Are there sports figures, teams, coaches, owners, executives, or fans that so #### you off that you just want to SCREAM? You think you can't do something about it? You CAN do something about it, right here. You CAN call out the above for their idiocy, arrogance, or just plain dumbassery. In this blog, you can throw them Under The Bus. I have a few that I'd like to throw Under The Bus. You can do the same.

NASCAR

Michael McDowell: he was the cause of the Talladegaesque pileup near the end of the Centurion Boats at the Glen. He saw his opportunity to take David Gilliland out, presumably to teach him a lesson. Only one problem, ####: there were a gaggle of cars following closely behind you. And when you do that, you're going to cause more than a few of them to crash. While he raced ahead, Gilliland and others were part of the carnage. Bobby Labonte, in fact, had to be taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. For making the #### move of the Year, McDowell gets thrown Under The Bus by each of the drivers involved in the crash.

Tony Eury, Jr.: he singlehandedly was the cause of Dale Earnhardt, Jr's relatively poor finish by hanging him out to dry because of bad pit strategy. Rather than pitting with the other leaders, Eury chose to keep his driver out as long as possible. Yes, Dale Jr. led numerous laps, but rather than running the race in reverse, he chose to run a road course race like a normal oval and gamble on fuel strategy. Inevitably, a caution came out well after the other drivers pitted (Dale Jr. had not pitted yet). So instead of staying out, Dale Jr. HAD to pit. He was shuffled to the back of the field and never quite recovered. For his poor strategy, Eury Jr. gets thrown Under The Bus.

NBA

Paul Pierce: the Boston Celtics' star is delusional if he thinks he's the best basketball player in the world. Sure, you won a title and an Academy Award nomination in the same Finals, but NO WAY you're the best player on the planet. Yes, this is a BIT late, but I STILL HAVE to throw him Under The Bus.

Golden State Warriors: they signed Andris Biedrins to a six-year, $62 million contract extension. While Biedrins is a nice player who had career highs of 10.5 ppg and 9.8 rpg last season, WHY do you pay a glorified role player that kind of jack? He is NOT a cornerstone franchise player, e.g. Tim Duncan, David West. THOSE are the players you pay that kind of jack. Biedrins hasn't proven himself in the NBA yet. Perhaps if he has another couple of seasons of improvement, THEN you pay him. But for spending unwisely, IMO, the Warriors get thrown Under The Bus.

MLB

Hong-Chih Kuo: first of all, why wasn't Jonathan Broxton pitching the ninth inning to nail down a save in a CRITICAL division game? The Dodgers were winning 4-3 when inexplicably, Joe Torre opted to keep Kuo in for the ninth inning. Torre deserves some blame as well for putting a pitcher that is NOT used to being a closer in the closer's role. Ultimately, Kuo didn't pitch well enough to allow the Dodgers to win. This while the D-backs won at home against Atlanta. (It seems they have had all but a handful of games at home; wait till September, when their schedule is BRUTAL.) For failing to hold a lead against the hated Giants, Kuo gets thrown Under The Bus. Torre also gets thrown Under The Bus for not putting Broxton in the ninth inning.

Prince Fielder and Manny Parra: Parra gets blame for going into the clubhouse (a HUGE no-no) after getting pulled from Monday night's start. If you're a starting pitcher, and you've been pulled for a reliever, you STAY on the bench and root your team on. Fielder gets blamed for making it public. While I admire that Fielder is trying to show leadership, he handled it wrong. He should have confronted Parra behind closed doors and aired it out there. Perhaps Fielder has learned his lesson. In the meantime, Brewers' fans can throw both Fielder and Parra Under The Bus.

Brett Myers: he's another hothead that doesn't play well with others. He was yanked by Phillies' manager Charlie Manuel after a bad outing. In the dugout, Myers and Manuel engaged in a heated shouting match and physically had to be restrained. Brett, take it like a man. You stunk up the joint; own it. In the meantime, you get thrown Under The Bus.

C.J. Wilson: the Texas Rangers' reliever allowed a grand slam to Richie *(**#$@ Sexson on Tuesday and showed up his manager, Ron Washington, by flipping him the ball after being yanked. Washington, being old-school, didn't take kindly to it. He grabbed Wilson and made him hand him the ball. You don't show up your manager at ANY TIME, especially a red-####, old-school manager like Washington. For showing up his manager, Wilson gets thrown Under The Bus. NOTE: Wilson has a bone spur at the tip of his left elbow. He could get a cortisone shot and pitch again this season, or have season-ending surgery.  

Those are my nominations for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!  

Looking around the world of sports, there are many sports personalities and teams that have p****d you, the typical Joe Six-Pack Fan, off. I have some teams and personalities that have so ticked me off I could just scream. Here is the forum for you to sound off and call out those dumb@$$E$, idiots, and general all-around malcontents by throwing them Under The Bus. I have some nominees this week. Who do you want to throw under said Bus?

NFL

Marshawn ####, RB, Buffalo Bills: this genius stayed silent rather than cooperate with Buffalo police on a misdemeanor hit and run charge against him. Who the hell does he think he is? If he had come correct right away, all this would be behind him now. Instead, he subjected several Bills players, employees, and management to be subpoenaed. Now he's subject to being thrown Under The Bus.

Jevon Kearse, DE, Tennessee Titans: you're a 10 year veteran, with your second stint with the Titans. You're supposedly looked up to as one of the team's veteran leaders. And you get popped for DUI? What were you THINKING? Apparently you WEREN'T thinking. Mix in a cab or a limo to take you home. For knowing better and still being a dumb@SS, The Freak gets thrown Under The Bus.

NASCAR

Kevin Harvick: Happy, what on God's green earth were you THINKING late in the race? Why did you drive it into the corner WAY TOO HARD? You had a Top 5 LOCKED and LOADED into the standings, and you were poised to move up a couple of spots. You took out THREE good cars (Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray, and Ron Fellows) with that boneheaded move. Because of that idiotic move, you ended up finishing 30th. THIRTIETH!!! Now you're out of the Chase by two measly points. You finished 30th on a course where you finish in the top 5 IN YOUR SLEEP. For Happy, this continues a season-long slump. Now because of his bonehead move, Happy gets thrown Under The Bus this week.

MLB

New York Mets: they couldn't have handled Willie Randolph's firing any worse than that. You should have clipped him off during one of your long losing streaks. Instead, you allowed him to travel with the team to Anaheim to face the Angels. THEN you clipped him IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. After the first game of the series. I've got no problem with Randolph being clipped; what should have happened is that he should have got fired BEFORE the Mets went on the road. For their egregious mishandling of the Randolph firing, the Mets get thrown Under The Bus.

NBA

Los Angeles Lakers: losing by 40 to the Boston Celtics was inexcusable. It's okay to lose to the Celtics; they are the better team. But losing by 40 means you QUIT. I am very disappointed and disgusted by the Lakers' lack of effort. I hope the Lakers use this as motivation to win an NBA title next season. But until then, the Lakers get thrown Under The Bus.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!

It's that time of week again. I've got some sports figures to throw Under The Bus.

NBA

The Game 2 crew: a 19 to 2 FT advantage by the Celtics in the first half? WTF? And two Lakers with THREE fouls?? Talk about home cooking at its best!!! IF YOU'RE GOING TO CALL TICKY TACK FOULS, CALL THEM CONSISTENTLY, AND NOT IN FAVOR OF ONE TEAM!!! Even the ABC announcers commented on the gross inconsistency of the calls. The Game 2 crew get thrown Under The Bus after the game.

NFL

Odell Thurman: he failed another drug test. Roger Goodell suspended him for ANOTHER season. That means this druggie has missed THE LAST THREE NFL SEASONS because of drugs. Way to #### away your NFL career, Odell. And don't expect ANY sympathy from me. Sympathy is reserved for those that have lost loved ones suddenly and sometimes unexpectedly. You made your choices, now you have to live with the consequences of those choices. For pissing away your NFL career, you get thrown Under The Bus.

Cedric Benson: TWO arrests in a month period? This guy can't seem to stay out of trouble. How long will it be before the Bears pull the plug on him? (More on the Bears later.) For getting arrested for the second time in a month, Benson gets thrown Under The Bus.

Chicago Bears: or more specifically, their front office. They got rid of the wrong RB in Thomas Jones, they kept Rex Grossman two YEARS too long, and haven't drafted a QB since Kyle Orton. And they drafted a RB of questionable character in Benson. For being incompetent, the Bears' front office gets thrown Under The Bus.

FORMULA ONE

Lewis Hamilton: in case you forgot or don't know, red means STOP. He barreled into Kimi Raikonnen's car as Raikonnen stopped for a red light at the end of the pits. Understandably, Raikonnen was pissed. Question: did Hamilton drink the same water as Denny Hamlin did last week? Hamilton's brain #### ended up knocking himself and Raikonnen out of the Montreal race. For his brain ####, Lewis Hamilton gets thrown Under The Bus.

HORSE RACING

Rick Dutrow, Jr.: after boasting for two months that Big Brown cannot be beat, he was NOWHERE to be found after the Belmont Stakes. WHAT A WUSS!! If Dutrow were a REAL MAN, he'd have owned it, faced the music regarding Big Brown, and credited Da'Tara on his win. For being an arrogant #### and hiding like the wuss that he is, Dutrow gets thrown Under The Bus.

Those are my nominations. Feel free to come in with yours!

It's that time of week when you, the Joe Six-Pack Sports Fan, have every right to call out those idiots, ingrates, and general all around #####$ for their stupidity and arrogance. Time again for you to throw the object of your ire in the sports world Under The Bus. I have a few figures I'd like to throw Under The Bus.

NFL

Dallas Cowboys: this is a neverending soap opera with this team. T.O., Jessica Simpson vis a vis Tony Romo, now Pacman Jones. I suspect Jerry Jones is itching for a lockout in 2011. Yes they'll have a state of the art stadium in Arlington soon. Us non-Cowboys fans are frankly sick and tired of the whole thing. The Cowboys' soap opera gets thrown Under The Bus.

New England Patriots: Spygate won't go away. This is another team that thrives on high drama, particularly with Bill Belichick vs. the world. You used to be a team that people could get behind. Now you're perceived as cheaters. Please, save the drama for your mama.  Until then, the Patriots get thrown Under The Bus.

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA): he wants Congress to punish the Patriots further. Senator, do us all a favor and INVESTIGATE WHY THE DAMN GAS PRICES ARE SO FREAKING HIGH!! Then do us all a favor and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! AND GET OUT OF OUR SPORTS!! Sen. Specter and ALL OF CONGRESS get thrown Under The Bus for being a bunch of do-nothing BLOWHARDS!!!!! Is it any wonder Congress' approval ratings are in single digits? 

NBA

Joakim Noah, C/F, Chicago Bulls: he was in Gainesville kicking it when an officer spotted him holding an amber-#### drink, a violation of city law. At the police station, tree was found on him and he was promptly arrested. What the hell are you doing back in Gainesville? You shouldn't be back there unless there is a reunion of the Gators' national championship teams. You're an NBA professional now. At the very least, you're guilty of egregiously bad judgment. For your bad judgment, you get thrown Under The Bus. UPDATE: he accepted a deferred prosecution agreement, resulting in a fine and probation.

Rasheed Wallace, C/F, Detroit Pistons: his act has gotten old and tired. He had a HORRIBLE night when the Pistons needed him most. He single-handedly cost the Pistons a chance to win and force a Game 7 in Boston. My prediction: he won't be back with the Pistons next season. He is supremely talented (a definite top 3 talent when he's on) but disappears at the most inopportune times. Now the Pistons are going fishing for the summer. But before he goes fishing, Rasheed Wallace gets thrown Under The Bus.

NASCAR

Denny Hamlin: WTF was he thinking when he was going full speed on Lap 17 after the wreck was about to stop? He escalated the wreck and knocked himself and Elliott Sadler out and severely damaged SEVERAL other cars that were in the top 12 in points coming in. IF NASCAR had any BALLS, they would park Hamlin AND HIS TEAM at Pocono. He was driving with his head so far up his #### he could see out of his mouth. For being a blithering #### and driving dangerously, Hamlin gets thrown UNDER A FLEET OF BUSES.

Those are my nominations. Feel free to come in with yours.

Congratulations to the Boston Celtics in winning the Eastern Conference championship. Give it up for the C's. Boston defeated Detroit 89-81 in Game 6, eliminating the Pistons.

Now we have our dream NBA Finals matchup: Lakers-Celtics. Awaken the ghosts of Lakers and Celtics past! You couldn't ask for a better matchup. The best team in the East against the best team in the West.

Boston showed heart in winning at Detroit, in a hostile environment, and doing what they needed to do. They showed me that they CAN win on the road. Winning two games in Detroit is no small feat.  

As many of you know, I was openly jonesing for Lakers-Celtics. Now it's here!! I CAN'T WAIT FOR GAME ONE ON THURSDAY!!

While Boston has proven they CAN win on the road, beating the Lakers at the Staples Center is a WHOLE lot different than beating Detroit. The Lakers' last loss at home was an inexplicable one: to the Memphis Grizzlies, of all teams! The Lakers are undefeated at home in the playoffs.

PREDICTION: Lakers in 6.

GO LAKERS!

Normally, I write this column on Sundays. But because there is so much steam to be vented out, I am doing this tonight. So fans, which dumbAZZ would you like to throw under the Bus? I'll start with what is causing the most ire in the Fox Sports Blogosphere tonight!

NASCAR

Denny Hamlin: this #### INTENTIONALLY cost Dale Earnhardt, Jr. a win tonight. He INTENTIONALLY brought out a caution late in tonight's race by parking himself away from the racing line, and preserving Kyle Busch's chance to win. Junior was pulling away from Shrub at the time the yellow flag came out. For his sheer idiocy, Hamlin gets thrown under the Bus.

Kyle Busch: this DUMBAZZ intentionally wrecked Junior late in the race to bring out the last caution. He's going to get his at some point in the season. Payback is a ####. He had a good enough car without having to resort to bush league tactics. Shrub gets thrown under the Bus.

Michael Waltrip: WHAT WERE YOU DOING racing Casey Mears when you're LAPS DOWN? Because of that, Mears got loose trying to get away from you and made contact with you. Then after the wreck, you HAD to push Mears down the entire straightaway, then DUMP him into the wall again. I'm glad NASCAR parked your sorry ####. Then after you finish your penalty, you get thrown under the Bus.

NBA

Phoenix Suns: they get first billing in the NBA section because not only did they lose in the first round, their arch nemesis, the Lakers, swept the Enver Nuggets. Where are the Suns fans now? The Suns get thrown Under The Bus.

Enver Nuggets: they will continue to be called that until they get some Defense. Thanks for playing in the NBA Playoffs. See you when you play some defense. Until then, you get thrown under the Bus.

Boston Celtics: yeah I know this is going to ruffle some feathers. But you should NEVER, EVER, have to play a Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. But there you are, in a Game 7, and fighting for your playoff lives. The Hawks have NO pressure on them; they weren't expected to even win a game. And I won't be surprised if the Hawks do you in your own crib. In Game 7. For even going to a Game 7 against a sub-.500 team, the Celtics get thrown under the Bus.

MLB

Roger Clemens: is there a bigger phony anywhere than this guy? And why is he STILL being treated royally while Barry Bonds is persona non grata? Bonds is who he is. And for that I give him credit. He ####s a 15 year old girl (allegedly) while a member of the Red Sox. Now there are a few other women that have come forward. I hope Debbie Clemens tees off on his bank account. Until then, Clemens goes under the Bus for being a phony and a fraud.

That's all I have for this special edition of Who Would You Throw Under The Bus?. Feel free to come on in with your nominees!

The NFL is nearing its end for another season. Pitchers and catchers are less than a month away from reporting. Speedweeks will start in a couple of weeks, leading to the Daytona 500. There are many nominees in the world of sports that so draw the ire of fans that you want to throw them Under The Bus (Jerome Bettis Limited Edition, 850 hp). I have a few nominees.

MLB

Houston Astros: all they had to do is wait ONE MORE DAY and then they wouldn't have given away the farm to acquire Miguel Tejada. The Astros made the trade with the Baltimore Orioles the day before the Mitchell Report came out. Good luck trying to stay out of the NL Central cellar. Bet you would LOVE to have that one back! For being so feckless, the Astros' "brain" trust gets thrown Under The Bus.

MLB Owners: for extending Bud Selig's contract another three years.

NBA

Laker haters: ALL of you Laker haters that were salivating with glee that the Lakers were going down when Andrew Bynum got injured are to be thrown Under The Bus. And FREAKING Andrew Bynum is the FREAKING DRIVER. I don't mind that you hate on the Lakers; just don't be gleeful when one of their best players is injured and out for a couple of months. As a Lakers fan, would I be gleeful if KG, Ray Allen, or Paul Pierce missed significant playoff time? No. I'd say it'll be tougher for the Celtics. Just you FREAKING wait when Bynum comes back!! You'll get yours when the Lakers are hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy as NBA Champions. That goes for you too, Suns fans! QUIT crowing that you're one of the elite NBA teams, because YOU'RE NOT. You have a small center, an aging point guard, and too many players that do the same role. When you feed on bottom feeders for most of the season, you're NOT an elite team.

Miami Heat: enjoy that championship you won in 2006. That'll be the last you'll win for a VERY long time. Your losing streak is at 13 and counting. Who knows, I lost track after 5 in a row. That's how dull your team is, Heat fan. The Heat, and Shaq the Myopian are to be thrown under the Bus (with Andrew Bynum as the driver of said bus).

Anyway, those are my nominations. Come in with yours.

The NFL is winding down. Basketball, both pro and college, is roughly at its midway point. Baseball and NASCAR will start within the next month, baseball with spring training and NASCAR with Speedweeks. There are PLENTY of opportunities for you as a fan to vent your ire at a player, coach, team, owner, league, commissioner, or fans of other teams and throw them Under The Bus. I have some nominees.

NFL

Seattle Seahawks: yes, you played a very good team on a snowy track at Lambeau Field. But I expected a better effort than that. I throw the Seahawks' coaching staff Under The Bus for not improving their running game and the personnel department for believing that Shaun Alexander was in his prime when he clearly was and is on the decline.

NBA

Boston Celtics: for an elite team, the Celts suffered two horrible losses this week: a beatdown by the Charlotte Bobcats at home and a bad loss to the Washington Wizards on the road. Even though the Celtics still have the NBA's best record, there should be concern. There is still half a season left, and they have to safeguard against their veterans breaking down and missing significant amounts of time.

MLB

Bud Selig: he'll be thrown under until he resigns.

Scribes That Think the Yankees-Red Sox Are The Only Two Teams That Matter: already, baseball writers are breathlessly writing about Yankees-Red Sox. The Red Sox are the dominant team in MLB, and the Yankees are on the decline. In 2003-2004, that was a great rivalry. Not now. It's NOT all that. If you want a real rivalry, COVER THE NL WEST. The NL West IS the power division in baseball. You have FOUR teams that can win the division, and a fifth that is improved and may have the best rotation in the entire National League. So I throw the baseball writers that think Yankees-Red Sox are all that under the bus.

Those are my nominees. What say you?   

I've been sitting here, thinking, what should I write about tonight? I feel the inspiration to write, but am not sure what to write about. Well, I found something to write about. I'm ruminating about what is happening in the sports world, and I have some random musings.

• The NFL Network ended up striking gold TWICE this season: New England vs. Pittsburgh and Dallas vs. Green Bay. Of course, they also struck fool's gold with San Francisco vs. Cincinnati.
• In order to ensure Adrian Peterson's long-term NFL survival, it's imperative the Vikings shut him down for the season. His knee injury will set him back at least six weeks. The Vikings will be playing for position in the NFL Draft, so to shut him down could ensure them playing for a stud O-lineman or QB.
• Don't look now, but the Falcons are playing like the second-best team in the NFC South. In what was essentially a throw-away season due to the Michael V**k fiasco, the Falcons have won two in a row. Of course, the NFC South is garbage this year.
• Stephon Marbury has QUIT on the Knicks. He is NOT a leader. If I'm Isiah, I put him on the inactive list for the season. I don't trade him, I don't release him, I just inactivate him without pay until further notice. I don't buy him out, either. He can #### and moan all he wants, but you, Isiah, have to get tough on him.
• Suddenly the Boston Celtics are relevant. Too bad the Los Angeles Lakers are irrelevant. The NBA needs BOTH the Lakers AND the Celtics to be elite teams.
• Is Adam Jones' new attorney the new Johnnie Cochran? Jones' attorney cut a deal with the Clark County D.A. and all Jones has to do is community service. If you're a gang-####ing thug, or a wannabe gang####er, you want that attorney's name and phone number on speed dial. He'll get YOU community service and keep you out of the hole.
• NFL teams that are exceeding expectations: Cleveland, Detroit, Buffalo.
• NFL teams that are underachieving: I could put A LOT of teams there, but Carolina leads the pack. They have NO heart or grit. John Fox is looking like Dead Man Walking. If the Panthers end up 4-12, which is becoming a real possibility, look for Fox to be fired. An intriguing possibility: Bill Cowher (he lives in Raleigh, NC).
• I don't expect any big free agent signings in MLB until early December. I can see some second level signings by Thanksgiving. A-Rod will go to Southern California, most likely with the Angels. I think the Dodgers will balk at Scott Boras' contract demands for his megastar client.
• Seahawks' fans are crowing and feeling good about their team again. While you have a very solid QB and leader in Matt Hasselbeck, your lack of running game will bite you in the #### in the playoffs. Shaun Alexander is a shell of his old self. He's been used so much in the last three years he's broken down and has gotten real old real suddenly.
• Jimmie Johnson is having a season for the ages in NASCAR. He has won the last four races and with an 18th place or better finish he will repeat as champion. A win at Homestead and Johnson will put his own stamp on history. No driver in the modern era of NASCAR has won five consecutive races. Johnson is only the fourth driver to win four in a row (Harry Gant, Mark Martin, and Jeff Gordon are the others).
• I think only fans of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are compelled by the Chase this year. As for this Kevin Harvick fan, I was pulling for Clint Bowyer to make a run at Gordon and Johnson, but it didn't happen.
• Is this the craziest year in memory in college football, or what? App State beating Michigan, Stanford beating USC, KANSAS in the top 3, Oregon on a collision course with LSU for the national championship, Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Miami being WAY down, etc.
• I can make a case of the following teams in the national championship picture: LSU, Oregon, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Both LSU and Oregon need to run the table. Kansas has to run the table and hope either LSU or Oregon loses. Oklahoma, same thing as Kansas. The loser of the Big 12 title game could still end up in the Fiesta Bowl.
• The Miami Dolphins could go winless this season. Here's their remaining schedule: 11/18, at Philadelphia; 11/26, at Pittsburgh; 12/2, New York Jets; 12/9, at Buffalo; 12/16, Baltimore; 12/23, at New England; 12/30, Cincinnati. Of those games, only the Jets and maybe Baltimore are winnable.
• It's gotta be tough to be a sports fan in South Beach. The Marlins are in a perpetual fire sale, the Heat are underachieving, the 'Canes are nowhere near what they once were, and the Panthers are under .500 and nowhere near Stanley Cup contention. And of course, the Dolphins are winless with a chance to make history in reverse.
• Conversely, it doesn't suck to be a Boston sports fan. The Red Sox won their second World Series championship in four years. The Patriots could very well run the table all the way to their fourth Super Bowl title. The Celtics are among the NBA's elite again. Boston College is having a great season. Even the Bruins are above .500 in a tough Northeast Division.
• The Browns-Steelers game was one of the best games of the season in the NFL. The Steelers showed why they are among the NFL's elite.

That's enough ruminating for now. Feel free to chew the cud and commisserate.