Poking fun at the 2006 Winter Olympics is as easy as shooting wingless, mutated Quail on a Texas ranch.  (Well, maybe that isn't so easy after all, but that's for another time.)  Team USA had its disappointments, NBC's coverage had its shortcomings, and the games sometimes did lack a high level of drama.

So today, in papers across the country, you will find countless articles on Bode's essential no-show and all the other problems with the games of the XX Olympiad.  Ranting and raving sells papers and people want to read about the failures of loud-mouthed athletes more than the successes of unknowns.  But in the typical style of today's media, those Olympic haters choose to ignore what good came out of Torino.

Among the opinions I found today in papers from New York to Chicago to LA were those which expressed boredom.  I can understand this- to be honest I could not have cared less about the games before they started.  Sports only interest me when I know the people who are playing them, which makes it much easier to develop a rooting interest.  In the Olympics there is always the default setting of rooting for American athletes but that blind support is not enough when the sports themselves do not interest me.

After paying mild attention to the first week I found myself following closer in the second.  The names had become recognizable and I started to actually develop a rooting interest for the people.  I was watching more of the primetime coverage despite often knowing the results beforehand.  And by mid-week I was to the point where I actually wanted to hear Olympic news on Sports Center.  So any writer who tells you that he or she is glad these games are over probably never put in the effort to enjoy them.

Another popular complaint about these games was NBC's sometimes melodramatic coverage (at times I couldn't tell if I was watching sports or Extreme Makeover: Home Edition).  NBC deserves some blame for that because it was under their control.  But the games taking place half-way across the world was not under their control and that is why the criticism of the coverage at times baffled me.  How exactly did critics want the games to be broadcasted?  Live, during the day?  Do they think that would have gotten better ratings?  The goal is not to cater to sportswriters who have the luxury of watching afternoon coverage.  And I'm not sure NBC had any other choice than to run tape-delayed coverage when the games were happening six hours before US primetime. 

Not all of the criticism was illegitimate, however.  We were given a set of pre-packaged stars and were told that these were "their" games.  NBC knew full well the declining popularity of the Olympics and they did their best to pound certain names into our heads; names like Bode Miller and Sasha Cohen.  And then when those athletes failed, everyone with a deadline wanted to call Team USA a bust.

There is little question that Bode Miller was an all-time Olympic disappointment.  A World Champion with his own Nike marketing campaign, Miller was expected to see the podium numerous times.  He barely saw the finish line.  Miller did not finish three of the five events he participated in and a fifth place finish in the downhill was his best.  But Miller will tell anyone who will listen that medals are not the measurement of success and that he is happy with the way he performed. 

Speaking yesterday after he scored a DNF in his final race, Miller commented, "I just did it my way. I'm not a martyr, and I'm not a do-gooder. I just want to go out and rock. And man, I rocked here."  He continued, "The expectations were other people's.  I'm comfortable with what I've accomplished, including at the Olympics. I came in here to race as hard as I could. That was my obligation to myself."

Well Bode, I'm not sure Nike and the other sponsors who sunk millions of dollars into promoting you have the same opinion.  Nor do US skiing fans who were counting on you to deliver at these games.  But we're all so happy that you had such a good time getting drunk for two weeks.  We're all so proud of that.    

It was not all negative for Team USA, however.  For every Bode Miller there was a Ted Ligety, who took gold in the Men's Combined.  For every Daron Rahlves there was a Julia Manasco, tiara and all, taking gold in the Women's Giant Slalom.  For every Sasha Cohen or Johnny Weir, there was a Joey Cheek or Apollo Anton Ono.  And Lindsey Kildow showed everyone in Torino true grit when she returned to race after a horrific fall in her practice run.

But for all of the hype that the US Ski Team received, it was Speedskating that dominated the Winter Olympics for the US.  Despite falling in his opening race, Apollo Anton Ono took home a bronze in the 1000 M and surprised everyone by defeating the South Korean favorite and winning gold in his most difficult distance, the 500 M. 

There was no shortage of drama and excitement on the big track.  Shani Davis and Chad Hedrick's soap-opera like feud, while at times embarrassing, did spark interest.  And the two delivered on the track with Hedrick taking home three medals and Davis two, including becoming the first African-American athlete to win individual gold at the Winter Games.  Take that, Bryant Gumbel. 

And let's not forget Joey Cheek, who took gold in the 500 and finished behind Davis for silver in the 1000.  Oh, and he also donated his $40,000 worth of bonus money to the children of the war torn Darfur region of Sudan.  Here is a guy we should be celebrating, not overlooking.

Even more successful than the Men's Speedskating team were both Men's and Women's Snowboarding.  And for all of you who claim that snowboarding does not deserve to be in the Olympics because it is not a "real" sport, I have only this to say: shut up.  Is it any less of a sport than figure skating, where the silver medal in the Pairs went to a team who fell and then spent over ten minutes, off the ice, regrouping?  Or in the Women's where the silver medal winner seemed to spend more time on her backside than on her skates?  Just because snowboarding is a new addition does not take away from its excitement or legitimacy.

So let's acknowledge the six US stars that swarmed the podium in those snazzy pinstriped uniforms and brought us a stock of early medals when Bode and Johnny Weir were barely able to breath and our hockey teams could barely score a goal.  As expected, the halfpipe was completely dominated by Americans.  Shaun White and (Belmont, VT native) Hannah Teter cruised to golds, while teammates Danny Kass and Gretchen Bleiler took silver.  In the Boarder Cross, Seth Wescott took the top spot while Lindsey Jacobellis took home silver, though her failed attempt at a trick cost her certain gold. 

Even with the ill-timed fall, I refuse to consider Jacobellis a disappointment.  She hammed it up and lost the gold because of it.  But she still got silver.  The other "disappointments" of these games won nothing.  I do believe that there is a time and place for tricks and the cusp of an Olympic gold is not one of them  But Jacobellis is only 20 years old and is so far ahead of the field in Boarder Cross that I will guarantee she wins gold four years from now in Vancouver.

The fact remains that these Olympics were not as boring and disappointing as many in the media will make them out to be.  On the whole, Team USA did not fare as well as we may have hoped but that does not mean we were without some triumphs.  The US was second in total medals with 25 and tied for second in golds with 9.  That is not a failure. 

It was only a failure to those who weren't paying real attention or to those who never cared about the games in the first place.  It was only a failure to those who feel the need to dwell on the negative instead of the positive.  In other words, it was only a failure to American sportswriters. 

I will not let them define the terms of success in Torino.  And you shouldn't either.

If you were to tell me a month ago that Steve Francis would be a New York Knick before the end of February, I would have laughed you out of the room.  I would have said not even Isiah Thomas, the worst General Manager in the world of sports, is stupid enough to make that deal.  And if you then told me that in the process the Knicks would increase payroll, I would have asked you to say hello to McMurphy and Chief when you returned to the nuthouse.

But here we are.  Just when you thought Isiah could not sink this ship any deeper, he makes what has to be one of the top five most baffling trades in sports history.  Just when you thought the Knicks could not be more of a joke, they bring in Stevie Franchise.  Franchise killer, that is.

So enter into Madison Square Garden another selfish, surly, shoot-first combo guard to team up with the current resident, Stephon Marbury.  These guys should get along just a little better than Chad Hedrick and Shani Davis.  A friend (who happens to root for this disaster of a team) of mine said to me today, "I can't wait for the first time they have to take the ball out after the other team scores.  These two will be standing there each with their hands up ready to catch the inbound and will then turn to each other and try to tear the other's heart out."  That's if Larry Brown doesn't do it first. 

In the two years since Isiah was brought to New York by Knicks' owner, James Dolan, arguably the most clueless owner in all of sports, Thomas has made the following moves: traded for Stephon Marbury and his bloated contract, Penny Hardaway and his monstrosity of a contract, Jalen Rose, Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry and his questionable heart (and I don't mean desire, I mean the vital organ that keeps us alive) and Quentin Richardson and his bad back. He's traded away an unprotected (and possible #1 overall at this rate) first round pick, hard-working Kurt Thomas, Nazr Mohammed, & Antonio Davis, among others.  Oh, and he gave Jerome James $30 million.  Yes, the same Jerome James you've never heard of.

So now the Knicks' payroll is $125 million and they are due to pay about $60 million in luxury taxes.  Could that phrase be any more of an oxymoron in this case?  The only luxury the Knicks have is knowing that on April 19 this train wreck of a season will be over.  They are 15-38 and are legitimate contenders for the worst record in the league.  And Isiah Thomas had the gall to stand in front of reporters yesterday and say "I would say that right now we're pretty satisfied with where we are."  Satisfied with what, breathing?  Actually being alive?  I am absolutely dumbfounded as to what anyone in the Knicks organization could be satisfied with at this point in time.

But we really never should've expected Isiah to be any good at this anyway; he hasn't been good at much since he retired.  And when he tries to beat into anyone's head that will listen that this debauchery is co-owned by Larry Brown, its just an attempt to tie himself to the one person in the organization the fans want and know will eventually turn things around.  Make no mistake about it; the current state of the Knicks is the accomplishment of GM Isiah Thomas and his oblivious owner James Dolan.  Call them the NBAs version of Bush and Cheney.  And just like the jackasses at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, what's happening at Madison Square Garden will not be fixed until those two are gone.  But it appears that is not going to happen anytime soon.

For now we just get to look at the Knicks and Isiah Thomas and laugh, laugh, laugh.  Because despite the abundance of stand up comedy in New York City, the Knicks are clearly the biggest joke in town.  And in all of sports.

Even if you look really hard its almost impossible to find the Indiana Hoosiers missing game.  It was there in December and for most of January but over the last three weeks the Hoosiers' game has gone into hiding.  With it has gone Indiana's chance at a Big Ten regular season title.  And since they certainly are not playing any basketball in Bloomington, right now blame is the only game in town.

Let me first say that as an Indiana fan I like Coach Mike Davis as a man and wanted him to succeed.  Sure I was angry that a pocket protector wearing, pseudo-academic like Miles Brand fired Bobby Knight, but that was not Davis' fault.  (I would like to mention that after leaving Indiana, Brand became chairman of the NCAA- the most clueless, backwards, hypocritical sports organization in the world.  Nice fit.)  He was given the job and the entire Indiana family was forced to move forward into a new era.

That era started out well as Davis took the Hoosiers to the 2002 NCAA finals in his second year, losing to a superior Maryland team in the championship game.  But it was all downhill from there.  After a second round exit in 2003, Davis' Hoosiers have failed to make the NCAA tournament since, which, in Indiana, is simply unacceptable. 

But 2005 was going to be different; senior forward Marco Killingsworth, a stud transfer from Auburn, was again eligible after sitting out the required year for transfers.  He would be joined in the frontcourt by center DJ White, last year's Big Ten freshman of the year.   White broke his foot in November but the team played well without him, fighting their way into the Top 25 by the start of conference play. 

White joined the team in early January and the much anticipated combo seemed to be working well.  With two legitimate scoring threats down low, defenses were not able to double team either of the big men and at the same time were forced to honor their scoring ability on the block.  This gave Indiana guards open look after open look and for the first half of the season the Hoosiers were shooting an astounding 45% from three point land.   

But against Ohio State on January 7, White came down awkward after going for a rebound and fell to the ground.  A Buckeye player then stepped on his foot- the same one which he had broken in November.  Though not known at the time, DJ White's season was over.  Indiana won two of their next three without him but then, as if stolen right from Assembly Hall, the Hoosiers lost their game.  What was a 12-3 overall record, including a first place 4-1 in the Big Ten, is now 13-8 and 5-5, good for only seventh in the conference.

And now Coach Davis is angry at the growing tide of negativity on campus, blaming it for the team's lack of focus and success over the past three weeks.  I will agree it is a tough position for players to have to listen to their fellow students ravenously attack their coach.  And I think the people who wore black shirts to Saturday's home loss to Iowa in protest of Davis are morons.  But I also think that Mike Davis has been given the benefit of the doubt and after this season it is time to go in another direction. 

I will not speculate on the possibility of Indiana hiring current Iowa coach and former Hoosier great Steve Alford, though I do pray for it every night.  But Davis has to go at season's end.  Unfortunately for me I have watched eight of IUs last nine games and though there are no schools knocking on my door to fill their coaching vacancies, I fancy myself a pretty knowledgeable hoops fan.  And I can tell you that Indiana's lack of success over this span, while not solely Davis' fault, is largely a result of poor coaching.

After White went down and Killingsworth had a lot of early success, teams have figured out that he has a difficult time deciding what to do when double-teamed on the low block.  It seems that when he should go strong he reverses the ball and when he should reverse the ball he goes wildly to the hoop.  It's the cause of his lower point production, and increased fatigue late in games.  This is a coaching issue.

Indiana has no offensive imagination whatsoever.  If Killingsworth is taken out of a game the Hoosier offense resembles a pre-game shoot-a-round.  Three pointers are forced early in the possession, guards drive recklessly to the center of the defense, or the ball is turned over.  It is very frustrating to watch.  Again, this is a coaching issue.

The defensive intensity that was the catalyst for so much offense early in the year has vanished.  Teams are eating Indiana up with basic, high-school level offenses.  Simple ball reversal and high-low strategy are dissecting the Hoosiers like a frog in a ninth grade Biology class.  This is another coaching issue.

And of course there is every fan's favorite- turnovers and general sloppy play.  Of course not all turnovers can be avoided but the ones which Indiana has been committing on a regular basis can.  They are not turnovers of hustle; rather they are turnovers of laziness.  This, once again, is a coaching issue.

Davis has also failed to bring the top high school player in Indiana to Bloomington the past two years, including this year's high school player of the year, Greg Oden.  Oden and his teammate Mike Conley, Jr., who will be runner up for Mr. Basketball, will be attending rival Ohio State later this year.  Okay, so what about the third best high schooler in Indiana?  He's headed to Champagne to play for Bruce Weber and the Fighting Ilini. 

It really does hurt me to have to rip a good man like Mike Davis.  But I have not heard him once take responsibility for this slide that has the once top-ten bound Hoosiers headed to the NIT, otherwise known as the "Not in Tournament."  And negativity has nothing to do with sloppy play, lack of intensity, and lack of offensive imagination.  And it certainly has nothing to do with losing the state's top recruits to conference rivals.

Most say this was a marriage that was bound to end in divorce; that Mike Davis never stood a chance as successor to the Indiana giant, Bobby Knight.  Most say that IU fans will not be happy until they have "one of their own," whether its Bobby's son Pat or the afore-mentioned Alford, leading the team onto the floor at Assembly Hall.  Maybe that is true and maybe it is not.  But one thing is certain- the current formula is not working and as hard as it may be to admit, Mike Davis is a big reason why.

Oh yeah, there was a football game last Sunday.  I suppose that considering it was the Super Bowl I should mention something about the game.  Well here is my quick and dirty analysis: the Seahawks sucked, the Steelers sucked a little bit less, and the referees sucked the worst.

Contrary to popular opinion, however, the referees did not give the Steelers the game.  They were able to make a couple big plays when they had the chance and the Seahawks were not.  The Seahawks were hosed but they had their chances nonetheless.

I have two suggestions for the NFL: get some new officials (I know some in Berkshire County who would love the chance!) and drop the two week break in between the conference championships and the Super Bowl.  Could you not see how rusty these teams were?  One week is enough to glean every drop of advertising and to listen to the same insufferable stories over and over again.

That all being said, congrats to Bill Cowher and Jerome Bettis on their first titles.  Bettis's storybook ending is one of the all-time best and Cowher deserves the win that will forver put him on the upper echelon of NFL coaches.  And also to Steelers owner Dan Rooney, one of the truly great men in American sports.  In the year when we lost Wellington Mara, it seems fitting that Rooney is a champion again.

Just when they thought they were out, the NHL is pulled back in.  In the midst of a very successful season in which it returned from a devastating, season-long lockout, the NHL took another huge hit Tuesday with the announcement that the New Jersey State Police have uncovered a massive gambling ring involving current and former players and coaches.

The focus of the investigation is former NHL star and current Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach, Rick Tocchet.  "Operation Slapshot" as the NJ State Police have cleverly dubbed the sting, alleges that from December 29, 2005 to February 6, 2006, Tocchet and a New Jersey State Trooper paired to take over $1 million in illegal bets, none of which, however, were on NHL games.  Reports state that Tocchet took over 590 bets in that span and also helped cover some of the losses.

It would be bad enough for the league and Commissioner Gary Bettman if it was Tocchet, who scored over 400 career goals and was a fan favorite in each city he played, alone who was accused in the operation.  What makes it even worse is that the Great One himself, Wayne Gretzky is also a part of the investigation via his wife, Janet Jones, who allegedly placed numerous bets with Tocchet. 

Gretzky's involvement is not certain at this point; he has not been accused of placing bets.  But after denying any knowledge of the situation when news broke Tuesday, NJSP officials today revealed that they are in possession of wiretaps that caught Gretzky discussing the gambling ring.  Again, NJSP pointed out that what Gretzky said on the taps was in reference to his wife's involvement and not his own.  Nevertheless, guilt by association is a phrase Wayne is getting to know all too well today.

Even more troubling is the mention of Tocchet and this gambling ring having possible ties to organized crime.  The details are sketchy at this point, but you would have to be a pretty naïve person not to know that the mob loves sports gambling.  And apparently during his time with the Philadelphia Flyers, Tocchet made some "questionable" friends in the Philly underworld.  On the surface that is fine- he was a celebrity and just because the mob runs in illegal activities does not mean they are not allowed to have friends.  But anytime you put an active coach, gambling, and organized crime in the same equation there is going to be Trouble.  Yes, with a capital "T."

This is bad, bad news for the NHL.  Just when they had gotten fans back to the arenas with new rules and a more fluid, higher-scoring game, they now have to deal with a gambling scandal.  Let's be clear- most Americans have no problem with gambling.  The Super Bowl just broke its own record for the fifth consecutive year for gross money bet.  I know many people who bet the NFL and college football regularly; I may even give my money away occasionally.  But in this case it is not what was done that is the issue, but rather who did it.

Rick Tocchet has to know better as a coach in a professional sports league.  Sure there were no bets placed on NHL games.  But is it not possible that during his decade and a half in the NHL Tocchet made some friends in the NFL or NBA?  Friends who would have the capability to pass inside information to those on the outside placing bets?  Is it not possible that these friends could be betting on their own sports via this ring?  There is no evidence of this, nor has there been an allegation.  But its possible.  And that is the risk you run when you partake in this kind of activity.

And who is to say that betting on NHL games would not happen in the future?  What is to say one of the alleged players involved gets too deep in the hole and is approached by mobsters who offer him a chance to cut his debt by throwing a game?  Its certainly conceivable and it would be irresponsible to ignore the possibility.  That is exactly why Commissioner Bettman has begun an internal investigation in addition to the criminal investigation in place by the NJSP.

This story is just getting started and it looks like it has legs as long as Maria Sharapova's.  I am by all accounts a casual hockey fan, but I do love Wayne Gretzky.  My eyes filled with tears on that April day back in 1999 when he took his last skate around Madison Square Garden.  I can only hope that what he said is true, that he was not involved.  I can only hope that he will still be coaching the Coyotes at the end of this season.  And I can only hope, for the sake of the NHL and its fans, that this entire incident is contained to the people and the volume already disclosed.

But I wouldn't bet on it. 

After two dreadfully boring weeks of waiting, finally Super Bowl weekend is here.  And I'm back to make what is sure to be the incorrect prediction as to who is going to win the game. 

To be honest I cannot remember a Super Bowl in which I have had this much difficulty deciding who I think is going to win.  The Steelers are on a historic run in these playoffs, knocking off the top three seeds on the road.  But the Seahawks, despite being relatively ignored by media and fans alike, are worthy of this championship game and if they run on all cylinders like they did against Carolina two weeks ago, they will be very difficult to stop.  Almost as difficult as Joey Porter's big, fat mouth.

Of course there is the Jerome Bettis factor- the Steelers will be sure to lay absolutely everything on the line in The Bus' last game.  But the Seahawks are playing for a fan base that adores them as much as they hunger for their first professional sports championship since 1979. 

The Steelers have ridden the arm of second-year QB Ben Roethliesberger and the fury of their blitz-heavy defense to Detroit.  They must continue to do so against Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck who has taken his game to new heights in the second half of the season.  But the Steelers also must worry about NFL MVP Shaun Alexander, who ran through a very good Carolina defense for over 130 yards. 

I think Defensive Coordinator Dick Labeau will have a scheme ready that will enable Pittsburgh to confuse the Seattle offense enough at the start of the game to grab an early lead, which has been their MO in the last two games.  It will be up to John Marshall's defense to not let the Seahawks fall too far behind.

The defensive unit has not been Seattle's strength this year but they have been playing well as of late.  They succeeded in shutting down Panthers' star WR Steve Smith where all others had failed and they seem to be playing with the confidence of a champion.  Their laid back style of relying on the zone without many blitzes contrasts with Pittsburgh's but it could give Roethlisberger more trouble than Indianapolis and Denver did, as they crammed the box to take away the run.

On offense, Seattle will have to rely on that dominating offensive line to handle Pittsburgh's blitz packages to give Hasselbeck time and to open running lanes for Alexander.  FB Mack Strong will play an enormous role in both pass protection and lead blocking for Alexander and if he continues his Pro Bowl form, things could be looking good for the 'Hawks. 

The bottom line is that both teams have very good coaches calling the offensive and defensive plays and this game really should be close.  If Seattle brings their A-game they really should win, but its hard to bet against fate.  And I believe the Steelers have that on their side this year. 

The Bus will drive home victorious in his last game and coach Bill Cowher will finally get his well-deserved Super Bowl championship.  Prediction: Steelers 27  Seahawks 24

[Egyptian intelligence chief, Omar] Suleiman said that Hamas should: "One, stop the violence. Two, it should become doctrine with them to be committed to all the agreements signed with Israel. Three, they have to recognize Israel." If Hamas "won't commit to these conditions," he said, the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, "is not obliged to ask them to form a government."

President George W. Bush submitted a letter of appreciation to Jack Bauer and the writers of 24 for making a more unlikeable president than himself.

In a terrible blow to right-wing Web sites everywhere who jumped at a chance to blast Cindy Sheehan for wearing a factually correct T-Shirt, the United States Capitol Police Chief Terrance W. Gainer said today "The failure to adequately prepare the officers is mine." This development is in apparent response to the lopsided police response by arresting Cindy Sheehan and simply rousting the wife of a prominent US Congressman...

US Capitol Police Chief Terrance W. Gainer. Image Credit: United States Capitol Police.

In a release entitled "Accountability" Capitol Police Public information officer Sergeant Kimberly Schneider made it abundantly clear that the police at the capitol would be better prepared for such an incident in the future.

The release said "...neither Mrs. Sheehan's manner of dress or initial conduct warranted law enforcement intervention." It also explained that the booting from the Gallery of Beverly Young, wife of Republican Congressman Bill Young, US House Appropriations defense subcommittee chairman, was flatly wrong; "Neither guest should have been confronted about the expressive T-shirts."

Its been a while since my hot air has graced this page, but not all of it can be attributed to my laziness.  Not by a long shot.  The thing is the sports world has just been so incredibly boring over the last week that there really has not been anything worth mentioning. 

These days in between the conference championships and the Super Bowl are always the black days of the sports year.  The football stories are irrelevant and repetitive, the NBA and NHL excite common fans about as much as insurance excites me, and neither baseball or NASCAR have begun (I've decided to start referring to NASCAR as one of the major sports in America; maybe that will help people to realize that it is). 

But on the Tuesday before the Super Bowl, like an oasis in the desert, Media Day rescues us from the monotony.  No more stories about Jerome Bettis "coming home" to play what is likely his final NFL game.  No more nonsense about the Seahawks being disrespected.    Finally we will have some stories worth talking about.  So what is the big story out of this year's Media Day?  Nothing.  Not a damn new thing to talk about. 

Well there was one piece of news coming out of Detroit that was rather entertaining: aforementioned Detroit native Jerome Bettis was given the key to the city yesterday.  The last person to receive this honor was none other than Saddam Hussein, in 1980.  Yes, you read that correctly.  The same lunatic you hear shouting in a Baghdad courtroom on a weekly basis; the same man the President thought was so dangerous that we went to war to remove from power.  He was the last person to receive the key to the city of Detroit.  You would think after that they would have just stopped giving it out!

Since the sports news landscape is still quite barren, I will take my cues from the boys at PTI from here on in.  But I will not discuss the Knicks because there is absolutely nothing to say about them except they are 15-29 and better stay that way because I have $50 riding on them not having a better record than the Celtics. 

• Terrell Owens met with Broncos coach Mike Shanahan yesterday to have discussions about a possible role for Owens in Denver.  I know its not exactly prophecy here but enter at your own risk, Coach.  Sure you need a threat at WR, but this guy was not satisfied with Donovan McNabb throwing him the ball so there is no way in hell he is going to enjoy playing with Jake Plummer.  But someone is going to take a risk on this home wrecker so why not Denver?
• LeBron James declined the NBA request that he participate in the dunk contest at All Star Weekend.  James has been suffering from a sore knee and wants to take Saturday night off as he will be playing in the game Sunday.  Anyone who wants to get on his case about this should just let it go.  The dunk contest is antiquated and has not been any good since Dee Brown covered his eyes n 1990.  Let's drop this non-event that has clearly worn out its welcome and promote the much more enjoyable 3-point contest.  And maybe add a skills competition in a similar manner to what the NHL does.  I want to see LeBron throw it down during the game, not while he is out there by himself with no rules. 
• ABC has hired Patriots coach Bill Belichick to be a guest analyst for its pregame show Sunday.  Some may think the choice is odd considering Belichick's ultra-bland, coma-inducing style of dealing with the media.  But I'm excited to see what he can do for two reasons: it is said that when not in the role of head coach he is a very engaging, funny guy.  I would love to see this.  And second, he clearly is one of the best strategists of all time.  Enough said.
• Its just too bad that tennis is not more popular in the United States because if it were we would be talking about Roger Federer like we do Tiger Woods.  In fact the similarities are striking.  Though Federer has not won as much as Tiger up to this point, he surely is dominating his sport in the same way.  As most folks in the western hemisphere were sleeping Sunday morning, Federer won this third consecutive major tournament and seventh of his career.  Those who did watch when ESPN aired the match 18 hours after it had happened (I was watching because my Indiana Hoosiers were being humiliated by Minnesota, the second-worst team in the Big Ten, and it was making me nauseous) probably noticed that the way Federer beat Marcos Baghdatis was eerily similar to the way he defeated Andre Agassi in the US Open last September.  He lost the first set, won a very close second set, and completely and utterly dominated in the third and fourth.  This guy is so good right now that maybe his opponents should consider it a victory when they can at least win a set.  If Federer can win the French this spring he may not lose another major until 2007.
• I just hope that everyone has gotten to see the footage of two recent bullfights gone bad.  In one contest, a bull ran down a rodeo clown and sprung him a good fifteen feet into the air, over the wall, and into the stands.  And in the other, much more dramatic scene, a bull literally jumped over the wall and into the stands as panic-stricken spectators tried to get out of its way.  I can honestly say I have never, ever seen anything like it.
• President Bush will deliver the State of the Union Address tonight amidst the normal pomp and circumstance in the chamber of the House of Representatives.  But I'm long past the days where I can listen to this jackass spew his empty rhetoric.  No, instead I'll be watching my Hoosiers battle the third worst team in the Big Ten on ESPNU.  God bless America.

First he asked for a month off because he was "tired" from promoting a hip-hop album that sold about 10 copies.  Then he ran into the stands like a homicidal maniac and got suspended for 70-plus games and in the process cost the Indiana Pacers a real shot at an NBA Title.  Then he came back to the team this year only to say less than a month into the season that he wanted to be traded. 

For all of the crap that Ron Artest put the Indiana Pacers through over the last fifteen months, its safe to say the team has been pretty good to the troubled young lad.  So how did he repay them?  By sabotaging the very trade he asked for in the first place. 

Today the Pacers and Sacramento Kings were 99% done with a deal that would have sent Artest to Sacramento for Kings Forward Peja Stojakovic.  But upon learning of Artest's assertion that he wanted nothing to do with going to Sacramento, the Kings nixed the deal before it was sent to the league office for approval. 

Enough is e-freaking-nough.  There is only one thing left to do with Ron Artest- suspend him without pay for the rest of the season.  We are past the point of appeasement; it is time for Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh to put the hammer down on this cancerous malcontent.  In the interest of full disclosure, Larry Bird is one of my two all time athletic heroes (Don Mattingly being the other).  Screwing with Larry to me is like screwing with Jack Bauer, only with Larry you won't get scissors jammed into your jugular.  So yes, I take some personal offense to Artest's behavior in Indiana; especially when Larry did a cover shoot for the Sports Illustrated NBA Preview with Artest and gave an interview where he said that he had faith that "Ronnie" could bounce back and still be productive.

But for whatever reason Artest stuck a knife in the Pacers' back.  And when they got close to finally making a deal to move him he screamed that he did not want to go.  Well pal, you are not the General Manager.  You do not dictate where you play basketball.  Artest said he would report to Sacramento if the deal went through but who can blame the Maloof brothers for not wanting to trade for an unhappy Ron Artest?  He clearly has issues with mental stability so bringing him in after he says he does not want to play for you is pointless. 

So that should be it for Ron Artest in 2006.  Send his ass home for another large portion of the season.  See how he likes forfeiting about $2.8 million this year after losing out on around $5.3 last year.  See how Artest likes it when the only team willing to take him and his crap attitude next year is Atlanta. 

Well, at the very least he'll always have music. 

Here are some other worthy bits from what I thought was a rather entertaining newsday.

• A 17 year-old at a school in suburban Pittsburgh was forced to sit in the middle of the floor for a midterm last Friday because he showed up to school in a John Elway jersey.  The Steelers were playing the Broncos for the AFC Championship Sunday and the teacher thought he would teach the student a lesson about "being in the minority."  So not only did he send him to the floor, the teacher then instructed the other students to throw rolled up pieces of paper at his head while he took the test!  What the hell is wrong with this moron?  Could he not figure out how much trouble he would get in?  This looks like a good story for FOX News to sink its teeth into.  God only knows what the blowhards on that network would have to say about this.
• Vince Carter told reporters yesterday that he thinks Kobe Bryant scoring 81 points Sunday night "gives the wrong idea to kids."  This now is coming from the guy who was so unhappy playing in Toronto that he admittedly dogged it on the court in hopes to facilitate a trade out of town.  Thanks for your concern, Vince, but I think we will let someone else educate the youth on the values of team play.
• Conference USA criticized officials today for upholding a technical foul they called on Houston Coach Tom Penders after he collapsed on the sideline during a game against UAB on Saturday.  The coach was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition and had a defibrillator put in his chest in 1997.  Officials initially thought Penders was reacting to a foul called against his team but quickly realized the situation was much more serious when he did not get up.  Yet after Penders was brought to the locker room on a stretcher and given oxygen the officials did not rescind the technical!  Conference USA said the officials "exercised poor judgment in sustaining the technical foul."  You think? 
• Finally, happy trails to Mario Lemieux.  The two-time champion and Player-Owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins retired from the NHL for the second time today.  Though slowed throughout his career by injuries and Hodgkin's disease, Lemieux was arguably the second greatest player of this generation next to Wayne Gretzky.  He is a class guy, an inspiration, and the rink will be a lesser place without him.

Well its pretty clear at this point that I have no idea how to pick an NFL football game.  Yesterday's wins by Pittsburgh and Seattle have grown my losing streak to five with no end in sight at the Super Bowl.  I have no excuses for such incompetence and I apologize in advance to whoever I pick in Detroit.  But the Steelers and Seahawks will at least be spared for now as today belongs to Mr. Kobe Bryant. 

It was March 2, 1962 when Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points against New York.  Since that time no player has put up more than 73 (Wilt did it later that year and David Thompson matched it in 1978).  That is until last night when Kobe Bryant led the Lakers over the Raptors with an astounding 81 points.  Yes, you read that correctly- 81 points.

I'll admit at anytime that Kobe is certainly not one of my favorite players.  He's a megalomaniac.  He is aloof, ornery, and selfish.  And from all reports is a bad teammate.  But the guy is completely unstoppable on the basketball court.  He is a virtual scoring machine, able to put up anywhere from 40 to, well, 81 points on any given night.  Say what you will about his personality, but this guy can flat out get it done.  Had this been Michael Jordan scoring 81 points we would not stop hearing about it until the Fourth of July.  With Kobe, however, people just want to find a way to bring him down and that is too bad.  Because this type of game only happens once in a generation.

Take a look at the line from last night: 28-46 FG, 7-13 3pt, 18-20 FT.  Yes, the naysayers will say anyone can get 81 when they shoot 46 times.  Well, they're wrong.  What is even more amazing about Kobe's feat is that he does not tower over the competition like Wilt did.  He creates his shots from all over the floor and gets fouled constantly.  And let's face it, when you shoot 46 times its tiring.  Yet Bryant had 28 in the final quarter.

Critics will not only point to shot attempts and lack of assists (2) in an effort to discredit this amazing performance.  They will say that the Lakers cannot improve as a team playing this one-man style of ball.  They will say that the shots will not fall like this every night and when that happens the Lakers will lose.  All of those things could be true.  But last night Kobe brought his team from behind and single-handedly won the game.  So save the criticism for the night that the shots do not go down and give the man his credit because that was maybe the single best performance in NBA history.  We were witness to true greatness.

And speaking of a man who knows all about true greatness, I must go prepare myself mentally for the insanity and heroism that is Jack Bauer.  Have a good night, enjoy the show. 

Just one game.  Just sixty minutes of football separate four teams from their ultimate goal- a Super Bowl Championship.  I'm here to tell you who is going to Detroit.  And since a group of friends and I will be down in southeast Massachusetts trying to relive our college glories at the Beer Pong table, you get an early dose of Whojhouse's wisdom.  Or something that vaguely resembles wisdom.

After a decent performance in the wild card round I was humbled last week by road teams pulling out victories.  That will not happen again...at least in the NFC.  Last weeks disapointing 1-3 dropped my mark (3-5) below .500 for the playoffs.  With a little help from Carolina and Denver I'll be back to mediocre Sunday night.

Panthers at Seahawks:  Though I think their worst is behind them after a dreadful game against the Redskins Saturday, I cannot go against Jake Delhomme and the Panthers.  This team wins on the road in the playoffs like any team would want to at home.  They are 4-0 on the road since 2003 and I believe they will make it a perfect five for five on Sunday.  They are without RB DeShaun Foster (broken ankle) but until someone can stop WR Steve Smith I will not believe its even possible.  Seahawks RB and league MVP Shaun Alexander returns after missing three quarters of Saturday's game with a concussion, but the Panthers defense will contain.  Prediction: Panthers 27  Seahawks 17.

Steelers at Broncos: The Broncos played well enough to beat the Patriots Saturday but were not dominating.  The Steelers on the other hand did dominate the Colts Sunday.  Ben Roethlisberger looks like a battle-tested veteran behind center these days and you just know Jerome Bettis would like to walk off into the NFL sunset with the Lombardi Trophy in his hand.  But Mike Shanahan's Broncos will continue to put QB Jake Plummer in a position to succeed and he will make the plays necessary to win.  Both teams running games will be stifled by each other's solid run defense and the game will be in the hands of the Quarterbacks.  Though Big Ben will play very well, I give the nod in this one to Plummer.  Prediction: Broncos 24 Steelers 20.

Enjoy the games; I'll see you Monday.

Picture the situation: you're standing 75 feet away from your wife and as you look in her direction you see what looks to be a man harassing her.  What do you do? 

There is not a man I know who would not B-line it right into the middle of the situation to make sure his wife, and son, are okay.  That is all New York Knick Forward Antonio Davis did last night in Chicago as he saw his wife in an altercation in the stands.  It is inevitable that comparisons to last year's melee in Detroit will be drawn, but we must look at the evidence to see why it could not less similar.

First and foremost, Antonio Davis is and has always been a class act with absolutely no history of violence on or off the court.  He is the President of the NBA Player's Association and is widely respected by the league office.  He is an honorable man and that seemed to show last night when he came to his wife's defense.  Ron Artest is and always has been a loose cannon who has no sense of shame or remorse.

Secondly, the tape clearly shows that Davis was under control as he entered the stands.  As opposed to Artest, who darted into the stands with the intention to kick someone's ass, Davis calmly (as calmly as one can in this situation) walked up to the seat where his wife and son were to see what exactly was happening.  He never made a motion toward a fan, let alone swing at one.  It couldn't have been more opposite of the Artest fiasco.

Finally, we are talking about the man's family.  Artest went into the stands because someone threw a beer at him.  I would contest, as would many players and coaches in the NBA, that had someone thrown a beer at Davis he would have shrugged it off.  But he saw what he thought was his family in some sort of danger and he reacted.  It was instinctual.  And even Commissioner David Stern told ESPN analyst Greg Anthony that he would have done the same thing.

Now just because Davis was justified in his reasons does not mean he should get a free pass, and today the NBA handed down a five game suspension.  Considering Artest was suspended for the rest of last season (approximately 70 games) it appears that the NBA took all of the facts into consideration before determining the amount of games to suspend Davis.  Five games is fair because there has to be some punishment.

Its easy to look at all of the evidence provided and say that Davis does not deserve to be suspended at all.  But in this case we do have to recall how bad the "Malice at the Palace" was and the repercussions it had.  While I have said that these two instances are not alike in any way, the fact remains that the NBA has to remain diligent in keeping players out of the stands.  Though Davis' intentions were noble and not violent, all it would have taken for this to be another Detroit was one drunk moron grabbing, shoving, or throwing something on Davis, his wife, or his son. 

The question before the NBA is what can be done about this?  Stop selling beer?  Put the families of the opposing teams in a special section with increased security?  (By the way, nice job by the United Center security team last night- its good to know a guy on the court with an obstructed view saw this happening before they could)  I do not think its fair to penalize fans who want to have a couple of beers during the game when they paid $75 dollars for a ticket.  I also do not think we should have to force visiting teams' family members into a certain section.  But it may have come to that.

Two things, however, are for certain.  Antonio Davis did the right thing making sure his wife and son were not in harm's way.  And the NBA was right in taking Davis' history and service into account when deciding his punishment.  I am one of David Stern's biggest critics but he got it right this time.