Hey Bulls Fans, We Feel Your Pain. Want Curry Back?

For two of the nation's biggest markets, NBA basketball has become painful to watch. In a scenario that seemed far from likely only a few months ago, the Los Angeles Lakers are the lone member of the big three managing to hold their own.

Instead of a facing the fallout of a departed Kobe and potential "rebuilding," the Lake show is red-hot and the Kobe-Bynum marriage is the stuff of fairytale (at least for now).

Who would've thought at this point in the season that David Stern would be indebted to Kobe? Because, in the meantime, the marquee brands of the midwest and east regions are stinking up their respective joints. The Knicks and Bulls, two of the NBA's most storied franchises and among the largest potential revenue-generators based on fan bases, have managed to combine for 18 wins this season (one less than the Lakers).

And while the Knicks franchise debacle has been well-publicized by the NY press, the swift and less predictable demise of our midwestern brethren is perhaps even more gut-wrenching to fans (honestly, what self-respecting Knicks fan went into the season with Isiah at the helm and was thinking playoffs?).

So, in part to make our own NBA woes seem a little more palpable, we decided to take a walk inside the shoes of a Chicago Bulls fan in 2007. To understand their pain, one must consider the expectations nary a few months back. The following were predictions from an esteemed panel of ESPN experts back on October 30 when asked who would win the Central (the Bulls garnered 10 votes, Detroit followed with seven).

Henry Abbott, ESPN.com's TrueHoop: I think this could be Chicago's year in the East.

John Hollinger, ESPN.com: Young, talented and tenacious. Even without Kobe, the Bulls might be the class of the East.

Chris Palmer, ESPN Mag: Built similar to Detroit, the Bulls' superior tenacity and hunger finally makes them king of the Central once again.

Jalen Rose, ESPN: A team more geared for 82 games than Detroit. Deng's the most underrated player in the league.

David Thorpe, Scouts Inc.: Team should start off with more confidence than it had at this point last season, and the Bulls can still guard people. The rookies will deepen their bench, and Deng should emerge as one of the best players in the Central.

It hurts just to read it, and I'm a Knicks fan. Fast-forward to today and here's what the diehards are saying:

Blog a Bull: "Boylan, during a WSCR interview, indicated that Ben Gordon will be benched in favor of Chris Duhon. No word on the rest of the starting lineup, but I consider it indication to now give up on the season until Gordon's traded. Thanks, Bulls, for the heads up!"

Thank You Isiah: In a post entitled "How Long Until Spring Training," the folks at TYI offer the following:

"Kill me. Now...I mean, honestly! Are they serious???!!! You fire Skiles, talk about changing the rotation and then...start Duhon?!! If they think that'll help solve this team's problems, why didn't they give Skiles a 10-year extension? It was his bright idea to begin with. I ask you, what is the opposite of 'vision?'"

Yes, Bulls fans, we know of the difficulty in grasping a concept as amorphous as vision. Our fearless leader struggles with the notion as well. Believe it or not, we're not in any way trying to pile on at the expense of Bulls fans. Honestly, it's just that sometimes it feels good to know there are others who can empathize with one's situation. Bulls fans, we feel your pain. Only we face a slightly different dilemma. If we bench all the players who aren't showing up to the arena, we won't have enough players to field a starting five.

Here's to a happier New Year, although by that we mean 2009.

Top 10 Female Athlete "Newcomers" of 2007 (hotness heavily weighted)

Ana, You Had Me at Zdravo...You Had Me at Zdravo

Ok, so ES's post the other day asked about a worthy recipient for the 2007 "Hottest Breakout Athlete Chick on the Planet" award. He was almost begging for nominations. It pains us to see a friend in need. We felt is was our obligation, hell our duty, to give it a shot.

Ask and you shall receive, my bloggin' brother. While there are many "hot female athlete" lists out there, we've tried to bring to the forefront a few of the lesser-publicized names of 2007 (along with a couple of the headliners). We also got some help from our loyal readers and commenters.

In terms of our honorres, they needed to qualify as relative "newcomers" (hence, the title of the post) and be decidedly not sucky at their respective sports. Therefore, people like Maria Sharapova, Jennie Finch, Amanda Beard, Natalie Gublis and Danica Patrick will not be found here (been around awhile and/or aren't all that good).

Other than that, the rules are our own and unspoken. Speaking of...no more talkie. We kindly accept additional nominations in the comments, as well as furious arguments. Something tells us people have opinions on such things.

10. Hope Solo, 26, U.S. Soccer

OK, so she's not a complete newcomer. But, Solo did what most athletes don't do because it's "not right" earlier this year. The U.S. Women's team had won a ridiculous 51 straight games. Solo had allowed only two goals in four World Cup games -- and none in nearly 300 minutes. She was benched. The team lost 4-0. Afterwards, Hope basically ripped the coach, saying it was the wrong decision and that she would've made the saves Scurry allowed. Many fans and members of the media called Solo out for basically being a selfish baby. We liked the competitive fire. She's also cute in that seemingly-approachable girl-next-door kind of way. Don't ya think?

9. Maria Kirilenko, 20, WTA

Maria turns 21 in late January. She is a young, rising star from Russia who finished the season at #25, her best career finish including a singles win at Kolkata over fellow attractive, youn star, Daniela Hantuchova (one could argue Daniela should also be on this list, but we don't like her waifish, model aura). Maria is among an Eastern Bloc uprising that includes the likes of Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic and Anna Chakvetadze .

8. Anna Rawson, 26, LPGA

OK, we've broken our own rules already. But we swear it will be the only time. Rawson just got her Q card (we think she lost her other card a LONG time ago) and, therefore, has pretty much zero in the name of LPGA credentials. By the way, outside of the Natalie Gublis's of the world, who knew of the hidden hotness in the world of women's golf? Well, GolfPunkOnline for one. Check this out.


7. Tanith Belbin, 23, Ice Dancing (US Figure Skating)

We do not watch much figure skating. Maybe we should. Tanith won a silver medal at the most recent Winter Olympics and is, by all accounts, one of the rising stars in the couples-dancing-on-the-ice thing. You know, the thing our mothers always seem to be unable to take their eyes off of come Olympic time. Belbin is worth keeping one's eyes on. Read more about her here (and ignore the annoying goateed partner guy).

6. Allison Stokke, 18, Polevaulting

One could argue Stokke had the biggest breakthrough year of almost anyone - whether her dad liked it or not. She's a state champion pole-vaulter who will be heading to Cal next year on scholarship. We wouldn't put breaking a few records (and hearts) next year at Berkley past her.

5. Chrissie Zartman, 24, AVP

Fresh-faced with mad skills, Chrissie was on of the top rookies on the AVP Tour following an All-American career at UCLA. She's also only 5'3 which is mini-me-sized in the world of professional volleyball, putting her at an immediate disadvantage in trying to make it on the pro beach circuit. Hence, she is feisty, hot and good. Yes, we like her.

4. Ashley Force, 25, NHRA Drag Racer

Ashley was named the NHRA's rookie of the year and became the first female racer to advance to a final round in Funny Car in NHRA history, finishing 10th place overall in the NHRA POWERade Series points standings. It was the highest season-ending standing for a female driver in funny car history (what makes a car "funny," by the way?). Mrs. Force also was named the "hottest athlete in sports" earlier this year by AOL. It is an honor proudly promoted on her Web site. In the words of a Young Prince, "drive fast, speed turns me on."

3. Ana Paula Mancino, 35, Volleyball Player?

Once again we are knowingly and blatanly breaking the rules. This is our blog, so we're allowed to break the rules whenever the hell we choose (in Teddy KGB accent for effect). Mancino was an Olympic volleyball player for Brazil. At least, that's what we are told. We kept looking for more information on her athletic career but somehow wound up in that damn photobook. On a side note, my new favorite name could be Ana or Anna, as in Ivanovic, Kournikova, Rawson, Mancino, etc. This list could be made up on Anna's alone and be no less impressive.

2. Kristi Leskinen, 26, Freestyle Skiier

As one can clearly deduce from this photo, Kristi is a wicked nasty freestyle skiier. No, really. She won a silver medal at the 2005 X Games, a gold at the 2006 Gravity games. She finished third at the World Skiing Invitational in Whistler competing in the superpipe, and we think that's nice. Read more Kristi news here.

1. Ana Ivanovic, 20, WTA

Ivanovic is...a...tennis player...she is...very good...from Serbia, yes? I'm sorry, I can't concentrate. Sersiously, though, she hit the top 100 in 2004 and jumped from #14 (in 2006) to a #4 in the world finish this year. Ana won t And she a gallery like this on her personal Web site?! If this were a BCS-style poll, she would get every one of my first-place votes, regardless of the opposition or strength of schedule.

Happy New Year, all. We'll be back to the monotony of performance-enhancing drugs and the random.com.suckiness bowl talk after the break. Oh yes, Erie's Scribe will also likely be lamenting a once-promising Brownies season again ending in frustration.

As if the Texas Bowl Needed LESS Exposure

The Zenith of Collegiate Football Hits the NFL Network

I know, I know. The whole bashing-of-the-bowls thing is getting a little old, but we couldn't resist. Tomorrow the mighty Horned Frogs of TCU battle the Houston Cougars in a time-honored college football tradition - the Texas Bowl.

Alive and well since all the way back in 2006, the Texas Bowl should be of genuine interest to about 12 people in the United States (and that figure includes David Klingler and Andre Ware). Unfortunately, for any of those twelve living outside the Houston area, the game may be difficult to find.

Yes, in a marketing move sure to drum up even excitement and future viewers to an already highly-anticipated television event, the organizers of the Texas Bowl went with the NFL Network as their broadcast partner. A few things are bothersome about this.

First of all, it's the NFL NETWORK (screaming in Dan Hawkins-esque style). Aren't you supposed to be about the pro game? Then why are you televising two bowl games? Second, if this is somehow part of a bigger strategy to make the NFL Network the ultimate football fan network, why the Texas and Insight bowls?

Call me ignorant, because I'm sure there's complicated contractual stuff and regional justification for all this, but I just don't get it. Do I need to see another crappy bowl game on ESPN? Not necessarily...but if there's football on, I will watch it.

Case in point, last night's Chippewas/Boilermakers shootout in (appropriately) Detroit. Heck, I now know who Dan LeFevour is from that game! But, alas, no further education on the Horned Frogs or Cougars will come to this fan tomorrow night on account of the evil NFL Network.

2007 Legend Of Cecilio Guante Sports Stuff Awards

The Award For Our Favorite Picture We've Used In This Space

I don't know if I hate end of the year awards/top ten lists and the such or if I like them. I definitely don't love them. On one hand I'm kind of a sucker for Top Ten Lists and Year End Awards, but on the other hand they always leave me feeling a little empty. Plus, it's a long fricking year so it always kind of confuses me. Sports wise, I think in terms of seasons.

For example, all of last season's NFL playoff games took place in 2007, which means that they happened this year. But back then, the Pats weren't an uber-team whose television presence or lack there of could bend the NFL Commissioner's will (with a little help from the Senate), the Jets were in the playoffs, the Ravens were 13-3 and the Saints were enjoying their run as America's darlings. Likewise for the NHL playoffs, NBA playoffs, important Bowl Games, and the college hoops tourney. All of the important teams in those sports now A.) have a completely different make up and new rosters at this point and B.) have started a new season making last season's games that happened during this calendar year kind of irrelevant.

But what the hell, if I can't stop myself from reading all of the end of the year crap, how can I possibly stop myself from writing my own end of the year crap? So, without further ado, here are the 2007 Legend of Cecilio Guante Sports Stuff Awards:


The Best College Football Game That I Was Too Tired (hungover?) To Watch: Oklahoma vs. Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. My friends and I had rented a lake house for a week's worth of New Year's festivities, and by the time that game came around I was bedridden. I kept hearing yells and screams from those watching the game downstairs and kept thinking to myself, okay that must be the last big play of the game. No game can have enough big plays to keep a group of partied out friends yelling for two straight hours. I watched the highlights on youtube, and sure enough, that game did have that many unbelievable plays. Why couldn't I have rolled downstairs to watch that? How did I miss that game? What a lapse of judgment.

The Athlete Who Learned The Least From Rafael Palmeiro: Roger Clemens. Rocket Man, do you remember Raffy's immortal quote? Here's a refresher, "Let me start by telling you this: I have never used steroids, period. I don't know how to say it anymore clearly than that. Never." Denial my man, is not the way to go at this point. How about a statement like, "I just want to be clear that needles are the only thing that other men have ever put in my ass." On the plus side, we did get this ironic twist, the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association getting cold feet over having Clemens as their keynote speaker and launching into a speech about how his training routine has kept him in baseball for so long. Even if they don't replace Clemens, they should at least demand a transcript of his speech before he takes the podium.

The Billy Packer, Did He Just Say That? Award: Tim Hardaway. Timmy, don't sugar coat it, tell us how you really feel. How did that attitude pan out for you during your Golden State days? This award dates back to Packer's "tough monkey" comments describing Allen Iverson driving strong to the basket for the Hoyas against Villanova circa 1996.

The Maria Sharapova, Hottest Breakout Athlete Chick On The Planet Award: ?????. I don't know, I'm at a loss here. Have there been any breakthrough smoking hot chicks that are good at tennis, golf or soccer this year? Who is the next jail bait, super hot athlete chick? Please let me know, it's been awhile since we've had a fresh face to take the torch. And really she doesn't have to be jail bait, it just seems like they usually are. Funny, that leads perfectly into the next award.....

The Mascot Who Looks Most Like A Pedophile Award: Steely McBeam. He's real popular in Pittsburgh. I hate you, Steely McBeam

And of course there's the Shut Your Whine Hole Award: This one goes to all the Pats and Bill Belichick haters out there. The Pats run up the score, boo-hoo. Belichick wants to run the other teams in the league into the ground, and all of his players do to. The Pats look for every edge they can get. Good, that's what a football team is supposed to do. They just go out and kick ass, so good for them.

**Editor's Note, if you hate the Patriots simply because they're from somewhere near Boston or for some other reason than the fact that they kick the crap out of everybody, then that's okay.

Confessions of a 90's Hat Addict

Just One of An Addict's Painful Reminders

Maybe you knew one too. They weren't difficult to spot. The tell-tale signs were easily visible to even the most casual of observers. They were the ultimate gearhead. No matter where you saw them, their domes were adorned with some manner of licensed apparel from the NCAA or one of the major professional sports leagues. There was no rhyme or reason to the team logos they brandished. For them, the "dealers" weren't tucked away on some street corner lurking in the shadows. No, their crack was in full view, temptingly nestled in between Mrs. Fields and Sam Goody on one of the friendliest "blocks" in the mall.

Like a compulsive gambler in a buzzing casino, these tortured souls couldn't walk by the retail outlet formerly known as "Nothing But Lids" without buying something. Plus, like a free whiskey-ginger at the blackjack table, the purveyors of these establishments catered to their most diseased customers, dangling two-for-one fitted cap specials that they knew would be impossible to resist.

I was one of these people. I was a 90's hat addict. I still am an addict. It's a disease from which I will never truly distance myself. The truth is, I love hats. But, as I've aged and matured, I've learned to enjoy them responsibly. It also helps that today's corporate enviroments do not allow one to rock a hot fitted on your average weekday. Yet, like so many before me, the road has not been easy. And a trip down memory lane often succeeds only in uncovering skeletons that should have never been released from the closet.

Like most addicts, there are many moments I'd like to forget. Moments at which my actions seemed so right...so cool...so "in the moment." It is those same moments, in retrospect, that now are so clearly and blindingly, terribly, horribly wrong. As painful as these visuals are, facing them squarely in the eye can be invaluable. If we are able to burn these images into our conscience, not only might we avoid ever heading down such a slippery path to darkness, but reliving their collective ugliness can serve as a cautionary tale for a new generation of potentially at risk youth.

Let this be a lesson to you...

THE GATEWAY DRUGS

"The Blocker"

Description: Those who fell victim to the blocker assumed that what looks good on a grey t-shirt would look good on a hat. To assume makes an ass out of u and me.

"The Two-Toner"

Description: Though seemingly harmless, the two-toner was the first sign of a bad hat heading to more terrible places. So many of us took to the adage that two colors is better than one. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

THE DANGER ZONE

"The Pinstriper "

Description: Pinstripes are a funny thing. They look good on suits and on a baseball team's home white uniforms. They look awful on a hat. Notice the double-whammy on this one, pinstripes and two-tone. This is why we call this section the danger zone. It's a sign of things to come, when hat decisions spun helplessly out of control. On a side note, I had a frightening amount of UNLV gear. Super-baggy shorts? Check. Bright red "crinkle" jacket with logo taking up entire back? Check. And, of course, pinstriped, two-tone hat? Given.

"The Alternate"

Description: The alternate defies any logic whatsoever. Take colors as far away from the traditional hues of a franchise and put them on a hat. Bonus points for two-tone. The result? A dark tan and army green Tribe hat. WTF??!! This should've been one of those "recognition moments." The maybe-I-have-a-problem pause. Unfortunately, it was not.

"The Non-Logo"

Description: Like "The Alternate," the no-logo was an indication that full-blown addiction had hampered judgment beyond repair. These purchases reflected very little if any resemblance to the team they were supposedly representing. Case in point above. This is the type of hat someone "designed" in their basement...and I bought it. Unreal.

COCKTAILS
As many know now , some of the most potent abuse can occur when dangerous elements are combined resulting in a product that is more damaging than its individual parts. Below are just a few examples. This typified the low point for many a 90's hat addict...


Pinstripes. Two-tone. The incongruent use of black. An ugly combination.

What isn't wrong about this one? It's a virtual tour of bad 90's hat decisions. The wrap-around block letters. The helmet. Two-tone. The illogical use of black. If only there were some pinstripes on this one...

Luckily, these relics serve as a constant reminder to how a love of hats can go horribly wrong. Today, the key is keeping it simple. One color. Simple logos. Nothing on the sides or back. Traditional colors. At times, the tempation comes again, but one need only take a trip through the gallery of our wilder years to hold back.

Browns Backers Experience the Misery of Being a Jets Fan

Erie's Scribe is a freqent contributor to The Legend and a lifelong Cleveland Browns fan. He's the biggest Brownies fan I know. He had a Charlie Frye jersey...that he wore...proudly. You get the picture?

I, of course, am a proud(?) member of Jet Nation. Suffice to say, neither of us has been residing in a kingdom of fan bliss when it comes to the NFL for...well, for the past few decades or so.

Earlier this year, our two teams matched up and the boys from Cleveland predictably defeated the hapless 2007 edition Jets. And while ES may have thought that he knew following that game...he had no idea.

After falling to the Bungles yesterday, he experienced one of the great tortures I can imagine. Watching my terribly agonizing Jets team play a close game whose outcome held the Browns'playoff life in the balance...oh yea, and he was "watching" on this...



Seriously...



Erie's Scribe, you have now felt the true pain of being a Jets fan in 2007. The experience is almost indescribable. Watching on game cast is not-even-borderline masochistic. It's a full-blown harard to your health. But, of course, you now know that. On behalf of our readers, I commend your almost reckless support of the Brownies at the risk of your personal mental health. Luckily, for our visitors you captured the essence of being a Jets fan today in its truest form.

The following are verbatim excerpts from ES's emails to me over a one-hour period during yesterday's Jets-Titans thriller (presented in chronological order). My commentary provided in green.

Erie's Scribe
Dec 23, 2007 5:26 PM
Oh my God, I was about to bitch about Pennington's Int, but then the fumble. And now the Jets are driving again. Watching the game on statracker. This is not good for my health.
Following the Jets via any medium, whether live, on TV or on the radio is "not good for [one's] health." Watching the game on statracker requires immediate medical attention.

Erie's Scribe
Dec 23, 2007 5:30 PM
Nugent OSU grad..... come on......DAMN
Believe it or not, he was one of our most dependable players for most of the year. Of course, he didn't have to connect on many kicks that meant much of anything. Over the course of his Jets career, the result on those types of kicks has been...yup.

Erie's Scribe
Dec 23, 2007 5:34 PM
This is torture, are Jets games always like this? The Browns game was poop on a stick today. But they still had a chance at the end. I couldn't help but start thinking about Brady Quinn. And now the Jets. A Jets victory=Browns playoffs. I think I better take a shower or something at halftime. In Holy Water.
In response to your first comment, we'll answer it in two parts similar to the the statement and question posed. Yes. And yes.

Erie's Scribe
Dec 23, 2007 6:17 PM
Superb job of self destructing on that drive. Nice punt at least.... come on safety!!!
Congratulations, Erie's Scribe, you are now officially one of "our people." We cheer for safeties, as it often seems our best opportunity to score. And our punter is frequently our most valuble player (when his Aussiness is healthy).

Erie's Scribe
Dec 23, 2007 6:37 PM
How can the Jets offense be this bad? Aren't they due or something?
Excellent question. None of us are quite sure. And, yes, one would think, right? Apparently not...

This was the last email we received from Erie's Scribe. We are still trying to contact him to confirm his personal safety. We are quite worried, as we know the effects of rooting for the New York Jets can be extremely severe, traumatic and lasting. Oh, Scribe O' Erie, our thoughts are with you.

I'm Howard Schnellenberger, Who the F are You?

Gentle Grandpa? Don't Let the Smiling 'Stache Fool Ya

"See the sign on the door? It says Big Howie's Place. I'm Big Howie. Who the f are you?"

For anyone who missed it, Florida Atlantic University defeated Memphis to win its first ever bowl game last night. Sure, it was one of those newbie bowls named after a city (the legendary R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl), but it was significant if for no other reason than providing one more reason for this sports fan to pay a little bit of respect to someone who doesn't get enough.

Howard Schnellenberger will hit the 150 win mark as a collegiate head coach pretty soon. Over the course of a 22-year college coaching career, he's now 5-0 in bowl games. He took the 'Canes to the national championship and won in 1983. A national championship is a significant accomplishment, no matter the circumstances. Now, consider University of Miami football was in serious jeopardy of disappearing only a few years earlier when Howie arrived on campus (1979).

In 1985, the white-stached Schnellenberger took the helm at a severely limping University of Louisville program. His first three seasons the Cardinals finished 2-9, 3-8 and 3-7 respectively. After winning campaigns the following two years, Howie's high point came with a 10-1 1990 season and a New Year's Day thumping of Alabama in the Fiesta Bowl (yea, it was weird...they used to have all these big bowl games on one day, so you had one tremendous day of football with tradition, meaningful games...i know, so crazy, right?). Papa John's stadium sits on campus today because of Schnel, who rescued a dying program. Don't blame him for the stadium name, he didn't sell the sponsorship rights.

However, it wouldn't be at all surprising if sponsorship rights, and a whole slew of other marketing responsibilities, fell under Big Howie's domain when he arrived at Florida Atlantic. His story at FAU is well-documented. While Louisville was considering a drop down to 1-AA when Howie came along, FAU didn't have a team when Schnellenberger showed up. As in, zero, none, nada. Howie's task? Simple. Start a D-1 college football program from scratch. Fundraise. Recruit. Put together a staff. Get some uniforms. Figure out where to play. You know, the basic stuff. Ready, go.

Seven years later Big Howie's Owls just finished 8-5 in the most competitive division of college football. The list of players who've gone on from Schellenberger's various programs is lengthy. Jim Kelly was his quarterback at Miami steering the ship to that 1983 National Championship. he helped recruit longtime NFL stalwarts like Ted Washington and hall of famer Michael Irvin. During his years on the sidelines, Howie was a member of two Super Bowl winning NFL staffs including Don Shula's 17-0 1972 Dolphins. He's been a coordinator under Bear Bryant and stood on the sidelines as a member of George Allen's staff.

Suffice to say, Howie is a pretty good "football guy." So, why doesn't he get more pub? How come you never hear this guy's name come up with relation to any high-profile universities anymore? He's rebuilt programs, played, coached, recruited and developed winners at every level. Whereas he's not in the hallowed air of Bowden on Paterno in number of wins (acknowledging those guys do have another decade of college coaching on him), he deserves some more respect. Hopefully, he and his Owls will get some following last night's win. And maybe someday soon they'll be playing in a bowl game we've heard of before. The fact that they'd be playing football at Florida Atlantic at all would have been unthinkable a decade ago, so anything is possible. We're pulling for ya, Howie.

Friday Links: Cooley is Way Cool, Ruin Romo, Meet Joe Damato

One of Chris Cooley's Finest Grabs

Happy holiday Friday. Not-so-hidden gems from around the blogosphere.

• Yes, we know this is quite old in blog years, but we decided to bring it back for the holidays. Something about a lady in red just seemed so festive. The lovely Miss Thang above is Christy, former Washington Redskins cheerleader and fiance of 'Skins tight end Chris Cooley. 'Nuff said. We liked Cooley already because he's not afraid to go hot pants. Now, we have multiple reasons.

• In much more "breaking" news, the implications of Jessica Simpson's recent appearance at a Cowboys game are only just beginning to be realized. Check out the great creativity from the newfangled Ruin Romo. Personally, I kind of like the guy, but he kinda asked for this.

• A rabid West Virginia football fan is selling his beard on eBay as a form of protest against Rich Rodriguez's recent exodus to Ann Arbor. We are assuming there are some derogatory jokes about residents of West Virginia that could be inferred from some of this story (Lion in Oil).

• Boxing champ Mayweather hangs with Umpa-Lumpas. Yes, you have to see it (The Big Lead).

• Duke loses to Pitt. Everyone, pretty much everywhere, is happy. Elaboration is not necessary when the right words are chosen (35 Seconds).

• Really not a good week for the Seminoles. Even the guy upstairs seems to be against them. Former 'Noles quarterback Casey Weldon has become a phenomenal high school football coach. Unfortunately, according to the administration at North Florida Christian, God does not agree (Construda).

• Seminoles faithful take solace. At least you're not fans of the Atlanta Falcons. Talk about a rough week...ok, season...ok, longer... (East Coast Bias).

• We love the Oak Man. Best mugshot ever? Oh yes, and his car wash operation is second to none (The Big Lead).

• And, finally, ladies and gentlemen meet Joe Damato. Read this entire post, particularly the comments. A few important lessons here: (1) This is a case study on the power of digital media. (2) Don't be a d-bag. (3) If you must do so, might we recommend directing your mindless drivel somehwere other than KSK. Bad choice. Very bad. Horribly poor decision. Quite dumb. But, then again, you likely know that now .

Happy holidays to all!

The Most Wonderful Week of The Year?

The Florida Atlantic Owls make Bowl Week a can't miss.

I don't know if ESPN is still running its, "Bowl Week, It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" commercials, but if they are they're practicing false advertisement. Tonight kicks off said bowl week with the San Diego Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. The what what in the what now? It pits 8-4 and unranked Utah versus 8-4 and unranked Navy who will be breaking in a new coach since their old one jumped ship for Georgia Tech. I would never watch this game in the regular season, why would it help ESPN Bowl Week be "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?" Did I mention that Navy never throws the ball?

Tomorrow night things really get exciting in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. Who are the R&L Carriers and what do they carry? Memphis versus Florida Atlantic. Yes, they play football at Memphis and yes Florida Atlantic is a real school. Actually, I think DeAngelo Williams went to Memphis, and even better, Howard Schnellenberger is the coach at Florida Atlantic. Schnellenberger, it's fun to say. If those two games haven't left you overstimulated, then you're in for a treat on Saturday. They crazy schedulers are laying three blockbusters on us, making for quite possibly the most magical day of the year. It will be a triple header consisting of the Papajohns.com Bowl (why even add the .com in there? Just to piss me off? Why not just the Papa John's Bowl?), the New Mexico Bowl (yes, a simple name with no corporate logos!), and the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl. There will be two top 25 teams playing in this triple header! They won't be playing each other, of course, but who would want to see that anyway? We probably couldn't handle it.

Thank God they scheduled Sunday's Sheraton Hawaii Bowl for 8 pm. If I had to choose between the Browns playoff push and the Boise State/East Carolina dream match-up, I just don't know what I'd do. Thankfully, the Bowl Week schedulers were wise enough to give us Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off this year to let us catch our breaths. Trust me, it looks like a hole in the schedule now, but you'll need it after Saturday's triple header and Sunday's barnburner. They bring the noise one more time on Wednesday, though, with the Motor City Bowl. Can Central Michigan avenge it's 45-22 regular season loss to Purdue? And I thought TNT knew drama.

On Thursday finally, for the bravehearted sports fans who've made it through the week, we're rewarded with an interesting game. We get #12 Arizona State versus # 17 Texas in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. Good times! Legend faithful, enjoy your Bowl Week, "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," but enjoy it in moderation. Watching this many exciting games night after night could be hazardous to your health.

Athlete Blogs Reveal Intriguing Things: Baron Davis Likes the Mike & Ikes, Schilling is Annoying

Athlete blogs are an interesting thing. At various times, they can be insightful, poignant, funny, annoying or nonsensical. Of course, it all depends on the athlete and the topic.

Personally, we like the whole idea of the athlete blog in the sense of the perspective provided on a player's personality, including their demeanor off-the-court, interests, etc., etc.

We can deal without athletes using their blog as a forum to push political agendas, promote themselves as a brand or make broad statements about sports and society. It's our preference to get that kind of commentary elsewhere.

This morning, we see both ends of the spectrum. First, is the typical grandstanding "look at me" "attention, attention!" tactics of the king of welcome to my political campaign site (ahem, I mean blog), Curt Schilling. Schil gets his crack (e.g. personal publicity) this morning via a post on the steroid issue and what he thinks Clemens should do blah, blah, blah. I didn't read it. I don't plan to. Question, Curt? Did anyone f-ing ask you? Shut up, already!

Now, with that distastefulness cleared from our mouths let's return to why we DO like athlete blogs. We like them because they are entertaining and often leave us with priceless gems of otherwise completely useless knowledge that we find immensely humorous for no logical reason. For instance, Baron Davis had Mike & Ikes for dinner on the plane last night. Phenomenal.

The entirety of Davis's most recent post can be found below.

Wind down time. Minnesota was not that cold so i had a fun off day. Got it in at the studio, very classy lol. Dropped a sick sixteen ya dig and now im on the plane eating mike and ikes for dinner. ill holla at the next stop

We'll be waiting for your holler, Baron. What's for dinner tonight, Hot Tamales? Mmmm...

As Many as 25 'Noles Denied Chance to Go Gaylord

So Close, They Could Taste It!

Shock, awe, disbelief, horror, tragedy. These are only a few of the words that immediately rushed to mind upon hearing the news that up to 25 prestigious student-athletes on the Florida St. Seminoles football team are likely to have their dreams of making the sacred pilgrimmage to Nashville shattered.

Yes, as many as 25 proud young men, who stepped foot on the campus at Tallahassee with dreams of someday treading on the hallowed grass of LP Field in Nashville...with visions of one day being part of a 7-5 squad en route to the 10th Annual Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl...will be staying home. All for what? For having someone else dictate a few answers for them on a test or help out on a few of the more challenging fill in the blanks questions? Do Florida St. officials have no respect for time-honored traditions?

As always, Coach Bowden, understanding the bigger picture of the implications, placed things in much-needed perspective. He expressed disappointment, embarrasment and regret for the missteps of members of his esteemed program:

"[Bowl opponent] Kentucky would be a tough opponent when we are at full strength, so clearly this will make things more difficult," Bowden said. "Our staff is in the process of determining what adjustments we must make for the game."

What's that you say? The integrity of college sports? The reputation of our school? The importance of playing within the same rules that govern the broader student population? Ha! Coach Bowden scoffs at your bullshit, politically correct message points. Let's focus on what's really important here. We have a hard enough time putting points on the board as it is, how the hell are we going to win this game at half-strength?

No, don't go, Jimbo. It's going to be OK. I promise. You know this crap happens all the time. The university will take care of it. They're just as focused as getting back to those 10-win seasons as we are...

Hey, Billy Gillispie...Wanna Get Away?

Bing! You are now free to move about the country. Run Billy, Run!

The Houston Cougars just finished a 15-point thumping of Gillispie's Wildcats, and the natives are sure to be more than restless tomorrow.

I do not purport to know much about this year's Kentucky team, although I know they are suffering through some injuries. Nor, can I say I am an expert on the coaching job to date of one Billy Gillispie.

These are the things I do know...

1. The word "rebuilding" does not exist in the context of Wildcats hoops down in Lexington

2. If a word similar to rebuilding were to be whispered behind closed doors, the connotation of such speech would translate to something like 17 wins and an NIT finals appearance (not that such a thing is acceptable, but if the program was truly to be in dire straits...)

3. Even if it were to be acknowledged as such a year (behind closed doors of course), a 4-5 start would not be part of the equation

4. And, if three of those first five losses included falling to the likes of UAB, Houston and Gardner-Webb, well, now that would just be crazy talk

5. Somewhere in the land of a thousand lakes Tubby Smith can't help but smile...just a little bit.

Hey, Gillispie...wanna get away?

Business Travel is a Lot Like Watching the Giants These Days

Airport is to Business Traveler...as Giants are to Fans

Like many of my bloggin’ brethren, Cecilio’s Scribe spends the majority of his hours amidst the everyday joys of corporate America. A charming byproduct of those particular duties is business travel.

In addition to transporting me to cities that pray to the lord of strip malls and chain restaurants, these journeys often take me away from the television, Internet and airwaves, severely hampering my ability to produce compelling content for loyal Legend readers. No info, no ideas. No ideas, no posts. No posts, no readers. No readers, no fulfillment…and on and on it goes. This is only one small reason I disdain business travel. You are Jack’s utter lack of surprise.

However, on rare occasions, where seemingly no link exists, the parallels of the world of sport and business travel appear like a revelation beaming from the fluorescent lights of a decrepit terminal.

At the time, I was sitting in a perpetually long security line at a JFK terminal resembling a refugee camp. And, as the symphony of misery unfolded before my eyes, the metaphor appeared in jaw-dropping clarity. My experience on Monday night at JFK’s Delta terminal was eerily similar to that of watching the Giants play the Redskins the previous evening (note, I am not a Giants fan but am relating this based on the experience of watching, listening and observing longtime Big Blue loyalists on Sunday night).

All the elements were there.

Like the Giants fan forced to watch their team against the 'Skins, I, the business travel, could see from the outset that this experience would be painful. Yet, I could not shirk my duty. Like the Big Blue fan that could not turn off the TV, I could not hop back into a cab towards the cozy confines of my apartment.

Instead, you had to watch. And, in both instances, everything moved in mind-numbing slow-motion. In both instances, you could see and hear the commentary before it happened – whether from the mouths of Madden and Michaels or Tammy and Dom from Queens. The script had played out too many times before not to know the consequences. Yet, dare we say, it was more devastating than normal.

There was a complete absence of rhythm. It seemed so hard to understand why and how it could be so complicated. It was ugly to watch. Whereas efficiency could have easily been facilitated via the opening of an additional line or the refusal to admit passengers coming from the opposite direction to join our single, solitary security line, it was as if the airport staff was oblivious to the underlying issues. It was much like Kevin Gilbride’s play calling, avoiding screens, quick-hitting curl routes or other simple throws that may have helped a struggling Eli Manning. But like Eli locking in on a target and refusing to look for a secondary receiver, so the TSA staff stared blindly ahead, failing to pay heed to any other possible routes.

And, at the heart of it all, stood the “lead” TSA agent, the quarterback so to speak. We all watched from our uncomfortable vantage points alongside the ropes and stantions, as he spent an agonizingly long time checking each boarding pass and ID. He did so with the urgency of Manning with the play clock running down…in other words, none.

The cumulative result was a “team” completely lacking direction, order or any sense of purpose whatsoever. In place of boos, the TSA supervisor’s underlings fell victim to sneers and insults at the hands of the surly Monday night traveler. Like Toomer, Burress, Jacobs and Shockey, they turned to their quarterback for inspiration…for that look…that look that said “I have the solution.” The look that said “we will perservere.” The look that said “we will turn these boos and jeers to smiles and cheers…if you follow me.” But, alas, the look was not there. It never came.

And so, I, the business traveler, much like the Giants fan had only one option. To move on….to acknowledge the ugliness and accept it as part of the price of admission. Regardless, it left me thinking how "wins" (e.g. arriving at a destination on time) ever occur, kinda like fans of the 9-5 Giants.

Being a Jets Fan This Time of Year Often Means One Thing: Draft Prognostication

Ahhh...Hope.

(Photo: AP)

As we prepare to witness what is likely to be a beatdown at the hands of the Pats, this lifelong J-E-T-S fan is reminded of what it means to be a supporter of Gang Green.

This morning I took a trip to my go-to Jets resource, thejetsblog.com, and found this. Welcome to Jets fandom. It's mid-December, and we are once again prognosticating our draft position, hoping against hope that we will land the star to turn this franchise around into a consistent contender for years to come.

Note, I am not critiquing these guys at all. In fact, aside from watching Clemens development, there's not a whole lot else worth putting our energy towards at this point. Bassett and his boys go the extra mile as usual by breaking down the strength of schedules of the "competition" in scientific spreadsheet-style which is definitely worth a look.

Although the quote of the post by far:

"The Jets could be moving up in the draft based on other teams’ performance. The big hurdle for the Jets is how they can lose the game against KC … we all know that Herm will do a bang up job of trying to lose the game as best he can …"

Spoken like a true Jets fan. We are a special breed and must stick together. To 2008!

How Good (or Bad) is Vince Young? Jury Still Out

Did the 'Ole EA Curse Get Vince, Too?

It's amazing how a single game can turn a nation of football fans onto a particular topic. Yet, I was among the obviously thousands of sports fans who read and heard (but, of course, did not see) that Mario Williams basically owned the Broncos on Thursday night and upped his sack total to 13 for the season. Something about his game and a 7-7 Texans team, perhaps juxtaposed in relative proximity to Bush on the sidelines for the again pedestrian Saints, got everyone thinking the same thing: maybe Houston wasn't so crazy for snagging Williams as the top pick.

Lost a bit in this discussion, though, is the #3 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. Vince Young has followed up a season where he garnered NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and a roster spot on the AFC Pro Bowl team in 2006 with a fairly forgettable 2007 campaign (so far). While this may not put the Titans as much under the microscope in terms of their selection (Tenn. needed a quarterback and it would be difficult to argue that, at this point in their careers, either Jay Cutler or Matt Leinart has distinguished themselves anymore than Young), it does beg the question: just how good is Vince Young?

It's a difficult question to answer and ten educated fans could likely make ten equally compelling arguments on the topic...which is what makes for any interesting discussion. There are so many aspects to attempting to address the issue. First, what makes a "good" quarterback? Do we look at stats? Leadership ability? Wins and losses? Potential? All of the above?

From a sheer numbers perspective, one could poke a lot of holes in Young's 2006 campaign. A passer rating of 66.7. More interceptions (13) than touchdown throws (12) and a paltry 51.5% pass completion percentage. But, at the end of the day, Young led an otherwise mediocre Titans team to an 8-5 record, including four fourth quarter comebacks and a rookie rushing record for a signal caller.

The numbers don't paint a much prettier picture this season. While his completion percentage has improved markedly (up to 62.0%), his decision-making is still suspect as evidenced by more than double the number of interceptions (16) as touchdown tosses (7). To be expected, NFL defenses have also started to adjust to Young's running style and, consequently, his yards/carry are down by nearly two yards per rush.

Yet, again, despite lingering towards the bottom half of the League in most offensive categories, the Titans are 7-6 and very much in contention for a wild card berth. The combination of Lendale White and Chris Brown (whudda thunk) can take a lot of the credit for that, but if the QB is the heartbeat of a team you can't universally trash Young's season. Or can you? One must also consider Young's receiving corps which is not exactly star-studded. The Titans top receiver is Bears castaway Justin Gage who sits tied for 44th in the NFL in receptions with 42. But, again, is that on Gage and a no-name group of receivers or Young? Or both?

Frankly, we don't know. If you want to judge quarterbacks on their passing rating, than Tarvaris Jackson (#27) and Eli Manning (#23) are having awful seasons. However, the Vikings and Giants both sit in line for the playoffs.At the end of the day, we're under the impression that winning is "all that matters." In which case, Eli, Tarvaris and Vince are doing their respective jobs. Of course, lumping Jackson (a 2nd round pick who went #32 overall out of Alabama St.) in with a first-round #1 and #3 respectively hardly seems like a fair comparison.

So, what's the verdict? Let's call it a hung jury. Right now, if we had to judge Vince Young's first two seasons as an NFL quarterback based on his team, environment and expectations, we'd probably fall somewhere in the realm of a B-. But assuming Young leads the Titans to their first playoff appearance since 2004, following an 8-5finish to the '06 season, how can you not give him solid marks?

Friday Farewell: Clemens Takes It in the Butt, Doo-Dah, Doo-Dah...

Well all, it's been a fine week in the world of sports. Heading into a weekend of football action, we leave you with this image snagged from the pages of today's Trentonian. Our tip came from the fellas at Brahsome, while others, including Mister Irrelevant, have also chimed in on the tasteful headline.

With anyone else as the subject matter, we might find this more offensive. But we have such a profound love for the Rocket that it doesn't feel all that bad.

The Browns Are 8-5 And Playing A Game With Playoff Implications!!

An important game will be played here on Sunday. Glorious!!

I can't stand it anymore. I've tried not to talk about how brilliant the Browns are this year all season, but I can't contain myself. The Browns, yes the Cleveland Browns are in the driver's seat for an AFC wildcard spot. Let's here ya Cleveland! Do you understand how terrible it's been to be a fricking Browns fan for the past 12 years? Don't get me wrong, it was no walk in the park before then, but let's not go there (resisting urge to trash John "Donkey Face" Elway).

But seriously, the Ravens (whom I shall refer to as the Purple Midgets from this point on) took our team! Hey, do you understand how much the Browns mean to Browns fans? I'm not from Cleve-town, but let me tell you, things aren't that much better 90 miles down The Beautiful Lake in my hometown of Erie, PA. We have the same lake effect snow, miserable Canadian winter winds off of the lake, the same downtrodden economy, the same grey skies, and the same passion for football (except unfortunately in Erie, half of us have been misguided to the loser Squeelers). Let me tell you, these conditions lead to a love for the Browns that I'm sure most medical types would classify as unhealthy. But we love it. The crazier we get, the more fun we have! I'm pretty sure that taking the Browns away is the worst possible prescription for that condition. I'm still in shock. Did that actually happen? I was livid at everybody. I refuse to mention the bad man's name. Any time an NFL game was on TV from November 6th 1995 until the Browns returned to the field in 1999, I swore loudly, disrupting everyone in the room.

But in '99, the Browns came back. And I crap you not, this excitement of just having a team carried me all the way from 1999 through the Butch Davis teams. But the team was putrid. QB's got brutalized year after year. Carmen Policy, Dwight Clark and Butch Davis made a mockery out of judging talent (while completely ignoring judging character). But no matter how painful the Ty Detmer/Tim Couch/Doug Pederson/Spergon Wynn/Kelly Holcomb/Jeff Garcia/Luke McNown/Trent Dilfer/(and I add this name regrettably) Charlie Frye Era was, the Cleveland mother f'ing Browns were playing football every Sunday. When Butch Davis fell apart, things got tough. I realized the Browns needed to royally screw their salary cap just to sneak into the playoffs at 9-7 and ultimately lose in heartbreaking fashion to the loathsome Steelers. It was terrible. The franchise was a shell of it's old self. Kicker Phil Dawson was their best player for 6 seasons! The kicker! At least the teams that broke my heart when I was growing up were good, solid football teams. These guys didn't have a clue, from top to bottom. In fact the only thing the Revitalized Browns had in common with the Stolen Browns was heartbreaking losses. Somehow they still seemed to have that mastered.

But the Browns have been building with super scout GM Phil Savage, and now they have talent. They even drafted a left tackle at number 3 this year. A left tackle, an o-line!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you Phil Savage. I don't know how much longer I could have watched the opposing team's defense making a living in the Browns backfield.

Oh no, I'm rambling again. The point is, the Browns are FINALLY playing a game that matters in December. Win, lose or draw they FINALLY have a talented group of players. Dudes that seriously kick ass. Braylon, Joe Thomas, Winslow, Josh Cribbs? Those dudes are all complete badasses and it rocks. I can't even remember the last time I could mention a Browns player being awesome and not get smirked at. Anyone want to take issue with any of the 4 guys I just mentioned? The Browns are playing the Bills on Sunday with playoff implications and I LOVE IT!

Sorry, just had to get that off my chest.

Isn't A College Education Good Enough?

This is plenty reward for your efforts, no?

I'd say at least five times a month I hear something about how college athletes should be paid either in the print media, on television or on a radio sports talk show. This subject bothers me. Of course, the talking heads mean that college football and basketball players should be paid. I don't see anyone screaming for swimmers, rowers, hockey players or gymnasts to be paid. The argument goes that the college athletes bring in millions and millions for the Universities and they deserve some compensation.

I say that a college education is plenty of compensation and then some. College costs a lot. I haven't been there for awhile and I'm not sending any kids there anytime soon so I don't know the actual figures, but I think it's safe to say it's a $150,000 investment at least these days. If this is true, than an athlete with a full ride is getting compensated to the tune of $37,500 per year. Not too shabby. And let's not get into alumni booster kick-backs that may or may not be commonplace.

Isn't it all about giving people opportunities? Doesn't a college degree represent one of the best opportunities you can give an individual? Sure college football and hoops are minor leagues for the NFL and NBA, but let's say that doesn't pan out, isn't it nice to have that degree to fall back on? Am I the only one who thinks that the college degree an athlete can earn is worth far more to his or her future than the face value of the tuition? If you pay the athletes, doesn't it make a statement devaluing the worth of a college education?

Not to mention, there's already a great divide on campus between Average Joe students and the athletes who've reached hero status. Paying the athletes would only widen this divide. And who wouldn't develop an extra sense of entitlement if you were being paid to be there? Does any 18-21 year old need more of a sense of entitlement? By the way, would the athletes make more than the professors? I don't think that will go over well.

Maybe this is just a subject that comes up during slow weeks on the sports media landscape, but it always fires me up. Personally, I think the last thing we need is to devalue our higher education system, and that's exactly what paying college athletes would do.

Addressing the Mitchell Report (this will be the only time)

Well, it's over now. All the hype and hullabaloo can stop. Really, it's OK. Everyone has pretty much read, seen or heard about it. Yes, we've seen the list. Uh-huh, we saw so-and-so. Yep. So, we're done now. Right?

Unforunately, as we all know, it's likely only just beginning. Already what is sure to be incessant debate has sparked about those on the list, those not on the list, and those on the list before the list.

Our reaction? Exactly as I'd thought it would be. Relative indifference. The list is not surprising. The names make sense. It does not make us more or less likely to watch the game we love moving forward. Maybe it serves to add more validity to what we all believed in terms of the era. Perhaps, for some, it doesn't. So, now we have names that may or may not serve as symbols of the era in the gallery of our baseball memories.

What we do know is that we can live without six straight hours of SportsCenter coverage and thousands of emails, blog posts, columns and talk radio discussion about players, teams and results now in question. Personally, we'd prefer to just move on. Does the Mitchell report in and of itself demand more discussion? Maybe. Will that discussion result in anything positive? We doubt it.

The Mitchell Report, no matter its flaws, has probably done its job. It's provided some measure of additional strength (degree can be argued) to the argument that where there was smoke, there was fire. It will serve to remind us of a time when a small portion of our heroes cheated the game. And it's likely helped curtail the use of illegal advantages in the future, although we all know athletes will look for that edge forever more. So, for all that, thanks Georgie.

So, now how 'bout everybody just decides what they want to based on all of this, and we move on -- quickly. It's the neverending discussion which will bother me infinitely more than the names on this list, or the truth of the names that should be on the list.

And with that, we're done talking about the Mitchell Report. Except for one thing. If these proceedings helped contribute to Roger Clemens failure to get into the HOF, we are forever indebted to Mr. Mitchell. Clemens is a first-class asshole along the lines of Mr. Petrino, and we know nothing would hurt his insatiable ego more than being kept from being enshrined in Cooperstown. See, the Mitchell Report has now even caused us to smile.

Webster Introduces New Verb: "Petrino"

"Just Keep Changing Out the Backdrop About Once a Year"

pe-trin-0

- verb (used with object; "to petrino")

1. To abandon or leave duties unfulfilled
2. To rescind on promises and commitments in an irresponsibile and/or reprehensible manner
3. To act in a cowardly nature in the midst of a challenging situation
4. To pay no heed to concepts of loyalty or responsibility
5. To quit

Related forms
pe-trino-ed, verb past

pe-trino-er, noun

pe-trino-ly, adverb (e.g. weasely)

"pulling a petrino," slang (e.g. behaving in a similar way to Bobby Petrino)

Synonyms: Lie, abandon, quit, be unfaithful, break promise, deceive, mislead, sell-out, Saban

Antonyms: Loyal, commit, defend, support, trust, rally, lead

Contextual Examples:

The Knicks petrinoed down the stretch in that game up in Boston.

You'd think after Saban pulled a petrino a few years ago that others might be a bit hesitant to make a similar choice, but, alas, it was not to be.

I could never trust that guy, he's a total petrinoer.

In all seriousness, we've tried to rationalize this one a bit by removing the context of college football and the media spotlight and playing out the metaphor with "normal" people in "real" life. Unfortunately, for Petrino, I don't think it paints a brighter picture. It's OK to leave the 'Ville for greener pastures. The NFL is the top of your profession and you have a chance you take it.

HOW-ever, even if you realize that this job is completely wrong for you and you belong in college, the five-year deal is the bed you made and you have a responsibility - to ownership, players, fans and the community -- to make an attempt to sleep in it, or at least make it up as nicely as you can before you leave. Lean on assistants...call for a lifeline...do what you need to do...for goodness sakes, tuck in the sheets at least...

All of which begs the question: how long do you stay? Say you've just taken over as CEO for a company in an industry that is new for you. After six months, you've decided that advertising, or banking, or insurance, is just too different from the life you knew and isn't for you. Only you've signed a five year 20-something million dollar deal. How long do you wait? Are you not doing that company a disservice by sticking around?

The answers are not clear. But one thing is...if that is the decision you MUST make, the onus to do so with integrity is even higher. Resigning at the end of one season with the explanation that the college game is better for you is one thing. But leaving a team with three games remaining on the schedule...to take a new job...and travel across the country...to participate in a press conference in Arkansas? On the character scale, it doesn't get much lower.

It's hard to understand how someone can be so lacking of any sort of conscience or internal "alarm" system in a situation like this. I have no ties to the Falcons or any major college football team, but I will root against Petrino going forward.

Maybe one day the 'ole boomerang will make its way around and somebody will petrino the man himself. It would seem fittting.

Somewhere Mike Legg is Smiling

HT on video to Going Five Hole via And Your Kids Too

Max Gerlach is nine years old. He was not alive in 1996. For those of us that were, one couldn't help but watch the SportsCenter clip above and immediately think about Mike Legg. While you might not remember the name, you almost certainly remember the goal. Legg was the Michigan hockey player who famously pulled the puck on the blade trick to tuck a goal into the corner of the net against Minnesota in the NCAA Western Regionals over a decade ago. As I recall, it got nominated for an ESPY for play of the year.

At the time, I remember thinking that it was the sickest in-game hockey goal I'd ever seen (admittedly not knowing a ton about hockey). Max Gerlach channeled Mike Legg with his halftime display. The move itself is arguably even nastier, but we've got to give Legg the advantage in terms of the situation. Max, maybe one day you can pull something like that in a big game. Wonder if we'll still be blogging then...a frightening thought.

Check "The Original" below.

We Couldn't Resist: How Long Until This Sign Appears at Wrigley?

It appears the Chicago Cubs are making a big push for Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukodome. If the Cubbies were to land the foreign slugger, how long until this sign makes an appearance at Wrigley?

We're just saying...you know it's coming...

PS: Yes, we are aware the Cubs don't literally play in a dome. Think Public Enemy's Welcome to the Terrordome, OK.

Mangenius Attempts to Set Onside Kick Record and Other Monday Observations

"Are You Sure? Herm Used to Say 'You Play to Win the Game'"

Welcome to Monday, all. Interesting weekend around the sports world. Here's our take with a little spice from the blogosphere.

Mangenius? We Beg to Differ

We NYJ faithful grew accustomed to the clock management "style" of Herm and the legendary Dick Curl. However, we weren't anticipating that same sense of utter bewilderment to accompany the Mangini era, at least in terms of game management decisions. Oh, we of little faith. Mangini and his staff set out to break the record for most onside kicks in the final minutes of a game against the Browns yesterday in New Jersey. Keyboard Quarterbacks blogger Mark La Monica shines more light on the mess at the Meadowlands. Congrats, Erie's Scribe. The Brownies may be heading to the playoffs (wait, did I just write that?).

Congrats, Anthony Smith. You're Now Known.

Unfortunately, for the Steelers d-back, he's now widely known as Anthony "Toast" Smith. The rarely used safety guaranteed a Pittsburgh win prior to this week's heavily-hyped Pats matchup and followed it up by guaranteeing a Pittsburgh loss with his on-field performance. Randy Moss and the rest of the Pats abused Smith who even fell victim to in-your-face trash talk compliments of a pretty boy quarterback. In addition to Brady rubbing it in, so has the rest of the blogosphere. Joey Porter's Pitt Bulls and Steelers Live have predictably choice words and advice for Smith.

You Know Your Franchise is Bad When...

If you filled in the blank with "is the subject of an ESPN Outside the Lines feature on futility," you'd be right. You would also know what it feels like to be a fan of the New York Knicks. Luckily, the Knicks serendipidously cooperated with the producers over at ESPN by dropping a squeaker to the Philadelphia 76ers 105-77 -- at home the night before the 20-minute segment ran on the network. Now, how's that for a tailor-made teaser?

An Hour Later, Tebow Wins the Heisman (or so we heard)

Tim Tebow won the Heisman on Saturday night. We weren't there to watch. While we have no problem with the selection, we could live without the 55-minute soap opera that prefaces the awarding of the trophy. We know the candidates. We know the resumes. If we must, let's do a "quick" summary, show the nervous nellies in their custom suits and then name the freakin' winner already. This should take 10 minutes, tops. And you wonder why the ratings keep going down.

Kyle Boller Throws Like a Girl

And, finally, the Ravens played the Colts last night. OK, "played" could be too generous a verb. It implies some sort of proactive effort on the part of Baltimore's squad. None was noted by this observer. After coming out like a pack of crazed dogs against the Pats, the Ravens took Sunday night off. On a side note, is it me or does Kyle Boller throw like a girl? Isn't this the guy who supposedly could throw it through the goalposts from 60 yards on his knees? Explain how that jives with a throwing motion that my sister could better? What's that? "Yes, this is Mr. Billick. The movers can come anytime after December 30."

That's all for now, folks. Talk soon.