What a tough week it has been for some athletes that have had significant careers. Early this week we saw that beloved Charger LaDainian Tomlinson was given the ol’ heave-ho, even though his MVP trophy hasn’t even started to gather some dust.
He is the holder of numerous seasonal records – total touchdowns and points scored being the big ones – and he is second all-time in carrying the ball into the end zone.
Needless to say, he has stacked up the numbers, but it is also needless to say that even though he has scored 20+ touchdowns combined the last two seasons, his production outside the red zone has dipped a bit. It shall be interesting to see where he ends up. The rumors are already starting to swirl…
Along the same line, we saw that the two Westbrook brothers made news this week, albeit now in the fashion that either would likely to have chosen. First, let’s note how much I like using the word “albeit.” Then let’s start with the younger.
Byron, a cornerback for the Redskins, apparently took his job too much to heart and decided to play a coverage pattern over as much of the road as he could. The problem: it was 2 a.m. and he was in his Mercedes.
He failed a sobriety field test and was charged for DUI, DWI, negligent driving and failure to drive right of center. Now that’s what I call having some bad brakes. Get it? Get it?
Now on to the elder, Brian, who has been lining up in the backfield for the Eagles for some time. He has been released by Philadelphia after nearly a decade of making plays.
His head had been banged up this year, and that does not help when the back behind him on the depth chart, LeSean McCoy, showed some good skills this year. Coincidentally, McCoy went to the University of Pittsburgh, so I am sure some Pennsylvania homers were trying to push Brian Westbrook out.
I am not sure why this didn’t get more attention, but Philadelphia University’s Herb Magee has now passed Bob Knight for the top spot in the NCAA record book for career wins.
Although, as I learned from reading some more about it, there is some debate about whether or not Don Meyer is the actual record holder, ’cause he got a portion of his wins at an NAIA school.
Even so, I think Magee is getting less credit because his wins have not come with powerhouses like Indiana and Texas Tech, but rather with a small Division II team. Still, it seems right to shed some light on him – having a 43-year career and stacking up the victories is nothing to sneeze at. Pollen is something to sneeze at.
Did anyone else read about Tony Kornheiser’s two-week suspension from his ESPN show with Michael Wilbon? He made some comments about Hannah Storm’s outfit while doing his radio show in Washington, and now ESPN has – pardon their interruption – let Tony know that he won’t be on-set with Wilbon for two weeks time.
It’s kind of ridiculous to me. ESPN knows very well that Kornheiser loves using sarcasm and belittles people, but that he’s just having some fun with his job.
I listen to their show’s podcast every so often, and he does not relent on making fun of anyone, regardless of their position in the world of sports. It could be players, managers, head coaches – Rex Ryan’s waistline is a favorite target of his – and now fellow workers of ESPN are not to be touched.
Kornheiser has faced the people’s wrath before and moved on like nothing happened, so we will have to wait and see what sarcastic remarks he drops upon his return to the set.
I was going to mention how fantabulous that USA-Canada game was last Sunday night, but I am hoping that everyone already knew that.
The thing I liked most about the game didn’t have much to do with what actually happened on the ice. Since NBC did not want the game and dropped it off to MSNBC, there were very limited commercials throughout the course of the game and throughout that intense third period. Very limited stoppages in play only provided constant excitement and edge-of-seat kind of interest from me.
Oh, what watching a game without constant advertisements would be like… We can dream, right?
Ramble on the roof
