I'm A Little Blogger

I’m a little blogger
Here's my pout!
Plenty things to say but
Got no clout
When I press my cap locks
THEN I SHOUT
So read me over
And post your spout.

Is there anybody out there? Anyone? Hello? Harper? Bueller? Bueller?

A Tribue to Coach Keady

As a diehard IU fan, it would be impossible for me to write a fitting tribute to the leader of the Evil Empire, Gene Keady. But the Purdue head coach steps down from a terrific career at the end of the year. That this season is sucking beyond sucking should not, and will not, diminish all that he as accomplished. Everybody is publishing tributes on their web sites and in their newspapers, but I found this one particularly well done.

Thanks for the memories, Coach Keady. Especially those of your hair.

Did He Call "Bank"?

"Bracey Wright had made 178 3-point field goals in his Indiana University basketball career before the one he hit in overtime Sunday against Michigan State. The one he banked in from the top of the key."

I nearly jumped through the ceiling when that prayer was answered. Well, they did it. IU proved me wrong. This team is worthy of making the NCAA tournament. Guts, defense, grit, and luck sent this team to victory lane over the Spartans.

But here is why the team won: "Our execution wasn't great but we got the basketball where we needed it to be and that was inside. We didn't just settle for long shots and that's really important." --Mike Davis.

Finally. Finally the team understands this. And because of this, they have a great chance to march into Madison and beat the Badgers.

Said Wright about his shot: "It was just long. I'd rather be lucky than good."

Right now, this team is both. And that's a great combination to have right now.

They're Trying to Prove Me Wrong

A few posts ago, I had written off Indiana's basketball season. It broke my heart, but that's how I felt.

Now I feel hopeful again. After playing its best game of the season in whippping Purdue 79-62, I'm almost believing that IU could make the NCAA tournament.

I.U. is now 13-11 for the season, and 8-5 in the Big Ten. Here's the rest of their schedule:

• Michigan State
• at Wisconsin
• Northwestern

After last night's game, I believe IU can beat Michigan State at home. Wisconsin on the road is most likely a loss, but last night has me believing. We will destroy Northwestern.

Note to IU: Please prove me wrong. Please.

Bonds in the Hall of Fame

"I am not a crook"- Nixon
"I did not have sexual relations with that woman." - Clinton
"I'm a compassionate conservative" - Bush
"I don't know what cheating is" - Bonds

Bonds' entry into the Hall is now assured: the Hall of Fame of Liars.

Or maybe he doesn't know what lying is either.

Tortilla Soup: The Movie

So what else do you do at one o'clock in the morning when you can't sleep? Google "tortilla soup."

I've never heard of this.

Now THAT Makes Me Want to Drink

So I'm watching a little bit of the Daytona 500 on Fox the other day. During the race, I see Robby Gordon's Jim Beam car. Hard-liquor on NASCAR? Sweet. But suddenly, I'm struck with the sudden urge to consume whiskey. After Jeff Gordon wins his third Daytona 500, I jump in my car and speed to the liquor store. I mean, these guys drive fast, why can't I? Outside the "malt" shop is pandemonium. Scores of under-aged drinkers throw money in my face, all wanting me to buy them NASCAR inspired hard-liquor. I politely refused their offers, instead offering them a more traditional liquid refreshment that's been with NASCAR sine the 1970s: beer.

To everybody decrying NASCAR's decision to allow hard-liquor sponsorship, saying it's dangerous or doesn't send a family-friendly message: GROW UP! I don't hear you crying about the beer, tobacco, male enhancement, or Hooters sponsorships in your precious family affair.

I really shouldn't try to post when I can't sleep.

Do You Know the Ostrich Man? The Ostrich Man....

Here's a cartoon I saw the morning after the steroid post. Classic. Did I call the ostrich thing or what? Picture comes from The Daily Quickie on ESPN.com.

Indiana's Season Is O-VAH

First of all, I'm crazy about Indiana Hoosier basketball. Raised in Hoosier Nation. Went to I.U. Was a student in 1987 when Keith Smart hit "the shot" to win the national championship over Syracuse.

Tonight, Indiana lost to Ohio State 57-44. I watched some of the first half on ESPN before heading to Barnes & Noble for some Daddy/Daughter time. I'm glad I did. Indiana did not hit double figures until about the 7:00 mark of the first half. It was a miracle they ended up with 22 points for the half.

Let's recap that stat: Nine points in 13 minutes. Nine. NINE!!

I.U. is now 11-11 for the season, and 6-5 in the Big Ten. They are also 1-7 on the road. Here's the rest of their schedule with my predictions:

• at Michigan (L)
• Purdue (W)
• Michigan State (L)
• at Wisconsin (L)
• Northwestern (W)

Doing the math, that would put I.U. at 13-14 for the year and 8-8 in the Big Ten. A second straight losing season. The only post-season tournament Indiana is getting invited to is the first round of the Big Ten tournament. Only by winning that could I.U. make the post season.

I'll gripe and bitch another day about this team. I love these kids, though. Tons of talent. I'm hoping they win out. Go Hoosiers! Please! I'm dying here!

Who's Juiced? The Ball or the Players?

So an FBI agent says federal investigators warned Major League Baseball about 10 years ago that some of its players were using steroids, but baseball executives failed to act on the information, reports the Daily News (source, ESPN.com). The biggest nonsurpise of the article is that MLB didn't do anything then and denies the report now. Well, duh!

Isn't one of the early symptoms of having a problem denial? Baseball has a huge problem with steroids based on the amount of denial going on. Bud Selig is making an ostrich of himself, sticking his head in the sand (of course he would, he's an owner). And don't get me started on what an idiot Commisioner of baseball Selig makes. The league turns its back on steroids because juiced players are more than likely the better players, bringing fans to the ball parks, and setting records. Let's just acknowledge steroid use, shall we? And let's get on with the new season.

The No Hockey League

Today, the NHL officially changed its name to the No Hockey League by calling off the 2005-06 season. If it weren't for bad news, I'd have forgotten hockey was actually played in this country.

R.I.P. hockey. I barely knew ye. And what I did know, I've forgotten.

Frozen Brains in Minnesota

One of the better, and nicer, coaches in the NBA has been released. Firing Flip Saunders is not going to save Minny's season. And then put McHale on the bench? The guy with no experience who regularly hacks off Spree and Cassell? Why not buy out the poison in the locker room (Latrell "I've got to feed my family" Spreewell and Sam "Hip Replacement" Cassell) and keep Saunders on the bench? Let Garnett rest his knee. Throw the season away and prepare for next year. This is such a knee-jerk reaction. Any team looking for a coach next year should go after Saunders.

The End is Here: Reggie Miller to Retire at Season's End

REG-GIE! REG-GIE! REG-GIE!

I knew this day would come eventually. But it still saddens me that this will be Reggie's last year. Mr. Pacer is hanging up his six-shooters.

I will never forget him scoring 8 points in less than 9 seconds at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks in the 1995 playoffs. He's had other great performances but his best, in my opinion, is staying with the Pacers his entire career. Not even Jordan did that.

Thanks Reggie. The Pacers won't be the same without you.

(It sure is dusty in here today. My eyes are really getting misty.)

Spork Boy's ESPN from Top to Bottom

THE BEST OF ESPN, in descending order from No. 1 through No. 3:

1. Sports Center (with the right anchors)
Great way to get sports news in an entertaining way as long as the anchors do their job. Dan Patrick, for example, is too smug and self-important. Stuart Scott can be tops when focused, but when he strays from the material he’s just too much. But when everything is going just right, it’s hard to top Sports Center.

2. College Game Day
While it’s hard for me to sit and watch the show, it’s a great idea to have universities host this show. Lee Corso gets on my nerves at times (he used to coach my Indiana Hoosiers), but he seems to be having so much fun. The whole crew does. It’s like they feed off the energy of the students. And when Lee puts on the mascot head? I love it. He’s such a whore, playing to the crowd. Great stuff.

3. Essentially, the nerdy anchors.
Scott Van Pelt, Linda Cohn, Mike Greenberg, Stuart Scott (when not too full of himself or on the air too much).

THE WORST OF ESPN, in ascending order from No. 3 through No. 1:

3. Any show featuring egotistical, bombastic, and self important sports reporters (writers).
This does not include Pardon the Interruption although the show can be quite bombastic. When did yelling become journalism? Stick to writing your columns and leave the on camera work to those who majored in it.

2. NFL and NBA studio shows.
You’d think the show took place in a sports bar for as loud and incoherent as these guys are. The show might be better if Michael Irving and Chris Berman left, but I’m not sure Steve Young is any better than the other two. I like Tom Jackson. But the overall format must be changed. It’s all about zingers, proving points, laughing, yelling, more laughing, more yelling, and screaming JACKED UP. It could be worse; ESPN could be saddled with the Fox team. Then, when there is a pause in the yelling and laughing, Berman comes on and pontificates on something or other. When is he retiring? Ugh. I don’t watch this show much.

Then there is the NBA team. Greg Anthony is a nice guy with a good delivery. Legler is average. John Saunders is out of place. And Stephen A. Smith? See point number one. When I did try to watch the show, the format was atrocious. I couldn’t stand to watch, couldn’t stand to hear what anybody had to say. It’s just awful. I used the HATE the TNT team—talk about rambling idiots. Now, I prefer them. Even so, I don’t watch pre- or post-game shows unless necessary.

1. Stephen A. Smith
He’s just so…so…so…loud. Style without substance. Egotistical. Congratulations on making it to where you are. Now please go away. He’s a big reason why I don’t watch any of ESPN’s studio coverage of NBA games. Give me Bill Walton any day (Bill’s probably a bigger egomaniacal lunatic than Smith, but he just has a better delivery).