Well, Ron Artest got TO out of the news.........

Bill Lyon of the Philadelphia Inquirer says it quite well:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/basketball/10249912.htm

Have things like civility and sportsmanship become outdated?

Unfortunately, it appears so.

Hopefully David Stern's dropping the hammer not only on Ron Artest, but Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal as well, will encourage their fellow NBA players to not take matters into their own hands when some idiotic drunk fans decide to cross the line from being the "6th man" to braking the law.

It's sad that people are defending Ron Artest's actions and saying that Stern overstepped his bounds with the suspension that was handed out.

It's also sad that so many fans resorted to a mob mentality at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

It's sad that Clemson head football coach Tommy Bowden said that the coverage of the Pacers-Pistons melee helped set the stage for the almost as ugly brawl between Clemson and South Carolina on Saturday.

Sports are supposed to be an escape from the real world problems that most people endure day in and day out. But now, it seems the escape has become it's own problem.

Whether it's the billionaires versus millionaires fighting over how to split $2 billion in annual revenues or it's a hockey parent yelling at a ref about a blown call, the problem shows up.

Whether it's an NBA superstar lamenting that he can't feed his family on $7 million a year or a hunter that goes nuts and puts 5 people in the grave and 3 more in the hospital.

Whether it's players crossing the line on the field like Todd Bertuzzi or the Clemson and South Carolina football teams or a little league parent that starts a fight at a game.

Sports have gotten away from what they are supposed to be about.

Having fun.

Maybe it's just me, but where is the fun in getting drunk and yelling at pro athletes and acting like a moron?

Or where is the fun in getting into fights in the stands at a football game?

Maybe I'm getting old. Or maybe I just want things to be as pure as when my 2 year old son has a huge smile on his face when he scores a goal playing floor hockey in our kitchen.

For everyone that is ticked off about TO on MNF

Since so many people are up in arms over the TO bit this week, then I think they should keep the intensity of their outrage up in the coming weeks. Every week there are morally degrading things broadcasted during MNF.

First, let's start with the glorification of the use of alcohol. I mean, was the TO bit any more offensive than the Coors Light "Twins" ads?

Next, how about the ED ads that are all over the place for medications such as Viagra and Cialis. We can't be glorifying sex for our children, right?

And how about objecting to football in general because of it's culture that glorifies violence? The last time I checked glorifying violence wasn't supposed to be a family value. At least that's what people say when they are attacking violent movies and video games, right?

And finally, how about the objectification of women on MNF? I'm sure that the chests of the Dallas Cowgirls got a lot more airtime Monday night than the TO bit did. What message are we sending to the young girls of America by allowing the objectification of women to run rampant on national TV?

So in closing, all I can ask of the people who are outraged by the TO bit on MNF this week is to "Keep the intensity. Don't lose the intensity."

Either that, or get a life.

Say it ain't so, Joe. Say it ain't so.

Is it me or is watching the Redskins lately a lot like watching the movie Groundhog Day?

Every week it's a similiar thing. The defense plays pretty good, the offense stinks, and the team more often than not will lose.

One thing did change this week. Patrick Ramsey finally got to replace Mark Brunell at QB. All it took was a 1 for 8 start with a pick and a horribly bad pass on 4th down that was low and behind Coles.

Of course, Patrick came on to complete less than 50% of his passes. He underthrew Coles on an out pattern for a pick. And came up short on a hail mary at the end that was picked off as well.

And let's not forget the sacks and the 3 or 4 picks that the Bengals dropped.

How long before the question "Has the game passed Joe Gibbs by?" gets asked for real?

How long before Redskins fans actually have to seriously consider that their Hall of Fame Head Coach might not be able to walk on water?

So far this season, I believe two things have been proven to be true:

1) Joe Gibbs is not a great personnel guy. We already knew that Vinny Cerrato wasn't the best personnel guy in the league. And Gibbs' insistance to get Mark Brunell at all costs (a 3rd round draft pick and a monster contract) was a huge mistake. And some of the other personnel moves have had less than stellar results. Although, I can't question the drafting of Sean Taylor. I did a major happy dance on draft day when they took him over Kellen Winslow Jr.

The solution: Get Scott Pioli (http://originwww.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=mgersexecsbio&bio=12539). He's the VP of Player Personnel with the Patriots and he's going to be one highly sought after FA this offseason. Hopefully Dan Snyder will break out his checkbook and make Pioli an offer he can't refuse.

2) Joe Gibbs' offense just isn't working. Some of it is the QBs that he has to work with. But, some of it is the scheme. The wireless headsets and the shorter play clock don't allow for Gibbs' signature set, motion, snap style of offense that created problems during Joe's first run as The Man in DC. Plus, defenses are a lot more complex and pressure inducing than they were the last time Joe was in the league.

The solution: Dan Snyder needs to break out his checkbook and get a high profile Assistant Head Coach - Offense that can rival what Gregg Williams is doing on the defensive side of the ball. There has to be a RB or QB coach somewhere in the league that has ideas on how to modernize the Redskins' offensive attack. Heck, how about looking to one of the Hogs and get Russ Grimm in here to be the voice of the modern game on the Redskins' offensive coaching staff?

What will King George do now?

Carlos Beltran to play centerfield?

Or how about Kevin Brown to Atlanta for Andruw Jones to replace Bernie in center?

Or will they go after Randy Johnson somehow?

Or just throw cash at the likes of Carl Pavano, Brad Radke, and of course Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe, and Jason Varitek.

Today marks the beginning of George Steinbrenner's favorite season: The hot htove baseball season. Where money is now object (to the Yankees at least) and the Yankees can make daily backpage headlines.

Like how Bernie would welcome Beltran to the Yanks and how Posada would welcome Pedro. Although who knows if Posada is even going to be back with the Yankees with the Varitek rumors running rampant.

And one thing I don't get, if the Yankees are willing to pay Kevin Brown to not be a Yankee next season, then why aren't they willing to pay Jason Giambi to be an Oakland A so they can get their hands on one of their "Big 3" pitchers?

Or maybe it's just that Billy Beane has moved away from OPS and has embraced the ever expanding world of defensive metrics and we all know that defense isn't Giambi's strong point? Although, I'm starting to wonder what Giambi's strong point is right now since he's shrunken up quicker than a grape left out in the Las Vegas sun ever since BALCO became the most famous co-op in all of sports.

All I really want are a few guys that don't mentally break down like Brown, or the guy the Yankees dumped on the Dodgers to get Brown.

And a few guys that don't choke on the big stage like pretty much every Yankee did in Games 4 through 7 against the Mini-Mevil Empire.

Although, I wouldn't shed a tear if George went insane over the loss to the Sox and decided to put Varitek, Martinez, Lowe, and Mia's pookie as the first 4 items that Cashman has to pick up at the store.

I'd love to hear the Fenway Faithful's response to that opening day lineup for the Yanks.

The Redskins win a game and the U-17 USNTDP

How an NFL team can win a game without their QB throwing for 75 yards is beyond me. But, the Redskins figured out how to win in spite of Mark Brunell on Sunday. And after the game Joe Gibbs admitted that he had little confidence in Brunell, that's why he pounded Clinton Portis all day long, and that Brunell was still the team's starting QB.

I guess Patrick Ramsey must be looking really bad in practice............

On a much brighter note, I got to check out the US-Russia game on Tuesday night at the U-17 Four Nations Cup being held in Rochester this week.

A few random thoughts:

I really like Mike Ratchuk from Buffalo. If the Sabres are serious about trying to add local talent, this is a guy that they should look at long and hard.

I can see why Rhett Rakhshani leads the team in scoring. I also liked the fact that the kid wasn't afraid to throw his weight around a little bit.

I really liked the little guys the US threw out there like Chris Atkinson.

Joe Palmer needs a new goalie coach. Badly. The kid has size and a good glove hand. But he needs to become a lot more explosive, better at scrambling after making the initial save, and he's got to develop a better feel for where the puck is.

The best line I heard all night while eavesdropping on a scout:

I want to like #14 (Russian defenseman Ivan Maximkin), but he just makes too many dumb mistakes with the puck.

Why I should be depressed

A) W got re-elected and that has sent my wife, my mother, and my mother-in-law into depressions.

B) The Redskins are struggling mightily despite the return of the almighty Joe Gibbs to the sideline.

C) The NHL looks like it will cancel the season any day now.

D) The Amerks are off to a horrible start and both Thomas Vanek and Ryan Miller look like they couldn't care less about playing because the carrot of a recall to Buffalo isn't there thanks to the NHL lockout.

But for some reason I'm not too depressed.

Maybe it's because Pat Ercoli is getting the boot from the Rhinos and brighter days are ahead for the best pro soccer franchise in the US.

Maybe it's because Barack Obama stomped and there is some hope for the future of the Democratic party.

Maybe it's because I've come across sites like this: http://anysoldier.us/index.cfm

Maybe it's because I have too much hope for this country. I believe that fear and hatred won't continue to reign supreme. Although, I found it interesting that people in the heartland said that the War on Terror played into their voting for Bush. Yet, people in NYC, Washington, DC, LA, and Boston, who are much more likely to be targets of terrorist attacks, went for John Kerry.

Maybe it's just because every day I get to go home to a beautiful wife and two cute little boys.

Maybe I should be depressed today.

But I'm not.

And that feels good.