It's that time of week again, sports fans. Time to call out the object of your ire that has gotten you upset for good reason. It can be a player, team, coach, owner, official, league exec, or fans of another team by throwing them under the Bus. The lovely young lady will take your requests and call out their names. Then they will be thrown under that Bus. I have a few this week.
NFL
Kansas City Chiefs: what kind of effort was that? To lose to the Raiders 23-8, and at home, no less? I thought the Raiders were bad, but this team is THE worst in the NFL. Time for Clark Hunt to blow this team up and start over. In the meantime, the Chiefs get thrown under the Bus. NO ONE is exempt this week.
Ed Hochuli: he blew not one, not two, but THREE calls that cost the Chargers. He's usually one of the best referees in the business, but he was clearly not on his A game. Particuarly galling was the "fumble" that he ruled an incomplete pass when Jay Cutler CLEARLY fumbled it and San Diego recovered. That cost the Chargers the game, as all they would have had to do was kneel down. You're my favorite referee, but because you cost a team a game, I've gotta throw you Under The Bus.
NASCAR
Michael McDowell: he couldn't seem to stay out of the way. In particular, he couldn't stay out of AJ Allmendinger's way. He dumped Allmendinger into the wall as Allmendinger was struggling to stay in the top 35 in owners' points. IMO, he's becoming a dirty racer, and payback will come at some point. In the meantime, I'll give the keys of the Bus to Allmendinger so he can put McDowell in the wall as payback.
That's all I have for this week. I'll turn it over to the fans to submit their objects of their ire.
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew serves you up, New England-style, this week's version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served with a heaping helping of New England Clam Chowder. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Greg Biffle: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. It was appropriate that a Roush Fenway driver won this race on the Fenway Group's "home turf."
Jimmie Johnson: although he didn't quite have enough to overtake Biffle, he was still very strong and served notice he's not giving up the championship without a fight.
Carl Edwards: like Johnson, Cousin Carl served notice that he's hungry to win a championship. When does his car NOT run strong?
Jeff Burton: Mr. Consistency showed why he's so consistent. He spent much of the day in the top 10, eventually finishing fourth.
Kurt Busch: he started 20th and finished a strong sixth. His car got better as the race went on. What helped him is the fact that his new lead engineer came over from Helio Castroneves' IRL team and they hit on something.
Martin Truex, Jr.: like Busch, he started close to mid-pack and got stronger as the race went on. He started 18th and finished seventh.
Honorable Mention: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick.
THE BAD
Ryan Newman: he dropped a cylinder early in the race and had to nurse the car throughout the race. He finished 14 laps down.
Kyle Busch: a sway bar in his car broke early in the race and he had to nurse it until the competition caution came out on Lap 35. His crew spent nearly 30 seconds making repairs, only to see it break again. By the time the crew got it fixed, he was several laps down in 43rd. A sub good to him for finishing 34th through attrition and not giving up on the car and crew.
Michael McDowell: this guy wrecked at least two cars in the race. When will NASCAR pull this guy aside and park him for the remainder of the race? Or better yet, when will someone wreck him and NASCAR look the other way? In my book, he's developing the reputation of being a dirty driver.
THE UGLY
The Little Big One: you knew something was going to happen when cars went five wide coming off Turn 4. Chad McCumbee got loose and collected Chaser Matt Kenseth, starting a multi-car wreck. It looked like something you would see at Talladega. The red flag was thrown to clear the debris and cars from the track, and lasted 10 minutes. The wreck severely damaged Kenseth's chances at winning his second title.
Those are my nominations for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
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!
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew traveled to Chicagoland. Now that the race is over and the film has been edited, we present to you, deep dish pizza style, this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as this week's winner, he automatically gets first billing. He led 165 of the 267 laps, but had to overcome Jimmie Johnson in a two-lap shootout at the end to win his seventh Cup race of the season. At the rate this season's going, he may be at this spot the rest of the season.
Jimmie Johnson: his car got stronger as the race went on. Led 15 laps and may have won if not for the last caution (David Gilliland blowing an engine).
Kevin Harvick: night time was the right time for Happy. He started 13th and quickly worked his way up through the field; at one point he was in second place. He finished third, right on Johnson's back bumper. This was a MUCH needed result for Happy; he is currently in ninth place in the points.
Greg Biffle: led 43 laps in this race. At one point he was a lap down but got a much-needed long green flag run to get back into the top 10. Gambled on pit strategy to get track position and a caution shortly thereafter helped lock him in. Finished a strong fourth.
Tony Stewart: the announcement of his future seemed to relax him. He drove like the Smoke of old. Had a great car on short runs but faded on long runs. Spent all but three laps inside the top 10. He'll find Victory Lane soon.
Honorable Mention: Red Bull Racing, Ryan Newman, Roush Fenway Racing, Martin Truex, Jr., Jeff Gordon.
THE BAD
Michael McDowell: as the last place finisher, he gets this dubious distinction. He's a field filler.
Travis Kvapil: just when I was about to be sold on him, he comes up with this turkey of a race. Especially when he's so close to his native Wisconsin.
Sam Hornish, Jr.: he seemed to be out there admiring the track and its scenery a little longer than the other drivers out there. TRANSLATION: he was SLOW.
Terry Labonte: I know he's doing the best he can with crappy equipment. Let's face facts, PE has crappy equipment. He's probably thinking, I came out of retirement for THIS? The only positive is that he has younger brother Bobby for a teammate. Hell, I even put him in the Good category of an earlier GB&U.
THE UGLY
David Gilliland: blew an engine with 8 laps to go to bring out the final caution of the race. He blew it in the worst possible place: right after he passed the entrance to pit road.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: started second and went steadily backwards as the race went on. Although he finished on the lead lap, he was never a factor. His crew totally missed on the setup and when that happens, it's going to be a LONG evening. His car was tight and no matter how much they did to loosen it up, it stayed tight pretty much the whole race.
Denny Hamlin: his car lost power early in the race due to ignition issues. His crew changed the entire ignition system in the #11 FedEx Toyota. When he returned to the race, he was threatening to be the first driver in the Bad category. Through attrition, he gained a few spots, finishing 40th. Took a serious hit in the points due to Harvick, Kenseth, Biffle, and Stewart finishing in the top 10.
Clint Bowyer: he's going in the wrong direction in the points. A few weeks ago, he seemed to be a lock to be in the Chase. Now he's 13th in the standings after a 22nd place finish. Spent only two laps in the top 10.
Jeff Burton: started third and quickly went backwards. At one point in the race, he was 37th. It took a free pass for Burton to get back on the lead lap. Did manage to finish 19th, but it could have been much worse.
Carl Edwards: was in contention for the win until his splitter broke. He lost a lap under green when he went to the pits to repair the splitter. He lost another lap due to the tremendous aerodynamic disadvantage this gave him.
Those are my nominees for the race! Feel free to come in with yours!
This week, Crappafoni Pictures heads clear across the country, to the great northeast, to present to you NASCAR's spaghetti western version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served with a side of Bahston-style clam chowder. (Perfect for the rain at Loudon) Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kurt Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. Used great pit strategy to inherit the lead right before the rain came; otherwise, he was a sitting duck. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.
Casey Mears: had a strong car all day and was poised to steal a win before the rain came. Led more laps in this race than the entire season combined. He'll be a valuable asset to a team like GEM Racing. (Imagine the Casey and Kasey Show!!)
Elliott Sadler: E-Sad's car got stronger as the race went on. Like Kurt Busch, he benefitted from excellent pit strategy. A strong and much-needed top 5 finish.
Martin Truex, Jr.: while he was never really a factor to win, he kept the #1 Chevrolet in the top 10 much of the race.
Tony Stewart: led the most laps, but was snakebit again, this time by the rain. May have had the car to beat if not for the rain.
Denny Hamlin: spent nearly the whole race in the top 10. While he didn't lead a lap, he spent 267 laps in the top 10. Good job.
Honorable Mention:Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon.
THE BAD
Patrick Carpentier: a surprising pole winner, Carpentier quickly fell backwards, eventually finishing two laps down. He did lead the first four laps before giving up the lead to Kevin Harvick. On the bright side, he did collect 5 bonus points for leading a lap.
Haas-CNC Racing: both Scott Riggs and Johnny Sauter finished at least three laps down. It won't be that way if Tony Stewart buys the team and puts himself and Ryan Newman in those seats.
Paul Menard: no laps in the top 10, and was getting in everyone's way; he nearly caused an accident that would have collected Kevin Harvick and others. A field filler. When TEI closes its doors, he'll be out of a job.
Terry Labonte: why, oh why, did you come out of retirement? And to an organization that's in disarray? I get that you and your brother want to be teammates again. But PE is not nearly the organization it used to be.
THE UGLY
The Rain: kept the race from reaching its conclusion.
Jamie McMurray: he was involved in the last accident that brought out the caution, right before the rain came. He plowed into Dale Earnhardt, Jr. as Junior was entering the pits. Then he came down into the path of his teammate David Ragan and clipped him, sending Ragan into the wall and ending his day.
Kyle Busch: he and Juan Pablo Montoya had a little tete a tete during the last caution. They decided to play bumper cars. I'm sure had they had a Harvick-style confrontation, Montoya would have snapped the Shrub in half like a twig. Busch's boneheaded move nearly collected a few other cars right behind them.
Michael McDowell: his blown engine capped a crappy day. He did a good job in steering the car to the bottom, below the apron, and exited via a service road.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to chime in with yours!
I am from Central California. I am passionate about sports, particularly the NFL and NASCAR. My favorite teams are: Panthers (NFL), Lakers (NBA), Flyers (NHL), and Dodgers (MLB). I am also a Kevin Harvick fan in NASCAR. I am a Fresno State honk. (I'll admit it!) And I am also a fan of MMA. Jackie Robinson to this day represents what is right about baseball. I also enjoy discussing the relevant (and sometimes irrelevant) issues of the day pertaining to sports. I will never understand why televised poker is so popular. Who wants to see a bunch of people sitting around a table, muttering to themselves? I do my best to keep politics out of my sports discussions. That is why I recently created a nonsports blog, cencalscribe. blogspot.com. That is where I post my nonsports topics.