Guess who's back......

Sorry I haven't been keeping up with the times. I got a little busy, things got sidetracked, etc. Anyway, I'm back, and it's time to rip some people!

Did anyone else think the whole US speed skating was given WAY too much media coverage? Come on , NBC, let it go already! So Davis and Hedrick don't get along, big stinking deal! So Davis wanted to focus on his event rather than do the team pursuit, big deal. Sounds to me like Hedrick was counting on riding the coattails of his teammates through some of the Olympic events. At the end of the day, they both won medals, and isn't that the ultimate goal? US athletes went to Turin, and won some hardware. Big congrats to them, pats on the back, high fives, etc. If they don't like each other, who cares? Someone should tell NBC to leave the soap opera business to Days of Our Lives, and not the Olympic games.
While we're calling people on the carpet, would someone tell Bode Miller to pick up the nearest white courtesy phone. It's Dan and Dave of Reebok decathlon fame.......or shame. I've never seen such a build-up of an athlete since the Dan or Dave campaign, and, just like that build-up long ago, Miller fell flat on his face. Well, not exactly fell, but to be a World Cup champion, you'd think he'd know how to get around a slalom gate. All he did was go to Italy, and stink up the joint. Someone from the USOC should ask for reimbursement for the plane fare! Bode Miller......get him off of my TV!
Did anyone else see the action in Minnesota last night? To paraphrase, the T-Wolves Kevin Garnett gets a double tech, and gets tossed. Well, before getting tossed, he throws a ball into the stands. The ball actually creams a guy sitting courtside, and they come get this guy out of the arena ON A STRETCHER, PEOPLE!!!!! Come on, doesn't the ticket warn people with seats so close to the action to be ready for something? You can just smell the potential lawsuit on this one. I mean, a guy in Chicago threatened a million dollar lawsuit on then-Knick Antonio davis because Davis went into the stands to defend his wife. Some words were passed, yadda, yadda. If I, as a fan, go up to an NBAer's wife, and harrass her, I deserve what I get, especially if it's her husband rushing into the stands to defend his wife. And, I know what you're asking: What about the Malice at the Palace incident? Two TOTALLY different things. For one, people didn't rush the floor, thinking it was "Challenge an NBA Player To A Fight" night. For another, this one was rather compact, in that Davis went to where his wife was sitting, security showed, and it was done. The other incident had, well, you all saw it. David Stern should still have Artest out of the league, but Jackson should be right there with him. If anyone has a right to be upset, it's that kid on the cover of SI right after the incident. Look it up. You'll see what I'm talking about.
While I'm on the NBA, is there anyone out there more disgruntled, more of a malcontent than Steve Francis? Go back to the night he was drafted by the Vancouver Grizzlies. What did he do, and on national TV, no less? He pouted like a third grader, told Craig Sager he didn't want to go to Vancouver, and forced a trade out to Houston. Anyway, he gets to Houston, and what does he do? Just like most NBA guards today, he hogs the ball. See also: Bryant, Kobe, Iverson, Allen, Marbury, Stephon. It ends up getting the Rockets a whole lot of nothing, so he gets traded to Orlando. Same song, different city. Then, and here's the puzzling thing: He gets traded to the Knicks, where he's in the same backcourt with Stephon Marbury! In his press conference, what was Francis doing? You guessed it: pouting like a third grader. I know the real reason Marbury and Francis won't get along. It's an ACC thing. Marbury from Georgia Tech, Francis from Maryland. Would someone please release these me first players and go on about the business with people that want to be team players. If Stevie is "The Franchise", then that franchise will go down the tubes in a hurry, trust me on that one.
I'll leave you with this.....what NFL teams need to go get in the upcoming draft/free agency market. If you're not paying attention, this might all be tossed out without a labor agreement in the NFL, so this is all subject to change. Anyway, we;ll look at the AFC East.
Miami- needs a starting QB (Brees would look great in coral and aqua). Upgrade the defense- Thomas and Taylor aren't getting younger. Get some WR help. Quick, name me three of the Dolphins WR's. And, of course, wahs your hands of that waste of a career Ricky Williams.
New England- re-sign Vinatieri. He's the guy responsible for two of those shiny tophies. Upgrade their LB corp. Bruschi probably shouldn't be playing, but that's my opinion. Get help in secondary. Law is available again. And, for their sake, skip training camp altogether. The Pats were a walking MASH unit by the end of the season.
New York- Where do I start? A shorter list would be to name what's right with them. Jonathan Vilma. There it is. These guys are sad in the worst way. They need help everywhere, and without it, J-E-T-S will again stand for Just End The Season!
Buffalo- Come on.....if you bring Marv Levy away from the Early Bird special in South Beach to run the franchise, you've got more problems than you realize. The Buffalo owner, Ralph Wilson, is hoping Levy can capture some of the old Bills magic. Well, last I checked, Jim Kelly, Don Beebe, Andre Reed, Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith weren't walking through the door, so that's out. Mularkey was smart to jump ship when he did. And, though some might not think this way.....if you're Thurman Thomas, what does it say about your legacy as a Bill when you try to squeeze one more year out of the NFL with the Bills' nemesis, the Miami Dolphins? I can think of two words for it: Sell Out! Buffalo is in a tailspin. Pity Takeo Spikes, too. He leaves Cincinnati to "join a winner", as he puts it, and what happens? Bufalo stinks, and Cincy went to the play-offs. Take that as you will.

I'll see you all soon.


Patrick