Do you think you could withstand an evaluation of your future intentions if somehow it could be done? I'll bet you have something you keep hidden that you don't want anyone else to know.

And yet, your hidden beliefs or intentions don't necessarily manifest themselves in actual real-time activities, do they?

The demand from PETA that Roger Goodell not even consider a Michael Vick reinstatement to the NFL prior to determining his ability to feel remorse is just chutzpah of the first magnitude. Here is the statement from PETA's president, Ingrid Newkirk:

Commissioner Goodell knows that he has an obligation to the league and to millions of fans, including children... to make sure Michael Vick is mentally capable of remorse before he can touch, let alone wear, an NFL uniform again."

Capability for remorse is now the standard for employment in the NFL? I thought it was whether a person acted on his bad intentions. And we're speaking about future intentions here. Vick is paying his price for previous acts.

Mind you, this is not a commentary about whether Vick should or should not be allowed a second go-round in professional football. He hasn't completed his sentence nor had a chance to re-enter polite society. Once that happens we can start the opinion machine cranking.

Recidivism is always a concern when a prisoner is released from jail. And the rate can be high depending on the nature of the crime committed. PETA might want to work with Vick's parole officer and mental health professionals if their goal is to prevent cruelty to animals.

I wrote about the Pete Carroll flap yesterday on examiner.com. Since that time Carroll was interviewed on sports-talk radio and rather than apolgize for what happened he defended it without conscience.

Here's an analogy for you: does a father of a girl getting engaged express his displeasure at the engagement party when all are drinking champagne and dabbing tears from their eyes? Of course not.

There would have been a lot of yelling and crying behind the scenes of course but when called on to speak on the microphone a carefully crafted toast would be given. No one would blame the dad if he kept it light and didn't lie about his feelings by saying flowery things about his future son-in-law. But offereing hurtful comments is far different than no lying. At least that is the way it seems to me. It's called being diplomatic.

I worked once worked with a guy who had no filter on his thoughts and in a corporate setting his style wasn't appreciated. He used to come into my office and ask why his honesty wasn't being praised. I asked him he told his daughter or wife exactly what he thought about their outfits when they leave the house. Of course he said no. I told him it is the same thing. There are ways to say things and still get your point across. If you are pressed for more from the subject of your concern you ask them if they REALLY want to hear it. If they say yes you go for it.

Pete Carroll answering question from the press is not the same as Mark Sanchez asking for Carroll's unfiltered view off camera. I think less of Carroll as a result of this and although everyone is entitled to one mistake he doesn't think it is one in the first place. He made that clear in the post-press conference interview. Shame on him. Carroll embarrasses himself

Sports talk radio guys can get as goofy as FM morning show hosts. You know, the cutesy stuff like song parodies. Well, to prove that point, two Los Angeles hosts that broadcast on 570 KLAC have turned out a gem. One of the hosts, Petros Papadakis is a former USC running back. He loves the game of football, particularly college football and wished he had had the opportunity to play in the pro game.

In LA, we keep close tabs on our college stars as they go through the pro ranks and we have had a few golden children. One of those is Matt Leinart who was king of this city for two full years. He made the most of it by hanging with young celebs who became part of his regular circle and they fed off each other's fame.

He tried to continue to live in that orbit despite the fact that he was signed by the AZ Cards. It is now the end of his third year in the NFL and his starting days have come and gone. He lost his job in his second year to Kurt Warner. And it continued into his third year. With the Cardinals in the NFC Championship game things don't look good for Matty to pry those starting QB reins out of Warner's hands.

He's had problems being serious about doing what he had to do to make that a reality and that is what the parody is about. It takes him to task for caring more about the money, fame, women and silliness. Hey he's a kid. But nonetheless, he has been a big disappointment to his So Cal fans, among whom are Petros and his side kick, Matt 'Money" Smith. Thus the parody sung to the tune of "Desperado". You can find it at thedirty.com. What can I say..it's silly but sad at the same time and sums up how many of us feel about young Matty.

Three years ago I saw Rickey Henderson play in the Golden League, a small-time professional baseball league with teams in California and Nevada. The guy couldn't hit that well any longer but his sculpted body looked the same. And man, was he fast. He was hands down the fastest player on the field despite the fact that the average guy on his team was half his age.

The Golden League is home to ball players who don't want to stop playing after not being able to make it to the major leagues. Others that reside in the league are retired MLB players who also don't want to stop playing. Rickey was one of them.

Luckily for him, playing in a league that paid him three figures a week, if that, didn't stop the tolling of his five years in retirement to qualify for the Hall of Fame. He made it in yesterday in his first year of eligibility although he wasn't a unanimous choice.

I don't obsess about that stat the way others do since like a game that is won can't be a "bad" win, when you get to the HOF, they don't care how long it took you. In the W/L column it goes under W. But Rickey did get more votes than Willie Mays back in the day. That alone shows that this is a unique and qualified pro that deserves to be where he is. He certainly loves himself and understands his place in history.

If someone else said the things he did about being the greatest of all time we'd hate him, boo him and pretty much trash him. Can you imagine if Barry Bonds announced after his accomplishment that he was the best thing since sliced bread? We know he thinks it but he never said it. Rickey had to tell us that although he respected Lou Brock, who had been the "man" for years, holding the record for stolen bases in a career, he had been toppled by Rickey.

But that's OK. He isn't the brightest bulb in the bunch and never was. He could just flat out play, change a game with his presence on a base and the had the darndest talent to hit lead-off home runs. I cannot wait until his induction speech this summer. I hope no one coaches him and speaks for himself. It will be the most fun anyone has ever had in Cooperstown. Congrats Rickey!

Six coaches bit the dust prior to Christmas, 2008, less than two months into the NBA season.

PJ Carlesimo by the OK Thunder, Dwayne Casey by the Timberwolves, Mo Cheeks by the Philly 76ers, Eddie Jordan of the Washington Wizards, Sam Mitchell of the Toronto Raptors and finally, Reggie Theus by the Sacramento Kings.

Of all those teams who installed either interim coaches or replacements who were given deals for the rest of the season only Philly is consistently better while Minnesota has just peeled off a five game win streak.

And you can make the argument that Philly, which was a late bloomer last season, might just have been that kind of team once again. Their current record is 17-20, not where the team wanted to be after their sizzling seven game, first round playoff series with Boston. But please remember, the 76ers were two games under .500 when they squeeked into the playoffs in a poor Eastern Conference and

Minnesota is an interesting case and perhaps the only team who made a move that you could arguably say had a true purpose. The replacement coach is their long-time executive, Kevin McHale whose tenure can be summed up in one word: terrible. He drafted poorly, traded poorly and ended up giving away his only prized possession, Kevin Garnett, as a gift to him for his loyalty to the team. And a gift to the Boston Celtics, by the way.

Last season their winning percentage was under .300. That is astounding for an established, non-expansion franchise with a seasoned man at the helm (McHale). Their record now is 11-25 and they are on a five game winning streak. Their team is one that has all the tools to be better, perhaps as successful as Philly, despite the lack of a superstar like Elton Brand. If Minnesota turns things around to get close to .500 then McHale has locked himself into a coaching job at his age that might not be the life he wants. I love the fact that he was "sentenced" to live with the choices he made as an exec.

t had to happen at some point. With the negative press and reactions from his colleagues in sports media, Charles Barkley has decided to step away from the award winning TNT basketball program, Inside the NBA.

According to a report published today on espn.com Barkley's employer had consider suspending him if his blood alcohol level exceeded the legal limit.

The results were released yesterday and when Sir Charles was stopped on Dec. 31st in Scottsdale, Arizona, his blood alcohol level was 1.49, almost twice the legal limit of .08.

But then again, he's a big guy, one who has tried to get smaller. Eating is one of the numerous things that Charles does to excess. Inside the NBA has featured a huge scale that Charles will step on from time to time so that Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson, his on-air colleagues can check his weight loss progress..or lack thereof.

He has admitted he has a gambling problem. Last year after the press got wind of an unpaid debt to the Las Vegas Wynn he swore he wouldn't gamble for at least a year.

The TNT crew will be missing their biggest draw (no pun intended). Many a critic has said that Barkley is the reason he/she watches the show. His most recent self deprecating antics surround the loss of his golf swing. Check out the video below.

This has got to be humiliating for him. No one is spared his criticism and now he will get the same from others. After appearing everywhere on television and radio to make claims of racism about his alma mater, Auburn he has forfeited the right to ask for privacy or leniency. Ouch!

Should Matt Millen be entitled to go on the air as a football analyst if he was drummed out of the Detroit Lions organization for non-performance? There are people out there who want Michael Vick to get a second chance to play in the NFL after he is released from prison. There must be room for Millen in the football community if he didn't destroy a living thing, right? You'd be surprised.

There is certainly some outrage in the fan base of the Lions and among fans of other teams. The general feeling is that Millen can't be considered credible to give opinions about the performance of players and coaches since he seemed to make one bad decision after another. Here is what Steve Schrader of the Detroit Free Press had to say: "Lion fans never will be able to listen to Millen pontificate about football and separate it from what he did in this town."

Those decisions gave us insight into his judgment about players and coaches. With the horrendous record of the team during his tenure as an exec why would a television audience want to listen to him or even trust what he says?

Part of what broadcasters rely on is likability and some of their appeal is whether viewers believe they are hearing the opinion of someone who knows what he is talking about.

Apparently NBC Sports thought enough of his previous role as a broadcaster to put him back into a chair behind a desk. Fans might have forgotten that he was a smooth-talking analyst who was considered good enough to whisk away to the front office of one of only 32 teams in the National Football League.

That might have been a bad decision by the owners of the Lions and this might be another bad one made by NBC. I believe that Millen should have taken a break from the sport and saddled up in the off -season when there isn't as much at stake as there is during the playoffs. You know, like for the draft.

When a team is cruising and things seem to fall into place, players who aren’t part of the success have a dilemma. If they don’t act happy about being on a winner they are seen as selfish. If they seem happy about the state of affairs they might be seen as guys who aren’t ambitious.

Case in point: Vlad Radmanovich, SF for the Los Angeles Lakers. Radmanovich was part of the starting lineup and lost his job less than a month ago. The Lakers were winning but had dropped one bad game on an east coast swing. They also playing sloppy D and relying on their offense to win.

Radmanovich, not a typical SF but one that stretches the defense on the court because of his long-range shooting, was shooting 43% from three-point range and picking up a few fouls, grabbing some rebounds and generally playing his game.

Coach Phil Jackson thought the team was getting lazy on defense, which is NOT Vlade’s strong suit and wanted more ball movement on the offensive side. The triangle offense is one that depends on movement to various spots on the floor.

Luke Walton, who had started last year in that SF spot had been benched and suffered in silence for the “good of the team”. Except for Kobe, Walton knows the triangle best and can execute it with precision (doesn’t mean he scores well) and was pulled back into the starting rotation at his pal’s expense.


Luke hurt his foot late last week and Vlad did not start in the Lakers’ first game since that time. Trevor Ariza got the nod but Radmanovich came off the bench and contributed big time in the Lakers come from behind thrashing of Portland on Sunday night.

Bottom line: Too much whining and your rep goes into the toilet. Too little and your can’t motivate yourself to perform when called on. A winning team requires that you distinguish yourself which is hard to do on the Lakers with its deep bench.

This year seems a bit different and yet oh so familiar. The news crawl on ESPN still includes Brett Favre updates among the breaking new items. But some of them are shocking to those that believe that Favre should be on the side of Mount Rushmore.

Three Jets players spoke to the press about their love or lack thereof for their QB and the nastiest stuff was from the one guy that chose to remain anonymous.

Kerry Rhodes and Thomas Jones (voted the team's MVP this season) voiced their concern with Favre's performance or lack thereof in the ugly loss to the Dolphins that kept the team out of the playoffs. Jones clarified his remarks by saying that although he said that a performance like Favre's merited a coach pulling him, he meant it in the general sense. In other words, if he, Thomas Jones had played like that or any other player on the team, he would expect there to be repercussions from the coach. After all it was the play-in game for the Jets and it was win or go home.

Rhodes concentrated on the issue of Favre's being dropped into the team's mix without knowing the offensive schemes and the lack of training camp or pre-season work outs to get him prepared. He said that he'd be happy to have Favre return if he attended off-season meetings and a full training camp.

But it was the off-the-record comments by an unidentified player that got the news machine cranking. The guy said that Favre was aloof, didn't mix and mingle with the guys, never went to dinner with them and closeted himself away from the guys even after the press had left the locker room. Oops!

And then Favre spoke on the record for Peter King of Sports Illustrated. He told King that he said it was about a 50-50 proposition that he might not return and he said as much to the Jets' execs. He opined that if he needed major surgery he might not be willing to do that and the necessary rehab to go back on the field at his age. That's all well and good but 50-50 is what it's always been with Favre. Even when he had given his tearful retirement speech and supposedly was 100% convinced he was done, you saw what happened. Perhaps this year will be different since he has no strong emotional ties with the Jets organization. Or perhaps the anonymous player's comments will motivate him to kick someone in the butt and work hard for the new season. Only time will tell but this will not be over anytime soon.

First off, let's get this out of the way: the team failed to hold the Utah Jazz under 100 points in last night's game at Staples Center. That meant the assembled crowd failed to get coupons for two free tacos provided by Jack In The Box. You might not think that is a big deal but trust me, when the clock is winding down and it looks like the Lakers will keep their opponent out of triple-digits, the chant of "We Want Tacos" starts to the tune of the "Let's Go Lakers" cheer. The Staples Center crew flashes the tacos demand up on the Jumbotron and the crowd is off to the races.

The veterans on the team know the deal and have to teach it to the new guys each year. Phil is bemused by it all but has come to use it as his standard for judging the defensive performance of the team. After last night's game he said that while the offense was surely in gear, he wasn't pleased that after holding Utah to just 20 points in the first quarter the Lakers had gotten sloppy on D and "didn't get the crowd its tacos".

But back to the game. Pau Gasol reached a milestone by scoring his 10,000th point and becoming only the fourth European player to come over to the NBA and do such a thing. He celebrated by taking the ball up court in a quasi-fast break, dribbled the ball through his legs then faked a behind-the-back pass and got it to Trevor Ariza on a no-look as he cruised in for a dunk. The crowd loved it. Kobe scored 40 without much flourish and Ariza performed his circus-like steal and slam dunk combo at least twice to put the Jazz away in the final couple of minutes.

The team has played only 3 games since beating Boston on Christmas Day and you can see how that game changed them from tense and tight to loose and happy. That should work until they hit their next rough patch but they are enjoying it while they can. Why not?

Happy New Year everyone: what did you do on New Year's Day? Watch any football? Hard not to when you don't feel like moving as a result of being up waaaaay past your normal bed time the previous night.

Did you wait to see the Rose Bowl? If not, then just let me say that if you are inclined not to like Pete Carroll you wouldn't have had a good day. The camera loves the guy since he is animated throughout the game. He yucks it up with the players, encourages them and scolds them. It's all Pete all the time. His players mirror his upbeat attitude and some of them actually link arms on the sidelines and do a little dance routine, more than once.

Contrast that with the Nittany Lions sidelines and realize that there weren't many TV shots of any coach there since Joe Paterno, the team's head coach was up in the booth overlooking the stadium. After hip surgery his MD warned him against being on the grassy field for up to 4 hours (that's another story....why are these games so freaking long?) if he ever wants to heal and walk normally again. So we saw a lot of Joe Pa's unsmiling face and yet never seemed to see him say anything into a headset or to his assistants around him.

The stage is always set for audiences to see the golden/silver fox of a coach and he managed to fire up a team that had every reason to be disappointed about being left out of the Championship Bowl...although it's hard to ignore that Oregon State loss. They took care of their home turf as the Rose Bowl is less than a half hour drive, even in traffic from the USC campus. Give them credit for making it into a spectacle with the white horse, the Trojan and his sword and the gleaming sunshine reflecting off the gold and red uniforms. Just another day at the office for Carroll. The final score was 38-24 and it was never really close. Let the discussions about NFL coaching opportunities begin. Carroll has no reason to leave So Cal to become just one of thirty-two guys with a headset when he can be the West Coast king of NCAA football.

As we let the news settle in that Brett Favre, QB of the New York Jets, has made the Pro Bowl for the umpteenth time in his career and take side bets if he'll schlep to Hawaii with Deana and the family, let's remember what it took to get him to this place.

Winter

Favre, still a member of the Green Bay Packers, slinks home to Mississippi after a cruel loss in the NFC Championship game on the home field of Lambeau. He threw an interception in overtime that paved the way for the New York Giants to go to the Super Bowl.

Speculation begins about his future in Green Bay.

The Packers press him for a decision to avoid the previous year's strung-out process. Aaron Rodgers keeps mum on it all and waits to learn his fate as the new starter on the Packers or the perpetual backup.

Favre calls a press conference and mesmerizes the public with a tearful and seemingly clear statement: I am retiring of my own volition.

Speculation begins anew that he is not clear on that statement. He has conversations almost immediately including with the Packers about returning. The team's concern is that he isn't 100% certain, just as he wasn't prior to the announcement.

The Packers are relieved, name Rodgers their starter and set about planning for their first draft without having to keep Favre in mind, except they do. Brett is having retirement remorse.

Spring

Favre, the Packers and sports media begin a months'-long soap opera about whether the Packers gave Favre the signal that they wanted him gone and if he jumped too soon.

The contractual side of the story gets ugly as the Packers refuse to consider Favre's return. If he doesn't file retirement papers the team owns his rights and refuses to consider releasing him which would net them nothing in return, especially if he goes to a rival.

Favre takes the bait and starts taunting the team with going to a division rival but...he can''t say for certain if he wants to play at all. He still might retire but he doesn't understand why he wouldn't be welcomed back to Green Bay.

The war of wills continues as Packers fans are split down the middle on the loyalty front. Half believe he should come back, half don't.

Summer

Favre shows up in Green Bay via private jet, as training camp is in progress, won't take questions about his future and realizes there isn't much sentiment left for him in Wisconsin. The impasse over him wanting a release and not being accommodated with one gets deeper.

He goes on Fox News with Greta Van Susteren to tell his sad tale of woe. Still can't understand why the Packers won't release him from his contract if they don't want him to start for them any longer

The commissioner gets involved and asks both sides to enter counseling. The Packers show their good faith by saying he'll be benched and hold a clipboard for Rodgers if he wants to stay in Green Bay. Favre threatens to go to Minnesota and beat the Packers brains in. This is why they needed counseling.

Favre signs reinstatement papers but doesn't file them. The Packers get down and dirty and claim he is a malcontent who just wants it all his way. Immediately, the team hires a PR specialist who used to work at the White House but some say it's too late.

Reinstatement papers are filed and commissioner expresses sadness as he accepts the inevitable.

Packers and Favre's agent get down to business to try to break the impasse of where his rights get traded. Minnesota Vikings look like jerks for having had conversations with Favre supposedly about fishing and hunting, not about coming to their team.

The sweepstakes begin in the NFL. Jon Gruden pisses off his QB by considering Favre joining him. The Packers have offered Brett an alternative to playing for them or anyone: a ten year marketing agreement with unspecified responsibilities but a pay check of $25 million in total. And that is a first offer.

Favre who a month prior wasn't interested in New York signs with the Jets, gets welcomed by the Mayor of New York and Jets fans dance in the streets. EA is forced to provide download image of Favre in Jets' uni after their game went to press with him in Packers' colors.

Fall

Favre starts slow, gets on a roll, settles back down to earth and proceeds to take the moribund team to the brink of the playoffs and gets voted into the Pro Bowl.

Future?

What's in store for this offseason? Why wait for that? Favre is already starting the cycle of drama again as he told the media in New York that these last few games might be his last. Don't act surprised. It's got to be this way for him and unfortunately for fans of the team he plays for.

Happy New Year, everyone

Shame on Harry Carson. Although he has been a staunch supporter of the plight of ex-NFL players who are ill and unable to care for themselves or pay for their own care, on this point he made a big mistake.

The league set up a meeting for private discussions between it and retired players relating to the issues of their health needs, disability benefits and medical care, Eleanor Perfetto wife of Ralph Wenzel who suffers from dementia was denied access. Wenzel played for the Steelers and Chargers from 1966 to 1973.

The league had heard from her prior to the meeting date and she was told the ex-player attendees wanted it to be a private affair. But Ms. Perfetto isn't just any wife, She is director for health policy at Pfizer and specifically wanted to be at the table to represent her husband who if he were able would have attended.

Her point is a good one. If the NFL wants to understand what it takes to try and care for a player that can't help himself any longer, the caregiver should be heard. Harry Carson's point of view was that of an older gentleman who is used to being courteous and respectful around women. Nothing wrong with that. But when the excuse of being afraid to use strong language with women in the room overrides hearing a factual account of what life is like for the very players and families that are the subject of the meeting then that is pure nonsense.

Carson did say that perhaps an exception should be made for Perfetto and others in the future whose spouses are unable to sit at the table and contribute. You think?

When did this happen? When did the most famous team in baseball in one of the world's great cities have to sell itself? So much so that the New York Yankees had to bid against themselve