Pageant Ends. Now It's Up To The Judges

Not too much of note in Isiah Thomas' trial today. (Click for Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8)

In a few words, both sides delivered their closing arguments on Thursday, saying "pick me! pick me!" Now it's up to the jurors to decide who they like best.

If you need more details, here you go. And here's some more.

I'll be shocked if there is no verdict before 5 p.m. tomorrow. I'll be shocked if Anucha Browne Sanders receives a penny from Madison Square Garden or Zeke.

I was also shocked when I saw the picture of the intern who confessed to having sex with Stephon Marbury in his truck:


Ok, no I wasn't.

U.S. Women Get the Boot Cleat. Defense, Anyone?

Now I must admit that I did not watch a kick of any FIFA women's World Cup soccer games except for that one featuring China that I mentioned here before. I kept up with the U.S. women's run, but I never knew when any of the games were on, so I relied on the Internet to give me my updates. The only problem with the World Cup is that they they have some unwritten rule that they have to show the games live, even when the games are being held in China like this year. That means it's coming on at some hour of the morning when I'm either asleep or still hitting the snooze button.

I actually kind of like watching soccer, so I wish I had seen a few games so I could have something meaningful to say other than that they made it to the semifinals where they got they got crushed by Brazil, 4-0. I did see the scores of a lot of the games, so to not only score no goals, but to have 4 scored on you is not a great thing in the world's biggest championship for your sport.

Apparently, the coach made a last minute change in goalies, which some people are saying cost the U.S. the game. The story goes that the usual starting goalie, Hope Solo (great name), had multiple shutouts through the quarterfinals, but the U.S. coach, Greg Ryan, decided to go with his veteran, Brianna Scurry, who had previously helped the U.S. defeat Brazil in the 2004 Olympic gold medal game.

Well, Scurry made quite a few errors that may well have cost the U.S. the game. And as you can imagine, Hope Solo (gotta say the whole name) was not too happy about the coach's decision to give her the hook:

"It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that," Solo said. "There's no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves. … You can't live by big names. You can't live in the past."

Man, Hope. Tell us how you really feel.

Ok, now I know goalies are important and a good one is great to have, but my thing about games that have goalies is this: what's up with all the shots on goal that got past the defenders? It seems that on a good night for the team, your goalie doesn't have too many saves.

And I'm going to speak totally outside of my knowledge of soccer right now, but if you know and you're a fan, please let me know. Is it just me or is there an epidemic across all sports that no one wants to play defense anymore? People are so focused on the QB and being the scorer that great defense is thought of as something you do only because you're not good at offense. I know it's sexy to be the one scoring all the points, but here's a newsflash: If you score 100 points, and your opponent scores 101, you still lose. Ask Carson Palmer.

I think the focus on offense is just a reflection of our society, where we honor the guy or girl who puts up the "points," in every place from the workplace to the home. Now don't get me wrong, some offense is necessary. Just ask Ben Wallace. (Oooooh) But defense is just as important, especially when it comes down to the semi-finals and finals of any sporting event you can name. Both teams can have great offense, but in the end, it's the team who can get the defensive stop at the end who usually takes the crown.

So back to the U.S. women's soccer team. I'm going to guess you had a little problem with defense and offense, but keep in mind that it's just one game. And hopefully wherever they decide to play the next World Cup, it will be in a time zone where I don't have to set an alarm to see it.

Not NBA-Bound, But Dancing with the Stars - Perhaps

So Greg Oden did his first official press conference following microfracture surgery on his knee that will keep him out of his first year in the NBA.

I really feel sorry for him because he is a genuinely nice kid with a good heart. I hope he takes this time to nurture and grow, eat, sleep, crap with the basketball so that it's an extension of his arm.

And stay away from that Dance Dance Revolution game. He joked that he did not get hurt playing the dance video game is kind of like the foot version of that memory game Simon, only set to music. If you haven't watched, um, uncoordinated teens play it, hit up your local arcade because you're missing out. That's funny that he admitted that he owns it and plays it. Maybe that's where he learned this move here:

Sorry, he fell right into that. Rest up, kiddo.

First Round: Almost A Knock Out

Floyd Mayweather (Jr.) is pound for pound the greatest boxer in the world, according to him. Ok, so he is 38-0, but humility is not one of his strong suits.

Well, he has taken his pride and ego and put it on the line on this season of Dancing with the Stars. During the vignette shown before his dance, Floyd is seen whining, saying he wants to quit, and that he wants to learn the easy stuff. After all this, his partner, Karina Smirnoff, says that training him was difficult, and that he didn't listen all the time. What was that? Floyd doesn't listen? She obviously never watched the reality show De La Hoya-Mayweather 24/7, which shadowed Floyd and Oscar De La Hoya as they prepared for their bout against one another. If she had, it should come as no surprise that working with him would be the bout of her life.

It should also come as no surprise to any of us who have seen him that he might be a tad difficult to train to be a dancer. If you have the pleasure of viewing his first performance - ABC.com has the full episode online - you are in for a treat. At the end of the vignette, Floyd says that he's going to approach this like he does a championship fight.

Now, you can call this man a rough dancer, but you cannot call him a liar! True to his word, the dance did bear a strong resemblance to his fight against De La Hoya. Doing the cha cha cha to a jazzed up version of Outkast's I Like the Way You Move, I was certain that at any moment he was going to knock Karina out. Seriously, she was on the ropes. There was a lot of, um, hip shaking (by Floyd), and tons of energy -- enough that he came dangerously close to snapping her neck in the final pose.

One of the judges chided Floyd to "treat Karina with a little more tenderness," saying he lacked finesse. "Remember, she's a woman, she's not fighting against you." It appears this may be a tall task for Floyd.

Somehow, Floyd didn't get kicked off the show nor did he even make it to the bottom two. Well, when Wayne Newton's performance is described as "horrendous" and "painful to watch," perhaps Floyd will be around for at least a few weeks. I think people just like seeing him beat up a woman. This country is sick.

Pass the Dutchie To ANYONE But Him

Michael Vick was concerned that we would have no news on him until October 3, the date he is to be arraigned on the state court charges. But no fear Mikey, you have given us bloggers enough to keep talking through the weekend.

Today, after Vick tested positive for marijuana on September 13, the judge in Vick's federal case ordered him confined to his (Vick's) home between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. He also has to be subjected to random drug tests, and if he fails again, he may end up in the pokey.

I've never done drugs nor do I in any way condone drug use, but I can see how this situation might make him feel the need to get high. Now, do I think his smoking weed has anything to do with his legal woes, though? Um, no comment.

I don' t know about you, but I think his punishment for failing the drug test is a pretty good deal. It's not like Vick's living in a one room efficiency or a trailer. If my home looked like Vick's probably does, I don't think I would mind being confined at night, either.

Although my hits quadruple every time Vick does something . . . or is accused of doing something, in all honesty, I really hope this is the last we hear from him before either of his arraignments.

No trees. No leaving.

(HA.)

Zeke: "I Never Cursed at that B____"

In what appears to be the final day of testimony, Isiah Thomas took the opportunity to clear up every charge of professional indiscretion alleged by Anucha Browne Sanders. He says he never cursed at her, that it's never OK to call a woman a b*tch or a ho, that it's offensive for a man of any color (who are these "purple" people folks talk about?) to call a woman a name like that, and that he never talked about the white New York Knicks season ticketholders because they are the "backbone of how we all make a living." He says that he treated her like a co-worker, and that he only made the comment "What? No love today?" after she recoiled in a way that made him feel uncomfortable when he went to greet her.

That's it. Just Zeke trying to lay on the charm. Nothing too groundbreaking.

Tomorrow are the closing arguments.

Again, I can't be certain what the jury thinks or what it has seen, because tone counts for a lot, but the truth is usually somewhere between their versions of what happened. However, because Browne Sanders has the burden of proof, the testimony I've seen so far comes nowhere close to providing her with a verdict in her favor. Given that the (employed) jurors have an opportunity to start making more than $1 a day, the stipend for fulfilling their public duties, my guess is that we'll have a decision by Friday.

Mr. Congeniality

In Day 7 of the Zeke Trial, Isiah "Zeke" Thomas and James Dolan, the Madison Square Garden chairman (and thus, NY Knicks owner), took the stand. (Click for Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6)

Let's start with Dolan. During his time on the stand, he testified that Browne Sanders performed her job, sometimes incompetently, and that he was patient with her, but that she was ultimately fired for interfering with MSG's own internal investigation into her sexual harassment claims. He contended that she was improperly attempting to influence their employees to support her claims, even asking for $6 million to not file suit - which Dolan, of course, rejected. This testimony ended the defense case presented by Dolan and MSG.

While all this may be true, Dolan should be charged with perjuring himself with his "yes" reply when asked whether Zeke had done "quite a good job" as the Knicks coach and president.

Next up was Zeke to serve as the first witness in his own defense. The defense team brilliantly played up his affable traits, from his humble beginnings to his NBA triumphs to his megawatt smile. He even brought up how mama taught him how to treat women . . . I will leave this one all alone, and just say that I think he was laying it on a little thick. He countered all of the accusations made by Browne Sanders, acknowledging that he may have cursed but denying that he ever harassed her in any way. He said he didn't know what to do with her nor how she "fit" with him and the program. He also countered the bad press he has received, like getting fired as the Indiana Pacers coach. He says that happened because Larry Bird is a Celtic and he's a Piston. Yup, definitely laying it on thick. He finishes up his testimony later today.

As I said from day 1, this looks like it's going to come down to he said-she said, and who wins that is whichever party the jury likes better. A beauty contest, if you will.

My money's still on him.

Hit Me, DA ,One More Time

Today, a grand jury sitting in Surry County, Virginia indicted (i.e., found enough evidence to support a formal charge) Michael Vick with one count of "beating or killing or causing dogs to fight other dogs" and one count of "engaging in or promoting dogfighting." While each is punishable for a maximum of five years, these are Class 6 felonies in Virginia, so the jury, or the court, may choose imprisonment for one to five years OR jail for up to 12 months and a fine of up to $2,500, either or both. Poindexter the DA (sounds like a rapper) in Surry County, had threatened at least 10 charges, but it seems the grand jury found only 2 charges supported by the evidence, declining to indict him on 8 other counts. One of his co-defendants was not so lucky, getting hit with four .

This ESPN article says that Vick's attorneys are challenging these charges on the grounds of double jeopardy. Unless I missed something, I thought there was no "double jeopardy" across jurisdictions. That would mean you can be charged with the same crime in two different state courts, or in federal and state court. It seems other lawyers have weighed in on this (click here and here for confirmed attorneys) and have all come to the same conclusion. These sites are placing the blame on Vick's attorneys for not working out a deal with the state beforehand once he pled guilty to the federal charges.

But back in Surry County, Virginia, Poindexter says that he can't wait to get rid of these cases. So he can keep trying Jethro for DUI's on tractors? Yeah, not buying it.

What I'm also not buying is the skepticism or should I say flat out denial that race has anything to do with this case, because I'm about to show you that it does.

Earlier today, CNN.com posted an article discussing Vick's indictment:

The grand jury is composed of six people, two black males, two black females and two white females.

That was all the article had to say about race. No mention was made of why this mattered or was worth mentioning. Now, here is a link to that same CNN article. As of the latest update, you will notice that this sentence appears nowhere in the update, nor is there any mention in the article whatsoever of race. But it was in there, and you can do a Google News search for the sentence if you don't believe me. You should hurry because that may disappear, too.

Even ESPN tried to couch the race issue in terms of questions posed to Poindexter:

In a written statement, Poindexter and Sheriff Harold Brown attempted to diffuse in advance any suggestion that race influenced the grand jury. Brown, Poindexter and the four defendants are black, as are four of the six grand jurors.

"These are serious charges, and we can assure you that this grand jury was not driven by racial prejudice, their affection or lack of affection for professional athletes, or the influence of animal rights activists and the attendant publicity," the statement said.

I read this very interesting article by Howard Bryant on how race is intertwined with the Vick case. He talks about how we accept difference in other facets of life, but we can't agree as a whole to accept that one's race makes a difference. He even includes quotes from letters that he has received over the course of the proceedings, which are interesting all by themselves because he takes heat from both sides, white and black. Please take the time to check it out for yourself, but here's an excerpt from the last two paragraphs:

When it happens again, when the next story hits us like a flash flood and we're asking, dumbfounded, how race again became so prominent, remember that Vick has already provided the answer: It always was. Go back to W.E.B. Du Bois and read the first paragraph: "The problem of the 20th Century is the problem of the color line, no longer in opportunities, perhaps, but certainly in thought."

Take the umbrella words -- equality, reality, justice -- and throw them in the trash. Umbrellas are useless, because here, it always rains sideways. One day, maybe we'll believe in truths that aren't our own. Start from a new place. Maybe then we'll have a fighting chance next time.

Of course, one glance at the comments following the article, and you can see that all of this went in one ear (or eye) and out the other. Speaking of comments, check out Montez's comments to my Vick post yesterday. I mean, seriously, is he lying?

Maybe you were like me and said the pledge of allegiance every day at school. If you did, I bet you, also like me, never really questioned what "with liberty and justice for all" meant. Maybe we should have, because evidently some people actually think that's true!

$20 For Some Action? Even Pacman's Embarrassed

The Ohio State University's third-string QB Antonio Henton, a redshirt freshman, has been charged with soliciting sex from a female police officer . . . for the whopping price of $20. Adam "Pacman" Jones, the Tennessee Titans cornerback now infamous for "making it rain," must be disappointed. Well, I guess he's in college, so he gets a bit of a pass.

But just a bit. First off, why is any college guy paying women for sex?? Last time I checked, college women were giving it away for no money down. Especially if you're on the football team . . . the Ohio State football team . . . and you actually play in the games. Well, you did, because it looks like you won't make it to the game this weekend. Why, kid, why? You all know I usually show compassion for the hated on, but Ant (we're cool, I can call him that), give me something to work with, please! You're already competing for the starting QB spot and you're certainly not helping your own case.

If you are indeed guilty, I won't ask what you were thinking because if this happened, you weren't thinking much. We'll just call it a serious lapse in judgment, or a joke gone horribly wrong.

While I was looking for pictures of dear Antonio, I stumbled upon this article from AJC.com (in Atlanta), written by his mom after he won Athlete of the Year in Football in 2006. The line below the headline features the quote "You look like your dad, but you got my smile." She also calls him "the perfect son." And it includes this picture:


Woo, boy. Ant, I'm looking at this picture of your mom and I'm thinking that that same hand caressing your shoulder will hurt like a ________ when you get slapped upside the head with it. Something tells me moms doesn't take too much mess.

I also discovered that his teammates call him Steamin' Willie Beamen, Jamie Foxx's character in the movie Any Given Sunday. For those who didn't see it, Willie Beamen is a stereotypical version of, without naming names - De-cough!-ion - the most vain, talented QB you can imagine. My favorite Willie Beamen scene is his music video - "My name is Willie. (background: Willie Beeeeeamen!) I keep the ladies. . . " I'll stop there. Suffice it to say, this nickname will not help his case.

If he did do it, please coaches, friends, and family, don't just give him a slap on the wrist. Nothing worse than a man who's disrespectful AND cheap!

Yeah, This One May Be A Blow Out

Let me guess. This is your first time hearing anything about this today. See, I told you. The worse that Anucha Browne Sanders' case gets, the less attention it will get. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Yesterday, in Day 6 of the Zeke trial (seems they took a short recess), Browne Sanders's case took a hit harder than Milton Bradley (the baseball player, not the game maker) who tore his ACLafter being restrained from attacking an umpire. 8 individuals testified to Browne Sanders incompetence as a manager and discredited her accusations and memory of the events.

One of those testifying was Stephon Marbury's paramour, the intern whom Browne Sanders was coerced into "getting into the car" with Marbury. Nope, she says she went on her own:

Kathleen Decker, the former intern, denied Browne Sanders’s testimony that she could not refuse Marbury, who was at the club in Mount Vernon, N.Y., with his cousin Hassan Gonsalves, who was a Knicks employee at the time and a former boyfriend of Decker.

Decker testified that she accepted a ride home from Gonsalves rather than from one of two girlfriends who joined her for her birthday celebration. But, she told the court, Marbury was standing outside the club and asked her, “Are you going to get in the truck?” She said, “So I got in the truck.”

She said that she never felt a loss of control with Marbury.

Decker’s late-night sexual encounter with Marbury came to light when Browne Sanders was gathering information from subordinates that would lead to Gonsalves’s firing in November 2005 for sexual harassment.

A day after Decker told Browne Sanders about an abusive comment that Gonsalves made to her, she said Browne Sanders called her into her office.

“She sat me on the couch,” Decker testified, “and she said: ‘I know there’s more. You can tell me. I’m a mother.’ I was nervous.”

Decker added, “She asked me if I felt forced,” but she told Browne Sanders, then the Knicks’ senior vice president for marketing, that she had not. Browne Sanders testified that Decker had told her she was “stunned” and “very drunk.”

A few days after the meeting, Decker sent Browne Sanders a card thanking her for being “incredibly supportive,” and said she “cannot change the poor decision(s) I’ve made in the past.” Decker testified that she sent the card fearing that “what I did outside the job could affect my work.” She now works for the Garden of Dreams Foundation, a charity run by the Garden.

That hurts. She not only confirmed that her encounter with Marbury was just a run of the mill groupie liaison, but she still works for the organization. Then, the Vice President of Community Relations for the Knicks, Karin Buchholz testified that Browne Sanders basically forced her to participate in this investigation and write memos against her co-workers, which she says interfered with her ability to do her own job. This interference included making Buchholz cancel an NBA player event at a school (if you know this particular player, I'll give you one guess as to how I think he should have spent his time since the event was canceled). According to the SportsBusiness Journal, NBA players have the worst reputations of athletes in any of the major sports. Come on, Anucha, you can't be the VP of marketing getting in the way of NBA players doing charity work!

James Dolan, the outspoken Madison Square Garden Chairman, is scheduled to testify today.

I can't tell you for sure what the jury will do, but I have a pretty good feeling that this case is just about over - in more ways than one.

Virginia Taking Its Turn on the Punching Bag

It appears that Virginia's Surry County Commonwealth's prosecutor has decided today is the day to catapult his name into the national spotlight by seeking an indictment against . . . you guessed it, Michael Vick:

"Most of the matters that I'm presenting have already been admitted in sworn statements authored by the defendants in the federal proceedings," [Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald G.] Poindexter said.

He couldn't detail the exact indictments he will pursue, but said the local investigation and the federal investigation largely focused on different crimes.

"The killing of dogs is one of those statutory prohibitions. Dogfighting is a crime, the mistreatment of animals is a crime, so you could take your pick, or take them all," Poindexter said before cutting the conversation short. "I don't have anything else to say about it. I'm through with it. Hopefully it's coming to an end."

When he says hopefully it's coming to an end, I am certain that he means the indictment process and not the circus that will be his rural county courthouse, which I'm also certain has seen its fair share of crimes involving animals . . . HA.

Let's just wait and see what the charges are. While I'm sure Poindexter (what a name) is salivating over the idea of putting a Vick conviction on his resume, I am interested to see how willing he is to put Vick's career on permanent hold. Especially since he was already angry at the Feds for moving in on this case before he was able to charge Vick under state law. When he appeared to be taking his sweet time, the Feds decided to go ahead with the federal charges, and here we are.

More than likely, there won't be a trial because of the admissions made in federal court, but there will be enough hearings with this Poindexter guy to feed the late night comedians for at least a week.

The saga continues . . .

"Brees" On "Bye" *

Several weeks ago when I had the opportunity to pick either Carson Palmer of the Cincinnati Bengals or Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints for my fantasy football team, I nearly went with Brees, except that he had a bye week the same week as LT, a no-no according to Laura. So Carson it was.

Well, as it turns out, Carson's off to a pretty good year while Drew is - how do I say this nicely - playing like sh Eagle doo doo. And on McNabb's worst night, that's pretty awful. Not only did the Saints lose to Vince Young and the Tennessee Titans 31-14, but he threw four interceptions in one night, and scored (I use that term loosely) -1 fanstasy points. That means that he would have had more points if he had never played at all. Compare that to the 40+ points for the top QB's the past few weeks, and I'm feeling better that he had that bye week. Now the New Orleans Saints are 0-3.

Brees might be the only person willing to trade Tuesday's with McNabb.



*Puns intended, with my apologies.

Tyson May Have Really Bitten Off More Than He Could Chew

Mike Tyson has joined - or rather, re-joined - the world of athlete's in legal trouble. Today, he pled guilty in an Arizona court to possession of cocaine and driving under the influence, and he's facing a maximum of four and a quarter years in prison if convicted.

Honestly, for all that Tyson has done, and all the jokes made about his voice (In Living Color tore him up!), I really feel sorry for the guy. He was literally trained like an animal, with the people around him taking advantage of his superior boxing skill but worrying about little else. And believe you me, Tyson was amazing - viewing the fights live or on tape, no one can deny that Tyson was one of the fiercest boxers ever. And this was at the tender age of 19. But then when he appeared to be a head case, these same people who seemed to care about him threw him out to fend for himself. He never had a proper childhood, and he never really grew up.

And now, ten years after biting off Evander Holyfield's ear, he still has issues. I don't think he needs any more prison, because in four years, he will probably be the same guy. Somebody get this guy some professional help and some real people in his life. Hopefully, it's not too late.

This Eagle's Not Endangered After All*

That crazy Irishman, Donovan McNabb, silenced his critics with quite the noteworthy performance on Sunday afternoon, throwing for 381 yards, 4 touchdowns, and no interceptions in a rout of the Detroit Lions, 56-21. And his colleagues kicked in some big games of their own - so big they set an NFL record for one team having a 100 yard rusher (Kevin Curtis), a 100 yards receiver (Brian Westbrook), and a 300 yard passer (McNabb). Not too shabby.

I'm guessing this Tuesday will be a whole lot smoother than the last one. Nothing beats winning to keep the home crowd from trying to drown you with cement shoes.



*Title refers to the bald eagle (the bird, not McNabb) which has, like McNabb, also recently recovered from the endangered species list.

COMCAST SUCKS!

(While this post is not exactly sports-related, it may be somewhat related since it explains why you have no new posts today!)

Comcast absolutely sucks. Sucks! Even worse than Joey Harrington, because a Google search for "comcast sucks" - in quotes - yielded 42,400 hits. And a website called "comcastsucks.com" has suspiciously been taken offline. Anyone else think Comcast owns the domain name?

Comcast blows so much that I use some variation of "comcast" and "sucks" in my online account just to show them how much I can't stand them. Aw, heck, who cares? I should just give you my password. What are you going to do? Log in and pay my bill - which is only $2 less per month than my mortgage? Be my guest!

I was out all evening at a function but I had to do a little cleaning up for my soon-arriving guest, so I got a late start. Then I sat down, all set to post something to get your weekend started off right. Next Friday, the edited version ("you mother lover!") was on in the background.

Suddenly, the picture went out. My first thought is, "Did I pay Comcast this month?" Not sure about that one, but either way, the shut off notice didn't come in the mail. But the cable stations were still showing up on the screen even after I unplugged the cable. That honestly freaked me out a little bit, because then I thought maybe the cable is really wireless and they just have a connection to spy on us. Seriously, the thought crossed my mind long enough to form the thought.

So I hanker down and called Comcast. I hit all the prompts to tell them I have a connection issue with cable, I get a recording that says there's a maintenance outage in my area, hit 1 to be called when it comes back on. I hit 1. It hangs up on me. I call back, this time I report a connection issue with internet, but I hit some other option to get a real person this time, and I ask him what's going on. Mind you, while I waited, it informed me of this maintenance "to improve my service." The service rep was actually nice, and he gave me a credit when I asked. I wanted to know if this was scheduled, and if so, where was the notice. "It looks like it was." No response on the notice, or lack thereof. So how long is this outage going to last? "Looks like through to the morning." Awesome! Keep the good news coming.

And then at 1:39 a.m., I am scared to death when the cable comes back on. It's now 2:28 a.m. and I still haven't received that call from Comcast.

Comast really sucks because they are a necessary evil, and they know you need them, so they don't even try. I already have one class action settlement notice from them, I'm thinking about making it two. If I had work to do (not that posting isn't "work" but I haven't received checks from any of you . . . yet), someone at Comcast would have felt the wrath. But I don't yell, I just write letters and contact senators.

So blame Comcast for no posts. I will, however, take a few minutes to respond to your comments from yesterday's posts . . .

Lock Up Your O.J. Rookie Cards

O.J. Simpson is free on $125,000 bail.

In other news, I hear that Al Cowlings was spotted in a white Bronco heading toward Las Vegas.

Zeke's Got Next

(If you need to get caught up here are links to my coverage of Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3)

So I missed Day 4 in the Zeke Trial, but from all indications, the parties did not heed the judge's warning to pick up the pace because nothing too exciting happened. The videotaped testimony of James Dolan, chairman of the board of Madison Square Garden, was played for the court, in which he says he alone made the decision to fire Browne Sanders for what he said was a "failure to fulfill her professional responsibilities." I wonder what that means.

Anucha Browne Sanders did wrap up her case, so now it's Zeke's turn to present his cavalcade of character witnesses for at least a week. What, you mean the Knicks don't mind wasting money in court and on it? But that's not why I didn't post. Work called. I tried to hit ignore, but then it bust through my door and slapped me in the face, so I had to give it some attention. I digress.

News about the trial is becoming increasingly hard to find. If you click on the links you'll note that coverage of Day 5 actually comes from a Canadian website. It seems that once the salacious details were revealed, nobody really cares about the rest of the procedure other than who agrees with the plaintiff and who doesn't. Yes folks, I hate to break it to you but real trials are not like Law & Order. Especially if they aren't televised. I did find this article on SI.com discussing 5 things we've learned from this trial. I don't have time to discuss it here, but do check it out if you're interested.

In Day 5 of the trial, MSG Sports president and CEO Steve Mills took the stand. (Check that link for Zeke's complete, unedited deposition testimony). He says that in 2005 (the one year there is no documentation about Browne Sanders' job performance, and the one year she did not get glowing reviews), Browne Sanders was almost fired for her poor job performance. Here are some excerpts from his testimony:

• Mills says he never heard a single complaint from Browne Sanders about Zeke using profanity or making inappropriate sexual contact until a Dec. 15, 2005, e-mail. By that time, according to Mills, "Browne Sanders had already approached him in tears to say she was overwhelmed by work" and wanted to quit her job. Mills testified to earlier meetings with Browne Sanders in which she came to him in tears about her unwillingness to continue working in her position. He says that he agreed to let her keep her job while she looked for employment elsewhere.

• Mills noted that their conversation followed a "disastrous financial forecast meeting" in which Browne Sanders was unable to answer questions posed by Dolan, which was followed by statements from MSG vice-chairman Hank Ratner that MSG "should fire her right now." Mills testified that Dolan was the one who stepped in to save her job. He also testified to a number of other problems that occurred while she was in her position.

• Mills denied that the emotional meeting with Browne Sanders was sparked by allegations that Stephon Marbury had referred to her as a "black b*tch," although he did acknowledge that some possibly "explosive" event had prompted the meeting.

• Responding to Browne Sanders allegations that Zeke asked her to go off site, Mills stated that the only mention he had heard of going off site was from her, when she mentioned going on an overnight trip to Connecticut during the off-season. He acknowledged that Zeke was told not to hug Browne Sanders, to which he says Zeke replied, "Ok, cool."
  

Ok, all of this is sort of interesting because it refutes her testimony that she was doing a great job until she started complaining about sexual harassment by Zeke. But here is where it gets even more interesting:

Prior to Mills' appearance, presiding U.S. District Court Judge Gerard Lynch said Browne Sanders' lawyers had presented a "weak case" that the Knicks coach was involved in the woman's firing - one of the allegations made in her suit.

"Of all the claims in this case, this is the one that looks to be a stretch," Lynch said before he nonetheless denied a defence motion to dismiss that claim. He said it was an issue better left to the jury at this point.

First, let me point out that this had to be said outside of the presence of the jury. There is no way that the judge is going to comment on the facts in front of the fact finders. Although this is just the judge's opinion, which is no indicator of what the jury may think (and they have been known to surprise a judge or ten), this can't be a good sign for Browne Sanders' case.

I can't speak for Madison Square Garden, but I think Zeke is gonna skate on this one.

McNabbed By the Criticism

If you follow sports (otherwise, you're here just because you're my friend), then you have probably heard all the hubbub about comments made by Philadelphia Eagles' QB Donovan McNabb.

In short, McNabb was interviewed by James Brown (the commentator, not the Godfather of Soul, rest his soul) approximately three weeks ago on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. I guess it's not always with Bryant, which is probably a good thing given the topic that was discussed. Anyhoo, during the interview with Brown, McNabb said that black quarterbacks face more scrutiny that their white counterparts. Here's an excerpt from the interview:

McNabb: "I pass for 300 yards, our team wins by seven, 'Oh, he could have made this throw here. We would have scored more points if we would have done this.' "

Brown: "But doesn't every quarterback go through that?"

McNabb: "Not everybody."

Brown: "You don't think that Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, the white quarterbacks, isn't the press as tough on them in those situations as, as the average black quarterback?"

McNabb: "Let me start by saying, I love those guys. But they don't get criticized as much as we do. They don't."

Of course this one bit of conversation has sparked thousands more. Some say that he's crying sour grapes. One writer just got in his behind. Others say he has a point. Jason Whitlock, columnist for FoxSports.com, has an interesting perspective on all this. He says that McNabb was not only treated differently by the white, higher-ups, but also by other black people. He mentions other black football players who he says were more comfortable being led by a white QB rather than a black one, and the drama created by Terrell Owens (whom he calls an "idiot cancer") that gave the perception that McNabb was a "sellout."

Here's my take on this whole situation. First, horrible timing on this interview. When they taped this interview nearly three weeks ago, I am sure they knew McNabb had a game that previous Monday night, so there was a chance that he was going to have a bad game. Add to that the fact that he hasn't played well since returning from injury, and I think there was a more than decent chance that he might stink. Did HBO know all this when it scheduled it? Unless you work for them or Real Sports, then your guess is as good as mine.

Second, it shouldn't have to be said that racism still exists in this society. One look at the situation in Jena, Louisiana, where the racial tensions there make it feel more like 1957 rather than 2007, should clue you into that fact. Not to mention that Rush Limbaugh lost his job with ESPN when he said that McNabb was an overrated QB who was only where he was because the media "had been very desirous that a black quarterback do well."

But at the same token, being the quarterback brings with it a lot of criticism and hatred, too. Just ask Joey Harrington, the struggling QB for the Atlanta Falcons. He's white, and he is one of the most hated QB's in the league. A Google search for "Joey Harrington sucks" - in quotes - returns 1,240 hits. Of all the odes to him, I prefer this one for its simplicity. That's just one example. I hear the Oakland Raiders hate their QB, too, preferring either of their two black QB's to him. So, no question, being a QB is hard, no matter what race you are.

However, even with all that said, I don't think the fact that other white QB's are also hated and criticized addresses his point. I'm forced here to think about one of my favorite performers, Michael Jackson. I recognize Michael is a little bit special, but stick with me.

Nobody knows what it's like to be Michael Jackson. No one has a clue because no one has ever been a mega star from childhood all the way through adulthood, the premier artist in his class, without taking any breaks. And Michael Jackson went to trial, supposedly judged by a "jury of his peers," and they acquitted him of child molestation. Why? My guess is because they realized that while this man may be different from them in all ways possible, a child molester he was not. Yet everyone on the outside judged him and said he was crazy and insane because grown men aren't supposed to act the way he does.

I think we have a case of "MJ Syndrome" here with McNabb. Yes, anyone who has ever called himself (or herself) a QB has been vilified at some point, but no one say for certain McNabb has not been treated differently than other QBs because no one really knows. He was one of the first popular, black QB's from an era where there were few. He is in that locker room every week. He talks to the coach and his teammates. He faces the (tough!) Philadelphia fans and media on a weekly (more likely, daily) basis. This is the same guy whose "friendly neighbors" broke into his "family’s suburban home years ago and punched holes in their walls, urinated on their carpets and spray-painted the N-word on the side of their house." Walk a mile in his shoes first, that's all I'm saying.

I should add that this is not a guy who just says anything just for the sake of saying it. Yes, his career may be coming to its twilight, and yes, he had an awful outing on Monday night, but that doesn't make his comments any less true. I know it's easier and more comfortable to dismiss his comments as crazy and off base, but what if he actually has a point? Then what?

Shocker: Duke Has A Football Team

I heard about this and then it went out the other ear. I suppose if I write a blog I should care about every piece of sports news I hear (that means I don't care about NASCAR). It should have stuck me because I knew a guy who played football at Duke and I don't think they won a game the entire time he played.

The Duke University football team (no, seriously, they have a team) won its first football game in its last 22 times on the field, defeating former powerhouse Northwestern University, 20-14. Another awesome loss for the Big Ten. I'm frankly surprised that players continue to play here every year. Perhaps it's just a way to go to school for free and bide one's time while you're in college. It must be really hard when people wait in line for hours to touch the hem on the gym shorts of any Duke basketball player, but when your own classmates admit they were ashamed to wear Duke Football t-shirts on campus, that can't be good for the ego.

This article about the win captured much hilarity. Among my favorite bits:

"It was a great win, but it was one football game, and we have to put that in the proper perspective," [Coach Ted] Roof said.

Um, Coach Roof, I know you're a football coach and you have to keep your team motivated and all, but the perspective is your team stunk, and may continue to stink despite this one game, so you better live it up, my man. If the kids are going to let one win in two seasons go to their heads (the team is still 1-2), you have a lot more problems than improper perspective.

These kids actually removed a goal post, which has to be a first:

Team officials said replacing the goal post would cost about $5,000, but workers in the school's maintenance department said they were reassembling it after several pieces of the uprights and crossbar had been returned.

"It was really nice to see it missing when we came back," left tackle Cameron Goldberg said.

They actually brought back pieces of the goalpost? What kind of college kids are these? As if Duke couldn't afford to buy a new goalpost. That's it. They don't deserve to win any more games. But they did try to frame the chapel with them after they tore them down. Go Duke.

O.J.'s Felony Charges Now Surpass Number of Remaining Fans

Well, everyone's favorite whipping boy is now up to ten felonies against him, including kidnapping. He's now looking at life in prison if convicted on all of them. If you're saying to yourself, how is that possible if they never left the room, let me attempt to explain.

Kidnapping is not just what you see in the movies when they leave the ransom note with New York Times cut out letters. Generally, kidnapping occurs where a person is intentionally captured, detained, confined, or moved against his or her will, usually for the purpose of engaging in some other crime. There are a few more elements, including that the kidnapper must actually intend to and knowingly confine the person, but this isn't the bar exam so I will spare you.

The bottom line is that the "justice" system let him get away once and they are making certain that does not happen again. 10 felonies? At least one of them should stick. You may see him behind bars after all. Poor Sydney and Justin.

Joke's On Me

So I was winning my fantasy football league, until Philadelphia Eagles offense went kaput and now their kicker has hit 4 field goals through three and a half quarters to score the only points for the Eagles. This was also enough for the guy who has the kicker on his fantasy team to tie my point total for the week, and if we do tiebreakers by bench points, then I lost the league pot this week. HAHAHAHAHA.

I told you I believed in talent, and apparently that talent is only in the Eagles kicker's foot.

Ah, well.

**UPDATE** It turns out that I play in a league that doesn't have tiebreakers. So I still won.

Almost Forgot About This One

Isiah Thomas should thank God for O.J. Simpson, who has managed to take the spotlight away from Isiah's abysmal sexual harassment trial with his own brand of crazy.

In The Zeke Trial, Day 3 (click here for Day 1 and here for Day 2), videotaped testimony from several depositions was played in court, including testimony from Isiah, one witness and the plaintiff, Anucha Browne Sanders. Browne Sanders also withstood some apparently intensive cross-examination. Choice morsels from today include:

• Isiah said during his deposition that it's more offensive for a white man to call a black woman a b*tch than for a black man to do it. While he claims he may have sworn around her, he says he never swore or cursed at Anucha Browne Sanders (the plaintiff)

• Testimony from Robert Levy, "an employment lawyer and a Knicks' season-ticket holder," who testified that he saw Isiah put his arm around him and remark that "it was distracting working with someone easy on the eyes." Umm. First off, why is a season-ticket holder who saw an open practice one of your main witnesses on the conduct of your employer? Second, this guy is probably a disgruntled fan. Third, I don't believe Isiah said this. That's all I'm saying.
  

• Browne Sanders testified that Isiah called her names during business meetings, and defended herself against claims that she was fired for poor performance. The defense has alleged that she started making claims of sexual harassment when she felt that her job was slipping away from her. She admitted that she didn't report any issues about Isiah's cursing.
  

• The judge in the case has asked the lawyers to speed it up, and jurors have been spotted nodding off. Not a good sign for the plaintiff.
  

Well, this is looking more and more like a tough case for Browne Sanders to win. But according to this Sports Illustrated writer, Isiah and the Knicks are on the ropes. I don't know. I still cannot tell why she was fired, so I need to see a few more days of testimony, but so far, Zeke's job is probably safe - for now. Sorry, Knicks fans.

O.J.'s "Robbery" Caught On Tape

I know I said this was the last you'd hear of it, but I totally forgot who I was talking about. This is the man they love to hate. The man who by most accounts should be in jail already. O.J. in jail is the day the Goldman and Brown families have been waiting for.

Today, TMZ.com released audio alleged to be from the event. Yeah, it sounds like Juice, but we'll see where this goes. I still don't see him spending more time than he is now in prison. Because even if O.J. doesn't have money to afford a good defense team, the limelight for the next Johnnie Cochran will surely suffice.

We'll see.

Be Like Mike . . . and Shaq!

Following on the (ginormous) heels of his teammate, Shaquille O'Neal, word on the street (or at least the Internet) is that Dwyane Wade has decided he had enough of his wife, Siohvaughn, for now, and they are due to get unhitched after five years of marriage (also the length of Shaq's marriage).

I'm all for mentoring, but this could be a bit much . . .

I'm Winning!!!

I know some of you cared more whether your favorite team won or lost (mine won), but the only thing I really cared about this Sunday was whether I'm winning in my Fantasy Football league. Which I am, thus far. I don't believe in jinxing, I believe in talent.

Here's a run-down of what I consider to be the top events in the NFL (recognizing my Fantasy Football bias):

1. Carson Palmer!! He threw six touchdowns. His opponent threw 5. Most TD's thrown by two QB's in almost 38 years. And Palmer and the Cincinatti Bengals still lost to the Cleveland Browns . . . but Palmer gained me 44 points, compensating for the dump LT took on my scoreboard. Yes, LaDainian Tomlinson played, but he might as well not have for the numbers he put up. The Bengals don't have to play defense at all this season as long as they keep scoring. Even better, nobody had the Browns' QB, so I didn't get "Romo'd" this week.

2. Old man Favre (Brett, that is) is not just hanging on, he's playing out of his mind. Not only did he catapult the Green Bay Packers over Eli Manning and the NY Giants, but he set the all-time record for wins by a QB. The previous owner of that record was none other than Coach Elway. As I told my cousin, I know he had that painkiller addiction, but I'm inclined to think he must be taking a whole lot of them right now to still be playing like he is. In any event, way to stick it to all the critics who said you should retire with dignity, Favre.

3. Vince Young is Cool Hand Luke on the football field. Cool as a cucumber, or the underside of the pillow, there's no panic from this guy. At least he doesn't show it. Even though I don't have him on my team, I like his style. And he has one of the best QB names around. And he and the Tennessee Titans almost swiped another one from Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. Someone should tell him to stop taking naps in the locker room during halftime.

4. Jamal Lewis has gone from pleading guilty in 2005 to using his cell phone to help his friend set up a drug deal (oh boy), and spending 4 months in jail as a result, to rushing for over 200 yards (that's good, NPT) today in the Browns' win over the Bengals. His offense may top the list of "What were you thinking? Or maybe you weren't, and that's the problem." I just hope he found better friends. Keep fighting the good fight, Jamal.

I was at an ESPNZone watching most of these games, and the one thing I concluded is that ESPN is making a killing off of football season. They have a policy that if they have a "sell out" (meaning no tables "indefinitely" as I was told) you have to spend $10 per person, per hour.

I asked my friend what ESPN does when there's no football on, and he said that he would come there to watch a NASCAR race. Apparently, he didn't understand that I was asking about other sports that one would watch there.

UPDATE 2: O.J.'s "Victim" Says Fuhgedaboudit

In breaking news, Alfred Beardsley, the dealer who said O.J. and friends robbed him at gunpoint of sports memorabilia and his cell phone, has changed his tune and decided he doesn't want to prosecute the case against O.J. Sounds like the thugs got to him. The po po says they're going to continue to prosecute the case. I say this is the last you are going to hear about this one.

And O.J. will continue his unblemished run in criminal cases. Way to go, Juice!

**UPDATE** As you may have heard, the Juice was arrested earlier today. Still, without the assistance of the main witnesses, this is more for show than for "go" - as in go to jail. If he sees more than a day (not including time spent while he's being held without bail), I will be stunned.

WNBA Finals Are Ova: Mercury Shock the Shock

Just as an update to the last story about the WNBA Finals, the Phoenix Mercury took the final Game 5 tonight and stole the championship from the defending champs, the Detroit Shock, on the Shock's home floor. That has to be the worst. I still remember the time when my favorite team ruined my birthday when they lost the final game of the championship. Worst birthday ever, hands down.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to catch the game, nor am I familiar with the Finals MVP, Cappie Poindexter, but if it's any consolation to the die-hard fans, I wish I had seen it!

Congratulations, Mercury!

Three Out of Four Ain't Bad

Because it wasn't enough that he got off for murder, then lost his civil trial. Then was found not guilty in a road rage trial. No, now Orenthal James Simpson would like to press his luck on the wheel of justice for the fourth time.

It seems that O.J. and his band of merry thugs allegedly decided to take back some sports memoribilia that he claims belongs to him. But not satisfied with just that, he claims O.J. swiped his cellphone, too. The man O.J. allegedly stole from, Alfred Beardsley, a memoribilia collector, actually testified for O.J. in his civil trial. After that trial, O.J. was ordered to cough up over $30 million after being found civilly liable for the deaths of Nicole (now I can type it) Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Maybe O.J. was a little mad about that.

Beardsley claims O.J.'s men came into his hotel room brandishing weapons, but O.J. says no way weapons were involved. This is the same man who claimed he didn't kill his ex-wife despite serious evidence to the contrary. Now, they haven't found any weapons, but O.J. has a few strikes against him in the telling the truth department.

And then O.J. actually said: "I'm O.J. Simpson. How am I going to think that I'm going to rob somebody and get away with it?"

Ok, all together now: "Well, you got away with murder, so robbery? Yeah, that's possible."

Not coincidentally, this all occurred on the day that the book "If I Did It," which describes how O.J. might have killed Brown Simpson and Goldman, was supposed to hit stores. The New York Times says this publicity will help book sales. Double ick.

O.J., even if it was your stuff, Texas justice is not legal, not even in anything goes Las Vegas. And besides, if the stuff is yours, then it's going right to the Goldman and Brown families.

Please, just accept the plea deal and spare yourself another trial of this century, too, k?

Update #1: Oden is "Oh, Done"

As an update to my previous post, and a crushing blow to the Portland Trailblazers, their star Greg Oden may be out for the entire season following his knee surgery. They're already comparing this to the debacle that was Sam Bowie, one of the most colossal draft disasters of all time (if you go to the link, note that I came up with "colossal" on my own, and the fact that it appears on this other site is pure coincidence . . . or an indication of just how bad it was). You see, in the 1984 draft, Bowie was selected second overall by the Portland Trailblazer - after Hakeem Olajuwon, who was taken first by the Houston Rockets, but before a player of "spotty" potential . . . none other than his Airness, Michael Jordan.

Now, if you're asking yourself, "Who the heck is Sam Bowie?" then you understand why it is now considered the worst draft decision of all time. Of course, hindsight is 20/20 and nobody knew Jordan was going to be as good as he was (especially after Zeke and the Detroit Pistons stuck it to him all those years, until he finally broke through). But while Jordan blossomed - an understatement, I know - Bowie had a career plagued with injuries, and he never amounted to the player that the Trailblazers thought they had.

Enter Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. Bill Simmons, a writer for Page 2 on ESPN.com, has always been pro-Durant. But Simmons says that if there was a tie between them, then the Trailblazers should have gone with Durant just based on their injury-risk. I tend to agree with him. Of course, now that Oden's out for a little while, I'm sure they're re-thinking their choice. Check out the Trailblazers' press conference - I know they wanted to cry. Especially when everyone starts calling to cancel their season tickets. And it can't help matters that if Durant stays healthy, he may well be one of the greatest of all-time.

I think it's too early to start calling the Oden pick "Bowie 2.0" but I do hope the youngster comes back and silences his critics. Yes, I called him a youngster.

Update #2: No 'Pat' On the Hand

Our favorite commissioner, Roger Goodell, has fined Bill Belichick the NFL maximum $500,000, and the New England Patriots must pay $250,000 for stealing offensive and defensive signals. They also have to fork over next year's first-round draft choice if they reach the playoffs, or give up their second- and third-round picks if they don't make the playoffs.

This is a low moment for the NFL. The referee debacle was bad for the NBA, but it's worse when a coach is the one cheating. This is really heinous and utterly unprofessional for a coach to be involved in a scheme like this.

How come he doesn't have to sit out any games?

Check Out WNBA Finals . . . No, They Didn't Pay Me to Say That

I'm going to make a plug for the WNBA Finals. If you aren't reading this shortly after it was posted, you may miss it because the Detroit Shock are up on the Phoenix Mercury at the moment, and the Shock can take the title with a win tonight. It looks a lot better and is a lot more exciting than I remember it. Shooting has definitely improved.

I told my colleagues that I watched Game 3 the other day, and they said "So you were the one!" Hardy har har. I know there were at least two viewers, because I talked about the game with someone else. ESPN2 does some interesting things with it, too, including, as I mentioned in a comment, putting a mic on Bill Laimbeer (I think both coaches have one, but he's complaining the most). That's half the entertainment. They also do in-game, sideline interviews with assistant coaches, which is pretty different.

Plus, if you want drama, you got it. The finals are the finals no matter who's playing, and these girls are out here battling. I've seen at least one black eye and a few elbows and several "get in the face" moments.

On a side note, Karl "the Mailman" Malone's daughter, Cheryl Ford, plays for the Shock, and he's also in attendance tonight. I have never, ever (ever) liked Kountry Karl, but his daughter - she's a star (and All-Star game MVP), and she's alright with me.

I'm a little disappointed by the commercials, though. Why don't they feature the players?

**UPDATE** - The Mercury took game 4, so it's all tied up and the finals are back in Detroit. May the best woman win.

The Greatest Point Guard Ever Makes the Best Witness . . . Ever

Zeke's trial, Day 2. (See here for Day 1).

Today, the humble Stephon Marbury testified. Um. Before I share his testimony, let me point out that Marbury is generally a good, generous guy. He gave a million to help Katrina victims. He gives away haircuts to kids in NY (his hometown). And with his Starbury line, he sells basketball sneakers for $14 sneakers (which can also buy you 3 pieces of lettuce at the U.S. Open). He claims he wore the shoes himself last season (check this review of them), and he apparently only gets paid on sales of the shoe, not to endorse it. This year, he's giving every high school varsity (no JV?) basketball player in NYC their own pair of Starbury sneakers. He even came out in support of Michael Vick (and backpedaled a bit). Perhaps a little conceited, or as this commenter states:

Stephon Marbury is a "five letter" word who is affectionately known in my "hood" as STEPHANY!!! (No disrespect intended to anyone named Stephany.) His act has never changed from Minnesota ("I deserve Garnett Money") to Jersey ("I'm all alone") to Phoenix (send him back) to New York ("I'm the greatest pg eva"). He's a "me" first point guard whose role should be reduced to Ball Boy! (No disrespect to any ball boys out there.) He'd be overpaid at that position as well, but at least he'd get his touches in every night and we wouldn't have to see him pouting on the the bench like the "five letter" word he's shown himself to be. His speed & agility would be better suited for getting Gatorade & towels for the real stars of this TEAM. The season is young but i think I.T.'s got something here. It's called a TEAM. Don't let Stephany ruin the start of something pretty good.

So he's not the most humble guy, nor maybe the most sane, but he is one of the most generous. In everything. Including giving TMI ("too much information"):

Nervous Knicks star Stephon Marbury took the stand today in the explosive $10 million sex-harassment suit that's rocking the Garden and admitted he lured one of the female accuser's subordinates into his car.

Marbury did not say explicitly they had sex as they sat parked outside a Manhattan strip joint, as fired Knick exec Anucha Browne Sanders has claimed.

"We got together right across the street," Marbury testified in Manhattan Federal court.

So he played a little chess in the car with interns. What's the big deal? Browne Sanders (I keep wanting to write "Brown Simpson") says that the subordinate, a college intern, told her that she had sex with Marbury because she felt like she had to. I don't really see what this has to do with whether Brown Sanders was sexually harassed by Isiah, and apparently neither did the judge, because he ceased all questioning with respect to his encounter(s). Then, in a stunning display of honesty:

Marbury admitted calling Browne Sanders a "b*tch" after she refused to give him more game tickets for his friends and family.

I have no words for this. I'm all for being honest, but gee whiz. After his testimony, he apparently went off laughing and singing to no one in particular, making fun of reporters . . . and still took the time to make a pitch for his new shoes. Hey, at least they're cheap.

Now I will say that I'm a little bit worried about Browne Sanders' case if the first person she put on the stand is Stephon Marbury. After all, he admitted that he thought this lawsuit was a joke when he heard about it. I am guessing that not even her attorney knew exactly what this guy was going to say. Maybe the point was to show that the Knicks organization is full of boorish men. But, unfortunately, just because your employers call you a b*tch doesn't mean you were sexually harassed, and being a general a**hole isn't illegal. But they do need to explain why they fired her if she kept receiving bonuses and raises.

Can't wait to see who's up for Day 3!