Sports fans, is there someone or something in the world of sports that has gotten you so angry you want to get it off your chest? You know you want to call ________ out on their arrogance, idiocy, or general all-around dumbA$$ery. Here is the forum to do so. I know I have a few of my own that I have given to the lovely young lady, she will call them out, and they will be thrown Under The Bus.

NFL

Cincinnati Bengals: WHY did you bring Chris Henry back when you renounced all ties with him earlier in the year? You as a franchise have lost ALL credibility. Marvin Lewis has dug his own grave, so to speak. Paul Brown must be turning over in his grave. How did you, the franchise of Ken Anderson, Ken Riley, Anthony Munoz, and Boomer Esiason, have fallen so far so quickly? For bringing back a malcontent and bad seed (and drafting bad seeds Pat Sims and Jason Shirley), the Bengals get thrown under the Bus.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans: or more specifically, those that think a preseason record is an indication of how their team will do this season, aka a myopic. Yes, your team won the Super Bowl, but that was half a decade ago! Yes, your team has a good preseason record this year. No, your team will not be among the elite, as you think. So stop being myopic and get real. Your team is an average team at best. Your offense doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of opposing defenses. Your defense, while still good, isn’t what it once was. In the meantime, the myopic Bucs’ fans get thrown under the Bus.

NASCAR

Michael Waltrip: he started the Big One when he made contact with Casey Mears. Mears then made contact with future teammate Clint Bowyer, and all hell broke loose after that. While Mears admitted he caused it, that wasn’t true. Mears was trying to take the high road but didn’t need to. Waltrip should assume full responsibility but won’t. He should retire but won’t. Bowyer was right when he wondered why NAPA signed back up with Waltrip. In the meantime, Waltrip gets thrown under the Bus by Mears and Company. Kasey Kahne and the Kahne Brigade get to throw Waltrip under the Bus a second time for ruining his Chase chances. 

Kyle Busch: he made the Bus(c)h League Move of the Year when he bumped race winner Carl Edwards after the checkered flag flew. Edwards, as expected, retaliated by spinning Busch out. Good for him. Busch should be fortunate Edwards didn't put him in the wall. For that bonehead move, Kyle Busch gets thrown Under The Bus.

NCAA FB

University of New Mexico: they were put on probation for academic fraud involving some former assistant coaches and recruits for obtaining fraudulent credits through correspondence classes at Fresno Pacific University in Fresno, California. The players never completed the courses. To say it’s embarrassing for UNM is an understatement. Just when the Lobos were starting to make progress toward being one of the better teams in the Mountain West Conference, this happens. For committing academic fraud and setting the program back, the Lobos’ former assistant coaches and recruits get thrown Under The Bus.

Ben Mauk, QB, Cincinnati: the now-former Bearcats' signal caller is appealing to the NCAA for a FOURTH time regarding a foot injury he suffered as a freshman at Wake Forest. He alleges the foot injury prevented him from playing. He better have convincing evidence for his reenstatement. While Mauk had a superb season last season, the fact remains his college career is over, pending this latest appeal. While I won't throw him under the Bus if this were his first or second appeal, I will throw him under the Bus because he's exhausted all appeals and now it appears he's crying sour grapes. 

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours! 

  

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is at one of its very favorite tracks, Bristol at night. The crew gorged on lots of bumping and ####ing, along with a healthy helping of steaks marinated in Jack Daniel's. This race is one of the great spectacles in all of sports. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Carl Edwards: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. He definitely had something for Kyle Busch, who led the most laps but finished second. Kudos to Edwards for spinning out Busch after the checkered flag flew in retaliation of Busch bumping him. Congratulations, Concrete Carl!

Kyle Busch: as stated above, he led the most laps but didn't get it done.

Kevin Harvick/Clint Bowyer: the RCR teammates had huge point races when they needed it the most. Harvick finished fourth and Bowyer finished seventh. Bowyer's finish was particuarly impressive after getting involved in The Big One on Lap 215 and suffering damage to his right front axle, getting toed out. Bowyer had to run with it from that point on. A very impressive finish by Bowyer. Kudos to Bowyer for stating that Michael Waltrip was the worst driver in NASCAR. Harvick was one of three drivers (Edwards and Jeff Gordon being the others) to spend the entire race in the Top 10. (He started sixth)

Jeff Gordon: led one lap very early and got the five bonus points he sorely needed. Spent the entire race within the top 10. Kept his car out of trouble the entire race and was rewarded. Finally he's out of the Bad and Ugly categories!! 

Denny Hamlin: another driver that needed a very high finish. He got it with a strong third place showing. He came in with a questionable attitude about making the Chase. This finish was the tonic Hamlin and his team needed. With the final two races on tracks that Hamlin runs well at, he should be able to make the Chase.

THE BAD

David Reutimann: while I normally would put the last-place driver here, the driver finished there due to an accident. Reutimann is here because he started second and finished 25th, two laps down. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and conclude he doesn't have the experience of running up front. 

Jimmie Johnson: he was never a factor after making contact with another driver early in the race. He finished an uncharacteristic 33rd, 15 laps down. 

Field Fillers: you people know who you are. You're the guys racing the leaders when you're laps down. 

Michael Waltrip: I'm saving my wrath for last. He was the cause of The Big One, when he made contact with Casey Mears. Time for Mikey to hang up his helmet and move to the booth as an analyst. Everytime he's anywhere near the leaders (usually several laps down), I cringe because he races with them. 

THE UGLY

The Big One: the Talladegaesque wreck started when Waltrip made contact with Mears. Mears then made contact with Bowyer, and all hell broke loose. Bowyer and Kasey Kahne were the two Chasers that got caught in the wreck. Kahne was the worst loser, dropping to 14th in the point standings. 

Kyle Busch: yes, he was frustrated at not winning after leading over 400 laps. He executed the Bus(c)h League move of the year when he tapped Edwards after the checkered flag flew. When you pull a bonehead move like that, expect retaliation. I'll have something for him tomorrow.

Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!      

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!

The Crappafoni Pictures crew is at the nation's auto capital, Michigan, for a second helping of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, northern BBQ style. Enjoy your postrace meal!

THE GOOD

Carl Edwards: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He had the best car, and his pit crew gave him consistently quick pit stops. A special shout out goes to his Roush Fenway Racing teammates: David Ragan, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, and Jamie McMurray. All five Roush Fenway drivers finished in the top 10. Good job, Cousin Carl and Roush Fenway!

Kyle Busch: for once (it only seems that way) he's not in the top spot. He did have a strong car and led 34 laps. But he didn't have quite enough for Edwards at the end; he thought he had "bad" tires.

Brian Vickers: early on, he looked like he was going to get Toyota's first win at Michigan. He started from the pole and led 21 laps. He spent all but ONE lap in the top 10, when he fell out during a round of green-flag pit stops.

Kevin Harvick: he started somewhere near downtown Detroit (Not really, but it seemed that way. He started 38th.) and worked his way up to an eighth place finish. He was easily the mover of the race, moving up 30 spots. He also gained three positions in the Chase. All in all, a very good points day for Happy and the #29 crew.

Elliott Sadler: he started third, and had a strong car much of the day. He was in the top 10 for 177 of the 200 laps. A very good run for E-Sad. Good job.

THE BAD

Marcos Ambrose: he blew an engine very early in the race and his day ended almost before it began. As the last place finisher, he gets this dubious slot.

Jeff Gordon: the #24 team is in freefall. A 42nd place finish leaves him in ninth place in the points standings, dropping three spots and his bubble is growing larger and larger.

Denny Hamlin: what looked to be a good points day went the other way when his engine blew with five laps to go. He now sits in the hot seat of 12th place in the Chase standings. Nice job of throwing your pit crew under the bus there, pal. I know you're frustrated and that you want to make the Chase oh so bad. The bright spot is that two of the last three tracks are at tracks where he runs well.

Kasey Kahne: he needed a strong finish to solidify his Chase chances. He didn't get it. His car was uncharacteristically bad. In fact, he was off the track for a period of time. When he returned, he was nearly 40 laps down. A 40th place finish just made his bubble a little larger.

THE UGLY

Marcos Ambrose: hate to put him in this category, but I must. We hardly knew ye. He was done so early, he could have been called The Phantom Race Car Driver. All part of the pitfalls of a Cup rookie--he runs very well one week and very bad the next.

Jeff Gordon: unless the #24 team can get out of the death spiral they're in now, they'll be on the outside looking in. While I think they will, they're no lock to be in the Chase.

Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!   

Are there sports figures, teams, coaches, owners, executives, or fans that so #### you off that you just want to SCREAM? You think you can't do something about it? You CAN do something about it, right here. You CAN call out the above for their idiocy, arrogance, or just plain dumbassery. In this blog, you can throw them Under The Bus. I have a few that I'd like to throw Under The Bus. You can do the same.

NASCAR

Michael McDowell: he was the cause of the Talladegaesque pileup near the end of the Centurion Boats at the Glen. He saw his opportunity to take David Gilliland out, presumably to teach him a lesson. Only one problem, ####: there were a gaggle of cars following closely behind you. And when you do that, you're going to cause more than a few of them to crash. While he raced ahead, Gilliland and others were part of the carnage. Bobby Labonte, in fact, had to be taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. For making the #### move of the Year, McDowell gets thrown Under The Bus by each of the drivers involved in the crash.

Tony Eury, Jr.: he singlehandedly was the cause of Dale Earnhardt, Jr's relatively poor finish by hanging him out to dry because of bad pit strategy. Rather than pitting with the other leaders, Eury chose to keep his driver out as long as possible. Yes, Dale Jr. led numerous laps, but rather than running the race in reverse, he chose to run a road course race like a normal oval and gamble on fuel strategy. Inevitably, a caution came out well after the other drivers pitted (Dale Jr. had not pitted yet). So instead of staying out, Dale Jr. HAD to pit. He was shuffled to the back of the field and never quite recovered. For his poor strategy, Eury Jr. gets thrown Under The Bus.

NBA

Paul Pierce: the Boston Celtics' star is delusional if he thinks he's the best basketball player in the world. Sure, you won a title and an Academy Award nomination in the same Finals, but NO WAY you're the best player on the planet. Yes, this is a BIT late, but I STILL HAVE to throw him Under The Bus.

Golden State Warriors: they signed Andris Biedrins to a six-year, $62 million contract extension. While Biedrins is a nice player who had career highs of 10.5 ppg and 9.8 rpg last season, WHY do you pay a glorified role player that kind of jack? He is NOT a cornerstone franchise player, e.g. Tim Duncan, David West. THOSE are the players you pay that kind of jack. Biedrins hasn't proven himself in the NBA yet. Perhaps if he has another couple of seasons of improvement, THEN you pay him. But for spending unwisely, IMO, the Warriors get thrown Under The Bus.

MLB

Hong-Chih Kuo: first of all, why wasn't Jonathan Broxton pitching the ninth inning to nail down a save in a CRITICAL division game? The Dodgers were winning 4-3 when inexplicably, Joe Torre opted to keep Kuo in for the ninth inning. Torre deserves some blame as well for putting a pitcher that is NOT used to being a closer in the closer's role. Ultimately, Kuo didn't pitch well enough to allow the Dodgers to win. This while the D-backs won at home against Atlanta. (It seems they have had all but a handful of games at home; wait till September, when their schedule is BRUTAL.) For failing to hold a lead against the hated Giants, Kuo gets thrown Under The Bus. Torre also gets thrown Under The Bus for not putting Broxton in the ninth inning.

Prince Fielder and Manny Parra: Parra gets blame for going into the clubhouse (a HUGE no-no) after getting pulled from Monday night's start. If you're a starting pitcher, and you've been pulled for a reliever, you STAY on the bench and root your team on. Fielder gets blamed for making it public. While I admire that Fielder is trying to show leadership, he handled it wrong. He should have confronted Parra behind closed doors and aired it out there. Perhaps Fielder has learned his lesson. In the meantime, Brewers' fans can throw both Fielder and Parra Under The Bus.

Brett Myers: he's another hothead that doesn't play well with others. He was yanked by Phillies' manager Charlie Manuel after a bad outing. In the dugout, Myers and Manuel engaged in a heated shouting match and physically had to be restrained. Brett, take it like a man. You stunk up the joint; own it. In the meantime, you get thrown Under The Bus.

C.J. Wilson: the Texas Rangers' reliever allowed a grand slam to Richie *(**#$@ Sexson on Tuesday and showed up his manager, Ron Washington, by flipping him the ball after being yanked. Washington, being old-school, didn't take kindly to it. He grabbed Wilson and made him hand him the ball. You don't show up your manager at ANY TIME, especially a red-####, old-school manager like Washington. For showing up his manager, Wilson gets thrown Under The Bus. NOTE: Wilson has a bone spur at the tip of his left elbow. He could get a cortisone shot and pitch again this season, or have season-ending surgery.  

Those are my nominations for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!  

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is on the road to serve you, New York-style, this week's version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Served piping hot with a bottle of New York's finest wine. Enjoy!

THE GOOD

Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. Also led the most laps in the race. He's not only swept both Sprint Cup road course races, but with the win in Mexico City, he set the single-season record for most road course wins with three.

Marcos Ambrose: started at the rear of the field. To go from 43rd to third was nothing short of outstanding. If given the right opportunity with the right team, he can and will win Cup races. Additional kudos for racing Tony Stewart cleanly.

Tony Stewart: Smoke led one lap, thanks to Kyle Busch. While he didn't have the car to beat, he had a very strong car. Improved his Chase chances.

Juan Pablo Montoya: he started 25th and finished fourth, leading two laps during green flag pit stops. Had a strong car throughout the race, plus benefitted from having consistently quick pit stops. A shout out goes to his pit crew, led by crew chief Brian Pattie.

Martin Truex, Jr.: perhaps signing a one-year extension with DEI earlier in the week, plus being fairly close to home was the tonic that the #1 team needed. A fifth place finish also helps. While he's not mathematically eliminated from the Chase, he has an uphill battle. He needs Top 5's between now and the Chase, plus a couple of bad finishes by the other Chase contenders he's chasing.

Honorable Mention: Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch.

THE BAD

Tony Eury, Jr.: while I normally have this spot for the last place driver, the last place driver finished there due to an accident, so I won't list him there. The #88 team crew chief hung Dale Jr. out to dry with puzzling pit strategy. Instead of contending for his first road course win, Dale Jr. finished 22nd. All because of bad pit strategy. While Dale Jr. was on his game, Tony Jr. wasn't.

Michael McDowell: he and David Gilliland tangled with eight laps to go and started a Talladega-like wreck. Several cars were involved, and Gilliland got the worst of it. I suspect NASCAR will have a little chat with him.

Jeff Gordon: he had a surprisingly bad car and it got worse as the race went on. Most of his time in the top 10 was in the early part of the race. Even more surprising, he's in this category.

THE UGLY

The Crash: it happened with eight laps to go in the race in front of the pit road entrance. Michael McDowell and David Gilliland had been racing rough and tumble when they collided in Turn 11. The wreck collected nine drivers total and caused a carnage of wrecked cars, twisted metal, and sand from the barrels that protect the drivers from the pit wall.

Those are my nominees. Feel free to come in with yours.

This is the time of week that Joe Six-Pack Sports Fan is looking forward to! Time for you, Joe Six-Pack Sports Fan, to call out the object of your ire for their arrogance, idiocy, and plain all-around dumbassery by throwing them under the Bus. The lovely young lady will take your requests. Then they will be called out and thrown under promptly. Here are the requests that I gave her.

NFL

Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers: as a Panthers fan, it pains me to do this, but do this I must. I don't know who started the fight between Smith and CB Ken Lucas, but I know who ended it. Smith earned a two-game suspension by the team for his actions, effective for the first two games of the regular season. He will still be allowed to practice with the team through preseason, then when the regular season starts he won't be allowed to practice with the team. In the meantime, Smith has punched his ducat to be thrown Under The Bus.

NASCAR

Joe Nemechek: I've taken to nicknaming him Field Filler Joe. What the hell was he doing out there? First, he causes a FIRST LAP wreck with Kevin Harvick by making contact with him and sending him spinning. Then he wrecks Paul Menard, knocking both him and Menard out of the race. Field Filler Joe, this isn't Bumper Cars out there. These cars are EXPENSIVE to replace. He won't be driving this Bus anytime soon! But he WILL be thrown UNDER the Bus.

MLB

Kevin Hench: he wrote that the D-backs would beat the Dodgers and win the NL West. He obviously didn't see ManRam destroy his precious D-backs pitching to the tune of 8 for 13 with 2 HRs and 5 RBIs. Manny Ramirez is a mashing savant, pure and simple. He is the best, most clutch hitter of his generation. His presence will be the reason the Dodgers pull away from the D-backs late in the season. Hate to do this to a FoxSports.com columnist, but I must. Oh, and the Dodgers HAMMERED Doug Davis around the yard today to the tune of FIVE earned runs in an inning and two-thirds!!!! ManRam's line: 5 AB, 2 R, 4 H, 3 RBI. (Excuse me while I gloat a bit!)

NCAA FB

Josh Jarboe, WR, Oklahoma Sooners: he was dismissed from the team after an Internet rap video of him surfaced that advocated guns and shooting people. He was already in trouble with the law in Georgia but because he was a first time offender, his offense was reduced to a misdemeanor from a felony. Good for coach Stoops to kick this thug and gang####ing wannabe off his team. Now he can go back home to think about how he pissed away his chance to better himself. But in the meantime, Jarboe gets thrown under the Bus.

GOLF

Michelle Wie: young lady, respect your elders. Especially Annika Sorenstam, the greatest female golfer of all time. To blow off Sorenstam’s criticism by saying, “Whatever” speaks volumes of how much a spoiled little brat you are. Spoiled little brats say “whatever” when they lose the argument or have no argument. You could have said, “She’s entitled to her opinion” or something innocuous like that. But you BLEW HER OFF. That don’t sit well with me. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVEN’T WON #### ON THE LPGA TOUR. (How many majors has Annika won? More than you’ll ever dream of, Michelle.) I throw Michelle the Diva AND her parents/enablers under the Bus.

Phil Mickelson: he hasn't been the same since pissing away the 2006 U.S. Open. Today he had a chance to redeem himself by winning the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. But he faltered down the stretch, again. I don't think he'll ever be the same golfer he was before the 2006 U.S. Open. You said you played really well? Really? Then why did you #### away another lead in a big tournament? If you had said, "I sucked down the stretch, and Vijay played well", all would be okay. But just for that comment, Lefty gets thrown under the Bus.

TENNIS

Andy Roddick: he withdrew just before his match at the Cincinnati Masters. The timing of the withdrawal stinks to high heaven. If he KNEW he couldn’t have gone, he should have withdrawn BEFORE the tournament started. This would have given his replacement a full day to prepare rather than a few minutes. The replacement, Woong-Sun Jun of South Korea, lost 6-2, 6-2 to Phillipp Kohlschreiber of Germany. I will give Mr. Woong the keys to the Bus that Andy Roddick is to be thrown under. Roddick also gets thrown under again for being overrated and overhyped. 

Whew! Those are my nominees for this week. Feel free to come in with yours!  

Crappafoni Pictures presents in high-definition this week's spaghetti western version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich style.

THE GOOD

Carl Edwards: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. Used great pit strategy before the rain delay, and banking on the full race being run. It was, and as a result, Edwards won his fourth race of the year. Good job, Cousin Carl!

Kevin Harvick: overcame a first-lap crash with Field Filler Joe Nemechek (more on him in a later blog) that sent him to 42nd place. Harvick kept battling, and as the race wore on, his car kept getting better and better. May have got a win if not for Field Filler Joe. Also used great pit strategy and a bit of luck at the end (Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. running out of gas late) to finish fourth.

Tony Stewart: Smoke's car also got better as the race went on. Like Edwards and Harvick, Smoke pitted just before the rain delay. A solid and much needed second place finish.

David Ragan: for awhile it looked like he was going to get his first Cup win. Carl Edwards kept that from happening. A very good finish for the second year Roush Fenway driver.

Clint Bowyer: he also pitted just before the rain delay. Like his teammate Harvick, he got stronger as the race wore on. He started 30th; he finished just out of the top 5, in sixth.

Mark Martin: led the most laps, but was also snakebit by pit strategy. He battled back from having to pit late in the race to finish 8th. More on Martin's pit crew later.

Honorable Mention: Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Jeff Gordon.

THE BAD

Michael Waltrip: as the last-place driver, he gets automatic billing. He did lead a lap very early in the race, gaining five bonus points before his engine gave up the ghost.

Mark Martin's pit crew: their issues singlehandedly cost Martin the race. Martin had the car to beat; he led the most laps in the race but on three separate pit stops, the crew had issues. They were definitely off their game.

Joe Nemechek: talk about one guy that was definitely off his game! Field Filler Joe tangled with Harvick on Lap 1, then later on he tangled with Paul Menard in a crash that knocked both drivers out of the race. Yeah, he was that bad. Happy, DON'T qualify next to Field Filler Joe at the next race.

THE UGLY

The rain: fortunately it didn't stay long enough to call the race. But it did make for some pretty interesting strategy.

Joe Nemechek: yes, Field Filler Joe was that bad, and he was that ugly. At least he did take responsibility for both crashes.

Juan Pablo Montoya: blown engine. Enough said. At least he had the smarts to exit along a service road.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!!

NOTE: THIS IS A REPOST. The original blog didn't show up on the blog lists. 

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew goes to the most hallowed ground in motorsports, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for this week's spaghetti western version (be sure to avoid the debris from used tires!) of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

THE GOOD

Jimmie Johnson: as the winner of this race, he automatically gets first billing. He had the best car all weekend and showed why he isn't ready to give up his title without a fight.

Carl Edwards: on numerous occasions, he had come up to Johnson's back bumper but couldn't pass him. When Johnson inherited the lead after the final pit stop, Edwards could come no closer than a car length. Still, he had a very stout race car all day.

Denny Hamlin: as much as I've been ragging on him all season, he deserves and has earned his props. Used brilliant pit strategy to finish third. Great finish, and it comes at a much-needed time.

Elliott Sadler: a very solid top 5 finish. He stepped his game up and stayed in the top 10 for 102 of the 160 laps.

A.J. Allmendinger: have to give him props for his first career top 10 finish (he finished 10th), at the Brickyard, no less. Perhaps he can use this to turn his season around.

Roush Fenway Racing: if not for Matt Kenseth's right rear tire exploding on him, they would have had all five drivers in the top 15. More on the tire issues later.

Honorable Mention: Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Kasey Kahne.

THE BAD

Tires: I normally put the 43rd place driver here, but the tires were so bad, NASCAR had to impose competition cautions throughout the race. The tires kept wearing out much faster than usual, leading to both Juan Pablo Montoya and Matt Kenseth bringing out cautions due to the bad tires. It's time for NASCAR to open up the competition for other tire companies to come in, like Hoosier, Firestone, etc. This is what happens when you have a monopoly.

Michael Waltrip: he finished last after getting in a wreck with Paul Menard very early in the race.

THE UGLY

Tires: because of the competition cautions, the race was choppy and had no rhythm to it. Who was good on short runs? Who would have been good on long green flag runs? A sub good to the last few laps' shootout between Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards.

Kurt Busch: he got loose and hit the wall, collecting Kevin Harvick in the process. A sub good to Harvick for gaining several positions through attrition.

The race itself: aside from the shootout, it was long and drawn out due to the tires. It wasn't the typical Brickyard 400.

Those are my nominations. Feel free to come in with yours.

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.

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew goes to the most hallowed ground in motorsports, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for this week's spaghetti western version (be sure to avoid the debris from used tires!) of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

THE GOOD

Jimmie Johnson: as the winner of this race, he automatically gets first billing. He had the best car all weekend and showed why he isn't ready to give up his title without a fight.

Carl Edwards: on numerous occasions, he had come up to Johnson's back bumper but couldn't pass him. When Johnson inherited the lead after the final pit stop, Edwards could come no closer than a car length. Still, he had a very stout race car all day.

Denny Hamlin: as much as I've been ragging on him all season, he deserves and has earned his props. Used brilliant pit strategy to finish third. Great finish, and it comes at a much-needed time.

Elliott Sadler: a very solid top 5 finish. He stepped his game up and stayed in the top 10 for 102 of the 160 laps.

A.J. Allmendinger: have to give him props for his first career top 10 finish (he finished 10th), at the Brickyard, no less. Perhaps he can use this to turn his season around.

Roush Fenway Racing: if not for Matt Kenseth's right rear tire exploding on him, they would have had all five drivers in the top 15. More on the tire issues later.

Honorable Mention: Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Kasey Kahne.

THE BAD

Tires: I normally put the 43rd place driver here, but the tires were so bad, NASCAR had to impose competition cautions throughout the race. The tires kept wearing out much faster than usual, leading to both Juan Pablo Montoya and Matt Kenseth bringing out cautions due to the bad tires. It's time for NASCAR to open up the competition for other tire companies to come in, like Hoosier, Firestone, etc. This is what happens when you have a monopoly.

Michael Waltrip: he finished last after getting in a wreck with Paul Menard very early in the race.

THE UGLY

Tires: because of the competition cautions, the race was choppy and had no rhythm to it. Who was good on short runs? Who would have been good on long green flag runs? A sub good to the last few laps' shootout between Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards.

Kurt Busch: he got loose and hit the wall, collecting Kevin Harvick in the process. A sub good to Harvick for gaining several positions through attrition.

The race itself: aside from the shootout, it was long and drawn out due to the tires. It wasn't the typical Brickyard 400.

Those are my nominations. Feel free to come in with yours.

Perusing the world of sports, one can find many sports figures that vex you, trouble you, or get you so pissed off that you want to SCREAM. You so want to vent your ire. Here is the forum that gives you, the Joe Six-Pack Fan, a forum to vent at the object of your ire by calling them out for their idiocy, or their stupidity, or their arrogance, or whatever else pisses you off. You can do this by throwing _______ under the Bus. I have some nominees.

NFL

Matt Jones, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars: this genius was busted for blow in Arkansas. Dude, you're a marginal football player at best. You're BARELY hanging on by a thread on the Jaguars' roster. This isn't going to help, especially when Sheriff Goodell metes out his brand of justice on you. You're going to WISH you had to deal with Sheriff Joe Arpaio instead of Sheriff Goodell. For snorting away your lazy, underachieving career, you get thrown Under The Bus.

Odell Thurman, former Bengals' LB: as if pissing away your football career isn't enough, now you are being sought for an arrest warrant for felonious assault. You STILL don't get it. Perhaps when you're caught by the authorities, justice will be served on you and you'll do a LOT of time in the pokey. DON'T blame _____ for your problems. BE ACCOUNTABLE and accept the consequences for your actions. In the meantime, you get to know up close and personal the tire tracks of the Bus you are to be thrown under.

Travis Henry: as if his babymaking skills weren't enough to give him a headache, now he's facing his biggest headache of all: a possible year long suspension from the NFL for allegedly testing positive for the hippie lettuce. Is jonesing for chronic that much more important than pulling an NFL pay check? Apparently to you, it is. I don't get these imbeciles that have MAD game yet choose to #### it all away for one reason or another. For pissing your career away due to the chronic and all that baby making, you get thrown Under The Bus.

NBA

Los Angeles Clippers: they had a great chance in the offseason to become a legitimate power in the Western Conference. Or at the very least improve themselves. They did neither. They let their franchise player, Elton Brand, go to Philadelphia. They let their second best player, Corey Maggette, flee to Golden State. At least they did sign Baron Davis, but he alone won't be enough. This is why they are the Lakers' JV team and deserve to play at the Sports Arena rather than the Staples Center. Hell, the Lakers' D-league team could probably beat the Clippers. For being the Clippers and being the face of front office ineptitude, the Clippers front office gets thrown Under The Bus. 

NASCAR

J.J. Yeley: his #96 team was caught cheating prior to the LifeLock.com 400. Did someone on that team call Bill Belichick for some cheating advice? NASCAR assessed Yeley a drive through penalty at the start of the race. He did recover sufficiently to finish 24th. For being caught cheating, Yeley and his team get thrown Under The Bus. 

And now for one off the beaten path:

Celebrities that give their children FUGLY names: you know what I'm talking about. The celebrity idiots that give their children names like Apple, Sunday Rose, etc. Those kids are scarred for life. These celebrities ought to be spayed or neutered for this. Then they should be thrown Under The Bus.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours.    

This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew traveled to Chicagoland. Now that the race is over and the film has been edited, we present to you, deep dish pizza style, this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

THE GOOD

Kyle Busch: as this week's winner, he automatically gets first billing. He led 165 of the 267 laps, but had to overcome Jimmie Johnson in a two-lap shootout at the end to win his seventh Cup race of the season. At the rate this season's going, he may be at this spot the rest of the season. 

Jimmie Johnson: his car got stronger as the race went on. Led 15 laps and may have won if not for the last caution (David Gilliland blowing an engine).

Kevin Harvick: night time was the right time for Happy. He started 13th and quickly worked his way up through the field; at one point he was in second place. He finished third, right on Johnson's back bumper. This was a MUCH needed result for Happy; he is currently in ninth place in the points.

Greg Biffle: led 43 laps in this race. At one point he was a lap down but got a much-needed long green flag run to get back into the top 10. Gambled on pit strategy to get track position and a caution shortly thereafter helped lock him in. Finished a strong fourth.

Tony Stewart: the announcement of his future seemed to relax him. He drove like the Smoke of old. Had a great car on short runs but faded on long runs. Spent all but three laps inside the top 10. He'll find Victory Lane soon.

Honorable Mention: Red Bull Racing, Ryan Newman, Roush Fenway Racing, Martin Truex, Jr., Jeff Gordon.

THE BAD

Michael McDowell: as the last place finisher, he gets this dubious distinction. He's a field filler.

Travis Kvapil: just when I was about to be sold on him, he comes up with this turkey of a race. Especially when he's so close to his native Wisconsin.

Sam Hornish, Jr.: he seemed to be out there admiring the track and its scenery a little longer than the other drivers out there. TRANSLATION: he was SLOW.

Terry Labonte: I know he's doing the best he can with crappy equipment. Let's face facts, PE has crappy equipment. He's probably thinking, I came out of retirement for THIS? The only positive is that he has younger brother Bobby for a teammate. Hell, I even put him in the Good category of an earlier GB&U.

THE UGLY

David Gilliland: blew an engine with 8 laps to go to bring out the final caution of the race. He blew it in the worst possible place: right after he passed the entrance to pit road.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: started second and went steadily backwards as the race went on. Although he finished on the lead lap, he was never a factor. His crew totally missed on the setup and when that happens, it's going to be a LONG evening. His car was tight and no matter how much they did to loosen it up, it stayed tight pretty much the whole race.

Denny Hamlin: his car lost power early in the race due to ignition issues. His crew changed the entire ignition system in the #11 FedEx Toyota. When he returned to the race, he was threatening to be the first driver in the Bad category. Through attrition, he gained a few spots, finishing 40th. Took a serious hit in the points due to Harvick, Kenseth, Biffle, and Stewart finishing in the top 10.

Clint Bowyer: he's going in the wrong direction in the points. A few weeks ago, he seemed to be a lock to be in the Chase. Now he's 13th in the standings after a 22nd place finish. Spent only two laps in the top 10. 

Jeff Burton: started third and quickly went backwards. At one point in the race, he was 37th. It took a free pass for Burton to get back on the lead lap. Did manage to finish 19th, but it could have been much worse.

Carl Edwards: was in contention for the win until his splitter broke. He lost a lap under green when he went to the pits to repair the splitter. He lost another lap due to the tremendous aerodynamic disadvantage this gave him.

Those are my nominees for the race! Feel free to come in with yours!