Random Thoughts

Admittedly, there are weeks around here where we have too much to think about. And then there are some weeks where we have no idea what we’re going to talk about.

I thought about writing a side-bar wrap-up column about Fred Powers, the “human piñata,” that Mike James at newsblues.com called him in referring to his “journalistic style.”

But I thought that would be a bit of a downer- talking about the dead and all that.

I thought about telling you what it’s like turning 40.

But I thought that would be a bit of a downer- talking about the old and all that

So, I’ll just throw all of it into one, big pile this week.

Random Thoughts…

So the now-former Houston Astros pitcher Shawn Chacon felt compelled to, allegedly, choke and throw down his GM Ed Wade. Depending on who you talk to Chacon was eating dinner and didn’t wish to be disturbed. Or Chacon was eating dinner and didn’t want to do what was required in returning to the bullpen. Some people have compared Wade to Napoleon. Others say he’s a good guy.

Notice that no one inside the Astros clubhouse is talking about it…?

The MLBPA plans on taking the Astros to task if they decide to waive Chacon outright after his waivers period expires. I’m sure there a lot of people who like the idea of the plebeian choking the “man.” Problem is that if you’re getting paid seven figures to throw a ball into a mitt from 60-feet 6-inches, you don’t choke your boss. Insert your Latrell Sprewell joke here… it’s not the last we’ve heard of this.

I just wish Chacon would wear his hat the right way. Who does he think he is…? Chad Cordero…?

Indiana University Athletic Director Rick Greenspan is resigning/retiring at the end of the calendar year after all of the fallout from the Kelvin Sampson fiasco. The NCAA has also decided to pile on with a “failure to monitor” charge- which could add more recruiting restrictions and even more scholarship reductions than current Head Coach Tom Crean has to deal with now.

While “failure to monitor” isn’t a lack of institutional control, it’s pretty much on the same part of the cereal aisle at the college version of the grocery store.

Apparently, the University had a chance to fix what the NCAA thought was wrong, but never did. Greenspan, apparently, told compliance officers that everything was fine when it really may not have been… compliance officers were receiving the cell phone bills that Sampson’s assistants made. And when there were three-way calls made, the bill told you so. In direct violation of the sanctions that were imposed on Sampson at Oklahoma and Indiana…

Crean gets one scholarship player back for the new season- one. Good luck with that…

Rick Dutrow, the trainer with the Triple-Crown version of Foot-in-mouth disease, is wondering why everyone is making a big deal about a 15-day suspension he got for elevated steroid levels in one of his horses.

“It's my responsibility, but it's not my fault,” Dutrow said. “It's just a mistake that happened but it's not as big a deal as everyone is trying to make it out to be. I'm just getting flooded with everybody calling me all the time with negative stuff. I wish it would all stop.”

A little humility, instead of a lot of hubris, would have gone a long way during your horse’s run probably would have avoided all this, ya know…?

Just a thought…

Did you see that Davidson resigned Bob McKillop to a contract extension…? Good move…

What is an NBA Draft without the New York Knicks fans booing the idea of the sunrise…?

Danilo Gallinari didn’t know what hit him…?

11 foreign-born players were selected this time around. Outside of Gallinari, I don’t know a damn one of them. You know what…? Don’t really care, either…

dot…dot…dot…

Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch had his driver’s license revoked after hitting a pedestrian that he says he never even knew he hit.

“It was raining real hard, there was a dancing pedestrian in the middle of the street,” the 22-year-old Lynch said before the hearing. “I slowed down to let her go and continued on my way home. I didn't know my car had hit anyone or anything.”

Investigators believe the woman Lynch struck was near the woman he saw dancing.

A longer written statement issued by Lynch's attorney after the hearing said police officers later came to his house and removed his car and that Lynch “was in disbelief” when told it had been in an accident.

Uh huh… “Woman disguised as speed bump gives running back first loss of the season…”

And he hasn’t even hit training camp…

Let’s finish with the rantings of Justin Gimelstob, probably-soon-to-be-former ATP muckety-muck…

I can’t even do any of these justice. They stand on their own before his massive apology:

Asked if he would ever have an affair with Anna Kournikova: “Definitely not. I have no attraction to her because she's such a douche. I really have no interest in her ... I wouldn't mind having my younger brother, who's a kind of a stud, nail her and then reap the benefits of that. She has a great body but her face is a five (out of ten).”

((Good for your brother, I guess…? Kournikova doesn’t do anything for me, either…))

He claimed there were fewer lesbians on the current women's tour than 15 years ago, explaining: “That's because they're all Russian chicks. And there's some other cute ones out there. There's some talent out there.”

Way to go…

My guess is none of them will be seen with you on their arm any time before, oh I dunno, the apocalypse…

Play it safe, everyone… I’ll talk to you soon…

--Jon Nelson