Another Weird & Whacked Wednesday

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

For those of you who haven't been here before - welcome to this week's edition of Weird & Whacked Wednesdays. Wednesday entries take a look back at some of the more "notable" newsmakers from the world of sports from the last week or so - the stories that make us laugh, or just shake our heads at the geniuses we cheer for week in and week out. Generally the stories are filed under "the weird" or "the whacked" with a select few being singled out for being "just plain dumb" - I'll let you decide where what you think of each.


NFL

DOLPHINS LOVE THE WAY NICK LOVES THEM
This one had to be put out by Miami's PR department. While some players have not taken to Nick Saban's approach to coaching - yelling, screaming, berating, humiliating etc (or as he refers to it - "tough love") some young players actually appreciate what Nick is "trying to teach" them. Rookie defensive back Jason Allen was recently chewed out by Saban during a pre-season game, but says that he understands that Saban is trying to make him a better player.

File this one under "whacked" - Saban's tirades were the main reason one young Dolphins' player left camp and he continues to berate his young players. I wonder how much of this is coaching, and how much of it is beating up on young players because the vets would tell him where to go. I can't see Saban tearing a strip out of Zach Thomas or Jason Taylor. Maybe Nick needs anger management classes - I mean...its a rookie in a pre-season game. Lighten up Nick.


MUST HAVE BEEN A SLOW NEWS DAY
Things must be pretty slow in Denver these days - making news at Denver's camp was that BOTH Champ Bailey and Al Wilson fell asleep after practice and didn't make it to the hotel the team was staying at IN DENVER - thus breaking team curfew. Both were held out of Saturday's game against Tennessee.

File this one under "just plain dumb" - I'm all for team unity and that bunker mentality NFL coaches like to instill in their teams, but we are talking about two veterans who fell asleep on their damn couches; they weren't out partying or causing trouble...THEY WERE FREAKING SLEEPING AT HOME. I think Mike Shanahan is losing it here - having the team stay in a hotel the night before a preseason game...AT HOME. Hey, Clinton Portis...if you are listening, when you want to get out of a pre-season game next year - just sleep through the curfew; your shoulder will thank you for it.


THE ANTI-RANDY MOSS
Speaking of slow news days - the San Jose Mercury News published a story about the great camp WR Antonio Bryant is having. That's all fine and good, he's having a great camp and hasn't thrown a towel in the coach's face - good for Antonio. But to be pumping this guy up because he had a good season last year and his having a good training camp is a little much. He refers to Bryant as the Anti-Randy Moss - this is where it gets good.

"He isn't as talented as Moss, since nobody is. He isn't as accomplished as Moss, isn't as rich, and isn't as analyzed or feared, though that time may come soon."

File this one under "just plain dumb" - you want to mention Antonio Bryant and Randy Moss in the same sentence? Son, I knew Randy Moss...and you (Antonio Bryant) are no Randy Moss. I know about the proximity of San Jose to the Bay region - but you are talking about Antonio Bryant...he doesn't get to be mentioned or compared to Moss until he has a dominant season. Must have been another slow news day in the Bay area...why not do what the rest of the U.S is doing...watching and wondering about the Red Sox (and what Hazel will be wearing on SportsDesk that night).


THE "OTHER" FOOTBALL

IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED...TRY TRY AGAIN
The story out of Turin keeps getting more and more pathetic. The latest Juventus story to hit the wire is how two former team officials went to court to appeal their sentences after being found guilty of being involved in the match fixing scandal that rocked Italian soccer and saw four teams punished for their roles in the scandal - Juventus being relegated to Serie B with a points penalty tacked on for good measure. Former GM Luciano Moggi and former chief executive Antonio Giraudo asked that the appeal court suspend the banishment and fines imposed on them by an Italian soccer tribunal. The court rejected their appeals.

File this one under "whacked" - the team you worked for has been relegated to the second division, stripped of their last two league titles AND have had their request to be re-instated to Serie A (after firing BOTH of your cans) denied - yet, Dumb and Dumber think that somehow the court will feel differently than the tribunal that sentenced you. Dudes, the guys in the appeals court likely lost money betting on soccer because of your shenanigans - what makes you think they don't want to exact some revenge on you?


WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' LUNCH PROGRAM
Students at a sports school in northeast China were caught using performance enhancing drugs after a doping raid in August (gotta love how China shares information huh?). Read the story to find out what these kids were taking - I guess it should come as no surprise that the school is reknowned for churning out Olympic and world champions. The U.S. has state sponsored lunches for kids in school - the Chinese opted out of the lunch program and instead provided a chemical cocktail to build those young bones and muscles.

File this one under "whacked" - I know it happened in August...but even the Chinese must know what is going on in the world of sports with all of the controversy and suspicion around drug usage...don't they?

Ok gang, its been a long freakin' day of work - and an abbreviated entry...but part II will be focused on MLB and the NHL (sorta, you have undoubtedly heard about David Frost's arrest) - that will come tomorrow night. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world. Enjoy the late night games on the West Coast this week.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - for Nick Saban who screams too much, for the reporter from the San Jose Mercury News who dreamed the idea of comparing Randy Moss and Antonio Bryant - and to Dumb and Dumber from Juventus who went to court...

Shut Up - Black Eyed Peas

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!