Chan Ho Park sues ex-teammate

A somewhat humorous story to the baseball offseason.Chan Ho Park has is suing his ex-teammate Chad Kreuter.Krueter hasn’t paid off a $460,000 loan while the two were teammates with the Los Angeles Dodgers.This was a loan given to Kreuter in October of 2005 that was to be repaid within a year’s time with interest.I know Kreuter has been out of baseball for awhile,but he shouldn’t have to take out six figure loans from teammates.I know he’s made a few million in his career.Also,he’s had enough time to repay Park.Park is far from broke,but just pay the man his money.To this day Krueter has paid back $290,000 of the loan.Also Kreuter should know not to mess with another man’s money.

Meyer does a double take.Just a leave of absence will do

The head Gator,Urban Meyer has decided that all he needs is a leave of absence to recharge his batteries and spend aome time with his family.I’m not gonna rant on him,but in some ways it was too good to be true.Meyer had a great job,in a good locale,with a team expected to contend for championships for years.Sometimes,someone just needs to take a time out and assess what’s important in the short term to be able to last for the long haul.Since it was more because of health reasons,I wouldn’t want to see him possibly lose his life and leave behind a grieving family because of football.Good for you Urban,and I’m also glad you chose to stick around so we don’t have to hear the numerous Urban Meyer to fill in the blank school.

Urban Meyer leaving Florida?

As I’m sitting here watching the Meineke Car Care Bowl,a report comes out that Urban Meyer is stepping down from the head gig at Florida.Supposedly,it’s for health reasons he says he’s been neglecting.I would hope it’s nothing serious or life threatning.Sometimes it’s better to leave and step back than to risk your health.Although it’s puzzling to me,I understand.
  Meyer burst onto the coaching scene and made a name for himself at Bowling Green.He then went to Utah and led them to a BCS win over Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl.He then went to Florida and racked up two championships in five seasons and had them in contention for another this season.The man has been a winner everywhere he’s been.If this is indeed true,I wish him the best.Live a full life and live it well Urban.Your name will be mentioned with every coaching job that opens up.   

Derrick Roland

Texas A&M senior leader and point guard Derrick Roland suffered a hideous broken leg against Washington.I feel for the kid,as he was enjoying his best season for the Aggies.Let’s hope he can make the best out of a horrible situation and gets his degree.Take care,the people in Aggieland will still be cheering for you.

 

One Man’s Opinion

It seems that we’ve all heard about Tiger Woods’ infidelity.Personally,I’ve had enough of it.I’m tired of women saying he’s getting whatever comes to him.Tired of it being called racist since he’s married to a white woman, although I do have a take on that.I’m tired of everyone coming out the damn woodworks claiming to have had some hot sexual action with Tiger.
   What he did was wrong from all sides.But you can’t blame Tiger for it all.Everyone knows it takes two to tango.And there was some naked twister going on with that tango.I have no explanation for the call girls and women of that ilk he partied and sexed up.But for the “girlfriends”,I got something to say.Tiger knew he was married and so did they.It still doesn’t make it right and I’m not condoning his behavior.They could’ve told Tiger no,but they didn’t.Know why?Because they fell in love with Tiger’s money,not Tiger.They fell in love with his celebrity status and they wanted a piece of that world.Now if it’s Willie the clubhopper asking for some action,they’ll turn him down,because in they’re mind he’s a nobody,no matter how much money he has.That’s because no one really cares about Willie Clubhopper and no one knows much about him.No celebrity status or anything of that nature.If they cab say no to Willie,they can say no to Tiger when he approaches them that way.But Tiger had status and they weren’t gonna tell him no.See,if Tiger is at fault so are the women that let him charm his way into their life.To me they saw dollar signs an are gravy trainers.I know lots of people won’t agree with me,but OH WELL!I don’t expect anyone to comply to what I say about this topic anyway.

   Now there seems to be a so-called race angle in this.Some say it’s similar to what O.J. Simpson went through.White America loved O.J. until he murdered one of theirs.Yes,I said he did it and still think so to this day.They loved Tiger Woods.He was similar to a modern day O.J. without the baggage and pre murder.I’m not saying any of this is racist,but you could see where it could be that way.Remember way back when ,when O.J. used to hawk all kinds of products on television.Now fast forward to now where Tiger was the best golfer in the world.Thought of as pure and wholesome.A major pitchman for many products on television.Now it seems they’re dropping him like a hot car.Now here’s the race angle.You can be king of the golf course,but not anything else.Stick to entertaining us on the golf course and go back in your hole.It’s like how they wanted Muhammad Ali to be but couldn’t silence him.Once again,I don’t expect anyone to agree with me,but oh well.At least Nike head honcho Phil Knight hasn’t abandoned Tiger Woods like the rest of corporate America. 

Boxing needs Pacquiao vs. Mayweather to happen

Boxing is desperate for a major shot in the arm.It looked like the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao would give the boxing game a much needed jolt.Now it looks like it might not happen due to Mayweather requesting Olympic style drug testing 48 hours before the fight.There have been plenty of good fights this year,but none that have the magnitude of Mayweather/Pacquiao.

   On the surface this seems like one of Mayweather’s stunts to get inside the head of his opponent.I think it is,which is all part of boxing.Its a damn good one too.I don’t agree with the testing being right before the fight,but whatever works.The ball is in Manny’s court now.If he walks,it puts him under suspicion of using PEDs(performance enhancing drugs for those that don’t know).That would be a career killer,something that he could never recover from.Then his promoter,Bob Arum says that Pacquiao is afraid of needles.C’MON!You gotta know this is a classic Mayweather ploy and it seems to be spooking the hell out of Pacquiao.Go ahead and agree to the testing.Boxing is already suffering because the lack of megafights.Arum wants a different doping agency than USADA since he claims they aren’t flexible.Pacquiao needs the fight more than Mayweather and should take it unless he has something to hide and will be fighting under the cloud of suspicion from here on out.True,Mayweather is being an ass in all of this and maybe he’s trying to dodge Manny.We might not ever know,because Paulie Malignaggi could take Floyd’s spot on March 13 and that would be the proverbial nail in the coffin for the proposed superfight.The power’s that be in boxing need to make this happen.

A retrospective moment

I was watching the ESPN 30 for 30 special on the University of Miami football team.It was entertaining and insightful and it was good to see former Hurricanes coaches and players talk about their experience at “THE U”.Going from the Schellenberger era to now it was good to get an inside look at what made them what they are.To me they were unfairly branded as thugs,convicts,outlaws or whatever.Even though they embraced that image,they also didn’t like being called that by outsiders.Overall it definitely was a must see.There was one moment that stuck with me though.I forgot who said it pissed them off and called Florida State a Miami wannabe,but it was this seminole rap video,that even i didn’t know existed.I thought it was pretty funny.

   

I can’t believe Bobby Bowden let them make this.I remember the first game of that season,the Canes whipped them 31-0.Guess that’s where Deion Sanders got his rap career started.

The Hot Seat Vol.3

Once again its the hot seat topic.There was another coach joining the ranks of the unemployed last week,as Penn fired Glen Miller after an 0-7 start.I would hope to see more schools hang on to their coaches as some are in situations that are difficult to start any kind of winning culture.

Jeff Bzdelik,Colorado-Bzdelik seems to always have one eye on the NBA.That could be a good thing considering he’s coaching at Colorado and someone else wants you to coach their team.What he did at Air Force hasn’t translated to success in Boulder.He inherited a lousy situation and doesn’t seem to get any better anytime soon.His NBA pedigree hasn’t helped in recruiting and he only had one conference win last season.You don’t want to see a coach out after three seasons,but it might happen if he comes close to duplicating what happened last season.

Jeff Lebo,Auburn-Lebo got a repreive after last season’s 20+ wins and NIT appearance.True,Lebo hasn’t had much to work with,but the administration upgraded the basketball facilities and they’ll want a postseason appearance of any form to justify the money spent.

Fred Hill,Rutgers-Hill is getting talent to Rutgers.Will he be around to coach it?The Big East was loaded last season so he got a pass.It won’t be as brutal this year so they’ll expect to see improvement and if Seton Hall makes a splash,the powers at Rutgers will be quick to pull the trigger on Hill.

Paul Hewitt,Georgia Tech-To me,this seems to be a bit unfair.I know,he’s only reached the NCAA’s twice after the 2004 title game appearance.Also,two wins in conference doesn’t help his cause.He’s put together two good recruiting classes so he should have a big year.Another thing,powerhouse teams like the one in Chapel Hill don’t make you look good either.They need to cut Hewitt some slack.

Todd Lickliter,Iowa-See Bzdelik above.The only thing is that previous coaches have won at Iowa.Players transferring out of Iowa City hasn’t helped him build the team he would like to have.Its tough to recruit to Iowa these days.What can they sell a recruit on,a picture of B.J. Armstrong?He’s a good coach who should be given more time to get the train rolling.

Stan Heath,South Florida-Even though its only been three years,which is too quick to cut someone loose,Heath has to be feeling the heat.Heath is known as a good recruiter,but his coaching acumen is being questioned.

Norm Roberts,St.John’s-This should be the year the Red Storm get it turned around.Roberts has had some bad luck(injuries),but the supposed New York City recruiting connection hasn’t turned into gold as some had hoped.He needs this to be an NCAA squad or he could be taking the next subway train out of Jamaica,Queens.They did have a respectable showing at Duke,so that may be a good sign.        

Screw Notre Dame!

What I say here probably won’t matter much.It might ruffle a few feathers and it might not make much sense.But screw Notre Dame.Notre Lame is more like it.

  Everyone that knows anything about college sports knows that Notre Dame joining the Big Ten makes perfect sense.Geographically,academically,and also from a sports standpoint.Especially football.They already play conference teams such as Purdue,Michigan,Michigan State and throw in a various fourth team.It just doesn’t make sense to Notre Dame.Notre Dame athletic director,Jack Swarbrick,says that the Fighting Irish will remain an independent.Sure Jack,take all your NBC money and stay in your corner.In my opinion that’s what it all comes down to is money.They have no confernce tie-in,and when bowl season rolls around,they  don’t have to share any revenue amongst 11 other parties.Sure they’re in the Big East for basketball reasons and in the CCHA for hockey.To me,that seems transparent,because if they werent affiliated in other sports there might be some rough times in South Bend.Who remembers what Notre Dame was like in college hoops before joining the Big East.Who even knew they had a hockey program.Only a diehard would know that.They clearly think they’re better than everyone else.Why?I have no answer to that.Ask the people in Cincinnati if they echo that sentiment.Personally,I can’t stand their arrogance.True,the college sports atmosphere is better when Notre Dame’s good,but I love the fact that their football team isn’t very good right now.I hate to be biased,but there are more people than me who feel this way.I wish they would get off their high horse and join a conference.It makes no sense.There are no more high major independents in college sports outside of Army and Navy and I wish someone would pick them up.The last of the mohicans needs to join the party.If I were a school president or one of the head honchos in one of the Big Six conferences,I would not schedule Notre Dame.I know it won’t happen.But if enough did they would have to play a crappy Independent schedule.Directional schools,1-AA,and Confernce USA opponents would be on that schedule until they joined a conference.I know they have the name,but if the Big Ten expands and there is major realignment,I would hope that take splace and eventually the not so Fighting Irish would get squeezed.That hollow,undefeated record wouldn’t mean jack to the BCS.I know there are some know it alls that and Notre Dame fans have an argument that would blow me out of the water,I would hope that happens to the high and mighty Notre Dame.They have the name,they just don’t have the game.Irish honks can’t fight that one.       

Chris Dudley.Governer?

One of the worse foul shooters in NBA history,Chris Dudley,is running for governor in the state of Oregon.I don’t really consider it a surprise since Dudley is a graduate of Yale.Dudley played 16 years in the NBA,which included two stints with the Portland Trail Blazers as well as the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets.Dudley also at one point in his career had the distinction of being the worse foul shooter in the NBA.Good luck Chris on the run for office.

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