UConn Coach Jim Calhoun Has Surgery

According to sources, UConn men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun has undergone surgery to treat a bout with skin cancer. The procedure took place on May 6, but according to Calhoun, who held a presser earlier today, he is in good health and he will be recruiting and on the bench when the season opens.

Winning Heals All Wounds For The Lakers

“Time heals all wounds.” Or so that’s how the old saying goes. Or perhaps the saying should be changed to; “winning heals all wounds.” At least that would be the more appropriate case for sports and in particular it is the case for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Kobe has taken the Lakers from the edge of self destruction and guided them to the 2008 NBA Finals. No small feat considering that Kobe was the one threatening to break apart the team.

Flashback, almost a year ago to the date, the mysterious sidewalk reporter video of Kobe Bryant began to make the rounds. You remember the video, Bryant ranting to a couple of college kids about Andrew Bynum’s lack of skill. Kobe went on to rip Lakers management for not making a deal for Jason Kidd the previous season. The video was followed up by Bryant announcing that he wanted to be traded because he felt L.A. did not have a commitment to winning. He would later retract that comment and swear that he never wanted to “go no where.” Even going into training camp Kobe was a loose cannon, no one knew what to expect and the trade rumors were swirling rampant.

Somehow the season opened and Kobe was still a Laker (surprise, surprise). However, the amazing part was the Lakers were good; they were actually pretty damn good. Apparently all Bynum needed was to be publicly humiliated and he becomes a solid contributor (which is more than you can say for Kwame; “here kitty kitty”). Even after Bynum went down, the Lakers pulled the steal of the century by trading Kwame Brown for Pau Gasol. And that is when business truly picked up. The Lakers went on to win the top spot in the West.

On second thought, maybe Kobe was right and the Lakers don’t need Andrew Bynum, but I digress.

All and all, the injuries, the trades, the free agent moves the Lakers were rocking and reeling all season. The entire sports world watched and waited for the Lakers to fall apart. Any team that experienced those big of a roster shifts and then has such a strong personality like Kobe was bound to fall apart without some strong adhesive. Many thought Bryant’s change in attitude and his willingness to share the ball would propel the Lakers back into the spotlight, but that would not be the case. The glue that kept everything all together was they were winning. For all of Phil Jackson’s Zen knowledge, and Kobe’s new unselfish ways, it was the winning that made life in L.A. livable.

Thursday night the Lakers took one more step toward the mountain top by defeating the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. More importantly the Lakers chalked up another victory keeping everyone happy in LA LA land. I guarantee if the Lakers win a championship all the Kobe talk from the summer will be forgotten. However, let them lose, especially in a memorable fashion, and watch that rumor mill crank up one more time.

Daily Erin Andrews:American Cheerleaders Hitting India

The Washington Redskins Cheerleaders found a new way to spend their summer downtime. Instead of hanging around our nations capital, these ladies have shipped out to India to become part of the Premiership of Cricket. Bringing American spice and flare to one of India's favorite past times.

Daily Erin Andrews:Hair Blowing in the Wind

It's been a while, but our favorite sideline reporter is back in action. And despite a windy day at the ballpark she appears to have everything under control.

The Officials Blow A Non-Call During the Spurs Game

Tuesday nights Spurs vs. Lakers game was a tightly fought contest that came down to the wire and the San Antonio Spurs ended up getting the short end of the stick. The game did not conclude without some controversy. Brent Barry hoisted a three point attempt with less than 2 seconds left on the clock that would have won the game for the Spurs. However, before getting the shot off, Barry collided with Lakers guard Derrick Fischer, the officials allowed play to continue, and this proved to be a pivotal non-call.

Many traditionalist and true grit basketball fans believe that NBA official Joey Crawford made the correct call on Tuesday night when he swallowed his whistle. There is a popular belief among many fans that in the final moments of a tight game that referees should avoid making any calls unless it’s a complete blatant foul and even then consider twice.

There is another school of thought that says, a player only gets the foul call depending on their status relative to the rest of the NBA. Meaning; Brent Barry (role player) does not get the call last night, but Kobe Bryant (superstar) would have gotten the same call. This is based simply on the fact that everyone knows who Kobe or an equivalent star and therefore they deserve the benefit of the doubt.

Finally there is one last group of fans who believe that floppers should be rewarded. They believe if Barry sells the foul more he would have gotten the call. However, because he tried to continue to play rather than falling to the ground with arms flailing then it is his fault that he failed to get the call.

There are legitimate arguments to be made that support all of these lines of thought. However, it is my belief that they are all wrong. The rules were created for a reason. When a player bumps falls, crashes, or runs into another player it is a foul. Derrick Fischer jumped and landed on Brent Barry, even if Barry was able to keep his balance and attempt a shot after the contact he was fouled and the Spurs should have been awarded a non-shooting foul.

There are plenty of fans who claim they don’t like the idea of a referee deciding the outcome of a game. However, I ask you; isn’t a referee making a non-call still leaving the outcome of the game his hands? The rule of thumb should be if it would have been called in the first quarter then it needs to be called in the fourth.

Daily Erin Andrews:Cheerleaders Doing a Good Deed

These cheerleaders are great looking, but more importantly they are about to embark on a very memorable mission. Five lucky women are shipping off to Iraq to entertain and lift the spirits of some of the American troops who are currently stationed there. If nothing else, this is a very kind move, but what else would you expect from a team based out of the city of brotherly love?

After The Long Weekend, Walker's Rants are Back

After a nice and relaxing Holiday weekend, we are back in action, and dare I say better than ever. The summer has officially begun that means, plenty of downtime to wander completely off topic, not that there were any reservations about that to begin with. That being said, let’s see what comes up when we kick off another edition of Walker’s Rants.

The Boston Celtics will not survive the Detroit Pistons…

Big Brown will not win a Triple Crown and if they are not careful it could be a worse tragedy than Balboro…

NYAC vs. Belmont Shore for the RSL Championship, not a bad match up…

But the Sons of Bill “A Far Cry From Freedom” Album…

Even though I’m not a baseball fan, spending Memorial Day at Nationals Ballpark was pretty damn cool…

Tim Duncan will never get all the credit he deserves and it’s a shame…

Check out who made the cover of American Rugby News…

Making Dimitri Young run for that triple was just cruel…

Kevin Garnett has no killer instinct and that is what will keep him from being a GREAT player…

Instead of showing 6 great catches during top plays ESPN should combine them into 1 clip…

Less than 3 months to the kickoff of the 2008 UVA football season, get excited…

The Yankees are falling into a deep depression…

If Ashley Harkleroad wants to pose for Playboy there is nothing wrong with that…

Is Washington D.C. becoming a major hub for PGA golf?

No one from WRFC selected to the U.S. National team? Truly a sad day for the Club…

Vince Young’s confession really isn’t impressive…

Danica Patrick had every right to get pissed off at the Indy 500, and there is no reason for her to be called a cry baby over it…

What happened to Sid the Kid in the Stanley Cup Finals

Daily Erin Andrews:Tennis Ashley Harkleroad does Playboy

Ashley Harkleroad is a rising American tennis star. However, as it seems to be the case with a lot of up and coming female tennis players Ashley is making a name for herself with her off the court work. The young star announced this past week that she posed for Playboy Magazine for their August issue that will hit shelves this summer. While Harkleroad is not the first athlete to strike a pose for Playboy (Amanda Beard,Gabrielle Reise), she is the first active athlete to be featured nude in the magazine.

There is no doubt that as this story makes the rounds there will be plenty of outcry from both male and females alike in regards to the "exploitation and validation" of female athletes. However, I see this to be no different than when a male athletes makes a rap album or goes dancing with the stars half naked. Athletic careers are short, especially in women's tennis when 25 is over the hill. Players need to use their popularity and their social status to get as much as they can when they can, or else the gravy train will just pass them by.

Be proud of your choice Ashley, and you look damn good for doing it.

Kobe Bryant Jumps over Pool of Snakes!

Kobe Bryant does it again. Taking time out from his playoff schedule, Kobe Bryant shows off his hops by clearing this pool full of snakes. First the car now the snakes... give me jumping a car any day.

The Spurs Had a Crappy Day

So if you're the San Antonio Spurs you have to be feeling good about yourself. You just went into New Orleans won a game 7 in the NBA Western Conference Semi-Finals, and once again you're on your way to the Western Conference Finals. Not a bad days work. So what could ruin what should be a celebratory plane ride to L.A.?

Airplane trouble that's what.

The Spurs were scheduled to leave N.O. after their game 7 victory however due to problem with the team plane they were forced to stay spend the night in N.O. Not the worse thing that can happen, a night in the Big Easy. Well, it's just not the same when every hotel is booked due to conventions. The Spurs were forced to spend the night on the runway. Some of the players got off the plane and chose to spend the night on the team bus while others just stuck it out on the plane.

I guess even million dollar athletes aren't immune to travel problems.

You Know What's Fun? Walker's Rants

Memorial Day is right around the corner so that means summer won’t be far behind. Too bad summer isn’t nearly as interesting or fun once you’re out of school. Anyways, something that is always fun is Walker’s Rants so lets get another edition kicked off. Walker’s Rants are a go!

LeBron James took an in advised shot with 30 seconds to go in game 7…

Charlie Weis is far from a genius, more just the right guy in the right place…

The San Antonio Spurs will win Game 7…

Who cares that Jason Giambi wears a thong. Remember back in the day when he wasn’t a tool?

Rough week for women’s athletics last week…

Who knew, a cheap shot is all it takes to fire Beckham up and return him to form…

If David West back hurt that badly he should not have been on the court in the first place…

Going to the gym is the only option…

The Boston Celtics really aren’t that good, and KG is not who we though he was…

Congratulations to The Olympic Club, Glendale, Pearl City, and Life for making the national Semifinals…

Rugby on ESPN U Wednesday and Thursday night check it out…

J.J. Reddick shut up…

Barkley owes money to the Wynn no big deal, Steve Wynn airing it out in public, very big deal and one that makes all us Vegas regulars nervous…

The goal is to have arms that are of drinking age before August…

Congrats to Oscar Pistorius for winning his case. However, this begins a slippery slope the Olympics do not want to go down…

Parents can make or break high school athletics sadly too often it’s the later…

GTA IV will ruin any hopes of an athletic career I have…

Tiger Woods will be back soon, but he won’t be in form till August…

Daily Erin Andrews:Eva Longoria is Hot

Okay so no Erin Andrews today, but who can't appreciate Eva Longoria, and she is a huge NBA fan.

Is Robert Horry a Dirty Player?

Robert Horry has had one of the most interesting careers in NBA history. He is one of those guys who has a knack for being at the right place at the right time. That is probably why he currently has 7 NBA Championships and is currently working on number 8 with the San Antonio Spurs. Now many will write Horry off and say he was just lucky to be around and ride the coattails of great players (Hakeem, Kobe, Duncan). However, if you look at all of his championship runs, somewhere along the way Horry has made an impact play to change a series. There is a reason why they call him Big Shot Bob. Yet in the last two seasons there is something else Horry is becoming known for, dirty play.

Last season the Spurs and the Suns were in a playoff series for the ages. Both teams were going at each other with everything they had and by game 5 it appeared the Suns may have had enough in the tank to take full control of the series and even make the NBA Finals. But all of that would change in a heartbeat. In the closing moments of the game Robert Horry put a hip check on Steve Nash that would have made any NHL defensemen proud. Nash flew into the scorers table, the Suns bench cleared, they lost two of their starters for the next game, and Phoenix never rebounded. San Antonio would go on to dominate the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

Fast forward one year and you find yourself in a very similar situation. Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals, the Hornets are on the road at San Antonio. The Spurs have the game in hand, and then Big Shot Bob lays the smack down on Hornets forward David West. A hard backscreen would send West to the floor in pain and put him out for the rest of the game. More importantly West now has to rehab and heal his aching back before a game 7 on Sunday. Coming from someone who has played through back injuries, this quick turnaround an rehab is not an easy task. Don’t believe me? Ask Kobe how his back is feeling right now.



But here we are again a hard foul and Robert Horry is right in the middle of it all. For me Horry has yet to prove he is a dirty player. Both the hits on Nash and West were simply hard fouls. For Nash his own momentum carried him into the scorers table. With West I was just unlucky that he had a previously injured back. You can’t blame Horry for setting a backscreen on him.

Robert Horry is veteran player who understands his role on his current team. If that means taking it back to the old school and setting a few hard picks, then I’m okay with that. It’s the playoffs and basketball is a contact sport. As long as he is not throwing punches, I say let him play.

Now that whole Hall of Fame talk for Robert Horry… I’ll leave that for another day.

Billy Wagner Goes Off on the Mets

Losing is never easy, and if it becomes easy for you, then you’re in the wrong profession if you’re an athlete. The New York Mets, have had a long history of losing there is no denying that. However, in the past few years they have assembled a large talent base that should have changed the ways of the other NYC based franchise. Sadly after a historic collapse last season, the Mets are on the verge of not even being in the division race this season.

Well for one player in the Mets clubhouse the losing ways of the team are already getting to him. As a closing pitcher Billy Wagner has had a lot of free time this season due to the Mets inability to maintain leads late into games. Wagner didn’t even play in yesterday’s games against the Nationals, however he was available to take questions after the game but he wasn’t happy about it.



From the looks of things, it could be a very long hot summer in Queens.

Daily Erin Andrews:Hot Girl Flashes the Leather

We have all heard of bat boys and balls boys, but maybe if we had some balls girls like this when I was a kid I would have taken up baseball. Hell, from the looks of things maybe the Atlanta Braves need to pick her up to play in the infield, she definitly has a lot more to offer than just looks.

Annika Sorenstam is Retiring

Annika Sorenstam is one of the greatest golfers male or female to ever step on the links. If you don't believe me just take a look at her acomplishments. She dominated the LPGA Tour for the better part of the last ten years. She is already in the Hall of Fame and she has won more majors than any female golfer alive. After her dominating performance this past weekend there is no doubt that Annika still has enough left in the tank should she want to continue to play. However, there is something special to watch an athlete go out while they are at the top of their game.

Sadly though with her new found free time, I cannot imagine that Annika will be making too many television apperences. Don't believe me? Check out this flop on Lettermen.

Manny Ramirez being Manny

Okay so it is difficult to say how history will look at Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez. In all honesty he should go down as one of the greatest right handed hitters in the history of baseball. He has a monster bat, and more importantly perhaps that power swing comes through more often than not in the clutch. Reggie Jackson made a career out of being Mr. October, and Manny is not far behind that.

However, more than likely we will remember Manny for simply being Manny. Part genius, part idiot, part 9 year old, part who knows what. Some people love him, some people hate him. For me, it makes me happy to watch Manny on the field. He is a guy who truly loves what he does, and he goes out and has a blast doing it. When it is all said in done, isn't that what sports are all about?

Check out this latest instalment of Manny being Manny.



And if that that little outburst was not enough for you, check this brief highlight clip of Manny doing what he does best.

LeBron James' Monster Dunk Against The Celtics

We all know that LeBron James gets a lot of hype for just lacing up his shoes. However, what he did on Monday night was impressive. Great dunk to change the game. Too bad the game has gone soft, because if this was the old days, KG would have put James right on his ass.

It May Be Late, But Walker's Rants Are Always On Point

Okay so we are running a little behind schedule with this particular installment, but that’s what happens when you’re suffering from a concussion, things are a little slow and a little hazy. But don’t you worry I can assure you that the game is still tight. Yeah, that’s right here we play injured and don’t believe in making excuses. That being said, let’s get this latest edition of Walker’s Rants kicked off.

Chris Paul is nothing but the truth, but his team will let him down…

Phil Jackson was right Kobe’s teammates did quite on him…

The Celtics inability to do anything on the road will prevent them from winning a championship…

When the hell did the Rays get good? And why is nobody talking about it?

Hear that? It’s the sound of the Trojan Empire crumbling…

Okay so maybe Dallas won’t win a Stanley Cup…

But I can guarantee that Philly won’t win a Cup either and that’s fine with me…

NFL Power Rankings are the dumbest idea I have ever heard of, and anyone who pays attention to them are just and stupid…

The men who murdered Sean Taylor should be punished to the fullest extent of the law…

O.J. Mayo took money… really are you surprised?

LeBron James disrespecting his mama? That’s not cool…

Concussions are no fun…

Adding another ACC game to the football schedule is good, but it will raise my damn tickets prices…

Congrats to the UVA’s men’s lacrosse team for advancing to the second round…

Roger Goodell is a sham…

The NBA must increase the age requirements for their rookies…

If you’re in Austin Texas go check out the National Sweet 16 for rugby…

The Pistons are the best team in the Eastern Conference…

The Chicago Bulls need to hire Avery Johnson…

Unassisted Triple Play

You can chalk this one up as something that you don't see everyday. Matter of fact, I cannot remember the last time I ever saw this happen.

The One Time Tony Romo Should Have Brought Jessica Simpson To The Park

Okay so we all know the tradition at Wrigley Field. 7th innings mean a break in the action and the obligatory drop in by what has become a random celeb of choice. On Sunday afternoon in Chicago that celebrity was none other than Tony Romo. He is sort of a hometown boy being from Wisconsin, and singing at a Brewer game just doesn't have the same ring to it. So Mr. Romo stepped into the booth on Sunday and belted out his best rendition of our favorite summertime classic. Unfortunately his singing ability is nowhere near his athletic ability. Perhaps he should have brought Jessica with him for this trip. Not to say she is the most talented artist around, but out of that couple she is the only one who should ever be singing.

Charles Barkley: Loud and Proud

Okay, so it's no secret that Charles Barkley runs off at the mouth, and God only knows what he might say. However, for all the rantings of an angry black man more often than not he is correct. When it comes to this whole Phoenix Suns coaching mess, Sir Charles is once again proving to be Johnny on the spot.

Larry Brown made an art form out of leaving jobs early and collecting on a paycheck and then jumping to a new location and double dipping. Apparently Mike D'Atoni has learned well is trying to do the same thing. Now let’s see who will crack first, Suns GM Steve Kerr, or the hotshot coach.

My gut instinct tells me someone is going to get burned here, and it's not going to be the coach.

Spygate Go Away

Okay, this entire Spygate thing has been drug out for nearly a year and there has been absolutly nothing done. Yesterday former Patriots employee Matt Walsh handed over 8 tapes to the NFL. Those tapes were completly worthless. Walsh only handed over tapes that proved the Patriots were taping signals. This is information we already knew. The world knows the New England Patriots cheat, but the question is how far down does the rabbit hole go? Unless Walsh hands over the mystery tape of the St. Louis Rams walk through every bit of information he provides is worthless.

At this point all Walsh has done is prolonged an already mind numbing process. The Patriots cheat, Bill Belichick cheats, and Roger Goodell is too soft to do anything about unless he has a smoking gun. So till I see a smoking done, I'm done with the whole situation.

Great Parenting and Great Hands

So baseball is suspossed to be the ultimate tradition of fathers passing along knowledge and stories of the past to their sons. Well this dad right here will have something to tell his kids for a lifetime. Lucky for him he has good hands and didn't bobble anything.

Daily Erin Andrews:She's Back!!!

Okay, seeing that the post is named after her, we couldnt keep Ms. Andrews off this page for too long. However, sadly despite how good she looks her beauty just doesn't fully come through because of those damn Duke Blue Devils.

It's Official Kobe Bryant is the NBA's MVP

After a season full of debate, the votes are in and Kobe Bryant was named the NBA's MVP. While Kobe is more than deserving of this award, he just didn't deserve to win the award this year. Without a doubt what Chris Paul has done with a team of no names is nothing short of a miracle.

This years Lakers team is stacked. Even before the trad for Paul Gasol this was a stacked team. Bynum was playing at an unbelieveable level before injury. On any given night Lamar Odom can be the best player in the league and Kobe well he is the MVP. Yes the Lakers went on a miracle run and over achieved, but come on. The Hornets should be the poster child for over achieving.

Nonetheless Kobe Bryant is the NBA's MVP, and despite my trashing of him just now, he is well deserving of this award. I just cant help but wonder if it was more of a lifetime achievement award rather than a performance award based on his body of work from this season.

Rick Ankiel on the Comeback

So a couple years ago it looked like Rick Ankiel would never play baseball again. He lost all control over his pitching arm and had one of the single worst innings in baseball history. Yet, here we are in the present and Ankiel is back and making a case to be one of the best center fielders in MLB today. Not bad, not bad at all.

Daily Erin Andrews:Cheerleaders On The Beach

No Erin Andrews again (don't worry she will be back soon). But who doesn't want to see cheerleaders on the beach making a calender?

Ozzie Guillen's Amazing Rant

Call him a good manager, call him a pain in the ass, call him annoying, call him crazy. There are about 1,000 different titles that fit White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, but one thing he never fails to be is entertaining. This lil rant he gave the media on Sunday is just another example of Ozzie speaking his mind.

Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference: Two Paths to Success

For the past decade there has been an obvious difference between the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference in the NBA. For the most part this has always played out with the quality of the play on the court, with the West dominating the East. However, this year there is another split emerging between the conferences and it is being played out in the conference semi-finals.

In the East we are seeing the experience and the poise of the Detroit Pistons step forward as they assert their authority over the upstart Orlando Magic. In the first round of the playoffs Detroit was the laziest team in the NBA and allowed the 76’ers to stick around dangerously too long. However in games five and six of that series the Pistons got their act together and made easy work of the young Philly crew. Perhaps that was just the wake up call they needed to get the team jumpstarted for the second round. In game one against the Orlando Magic, it wasn’t a question the Pistons were the best team on the court and they dominated Howard and company. Game two was a bit closer and the Pistons got some help from poor clock management but all in all the best team won game two.

The Pistons know this story and for the past four years, they have made the trek through the Eastern Conference and into the Conference Finals or the NBA Finals. On the other hand, the Magic haven’t had this much success since the Shaq and Penny days. And right now, the Magic just don’t have enough in the tank to handle the intensity and the talent level of the Detroit Pistons. In the Eastern Conference the Pistons continue to set the standard.

In the Western Conference we are seeing a completely different story play out. The defending champion San Antonio Spurs have met their match again (this happens every other year). This time it is the New Orleans Hornets led by Chris Paul. The Hornets have absolutely dominated the Spurs in the first tow games of this series and they have done it with their smothering defense. Chris Paul is simply playing at a different level than everyone else in the league (he should have been the MVP). The Spurs appear shell shocked by what’s happened to them. Simply put they have no answer for the Hornets. For all intents and purposes I feel comfortable saying the Spurs are ready to pass the torch, but due their one year on one year off history, I will withhold judgment, but N.O. is nipping at their heels.

Two conferences two completely different recipes for success, and no correct answer for which path is the right one. No matter what, it is good for the NBA that some new faces and new talents are emerging and becoming familiar names. Because it will not be long before Paul and Howard replace Billups and Duncan.

Daily Erin Andrews:Cheerleaders Tanning...

Okay so ya got me again, no Erin Andrews in this post, but it's cheerleaders tanning. If you don't like that well I just can't help ya.

Ready to Kick Off Summer With Walker's Rants

With the running of the Kentucky Derby it is official summer has begun in my book. That means cold beer, lots of BBQ’s and the beach. But don’t worry just because I’m living it up and enjoying the warm weather doesn’t mean that Walker’s Rants is going on vacation as well. So fire it up and get ready for another addition of Walker’s Rants.

The entire Eastern Conference in the NBA is full of teams are content with being average…

Congrats to Kobe Bryant for his lifetime achievement… I mean MVP award…

Unfortunately what happened to Eight Belles is just a part of the sport…

It’s refreshing to see the rough play in this years NBA playoffs…

Roger Clemens is an idiot just sit down and shut up…

Its Cinco de Mayo goes out and has a drink…Hell its Monday goes out and has a drink…

The Indiana basketball program will take at least 3 years to be rebuilt…

Congrats to Cal Berkley for racking up yet another Rugby National Title 24 in all…

The Washington Wizards need to be blown up and rebuilt…

There’s a lot more crap than quality in the blogosphere…

Stop watching your team’s mini camp. It won’t teach you a thing about how the team will play in the fall…

I will attend all 7 of UVA’s home games this fall, but I will only see 2…

Big Brown will not win the Triple Crown…

Dog racing now that’s not a sport…

Oscar De La Hoya most overrated boxer of the last quarter century…

The young teams in the Eastern Conference could be very good if they learn from this year’s experience (talking about ATL and Philly)…

The toughest team wins. So stop all the talk and the hype and go out and knuckle up on the court…

Jason Kidd a coach killer? Think about it…

Darren McFadden will flame out and be considered a complete bust by the start of the 2010 season…

Okay so we all know this is not Erin Andrews, but really who could complain about a chance to check out Jenifer Aniston?

The Running of the 134th Kentucky Derby

Saturday marked the running of the 134th Kentucky Derby. The derby has become a right of passage, ushering in spring and summer giving us all an excuse to be outside enjoying the weather cookouts and a few adult beverages. This years Kentucky Derby would be no different. With a packed field of 20 horses hoping to leave their mark on the sport there was plenty of drama to be had, and we all go more than our fill.

Big Brown entered the Saturday undefeated in three races, and the Derby proved to be just another notch in his belt. Big Brown started in the outside position and just stalked down his prey. Even with the horses running at four wide Brown never broke stride and just worked his way to the front. By the time they reached the back stretch the jockey put the whip to him and Big Brown was simply too big and too strong and he easily pulled away to a five lengths victory.

Unfortunately there was some tragedy on Saturday after the Kentucky Derby. Probably the best story of the day came from Eight Belles, the filly who came up to play with the big boys. Eight Belles was the first female to compete in the Kentucky Derby since 1999 and her second place finish was the best performance by a filly in over 50 years. Sadly however while coming out of her break Eight Belles broke both of her ankles and had to be put down. She was in the peak of her career.

Big Brown looked impressive in his victory coming form the outside like he did is not an easy task. Of course now we are obligated to start the hype and see if he can be the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years. Granted he is young and he has a lot to learn, but there is no doubt that after his convincing performance on Saturday that Big Brown can go for the crown. He proved to be a very strong horse, and he is being handled by two very strong willed men so anything is possible.

Marvin Harrison Innocent til Proven Guilty

According to a report that began to make the rounds yesterday, Indianapolis Colts wideout Marvin Harrison is accused of being involved in a shooting that took place at a Philadelphia bar that he owns. While the reports are still coming in and unclear at the very least, there is some strong evidence that can at least link Harrison to the situation.

Out of all the players in the NFL Harrison is one of the last ones I thought would be involved in an incident of this nature. Harrison is known for his quiet personality and his all business attitude on the field. This is what leads me to question rather or not he was really involved in the shooting. Yes, he was at the bar and he probably helped to throw some troublemakers out. It is his bar, and he has every right to do that. There is still no solid proof that he had anything to do with the firing of a gun. Till that comes across, I am going to give Harrison the benefit of the doubt and assume he is innocent. He was just unlucky to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and trying to protect his business establishment.

The Detroit Pistons are the NBA's Laziest Team

The Detroit Pistons are the laziest team in the NBA. Yes they closed out their series against the 76’ers with a blowout win, but the way they played the first four games of the series was about as pitiful of an effort as it comes. The Pistons have been a powerhouse team for the better part of the lasts five years, yet it is their horrible attitude and approach to the game that has cost them countless games and championships.

Just a few seasons ago the Pistons sent their entire starting lineup to the NBA All-Star game and that team was bounced from the playoffs without making the NBA Finals. Another year and the focus simply was not there during the playoff run. We have all seen it, they start a series and they play down to their opponents for the first 2 maybe even 3 games. Then they assume they can turn it on and come back and beat their opponent in a best of five. It doesn’t work that way. You have to keep bad teams down and you cannot allow them to think they can compete. Last year King James gained his confidence in games 1 and 2, he went on to put on a clinic in the final games of the series and the Cavaliers took the Pistons out. This year Dwight Howard has the same opportunity in front of him..

If the Pistons blow another NBA Playoffs without making the Finals, Flip Saunders should be fired on the spot. He has provided no leadership or guidance to this team since he arrived. It is the coach’s job to give a team focus and remind them of what the prize is. Sadly on the Pistons providing leadership is left to Rasheed Wallace, and God only knows what can happen when you let him set the mood and the pace for the team. If the Pistons don’t find some leadership soon, they will continue to be the NBA’s biggest underachievers and laziest team.

Mike Gundy Needs to Apologize

Mike Gundy’s rant in September of 2007 is one that will go down as one of the greatest rants of all time. However, with it all said and down, it has become obvious that Gundy owes an apology and it’s not to the person you’re thinking of. Mike Gundy owes and apology to Jenni Carlson, the writer who called out Gundy’s player Bobby Reid. Carlson is owed an apology because she was right. Bobby Reid is soft, and he shows all the typical symptoms of an athlete who was pampered growing up and has no ability to handle adversity.

In the wake of the “I’m a man controversy” Bobby Reid has left Oklahoma State and transferred to Texas Southern. Why did he transfer? Was he upset with the media, and the way he was betrayed in the papers? No, he left because he felt that Coach Gundy was not genuine in his rant. In Reid’s eyes Gundy never cared about him. He came to this conclusion after he was benched when Gundy chose to go with a freshmen QB. Bobby Reid took the easy way out he pouted on the bench and carried a grudge against his head coach. Reid left OSU because of playing time not controversy.

In Carlson’s article she said that Reid was not mentally tough enough and that is why Gundy benched him. Apparently she hit the nail on the head. Bobby Reid was not tough enough to handle being benched. He couldn’t handle not being the whole show. Mike Gundy had every reason to replace him, the young man he went with has gone on to set school records for yards and points not to mention he understands the offense better than Reid ever did. But rather than being a team player and sticking around to help his school out, Reid jumped ship, because “they didn’t treat him right.”

Sad same of tale, star athlete just doesn’t have the guts to stand up and do the right thing. Jenni Carlson you were right Bobby Right wasn’t the toughest QB on the roster, and he never will be. For as long as Reid plays football he will bounce from team to team, till he finds a coach who will coddle his ego and give him what he wants.