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POLITICALLY CORRECT NONSENSE IN THE NHL

September 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Interesting to see that the NHL has decided not discipline Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds for an alleged homophobic slur against Rangers winger Steve Avery….

A few years ago, the league suspended Avery for referring to former girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert as “sloppy seconds” after learning she was dating a fellow NHL player….

NHL Commissioner called Avery’s statement “Inappropriate public comments not pertaining to the game”….

For this remark, Avery received a six game suspension without pay and had to go to counseling for anger management….

All for joking about other NHL players “falling in love with my ex-girlfriends?”….

This penalty was exorbitant, ridiculous and political correctness run amok; and also a sign of the touchy feely times in which we live….

Knowing this, I was anxious to see how the gutless NHL Commissioner would respond to the alleged anti-gay remarks made by Simmonds; who is black and had a banana thrown at him by an idiot fan last week….

Sure enough, the NHL decided not to take action against Simmonds, because “there were conflicting accounts of what transpired on the ice.”….

Yeah, sure….

If it were any player other than Simmonds, the league would have been in all their politically correct glory, posturing about taking a stand against bigotry and sending a clear message it won’t be tolerated….

Now here’s some political incorrectness for you: Had Simmonds been white, he would have been suspended, fined and publicly excoriated….

It all boils down to this: The NHL was still reeling from a racist fan throwing a banana at a black player and there was no way in hell they were going to make an example of him for uttering a homophobic slur….

It’s hypocritical and dishonest, but when you have a politically correct, gutless league, these things happen….

Evidently the NHL will ignore a homophibic remark when made by a black player….

Rules are rules, and if you’re going to suspend Avery, you have to suspend Simmonds

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe Simmonds should have been suspended, because in the heat of battle players say things to each other they would never say off the ice….

Who knows what went on between Avery and Simmonds before Wayne allegedly made the remark; maybe they’d been jawing the entire game and it came to a boil….

So if Simmonds said something inappropriate and offensive, that’s boys being boys in the heat of battle. From all accounts Simmonds is a class guy and a credit to the league, so who cares if he lost his temper and taunted an opponent?….

As for Avery, he also should not have bneen suspended for his remark about Cuthbert. Knowing athletes the way I do, I’m sure players around the league were taunting him relentlessly about his former girlfriend dating another player and when asked about it by a reporter he responded in the same way men in locker rooms do every day….

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NOTES ON A SCORECARD

September 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

After all the good games in the first three weeks of the NFL season, the field-position-play-it-safe-settle-for-field-goals NFL was back on Monday Night Football; with the Cowboys winning a dreadful game against the Redskins, 18-16….

Unfortunately I expected a football game and a soccer match broke out….

With nine field goals and only one TD, it was a vivid reminder of why college football is so much better than the NFL….

I’d go over the details, but I’m afraid the same thing would happen which occured in the third quarter; I’d fall asleep….

Fortunately HBO was showing the replay of the Victor Ortiz-Floyd Mayweather, which I still hadn’t seen….

After watching the fight, I came to the following conclusions: 1) While Ortiz is game and a nice kid, he doesn’t have a great deal of boxing skill and receiving a boxing lesson. 2) Mayweather tattooed him for four rounds and was winning easily. 3) Ortiz has horrible balance, keeps his feet too wide, is easy to hit and needs to fire his trainer and get a real professional in his corner. 4) Ortiz’ headbutt in the 4th round was flagrant, intentional and dirty. 5) While Mayweather’s knockout combination was legal and legit, a classy fighter wouldn’t have done it. 6) The referee, Joe Cortez, is incompetent and should be put out to pasture.

If I were the referee, I would have treated the knockout blow like a low blow and given Ortiz five minutes to recover. He was going to get knocked out anyway, but this way the fans would have gotten their money’s worth….

I would have immediately jumped in, said I was looking at the timekeeper and said it was my mistake Victor got cold cocked. Then, as stated before, I would have given Ortiz five minutes to recover and continue the fight….

Unfortunately, I wasn’t in charge….

Now it’s time for Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao to finally sign a contract and get into the ring….

Pacman has agreed to nearly all of Floyd’s demands regarding blood teasting, so now the fight needs to happen….

Because if it never happens, Floyd will forever be remembered as ducking the toughest fight of his career….

Money can talk all he wants about his record and achievements speaking for themselves and he doesn’t need Pacquiao, but it’s bulls***….

Without a win over Manny, his career is tarnished and he’ll be called a coward….

The sad thing is i believe Mayweather would not only win against Pacquiao, he’d win easily and possibly knock him out. Pacman has never seen boxing skill, reflexes and athletic ability like this and will get exposed….

Hopefully I’ll get a chance to be proven correct….

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WEEKEND NOTES

September 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I know winning ruins my “Suck for Luck” campaign and the 49ers dreadfully boring 13-8 win over the Bengals was tough to watch, but so far I like what I see out of Jim Harbaugh….

Sure, he doesn’t trust Alex Smith to throw downfield and runs a conservative offense; but with his lack of skill position players he doesn’t have much choice….

What I like most is his team plays hard for 60 minutes, has excellent special teams and a Super Bowl caliber defense….

And now that “Suck-for-Luck” is down the drain, why not go for an NFC West championship? Granted, the 49ers aren’t good enough to compete in any other division, but they have the good fortune of playing in the worst division in NFL history; where 7-9 was good enough to win last season….

I’m telling you, if they had a really good QB they could go to the Super Bowl….

San Francisco should be 3-0 after outplaying the Cowboys last week before losing in overtime and 8-8 is realistic….

During the pre-season, the Silver & Crap looked awful and I was thinking Alzheimer Al’s boys might be capable of 0-16….

To my surpise, the Commitment to Excrement looks like a playoff team after yesterday’s 34-24 win over the Jets….

Their secondary is terrible and I still don’t believe in Jason Campbell, but they’re dominant up front, on both sides of the ball, and should be 3-0….

The Chiefs are awful, the Broncos aren’t any good and the Chargers are coached by Norv Turner, so why not Drool Bucket Al’s team?….

They went undefeated in the AFC West last season and look like the best team….

It wasn’t another 400+ yard game, but I was more impressed by Cam Newton yesterday than in his first two games. Sure, he threw for all kinds of yards, but also made bad decisions in the 4th quarter which cost Carolina victories….

On Sunday, however, with his team trailing the Jags 10-8, Newton calmly led his team down the field and threw a TD pass, followed by another pass for a two-point conversion….

He didn’t have big numbers, but he got the number that counted; the Panthers first win….

I guess they should start printing Super Bowl tickets in Buffalo, because the Bills are 3-0 after picking off Tom Brady four times and defeating the Patriots, 34-31….

It’s also time to list Ryan Fitzpatrick among the NFL’s elite QB’s after 369 yards and two TD’s….

Speaking of blocking off the streets for a championship parade, how about the Lions? After trailing 20-0 at halftime, they roared back to beat the Vikings 26-23 in overtime; the third time this season Minnesota has blown a substantial lead and lost the game….

I didn’t think the Vikings would be in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes, but at 0-3 they’re right in it….

What the hell are Pete Carroll and the Seahawks doing? At 0-2, with Tavaris Jackson at QB and a porous offensive line, there’s no chance they’re going to be any good. So why score a TD in the second half and then intercept a late pass from Kevin Kolb with a minute left?….

Losing is what the fans want and what ownership should want; because with Luck they could turn the franchise around overnight. And Carroll could beat Harbaugh over the head with Luck for the next decade….

Instead, Seattle did something really stupid; win the game….

If I were Paul Allen, Carroll would be in my office first thing this morning, with some ‘splainin to do….

After Denver’s 17-14 loss to the Titans, with Kyle Orton throwing for only 173 yards and two INT’s, it’s time to give Tim Tebow a chance to lead this team….

He played extremely well in his final three games last season and in my opinion gives the Broncos their best chance to win….

I know his mechanics aren’t textbook and he’s not your typical NFL drop back QB, but all the guy does is win and make plays….

Tebow is a winner, but John Elway and John Fox are too stubborn to make a change; after all, that would be admitting they made a mistake….

I think Michael Vick has a good case when he complains about no flags being thrown when he takes hits around the head….

Watching the Eagles loss to the Giants, I counted three times he was hit in the head right in front of a zebra, with no call….

Maybe it’s because he’s on the run and scrambling, or maybe the officials aren’t going to give him a break, but something is very suspicious….

But I have to give Vick a Man Card Violation for coming out of the game with a broken right hand; followed by his back-up throwing a pick which sealed the game for the Giants….

Michael broke his right hand, which shouldn’t make any difference because Vick is left-handed. Shoot the damn thing up, put on a light cast and get your ass back on the field….

There’s nothing wrong with his throwing hand; thus no reason he can’t play….TMd4 itijo

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NOTES ON A SCORECARD

September 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

After reading the NFL is going to crack down on players faking injuries to buy time in the final minutes, I have a question for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell: Will you be as vigilant and thorough investigating teams who throw games to get into better position to draft Andrew Luck….

With Giants players falling to the ground and behaving like soccer players in their Monday Night Football win over the Rams, St. Louis coach Steve Spagnola called for the NFL to take action against New York players faking injuries to slow down the Rams two-minute offense….

Spagnola has a good case and Goodell needs to take action….

But I don’t hear a word about warning franchises to play hard all the way through the season or suffer the consequences….

Make me the Commissioner and I’d be watching bad teams like a hawk. Any sign of tanking games and I’d have the owner, GM and coach in my office the next morning, threatening a $1M fine and the loss of their 1st round draft pick….

But you will never see this happen, because Goodell is a hypocrite who picks and chooses punishment; severe and swift for players and a slap on the wrist for coaches and executives….

Every time I have Rick Barry on my show, he’s incensed the NBA owners and players aren’t meeting around-the-clock to get this lockout settled….

I agree with him and wonder the same thing….

The lack of a sense of urgency with these guys is astounding, as they’re about to lose at least a month or two of the season….othing has changed:

Yet here they are, with representatives, not actual players or owners, meeting in New York. Then, after a leisurely lunch at the Four Seasons, a carraige ride through Central Park and a few nights of Broadway shows, maybe they’ll get together next week….

If nothing else comes up….

I’ve said it repeatedly and nothing has changed: “Red Eye” on the Fox News Channel is the best show on television….

It airs at midnight and I’m never miss a show. Nothing like a group of comedians and witty pundits making jokes about politics and the news….

The show is consistenly funny and never disappoints….

Watched the season premiere of “Two and a half Men” and it was very funny; with Charlie Harper’s funeral the highlight….

The numbers were off the charts, with 28 million people viewing Ashton Kutcher’s debut; a 90% jump from last season’s first episode….

Now the real test comes, with the curiosity factor gone….

Prediction: The ratings fall off a cliff in the next month and the show is cancelled in a year or two….

Nobody can replace Charlie Sheen in the role of Charlie Harper….

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NOTES ON A SCORECARD

September 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

After all the talk about the expansion of the Pac-12 and how they were going to accomodate 16 teams, I was shocked to see the following release: “The Pac-12 Conference on Tuesday affirmed their decision against expanding from their 12-team alignment, a development that for now scuttles the possible departure from the Big 12 of Texas and Oklahoma.”….

I can’t say that I was disappointed, because the proposed four-team, four division conference sounded preposterous….

Now, if they re-formed the old Pac-8 and made it a division, I would have loved it….

If I were in charge, I’d kick Utah and Colorado out of the conference; so we could get back to a 10-team league with everyone playing everyone….

And I’ll bet if the Pac-12 had a chrystal ball, they never would have taken Utah and Colorado in the first place; because the only reason the Pac-10 issued invitations to these second-raters was because they believed the Big-12 was going to disappear and they were going to get Texas and Oklahoma.

As it turns out, Oklahoma and Texas didn’t come and we’re stuck with these ham-and-eggers….

Now that it looks like the Big-12 might survive, they need to act quickly and issue invitations to TCU, BYU and Boise St….

Because if they don’t, the conference could still get raided and become a footnote in history….

Why all the fuss about someone breaking a bogus, made up record that shouldn’t be kept in the first place?….

I’m referring, of course, to the Yankees Mariano Rivera breaking the all-time saves record….

Since a pitcher can come into a game, give up two runs and still get credit for a save, the record means nothing….

Holding a three-run lead in the 9th should be easy, not lauded as an all-time great accomplishment….

Now if they changed the rule to holding a one-run lead, then it would mean something….

With Sugar Ray Leonard coming on my show tomorrow afternoon at 2:30, it brought back so many memories of his greatest fights….

His fights with Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, Wilfred Benitez and Marvin Hagler were all-time classics and made the 1980′s the Golden Age of boxing in the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions….

Back then, boxing was as popular as any sport in America and received front page coverage in every newspaper. Whenever a big fight was coming up, it’s all anyone talked about for months….

Nowadays a Heavyweight title fight isn’t on TV and a big, lighter-weight fight is on HBO PPV and seen by relatively minute audiences….

Back in the day, the biggest fights were shown on network television, to gigantic audiences and revenue….

Remember Leonard-Duran, Leonard-Hearns, Holmes-Cooney? Those fights were larger than life and the world seemed to stop….

So it will be great to speak with the great Sugar Ray Leonard about all his great fights and also get his thoughts on today’s fighters….

I’ll tell you one thing; both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather would have been knocked out by Leonard, Hearns and Duran….

Hope all of you get a chance to listen: http://750thegame.com/pages/main

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TIME FOR MAYWEATHER TO MAKE THIS FIGHT HAPPEN

September 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I’ll have to admit, I’ve always liked Floyd Mayweather. I’ve had him on my show several times over the years and always found him to be funny and articulate. He has a great sense of humor and always played along with my politically incorrect questions, so he was my kind of guy….

While it’s tough to stomach all the bulls*** I see on the 24/7 shows and the press conferences, I realize he’s trying to sell a fight and make some money….

Every time I’ve seen Floyd in Las Vegas, I’ve never seen him turn down an autograph or a picture, and he’s always been great with the fans….

So my experience with him has been positive….

I’m also one of the few who pick him to win against Manny Pacquiao and feel he’s going to deliver a boxing lesson to Pacman….

All that being said, it’s time for Floyd to stop the nonsense, sign a contract and make this fight happen….

Pacquiao has agreed to blood testing and also to be tested three days before the fight, so Mayweather’s excuses are done….

And if I were commissioner of boxing, he’d have 30 days to sign for the fight or get his license revoked….

Boxing desperately needs this fight, because we haven’t had a big one since Pacman-DeLaHoya a few years ago….

If this fight happens, it will be the biggest thing since……well, I’m having a difficult time remembering….

It’s all people will be talking about in the month leading up to the fight and the promotional tour figures to be unforgettable….

Now it’s up to Floyd to make it happen. We’re all waiting….

In the meantime, we have to go through a third Pacquiao-Marquez fight and a possible Mayweather-Amir Khan matchup before we get to the main event….

Again, this is where boxing needs a commissioner; to order the top fighters to face each other or suffer dire consequences….

And this goes for the Klitschkos, who would either fight each other or be stripped of their titles….

Wlad and Vitali are miles apart from any contender and need to fight to settle the heavyweight division. In no other sport would siblings be allowed to duck competition….

I know it’s a pipedream, but here’s my wishlist for boxing:

-A no-nonsense, honest commissioner who will match the best fighters against each other on a regular basis.

-A move back to the original eight weight classes, with one champion per division.

-Suspensions, heavy fines and revoked licenses for any top fighters who refuse to fight each other.

I can dream, can’t I?

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WEEKEND NOTES

September 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

After watching the Seahawks embarrassing 24-0 loss to the Steelers, I’m convinced Pete Carroll intends to tank the season to draft Andrew Luck….

With Matt Hasselbeck showing he still has plenty left, it made no sense letting him go; and it made even less sense to sign journeyman Tavaris Jackson to an $8M deal….

And “Mr. Competition,” Carroll, who prides himself on everyone competing for their jobs each week, stubbornly named Jackson his starter right after the signing….

Not only that, Pete is pig-headedly sticking by Tavaris, claiming he played well in the shutout loss.

None of it makes any sense, until you think about the bigger picture; throwing this season and drafting a future Hall-of-Famer in Luck….

Carroll has a memory like an elephant and still hasn’t forgotten Jim Harbaugh running up the score on him when they were in the Pac-10. So what better way to get back at him than by drafting his QB and then beating his ass for the next decade?….

By the way, Carroll is now 40-42 as an NFL coach and on his way to 2-14 this season….

When the playing field is level, he’s very ordinary….

Stupid coaches department:

After the Chargers scored to cut the Patriots lead to 28-21 with 5:30 left in the game, San Diego coach Norv Turner had no alternative but to try an onside kick. With Tom Brady on the other sideline, who had thrown for 517 yards in Week One and over 400 in this game, it would be collossaly stupid to give him the ball again, because three first downs and it’s all over….

As the dumb ass ordered a deep kick, I threw my hands in the air in disgust; but I should have known ‘ole Norv would screw up royally….

Not only did Brady get his first downs, the Patriots wound up in the end zone and closed out Turner’s Dopes, 35-21….

Wow, what a dumb ass….

Sunday night, the Falcons were up 35-31 over the Eagles with 15 seconds left and faced a fourth and long deep in their own territory. As NBC announcers talked about the Giants blunder in kicking to DeSean Jackson last season, followed by a highlight of DeSean breaking a last second punt return, Cris Collinsworth said “I’ll fall out of this booth if the Falcons kick the ball anywhere near Jackson.”….

What happened next defies logic….

The Falcons kicker got the snap and kicked the ball directly to Jackson. If I were Atlanta owner Arthur Blank, I’d have fired Mike Smith on the spot….

As Collinsworth gasped in disbelief, Jackson made the same step-back move he used against Giants, evaded the first tackler and had daylight…

At this point, I was thinking about Smith getting crushed in the press all day today….
Luckily for the coach, a Falcons player got lucky and clipped DeSean’s heels, ending the runback. But had Jackson gotten away from him, he was gone and Smith’s job should have gone with it….

Question for the press and talk show hosts: Just because Mike Smith caught a break doesn’t make him any less dumb than Tom Coughlin. Both of them made idiotic calls, Smith just got lucky….

More reasons why Turner and Smith will never take teams to the Super Bowl. In fact, Mike Smith is the new Marty Schottenheimer….

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NOTES ON A SCORECARD

September 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Here we are just a few weeks from training camp and the NBA players and owners aren’t meeting and seem to be miles apart. Instead of negotiating around the clock and only leaving the bargaining table for bathroom breaks, these guys are going to cost us at least half a season….

Hall-of-Famer Rick Barry is a frequent guest on my show and says the players are going to lose millions of dollars they are never going to get back, while the owners will actually be turning a profit during the lockout….

He’s right, of course, and also right about another point: After months of not playing, the players will agree to a deal they could have signed over the summer….

It’s only been a week, but so far the NFL is off to a great start….

With high scoring games, lots of offense and close outcomes, it reminds me of college football…

It seems that missing half of training camp due to the lockout prevented coaches from conservative play calling and playing the field position game….

Here’s to hoping there’s a lockout every summer….

I like Victor Ortiz and he’s a very good fighter, but he has no chance to upset Floyd Mayweather on Saturday night….

Victor is an action fighter and hits hard, but also wild and easy to hit….

He also doesn’r have a good chin, which doesn’t bode well for him….

Ortiz was battered and quit against Marcos Maidana and knocked down twice while winning the Welterweight title against Andre Berto….

Mayweather is going to deliver a boxing lesson to the kid and win by unanimous decision or late round knockout….

In Mayweather we have an all-time great fighter with great defensive skills, tremendous hand speed and lightning reflexes. Against a guy who’s easy to hit, that’s dangerous….

If I’m running the Big-12, I’m not going to sit back and watch the conference dissolve. A pre-emptive strike is needed to save the conference and they should immediately extend invitations to Boise St, BYU and TCU….

This would get the Big-12 back to 12 teams and add three teams who are always very good; with Boise St. and TCU national powers….

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Notes on a Scorecard

September 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

With the Broncos trailing 23-20 and only 3:43 remaining, the decision was clear for Denver coach John Fox: Play to win and try an onside kick….

Since the Silver & Crap already had nearly 200 yards rushing and the Broncos had only two time outs, kicking the ball deep would guarantee a loss; because the Commitment to Excrement would simply hand the ball off, get two first downs and win the game…

Incredibly, the gutless p**** kicked the ball deep and then sat there with his thumb up his ass as Alzheimer Al’s boys ran out the clock….

I know it’s early, but Fox needs to be fired; not only for being a coward, but for not playing Tim Tebow….

Yes, Tebow has problems with his throwing motion and isn’t a polished QB; but he’s a winner….

With predictable play calling and an immobile, statue-like QB in Kyle Otrton, the situation desperately called for Tebow; who would have provided energy, leadership and most importantly an ability to scramble out of the pocket and make plays….

Instead, Fox chose to stick with the same offense which wasn’t working and lose the game….

It takes guts and an ability to admit you are wrong to make a good coach, two qualities Fox doesn’t possess….

On the positive side, I actually wanted the Silver & Crap to win; because if they go 1-15 they’ll get Andrew Luck, every Raider hater’s worst nightmare….

If they keep going 6-10, they’re never going to get a decent QB or imporve; which is just what I want….

Luck joining the Commitment to Excrement is a nightmare scenario, because that would put Drool Bucket Al’s team in position to get to the Super Bowl; something I never hope to see again….

So, for for the first time in my life, I spent the weekend hoping the Silver & Crap win and the 49ers lose….

Hopefully karma won’t get me….

I’ve dubbed this season the Suck for Luck year and teams should be tanking games for the opportunity to get the next Peyton Manning….

Here’s to hoping the Commitment to Excrement wins enough to exit the andrew Luck sweepstakes….

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