Silly Commodores, QB's are for Vols

Written by Grubby | 28 January 2010

Bobby Johnson is the latest casualty of the whims of 18-year-old boys.  Today, QB Nash Nance announced he has decommitted from Vandy and committed to Derek Dooley at Tennessee.  So that makes, yep, 3 incoming quarterbacks this year.  Nance joins Rivals #7 QB Tyler Bray and juco transfer Matt Sims headed to Rocky Top.  As usual, CTFP has the scoop.

“It was very emotional for me and my family. After visiting Tennessee and hours of prayer I feel that Tennessee is a better fit for me. Coach Dooley has all the confidence in me and my abilities and he really likes my future as a Vol.”

Poor, poor, BJ.  Congratulations, you're still Vandy.

Then again, he did think he was going to win a National Championship at Vandy.  So who really lost here?

Fallout From the South Carolina Game

Written by Ian | 27 January 2010

The questions swirled for a day.  How would Kentucky respond to being ranked #1?  It appeared that they didn't react too well to it, losing on the road to South Carolina by the score of 68-62 on Tuesday night.  Today the questions are still firing.  Did Kentucky overlook South Carolina?  Was the call from the President a distraction?  Is Devan Downey really that good?

It did appear Kentucky overlooked the Gamecocks.  They didn't exactly play inspired basketball.  DeMarcus Cousins played a solid game, but overall the players seemed to be flat. 

The call from the President is a non-issue to me.  It was just another act in the circus Coach Calipari has created of the Kentucky basketball program.  I'm in no way panning Cal for his promotional skills.  His ability to be a politician and marketing genius is nothing but good for UK basketball.  There's just a lot going on in that program.  There have been a million distractions coming at these players from the start of the year.  John Wall is being called a player of the year pick and a lock for the #1 pick in the 2010 NBA draft.  DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson, and now Eric Bledsoe are all being rumored to have chances at being as high as lottery picks in that same draft.  A phone call from Barack Obama is just another act in the sideshow.  It's nothing these kids haven't gotten used to.

That brings us to the issue of Downey.  Is he good?  Hell yes he is.  The guy completely disrupts you on defense.  You almost can't guard him with one person because you're giving up either open jump shots or layups.  It bothers me that everyone is talking about how great of a game he played last night.  Yes, he scored 30 points in a game where his team only had 68.  He scored those buckets against good (and fresh) defenders throughout the game. 

If you look at his stats, even in passing, it's hard to say he had a stellar game.  Downey shot 9-29 from the field and 10-11 from the free throw line.  He was 2-5 from the three point line but he needed almost 30 shots to get to the 30 point mark.  In addition, he only had 3 assists.  I give Downey all the credit in the world for hitting those acrobatic floaters and fadeaways (the and-one on the quick in bounds was tough) but how many bad shots did he take when he got driving lanes?  If it were not for Muldrow and Jefferson hitting the offensive glass the game would not have been close. 

Now I do say this in total ignorance to South Carolina's game plan.  It is quite possible that Darrin Horn has instructed Downey to shoot any time he makes it to the lane.  If that is not the case, then SC's big men have at least done a good job of learning their point guard's tendencies.  South Carolina had 16 offensive rebounds last night, and if you watch the film closely you can see why.  It wasn't simply that UK's players weren't blocking out or that Carolina's big men were crashing the boards hard (they were), but about 80% of the offensive rebounds were a result of Downey penetrating, shooting a wild floater over a help defender, and then that defender's man getting an uncontested put back.

Kentucky never made an adjustment on this.  You obviously can't just let Downey shoot, but the adjustment should have been made on the penetration.  Once Downey clears his man you have the help defender come to pressure him.  At that point either the man guarding Downey has to get back to the help defender's man or you have to have a complete defensive rotation to make sure that man is screened out.  I understand Devan is quick and gets his shot up quickly in the lane, but UK has outstanding team speed on both ends of the floor.  They should have forced South Carolina to drive and kick more often.  SC shot 25% from behind the arc as a team.  They shot much better than that off offensive rebounds.  It is unacceptable that UK never made the adjustment to get more men on the boards on dribble penetration.

The final thought on the game is that South Carolina impressed me last night.  Not because I think they are a good team; they are not.  They didn't impress me because they beat a good UK team or because they beat the number one team in the nation.  Darrin Horn's squad impressed me last night because after leading for about 7 minutes of the second half they found themselves down by 5 with just under 10 minutes to go.  It is very hard for a team with lesser talent, and playing against a highly ranked team, to pull themselves back up when they have given up a lead in the second half of a game.  South Carolina showed me last night what Tennessee showed in their win over Kansas.  They have some guts, and on any given night they can push a team to the brink.  Carolina did not play very well last night, but Kentucky played awful.  That is why Kentucky ultimately lost the game.  But SC's ability to hang in there in that second half gave them a chance, and for that alone they should be applauded for at least one game.

Things I know, and Why I'm an Idiot

Written by Gage | 26 January 2010

Time to polish off an old gimmick and contradict myself for a few paragraphs.

I know... it's an absolute fact that I cause the Purdue three game losing streak with my post griping about how they get no respect. The karma gods were angered, they knew I shouldn't have been complaining about anything with the Boilermakers undefeated and made me pay. But, I went and ran my mouth anyway and the team went on a three game skid. From now on, I am thoroughly convinced they will lose every game going in. Mark it down.

I'm an idiot because... there's no such thing as a jinx and there's no karma gods. If there were, I'm pretty sure Hitler would have gotten a real death a lot more similar to (spoiler alert) the end of Inglorious Basterds. Plus, as confident as I am that Matt Painter reads SD, surely he's not letting it go to his head.

(On second thought, let's play it safe.  Purdue has no chance, go ahead and keep them penciled in for last place in the Big Ten.)

I know... I've been Kentucky fan all my life, and this UK team is special, but I can't seem to shake the "hired gun" feeling. With Wall, Cousins and Bledsoe all potentially one-and-done this year it just seems sort of artificial. Instead of the Unforgettables these feel like the Don't-Get-Too-Attached-ables.

I'm an idiot because... apparently I can't appreciate a good thing when I've got it. This sort of team might never come around again. They're not there yet, but these Wildcats could be one of the all-time great teams by the end of the season. Plus, I enjoy Patrick Patterson about as much as I can enjoy an athlete. Patrick will certainly keep them playing hard and getting better. And if that doesn't work, John Wall almost certainly has a Final Four bonus built into his contract.

I know... I'm starting to miss football already. There's only one game left for eight months? Blerg. Perhaps I'll start studying the line on the Pro Bowl (hint: I've got a hot tip about the under) and put money on every prop bet I can find. Of course I think the first play from scrimmage will be a run between one and six yards!

I'm an idiot because... I just planned a trip to Vegas for the middle of March, nuff said. Plus-dear reader-you are due for some serious World Cup coverage. I haven't spent the past four years obsessing over every lineup change and twisted ankle on the US national team for nothing. It's going to be an eventful spring/summer in these parts. Stay tuned.

(Picture credit: Lafayette J&C)

That Was a Heck of a Weekend

Written by Josh Cohron | 25 January 2010

It's Monday, and I can't remember the last weekend that had as much going on as this past one. As always, I'll be using bullet points to highlight everything that happened.

• Yes, Kentucky is #1 (again) (finally). It has been just under seven years since the last time the Wildcats were #1 in the polls. UK had to win on Saturday against Arkansas to ensure they'd be atop the polls and they absolutely embarrassed the Hogs. They started the game 10-0, cruised to a big halftime lead, then started the second half 17-0 for good measure. I celebrated by doing the John Wall Dance at many of Lexington's fine establishments.
• Peyton Manning is the best. I'm a "Brady Guy," but how can you not say that Peyton is the best QB right now (and probably of all-time)? He absolutely owned the Jets defense yesterday, a defense that everyone in the country seemed to think was the best defense ever. Rex Ryan is now just a fat guy who can't win the big one. Also, Heisman Trophies: Charles Woodson 1; Peyton Manning 0.
• Brett Favre is really good. Say what you will about Favre, but the Vikings are never playing in the NFC Championship this year without him. You're lying to yourself if you think that Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson was taking them there. The Vikings are probably a better team than the Saints, but it's tough to win in New Orleans (unless you're Tampa Bay in Week 16 and Cohron picked the Saints in his Suicide Pool). Manning may throw for 600 yards against the Saints "defense" in the Super Bowl.
• Bruce Pearl still can't dress well, but wasn't the worst dressed person at the game. Bruce, we've talked about this. You cannot get away with wearing ribbed t-shirts under sports jackets. You look like a fool. Your team also no-showed while you were wearing your clown outfit. Be better and put on a shirt with buttons and a tie, then your team might play hard. In Bruce's defense, at least he didn't wear peanut butter to the game. The only time I'm smearing peanut butter all over myself is if Blake Lively is involved.
• Penderhausen is a worse gambler than I am. The guy gave four bets for the weekend and only hit one. There is no truth to the rumor he was trying to do an impression of yours truly. His record this past weekend should be a telling sign for UT having a winning football season.
• I finally saw The Hangover. Yes, I was trying to be the last American male under the age of thirty to see the movie. It was very funny in parts, but dragged in others. It's an all-time top ten comedy, but not cracking the top five.
• Texas' basketball team lost to UConn. Texas fans commented, "I thought our season ended against Alabama when McCoy got hurt." For you dense people, that means that people in Texas don't care about basketball.
• Dick Vitale made a ridiculous statement. Crazy, right? This time he said that Brian Zoubek would be drafted in the second round of the NBA Draft in June and would make an NBA team. This is the same Brian Zoubek that is averaging 5.4 points/game for Duke.
• Conan's last show was funny. I know I've been a little hard on the guy over the past couple weeks, but the last show was entertaining. If he'd been that funny for seven months, he'd probably still be employed. Will Ferrell as the lead singer from Lynyrd Skynyrd singing "Freebird" was funny (for a while). Beck dressed up as The Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz, and that was really funny. For me, Neil Young's performance and Ben Harper shredding the "Freebird" solo were the highlights of the show for me.

Photo via Lexington Herald Leader.

306 Days

Written by Ian | 24 January 2010

Three hundred and six days.  It has been three hundred and six days since Kentucky basketball fans watched their beloved program lose 77 - 67 to Notre Dame in the NIT on March 25, 2009.  Then, there was shock at having been in the NIT, and shock at having lost in that tournament.  There were also rumors.

Would Billy Gillispie lose his job?  Should he lose it after only two years?  Would Jodie Meeks and/or Patrick Patterson leave for the NBA?  If so, who could fill their places?

It's a familiar story now for Cats fans.  Gillispie was fired and John Calipari was hired.  Patterson decided to return for another season to play for Cal while Meeks went in the first round of the NBA draft.  There was something on the order of 20 players wondering who would stay and who would go under this new coach.  Everyone was wondering how soon (or if?) Kentucky could get going in the right direction again.

Fast forward a few months into the fall semester.  John Calipari has four young freshman that could potentially start for any team in the nation.  Coach Cal has the best recruit (and possibly the best player) in college basketball joining him in Lexington.  He has a junior college transfer that isn't afraid to shoot the ball, and he's got Patrick Patterson ready to do anything needed to get this program back to national prominence.  The question still remained, would they be any good?

A heart stopper against Miami (OH) left Wildcat fans on the edge of their seats and wondering if they had misjudge their talent.  Sam Houston State comes into town and confirms what everyone has heard from their coach for two months, "we've got a long way to go."  Over the next five games John Wall saves the day again while playing Stanford, UK blitzes to a huge lead and holds off North Carolina down the stretch, and they go into Madison Square Garden to come out ahead of UCONN in a tough environment.  Still, Calipari thinks that his team still needs to grow.

Kentucky went on to blow out their next five opponents before the big game.  Louisville came into Rupp Arena, and a bar fight nearly broke out.  Calipari kept the team on the right track, and the Cats came through with another big win heading into conference play at 15-0.

Georgia plays Kentucky close at home.  Cats fans still wonder how good this team can be.  UK goes into Florida and comes away with a double digit win.  Fans feel a bit better.  On the road at Auburn, Jeff Lebo's squad gives Kentucky a game, but fans feel like their team is on a roll.  Experts predict an upset, but Kentucky demolishes Arkansas in a game that has "playing for the #1 ranking" written all over it.  And now the blue Kool-Aid flows like wine.

If you're a Kentucky basketball fan you have to smile to yourself today.  Three hundred and six days ago your team lost in the NIT, and today...well today you're the #1 team in the country again.  Enjoy it, because most of you deserve it.

What could have been...

Written by Jason Brubaker | 24 January 2010

As I watched the UK curbstomping of Arkansas yesterday, a game that wasn't as close as the final 31-point margin (how often can you say that),  one thought crossed my mind; Is anyone enjoying this season less than Billy Gillispie?

Let's recap for a moment. It's 2007, and you're Gillispie. You're the new coach of the moment, pegged as the next great one after leading Texas A&M to the Sweet 16. You're often described as hard-working, a tireless recruiter and entirely consumed by basketball. You weigh some offers coming in, but eventually decide the lure of Kentucky is too strong to resist. You're taking over one of the premier programs in college basketball, a program starved for a winner after not having visited a Final Four in close to 10 years. You're getting paid handsomely, you're immediately embraced by the state, and you proudly don your blue-and-white, ready to begin establishing your legacy, the legacy you've dreamed about since declaring, as a kid, that you wanted to be a basketball coach.

Except for one thing...the script falls apart here. Turns out, in addition to being obsessed with basketball, you're kind of a jerk too. You blow off speaking engagements around the state, a big time "no-no" for the head man at Kentucky. You fail to embrace the Big Blue Nation, often alienating fans and boosters with your prickly attitude. Rumors abound of your alcoholism, and you're seen around town more than a few times looking less than sober. Oh yeah, and your teams aren't doing much either. You go 40-27 in two years, and your resume includes gems like home losses to Virginia Military Institute and Gardner-Webb. For good measure, you even fail to earn an NCAA berth in your second year, settling for the NIT. To top things off, you're in the middle of a nearly two-year dispute with the university over your contract, since you technically signed a Memorandum of Understanding. There's also rumors of what can be generously described as odd behavior, such as making a player spend a halftime period in a bathroom stall for apparently, not living up to your standards. Yeah, it's safe to say things didn't go according to plan for you at Kentucky.

So two years later, you're gone. Almost as quickly as it started, your tenure at Kentucky is finished. To top things off, you decide to hang around Lexington for a while, emboriled in a legal suit to get your salary that you apparently feel you earned. It was such a stressful time for you that you decided to to pound a few drinks one night and drive home, only to get pulled over, reeking of alcohol and badly slurring your words. Your reasoning? You were just leaving the golf course, having apparently discovered Lexington's only course still open at 3 a.m. Your mug shot is ridiculed endlessly in the next few days.

Now, let's fast forward back to Saturday. There's your former school, crushing another overmatched opponent on their way to a 19-0 record and the likely #1 ranking. There's smiles all around from the players, a few of whom you should recognize, although those smiles might be a new look you haven't seen. There's an energetic, engaging coach sitting in the seat you once sat in, only he seems to be having infinitely more fun than you ever did. There's 24,000+ screaming fans, refusing to leave their seats early even in the midst of a blowout. The dark clouds that seemingly sat on your program now seem to only just be following you, while UK fans are once again enjoying their sunshine.

And perhaps the worst part? It's all because of you. You did this to yourself. You were handed a golden opportunity, and you threw it away. You failed to embrace the public relations portion that comes with the Kentucky job. You took condescending tones with the media, which for a coach who is barely keeping his head above water, comes off as desperate and unnecessarily defensive. You embarrassed players, calling them out regularly after games and routinely throwing them under the bus. It's no wonder your two stars, Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson, were both rumored to be very hesitant to return to the school if you did.

And when you look at UK now, all you have to see is what could have been. If only you had tried to embrace the state, as John Calipari has, then maybe this would be you, enjoying the spoils of coaching a tradition-rich program headed back to the top. If only you had fully understood the importance of UK basketball to people in the state, instead of just referring to it "just another job", then maybe it would be you giving high-fives to Ashley Judd after the game. If you had decided to bond with your players and help them develop instead of treating them as subordinates, then maybe it would be you coaching a team full of future NBA stars. Instead, you're like the guy who got the pretty girl he didn't deserve, treated her poorly, and then now has to watch her become Miss America while on somebody else's arm. It has to hurt.

But the Big Blue Nation has moved on to bigger and better things, and we're enjoying the ride. You're the one whose left to wonder what could have been.

Best Bet Weekend - Conference Championship Edition

Written by Landon | 23 January 2010

Hello friends.  Sorry it has taken me so long to post again - I have been buried in fan mail and Vegas won't stop blowing my phone up.  I would like to point out that I have an untarnished record with my Best Bet Weekend pics and don't plan on letting you down anytime soon.  Enough small talk... let's get down to bidness.

1. Jets (+8) at Colts - Who saw this coming?  The Jets are in the AFC Championship game for the first time since 1999 and are on a roll.  The Colts seem unphased by their late-season losses and the bye week.  Darrelle Revis (Yes, MacGruber... Darrelle) has been a stud and will make Payton's hemorrhoids flare up, but in the end the Colts young receiving corp will be too much.  Colts win in a close one, but 8 points is too much.
2. Vikings at Saints (-4) - This will no doubt be a shoot out with Favre and Brees on top of their game in the post season.  As a matter of fact, this has all the makings to be one of the greatest NFC Championship games in its 30 year history.  Percy Harvin will play and will have a big game with a migraine, but Brees and his magic face mole will be triumphant in the Superdome.  Fear the face mole.  Saints cover.
3. R-Kansas at Kentucky (-16) - IT'S A TRAP!  The Hogs gave a decent Florida squad all they wanted at home earlier this week.  They also played Texas close earlier in the year.  Fortson is back and is playing great.  The Cats have been barely getting by against the likes of Georgia and Auburn.  So, tell me then, why in the world are the Cats favored by this much?  Because they are going to have their first breakout game of the SEC season.  John Wall dunks on Fortson so hard that it blows his dreads off.  Cats cover and look like the #1 team in America doing so.
4. Duke at Clemson (+1) - Both teams coming off disappointing losses on the road.  Duke put a whoopin on the Tigers earlier in the season at Cameron, but Clemson looks to Bounce Back (available at Amazon.com for $17.16 and eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25) in front of the ESPN College Gameday Crew.  Digger Phelps will be on-hand to annoy all of America as Clemson comes alive at home.  The orange team storms the floor.
5. Derek Dooley Has Winning Season at UT in Year 1 (10:1) - Okay, I'll be the gazillionth person to say this: Lane Kiffin is an asshole.  I was shocked as anybody when I found out that USC wanted him to fill in for their previous asshole Pete Carroll.  Now the Vols have dug down deep (real deep) and plucked Dooley from a dismal Louisiana Tech program as recruits start jumping ship.  What a mess.  Dooley and his Bart Simpson overbite will eventually put a decent program together in Knoxville, but they will suffer some pretty severe growing pains next season.  Oh, and Cats finally break the curse next season in Knoxville.

Thursday Thoughts; fearing the pepper

Written by Grubby | 21 January 2010

First and foremost, let's extend a hearty welcome to Left Over Hot Dog.  A Gamecock blog new to the network, but old to the internet.  They aren't big Lane Kiffin fans, but hey, neither were we, really.  You gotta watch those guys though, they're liable to take out a full page ad celebrating "at least a .500 record in all three sports in the same season." (Forgetting of course that it is actually three seasons.)  Oh, but girls in Columbia are pretty.  So it evens out.

Sidney Lowe DID NOT FEAR THE PEPPER last night.  I think we all win when Duke loses.  And an angel gets its wings.  And the lights go out in Georgia.  And NCIS is renewed for another season.  And everyone gets a puppy.

As Cohron mentioned yesterday, Kentucky has already taken over the #1 spot in the polls.  And I think we owe them a hearty round of applause.  John Wall is head and shoulders above the field in POY prognostications, as is John Calipari for COY.  Honestly, I don't see anyone left on their schedule that can beat them.  The young guys have come together and are playing with a cohesiveness previously unseen with so many freshmen on the floor.  I know I'll be sitting in front of the TV to watch the final 12 slaughters.  Hell, I may even go to CATshville. (meh).

Finally, I want to take a moment to point out that, among other things, Kiffin can't drive.  Ha.  So suck on that, with your beautiful wife and bags of money.  Tool.

Auburn is Really Far Away

Written by Josh Cohron | 20 January 2010

The last word on UK/Auburn, buying Tennessee, calling out Favre haters... it must be a Wednesday.

• Don't ever drive from Lexington to Auburn and back in less than 48 hours. I really didn't think that Auburn was that far away (sure, I could have looked up the distance on this interweb thing). 7.5 hours in the car on Sunday made me think otherwise. Next time, I'll fly to Atlanta and ride over. Also, I drove all that way and Kentucky just about pissed away a 19 point lead. I would tell you something about the crappy arena the Tigers play in, but I never went in. I sold my ticket for double what I paid and went to make sure a barstool at Mellow Mushroom didn't fly away during the game. It didn't.
• One win means #1. If UK beats Arkansas on Saturday, it's all but certain that they'll be the #1 team in the country come Monday. The thing people need to be most concerned with is the win against Arkansas. John Pelphrey (JYeary's twin brother) brings in a team that desperately needs a signature win. Pelphrey may need the win more than the Wildcats, as some speculate he's coaching for his job this season. All I'm saying is, the Cats need a win on Saturday before posting/saying, "We're #1!!!!" (I'm talking to you, random girl in a sorority at UK that I'm Facebook friends with who has that as her status.)
• Where are all the Brett Favre haters now? Seriously? Was there a holocaust I didn't hear about? The guy was a legitimate top QB this season. People were crushing him before the season, and now it's a Favre lovefest again. I, for one, love it. The haters have nothing to say. He's led his team to the NFC Finals and has played well all season. Get off his back. Why should anyone be told when they have to retire? Or who they can/can't play for? Favre was the man, is the man, and will be the man again next year if he wants to.
• Watch out for the Basketball Volunteers. This is not a reference to the creepy janitor who always happens to be at your kid's basketball practice. No, I'm talking about the #8 team in the country. Remember the team that suspended four players for getting arrested? That same team that beat then #1 Kansas. That same team that is undefeated in SEC play. That same team that kicked off its "best player," Tyler Smith (if you thought Smith was their best player, you don't know basketball). That same team is forgotten about in their own town because their football coach switched jobs. That same team comes to Lexington in just over a month, the same day that ESPN's GameDay is in town. That same team could be playing the #1 team in the country... again.
• If you are a man that wears a "Team Coco" shirt, be better. I get it, not everyone agrees with me about Conan O'Brien. Some people are going to side with unfunny millionaires, that's just life. But, men cannot wear shirts that say Coco on them under any circumstance. Also, COCO IS NOT CONAN O'BRIEN'S NICKNAME.

Yeah, it's a Wednesday.

Photo via Lexington Herald Leader.

Clemson Fans, Be Better!

Written by Josh Cohron | 14 January 2010

I love bullet points.

• Clemson fans screwed up another postgame. First, there was this guy. If that wasn't embarrassing enough, Clemson fans rushed the court last night after beating North Carolina. At first glance, it doesn't seem that bad. North Carolina is a top program, Clemson is a football school (in the loosest use of the term). But, the Tigers were ranked last night going into their game with the Tar Heels, only six spots behind the Heels in the polls. Also, Clemson won the game by nineteen points. I could give Tigers fans a pass if they'd hit a bucket at the buzzer to win, but they were drilling UNC the whole game. Where's the excitement in rushing the court after a blowout? Hell, if I went to Clemson, I would have been back at a sorority house by halftime.
• Tennessee needs to wait and hire a coach after the 2010 season. Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton is about to screw things up really badly. He's getting shot down by anyone he talks to about being the head coach for the Vols. It's late in the process to try and go hire a guy, so you can't blame Hamilton. But, he shouldn't hire a coach just to hire a coach. Air Force's Troy Calhoun would be an absolute disaster of a hire. My solution for the Vols is to let Interim Coach Kippy Brown take the reins for this season. Maybe he's really good and you get a really cheap coach for a season. If not, there's not a big loss. UT could then go out in December and make a push for a top-tier coach like they deserve. I know one Vol fan (JYeary) who is renouncing his fandom if Calhoun is named Head Coach. That's a huge loss for the program.
• Speaking of the Vols, they have a basketball team! The Vols take the court for the first time since Sunday's dismantling of then #1 Kansas. This will be a big test for UT. It's easy to get pumped up when you're playing the #1 team in the country, not so much for playing unranked Auburn. This game will show the true Tennessee team. If they come out and beat Auburn handily, like they should, the Vols are for real. If they sleep-walk through the game because they're not playing a ranked opponent, go ahead and write them off.
• The Winter Olympics start next month. Seriously. I'm not joking.
• Carlos Beltran is an idiot. Lots of people have surgery that will require them to miss six weeks of work without telling their bosses. What's that? They don't? Oh, someone should inform Beltran of that. The Mets are an absolute joke.
• I can't understand how people feel badly for Conan O'Brien. Yes, I know this doesn't have to do with sports, but I had to say it. People act as if Conan is getting bullied around or something. First off, he's making millions of dollars. Secondly, if he gets fired, he's going to get millions of dollars for doing nothing but not being good at his job. Is Jay Leno an asshole? Of course he is, but everyone in the world has known that for twenty years, so why are people acting surprised? I just don't understand the sympathy for Conan. He's not getting ratings at his time slot, which means advertisers aren't giving money, so NBC is losing money. I'm pretty sure that most people who lose money for their company either get fired or get moved. It doesn't seem like a difficult decision.  But, some people will continue to feel sorry for millionaires.

You really can get so much accomplished with bullet points.