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.

1. 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.
2. 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!

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!! 

I'm putting this out a day late in honor of the Sprint Cup race at California Motor Speedway (or whatever name it is today). Even though it's a day late, there's still no shortage of sports figures that you want to throw under the bus. I have a few sports figures that I want to throw under the Bus (Jerome Bettis Limited Edition, 850 hp).

NASCAR

NASCAR brass: for not postponing the Auto Club 500 at Fontana IMMEDIATELY after the rains came 85 laps into the race. The brass kept the drivers and the fans on pins and needles for SEVERAL hours before FINALLY deciding to postpone the race until 1 PM Eastern today. (A race that Carl Edwards finally won under sunny skies) C'mon NASCAR brass, MAKE UP YOUR FREAKING MINDS ALREADY! For hemming and hawing, the Brass gets thrown under the Bus.

NBA

Phoenix Suns: granted, normally losing to a team like the Pistons is nothing to be ashamed of. Unless you lose by 30 points. At home. With a team like the Pistons on the Suns' schedule, one would think that there would be a sense of urgency on the Suns. They played like there wasn't that sense of urgency.

New York Knicks: enough said.

Miami Heat: see New York Knicks.

GOLF

Sergio Garcia: granted, he's still bent at Boo Weekley for Weekley's signing an incorrect scorecard that DQ'd Garcia last year. Honest mistake, it happens. But reverting to childish tactics like distracting Weekley as he is putting is reprehensible. Weekley's a better man than I, because if I were in his shoes, Garcia's wearing that putter around his pencil neck, and I'd take my penalty like a man. Then I'm kicking his #### in the locker room. I'm giving Weekley and his boys the keys to the entire fleet of Buses that Garcia is to be thrown under.

Those are my nominees. Come on in with yours! 

All around the world of sports, there is no shortage of figures that just totally #### you off. I know I have a few. Here is your forum for venting by throwing the object of your ire Under The Bus (Jerome Bettis Limited Edition 850 hp version). The figure could be a player (or race car driver), team, executive, owner, league, commissioner, or fans of teams/drivers.

NASCAR

Juan Pablo Montoya: this genius wrecked Clint Bowyer for NO reason when Bowyer was leading the Daytona 500 late in the race. He punted Bowyer, causing him to spin out and taking him from first to 24th place, thereby costing Bowyer a possible Daytona 500 win. I got my Schadenfreude later when Montoya went backwards at the next restart and got freight trained. He ended up 32nd. (Ha ha!) I'll give Clint Bowyer the keys to the Bus that I'll throw Juan Pablo under.

David Ragan: normally, I wouldn't throw a driver under the bus for causing an accident, except in this case, he took out his teammate Matt Kenseth. Kenseth was running in the Top 5 at the time of the accident. I wonder if Ragan took lessons in causing accidents from Montoya, because if he did, he's a damn good student. Kenseth gets the keys to the Bus that Ragan is to be thrown under.

Jeff Burton: this pains me greatly to do so, as he is part of the RCR stable and is one of my favorite drivers. He had the Daytona 500 in his sights; all he had to do was get a good restart on the final caution. He had a horrendous restart that dropped him from first to 13th.

NBA

Devean George haters that are drinking Haterade: I give George's agent props for including a no-trade clause in his contract with the Mavericks. BECAUSE George has a no-trade clause, he has EVERY right to exercise it, and that he did when he learned he was going to be traded to the New Jersey Nets as part of the Jason Kidd deal. The Mavericks were DUMB to include a no-trade clause to a journeyman. And since WHEN does Kidd DESERVE to be on a contending team? He was on a New Jersey team that made the Finals in successive seasons in 2002 and 2003. He had his chance, and came up short. I throw the Devean George haters AND the Dallas Mavericks Under The Bus.

New York Knicks: enough said.

MLB

Bud Selig: where were his comments after the Clemens deposition hearing before the House Reform and Oversight Committee? Oh yeah, there were NONE. In baseball's darkest hour since the 1994 players' strike, Selig needed to be front and center and SHOW SOME LEADERSHIP. Oh yeah, he has no leadership. Since Selig became commissioner thanks to a coup d'etat, baseball has become a laughing stock. Under the bus goes Selig.

Roger Clemens: even by his standards, he has the largest ego in the history of baseball. He has backed himself into a corner that he may not be able to get out of. He came off as a greasy, sleazy liar.

NCAA BB

Kelvin Sampson: what is it with this guy and cell phones? And what is it with this guy and LYING about it? IF he had come up front and become accountable to his transgressions, perhaps he wouldn't be on the firing line at Indiana. It was a BAD match to begin with. IF he does get the ax, who takes over starting next season? Randy Wittman and Mike Woodson have both been mentioned. Kelvin Sampson therefore gets thrown Under The Bus.

NFL

Washington Redskins: Jim Zorn? Is that the BEST you can do? Little Lord Danny Boy has turned this once-proud franchise into a laughing stock. And why did you interview Gregg Williams FOUR times, only to ultimately WHACK him? WTF? Why didn't you do that the Monday AFTER the regular season ended?

Willie Gary (ex-Rams receiver): c'mon, Willie, DON'T cry sour grapes because your Rams couldn't get it done in Super Bowl 36. What's with this $100 MILLION lawsuit against the New England Patriots, Robert Kraft, and Bill Belichick? Just because you were a benchwarmer for the Rams, doesn't give you the right to clog up the judicial system further. Willie, shut up and know your freaking role. Under The Bus you go.  

I am back from a one-week hiatus due to the Super Bowl. I know you sports fans are ITCHING to get the object of your ire off your collective chests. In other words, you want to throw some players, teams, owners, executives, and/or coaches Under The Bus. Here is the forum to do so.

NASCAR

Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart: okay guys, maybe you should be auditioning for "Dancing With The Stars." After the meeting in the NASCAR hauler, it got awfully quiet in each driver's camp, and each driver giving similar canned responses, errrrrr, toeing the Party Line. C'mon, where's your fiery passion? On that note, the ruling hierarchy of NASCAR also should be thrown under the bus for not allowing Busch and Stewart to settle it like men did back in the day: under the grandstands, with their fists. Then the two drivers can have some Miller Lites in the garage area afterwards.

MLB

Roger Clemens: I'm getting tired of this guy's act. He should just go away. Or better yet, be thrown under the Bus.

Brian McNamee: see Roger Clemens.

Bud Selig: perhaps Congress should step in and rip the commissioner's office from Selig. Selig being thrown under the Bus is a given for allowing players to cheat and steroid up and HGH up. The purity and integrity of the game is lost, perhaps forever. Thanks a lot, Bud.

NBA

Phoenix Suns: I can sum up trading for an aging, declining Shaq in one word--DESPERATION. This is in response to the Lakers engineering a BRILLIANT trade for Pau Gasol, a former All-Star, and giving up next to nothing. As a Lakers fan, I'm glad the Suns have mortgaged their franchise for the next five years to chase a title they're not winning this year or any time in the near future. Myopic Suns fan that is drinking the cactus-flavored Kool-Aid that Shaq is serving up also gets thrown under the Bus. (Yes, there are Suns fans that DO NOT like this trade, believe it or not! They DON'T get thrown under the Bus)

New York Knicks: they will continue to be thrown under the Bus until Isiah Thomas quits or gets fired. And why do they suddenly go on a winning streak near the end of the season EVERY year? 

I'm sure I have others, but I can't think of any at present. What say you?  

I normally write this on Sundays, but due to the California storms (and not having Internet because of that) I am writing this tonight. This column will resume on Sundays starting next week. Fans, who would you like to throw under the Bus this week? I have a few nominees.

NFL

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: or more specifically, Jeff Garcia. FOUR picks against the G-men? The Bucs prided themselves on taking care of the ball and making plays on defense. They did neither. The G-men put an ####-kicking on the Bucs.

NCAA

BCS Selection Committee: this one is a given. Hawaii-Georgia? USC-Illinois? Perhaps Georgia-USC in the Rose Bowl would have been the best BCS game this season. OU-Hawaii would have been intriguing. Illinois DID NOT belong in a BCS bowl. Personally, I'd have voted for App State to be in a BCS bowl. Time to revisit the idea of a plus-one playoff in college football and do away with the B(C)S Selection Committee.

NBA

New York Knicks: they will continue to be thrown under the Bus until a coaching change is made. They have put the "D" in dysfunctional. Isiah Thomas and the Dolans have run a once-elite and proud franchise into the ground. The 1980's Clippers think the Knicks have hit bottom.

Phoenix Suns: this team has been getting fat by feeding on the NBA's bottom feeders. I can't wait until the second half of the season when they have to face the Celtics twice, the Pistons twice, and on the week of Feb. 20-27, they face in order: the Lakers (2/20), the Celtics (2/22), the Pistons (2/24), @Grizzlies (2/26), @Hornets (2/27). Not to mention in late March, the Suns go on a grueling four game roadie to the East Coast. And because I'm a Lakers fan, I won't hesitate to throw the Suns under the bus!

Those are my nominees for the week. Come on in with yours!

Scanning the world of the NFL, there are no shortage of players, teams, coaches, fans, owners, and officials to throw Under The Bus (Jerome Bettis Limited Edition, 850 hp). Football fans everywhere, you are welcome to chime in with your nominations! I have a few nominations myself.

NFL

• The officiating crew in the Denver-Kansas City game: for giving Brandon Marshall a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after Marshall's rendition of "Let It Snow, Let It Snow." Marshall had just caught a TD pass from Jay Cutler and was throwing snow high in the air in celebration of a TD. He wasn't showing ANYONE up!! If he's taunting a KC defender, THEN you throw the flag! Officials, Under The Bus you all go! I'll add the NFL Rules Committee to be thrown Under The Bus as well.
• Anthony Smith: this genius guaranteed a Steelers' victory over the Patriots earlier in the week. So what does he do for an encore? He gives up THREE TD passes!! Not ONE, not TWO, but THREE. As I write, 54fulltiltfulltime is having a whole pot of chilled crow delivered to one Anthony Smith. For this foolish guarantee, Anthony Smith gets thrown where? Under The Bus!!!
• Carolina Panthers: embarassing. While J-ville is a good, but not great, team, I expected a MUCH better effort from the Kittens. ONE HUNDRED FORTY-NINE TOTAL YARDS?? WORSE THAN PATHETIC!!! Not only that, but J-ville amassed 427 yards in total offense. Time for Fox to go and be replaced by Bill Cowher. Give Cowher total control of the football operations. For this God-awful "effort", the Kittens get thrown Under The Bus.
• Detroit Lions defense: it is inexcusable blowing a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter! The Lions' offense played well enough to put an ####-kicking on the Cowboys' defense. If the defense played half as well as the offense, the Cowboys would be tied with the Packers at 11-2. Paris Lenon had a chance to put the game away with a fumble recovery, but he tried to scoop it up and deflected the ball to Andre Gurode of the Cowboys. ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS FALL ON THE F-ING BALL AND THE LIONS WIN!!! IS THAT SO HARD TO DO?? Instead, Tony Romo completes a clutch fourth down pass on the next play to keep the drive alive. The Lions' defense gets thrown Under The Bus.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: I've been propping you guys for most of the year, and you reward me with THIS?? A beatdown administered by the Houston Texans' second-string QB? I can see this if it were the Cowboys or Packers putting the beatdown on the Bucs. But the TEXANS??? The Bucs get thrown Under The Bus. 
• ESPN: for single-handedly making Monday Night Football irrelevant. You have matchups like New Orleans-Atlanta?? Which Head #### decided that this would be a compelling matchup? The Four-Letter gets thrown Under The Bus.
• NFL schedule makers: for putting another couple of overexposed NFC East teams on NBC next Sunday night: Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants. The Redskins' playoff hopes are BARELY on life support. A MUCH better matchup would be Buffalo at Cleveland. Admit it NBC, you have a bias towards Eastern teams from the Eastern Seaboard no matter how BAD THEY SUCK (NY Giants, Washington, Philly, New England). Just get it done and sign an exclusive contract with the NFC East. So Under The Bus you go!

NBA

• New York Knicks: too much drama. Between Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury, it would be too much for even the most hard-core Knicks fans to handle. There WAS a time when the Knicks were a well-run franchise among the NBA's elite. It's going to take Thomas' departure, either by firing or resignation, plus some very good personnel moves, to make this franchise good again.

That's all I have for now. I have expanded this to include all sports. Feel free to come in with your nominations!!!  

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

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

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