What's with NBA players and nude pics?

Last week we hear about nude pictures of Portland Trailblazers center Greg Oden(gasp!) circulating and now it comes out that San Antonio Spurs guard George Hill is apologizing for having nude pictures that made their way into cyberspace.First of all,I'm not into judging other men by their looks,but Oden isn't much to look at.Secondly,who would go out of their way to put these photos out there.I know it can't be the players themselves.Who really knows though? There are some things that need to be kept private and left alone.I know they have both apologized for the inappropiate photos,but I don't think they were the parties responsible for the overexposure.Oden,Hill and others also need to be more careful about who has access to such things so they don't get put out there.

Saints were super,but you can't pin the loss on Manning

The New Orleans Saints are the Super Bowl Champions.It was hard fought and well deserved.Down early 10-0 the Saints never wavered from their gameplan.Play keepaway from Peyton Manning.It was clear which team was the agressor and which team played on their heels the entire night.Even though Drew Brees threw the ball around,they were short, precise passes that chewed up much of the clock.The defense stepped up big time and showed that they are capable of shutting down a top notch offfense.The Colts had their chances to make this outcome different.I won't blame coaching,but there was no way that Matt Stover should've been attempting a 51 yard field goal.They should have tried to shorten the distance instead of going for it all with the incomplete pass to Austin Collie.The Colts didn't get her playing it safe,but sometimes you have to.If anything maybe they should've tried to pin the Saints deep in their own end.Another thing I noticed was that it seemed like Reggie Wayne was shortarming passes all game.That eventually came back to haunt them,when he cut his route short on Tracy Porter's game clinching pick 6.I wasn't in the huddle so I don't know what play was called,but it looked like he sat on his break,while Porter jumped the route.I know,Manning was the one who threw the ball.Being a watcher of bad football for years(I'm a Lions fan),I know when receivers run bad routes.That's why I say you can't blame Manning for the loss.He didn't have his greatest game,and I know the quarterback is supposed to be your leader,but he can't go out and defend passes and tackle the opposing running back either.Overall,it was a good game and the Saints defense showed me alot.With a lot of key players in their last year of their contract,they might not have this oppurtunity again.The players and fans should enjoy this,as they've been through hard times and lean years in the Big Easy.The Colts had a great season and have nothing to be ashamed of.They will be back and hopefully Manning can shake the choker label and get another ring.

Old,bitter quaterbacks

First we had to hear Fran Tarkenton go all bitter old man on Brett Favre,mostly for being a former Packer now quarterbacking the Vikings.I believe it had something to do with Favre possibly getting the Lombardi Trophy to Minnesota.Something he wasn't able to accomplish in his storied,Hall Of Fame career.Now there is the Joe Theismann shot at Tim Tebow.I'm not the biggest Tebow fan,but he's taken enough about his possible NFL prospects.Theismann was quoted as saying"Obviously they don't teach throwing the football at Florida.I'm no football historian,as Theismann's college days were a bit before my time.But if I can remember,Notre Dame wasn't throwing it all over the yard during your playing days either Joe.Just leave Tebow alone and let it all play out.Odds are he won't be a quarterback,but he at least deserves a shot to try.At least Tebow wore a real helmet.     

All Talk Millen(ATM)

After Herschel Walker's semi-impressive MMA debut,former Detroit Lions president and current football analyst,Matt Millen said he thought about giving it a try.As a Lions fan we know how he like to try jobs that he's not qualified for.This would be hilarious and ridiculous if he actually went through with it.He wouldn't have a shortage of possible opponents.There would be thousands of Lions fans(insert joke here) that would be willing to get a shot a Millen in any ring.

OH NO!

Rumor has it that Isiah Thomas could be next in line to lead the eternally cursed Los Angeles Clippers.A source close to the situation says Thomas has been contacted about taking over as coach,GM,and president.This would be yet another bad decision in Clipperland. This is after Mike Dunleavy stepped down as coach.but is staying on as GM.

  I like the Clippers for some odd reason and would hope that they could finally get their house in order.But even a basketball genius couldn't get them on track as long as Donald Sterling is in control.I like Isiah Thomas.He singlehandedly made my hometown Detroit Pistons a relevant NBA team.Although I feel he got a raw deal with the Indiana Pacers,he made some downright boneheaded moves when he was in charge of the New York Knicks.This would be a match made in hell.It would further sully Thomas' name in the NBA,after a brilliant Hall Of Fame career.And you know Sterling wouldn't give Thomas much to work with.If you think I'm wrong,go ask Paul Silas.You know Thomas is itching to get back in the NBA,but this would be a dastardly move that wouldn't be good for anyone.It should be thanks,but no thanks for Thomas.Stay at Florida International an build your name up again and maybe a better situation might come along. 

I love the Super Bowl. I hate the show

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the greatest sporting days of all time.Maybe the greatest.The buildup to the game can usually provide some candid moments.Like the Raiders' Barrett Robbins going out on a bender the night before the game.Or Jim McMahon mooning a helicopter.How about Hollywood Henderson saying that Terry Bradshaw couldn't spell cat if you spotted him the c and a.The most comical to me,although some may beg to differ,was when Eugene Robinson,then of the Atlanta Falcons, was busted by an undercover cop for soliciting sex.Me and my friend had jokes for days about that one.The part I hate is that they've made the game more of a show.
  Everyone talks about,no pun intended, who the entertainment is.This year is happens to be The Who,although a much watered down version.The game has become more about commercials,entertainment,and celebrities.Taking the focus off the two teams playing in it.Granted,there have been some lousy games(Patriots vs. Bears anyone),but I don't want to turn on the news the next day hearing people talk about how much that Tostitos ad cost,or how great the King Cobra malt liquor commercial was.Or who was at the game.I'm sure if tickets weren't so much you would have more pure fans showing up to the game.I don't give a damn about who partied where and what the halftime entertainment is.I can understand you want the fans to enjoy themselves,but I don't care if they trotted out Coco the birthday chimp for entertainment.I do like the commercials,just stop trying to make them bigger than the game.Same goes for the halftime entertainment.I just want a good game,with the usual buildup and a player making an ass out of themeselves before the game.There's never a shortage of those,but recently it seems to be kind of dry.Off the field the ghost of Max McGee couldn't spice this one up.Anyway,this should be one of the better games we've had recently.

Colts 34
Saints 21   

For the Chargers it's the same old story of what if.

It's a week before the Super Bowl and I can't help but wonder why the San Diego Chargers aren't going to be playing in it.The stars seemed to be aligned for them this season.You know,win the AFC West,get a home game possibly against someone that you have a favorable track record against(Colts).Then it all comes crashing down against an underdog New York Jets team with a rookie quarterback,no less.  
  Then I thought about their postseason history,since I've been a football fan.I'm a fan of my hometown Detroit Lions.Don't laugh,I know the jokes are coming.But I've always had a soft spot for the Chargers.I don't know why.Maybe it was the lightning bolt uniforms that reeled me in.Or maybe that the Oakland Raiders,who were notoriously dirty back then, always got over on the Chargers(the holy roller game and the 55-21 Monday night massacre come to mind).They always seemed to have a good regular season,only to come up short in the playoffs.Here's a rundown of the Charger playoff misery that their fans had to endure.I'm a Lions fan so I more than feel your pain.

1979-The Chargers finally breakthrough the death grip the Raiders had on the AFC West and win the division.They get a home game against the Earl Campbell led Houston Oilers.But the Oilers were without their starting quarterback,Dan Pastorini.They trot out Gifford Nielsen and the Chargers lost a 14-10 third quarter lead,losing 17-14 on a 47 yard touchdown pass to Mike Renfro.The first of many disappointments.

1980-The Chargers win the AFC West again.Once again they get a home game as they draw a tough Buffalo Bills team.The Bills jump out to a 14-3 lead,but the Chargers storm back with 17 in the second half to win 20-17.Having home field advantage against th wild card Raiders should have been enough to catapult them to their first super bowl berth.The Raiders,led by Jim Plunkett,who was backing up Dan Pastorini(this guy must have been haunting the Chargers back then),came into Jack Murphy Stadium and jumped the Chargers to the tune of 28-7.Once again the Chargers mount a comeback,only to fall short 34-27.Two weeks later they watch the rival Raiders celebrate a win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 15.Once again the Raiders get over on the Chargers.

1981-This was the year it was supposed to come together for the Chargers.They rolled into the 1981 season as one of the favorites to get to the Super Bowl.Then the rest of the league figured something out.The Chargers for all their aerial antics,couldn't stop anyone on defense.Another thing was that no one counted on the Cincinnati Bengals coming out of nowhere to be the class of the AFC.1981 was a slight disappointment.They won the AFC West for the third year in a row.But there were no home games for the Chargers to fall back on.They went to Miami to battle the Dolphins in one of the most epic playoff games of all time.After jumping to a 24-0 lead,they let the Dolphins back in it to close the gap to 24-17 at the half.Both teams traded punches and wound up being tied at 38 at the end of regulation.Kellen Winslow blocked a Miami field goal attempt that would've won it for the Dolphins.Both exchanged missed field goals in overtime.Then Rolf Bernirschke nailed a 29 yarder that earned them a trip to Cincinnati.They would face a Bengals team,that whacked them 40-17 earlier that season,but had a chance to avenge the loss.One problem.It was too cold.Known as the Freezer Bowl,it was played in -59 degree wind chill.-9 degrees air temperature.Going from 88 degree heat and humidity to extreme cold was too much for the California boys.Plus I always believed that the Miami game took a lot out of them(remember Winslow being carried off the field?).They wound up losing 27-7 and waiting until next year.

1982-In a strike shortned season the Chargers finished 6-3 and earned a first round game against the Steelers, who were a little past the glory days.Being on the road had always been a trouble spot for the Chargers back then.It showed as the Steelers ran out to a 28-17 lead.The Chargers,led by Dan Fouts,made a fourth quarter comeback to notch a 31-28 victory.The win set up a rematch with Miami.The Chargers were destroyed in the "epic" rematch,34-13,once again exposing a poor defense.They wouldn't return to the playoffs for 10 years and one of the best teams in NFL history never made it to a Super Bowl.

1992-After 10 years away from the postseason the Chargers rebounded from an 0-4 start to win the AFC West.They came in with a bang pitching a 17-0 shutout over the Kansas City Chiefs.Once again they end up in Miami and once again were dominated, losing 31-0.Overall,not much was expected from this team,so not a lot of disappointment as there was in past years.

1994-Finally,a breakthrough!They win the AFC West once again.This time they get the Dolphins at home.After falling behind 21-6,they Chargers dominate the second half and win 22-21.They get a shot on the road against the favored Pittsburgh Steelers.The Steelers looked like they would be headed to the big game after being staked to a 13-3 lead in the third quarter.Quarterback Stan Humphries led the team to two fourth quarter touchdowns and a 17-13 win.That would get them their first AFC championship and trip to the Super Bowl.Going against a heavily favored San Francisco 49ers squad,the Chargers were outmatched from the start and lost 49-26.

1995-The Chargers returned to the playoffs to defend their AFC title as a wild card entrant.Playing at home against the Indianapolis Colts,this was supposed to be a win for the home team.The Colts had other ideas.Led by running back Zack Crockett(who?),the Colts ran away from the Chargers for a 35-20 win.This was a disappointing finish to the season since so much was expected coming off an AFC championship season.

2004-The Chargers return to the playoffs after a 9 year drought.They grab another AFC West crown and get a home game against the New York Jets.Falling behind 17-7 the Chargers tie the game only to miss a field goal attempt that would've won the game.They fall 20-17 in overtime to start the 2000's string of playoff misery that mirrored the late 70's and early 1980's.

2006-The Chargers entered the playoffs with home field advantage throughout.That didn't seem to matter to the defending champion New England Patriots.After being ahead 21-13,Tom Brady led the Patriots to a 24-21 win that was frustrating on many levels,from the fans,players,and coaches.After this latest heartbreak,Marty Schottenheimer was shown the door and dismissed from his head coaching duties.They brought in Norv Turner to see if he could get the job done.

2007-The Chargers are the AFC West champs and face the Tennessee Titans and claim a 17-6 win.Earning a shot against the favored defending champion Indianapolis Colts on the road.They go toe to toe with the champs before getting the ko in a 28-24 win.That would get them a shot at avenging the loss to the New England Patriots.With star running back LaDanian Tomlinson sitting out most of the game the Chargers fall one game short of the Super Bowl,falling 21-12.

2008-Although they won the AFC West,the Chargers underachieved and finished with an 8-8 record.They somehow manage a home game against the Indianapolis Colts.After being behind most of the game,they manage to tie it with a last second field goal.They take the overtime kickoff and drive for the winning touchdown.They go on to play the Steelers and take an early lead.After that the Steelers dominate the rest of the way for a 35-24 win that wasn't as close as the score indicated.

2009-Present day.The Chargers run away with the AFC West title.They're favored against the wild card New York Jets at home.Once again the Chargers blow a shot at a possible Super Bowl and fall 17-14 to the Jets.This would mark the latest disappointment in the playoff history of the San Diego Chargers.

They've always been close,right at the doorstep of greatness.Somehow they always manage to come up short when it matters most.This seems to be when they have some of the best players in the NFL and can't come up big.AFC West titles seem to be the most this team can garner.