True National Champions

Sports Round-Up, Volume 9

2010-01-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

Only the Raiders: Apparently, Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis has been interviewing potential head coaching candidates in the last two weeks, in case he decides to fire Tom Cable. If that seems backwards to you, that's because it is -- unless you remember we're talking about Al Davis. This is actually right up the Raiders' alley, though I gotta wonder ... if Davis is interviewing new candidates, hasn't he already made up his mind?

Not the Same: Some might ask how the situation in Oakland differs from that in Washington, where Redskins owner Daniel Snyder was talking to Mike Shanahan before Jim Zorn's firing. The situations are different because Zorn's dismissal was inevitable from the moment he had the play-calling duties stripped from him during the season. Cable suffered no such embarrassment, and quarterback JaMarcus Russell aside, there were signs that the Raiders might be on their way to respectability. Zorn never stood a chance; Cable did.

Journalism 101: In reporting a rumor that Tiger Woods has entered a sex rehab clinic in Mississippi on Tuesday, ESPN added the disclaimer that it "independently has not been able to confirm that Woods is at the clinic." I realize journalism has changed of late, but I remember learning in college that you never go with a story without either a) two trusted sources, or b) confirming with a source another outlet's report. If ESPN can't verify the report on its own, why is it reporting on it?

Shaq's on to Something: In light of LeBron James announcing he wouldn't compete in the NBA Slam Dunk contest -- despite claiming last season that he would -- teammate Shaquille O'Neal offered the following suggestion on Tuesday: get LeBron, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter and one other big-name NBA star to compete in the dunk contest, with half of the prize money going to Haiti relief efforts and the other half going to the winner. Not only would the cause be immensely important -- especially in light on a 5.9 magnitude aftershock on Wednesday -- but imagine those stars dunking against each other. The dunk contest is in serious need of an infusion of energy, and this would provide just that.

Kiffin a Sleazy Turncoat

2010-01-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

Before I get into the bulk of this post, I feel I should acknowledge that I understand how big-time college sports -- football specifically -- work. I understand that coaches rarely work through the duration of their contract, either because they get fired or leave for a better job or what not. I also understand that recruits sometimes have to decide whether to stand by their commitment when the coach who sold them on the program bolts to another school.

Really, I get that. I understand how it works.

But still ... is there a sleazeball in college sports bigger than Lane Kiffin today? After one season -- and a myriad of promises -- at Tennessee, Kiffin is on his way back to the University of Southern California, where he will replace Pete Carroll after the latter decided to give the NFL another try with the Seattle Seahawks.

I have no problem with Carroll leaving; he gave USC nine glorious years, bringing the program back from irrelevancy to win seven Pac-10 titles, two national championships and turning the Trojans into a bonafide NFL factory. Kiffin was part of that fun, serving as offensive coordinator from 2001-06 before becoming the head coach of the Oakland Raiders.

What's more, Carroll waited until the season was over, and he was honest the whole way. There's a right way to leave one job for another, and there's a wrong way. Carroll left USC the right way; Bobby Petrino left the Atlanta Falcons two years ago the wrong way, bolting before his first season was even over. Nick Saban left the Miami Dolphins a couple years ago the wrong way, running to Alabama after two years in Miami -- and weeks of insisting that he would not be the coach at Alabama.

But Kiffin sets the new standard for screwing over a program. When Kiffin was hired by Tennessee in December 2008, he immediately embraced Volunteer traditions -- so much so, he promised to sing "Rocky Top" all night long after Tennessee beat Florida.

Florida beat Tennessee this past season 23-13.

Kiffin's energetic style and brash personality won over boosters and recruits -- if not necessarily in accordance with NCAA regulations -- and he made it known to anyone who would listen that he would eventually lead the Volunteers back to national prominence; a point he reiterated even after Tennessee lost the Chik-fil-A Bowl to Virginia Tech last month. Kiffin's whole tenure at Tennessee, sickeningly brief as it was, was predicated on the belief that he would be the man to return the Volunteers to the upper echelon of big-time college football.

Everyone at Tennessee ate it up, the passion of the SEC combining with the frustration of watching Florida and Alabama pass the Volunteers by leading the fan base to think Kiffin was going to do the things he said he would do.

But how does Kiffin expect to return Tennessee to national prominence from USC?

To be fair, Kiffin was a really good salesman -- so much so, recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron was reportedly on the phone with Tennessee commits while Kiffin was announcing his departure Tuesday night offering them scholarships to USC. Which is the whole problem; how can Kiffin look a recruit and his parents in the eye and talk about commitment and loyalty when he bolted Tennessee the second a better job opened up?

I don't blame USC for going after Kiffin; the Trojans needed a new coach, their first few choices passed on the opening and the school thought hiring someone who had been successful within the program in the past was a good way to go. The problem lies with Kiffin -- and every other college coach who thinks loyalty is just a buzzword to feed his players and not something he actually has to practice.

It says something that Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summit, one of the classiest and nicest people you'll ever meet, went on Mike & Mike in the Morning on Wednesday and expressed her own disappointment and outrage with regards to Kiffin's decision.

This isn't simply a case of leaving one job for another -- that happens all the time, in every facet of life. Kiffin made a commitment to the University of Tennessee, and he broke that commitment before the ink on the contract had a chance to dry. Considering everything surrounding Kiffin in the past year -- between the NCAA violations and this latest betrayal -- maybe Raiders owner Al Davis was right in firing him for cause.

When Al Davis is right, you know there's something horribly, horribly wrong.

UPDATE: An interesting -- and scathing -- opinion from Tennessee grad and ESPN.com national columnist Gene Wojciechowski can be found here. Give it a read.

McGwire Admits Roid Use; Does It Matter?

2010-01-12T11:12:00.000-08:00

Mark McGwire's admission to steroid use on Monday -- both to the Associated Press and to MLB Network's Bob Costas -- was neither shocking nor particularly revealing. It was widely assumed after McGwire's testimony before Congress in March 2005 that he had used; not just because he essentially pleaded the Fifth, but because his frame was nowhere near as bulking as it had been during the prime of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Which makes one wonder: why is it such a big deal?

If we all pretty much assumed McGwire used, then why are we foaming so readily at our collective mouths over his admission? There was no way McGwire could return to baseball as the Cardinals' hitting coach without talking about his past at some point, so Monday's story was largely inevitable. This wasn't a bombshell by any means -- not like it would've been had, say, Ken Griffey Jr. called a press conference to admit steroid use.

McGwire is on the Mount Rushmore of the Steroids Era, right there with Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and take your pick between Alex Rodriguez, Jose Canseco and Rafael Palmeiro. All he did on Monday was say what most people around the sport already knew. McGwire's admission is nothing more than a needless footnote in one of baseball's most sordid eras.

Not that McGwire's admission was completely pointless -- I will never discount someone unburdening themselves of a truckload of guilt. There's no doubt that McGwire is freer today than he was before Monday -- just like Rodriguez was a freer, more relaxed person after he admitted to Peter Gammons last February that he juiced.

Rodriguez went on to help the Yankees win the World Series. Something tells me McGwire's going to live a better, less stressful life now that he's unloaded everything. And that's not nothing.

But in terms of baseball, how McGwire's admission affects the game as it attempts to rebound from the "Steroid Era," that's more abstract. I don't care about the logical inconsistencies of McGwire's admission, nor do I really care when he did or didn't use. He used, and he (eventually) fessed up to it -- as much as we might want to go back in time and re-write the record books, this is really the best we can do.

McGwire hit 70 home runs in 1998, which at the time was the single-season home run record. Purists may want the record, now Bonds' at 73, returned to Roger Maris -- who hit 61 in 1961. But that's a slippery slope; if you erase the records of McGwire and Bonds, then why not erase records set by everyone during this era? Without everyone who ever used doing like McGwire and fessing up -- or some foolproof scientific way to see who used and who didn't emerges -- how do we separate the users from the non-users?

It's the same concept with the Hall of Fame; if voters really want to keep out all steroid users, they might have to keep out everyone from the era -- which would eliminate players like Griffey. Again, how can we tell definitively who did and didn't use?

Ultimately, I don't see Monday's admission propelling McGwire to the Hall of Fame -- and I don't think he really cares. Aside from the personal relief McGwire feels now that he's finally admitted his past deeds, I can't really see how this affects baseball. The Steroids Era still happened; there are still players, current and former, who benefited from it who may never be caught. Major League Baseball has steroid testing now, but the policy is filled with loopholes and there's no test for human growth hormone -- arguably the drug of choice for athletes now.

Fact is, scientists who create these performance-enhancing drugs will always be one step ahead of the leagues and agencies tasked with finding and eliminating said drugs. The Steroid Era might soon pass, but it will only be replaced by the latest, strongest designer PED. The sooner we realize we will never again live in that utopic society where every athlete is completely clean, the better off we'll all be.

Sports Round-Up, Volume 8

2010-01-06T12:32:00.001-08:00

Hail to the (New) Chief: As expected, former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan was named Wednesday as the next head coach of the Washington Redskins, the seventh head coach hired during Daniel Snyder's tenure as owner. On the surface, the move looks good; Shanahan won a pair of Super Bowls at the end of John Elway's Hall of Fame career, but Shanahan only won one playoff game since Elways' retirement. Can Shanahan -- along with new general manager Bruce Allen -- be the guy to bring stability to a franchise that hasn't tasted glory since 1991? If Snyder backs off and lets Allen and Shanahan do their jobs, there's a good chance the Redskins could return to NFL relevance. But with questions on the offensive line, in the secondary and at quarterback, it's going to be a while before we see whether the hiring of Shanahan was a home run or a foul tip.

The Best -- But Still Not Good Enough: For the second time in four years, the Boise State football team won every game on its schedule -- including impressive wins over Pac-10 champion Oregon and in the Fiesta Bowl over No. 4 TCU. What will the Broncos get for their efforts? Thanks to the BCS, probably nothing more than a pat on the head. Never mind the fact that Boise State will end the year as one of just two undefeated teams in FBS, and never mind the fact that the Broncos can't really help how strong their conference -- the WAC -- is. Boise State might just enter next season in the Top 5 in the AP poll, which could position the Broncos for a national championship run should they go undefeated again, but at what point do we stop treating Boise State like they're sitting at the kids' table and realize they can play with anyone in the country?

Big Unit Hangs 'Em Up: Whether we ever see another 300-game winner in baseball doesn't really matter; all that matters now is that the latest pitcher to reach that milestone -- lefty Randy Johnson -- announced his retirement on Tuesday. His career took him to Montreal, Seattle, Houston, Arizona, New York and San Francisco, during which time Johnson won 303 games, wound up second all-time in strikeouts with over 4,800, won five Cy Young Awards and was Co-MVP of the 2001 World Series. Throw in two no-hitters -- and one perfect game -- and you have one of the best left-handed pitchers ever. From his 6-foot-10 frame to his mullet to that stare to his killer slider, Johnson is a surefire Hall of Famer. Just don't expect John Kruk to come to his induction ceremony.

Sports Round-Up, Volume 7

2009-12-21T08:56:00.000-08:00

You Think They'd Learn: While Georgetown plays most of his home basketball games at the Verizon Center, the Hoyas play one game a year at the tiny McDonough Arena -- usually against a team Georgetown thinks it can handily defeat. In 2006, Georgetown played Old Dominion in McDonough Arena -- and the Monarchs, who admitted they took the scheduling personally, walked away with a convincing win. This past Saturday, ODU and Georgetown, the No. 11 team in the country, met in McDonough again, and again ODU came away with the victory. ODU, the preseason favorite in the Colonial Athletic Association (and, in the interest of full disclosure, my alma mater), is 3-0 all-time against Georgetown at McDonough, which makes me wonder ... when do the Hoyas stop scheduling the Monarchs there?

NFL -- No Heart League: Had Chad OchoCinco decided to wear the No. 15 in Sunday's loss at San Diego to honor his fallen friend and teammate Chris Henry, the NFL would've fined him for breaking its uniform policy. Far be it for me to be an OchoCinco apologist, but in this instance, I would've been firmly in his corner. I understand the NFL has rules, and its strict adherance to those rules plays some part in the league's success, but to fine OchoCinco for honoring his late friend? Could the NFL have really been that cold and heartless? Thankfully, we didn't have to find out. Even though the Bengals lost after a rough week, I'd like to think their collective effort honored Henry just fine.

Time to Panic?: Are the Minnesota Vikings getting bored in the lead-up to the playoffs, or are they actually regressing? After having their butts handed to them by the Arizona Cardinals three weeks back, the Vikings never got going in Sunday night's loss at Carolina. With two losses in their last three games, the Vikings don't seem to be in the running anymore for the NFC's top seed -- and if they're not careful, they might lose the No. 2 seed to the Eagles. Minnesota obviously misses E.J. Henderson -- who broke his leg against Arizona -- on defense, and there's something missing on offense. Brett Favre looks pedestrian again -- and he's fighting with coach Brad Childress -- and Adrian Peterson rushed for 19 yards against Arizona and 32 against Carolina. Panic time in Minnesota? Not sure, but Vikings fans might want to have their fingers on the panic button, just in case.

My Tiger Thought: I don't really care what Tiger Woods did or didn't do; he never really marketed himself as a stellar family guy. He marketed himself as the world's best golfer, which he was and is. The reports of his flings just bore me, and I don't need an apology from him. He doesn't need to grovel at my feet, nor those of the fans or the media. Woods has just one person to answer to -- his wife -- and she's apparently going to respond with a divorce filing. That's as far as this thing should go, but with our media the way it is these days, with the TMZs and New York Posts of the world, we take entirely too much pride in tearing down someone we put on the highest of pedestals. Guess what? Tiger's human, and he's just as capable of huge blunders and mistakes the same way we are. Please, back off ... I'd rather hear more Brett Favre retirement talk.

Redskins Musings

2009-12-18T17:17:00.000-08:00

When Jim Zorn was stripped of his play-calling duties earlier this season, it was expected that he would be fired at the end of the season -- if not sooner. When former Vice President of Football Operations Vinny Cerrato mentioned on his radio show that Zorn would not get the axe during the season, it was pretty much assumed he'd be gone once the Redskins' campaign mercifully ended.

The only question was: who would take his place? Owner Daniel Snyder would theoretically find it hard to resist the big-name hire, and there are plenty of big names out there. Bill Cowher ... Mike Shanahan ... Mike Holmgren ... Jon Gruden ... Tony Dungy.

Reports Friday suggested Shanahan might be the guy Snyder wants, which makes sense when compared to the other names I mentioned. Cowher apparently loves his gig with CBS; Gruden likewise with Monday Night Football (so much so, he signed a contract extension last month). Holmgren is in deep talks with the Cleveland Browns, and Dungy seems to be at peace with his role as NBC analyst and mentor for troubled athletes.

But would Shanahan be the right fit in Washington? If Snyder lets him and new general manager Bruce Allen do their jobs, it just might. Don't forget, Shanahan's got a pair of Super Bowl rings -- and he won them a lot more recently than the Redskins won their last Lombardi Trophy. Allen is a well-respected figure throughout the NFL, having found success with the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

His associations with Gruden make those rumors tempting, but I'm not sure ESPN would let Gruden go that easily after getting him to ink a longer TV deal.

Allen has a reputation of building teams through the draft -- something the Redskins have done little of under the collective direction of Snyder and Cerrato. A team can't rely on free agency to win in the NFL, the way a team can in baseball or even the NBA. In the NFL, the draft is king; the teams that draft best are the ones who are always making the playoffs and contending for Super Bowls.

If Snyder understands that, and will give Allen and Shanahan free reign, then this might return Washington to NFL prominence. A franchise with the Redskins' history deserves better than the decade of mediocrity they've suffered through, and fans are rightfully excited about the potential Allen's hiring represents.

If Shanahan comes on-board too, then that excitement will only increase. But it all comes down to winning games; if the on-field results don't change, that enthusiasm will revert back to the same frustration and apathy that's permeating the Redskins culture now.

Here's hoping Allen works out ... and Shanahan joins the party.

Sports Round-Up, Volume 6

2009-06-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Dead Coach Walking?: You cannot be serious. Are the Cleveland Cavaliers really thinking of firing Mike Brown, the reigning NBA Coach of the Year? Seriously?! I mean, I guess I can see where fans would be upset over Cleveland losing in the Eastern Conference Finals to Orlando, but let's face it ... the Magic were the better team in that series. Besides, if I'm Cleveland, I ask what LeBron James thinks before I do anything. If he wants Brown to stay, and Cleveland fires him, that might just give James more incentive to leave when his contract's up.

Feel-Good Story: How great would it be if Phil Mickelson finally won the U.S. Open next weekend at Bethpage Black? Mickelson winning the tournament would be a feel-good story by itself, considering how many close calls he's had, but add in his wife Amy's battle with breast cancer and we would have probably the only U.S. Open story that could trump Tiger Woods winning in a playoff last year on one leg. To be perfectly honest, I hope it happens. I think everyone would love that story.

Looks Guilty: Is it just me, or does Tim Floyd's resignation as basketball coach at USC look like an admission of guilt? The NCAA is investigating a charge that someone affiliated with the school (maybe Floyd himself) paid O.J. Mayo to attend the school for a year before heading to the NBA. Personally, the NBA is culpable as well; without that asanine rule where high school graduates have to wait a year before declaring for the draft, we probably don't have scandals like this one and the one facing Memphis.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: The Philadelphia Eagles gave quarterback Donovan McNabb a raise on Friday, giving McNabb a raise rather than an extension. Still, the raise pretty much solidifies McNabb as the team's quarterback, and if Brian Westbrook can get healthy before the start of the season, the Eagles could be dangerous. McNabb has inexplicably never been truly embraced in Philly, and after five NFC Championship Game appearances in eight years, it's nice to see someone in Philly show this guy some love ...

Stuck in New England: So the Yankees are apparently 0-8 against the Boston Red Sox so far this season. We gonna find a way to blame A-Rod for this, too? Or are we rightfully going to point the finger at the pitching? I'm sorry, but A-Rod can't help the fact that Chin Ming-Wang's ERA is hovering around the legal drinking age. He's also not the one coming onto the mound in the late innings with a book of matches and a can of lighter fluid.

Sports Round-Up, Volume 5

2009-06-03T08:21:00.000-07:00

Set an Example: That suspended Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez is receiving votes for the All-Star Game just proves fans don't care about performance-enhancing drugs nearly as much as the media and baseball purists. Still, Ramirez actually being at the game would create a media circus and would take away from the midsummer celebration that is the All-Star Game. ManRam should, and probably will, bow out if he's selected, which would be best for everyone involved.

Cleveland Doesn't Rock: First, LeBron James and the Cavaliers are bounced from the NBA playoffs by the Orlando Magic, then the Indians and Yankees face Night of the Gnats, Part II, with a special cameo from a flock of seagulls. What is going on in that city? Oh, well, it could be worse; they could be the Natinals.

LeBron's Speech Impediment: While I think everyone's making far too big a deal over LeBron James not shaking hands or speaking to the media after Cleveland's Game 6 Eastern Conference Finals loss to Orlando, he does deserve some criticism. Poor sportsmanship does no one any favors, and really, what makes LeBron's actions so different from those of Kyle Busch when he gets out of his car and refuses to talk to the media if things don't go his way? I like LeBron, but if he keeps showing such immaturity, the NBA's Golden Child might need to come along with a pacifier.

Rose is Just a Rose: Don't blame Derrick Rose if the allegations that he had someone else take his SAT before going to Memphis are true. If it weren't for the NBA and commissioner David Stern's asanine wait-a-year-after-high-school-to-enter-the-draft rule, such a thing might've never occurred. The NBA's age-limit rule only feeds into the hypocrisy and and indignation inherent within the NCAA, and it just proves how flawed that rule is.

VY: While I have no problem with Vince Young telling a Baltimore TV station on Tuesday that he might want to look elsewhere if he can't win back his starting job with the Tennessee Titans, making such sentiments public won't help his cause. The best way to get back into the locker room's good graces is to keep your mouth shut and work your butt off; talking about trades will only make you look like a prima donna, and leave your agent to release statements the next day trying to do damage control.

Shaqtastic: Who do you think Shaquille O'Neal is rooting for in the NBA Finals? The teammate and coach in Los Angeles he can't resist taking shots at, or the coach he called "The Master of Panic" and an Orlando team O'Neal never won a ring with? Either way, I think the Big Aristotle might be getting a phone call once the series is over asking how his *** tastes.

Vick's NFL Future -- Revisited

2009-05-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

I realize on Tuesday I wrote that former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick deserved a second chance in the NFL once his prison sentence officially ended in July (he was released from prison into home confinement on Wednesday). But the more I think about Vick's situation, and the opinions on both sides of the argument, I'm not so sure.

I'm still of the mindset that everyone deserves a second chance after paying their debt to society. Whether you agree with his sentence or believe it should've been stricter, the fact remains that come July, Vick will be a free man in the eyes of America's justice system. While that means certain rights will forever be lost to him -- like the right to vote -- his right to earn a living will never go away.

So by that logic, the law cannot keep Vick out of the NFL. Commissioner Roger Goodell can, though, and he would be well within his rights if he decided to slap a lifetime ban on the former Virginia Tech star. The NFL is a private corporation, and Goodell issuing a lifetime ban would be no different than your boss firing you after you were convicted of a felony.

In some regard, a lifetime ban from the NFL would hold more weight, since the league is so high-profile and its athletes are often seen a role models. It's one thing if Joe the Plumber served two years for a drug charge, then came back and got a job building houses and apartment buildings. It's another thing entirely when a multimillionaire athlete goes to jail for two years, only to return to the fields and national TV broadcasts for everyone to see.

Whether people like Charles Barkley like it or not, professional athletes are role models. Children look up to athletes, quarterbacks in particular, and that would raise a serious moral dilemma should Goodell reinstate Vick. Would you want your child rooting for a convicted felon?

Then again, this would provide a wonderful opportunity for parents to step in and teach their children about consequences. Use Vick as an example of someone who committed a horrible act, broke the law and paid the price for it. If Vick returns to the league a new man, use that as a chance to tell your child about a person's quest for redemption and teach them the values relevant therein.

There are those who believe that while Vick is entitled to earn a living once he completes his sentence, he should do so out of the public eye. Vick will be working a $10-an-hour construction job during his two months in home confinement, and there are those who would like to see that become his permanent occupation once he's a free man. It's a fair argument, because they're not denying Vick his right to earn a living at all.

If I had to guess, I'd posit that Goodell might suspend Vick for the entire 2009 season (Vick's suspension is currently indefinite), while gauging Vick's words and deeds over that time. If Goodell deems Vick is remorseful and on a redemptive path, only then would be lift the suspension and make the quarterback eligible in 2010. Then the Falcons would have to release him before another team would take a chance in signing him.

And it would be a chance, one I'm guessing most teams won't be willing to take.

There's also the reality that even once Vick's legal penance is paid, he'll still be paying a price. Say Vick returns to the NFL and a team signs him; the public relations backlash won't affect just the team in question. A large portion of the venom and criticism will be directed at Vick. Every time his team goes on the road, the fans will let him hear it. PETA and other animal rights groups will continue to protest Vick everywhere he goes, and no matter what Vick does from this day forward, he will likely face the reality of his atrocities everywhere he looks.

If Vick truly does commit himself to being reformed, that will carry with it a certain amount of guilt and emotional baggage. Whether he finds solace in faith or another avenue, the reality of what he and his friends did to those dogs will live with him forever, regardless of whether or not he plays in the NFL. If Vick has any sort of conscience, he'll probably spend some sleepless nights reliving his atrocities.

If Vick winds up working outside of the NFL, his crime will stare him in the face every time he applies for a new job. Job applications ask if a prospective employee is a convicted felon, and if so, offers the applicant a chance to explain the situation. If Vick finds himself filling out job applications like a regular person, he'll face that reality over and over again.

That in itself is a hefty punishment. The law might consider Vick a free man in a few months, but he'll never be free of himself.

Sports Round-Up, Volume 4

2009-05-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

Second Chance: Though PETA and others in society would love to see Michael Vick rot in anonymity for the rest of his life, even once his debt to society has been paid, the fact remains -- he deserves a second chance. That's just how this country works; most people will be given a second chance once they've served their punishment. Once his sentence is over in July, Vick will deserve the same chance. What he did was grotesque, but as long as he doesn't screw up again, why deny the man his right to earn a living doing what he loves?

Just Wait: If you think the Brett Favre coverage over the past two years has been bad, just wait until Vick is released from prison. Then wait for when his home-confinement period is over. Then wait for commissioner Roger Goodell to reinstate him. The media circus will probably make Favre jealous -- and lead him to retire and unretire once more. God help us if Vick starts making Wrangler commercials.

Chuckie: Jon Gruden will replace Tony Kornheiser in the Monday Night Football booth this season, joining Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski. Kornheiser's departure will please fans, who almost universally hated him on MNF (despite loving him on Pardon the Interruption), but I have to wonder -- why pair Gruden, a quarterback addict, with a former signalcaller like Jaworski? Five bucks says Gruden will try to sign Jaworski to the Tampa Bay Bucs in the preseason.

All Over: Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals have been eliminated from the NHL playoffs. Feel free to go back to not caring about hockey. On a brighter note, though, both Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are still playing. And the way the NBA playoffs have been the past month or so, fans looking for fights probably won't miss much, even without hockey.

T.O. in Buffalo: Somewhere, Tim Russert is rolling over in his grave.

Yard of Bricks: Remember when the Indianapolis 500 used to mean something? Sure, it's still a month-long spectacle and a big deal in IndyCar ranks, but when was the last time the general American sports fan cared? My guess: it was before 1995, when a fued led to the split of open-wheel racing, forming IRL and CART. American open-wheel racing hasn't been the same, and nothing short of a Danica Patrick win will drum up interest. There's a reason the IRL called Versus home now.

Sports Round-Up, Volume 3

2009-05-07T08:53:00.001-07:00

Farve Away: Here we go again -- the annual story of "Will Brett Favre or Won't He?" I could really care less what he does -- to me, he will always be a Packer, like Michael Jordan was a Bull even after his stint in Washington -- but one question still bugs me: if Favre does come back, will John Madden come out of retirement, too?

No Shock: According to a report by The Los Angeles Times and on ESPN.com, Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez will face a 50-game suspension after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Ramirez has escaped much of the scrutiny of the Steroid Era to this point, and has helped his team to a league-best 20-8 record so far this season. The impact on the Dodgers aside, who here's surprised? If you raised your hand, you are dangerously naive.

Simple Solution: Heading into this weekend's Players' Championship at the TPC at Sawgrass, I've heard the same question time and time again: "What's wrong with Tiger Woods?" Obviously referencing the fact that Woods has only won once since his return from knee surgery, and last week faded down the stretch in Charlotte, I think everyone's missing one very important fact: if you don't make putts, you won't win golf tournaments. Everybody breathe; Tiger's going to be just fine.

No-Brainer: The New Orleans Hornets are expected to keep head coach Byron Scott, despite his team getting blasted out of the first round of the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks. This year's playoff showing aside, the move makes sense. Scott made the Hornets relevant again, and even though the team has one of the game's best stars in Chris Paul, it doesn't work without Scott pulling the strings. I'm glad management chose to stay the course rather than give in to a knee-jerk reaction.

Shame: It's too bad Sidney Crosby plays for an Eastern Conference team; if he were out west, how great would a potential Stanley Cup Finals match-up with Alex Ovechkin be? Gary Bettman would love that, I bet, and I'm sure a lot of people who don't necessarily follow hockey would, too. Their rivalry is what the NHL needs right now; if the league could get off Versus and onto a channel people actually get, that would be even better.

Deja Vu ... Kinda: I have to admit, Ron Artest going into the stands in the first round against Utah was pretty funny -- but not as funny as his post-game reactions. It's nice to see he's able to joke about one of his darkest moments as a player -- and indeed, one of the league's darkest moments -- even if no one if Detroit was laughing. It shows Artest has moved on, which is nice. Kobe Bryant should be a bigger concern right now anyway.

Say it Ain't So, Joe: You think Yankee fans miss Joe Torre? In 12 years with the Yankees, Torre took them to 12 straight playoff appearances and four World Series titles. Then the Steinbrenners run him out of town, and Torre winds up with Dodgers, where he had them close to the World Series last year and appears to have the best team in the National League this season (well, before ManRam's suspension). The Dodgers will likely still make the playoffs in the weak NL West, while the Yankees missed the playoffs last season and are toiling around .500 with a bad rotation and a Little League ballpark. I can't help but think the Yankees have the wrong Joe.

Priorities: What is Congress doing holding hearings about the flawed BCS system in college football? I'm as big a BCS hater as there is -- I still consider Utah the true national champion -- but don't the cronies in Washington have more important things to worry about? Like, say ... the economy? What about the budget and the banks and the automakers who are in trouble? I'm not saying the BCS should stay, but it's not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things.

Sports Round-Up, Volume 2

2009-04-30T07:48:00.000-07:00

Consistency, Please: How can Dwight Howard be suspended a game for the elbow he landed Tuesday night against the 76ers, while Rajon Rondo's foul on Brad Miller in the Celtics-Bulls series didn't merit a similar penalty? And while I'm at it ... how can you suspend a guy who the refs didn't even toss from the game? Yet another reason I'm not an NBA fan ...

Drafty In Here: To give teams grades on the performance in last weekend's NFL Draft at this point is ludicrous. We don't know who will or won't be successful in the NFL, and probably won't for a couple years now. Do we really need Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. to tell us how each team did before we even hit rookie minicamps? Don't they need to sleep at some point?

Bailout!: How do you think all those automakers in Detroit who lost their jobs feel about No. 1 overall draft pick Matthew Stafford getting $41 million guaranteed from the Lions before he's even played a down in the NFL? In this economy, that just seems wrong -- especially in a city hit as hard as Detroit. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.

Duh: According to a book coming out next month from Sports Illustrated writer Selena Roberts, Alex Rodriguez's steroid and HGH use extended to his high school days and when he was with the Yankees -- which contradicts Rodriguez's claim he only juiced when he played for the Texas Rangers. Am I the only one not surprised by this, or are we all numb to this performance-enhancing thing by now?

Less Expensive: The New York Yankees have lowered ticket prices on some of the more expensive seats in the new Yankee Stadium. Now, instead of the most expensive tickets going for $2,600, they're going for $1,250. So instead of paying an arm and a leg to see the Yankees play, you'll only need to bring your arm.

Huh?: The best pitcher in the bigs right now is Zack Greinke, who is 5-0 with a 0.50 ERA so far this season. That's not the part that makes my heart hurt, though; that honor goes to the fact that Greinke pitches for the Kansas City Royals. I always thought I'd realize it when Hell finally froze over; this really snuck up on me.

I Want Revenge: The horse by that name is the early-line favorite for this Saturday's running of the Kentucky Derby. What that means, I don't know, but I do know the race is over so quickly, some sports fans call the race "The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports." Wonder how many guys can last that long.

Here We Go Again: There are rumblings that Danica Patrick might consider leaving the IndyCar Series after the end of this season to head to NASCAR. Let's look at this for what it is, people; a media darling driver in the final year of her contract with Andretti-Green Racing, trying to broker the best possible deal she can for the coming years. If she has to use the threat of NASCAR to get paid, so be it.

John Madden -- Legend and Pitchman

2009-04-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Say what you want about John Madden, who announced his retirement after over 30 years as a broadcaster on Thursday, but he was successful at everything he did.

As a coach, he won the Super Bowl with the Raiders in 1979. As a broadcaster, Madden called NFL games on all four major networks (CBS, FOX, ABC and NBC) and won 16 Emmy awards. His videogame series in conjunction with EA Sports is among the most successful and highest-selling franchises in the industry -- has been since the early 1990s. Then there's the gluttony of personal endorsements, ranging from Outback Steakhouse to ACE Hardware to "Boom! Tough-actin' Tinactin!"

Oh, and his distinctive voice led to the rise of comedian Frank Caliendo's career, whether Madden liked it or not. How do you think Caliendo feels today? Probably about as good as Madden felt when Brett Favre retired -- both times.

It may be true that Madden lost a bit the last couple years, when he worked with Al Michaels on Monday Night Football and again when NBC began broadcasting Sunday night games. But for so many years, the combination of Madden and play-by-play man Pat Summerall was the standard in the nidustry -- so much so, FOX gave Madden $8 million a year when they took the NFL from CBS in the mid-1990s.

Madden had a style that spoke to the masses, particularly in his prime. He broke down the game in a way that didn't seem condescending; he made football accessible for the masses, which was why everyone loved him so much. Analysts today, for all their knowledge and insight, can't match Madden's obvious love for the game and his ability to connect with the everyday person, the one who will probably never see the inside of an NFL huddle.

His act grew tired in recent years, Madden's insight giving way to statements of the obvious and cheeky sound effects. But his contributions changed the way we watch football on TV, and was a large reason he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. Cris Collinsworth might be a worthy and competent analyst who deserves to share the Sunday Night booth with Al Michaels, but the NFL this year just won't feel the same without Madden.

No analyst -- not Phil Simms, not Ron Jaworski, not Troy Aikman -- can match the knowledge and passion Madden had for the game of football. Even in his later years, that passion was evident, and Madden didn't walk away from broadcasting because he grew tired of it or didn't enjoy it anymore -- he just knew it was time.

I heard a caller on the radio yesterday describe Madden as the "Dick Vitale of the NFL." I can think of no more appropriate description, because both men have been ambassadors for their respective sports for years, and when many sports fans think of those games, they'll more than likely think of those two figures.

Did the death of legendary Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas last week, who like Madden was 73, have anything to do with the decision? Probably. Madden's travel schedule was hectic, since he refused to fly, and he wasn't getting any younger in spite of good health. Madden even skipped a game last season due to travel reasons, and he cited on Thursday the desire to spend time with family, because his five grandchidren were getting old enough to notice when he was gone.

Regardless of any of that, Madden is one of the reasons professional football is where it is today. Whether it's his work in the booth or the fact that an entire generation knows him for a wildly popular videogame, Madden's work practically speaks for itself.

Which for a broadcaster, is all you can ever ask.

Sports Round-Up

2009-03-17T08:22:00.001-07:00

Tell it Like it Is: The University of Virginia can say men's basketball coach Dave Leitao resigned all it wants; when a resignation is forced, just call it a firing and be done with it. The Cavaliers struggled to their worst season since 1967 (10-18, 11th in the Atlantic Coast Conference), and there were apparent rumblings within the athletic department that something had to be done. But just be honest, U.Va. And while we're at it? Forget the Jeff Capel rumors ... you really think he's gonna take a step down like that? You may be in the ACC, Virginia, but you are far from an elite program.

Dancing: Did Memphis deserve a No. 1 seed instead of Connecticut? Probably, but the committee decided to put them in the same bracket and on a crash course for an Elite Eight match-up. If Memphis beats UConn and goes to the Final Four, the Tigers deserved the top seed. If not ... well let's just say the committee covered up their collective butts pretty well on this one.

Another One?!: Last year, the College Basketball Invitational joined the NCAA and NIT tournaments in the college basketball postseason landscape. This year, the CollegeInsider.com Tournament enters the fray, giving us four postseason tournaments. While I appreciate another chance for good teams snubbed by the NCAA and NIT to play another game or two, at what point do we dillute the meaning of postseason basketball? Oh well, at least ODU's still playing ...

End of an Era: I guess it was bound to happen eventually, but this year? The Old Dominion women's basketball team had its streak of 17 consecutive Colonial Athletic Association tournament championships snapped over the weekend when it lost to Drexel in the semifinals. The Lady Monarchs, plagued by injuries all season, had won the CAA every year since joining the league in 1991-92, but the Dragons hoisted the trophy and won the automatic NCAA bid this year. It just won't seem right this year for ODU to not be in the tournament -- only thing worse would be if Tennessee ever missed the Big Dance.

Meh: To me, the World Baseball Classic just isn't that big a deal. Not because Team USA might not make it to the semifinals and the rest of the world seems to be excelling at America's pastime, but ... this is only the second time this tournament's ever been held. Am I really supposed to get excited and hyped for some international competition with little history and even less tradition? Maybe in another 10 years or so, but right now? Give me the Olympics.

What would Tim Russert think?: Terrell Owens is a Buffalo Bill now ... which actually makes a bit of sense. It's only a one-year deal, and T.O. has at least shown he can behave for one year. Not to mention, he gives a poor passing offense some much-needed firepower, and he just might be the final piece Buffalo needs to get over the hump and into the playoffs for the first time since 1999. As of right now, this is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Bills.

Crybaby: Someone needs to tell Jay Cutler to shut up and get over it. So the Broncos entertained the thought of trading their quarterback for Matt Cassell -- big deal! New coach Josh McDaniels loved Cassell in new England last year, where he led the Patriots to an 11-5 record and almost made the playoffs. What did Cutler do? Went 8-8 and lost his last three games as the Broncos gave the AFC West to San Diego. Memo to Cutler: this is the NFL -- this sort of thing happens all the time. Stop whining, focus on getting better, and maybe the Broncos will stop thinking of trying to get rid of you.

Write it Down: Tiger Woods will win The Masters next month. No question.

You can't spell Dallas with T.O.

2009-03-05T07:44:00.000-08:00

The popcorn finally went stale.

According to ESPN.com's Michael Smith, the Dallas Cowboys released wide receiver Terrell Owens Wednesday night, ending a three-year reign in Texas that resulted in as many playoff wins as the team had the decade prior without Owens.

That would be zero, for those of you keeping score at home.

Perhaps the most surprising element in all this isn't the fact that T.O. was cut -- we see moves like this all the time: a team moving an aging veteran with declining skills in the hopes of paying a younger player much less to do the same thing.

No, the real shock in this one is what T.O.'s release says. In short, owner Jerry Jones admitted he'd made a mistake. I'll understand if you need to go back and re-read that last bit. It's a lot to take in ... I can wait, if you'd like.

...

Ready? Good.

Jones has never been one to admit defeat. With deep pockets and an ego to match, Jones thought he could bring the disgruntled wideout from Philadelphia, where T.O. had sucecssfully bitchslapped Donovan McNabb in several ways and whined about wanting a new long-term deal after just one year.

In came Jones to save the day. A massive three-year deal later, Jones and Owens were smiling before a tub of popcorn so large, I'm not sure Jabba the Hutt or Rush Limbaugh could've finished it.

Sure, Owens had some nice moments in Dallas, put up some good numbers. But the Cowboys missed the playoffs last season, and in the two years prior Dallas was bounced from the first round. Head coach Wade Phillips and quarterback Tony Romo perhaps deserve more of the blame for that than Owens -- Phillips is too laid-back to be a head coach, and Romo apparently forgets how to win once all the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone -- but Owens was certainly part of the problem.

Especially last season.

Make no mistake: a disgruntled wide receiver isn't exactly news in the NFL (right, Arizona?). But whereas most other receivers gripe for a few seconds before shutting their yap and ultimately doing what the team needs, T.O. made sure his discontent spread to everyone else; if Owens was unhappy, about half the team's locker room would be as well.

Owens thought Romo relied too heavily on tight end Jason Witten -- which, to an extent, he did down the stretch. Owens reportedly accused -- according to ESPN's Ed Werder, whom I trust -- Romo and Witten of having sleepovers (what is this, 5th grade?!) and devising specific plays for themselves without the rest of the team knowing.

Such discontent, though downplayed by the team publicly, undoubtedly festered in the locker room. Eventually, it probably spread to other players. The ones who didn't side with Owens were left trying to defend Phillips, Romo and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett -- three figures who were becoming scapegoats in the Saga de Owens.

Jones has claimed in recent weeks that locker room chemistry is overrated, which might be true ... if this were baseball. Chemistry is paramount in the NFL, when you've got 53 guys all trying to go after the same goal. If everyone doesn't fall in line, if there's dissention in the ranks, a promising season and all the Super Bowl-caliber talent in the world won't be able to stop the inevitable train wreck.

It was obvious Jones and Phillips went out of their way to make Owens happy, in the process undermining Romo and Garrett. Such politicking will never translate into wins, and maybe the writing was on the wall during the season when the Cowboys traded for Roy Williams from the Lions.

Problem is, Williams didn't exactly light it up in Dallas; in 10 games, he caught just 19 balls for 198 yards. Then again, with Phillips trying to appease Owens, maybe Williams' production will increase in the coming season.

I wouldn't count on it, though.

So where does Owens go from here? It's not like he's swimming in options. Don't look for anyone else in the NFC East to look at him; Philly already went through that drama, the Giants have their own wideout problems (Plaxico Burress) and the Redskins probably don't have any more money to blow in free agency.

The Raiders? Given that team's history of bringing in problem players, it's always a possibility. But Owens is a far worse case than Randy Moss, who's been a model citizen since being traded to the New England Patriots.

If I'm Al Davis, I probably want T.O. But if I'm Tom Cable, or even JaMarcus Russell? In the words of Alaska's governor ... thanks, but no thanks.

Albert Haynes-worth the Money?

2009-02-27T08:27:00.001-08:00

NFL insiders considered defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth the biggest catch of the NFL free agency season, and the Washington Redskins reeled him in Friday morning, signing the former Tennessee Titans standout to a massive contract.

How massive? ESPN's John Clayton says the deal is for seven years and $100 million, though with incentives it could be closer to $115 million. There are reportedly about $41 million in guarantees and over the first 13 months of the deal, Haynesworth is expected to make roughly $32 million.

This after giving corner DeAngelo Hall $54 million over six years -- $22.5 million of which is guaranteed. Think the Redskins are hoping 2010 comes without a salary cap?

(NOTE: As I wrote this, the Redskins released corner Shawn Springs, saving $6 million toward the salary cap. The team also recently restructured the contracts of offensive tackle Chris Samuels and defensive lineman Cornelius Griffin -- and last week they released linebacker Marcus Washington.)

Haynesworth, who led the Titans last season with a career-high 8 1/2 sacks, also had 75 tackles, 22 quarterback pressures, seven tackles for a loss and forced four fumbles. Once known as the guy who stomped on Andre Gourad's head a few years ago, Haynesworth had developed into a dominating presence on the defensive line.

But how will he play out in Washington, a place many a free agent has gone in recent years to see their careers flounder? I'm looking at you, Adam Archuleta and Deion Sanders.

On the one hand, the deal makes a lot of sense for Washington; the Redskins need help on the offensive and defensive lines, and Haynesworth, if he produces even a fraction of what he did a year ago, would provide just that. It could also spell the end of the line for Jason Taylor, who was due to receive $8 million from the Redskins this season.

Taylor's performance suffered in 2008, though that was more because defensive coordinator Greg Blache moved him from the left end where he made a career to the right side. Adjusting to a new position, and injuries, kept Taylor from being productive and unless he restructures his deal, I think the Haynesworth signing singals the end for Taylor in D.C.

There are other issues to consider with Haynesworth. He's missed 22 of 112 career games due to injury. Some have questioned his mindset. Was Haynesworth's 2008 season a product of knowing he was about to be a free agent? Did he play out of his mind just to get a big payday, only to somewhat shut it down after signing on the dotted line?

And though Haynesworth hasn't caused problems since returning from suspension after stomping on Gourad's head, he's shown on occasion to be a bit of a hothead. Is that the sort of mindset the Redskins need? If Haynesworth can produce the way he did in 2008, and give Washington the pass rush it sorely missed last season, it might not matter.

Still, $100 million is a lot of money to commit to someone with just one dominant season. If Haynesworth had been this dominant for three or four consecutive seasons, the signing wouldn't bother me so much. But Haynesworth hasn't done that, and I can't help but wonder if this is going be yet another signing in Washington that looks great in February and March, only to look like a colossal waste come October.

I hope Haynesworth proves me wrong; really, I do. But I'll have to see it before I believe it.

Deserved Hilarity

2009-02-10T14:23:00.000-08:00

From last night's Late Show with David Letterman, the Top 10 Message's Left on Alex Rodriguez's Answering Machine:

10. Hey, it's Mark McGwire. Want to get together this week and not talk about the past?

9. Joe Torre here -- thanks for helping book sales.

8. Could you find a steroid that keeps you from choking in the playoffs?

7. Are you worried this will taint the championships you didn't win?

6. It's Bernie Madoff. Nice try, but I'm still the most hated man in New York.

5. Michael Phelps here. Got any snacks?

4. This is Sammy Sosa. Just pretend you don't speak English.

3. Michael Phelps again. Did I call you, or did you call me?

2. Hey, it's Rod Blagojevich -- I'll say you're innocent if you say I am.

1. It's Madonna. You got a phone number for Jeter?

Surprise Surprise

2009-02-09T21:50:00.000-08:00

I'm not the least bit surprised to find out over the weekend via Sports Illustrated that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, even though he went on the record last year saying he never took any such things.

Let's face it: when it comes to the Steroid Era is baseball, no one is immune to scrutiny.
Sure, we wanted to believe A-Rod was clean, even going so far as to say he would overtake Barry Bonds' mark of 762 career home runs and return pride and glory to the game.

Instead, Rodriguez brought distrust and shame.

To be fair, A-Rod's admission to Peter Gammons in Monday's ESPN interview was a step in the right direction. Recent history had shown that guys who own up to using performance-enhancers fare better in the public eye. Jason Giambi, Andy Pettitte and Brian Roberts are all perfect examples. Each guy, upon being named in a steroids or HGH probe, came out and apologized.

Do we still rail on them? No -- we save our venom for guys like Bonds ("I never knowingly took steroids"), Roger Clemens ("You misremembered"), Mark McGwire ("I'm not here to talk about the past") and Rafael Palmeiro ("I have never taken steroids -- period").

So in that regard, A-Rod deserves kudos.

Still, the revelation proves that no one should be presumed innocent anymore. Even Ken Griffey Jr., a player I've respected since youth, isn't immune to suspicion anymore. I want to believe he's clean, that he played his career and put up Hall of Fame numbers the right way, but until someone actually proves Griffey never juiced, I have my doubts.

Everyone is at fault when it comes to the Steroid Era: the players for taking the drugs; the players' union for fighting so hard against drug testing; Major League Baseball -- specifically commissioner Bud Selig -- for allowing the union to flex its collective muscle in such a manner; the owners and general managers for turning a blind eye to their own players; and the media, for not reporting their suspicions in the height of the game's resurgence.

The union is also to blame for A-Rod's positive test becoming public. Testing in 2003 was for survey purposes only -- the league was testing to see how many players were juicing and to see if a policy in 2004 would be justified. The test was supposed to be anonymous, and the list of names of those who tested positive was supposed to have been destroyed once 2003 tests were complete.

Only that list was never destroyed. Come to think of it ... why were names even on those tests to begin with? If this was supposed to be anonymous, why figure out who juiced? Wasn't the goal simply to see how many?

If I'm one of the other 103 players to test positive in 2003, I'm nervous right now, because what's to stop some intrepid reporter from unearthing their name and dragging it through the mud as well?

A-Rod deserves credit for coming forward, but he also deserves criticism for taking the banned substances in the first place -- regardless of MLB rules at the time, such drugs were still illegal without a doctor's prescription -- just as he deserves criticism for lying to Katie Couric in last year's 60 Minutes interview.

He may not ever face suspension or jail time, but A-Rod has taken a massive PR hit, and 2009 might not be that much fun for him. But by coming clean, if Rodriguez can weather the coming storm (produce on the field, don't test positive for anything else), he might be better off for it in the long run.

He might even still make the Hall of Fame one day. Which is more than McGwire can say.

High on the Pedestal

2009-02-04T07:25:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it’s easy to forget celebrities and athletes are as human as the rest of us. That is especially true of Michael Phelps, who because of his inhuman feats in the pool, some might think he has gills.

But Phelps offered up another reminder over the weekend, when a photo of him inhaling from a marijuana pipe surfaced in the British tabloid News of the World. Phelps did not argue the authenticity of the photo, which was taken at a campus party at the University of South Carolina back in November, and immediately issued an apology.

Not one of those typical, half-assed apologies we normally get from athletes. You know, the whole “I apologize to anyone who was offended” thing. No, Phelps took complete responsibility for his actions, calling what he did “regrettable” and an exercise in “bad judgment.” Say what you will about the youthful immaturity that led him to smoking marijuana in the first place – Phelps demonstrated remarkable maturity in owning up for his mistake.

I’m not condoning marijuana use – mostly because it’s illegal almost everywhere – and I think Phelps should suffer some sort of backlash from this (the Richland County Sheriff’s Office said on Wednesday they’re considering charges, pending an investigation), but in light of his apology, I’m willing to give him another chance. I realize this would be his third strike, since he was busted for DUI following the 2004 Olympics in Athens, but shouldn’t we allow young people to make mistakes and learn from them, even if they were thrust into the public eye after turning every pool in Beijing into their personal playground?

Eight gold medals landed Phelps a lot of money, but they didn’t make him infallible.

Fact is, smoking marijuana isn’t that unusual for a 23-year-old. If Phelps were a typical 23-year-old, this would barely be a blip on the proverbial radar, but given who he is and what he’s accomplished in his athletic career – not to mention the millions of dollars in endorsements he’s raking in – Phelps left typical a long time ago.

In the age of the Internet and cell phone cameras, celebrities and athletes have even less privacy than before; look no further than Arizona Cardinals backup Matt Leinart, who could be seen last offseason entertaining possibly-underage co-eds at keggers with beer bongs and the like. Though the Cardinals never said so, I’m not convinced those parties didn’t contribute to Leinart’s benching in favor of veteran Kurt Warner.

Phelps needs to realize that his fortune and sudden fame make doing most things impossible now – including smoking weed in private. There is no privacy for people like Phelps anymore, and the sooner he realizes that and straightens himself out, the better off everyone will be.

Phelps has said he hopes to compete in London in 2012, but if he doesn’t learn from this the way he promised he would (in the interest of fairness, he said almost the exact same thing after his DUI), he might not be able to compete. The World Anti-Doping Agency and the IOC can’t touch Phelps, since he never tested positive at the site of competition, but if sponsors pull the plug and the law gets a hold of him, that might be a whole different game.

Millions of people, including children, look up to Phelps. This is a chance for them to learn a lesson as well – that our heroes are often as human and mistake-prone as the rest of us, and that athletic prowess is a reason to respect someone, but not a reason to worship.

Though Charles Barkley might argue otherwise, Phelps is a role model. He needs to start acting like one.

Super Sunday

2009-02-01T21:23:00.000-08:00

The Pittsburgh Steelers cemented themselves Sunday night in Tampa as the greatest NFL franchise in the league's history. Don't believe me? Count the Vince Lombardi Trophies.

The Steelers won their NFL-best sixth Sunday night, beating the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 in Super Bowl XLIII. The Cardinals scored 16 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, taking a brief 23-20 lead when Larry Fitzgerald scampered 64 yards into the endzone with 2:37 to play. Their toughness was impressive, and worthy of respect -- but the Steelers proved why they were the Steelers.

Ben Roethlisberger engineered the 17th fourth-quarter comeback drive of his career, marching down the field before hitting Santonio Holmes from six yards out for the winning score with 35 seconds left. Holmes caught four passes on that drive, cementing Super Bowl MVP honors when his toes slid across the red grass before momentum carried him out of bounds.

Then, befitting of the league's No. 1 defense, the Steelers forced a Kurt Warner fumble and recovered for the final play of the game.

The Cardinals, despite two turnovers, didn't lose the game; Pittsburgh just won it. James Harrison's 100-yard interception return for a touchdown at the end of the first half wasn't a mistake by Warner; Harrison made a fantastic play on the football. Fitzgerald had a wonderful game, catching seven balls for 127 yards and two scores.

If Arizona had held on for the win, he might've been MVP.

The Cardinals defense kept Pittsburgh out of the endzone twice when the Steelers had driven into the red zone -- including a stop at the 1-yard line -- forcing field goals rather than touchdowns. If the Steelers score touchdowns in those two instances, there is no Arizona comeback.

Whether the Cardinals were a bad playoff team will likely still be debated -- since they were a 9-7 champion of a bad NFC West and lost three of their last five regular-season games by three touchdowns or more. Arizona's run through Atlanta, Carolina and Philadelphia in the playoffs was impressive, a testament to the leadership of head coach Ken Whisenhunt and the mentality he's installed in the desert.

Simply put, these aren't your father's Arizona Cardinals. Maybe not even your big brother's.

What isn't up for debate is the greatness of head coach Mike Tomlin and this year's Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers had the league's toughest schedule, yet went 13-3 -- beating a very good Baltimore Ravens team twice to win the AFC North. Pittsburgh earned the AFC's second seed, beating San Diego and Baltimore en route to Tampa. The offense might not have been as flashy as New England's a year ago, but the running game combined with Roethlisberger more than did its part, while the defense played hard, physical football on its way to being the league's best, even invoking comparisons to the Steel Curtain.

I can't go that far, but the Super Bowl champion this season is as deserving as any other in recent memory. The best team won the championship this year, and in doing so, the Pittsburgh Steelers, as an organization, can officially call themselves the best of all-time.

Going Bowling

2008-12-08T14:24:00.000-08:00

It seems like we have this argument every year, doesn’t it? An annual rite of passage, trashing the Bowl Championship Series, lamenting Division I-A football’s lack of a playoff system and trying to find something – anything – that would lend credence to an incredibly flawed system.

And after the public unveiling of this year’s BCS bowl games Sunday night, things appear much the same this time around. The National Championship match-up of Florida and Oklahoma was expected, given each team won its conference title game on Saturday, but the controversy still remains with the Sooners because, lest we forget (again), they lost in October to Texas.

The same Texas that gets … Ohio State in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl?! Seriously? The Longhorns are one tackle of Michael Crabtree from an undefeated season, and they get a team from the Big Ten that doesn’t even deserve a BCS bid?

Think about it – Ohio State was clobbered by USC this year before losing to Penn State. Okay, so maybe losing to a pair of Top 3-ranked teams isn’t the best example – but you’re seriously going to take an Ohio State team that struggled against the likes of Ohio and Troy, while banishing Boise State (12-0, dominating the WAC) to the San Diego Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl again TCU?

Tell you what, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that if you put Boise State against Ohio State on a neutral field, Boise State wipes the floor with the Buckeyes. I’m over Texas getting passed over in favor of Oklahoma (that controversy is so last week), but I can’t understand how an undefeated Boise State can get passed over in favor of a two-loss team from the Big Ten.

Then again, it is the BCS.

As for Florida-Oklahoma, it’s an intriguing match-up – certainly better than the blowouts of the last two years. Forget any talk of defense in this game, because these are two of the most dynamic and explosive offenses in all of Division I-A football (I refuse to use the FBS or FCS things – it’s I-A and I-AA). Florida averaged 38.9 points a game this season, while Oklahoma is scoring a staggering 53.1 points per game.

I’ll give you time to read that number again.

The Sooners have scored at least 60 points in each of their last five games, and topped the 50 mark nine times. Oklahoma’s lowest point total this season? The Sooners twice scored “just” 35 points – in that loss to Texas and a win over TCU.

Hello, offense.

Florida’s defense has only given up 13.9 points per game this season, which might just slow down the Sooners – but don’t count on it. This is going to be an old-fashioned shootout, certainly better than the one-sided snoozefests Ohio State took part in each of the last two seasons.

That said, the bowl formula is still woefully inadequate. There are far too many bowl games, and the fact that a team can finish .500 is bowl eligible is seriously worth questioning. Seriously, does Notre Dame really deserve to go to a bowl this year? Sure, it’s the Aloha Bowl against 7-5 Hawaii, but I have a hard time believing a 6-6 team – that lost to 3-9 Syracuse – is worthy of a late December/early January contest.

Then again, if I’m Notre Dame, I take what I can get.

Easy solution: there should be no more than 20 bowl games, and in order to qualify for a bowl, a team has to win at least seven games against I-A competition. I’m tired of seeing I-A teams scheduling I-AA foes to get an easy blowout win, just as I’m tired of seeing 6-6 teams playing bowl games. Ideally, I’d like teams to at least be 8-4, but for the time being 7-5 will be acceptable.

I’d also like to see the soon-to-be President’s idea of an eight-team playoff implemented, but all of this makes far too much sense for college football to actually take it into account. So have fun waiting for Florida-Oklahoma for the next month; I’ll be watching college hoops and gearing up for Daytona.

NFL Week 5 -- and MLB Playoffs

2008-10-08T10:31:00.000-07:00

The fact that the Washington Redskins beat the Philadelphia Eagles 23-17 on Sunday wasn’t the surprising or impressive part – that Washington came back from being down 14-0 to do it was.

Jason Campbell wasn’t spectacular – though he was solid again, passing for 167 yards and again committing no turnovers. Clinton Portis ran all over an Eagles defense that looked gassed at the end, and Antwan Randle-El must’ve had memories of his college days when he lobbed that touchdown pass to Chris Cooley.

More impressively? A defense that held down an offense led by Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook, not to mention the fact Washington pulled this off in Philly. The Redskins have already played their three NFC East road games this year, and sit 2-1 in those contests. While it’s entirely possible for New York, Dallas and Philadelphia to walk out of FedEx Field with a win, the fact that Washington came out of the toughest stretch of its 2008 schedule with a winning record is a good sign.

Also a good sign are the next three games for Washington: home against St. Louis, home against Cleveland and at Detroit. Those three teams have combined for one win so far this season, and it’s entirely possible the Redskins could go into their Monday night contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 7-1 record.

Don’t print out the Super Bowl tickets just yet, but the Redskins won’t the doormat of the NFC East this season.

Other Random NFL Musings

-Where did Aaron Rodgers go? After lighting up the professional football world for the first two weeks, Green Bay’s new quarterback has lost three straight games – including an inexplicable home defeat on Sunday to Atlanta. Add a nagging shoulder injury to the equation, and Cheeseheads everywhere have to be wondering if Ted Thompson made the right move running Brett Favre out of town after all.

-Sure, the Colts are 2-2 right now, but they could easily be 0-4. Houston practically gave that game to the Colts in the final five minutes on Sunday, and there is definitely something wrong in Indy. The team has yet to win in its new building, the offensive line appears to be a large revolving door, and I’m not sure how much more Marvin Harrison has in the tank. Yes, Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy are still there, and Indy might still make the playoffs, but the ship’s starting to take on water.

-It was nice to see Denver finally bring a defense to the game in Sunday’s 16-13 win over Tampa Bay. If the Broncos are hoping to become a serious force in the AFC, they’ll need a defense. I’ll grant that the Buccaneers aren’t the most explosive offensive team in the world, but Bronco fans have to be pleased with the fact that their team managed to hold a team under 20 points. Jay Cutler’s got that offense going; the Broncos need stops to be a legitimate contender.

-Am I the only one noticing that the Titans are a better team without Vince Young? I almost hate to suggest it, but Tennessee is 5-0. Kerry Collins isn’t turning the ball over, Chris Johnson’s proving to be a very good running back and the defense is hitting people upside their collective heads. Even if Young’s healthy, I consider keeping him on the bench, but if I must use the No. 3 overall pick from 2006, I start using that Wildcat offense Miami seems to have mastered.

-All the credit in the world to Detroit Lions coach Rod Marinelli for refusing to quit on his team, in spite of the Lions’ woeful 0-4 start. While Marinelli said he wouldn’t argue if management fired him – the way it did two weeks ago with general manager Matt Millen – Marinelli said the last thing he wanted to do was quit, and that he took the suggestion as a personal insult. I love guys who pledge to stick with it in spite of tough times – any players who fall in line with Marinelli will be better for it in the long run. Former Falcons coach Bobby Petrino could learn a lot from Marinelli.

Then There Were Four

The Dodgers and Phillies will face each other in the National League Championship Series, while the American League Championship Series will have a decidedly AL East feel, with the Red Sox and Rays squaring off. While MLB executives, guys whose entire lives sometimes revolve around television ratings are probably praying for a Dodgers-Red Sox World Series – and the bevy of potential storylines therein – that’s not necessarily a given.

The Phillies haven’t been this far into October since 1993, when Mitch Williams served up the World Series to Joe Carter and the Toronto Blue Jays. But Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and Co. are primed for this trip, though Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers won’t be a tough out. I have a hard time picking against any team managed by Joe Torre, but I think the Phillies have too strong a lineup and a good rotation.

Not to mention, Brad Lidge hasn’t blown a save all year.

As for Red Sox-Rays, I can easily see this going seven games. I can understand why everyone might pick Boston, really I do; the Red Sox have won two of the last four World Series, and they have all this postseason experience and pedigree. But the Rays have shown tremendous grit over the season, winning games when they absolutely had to.

Tampa Bay won the season series 10-8, and it seemed every time the Rays needed to win to hold off the Red Sox, they did. I also like the resolve Tampa Bay showed after losing Game 3 to the White Sox, bouncing back to win Game 4 and take the series. I think this is that rare team that won’t let a lack of experience bother it, so I like Tampa Bay in seven.

So sorry, guys – we won’t see Manny, Nomar Garciaparra and Derek Lowe invading Fenway in Dodger uniforms. No “Manny Being Manny” as the Boston faithful rain down the boos. Phillies-Rays in the World Series, where I like Tampa Bay in six.

Is there a reason for that pick? Not really, but the Rays have been defying reason the whole season.

Did I Pick the Cubs? What, oh, What Was I Thinking?!

2008-10-03T07:40:00.001-07:00

Is it too late to go back on my World Series pick from Wednesday? You know, the one where I said the Tampa Bay Rays would face the Chicago Cubs?

The good news is, I appear to have potentially been somewhat on the nose with the Tampa Bay pick; granted, it was only Game 1 of the ALDS against the White Sox, but the Rays looked intense and ready in a 6-4 win on Thursday. I don't think the White Sox have the pitching and offense to keep up with the Rays, who are virtually unbeateble at Tropicana Field.

But the Cubs? The best team in the National League this season? A team that won 97 games with a high-flying offense and a pitching staff that featured the likes of Rick "Can't Beat Me at Wrigley" Dempster, Carlos "Fireball" Zambrano and Rich "Hey, This is Much Better than Oakland!" Harden. Even Kerry Wood was in on the fun, giving the Cubs a reliable bullpen arm while actually managing to stay off the disabled list ... most of the time.

This looked like the year the Cubs might finally end the Billy Goat Curse. And the Bartman Curse. And the We're-Not-the-White-Sox Curse. After all, if Boston could exorcise its baseball demons in 2004 and the cross-town White Sox could forever banish Shoeless Joe a year later, why couldn't the Cubs finally win that elusive title 100 years after their last?

Because they're the Cubs. Losing is just a way of life for them. And I should've known better when I picked them to go to the World Series. Granted, I didn't forsee Dempster getting smacked around the ivy in Game 1, and I didn't think the Cubs' defense would implode to the tune of four errors in Game 2. But the thing with the Cubs in October is, you're probably better off betting on the unforseen. Conventional wisdom just doesn't work for this team.

So between the Dodgers' 2-0 lead heading back to Los Angeles and the way the Phillies are dispatching of the Brewers -- even knocking C.C. Sabathia out of Game 2 in the fourth inning on Thursday -- it's looking like we may be staring at a Philadelphia-Los Angeles NLCS. And if that's the case, I need to completely re-think my choice.

I find it almost impossible to pick against Joe Torre after the first two games of the Dodgers-Cubs series. This is a man who has made 13 consecutive postseason appearances as a manager, dating back to his Yankee days, and this time Torre did it without a plethora of high-priced free agents. Sure, he had Manny Ramirez tossed into his lap at the trade deadline, but the Dodgers were in NL West contention before then.

But the Phillies have Ryan Howard. And Chase Utley. And Jimmy Rollins. And Cole Hamels. And a rejuvinated Jamie Moyer. And Brad Lidge. Wait ... what was my argument for the Dodgers again?

So, Phillies-Dodgers in the NLCS. I'm gonna go with the Phils in six, mostly because of their rotation and that three-headed monster in the lineup. If Pat Burrell can get his back situated enough to be consistently effective, the Phils' chances of meeting the Rays in the playoffs look that much better.

But if I'm a Cubs fan, there is no longer any such thing as a lovable loser. If the Cubs do in fact finish this specatcular display of choking, there will only be one brand of loser on the North Side of Chicago, and it won't be very lovable. Then again, Cubs fans should take solace in three simple facts:

1) Bartman has absolutely nothing to do with this one.

2) Give it a few more days; the White Sox will likely join you in Chicago playoff futility.

3) The Bears might just give the Packers a run in the NFC North -- assuming Kyle Orton can keep from coughing up the ball. After this postseason, I think Chicago's had enough choking.

NFL Week 4 -- and Baseball Playoffs? Already?

2008-10-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

Pipe Down: Terrell Owens was mad after Sunday's 26-24 loss to the Washington Redskins, Dallas' first loss of the season. Apparently, T.O. didn't get the ball enough, thus explaining why the Cowboys' offense looked so stagnant.

Stagnant being his word, not mine.

But examine the facts: Tony Romo threw T.O.'s way 17 times on Sunday, 15 in the second half. Owens ended the game with seven catches for 71 yards and a touchdown -- and could've had more if not for Washington's secondary hounding him like a lost puppy. That's not even taking into account the two times Dallas gave the ball to T.O. on a sweep.

Marion Barber had eight carries against the Redskins. Owens had a quarter of that, and he's not even a running back.

T.O. had his touches, which was actually part of the problem. Romo and head coach Wade Phillips appeared so set on getting the ball to T.O., they virtually ignored their other playmakers -- specifically Barber, Felix Jones, Jason Witten and Austin Miles. If Dallas had actually bothered to balance its offense and try to keep a depleted Washington defense off-guard, Sunday's game might've been a completely different story.

That said, though, the continued progression of Jason Campbell and head coach Jim Zorn's offense is nothing short of impressive, particularly considering the season-opening egg the Redskins laid against the Giants. If Washington can beat the Eagles this week -- a potentially tall order, given Philadelphia's pass rush -- then notice will be served that the NFC East is a four-team race.

In the meantime, let's just bask in the glory that is the Redskins beating its most hated and historic rival.

Cause: Just when you think Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders couldn't get more ridiculous, Tuesday's firing of Lane Kiffin happened. Kiffin's dismissal wasn't surprising -- Davis had hinted at wanting the young coach gone as early as January -- but the press conference that ensued was nothing short of astounding.

Davis said he fired Kiffin "for cause," and refused to pay Kiffin the remainder of his deal (listen closely enough, and you can hear Kiffin's lawyers already working on fighting that). According to Davis, Kiffin spent his tenure undermining Davis' authority and lying to the media in an effort to curry favor and make the Raiders' management look bad.

Which, trust me, they don't need Kiffin's help for.

Davis even showed the assembled media a letter he said he gave to Kiffin before the start of the season, outlining Kiffin's missteps and threatening termination if it happened again. That letter, with all its misspellings and grammatical inaccuracies, was released to the media and can be found here.

Kiffin, to his credit, was even-keel when asked about things late Tuesday evening, lamenting how disappointed and embarrassed he was. One got the sense he wasn't really bummed about being fired, only that he didn't appreciate the way Davis handled things.

I won't go into how the Raiders won't amount to much of anything so long as Davis is still pulling the strings -- everyone with an internet connection and ESPN can do that -- but Kiffin was actually starting to show signs of improvement. The Raiders are averaging a full touchdown more per game on offense than they did a year ago, and a run-oriented offense designed to take the pressure off JaMarcus Russell has shown signs of working.

Not to mention, with fourth-quarter leads each of the last three weeks, Oakland could easily be 3-1 instead of 1-3.

Here's hoping Kiffin finds another NFL job soon, even if it's as a coordinator. He's a young, bright football mind, and he deserves to be with an organization -- and an owner -- that knows what it's doing.

Playoff Picks: Major League Baseball playoffs start today, and for the first time since I was in middle school, the New York Yankees are nowhere to be found. But look on the bright side, Alex Rodriguez: at least this year no one can criticize you for an October choke job -- unless you have to have the Heimlich performed on you at some point in the next 31 days.

But eight teams are in -- the Rays, Red Sox, Angels and White Sox in the American League; the Phillies, Brewers, Cubs and Dodgers in the National League. While I struggle to find a clear favorite, I'll try my best -- mostly cause I'm bored here at work with nothing to do.

In the AL, it's tempting to pick the Rays. Like, real tempting. Tampa Bay has this knack for winning when it absolutely has to, something the Rays showed repeatedly throughout September, as they battled injuries and the defending World Series champion Red Sox nipped at their heels. There is something to be said for a lack of October playing experience, but this Rays team strikes me as the sort that won't let that bother them.

The Red Sox will obviously be a factor, but the Angels have Boston's number this year -- and Josh Beckett's injury woes will cast a shadow on the Red Sox. The White Sox are a nice story, and I'm sure plenty of you out there are having dreams of an All-Chicago World Series, but given the amount of energy Chicago had to produce just to get to the playoffs might come back to bite them.

My pick? Tampa Bay and Los Angeles in the ALCS. A seven-game free-for-all between the league's two best teams. Going completely with my gut here, I'll pick Tampa Bay to keep the dream alive and go to the Fall Classic.

In the NL, the Cubs were by far the best team in the league this season, which for any other team would be an automatic ticket to the World Series. But these are the Cubs, a team that falls victim to fluke circumstances and its own ineptitude so often it's almost expected. They should make easy work, though, of the Dodgers, who despite having Manny Ramirez and Joe Torre, needed a late-season boost to win the woeful NL West.

Phillies-Brewers could be an interesting series, though Milwaukee will be in trouble. Ben Sheets is out for the playoffs with a torn muscle in his pitching elbow, which will make the Brewers' rotation C.C. Sabathia ... and a couple other guys. And since Sabathia can't pitch every day, I look for the Phils to take this one in four.

Phillies-Cubs in the NLCS. Who goes to the World Series? If for no other reason than starting pitching -- and the fact that Pat Burrell is a big question mark now because of his back -- I'll go with the Cubs.

So. Cubs-Rays in the World Series. Sign of the Apocalypse? Only if the Cubs win. I'll spare the world Armageddon for now and choose the Rays in seven.

Because I can.

Heartwarming: Tired of stories about athletes who are constantly getting in trouble with the law and thinking about "me me me" all the time? Then I direct you Dana O'Neill's piece on ESPN.com about Wisconsin basketball player Marcus Landry and how he balances fatherhood with academics and hoops.

It's the kind of story I'd love to see more of. You can read it here.

NFL Week 3 And Other Things

2008-09-26T07:54:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I'm a little late this week; it's nearly Week 4 as I write this. So sue me.

Bloody Hell: Considering the amount of time Tony Romo's been given in the pocket so far this season -- he's practically had time to take a seat, read the newspaper and drink a cup of coffee before finally throwing the ball -- Washington getting a decent pass rush this weekend against the Cowboys was already going to be a difficult exercise. And now that Jason Taylor is out -- difficult probably just got upgraded to impossible.

Taylor will miss this weekend's game -- and likely at least a few more weeks -- after getting kicked in the shin last Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. Yes, you read that right ... he got kicked in the shin. In all seriousness, the injury caused blood to pool just below the skin, resulting in something called comparmental disease, which could eventually lead to such things as nerve damage, paralysis and even death.

Long and short, Taylor needed the procedure, and he needed it about an hour before he actually got it. The problem is, the Redskins go up this weekend against the NFL's most explosive offense (the Cowboys are averaging a league-best 440 yards a game), and one way to derail an explosive offense is to stuff the quarterback into the turf repeatedly.

Just ask the Patriots.

Without a pass rush -- and if the first three weeks are any indication, Dallas has a brick wall for an offensive line -- Washington will be able to do very little against that offense. And it's not like Washington can blitz every other play, because Dallas' running game -- the two-headed monster of Felix Jones and Marion Barber III -- will take advantage. The best the Redskins can hope for is to contain the running game and get to Romo before he can find the likes of Terrell Owens, Jason Witten and Austin Miles.

But let's face it, that's easier said than done. Washington's offense better crack the 30 mark if it hopes to win this game.

In Limbo: You have to feel for Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin. Sure, he's partly to blame for taking that job in the first place, but the way owner Al Davis is treating him, letting him twist in the wind like a chime during a tropical storm, is doing nothing but drag the hapless Raiders even farther into the abyss.

In the offseason, Davis wanted Kiffin to resign. Kiffin refused, knowing that if he was fired, he'd at least be entitled to a huge payday. After a Week 2 win, Davis hinted he might want to fire Kiffin. Then, when Oakland came from ahead to lose to Buffalo this past Sunday, Kiffin's pink slip seemed a virtual certainty.

But he's still Oakland's head coach. Forhow long, though? And if he does get the axe before the season's out, who will take his place? Who would want to?

My guess is, the only job worse than the Raiders right now might be the Kansas City Chiefs, simply because they have two bad quarterbacks and little else in that city. Herm Edwards isn't so much playing to win the game anymore, but playing just to keep his job. Though if one thinks about it, winning games is the best way to keep your job in the NFL.

Kiffin hasn't done much winning in Oakland ... then again, no one has since the Raiders were last in the Super Bowl in 2002. I can't help but think if this situation will help Kiffin land another NFL job down the road. He's a young, bright guy -- once the offensive coordinator for collegiate powerhouse USC -- and a lot of teams might look at the situation in Oakland and say he got a raw deal.

It might not be another head coaching gig yet, but if Kiffin finally does get the axe from Davis, I can see a good NFL team letting him be a coordinator. And what better way to resurrect a coaching career than to run a successful offense for a few seasons?

Dallas might be in the market for an offensive coordinator at the end of the season, if Jason Garrett gets that expected promotion.

Just Saying: For the first time in 13 years, Joe Torre was not the manager of the New York Yankees.

For the first time in 13 years, the Yankees won't be in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Torre's new team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, have clinched their first NL West title since 2004.

Coincidence? I think not.

New head man Hank Steinbrenner gave manager Joe Girardi a pass for the season, saying the injuries the team suffered left his hands tied. Basically, Mini-George said the team's failures weren't Girardi's fault.

Now, I like Girardi -- he did wonders for a young Florida Marlins team with literally no payroll -- but how can he get a free pass for failing where Torre succeeded? Torre had injuries and other obstacles during his tenure; hell, each of his last three seasons, the Yankees were out of the playoffs in June, only to rally and make it. Then again, Torre hadn't won a World Series ring since 2000, so he was washed up.

By that logic, Girardi will never amount to anything, because he's never led a team to the playoffs, let alone a World Series title. I'm glad Torre has found redemption with the Dodgers, just as I'm sure he thanks Manny Ramirez for helping out. And though Torre will never rub the Yankees' faces in it, I'll take the liberty of doing so for him.

New York made a mistake letting Torre go; sure, he hadn't won a World Series in seven years, but he still put his ball club in a position to win every year. It wasn't his fault Alex Rodriguez forgot his bat come October, nor was it his fault the pitching spent more time in the hospital than the entire cast of Scrubs.

Very good show, by the way. I've been missing out.

Oh, and while we're on the subject of the Yankees, ESPN the Magazine's Buster Olney has a really good piece over on the website about the Yankees' slow demise over the years. It basically boils down to the draft. Read it here.

Here We Go Again: After USC's 27-21 loss to Oregon State Thursday night, everyone and their grandmother wants to know: with one loss, will the Trojans still play for the BCS National Championship?

Chances are, if there are two teams at the end of the season that are undefeated, the answer will be no. At this point, USC's best hope is we end the season with no more than one undefeated team and the Trojans win out.

Which again illustrated how flawed the BCS system is.

I know the pro-BCS honks are going to tell me this is the beauty of the system, that it makes every regular-season game mean something. Lose a game in September and you'll be crying come bowl season. But see, for me, that's exactly the problem.

Are we really gonna punish a really good USC team for losing a conference game? On the road?! Anyone who knows anything about college sports (football and basketball in particular) knows how hard winning a conference game on the road can be, and lest we forget that USC has lost three of the last four times it has traveled to Oregon State.

Oddly enough, each time the Trojans bounce back, win out and still find themselves in a prestigious bowl, so is losing on the road to Oregon State really that bad? Seriously? C'mon, it's not nearly as bad as last year, when USC lost at home to Stanford.

Now that was a punishable offense.

Under a playoff system, USC's title hopes would not be automatically dashed. And at a school where it's national title or bust (I don't buy for one second the whole "Oh, at least we have the Rose Bowl" thing), the BCS system is particularly problematic. If you lose early in the season and are knocked out of national title consideration, what's left to play for the rest of the season?

Sure, there's a possible Heisman bid for someone and some guys will be looking to improve their stock before the 2009 NFL Draft, but at the end of the day, don't we play for championships? To be out of the title hunt in the first month of the season is just stupid and wrong on so many levels ... the BCS needs to go.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go see what Division I-AA games are going on this weekend.

NFL Week 2 -- and Other Things

2008-09-16T07:46:00.001-07:00

Huh?: Imagine if you will ... you're the manager of a Major League Baseball team. Your team is tied for the National League wild card and there are 12 games to go in the regular season. You've lost seven of your last 10 games, and some might think you're starting to choke. What do you do?

If you're the Milwaukee Brewers, you fire your manager. The Brewers did just that Monday, letting go of Ned Yost. They didn't wait until the end of the season to see if the team would pull out of it. No waiting to see if the Brewers could in fact right the ship and secure the wild card, no waiting for a possible chokejob.

Just gone. Twelve games to go and the Brewers have to get used to a new manager. And before you ask, no, Bud Selig isn't controlling the team anymore. But it does seem like something he'd do, doesn't it?

The Brewers are looking for their first playoff berth since 1982, but I think this firing could end up keeping them out of the postseason. What kind of message does Yost's firing send to the team?

"We'll let you go if we think you're about to fail!"

I don't know how the players felt about Yost, though Mike Cameron was generous when he called the firing a "surprise." I just don't see the point in firing a guy over something that might happen -- I realize the Brewers stumbled down the stretch last year and missed the playoffs, but if that was the basis for this, then I'm shocked.

GM Doug Melvin is usually a pretty loyal guy, and every indication is this wasn't his call. Ownership wanted this, from what I can tell, and the Brewers are apparently desperate to get in the playoffs and win now -- I just can't help but wonder if they'll even make it, now that the team has to get used to a new leader with less that two weeks to go in the regular season.

Offense!: Yes, that 67-yard strike from Jason Campbell to Santana Moss against the New Orleans Saints was a thing of beauty, but let's remember something: the Saints have a terrible defense, certainly not on the same level as the Super Bowl champion Giants.

Don't get me wrong: I'm glad Campbell threw for 321 yards and Clinton Portis came close to a 100-yard rushing game (he had 96 yards and two TDs). But I need to see it more often and more consistently before I believe Jim Zorn's system is truly working. A nine-point comeback is encouraging, and if the Redskins can build on it for next week against a 2-0 Arizona team, that would be great.

But let's hold off on anointing Zorn the new genius of Washington. You don't go from goat to god in one week.

Defense?: Apparently, someone forgot to tell the Philadelphia and Dallas defenses there was a game Monday night, when the Cowboys beat the Eagles 41-37. Not that I'm complaining; it was a thrilling, entertaining game, and even in the loss, I think the Eagles showed something.

Aside from defensive deficiencies. And before you bring up the three points they gave up in Week 1, it's worth remembering: that was against the St. Louis Rams.

Tony Romo finally had a good game against Philly, throwing for 312 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those were to Terrell Owens, who is now second on the all-time touchdown receptions list behind his hero, Jerry Rice (seriously? T.O.'s caught that many?). The only thing glaring was, again, the defense, which allowed Donovan McNabb to throw for 281 yards and rookie DeSean Jackson to catch for 110.

But Jackson: dude, wait until you cross the goal line before letting go of the ball in celebration. If Brian Westbrook doesn't score on the very next play, you'd probably have gone down in Leon Lett-like infamy.

The Cowboys are the best team in the NFC, and will more than likely run roughshod over the tough and talented NFC East ... but I wanna see Romo beat people after November before I make any Super Bowl predictions.

Fumble!: Before Sunday's San Diego-Denver game, who knew of this obscure rule: if a running back or wide receiver fumbles, the play goes on. If a quarterback fumbles the ball, the play is blown dead.

Before Jay Cutler fumbled the ball as he went back to pass in the fourth quarter, I didn't know the rule, either. Replays showed Cutler's arm was not moving forward before the ball came out, which meant the on-field ruling of incomplete pass was incorrect. It should've been San Diego's ball ... but referee Ed Hochuli called it a fumble after viewing the replay and said the play was dead once the ball hit the ground.

Denver kept the ball, scored the touchdown and got the game-winning two-point conversion. San Diego, a team many thought would contend for the Super Bowl, is now a heartbreaking 0-2.

Ignoring for a moment the idiotic fumble rule ... what's the point in having instant replay if you're still going to get a call wrong? Especially one as obvious as Cutler's fumble? Hochuli has a reputation as one of the best referees in the game, but he has to take a hit and be held accountable for this mistake.

Because of his mistake -- one he admits, it's worth noting -- the Chargers are 0-2, two full games behind the Broncos in the AFC West. If San Diego misses the playoffs this year, Hochuli deserves a fair bit of the blame.

NFL Week 1 Recap

2008-09-09T08:35:00.001-07:00

Some random thoughts and observations after the first week of the 2008 NFL season:

Offense?: What happened to Jim Zorn being such a good offensive mind? What happened to how he was supposed to help Jason Campbell develop as a young quarterback? In Thursday's 16-7 loss to the New York Giants, Zorn and his Redskins looked downright lost, and I have to admit: I don't see it getting better any time soon.

The Redskins only amassed 209 yards of offense against the defending Super Bowl champions, but the last two minutes of the game were even more distressing: down by nine, Washington showed no urgency on offense. No hurry-up, no no-huddle ... and at one point, it took Campbell 18 needless seconds to spike the ball. If this keeps up, Zorn could be looking at a 5-11 season -- and maybe a pink slip.

New Beginnings: Aaron Rodgers looked quite impressive in Monday night's 24-19 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Rodgers did not throw a pick and was never sacked, even rushing for a touchdown and doing his first Lambeau Leap. It's only the first game of the season, but between Monday night's game and last year's performance against Dallas, maybe Rodgers is more ready than the Green Bay faithful think.

Which shouldn't be that surprising; Rodgers was a first-round pick and was so good at Cal, many thought he'd be the top overall pick. He wasn't -- how's Alex Smith working out, San Francisco? -- but I think over the course of the season Rodgers and the Packers will be just fine.

AFC Least?: All those preseason predictions of the New England Patriots running away with the AFC East don't look so good now. With reigning NFL MVP Tom Brady out for the season with a knee injury (coach Bill Belichick still won't tell us what the injury is), it's up to Matt Cassell -- who hasn't started a meaningful game since high school -- to keep the ship afloat. While Brady started his career in a similar, I don't expect similar results.

Does Brady's injury suddenly make Brett Favre and the New York Jets the favorites? Hard to say; New England still has a ton of talent. But it will make the division more interesting -- particularly if Buffalo's pasting of Seattle turns out to be a pattern. If I'm New England, I start looking for another QB ... and hope Daunte Culpepper hasn't yet filed his retirement papers with the league.

Vick who?: Michael Turner rushed for 220 yards in his Atlanta Falcons debut, and rookie quarterback Matt Ryan led Atlanta past Detroit 34-21. Ignoring for the moment all the jokes regarding the Lions (Matt Millen is a joke in and of himself), Ryan deserves note.

The rookie from Boston College, whom Atlanta selected with the No. 3 overall pick in April's draft, went 9-for-13 for 161 yards and his first career touchdown pass -- which actually came on his first pass, a 62-yard strike to Michael Jenkins. It was a nice tone-setter for a Falcons team trying to move on from the debacles of Michael Vick and Bobby Petrino, and while I don't think Atlanta can challenge for a playoff spot this year, the Falcons will win a lot more than three games.

Da Bears: Matt Forte is a beast, and Kyle Orton doesn't lose football games. This much we learned Sunday night when the Chicago Bears stunned Indianapolis 29-13. While Peyton Manning looked rusty, on the field for the first time since having an infected bursa sac removed from his knee, Orton did the one thing Rex Grossman couldn't: he played mistake-free football.

The Bears have a good defense, even if the secondary is a little suspect. Orton is now 14-8 as a starter for Chicago, and though he didn't throw a touchdown pass Sunday night, he didn't throw an interception, either. And Forte, a rookie from Tulane, impressed with 23 carries for 123 yards. If he can provide the spark Cedic Benson lacks and gives the Bears a consistent running game, that'll make Orton even better and give Chicago an actual offense -- which could make the Bears a contender in the weak NFC North.

Defense, Please: If the Cleveland Browns are going to make the playoffs this season, they might want to think about picking up a defense. Dallas exposed the Browns' biggest weakness on Sunday in a 28-10 win. I realize Dallas is an offensive powerhouse, with Tony Romo, T.O. and Jason Witten, but Cleveland's defense was just pitiful.

Cleveland gave up 487 yards of offense, and even after busting open Romo's chin, the Dallas quarterback torched the Browns for 320 passing yards and a score. Witten had 96 yards receiving, while Owens had 87 yards and a touchdown. Dallas will put up the points, and after the Philadelphia Eagles put up 38 against the Rams, look for next Monday's game to be a shootout.

Defensive coordinators, begin updating your resumes.

I Wonder ...

2008-09-02T07:59:00.000-07:00

Overrated?: How does the No. 18 team in the country lose in overtime to an unranked team with a quarterback who threw four first-half interceptions? Ask Tennessee, which lost 27-24 in OT Monday night against UCLA. Bruins quarterback Kevin Craft threw four first-half picks and still the Volunteers found a way to lose. UCLA fans will again honk that USC's monopoly is over, but here's a thought: maybe Tennessee isn't who we thought they were?

Overlooked?: You can tell we're getting close to the start of football season. When else can Major League Baseball see two cycles on the same day for the first time since 1920 and there's hardly a peep about it? Congrats to Seattle's Adrian Beltre and Arizona's Stephen Drew, who each accomplished the feat on Monday. Someone has to acknowledge this latest bit of history ...

Overprotective?: Is Shawne Merriman's decision to play with two torn knee ligaments rather than have surgery a dumb one? Absolutely, but who are we to tell him what to do with his life and career? That's the football mentality -- play through the pain. And considering the Chargers have a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl this year (never thought I'd ever type that about a Norv Turner-coached team), can you really blame Merriman for wanting to be on the field?

Over His Head?: Welcome to Michigan, Rich Rodriguez. How does that season-opening loss to Utah taste? It can't really be that much worse than last year's loss to Appalachian State, can it? And surely you're not having buyer's remorse after watching West Virginia light things up against Villlanova. Pat White -- yes, that Pat White -- threw five touchdowns. Without you, Coach-Rod.

Overhyped?: Virginia Tech lost its season opener -- and probably any hope at a BCS game -- with a loss to East Carolina. Yes, Division I-AA East Carolina. On a blocked punt. The Hokies got beat by Beamer Ball. I bet that felt real good, didn't it, you turkeys. Clemson may be the most overhyped team in the ACC after getting thumped by Alabama, but Virginia Tech isn't that far behind.

Olympics Round-up

2008-08-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

Feeling Jipped: Turns out coaches don't receive medals at the Olympics. Which I guess I can kind of understand for the more individual sports, like track & field or swimming, but for team sports the rule isn't exactly ... well-thought out. Mike Krzyzewski deserves a fair amount of credit for Team USA winning gold in men's basketball, and he deserves his own gold medal to go along with it. The team put each of its medals around his neck, which made for a nice moment, but the fact remains: the likes of Coach K and men's volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon deserve medals for their teams' achievements.

Like Lightning: If Michael Phelps was the king of the first week in Beijing, Jamaican track star Usain Bolt was king of the second week. The only man to sweep the 100- and 200-meter dash with world record time -- and winning the 4x100-meter relay in world-record time as an oh-by-the-way -- Bolt showed a flair and exuberance not seen in track & field for some time. Say what you want about his attitude (and plenty have), but Bolt is a magnificent athlete.

Back on Track: Reports of Team USA's track & field demise were greatly exaggerated. Yes, both relay teams dropped the baton in the 4x100 and there were probably a few events with no medals where there should've been, but between a sweep of the 4x400 relays, a sweep of the podium in the men's 400 meters and Bryan Clay's gold in the decathlon, it wasn't all bad for the Red, White and Blue at the Bird's Nest.

Just a Number: Do we really expect the controversy surrounding the age of the Chinese women's gymnastics party to be resolved? As traditionally tight-lipped as China's government is, I don't see it being forthcoming with the IOC. Minimum age is 16, and five of China's six gymnasts were suspected of being below that limit. On the off chance it was proven, China would've been stripped of its medals -- including team gold. But as careful and protective of information as China is, I don't see this being resolved any time soon, if at all.

Long Time Gone: Angel Matos of Cuba might never be an Olympian again, and it's just what he deserves. After being disqualified in his bronze-medal taekwondo match, Matos deliberately kicked a referee in the face. The World Taekwondo Federation recommended Matos and his coach be banned for life, calling what he did "an insult to the Olympic vision." I happen to agree.

Random Thoughts

2008-08-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

Aquaman: The more I watch Michael Phelps, the more I'm convinced I'm watching history. Already the most decorated Olympian in history with 11 gold medals, Phelps is only three gold medals away from breaking Mark Spitz's record of seven golds won in one Olympic Games. And after Phelps was bailed out by a late charge from Jason Lezak Monday night in the 4x100 freestyle relay, it was clear he was destined to leave China with eight gold medals around his neck.

I.D., Please?: I'm not sure which is more suspicious: how young the Chinese girls gymnastics team looked, or the amazingly high scores both Chinese squads received, even after subpar perfornances. I realize the host nation put a lot into their teams winning gold (which both the boys and the girls did), but I can't shake the feeling of ick I get when seeing it. The minimum age to compete in the Olympics is 16, and if all of China's girls are 16, then I'm faxing my resume to ESPN.com tomorrow.

Bronze Age: Considering the situation, the American men should be proud to come away with the team bronze in gymnastics. Before Beijing, no one on that team had any Olympic experience, and the team was without the Brothers Hamm -- Paul and Morgan. To scrap for a bronze against the superior Chinese and Japanese teams is a true testament of grit, teamwork and the embodiment of the Olympic spirit.

Redemption: I'm not on board with Team USA's quest for gold on the basketball court. The women winning the gold is as much a foregone conclusion as the softball team winning gold, and I just can't get on board with the men. It's not because it's an NBA All-Star roster, and it's not because I can't spell the coach's last name without Google; when I watch the Olympics, I want to see sports I don't normally get to see. We're barely a month and a half removed from the NBA Finals; I could stand a break from basketball.

Dear NBC: Would it kill you to show everything live on the West Coast? I'm tired of hearing people in California griping about not seeing Michael Phelps make history, when those of us on the East Coast saw it as it happened. Who cares if it's only 5 p.m. out there? Show it live.

No Hype, Please: It never fails. I can't stand the hype leading up to the Olympics, and I vow to not watch a minute of it. I even pass on the opening ceremonies, no matter how spiffy they look. But once the games actually start, I'm hooked. The drama and the competition are unlike anything else seen in sports -- I just wish I didn't have to swim through months of hype and hyperbole to get to it.

Madden Curse: After watching the Brett Favre saga drag on all summer, I'm willing to bet Electronic Arts will have a hard time finding a cover athlete for Madden NFL 2010. It's one thing for a guy to be on the cover and get hurt, or even wind up in jail on dogfighting charges; it's another entirely to show up on the cover and get traded to the New York Jets. Then again, Terrell Owens showed up in an Eagles jersey on the cover of the last NFL-licensed game not named Madden, and look how that turned out.

J-E-T-S, Brett Brett Brett!: Last thing on Brett Favre, I promise -- the New York Jets will make the playoffs this year. They won't win the AFC East -- hello, the New England Patriots still live there -- but between Favre and all the Jets' other offseason acquisitions, the Jets are shaping up nicely for a wild card spot.

No. 1 on Paper: Since being named preseason No. 1, the University of Georgia football team has been attacked by injury bugs and police blotters. Which makes me wonder ... when did the team land on the cover of Madden?

Simmer Down, Washington: While I realize sixth-round pick Colt Brennan has played well in two preseason games for the Redskins, so far, let's dial down the hype a little. His numbers were nice, and he looked sharp, but remember: he's doing this in the second half of preseason games, against guys who probably won't be in the NFL in a month. If he does this Sept. 4 against a Giants defense that won the Super Bowl last year, then I'll get excited.

The World's Biggest Flip-Flop

2008-08-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

Anyone who thinks Barack Obama is the world's biggest flip-flop needs to look at Ted Thompson and the Green Bay Packers. All summer, Thompson has been steadfast in anointing Aaron Rodgers as the starting quarterback, refusing to give retired legend Brett Favre anything he wanted.

Rather than allow Favre to return and compete for the starting job, rather than trade Favre, rather than release Favre when he asked, Thompson did nothing. It was reminiscent of how our parents taught us how to deal with bullies in school: Ignore them, and eventually, they'll go away.

Only that never worked on bullies. And it didn't work on Favre.

The NFL will reinstate Favre on Monday, which is when the Packer great will return to Packers training camp. Green Bay management, which in recent weeks also had to deal with the holdout of running back Ryan Grant, did an about-face in offering Favre the chance to compete with Rodgers for the starting job.

C'mon, does anyone really think Rodgers can win this competition? Barring an injury to Favre, the starting job appears to have his name written all over it. Again.

Is this a PR move for the Packers, a chance to save some face after what has been a tumultuous and ill-handled summer? Yes, and it shows the Packers as an organization can't be trusted. Favre did force their hand, but in the future, when the Packers' front office says it's going to do something, I'll have a hard time believing them.

For the Packers, it was about Thompson's pride and ego. He wanted Rodgers -- his first draft pick as Green Bay's general manager -- to get the nod to validate himself. It didn't seem to matter which quarterback gave the Packers a better chance to win, it was all about what Thompson wanted.

As for the quarterback who gives Green Bay the best chance to win? Well, Rodgers wasn't the one who threw for over 4,100 yards in leading the Packers to a 13-3 record and within one game of the Super Bowl.

Favre made a mistake retiring when he did; even he admits that. But the best in their game reserve the right to leave on their own terms -- and that includes returning if they happen to change their minds. Favre is one of the game's best, and he deserves the chance to come back should he choose.

That the Packers did everything they could to make him stay away -- including an insulting $20 million "stay away" offer -- shows just what matters to the front office in Green Bay.

And apparently, winning football games isn't on that agenda.

Long Time Coming

2008-08-03T20:40:00.000-07:00

Art Monk had to wait eight years to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

What was another four minutes?

When Monk was introduced Saturday night at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Canton, Ohio, the decidedly Redskins crowd gave him a four-minute standing ovation. All the years, all the controversy, were washed away as a sea of burgundy and gold showered Monk with deserved love.

That Monk joined former teammate Darrell Green in Canton enshrinement -- and the Redskins beat the Colts 30-16 Sunday night in the Hall of Fame Game -- made the weekend even more special for Washington, D.C. sports fans. The weekend was so special, in fact, the Washington Nationals swept the Cincinnati Reds to end a nine-game losing streak.

But D.C. is, and one might argue always has been, a Redskins town. And on Saturday, so was Canton. This isn't the time to argue that Monk should've been in sooner -- even though he held nearly every significant NFL receiving record before Jerry Rice -- for the argument is now pointless. Why argue Monk's worthiness when he stood next to a bust of himself, wearing a gold jersey?

That it took Monk eight years doesn't matter. That he is finally a Hall of Famer does.

Ir's almost unfair to think of Green as an afterthought, considering his emotional, 25-minute speech and the fact that he was a first-ballot selection. But Green, the Redskins' franchise leader in interceptions and once known as the Fastest Man in the NFL, had nothing on sentimental favorite Monk.

How beloved is Monk? Over the past few days, I've heard Dallas Cowboy fans praising him and saying he deserved to be enshrined sooner. And when Cowboy fans start talking nice about the Redskins -- you can guarantee no Redskin fans made nice last year when Michael Irvin was inducted -- you know the guy's special.

Monk was that guy. And Saturday was a special day for a special team and a special player.

Here it Comes

2008-07-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

Can you believe we're just over a month away from football?

The 2008 NFL season kicks off Sept. 4, when the Washington Redskins take on the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants. The preseason begins this coming Sunday (Aug. 3), when those same Redskins take on the Indianapolis Colts (sans Peyton Manning) in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.

Naturally, with the beginning of any football season and the start of training camps, the issue of quarterback competitions and controversies creeps up (even if we're not talking about a certain living legend trying to bust back into Lambeau). As ga-ga as the media and fans get over these manufactured dramas, their emotions hanging on every preseason pass, looking to dissect even the slightest movement in a 7-on-7 no-contact drill, we never stop long enough to see just how much of a farce this "preseason quarterback competition" thing really is.

Thankfully, we have SI.com's Ross Tucker to thank for that. Read his most recent column on the site, which can be found here. He makes a lot of valid points about how training camp and preseason games aren't true barometers for deciding which quarterback gives you the best chance to win.

Let's face it; if preseason play was a true indicator of a quarterback's prowess, Brady Quinn would've been the guy to possibly lead the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs last season, not Derek Anderson. But Anderson proved himself on the field in the regular season, which means the starting job is his coming into this season, unless and until he gives it up, either through poor play or injury.

I'm all for giving the guy who had the best preseason first crack at the starting job, but don't insult our intelligence by telling us his performance in training camp is going to propel him into NFL stardom and the team to the playoffs. Just tell us you think the guy you chose can give you the best chance to win, and leave it at that. If he proves himself, great. If not, you either put in the other guy or lose your job -- maybe both.

That's just how the NFL rolls.

Quality NFL quarterbacks are hard to come by (right, Chicago?), so I can sort of understand everyone's impatience when it comes to finding the guy to run your offense. Like it or not, quarterback is the most important position in football. A team with a good quarterback can go far (New England, Indy, etc.), while a lackluster or unproven quarterback can keep an otherwise solid team from greatness (Ex: 2007 Minnesota Vikings). But are passing drills and preseason snaps against third-team defensive units really the way to properly evaluate your signal-callers?

Then again, if your team's in a position to have to choose a quarterback in the preseason, then your organization's already in trouble. As the old saying goes: if you have two quarterbacks, you really have none.

Dreams Dashed?

2008-07-24T07:16:00.000-07:00

Caleb Campbell thought he was going to be reporting to Detroit Lions training camp Thursday morning. Instead, the seventh-round draft pick out of West Point will have to give the Army two years of active service, which may include serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.

West Point officials reviewed the policy that allowed Campbell to serve as a recruiter and a reserve for his two years if he made the Lions' roster, eventually deciding it needed to reflect the Department of Defense's policy stating all military academy graduates had to give their two years.

This was a touchy issue even on the weekend of the NFL Draft, one in which I understood and actually agreed with both sides of the argument. I didn't feel comfortable denying Campbell his dream to play in the NFL, but at the same time felt that by enrolling and graduating from West Point, he understood what was expected of him.

Guys don't go to West Point to become professional football players; they go to serve in the Army.

Considering this country's fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan right now, Campbell's service is probably even more vital. So I don't have an issue with the Army telling him he has to give his two years before trying to suit up in the NFL. My opinion might be different if we were in a time of peace, but as it stands, we need all the soldiers we can get.

My beef is the timing of it. Campbell was drafted in April, after Army officials told him he was free to try out -- and that he could put in his two years as a recruiter if he made the team. Here we are, four months later, on the eve of Lions training camp, and suddenly the Army changes its mind.

At best, this is a case of really bad timing. At worst, it's hypocritical.

Why did it take the Army so long to realize how flawed its policy was -- particularly when compared to that of the DoD? The Air Force and Naval Academies didn't have this issue, so what made West Point so different? Why not examine the policy before the NFL Draft and make a decision then, so Campbell and all 32 NFL teams know where they stand?

Oh, wait ... that would make sense.

All the credit in the world to Campbell for handling this the way he has. He is a testament to the kind of person places like West Point produce, and I feel good knowing people like him are out there defending our country. And, in spite of their ineptitude, I can't help but feel for the Lions -- at least Campbell was their seventh-round pick and not their first.

The Lions will hold Campbell's NFL rights until April 2009, and another team can then draft him. If that doesn't happen -- which I tend to think, since Campbell was a borderline seventh-rounder the first time around -- he'll become a free agent if he decides to try the NFL again after his two years of active service.

I hope all 32 teams offer Campbell a tryout once he's done his two years.

Again, I'm not saying the policy is bad or that Campbell should 100 percent without a doubt be in Lions camp -- I just don't like the timing of the Army's decision to change its required services policy.

Turning Back the Clock

2008-07-23T07:27:00.001-07:00

Even though the 137th Open Championship -- they just hate it when we Americans call it the British Open -- was last weekend, Greg Norman's performance still resonates.

The more short-sighted among us will point to his turning a one-shot lead into a six-shot defeat and call Norman a choker -- again. They'll invoke memories of Augusta in 1996, when Norman turned a six-shot advantage to a five-shot loss to Nick Faldo in The Masters.

But anyone who really knows golf, someone who studies and follows the game with or without a certain guy named after a cat, understands this isn't the Great Augusta Gag. No, Norman's British Open loss, while disappointing, was merely age finally catching up with The Shark.

Don't forget: Norman is 53. He only played in the Open Championship to prepare for this week's Senior British Open at Royal Troon. For The Shark, Royal Birkdale was nothing more than a tune-up, a chance for a part-time golfer to work out the kinks before teeing it up with the seniors.

Only Norman was in contention after the first round. And he hung around after Friday. After Saturday, he was actually in the lead. For all the talk coming in of how the major would hold up without Tiger Woods, Norman made sure the interest was still there. Could he make history and become the oldest player to win a major? Could Norman become the first golfer since Jack Nicklaus to win the same major three times in three different decades?

Alas, no. And it wasn't so much that Norman shot a 77 in the final round, spraying his driver left and right while his putter suddenly lost its magic. It actually had more to do with two-time champion Padraig Harrington shooting a 32 on the back nine. This wasn't a major Norman lost; it was a major Harrington won.

Let's not forget, Harrington bogeyed holes 7 through 9 on Sunday -- much like Norman opened with bogies on 1, 2 and 3. But Harrington kept himself calm, and after a birdie on 15 and an astounding eagle on 17, he held the Claret Jug for the second time in two years -- five days after telling reporters he wasn't sure if he could finish the tournament because of a bum wrist.

Norman was a great story this past weekend, and I hope he decides to play in next month's PGA Championship. Norman's also eligible for The Masters in 2009 by virtue of his tie for third at Royal Birkdale, and I'd love to see him there as well.

Well played, Shark. Well played.

Another golf note

Anyone notice how being completely healthy this season does nothing for you in the majors?

Think about it: Trevor Immelman won The Masters just four months after having a tumor removed from his abdomen. Tiger Woods won the U.S. Open with a disintegrated ACL and two stress fractures in his leg. And Padraig Harrington defended his Claret Jug with a bad wrist.

Whoever's ailing heading into the PGA next month, go ahead and make them the favorite. That just seems to be the kind of year this is.

Tampering

In light of news last week that the Green Bay Packers filed tampering charges against the Minnesota Vikings as part of the never-ending Brett Favre saga, I just have to wonder: what's the big deal with tampering?

I get that it's against league rules, but what makes the situation between the Packers and Vikings so different from any other in the league? Whenever a free agent signs with a new team almost the moment the free agency period starts, who in their right mind thinks this sort of thing doesn't happen all that often?

Is it really such a crime for front office personnel for other teams contacting a player to see if he would like to go elsewhere, be it a trade or free agent deal? And say somehow the Vikings are proven to have tampered with Favre (which looks more likely, now that phone records have surfaced showing Favre used a Packers-issued phone to contact Vikings head coach Brad Childress) -- what then?

To me, tampering is a lot like Spygate: sure, the Patriots got caught, but are we seriously gonna sit here and say they're the only team doing it? No ... the reason no one from any other team in the NFL has come forward and publicly admonished Bill Belichek and his staff is because everyone else is doing it; the Patriots were just dumb enough to get caught.

Tampering's the same way. Everyone in the league does it; the Vikings just might be the ones to get caught. Same way last year when the 49ers tried to land Lance Briggs from the Chicago Bears. San Francisco might've been busted for tampering, but I guarantee you they were neither the first nor the last to do it.

But if we insist on cracking down on tampering, why not get the L.A. Clippers? Signing Elton Brand to a contract not even 24 hours after he opted out of his deal with Golden State -- do we really think they weren't talking behind the scenes before league rules allowed them to?

I'd like to think we're not that naive.

Chris Berman: Why God Invented the Mute Button

2008-07-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

Heroics

While I feel somewhat sorry for Justin Morneau -- the guy who actually won the Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium Monday night -- there's no denying how fantastic a story the event's runner-up, Josh Hamilton, was.

Morneau had by all rights a solid night -- 17 home runs in the first two rounds before belting five in the final. It was a night normally reserved for exclusive celebration, the night where baseball can applaud a guy who normally doesn't get much praise (which, sadly, is how it goes when one plays in Minnesota). And considering the game's biggest names passed up the chance to participate, whether it be because of injuries or selfish reasons, Morneau on most Home Run Derby nights would be king.

But Hamilton belted 28 dingers -- in the first round. That in and of itself is remarkable (and yes, a record), but what makes Hamilton's feat -- a feat that had 50,000 Yankee faithful standing and chanting his name -- so remarkable is the journey the player had to take to get to the All-Star Game.

Hamilton's journey has been well-documented, but it deserves to be repeated: the No. 1 overall pick by Tampa Bay in 1999, Hamilton was the second coming, the guy who was supposed to turn the then-Devil Rays around. But a $4 million signing bonus -- and plenty of free time due to injuries -- led Hamilton down a destructive path, one that included alcohol, cocaine and heroin.

Three years without baseball, and Hamilton returned last year to have a nice half-season with Cincinnati. But it wasn't until the Reds traded him to the Texas Rangers in the offseason that Hamilton's career really took off. A league-best 95 RBI at the break to go along with 21 homers; Hamilton is one of the reasons the Rangers are four games over .500 right now, and even though Texas has virtually no shot at the postseason, the story more than makes up for it.

What matters isn't that Hamilton drank so predigiously. Nor does it matter that he shot up on heroin and nearly destroyed his entire life, let alone his baseball career. The tattoos on his arms don't mean nearly as much as what they represent today. They're a reminder, both of where Hamilton has been and how far he's come since hitting rock-bottom.

We love the redemptive tale. The hero who makes mistakes, owns up to them and gets back on the path to righteousness. While guys like Roger Clemens duck and lie about their own drug use, Hamilton freely discussed his. And I'm sure in doing so, he gave a recovering addict or an addict's loved one the strength to keep fighting.

And that means more than any 500-foot bomb ever will.

Farve From Over

I've tried my best to avoid the Brett Favre situation -- mostly because I couldn't really figure out where I stood on it -- but after hearing his comments Monday night during his interview with Fox News' Greta Van Susteren, I can't help myself.

"OK, you guys have a different path, fine," Favre said in the interview. "What does that mean for me? So that means either you give me my helmet, welcome (me) back, or release me, or attempt to trade me. We all know that's a possibility, but way-out-there possibility. And he says, 'Well, playing here is not an option, but we can't envision you playing with another team, you know, either.' And I thought, so basically, I'm not playing for anyone if I choose to come back."

If what Favre says is true -- and really, what's out there to convince us he's not? -- then this has become an even bigger mess than anyone anticipated. I suppose on some level I don't blame the Packers for not wanting to release Favre, only to see him sign with a Minnesota or a Chicago and come back to bite them.

But bring Favre back as a backup? Seriously?

So GM Ted Thompson is okay with Favre on the sideline, holding a clipboard while Aaron Rodgers steps onto the Frozen Tundra for the first time? Thompson is okay with the fans booing and chanting Favre's name the first time Rodgers throws a pick? Because you know that's what would happen on the off-chance Favre would accept being a backup.

I'm all for moving on as a franchise; when Favre retired, the Packers had virtually no other choice. But you have to, if you're the Packers, drop everything you're doing and give that starting job back the moment Favre says he wants back in. There is no way to tell the most beloved quarterback in Green Bay history no.

At the very least, grant the man his release. To say you won't release him because you want to protect his legacy is so beyond rediculous. Did playing those two years in Kansas City taint Joe Montana's legacy? Hardly, so why would suiting up for Baltimore or Minnesota do the same to Favre?

I realize Thompson wanted to get Rodgers on the field, see what his first draft pick with the Packers can do, and that's fine. But to outright shun the almighty Brett Favre (just a hint of sarcasm here), to run him out of town like he never did anything for the organization, just months after he was within one game of the Super Bowl?

Ted Thompson must've gone to the Peter Angelos School of Sports Management, that's the only thing I can figure.

About Time

2008-07-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

In a move that was probably a couple years too late, CBS announced on Monday that college hoops analyst Billy Packer would leave the network, ending his streak of covering 34 consecutive Final Fours.

Studio analyst Craig Kellogg will take over as the lead game analyst, pairing with jim Nantz during the 2008-09 regular season and NCAA tournament.

Regardless of one's opinion of Packer (and I was certainly not a fan), this change was likely necessary. Packer was starting to lose his edge, evidenced most recently when he declared the Kansas-North carolina Final four contest "over" in the first half back in April. While Kansas did go on to win the game, that contest wasn't nearly the laugher Packer so assuredly pronounced it to be.

Packer was also infamous for his staunch opinions that mid-major schools did not deserve at-large bids. Anyone remember his famous rant in 2006 when he said George Mason didn't deserve an at-large, and that by looking at the five years previous, tournament history showed major conference teams fared better than mid-majors?

Never mind the selection committee was only supposed to look at the season in question, but a lot of people (myself included) took great joy in watching mason make its run. And while Nantz had the intelligence to eat crow on the air, Packer never indulged us.

If nothing else, Kellogg will be a fresh voice on what is CBS' marquee sporting event, next to The Masters. I like his energy, and I appreciate the knowledge he brings to the game. While Packer's basketball credentials can never be questioned, I think it was time for a change, and Kellogg's just the guy to do it.

Besides, anyone who can make Nantz less snooze-worthy gets an A-plus in my book.

Division Winner By Default

2008-07-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

Mid-Season Report

Even though the All-Star Break isn’t until next week, Major League Baseball reached its statistical midway point last week. There have been a fair many surprises this season, more than I probably have the space to delve into here, but I’ll get to what I can.

-The Tampa Bay Rays are a no-brainer surprise; while many experts came into the season thinking the young Rays would be improved – possibly even a .500 club – who honestly thought Tampa Bay would be sitting with the best record in the bigs on July 9? The Rays are one of just eight teams in the majors with at least 50 wins and hold a three-game lead over the Boston Red Sox in the American League East. And all this without a starter on the All-Star Team. I’m not sure if Tampa Bay can turn this into a division title or playoff berth, but it’s fun to watch, isn’t it?

-I wrote before the start of the season how I hoped the Baltimore Orioles wouldn’t lose 100 games this season. The team’s rebuilding process is in full swing, with the team dumping both Erik Bedard and Miguel Tejada in the offseason. Couple that with a roster that I couldn’t pinpoint for the most part, and things weren’t looking good in Charm City. But as of July 9, the Orioles sit at .500, 44-44. Sure, the O’s are in 4^th place in the AL East, but the fact that Baltimore has been competitive for this long in the season is a positive sign. Luke Scott, who came over in the Tejada deal with Houston, has produced, as have Adam Jones and closer George Sherrill, who came over in the Bedard trade. Sherrill even made the All-Star Team this year. Baltimore is still a good two or three years away from competing for a playoff spot – particularly in that division – but things aren’t nearly as gloomy in Baltimore as I thought they were.

-I’m not sure which is more surprising: the fact that the Detroit Tigers struggled the way they have in the first half, or the fact that the White Sox are in first place. Everyone was ready to give the Tigers the World Series title after they picked up Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera in the offseason, while the only question surrounding Chicago was when Ozzie Guillen would get fired. But with the Tigers struggling offensively and Willis stuck in A-ball, the White Sox (and the Twins, who are in second) have taken advantage. Perhaps the real surprise of the division, though, is how bad Cleveland’s been – the Indians are worse than the Royals at this point in the season.

-The trade deadline is still a few weeks away, but that didn’t stop Milwaukee and the Chicago Cubs from making moves. The Brewers picked up reigning American League Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia for four prospects, two days before the Cubs responded by picking up Rich Harden from the Oakland A’s. Some might call the Cubs’ move nothing more than a response to the Brewers, but indications are the Harden deal had been in the works for weeks. Trades don’t normally go down this soon before the deadline, and I can’t honestly provide any reason for it. I guess this is the true meaning of the phrase "It is what it is."

-If the Yankees don’t make the playoffs this year, will Joe Torre laugh his butt off? Probably not publicly, but I bet behind the scenes he’d give a little chuckle. Granted, Torre’s Dodgers are below .500 (though only one game out of the division lead at 44-46), but considering Torre took the Yankees to the postseason all 12 seasons he was there, how poetic would it be for New York to miss the playoffs in its first year sans Torre? He might not laugh, but I will.

-For all the blustering about how the Mets are junk and not worth anything – before and after the haphazard firing of Willie Randolph – the team is still in the thick of it, one game behind Philadelphia in the NL East. The Mets have won four in a row, while the Phillies have lost four in a row – and I’m willing to bet New York will make the playoffs, at least as the wild card. Let’s face it, the National League just isn’t that good (need proof? The NL West-leading Diamondbacks needed a 2-0 win over the Nationals on Tuesday to get back to .500). They’ll have to deal with the Cardinals and the Brewers in the NL Central, but I’m not ready to write off the Mets yet.

There’s No Place Like … Philly?

Oh, to be the Los Angeles Clippers right now.

Last week, the Clippers signed Baron Davis to a free-agent contract, hoping to pair him with Elton Brand and make a run at the Western Conference. Brand had opted out of his deal, but said repeatedly he hoped to stay with the Clippers – and play with Davis, who opted out of the final year of his deal with Golden State.

Rather than take the $18.7 million owed to him at Golden State, Davis decided to return to his native L.A. and play with Brand. Only Brand didn’t keep his word, taking a free-agent deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

On top of that, the Clippers lost Corey Maggette to the Warriors, as if Golden State had been looking for a Clipper to take as retribution for Davis.

Ignore for now the public hit Brand will take for allegedly backing out on his word. Every indication was he wanted to stay and play with Davis – at least, that was what all the NBA insiders reported he’d been saying. So for Brand to turn around and take $52 million from an Eastern Conference team that’s almost a playoff team by default – it’s a bit odd.

And if I’m Davis, I’m more than a little ticked. All indications were that Davis signed with Los Angeles with the express purpose of playing with Brand (and possibly Maggette, though it looked as if the Clippers were going to lose him regardless). Davis will have Chris Kaman to give the ball to, but considering he thought he’d also be teaming up with Brand?

Maybe you really can’t go back home after all.

For the Grandparents

2008-07-06T10:37:00.001-07:00

So Los Angeles Clippers forward Chris Kaman has been given permission to suit up for the Germany national team as it tries to qualify for this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing. Despite being born in Michigan, Kaman will compete for another country should Germany qualify.

What I want to know is: where's the scorn? Everyone got their panties in a bunch when Becky Hammon announced she would be playing for Russia, so why aren't those same people throwing stones Kaman's way?

Does it have something to do with the fact that Kaman has German heritage, with his grandparents being native Germans? Are we really hanging our hat on that technicality?

I've already made my opinion regarding Hammon clear (read a little further down on this page), and I feel the same way about Kaman: if someone wants to compete in the Olympics and can't play for their native country, who am I to tell them they can't compete at all?

Hammon is no less patriotic for playing for Russia, and neither is Kaman for suting up for Germany.

Last I checked, being American meant you had freedoms and opportunities not available to natives of some other nations. So certain American athletes won't be donning the red, white and blue in Beijing; by following their dreams, aren't they still living the American dream?

Is there anything more American than living out one's dreams?

Hammon is still an American, and a proud one at that; how convenient everyone forgets Team USA didn't want her. Same goes for Kaman.

But if the ignorant flag-wavers insist on calling Hammon a traitor and unpatriotic, then at least give Kaman the same level of disrespect. Or better yet, just shut up altogether.

Mariotti = FAIL

2008-07-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

Less Money, Less Problem?

Will the combination of Baron Davis and Elton Brand lead to an NBA championship for the Los Angeles Clippers? Doubtful, considering the tough Western Conference -- not to mention it's the Clippers -- but the fact that Davis was willing to go to L.A. for less than a max deal says something we don't hear too often in sports:

That it really isn't about the money. Davis, who left $18.7 million on the table when he opted out of his contract with Golden State on Monday, will reportedly make $65 million over five years with the Clippers, and he'll team up with Brand. The combination of Brand and Davis, if they stay healthy, could catapult the Clippers from the 23-win team they were this past season to a team that could contend for a playoff spot.

Apparently, guys saw what the Celtics did this season after adding Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. So rather than follow the money -- which NBA stars always did in free agency in years past -- some veterans might instead choose to follow wins and potential championships.

And I gotta say, I like the move.

The Only Thing

New Orleans signing point guard Chris Paul to a long-term contract isn't just the right thing to do: it's the only thing to do. Considering Paul took a team that was struggling to even find a home and led the Hornets to within a game of the NBA Western Conference Finals speaks volumes to his talent and worth, and New Orleans is smart to lock him up.

If nothing else, the move potentially assures this season wasn't just a flash in the pan for the Hornets, as they'll have their catalyst a few years longer. There are those (myself included) who felt Paul deserved the MVP Award this past season, and there's nothing telling me he won't one day hoist that trophy -- not to mention the NBA title.

But for a city still struggling to find its way following Hurricane Katrina, Paul's signing has to give New Orleans something to cheer about. The fans embraced the Hornets much the same way they embraced the Saints two seasons ago when they made a run at the Super Bowl, so why not reward them by keeping the stars?

Chris Paul staying in New Orleans: a win-win scenario for everyone.

Hypocrisy and Bitchassness

2008-06-25T11:55:00.000-07:00

Becky Hammon will play basketball in this summer’s Olympic Games in Beijing. She just won’t do it for her native United States, instead suiting up for Russia. And Team USA coach Anne Donovan has an issue with that.

“If you play in this country, live in this country and you grow up in the heartland,” Donovan said, “and you put on a Russian uniform – you are not a patriotic person.”

Two memos for Donovan:

-The Cold War is over. Might want to get with the times.

-Last I checked, Team USA didn’t want Hammon on the roster. Hammon was not among the 20 finalists selected for the team, and she told ESPN.com it became clear to her she had no place on Team USA.

Why Team USA didn’t want Hammon is beyond me; Hammon was the 2007 WNBA MVP, averaging 18.8 points and 5.0 assists per game. While at Colorado State, Hammon led her team to a 33-3 record in 1998-99 and earned a Sweet 16 berth in the NCAA Tournament.

So given Hammon’s accolades, why didn’t Team USA want her? I realize names like Candace Parker and Diana Turasi took precedence, but was there really no room on the squad for a league MVP?

Ignoring the coaching staff’s roster oversight, let’s examine another important factor: Hammon has long dreamed of playing in the Olympics, and Team USA denied her that opportunity. So, realizing she also played professional ball in Russia (for much more money than she did in the WNBA) and held dual citizenship, Hammon decided to suit up for Russia.

Team USA didn’t want Hammon, so she decided to live out her Olympic dream somewhere else. Who wouldn’t have done the same thing, given the opportunity?

I realize the Olympics, ideally, are about representing your country, but Hammon’s native land made it clear it didn’t want her representation in China. So to get all hissy about her playing for another country now screams of sour grapes at best. At worst, it’s straight stupidity.

Which is stunning from someone as highly respected in women’s basketball as Donovan. If she was really that upset over Hammon playing for Russia, why did she not give Hammon a roster spot in the first place? Donovan has no business calling Hammon unpatriotic after refusing to give her a roster spot.

What was Hammon supposed to do? Shrug her shoulders and sit at home because the big, bad U.S. of A. didn't want her?

Hammon’s decision to play for Russia in the Olympics was not made out of national pride; it was made because an opportunity to live out her dream presented itself. Hammon is no more or less patriotic because of her decision; she was merely taking the opportunity presented to her, and I wish her the best.

Besides, it’s not like she’s the first Olympic athlete to play for a country other than that of their birth.

Kobe Can't Do Without Me

2008-06-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

Some Never Learn

Just when you thought it was safe to turn on your radio -- Don Imus has struck again.

The morning radio host who last year lost his job with CBS after referring to the Rutgers women's basketball team as a bunch of "nappy-headed hos" apparently hasn't learned his lesson, as on Monday he made racially insensitive remarks with regards to Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones.

Sports announcer Warner Wolf was talking on Imus' show about Jones' desire to drop his Pacman nickname and be called Adam in an attempt to rehabilitate his image. Imus asked Wolf what color Pacman was, to which Wolf replied, "African-American."

"Well, there you go," Imus said. "Now we know."

On Tuesday's program, Imus expressed shock at the fallout, saying his comments were "a sarcastic point" about race. "What people should be outraged about," he said on-air, "is that they arrest blacks for no reason. I mean, there's no reason to arrest this kid six times. Maybe he did something once, but everyone does something once."

Imus also called the criticism of his comments "ridiculous" and pointed to the diversity of his show's staff -- specifically, a black producer and two black co-hosts.

He basically used the "some of my best friends are black" defense.

Far be it for me to give Jones the benefit of the doubt, given his past, but in this instance I'm on his side. Pacman told The Dallas Morning News that Imus' comment upset him and that "obviously, Mr. Imus has a problem with African-Americans ... I will pray for him."

WABC-AM in New York, Imus' current employer, said punishment would be unlikely, which shouldn't be surprising. It took several weeks of lost revenue before CBS fired Imus over the Rutgers comments, so why should now be any different? We've seen that as long as Imus can keep advertisers and ratings, he can pretty much say whatever he wants and get away with nothing more than a tongue-lashing from the public.

But it's painfully obvious this is a man who has not learned his lesson. Whether that's out of stupidity or a lack of concern, I'll let you be the judge.

To criticize Pacman for his troubled past is one thing; to insinuate he did the things he allegedly did simply because he's black is another thing entirely -- and completely unfair to African-American athletes who don't find themselves in trouble with the law.

Freestylin'

Am I the only one who thinks Shaquille O'Neal's freestyle rap about Kobe Bryant in a New York club Monday night is being blown way out of proportion?

Granted, the lyrics, which included the line "Kobe can't do without me" appeared to be a low blow in light of the Lakers' six-game loss to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, where Bryant had a chance to win his first ring without O'Neal. But seriously, is the sports media this hard-up for a story that it's going to dissect Shaq's rapping skills?

Shaq told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith that it was all in good fun, that it was just what MC's do. While I buy that, I don't buy Shaq's assertion that things are completely good with Kobe. The two have sort of feuded since Shaq got run out of Los Angeles in 2004, and even though the two appeared to play nice in recent years, it's not entirely surprising to see Shaq take a shot at Kobe now that the Finals are over.

What gets me is: Shaq always seems to be the one taking a run at Bryant, not the other way around. O'Neal shows tremendous immaturity in his inability to let things go, yet the media gives him a pass -- but I guarantee if Bryant was the one rapping "Shaq can't do without me," we'd be blasting him up and down Rodeo Drive.

How is it Shaq's the one who can't let things go, when he was the one who won a title after leaving L.A.? I would've thought winning the title with the Heat in 2005 would've healed whatever wounds Shaq still felt, but apparently, he still sees fit to throw Kobe under the
proverbial bus.

And apparently we're just bored enough to give this sort of thing the time of day.

Return of the Mullet

All indications are that ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose will be named the new coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. The Lightning, which won the last Stanley Cup before the lockout, had the worst record in the NHL last season at 31-42 -- not to mention one of the worst minor-league affiliates in the Norfolk Admirals.

While this is great news for Melrose, who coached in Los Angeles during the Wayne Gretzky days, I can't help but wonder who ESPN would get to replace him. While I would never consider myself a hockey fan, I enjoyed listening to Melrose break down the game because of his knowledge, energy and obvious enthusiasm for the game.

While I could do without the greasy, grey mullet, the fact that he loved the game he talked about made it easy for me as a sports fan to follow along and care about what he was saying. I'm not sure ESPN has anyone who can match that energy and passion.

Will Melrose be a success in Tampa Bay? Hard to tell; I know next to nothing about the team, and all I know about him as a coach, I heard from Gretzky this morning on SportsCenter -- where he extolled Melrose's virtues as a guy who can coach the star while showing the same respect to the role players.

I wish Melrose the best of luck in his return to coaching, though I wish he would've stayed on TV. With ESPN in dire need of quality on-air personalities, losing Melrose is a tough one for me to take.

Under the Knife

2008-06-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

The 2008 PGA Tour season is officially over.

Well, it might as well be, now that Tiger Woods is going to have season-ending surgery on his left knee. The Golf Channel reported on Wednesday that Woods suffered a stress fracture in his knee two weeks ago, when he was rehabing in preparation for this past weekend's U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

Woods beat Rocco Mediate in a sudden-death playoff on Monday to collect his 14th career major, in a performance Woods himself called his best ever. To battle knee pain the way he did -- pain that seemed to get worse as the tournament went along and only seemed to flare up when he hit a good shot ... absolutely unfathomable.

Now we know why the doctors recommended Tiger not play this past weekend, what with that stress fracture and all.

Woods is scheduled to have the surgery -- which will focus on his ACL -- in the near future, and will miss both the British Open and the PGA Championship. So a year where many -- including Tiger -- felt the Grand Slam was possible, the world's greatest player will only take home one big-time trophy.

I still think Woods will overtake Jack Nicklaus' record eventually, and holding off on competitive golf until 2009 to let his knee recover is the smart move. But interest in the sport will definitely wane, particularly in the last two majors of the season and the forthcoming FedEx Cup (a contrived "playoff" similar to NASCAR's Chase For the Sprint Cup).

Will golf survive? Naturally, and other players have to feel good about their chances in the British and PGA -- a major without Tiger in it is a rare breed, and ripe for the taking. And if Tiger gets himself right, he very well could dominate in 2009.

But I would imagine for the PGA Tour, that's a long wait.

Even The Donald Thinks This is Messed Up

2008-06-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

No Doubt

Was there really ever any doubt Tiger Woods would win the U.S. Open this year at his personal playground, Torrey Pines?

Yes, he finished second at the Masters. Yes, he had knee surgery. Yes, he hadn't played a competitive round of golf in two months. For most golfers, those would be legitimate reasons to argue they wouldn't win the 108th U.S. Open.

But since when is Tiger like most golfers?

Tiger was in obvious pain, pain that got worse with each round. Doctors apparently suggested Woods not play, lest he risk further injury, and now there's a chance Woods might miss next month's British Open at Royal Birkdale. But to sink birdie putts on No. 18 on Sunday and Monday to force playoffs?

The very definition of clutch. And as great as Rocco Mediate was -- and who wouldn't love to have seen this fun-loving everyman win against the world's greatest player? -- he gave Tiger one chance too many. On thr 91st hole, Tiger did what Tigers does: he won a major.

Now sitting at 14, many feel it's inevitable he'll reach Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors. Worst-case scenario, the knee won't let him do that, but I hope this past weekend served as a lesson to everyone who picked the field:

Never bet against Tiger Woods. He'll just make you look foolish.

You're Fired

The fact that the New York Mets fired manager Willie Randolph with the team underachieving isn't surprising. That they did it via a press release at 3:15 in the morning is the thing that raises the proverbial eyebrow.

The real one, too.

Why do it that way? If you're going to fire a guy, why not have the decency to tell him, to his face, in broad daylight and then hold a formal press conference over it? That's the right way to do things; to fire Randolph with a middle-of-the-night press release makes no sense, unless the Mets were out to dump their manager in the worst way possible.

Considering Randolph got the Mets to within a game of the World Series in 2006, I would think he would've commanded more respect than that.

I'm not a fan of firing a guy mid-season, either; aside from Jack McKown with the Marlins in 2003, the move never works, and often, the team finds out after the fact that the manager wasn't the problem after all.

But if the Mets were that set on firing Randolph, why not do it after last season's tank job? Then it would've been justified, and the Mets wouldn't face a potential PR hit. When the Mets gagged away a seven-game lead to lose the National League East to the Phillies, the Mets would've been well within their rights to dump Randolph.

But to dump him now? In the middle of the night and after a win? That smacks as much of desperation as the Yankees' moving Joba Chamberlain to the rotation.

Almost History

2008-06-08T20:26:00.000-07:00

Have you ever watched a sporting event you weren’t particularly interested in, just because of the chance to witness history?

That was me on Saturday, when I tuned into the Belmont Stakes, hoping to see Big Brown become the first horse in 30 years to win the Triple Crown. It seemed a foregone conclusion; despite a crack in his left front hoof, Big Brown seemed destined to wax a weak field made weaker by the scratching of Casino Drive Saturday morning.

Only once the race started and the workers pulled the gate back … it didn’t happen. Big Brown never went, not even when jockey Kent Desourmaux asked him to. Da’Tara led the race wire-to-wire, screwing up a lot of bets and ensuring a small few just became rich.

All indications are that Big Brown is fine physically, a relief given the tragedy that followed the Kentucky Derby. Horse racing didn’t need another black eye so soon, and if Big Brown had to be euthanized, it was quite possible the sport would’ve never recovered.

But the horse is fine, and I credit Desourmaux for that. He could’ve pushed Big Brown down the stretch for a good finish, but fearing something might’ve been wrong – possibly with the hoof, possibly something else, Desourmaux pulled the reigns and slowed Big Brown. The horse trotted home dead-last, but Desourmaux’s concerns at that point mirrored my own – the horse’s health.

Big Brown might race again this year, or he might spend the rest of his life as a stud – either way, Big Brown has a bright future and he has Desourmaux to thank for some of that.

I’m disappointed Big Brown didn’t win the Triple Crown; I still believe in the history and the magic of sport, and the Triple Crown is so difficult that to witness it is to witness history. Eleven horses have tried since Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978, and all 11 failed.

Big Brown included.

I’m not a horse racing fan; never have been, never will be. I’m not a fan of a sport that ends so soon after hours and weeks of build-up. Pundits and writers go on and on for two weeks about the Kentucky Derby, and it’s literally over in two minutes. It feels like a buzz-kill; just as I get excited for something, it’s over.

I’m also not a fan of the gambling aspect of it; I realize gambling is inherent in virtually every sport, but boxing aside, gambling is rampant in horse racing more so than any other. Sometimes I think horse racing exists only for betting, and I can’t get behind a sport supported by such degenerates.

This has nothing to do with animal rights – PETA was way out of line after Eight Belles died – because I realize there is risk and danger in virtually every sport. And how can I whine about the horse’s safety when I watch a sport in NASCAR, where 43 men are literally around the corner from death at every lap?

But for a brief moment on Saturday, horse racing almost had me. I was ready to witness history, to be a part of something so rare and so big, I’d be telling my children about it 10, 15 years from now. Instead, horse racing endures another near-miss in what has been a tough year for the sport.

In a way, the near-misses can be good for the sport. Drama, suspense and the fact that every time a horse captures both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, we’ll discuss the possibility for three solid weeks. I’m just disappointed Big Brown didn’t accomplish the historic feat.

Will the Triple Crown ever be captured? Possibly; I just hope I’m around to see it.

Off on the Right Foot

2008-06-06T10:10:00.000-07:00

If I'm David Stern, Thursday night's Game 1 between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers was exactly what I was looking for out of the 2008 NBA Finals.

The game, which Boston took 98-88, was full of drama and action, but more importantly, it was the sort of game capable of drawing in the casual fan. Those not accustomed to watching the NBA on a regular basis are the key demographic for the league, particularly in light of declining TV ratings for the NBA Finals in recent years.

The Lakers-Celtics rivalry is a story unto itself, and though I grew up in the 1980s, I don't recall many of the battles between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. I don't remember Worthy and McHale and Pat Riley and Red Auerbach, so if nothing else, this series is providing me with an intense and entertaining history lesson.

Even better, the teams playing this year are already adding their own chapter. Game 1 was one of the postseason's most competitive games -- behind Game 1 of the Spurs-Suns series. Competitive games always help TV ratings and interest; last year's San Antonio sweep over the Cleveland LeBrons did nothing for the league.

The other storylines are obvious: can Kobe Bryant win his first title without Shaquille O'Neal? And if he does, how does he fit in the conversation with Michael Jordan? What of Boston's Big Three? Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were brought together specifically for the purprose of bringing the NBA title back to Beantown. And this is just the second time Garnett has advanced past the first round of the playoffs -- what would a ring mean to his legacy?

I won't even begin to try answering these questions, nor will I debate the validity or severity of Pierce's knee injury Thursday night. All that matters is the first game in the most important rivalry in the NBA was exciting and dramatic.

If the rest of this series unfolds in much the same manner -- preferably taking seven games in the process -- I might just become an NBA fan. For all the talk of how the Stanley Cup Finals could potentially help the NHL get back some of its fan base, I think the NBA realizes the possible benefits an exciting series would have on the casual fan.

Guys like me.

Lord Stanley Misses da Hockey

2008-06-05T08:40:00.001-07:00

The Detroit Red Wings beat the Penguins 3-2 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals Wednesday night in Pittsburgh. The win gives the Red Wings their 11th Stanley Cup, and their fourth in the last 11 seasons.

But rather than determining Detroit’s place in hockey history – which is pretty solid – a more important question begs asking: how did the match-up of tradition-rich Detroit and young, star-studded Pittsburgh help the NHL?

The answers may not be necessarily immediate, but chances are the league can only benefit from this year’s final. Detroit attracts the hardcore hockey fan, representing the tradition and history of the NHL. In the Penguins, the league has a young team on the rise, led by The Next One in Sidney Crosby.

Crosby didn’t have the best of Finals – just four points in six games – but he’s only 20 and hockey pundits feel Pittsburgh has the makings of a potential dynasty, centered around Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Some have compared this Penguins team to the Oilers teams of the 1980s – you know, the dynasty that featured a little hockey star named Wayne Gretzky.
The Oilers lost their first Finals appearance in 1983 to the New York Islanders before raking in titles in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1990. As ESPN’s Barry Melrose said prior to the series, sometimes a team has to lose before it can learn how to win.

For the NHL, sustained success for the Penguins is as close to a necessity as the Knicks winning is for the NBA. Commissioner Gary Bettman has been on thin ice – so to speak – since the end of the lockout, and he needs his rising stars – Crosby and Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin – to carry the league the way Gretzky and Mark Messier did.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve never been much of a hockey fan. I love watching the game in-person, where the speed and brutality are readily evident. I don’t feel hockey translates well on television – particularly Fox’s failed glowing puck experiment – so it’s hard for me to sit back and watch a game on the rare chance I happen to find Versus.

But beyond that, I can’t support a league that is so poorly-run. The lockout is squarely on Bettman’s shoulders, and the TV deal following the lockout did the league no favors. Rather than take less money and sign on with ESPN, the NHL decided to go with a revenue-based package with Versus and NBC.

Only Versus isn’t readily available to everyone – you’re out of luck if you don’t have cable, and those who do have trouble finding the channel. NBC does its best, but without the exposure and clout that comes with ESPN, the league isn’t in the best of situations.

The NHL is fighting an uphill battle, with the NFL, MLB and NBA all sustaining success and the continued rise of NASCAR. Bettman has done the league no favors, and I can’t help but wonder if the NHL won’t flourish again unless and until Bettman leaves his post.

The ineptitude he has shown in running the NHL is still being felt today, even after a thrilling Stanley Cup Final Game 5 that would’ve converted any non-hockey fan who’d bothered to watch.

Crosby might be the league’s savior, but Bettman’s departure would make Sid the Kid’s job so much easier.

Fully Committed

2008-06-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

Joba the Hut

Far be it for me to criticize the Yankees – if I were running things, I’d make every wrong move possible to ensure a last-place finish. But I can’t help but wonder if the transition for Joba Chamberlain from the setup role to the starting rotation will blow up in everyone’s face.

Hank Steinbrenner – someone trying way too hard to be like his father – made it known he wanted Chamberlain in the rotation, stating anyone who thought otherwise was an idiot. And given the inadequacies within the rotation – and the injury to Ian Kennedy – Chamberlain will make his first start Tuesday against Toronto.

Does Chamberlain have the stuff worthy of a starting pitcher? Possibly, but I don’t think the Yankees prepared him properly. Taking him out of the setup role, manager Joe Girardi instead starting throwing Chamberlain two innings at a time, eventually raising his pitch count.

Most teams put a guy in AAA to get him used to being a starter, but not the Yankees. Apparently, long relief is all the preparation a guy needs.

But more importantly, what about the bullpen? New York’s middle relief is suspect at best, and Chamberlain was doing a masterful job setting up Mariano Rivera. With Chamberlain now in the rotation, who will set up Rivera? The Yankees could’ve used him Monday night in a loss to the Minnesota Twins, and unless someone reliable steps up, Girardi and company might regret this move.

The Yankees are in fourth place in the American League East at 28-29 as of Tuesday, seven games back of the first-place Rays (yes, you read that right). If this move doesn’t succeed the way Mini-Steinbrenner wants, New York might miss the playoffs for the first time in 13 years.

Think Joe Torre’s glad he left? Sure, the Dodgers are also 28-29, and dealing with the free-agent disaster that is Andruw Jones, but they’re second in the National League West, 3.5 behind the Diamondbacks.

You’re Fired

On the surface, the Detroit Pistons’ firing of Flip Saunders seems like a questionable move. Saunders was 176-70 in his tenure with the Pistons, taking them to the Eastern Conference Finals all three years.

But after a 4-2 series loss to the Boston Celtics, Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said it was time for a new voice on the sidelines. Rumblings throughout the league are that the players weren’t buying into what Saunders was selling, that he had already lost his veteran squad.

If that’s true – and considering how little I follow the NBA, I can’t say if it is – then the move was a no-brainer. Otherwise, I can’t help but wonder if this will set the franchise back a few years.

Detroit has reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the last six seasons, and in 2004 won the NBA Finals with Larry Brown. The roster is so experienced and talented this move might not matter much, but if Dumars makes the wrong hire – rumors are already circulating former Mavericks head man Avery Johnson is a frontrunner – he could set this whole thing back.

Stop the Bleeding

2008-05-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

College wrestling is in trouble, and a local phenom is feeling the effects.

Tejovan Edwards, who won a Group AAA state title at 140 pounds for Cox (Virginia Beach, Va.) High School, signed a letter of intent with Arizona State, eager to wrestle on the Division I level and compete for coach -- and former Cox standout -- Brian Stith.

Now Arizona State has dumped its wrestling program.

This is the sixth Division I wrestling program to fold within the last three years, joining Slippery Rock, Fresno State, Eastern Illinois, James Madison and Oregon. Arizona State is also cutting men's tennis and men's swimming. University officials say the move will save $1.1 million in the athletic budget, and also admitted a Title IX component.

Arizona State officials say roughly $8 million are needed to save the program and supporters have already raised $2 million, but this serves as a signal of a disturbing trend in college athletics. When Old Dominion announced a few years back it was adding a football team, rumors swirled whether the wrestling team would survive the Title IX ramifications.

The wrestling team survived the addition, as ODU decided to add three women's programs in lieu of cutting a men's team, but the fact that we even had the discussion is sad state of affairs.

Granted, college wrestling isn't one of the biggie sports -- it's not a money-maker, and aside from the national finals on ESPN, the sport rarely receives mainstream national publicity. Athletes like Edwards are often the victims in scenarios like this -- Arizona State says it will still honor his scholarship and his enrollment, but if Edwards wants to wrestle collegiately, he'll have to go somewhere else.

The spirit of Title IX is sound -- I'm all for gender equality. But athletic programs today use Title IX as an excuse to cut men's programs that don't excel financially. I'm all for female athletes getting their shot, but not at the expense of athletes like Edwards.

I hope Edwards can find another program to wrestle for, and I hope against all hope that the tide of Div. I wrestling teams getting the axe stops.

And soon.

Ticking Off the Fans

2008-05-20T10:26:00.001-07:00

You know what fans really hate?

Billionaires bickering with millionaires over how much money each side gets. Which is exactly what the NFL and the players' association are probably about to do. News broke Tuesday that NFL owners opted out of the current collective bargaining agreement, meaning a potential uncapped year in 2010 and a possible lockout in 2011.

NFL brass assured everyone the game will continue "without threat of interruption for at least the next three seasons." But the big bone of contention -- at least for owners -- is the combined $4.5 billion a year they have to give players. Under the current deal, players receive 60 percent of league revenues, and owners apparently think that's too much.

There are other reasons for the opt-out: higher labor costs, problems with the rookie pool and the NFL's inability to recoup bonuses of players who breach their contracts (i.e., Michael Vick). But the big one appears to be the 60-percent piece of the pie the players receive.

In a stroke of irony, NFLPA outside counsel Jeffrey Kessler told the Wall Street Journal prior to the announcement that should the owners opt out, the union would seek an increased share of the revenues. Kessler supported that stance by saying the union received an increase every other time a new CBA had been agreed upon.

Like I said, billionaires bickering with millionaries.

Do I think the players deserve 60 percent of NFL revenues? Of course -- the league and its owners make a humungous profit off the players (from ticket sales to merchandise numbers and advertising dollars), so it's only fair for the players to receive at least half of that. It's a similar argument to the one those in favor of paying student-athletes make, but in the NFL it holds more water, particularly since there's no such thing in the NFL as a guaranteed contract.

And while Kessler and Gene Upshaw might be justified in asking for a larger share for the players, perception will paint a negative picture. The owners are flexing their greedy muscles in trying to squeeze millions out of the players, yet the players -- many of whom already rake in millions in contracts and endorsements -- are trying to fill their own already-stuffed pockets.

Regrdless of who might be right in this (and I side with the union), no one's going to look right in public opinion. When owners and players start fighting over dollar amounts the general fan couldn't even dream of, that's a public relations nightmare.

The NFL is high and mighty, and will likely survive this -- possibly without a stoppage in 2011. But the longer this drags, the worse everyone looks and the more Roger Goodell might be looking up Gary Bettman's phone number.

When billionaires and millionaries fight over money, everyone loses.

The Art of Being Random

2008-05-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

Feel Good

No one would ever accuse me of being a Red Sox fan, but I couldn’t help but root for Jon Lester Monday night as he tossed a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals. Nine innings, 130 pitches, nine strikeouts, two walks, no hits and one hell of a good story.

This isn’t like Justin Verlander’s no-hitter last season, where I pumped my chest over a product of my alma mater’s baseball team reaching the pitching pinnacle. There was a collegiate pride in that instance, but with Lester there’s awe and inspiration. Because this time last year, Lester was so weak from chemotherapy and radiation treatment that he couldn’t even pick up a baseball.

But Lester worked his way back, returned to the Red Sox and won the clinching game of the 2007 World Series. And now the fourth no-hitter in the last two seasons.

Diagnosed with lymphoma in 2006, Lester underwent treatment and returned to the Red Sox organization for spring training in 2007. I saw him pitch a game for AAA Pawtucket against the Norfolk Tides last summer, and I have to admit it was a great feeling to watch a guy battle through what was once a death sentence to continue his career.

As much as I respect Tennessee’s Chris Lofton for playing last season after recovering from testicular cancer, I respect Lester the same way for what he has accomplished. To beat cancer – in any form – and return to the mound and perform as well as he did … remarkable doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Boston refused to deal Lester in the offseason, when Minnesota wanted him in a proposed deal for Johan Santana. Lester, who is 3-2 this season with a 3.41 ERA, has proven the Red Sox’ faith in him right, and anyone with a heart can’t help but get goosebumps when thinking of what he accomplished.

We’re so negative and cynical in today’s sports climate – between steroids and Spygate and betting scandals – that when a feel-good story comes along, we have to embrace it and enjoy it for as long as we can.

Because these stories are too few and far between anymore.

Not Convinced

David Stern once called Tim Donaghy a “rogue individual,” claiming the embattled NBA referee was the only one betting on basketball games. Now that the story has resurfaced with Donaghy’s admission that he bet on more than 100 games he worked as an official, I can’t help but feel as if Stern is wrong in his assessment.

It could just be my cynicism in today’s landscape, but I have a hard time believing Donaghy was the only referee betting on NBA games.

That’s like saying the 86 baseball players named in the Mitchell Report were the only ones using performance-enhancing drugs. Most level-headed people know that’s not the case.

I believe steroid use was far more rampant than those 86 players, just as I believe the New England Patriots aren’t the only NFL team to tape opposing team’s offensive and defensive signals. I have no evidence to back up either claim, but logically, I have a feeling these problems are much deeper than those who have been caught.

I feel the same way about the NBA ref betting scandal. I applaud Stern for jumping in front of the controversy in such a way that the sports media didn’t talk about it ad nauseum the way we’ve discussed Spygate, but the reality stands: if Donaghy did it, how can you possibly convince me no one else did?

Sid the Kid

Gary Bettman has to be ecstatic. For Sidney Crosby is in the Stanley Cup finals.

Will that translate into better ratings, when the Pittsburgh Penguins take on Detroit in Game 1 on Saturday? Hard to say; we thought LeBron James would help the NBA Finals’ ratings last year, and they didn’t – and the NBA is in much better shape than the NHL.

But Crosby’s presence has to help, right? Right?

If I’m the NHL, I certainly hope so. This league needs as much to go right as possible, given how it’s still struggling from the lockout of two seasons ago. The TV package has resulted in low ratings and an eventual fade from the public consciousness, and the potential star power of Crosby is just what the NHL needs to get itself back on the national sports map.

I don’t know if Sid the Kid is the second coming of The Great One, but for Bettman’s sake, I hope he can at least make hockey relevant again.

Journalism 101

2008-05-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

Verify Your Sources

So the Boston Herald issued an apology to the New England Patriots in Wednesday's edition after we learned the Patriots did not tape the St. Louis Rams' walkthrough prior to the Super Bowl in 2002.

The paper first reported the alleged existence of the tape on Feb. 2, a day before the Patriots lost 17-14 to the New Yourk Giants in the Super Bowl. Apparently, whoever wrote the story only bothered to use one source -- a source the Herald claimed "it believed to be credible."

"We should not have published the allegation in the absence of firmer verification," the paper read. "The Boston Herald regrets the damage done to the team by publication of the allegation, and sincerely apologizes to its readers and to the New England Patriots' owners, players, employees and fans for our error."

Alas, the Herald's gaff seems indicative of today's journalism, which ignores the standard of fact verification in favor of getting the big story to the public as soon as possible, and certainly before anyone else can break it. Ignore the fact that source verifying, once a cornerstone of the journalism profession, means accurate reporting -- we have to beat the other guys to this!

Granted, the paper deserves credit for apologizing -- once on the front page, again on the back page and a three-paragraph mea culpa inside the back page -- but the reporter should've done his job right the first time. If the reporter does his job correctly, and verifies what his source told him, we don't have this scenario.

Enough, already!

Just when you thought Matt Wlash put Spygate to bed for good, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., has other ideas.

Specter, who criticized Commissioner Roger Goodell's handling of the initial investigation and deemed the Patriots' win over the Phildelphia Eagles in the 2004 Super Bowl tainted, has asked for a more independent investigation of the Patriots' videotaping scandal. Apparently, he's about as satisfied with Goodell's investigation as George Mitchell was with how Major League Baseball handled the steroids situation.

Specter threatened to revoke the NFL's antitrust exemption, and said when Walsh met with Goodell, he did so with a lawyer representing the Patriots. While I agree that looks bad, I don't see the point in dragging this on any further.

The NFL caught Bill Belicheck taping the New York Jets at the beginning of last season. Belicheck was punished, and it seemed to be a dead issue before the Boston Herald dropped the walkthrough tape bombshell. Then Specter jumped in, and next thing we knew, the NFL was looking to meet with Walsh about what the Patriots did or didn't do.

What I want to know is -- what about the other 31 NFL teams? I don't doubt Belicheck taped signals for several years, but I do doubt he was the only one. I see this as less of a New England Patriots problem and more of a league-wide issue, and unless Specter sees fit to investigate the entire league, I don't see the point in this.

I think Congress has better things to worry about than whether NFL coaches are taping defensive signals, just like I think the steroids probes were a waste of time. But I guess if you're going to waste time and money, why not go all-out with it?

A feel-good story

Don't look now, but the Tampa Bay Rays are in first place in the American League East.

I realize it's only May 14, and I realize the Rays are only a half-game up on the Boston Red Sox. But for a perrenial doormat to be 23-16 and on a six-game winning streak -- I'm not convinced this is a fluke.

The Rays are an amazing 15-7 at home so far this season, hitting .259 (eighth-best in the AL) and are only allowing four runs a game -- the fifth-best mark in all of MLB. Carlos Pena is giving the Rays power with eight home runs, while B.J. Upton leads the team in average (.287) and RBI (25).

And let's not forget such young talent as Evan Longoria and Akinori Iwamura.

James Shields held down the rotation in Scott Kazmir's absence, maintaining a 3.14 ERA. Now that Kazmir's back, an already-solid rotation is getting better. And let's not forget -- Andy Sonnanstine leads the team with five wins. Troy Pervical has solidified the back end of the pitching staff, saving nine games while only blowing two chances (one of those chances was Tuesday night against the Yankees, a game the Rays still won, 2-1 in 11 innings).

Oh, Tampa Bay also leads the AL in stolen bases with 39. Small ball can win you a lot of games.

I'm not saying Tampa Bay will win the division -- or even earn a Wild Card slot. But they will make things interesting between the Red Sox and Yankees, and they're headed in the right direction. As much as I wish the Orioles were the ones pulling this off, it's nice to see a team that has struggled for so long doing so well early.

One of those things that makes the marathon baseball season more fun to follow.

Apologizing for Nothing in Particular

2008-05-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

Illegal Benefits

Anyone who thinks the story of hoops phenom O.J. Mayo allegedly taking $30,000 in illegal benefits while in high school and at USC is a sign of why the NBA's age limit rule doesn't work needs to re-examine the situation. While I agree David Stern's rule that a player must be 19 years old or have a year of college before entering the NBA Draft is flawed, this isn't why.

For proof, look no further than former USC football stud Reggie Bush, who even in the NFL has to deal with allegations he and his family took illegal benefits while he was helping the Trojans win back-to-back national titles and taking home the 2005 Heisman Trophy.

Bush wasn't a one-and-done player, and he still found himself in this mess. And what about the gifts Chris Webber took from Michigan boosters when he was a member of the Fab Five? He wasn't a one-and-done stud either.

And let's not forget former Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar, who was being paid for a job at a local car dealership he wasn't doing.

High-profile college athletes taking illegal benefits from boosters and sports agencies looking to eventually represent them is nothing new, and certainly not exclusive to college hoops stars looking toward the NBA after one year. I'm not even sure I blame the kids in this so much, because let's face it: if I'm 18, 19 years old, possibly from a less-than-well-off background, and someone offers me five figures ... how hard do you think it would be for me to say no?

But USC deserves its share of the blame, for the simple fact that the school had already been through this before with Bush. When Mayo recruited himself to hoops coach Tim Floyd, the school should've done its homework (it says it did, but I don't buy it) and seen the red flags. There is no way USC didn't know what was going on, and if they didn't, there's a compliance officer who should be looking for a new job.

Let's try placing the blame in this where it belongs, eh?

Well, he's not Isiah ...

Mike D'Antoni will be announced as the new coach of the New York Knicks Tuesday afternoon, and many wonder if he's a good fit for a team that is, to put it kindly, in disarray.

While anyone is an upgrade over Isiah Thomas at this point, will D'Antoni's up-tempo offense and optional defense work with this roster? A roster that still includes Stephon Marbury, at that?

To be fair, reports are D'Antoni's first move will be to cut Marbury. If that's true, it's a good first step in the former Phoenix coach's regime. But trading in Amare Stoudamire for Eddy Curry? I apologize if I fail to see the logic in that.

Oh, wait ... four years, $24 million. That's all the logic you need right there. And as much as the Chicago Bulls would've been a better fit, since the team has actual talent, it became clear after talking to D'Antoni the Bulls didn't want him.

Apparently, Chicago wants to play defense.

D'Antoni has a chance, especially if the Knicks land a top-two draft spot and can take either Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley. And the Eastern Conference being what it is, 37 wins might be good enough for the postseason (right, Atlanta?). But rebuilding the Knicks will be a long-term project, and I wonder what D'Antoni's priorities were in making this decision.

I sue you!

2008-04-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

Legal grounds?

So according to reports, Howard Schultz -- the guy we can blame for the evil known as Starbucks -- is suing Clay Bennett. Schultz doesn't want money ... oh no, he wants his NBA team back.

Schultz sold the Seattle SuperSonics to Bennett and his group of Oklanhoma City-based investors, apparently under the assumption Bennett and his crew would do everything they could to keep the Sonics in Seattle.

Never mind the fact that Oklahoma City had been openly clamoring for an NBA franchise since the New Orleans Hornets spent the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons playing home games there. Schultz really believed Bennett would keep the Sonics in Seattle.

Now he's angry and indignant that Bennett wants to move the team? Now he sees fit to throw his lawyers into the fray, trying to get the team back? First of all, I'm not sure if that's legally possible, and secondly ... how could he not have seen this coming?

Oklahoma City wants an NBA team ... a guy from Oklahoma City plopped down millions upon millions of dollars to buy a team some thought might be on the way out of town.

Call me crazy, but that sounds like 2+2=4.

David Stern isn't much better, sitting back and twiddling his thumbs as the whole thing went down.

I'll grant Seattle hasn't been the most competitive team in recent years, but fans are still supporting the team. It's not like the Sonics are playing their home games in front of crowds in the hundreds, booing them off the court (right, Isiah Thomas?). And with Kevin Durant sure to take Rookie of the Year honors, the future is indeed bright, no matter where the Sonics wind up.

So why punish the fans? Because Bennett didn't get the $500 million new arena he wanted? The citizens of Seattle already funded new baseball and football stadiums -- they have more important things to spend tax dollars on than a new arena.

Schultz can sue and gripe all he wants, but he should've seen this coming from day one.

No choice

I'm normally not one to tell college basketball players to go pro -- consider me a proponent of using the college game to develop your skills and getting your degree -- but in the case of Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose, I'll make an exception.

Beasley, Kansas State's star freshman, and Rose, the freshman stud from national runner-up Memphis, will reportedly enter the NBA draft. In fact, were it not for the age rule the NBA set last year, Beasley and Rose might not have been in college to begin with.

Most experts expect Beasley and Rose to be among the top three picks in June's NBA Draft. Either could be the top pick, which might go to the Miami Heat. And when you're a virtual top-three pick, locked into that secure a financial future, I can't in good conscience agrue for staying in college.

Sure, seeing Beasley and Rose in another NCAA tournament would be nice -- I'd particularly like to see Rose get another shot at a national title. But if they're looking at all those millions and the perks that come with being a high lottery pick ... who am I to tell them not to go?

Gotta go where the money is.

Turning Pro?

2008-04-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

Credit where credit’s due

I’m tired of everyone waxing poetic about how Tiger Woods lost the Masters. That’s about as annoying as saying Memphis gave Kansas the national championship – actually, more so considering the fickle nature of golf.

I’m well aware of how good Tiger’s been so far this year – seven wins in eight starts, including five in a row – just as I’m aware of how he first broached the concept of the Grand Slam, calling it “possible” on his website.

But I think what most of us fail to realize – which is ironic, considering how many of us likely play golf – is how the game doesn’t exactly lend itself to momentum. In baseball, a string of hits can lead to a nine- or 10-game hit streak. In basketball, rattling off a few wins in a row can really help a team feed off itself and perform better.

But in golf, momentum means nothing. Sure, Tiger was 7-for-8 before coming to Augusta. Apparently, the golfing gods didn’t care, seeing fit to take away his putter while simultaneously giving Trevor Immelman nearly every break possible.

That Tiger was still in contention on Sunday – he finished second at 5-under – speaks to his talent, which is enough to get him past most of his foibles. The putter is normally the first to go, and the way golf is, it can go at any time.

So enough about how Tiger lost the Masters. The law of averages simply caught up with him.

But Immelman, the first South African to wear the green jacket since Gary Player in 1978? This was his time. He struck the ball well, made putts, and a triple-bogey on 12 aside, he held firm on Sunday when everyone else around him yacked all over themselves.

And considering the adversity Immelman has faced over the past year – namely his health scares – I’m more inclined to congratulate him and pat him on the back than I am to point at Tiger and ask why he didn’t win.

Tiger Woods is still the best golfer today – perhaps the best ever. This year’s Masters doesn’t change that.

You realize it’s just a game, right?

Am I the only one who thinks this whole jersey thing at the new Yankee Stadium is much ado about nothing?

In case you haven’t heard by now, one of the construction workers buried a David Ortiz Red Sox jersey in the concrete below what will be the visitors’ dugout at the new Yankee Stadium that will open next season. The worker, a Red Sox fan, apparently thought burying the jersey would curse the Yanks’ new digs – much the way the Babe Ruth sale apparently cursed Boston over 90 years ago.

What amazes me is how seriously everyone took this. I won’t deny Yankees-Red Sox is baseball’s biggest rivalry – think Duke-North Carolina in pinstripes – but last I checked, baseball was just a game, and there were 28 other teams in America and Canada playing it.

Hank Steinbrenner said he hoped the worker’s peers “beat the [expletive] out of him.” The worker responded by telling Steinbrenner to bring it – and for Jorge Posada to tag along for the melee.

Listen … this curse thing is preposterous. Boston took 86 years to win a World Series because for 86 years, they just weren’t good enough. Same goes for the Chicago Cubs and the century that has passed since their last title.

Though it may be Yankees-Red Sox, it’s still just baseball. Get a grip, people …

Just a game

… Because sometimes there are things more important than what goes on in the diamond.

Take Georgia Tech, which canceled Tuesday’s game against Georgia Southern. Yellow Jackets pitcher Michael Hutts was found dead in his apartment on Friday, which at first postponed Georgia Tech’s game against Miami.

The Yellow Jackets have lost their last three games and canceled Tuesday’s game to attend Hutts’ funeral.

Cause of death may not be known for several weeks, but one thing is known: Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern get it. There is an argument to be made for playing the games as scheduled, to push through and play for the sake of normalcy and to provide an escape.

But Yellow Jackets coach Danny Hall admitted his team was grief-stricken, and sometimes it’s more important to stop and grieve than it is to soldier forth.

Baseball will still be there when the Yellow Jackets return to the field. Michael Hutts will not. I’m just glad everyone involved realizes that.

I'm Back!!

2008-04-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

Rock Chalk Championship

Go ahead: argue all you want about how Memphis lost the National Championship Monday night in San Antonio.

You can point to the Tigers missing four of their last five free throws in regulation. You can insist coach John Calipari should’ve called a timeout at some point in the last 10 seconds. You could even put on your own coaching hat and argue Memphis should’ve fouled on the play that ultimately sent the game into overtime and solidified Mario Chalmers’ place in Kansas hoops lore.

But, being the positive guy I am, I’m going to take a different route – a novel one, perhaps: instead of blaming Memphis for losing, I want to give Kansas credit for winning.

Yes, Memphis made those crucial mistakes down the stretch. Up nine with just over two minutes to play … most teams would close the deal. But if Kansas doesn’t take advantage of those mistakes, the point’s moot.

Kansas held Memphis to 1-for-9 shooting down the stretch. And before Sherron Collins hit a big trey in the closing minutes of regulation, Kansas had been dreadful from behind the arc. Before that shot, the Jayhawks had gone 1-for-9 from distance.

Oh, yeah … there’s also Chalmers’ shot with 2.1 seconds to play that sent the game into overtime and allowed the Jayhawks to ride their momentum all the way to the national title. Just think: if Chalmers misses that shot, the Tigers hoist the trophy, have their One Shining Moment, and instead of holding Calipari’s feet to the fire over the mistakes, we’re talking about how Memphis was good enough to overcome its flaws.

Which, 38 out of 40 times this year, the Tigers were.

But Memphis didn’t lose this game; Kansas won it. Without the big treys from Collins and Chalmers, we’re touting Calipari as a coach and his players as the epitome of athletic greatness. Instead, Bill Self is about to cash in one way or another and we’re subjected to the sports media making constant 1980s video game references (something tells me Chalmers isn’t a plumber and doesn’t have a fondness for mushrooms).

Then again, shouldn’t the team hoisting the trophy get some sort of props for that?

Is Eight Enough?

For Pat Summit, I seriously doubt it.

Tennessee won its eighth national title Tuesday night with a 64-48 win over Stanford. Go ahead, read that again. I’ll understand if “eighth national title” is a little hard to believe.

After all, we’re talking John Wooden territory.

I’ve had the privilege of knowing Pat Summit and speaking with her on a few occasions following the Lady Vols’ annual romps of Old Dominion (sorry, Monarch fans, but it’s true). And as nice and pleasant as she is off the court, it’s Summit’s drive and work ethic and intensity on the court that makes so much of Tennessee’s success possible.

Then again, having Candace Parker helps.

The All-American, Player of the Year, two-time national champion – whatever superlative you choose, Parker is a talent unlike anything women’s basketball has seen in a long time, if ever. She plays all five positions, is an offensive threat as well as a pretty good defender.

And you try playing in the NCAA tournament with a bum shoulder.

Parker will change the way women’s basketball is played – with her speed, agility and power – and possibly even the way the sport is viewed. The Final Four aside, when does the mainstream sports media talk about women’s hoops? Mostly when a lady dunks – which Parker has done three times in the past two years (including twice in one NCAA tournament game last year).

Parker, along with four other seniors, won’t be in Knoxville next year, so there’s a little unknown heading into next season. But if I know Pat Summit the way I think I do, something tells me the Lady Vols will be just fine.

Your first-place … Baltimore Orioles?!

When Spring Training started, my expectations were pretty low. If Baltimore managed to survive the 2008 season without losing 100 games, I would’ve been happy. This is what happens when a team that lost 93 games the year before loses its ace (Erik Bedard), one of its historically productive offensive players (Miguel Tejada) and threatens almost daily to move another star (Brian Roberts).

In March, team president Andy MacPhail needed to refer to a roster to determine who his players were. That’s not the best of signs.

But lo and behold! A week into the season, and my Orioles are 6-1, having won six straight after dropping the opener against the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays. Let’s not get delusional here – Baltimore’s opening the year against some pretty weak competition in Tampa Bay and Texas, and in Seattle the Orioles faced a team with a hurt starter (Bedard, ironically enough) and a bullpen located in the infirmary.

Baltimore will come crashing back down to earth, and I stand by my desire to not lose 100 games this year (we may stink, but we’re not the Royals). That said, MacPhail seems to have a plan in place, and I like some of the young talent this team has – specifically Nick Markakis and Adam Jones – who Baltimore picked up in the Bedard trade. And if MacPhail thinks he can get some value for Roberts, then by all means, move him.

But word of caution to O’s fans: Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. What else should you expect from a rotation that relies on Steve Traschel and Daniel Cabrera?

People amaze me sometimes ...

2008-03-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

You're kidding, right?

So apparently the New York Giants -- you know, the team which dethroned the almighty Patriots in one of the most memorable Super Bowls -- have signed "quarterback" David Carr to a one-year, $1 million deal (according to ESPN.com).

Carr will fight for the back-up spot with Jared Lorenzen behind emergent star Eli Manning. This after a disastrous 2007 season in which Carr battled injuries and lost the Carolina Panthers starting QB job to -- wait for it -- Vinny Testaverde.

So remind me why the Giants are giving this guy a go.

Like many pundits, I was willing to give Carr, the No. 1 overall pick in 2002, a pass on his five-year tenure with the Houston Texans. With no skill players at his disposal and an offensive line with more holes than swiss cheese, it was hard to gauge Carr's talent. Quarterbacks can't put up gaudy numbers when they're flat on their backs.

Right, Tom Brady?

But after the way things went in Carolina last season, I'm officially ready to call Carr a bust. Lorenzen -- who, by the way, thinks JaMarcus Russell needs to shed some pounds -- is probably a better quarterback at this point, and although I understand the Giants' mindset in getting a security blanket for Manning, was Carr really the best the Super Bowl champs could do?

If I'm a New York fan, I hope Manning is the picture of health this year.

You never hear this sort of thing about Tyne Daly.

Just when you think John Daly's life can't get any more pathetic, he goes out and proves everyone wrong.

First, the two-time major champion was fired by swing coach Butch Harmon, who said Daly cared more about getting drunk than playing golf. And after Daly spent a 2 1/2 hour rain delay at the PODS Championship in a Hooters corporate tent knocking back the drinks and emerged with Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden on his bag, who could argue the point?

Then Daly misses his tee time in the pro-am of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, disqualifying him from the event. Daly said he missed his tee time because the person in charge of such things told him his Thursday time instead of his Wednesday time (according to Golf.com).

The alleged mix-up also cost Nick O'Hern and Ryuji Imada their spots in the tournament. Both players, who were alternates for the pro-am, thought they were teeing off in the afternoon. Instead, both were called in the morning after Daly no-showed, and since neither could make it to the course, they too were disqualified.

"When I should have been on the tee, I was giving my girls breakfast," O'Hern told the Associated Press. "I thought common sense would have prevailed. This is a tough one to take. Unfortunately, we got caught up in John's snowball effect."

Anyone who follows golf should know Daly and common sense never inhabit the same sentence, let alone the same fairway. Harmon's comments should serve as a wake-up call for a guy who for some reason is a fan favorite behind Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour, a guy who lost his tour card two years ago and has been living off sponsor exemptions.

But knowing what I do about Daly -- the way he loves to liquor it up, light a smoke at the tee and gamble away virtually every dollar he wins on the course -- I doubt it. If someone hasn't gotten to him by now, I doubt Harmon's comments will do much good. But good for Harmon -- widely recognized as the best swing coach in the game, Harmon has worked with the likes of Greg Norman, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott.

All guys who, unlike Daly, care more about their profession than the alcoholic perks.

Just Start Your Engines, Already!

2008-02-13T20:48:00.000-08:00

I always look forward to the Daytona 500; being a NASCAR fan, I'm naturally amped for the start of the now-Sprint Cup season and the Great American Race.

But this year, I'm more excited than ever. Perhaps it's a desire to get away from all the scandal in sports right now. I've grown tired of Congress butting its nose into such matters as steroids and Spygate.

I no longer care what goes on between Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee. They're both unsavory sleazabags and they both deserve public scorn and possibly jail time. But I just don't give a damn anymore.

As far as I'm concerned, Arlen Specter needs to give Spygate a rest. The Super Bowl's over, the Pro Bowl apparently slipped past us (did anyone notice or care?), so why subject Roger Goodell and the rest of us to this poor attempt at espionage?

The NBA trades are somewhat intriguing, but given the marathon regular season, the overall lack of defense and the fact that the playoffs take about a decade to slog through, I just don't care enough to offer much in the way of time or opinion. So I'll just pick the Spurs -- until they don't win.

NHL players getting their necks and faces slashed by skates is too gruesome; it's sad that we only talk hockey when something bad happens. So I'll just pass on the ice boxing.

And until college basketball barrels into March (and with my Monarchs struggling this year with a young squad), I find myself needing an actual sports fix. Which makes NASCAR's return to the beaches of Daytona a godsend.

There is no cheating drama this year, as there was last February when Michael Waltrip got busted for using an illegal additive in his carbeurator. This year, the stories are more varied and much more interesting:

-How much has Toyota improved from its 2007 debut? The deal with Joe Gibbs Racing gives the Japanese manufacturer instant credibility -- and three week-in-week-out contenders in Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin -- and can only help the likes of Red Bull Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing.

-Can Jimmie Johnson join Cale Yarborough as the only Cup Series driver to win three consecutive championships? With Hendrick Motorsports' equipment and the genuis of Chad Knaus atop the pit box, why not?

-How far will Jeff Gordon's ascent in the record books continue? He's within reach of Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison on the all-time wins list, and another Cup title would give him five -- he's the only driver other than Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt to win more than three Cup championships.

-The Car of Tomorrow is now the Car of Today, and how will it handle speedway racing? The car ran 16 times last year, mostly on tracks a mile in length or less. With much of the schedlue running at venues 1.5 miles or longer, how will the larger, boxier car handle? And for that matter, how will the racing be?

-And of course, the biggest story coming into the season: Dale Earnhardt Jr., now free of his stepmother's clutches, joining the sport's most dominant team in Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick drivers won 18 of the 36 Cup races last season, and Earnhardt Jr. has already paid dividends, winning the Buweiser Shootout this past Saturday night.

Junior is a master of restrictor-plate racing -- just like his late father was -- and he won the 2004 Daytona 500, but Junior will be expected to contend for the championship this year. And why not? With the best equipment and people working with him in the business, there's no reason Junior can't return to Victory Lane at least four or five times this season. I won't come right out and say Junior will win the Sprint Cup this season, but he will make the Chase for the Championship and finish in the top five.

But mark this down: when the checkered flag waves on the 50th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Earnhardt Jr. will be the first to the line.

I knew there was a reason I was so excited about NASCAR coming back ...

Monarch Signing Day

2008-02-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

National Signing Day has come and gone, and while the rest of the nation waxes poetic about what some of the top teams in the country have done for 2008 and beyond, some of us look at the day for what it really is -- some of the top local high school talent deciding where they are going to further their educations and athletic careers.

In the case of Old Dominion University, National Signing Day was also the next step in the process of starting up a Division I-AA -- or Football Championship Subdivision, if you're so inclined -- program. Head coach Bobby Wilder announced the signing of 21 players, all of whom will redshirt the 2008 season in preparation for the program's first game in 2009.

Of the 21 players signed, 10 are from Hampton Roads, an area in which the ODU campus is situated in the middle. Southeastern Virginia is an area rife with football talent -- talent that often finds its way to Virginia or Virginia Tech, or even one of the state's Div. I-AA powers in William and Mary, James Madison, Norfolk State and Hampton.

So if ODU was to succeed, Wilder and his staff -- in which there are three assistants with local connections -- needed to place emphasis on recruiting in Hampton Roads.

They did.

Below is a list of the 21 players who will be among the first ODU football team in more than half a century. Hampton Roads signees will be in bold, and impressions will be given when warranted. The list and all relavant statistics are courtesy of the Daily Press (Newport News, Va.).

-Chris Burnette (Gilman HS, Randallstown, Md.): 6-4 | 260 | DL | Had 78 tackles, seven sacks as a senior.
-Michael Colbert (E.E. Smith HS, Fayetteville, N.C.): 6-1 | 205 | LB | Had 144 tackles, 66 solo, as a senior.
-Vondre Combs (Warwick HS, Newport News, Va.): 6-0 | 215 | LB | Had 105 tackles as a senior in 2006.
-Bobby Cooper (South River HS, Davidsonville, Md.): 6-3 | 200 | QB | Despite leading a run-first offense, Cooper threw for over 3,100 yards and 28 TDs as a senior.
-T.J. Cowart (Ocean Lakes HS, Virginia Beach, Va.): 5-9 | 180 | DB | Undersized but speedy, doubled as running back as a senior; intercepted top national recruit and Florida State commit E.J. Manuel three times in a game last season.
-Carlos Davis (Friendly HS, Fort Washington, Md.): 5-10 | 170 | WR | Has 4.4 speed, caught 30 balls for over 600 yards as a senior.
-Reid Evans (Phoebus HS, Hampton, Va.): 5-10 | 175 | WR | Had 68 catches for 1,135 yards and eight TDs as a senior. Also used his speed to intercept seven passes as the Phantoms advanced to the Virginia Group AAA state semifinals.
-Drew Hareza (South Fayette HS, South Fayette, Penn.): 6-0 | 205 | K/P | Made eight field goals as a senior, with a long of 45 yards, and was 23-for-23 on extra-point tries.
-Deanthony Jones (C.H. Flowers HS, Hyattsville, Md.): 6-0 | 180 | DB | Played quarterback in high school but looks to be a free safety in college.
-Nick Mayers (Landstown HS, Virginia Beach, Va.): 5-7 | 160 | WR/RB | Rushed for 728 yards, had 484 receiving yards and scored 16 TDs as a senior. Versatile enough to fill both slots in college, and even played WB briefly for the Eagles because of injuries.
-Bryan Morrison (Broad Run HS, Ashburn, Va.): 6-2 | 260 | OL | This three-year starter was first-team all-district and all-region as a senior.
-Ricky Nichols (Maury HS, Norfolk, Va.): 5-11 | 175 | DB | ODU's first recruit, Nichols will reunite with assistant coach Dealton Cotton, who was once head man at Maury, a high school 10 minutes from campus. Nichols is small but quick and has a good eye for the ball.
-Tommy Raemon Jr. (Gloucester HS, Gloucester, Va.): 6-2 | 195 | QB | 13 TDs and 36 INTs might not sound like college material, but Raemon played for a poor Gloucester team, and he impressed scouts in summer camps. His father, Tommy Raemon Sr., is the coach at Gloucester and was once Michael Vick's coach at nearby Warwick High.
-Erik Saylor (Urbana HS, Ijamsville, Md.): 6-2 | 265 | DL | Had 71 tackles and seven sacks as a senior.
-Devon Simmons (Denbigh HS, Newport News, Va.): 6-2 | 180 | DB | Had 105 tackles, forced seven fumbles as a senior. Three-sport athlete.
-Andrew Turner (Kellam HS, Virginia Beach, Va.): 6-3 | 235 | DE | Played defensive end and tight end at Kellam, earned first-team All-Beach District honors at tight end. Had 60 tackles as defensive end, using a large, muscular frame to impose his will on shorter, flabbier offensive linemen.
-Charles Walls (Tallwood HS, Virginia Beach, Va.): 6-2 | 281 | OL | Committed to Kent State in August, but changed his mind in December to stay closer to home. Clogs up pass-rushing lanes and uses solid fundamentals.
-Joacim Wigfall (Woodside HS, Newport News, Va.): 5-10 | 210 | RB | Rushed for 1,467 yards and 16 TDs as a senior in 2006.
-Craig Wilkins (H.D. Woodson HS, Washington, D.C.): Had 103 tackles, broke up 23 passes and had eight INTs as a senior.
-Desmond Williams (Bertie HS, Windsor, N.C.): 5-11 | 188 | WR | Played quarterback as a senior, throwing for over 2,100 yards. His athleticism will likely move him to the wideout slot.
-Joseph Wills ( Westlake HS, Waldorf, Md.): 6-3 | 262 | OL | Had 49 tackles and nine sacks as a senior; an All-Southern Maryland Athletic Conference selection.

So although the Monarchs won't actually take the field until 2009, the reality of ODU football is growing clearer by the day. So many local recruits are a good sign, signaling that the staff knows just how important gaining a presence in the area is. This is important, considering Wilder's roots are in Maine.

For ODU football to succeed -- in the Colonial Athletic Association, the Monarchs are joining a conference that has won two of the last five Div. I-AA national championships -- the local talent needs to be utilized. U.Va. and Virginia Tech will still get their share of players from Hampton Roads, but if ODU can keep a solid stream of I-AA-caliber players coming to campus and playing, the Monarchs should be contenders sooner rather than later.

Not bad for a basketball school.

Super Bowl Hangover

2008-02-05T09:50:00.000-08:00

So what else is new?

Is Bob Knight's decision to resign from Texas Tech, effective immediately, hypocritical? Perhaps, but when have we expected anything less from the embattled hoops coach?

Knight claims he's grown tired of coaching, which I can get behind; he's 67 and has been coaching for 42 years. That's not even taking into account the fact that he's coaching basketball at a football school in a football state, and even when the team was at its best, the interest really wasn't there.

I can dig that. Really, I can.

But to bail with at least 11 games left in the season? To leave when the Red Raiders, who are 12-8 (3-3 Big XII) and on the NCAA bubble, as they enter the stretch run? That's low -- even for a man known for tossing furniture and choking his players.

I ripped Bobby Petrino when he bailed on the Atlanta Falcons with three games left in a dismal season, and I do the same to Knight, who had signed a three-year extension at Texas Tech before the season. I don't care how many times he talks about giving his son Pat a smooth transition into the head coaching seat and all that: fact is, Knight quit on his team, and that is inexcusable.

If Knight wants out, that's fine, but the least he could've done was wait until the end of the season.

Laker thievery

The Lakers made out like bandits when they lured Pau Gasol away from the Memphis Grizzlies. Only having to give up Kwame Brown and a pair of inconsequential draft picks? Probably the best deal in the NBA since the Miami Heat came away with Shaquille O'Neal.

Brown was as ineffective in Los Angeles as he'd been in Washington, only without the lying about having the flu during the playoffs. The home fans took to booing Brown, and he was even more of a sore thumb with the emergence of Andrew Bynum. So getting rid of Brown, a complete waste of a basketball player, was necessary for the Lakers front office.

Fortunately for Kobe Bryant, Gasol brings a solid -- if not somewhat soft -- post presence to fill the void until Bynum returns from injury. And once Bynum does get back, the frontcourt combo of him and Gasol could be one of the best in the West, and a reason to consider the Lakers a contender with the Spurs and Suns.

I still give the West to the Spurs -- they're merely bored and without Tony Parker at the moment -- but the Gasol trade makes the Lakers a serious contender.

Sign away!

Normally, National Signing Day barely registers on my sports radar, partly because of my distaste for college football. But this year will be different; with my alma mater, Old Dominion, starting a Division I-AA squad in 2009, the first crop of Monarch recruits will begin signing with the school on Wednesday.

And I'm getting excited.

Coach Bobby Wilder, a Maine alum, said from day one he would recruit from the graduating class of 2008 and redshirt everyone in preparation for the 2009 season. A good move, but not nearly as good as the fact that so many of the Monarchs' early commitments came from local talent.

Southeastern Virginia is littered with Div. I-AA schools -- Hampton, Norfolk State, William and Mary -- and the players who are solid I-A talent often go to Virginia or Virginia Tech. So for ODU to pull so many local kids into the fray right away makes a statement to the area, and a statement to Wilder's staff and its ability to recruit locally.

Consider the following local recruits (compiled from The Virginian-Pilot):

-T.J. Cowart, DB/Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach)
-Nick Mayers, WR/Landstown (Virginia Beach)
-Ricky Nichols, DB/Maury (Norfolk); the first ODU commitment
-Andrew Turner, DT-TE/Kellam (Virginia Beach)
-Charles Walls, DT/Tallwood (Virginia Beach); originally committed to Kent State and changed
-Reid Evans, WR-DB/Phoebus (Hampton)
-Devon Simmons, DB/Denbigh (Newport News)

Seven local commitments, not including the potential announcement Tuesday afternoon from Gloucester quarterback Tommy Raemon Jr. His announcement will come on WAVY TV 10 at 6:20 p.m.; the signal-caller will choose from Missouri, South Florida, Buffalo and ODU, according to the Daily Press.

His father, Tommy Raemon Sr., is the coach at Gloucester and was Michael Vick's high school coach at Warwick.

Gaining a local footing early is important to ODU's success, both on and off the field. College football in Virginia is crowded enough, so for the Monarchs to make a local impression over a year and half before their first game could go a long way in making sure this program is a success down the road.

Perfect Waste

2008-02-04T21:30:00.000-08:00

Tattoo removal, anyone?

I feel for that Rhode Island guy who before the Super Bowl who had "19-0 Patriots" tattooed on his arm.

Actually, no I don't. Anyone that arrogant deserves to be humiliated after the Patriots lost 17-14 to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII Sunday night.

The pursuit of perfection is over; the Patriots didn't make it to Mercury Morris' block after all.

We know what the game did for the Giants -- particularly game MVP Eli Manning and coach Tom Coughlin. Two guys once on the verge of being run out of the Big Apple now find themselves in the same situation brother Peyton and coaching colleague Tony Dungy did a year ago: on top of the football world. Eli's cemented himself as a legitimate NFL quarterback, and Coughlin probably gets to keep his job for another couple years.

But what of the Patriots? They were expected to complete the perfect season; 19-0 seemed so inevitable The Boston Globe published a book about it before the game and the Patriots attempted to copyright the phrase "19-0."

Side note: the Patent and Copyright Office rejected the request, adding it would look into it further once the Patriots actually won the game.

Nice to see someone in Washington has common sense.

Tom Brady set records this season, Randy Moss was a model citizen. Coach Bill Belicheck was ... well, he was as surly and arrogant as ever (anyone see his post-game interview with Chris Myers? Awkward ...). But it all amounts to nothing, as a team many felt might be the best ever lost for the first time all season in the one game that truly mattered.

Generally speaking, 18-1 isn't a failed season -- just ask the 1985 Chicago Bears or the 1984 San Francisco 49ers. But those teams won the Super Bowl; the one loss came in the regular season. For the Patriots, the lone slip-up came at the worst possible time -- with the Vince Lombardi Trophy on the line -- and the result is eternal ridicule.

In years to come, look up the word "waste" in the dictionary, and you might just find the 2007 New England Patriots.

We normally don't remember who lost the Super Bowl, but we will this time. I won't say the Patriots choked, because the Giants played a fantastic game and just flat-out hit the Patriots in the mouth. But to dominate as the Patriots did the first nine games of the season, then to hold on when teams started giving it their all down the stretch, there was no way this epitome of teamwork would stumble in Glendale, right?

Right?

Belicheck and Patriot Nation better be glad they already have three Super Bowl rings this decade; otherwise, Sunday's loss would sting even more and the historical ramifications would cut even deeper. As it is, this season was a total waste ... just as one tattoo artist in Rhode Island wasted a lot of ink.

Mets steal Santana

How else to describe the deal in which the Minnesota Twins sent freak ace Johan Santana to the New York Mets for four minor leaguers -- none of which ranked as the organization's top prospect?

It was a steal, plain and simple.

It was also the best the Twins could get. Deals with the Yankees and Red Sox fell through when the Twins refused to budge. With the Yankees, Minnesota wanted Phillip Hughes -- a young arm Brian Cashman wanted to hold onto. With Boston, the dealbreaker was Jacoby Ellsbury and Jon Lester. The Twins wanted both, but the Red Sox would only part with one or the other.

And after how they helped the Sox win their second World Series in three years, can you really blame them? Especially since Boston's starting rotation already reads like a fantasy roster?

The Twins' stubbornness led to the one-sided nature of this deal. And the Mets, still reeling from the September collapse that handed the NL East to the Philadelphia Phillies, picked up the best pitcher in the game, a guy who even before spring training turns the Mets into the frontrunner in a watered-down National League.

The Mets will win the division this season, and have perhaps the best shot of any NL club of reaching the World Series. With Tom Glavine back in Atlanta, Pedro Martinez aging and coming off major injuries and not much else in the rotation, Santana is a godsend.

Simply put, watch out for the Mets this season.

I'm ... fired?

Poor Gregg Williams.

One week he's interviewing four times for the head coaching position with the Washington Redskins. The next, the team fires him.

Which makes me wonder how bad those interviews were.

I'm not sure what owner Daniel Snyder is trying to accomplish here -- hiring new assistants before putting a head coach in place is an odd move. And I'm not crazy about Jim Fassel as a hire; sure, he took the New York Giants to the Super Bowl in 2000, but he's been fired from his last two NFL gigs -- including his stint as offensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens.

The Redskins have a young quarterback and a stout running game; they don't need an offensive retread running the show (I'm looking at you, Jim Zorn).

I have no issue with Snyder interviewing Steve Spagnuolo, the defensive coordinator who just helped the Giants win the Super Bowl. He seems like a smart football guy, and he'd help an already solid defense. If he helped a depleted and injury-riddled secondary get to the Big Game and shut down Randy Moss, imagine what Spagnuolo could do with the talent in D.C.

But my pick? Steve Mariucci, who currently works as an analyst at the NFL Network. I realize his stint in Detroit was a distaster, but let's face it: everyone in Detroit is doomed to failure so long as Matt Millen's in charge. But with the 49ers, Mariucci orchestrated a solid West Coast offensive scheme, taking the team to the playoffs four times in his six years with the franchise.

A record of 60-43 (including playoffs) in those six seasons is nothing to sneeze at.

More countdown

Twleve days and counting until the 50th annual Daytona 500. You have been warned.

Not Here to Talk About the Past

2008-01-10T09:44:00.000-08:00

Carroll + Falcons = WTF?!

So USC coach Pete Carroll apparently talked to Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank on Wednesday, with regards to the head coaching job left vacant by professional sleazeball Bobby Petrino.

Which leads me to wonder ... why?!

The Falcons are an organization in shambles right now, and that's not even taking into account the 3-13 record this past season. Petrino's cowardly departure was just another in a long line of embarrassments for the team this year, and let's not forget the little issue of the star, multi-million dollar quarterback in federal prison on dogfighting convictions.

Oh, and Bill Parcells thought he was going to be the team president before he changed his mind and went to the Dolphins. The Falcons were spurned at the expense of a team that won ONE game this season.

Ouch.

So naturally, the Falcons aren't a good job for Carroll right now. Carroll had moderate success his first go around in the NFL -- with the Jets and Patriots -- but the man is a virtual deity in SoCal, what with his NFL-caliber recruiting classes and being a year-in, year-out contender for the BCS national title. Hell, one might even suggest his Trojans could actually beat the Falcons right now, so why would Carroll want to coach them?

If Carroll were to return to the NFL, he'd want control over player personnel -- which Blank might give him. He'd also want a fat salary -- which, again, Blank would probably give him. But most importantly, Carroll would want a situation in which he could win fairly soon, and the Falcons don't provide that. Carroll would be better served going to Washington if that were the case.

Because let's face it, the Redskins actually have a quarterback.

Congress taking its time

If you set your TiVo is catch Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Brian McNamee squirm and bicker before Congress on Jan. 16, you might want to reset it. The committee overseeing the hearing has rescheduled the affair until Feb. 13 to give the committee time to coordinate its investigation with that of the Justice Department and to talk to the witnesses in private under oath before the public hearing.

Note the committee didn't do that the last time baseball had to face the government with regards to steroids. You know, when Mark McGwire refused to talk about the past and Sammy Sosa suddenly forgot how to speak English.

I'm no legal expert, but to me, this is Congress' way of saying it's serious this time. If they're interested in talking to Clemens and Pettitte and McNamee in private under oath first, there's no telling what juicy little nuggets might come out of that. But more importantly, such homework before the hearing should prevent said hearing from becomin a farce.

It's going to be a media circus regardless, but the more credibility Congress can add to the proceedings, the better. And I think that's just what this delay does.

Countdown to Daytona

Not that I'm looking forward to it or anything, but we are just 38 days away from the 50th running of the Daytona 500. NASCAR's biggest race is celebrating a milestone anniversary, but perhaps more interesting are the potential storylines coming into the 2008 season.

Will Jimmie Johnson -- who was fastest during testing this week -- become the only driver other than Cale Yarborough to win three straight Cup titles this season? Will teammate Jeff Gordon beat his protege and take his fifth career championship? Will new Hendrick golden boy Dale Earnhardt Jr. break into Victory Lane this year and contend for his first Spring Cup?

Or my personal favorite, how long until new teammates Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart try to kill each other? I've got the over/under at the first Martinsville race in March.

Do I know the answers to those questions? No, but I can't wait to find out. Just 38 more days ...

Here's the wind up ...

2008-01-08T20:05:00.000-08:00

HOF voting issues?

Am I the only one who thinks it's strange letting sports writers vote for the various Halls of Fame? Particularly in light of yet another Baseball Hall of Fame ballot passing without Jim Rice's name on it?

It took Goose Gossage (the guy who's only third on the all-time saves list) far too long to break into Cooperstown, and the fact that Rice still hasn't been enshrined is ridiculous.

"But he wasn't friendly with the media," some have said. Well, so what? Who cares if he wasn't all sunshine and lollipops when the recorder-and-notepad brigade shuffled up to his locker? Rice, a career .298 hitter, was an eight-time All Star and the American League MVP in 1978 for the Boston Red Sox. With 382 career home runs (he led the AL in homers three times -- 1977, 1978, 1983), Rice was one of the game's best power hitter ... BEFORE the Steroid Era.

And we're gonna leave him out because he was prickly with a few writers?

Just fuels my argument that sports writers have no business voting for such matters as a sport's Hall of Fame. Who should? I'm not sure, but the writers -- who apparently hold grudges like this -- aren't it.

Same goes for you, Pro Football Hall voters. How Michael Irvin is in, but Art Monk isn't is beyond me.

Snyder faces key hire

With Joe Gibbs' announcement Tuesday that he's retiring as coach and team president of the Washington Redskins, the organization sits at a crossroads.

As does its owner, Daniel Snyder.

Snyder's had five coaches in his tenure in Washington, and at first had a George Steinbrenner-like approach of signing expensive, high-profile free agentswhile eshewing and even ignoring the draft. But with Gibbs at the helm, that attitude cooled some, and Snyder would be well served to continue his level head now that Gibbs is out the door.

And the first move that could show us which Snyder takes over will be the hire of Gibbs' replacement. Does Snyder go for the big splash and try to lure Bill Cowher out of the CBS studios, or does he undergo an exhaustive search that'll likelt end with him hiring an assistant, possibly even one of his own?

Virtually every big splash Snyder has made as Redskins owner has failed -- Steve Spurrier, anyone? So I'm inclined to say avoid the big name, avoid the big news maker. Take your time, do your homework and hire the person you feel best serves the team you put on the field every Sunday.

The Reskins have the potential to be a playoff team again next year, but the wrong hire at head coach could set the organization back another couple years.

Playoffs?! Playoffs?

University of Georgia president Michael Adams claimed Tuesday that college football needs a playoff system and proposed an eight-team format. Adams, a chairman of the NCAA executive committee, has long been an opponent of a playoff system, but said Tuesday the current BCS system is "undercutting the sportsmanship and integrity of the game."

Well, of course Adams would feel that way, since Georgia was one of the teams said to have been left out of the national championship picture this year. Funny how the whole BCS thing looks when the computer numbers don't fall in your school's favor.

Not that I oppose a playoff system -- I actuall endorse it. But for Georgia's president to be the one to step up and complain about the inadequacies of the BCS ... I'm sorry, but that smacks of sour grapes to me.

Memo to Georgia: You played some good ball at the end of the year, and who knows what you would've done if a playoff had been in place. But you didn't win your conference -- hell, you didn't even win your division. I'm of the mindset that if you don't win your conference, you shouldn't have a shot at a national championship. In my mind, that's the only thing the current formula gets right -- even if it is an unwritten rule.

You didn't win the SEC, so shut up and enjoy your Sugar Bowl win over Hawaii. Pipe down and try again next year. Let those of us who weren't screwed over by the BCS gripe about the lack of a playoff. You just go run your school.

Around the Horn ...

2008-01-08T09:57:00.000-08:00

... now Marriotti-free!

LSU college football champs -- allegedly

LSU beat Ohio State 38-24 Monday night in the BCS Championship Game, which -- apparently -- means the Tigers are national champions.

Well, if you believe the computers and the polls and money-grubbing conference commissioners.

I didn't watch the game -- or any bowl game -- because I refuse to give ratings (and, by extension, money) to a system so fraudulent that the only undefeated team in the country doesn't even get a shot at being the last one standing when all's said and done. What message does that send to Hawaii? "Congratulations on going 12-0 this year ... how about the Sugar Bowl? Sorry, but you're not good enough to contend for the national title."

More like "You can't make us the money that Ohio State or LSU can."

Unless and until the BCS goes the way of the Clerks television series, I will have no part of major college football. How a system can just arbitrarily pick the nation's two best teams and then make them take nearly two months off before playing for the title is beyond me. Simply put, the BCS makes a ton of cash, so it's staying.

Which means I'm staying away.

Gibbs stepping down

Joe Gibbs announced Tuesday that he would be resigning as head coach and team president of the Washington Redskins, following a year that saw the team lose one of its emotional leaders and rally into the playoffs.

Gibbs was 31-36 in his second tour with the Redskins, though he did manage two trips to the postseason, including a win over Tampa Bay in 2006. Washington had to win its last four games this season to get in, a remarkable run following Sean Taylor's death and a coaching gaff from Gibbs against Buffalo, in which he inexplicably called back-to-back timeouts.

No doubt Gibbs has found success in his life -- three Super Bowl rings and three championships in NASCAR's top series. And given his age (67), I don't blame Gibbs for stepping down. I'd imagine this past season wore on him, particularly the last six weeks or so. Keeping a team together following a loss like the one the Redskins had to endure can be draining for anyone, and Gibbs' Hall of Fame credentials have already been stamped.

Who will owner Daniel Snyder hire as the sixth head coach in his tenure? I'm not sure -- some insiders say assistants Al Saunders and Gregg Williams are candidates -- but Snyder will be hard-pressed to find someone with Gibbs' demeanor.

Can You Hear Me Now?

We hear you loud and clear, Roger Clemens ... I'm just not sure I believe you.

You swear up and down former trainer Brian McNamee never injected you with steroids and HGH -- despite his assertions otherwise in the voluminous Mitchell Report a month earlier. And yet ... nothing you tell us or show us is that convincing.

If nothing else, that taped conversation between you and McNamee raises more questions. Why didn't you tell him to tell the truth? Why didn't he contradict you when you told him you never juiced? Why are you bothering with niceties with a guy who apparently has told a horrible lie about you? If it were me, I would've torn him a new one (and no, a defamation lawsuit a month after the fact doesn't count).

And do you really expect me to believe you had no knowledge of Andy Pettitte's HGH use? Please ... you two were best friends, you shared the same trainer and you worked out together. How could you not know?

Unless that mythical third ear grew somewhere other than your forehead.

Such vewhement denials sound nice -- and provide fodder for your most adamant supporters -- but to anyone screaming that Clemens is innocent, I pose the question: what other athletes have offered stern, take-no-prisoners denials with regards to performance-enhancing drug use?

Rafael Palmeiro and Marion Jones. I rest my case.