Yo, Meathead!

So much going on, so much to talk about!

SEASONINGS: First, I have to laugh at Joe Theismann losing his job on Monday Night Football. I never could stand Theismann, and I was irate that he got the MNF job last year in the first place. As a New York Giants fan, I could understand why Theismann, a former Washington Redskins QB, might feel some rancor for that team, especially after Lawrence Taylor ended his career with the tackle that broke Theismann’s leg. But ever since Theismann became a broadcaster, any time the Giants were on his telecast, I had to listen to him always shred the Giants for one thing or another, even when Big Blue was actually pretty good. The only good things I’ve ever heard Theismann say about the Giants were about Tiki Barber and Michael Strahan—anyone could find something good to say about them! Good riddance to Theismann! I wonder what he will do about the job broadcasting college football that ESPN offered him!

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell dropped the (foot)ball this past weekend at the latest series of NFL meetings. Expected to release his new, tougher disciplinary policy for players who can’t stay out of trouble, Goodell promised only that more was to come on that issue. While I think it’s good that instant replay is now permanent, I can’t understand why the NFL didn’t change the rules regarding overtime kickoffs. If they’re so concerned about the advantage the team receiving the ball has at the start of overtime, why not just move the kickoff to the 35, instead of the 30, as they had said they might do? This would take away some of the field position the receiving team would have and make overtime more even, which is what they supposedly wanted to do anyway.

I guess Isiah Thomas isn’t going to get the Knicks to the playoffs this year, after all, which is pretty pathetic given the state of the Atlantic Division. Yes, I know all the Zeke apologists will say that he’s had too many injuries to cope with, but I say, so what? The East is so bad in general that all it takes to make the playoffs (if they started today) is a 33–39 record. Even the stinky Knicks should be able to pull that off! Why, Stephon Marbury is the best point guard in the NBA (wink, wink)! Instead, they’ve lost four out of five and have fallen even further out of the last available playoff spot.

I do have to hand it to Steph, though, for his low-cost basketball shoes. He did a great thing by making them affordable, so parents won’t go bankrupt getting sneakers for the kids. Now Ben Wallace is getting on board, and I believe the plan will eventually be to release a whole line of apparel. This sort of selfless thing seems so out of keeping with the image that Marbury projects on the court and in the locker room, it’s hard to believe it’s the same guy!

And how about Ugueth Urbina getting 14 years in prison for attempted murder of five people? In a recent post, Ed was talking about the intrigue and scandal in international cricket—this isn’t quite the same level as what’s happening in Pakistan, but it’s still pretty crazy!