I’ve long been aware of the fact that professional athletes get to play by a different set of rules than the rest of us. Whether it’s their high powered attorneys, ridiculous sponsorship deals or simply their deep pockets, athletes can usually get away with shit that we wouldn’t dare dream of. This latest rant concerns Pac Man Jones (who else) and the gutless wonder that is Roger Goodell.

We’ve written a number of things about Goodell running the NFL with an iron fest, whether it’s barring alchohol from the locker rooms or simply making any form of contact a 15 yard penalty. He’s quick and willing to fine anybody that plays the game hard, but doesn’t have the guts to really take a stand with the bad eggs of the NFL. 

Of course, I’m talking about Pac-Man Jones, who, after being suspended for the entire 2007 season, was reinstated a few months back…only to get suspended again…and reinstated again. I’ve heard of the three strike rule, but Pac Man is pushing the Silver Sombrero for all the bullshit he’s been involved with at West Virginia and since getting drafted in the NFL.

Stop giving these idiots 3rd, 4th and 5th chances. Does anybody have any faith in Pac Man Jones to suddenly pull his head out of his ass? Would the average joe still be showing up to work after picking up three DUI’s like Jared Allen? Or how about if killing people with their car like Leonard Little did (albeit under the Tagliabue era)? Stop being a wrist slapper, Goodell. Start punishing the habitual line-steppers of the NFL.

Later this week the Minnesota Vikings face the very real prospect that three fourths of their starting defensive line will be suspended for 2-4 weeks. The brothers Williams (ok, they’re not actually brothers…), Pat and Kevin Williams face four week suspensions for testing positive for a banned diuretic. Combine that with the potential suspension of defensive dynamo Jared Allen for a low blow on Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers, and the Vikings already razor thin hopes for a playoff berth are on life support.

If you thought the Vikings pass defense was bad before, just wait until three guys who were part of Bryant McKinnie’s entourage last week are forced to suit up and try to rush the quarterback. The potential loss of Kevin Williams and Jared Allen alone would doom the Vikings pass defense, but throw in Pat Williams and the Vikings suddenly won’t be able to stop the pass OR the run.

Picked by some as pre-season Superbowl favorites, the Vikings have managed to make an adventure of a cakewalk schedule. Despite the ineptitude of opening-day starting QB Tarvaris Jackson, the immobility of current starter Gus Frerotte, and the idiosyncratic play calling of head coach Brad Childress the Vikings are still somehow perched in a first place tie atop the NFC North. If the Vikings defensive linemen are suspended, there’s a very real possibility that the Vikings could lose out.

For anybody that thought new ownership and a new head coach could transform the Vikings back into a respectable franchise, this goes to show that some things will never change, especially when dealing with a cursed team like the Vikings. Go ahead and add the Vikings 2008-09 seasons to the list of embarrassments this franchise has seen. And just as a reminder, that list includes a sex boat, the whizz-anator, missed draft picks, Dennis Green, and the Herschel Walker trade.

Last night ESPN tipped off the college basketball season with a marathon of games starting at 9 o clock, pacific time when Memphis played UMass.  They then showed St Marys playing Fresno State at 11:30 pm and the Hawaii game at some ungodly hour of the morning.  The ESPN announcers didn’t hesitate to make jokes about how late it was, how they were “burning the midnight oil”, and how they were having to prop their eyelids open throughout most, if not all, of the broadcasts.  Well, the joke’s on you, ESPN!  During the St Marys game they displayed a graphic of last years West Coast Conference standings and, instead of displaying the University of San Diego Toreros’ logo next to their name, put the San Diego State Aztecs logo.  Whoops.

To the production assistants who might be reading this and are caught being lazy once and a while, here’s some help.  You might be asking yourself “Wow, how did he get that?”  Simple.  I went to google, typed in “USD Toreros logo,” and achieved success.  And you can do it too!

I’ll hold my tongue on the San Diego State Athletics blasts because there are readers and even contributors to this website who might slit my throat if I say negative (but true) things about their team.  Lets just say it’s a little bit wrong to mix up a team that missed the tournament with a team that beat UConn in the first round of the dance in what is shaping up to be the moment of the sports year in San Diego (professional teams included).  But it’s okay because USD’s beast in the middle, Gyno Pomare, reminds me a lot of Darryl from The Office.  And to ESPN, a word of advice.  Before you fire off more “midnight oil” jokes, make sure your production staff isn’t passed out at the controls.

Standings
Ryan: 70-66-5
Sonny: 67-69-5
Kevin: 66-70-5
Rich: 66-70-5

Ryan: Chiefs +5 over Saints. Sure, the Chiefs have one measly win in 2008. But they’ve played some pretty good football the last three weeks. Tyler Thigpen has strung together some nice performances in KC’s spread offense, and I look for that to continue against the awful Saints defense. Oh, and they get LJ back too.
Kevin: Saints -5 over Chiefs.
Sonny: Chiefs +5 over Saints.
Rich: Chiefs +5 over Aints.

Ry: Dolphins -10 over Raiders. Double digit underdogs have been money all season in the NFL. Not Oakland though, they’re awful.
K: Dolphins -10 over Raiders.
S: Dolphins -10 over Raiders.
Ri: Dolphins -10 over Failures.

Ry: Ravens +7 over Giants. This one pits two of the best defenses in the NFL. In a game like that, I’m inclined to take the points when they’re given to me. The Giants could be due for a letdown after games against Pittsburgh, Dallas and Philadelphia. I’m not endorsing a Ravens win here, but it could definitely happen if Joe Flacco keeps playing well.
K: Giants -7 over Ravens.
S: Ravens +7 over Giants.
Ri: Giants -7 over Ravens

Ry: Bucs -4 over Vikings. One of the day’s better matchups sees old NFC Central rivals meeting in Tampa Bay. The Bucs are coming off a bye week and been money all season at home. The Vikings have won four of five, but it’ll be tough to get the running game going against this stingy Bucs defense.
K: Bucs -4 over Vikings
S: Vikings +4 over Bucs.
Ri: Bucs -4 over Vikings

K: Falcons -6.5 over Broncos. Where the hell did these Falcons come from?  With Michael Turner and Matt Ryan, I see the Falcons shredding a weak (or non-existent) Broncos defense.
Ry: Falcons -6.5 over Broncos.
S: Falcons -6.5 over Broncos.
Ri: Broncos +6.5 over Matty Ice.

K: Panthers -14 over Lions. As bad as the Panthers played last week, they still managed to cover.  The Lions may be worse than the Raiders, and I can’t see the Panthers playing as poorly as they did last week, I like them to win this one big.
Ry: Panthers -14 over Lions.
S: Jake Delhomme -14 over Lions.
Ri: Panthers (despite Jake Delhomme) over Lions

K: Bears +3.5 over Packers. As much as I like the Packers and want to take them here, I don’t really know why the Bears are 3.5 point underdogs.  They’re going to shut down Ryan Grant, meaning it will be up to Aaron Rodgers to beat them.  Can he do it?  I’m not so sure.
Ry: Bears +3.5 over Pack.
S: Packers -3.5 over Bears.
Ri: Pack 3.5 over Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Bears

K: Texans +9 over Colts. I’m not satisfied by the win over Pittsburgh by the Colts, or that awful loss to the Ravens by the Texans.  I think this one will be close, as most AFC South games tend to be.
Ry: Colts -9 over Texans.
S: Texans +9 over Colts.
Ri: Colts -9 over Texans.

S: Eagles -9.5 over Bengals. The Eagles could very well be the most inconsistent team in the league. You never really know if they’re going to show up or not. However, in this match up against the Bengals I could easily see McNabb throwing for 350 and 3 td’s.
Ry: Eagles -9.5 over Bungals.
K: Eagles -9.5 over Bengals.
Ri: Donovan -9.5 over Bengals.

S: 49ers-6.5 over Goats. The 49ers finally seem to be on track even though they lost this past Monday night in Arizona. The Rams on the other hand are without Steven Jackson. You take your pick: Frank Gore or whoever the hell is backing up Steven Jackson?
Ry: Niners -6.5 (You’re welcome, Rich) over Rams.
K: Niners -6.5 over Rams.
Ri: Niners -whatever it takes over Rams.

S: Cardinals -3 over Seahawks. Kurt Warner is an OG. Yea I said it. He’s an Original Gangster that’s filthy even if he wears gloves when he throws. Warner is going to shut up the 12th man and force Mike Holmgrem to quit with with a month and half left in the season.
Ry: Seahawks +3 over Cardinals.
K: Cardinals -3 over Seahawks.
Ri: Seahawks +3 over Cards.

Ri: Steelers -5 over Chargers. I’m picking against my home team for the first time since they lost to Denver.  I feel like this pick has stumped me in weeks past but I got it this week with Rofflesberger.  Rivers will prove to be the better QB during this game but Roethlisbeger will stiil flash the ring in his face.  Got ‘em!
S: Chargers+5 over Steelers.
Ry: Steelers -5 over Chargers.
K: Steelers -5 over Chargers.

Ri Jags +1 over Titans. I picked the Jags to go fairly deep into the playoffs this year and while that’s not happening so far I still think this team has the ability to steal one now and then.  I hate saying week in and week out that “so and so” team has the formula to beat Tennessee but I feel like the Jags have it.  MJD + FredTay = Win
S: Jags +1 over Titans.
Ry: Jags +1 over Titans.
K: Titans -1 over Jaguars.

Ri: Dallas -1 over Warshington. No Clinton Portis?  Screw talking about the rest of it, I don’t care.  How ’bout dem Cowboys!
S: Skins +1 over Jerry Jones’ plastic face.
Ry: Skins +1 over Wade Phillips’ Bosom.
K: Redskins +1 over Cowboys.

Ri: Bills -5 over Browns. I’m not entirely sure what’s happening in Cleveland with the K2 situation and Romeo Crennel not stepping up and handling it like a man.  I still have faith in Buffalo…do you?
S: Browns +5 over Bills.
Ry: Browns +5 over Bills
K: Bills -5 over Browns.

As each day passes, I feel like we’re closer and closer to seeing Terrell Owens again laying on his front yard, doing crunches saying no comment.  It’s a day I certainly am looking forward to, and if the Cowboys continue to struggle (and with Brad Johnson or Brooks Bollinger at the helm, they most certainly will) then this T.O. meltdown could happen sooner than expected.

The signs of this implosion have been long in coming.  Even though the Cowboys started the year off hot, Owens wasn’t getting as many passes as he would like (all of them) and judging from his past, it would seem we’re nearing the end of his tenure with the Cowboys.

Then there was the Tony Romo injury, and things went from bad to worse.  With an incompetent, should be retired has been throwing him the ball, the outlook was bleak.  And when the Cowboys got Roy Williams from the Detroit Lions, the question wasn’t necessarily was it a fair trade, the question was how is T.O. going to react.  That isn’t normally a good thing.  And we know Williams is going to take catches away from Owens, that’s what happens when you have two good receivers on the field at the same time.

Now Owens is telling the coaches how to do their job, that is, to look back at 2007 and see how they got him the ball, and replicate that in 2008.  Owens appears to be re-realizing that the world does in fact revolve around him.  I would suggest getting your office pools going about when this train wreck happens.  In the meantime, I’ll be getting my popcorn ready.

After winning 88 games in 2007, most of the baseball world had the San Diego Padres pegged as contenders this season. That was before Jake Peavy and Chris Young got hurt, Khalil Greene was useless and an outfield of Scott Hairston and Paul McAnulty fell flat on their face. Now, in a pivotal offseason for the franchise, the Padres are doing everything they can to completely dismantle the franchise.

We know all about the likely Jake Peavy trade. Even though Peavy has one of the friendliest contracts in baseball for a top-line pitcher, he’s on his way out, likely for nothing more than a bundle of prospects. But the real issue I have is the Padres’ treatment of franchise icon Trevor Hoffman, who has amassed 552 of his 554 career saves for the Friars. After some tense negotiations (and a rejected head-to-head meeting), Hoffman’s lowballed $4 million offer was withdrawn last night…VIA FAX.

Classy. Here’s a franchise that’s had two icons in the last 20 years. One of them, Tony Gwynn, went out as a Padre and is now eternalized in center field at Petco Park. But how awful is this Hoffman situation? Without Hoffman, a great argument can be made that the Padres’ downtown stadium would not even exist. He’s been that pivotal in the franchise’s organization

“Trevor is upset with the way they’ve handled the situation,” one of Hoffman’s agents said. Gee, ya think? This is about more than baseball wins and losses. Sure, the argument can be made that paying a closer $4 milion for a 100 loss team isn’t a great financial move. But giving the finger to Hoffman is an enormous PR hit, and it’s going to hurt them for years. You think Adrian Gonzalez wants to extend his contract after 2010?

You stay classy, San Diego.

This doesn’t exactly have anything to do with sports, unless you count professional wrestling as a sport.  And then I guess you could say these guys are trying out for it.  But facial rearrangements caused by wet floor signs are always fun to watch.

Standings
Ryan: 65-58-5
Rich: 62-61-5
Kevin: 62-61-5
Sonny: 59-64-5

Ryan: Jags -7 over Lions: I know the Jags have been one of the league’s biggest letdowns, but Detroit is just horrific. And with the Jags giving up only a touchdown, I’m inclined to take them. It’s a game Jacksonville has to win to keep their season alive, so I don’t see them slipping up.
Rich: Jags -7 over Lions.
Kevin: Lions +7 over Jaguars.
Sonny: Jags -7 over Lions.

Ry: Bears +3 over Titans. So Tennessee knocks off their division rival, stays undefeated and are only favored by a field goal? This seems to have trap game written on it. Kyle Orton is doubtful, but I’m confident the Sex Cannon, Rex Grossman, can get the job done. Bears win on a Robbie Gould walkoff.
Ri: Bears +3 over Jeff Fisher’s mullet.
K: Titans -3 over Bears.
S: Bears +3 over Kerry Collins turning it over.

Ry: Pats -4 over Bills. Even without Tom Brady, I still think the Pats are the class of the AFC East. Buffalo has recently found out how hard it is to win when people expect you to win. The Patriots know all about this. The Bills lost at home to a more experienced Jets team last week, and I think they lose to a more experienced Pats team here.
Ri: Bills +4 over Patriots.
K: Bills +4 over Patriots.
S: Pats -4 over Da Bills.

Ry: Falcons +1 over Saints. What’s not to like about the Falcons these days? Michael Turner has been worth every penny, and Matt Ryan looks like a star. Even though the Saints are coming off a bye, I don’t think they can slow down Burner Turner.
Ri: Saints -1 over Falcons.
K: Saints -1 over Falcons.
S: Saints -1 over Falcons.

Ri: Jets -9 over Rams. Steven Jackson is out this week and saying I’m a little bit skeptical about the Rams defense as a whole would be an understatement.  For my fantasy team’s sake Brett Favre is due for a monster game.  It annoys me that I keep picking the Jets.
Ry: Rams +9 over Jets
K: Rams +9 over Jets.
S: My Boy -9 over Rams.

Ri: Dolphins -8.5 over Seahawks. My God the Seahawks are a mess.  Why did I think this team was going to compete for anything this year?  And how about the Dolphins quadrupling their win total from last year at the halfway point.  Here’s a surprise, Chad Pennington is still a good quarterback.
Ry: Dolphins -8.5 over Seahawks
K: Dolphins -8.5 over Seahwaks.
S: Seahawks +8.5 over Dolphins.

Ri: Packers +2 over Vikings. This game reeks of NFC North slugfest but is sans the snow element because it’s in the Trash Bag Dome.  I don’t know what it is about this game but I have almost zero interest in the outcome…I just like Aaron Rodgers.  Go Pack.
Ry: Packers +2 over Vikings
K: Packers +2 over Vikings.
S: Packers +2 over Vikings.

Ri: Ravens -1 over Texans. To be fair to Andre Johnson, the only thing that really matters in Houston, I’d pick the Texans if Matt Schaub was healthy.  But he’s not and instead it’ll be the Sage at quarterback.  I just hope he does more spinning flips and fumbles the ball at crucial points in the game and I don’t really think that’s an unreasonable request.
Ry: Texans +1 over Ravens
K: Texans +1 over Ravens.
S: Ravens -1 over Texans.

Ri: Panthers -10 over Raiders. The Raiders really really suck.  Moving on.
Ry: Panthers -10 over Raiders
K: Panthers -10 over Raiders.
S: Panthers -10 over Al Davis’ IQ.

K: Chargers -15 over Chiefs. Coming off a bye week, and with a new defensive coordinator, who most likely isn’t as incompetent as the previous one, I’m taking the Chargers.  The two games San Diego has won big all year have been at home, and I expect that trend to continue here.  The team and fans are going to be excited for this one.
Ry: Chargers -15 over Chiefs
Ri: Chargers -15 over Chiefs.
S: Chiefs +15 over Chiefs.

K: Steelers -3.5 over Colts. Even though the Steelers offensive line can’t pass block to save their lives, this team still manages to do pretty damn well.  I expect them to try to get up in the face of Peyton Manning and continue to play their smash mouth brand of football and simply out physical the Colts.
Ry: Steelers -3.5 over Colts.
Ri: Colts +3.5 over Steelers.
S: Steelers -3.5 over Colts.

K: Giants +3 over Eagles. I don’t get this line, I really don’t.  I understand the Eagles need a win to avoid falling too far behind the Giants, but damn the Giants have looked good all year long.
Ry: Eagles -3 over Giants.
Ri: Chunky Soup Crew -3 over Giants.
S: Eagles -3 over Giants.

K: Cardinals -9 over Niners. I want to thank whoever put this on Monday Night Football.  We all get to see the Cardinals beat up on their hopeless divison rivals.
Ry: Cardinals -9 over Niners
Ri: Cardinals -9 over Niners.
S: Cardinals -9 over Niners.

These are a collection of thoughts I’ve had about the world of sports the past few days.  None of them really deserve a full length article, so they’re all just kinda thrown together here.

I’m not quite sure what the Dodgers are trying to do with their offer to Manny Ramirez.  It’s rumored to be two years for $45 million.  I understand the concept of low balling to start of negotiations, but I get the feeling that Scott Boras is going to do to that offer what manager Lou Brown did to Roger Dorn’s contract in Major League, that is, take a piss on it.

Major League Baseball should probably take away the San Diego Padres right to call themselves a major league organization.  The only players who matter in San Diego (Jake Peavy, Adrian Gonzalez, and Trevor Hoffman) have all indicated that they have at least some interest in playing elsewhere because the team apparently has no plans to try to win.

These reports that MLB would never let Mark Cuban buy the Cubs are somewhat troubling to me.  If he is the highest bidder (which is probably a safe bet) why not let him buy the team?  Apparently Bud Selig is afraid of having an owner who will have the guts to stand up and say how bad he sucks as a commissioner.

It’s probably a safe bet to say that if Nick Saban went to Washington he could make the Huskies a contender within 3 years, right?  It’s also probably safe to assume he isn’t going to stay at Alabama for too long, he doesn’t exactly strike me as the loyal type.

I’m wonder what sort of golf karma is going to hit this idiot.  Here’s a guy who has recorded five hole-in-one’s in one week, something bad has to happen to him on the course right?  He must have had the worst bounces ever seen to man for the past 10 years in order to deserve recording a hole in one five times in one week.