It's that time of week again. The time of week that you, the Joe Six-Pack Fan, get a chance to vent your ire at a team, individual, coach, league, or anything else related to sports by throwing them Under The Bus. Without further adieu, here goes.
NFL
The Brett Favre Saga: is there anyone else besides me that is tired of all the drama? There is enough blame to go around there. Ted Thompson made a HUGE mistake in basically telling a legend he's not wanted in Green Bay. Thompson should have told him to take his time and if you feel like coming back, you're our starter. Ted Thompson gets thrown under the Bus, the media get thrown under the Bus, and Favre gets thrown under the Bus for flip-flopping.
"Pundits and Fans" that dismiss the Carolina Panthers: I would NOT sleep on the Panthers this year. Jake Delhomme looks like the Delhomme of old, the Cats had an excellent draft, and they picked up some key free agents. Jonathan Stewart is going to be a beast and he'll fit perfectly into the Panthers' power running game. The defense will be much improved. The "pundits and fans" get thrown under the Bus.
MLB
Oakland A's: they were still in contention when they traded Joe Blanton to Philadelphia for three minor leaguers. They have effectively waved the white flag. They have become the France of the MLB. In the last year, they have traded Dan Haren, Rich Harden, and Blanton. That’s three-fifths of an outstanding pitching staff. A LOT of teams would kill to have those kinds of pitchers and that staff. Now comes word that the A’s are considering trading stud closer Huston Street. WTF? The ownership should be ashamed of themselves. Charles Finley would NEVER have waved the white flag. He’d have never traded Blanton and Rich Harden; instead, he’d have found what he needed and filled those needs. I hereby throw the A’s small-minded ownership under the Bus. If I'm an A's fan, I'd be ROYALLY PISSED.
Alex Rodriguez: he left the All-Star Game early and didn’t support his teammates as the game dragged on and on and on. Derek Jeter stayed and supported his AL teammates. So did Mariano Rivera. I find it kind of funny the game lasted 15 innings and very few, if any, people showed up to Rodriguez’ party he was hosting after the game. Would Willie Mays or Bob Gibson have left an All-Star Game early? I don’t think so. A-Rod goes under the Bus.
NBA
Alonzo Mourning: he gave a benefit for charity that only raised 30 cents on the dollar due to the influx of celebrities and their perks. Sounds to me it was an excuse to party. Non profits that donate 70 cents on the dollar is considered efficient as per the IRS. But 30 cents? Hmmm, something fishy here. While I won’t throw him under the bus for wanting to raise money for charity, I will throw him under the bus for the inefficiency of his charity.
AUTO RACING
Danica Patrick: her act is getting old and tired. She was involved in yet ANOTHER confrontation, this time with Milka Duno. A cat fight. The IRL should seriously consider parking her and her team for a race. She can get away with this #### because NO ONE in the IRL has the BALLS to stop her. Someone should sit her down and tell her, "Next time this happens princess, you're getting parked for a race." Duno should have ####-slapped Patrick and IRL look the other way. Her #### is ####-slapped under the Bus.
GOLF
Michelle Wie: just when I was starting to buy stock in you again, you pull some boneheaded #### like forgetting to sign the scorecard and getting DQ'd while you were in contention for your first win. A good finish would have comfortably put you in the top 80, meaning an automatic LPGA Tour card and not having to rely on sponsor's exemptions. There is NO excuse for forgetting to sign your scorecard. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING? At the very least, you learned a painful and expensive lesson. Maybe being introduced to the tire tracks of the Bus you're to be thrown under will serve as a reminder NOT to forget TO SIGN YOUR SCORECARD!!!
Scanning the world of sports, you can find plenty of sports individuals and teams that so tick you off you want to call them out. Or throw them under the Bus. This is your forum to do that! I have a few that I'd like to throw Under The Bus.
NFL
Willie Andrews, CB, New England Patriots: this coward allegedly pointed a gun at his girlfriend during a domestic dispute early last Monday. At the time, the Patriots said they were aware of the report, but had "no comment." UPDATE: the Patriots released Andrews the next day. This thug does not belong on ANY NFL roster because he's a lawbreaker. If it is proven he did this, he should NOT be a free man for a VERY LONG TIME. Andrews gets thrown Under The Bus for being a thug and a dumb####.
Brett Favre: there's that rumor floating around that he may be unretiring. The Packers have moved on without him. Sounds like Aaron Rodgers is having his feet cut out from under him. Brett, you're one of the all-time greats, but enough already! For "tantalizing" us with the unretirement rumors, you get thrown Under The Bus (Cook).
NASCAR
"Fans" that threw debris on the track at Daytona: this is to you "fans" that threw debris on the track after Kyle Busch won. That was garbage. You are NOT true NASCAR fans. You are pathetic, miserable LOSERS. You can boo Kyle all you want and that's fine. But to throw debris at him after he wins a race? That's beyond the pale. Congratulations to Kyle Busch on his win at Daytona. And to you "fans" that threw debris on the track, you get thrown under the Bus, one "fan" at a time.
MLB
Milwaukee Brewers: they blew a five-run lead on Thursday. In the ninth inning. As a Dodgers fan, it PISSES ME OFF. You suck, Milwaukee. Your bullpen sucks. When you're up 5-0, three outs away from winning, and you give up the game, THAT blows. All they needed was THREE OUTS!! Yet their merry band of arsonists called the bullpen imploded. They proceeded to drag their gas cans out of the pen, soaked up that stadium with gasoline, then flicked their blue tips and burned down Chase Field. The Phoenix Fire Department was pretty busy that day. For that colossal gag job, the Brewers get thrown Under The Bus.
That's all I have for the week. What say you? Come on in with your nominees!
I will be doing a team by team breakdown by division. Tonight I start with the National League West.
Arizona Diamondbacks: they are currently in first place in the division. While Dan Haren has made the adjustment from Oakland to Arizona, and Brandon Webb has been stellar, the rest of the team has struggled, particularly away from home. Haren was named NL Pitcher of the Month for June. So far, the D-backs have played a home-friendly schedule. After the All-Star break, it gets tougher, particularly in September with visits to St. Louis, L.A., Colorado, and San Francisco. The series at St. Louis is a four game series in the final week of the season.
What they must do: be more consistent on the road, particularly against NL Central teams. Another arm besides Haren and Webb needs to step up. They also need a consistent run producer. In my opinion, they sorely miss their former closer Jose Valverde, who was lights out last season.
Prognosis: they will be in contention, but will fall short. A second-place finish is likely.
Current record (as of July 3): 43-43, 1st place.
Los Angeles Dodgers: they have been decimated with injuries since the start of spring training. Jason Schmidt. Rafael Furcal. Nomar Garciaparra. Hiroki Kuroda. Juan Pierre. Andruw Jones. Scott Proctor. Gary Bennett. Tony Abreu. Brad Penny. These are some of the players that have spent time on the DL this season. You play the hand you're dealt with, and frankly, the Dodgers have been dealt a crappy hand. Joe Torre has done a great job with this crappy hand, guiding the youngsters as they get more playing time. Takashi Saito has been stellar again this season, aside from a couple of outings. The bullpen, when healthy, is among the best in baseball. The starting pitching is in flux. The youngsters need as much playing time as possible. Blake DeWitt has been a revelation at 3B, winning Rookie of the Month honors twice this season. It's going to be very hard to take playing time away from him once the veterans return. One possibility is playing Garciaparra at SS, a position he hasn't played full-time since 2005.
What they must do: get healthy, and quick. The All-Star break couldn't have come at a better time. Fortunately, Arizona has fallen back to the pack after their hot start. The starting rotation must stabilize. They may not need to make a blockbuster deal. They could use someone with pop, like an Adam Dunn.
Prognosis: the Dodgers stand pat, perhaps making a minor deal. They get healthy and go on a tear at some point in the year. That will be enough to win the division.
Current record (as of July 3): 41-44, 1 1/2 games back.
San Francisco Giants: Bruce Bochy is doing perhaps his best managing job of his career. This team was expected to lose around 100 games. There's no Barry Bonds to provide offensive firepower. Tim Lincecum has become a bonafide Cy Young contender, leading the majors in ERA at 2.38 with a 9-1 record. Bengie Molina is hitting above .300 and is a legit All-Star candidate. Brian Wilson has come out of nowhere to lead the NL in saves with 23.
What they must do: Zito needs to step his game up and be at least a .500 pitcher in the second half, and they need another power bat in the lineup. Could Adam Dunn help? Sure he can. What would they give up to get him? Do they have the prospects to give to the Reds? If they want Dunn bad enough, they'll find the prospects.
Prognosis: while this team is better than I thought at the start of the season, it's still a below .500 team. A 72-90 record is realistic as they continue to struggle in the second half.
Current record (as of July 3): 38-48, 5 GB.
Colorado Rockies: this team is one year removed from an amazing run to the World Series. What could go so wrong in that span? For one, they overachieved. They went on a once in a lifetime winning streak. They came back down to earth big time. Todd Helton is mired in the midst of a horrific slump. While Matt Holliday is having a superb year, it's not like it was last year. Now there is talk of the Rocks trading both Holliday and Garrett Atkins. Jeff Francis, a 17-game winner last year, went on the DL.
What they must do: find the magic that propelled them to winning 21 of 22 leading into the World Series. Fortunately, this division is weak, and if they get on that type of run where they win games in bunches, they could very easily get back into contention. Helton must break out of his slump and drive in runs consistently. The front office must NOT panic and trade Holliday and Atkins in a knee-jerk move.
Prognosis: I expect Helton to break out of his slump and start driving in runs consistently. That in turn will help Holliday and Atkins. However, the pitching must come around. While I think the Rockies will be a better team in the second half, I think it will be too little, too late. They will leapfrog the Giants and finish third.
Current record (as of July 3): 35-51, 8 GB.
San Diego Padres: how far the Pads have fallen! It wasn't that long ago they were a consistent playoff contender. Now they have become one of the worst teams in baseball. The starting rotation is in shambles, apart from Jake Peavy. Trevor Hoffman clearly isn't the closer he used to be. He's lost zip on his fastball. There is absolutely NO pop in the lineup, apart from Adrian Gonzalez.
What they must do: become sellers in a big way. Apart from Gonzalez and Peavy, everyone else is tradeable. It's better to bite the bullet now and ensure long-term success by acquiring prospects this season. Trade Greg Maddux to the Cubs.
Prognosis: very poor, at least for this year. It depends on what moves the front office makes for the next couple of seasons. Do they let go of Bud Black? I say give him one more season. While they may not lose 100 games this season, they'll come close. A 64-98 record is realistic.
It is that time of the week where you, Joe Six-Pack Fan, can call out those idiots, malcontents, ingrates, and general all around bad guys for their behavior that so pisses you off. Looking around the world of sports, there are PLENTY of sports figures that have earned the dubious distinction of being thrown Under The Bus this week. I have some sports personalities.
NASCAR
Juan Pablo Montoya: his tete-a-tete with Kyle Busch earned him a trip to NASCAR's equivalent of the principal's office, aka The Big Red Hauler. (Not to be confused with Big Red, one of JPM's sponsors) I will come correct on putting Kyle Busch in the Ugly category of an earlier blog, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. I will make up for it by throwing JPM Under The Bus.
Tony Stewart's Pit Crew: why on earth did they change two tires when they knew that rain was coming on the horizon? Especially when gas only was working. The crew cost Smoke a possible win. And as a result, Zippy and Company get thrown Under The Bus.
Jamie McMurray: I hate to do this to such a good guy, but I must. It appeared he had plenty of room to go around Dale Earnhardt, Jr. as Junior was entering the pits for his final pit stop. J-Mac plowed into him, tearing up his own vehicle and as he slid to the bottom of the track, he clipped his teammate David Ragan. Ragan lost control and hit the wall, ending HIS day. For being inattentive at an inopportune time, J-Mac goes Under The Bus.
NBA
Shaq: he dissed Kobe Bryant in a freestyle rap at a recent outing at a nightclub in New York City. The Big Chicken#### did this after last week's Who Would You Throw Under The Bus? was posted. Shaq's not escaping. Shaq, where were you when the Finals were being played? WATCHING IT ON TV, like millions of other Americans. Where was Kobe? PLAYING in the Finals. Shaq, grow the hell up. You won a ring without Kobe; give it a rest already. As if Kobe doesn't need any more motivation, this will fuel his fire even more to win a title without you. Shaq, and in the meantime, you get thrown Under The Bus.
Memphis Grizzlies: yes, you got O.J. Mayo. But you paid a pretty steep price to get him. You gave up Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, and another player. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves improved themselves by getting a fundamentally sound player in Love, a sharpshooter in Miller, and a couple of other serviceable bigs that will add depth to the Wolves' bench. When you allow Kevin McHale to fleece you, it will get you thrown Under The Bus every single time.
NFL
New York Giants: they got rid of the Hefty Lefty, Jared Lorenzen. They got rid of the WRONG QB. They should have got rid of Anthony Wright. For getting rid of the wrong QB, the G-men get thrown Under The Bus.
Houston Texans: it's going to take me a VERY long time to be able to root for this team again. They so screwed up David Carr while he was there he's shot mentally. They NEVER gave him a decent running game and a decent O-line while he was there. They allowed him to be a human pinata. Then AFTER they unceremoniously dump him in favor of Matt Schaub, they FINALLY work on building up a running game and an O-line. If the football gods are listening, the Texans won't win a Super Bowl while Robert McNair owns the team. In the meantime, the Texans get thrown Under The Bus.
MLB
Houston Astros: for allowing the Shawn Chacon/Ed Wade drama to reach new heights. This is one of the most dysfunctional teams in MLB. Drayton McLane needs to sell this team to a local group that WANTS to win. Chacon gets thrown Under The Bus for attacking Wade physically for refusing his orders/requests. Wade gets thrown Under The Bus for escalating the incident. Who's next?
TENNIS
Justin Gimelstob: he called Anna Kournikova a b***h and a #### and said some sexually charged remarks towards her involving his brother. Kournikova, to her credit, is taking the high road. Gimelstob, to his credit, took full responsibility for his remarks and apologized. However, you can't unring that bell. For his egregious lapse in judgment and for putting both feet in his mouth, Gimelstob gets thrown Under The Bus.
Ana Ivanovic: she lost early at Wimbledon. There goes LOTS of guys' reasons to watch Wimbledon in the first place. She's HOT. It wouldn't be so bad if she weren't the #1 seed. But she's the top seed and to lose in the second round IS reason to be thrown Under The Bus.
Those are my nominees for this week. Feel free to come on 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!
Just because today is Father's Day, it doesn't mean that this blog will take the week off! NO SIRREE!! I have some sports figures that I'd like to throw Under The Bus
NFL
Chad Johnson: the Bengals' WR is becoming a regular fixture here. He whined and complained about being unhappy in Cincinnati. BOO FREAKING HOO. You're a professional, you're SUPPOSED to be in minicamp. If I were Marvin Lewis, I'd tell Chad you have ONE more chance. You #### a #### in training camp, I WILL deactivate you for the first four games of the season. Problem is, Lewis won't do it. Chad Johnson gets thrown Under The Bus for being a whiny ####.
Jeremy Shockey: the Giants' TE engaged in a shouting match with GM Jerry Reese early in the final day of the Giants' mandatory minicamp. Since Shockey's injury, the G-men are a much better team; a Super Bowl championship proves it. Get him out of there if you want to have a chance at repeating. And in the meantime, Shockey gets thrown Under The Bus.
Plaxico Burress: the Giants' WR refused to practice until he gets his contract renegotiated. He even hinted he may hold out during training camp. WTF? NOBODY put a gun to his head and forced him to sign his current deal. Shaun O'Hara was right in calling him out. And in the meantime, Burress gets thrown with Shockey Under The Bus.
NBA
David Stern: the NBA Commissioner dressed down Sean Farnham when Farnham asked the Commish a question that was on the minds of millions of NBA fans: why the discrepency of scores in the Spurs-Hornets series? (in one game, the Hornets won by 20 at NO; the very next game in San Antonio, the Spurs won by 20) Rather than answering the question honestly, Stern chose to ridicule Farnham. A very bad message considering the integrity of the NBA is very much in question. Stern has his head buried so far in the sand he can see China. We'd better get the Bus to run over him from that position he's in.
MLB
Los Angeles Dodgers: they proceeded to get shut out in consecutive games this week. They rolled over against Jake Peavy and the Padres 9-0 and on Friday they rolled over against the struggling Tigers. They proceeded to get swept by the Tigers. The Dodgers get thrown Under The Bus.
Ken Rosenthal: for suggesting that the Dodgers trade Matt Kemp. WHAT? Kemp is a five-tool player; something the Dodgers haven't had since Raul Mondesi. Kemp is vital to the Dodgers' present and future success. For his foolish and reckless suggestion, Rosenthal gets thrown Under The Bus.
HORSE RACING
Rick Dutrow, Jr.: he keeps stepping into it. He called out Big Brown's jockey, Kent Desormeaux, for pulling back Big Brown. The truth of the matter is, Big Brown was falling further behind as the race went on. Desormeaux should be THANKED for protecting a very valuable horse. For throwing his jockey under the bus, Dutrow himself gets thrown Under The Bus.
These are the sports figures that I throw under the Bus this week. Feel free to come in and vent!
This week's version of Who Would You Throw Under The Bus? is dedicated to the brave men and women in uniform serving domestically and abroad. Without these brave men and women, this blog wouldn't exist. Kudos and mad props to all of you. There are several sports figures that have totally pissed me off this week. Therefore I am throwing the following figures under the proverbial Bus:
MLB
Shelley Duncan, New York Yankees: this guy just doesn't get it. And he probably never will. This genius scribbled, "Red Sox Suck" then signed his name after a young Red Sox fan requested his autograph. Very class act there, Shelley. And for that act that's two letters short of class, you go Under The Bus.
NASCAR
Chip Ganassi: he fired his best driver's crew chief just as Juan Pablo Montoya and Jimmy Elledge were starting to click. Is it ANY wonder NO ONE wants to drive for you? I wouldn't blame JPM one bit if he were to walk. (JPM, I'll bury the hatchet and welcome you to RCR should you end up there.) Perhaps you should devote your time to your IRL teams; that's where you reign supreme. Until then, Ganassi goes Under The Bus.
J.J. Yeley: did I miss the announcement that you hired Stevie Wonder as your spotter? WTF was that act, blasting Dale Jr. from behind? I wouldn't have blamed Dale Jr. one bit for wanting to open up the largest can of Whoop #### he can find. And why the *(*)*^ do you still have a ride? You're reckless, make questionable decisions at best, wild-a$$Ed decisions at worst. For that act, you go Under The Bus.
NHL
Gary Bettman: he has proven the Peter Principle right. He is an INCOMPETENT NHL Commissioner. Then he threatened Al Sobotka, the driver of the Zamboni at the Joe, a very stiff fine if Sobotka tossed an octopus on the ice. I hope he threw that octopus on the ice!! I'd contribute towards paying that stiff fine! For threatening a working man nearly half his salary in fines, Bettman not only gets thrown Under The Bus, but he ALSO gets thrown Under A Fleet Of Zambonis.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to chime in with yours!
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there! They really do the Lord's work. That being said, here's this week's version of "Who Would You Throw Under The Bus?". Time to call out those sports figures that so p****d you off over the past week. And here we go!
NASCAR
Darrell Waltrip: you have to keep in mind he's a shill for Toyota. Yet his constant lovefest with Kyle Busch was downright disgusting and takes away from the broadcast. I like DW; he's entertaining and brings a former driver's perspective to the broadcast. But I have to call them as I see them. Hate to do this, but DW goes under the Bus.
NBA
The Officials: or more specifically, the officials that allowed a Pistons 3-pointer that should have NEVER counted. The clock froze at 4.8 seconds left in the third quarter of Game 2. Any official in the history of the world (except these officials) would have stopped play and awarded the Pistons the ball with 4.8 seconds left. Because the clock froze, the Pistons were given extra time to hit the three. And because of that, the officials get thrown under the Bus.
Los Angeles Lakers: or more specifically, their bench. They were totally outclassed by the Utah Jazz bench today. Going into the series, I'd have rated the two benches even. Did the Clippers hijack the Lakers' bench and play in this game? The Lakers bench gets thrown under the Bus.
MLB
Los Angeles Dodgers: they got swept by the weak-#### Houston Astros. At home, no less. It's one thing to lose to the Mets; they're a good team. No shame in losing to the Mets. Houston is only slightly better than Pittsburgh. And I have to throw Jonathan Broxton under as well. He's the reliever that the Astros took batting practice off of. (Word had it the Astros had a team brawl at the bat rack) He let a stellar outing by Hiroki Kuroda go to total waste. Kuroda no-hit the Astros for 6 2/3 innings. And he has NOTHING to show for it. The Dodgers and Broxton get thrown under the Bus.
NFL
Marvin Harrison: the Colts' WR has carefully cultivated an image of being a quiet, unassuming player that goes out and does his job. That image is being called into question. He was involved in a shooting in a seedy part of Philadelphia at a bar he owns. The gun involved was found in a bucket at a nearby car wash he also owns. Details are sketchy, because no one's talking. Sorry Marvin, gotta throw you under the Bus for being involved with seedy ####.
Cincinnati Bengals: because they have become the league's halfway house for bad seeds, ingrates, and general all around bad guys. And it's a shame for classy players like Carson Palmer and T.J. Houshmanzadeh that they have to be lumped in with their malcontent teammates. The Bengals (except Carson and T.J.) get thrown under the bus.
NCAA
Ryan Perriloux: this guy had the opportunity of his young lifetime to be THE MAN at LSU. Starting QB for a national championship contender. So what does he do? He gets kicked off the team for allegedly failing a drug test. He was allegedly found with chronic in his system. He apparently didn't attend Common Sense 101 in the school of life. Is getting your bong on so important to you that you #### away the opportunity that just about every young man your age would rip his arm off for? For sheer stupidity, you get thrown under a FLEET of buses!
Those are my nominations! Feel free to come in with yours!
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!
This is the time for you, Joe Six-Pack Sports Fan, to vent your ire at the dumbasses, retards, idiots, ingrates, and general all around bad guys of sports and throw them Under The Bus. Who do YOU want to see go Under The Bus this week? Here's the forum to throw these retards and a-holes under the Bus! I know I have a few!
MLB
Los Angeles Dodgers: for a team that was expected to do big things in the NL West, they go out on the road for their first eastern trip of the season and promptly get swept by a team they have beaten like a drum in recent years, the Atlanta Braves. Not only did they get swept, they weren't competitive. They are looking like a last-place team rather than a competitive team. If not for the San Francisco Giants, they WOULD be a last place team. The Dodgers get thrown under the Bus.
Andruw Jones: he has gotten WORSE than he was last season. Looks like the Braves made the right decision to rid themselves of a fat, washed-up outfielder that can't catch up to a fastball. And the Dodgers may have made the wrong decision to sign him. Andruw Jones goes under the Bus, along with the rest of the Dodgers.
ESPN: for their chickenshit ambushing of Miguel Tejada during an interview he gave to the network. This brings me to the following.
Miguel Tejada: for LYING about his age when he first signed a professional contract. We already knew he roided up and HGH'ed up. Now he's aged up. Must be from all that HGH and 'roids. BOTH Tejada AND ESPN go under the Bus.
Kyle Farnsworth: for throwing at Manny Ramirez after ManRam took Yankees pitchers deep twice during a recent game. Farnsworth threw at Ramirez' head and said, "It slipped." Sure, it did. What you did was BUSH LEAGUE. Throw inside at his belt buckle to move him off the plate. You're putting a player's livelihood at risk. Now you painted a HUGE bull's eye on Alex Rodriguez and/or Derek Jeter. Now you've been suspended. Now you've been thrown Under The Bus.
Matt Kolbusz: now you're wondering, who the hell is Matt Kolbusz? He's the vendor that was selling offensive Kosuke Fukudome t-shirts. The t-shirts were nothing more than a racial blast aimed at the Asian community. The Cubs pulled the offensive t-shirts. Good for the Cubs. C'mon, M, this is 2008, not 1941. For selling racially offending t-shirts, you go Under The Bus.
NBA
Donnie Walsh: this WUSS has NO BALLS. He had the perfect opportunity to rid the Knicks of any traces of Isiah Thomas and didn't. He kept Thomas as a "special adviser." WTF? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!! This is the PERFECT opportunity for a weasel like Thomas to undermine Walsh and once again take control of the Knicks' basketball ops. Firing Thomas isn't enough. You MUST go Orkin Man and rid the Knicks of this weasel once and FOR ALL. Tune in for the next episode of, "As The Knicks Turn." Until then, Walsh goes under the Bus.
Enver Nuggets: no D in the regular season means no D in the playoffs. Granted, they are playing the Lakers in the first round, and they'll lose, but where was the defensive effort? No one can take the Enver Nuggets seriously until they learn to play good D. Until then, the Nuggets go under the Bus. (I'm glad the Lakers have perhaps the easiest matchup in the first round!)
NHL
Martin Brodeur: for not shaking Sean Avery's hand after the Rangers beat the Devils 4 games to 1. Avery offered to shake Brodeur's hand as a gesture of respect after a hard-fought series. Brodeur didn't participate in the post-series handshake. You're not only a sore loser, you come off as a small man. You go under the Bus not only for that, but the Devils go under because I DETEST THEM!!
NASCAR
Boris Said: he came across as a sore loser after his dustup with Marcos Ambrose. Then to confront Ambrose's crew chief was totally BUSH LEAGUE. I hope Ambrose kicks your #### the next time he sees you. I know I'd be looking for a piece of you afterwards. Until then, you go Under The Bus that Ambrose is driving.
ESPN: can I say it? I will: their coverage is ####. What was it with the constant pimping of Carl Edwards? Are you ESPN or TMZ? Technical glitches, snafus, Rusty Wallace, etc. They all added up to horrible coverage. And they all add up to ESPN being thrown Under The Bus.
Those are my nominees for the week. Come on in with your nominees!!
Sports fans, it's that time again to call out those idiots, miscreants, and all around dumbasses that so #### you off. I KNOW you have several that you want to throw under the Bus! Call them out for their idiocy. This is your forum to throw these idiots under the Bus. Remember, you can call out a player, coach, team, owner, a team's fans, or any sports personality and throw them under the Bus. I know I have my share!
NFL
Brett Favre: ENOUGH about coming back already! You made your decision to retire, stick with it!! Brett, I loved watching you play, you were one of my all-time favorite players, but when you made the decision to retire, it was time to move on. Aaron Rodgers is ready to helm the Packers' ship. Just by HINTING at a comeback, you threw Rodgers under the bus. Now it's Rodgers' turn to throw YOU under the Bus.
Reagan Mauia: this will most likely be the only time in the history of the world that Mauia and Favre will show up on the same blog. For those who don't know who Mauia is, he is the Miami Dolphins' starting FB. This bozo punched a man in the face without provocation and fled the scene. A witness took a picture of Mauia's license plate with his phone. Mauia was tracked down and arrested. I don't have to wait for more information to throw Mauia under the Bus.
NBA
Detroit Pistons: losing to the New York Knicks is bad enough, but at HOME? You lost to the Knicks when you ABSOLUTELY had to WIN in order to stay alive for home court advantage? AND on a night where the all-time greats of the Pistons franchise was honored? For all that, you get thrown under the Bus not once, not twice, not three times, but FOUR times! Hopefully we won't hear the worst chant in the history of the world, "Detroit Basketball!" in the Finals when the Celtics work you.
New York Knicks: they have begun the annual Save Isiah campaign. Donations are accepted. They are playing their BEST basketball of the season in order to Save Isiah. I imagine there are buildings all over New York that say, "Save Isiah." (Much like in the movie, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, there were signs painted all over Chicago that said, "Save Ferris.") The Knicks get thrown under the Bus.
Miami Heat: just quit already. D-Wade has. Oh wait, he's out for the year with injuries. Pat Riley has. He spent the NCAA Tournament scouting Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose. He hearts D-Rose. He hearts him MUCH more than coaching the band of misfits known as the Heat. Mercifully, the season will end this week for the Heat. Until then, the Heat get thrown under the Bus yet again.
MLB
Tampa Bay Rays: for all the hype that went into the Rays this year, the more things change, the more they stay the same. The Rays are looking up at the FREAKING Orioles this year. For that matter, they're looking up at everyone else in the division. This was supposed to be their breakout year. It also doesn't help when a veteran pitcher like Al Reyes gets into a fight in a bar. On his birthday, no less. Some veteran leadership there, Al. He not only got into a fight, he got his #### kicked. Then he got Tasered TWICE. Reyes gets his #### kicked, gets Tasered, AND gets thrown Under The Bus all in the same week. The Rays get thrown under for letting us down.
Fox Sports: for treating the NASCAR fans of this nation to a slap in the face. Yes, it wasn't your fault that the Yankees-Red Sox was delayed by rain. But you could have switched the game to FX and kept the NASCAR fans and the baseball fans somewhat happy. But NOOOOOOOOO, you had to milk the Yankees-Red Sox for every moment AND you had the game SIMULCAST on FX!! AND you pre-empted the NASCAR pre-race show! Because it was Yankees-Red Sox, you cut into the ACTUAL RACE. Ryan Newman was going into Turn 3 of the first lap of the race when Fox switched from the game to the race. For poor planning and for pissing a LOT of race fans off, Fox Sports goes under the Bus.
Yankees-Red Sox rivalry: yes, I get that it's a historically bitter rivalry. Yes I get that both teams are good. But they're not the only two teams in baseball!! It's an endless and breathless hype machine! For my money, the NL West rivalry is just as good, if not better, than Yankees-Red Sox. Yankees-Sox rivalry goes under the Bus.
NCAA
#### Vitale haters: been drinking the anti-Dickie V grape-flavored Haterade again? There was one guy (Fox Sports' own Mark Kriegel) that got drunk on it. Love or hate #### Vitale, his contributions to college basketball as a commentator and ambassador to the game cannot be denied. I admire Vitale's enthusiasm and passion for the game of college basketball (even though he's too much of a Duke homer). All the Dickie V haters (Kriegel included) are to be thrown under the Bus of Dickie V's choice.
Jeff Ehrhardt, QB, Murray State: this genius was charged with second-degree robbery for "a prank gone bad." So now that's what we call pushing and assaulting a campus police officer and taking his book away, a "prank gone bad"? If it were up to me, dude would be in the clink for a MINIMUM of five years. He won a $20 bet for the "prank gone bad". Sure hope that $20 was worth it, E. My bet is that he skates like Dorothy Hamill. He'll probably be suspended for the first play of the season. For such a #### prank, Ehrhardt gets thrown under the Bus.
Here we go again! Here is the forum for you, the Joe Six-Pack Fan, to call out those sports personalities that so #### you off. I'm sure you have personalities that you so badly want to throw Under The Bus (Jerome Bettis Limited Edition, 850 hp) you can smell the burnt rubber and brake dust! I know I have a few!
NFL:
Cincinnati Bengals: for being WAY too permissive in drafting players with shady pasts (A.J. Nickerson, Chris Henry (more on him later), Odell Thurman, etc.). They have become the NFL's halfway house for shady characters. At one point last year, they were averaging one arrest a month. Now it's come back to bite them in the ####. Marvin Lewis had the reputation for being a disciplinarian, but where's the discipline? The Bengals and their bad seeds get thrown Under The Bus (as if they haven't got run over by Jerome Bettis and the Pittsburgh Steelers many a time over the years!).
Chris Henry: this thug just doesn't get it. He's had chance after chance after chance; now he's pissed it all away. His latest crime he's accused of? Punching an 18-year-old boy in the face and breaking his window with a beer bottle. Nice move there, ####. The judge in the case called Henry, "a one-man crime wave." Harsh, but true. After he gets out of prison, Henry gets thrown Under The Bus by his accuser.
Chad Johnson: in the SAME WEEK, he chirps again about not wanting to be in Cincy. The Bengals have said time and again that Ocho Cinco won't be traded. Do I detect a pattern here? It was a BAD week for the Bengals. Chad, let your game do the talking. You're one of the best WRs on the planet. When you score TDs and the Bengals are winning again, then you can do the River Dance. Until then, you go under the Bus.
NBA
Enver Nuggets: there is a good reason for this. There is no "D" in Denver. They blew a 22-point lead to Phoenix and lost. Hence, the "Enver". If they miss the playoffs, they can look to that game. For no "D" in the game at Phoenix, the Enver Nuggets go under the Bus.
New York Knicks: they brought in Donnie Walsh, supposedly to clean the mess that Isiah Thomas left. Now Walsh wants to EVALUATE Thomas before making a decision? Doesn't he know that the Knicks always catch fire at the end of the season and save Isiah's job? For not whacking Thomas, the Knicks and Donnie Walsh are to be thrown under the Bus.
Miami Heat: they're playing for the Derrick Rose Sweepstakes. (Rose is an UBER-stud who will be a great NBA player for the next decade and a half.) They've mailed it in. Just forfeit your regular games and let Pat Riley take his extended vacation. Until then, you go Under The Bus.
FORMULA ONE
Max Mosley: it's rare that F1 is mentioned on my blog. But I must mention it. Mosley has been accused of an orgy with five skanks, errrrrr, hookers in which #### role playing was part of the orgy. If Mosley wants to roll with hookers, that's his choice. The #### role playing went WAAAAAAAAY TOO FAR. Let him roll with hookers on his own time and NOT while he's running F1. Mosley gets thrown under the Bus for his indiscretion.
MLB
ESPN: they get thrown under the Bus for two reasons.
They glorified that patently absurd position known as the Designated Hitter. I call it the Disabled Hitter. Today marked the 35th anniversary of this "momentous" occasion. (Ron Blomberg was the first DH in MLB history on April 6, 1973) I've long been an advocate of eliminating the DH and replacing that slot with an extra player. For glorifying the absurd, ESPN goes under the Bus, along with the man who thought of the DH.
For endlessly hyping the first Yankees-Red Sox series of the season. It's only been in recent years both teams have been good at the same time. When the Yankees have sucked, the Sox have been good, and vice versa. Yes, it's a bitter rivalry, I get that. But don't act like they're the only two teams in MLB that matter. For that, and for perpetuating the hype machine that is the Yankees-Red Sox, ESPN goes under the Bus.
NCAA Football
Florida State Seminoles: for firing its college football color analyst Peter Tom Willis for no apparent reason. Why? Because he stepped on some toes with his brutal honesty regarding the Seminoles' program? Was it because Emperor, errrrrrrrr, Coach Bobby Bowden wanted him run because he DARED to criticize Jeff Bowden's handling of the offense? For more reasons, go to Lisa H's blog on this. She did a tremendous job on this! Florida State goes under the Bus.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come on in with yours! If you have someone in sports you want to throw under the Bus, feel free to do so here!
Arizona Diamondbacks: they are currently in first place in the division. While Dan Haren has made the adjustment from Oakland to Arizona, and Brandon Webb has been stellar, the rest of the team has struggled, particularly away from home. Haren was named NL Pitcher of the Month for June. So far, the D-backs have played a home-friendly schedule. After the All-Star break, it gets tougher, particularly in September with visits to St. Louis, L.A., Colorado, and San Francisco. The series at St. Louis is a four game series in the final week of the season. 
