This doesn't seem right

Pittsburgh, one of the worst teams in the majors, splits a four-game series with the Rockies, picked by some to win the N.L. Western Division but a team that apparently can't play on the road and obviously defines Jekyll and Hyde to a "T."
So what do the Pirates do? They fired their bench coach and hitting coach today.
Say what?

Just imagine

I'm trying to think of the day when that former Florida quarterback -- someone Elbow? – actually does something on the football field.
It will be a day of breaking news. Someone will start KLBO Radio – all-Elbow, all the time. There will be posters, fliers. Theater audiences will stand as one and sing the praises.
All for a completed pass.
Until then, we will be treated to breathless updates about him tying his shoes, flopping in mudholes and scruffy beards.
And bulletins as they break.

He's at it again

Great line on the radio this morning, courtesy of Jim Ribble of CNN Radio.
"Brett Favre has decided to retire – for the umpteenth time.
"Guess we have six more weeks of summer."

Little League oversteps replay

The Little League World Series will expand its replay rules to include including force outs, tags on base paths, missed bases and hit batters this year.
It smacks of overkill.
It takes away the judgment part of the umpires' efforts. In this day and age where we blame everyone for everything, who doesn't mind a poorly founded discussion for a week about an umpire's wrong call?
The other thing that's particularly galling has to do with the umpires themselves. They are volunteers. To subject men and women who do this for the love of the game to this sort of scrutiny is hard to comprehend.
At least ESPN can put its 5,000 replay angles to some use.

Haden good choice @ USC

USC could have done far worse in its choice of a new athletic director.
From appearances on TV and judging from his background, Pat Haden will do just fine as the new athletics boss at his alma mater.
Mike Garrett can go off into the sunset thinking everyone was envious of his beloved Trojans. But when someone offers the phrase "lack of institutional control" as a description of part of your watch, there can't be a lot of envy involved.

ESPN gets hammered – and rightfully so

Whether it wasnt to admit it or not, ESPN sold its journalistic soul for the LeBron James epic decision a few weeks ago.
It basically paid for the exclusive interview and the content, a no-no unless you are TMZ or the National Enquirer.
Visit espn.com, click on "columns" and then the Ombudsman link. Don Ohlmeyer wrote a wonderful recap of the ESPN debacle ... it's a long read but worth every ounce of energy and second of time.
I'm not surprised .. sad but not surprised. It's all about ratings these days, especially at ESPN, without regard for anything resembling good old-fashioned reporting and avoiding things like paying for stories.
What amazes me is that there are no solid guidelines for ESPN and its reporters to handle such things. And they've been in the business for 30-something years.

Love those Trojans

First Pete Carroll bolts USC for a league where he had no success.
Then the NCAA uses really flattering words like "lack of institutional control" to describe most of Carroll's reign at USC and the shenanigans of a basketball player to boot.
Then Carroll says the penalties don't fit the facts.
The athletic director, Mike Garrett, tells a group of supporters everyone else is envious. Some of the supporters don't buy it.
Lots of heads are in the sand in Trojan land these days. The problem is the holes are getting smaller, the sand is filling in. And if Garrett keeps his job, then pigs really do fly.