Columns

Shooting from the lip

Tom Jones looks back at the best and the worst of a weekend of televised sports.

By TOM JONES
Published December 25, 2006

What coach is just like Bill Clinton? Who is the best college basketball team in the country? Is Billy Packer off his rocker? And who needs to shut their yaps? Get the answers to these questions and more as staff writer Tom Jones looks back at the best and the worst of a weekend of televised sports.

Strongest comments

Bob Ryan and Mike Lupica, on ESPN's The Sports Reporters, ripped off a couple of gems when it comes to Bob Knight, who tied Dean Smith over the weekend for most victories for a Division I basketball coach yet has been a jerk most of his career:

Ryan: "He has never, ever, ever held himself accountable the way he has held all of us - the entire world - accountable."

Lupica: "(Bill) Clinton had greatness in him, but he couldn't get out of his own way. ... (Knight) still doesn't think he has done anything wrong."

More on Knight

Louisville Courier columnist Rick Bozich, talking about Knight on ESPN's Outside the Lines: "Although he did all the big things right, he just didn't sometimes get the little things right."

Best list

Fox's Terry Bradshaw listed his top six first-time starting quarterbacks. And, in order, they are Vince Young (Titans), Philip Rivers (Chargers), Tony Romo (Cowboys), Matt Leinart (Cardinals), Jay Cutler (Broncos) and Jason Campbell (Redskins). Nope, the list didn't run long enough for the Bucs' Bruce Gradkowski to make it.

Best point and suggestion

On ESPN's The Sports Reporters, host John Saunders points out that the best center in the NBA is China's Yao Ming, the best guard is Canada's Steve Nash and the best forward is Germany's Dirk Nowitzki. No arguments there. He also has a good idea: To spruce up the NBA All-Star Game, do what the NHL did a few years back - pit the all-stars from the United States against the all-stars from the rest of the world.

Best scoop

Fox's Jay Glazer reported that Oklahoma junior running back Adrian Peterson is already interviewing agents, a sure sign he will enter next year's NFL draft. If he does, he will be, according to Glazer, a top three pick.

Good scoops

ESPN's Chris Mortensen brought plenty to the table on NFL Countdown. He said the Steelers want a decision soon about whether Bill Cowher will return so they don't lose assistants Russ Grimm and Ken Whisenhunt. He said Bill Parcells is not a "lock" to return as coach of the Cowboys next season. He might call it quits. If he does, Louisville coach Bobby Petrino might be at the top of the Cowboys' wish list.

"No-duh" statement of the weekend

At the end of the Gators-Buckeyes men's basketball game, CBS' Billy Packer predicted Ohio State and Florida would both be in the running for the national championship. Really? You mean No. 3-ranked Ohio State and No. 5-ranked Florida? Way to go out on a limb there, Billy.

My pick

Despite Florida blowing out Ohio State, I still think the best college basketball team in the country is UCLA, which beat 11-2 Michigan, off to its best start in 14 years, by 37 points. Then again, considering that UCLA is ranked No. 1 in the country, that's not exactly going out on a limb, either.

The Dark Knight

Yes, Knight deserves congratulations for tying Dean Smith for most victories among Division I basketball coaches. And there's no denying that most of his former players stand behind him. But my point - a point that has drawn the ire of many readers in recent weeks - is he could have treated everyone a little bit better. He is, simply put, a bully.

And I hate how he gets credit for "having done it the right way," which is another way of saying he didn't cheat. True, but we suddenly give someone kudos for not breaking the rules? It's like giving someone credit for not cheating on an exam or not hitting a spouse - you're not supposed to do that to begin with. Playing by the rules doesn't automatically make you a great person.

One more thing on Knight

Just throwing this out there: In all his years as a basketball coach, Knight has produced one NBA all-star. And that was Isiah Thomas, who left after his sophomore season.

Best feature

ESPN's Outside the Lines did a solid piece on the Bears' Tank Johnson, who was suspended for one game after police raided his home and found guns, then for another game when, days later, he was at a club where his bodyguard was shot and killed.

Former Bears coach Mike Ditka criticized the Bears for not kicking him off the team, saying: "There's what's right and what's wrong. This kid has broken the rules of society, not just the NFL. They say he has just made bad decisions. But when do the bad decisions stop?"

Speaking of Tank

On the Outside the Lines story about Johnson, Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer said: "He's not a bad guy. He has just made some bad decisions." Isn't the difference between a good guy and a bad guy is that a bad guy makes bad decisions?

Best use of camera

Nice work by ESPN2 for picking up USF players using binoculars to see coaches' signals from the press box during the Papajohns.com Bowl. The headsets had malfunctioned, forcing them to play the game like it was played 40 years ago.

Best interview

Although it was cut short because of technical problems, Hockey Night in Canada's Ron MacLean got all the details on the Penguins' possible sale or move from NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly. Bottom line? The Pens aren't just posturing. They will move if they don't get a new arena - and, according to HNiC correspondents during the "Satellite Hotstove" segment, Kansas City appears to be the likely destination if they do move.

Most surprising comment

Guess who NFL Network's Dick Vermeil was talking about when he said, "There is a guy playing with some pride." Answer: Raiders and former Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp.

Craziest comment

CBS' Packer thinks Gators basketball star Joakim Noah can make it in pro ball - pro football. Because of his leaping ability, Noah can be "an eliminator," Packer said, a guy who can be used exclusively to block extra points and field goals. Was he serious? "Can you imagine what it would do to the heads of the kickers?" Packer said. "I am serious."

Best reason to change your mind

A month ago, a Bears-Colts matchup in the Super Bowl seemed certain. How are you feeling about that matchup now? The Bears are barely beating bad teams, and the Colts can't even do that.

Funniest comment

ESPN's Chris Berman: "I look at the Giants. Too much yapping. ... Yap! Yap! Yap! Even when things are going good, yap! Bad, yap!"

Best rumor

NFL Network's Deion Sanders said, "If this rumor is true, I'm calling Jim Fassel as the next head coach of the Raiders."

Say cheese

Not to rain on the Lightning's four-goal, third-period comeback from a 3-0 deficit Saturday night, but the last time I saw something with as many holes as Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, it was on my ham sandwich and it wasn't provolone or American.

[Last modified December 24, 2006, 21:55:42]