So it is a rain delay for game two of the Yankees vs. Tigers post season battle.  But have no fear ESPN is here... to... praise the great Derek Jeter.  That is right every second of rain delay gives us one more second to praise the great Jeter.  Seriously name one bad thing about Derek Jeter?  ONE?  And no looking eerily like Lance Bass doesn't count.

                 

EERY.  The only other think not to like about Jeter was his friendship with A-Rod, but now that they are teammates he hates Pay-Rod as much as the rest of us.  I guess you could say Jeter is evil because he is a product of the Evil Empire known as the Yankees, but the fact that he wasn't just purchased for a couple hundred million at a local Phillies/A's garage sale is refreshing enough to not hate him for being a Yankee.  He is a Yankee not a disloyal Mariner turned Yankee. 

I hate the Yankees but have realized that Jeter has worn down my hatred.  He has just been too consistent, too good, and too much not too nice and not too a-holeish at the same time.  He is a genuine superstar.  Not a wannabe loved by everybody or need the attention guy.  He gets his attention the old fashion way.  By coming up huge in big time moments. 

 It makes you wonder if he is a fairy tail.       Is Jeter just a figment of our imaginations?  Do we think he is clutcher than he really is?  Do we just see the crazy flip toss along the firstbase line to Jorge Posada and the diving catch into the crowd so many times that his clutchness is burned in to our mind?

Is he really just a good player living off a few huge moments? 

Well the awnser is no.  He really is THIS clutch.  Whatever it is that made Jordan, Ali, and Pele great...  well Jeter has that something.  Sure his is surrounded by the best money can buy but he remains the best of the best.  He is the best player on the best team in baseball.  He has World Series rings laying around his kitchen.  And last night he added another game to his legendary status.  His Jeterness went 5 for 5.  Only the 6th ever to get 5 hits in a playoff game and only the 2nd ever to get 5 hits in only 5 at bats.  If that is not enough he went ahead and made the 5th hit a home run to go with a couple doubles and a few runs.  Speaking of runs.... 84.  That is the most postseason runs by any baseball player ever, it is also how many postseason runs Jeter has.  Speaking of hits... 147.  That is also the most hits in the postseason by any player and once again the same number that Jeter has.  This Jeter guy also has a knack for hitting a homer at a rate per at bat that is half of what it is in the regular season.  Love him or hate him Derek Jeter is this good.  Only rain can mostly stop Derek Jeter.... mostly.

If there is one thing I learned this week it is that TO needs TO to help TO!!!  His publicist has "25 million reasons" to be his friend and to save his life, but it is obvious that Kim Etheridge only cares about Kim Etheridge. 

Is Bill Parcells going to rescue Terrell Owens when he is in need of help?  No sir! Not if he is sleeping or it would interupt practice.  Does Mr. Parcells honestly believe that all of the nation knew TO spent the night in the hospital, but he did not have a clue until 10 minutes the next morning before practice.  PUH-LEASE!  Then he treats what the world thinks is an attempted suicide as just another TO incident.  Now maybe it was just another TO incident but at that time it seemed like a life threatening event.  Something a good coach would know about, care about, have info on, and that he would have, should have helped the player.  But that jerk Parcells didn't even talk to TO.  He has been pouting and treating TO like he is not even a human since the day he arrived in Dallas. He more than likely drove the guy to the point of pill popping insanity and then shows no remorse after "that player" is getting his stomach pump.

Now back to the publicist.  SHE called 911.  SHE said he attempted to take his life. SHE said she was trying to take pills out of his mouth.  Then SHE blames the media for blowing everything out of the proportion.  SHE makes TO think that everyone is out to get him.  SHE should have taken the blame. A good friend and publicist would have apologized for overreacting. SHE should have said "I panicked, I am sorry I thought it was attempted suicide, my mistake I just was so worried."  Something like that would have actually made sense and cleared up the issue.  Instead she blames the media and denies everything she said before and says "I forgot."

These are the people that are supposed to save TO.  These are two people that are supposed to be his friends.  And what if Terrell Owens DID attempt to take his life.  Then he needs some serious help. 

And not help from people who just want him to score touchdowns or can only think of 25 million reasons to be his friend.

Its too loud.  The fans are too loud.  Quiet Mr. Manning can't think.  HMMM?  Now the new commishy wants to look into putting speakers into all the offensive players helmets and have a microphoned quarterback.  PUH-LEAZE!!!!!!  This is the wimpiest thing I ever heard.  You want to limit the home fans impact.  Limit the impact the wotking stiff who drops a $100 bones on a ticket, then $6 more bucks on a dog and $20 mo scrills on BEER!!!  You want to take away his impact and basically limit the home field advantage that has been exclusive to the tradition of football for years.

Sure the crowd at a basketball game inspires a team, and maybe a pitcher or batter get pumped when he knows the crowd is behind him.  But what makes football's homefield advantage special is that the fans, the working man or woman, CAN impact and help his home team.  Good fans know that being loud when the team is on defense makes it hard for the offense to hear their quarterback.  Joe Schmoe feels like a hero every time a false start is called.  I myself high five everyone around me and beam proudly "fan sack, fan sack!"

Now you want to tell me that the comish believes home field advantage should be limited to just giving the defense an emotional lift???  Well Mr. Goodall if you are going to do that than maybe I will just stay home.  Seriously?  What is the advantage of being at the game?  To me it is to support the team, to be at a live event, and to FEEL like I am helping my team with my roudy noise.  Now a days the product on television is better.  I get a million angles, I can eat without going broke, I don't have to worry about parking,  Instant replays, play-by-play, color announcing, and sideline reporting.  When I watch a game on TV, I save money, am more informed, can pee without stepping in pee, and get to lay on my couch.

So why go to a game?

Because I want to scream my head off and help MY team.  I want to be the 12th man!  Don't let technology ruin the greatest tradition in football.  The fans.

Reggie Bush seems like a good guy.  His teammates and even his opponents usually only had good things to say about him. 

I was watching Outside the Lines today and it was clear that he has been very charitable to his new home in New Orleans.  Lending a helping hand himself and using his endorsement deals to better the community.  Pepsi, Subway, and Adidas have donated large sums of money to the Katrina relief effort as part of their endorsement deal with Reggie Bush.  It is very cool that Reggie and Ornstein would make sure that whoever endorsed Reggie would also donate to Katrina relief. 

Sure this is a brilliant PR move by Ornstein and Bush, but it is a PR move that benefits everybody.  Reggie himself has taken a very personal interest in how this money was used.  Choosing and overseeing the reconstruction of several local high school football stadiums.  Stadiums that were once flooded and covered in debris are now clean and green.  Reggie Bush is making a difference on and off the field.

Off the field difference has not been all positive though.  While Bush is rebuilding New Orleans and the Saints he may have left his Trojans in shambles.  USC's future is in major jeopardy.  Bush and Ornstein's relationship was undeniably violating NCAA rules and it was under the watch of Pete Carroll.  I don't think this investigation will affect Reggie's play on the field.  Even if he loses his Heisman (which I am against) it will more than likely only motivate him more on the football field.  USC on the other hand could and most likely should face major sanctions and lose future scholarships. 

The rise of the Saints and the fall of the Trojans is upon us.

 

It has been reported that Lee Pheifer a partner of Mike Ornstein (the head scum in this ordeal) was investigated by the NCAA this week.  Pheifer has nothing to hide because he is angry with Ornstein for negated his end of the deal.  Yahoo! believes that Pheifer has additional documentation proving that Ornstein paid for additional trips for the Bush family.

There is also a rumour going around that Yahoo! has proof that the coaches at USC knew of these violations.  The rumour is that they are just finalizing some of this info and will come out with it soon.

In addition the FBI is also investigating the agents involved in a conspiracy to take advantage of Reggie Bush's riches.

So NCAA, Pac-10, Yahoo!, and the FBI are all hot on the USC and Reggie Bush trail.  Reggie is already a millionaire and while this could cost him his Heisman and some endorsements he will be forgiven for his future greatness in the NFL.  Hopefully the agents get punished hard so they can not  mess up other kids lives.  Also I hope Bush's parents are punished in some way, but honestly they are millionaires now too.  So USC is the one that is going to be hurt the most.  Sanctions and lost scholarships are definetely on the way.

So Pete Carroll and the USC are in some deep $#@!  Petey's super star running back Reggie Bush is reported to have been an ineligible athlete the last two seasons.  Here are a few of the dozens of questions I have....

Is it fair that if Pete Carroll quits once these monster sanctions are dropped that he will just move on to the NFL or another college coaching job while leaving his university in shambles?

I don't think so.  Coaches sanctions should follow them to at least their next college job.  If they can't head coach for a couple years than so be it.

If you were Carroll would you have turned a blind eye to all of Reggie's off field favors?

Maybe so but Carroll took it to a huge extreme.

I am shocked that Petey was letting this Ornstein and his other marketing/agent guys hang out in the locker room.  He had to know who he was and how much rule potential for rule breaking is imminent with an agent in the LOCKERROOM.

But that is just the begining.   Yahoo! reports that this Ornstein was on the sidelines during practice and even at GAMES!!!!  To me that just makes it all the more obvious that Carroll knew something scandalous was going on and turned a blind eye.

Obviously Reggie Bush and his family has to take the majority of responsibility, but I have to put a whale of alot more responisbility on the ol ball coach if he was letting these guys hang around the locker and the field.  This is far from a hear no evil see no evil approach.  This is "hey evil come to the game... chill in the lockerroom."

Here is a question... If Reggie Bush loses his Heisman, should Pete Carroll be stripped of the numerous coach of the year awards he earned the last couple years? My vote at the moment would have to be yes.

Last question?  If even half of these allegations are proven to be true and most importantly Pete Carroll and his staff were letting these guys hang around their players.  How hard should the NCAA penalize the school?

I think they have to be hit pretty hard.  At least three years without a bowl game.  Students should have the option to transfer without sitting out a year since it is not their fault, and you obviously have to drop a hard hammer on the scholarships.  ESPECIALLY if it si true that these agents were hanging around the field and lockerroom all the time.  If it was once or twice and Carroll kicked them out that would be one thing.  But it sounds more like they were around all the time.

Free rent for his parents?

A couple suits for his relatives?

Some free nights at hotels and plane tickets?

Reggie Bush got ripped off.  We are talking about one of the greatest college athletes of all time and this is all he got?  New Era Entertainment and USC got the steal of a century.  I am pretty sure Matt Leinhart was making alot more than that, and he would not have accomplished half of what he did without Reggie Bush.

So lets just call it like it is.  Indentured servitude for the University, the Entertainment company, and the Pac-10.  I am more appalled that this is ALL Bush was getting.  USC, NCAA, the Pac-10 and the NEE should all pay Bush what he was worth and give him a direct percentage of all the money he earned them in the National Championship games and Heisman hype etc.

If you want to suspend USC and take away schollies or whatever.  That is fine but don't take Reggie's Heisman.  If anything Reggie deserves TWO Heisman trophies not one.

Something about living in Seattle and watching the Mariners drown in last place in the worst division in the American League just really builds up an appetite for football.  

 I love the Seahawks and the Huskies football teams, but the great thing about football is that I can watch any team and be pumped about the game.  Last night I channel surfed between the Beavers pummelling of  Eastern Washington on FSN while Seahawks were running all over the Raiders on NBC!  The games really didn't matter one was OSU vs. EWU and the other was pre-season.  BUT IT WAS FOOTBALL!!!

So much better than watching the Mariners lose a real close baseball game in the regular season.  I love baseball.  I even try to go to the desert and catch Spring Training.  But when the season is over I am not shedding any tears and when my team is losing I start daydreaming of football real soon.  Football is special.  Hell I am not even sick of hearing about TO drama yet.

You don't get up early on Saturday to watch college baseball teams from all over the country play all day.

 If I started singing "Are you ready for some baseball" at work during a regular Monday, I am pretty sure everyone would just stare at me.  But we will get up Monday morning smiling on our way to work knowing that after the long day a football game between two teams we most likely could care less about are going to play each other.  Its football.

 

I have tickets for the Washington Huskies vs. super power San Jose St.  The two teams combined for a total of 5 wins last season. OUCH!!  I can honestly tell you I have been thinking about this game every minute of every day all week.  I have been losing sleep to see a couple of under achieving teams go at it.  Sure it is the season opener and I have hope for drastic improvement from last season, but really I am just fired up to see college football. 

Conversely I went to the Red Sox vs. Mariners game last week.  Good game.  M's won!!  But the only time I thought about that game was on my way to it and I was wondering if I was going to be able to find free parking?  I did.  I have a small car.  Saves gas and usually finds free parking.

That is the difference between football and baseball.  One we enjoy because we are sportsnutts.  The other we can barely live without.

"Are you ready for some football?"

Outstanding citizen, leader, and humanitarian Albert Belle sentenced to three months in jail.

Why?

He loved too much.  Some may say it is weird to use your money on expensive GPS tracking devices in order to know wherever your ex-girlfriend is at all times.  I say that is true love.

Some say it is childish to call your ex-girlfriend and hang up everytime she awnsers.   Is a childs heart not the purest?

So what he showed up outside her house and followed her all over the country.  I know of some very rich musical artist who made a lot of money singing things like "ain't no mountain high enough to keep me away from you,"  Then when someone actually shows that kind of fortitude and love and what do they get? Three months in jail.  What is this world coming to? 

I just hope his ex-girlfriend is proud of what she has done.  I hope she sleeps well at night.  Will see if she comes crawling back to the charming Albert after no one else pays her so much attention.

As for Belle.  Jail didn't keep Mary Kay Laterno away from her beloved I doubl it will slow down Belle.

Remember the "I am Tiger Woods" commercials that Nike ran in the late 90's.  All kids from different races and even some adults playing golf and saying  "I am Tiger Woods" over and over.  A nice twist on the "Wanna be like Mike" commercials Nike did a decade earlier.  I only have one problem with them.

It is FALSE advertising.  Those kids are not Tiger Woods.  You people reading this are not Tiger Woods!  Phil Mickleson, Vijay Singh, David Duval, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, and Sergio Garcia are not Tiger Woods.  I AM NOT Tiger Woods.  It does not matter how much anyone practices or plays or how much TWG (Tiger Woods Golf) gear they wear. 

Only Tiger Woods is Tiger Woods.  And Tiger Woods is goods. 

In his career he has won 12 majors trailing only Jack.  He wins 25% of the tournaments he plays in.  And he knows how to make adjustments.  He has changed caddies, swing coaches, and his swing altogether.  He has changed from Titleist gear to all Nike.  He has found true love by way of a Swedish bikini model and still had the energy to keep winning golf tournaments.

Most impressive he dealt with the stress and pain of losing his father.  Taking time off and missing the cut at the U.S. Open.  No one would have blamed Tiger if the rest of the year he took off or if he continued to play poorly.  It would have only made sense and only kept him human.  Surely after missing the cut at the U.S. Open we saw how difficult taking time of in such a precise and punishing game is on even the top athletes.  We expected him to make progress in the final two majors but not run away with them.

But Eldrick is not human.  He is part man part Tiger.  He not only wins the British Open but wins another little tourney to warm up for the next major. Then in the PGA Championship, a tournament that had as many as ten people tied for first place on Saturday, Woods runs away from everybody on Sunday and snags another Major.  Tiger Woods is on his own planet. 

At times different golfers have tried to challenge Tiger.  At first it was Ernie Els who famously took 2nd place to Tiger in 3 majors in a row.  Than David Duval went after him before dissapearing.  Young Sergio chased him in 1999 only to still be majorless 7 years later.  Phil Mickleson has gone after Tiger twice in his career and was his biggest threat heading into this years U.S. Open only to choke and be a non factor in the last two majors..  Vijay Singh made things interesting for awhile but his prime just came at too late of an age. 

We keep trying to come up with rivalries for Tiger, but not even the entire field is a worthy rival.  Tiger Woods only real rival is Tiger Woods.  He really can only beat himself.  And I am not talking about the kids in the commercial who SAY they are Tiger Woods.  I am talking about the guy who wears the red golf shirt on Sunday's and makes every other person in the world stop for a second, stare, and say the first thing that comes to mind, "He is Tiger Woods."

Once again an American owns the Tour De France and once again everyone is trying to take him down.  It happened to the great Lance Armstrong everytime he won the Tour and he to this day is hasseled by the naysayers.  Now they are after Floyd.

So what he failed his test and had incredibly high levels of testosterone?  He naturally has high levels of testosterone.

So how come he never had naturally high testosterone before this?  We don't know but we know for sure that when they test the backup he will be found clean and innocent.

Well how come the backup showed he had synthetic testosterone?  Its all Politics. I could sit here and argue semantics forever! 

Wait that is not an awnser!?! Ok fine he was tired.  Don't you know when you are fatigued you produce ridiculously high levels of testosterone and then blow by all the bikers around you.  I mean come on!  Everybody knows that.

Floyd Landis is INNOCENT.  If you don't believe me just ask him... or his lawyers or wait for the B test to come out and prove the believers right and the critics wrong.

Ride on Landis... Ride on!

 

Well it official the Reignman is all the way back.  No I am not talking about the tryouts with NBA teams or the reported wight loss.  I am talking about living the glamorous NBA lifestyle that has been the "high"light of the latter half of Kemp's career.

With Kemp aging and looking hard for one last sniff of the NBA it looks like he will not be getting that chance anytime soon.  Instead Kemp was pulled over with a once again marijuana hot boxed vehichle. 

It has been a tough week for Sonics fans.  With the team being sold to out of staters and now one of its greatest players having his NBA comeback get shutdown once again by the only person that has ever been able to totally stop Kemp - himself.

We wanted to believe Kemp would come back and contribute to a NBA team once again, but instead he has dissapointed us and once again himself.  Kemp just say no to drugs.

It is reported that Starbucks big timer is tired of losing money with the Seattle SuperSonics and has sold the team to three filthy rich dudes in Oklahoma City.  A place with fresh and excited NBA fans that are borrowing a team from New Orleans.  Of course they are trying to cool us Seattleites off like an iced mocha by saying the team is not going anywhere.  Lets be serious.

The team is gone.  Captain Starbucks has sold us out and the city of Seattle and that blasted Key Arena did not do their part in trying to help.  Yeah Key Arena I am talking to you.  We all know that the blasted lease agreement scred the team and made selling the NBA product not near as profitable as selling an Orange Mocha Frappachino. 

So who is to blame?

Here are 5 actually 6 people, places, or things to blame. Down with you nouns.

5. David Stern feigned interest in renegotiating the lease but did not really get the NBA involved.

4. The city of Seattle could do something about it but would rather keep milking the money from the lease and plan on milking the money through 2010 whether the team is in Seattle or not.

3. Sonics fans are on record has having the quietest protest ever in a city that can round up angry protesters for marijuana, Bush, WTO, trees, monorails, ducks, taco seasoning, and anything else you can think of besides NBA basketball.

2. Microsoft billionaires.  There is a plethora of microsoft billionaires doing nothing but chilling on yachts and "helping the needy." Come on somebody buy the Sonics and keep them in Seattle/Bellevue/Renton.

1 A. Howard Schultz.  The man is claiming he was offered a "blank check" for the Sonics from another city but would not do it because it would take the Sonics out of Seattle.  But you expect us to believe that 3 dudes from the OK corral or going to move up to the Rainy paradise and screw their hometown that loves the NBA and is about to be devoid of a NBA team.  COME ON!!!  We all know something could have been worked out.  Bellevue and Renton were fighting for the Sonics.  Starbucks is not short on dough.  We could fight the lease on Key Arena.  Lets get jacked up on caffiene and think of a reasonable plan.

1 B. Key Arena.  This is why no one goes to Key bank.  Your arena can't even work out a good lease.  Criminals.

Wow just finished watching the All-Star game and have some questions for fellow viewers.

Was the pre-game really two hours longer than the game?

Is David Wright really that cool?

Did it seem like the Bud Selig show to you?

Can Vladimir Guerrero hit any pitch out of the park?

Were you as surprised as I to see Ichiro hit the suck cycle? - strike out, ground out, pop out.

Were you just waiting for Bud Selig to say "this Bud's for you"

Did the award ceremony make you want to buy a Chevy Avalanche?

At any point during the game did you think that the National League had a glimmer of hope of winning this time?

Are you like me and tired of cheering for your home team and just want to embrace your home league? AL kicks tail.  I am so proud to be an AL fan.

Do you think Bud Selig is trying to launch an acting career with all of his face time?

Were there really award interruptions every other inning?

Did you just have the tv on and were just kind of paying attention but mostly not and never really even saw one pitch?

Do you feel closer to Bud Selig?

Do you find it strange that Bronson Arroyo was the 8th best pitcher on the Red Sox but is actually PLAYING in the All-Star game for the National League?

Did you know that Bronson Arroyo is also in a band?

Is Bud Selig the greatest commisioner ever?

Is Bronson the greatest acoustic guitar player alive?

 

 

Klinsmann stepping down as coach of Germany.  Hmmm wonder where he might coach next.  The man loves the U.S.A. and the U.S. team.  Germany probably played the most exciting and best soccer in the World Cup.  Meanwhile Bruce Arena and the U.S. dissapointed and shot just 4 shots on goal in their early exit.  Now I am not underestimating the talent Germany has and their great soccer heritage, but I also believe Klinsmann is a great coach.

To the future coach of team USA!!!