Sports fans, it's that time of week again. Time to call out the object of your ire by throwing them under the Bus. Remember, the object of your ire can be a player, coach, fans, league, commissioner, sports executive, columnist, or even your fellow bloggers. You can call out their stupidity and general all-around dumb@$$ery here.
NFL
Ricardo Colclough, DB, Carolina Panthers: he was arrested for DWI on Saturday, hours before the Panthers were to make their final cuts. This doesn’t help. If you want to have a future in the NFL, you better learn to stay down during the season. In the meantime, you earn a tread-tasting trip under the Bus. UPDATE: Colclough has been released by the Panthers a few hours after his arrest. Ya think?
Derrick Martin, CB, Baltimore Ravens: the NFL suspended him for the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. He was cited and charged in July for possession of three small bags of the hippie lettuce at the Cleveland airport during a random TSA screening. What the HELL are you doing transporting small bags of the chronic at an airport? Apparently this genius thought he wasn’t going to be searched. Dumb, dumb, dumb. And for that, Martin gets to taste some tread as he gets thrown under the Bus.
Jesse Chatman, RB, New York Jets: he was suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s steroids and substance abuse policy. While he’s been good in the locker room and in practice, rules are rules. He was out of football in 2006, and came back in 2007 with Miami. He’ll have his roster spot when he returns in Week 5. But for now, Chatman gets thrown under the Bus.
Fred Taylor, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars: he was arrested outside a Miami Beach nightclub early Saturday for disorderly conduct. With the season about to begin, what was he doing at a nightclub? Save that for AFTER the season. And remember, nothing good happens after 2 AM, unless you’re getting lucky and doing the Dirty Sanchez with some hottie. What makes it hard is that he’s been a solid character guy, good in the locker room and in the community. But as painful as it is, I have to throw Taylor under the Bus.
Rocky Bernard and Jordan Babineaux, Seattle Seahawks: these two geniuses were suspended for Seattle's Week 1 game at Buffalo. Bernard for violation of the team's personal conduct policy stemming from his allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend. Babineaux was suspended for violation of the league's substance abuse policy. In addition to the $35,000 fine, Babineaux is also docked a game check. These two characters get to taste some tread as they get thrown Under The Bus.
MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates: or more specifically, their official scorer. This guy denied the Milwaukee Brewers' CC Sabathia a no-hitter. Sabathia fielded a slow roller by the Pirates' Andy LaRoche and booted it. Sure error, right? NO, it was ruled an INFIELD SINGLE!! If Sabathia fields it cleanly, LaRoche is out from PNC Park to Fox Chapel (a tony Pittsburgh suburb). It wasn't like it was a ban.g-ban.g play. The Pirates' official scorer gets thrown Under The Bus for denying Sabathia a much sought-after no-hitter.
Los Angeles Dodgers: this team went into the tank before rallying against the Diamondbacks' two best pitchers: Dan Haren and Brandon Webb. Getting swept by the Phillies is one thing; getting swept by the weak-#### Washington Nationals will get you thrown under the Bus every single time.
Youth Baseball League of New Haven, CT: this spineless league banned a 9-year-old pitcher named Jericho Scott because he’s too good. He's good, and it irks you to no end because your self-esteem is threatened. This young kid throws 40 MPH, which is roughly equivalent to a high school senior throwing 90-95 MPH with pinpoint control. Whatever happened to celebrating achievement? League and parents, you broke the spirit of a kid. I don’t know how you can sleep at night knowing you broke the spirit of a 9-year-old boy. You have that attitude of being the experts on all things racial. Could it be possible you banned him because of his *race*? (Jericho Scott is African-American) WELL, YOU'RE NOT. I SPIT ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE CONTEMPTIBLE. THEN I THROW THE SPINELESS PARENTS AND THE LEAGUE UNDER THE BUS. Parents, I hope you get what’s coming to you. And I hope Jericho Scott overcomes this obstacle to become a Major League pitcher.
NASCAR
NASCAR: for instituting a six-race probation for both Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch for their little dust-up after the Bristol race. NASCAR is forever stressing they want to return to its roots. Putting Edwards and Busch on probation is just stupid. Are they trying to neuter its drivers? I think so. NASCAR itself gets thrown under the Bus.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!
P.S. The young lady wasn't available this week; perhaps next week.
All throughout the world of sports, there are enough idiots, malcontents, and arrogance to so #### you, the Joe Six-Pack Fan, off so badly that you so want to call them out on it. Well, here is your forum to call out an individual, team, league, owner, executive, or fans 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 the Bus. I've already given her my requests for the week. Here they are.
MLB
Bud Selig: just because he hasn't been thrown under in awhile doesn't mean I've forgot how clueless he is. He wants to institute instant replay DURING the season and the postseason. While I don't have a problem with replay per se, I have a HUGE problem with the timing of it. Why not wait until the offseason to implement it? Why not work through the logistics of replay BEFORE implementing it? Better yet, why didn't you implement it at the START of the season? This is a total knee-jerk reaction to some lousy calls by the men in blue. For the BAD timing of putting in instant replay, Selig gets thrown under the Bus.
Arizona Diamondbacks: just because I feel like it as a Dodgers fan. They still have to face the St. Louis Cardinals seven times in an 11-game span in mid to late September, including a four game roadie early in the final week of the season. Just because I feel like it, the D-backs go under the Bus.
NASCAR
Jeff Gordon's crew (sans Gordon): the #24 team is in free fall. While I think they'll limp into the Chase, they will be eliminated early. I don't see them being a factor. Gordon is spared while his crew get thrown Under The Bus.
Paul Menard: he is the quintessential field filler. Dave Blaney was passing cars and making a strong push towards the front when Menard clipped Ryan Newman. Newman in turn made contact with Blaney, whose #22 Cat Toyota got the worst of it. My early Christmas wish for Blaney: some good racing luck. In the meantime, Menard the Field Filler gets thrown Under The Bus.
NFL
Carolina Panthers: as much as I hate to do this to my team, I have to. They allowed 24 points in the FOURTH QUARTER in a preseason loss to the Eagles. Even though it's only preseason, this is disturbing. It means the backups aren't ready to play, or aren't good enough to play in the NFL. You can't let up on a team near the finish line; otherwise they will rally and beat you. Credit to the Eagles for not giving in to the temptation to play prevent defense, and for putting the pressure on the Panthers. But I still have to throw the Panthers under the Bus.
OLYMPICS
Spanish National Men's Basketball Team: their racist poses were beyond the pale. (They posed slant-eyed.) If it were Kobe Bryant or LeBron James doing this, it would be an international incident. But because it was the Spanish National Team, the silence is deafening. For their racism, they get thrown Under The Bus.
These are my nominations for the week. 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!
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!
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!
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!
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!!
This particular blog took last week off due to Easter. It returns this week with a vengeance. I'm sure you, Joe Six Pack sports fan, have two weeks' of wrath stored up to throw that player, coach, team, owner/executive, league, fans, and even fellow bloggers that has so pissed you off Under The Bus (Jerome Bettis Limited Edition, 850 hp). I know I have a few. Let's get started!
NASCAR
Matt Kenseth: today was when I yearned for Carl Edwards to teach Kenseth a lesson. Doing the punt and run on David Gilliland was reprehensible and bush league. If NASCAR really wanted to teach Kenseth a lesson, they would have parked him for the remainder of the race for rough driving. David Gilliland will drive the bus that Kenseth is to be thrown under (by Carl Edwards).
Michele Rahal: last week I was sick and couldn't sleep, so I happened to go online to hear Race Day On Fox. His anti-Kevin Harvick rant made me even more sick. Harvick WASN'T EVEN THE SUBJECT OF THE CONVERSATION. Yet Rahal went out of his way to bash Harvick. Rob D'Amico (his co-host) did his best to steer Rahal away, but Rahal would have none of it. For Rahal's anti-Harvick negative rant, I'LL throw Rahal under the Bus that Harvick will drive.
NBA
Shaquille O'Neal: the Big Mediocre lashed out at his former Heat teammates and Heat head coach Pat Riley. What Shaq did was reprehensible. Under The Bus YOU go, Shaq. Your ex-teammates will throw you under that Bus driven by Riley. Shaq, enjoy your one and done in the playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers: I am as big a Lakers honk as you'll find. This is why it pains me to do this. Losing to Memphis and Charlotte, two of the NBA's bottom feeders, will get you thrown Under The Bus every single time.
MLB
MLB: they get thrown under the bus for three reasons.
For selling out their souls for mo money mo money mo money. They now are offering apparel in GANG colors and styles. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, here comes Mr. Milquetoast aka Bud Selig gives a wink and a nod to gang activity. MAY YOU ROT IN HELL BUD SELIG!!!!!!
For opening the season in Japan. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY MLB?? WAS IT TAKEN OVER BY ALIENS FROM OUTER SPACE??? Why doesn't the season open the first Monday in April in Cincinnati at 12 noon EDT?
The schedule makers. Why are there not doubleheaders scheduled? Why do the schedule makers in their infinite wisdom ALWAYS schedule home games for Cleveland in the first week of the season, when they KNOW it snows in Cleveland until late April? Remember the Seattle Mariners-Cleveland Indians series last April? The ENTIRE series was SNOWED OUT, forcing both teams to scramble for the remainder of the season. The Cleveland Browns vs. Buffalo Bills was played in better weather than the Indians-Mariners series. For these reasons, MLB gets thrown under the Bus.
NFL
The League: they want to ban players from wearing long hair. Why? Put your emphasis on cracking down on the bad seeds of the league, e.g. Michael Vick, Pacman Jones. This proposed rule serves NO purpose. To put it bluntly, IT SUCKS. This rule and the guy behind it gets thrown under the bus.
This blogger: I throw myself under the bus for picking Georgetown to go to the Final Four. Georgetown was the biggest fraud of the NCAA Tournament.
Those are my nominees for these two weeks. Come on in with your nominees!! All are welcome!
Throughout the world of sports, there have been enough headlines this past week that just totally tick off you, the Joe Six-Pack sports fan. I know I've seen my share. Here's your opportunity to call out the miscreants, idiots, and general buffoons of sports by throwing them under the Bus (Jerome Bettis Limited Edition, 850 hp).
MLB
Kyle Farnsworth: this guy had the NERVE to call out Joe Torre and blame him for his misfortunes in Yankee pinstripes. Granted, pitching in Yankee Stadium is tough. But it's also an opportunity a LOT of pitchers would give their throwing arms to pitch for the Yankees. Kyle, the reason that Torre lost faith in you is because YOU SUCKED! Rather than blaming Torre, you should be THANKING him for rescuing your floundering career by not pitching you as often when you weren't going well. For blaming Torre and calling him out, you get thrown Under The Bus.
Tony LaRussa: perhaps we should start calling him The Ostrich. Because like an ostrich, he buries his head in the ground when it comes to steroids and PED's. As Kevin Hench states in one of his columns, he (LaRussa) has become a steroid apologist. De Nial is not just the name of a river in Egypt. We'll pull his head out of the sand long enough to throw LaRussa Under The Bus.
GOLF
Tripp Isenhour: this #### killed a bird listed in the protected species, a red-shouldered hawk. The bird was chirping from 300 yards away, yet it was loud enough to disrupt production. According to witnesses, he was intent on killing the bird by golf ball. Rather than alerting the golf course superintendent about the bird and asking him to shoo it off, he took matters into his own hands by firing shot after shot until he hit the bird, killing him. He issued a weak apology. (Sounds to me he's sorry for getting caught in a lie) I'd have a lot more respect for him if he admitted yeah, I had it in for the bird and I intended on killing him. For his idiocy, Isenhour goes under the prison Bus.
NBA
New York Knicks: for allowing 50 points to LeBron James. Granted, James is a great player, and he'll get his points. But the Knicks just gave up, particularly Quentin "I am SOOOOOO overrated" Richardson. It would be one thing if the Knicks played hard and LeBron's 50 carried the Cavs to a close win. You could round up 15 players from New York's playgrounds, suit them up in Knicks gear, and they would be better than the current Knicks. For a lack of professionalism and self-pride, the Knicks get thrown Under The Bus.
Miami Heat: like the Knicks, this team has given up, but for a different reason. Pat Riley took a brief sabbatical to "scout" the Big 12, supposedly for Michael Beasley. It would be so Miami Heat if Beasley decided to return to K-State for his sophomore season. The Heat get thrown Under The Bus for QUITTING.
San Antonio Spurs: for not playing with a sense of urgency, particularly when the Lake Show is hosting Sacramento, one of the league's bottom feeders. The Spurs and Lakers are locked in a race for the best record in the brutally tough Western Conference. Securing home court advantage will be HUGE. Granted, as a Lakers fan, I welcome any chance the Lake Show has to gain ground on the Spurs. But for not putting away the Suns when they had the chance, the Spurs get thrown Under The Bus.
NFL
Asante Samuel: this genius proclaimed the reason for leaving the Patriots to sign with the Eagles is to get back to the Super Bowl. Excuse me? Let me remind you where both the Pats and Eagles finished and where they stand in the future.
New England: perfect regular season record, lost 17-14 to the New York Giants in Super Bowl 42. Great chance to return to the Super Bowl with Brady, Moss, and company.
Philadelphia: 8-8, missed playoffs. Plays in the brutally tough NFC East. Chances to make the playoffs: 50-50 at best. D-Mac is getting older, as is Brian Westbrook. Brian Dawkins may have a couple of good years left before he begins his inevitable decline.
Admit it, when you signed with the Eagles, it was all about getting paid. I'd have a lot more respect if you just came out and admitted that it was all about getting paid. (And called the Patriots cheapskates in the process) For lying to the NFL public (and yourself), Asante Samuel, you get thrown Under The Bus.
NASCAR
Elliott Sadler: he looked like a lost rookie rather than a seasoned Cup veteran that he is. He just couldn't stay away from the wall! TWICE he gave Jimmie Johnson the Lucky Dog. THREE times he WAS the caution; the third time finished him off for the day. Sorry, E-Sad, you're one of my favorite personalities in ALL of sports, not just NASCAR, but I have to throw you under the Bus.
Those are my nominees for the week ending March 9, 2008. Come in with yours!
Throughout the world of sports, there is no shortage of people and teams that tick fans off. It could be due to a lack of effort, an "I don't care" attitude that reflects in the player's or team's performance, an overpaid player, etc. I found many sports figures that ticked me off this week. So I'm throwing them Under The Bus (Jerome Bettis Limited Edition, 850 hp). This is a forum for you, the sports fan, to call out the object of your ire and throw them under the bus.
NFL
Oakland Raiders: they overpaid to resign Tommy Kelly and to sign Gibril Wilson via free agency. While Kelly is a decent player, he’s NOT one of the top DE’s in the NFL. Yet the Raiders paid him a king’s ransom. If Wilson were that good, the Giants would have kept him. Overpaying by the Raiders further exposes their inability to draft quality players. The front office is a mess. Lane Kiffin could be on the way out, replaced by James Lofton, who Al Davis DESPERATELY wants as his head coach. For making an unnecessary big splash in free agency and spending money like drunken sailors (I apologize to all the drunken sailors out there for lumping you in with the Raiders) the Raiders are to be thrown under the Bus.
San Francisco 49ers: for overpaying to sign DE Justin Smith away from the Cincinnati Bengals. Smith was a good player on a very bad defense in Cincinnati. He may end up being a good player, who knows? But for overpaying a slightly above average DE, the Niners get thrown under the Bus.
MLB
Sam Zell: this Nimrod wants to sell the naming rights of Wrigley Field. You GOTTA be FREAKING KIDDING!!! This is Wrigley Field we're talking about! The Friendly Confines. One of the last bastions in the entire country to remind us of a purer and more honest era. If some bozo owner wants to sell the naming rights for 30 pieces of silver, he's become the Judas Iscariot of sports. Nothing is sacred anymore in this era of corporate greed. When will it stop? At least I give the City of San Francisco kudos to restoring Candlestick Park back to its original name. No wonder the Cubs are destined to lose for the next 100 years while this Nimrod runs the team. You're messing with the baseball gods, and if you do, they don't take kindly to that. So Under The Bus you go, Sam Zell, being thrown under by baseball fans everywhere.
Roger Clemens: enough said.
ESPN: for showing Clemens' mug during the Rockets-Nuggets NBA game on its network.
NBA
New York Knicks: see Isiah Thomas.
Phoenix Suns: for their effort, or lack thereof, against the Philadelphia 76ers. Philadelphia was coming off a loss against Golden State the night before. They were playing their second game in as many nights. Yet it was the 76ers that looked like a playoff team and the Suns a lottery team. This was a game the Suns should have won handily. Suns fan, time to beat the panic button to a pulp. For this dispirited effort, the Suns get thrown under the Bus. At least Steve Kerr will have a TNT gig waiting for him starting next season.
NHL
Bryan Murray: let me preface this. He was the head coach for the Ottawa Senators last season, when they came up short in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Anaheim Ducks. He then became the Senators' GM and hired John Paddock (the head coach of their AHL affiliate at the time) to be the Sens' head coach. Fast forward to last week. The Sens are second in the Eastern Conference and first in goals scored. They are going through a rough patch. Every team does at some point in the season. So what does Murray do? He FIRES Paddock and takes over the head coaching duties and bogarts all of the credit for any success the Sens may have. What a greedy, selfish, Machiavellian son of a ####. Machiavelli thinks that's messed up. I will be rooting for every team the Senators face, until Murray is no longer in the Senators' organization. Even if I have to root for the other teams in the Atlantic Division that face the Sens. For this Machiavellian stunt, Bryan Murray is to be thrown Under The Bus. I'm giving the keys of the Bus to John Paddock.
Those are the objects of my ire in sports for this past week. What were the objects of your ire for the past week? Come in here and tell us!!
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.
This offseason for the Dodgers has become interesting in recent weeks. First, Joe Torre was brought in. Then Andruw Jones was signed for two years. Then Hiroki Kuroda was signed last week. Throughout the offseason, rumors have had the Dodgers trading for 3B Scott Rolen. In this deal, the Cardinals are asking about Matt Kemp. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! DON'T DO IT NED! DON'T PULL THE TRIGGER!!!
First of all, WHY would the Dodgers want to trade for a washed-up third baseman that is a cancer in the clubhouse? Especially if it REQUIRES giving up a young stud in Matt Kemp and maybe another young stud or two?
The Dodgers have a young third baseman in Andy LaRoche, who has been tearing it up in international competition, raking international pitchers that he will face in the major leagues. And they have Nomar to back him up. They have an uber-stud prospect in Clayton Kershaw, and other stud pitchers down on the farm.
To trade for Rolen is tantamount to supplying the Cardinals with young studs for the next 5-10 years. Not to mention that you're taking on a 3B that is prone to injury and whose best days are behind him. Not to mention that the Cardinals would be a MUCH better team through addition by subtraction. I don't want Rolen on the Dodgers. I don't want him ANYWHERE NEAR the Dodgers!
ABOVE: Henry Winkler as Fonzie on "Happy Days" jumps over a shark while water skiing.
Every fall, TV show commentators comment on which new shows will break out and become great, which shows won't last, and of the returning shows, which shows will stay strong and which shows have "jumped the shark." I'm going to add a sports twist to this.
In the sports twist, the term, "jump the shark" means that a team has reached its peak and is beginning its downhill slide. Or it can refer to an individual athlete whose performance begins to decline, eventually leading to his retirement.
Here are some of my teams that I think have "jumped the shark":
NFL
Seattle Seahawks: while this team is still formidable, they clearly are not the powerhouse team of a few years ago. They lost twice to the San Francisco 49ers last season and tomorrow face a better Niners team than a year ago. Shaun Alexander is approaching the wrong side of 30, which is OLD for a RB.
Carolina Panthers: this is still a decent team, but its door to win a Super Bowl is slamming shut. The defense is getting old, John Kasay's not getting any younger, and Jake Delhomme is injured.
Cincinnati Bengals: had they focused on building a quality defense a few years ago, I wouldn't include them in this blog.
Baltimore Ravens: the window of opportunity to win a Super Bowl is shutting rapidly. Steve McNair will probably retire after this season due to all the injuries he has accumulated. Had the Ravens had the McNair of eight years ago, they would be one of the favorites for a Super Bowl title. Ray Lewis, the heart and soul of that stout defense, is slowing down. See you in Canton, Ray. You'll take your place among the all-time greats at LB.
MLB
St. Louis Cardinals: this team is one year removed from winning the World Series. Usually a team that wins the World Series one season automatically jumps the shark the next season.
New York Yankees: they have had vast success from 1996 to the present, winning four World Series in a five year span, including three straight from 1998-2000. Since 1995, they have made the playoffs EVERY SEASON. In an era where a three to five year run is considered excellent, it is a 13 year run and counting. However, their window of opportunity is closing. Their young studs at the beginning of the run are older, aging veterans now.
Chicago White Sox: went from world champs to world chumps in two seasons.
Houston Astros: see above.
NBA
Miami Heat: Shaq is getting old, the cast of characters are constantly changing, with the exception of D-Wade.
Dallas Mavericks: with the emergence of younger, hungrier teams, the window is closing FAST. They may have one, maybe two, years left.
These are a few examples of teams from each league that I think have "jumped the shark." For further references to this term, go to www.jumptheshark.com.
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