May 2009 Archives

I just read Serenea Williams is ticked off because her opponent in the French Open, Sanchez, didn't admit a ball hit her on the arm, at least it hit her according to Williams. If the ball hit Sanchez Williams automatically won the point.

Maybe tennis is different from other sports, but it's up to the officials to judge what balls do and what plays mean. If the ump says a batter got hit in baseball the batter takes first base. If the batter didn't really get hit he still takes first if the ump said he got hit. The ump calls the play, not the batter. The batter isn't supposed to say, "Excuse me ump you made a mistake." 

Williams called Sanchez a cheater. That seems crummy to me. Williams' issue was not with Sanchez, it was with the officials. She should have put a muzzle on it.

Before getting to this blog, if you'd like to read my column on Giants managing general partner Bill Neukom click here. 

Here is a transcript of the interview I did May 26 with Giants managing general partner Bill Neukom. My column on Neukom was originally scheduled for Sunday but will run instead on Monday, June 1. The early part of this interview is about his biography; later he gets into baseball matters.

Q: What were the names of your parents and what did they do?

A: John and Ruth. Dad worked for McKinsey and Company, managed their San Francisco office and for quite a while the Los Angeles office as well and Mom raised a family of four kids and did a lot of volunteer work for the church and Planned Parenthood, American Association of University Women, associations like that. McKinsey and Company are management consultants, a global entity these days. Dad came out in 1946 after WWII to set up Mckinsey's first West Coast office here in San Francisco.

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: We grew up right down by El Camino in San Mateo. Out of our back gate you could walk to Burlingame. That's where we went for groceries and baseball cards. It was closer to us than downtown San Mateo. We were just about a block from El Camino. Our house was two stories, a pretty big house because there were four of us kids. The best part about it was we were living next door to Charlie Graham. Charlie was the son of the owner of the San Francisco Seals. He had a wife and just one child, a tomboy daughter named Tina. She was a great baseball fan as you might imagine. She would invite us to baseball games, so we'd walk to the Greyhound depot there in Burlingame and get on the gray dog and go up to Seals Stadium and watch baseball games with her. That was 1946, I was 5 years old. My first real hero was Gene Woodling part of that amazing team of 1948. Lefty (O'Doul) taught him the crouch to make him see the ball better. Casey Stengel used to say "I like my kid Woodling in left field because it gets late early out there." He meant the shadows came in. Woodling played left field in the real Yankee Stadium - old Yankee Stadium better than anybody did. I also remember the day Babe Ruth died. I came home from school and strewn on the driveway of the Graham's house were bats and balls and hats and gloves and programs and playing cards, and it was Tina's homage to Babe Ruth spread out all over the driveway.

Q: What position did you play?

A: I played left field as a kid and I didn't play very long because I misspent a lot of my youth playing basketball. And then I played some softball as an adult and in soft ball I played first base.

Q: How did you get to Dartmouth?

A: My folks are both graduates of the University of Chicago and took pretty seriously higher education. We went on a tour as a family 1954 (to check out colleges for his sister), went back to Chicago and from there we got a car and drove up to show her Michigan State and Wisconsin. Went to Niagara Falls and came down through New England and saw some of the Seven Sister schools. There's a baseball story in this. First major league game I saw was in Wrigley Field 1954, June. Hank Sauer hit a home run that day. The tradition in Wrigley Field at least that year was when Hank hit a home run and would have to take his position in left field his fan club would shower him with pouches of chewing tobacco and he'd tuck them in the ivy and at the end of the half he'd gather them up in his glove and take them into the dugout where he could store them for use later. When it was my turn to apply to college - what do you know when you're barely 17? I picked Dartmouth because I liked its colors. Green and a white band. They had a terrific basketball player named Rudy LaRusso. He played with the Lakers opposite Elgin Baylor for years. I thought that's my school.

Q: Did you play basketball at Dartmouth?

A: I never played at Dartmouth. My senior year of high school I hurt my knee. I was a forward.

Q: What did you major in at Dartmouth?

A: Philosophy. The faculty appealed to me. They were such rigorous thinkers.

Q: Did philosophy help you be a lawyer.

A: I think it did because it's critical thinking. It's wallowing in a lot of information and trying to analyze it and come to rational and thoughtful conclusions.

Q: Did a particular philosopher appeal to you?

A: Hah. I sort of like the old guys. I love Plato and I love Socrates and I love Descartes.

Q: Why did you got to law school?

A: Kind of a sophomoric notion, just simple justice. I didn't like people who would treat other people unfairly. I didn't like systems that were unfair. I thought the law was a place where you could do some good and be part of a system that treated people fairly.

Q: It was an ethical impulse?

A: It was, I think. Part of it was the example my parents set. Neither of them was a minister or a rabbi or a priest but they had this sense of fair play. I think we have an obligation to make the world a better place.

Q: You still feel that way?

A: I do, absolutely. I do.

Q: How did working at Microsoft help to form you as an adult?

A: It was an amazing opportunity. I'm indebted to Bill Gates' dad for giving me a chance to represent that company when it first came up to the Northwest when it was a tiny little company. I'm indebted to his son for sticking with me. Some of it was on-the-job training. I was not a corporate lawyer when this came up. I grew with the company. There are thousands and thousands of lawyers who could have done the job I did. I was just very lucky to be the guy there at the time when they needed somebody and to be part of a company that changed the way people learn and think. Part of the psychic compensation was - the company was so young and the people in it were so smart and so young sometimes it felt like part of what I did was to provide some adult supervision. Just providing a good sounding board a little bit of discipline a little bit of structure and ideas not just legal concepts but just some common sense how to run with this idea.

Q: Why do you wear a bow tie and dress so formally? Are you aware how you present yourself?

A: I don't think I'm very aware. Part of the fun of having a job in a city is you get to wear a coat and tie and I still enjoy that. I did it for years at Microsoft. I'm comfortable in a coat and tie and it's kind of fun. Gives me something to wake up to and think about. I don't do it for any effect. I just do it because it feels normal to me. It hadn't really occurred to me. People make jokes and comments about the bowtie. I don't dress for anybody else. I don't dress for effect. I feel comfortable in these types of clothes. That's why I wear them.

Q: Why do you lean against the batting cage during batting practice?

A: Just the fun of watching these amazing athletes go through these remarkable exercises. Seeing Shawon Dunston throw hard from 40 feet to Giants batters and what they do with it. Part of it is trying to see it through the batting coach's eyes or see it through the manager's eyes. Part of it's the fellowship of it. I don't want to be in anybody's way. I'm not a baseball guy as much as much as I love the game but I can't resist getting up close to it. I hope in a way I'm not very visible to the players but I also want the players and coaches to know this is a person who cares about what they're doing and who admires their craft and is there to support them just by being there. I learn by asking questions of the coaches. I think I can tell when somebody's swinging well. Juan Uribe is the best example. When Juan is having a good day in batting practice it's likely that carries over into a game. I also love watching infield. I am so appreciative of Bochy making the decision on his own midway through last year we have to start doing infield, we need more practice. I believe in terms of human conduct practice does make perfect. I love it when these guys take infield. I love the choreography and the discipline of it. I could watch infield and outfield and batting practice two hours every day. It's mesmerizing.

Q: What is your management style?

A: We'll establish a culture of merit. Whether you're responsible for the baseball press or whether you're selling sponsorships or season tickets or greeting people at their seats or you're raking the infield in this organization you should understand that if you perform well, if you work hard and smart and if you've got the skill set that matches your job you will achieve your potential. It's not about who you're related to or how many years you've been here and it's not about the color of your hair or your skin or your faith or your gender or your sexual orientation. It's how you perform that job. That's my philosophy of work; that's what the Giants Way is about.

Q: Why did you want to become the leader of this franchise?

A: Southerners have a great term. A man should never seek the office. The office should seek the man. I didn't seek this job. I was an investor for very simple reasons. I called the office to talk to Peter Magowan when I was down here on some work once. I was aware he was the lead owner at the time and there was a consortium that had shares of the Giants. I called him at home and he was very personable and we talked for 45 minutes about the Giants. I peeled off some of the windfall from Microsoft and bought an interest as a limited partner and over time other people wanted to leave the limited partnership or reduce their shares so I had a chance to be the utility infielder and pick up their shares and I increased my stake in the Giants. And then there came a time about six years ago it seemed a good thing to have an additional general partner. Peter was the managing general partner and Harmon Burns was the other general partner and they invited me to be a general partner and to help some with organization and communications because I knew something about how partnerships work. And when Peter decided to move forward they turned to me and said Harmon's not here and Sue (Burns) doesn't want to do it. Would you give this a try? I said sure. The timing wasn't great. I was completing my year as the American Bar Association president.

Q: Brian Sabean said he needs to trade for a power hitter. Can you explain?

A: This answer is elliptical. I don't mean it to be. We're always looking for hitters. First and foremost we're looking for hitters on our 25 and 40-man roster and in our farm system. We're trying to manage this thing in the medium and long term. You've heard us say the objective this year is to play winning baseball and that's not easy to go from just 72 wins to 82 wins. Will we click our heels and pop the champagne bottles if we win 82 games this year? No. But I'll be realistic about trying to manage a curve of success that starts with playing winning baseball and builds on that and does it in a way that we keep some powder dry for that occasional strategic free-agent signing or some trade or if we have to invest in an expensive draft choice. The answer is yes, that's how we're trying to manage this thing. If we were the Barry Giants and we needed Ellis Burks in right field that was the piece that would take us deep, that would be an easier decision to make. We're not that kind of a team. We're a team of 25 parts. If everybody on this 25-man roster does his job we'll do fine, we'll play winning baseball. So far that's not been the rule. We haven't had the leadership from some veterans we'd hoped for. We've had some mistakes from younger players we shouldn't have had to experience. I am not enamored of the home run for home run's sake. I don't care how we score runs. I'm not a big fan of small ball or smart ball call it what you will. I'm all in favor of energetic smart baseball when you move the runner over and score the run. Tom Seaver said to me this winter, "I'd rather give up a home run than a double. Because that guy who just took me to the wall is right behind me damn it and I've got to deal with him." I love doubles and I love run-scoring singles and I love moving the runner over. I don't care if we win 3-2. I don't care if we win 8-2. We have said this when people were all over us about it - "You've got to get Manny." We realized we didn't have the most powerful lineup coming into the season. Our analysis was that we had very good pitching and if we could catch the ball and play good defense we ought to generate enough runs to be a much better team this year than last year without shooting the moon and spending more than we want to and without putting frankly a lid on talent which we finally have some of in the farm system. Our plan is bring up homegrown talent. It's cheaper and they've been taught to play baseball the way it should be played and fans are attached to homegrown talent the way they never are to someone who comes in as a free agent. So there's every reason in the world to develop our farm system. We have neglected it for a while with good reason. I'm not second guessing that strategy. I was a part of it. You have Barry Bonds and you have the best ballpark in America you should have done what we did and we rode that horse as far as we could. We probably should have had a better transition plan, succession plan earlier than we had. But now we have some good draft picks. We better have some talent in our system because we had the picks to get them. Independent third party experts are saying the giants are in the top four or five farm systems in major league baseball. We did say to people when there was all this to-ing and fro-ing about you've got to get a big bat in the offseason, we said we're not panicked about that. We said we're going to play very exciting competitive baseball going in. You don't have to accept this but I think Manny Ramirez is an American League player. You've got to play defense. He can't catch a cold in the field. You've got to run the bases in the National League. This is not an easy left field here; it's a tough left field. We just didn't think he was a fit for us. If he'd fallen to us at a lot less money we would have sucked it up and taken the defensive liability that came with it. Get the slugger. Get the slugger. Who's the slugger? Short of spending $25 million on a Teixeira. But we did say to people, look in light of what happened to the economy in this world there may be some of our competitors who may be willing to give up some talent at the midseason because they can't afford it and they'll be somewhat desperate so we said to folks look it hasn't come together in the offseason for a bat. We don't think we're dependent on a big bat and I'm not sure we have the foundation where a big bat wins 15 more games for us. We'll take a look as we get into June and July and see if something's there, if someone - I won't say distress sale - but if somebody is available because of the economy and the finances of that franchise we think there's going to be more of a market place before the trade deadline than there has in past years because of the economy. Are we counting on that? No. I don't know what the odds are that we'll pick up somebody.

I sat down with Bill Neukom before tonight's Giants/Braves game. I'll write a column about our interview to run on Sunday and I'll post the transcript on Saturday. Here's a sampling of Neukom -- intelligent, forthcoming, patient. I asked if the Giants will pick up a power hitter this season.

Neukom: "I'm not sure we have the foundation where a big bat wins 15 more games for us. We'll take a look as we get into June and July and see if something's there, if someone - I won't say distress sale - but if somebody is available because of the economy and the finances of that franchise. We think there's going to be more of a market place before the trade deadline than there has in past years because of the economy."

Neukom means, I think, the Giants will be shrewd, not reckless. They are looking to win more games than they lose. They are not looking to win the World Series in this first year under a new administration. I think they will win more than they lose. More from Neukom over the weekend.

A PD reader named Shane Buettner wrote me an email with this analysis of Bob Geren: "He's vaporware. A stuffed uniform. In my humble opinion the single biggest reason Billy Beane's Moneyball scheming hasn't resulted in a championship is his failure to recognize the value of the manager position. Geren is quite simply a Warriors/Raiders/49ers hire. A guy who couldn't get a sniff at that job anywhere else in the league. A walking white flag of surrender that says this team is as exciting as this guy."

Not bad.

My column for Sunday deals with when exactly the A's should fire Geren and why -- right after this season. Click here to read it. I thought Buettner's analysis was on the mark and remember he's a baseball fan, not a writer. He shows how a fan looks at Geren.

There are some really dumb team names out there. The New York Giants/Jets are dumb names because they play in New Jersey.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is dumb because it sounds so stupid and Anaheim isn't L.A. Duh.

But right here in the Bay Area we have the dumbest of all. The Golden State Warriors. What's up with that? There's the Oakland A's and the Oakland Raiders but the Warriors, a team with a new arena and a good fan base in Oakland, can't bear to be called Oakland. It's just another dumb thing about a dumb franchise. If you can think of a dumber name please let me know.

I expect we'll read articles this weekend saying interleague play stinks. We might even read a related article saying the DH stinks. These are old arguments, been done to death. I'm calling for a moratorium on them.

I personally don't like interleague play or the DH because I like tradition. But who cares anymore? I'm content with the DH in the American League and with interleague play. So let's move on. Let's argue about something else. What's your stand on the infield fly rule? Now that's important.

I just read Matt Maiocco's blog. He reported that Mike Singletary refused to close the door on Michael Vick. Is Singletary kidding? I thought we already had been over this ground with the 49ers. I thought they had learned. It would be public-relations suicide for the 49ers to sign this dog torturer/killer. Singletary used the wornout line of reasoning with Vick: He deserves a second chance.

He deserves a second chance working with stray dogs in a kennel. He deserves no second chance in football, especially not in San Francisco. The 49ers should have worked this out internally. They should have been prepared for these questions. It is offensive that Singletary and Scot McCloughan have not said a strong no to Vick. What are they waiting for?

1. Muhammad Ali

2. Joe Louis

3. George Foreman

4. Rocky Marciano

5. Sonny Liston

6. Joe Frazier

7. Lennox Lewis

8. Larry Holmes

9. Ezzard Charles

10. Mike Tyson

For what it's worth that's my list of the top 10 all-time heavyweights. My old frield Jack Fiske, a great boxing writer, used to tell me these lists are meaningless. He said most of us never saw the old-time heavies so we couldn't know how to rate them. He was right. In honor of Jack I have left out Jack Dempsey and Jack Johnson because I've seen only snippets of them on film. I believe they deserve to be in this group but can't prove it.

Because I leave them out, Mike Tyson gets the 10th spot. I feel sure Dempsey and Johnson would have beaten Tyson -- too mentally tough. Tyson was not mentally tough. But I leave them out according to Jack's rule.

I put Marciano No. 4 even though he was undefeated. I just think he was too small for the super sized heavies. He was a great warrior. I put Liston at 5 even though he had only one successful defense of his title. He was the best heavy of his era and was a great heavy.

I don't rate Lennox Lewis as high as you might because he got knocked out twice by ordinary fighters. If you have corrections or suggestions, please write to me.

I was watching TV earlier today and I almost fell out of my chair. There was the head of the Humane Society saying with a straight face Michael Vick will be their spokesman. Where do I go to get sick?

Vick, a criminal and a dog murderer, is now spokesman for the Humane Society. Shame on the Humane Society. It's like getting Bernie Madoff to be the spokesman for greater regulation of the securities industry. Why don't we all just forgive Bernie? He seems contrite enough and maybe he's willing to be a spokesman. Let's give him another chance. More chances for everyone.

Vick doesn't get to be the spokesman. That job allows him to give the impression he's reformed. That is a job to clean up his image, pure and simple. It's pure public relations. The Humane Society should not allow Vick to use them like this.

Vick doesn't get to start at the top as a spokesman wearing a jacket and tie and looking good. If Vick wants to help animals, let him start at the bottom like a regular person. Let him work at a neighborhood animal shelter. Let him care for sick animals. Let him clean out cages and learn what it's like to get poop on his hands in a good cause. Don't play us for suckers. Shame on the Humane Society. To read my column on Vick click here.

Michael Vick is doing home detention and now people are talking about him, saying he's a changed man and he deserves a chance to play in the NFL. Hey, I've read he has a right to play in the NFL.

A right?

Give me a break. There is no right to play in the NFL. There is a right to free speech and a right to own property and a right to freedom of the press. Show me the right to play in the NFL.

Playing in the NFL is a privilege. He forfeited that privilege by murdering dogs. I say the league should turn its back on him.

A right?

Please.

To read my column on Vick click here.

Just sent in my column re: the draft lottery, a big joke in its own right. It was an even bigger joke for the Warriors. They began the day with the 7th pick and ended up where they started -- 7th.

So the day was a nothing just like their season. They surely must make a trade because they won't get much out of this draft and Nelson can't stand rookies anyway. They need a power forward and a small forward and a point guard -- they need a point guard because Monta Ellis can't play point and Nelson knows it. They need a lot. To read my column on the draft lottery click here.

You're more fortunate than I am. You don't have to cover the NBA draft lottery. In less than an hour I do.

There are certain BS events in sports. The home run derby is one. The NFL draft is another. But nothing, I repeat nothing, approaches the NBA draft lottery for absolute silliness. As I recall there are ping pong balls. As I recall there are odds you'd need to be a math guy with the Nobel Prize to comprehend. As I recall there's a lot of hot air.

Of course they should give the first pick to the team with the worst record like they do in football. But they don't because NBA teams would tank a bunch of games to get the first pick -- I'm sure some have done just that in the past. So the league has to come up with this craziness to head off cheating. Anyway, you know what i'm doing in 45 minutes. Whatever you're doing I'm jealous of you.

Long article this morning in the Chron about Santa Clara and the Niners.

I know I'm supposed to link to the article now but I couldn't find it on SF Gate. My apologies. Anyway, it said the 49ers and Santa Clara probably will pass some city council hurdle tonight with the proposal for a new stadium and voters may get to vote on the stadium in a year or so.

So I'm thinking -- if the city council approves the deal and if the voters approve and if the stadium passes all the environmental hurdles and if there's actually enough money and they get all the permits, when will this thing be ready?

Like when will the team actually play a game in Santa Clara? I'm thinking 2012 at the earlist. I'm thinking that's wildly optimistic. I'm thinking this team should be in San Francisco, but I've always been a fan of tradition and tradition is going out the window. Let San Francisco have the Niners and let Santa Clara have Great America Amusement Park. Seems about right.

This is a blog entry taking issue with my friends Monte Poole and Tim Kawakami, so I hope they don't get sore at me. As you may know we all covered the Ward/Miranda fight Saturday night. Monte and Tim are terrific boxing writers and it was a treat and an honor to work this event with them. We had fun together.

JaMarcus Russell was there, sitting to our right. Tim pointed him out -- I always am antsy before a fight and don't notice what I should notice. Russell wore a baseball cap and a T-shirt. Tim told me he had a stogie in his mouth. I didn't think much about Russell because I was thinking about the upcoming fight.

This morning Monte wrote a column about Russell and Tim referenced it in his blog. Both felt Russell portrayed the wrong image, the wrong attitude. To read Monte's interesting provocative column click here.

I take issue with their point of view. Russell is allowed to go out on a Saturday night. He is allowed to go to a boxing match if he cares to. It is a legal activity. I don't expect him to watch football film 24/7. He is allowed to wear a baseball cap and a T-shirt and keep an unlit stogie in his mouth. He is 23 years old and young men often dress that way and affect various poses.

He wasn't in a strip club like so many professional athletes and he wasn't acting in a disorderly way. He was enjoying himself. I don't see how anything he did Saturday night reflects badly on him as a person or an athlete. If he doesn't play well, sure, blast him. But if he goes out in public to enjoy himself along with 8,000 other good citizens of Oakland, don't read anything into it. Give the guy a break.

Edison Miranda's handlers tried to add something to his vaseline late in the fight. The commission saw it and confiscated the stuff before it was applied. It may have been a stimulant. The stuff is being analyzed.

Which may imply the Miranda people were cheating. What a shock. Cheating in boxing? Never happens.

I watched part of the Giants game Saturday before I turned to the Preakness and that wonderful filly and then went to the Ward/Miranda fight. The Fox announcers said two things I didn't know or hadn't thought about.

Pablo Sandoval can throw lefty and righty. Did you know that?

One announcer pointed out the Giants batters should be taking a lot of pitches and going deep into counts because they are not good hitters and they have no power. But the Giants hitters swing early in the count. Take a look at how often Sandoval swings at the first pitch.

All day Saturday I knew I'd be covering a boxing match. I was edgy and combative. I never feel that way for say a baseball game. At the arena the other two columnists were Monte Poole and Tim Kawakami, two terrific boxing writers. Some columnists don't write boxing. The ones who do have a taste for -- appreciation of -- the seriousness and art of this game. Poole and Kawakami do.

I didn't blog last night because I was too jazzed up. Kawakami was blogging the whole time and I felt jealous. Andre Ward dominated Edison Miranda, a tough, willing, crude fighter who hits very hard. Ward proved he can take a punch and he proved he can beat a quality opponent. His victory was art over brute strength. There isn't enough appreciation for art these days and Ward makes oldtimers remember what it was like in old times.

I wish he could punch harder. He should have KO'd Miranda, he sure hit him enough in the face. Against a tough cookie like Carl Froch the lack of KO power could be a big problem. But that's not an issue now. Now Oakland has a hometown sports hero. There were almost 8,000 at Oracle Arena, a good fight crowd in a very good boxing venue.

Just got back from seeing the movie Tyson, a documentary about Mike Tyson. Wow.

I love the movie. Understand, this doesn't mean I love the man Mike Tyson. It means I love the movie. It is visually fascinating for starters, all kinds of interesting split screen stuff that works and doesn't seem corny. But most important, it is Tyson talking about himself. He is what literature teachers call an unreliable narrator. This does not mean a bad narrator or a bad man. It means it's up to the viewer to separate fact from fiction, up to the viewer to come up with the truth about this sad/fascinating man.

Tyson is highly intelligent. You probably didn't know that. He has insight into his own sad and miserable life. You never would want to be friends with him because he is so volatile and seems like he could flip any moment. Plus he never would trust you or anyone long enough to be a friend.

But he has an idea of what a good person is and he understands he constantly falls far short of the ideal. But he wants to be a good person. It's a sad story. This knowledge of his failure and his willingness to talk about it make him sympathetic, not likeable, but sympathetic. The film shows him as a great and fascinating character, like one of those tortured characters from Dostoevsky.

If you are interested in the man Tyson, see the film. If you are interested in a great twisted complicated tragic horrible American character see the film.

Tomorrow they're putting on a good fight in Oakland -- a rare occurrence. It's super middles Andre Ward from Oakland vs. Edison Miranda from Colombia. Miranda is a puncher and Ward is a boxer, so Miranda is dangeous. But the promoter, Dan Goossen who also promotes Ward didn't bring in Miranda to win. I'm not saying the fight is fixed. It isn't. But Goossen must feel Ward has it in the bag or he wouldn't risk his guy. Still, strange things happen in fights.

If Ward loses, especially if he gets KOd, it will be bad. This is a step -- an opponent upgrade -- he must make. I'm so excited about covering a fight, rare these days, I'm going to see the Mike Tyson documentary this afternoon just to get in the spirit of things. One other thing about tomorrow's fight. I still don't have a credential. I've tried. My editor has tried. The promoters assure me everything is OK. I hope so. I can imagine trying to get in and some guard says no credential for you. A lonely feeling.

I apologize to Larry Riley. I made a big mistake where he's concerned.

A few hours ago I posted a blog called Sad But True about all the Bay Area sports figures who have jobs with local teams but who wouldn't have jobs with other better organizations. And I foolishly forgot to include Larry Riley, or as I call him, Little Nellie.

So, Larry, forgive the oversight. Now I include you. If the Warriors didn't hire you, no other team in the NBA would hire you as general manager. That's pretty clear.

Any dissenting opinions?

Someone wrote in and wondered about Bruce Bochy. Would any team but the Giants hire him? Bochy had a pretty good record in San Diego. I give him the benefit of the doubt. Am I misguided?

My little brain got to making a list. The list consists of names of people who have important positions with Bay Area pro sports teams, people who could not get jobs on any other team. Got that? Here goes:

Tom Cable: The only team that would hire him as head coach is the Raiders. No other team would even consider him. You know that.

Bob Geren: He is said to know baseball inside and out. And that's good, although he has no daring as a manager and never does the unexpected. But he got hired by the A's because he's Billy's friend. Do you think any other team would have hired him as manager?

Bobby Rowell: It's not like NBA teams were making a run on this guy who is systematically ruining the Warriors. He is a Chris Cohan guy. He is not an NBA guy.

Mike Nolan: When the Niners hired him you never even heard of him. No other team wanted him as head coach and no other team ever will again.

Mike Singletary: This one is tricky. The Niners hired him and I don't believe any other team would have hired him at the time. But we don't know how he will do as head coach. So we point out no other team made a run at him, but we don't yet count that as a negative.

This is a sad list, especially for East Bay fans. So many guys in key positions who don't seem to be highly thought of.

A weasel by the name of Rowell is still a weasel.

This is an essential fact of life that should not be overlooked. I could not attend the farce press conference yesterday introducing Little Nellie Larry Riley as general manager/gofer, but I read the transcript Tim Kawakami generously provided. To see the transcript click here. One thing Bobby Weasel Rowell said really got me. He said it was unacceptable that Chris Mullin got the Warriors to the playoffs only one time in five years.

Those are what you call weasel words which twist the truth to ruin a guy. It's not like Rowell or his boss Chris Cohan did well getting the Warriors to the playoffs before Mullin took over. They were a dead loss. Using his own logic Rowell should fire himself. Please fire yourself.

There's more. Mullin got the Warriors in the playoffs in 2006-07 with 42 wins. The next season the W's improved to 48 wins but didn't make the playoffs because the West is so tough. You could hardly call that a Mullin failure. This past season the team got ruined by Monta Ellis as you know and because Rowell refused to fight to keep Baron Davis.

The idea that Rowell used the playoffs argument against Mullin shows how unreliable, sneaky and treacherous he is, in case you haven't noticed already. Let's see how well Rowell does without Mullin. Let's see how he does with Big Nellie and Little Nellie running the show. 

I call Larry Riley Little Nellie. I believe he's Don Nelson's operative and I believe Don will be calling the shots and Little Nellie won't.

Later today the Warriors are unveiling Little Nellie to the media at a news conference. I'm not going. It's my day off and I have a million things to do -- go to the bank, clean the upstairs bathroom, boring stuff. But even if I were free all day I wouldn't go. I'm still absorbing the loss of Chris Mullin and for me it would be unseemly to drive to the arena and see Little Nellie smiling and hear him talking about his plans. There's time for that.

One thing I wonder though. As Little Nellie answers questions later today will Big Nellie be telling him what to say -- telling him all the way from Maui via an earpiece in Little Nellie's ear?

The Warriors announced they won't renew Chris Mullin's contract. That's a laugh. He never intended to remain with the Warriors after his contract expires at the end of June. So for them to announce they won't renew is kind of misleading.

Now Larry Riley will "lead" the team. He is a Don Nelson creature through and through. Call him Little Nelson. I don't believe he brings any special expertise to his job. I believe he will be Nelson's operative and his official voice. I believe Nelson now runs the show but wants the appearance of not running the show. Do you think I'm wrong? To read my column on Mullin's exit click here.

Jeff Fletcher wrote this terrific editorial on Fanhouse where he now works -- it's AOL sports. He argues that he would vote for steroid guys to get into the Hall of Fame if their numbers warrant it. I agree with him. To read what he wrote click here.

Here are some things Jeff Garcia said about JaMarcus Russell yesterday. They provide insight into both quarterbacks.

Q: Tom Cable used the word mentor with regard to you and JaMarcus. How will you be a mentor?

A: Hopefully by the example that I set, the work ethic that I have whether it's studying in the classroom, being in the weight room or just on the practice field. Hopefully those are things JaMarcus can see and understand. That is why I've been able to play this game so long and I've been able to have the success I've had. I think he has tremendous talent, tremendous ability and a will to learn, a will to work. It's about understanding now that he's no longer a big fish in a small pond. He's just one amongst many. There's tremendous pressure put upon his shoulders to succeed based upon where he was drafted. It's important for him to understand that and hopefully I can help him in that way.

Q: JaMarcus was so highly regarded coming out of college people are going to be patient with him.

A: I don't necessarily know or think people are going to be that patient with him. There's definitely an emphasis put on him because he was so highly touted coming out of college that you need to perform at a high level right now.

Finally, here's Garcia on his own competitive spirit, "Hopefully that competitive drive is what allows JaMarcus to increase his own competitive spirit. The greatest understanding that needs to come out of all this is that this is a small window in our lives. It's a small window of opportunity and to make the most of this opportunity. And if that means you need to put more pressure on yourself to strive to be better to do the little things that are going to make you better then that's what we all need to do. Hopefully that's something he'll see in me in how I approach the game every single day." To read my column on JaMarcus Russell click here.

I'm just saying I watched the Raiders morning practice and Darrius Heyward-Bey dropped three passes in a row.

I'm just saying one was a deep pattern, ball in his hands. Drop. The next was a pass over the middle, in his hands. Drop. The next he dropped but I forgot what it was. Who cares?

Later optimist Cable said he was tired or maybe it was that he was concerned about running the right route. I forget the precise excuse. All I know is he dropped 3 in a row and no one was covering him.

One question in all this Manny furor. How in the world did he get caught? I assume tons of guys in the majors are taking drugs to enhance their hitting. I assume guys on every team are doing it. I assume they know how NOT to get caught. I assume it's easy not to get caught. So how did Manny get caught? (I'm not saying it's right not to take these drugs. I think it's wrong.)

You would have to assume the guy isn't bright. Or maybe he's bright but he isn't shrewd. Something is definitely wrong. I still wonder. How did the knucklehead get caught?

I say Manny is lying. If I understand what he's doing he's blaming his doctor. He's saying he has a personal medical condition -- it seems it has to do with sex drive -- and the doc prescribe a substance banned by baseball and he Manny got in hot water through no fault of his own. I read he's going to sue the doc.

So I went online and called up the collective agreement between the Players Association and MLB and in plain print it says any player can apply for a dispensation to take a banned substance for a medical condition if the doctor writes a note and explains the condition. Simple as that. Manny never took this step even after flunking his first drug test. Either he is incredibly negligent or he's lying. I think he's lying. What follows is the relevant part of the collective bargaining agreement. Decide for yourselves. 

G. Therapeutic Use Exemption

1. A Player authorized to ingest a Prohibited Substance through a valid, medically appropriate prescription provided by a duly licensed physician shall receive a Therapeutic Use Exemption ("TUE"). To be "medically appropriate," the Player must have a documented medical need under the standards accepted in the United States or Canada for the prescription in the prescribed dosage. A urine sample which is found to contain a Prohibited Substance will not be deemed a positive test result if such sample was provided by a Player with an effective TUE for that substance. A Player with a TUE for a Prohibited Substance does not violate the Program by possessing or using that substance.

2. A Player seeking a TUE must notify, or cause the issuing physician to notify, the IPA of the existence of the prescription. Whenever requested to do so by the IPA, the Player shall provide, or cause the issuing physician to provide, documentation supporting the issuance of the prescription. If the issuing physician is not duly licensed in the United States or Canada, the IPA shall request that the Player provide such documentation. The IPA shall notify the Player and counsel for the Association of any request for documentation.

10

Following his/her review of such documentation and, if necessary, consultation with an expert in the area covered by the prescription, the IPA shall determine whether to grant the TUE. The IPA shall report that determination to the Player and to the Parties and, in the event of a denial, forward to the Parties the documentation received and all other material reviewed in reaching that determination. (See Section 9.C.1(c) below.)

3. A TUE shall be effective from the date the Player notified, or caused the issuing physician to notify, the IPA of the existence of the prescription involved, and shall not be effective for any use or possession of a Prohibited Substance prior to that date. A Player who is determined not to qualify for a TUE may not challenge a determination that he violated the Program by contending, in connection with a "no fault or negligence" defense or otherwise, that he believed he would qualify or had qualified for a TUE; however, a Player is not otherwise precluded from introducing evidence of medical treatment in support of such a challenge.

To read my column on Manny the Cheater click here.

The LA Times just announced Manny Ramirez tested positive for a banned performance enhancing drug and will be kicked out of action for 50 games.

Hey, you stll think the Giants should have signed Manny?

Manny of course said he didn't cheat. It was a false positive resulting from a drug a doc gave him for a personal medical issue.

Do you believe that?

I don't believe any of these guys. I suspect every big slugger in baseball and a lot of not so big sluggers. I can tell you the Giants will gain from this because Manny is a great hitter and he won't be around to hit. The NL West just became a lot more interesting with the temporary demise of this (alleged) cheater.

These are the five most tiresome names in sports in ascending order:

5. Barry Bonds

4. Roger Clemens

3. Terrell Owens

2. Alex Rogriguez

1. Brett Favre

There's going to be a good boxing match in Oakland -- Oracle Arena -- may 16. It's local hero Andre Ward against Edison Miranda, a real banger. They're fighting at 168 pounds, super middle and it's great when boxing comes to the Bay Area.

The promoter had a conference call for national media this morning and naturally both fighters said they would win. I laughed when Ward, apparently a nice guy, called Miranda a bully and said he doesn't like bullies.

I want to remind Ward what profession he's in. I mean he's a fighter not a priest. It's good when a boxer is a bully, might even be part of the job description. To read my column on Ward vs. Miranda click here.

On Saturday I'm going to the Raiders minicamp to write a column. So I have a question. What do you think is a good story?

My colleague and pal Phil Barber will be writing Darrius Heyward-Bey, so that's a no-no for me. But there are others like Jeff Garcia and JaMarcus Russell.

I'm wondering if you have ideas. I want to get this right, but remember -- and this is strictly from a journalist's point of view -- I'm dealing with the Raiders here and it's hit and miss whether they make the players you want available. The Niners put me alone in a room with Alex Smith. Something like that never will happen with the Raiders. Having issued that caution I'm eager for your suggestions.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi asked this question about Selena Roberts' book on A-Rod released today: "I don't understand why someone would write a book like this anyway."

You don't understand, Joe. The book is called a biography. People write biographies. People read biographies. People are interested in biographies. Visit the library, Joe. Lots to be learned there. To read my column on the A-Rod book click here.

There's been talk lately about Manny Pacquiao being the best fighter in the world pound for pound. He is. Pound for pound means all things considered, means his skills against a heavyweight's although Pacquiao is too small to beat a heavyweight. You know all that.

This discussion got me to thinking, or recalling. The best fighter who ever lived, pound for pound, was Sugar Ray Robinson. This is hardly my opinion. It is as close to fact as you can get. It's like saying the world is round or gravity makes things fall down.

You use the phrase pound for pound with Ray because he was a middleweight -- 160 pounds -- and could not beat a big heavy, say, 220 pounds. But he was better than all of them.

Of course, Ray was better than Manny Pacquiao. No one disputes that, but I'll explain anyway. Ray fought in an era of better fighters. Manny fights in a depleted era when boxing has become a minor sport. Ray beat better guys pound for pound than Manny will beat. Ray beat Jake LaMotta 4 times. He beat Kid Gavilan. He beat Gene Fullmer and Carmen Basilio and Randy Turpin and Fritzie Zivic and Rocky Graziano.

I could go on. Manny never will have to face guys like that. Ray had 202 fights. Manny won't. Ray moved like a lighweight, hit like a heavy, threw combinations, was a righty but knocked out Fullmer with the greatest left hook ever thrown. Ray had everything Ali had and he was a harder puncher. Ray was a tactical genius and he had a killer instinct.

I appreciate Manny for making me recall Ray Robinson, truly the greatest pound for pound.

I'm taking issue with Tim Kawakami. Before I get started I want to make some admissions. Tim and I are friends. We see each other all the time and he's a great guy and a terrific sports writer. He also knows current boxing like nobody's business -- knows it better than I do. I have lost some interest because the sport is degraded.

Tim just wrote a blog about Manny Pacquiao. To read his blog click here. He said this is the Manny Era. OK. Tim said Manny could beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. Maybe now that Mayweather hasn't fought, but at their top, come on, Tim. No way. Mayweather is bigger, faster and a better athlete. He wouldn't knock out Manny but he'd beat him.

Anyway that's not my primary beef with Kawakami. I'm caught up short with his claim Manny is the best fighter since Marvin Hagler.

Marvin Hagler? I want to laugh.

Marvin Hagler was a very good middleweight, a champ. He destroyed Thomas Hearns -- a welterweight. But the so-called Hagler Era was in reality the Sugar Ray Leonard Era. Everyone knows this. Leonard put small men on the map at his time and place. He took the play away from the heavyweights. His fights with Roberto Duran were historic -- two all time greats meeting. In the second fight he made Duran quit. He beat Hearns when Hearns was unbeatable. He beat Wilfred Benitez when Benitez was at the top of his form.

And I must remind Tim Leonard beat Marvin Hagler. Beat him. So how is Hagler the best when he lost to Leonard, a puffed up welter?

If you rate all time top 10 welters, Leonard would be near the top, certainly top 5. If you rate middles, Hagler would be in the top 10, sure, but he'd be between 6 and 10. He couldn't beat Ray Robinson, Stanley Ketchel, Mickey Walker, Carlos Monzon, Gene Fullmer (too tough) Jake LaMotta. I doubt he could beat Tony Zale. I'm not even sure he could beat Bernard Hopkins, really I'm not.

Hagler did not hit as hard as people think and he was methodical and couldn't decide if he was a lefty or a righty. He had trouble with the smaller Duran because Duran was a better technician by far and Hagler finally won by pushing him around.

So, Tim, I think you're changing history. Ray Leonard did not fight in the Hagler Era. Hagler fought in the Sugar Ray Leonard Era.

Your pal,

Lowell

Here is a transcript of my interview with Alex Smith before the Saturday practice at the 49er minicamp:

Cohn: Do you have a different mindset this season?

Smith: Yeah, I think I'm in a very different place mentally than where I was even last year. I just think the combination of going through what I went through and really reaching that level of frustration. Obviously when you're hurt in back-to-back years, you're kind of searching a little bit. And a lot of things happened the way they did and you have a lot of time to think about things and go through them. I had my surgery around Halloween - before this I worried about things sometimes that were out of my control. I worried about things that were external and let them affect me, affect my mind, affect my attitude which in turn affected my play and performance. And really I came to the conclusion - this is honest, I'm not BSing - that stuff kind of is what it is and I'm not going to let it affect me. I'll control what I can control. Which is especially my attitude and state of mind and work ethic. And the rest I'm going to let it run off me. I got married this offseason. I'm really stable outside of football with my life. With all the media stuff and what I went through with Nolan and my injuries, I've reached a point if I let any of that get to me or if I think about it or dwell on it or get that in my head, it ends up having a negative effect on me. I guess the last couple of years I've definitely seen the results of that and what it's done to me. I'm really just going to focus on what I can do. And really what is that? That is my attitude. That is me coming to work, my work ethic. When the season ended I was here every day getting healthy. I'm tired of being hurt. I concentrate on things I can control. That is getting healthy, coming in every day, getting with the coaches, working with the play book. I'm not going to dwell on what people might think of me.

Cohn: Did you dwell on that before?

Smith: Oh, absolutely, being the No. 1 pick whether you like it or not. I've always put a lot of pressure on myself. It's a lot different when you're under the radar. When I went to college and was under the radar no one knows who you are. I knew what I had in me and I set out to prove it and I held myself to a high level but it's very different when you come in as a 20-year-old draft pick turning 21 and playing right away and yeah I still held myself to a high level of expectations but it's different when everyone's looking at you for the answer. Everyone's looking at you - When is it going to happen? Everyone wants to see those things out of you. Stressing about that doesn't help you. I definitely think it was something I thought about, absolutely.

Cohn: Are you under the radar now?

Smith: I don't know if I'm under radar but when you haven't played in two years I guess you're a little bit, more so than what I probably was two years ago for sure. In that sense, yeah, probably.

Cohn: You seem more mature, more able to prioritize things.

Smith: Yes, no question. It reached the point where me sitting here and fretting over what people think of me and this and that was only having a negative impact on me. It was only detrimental to me, affected my play, affected my concentration coming to work. I'm making a conscious effort that I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm not. I'm not going to let any external distractions affect me and my play and I'll really prioritize what's important.

Cohn: In the past did negative thoughts leak into your play?

Smith: It's not necessarily that black and white. The stress of dwelling on things outside your control just wears on you in general. I find myself working harder now but I'm more mentally fresh, if that makes sense. I'm a lot more driven, more motivated. I feel I'm more focused at this point. I know what I'm after. I know what it looks like. I know what I'm trying to get to.

Cohn: What does it look like?

Smith: For me it's not blowing what this is out of proportion. It's playing quarterback. I'm going to do what I can to manage the game. I'm going to come out here every day and work my ass off. I'm going to bust my ass and I'm going to know this position better than anyone else. And when I'm out there when that guy's open I'm going to hit him. And when he's not then I'm going to get rid of the ball. I'm not going to sit here and dwell on completion percentage and QB rating and things like that which I did. I can tell you so much gets made out of freaking QB rating in this league. It's in your head. Like that freaking matters in the big picture. I'm here to try and put this team in a position to win and be accountable to my teammates. I haven't been accountable in two years now.

Cohn: What are you trying to accomplish in this minicamp?

Smith: We're competing right now. I mean you can say this is a rookie minicamp but Shaun and I are competing every day. It's very clear that there are no days off and we're going to be competing until a decision is made. So in that sense you better be ready to go. You better be into your book, you better have the mindset that you're going to go out there and compete, compete for your job. This is a big deal and it's not something to be taken likely.

Cohn: Is it a good feeling to be competing?

Smith: It's good. It is good. It's not comfortable. I'll tell you that. It's not. Competing is hard. It's not something easily done when you do it at a high level. Shaun and I, especially how close we are, but we really go after each other. You're out there and you want to become the best player you can and you want to be better and you want to win the job and we both want it. It is hard. It's not easy. It's something that's going to make us better. I know that's kind of cliché but I think it does. Competition is healthy. But yeah it's not comfortable, that's for sure. We're pushing each other. We're going at it.

Cohn: Do you give yourself odds, like what is my shot at being the starting quarterback?

Smith: Not helpful. It's exactly one of those things we talked about. If I start dwelling on, 'Do I have a chance if I do this and that?' those are things outside of my control. Things I can control are coming to work every day prepared and ready to go the best that I can, putting myself in the best position to succeed which in turn is putting my team in the best position to succeed and win games. It's not worrying about other stuff. I'm going to win this job if I go out and play to the best of my ability. It's not necessarily beating Shaun although we're competing against each other. I've got to push myself to beat him out and play to the level I know I can play at.

Cohn: How good a quarterback are you now and do you have an idea of how good you can be?

Smith: I'm trying to raise the bar, trying to raise my own personal bar and at the same time trying to help the 49er team raise the bar and that bar is commitment, it is play, it is my potential and I'm trying to raise all that and trying to achieve it. I know what I want to get to, the player I want to become it definitely is in my head. It's a motivator. I know I can play in this league right now. I know I can be successful. I know I can be a great player. That is in my head, no question. It has to be.

Cohn: You used the adjective great. Is that where your horizon is?

Smith: Yes. Yes. No question. I think without a doubt, it's something I firmly believe. It's just a matter of time. I'm going to make it happen,

At his news conference this afternoon reporters asked Jimmy Raye what kind of offense the 49ers will have next season. This is what he said:

"We would like to be a physically, tough-minded football team and that doesn't mean to black box us in any direction, meaning what we are going to do is limit this and limit that. What we would like to do is have an offense with enough versatility to take care of the contingencies of the defense, give the playmakers that we have an opportunity to make plays and do what is necessary to give us a chance to score points and move the football. There's no reason for us at this time to back ourselves into a corner or paint a picture that we are this or that. We are basically going to do what we do to give ourselves a chance to win in the fourth quarter."

Clearly, he's saying you can't pigeonhole the Niners as a running or a passing team. They will be diversified. That may be true. But at the end he says the 49ers want to win in the 4th quarter -- i.e. keep it close and then win. Sounds a little like Mike Nolan. But we really won't know anything until we actually see the team play. It's nice to know they won't just run -- at least that's the preliminary indication.

A week ago I posted a blog based on a rumor. I admitted it was a rumor, not that I get much credit for that. I said I heard Mike Singletary won't let his assistant coaches talk much to the media because he wants to protect offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye who is inarticulate.

A few minutes ago Raye met the media. This is how he came across in a spirited, demanding question and answer session. He is articulate, careful, precise, soft-spoken, smart, thoughtful, patient, decisive and clear-thinking.

He used words like: verbiage, nomenclature, contingencies.

What I wrote last week about Raye was all wet. I deeply apologize to him.

Good fight Saturday night -- Manny Pacquiao vs. Ricky Hatton. They're fighting at 140 lbs which favors the bigger Hatton. People keep writing this is a pretty even fight and Hatton has a good shot to upset Manny.

No. Wrong. Mayweather Jr. stopped Hatton. Mayweather doesn't hit hard and he got the best of Hatton -- so much so Hatton's corner threw in the towel. Pacquiao will stop Hatton and he'll do it faster than Mayweather did.

Hatton has one thing going for him. He's a tough guy. Tough guys make good fights. But tough guys are limited and they lose to equally tough guys -- Manny -- who also have all the boxing skills. Manny is the best fighter in the world today. He will stand up to what Ricky offers and then stop him. I always have been a fan of skill over pure toughness.

Warning: Notice: Advisement: This is not a sports blog. If you only want a sports blog come back next time.

This is about what I did on Thursday. When I woke up I told my wife we're going to Lodi. She wanted to know why. I said I have the day off and I want to taste Lodi Zinfandels. She said do you know how to get to Lodi? I said sure, I got directions.

We drove out 580 toward 205 and at the Altamont Pass my wife says why are you going this way everyone knows you take Highway 4 to Lodi. I tell her I know what I'm doing. I get to Highway 5 and I'm looking for Turner Road but can't find it. My wife says go into a gas station, men never go into gas stations and ask directions. I go. The guy says take the 8 mile road it brings you right into Lodi.

I take the 8 Mile Road. There are fields. The road takes me to Nebraska. I begin to think Lodi doesn't exist it's only a state of mind. We are wandering. I hear my wife mutter I need protein. It means she's hungry. Guys, have you noticed when women get hungry they mutter protein? I think they have a higher need for protein right now on the spot than we do. Out of nowhere a restaurant appears. We go in. It's 1 pm and the bar is filled with drinkers. My wife says this doesn't look good, I want to leave. I say what about the protein. She scowls at me.

We stop a guy on a tractor. Where's Lodi? He looks confused like he never heard of Lodi. He says take this road right here and it brings you to 99 and you go north I think ten miles and there's Lodi. We take the road. It dead ends. Protein. Protein.

I do some fancy zigging and zagging and lo and behold find 99. And there right before us we see a sign. LODI. We drive the main drag. I see a place called De De Diner. You want to go in I ask my wife. She says Frankie Avalon sang that song. Dee Dee Dinah. I won't eat at a place that's a Frankie Avalon song. We drive. We both sing Dee Dee Dinah. (I love my Dinah dee dee Dinah).

She spots a place, Richmaid. I want to eat there she says. It's like going back into the 50s. You expect to see Richie Cunningham behind the counter. The waitress says you look all done in. We say we got lost. We say we couldn't find Lodi.

Oh she says. She gets us soft drinks. She hovers. The other waitresses hover. We say we're looking for wineries. They get out a phone book and point out the best ones and the Wine and Visitor Center on Turner Road. Twice they tell us how to get there. We eat terrific club sandwiches. The waitress says we can keep the phone book. Is anyone this nice anymore? I love Richmaid in Lodi.

They treated us great at the visitor center too and gave us a map. These are the places where we tasted first rate Zins -- Heritage Oak, Lucas, Jessie's Grove. At Heritage Oak the winemaker played the piano for us. "That's Scarlatti," his mother said -- she was working the counter. "He only plays Scarlatti," the mother said. My wife and I wondered if he only knows Scarlatti or just has a thing for Scarlatti. He played Scarlatti well.

I always thought Dry Creek was the pinnacle for Zin but Lodi can compete. Most places in Lodi have a tasting fee. But no one ever charged us. At Lucas the guy said I'm supposed to charge but it's Thursday.

Some reason.

That's the end of my non-sports blog. Have a nice day. I'll drink a glass of Zin to your health and happiness.

I read where some Texas congressman doesn't like the current college bowl system and wants to introduce legislation saying they can't call it a national championship game if there are no playoffs leading up to the game. This guy wants playoffs.

I can't stand this guy and I don't even know him.

He is an advocate for what I call the Super Bowlisation of college football. This is a bad thing. Why? Because college football is not pro football. It is college kids most of whom won't play in the NFL. It is rah rah and bonfires and memories. It is fun.

I can't stand the idea of making college ball into pro ball. I don't even like the idea of a championship game although I live with it. College football is regional. It is Cal/Stanford, UCLA/USC. It is not about finding out who's the absolute best that year. That is beside the point.

I wish congressmen would stick to important things and lay off college sports. Doesn't this guy have something more important to do?