Sports fans, it's that time of week again. Time to call out the objects of your ire for their sheer idiocy, incompetence, arrogance, and general all-around #####ry. I know you have some sports personality, team, coach, owner, league, commissioner, etc., that you want to throw under the Bus. This is the forum for it! And away we go!
MLB
Hank Steinbrenner: Boss Jr. is at it again. He’s crying sour grapes over the Yankees missing the playoffs while the Dodgers under Joe Torre (who Boss Jr. got rid of) are on the verge of making the playoffs, despite having a worse record than the Yankees. He's complaining about the unfairness of it all!! Wah, wah, cry me an #### river. If your team were GOOD enough to make the playoffs, you wouldn’t be crying the Hudson River. The Yankees are old, slow, and there is not enough young players to step in. It’s going to be SO GOOD to see Torre managing in the postseason while Yankee Stadium is dark and awaiting the wrecking ball. For crying sour grapes, Boss Jr. gets thrown under the Bus, then the Bus backs up to run him over again, then the Bus drives forward to run him over again.
Minnesota Twins: for not putting away the Chicago White Sox by losing two of three to the lowly Kansas City Royals. Now the Sox have to play a makeup game at home against the Detroit Tigers. If the Sox win, they host the Twins on Tuesday for the AL Central title. The Twins had their chances against the Royals and blew it. Losing 2 of 3 to the lowly Royals at home will get you thrown under the Bus every single time.
NFL
Denver Broncos: this is for losing to the lowly Kansas City Chiefs by committing four turnovers. Just when many of us were starting to buy into the hype, you go out and lay an egg. You should have been able to beat the Chiefs in your sleep. But you didn't beat them when you were awake. Just for that, I'm going to put the Chiefs in the Good category. Then I'm going to throw the Broncos under the Bus.
Oakland Raiders: for blowing a fourth quarter lead and rolling over. You had a chance to step on the Chargers’ throats and choke them out. But you didn’t. Even the CHIEFS won, for crying out loud! Seemed like you WANTED Lane Kiffin fired by the way you played in the fourth quarter. And what was that FG attempt from Danville all about? (Actually, it was a 76-yard FG attempt to end the first half) For allowing the Chargers to come from behind and making key mistakes in the fourth quarter, the Raiders get thrown under the Bus.
Plaxico Burress: why did you leave the Giants in a lurch? All it would have taken was a simple phone call to the GM on Monday morning stating that you needed some time to tend to some family issues and all would have been well. But you didn’t even give the team the courtesy of a phone call. They blew up your cell phone trying to reach you. Then you issue a lame statement through your agent. Now the G-men clipped you off for a game for insubordination. Now you get thrown Under The Bus.
NASCAR
Joe Nemechek: Field Filler Joe was at it again. He was racing the leaders while NOT on the lead lap. What the hell was that all about? You're a field filler, know your freaking role: to move over and let the leaders race for the win, NOT race WITH them. I was waiting for Carl Edwards to punt you into the wall, then for him to kick your #### if you said squat about it. For being an #### and racing with the leaders late, Field Filler Joe gets thrown under the Bus.
Juan Pablo Montoya's crew: the #42 car failed inspection after winning the pole, handing the pole (and the win, in effect) to Jimmie Johnson. You're responsible for making sure the car passes inspection any time an inspection is required. Since the car failed inspection and Montoya had to start from the back of the field, his crew gets thrown under the Bus.
And now for a few off the Beaten Path:
Royal Caribbean: the cruise line is experimenting with adding a premium charge for steaks in its main dining room on each of their ships. Ever since cruises began, it was standard practice that premium meals WERE INCLUDED in the price of each ticket. Understandably, many long-time customers are PISSED. I throw the idiots that thought of this cockamamie idea Under The Bus.
Clay Aiken: SO FREAKING WHAT that you come out of the closet. WHO THE #### CARES? This non-news item was plastered all over the Internet early last week. What, the presidential campaign was too boring? (Oops, it probably is!) All this stunt is for is to bring attention to your flagging career. Celebutard formula: my career is flagging and circling the drain, hmmmmmmm, I'll announce that I'm ####. Listen, I don't care if you're #### or not; just don't beat us over the head with it, like it's the most important news item in the history of the world, because it isn't. Aiken gets thrown Under The Bus for boring 99% of the earth's population that don't give a rat's #### with his non-news item. DISCLAIMER: I'm one of the 99%. I merely reported it for the sole purpose of throwing Aiken Under The Bus.
The Geico Cavemen: what a couple of whiny, snively mamma's boys! I HATE THOSE COMMERCIALS involving them! Especially the one where they pose as tough biker guys, but when they see the Geico billboard, they turn around and leave. The actors that play them get thrown Under The Bus for giving men a bad name and portraying them as whiny, snively mamma's boys.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours. As an added bonus this week, I'm allowing nonsports figures to be thrown under the Bus.
Sports fans, it's that time of week again. Time to submit the objects of your ire in the sports world to the lovely young lady standing beside this week's bus. She will call out each name, then they will be thrown under the Bus. I have submitted my names to her and she will call them out.
NASCAR
NASCAR Sanctioning Body: how the living HELL could they conduct a race like that? It was basically a glorified test session. The 2008 Brickyard 400 was the WORST F-ING race I have ever seen! I've seen turtle races that had more entertainment!! And they were FASTER! For conducting such a God-awful race, the NASCAR Sanctioning Body gets thrown under the Bus.
Goodyear Tires: why didn't you come to the Brickyard with a HARDER tire, one that won't wear out as fast? You wouldn't have had nearly as many issues as you did today. Go with a harder tire and stick with it. Let the crews and engineers come up with a plan to make the car drive as best it can. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE PAID TO DO. The people responsible for these tires get thrown under the Bus.
Kurt Busch: this is for racing Kevin Harvick VERY early in the race and knocking him out of contention. Harvick was marching through the field and he was on the verge of the top 10 when he was an innocent victim of Busch's ineptitude behind the wheel. Harvick was passing you; you should have let him go and tuck in behind him. But NOOOOOO, you had to race him and got loose and collected him. You also knocked him out of the Chase in the process. You will be thrown under said Bus until he makes the Chase, and if he doesn't, you'll be thrown under every week for the rest of the season. (Sorry Kristen, I just had to vent at your driver--nothing personal against you.)
MLB
San Francisco Giants: for their fold-up job against the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend. This was a huge series; they could have got into contention with a series win. Instead, they'll be facing a double-digit deficit in the next couple of days. Maybe they wanted to get back at the Dodgers a different way. Either way, they get thrown under the Bus.
Manny Ramirez: he all but challenged the Red Sox to trade him.(Rumors are the Dodgers and Mets are interested.) Boston's feeling the pressure of the Yankees and having to defend their world title. A Yankees win tonight and they're tied with Boston, 2 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays. (And who'd have thunk both Boston and New York would be chasing the Rays this late in the season?) For his "Manny being Manny" outburst and causing dissension among the ranks, ManRam gets thrown Under The Bus.
NFL
Donte Nicholson, S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: the reserve safety was Tasered twice and was arrested during a weekend scuffle at a St. Petersburg nightclub. How many times do athletes need to be reminded that NOTHING good happens after 2 AM (unless you’re getting lucky)? This came on the heels of his roommate getting arrested as he was trying to reenter the club when it was closing. You can think about what you did as you’re getting thrown under the Bus.
Brett Favre: he didn't report to Packers' training camp today. This ongoing saga is getting pretty tiresome. You shouldn't have retired in the first place. You should have done what you did last April: told the Packers that you're coming back. Ted Thompson deserves some of the blame for this for allegedly rushing your decision. But only you can make that decision to retire or not, Brett. For creating a media circus, you get thrown under the Bus.
AUTO RACING
Danica Patrick: she was unapologetic for her cat fight with Milka Duno. Of course she was. She thinks she's right about EVERYTHING. Then I’ll be unapologetic for a repeat of last week in getting her punk #### thrown under the Bus.
GOLF
Michelle Wie: ENOUGH of playing against the men already!! You’re nothing more than a freak show now. YOU’RE A JOKE! No sooner than her disqualification took place she announced she’ll be playing against the men again. It’s old and tired, just like you are. The Diva of the LPGA Tour gets thrown under the Bus again.
Andrew Giuliani: this little punk sued Duke University for being kicked off the golf team. You had a CAREER winning percentage of LESS than 20%. Numbers don’t lie, kid. If I were the coach, I’d have kicked you off the team, too. Your impact on college golf was miniscule, like your winning percentage. And I don’t give a rat’s #### if you’re the son of America’s Mayor. While I won’t throw you under the bus for attempting to make Duke’s golf team as a walk-on, I will throw you under the Bus for clogging up the court system with your frivolous lawsuit and for acting like a whiny little baby.
Thank you, Miss. You're doing a great job this week. Now on to the other fans that are itching for their opportunity.
Tonight the baseball world stopped. The New York Yankees began a very crucial three-game series at Boston. The Yankees came in as winners of six straight games, three back of the Tampa Bay Rays. Joba Chamberlain was matched up against Josh Beckett in a much-hyped pitching matchup.
The duel lived up to the hype. Both Beckett and Chamberlain pitched very well; Chamberlain in particular was stellar. To go into a very hostile environment like Fenway Park and pitch that well (7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K) is a testament to Chamberlain's toughness.
New York Yankees' Joba Chamberlain pitches against the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday, July 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Chamberlain sent a message loud and clear to the Red Sox: we have our mojo back. He kept buzzing Kevin Youkilis inside, at one time playing chin music. Youkilis hit the deck on a high, inside heater. What was lost in all this is that he is fearless. However, the Red Sox could very well retaliate by plunking a key Yankee like Robinson Cano or Derek Jeter.
The lone run of the game came on a two-out Little League infield single by Jason Giambi. The Red Sox shifted, and Giambi cue-balled his grounder to the vacant area that the shortstop would normally occupy. This came on the heels of consecutive two-out singles.
New York Yankees' Jason Giambi leaves the batter's box on an RBI single in the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday July 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
The star of this game undoubtedly was Chamberlain. He basically told the rest of the Yankees, "Come up here on my shoulders and I'll carry you." The Yankees SORELY needed not only this game, but that kind of performance in a place like Fenway, with that much on the line.
Boston Red Sox's J.D. Drew walks back to the dugout after striking out to New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain in the fourth inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday, July 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Now they have won seven in a row and are breathing down both the Red Sox and Rays' necks. Mariano Rivera came in with one out in the eighth inning and shut down a potential Sox rally. Then he notched his 26th save of the season. Rivera is still money in these types of situations: big game on the road, check. Need five outs for the save, check. Shut down the opposition, check.
New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera pitches against the Boston Red Sox in the ninth inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday July 25, 2008. The Yankees won 1-0 and Rivera earned a save.
For this game, at least, the Yankees have their mojo back. If they end up sweeping the Red Sox, they definitely have it back. They should expect the Red Sox to retaliate for the chin music Chamberlain made. Nothing like a good old-school rivalry like the Yankees-Red Sox, especially when both teams are among the elite in MLB.
It's that time of week again. The time of week that you, the Joe Six-Pack Fan, get a chance to vent your ire at a team, individual, coach, league, or anything else related to sports by throwing them Under The Bus. Without further adieu, here goes.
NFL
The Brett Favre Saga: is there anyone else besides me that is tired of all the drama? There is enough blame to go around there. Ted Thompson made a HUGE mistake in basically telling a legend he's not wanted in Green Bay. Thompson should have told him to take his time and if you feel like coming back, you're our starter. Ted Thompson gets thrown under the Bus, the media get thrown under the Bus, and Favre gets thrown under the Bus for flip-flopping.
"Pundits and Fans" that dismiss the Carolina Panthers: I would NOT sleep on the Panthers this year. Jake Delhomme looks like the Delhomme of old, the Cats had an excellent draft, and they picked up some key free agents. Jonathan Stewart is going to be a beast and he'll fit perfectly into the Panthers' power running game. The defense will be much improved. The "pundits and fans" get thrown under the Bus.
MLB
Oakland A's: they were still in contention when they traded Joe Blanton to Philadelphia for three minor leaguers. They have effectively waved the white flag. They have become the France of the MLB. In the last year, they have traded Dan Haren, Rich Harden, and Blanton. That’s three-fifths of an outstanding pitching staff. A LOT of teams would kill to have those kinds of pitchers and that staff. Now comes word that the A’s are considering trading stud closer Huston Street. WTF? The ownership should be ashamed of themselves. Charles Finley would NEVER have waved the white flag. He’d have never traded Blanton and Rich Harden; instead, he’d have found what he needed and filled those needs. I hereby throw the A’s small-minded ownership under the Bus. If I'm an A's fan, I'd be ROYALLY PISSED.
Alex Rodriguez: he left the All-Star Game early and didn’t support his teammates as the game dragged on and on and on. Derek Jeter stayed and supported his AL teammates. So did Mariano Rivera. I find it kind of funny the game lasted 15 innings and very few, if any, people showed up to Rodriguez’ party he was hosting after the game. Would Willie Mays or Bob Gibson have left an All-Star Game early? I don’t think so. A-Rod goes under the Bus.
NBA
Alonzo Mourning: he gave a benefit for charity that only raised 30 cents on the dollar due to the influx of celebrities and their perks. Sounds to me it was an excuse to party. Non profits that donate 70 cents on the dollar is considered efficient as per the IRS. But 30 cents? Hmmm, something fishy here. While I won’t throw him under the bus for wanting to raise money for charity, I will throw him under the bus for the inefficiency of his charity.
AUTO RACING
Danica Patrick: her act is getting old and tired. She was involved in yet ANOTHER confrontation, this time with Milka Duno. A cat fight. The IRL should seriously consider parking her and her team for a race. She can get away with this #### because NO ONE in the IRL has the BALLS to stop her. Someone should sit her down and tell her, "Next time this happens princess, you're getting parked for a race." Duno should have ####-slapped Patrick and IRL look the other way. Her #### is ####-slapped under the Bus.
GOLF
Michelle Wie: just when I was starting to buy stock in you again, you pull some boneheaded #### like forgetting to sign the scorecard and getting DQ'd while you were in contention for your first win. A good finish would have comfortably put you in the top 80, meaning an automatic LPGA Tour card and not having to rely on sponsor's exemptions. There is NO excuse for forgetting to sign your scorecard. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING? At the very least, you learned a painful and expensive lesson. Maybe being introduced to the tire tracks of the Bus you're to be thrown under will serve as a reminder NOT to forget TO SIGN YOUR SCORECARD!!!
This week's version of Who Would You Throw Under The Bus? is dedicated to the brave men and women in uniform serving domestically and abroad. Without these brave men and women, this blog wouldn't exist. Kudos and mad props to all of you. There are several sports figures that have totally pissed me off this week. Therefore I am throwing the following figures under the proverbial Bus:
MLB
Shelley Duncan, New York Yankees: this guy just doesn't get it. And he probably never will. This genius scribbled, "Red Sox Suck" then signed his name after a young Red Sox fan requested his autograph. Very class act there, Shelley. And for that act that's two letters short of class, you go Under The Bus.
NASCAR
Chip Ganassi: he fired his best driver's crew chief just as Juan Pablo Montoya and Jimmy Elledge were starting to click. Is it ANY wonder NO ONE wants to drive for you? I wouldn't blame JPM one bit if he were to walk. (JPM, I'll bury the hatchet and welcome you to RCR should you end up there.) Perhaps you should devote your time to your IRL teams; that's where you reign supreme. Until then, Ganassi goes Under The Bus.
J.J. Yeley: did I miss the announcement that you hired Stevie Wonder as your spotter? WTF was that act, blasting Dale Jr. from behind? I wouldn't have blamed Dale Jr. one bit for wanting to open up the largest can of Whoop #### he can find. And why the *(*)*^ do you still have a ride? You're reckless, make questionable decisions at best, wild-a$$Ed decisions at worst. For that act, you go Under The Bus.
NHL
Gary Bettman: he has proven the Peter Principle right. He is an INCOMPETENT NHL Commissioner. Then he threatened Al Sobotka, the driver of the Zamboni at the Joe, a very stiff fine if Sobotka tossed an octopus on the ice. I hope he threw that octopus on the ice!! I'd contribute towards paying that stiff fine! For threatening a working man nearly half his salary in fines, Bettman not only gets thrown Under The Bus, but he ALSO gets thrown Under A Fleet Of Zambonis.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to chime in with yours!
This is the time for you, Joe Six-Pack Sports Fan, to vent your ire at the dumbasses, retards, idiots, ingrates, and general all around bad guys of sports and throw them Under The Bus. Who do YOU want to see go Under The Bus this week? Here's the forum to throw these retards and a-holes under the Bus! I know I have a few!
MLB
Los Angeles Dodgers: for a team that was expected to do big things in the NL West, they go out on the road for their first eastern trip of the season and promptly get swept by a team they have beaten like a drum in recent years, the Atlanta Braves. Not only did they get swept, they weren't competitive. They are looking like a last-place team rather than a competitive team. If not for the San Francisco Giants, they WOULD be a last place team. The Dodgers get thrown under the Bus.
Andruw Jones: he has gotten WORSE than he was last season. Looks like the Braves made the right decision to rid themselves of a fat, washed-up outfielder that can't catch up to a fastball. And the Dodgers may have made the wrong decision to sign him. Andruw Jones goes under the Bus, along with the rest of the Dodgers.
ESPN: for their chickenshit ambushing of Miguel Tejada during an interview he gave to the network. This brings me to the following.
Miguel Tejada: for LYING about his age when he first signed a professional contract. We already knew he roided up and HGH'ed up. Now he's aged up. Must be from all that HGH and 'roids. BOTH Tejada AND ESPN go under the Bus.
Kyle Farnsworth: for throwing at Manny Ramirez after ManRam took Yankees pitchers deep twice during a recent game. Farnsworth threw at Ramirez' head and said, "It slipped." Sure, it did. What you did was BUSH LEAGUE. Throw inside at his belt buckle to move him off the plate. You're putting a player's livelihood at risk. Now you painted a HUGE bull's eye on Alex Rodriguez and/or Derek Jeter. Now you've been suspended. Now you've been thrown Under The Bus.
Matt Kolbusz: now you're wondering, who the hell is Matt Kolbusz? He's the vendor that was selling offensive Kosuke Fukudome t-shirts. The t-shirts were nothing more than a racial blast aimed at the Asian community. The Cubs pulled the offensive t-shirts. Good for the Cubs. C'mon, M, this is 2008, not 1941. For selling racially offending t-shirts, you go Under The Bus.
NBA
Donnie Walsh: this WUSS has NO BALLS. He had the perfect opportunity to rid the Knicks of any traces of Isiah Thomas and didn't. He kept Thomas as a "special adviser." WTF? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!! This is the PERFECT opportunity for a weasel like Thomas to undermine Walsh and once again take control of the Knicks' basketball ops. Firing Thomas isn't enough. You MUST go Orkin Man and rid the Knicks of this weasel once and FOR ALL. Tune in for the next episode of, "As The Knicks Turn." Until then, Walsh goes under the Bus.
Enver Nuggets: no D in the regular season means no D in the playoffs. Granted, they are playing the Lakers in the first round, and they'll lose, but where was the defensive effort? No one can take the Enver Nuggets seriously until they learn to play good D. Until then, the Nuggets go under the Bus. (I'm glad the Lakers have perhaps the easiest matchup in the first round!)
NHL
Martin Brodeur: for not shaking Sean Avery's hand after the Rangers beat the Devils 4 games to 1. Avery offered to shake Brodeur's hand as a gesture of respect after a hard-fought series. Brodeur didn't participate in the post-series handshake. You're not only a sore loser, you come off as a small man. You go under the Bus not only for that, but the Devils go under because I DETEST THEM!!
NASCAR
Boris Said: he came across as a sore loser after his dustup with Marcos Ambrose. Then to confront Ambrose's crew chief was totally BUSH LEAGUE. I hope Ambrose kicks your #### the next time he sees you. I know I'd be looking for a piece of you afterwards. Until then, you go Under The Bus that Ambrose is driving.
ESPN: can I say it? I will: their coverage is ####. What was it with the constant pimping of Carl Edwards? Are you ESPN or TMZ? Technical glitches, snafus, Rusty Wallace, etc. They all added up to horrible coverage. And they all add up to ESPN being thrown Under The Bus.
Those are my nominees for the week. Come on in with your nominees!!
Sports fans, it's that time again to call out those idiots, miscreants, and all around dumbasses that so #### you off. I KNOW you have several that you want to throw under the Bus! Call them out for their idiocy. This is your forum to throw these idiots under the Bus. Remember, you can call out a player, coach, team, owner, a team's fans, or any sports personality and throw them under the Bus. I know I have my share!
NFL
Brett Favre: ENOUGH about coming back already! You made your decision to retire, stick with it!! Brett, I loved watching you play, you were one of my all-time favorite players, but when you made the decision to retire, it was time to move on. Aaron Rodgers is ready to helm the Packers' ship. Just by HINTING at a comeback, you threw Rodgers under the bus. Now it's Rodgers' turn to throw YOU under the Bus.
Reagan Mauia: this will most likely be the only time in the history of the world that Mauia and Favre will show up on the same blog. For those who don't know who Mauia is, he is the Miami Dolphins' starting FB. This bozo punched a man in the face without provocation and fled the scene. A witness took a picture of Mauia's license plate with his phone. Mauia was tracked down and arrested. I don't have to wait for more information to throw Mauia under the Bus.
NBA
Detroit Pistons: losing to the New York Knicks is bad enough, but at HOME? You lost to the Knicks when you ABSOLUTELY had to WIN in order to stay alive for home court advantage? AND on a night where the all-time greats of the Pistons franchise was honored? For all that, you get thrown under the Bus not once, not twice, not three times, but FOUR times! Hopefully we won't hear the worst chant in the history of the world, "Detroit Basketball!" in the Finals when the Celtics work you.
New York Knicks: they have begun the annual Save Isiah campaign. Donations are accepted. They are playing their BEST basketball of the season in order to Save Isiah. I imagine there are buildings all over New York that say, "Save Isiah." (Much like in the movie, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, there were signs painted all over Chicago that said, "Save Ferris.") The Knicks get thrown under the Bus.
Miami Heat: just quit already. D-Wade has. Oh wait, he's out for the year with injuries. Pat Riley has. He spent the NCAA Tournament scouting Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose. He hearts D-Rose. He hearts him MUCH more than coaching the band of misfits known as the Heat. Mercifully, the season will end this week for the Heat. Until then, the Heat get thrown under the Bus yet again.
MLB
Tampa Bay Rays: for all the hype that went into the Rays this year, the more things change, the more they stay the same. The Rays are looking up at the FREAKING Orioles this year. For that matter, they're looking up at everyone else in the division. This was supposed to be their breakout year. It also doesn't help when a veteran pitcher like Al Reyes gets into a fight in a bar. On his birthday, no less. Some veteran leadership there, Al. He not only got into a fight, he got his #### kicked. Then he got Tasered TWICE. Reyes gets his #### kicked, gets Tasered, AND gets thrown Under The Bus all in the same week. The Rays get thrown under for letting us down.
Fox Sports: for treating the NASCAR fans of this nation to a slap in the face. Yes, it wasn't your fault that the Yankees-Red Sox was delayed by rain. But you could have switched the game to FX and kept the NASCAR fans and the baseball fans somewhat happy. But NOOOOOOOOO, you had to milk the Yankees-Red Sox for every moment AND you had the game SIMULCAST on FX!! AND you pre-empted the NASCAR pre-race show! Because it was Yankees-Red Sox, you cut into the ACTUAL RACE. Ryan Newman was going into Turn 3 of the first lap of the race when Fox switched from the game to the race. For poor planning and for pissing a LOT of race fans off, Fox Sports goes under the Bus.
Yankees-Red Sox rivalry: yes, I get that it's a historically bitter rivalry. Yes I get that both teams are good. But they're not the only two teams in baseball!! It's an endless and breathless hype machine! For my money, the NL West rivalry is just as good, if not better, than Yankees-Red Sox. Yankees-Sox rivalry goes under the Bus.
NCAA
#### Vitale haters: been drinking the anti-Dickie V grape-flavored Haterade again? There was one guy (Fox Sports' own Mark Kriegel) that got drunk on it. Love or hate #### Vitale, his contributions to college basketball as a commentator and ambassador to the game cannot be denied. I admire Vitale's enthusiasm and passion for the game of college basketball (even though he's too much of a Duke homer). All the Dickie V haters (Kriegel included) are to be thrown under the Bus of Dickie V's choice.
Jeff Ehrhardt, QB, Murray State: this genius was charged with second-degree robbery for "a prank gone bad." So now that's what we call pushing and assaulting a campus police officer and taking his book away, a "prank gone bad"? If it were up to me, dude would be in the clink for a MINIMUM of five years. He won a $20 bet for the "prank gone bad". Sure hope that $20 was worth it, E. My bet is that he skates like Dorothy Hamill. He'll probably be suspended for the first play of the season. For such a #### prank, Ehrhardt gets thrown under the Bus.
Here we go again! Here is the forum for you, the Joe Six-Pack Fan, to call out those sports personalities that so #### you off. I'm sure you have personalities that you so badly want to throw Under The Bus (Jerome Bettis Limited Edition, 850 hp) you can smell the burnt rubber and brake dust! I know I have a few!
NFL:
Cincinnati Bengals: for being WAY too permissive in drafting players with shady pasts (A.J. Nickerson, Chris Henry (more on him later), Odell Thurman, etc.). They have become the NFL's halfway house for shady characters. At one point last year, they were averaging one arrest a month. Now it's come back to bite them in the ####. Marvin Lewis had the reputation for being a disciplinarian, but where's the discipline? The Bengals and their bad seeds get thrown Under The Bus (as if they haven't got run over by Jerome Bettis and the Pittsburgh Steelers many a time over the years!).
Chris Henry: this thug just doesn't get it. He's had chance after chance after chance; now he's pissed it all away. His latest crime he's accused of? Punching an 18-year-old boy in the face and breaking his window with a beer bottle. Nice move there, ####. The judge in the case called Henry, "a one-man crime wave." Harsh, but true. After he gets out of prison, Henry gets thrown Under The Bus by his accuser.
Chad Johnson: in the SAME WEEK, he chirps again about not wanting to be in Cincy. The Bengals have said time and again that Ocho Cinco won't be traded. Do I detect a pattern here? It was a BAD week for the Bengals. Chad, let your game do the talking. You're one of the best WRs on the planet. When you score TDs and the Bengals are winning again, then you can do the River Dance. Until then, you go under the Bus.
NBA
Enver Nuggets: there is a good reason for this. There is no "D" in Denver. They blew a 22-point lead to Phoenix and lost. Hence, the "Enver". If they miss the playoffs, they can look to that game. For no "D" in the game at Phoenix, the Enver Nuggets go under the Bus.
New York Knicks: they brought in Donnie Walsh, supposedly to clean the mess that Isiah Thomas left. Now Walsh wants to EVALUATE Thomas before making a decision? Doesn't he know that the Knicks always catch fire at the end of the season and save Isiah's job? For not whacking Thomas, the Knicks and Donnie Walsh are to be thrown under the Bus.
Miami Heat: they're playing for the Derrick Rose Sweepstakes. (Rose is an UBER-stud who will be a great NBA player for the next decade and a half.) They've mailed it in. Just forfeit your regular games and let Pat Riley take his extended vacation. Until then, you go Under The Bus.
FORMULA ONE
Max Mosley: it's rare that F1 is mentioned on my blog. But I must mention it. Mosley has been accused of an orgy with five skanks, errrrrr, hookers in which #### role playing was part of the orgy. If Mosley wants to roll with hookers, that's his choice. The #### role playing went WAAAAAAAAY TOO FAR. Let him roll with hookers on his own time and NOT while he's running F1. Mosley gets thrown under the Bus for his indiscretion.
MLB
ESPN: they get thrown under the Bus for two reasons.
They glorified that patently absurd position known as the Designated Hitter. I call it the Disabled Hitter. Today marked the 35th anniversary of this "momentous" occasion. (Ron Blomberg was the first DH in MLB history on April 6, 1973) I've long been an advocate of eliminating the DH and replacing that slot with an extra player. For glorifying the absurd, ESPN goes under the Bus, along with the man who thought of the DH.
For endlessly hyping the first Yankees-Red Sox series of the season. It's only been in recent years both teams have been good at the same time. When the Yankees have sucked, the Sox have been good, and vice versa. Yes, it's a bitter rivalry, I get that. But don't act like they're the only two teams in MLB that matter. For that, and for perpetuating the hype machine that is the Yankees-Red Sox, ESPN goes under the Bus.
NCAA Football
Florida State Seminoles: for firing its college football color analyst Peter Tom Willis for no apparent reason. Why? Because he stepped on some toes with his brutal honesty regarding the Seminoles' program? Was it because Emperor, errrrrrrrr, Coach Bobby Bowden wanted him run because he DARED to criticize Jeff Bowden's handling of the offense? For more reasons, go to Lisa H's blog on this. She did a tremendous job on this! Florida State goes under the Bus.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come on in with yours! If you have someone in sports you want to throw under the Bus, feel free to do so here!
In honor of the special significance of this holiday, I will bring you the kinder, gentler version of GB&U, spaghetti style.
THE GOOD
New York Yankees: it was awfully cool and classy of the Yankees to travel to Virginia Tech in light of the awful tragedy that befell the campus and community of Blacksburg, VA last April 16th. Even though the score read 11-0 in favor of the Yankees, the real winners are everyone involved in uplifting that community's spirits. From A-Rod to Derek Jeter to the last man on the Yankees bench, the way this game benefitted the community cannot be measured. Very uplifting.
Easter: it is a time to be with family to reconnect with them. A time of barbecues and hiding the Easter eggs from the kids and the kids' sometimes comical efforts to find them. A time to go to the church of one's choice, if one chooses to go to a place of worship.
NCAA Tournament: LOTS of buzzer beaters and exciting games. The single best event in all of sports.
THE BAD
NCAA Tournament: it is for the #2 seeds in certain regions, particularly Georgetown.
THE UGLY
NCAA Tournament: especially for a vast majority of those that are in bracket pools or contests. Georgetown's loss &*&*^&#@ up my bracket! I had G-town going to the Final Four.
Throughout the world of sports, there are enough dolts, idiots, and general miscreants that just totally tick off you, the Joe Six Pack fan. I know I get ticked off by some of these dolts and miscreants. Here is your forum for you to throw these miscreants and ingrates Under The Bus. And away we go!
MLB
New York Yankees: they are thrown under the Bus for TWO reasons: Shelley Duncan and Billy Crystal. Duncan is the genius that decided to pay back the Tampa Bay Rays for a smart, physical play one of the Rays' reserve OFs made when he bowled over the Yankees' reserve catcher, breaking the catcher's wrist in the process. He decided a little payback was in order, so he went up high on Akinori Iwamura. Problem is, Duncan was thrown out by 20 FEET. Duncan spiked Iwamura in the groin, sparking a bench-clearing brawl. If you're going to exact payback, do it with a good, hard, CLEAN slide, such as breaking up a double play attempt. Don't go bush league and go in spikes high. Crystal is a fading comic that wanted one last blaze of glory. So the Yankees accommodated him. What, Richard Mulligan wasn't available? (He played Crystal's stepfather in the 1970's TV series "Soap") There were a NUMBER of ways the Yankees could have done this right, sending him to their FANTASY camp and being a guest in the owner's box for the first Yankees-Red Sox series being two ways. DON'T turn a spring training game played by REAL players into some aging comic's fantasy camp. For mocking spring training and Shelley Duncan's bush league play, the Yankees get thrown Under The Bus TWICE.
MLB: for scheduling a couple of spring training games in China featuring mainly AAA ballplayers with the major league managerial staffs of the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. I wonder if the Chinese REALLY think these are the best players the Dodgers and Padres brought to China? The Dodgers only brought a handful from their major league roster. They left the rest of the major leaguers in Florida. I'm fine with a traveling all-star team going to Japan or China or South Korea after the season. MLB gets thrown under the Bus for false advertising, particularly to a new and potentially explosive market.
NASCAR
Jamie McMurray: this guy can't seem to get out of his own way. He's reverting to the early 2007 Jamie McMurray. It's not like he's forgotten how to drive. And with the early season success of teammates Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, and Carl Edwards, even more pressure is on him. He's not even a top 35 car now. He's a GOGH driver, and if he doesn't qualify for Martinsville in two weeks, he'll have dug a hole he cannot get out of. He would make Jack Roush's decision to cut one team a whole lot easier. The pressure is really on McMurray at Martinsville. If he does end up qualifying for the race, and has a strong finish, he'll safely be in the top 35. Dust yourself off from being thrown under the bus, qualify strong at Martinsville, and have a good solid finish. (I HATED to do that to a good guy like McMurray!!)
Tony Stewart's spotter: after the wreck (and subsequent apology) of Stewart, Kevin Harvick apologized, and his spotter apologized to Stewart's spotter. Stewart's spotter was wanting to kick some ####. Spotter should take FULL responsibility for telling Smoke that Happy was coming right behind him. He fell asleep. Smoke's spotter goes under Smoke's bus.
That's all I have for now. Come in with your nominees!
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!
With all the news on steroids and HGH in Major League Baseball, a lot of people aren't buying what players like Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, and Barry Bonds are selling. Neither are people buying what Brian McNamee is selling. There still is a question that NEEDS to be answered: what IS HGH?
If you look in Wikipedia under "HGH" it redirects to "Growth Hormone." Growth hormone is a hormone that stimulates growth and cell reproduction in humans and other animals. It is part o####roup of homologous hormones with growth promoting and lactogenic activity. The picture above is a gene of Growth hormone.
Stimulators of GH secretion include:
Sleep
Exercise
Low levels of blood sugar
Dietary protein
Inhibitors of GH secretion include:
somatostatin from the periventricular nucleus
circulating concentrations of GH and IGF-1 (Negative feedback)
dietary carbohydrate
glucocorticoids
Functions of GH include:
Increases calcium retention, and strengthens and increases the mineralization of bone
Increases muscle mass through the sarcomere hyperplasia
Increases protein synthesis
Reduces liver uptake of glucose
Stimulates the immune system
Therapeutic Use
Treatments unrelated to deficiency. GH can be used for treatment of conditions which produce short stature but are not related to deficiencies in GH, though results are not as dramatic when compared to short stature solely due to deficiency of GH. Examples of other causes of shortness often treated with GH include Turner syndrome, chronic renal failure, Prader-Willi Syndrome, intrauterine growth retardation, and severe idiopathic short stature. Higher ("pharmacologic") doses are required to produce significant acceleration of growth in these conditions, producing blood levels well above physiologic. Despite the higher doses, side effects during treatment are rare, and vary little according to the condition being treated.
Anti-aging agent. Claims date back to 1990, when the New England Journal of Medicine published a study where GH was used to treat 12 men over 60. At the conclusion of the study all the men showed statistically significant increases in lean body mass and bone mineral, while the control group did not. The authors of the study noted that these were the kind of changes that would occur naturally over a 10 to 20 year aging period. Despite the fact the authors at no time claimed that GH had reversed the aging process itself, their results were mis-interpreted as indicating GH was an effective anti-aging agent.
Side effects.Some of the reported side effects seen in previously healthy mature patients after taking HGH include:
Edema (retention of fluids) in extremities
Arthralgia (joint pain)
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Hypertension
Diabetes and other glucose metabolism imbalances
Gynecomastia (enlargement of male mammary glands) or man-boobs.
I have laid out the facts regarding HGH as best I can. Andy Pettitte will be an interesting case study this year. If he gets injured, will it be due to the side effects of taking HGH? Or will it be because he's getting older and is more prone to injury?
.JPG)
