Quick Hits #5

NHL's season, Going Once, Going Twice.....

The NHL overall, Going Once, Going Twice.......

The NHL, who cares....

Don Nelson, head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, recently had his rotator cuff repaired, and immediately Omar Minaya of the Mets signed him to a 3-year, $15 Million contract.

University of Texas forward, P.J. Tucker, was announced to be academically ineligible for the rest of the basketball season. All a "student" athlete has to do in order to remain eligible is to pass 6 credit hours. Where is Gary Barnett when we need him? I am sure he could find someone to help alleviate some of the stress for Tucker.

Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela spit in the direction of Lleyton Hewitt during their third round match of the Australian Open. Apparently Chela did not appreciate certain on-court "gesticulations". This after Hewitt's second round match opponent, American James Blake, did not appreciate on-court of Hewitt. And I am thinking, Who is Lleyton Hewitt? Who is Lleyton Hewitt? I have no respect for Lleyton Hewitt. Or is that Karim Garcia? Ahh...I dont remember.

STOP THE PRESSES!!!

"Big Ben" Roethlisbergersjkghfgjjgvniorkladvmwekfj has lost a game. Well, he and the Steelers. I dont think any one person can be blamed for this lost. Yes, Roethlisberger threw three interceptions, never good in any game, let alone the AFC Championship Game, but I think the Defense was stuck in ketchup, I mean catsup...something at Heinz Field. You think Teresa Heinz has a box there? Because then her husband could go to the game and cheer on Mike Brady and Casey Dillon and his favorite coach of his "beloved" Patriots, Brian Billick.

So it looks like Carlos Delgado is going to pass on the Texas Rangers and the New York Mets, the two suitors who offered the most amount of money and the longest number of years. It appears to be between the Florida Marlins and the Baltimore Orioles. This means the Mets have a lot more money to spend. And since it seems less and less likely Mets GM, Omar Minaya, will trade for Cubs OF, Sammy Sosa, there is a possibility for...hold on, my cell phone is ringing. Omar Minaya must be calling to give me a contract next. He has all that money that he continues to spend and overspend. He was willing to offer Roger Clemens more than the 1-year $18 Million contract the Astros gave, he was will to offer a 5-year eleventy billion dollar contract.

Will the Patriots get any respect now? The defense still has no one going to the Pro Bowl. That means the defense is not any good. Not good as in winning fourteen games this season including the Colts twice (once in the regular season and once in the playoffs) and shutting down the Steelers running game. Hmmm, yeah, that sounds pretty bad. So you think it is just the scheme? Because the scheme is what actually makes the tackle and the interception returns for touchdowns? I think not. In this era in football, between free agency and salary caps, we will look back at the New England Patriots and, to a lesser extent, the Philadelphia Eagles as serious dynasties. Going to three Super Bowls over a four year period proves this team could play in any era. And for the Eagles, going to four consecutive NFC Championship games is not nothing either. I think the Eagles needed to A) Go to the Super Bowl (check) B) Win the Super Bowl to be able to put themselves as an elite team along with the Patriots along with the Cowboys of the early 90s, 49ers of the 80s, Steelers of the 70s and the Packers of the 60s. If I am missing teams, I apologize. And I would have liked to included the Bears from the mid-80s, seeing as I am a Bears fan, I just couldnt pull the trigger since they got to only one Super Bowl (and gave up a whopping 10 points over three games in the playoffs) and they got to the NFC Championship game, but I feel like the 49ers were more of the team to beat in the 80s.

One last note, and I apologize since this is coming from a Bulls fan who is back on the wagon, a wagon that was unhitched for 6 years, but after watching this team play the last 10 games, this is a team that is on the verge. They play very unselfish basketball on the offensive end, and they play real tough on the defensive side of the court. They play tough enough that they made the usually tough, NBA Champions, Detroit Pistons, fall apart in Detroit because of the level of physical play. Scott Skiles has brought a serious level of coaching skills to the Bulls. I am not sure he will be the coach when the Bulls make their serious runs in the playoffs, but he is a heck of a coach right now to be able to turn this team around that looked like they belonged in the CBA or NBAD rather than the NBA. It is nice to be able to be proud of one sports team in Chicago, which is usually all that we get to be proud of here.