gets smaller in bad economies). One guy completely missed the goal three times on the right side. I don't understand how you don't over-correct in the other direction, but I digress . . .

8. Scoring in hockey is quite a joyous occasion. At this particular game, there was a lot of it and, hence, a lot of joy. The joy is so loud that it stops you from whatever else you're doing, such as, once again, thinking, speaking, etc. It does, however, make for a good segue out of a bad conversation: "Yeah, my 401(k) is really .... OHHH! Goal! Woo, high five!" Then walk away.

9. This is not hockey specific but it made me mad so it's making the list. There's no smoking in arenas these days so now they have outdoor smoking areas. Only they put them right where people who don't smoke - like me - have to walk. So if I wanted to enter the arena, I had to ravage through a cloud of haze and yuckiness on my way in. I tried to hold my breath, but they got me, and now I have a cough. The day when non-smokers don't have to be infectedaffected by these people will be one of the happiest days of my life.

10. I love food so I don't know why this is last, but the food in the suite is great! Maybe it's just the arena I was in but man we had some good stuff: fresh fajitas (with guacamole and pico de gallo) and steak sandwiches (shredded, Philly style with hoagie rolls and all). And I topped it off (I had the fajita, not both) with an ice cream cookie sandwich . . . definitely one of the top five I've ever had. Of course there were hot dogs and sausages, too. But compared to the old, fried chicken pieces (fingers?) and cold mozzarella sticks I'm used to seeing, this was like . . . the Cheesecake Factory, at least.

Overall, hockey games are kinda cool. The music was just OK, and there weren't too many festivities other than the game (the chicks in hot pants and skates - who made their way up to the suite next to ours and look to be about the size of 12 year olds - do not count) so I can see how this could get boring without fighting and scoring.

If you found Pleats 'n Cleats doing a search for hockey blogs, I'm sorry to disappoint you because the "puck" stops here. No, really, this is possibly the end of the line for any mention of hockey here. That is, unless you've got a suite . . . and an ice cream cookie sandwich. I accept and encourage bribes for blog posts.

Yee-Ha!

Two of today's top stories came from the world of football - specifically, the Dallas Cowboys. Although there are a lot of topics worth running to (i.e., boxer Vitali Klitschko using his son's wet diapers to keep down hand-swelling, John Madden taking a seat, Eddy Curry taking a seat and busting an exercise ball, etc.), I decided to be a one-story-woman.

The first story is a toss up between Adam "Pacman" Jones getting suspended indefinitely by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after not being disciplined by the Dallas Cowboys AND Roy Williams getting traded to the Dallas Cowboys, joining another Roy Williams. Either way it involves the Cowboys so I'll just pick one.



So it looks like Pacman may have used up his 9 lives with the NFL. How many guys keep getting this many chances to act right, though? This is a guy who, when the Dallas Cowboys got him in a trade from the Tennessee Titans, they included a clause to move up draft pick received by the Cowboys if he got suspended during this season. I completely disagree with the suggestion from the sports commentators that he somehow would deserve more of a chance, or would be worth the risk, if he were contributing more on the field this season. That's the thinking that got Pacman and his last two teams in trouble in the first place. If he's not learning right from wrong despite the number of chances he has been given then he just doesn't deserve anymore chances. Period.

The funny thing is that, normally, I'm not a fan of teams or leagues hanging a guy out to dry when they've tolerated his behavior all along the way, but that's not the situation that Pacman is in. He has been given chances - repeatedly - and he isn't making any progress. Maybe they're not getting him the right help (it sounds like he may have a drinking problem), but he has to do work on his part, too. The hardest thing for people who "care" (I use that term loosely) about people to realize is that some people just cannot be helped. All you can do is make the effort, but if you've done all you can and they don't respond, then you have to let them go. I don't want to say it's too late for him, nor can I say for sure that everyone has done all they can, but at the very, very least, he needs some time outside of the game to get his mind right before anyone gives him anymore chances. I know the Cowboys tried to keep him insulated and surrounded by good people, but it doesn't look like he changed on the inside. This reminds me of a fable my dad used to tell me:

A scorpion, being a very poor swimmer, asked a turtle to carry him on his back across a river. "Are you mad?" exclaimed the turtle. "You'll sting me while I'm swimming and I'll drown." "My dear turtle," laughed the scorpion, "if I were to sting you, you would drown and I would go down with you. Now where is the logic in that?" "You're right!" cried the turtle. "Hop on!" The scorpion climbed aboard and halfway across the river gave the turtle a mighty sting. As they both sank to the bottom, the turtle resignedly said: "Do you mind if I ask you something? You said there'd be no logic in your stinging me. Why did you do it?" "It has nothing to do with logic," the drowning scorpion sadly replied. "It's just my character."

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is Pacman Jones, in a nutshell. Yes, a person is certainly capable of changing, but if he doesn't go through a serious character metamorphosis, this is a lost cause. The next team who dares take a chance on him may last a little while without incident, but they're only playing with fire. There are too many other talented players out there who would be able to appreciate the shot Pacman's been given.

So to any team who insists on even considering bringing Pacman Jones to town (assuming Goodell allows him to come back), please do yourself (and your fans) and him a favor and make him go through counseling for at least a year without playing (and without any incidents of any kind) . . . or just let him go.


Enough of that. On to the Roy L. Williams trade (not to be confused with Roy E. Williams, who was already a member of the Cowboys). People said this was a bad move by the Lions and the Cowboys. (Even worse than that move by QB Dan Orlovsky when he got a safety for attempting to extend the end zone past it's legal limits, and then the Lions lost the game by exactly two points? Doubtful.) Again, I'm going to have to disagree. This is a GREAT move by the Lions, probably the best seen since the Barry Sanders days.

The Lions picked up a future 1st, 3rd, and 6th round pick in the 2009 draft and got rid of a guy who couldn't wait to go. I imagine Williams feels a little bit like that one hostage who gets released. Who wouldn't want to get out of that miserable muck? I bet even Matt Millen has been sleeping soundly since he got the boot.

Most importantly, though, this gives the Lions another chance to blow it all up and start over, which is exactly what they need to do. If I were the Lions GM, I'd totally gut the team. Everyone. Every last player, starting with the ones who have been there the longest. I don't want anyone there who remembers what it was like to lose so terribly so many times, at least not until they've spent some time knowing what it's like to win somewhere else. The human mind is too powerful to ignore the psychological effect of being in a losing locker room for so many seasons.

From the Cowboys perspective, Williams may have been a Pro Bowler once upon a time, but he's not putting up Pro Bowl numbers these days (in his defense, he played for the Lions, which needs no explanation). So it remains to be seen how he'll fit in with T.O., who is said to be "ecstatic" with the trade. The only way T.O. is ecstatic is if he gets to catch the ball more often. And if Williams can draw some of the heat away from T.O., that leaves the latter open to catch more passes. Now I get it . . .

Let's just hope Tony Romo comes back before the season gets too far away from them . . . speaking of which, I'm now questioning Romo's allegiance after hearing about college football player Trevor Wikre, who opted to cut his off to avoid season-ending surgery. This is high on my list of most disturbing things I've ever heard.

From Crappy to Happy . . . and Other NFL Fables

What a difference a game makes. It's funny how one big win on Monday Night Football can take a team from sucking underachiever to "contender in a matter of, oh, 60 playing minutes to be exact.

Before an hour ago, the Cleveland Browns were mush and their current starting QB, Derek Anderson, was looking at the door. Eager (and popular) beaver Brady Quinn has been breathing down his neck for about a year now, and he keeps looking cute and smiley (in a kid brother kind of way) on the sidelines, all the while knowing he's more popular than the guy who starts over him. As the MNF gang pointed out, Quinn is the only back up QB to have his own commercial . . . making Derek Anderson the only starting QB whose backup has one when he doesn't.

Now, Anderson looks like Tom Brady with his "precision" and "accurate" throws, and the Browns, who could have been 1-4 after tonight, now have to be taken seriously.

No, the Browns didn't win the Super Bowl, but they did beat the Super Bowl champs, who have been looking pretty good in their champions tour. I should say looked good because they looked pretty awful Monday night. Eli Manning throwing three times as many interceptions as he has had in four previous games? That'll do it. And that tackle . . . come on Eli, that was pitiful, at least make it look like you care. (I couldn't find a picture of it, but I'm still looking!) I guess that's better than that jump away from the pile that Tony Romo did.

Speaking of Romo, his little pinkie's crying wee wee wee all the way home. (Sidenote: Romo really is an unfortunate last name for a really good high school QB) He will be out for at least a month with a broken pinkie on his throwing hand sustained in the Dallas Cowboys' loss to the Arizona Cardinals. I guess this is the one position in the one sport where such an injury would really cause the player to take time off. Broken fingers, especially pinkies, look really gross if they aren't set properly. So for the sake of all of us who will be forced to watch that reality show he and Jessica Simpson will have, I hope it sets properly so we don't have to hear her calling it "yucky." We'll see if any similar Brady-type effects are felt with this loss. The Cowboys have looked shaky (and always manage to get shaken and stirred in the post-season) so I wouldn't call them anywhere near a lock for a Super Bowl, but this certainly changes things. Once again, I'm ecstatic that I was too late for fantasy football this year.

Richard Collier is reportedly out of the hospital. That's good news.

Adam Jones may have cost himself a whole lot more than pissed off hired help. Bad news. Very bad.

One last thing: Braylon Edwards is definitely a star, but why is he the only one they let speak? He's certainly nice to look at and "articulate," so I'm not complaining but I find it interesting they never really talk to anyone else on the team, not even the QB. And the media loves QBs. Does Derek Anderson have a bad stutter?

MYSM: Phelps Likes Rosetta Stone and Lil Wayne

Let me be clear that I really like and admire Michael Phelps for all that he has accomplished in the pool. He's a ridiculous athlete, personable guy, and I admit I was front and center applauding his record-setting performances in the Beijing Olympics.

Some people, however, should not quit their day jobs. That's OK with me. We can't all be talented in all areas. Apparently, everyone does not buy into this idea.

I thought I had seen enough of Phelps' comedic timing on Saturday Night Live (I thought I was original calling him a fish out of water but some other writer stole my thoughts). Well, the Rosetta Stone folks think there's more for us to see, so they crammed in as many swimming-related jokes as they could in a one minute commercial featuring Phelps. If these folks sell even one more copy of this program than they would have normally sold, I will be shocked.

I want my minute back.

The Quickie Trifecta

This is shaping into an interesting season for some NFL teams. (I'm ignoring the Adam Jones issues because, really, you get what you pay for.) Interesting in a good way (Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, and of course, the Arizona Cardinals) and a bad way (Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins). Teams that are used to losing (Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders) are not interesting. Good game (finally) for that other Manning brother - Peyton. A blocked field goal sealed the Cardinals win over the Cowboys, who just barely made it into overtime to begin with before that most terrible way to lose. And I take back what I said about the Lions. Their game was actually a little interesting considering it ended in a controversial pass interference call that put the Minnesota Vikings in position to kick a field goal for the win. Although the manner of the ending may have been a surprise, the fact that the Lions lost is not. Maybe if they were in contention for . . . anything, (other than worst team of the last century) then someone would care and maybe even calling for the head of the referee who threw the flag. But the Lions are the Lions, and the ref's job is safe and sound. At least the Lions stimulate the economy. . . .

Monta Ellis may be pissed (although looking at the above pic, he doesn't really look like he gets pissed, does he?) that the Golden State Warriors suspended him 30 games for lying about what happened to his ankle but he should really be glad that they didn't terminate his contract. Of course, he's going to appeal the decision but he doesn't have too much of a bargaining position since what he did made his agreement voidable (i.e., ripped up since riding a motorcycle violates its terms). And former-Run TMC member turned VP of basketball operations for the Warriors, Chris Mullin, has not ruled out the possibility of still voiding the contract if he doesn't play like they paid him to do (read: if he sucks). This will certainly teach him and everyone else that a) lying b) about something that can easily be verified c) where the consequence is losing your livelihood, is just not smart. To any other NBA players currently riding bikes: there are many, many other ways to get your jollies other than by risking your life and career over silliness. Find one.

Speaking of outdoor activities (sorta), the NBA staged its first outdoor game since 1972 in a preaseason matchup between the Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets (minus Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony who were injured . . .right) in normally beautiful Indian Wells, California. (Indian Wells is also home to a mini-major WTA and ATP tennis tournament.) The number one priority for the league was to make sure that it didn't rain, so they took a cue from Tony! Toni! Tone! (thank me later) and went with Southern California. However, while it might not rain, it can get a bit nippy in the desert when the sun goes down, which it did on this particular night. They say the temperature was in the mid-60's but felt colder because of the 15 MPH winds. Even the seemingly "insulated" Sir Charles (Barkley) had to put a scarf on by the 4th quarter. I'm not sure this is something the NBA wants to do haphazardly. I'm sure most of these guys haven't really played pick up outside in a long time, either. There are plans to do another preseason game outside next year, and maybe even a regular season game. As for the latter, I can't really see that happening. Unless every team had to play outside at least once during the season, and the game was against a "not serious" contender, I can't see the NBA guys going for this at all. And this game had atrocious shooting and Shaquille O'Neal-level free throw shooting from O'Neal and many other players. (Nuggets' guard Mateen Cleaves had the best combined field goal and free throw percentage on the night . . . also probably the most likely of the bunch to be playing pick up ball outside this summer - coincidence?) Although Melo and AI didn't play, the Nuggets magaged to pull off the win 77-72. Pretty low-scoring for the run and gun west. If that keeps up, once the novelty wears off, so will the fans.

Happy Monday!

(Although it is allegedly also Columbus Day in some circles, I don't believe in Columbus Day, especially if we don't get the day off of work.)

Open Your Mouth and Remove All Doubt

When it rains it pours. I haven't neglected you all, I just haven't had a spare moment to sleep so writing wasn't exactly at the top of my list.

So I've also been out of the sports loop a little bit but I see there's a lot going on these days. I'm working on borrowed time as I type but I thought you all should see this if you haven't already.

Everyone knows Magic Johnson has HIV. I was there when he played his last All-Star game back in 1992 (wow, I can't believe that was 16 years ago!), and at the time, everyone was in total shock. Magic was and still is the biggest athlete to come forward with his HIV status. It seemed almost certain that he would have died by now. But he has had access to excellent medical care and has really taken care of himself, and, fortunately for all of us as well as the many urban communities he has invested in, he's still here.

So when someone suggests that he faked his AIDS, even in jest, that's just offensive. There aren't too many people who would get a pass for making a statement like that - maybe Chris Rock . . . maybe! - but it all depends on the delivery.

A "shock jock" on a Minneapolis radio station took the lowest road with the worst delivery when he made the statement that Magic "faked AIDS" and added that "he's the only cured AIDS guy ever." The guys on the show laughed, suggesting they found it amusing, but even if this isn't offensive, it just wasn't a funny joke. Anything for ratings, I guess? But oftentimes what gets you the most attention isn't good, and sometimes you even get fired (for a little while, anyway). Here's hoping these guys get more than just a slap on the wrist.



Kudos to Magic for his excellent response:

“I am extremely disappointed in KTLK in Minneapolis. I am outraged that Chris Baker and Langdon Perry would minimize such a serious and deadly issue. Millions are dying from HIV/AIDS and the fact that they would make jokes about my status is unbelievable,” Johnson said. “Chris, Langdon and KTLK should use their power in a more positive light by encouraging people to get tested for this disease instead of making up such ridiculous lies.”

Flying and Running

I'm leaving on a jet plane this morning. I'm planning to return on Thursday, which might mean no post that day, but I've been known to surprise people including myself. Here's one for the road:


1. There's an update to that Houston Astros' pitcher wedding arrest. It turns out that after the wedding, the group went to the bar. The bride's brother tried to bring an outside drink into the bar when a fight ensued . . . which ended in the brother and his father - the bride's father - getting tasered and pepper sprayed by the police, and the brother airlifted to a hospital. Astros' pitcher Brandon Backe was apparently trying to break up the attack. At first blush, this sounded like a case of "liquid courage," but after reading more details and different takes on it, including eyewitness accounts of what happened, it sounds like the police lost it. (It's too bad that the first charges are against the regular folks and it's not until much later that the cops get charged . . . if they ever do. At least they're investigating it.) Tasing and pepper spray? Pepper spray is not a game. One time, I tried to make a French Open tennis court for my French class (I won't say how old I was because I was definitely old enough to know better). Being creative, I found the perfect substitute for the red clay of Roland Garros: cayenne pepper. You know how they say it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye? It's true. Everything was going well until I got to the part of cleaning of the white lines on the "court." My solution? Blow on them. And it was at that exact moment that I learned what it was like to be pepper sprayed. That was definitely one of the most painful nights of my life. And when I brought my work of art to class, I had to plaster a huge "DO NOT TOUCH - DEATH MAY ENSUE!" sign on it. I also had a taser gun in college (courtesy of my concerned relative) but, thankfully, I have no story connected with that one. The moral of the story is cops shouldn't be able to just spray and tase folks all will-nilly. That's how people get hurt. Just ask R. Kelly.

2. I was right about Reggie Bush. Now that he's gotten more serious about his football, Kim Kardashian's talking about going back (no pun intendd) on Dancing with the Stars. I won't allow it. Not unless they test her for a soul first - if you've watched her dancing on the show, then you understand. Beautiful girl, but wow.

3. Someone is stalking Los Angeles Lakers' forward Luke Walton. Did she get him confused with his dad, Bill? Otherwise, I'm a little confused by her choice. She had already marked up his car, why did he wait until she fired at him with a "fake gun" (Luke's description of the woman making a gun out of her hands) before he decided she wasn't all there? I must note that all of this occurred after he refused to give her an autograph. Luke. . . um, I don't know how to break this to you, but are you really in a position to be refusing autographs? Perhaps you should be grateful that anyone has noticed there are other players on the floor besides Kobe Bryant.

4. NBA legend Elgin Baylor is out as the general manager of the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers say he resigned, but Baylor says "you'll be hearing from my lawyers." Baylor is 74 years old and by all accounts hadn't really been running things for years - that was coach Mike Dunleavy's unofficial job, and Dunleavy will now take over Baylor's duties. I don't really get the Clippers. I don't get why they're in L.A. when they already have (and love) the Lakers, and I don't get why they have never quite been able to turn the corner even though they had a few opportunities to do so. So, I guess firing a 74 year old man who was holding his position in name only isn't so far-fetched. I guess that's what you get for messing with the Clippers . . . and the Oakland Raiders . . . and the Detroit Lions . . . and . . .

5. Barry Bonds came out of hiding to tell us he loves his freedom away from baseball. I suppose he is free in that waiting-to-be-sentenced kind of way, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves . . .

Ain't Nobody Jumpin' Around . . . Ok. So I am.

Besides losing to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football, the man sometimes known as Kim Kardasshian's better half had an excellent night. New Orleans' Saints running back Reggie Bush scored on two punt returns, becoming just the 12th man to ever do so.

After watching this game, I have a better appreciation for the fine line between a nice hit and a terrible one. The helmet-to-helmet rule is kind of tough to decipher because slo-mo doesn't always tell the real story. I think the only real difference is whether the "hittee" walks off the field.

The Vikings' own Speedy Gonzalez, Adrian "A.P." Peterson, was pretty quiet tonight, and somewhere, some grown man lost the weekly pool because of it. But the Vikings pulled it out, and that's all that matters. Is it just me or did it look like Reggie Bush was about to cry? They did show a vignette in which Bush said he was trying to focus on football only (read: the real reason Kim decided to do Dancing with the Stars) and stay out of the limelight. I felt for him when he said that he had expected to be one of the top running backs in the league, and decided to get serious. So I'm sure it was particularly frustrating to lose despite his good game. But it was a close one, and the Vikings needed this one to avoid "basement" synonyms. If Bush continues to stay focused (read: makes Kim do another reality show) then I think he has a good shot of achieving his goals.

I only posted the above pic because I want to remind him of pictures we should never, ever see again. Ever. I would, however, like to see him attain those other goals of his. . .

In other news:

How bad do you have to act up to get arrested at a wedding as a member of the wedding party? It would seem to me that if you're in the wedding, you might make an extra effort not to ruin the wedding of your good friend or family member. I'm going to assume alcohol was intimately involved, but there is drinking at a lot of weddings, and these people aren't in their early-20's.

That's the situation facing Houston Astros' pitcher Brandon Backe, who is 30 years old. Cops say they punched him in the face twice before they were able to arrest him after he allegedly refused to back away from a fight. Now, I'm not one to blindly side with the po-po, but I have to assume Backe was out of line. My favorite part of this story is the description of the other people who were involved in the fracas: the bride's father, 19-year old brother, and a FEMA director. I am cracking myself wondering what the FEMA connection could possibly be . . . being inept has never gotten George Bush jumped, so I don't get it . . .


More athletes with legal troubles: Lawrence Phillips once had a job in the NFL as a running back, but now he's looking at ten years behind bars for deliberately running down a group of teenagers after they beat him in a game of pickup football. He also alleged they stole some of his belongings. This wasn't Phillips first sign of trouble. He had previously picked up a domestic abuse charge for striking a woman he was dating at a hotel. During his brief stints in the NFL, he was dismissed once by each of the St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers for insubordination and missing a practice, respectively. . . and then they just turned him loose without any guidance. He played at the University of Nebraska, football country, so he likely had some of his previous indiscretions overlooked for the sake of his talent at a big program. How many more times do we have to watch guys go down like this before we start nipping this stuff early? Sad.



Dancing with the Stars contestant and gold medal volleyball player Misty May-Treanor's dancing days are officially over after the tore her Achilles during dance rehearsals last Friday. I don't even know how you tear an Achilles while you're dancing, especially when you spring out of the sand barefoot all day. I guess that's the epitome of dancing too aggressively, for which the Dancing with the Stars judges had often criticized her. What a terrible feeling to be a professional athlete and ruining your career on a dalliance like dancing. Hopefully, this won't permanently sidetrack her career. I'd also consider sticking to barefoot dancing from here on out if I were her.

This is just such a random "sport."



Kimbo Slice lost his first mixed martial arts (MMA) fight. Now, I swear just a few days ago, they were saying this guy doesn't know anything about MMA, but you couldn't tell by these commentators, calling the fight "the most incredible victory in the history of mixed martial arts."

Another gem: "If you have a dream . . . if you're willing to step into a cage and fight for your life, you . . . can be anything you want!" I may have to start using this as my personal quote.

I don't know much about MMA, but this looks about as real as "rasslin'." (That's "wrestling" for all you northern types). Kimbo lost to a last second replacement - really. The guy he was supposed to fight had to pull out with a cut over his eye just hours before it was scheduled to go down. So Kimbo ended up fighting a guy who probably knows him well but about whom Kimbo knew nothing, not even his name. Still, no excuse for losing in 14 seconds. Although, I wonder if he decided to just throw it instead of getting seriously injured by someone he didn't know. He probably still got paid the same amount, it just wasn't worth the risk. And it wasn't really a competition, so he can do a re-match, kill this guy (not literally, MMA fans, geez), and then re-gain his status. Smart man. (And if this was not the plan, I expect some kind of remuneration for my strategy.)

And By the Way . . .

I almost forgot to mention that O.J. Simpson was convicted on all 12 counts (wow) in his armed robbery trial. His co-defendant also went down for all of the charges. See? This is why I don't bet. So that means he's going away for a long time (he hasn't been sentenced yet. December 5th.), potentially for the rest of his life.

Of course, O.J.'s people will try to claim that the all-white jury was trying to get him back for getting off for killing his wife and her "lover," but in my experience, jurors take their jobs fairly seriously and try to be fair even when it's difficult (as here, where they were all intimately familiar with at least one of the defendants). People have a conscience about affecting other people's freedoms, and since a unanimous verdict is needed in these cases, there's usually at least one of these people on every jury. The comments from some of the jurors on Simpson's case confirms this. Although Simpson's team had claimed that he didn't know guns were going to be used in the robbery, the "secret" tapes where they talk mention a "piece" ended up mattering more than any other evidence with which the jury was presented. Yup, that'll do it.

Well, O.J., I guess we'll be saying goodbye to you shortly. Come on, you didn't think you could get away twice, did you?

MYSM: Dunkin' Ain't Easy

The NFL on Sunday was pretty predictable. Bad teams lost (Detroit Lions - just get used to it), and the good teams eked out wins. Some teams whom we believed would be better at this point are looking sorta average, at least in their records (Philadelphia Eagles) while others are continuing their over-achievement streak (Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins - even though they're only at .500). The Dallas Cowboys had a scare until the Cincinnati Bengals lowered to the occasion. As usual.


Nice win for the Pittsburgh Steelers, though. On a total side note, how come I never noticed Ben Roethlisberger's "urban drawl" until today? I went back and looked at a few older videos of him and he didn't quite sound like that. Maybe it only creeps up during post-game interviews. I could blame it on rap but then how do you explain Michael Phelps? Although, if Phelps sounded more like Lil' Wayne, I think he could have an interesting endorsement future ahead of him . . .



In other news on Sunday, the Detroit Shock won the WNBA Finals with a sweep of the San Antonio Silver Stars. This is the Shock's third title in six years. Smells like a dynasty. Here comes my first DVR complaint - I set it up specifically to record . . . why didn't these record??!! That means I missed both game 2 and game 3, and since the series is over, I didn't get to see one minute of the finals. And like last time, the one picture I found was of Bill Laimbeer shaking hands. It obviously wasn't meant for me to watch the games and write about it here, but in any event, congratulations to the Shock!

Speaking of sweeps, the Chicago Cubs were swept out of the National League Division Series by the underdog L.A. Dodgers. The Dallas Mavericks of the MLB?


That takes us right into smiling. Today's videos (twice the fun) have one theme in common: dunking. Or I should say, the desire to dunk. A key but often under-appreciated aspect of dunking is actually letting go of the ball. But as attempted dunker #1 so aptly demonstrates, the ability to jump high doesn't matter if you don't include a forward motion. A reminder for us all.

#2. This should never happen. Ever.



Happy Monday!

Running and Winking

If you're like me, then you not only watched the Vice Presidential debate, but you watched the 6 hour post-game wrap-up and replay on CNN. I actually ventured over to FOX News' website and was surprised to see "liberal" articles. But that doesn't mean I'm going back. Plus, Anderson Cooper's much easier on the eyes and ears than Shepard Smith.

So perhaps you'd welcome a reprieve with a little bit of sports talk. I aim to please:

1. What are the odds that O.J. Simpson would be waiting on a verdict on the anniversary of the last time he received a verdict? An even better question is what the odds are that he'll be acquitted again. Even if I had watched the entire trial (I haven't followed it all), I couldn't tell you with any certainty who would win. A judge I know once told me that even he had been surprised during his many years on the bench by jury verdicts, and the only thing he knows for certain is that you just can't tell. If I were a betting woman, I'd go with not guilty, because somehow I think O.J. was meant to suffer on the outside. Just a feeling . . .

2. Warren Sapp is a jack of all trades. He's toe-tapping on Monday and Tuesday, and Wednesday he's giving football opinions. And he certainly had some interesting things to say. Sapp, who played with the Oakland Raiders before he retired from the NFL in 2007, said in an interview that Al Davis (surprise, surprise) knows old school football with old school athletes, but is about 30 or 40 years behind the times. He also says that Davis would call in plays during the games. Wow. I don't know if that happens in other places but that's the ultimate sign of a control-freak. That's jumping past three levels of people (management, coordinators, and coach) to whom he has supposedly given over control to directly affect what happens on the field. Sapp further confirmed what many others have already pointed out: Lane Kiffin was dead as a doornail before he even got there. What a sad state of affairs out there in Oakland. At least the weather's kind of nice this time of year . . . and it's pretty.

3. What a sad (by Pleats 'n Cleats standards) story. I'm sorry it only gets this little bit of space . . . I may give it more when I have a moment. University of Connecticut freshman Nate Miles, who was to be a forward on the UConn basketball team, has reportedly been expelled from school for allegedly assaulting a fellow female student. Miles has been accused of violating a restraining order issued against him after a UConn student claimed he attempted to force her to have sex with him. Although this does not affect whether he tried to force her to have sex on a particular occasion, it should be noted that the two had been in a consensual sexual relationship since September. Upon finding out that he violated the order by calling the woman 20 minutes after it was issued by the court, the school reportedly expelled him. Wow. I don't know all the facts but that seems harsh, especially in light of the fact that the charges against him could be dismissed if he goes to counseling. I read that he had attended five different high schools, but I don't see how that makes it OK to drop the kid the first time he allegedly messes up. I have to imagine that he must have been on the edge already and this just tipped it. (UConn coach Jim Calhoun has certainly had a challenge with his recruits, eh? Google for the full story.) If Miles did something wrong, he should certainly be punished in a meaningful way and not just slapped on the wrist, but just kicking him to the curb is not the answer. I do hope he receives help if he needs it and is able to either successfully appeal this or find a new program. If he was good enough for UConn, then he's good enough for just about all the other teams around the country. I will definitely be keeping an eye on this one . . .

4. I'm sorry, but I have to switch over just a moment to make this public service announcement: 1) "Nucular" is not a word. It's time to throw out those Bush tapes you used to prepare. 2) Winking is not appropriate during a debate. Twice is grounds for disqualification. 3) General McClellan was a commander in the Civil War. Although a certain candidate may have made his acquaintance, he has been dead for over a century. He probably didn't have much to say about Afghanistan back then. 4) I didn't know you could "choose your own adventure" in books and debates. 5) "Shout out" is so 1990's. "Big ups" would have gone over much better.

5. Ok, I'm back. I just had to get that off my chest. I haven't been much into baseball this year, but the playoffs are usually pretty interesting to me for some strange reason. Maybe it's because I do like baseball but they play too many "doggone" games during the year which dilutes the value in watching any particular game. Even with basketball, unless it's a good team, I can't really just watch any game. (And any sport where you can play twice in a day is borderline an activity anyway. . . but I digress.) I have kept my ear to the ground enough to know that the New York Yankees, despite their bloated salaries, are not in the playoffs, and the Chicago Cubs are looking at a World Series run . . . ok, maybe that's "were." The Cubs have dropped the first two games in their series against the L.A. Dodgers. Shockingly, I missed the game Thursday night in favor of the debate. But I did catch this picture which is worth at least a thousand words (also about the number of people who will approach him at work on Friday). I hope his kids are old enough to enjoy (or be embarrassed by) this and that his wife gets this framed for him.



Enjoy the weekend!

Eternal Rundown of the Youthful Mind(ed)

This is getting to be a pattern, but I'm running on fumes:

1. Why, Travis, why? Former Denver Broncos' running back Travis Henry was arrested yesterday for allegedly taking part in a cocaine deal. Henry was cut from the Broncos in June following a host of other problems. He was lucky he even got to play last season. The NFL had banned him for the season after failing a drug test, but he successfully had that decision overturned. Of course we don't have all of the facts yet, but it doesn't look like there will be any overcoming this. I hate to see this, but these are the consequences when you let talent cover up personality flaws. Hopefully, it's not too late for him to get his life together, because he has nine (confirmed) children who call him "father" and it's kind of hard to support them when you're unemployed, or in prison.

2. The WNBA Finals between the Detroit Shock and San Antonio Silver Stars started Wednesday night. I made it home in time to catch mention of it on Sports Center, where I was told that there were 6 seconds left in the game. In the 30 seconds it took me to try to figure out what channel ESPN2 is on my TV, the game ended. When I finally found it, I saw Shock coach Bill Laimbeer shaking hands with the Silver Stars. Great game! I tried to find a re-broadcast somewhere but no luck. The day this league gets publicity will be the day . . . the league gets publicity. Too bad. I actually got an e-mail about it earlier today, but that was the extent of it. I did DVR the rest of the games so I'll have more to say. Oh, and Game 1 went to the Shock.

3. Maybe Joey ("my benchmark") Harrington is a master baby bootie knitter. How else do you explain the fact that while Wall Street bankers and other NFL players (like Daunte Culpepper) can't find a job, Harrington has had several since the season started? The only plausible explanation is that he knits a mean bootie for his teammates' children. Just last week, Harrington got canned by the New Orleans Saints on the same day that Matt Millen lost his job. But Wednesday, the Saints picked him back up (Millen, as far as I know, is still out of work). Harrington was the third overall pick in the NFL draft (by the Detroit Lions, but still, third is third), but he's tops on my list of current QB's who are out of their league. I kind of feel bad for the guy because he takes a lot of flak for his poor play. Maybe it's the teams' fault for putting him in the position to be a bust. But either way, the fact that he continues to be gainfully employed is nothing short of amazing. Or crazy.

4. Terrell Owens seldom fails to cause chatter about himself. In defending his statements made the other day about not getting the ball, T.O. says he said it out of anger at the loss and not because of any particular problems with the Dallas Cowboys offense (or to be more specific, Tony Romo. He ended with a promise to us all that this will not be the last time he talks about wanting the ball. He also addressed his "haters" - without saying anything, during the entire interview, he continually refers to ESPN commentator and former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson as "Sheshawn." (The back drop is that the Cowboys signed T.O. when they dropped Johnson.) Following Owens' remarks, Johnson and others had said on-air that Owens needs a good talk to address his behavior. Owns shot back: "He is the ultimate underachiever on that panel," Owens said of Johnson. "I am the reason he is in the booth. Everybody is aware when I was brought to Dallas he was the one they let go to get me here." No one has ever denied that T.O. speaks the truth, but his delivery really leaves a lot to be desired . . . as an avid reader so aptly put it, "speaking something that may be true doesn't always mean you're right." I couldn't have said it better myself.

5. Normally, I do not write about myself on here, and probably never have in a run-down, but this was sports (if not news) worthy so it's rounding out my top five. I consider myself to be in pretty decent shape, and actually, have been working out a lot harder than I have in my post-college athlete days. Although I'm far removed from those days, I like to trick my body into believing that I'm not. Only my body is much smarter than I am, and it, like the house, always wins. I can't tell you how many of my friends who are former athletes have broken and torn things in the last year due to having a youthful mind but a body that hasn't quite adjusted. Wednesday, I came out of retirement for the first time in a very long time with my "youthful mind" in tow. I played fairly well, felt good. All was going well . . . until I lay (is that right, dad?) down on the couch. Just now, after getting through the first four stories, I tried to stand up. And it hurts, so I may not try that again until tomorrow . . .

Running Down Weird Al

Jumping right in:



1. I'm calling this "He's not who I thought he was." (Thank you, Denny Green). The Al Davis (aka Oakland) Raiders will have a new coach, per Mr. Davis himself:

You have to watch the rest of the press conference because this guy is a trip. Among other claims, Davis says that now-former coach Lane Kiffin was trying to lose and was looking for other jobs. (Can he blame him?) And he's not trying to pay Kiffin the remainder of his salary (hence the "for cause" pronouncement from Davis, for all you non-legal types). Kiffin was none too pleased by what amounted to a public shaming of Kiffin by Davis. And like the other two bottom-feeder teams (Lions and Rams) that have shaken things up in the past week, they're probably not going to change much anytime soon. Hey, at least these teams are acting like they care. But the Raiders are now on their fifth coach in almost as many years, and I don't think many people believe Al Davis really cares about much more than Al Davis. I won't stoop so low as other folks who are wishing death upon the man, but Davis might consider loosening that vice grip so people will start taking his team seriously . . . but he won't, so I won't argue with him.

2. Speaking of shake ups, Marc Bulger is a happier man after being restored to starting QB of the St. Louis Rams by new coach Jim Haslett. Trent Green might not like this move, but he should really be ecstatic that he's been spared from the sieve-like Rams offensive line. As Dan Quayle once said, "What a waste it is to lose one's mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is." Look at this as a blessing in disguise, Trent.

3. Warren "Twinkle Toes" Sapp is on Dancing with the Stars this season. Check out his paso doble:

I have new found respect for extremely large football players. I am absolutely amazed at how huge and light on his toes he is - awesome footwork. I'm not sure about those Matrix costumes, though.

4. Ricky Williams has a problem. The Miami Dolphins had a bye week, which left Ricky with nothing to do. He thought to himself "I'm free, what can I do?" While you and I may have considered running errands, returning phone calls, or maybe spending time with friends or family, Ricky wanted to use his freedom to smoke weed. But he didn't, not because it's illegal, but because if he does, he will not get another chance in the NFL. (Why he decided to share this is anyone's guess, but it's Ricky, he does that.) But then you go on to read that he gets 9 random drug tests every month. That's more than twice a week of people showing up at your door at various times of the day. So I guess they don't really believe you'd stop smoking on your own, Ricky. And he says that he'd be lying if he said he wasn't going to smoke weed when he's done with the NFL (let's hope that means retired by choice and not by force). This guy . . .

5. One basketball story: An avid Pleats 'n Cleats reader passed along this story about University of Wisconsin basketball player, Marcus Landry, who is married with two kids, and still makes time for school. His wife also played college basketball, but at Marquette University. Landry's not just a father, he's also a "dad" to his two little ones, tucking them in at night and bringing his son to team meetings. Although it shouldn't be a big deal when a man like Landry takes care of his responsibilities, the reality is that this kind of maturity is exemplary, especially in the demanding college basketball setting. His kids will certainly thank him for it. It's stories like this that raise the bar for everyone else. Love it.