Here are some thoughts on this weekend’s NFL games....
Will you please tell me why Cleveland offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon takes Kellen Winslow out on certain third down packages and replaces him with Joshua Cribbs?.....
Carthon may be one of the worst offensive coordinators in the league, and if Romeo Crennell does not wake up, he may find himself out a job real quick.....
Randy Moss is the most over-rated player in the NFL....this guy is living off his stats from five years ago.....
Duante Culpepper reminds me of a 40 year-old Vinny Testaverde.....
What is wrong with Tampa Bay?....
The Giants come-from-behind victory yesterday solidifies my belief that they will win the NFC....a mentally weaker team would have chucked it....but the Giants are the true embodiment of the New York City attitude....
Tiki Barber is like win, he gets better with age...
I like how Titans head coach Jeff Fisher is giving rookie quarterback Vince Young more and more playing time each game.....
It’s nice to see the Saints 2-0....
The Dallas-Washington game last night was one of the worst games to watch with all the penalties committed by each team....the Cowboys won, but they were not impressive at all....Parcells has a lot more work to do with this team....
Contenders - Ravens, Chargers, Vikings, Giants, Bears
Pretenders - Dolphins, Redskins, Eagles
The jury is still out on the Panthers because of Steve Smith nursing his hamstrings....
The Baker’s Dozen
1. Bears (2-0) - we knew they have the defense, but now it looks like they have the offense too....
2. Chargers (2-0) - SD is on a bye this coming week, then they get Pittsburgh on Monday Night....
3. Steelers (1-0) - will the Steelers be a tad rusty after such a long layoff?....
4. Bengals (2-0) - this team is hitting on all cylinders....next up - Pittsburgh.... 4a. Colts (2-0) - running game improved in week 2
5. N.Y. Giants (1-1) - the G-men showed a lot of heart....
6. Vikings (2-0) - the Vikes scummed out two close wins....now they get – Da Bears up in da dome....
7. Jaguars (1-0) - impressive comeback win last week....but they lost their defensive stud Haynesworth for the year....
8. Seahawks (2-0) - they should have this division wrapped up by Election Day....
9. Patriots (2-0) - the Pats allowed the Jets to get back into the game.....two ugly wins so far....
10. Falcons (2-0) - the A.T.L. is sitting pretty with a 2-0 mark in the division....a win next Monday over the Saints and they are 3-0 in the NFC South...
11. Saints (2-0) - sure they beat the Browns and Packers....but this team would have lost those games last year....
12. Bills (1-1) - they would be 2-0 if not for that freak safety last week against New England....
13. 49ers (1-1) - the Niners are no longer the worst team in the league.....
The Carp (Bottom Feeders)
30. Browns (0-2) - I see no progress since last year....
31. Raiders (0-2) - I think they already chucked the season....
32. Texans (0-2) - he might not have made that much difference, but at least they would have had Reggie Bush
Okay, the first week of the NFL season is almost over, but here are some of my thoughts from the games played so far....
The Baltimore Ravens, contenders or pretenders?
One game does not a season make....but darn it, they sure looked good in week one....however, I am still skeptical about the Ravens as a whole....they are one Steve McNair injury away from being an offense led by Kyle Boller once again....I would list them as semi-contenders....
Michael Vick - runner or pocket passer?
Hopefully the Atlanta coaching staff has abandoned the idea of trying to force Vick to become a pocket passer....they guy can do amazing things with his legs....let him use his strength and instincts....
What should be done with Brett Favre and Drew Bledsoe?
Bledsoe gets one more game, if that, because there are quality players on the offense....if the Cowboys are struggling next week against Washington, look for Parcells to pull the plug and insert the pizzaman, Tony Romo....
If Favre is truly a team player, he should consider stepping down as starting quarterback....but don’t look for that to happen.....therefore, the general manager and head coach need to tell Favre that 2nd year man Aaron Rodgers is going to start getting playing time....the Packers may be the worst team in the league and they need to know if Rodgers is the quarterback of their future....if not, they may have to draft A.J. Hawk’s brother-in-law – Brady Quinn
Joseph Addai or Dominic Rhodes?
The Colts running game looked pathetic last night....neither back could generate a running game on a consistent basis....Dungy needs to make a decision and play only one of these backs....a running back by committee is as effective as a closer by committee in baseball....
The greatest kicker on turf?
Yeh, yeh, the Rams beat Denver....and the defense looked mighty good....but come on, if I was Scott Lineham, I would be concerned that my offense could not muster a touchdown and had to win on six field goals....this was a rose colored victory...
Cleveland Browns?
What more can be said about this team....they had the Saints coming into their house in week 1....these are games that Cleveland needs to win in order to build confidence....instead they looked like their usual inept selves.....if Romeo cannot get this fixed in the next year or two, where art thou Jim Tressel?......maybe the sweatervested one can work some miracles by the lake....
Reggie Bush - impressive or not
Bush had a nice game....he totaled over 100 all-purpose yards....he won't win Player of the Week, but he got a good taste of life in the NFL
Manning Bowl
The Colts were fortunate to win this game....the Giants should have intercepted Peyton at least 3 more times which would have made a difference....the Colts run defense looked horrible....in the end, Peyton and Eli could both hold their heads high after a gutsy effort.... A lone starHouston plays in the Lone Star state and their only star may be rookie linebacker Demeco Ryans....this offense is horrible as they cannot and will not be able to generate a running game all season with Wali Lundy and Vernand Morency in the backfield....they could have had Reggie
Some members of the media are calling it “The September Super Bowl”.....yep, Texas vs. THE Ohio State University....before we get to that game, there are a few others to ponder first....Arizona at LSU - (LSU - 15.5).....I like the Tigers a lot this season....they have all the parts that are needed to win the title....but also, one of my sleeper teams of the year is Arizona....I still say that if Mike Stoops has a solid year, he will be in line for the next head coaching job at either Miami or Michigan.....the Tigers will win, but it will be closer than you think - LSU 28-20Minnesota at Cal - (Cal - 8.5).....Lee Corso predicted that Cal would make it to the national title game....he was a tad off....Cal was totally dismantled by the Vols.....it won’t happen this week - Cal 34-16Penn State at Notre Dame - (ND - 8.5)....the last time JoePa visited South Bend it was the classic Snow Bowl game....Jerome Bettis was still wearing the Blue and Gold....it is true the Irish did not play well last week....but people overlook that their defense was more aggressive....and they did manage to win in a hostile environment....it will be close for most of the game, but in the end Notre Dame wins and covers - Notre Dame 27-17THE Ohio State at Texas - (Texas - 2.5)......Ohio State’s defense gave up only 13 points to NIU last week, but there are concerns in C-bus after Garrett Wolfe cut them up for over 260 all-purpose yards....I said it at the beginning of the year and I stand by it – the OSU defense is not that good yet....they lost 9 studs from last year....that is the difference - Texas 31-20Digger's Pick of the Week - Cal minus the points over MinnesotaDigger's Dog of the Week - Penn State with the points
This season I would like to make weekly predictions on the top college and NFL games along with my dad’s picks of the week, to be known as Digger’s Corner, and his Digger’s Dog of the Week....here we go with week 1 of college....
Vanderbilt @ Michigan - (Michigan - 25.5)......the Blue needs to make a statement in this game both offensively and defensively....the Commodores are young and have a new qb now that Jay Cutler is in the NFL....Michigan has to prove it to me first before I think they will cover the spread - Michigan 36-17
N. Illinois @ Ohio State - (Ohio State -17).....if the Buckeyes are supposed to be the number 1 team in the land, playing at home against a MAC team, then why are they only favored by 17???....Garrett Wolfe and the Huskies finished with the 14th best offense in the country last year....and the Buckeyes have lost 9 on defense - Ohio State 33-20
Rutgers @ N. Carolina - (UNC - 5)....I like Rutgers and their coach Greg Schiano....the Tar Heels may need some help from Roy Williams bunch....upset alert - Rutgers 23-20
Notre Dame @ Ga. Tech - (ND - 6.5)......the Irish are back....but are they?.....they have to prove they can stop a team as their defense was like a sieve last season.....Tech has held 13 of their last 19 opponents to under 20 points.....Irish win - but close - Notre Dame 26-20
Southern Cal @ Arkansas - (USC - 7.5).....the Trojans rolled the Hogs last season at the Coliseum 70-17....the key to this game is if Hog rb Darren McFadden plays....if he suits up, which I believe he will, the Trojans may have a problem - USC 31-27
Game of the Week
Cal @ Tennessee - (Tenn - 1.5).....this is quietly one of the best games of the year....Cal is supposed to be loaded with Heisman hopeful Marshawn Lynch leading the ground attack....but the Vols need something big to build off of after last season’s debacle....Cal is the better team, but Rocky Top celebrates - Tennessee 28-23
Digger’s Corner
Top Play - Michigan minus the points - the Wolverines want to make a statement and will roll this SEC team
Digger’s Dog of the Week
Northern Illinois with the points - this team is not coming into Columbus to just pick up a check....they want the check and the victory....
One song you will not be hearing at any NFL games this year is Gary Glitter’s "Rock and Roll Part 2".....the NFL has banned the song from being played at NFL games after Glitter was convicted of molesting underage girls in Vietnam....
My favorite song for NFL games is Zombie Nation.....
Will people back off the Boulder, Colorado district attorney already....the D.A. is getting grilled because of how she handled John Mark Karr....critics are complaining about the money it cost to extradite Karr back to Colorado and for the DNA testing....what was the D.A. to do?.....the man came right out and said he killed JonBenet.... if she didn’t pursue the case, she would have been grilled for that....
All I know, Karr is a creep who should be in prison....
Did you see the city of Cleveland is rated the poorest big city in the country with a poverty rate of 32.4%....
Say what you want, but I love Paris Hilton.....
Is it just me or is anyone else ticked that Pluto got booted from the solar system as a "major" planet.....when I had to learn the planets back in grade school, Pluto always fascinated me....it was this tiny unknown planet with a cool name.....why don’t these egghead astronomers pick on someone their own size instead of flexing their brain muscles on Pluto....
Grapefruit or orange juice?......
Tuesday is Katie Couric’s big debut on the CBS Evening News....I heard on the radio that Walter Cronkite is going to make an appearance to introduce the new "queen".....
Whatever happened to Roger Mudd?.....
Most white people won’t admit it, but race did play a role in the debacle last year after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans....I remember having a sick feeling in my stomach while watching the evening news of all those poor stranded black people.....that i
s not what America should be about....
By the way, do black people want to be called "black" or "African-American".....I get confused......sometimes it’s difficult being a white man....
Why is black-on-black crime such a problem?......
I don’t care what you say, in her prime, Elizabeth Taylor was absolutely stunning....
A simple black dress and white pearls will make any woman look incredible....
People who don’t have a dog are missing out.....
It’s been a while, but I’m back for like the 7th time.....The main dish is football, football, football with a side of baseball and tennis....
Will someone explain to me how Ohio State could be number 1 after losing 9, yes NINE, defensive starters last year....and these were not just your run-of-the-mill players....they lost Hawk, Carpenter, and Whitner – all first round draft picks....I don’t care how good your offense is, you win with defense....Which brings us to Notre Dame....until the Irish defense proves it can stop a quality team, I don’t see them as the 2nd best team in the nation.....they can take a big step to proving they are worthy on defense if they can shut down Georgia Tech all-world receiver Calvin Johnson.... Big game down in Rocky Top this weekend as the highly ranked Cal Golden Bears visit Tennessee.....this is a must win game for Vol head coach Phil Fulmer.....an 0-1 start could be the beginning of the end for Hambone Phil....Whatever happened to Tee Martin?......Another biggie this weekend takes place on Monday night.....Larry Coker’s Miami Hurricanes cannot afford to start off with a loss to Florida State for the second straight year....Coker has underachieved with the talent that he has had at “The U”.....Southern Cal will be going into a hostile area when they head down to Pig Soooey Country to take on Arkansas....the Hogs are expected to be without All-SEC tailback Darren McFadden....if McFadden is able to play, the Trojans, who will be without Matt, Reggie, and Lendale, may have to be on upset 
alert....The receiving corps in college football goes deep this year with quality....the top three receivers are Jeff Samardzija, Notre Dame, Calvin Johnson, Ga. Tech and the best of the bunch, Dwayne Jarrett, Southern Cal.....but don’t forget about Sidney Rice, South Carolina, Billy Pittman and Limas Sweed Texas, Teddy Ginn, Ohio State, and Derrick Williams, Penn State....Carson Palmer looked solid last night versus Green Bay.....I still think Brett Favre should have retired.....sure he is going to have good games, but it will not be on a consistent basis like he was able to do in his prime....The Boston Red Sox took a serious blow to their playoff chances when it was revealed that David Ortiz aka Big Papi is out indefinitely with an irregular heart beat....I would love to see the Oakland A’s, Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers make the playoffs.....it would be good for baseball and provide hope to the so-called “small market” teams who complain about the New York Yankees......think about it, who would have thought the Red and Tigers would make the playoffs this year?.....Believe it or not, but the Florida Marlins.....yeh, those Florida Marlins, the ones who gutted the team during the off-season are only 2 games out in the National League wildcard race....The best off-season move the Cleveland Indians could make is to fire manager Eric Wedge....his mishandling of Fausto Carmona is only more proof that he is not qualified to be a manager in the majors.....there are only 30 managing positions in the majors and you mean he is one of the 30 best men for one of those jobs?......Here is an interesting idea....if wunderkid Jeremy Sowers is all that he is being hyped about, then do the Indians consider trading Chi Chi Sabathia next year for more proven offensive veterans?.....just an idea....Was watching a bit of the Emmy Red Carpet preview on Sunday....I don’t know who she is, but Nancy O’Dell looked good in that red gown.....It would be nice for Andre Agassi to go out by winning the U.S. Open.....but not as long as a guy named Federer is there....
Times have changed.....international competition does not mean as much to American athletes as it does to the rest of the world.....and this year’s World Cup is more proof to support that claim....
Professional soccer players like Beckham, Ronaldo and others have put aside their professional career just to play for their country in the World Cup.....from what I read, it wasn’t even a hard decision for these men....that cannot be said about the U.S.....the NBA has to lobby and cajole its NBA stars to represent the U.S. in the World Championships and Olympics.....
The thrill on winning an international competition is meaningless for American professional athletes.....there is no longer that Cold War bear of the Soviet Union lurking across the way.....and the pros are more concerned about getting injured than winning for their country....
Times do change.....
By the way, why isn’t Freddy Adu on the U.S. team in the World Cup?.....I thought that he became an American citizen so he can play on the U.S. World Cup team?.....
Take Edmonton tonight in game six of the Stanley Cup Finals....
I’m sorry North Carolina, but winning the Stanley Cup means a lot more to Edmonton that it does Charlotte.....
For breakfast – bacon or sausage?.....
College sports is better than pro sports....the excitement that I watched last weekend during the Super Regionals of the NCAA College Baseball World Series cannot be found on the professional level.....these kids flat out care about winning and representing their university.... 
By the way, take Rice in the College World Series....
Whatever happened to Brooks Kieschnick?....
Get ready for game seven in the NBA Finals.....
Okay Cleveland fans, lets be objective and honest....who would you pick if you had your choice - Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, or Dwayne Wade?.....
Is it just me or is the clocking ticking on Eric Wedge’s days as manager of the Tribe?.....
The month of June has been a nightmare for Alex Rodriguez.....Arod is struggling at the plate and also in the field.....the Yankees deserve a bit more from Arod for $25 million they are dishing out...
Just received my authentic Mariano Rivera Yankees pinstripe jersey this week....
Sweet Baby Ray’s is some good barbeque sauce in a jar....
Almost all the football preview magazines are on the newsstand.....can’t wait for football season.....
It would be nice if Ben Roethlisberger would do a national public service announcement stressing the importance of wearing your helmet when riding your motorcycle....
Even though Katie Couric will be heading up the CBS Evening News come this September, I’m still a Brian Williams fan.....
It’s Saturday at a major and no Tiger......hopefully he spends a peaceful Father’s Day.....
Okay, as most of you know, I am not a big fan of the Cleveland Indians...I usually write about things that 90 percent of the Indians fans don’t want to hear, but know are true.....anyway, today I am going to write about the five things I like about the Cleveland Indians.....in a following blog, I will write about the five things I hate about the Tribe.....well, here it goes....
5. Sizemore and Hafner
Of the current Indians players, I believe that Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner are 2 legitimate studs.....a few weeks ago I was surprised to find out that Hafner is already 29-years old....he is a solid number three or four hitter....Sizemore reminds me a bit of Carlos Beltran – a guy who can do a little of everything.....
4. When Rocco Scotti would sing the national anthem
What ever happened to Rocco Scotti????.....at old Municipal Stadium, he would always sing the national anthem on opening day, the Fourth, or when the Yankees came to town...I question if Scotti ever performed the national anthem at Jacobs Field.....Scotti had a great voice....please leave a comment whoever knows what happened to Scotti.....hopefully the guy is not dead....
3. The 1970s players
Growing up I remember the names of Kuiper, Gamble, Bell, Spikes, Dilone, Garland, Manning, Perry, Monge, etc.....even though the team sucked, for some reason I always liked those players.....remember when the Tribe used to wear all read uniforms....Boog Powell looked like a huge red blood clot out there....and those hats with the crooked letter "C" were sweet....
2. Albert Belle 
The name Albert Belle is hated as much as the word "New York Yankees"....I still stand by this -- the Indians organization should retire Belle’s number 8.....as much as the fans hate to hear this, Albert Belle was the one who helped put the Indians name back on the map during the 1990s.....Belle was the Indians first true superstar since Rocky Colavito.....in his prime he was the most feared hitter in the game.....sure he was a nutball who had issues with his anger among other things.....but the guy could flat out hit....sorry Tribe fans, but face it, Belle was the greatest hitter in the franchise’s history....
1. The Chief
I like Chief Wahoo
....I still remember seeing the huge Chief Wahoo sign, in his batting stance, outside ole Municipal Stadium (left)....you don’t see the body shot of the Chief anymore....its always just his headshot.....I know all these politically correct nutjobs say that the Chief is derogatory toward Native Americans.....but come on people, go listen to some 1960s Grateful Dead and eat your sushi....this is the Chief!!! – lighten up already....
A few people have asked my opinion concerning Barry Bonds and all the turmoil and accusations surrounding him.....I look at Bonds in various aspects.....
Pittsburgh days
I’ve written this before that once Bonds retires, the Pittsburgh Pirates should retire his number 25.....while playing for the P
irates, Bonds won two MVP awards and help lead Pittsburgh to three straight division titles.....since he left, Pittsburgh baseball has been nothing but a vast wasteland of promises....sure, Pirate fans will remember that feeble throw in the bottom of the ninth in the NLCS against Atlanta when he could not throw out Sid Bream at the plate....but the fact is that he did win the Gold Glove his last three years in Pittsburgh....
I think it is safe to say that Bonds did not use perforance enhancing substances during his days in Pittsburgh....in his last three years there, he averaged 31 homers and only 75 strikeouts per year.....but the most amazing feat is that he averaged 47 stolen bases per year....
My take is that Bonds deserves to have his number retired by the Pirates and acknowledged for his All-Star effort.....the Pirate fans need to get over their bitterness toward Bonds....he helped make the Pittsburgh a winner while he wore the Pirate uniform.....
San Francisco days (pre-2000)
In his first seven years by the Bay, Bonds won one MVP (1993), five Gold Gloves and averaged 39 homers per season....slowly the Gold Gloves and stolen base production started to fade away, which is expected because of age....at the end of the 1999 season, Bonds stood at 445 homers, 2,010 hits, 460 stolen bases, and a lifetime average of .288....clearly those are Hall of Fame numbers.....
San Francisco days (2000-04) 
According to reports, Bonds allegedly began taking performance enhancing substances during this stretch.....things began to change in 2000 when Bonds popped a career high 49 homers.....things changed even more in 2001 when he smashed 73 homers and began an unprecedented streak of four straight MVP awards....during that five year stretch he was a dominant offensive force at the plate....he hit 258 homers and never finished with a batting average under .300.....in 2000 he hit .306 and he peaked at .370 in 2002....amazingly, during that five year stretch he hit into only 26 doubleplays.....
During those five years, he began a relentless assault on every homerun record, whether it be for a single season or lifetime....it also brought about a storm cloud of controversy that has continued to build each year....which brings us to . . .
Bonds 2006
Last Sunday Bonds passed Babe Ruth for second all-time on the homerun list....no matter what happens the rest of his career, his name is cemented in baseball history both positively and negatively.....accusations continue to fly and it doesn’t seem like there is a day when you can turn on "Sports Center" without hearing something about Bonds....
A few years back Bonds commented that the media is making a fuss because he is African-American....well just this week Bonds admitted that maybe that was not the case and he, himself, was the reason for all the brouhaha....
To me it seems like Bonds is nothing but an angry player....a few weeks back Sports Illustrated reported that Bonds was recently taken out of a game for defensive purposes....well, as it goes, the Giants came back and won the game in the ninth inning when Omar Vizquel got a base hit to bring in the winning run....as all the Giant players emptied out of the dugout to celebrate, Bonds was no where to be found.....he was not even in the locker room.....has it gotten that bad for Bonds that he could not even be happy that his team won the game?....it seems like it is not about the team anymore....its all about him.....
The Bud Factor
I have heard friends say that Bonds should not take the brunt of this controversy because numerous other players were doing the same thing and that commissioner Bud Selig never did a thing to investigate the sudden spike in homeruns....
Selig did turn a blind eye to this spike in numbers because people "digged the long ball".....I agree that Selig should share some of the blame, but that does not exonerate Bonds.....just because other players were allegedly using "enhancing drugs" that did not give him the freedom to follow along....I think it is safe to say that players like Manny Ramirez, Ken Griffey Jr, and Alex Rodriguez were not "juicing up".....but they continued to have stellar seasons and avoid all this scandal......
It comes down to this –
Q. Should an asterisk be placed next to Bonds records?
A. No....at this time there is no solid proof that Bonds did take steroids/performance enhancing substances...and even if there is proof someday, an asterisk should not be placed because the fact remains that Bonds did have to actually hit the ball over the fence....if baseball is going to start placing asterisks next to a player's name, then they need to start right now by placing an asterisk next to Jason Giambi’s name on the list of MVPs......Giambi admitted during grand jury testimony that he "juiced"....
Q. Should Bonds be in the Hall of Fame?
A. Yes.....as I proved earlier, Bonds had Hall of Fame credentials prior to his alleged use of performance enhancing substances....however, I would not make him a first nor second ballot Hall of Famer....
Q. Did Bonds knowingly take performance enhancing substances?
A. Bonds denied ever knowingly take steroids or any other enhancers.....personally, I don’t believe him.....what I have read about Bonds, he is a workout phenom....and I just do not believe that he would unknowingly take anything.....flaxseed oil???.....well, who knows, the 70 something year-old Bible toting nut Pat Robertson claims that he just bench pressed 1 ton after drinking flaxseed oil.....and if anyone believes that, then they will also believe that Bonds did not know that he was taking the "clear and cream" instead of flaxseed oil....
Q. Bonds vs. the Babe?
A. Bonds passed Babe Ruth last Sunday on the all-time homerun list.....but to me that does not mean anything.....Babe Ruth was flat out the best baseball player ever.....and until the day when a player can not only hit, but also pitch the way Babe did, there is nothing to question about who was the best ever.....plain and simple – Babe Ruth was a freak of nature.....he was the best ever, period!....
Q. What about Bonds being a jerk?
A. Everyone knows how Bonds is.....he has always been a jerk.....however, that never bothered me because "what you saw is what you got".....there are tons of jerks throughout sports.....at least Bonds did not put on a fake smile like Mark McGwire and try to be someone else....just because someone is a jerk, it does not take away from his accomplishments especially prior to 2000.....
Q. What should Bonds do now?
A. Bonds needs to lighten up and enjoy his last year or two left in the game....what is done, is done and he cannot go back and change anything.....but he needs to stop brooding and being pissed off at everyone....he needs to enjoy the game....if he cannot enjoy the game anymore, then it is time for him to retire....
I am tired of hearing Bonds name....baseball is more than Barry Bonds....there are many great players, both veterans and youngsters who are playing this game....personally, I wish Bonds would just go away because in my mind Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth are still numbers 1 and 2 in homeruns....but that is just my opinion....
Before beginning, the NFL lost one of the "good guys" this past weekend when former running back Craig "Ironhead" Heyward died after a long battle with a benign brain tumor....Heyward played for the Pitt Panthers before moving onto the NFL where he played for the Saints, Falcons, Bears, Rams and Colts.....Ironhead was a hard-nosed runner on the field but a gentle bear off it.....
Credit to The Plain Dealer’s Paul Hoynes for his blurb in Sunday’s Plain Dealer about the Cleveland fans booing Jim Thome when he appeared last month for the first time at Jacobs Field since leaving Cleveland.....the "classy" Cleveland fans gave Thome a resounding negative reception with a chorus of boos.....this is the same man who won many many games for the Indians and was active in the Cleveland community.....
In contrast, this past week, Frank Thomas returned to Comiskey Park for the first time since leaving the White Sox during the off-season.....the Chicago fans gave Thomas a standing ovation and the organization paid tribute to him with a video highlight of his days in Chi-town....
Like Hoynes said, the Cleveland fans should have acknowledged Thome is a positive way.....it was not his fault he left Cleveland....the person who should have been booed was owner Larry Doland for offering Thome a contract worth $40 million while the Phillies offered him a contract worth $70 million......after all that Thome did for Cleveland, that was a slap in his face.....
Overall, I shouldn’t expect anything less from the "world's greatest fans" on Ohio's northshore.....
I’m reading Leigh Montville’s biography of Babe Ruth.....Montville wrote that Ruth did everything in excess – from hitting the baseball, to eating, to having sex.....he wrote that a Red Sox teammate of Ruth’s walked in on the Babe with a prostitute....the teammate said that Ruth was lying on the floor smoking a cigar and eating peanuts while the woman was on top of him.....
Babe Ruth was a freak of nature and 20 years ahead of his time....
By the way, whatever happened to these former Milwaukee Brewers: Stormin’ Gormon Thomas and Big Ben Oglivie??....both were part of Harvey’s Wallbangers during the 1982 season....
Also reading a book about the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates....that team was the first major league ball club that had an equal mix of white, African-American, and Hispanic players.....one of the most underrated managers of all-time is the Pirates’ Danny Murtaugh (right) who managed the Pirates to two World Series titles.....the author wrote that Murtaugh had a knack of relating to all the players no matter what race....
If anyone cares, the Michigan softball and baseball teams won the Big Ten conference title this year.....maybe the football team needs to learn something from the diamondheads....
Is it just me, or are Eric Wedge’s days numbered in Cleveland?.....remember, this Indians team was supposed to win the division this year and battle for the World Series.....
I see Sports Illustrated’s Peter King released his Super Bowl predictions....he has Dallas beating New England in the big game....
I’m going to try my hardest to pay attention to the World Cup this year....I think I’m going to drop some money on a couple of teams to win it this year.....my early favorite was England, but I just read they may be without their second best player.....so right now I am leaning toward Italy and probably Brazil....
Is Pele still aound?.....
I read that rapper/actor Ice Cube is ticked at Oprah because she hardly ever has rappers on her show.....Cube needs to wake up and figure out once rappers stop mutherf***ing everything and talking about every known male and female sexual organ, maybe she will have some on as guests....
It’s Memorial Day weekend and I have taken a few days of vacation....so I might as well knock out a few columns.....
The French Open tennis championship opens on Sunday on the red clay courts of Roland Garros....don’t look for any American (male or female) to win....
On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal is the hottest player on clay right now, but I will still take the best overall player in Roger Federer.....Federer is determined to win the French being that it is the only major title he has now won....
On the women’s side I am going with a wildcard in Martina Hingis.....the Swiss Miss is back and playing solid tennis....about five years ago, Hingis could not fend off the Williams sisters onslaught.....but things have changed....Venus has lost a step but at least she is ranked 11th in the world.....her sister, Serena, has dropped to 108th and will not play the French because of injuries....
Serena’s best days are behind her because of not only injuries, but also the lack of desire on her part.....despite this, I do think Serena has one more major championship left in her.....but who knows when that will happen....
It’s great to see the Edmonton Oilers only one game from making the Stanley Cup finals....it would be nice to see a Canadian team with the Cup this year....
Will someone please explain the difference between Miracle Whip Dressing and Heilman’s Mayonnaise??.......to me they seem the same.....
I was wa
tching "Inside Edition" the other night and saw a report about another female high school teacher in trouble.....this time, the blond hottie was not sleeping with her students, but instead posing in swimsuit magazines.....I have one question to ask, where were all these blond hot teachers who wanted to have sex with their students at when I was in the 9th or 10th grade????.....
The headshot is the teacher who was "doing" one of her students.....the bikini babe is the teacher who posed for swimsuit magazines....
The best name in baseball right now – Boof Bonser.....
The Sporting News and Lindy’s annual football magazines are already on the shelves......both magazines have Notre Dame number 1 and Ohio State number 2....
Speaking of Ohio State.....I ran into my friend Jim Tressel last week when I was in C-bus.....yeh, that Jim Tressel.....I’ll have to say, coaching a big time program hasn’t changed him....he came up to me, shook my hand, and chatted for a few minutes....
Like I said to him, I wish him luck this year except with "The Team From Up North" comes to town.....
I’m sorry but the Cleveland Cavaliers blew it last week in their series against Detroit.....I’m reading how the Cavs fans are proud that their team made it this far and forced the defending Eastern Conference champs to a seventh game....WHAT!?!?....
The Cavs were up in the series 3-2, at home, and with the lead in the 4th quarter.....they had the Pistons on the ropes for goodness sakes.....but they choked.....
I hate when the media and fans keep saying "wait til next year".....the Cavs had the golden opportunity to dump Detroit and they couldn’t do it....and who knows what will happen next year.....the opportunity was there for the taking, but they couldn’t do it....
I’ll admit when I am wrong....and I have to say I have been wrong this year about Chi Chi Sabathia.....they big guy may finally be pitching to his potential.....he’s been dominating of late, but I still say he needs to stop ordering those double Whoppers....Finally, sometimes the criminal justice system works as was the case with Kennie Boy Lay and Jeff Slippery Skilling.....it was great to see these cheats and crooks get found guilty for the Enron disaster......
It has been a while but here we go...
Isn’t it great to see the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds playing great baseball....maybe one day soon the Pittsburgh Pirates will have a change of fortune....
Chill out Cavs fans....you are still down 2-1.....
One of the worst columnists has to be The Beacon Journal’s Terry Pluto....don’t get me wrong, Pluto is an excellent features writer.....but I am getting tired of his "homer" columns about all Cleveland teams....
Alex Rodriguez is 100% class....after making two errors the other night, The Boss ripped A-Rod for his lackluster play....instead of pouting and whining, A-Rod said that because of the money he makes and talent he has, he deserves the criticism.....then he went out and homer three straight days in a row...
Lebron James needed to chill out after the Washington series.....The Chosen One was all bent out of shape throughout the series because The Plain Dealer beat writer, Branson Wright, picked the Wizards to win the series....who cares if Wright picked Washington....it was only a reporter’s opinion....we need more journalists like Wright who have the "onions" to pick against the home team instead of Terry Pluto who thinks every Indians minor league player is the next coming of Jim Thome....
Speaking of Thome – nice class Cleveland fans....when Thome returned to Jacobs Field for the first time since leaving the Indians, the great and wonderful Cleveland fans greeted him to boos.....this is the same guy who won how many games for the Indians with his late inning homeruns and clutch hitting???.....
By the way, whatever happened to Sixto Lezcano???....
Look for Barbaro to be a heavy favorite in the Preakness.....I’m still trying to figure out why my two horses were not even in contention during the Kentucky Derby....
One of my favorite names of a horse is Thunder Gulch....
The more I watch Grady Sizemore, the more I know he is going to be a stud for years to come....
Outside of Cleveland, I think most of the nation wants to see a Pistons-Heat rematch for the Eastern Conference Finals.....
I still say the Dallas Mavericks will win it all.....
Dirk Nowitzki has been dominating the playoffs....the only difference between him and Lebron is that the Mavs have more talent as a team....
Finally, Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there....give your mother a hug because you never know when she may be gone....
It is late April.....the NFL season ended almost four months ago for the Green Bay Packers, yet Brett Favre has not made a decision if he is going to play next season.....
Over the last week or so I have heard some NFL analysts defend Favre’s hesitation to make a decision.....they said he earned the right to take his time....personally though, I think these analysts are dead wrong....
Football is a TEAM sport....not an individual sport.....and with Favre holding the Packers hostage while he calls press conferences just to say he hasn't made up his mind, free agent players are being signed by other teams....the NFL draft is less than two weeks away.....
If Favre cares about the Packers and their fans, he would have made a decision by now....instead, the entire world of the Green Bay Packers is revolving around the guy from Kiln, Mississippi..... Yul Brenner was classic as Ramses in the movie The Ten Commandments.....There is talk that Texas’ Vince Young could drop as far as 12th or 13th in the draft.....I don’t believe it....he will not get past the Oakland Raiders....
You can write this one down in ink, A.J. Hawk is a tremendous linebacker....
I have yet to receive my Mel Kiper draft book.....
After this disastrous season in New York, don’t be surprised if Knicks head coach Larry Brown bows out.....especially after his health scare this week....
Watch out for Lawyer Ron and Bob and John for the Kentucky Derby....
The best unknown player in the NBA is Orlando’s Dwight Howard....this kid scored 28 points and grabbed 26 rebounds on Saturday night....
I’m not a Cleveland Indians fan, but I do like Travis Hafner and Grady Sizemore – a lot!!!.
..
Whatever happened to former San Francisco Giant and National League MVP Kevin Mitchell??.....
This year must be a bad year for seasonal allergies....I must have taken at least six Allegra pills over the last two days.....I am a five tool allergy person: sniffling, sneezing, itchy ears, runny nose, and scratchy throat.....
Personally, I believe that most of the people who live in Iran don’t want nuclear power or this showdown with Europe and the United States.....it’s just unfortunate that some nut job is the country’s president....
Someway or another, Barry Bonds is going to go down....CNN reported that a federal grand jury has been hearing evidence for more than a month about whether Bonds perjured himself during his Dec. 4, 2003, testimony....that is on top of Major League Baseball’s investigation concerning steroid use in the league.....
I believe baseball should investigate Bonds....and if there is clear proof that he knowingly took ‘roids, then he must pay the price....
However, I do not believe the federal government should pursue a case against Bonds involving perjury.....even if Bonds lied under oath, so what!!!.....how quickly we forget that a sitting President of the United States lied while under oath when being asked about a personal incident in his life....The freakin President of the United States lied while under oath!!!!....So what is the difference between Bill Clinton lying under oath and Barry Bonds???.....
Bonds, did not commit a capital crime....he did not lie to protect himself or someone else involving a crime such as murder, rape, robbery, etc......he lied to protect himself, just as Clinton did when he said, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman!".....think about it, the only person Bonds hurt was himself.....
So why are some of the people who defended Clinton for lying under oath now wanting to see Bonds go down?.....we all know Bonds is an arrogant ass, but please, tell me what is the difference between what he is accused of and what Clinton flat out did???.....is it the color of Bonds skin?.....
Let’s get this straight, I am not a Barry Bonds fan....but, I think the time has come to stop this Barry Bonds witch hunt outside the realm of baseball.....let Major League Baseball continue its investigation and finally put an end to this ongoing Barry Bonds drama.....ultimately, Bonds will be judged by his peers and the fans of the game....
As a New York Yankees fan, I miss Pedro Martinez in a Red Sox uniform.....
Joakim Noah should stay for his junior year at Florida.....I bet Vince Young wished he would have stayed for his senior year at Texas.....
Why hasn’t any college coach taken the time to teach the "skyhook" to any of their centers?.....that was Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s bread and butter shot in the NBA.....
I think Katie Couric should have stayed at NBC.....she had a nice gig going....
Did you see NBC’s Campbell Brown got married on Sunday.....who was the lucky guy?.....
I joined a fantasy baseball league this year for the first time....already having fun by building toward next season....
This Saturday marks four weeks until the Kentucky Derby.....
You have to go to Applebee’s for their Happy Hour – half priced drinks and appetizers....
I can’t believe "The King of Queens" may be on the chopping block with CBS.....
I’m tired of hearing about Barry Bonds and this steroid flap.....let’s just play some ball....
I don’t care if Jimmy Rollins does get a hit in 57 straight games.....Joe DiMaggio stills owns the record because his hitting streak occurred in one season not over the course of two seasons....
By the way, the next time anyone bitches about Alex Rodriguez’s salary, they should also include the lovely Katie Couric.....Ms. Katie was making $15 million a year at NBC, and sources report that she will be making more than that at CBS.....just something to think about....
March Madness may be over, but it only serves as a prelude to baseball season....and more specifically, baseball predictions.....below are my guesses, hunches, and wishes for this year’s baseball season.....
A.L. East 
1. Yankees - New York should be steady as usual and make the playoffs.....look for the Rat, Randy Johnson, to improve after a sub-par first year in the Bronx.....
2. Red Sox - this doesn’t even resemble the same Red Sox team that won the title 2 years ago.....but they still have Ortiz and Manny....the key to their success lays with Keith Foulke and his ability to close games....
3. Blue Jays - give this team credit, they have spent some money in the off-season and are trying to win – unlike other teams....if they want to get back to their winning ways, they should start by going back to the old Blue Jay uniforms from their glory days....
4. Orioles - this team is just stuck in slow motion....they dropped a ton of money on the steroid induced stats of Miguel Tejada....Nicky Markakis, a Greek, may be the next Gus Triandos....
5. Devil Rays - this team is just oozing with young talent – BJ Upton, Delmon Young, Carl Crawford, Seth McClung, etc.....if they improve this year, look for the new owner to spend some money during the offseason....
A.L. Central
1. White Sox - 
this team is loaded on offense and starting pitching.....but their Achilles heel is going to be at closer....I just have a feeling that Bobby Jenks is just another one season wonder such as Mark Wohlers and John Rocker.....the Sox will need to get another closer....look for Jim Thome to win Comeback Player of the Year....
2. Indians - don’t get your panties stuck in your rear Indian fans!!!....Cleveland will have a very good team, but they will not make the playoffs....think about it, they lost Millwood, Elarton, Crisp, and Howry.....Wickman is a year older as the closer and they never spent the money to get that big right handed bat they needed.....
3. Tigers - what the heck, let’s go out on the limb and take Detroit for third.....they have a good pitching staff with Bonderman, Maroth, and the new youngster Verlander....Granderson is going to be good in centerfield and Rodney will be solid as the closer....
4. Twins - this team is in transition....gone are the heart and soul of the teams from the early 2000s.....they are banking on Johan Santana and Joe Nathan....they need to hit on Francisco Liriano in order to move back up in the standings.....
5. Royals - the crown heads have a stud coming up in third baseman Alex Gordon.....
A.L. West
1. Athletics - Huston Street is sweet as the closer....and their rotation is once again formidable after losing former aces Hudson and Mulder....
2. Angels - the Angels will always be solid as long as Mike Scioscia is the manager....he is highly underrated....it also helps to have a healthy Vlad in your lineup too....
3. Rangers - the Rangers and Orioles are like twins.....both teams seem stuck in slow motion....I love Mark Teixeira....he wins the MVP this season....
4. Mariners - how many days until the Seahawks open training camp???...
Divisional Playoffs
Yankees over Angels
White Sox over Athletics
ALCS
White Sox over Yankees
National League predictions will follow in another blog
The Coach of the Year has to be, hands down, Roy Williams of North Carolina....this guy lost all five starters and his two top bench players from last year’s national title team....and somehow, Williams’ Tar Heels are 21-6 after beating Duke in Cameron Indoor last night....
The runner-up for Coach of the Year should be Thad Matta of Ohio State....in three seasons, Matta has this team in the top 10 in the country.....and if the Buckeyes win the Big Ten tournament, look for them to get a number one seed....
I wrote a few weeks back that the Buckeyes would be dangerous come tournament time....they have a big man who can score and rebound down low in Terrance Dials....and Ohio State can stroke the 3 ball at anytime....
Look for Duke to get knocked out in the second or third round....they have been flat...
Another team that has been flat is Texas....the Longhorns have lost its last three road games....
Michigan does not deserve to be in the Big Dance....since becoming head coach at Michigan, Tommy Amaker has been nothing but an 18-10, NIT coach.....the Wolverines have justification to get rid of him right now if they want.....
Cincinnati in – Stanford out....
Watch out for Nevada.....they have a kid Nicky Fazekis..... 
My Player of the Year vote goes to Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison over Duke’s J.J. Redick.....both are superb players, but Morrison gets the edge for me....
Did you know that Morrison suffers from diabetes and has to monitor his blood level throughout the game?.....
Tubby Smith would be making a big mistake if he left Kentucky for an NBA job.....
Louisville in – Maryland out.....
Michigan State is limping to the finish line....
I would love to see color analysts Billy Packer and Dick Vitale work together on broadcasting a game.....
I miss Al M
cGuire.....
It’s been 30 years since Indiana finished the season undefeated....
Whatever happened to Kent Benson?.....
Top four seeds: Connecticut, Villanova, Ohio State, Duke....Does UNLV still have a basketball program?.......
Haven’t done a column in a few days because I was attending a conference in Louisville, Kentucky.....very underrated city.....clean city with friendly people....I high recommend it as a nice three-day weekend vacation spot....
While in Louisville I visit
ed the holy ground of horse racing – Churchill Downs.....I took the $8.00 tour and was in total awe of the place.....also dropped some money in the gift shop....
Other interesting sites I saw was the Louisville Slugger Museum, Science Center, and the newly opened Muhammad Ali Center......also went to legendary Freedom Hall and saw the Louisville-DePaul basketball game.....the people down there love their Cardinals....despite an average season, 19,000 people packed the old place to watch Rick Pitino’s team....
Read in the paper that the city of Louisville is working on a plan to construct a new 22,000 seat arena....however the major sticking point is where the arena will be built....some want it on the Riverfront while another faction wants it in the downtown area....
Detroit took it to the Cavs on Sunday.....they play again on Monday night at The Q......Cavs need to win this game....
I bought a 2006 NASCAR preview book.....I’m really trying to learn the sport.....the Auto Club 500 is on right now.....
The Winter Olympic Games in Torino are over.....here are a few thoughts:
- For some reason, down deep, I think Bode Miller purposely lost all five of his events....he’s flat out a drunken jerk.... by the way, guess who got interviewed by Tom Brokaw on the Sunday night news -- yep, Bode....the spotlight is still on him which is what he wants....
- If the U.S. hockey team is going to play like crap and win only 1 stinking game, I say send a team of college all-stars who train together for at least six months.....that performance by the NHL players was pathetic....
- Sasha, Sasha, Sasha.....you had the gold medal on a platter and once again you chose silver....
- Jerk 1a goes to Shani Davis.....
- Despite a poor showing by the so-called "studs" of the U.S. team, the United States did finish second in total medals....
- That’s about all -- see you in four years in Vancouver.....
Finally, I could not conclude this blog without noting the death of Don Knotts.....Knotts
, who played the character Mr. Furley on Three’s Company, was a classic comedic actor....the role he will be most remembered for though is the bumbling, but lovable Deputy Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show.....Barney Fife made people laugh....unlike today’s actors, Knotts never had to cuss or make any sexual comments in order to get a laugh......there was only one Don Knotts – and he will be missed.....long live Barney Fife.....
