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!

Stinging Their Opponents . . . and Stung By Their Fans

The New Orleans Hornets are off to their best start ever, but that has not translated into high attendance at their games.

Apparently, they just can't get enough butts in the seats to watch their games against sorry and half way decent teams. They had their biggest attendance of the year at a San Antonio Spurs game with attendance of 15,297, which exceeded their opening night game by about 100 tickets, but they haven't had any sellouts. But when the Philadelphia 76ers came to town, only 8,302 people showed up. A sellout would be 18,000. And that's with the availability of $10 seats. Ouch.

These numbers are lower than they were even when they actually did suck. Well, New Orleans, these are the breaks when you have years of losing, especially when you move from another city where the team was not so great, either. You're just not going to get a good crowd unless you a) have some "NBA superstars"; b) play in a huge market; or c) are playing a team with "NBA superstars." Let me explain.

NBA superstars are ones that may or may not be tops in the league, but they are usually among the most well-known players; players that you're likely to see at the All-Star game.

Hornets' point guard Chris Paul may be one of the most underrated players in the entire NBA. He's averaging over 17 points and 10 assists per game - a double-double - and he's a lot of the reason why the Hornets are off to a 10-4 start.

But he's no Kobe Bryant. No Dwyane Wade. Not even Kevin Garnett. So he's not going to put Kobe or Wade numbers (i.e., fans) in the arena, not even on his home floor. But if the Hornets make a solid run this year, I expect that to change.

Also, New Orleans is just not a major market. Not only is New Orleans still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, but the Hornets are still the relative new guys in town, having moved from Charlotte in 2002. They have also played away from home in Oklahoma City for the past two years because of Katrina.

Given the NBA superstar and market issues the Hornets face, it's no surprise that games against teams that also lack NBA superstars are going to be low-turnout affairs. With situations like these, the mini-packages, which include the not so popular games, are a great idea that almost all teams have developed to get attendance up at games against poor opponents. (Hopefully they've already exhausted the possibilities of tie-ins and giveaways.)

So, Hornets fans, take heart. I know you're not getting the attention of the Boston Celtics or the respect of the Spurs, and the truth is that you may never get that fanfare. But I say control what you can control. If the players do their part on the floor, the fans will come eventually.

Just keep being good. And if you take out the Celtics along the way . . . even better.

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.

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!