COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY - MIKE IN DA - FEBRUARY 17, 2011

COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY (X-RATED)

Written by: Mike in DA
Date posted: 2/17/2011

MEXICAN WRESTLER KEEPS IT CLASSY BY DROP-KICKING A LITTLE PERSON!




"WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS"

One of the topics last week on local sports talk was about the crying going on in New Orleans because Saints’ coach, Sean Payton, has decided to move his family from New Orleans to Westlake, TX, which is in the Dallas area. Saints fans have gone over the top with their outpouring of anger claiming that they have been abandoned by him. They say this is nothing more than a move on Payton’s part to leave the Saints and take over the Dallas Cowboys.

I don’t read minds and haven’t contacted Sean, so I have no idea if that is his intent. Even if that is his intent, there is nothing wrong with him planning that as a career move. However, here is what I know, courtesy of Wikipedia:


1. Since Payton came to New Orleans in 2006, the Saints are 49-31 during the regular season (4-2 in the playoffs). Considering that the Saints had been “losers” for most all of their franchise history, that is a very good statistic.

2. Payton’s team has been in the playoffs three times in five years.

3. Payton’s team has won a Super Bowl.

With those facts on the table, may I say to the fans of the New Orleans Saints: Go Fuck Yourselves!


New Orleans suffered a big tragedy when Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. However, the sensitivity period for that tragedy is over; New Orleans is no longer a victim of anything that is not self-inflicted; Sean Payton owes nothing whatsoever to the city of New Orleans or the State of Louisiana, except to file his state income tax return there by midnight on Monday, April 18.

I mention that New Orleans has self-inflicted problems and one of them is where the city is located. New Orleans is in hurricane land and that will not change. The city is on the banks of the Mississippi River, which is the largest river in North America for the geography-challenged.

Also, New Orleans is a city built at sea level and some of it is even a little below sea level says Wikipedia. At some future time, it is a certainty that another monstrous hurricane will hit the “Big Easy” with the same or even a greater force than Katrina did. When that happens, there will be similar destruction leveled on the city and the people who have chosen to live there.  Those  people will probably claim they were victims, too, but until then, the clock has run out on New Orleans’ claims to a certain respect from the rest of the country.


I'm sure Sean Payton didn't live in the hood in New Orleans. He probably lived in a fancy gated community in a low-crime area, but Westlake, TX, is high living with better schools and no crime. Payton, as the daddy of two kids (14 and 11) may simply have decided that the school system and educational opportunities for his kids might be better in a Dallas suburb than in the New Orleans school system. If that was his thinking, it would be polite for him not to say that publicly and for him to just move his family quietly to the Dallas suburb.

The whining Saints fans might be a lot more pissed off if Payton honestly told them the reason for his decision.

A HELL OF A BOXING ENTRANCE AND EXIT!




JOB OPENING FOR A HOUSTON SPORTS TALK HOST

REQUIREMENTS:


MUST HAVE AT LEAST TWO YEARS EXPERIENCE IN EITHER A LARGE OR SMALL MARKET 


MUST FEEL COMFORTABLE MAKING RACIST AND HOMOPHOBIC REMARKS

MUST BELIEVE THAT WOMEN HAVE NO PLACE IN REAL SPORTS

MUST HAVE DEEP DISCONTENT FOR SOCCER, RUGBY, AND OTHER PRIMARILY FOREIGN COUNTRY SPORTS


MUST BE ABLE TO RAISE VOICE DECIBEL LEVEL SEVERAL HUNDRED PERCENT WHEN EVEN REMOTELY PASSIONATE ABOUT A SPORTS TOPIC

MUST BE WILLING TO DISRESPECT, DISHONOR, AND MOCK SHOW CO-HOSTS AND PRODUCERS WHILE ON AIR


MUST BE AN EGOMANIAC WHO WISHES TO BE IDOLIZED BY THE UNWASHED MASSES OF LISTENERS

MUST THINK OF EVERY ATHLETE AS EITHER A BUM OR THE GREATEST EVER (HALL OF FAMER) WITH NOTHING IN BETWEEN

MUST BE ABLE TO FORGET ANY PERSONAL NEGATIVE OPINIONS OF AN ATHLETE WHEN INTERVIEWING SAID ATHLETE


MUST KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THE SOUND EFFECT BUTTON 

MUST BE ABLE TO LAUGH/GIGGLE HYSTERICALLY, EVEN IF SOME STATEMENT MADE BY A CO-HOST OR GUEST IS NOT EVEN THAT FUNNY

MUST BE MALE CAUCASIAN (AGES 25-44); NEGROES, ASIANS, AND FEMALES NEED NOT APPLY!

 

PLEASE SEND RESUME AND AUDIO SAMPLE TO SPORTSRADIO 610, SPORTS TALK 790, AND/OR KGOW 1560.


THANK YOU!

ONE REASON TO WATCH VOLLEYBALL!

COMING SOON TO ESPN: BRETT FAVRE?

After the prolonged end of Brett Favre's career came tumbling down on him, after all the alleged texting pictures of private parts and NFL investigations, after all the stories about happy endings and masseuse suits, it was mentioned in a previous Peanut Gallery that there was the distinct possibility the quarterback would eventually wind up on television now that he has “officially” retired.


I received an e-mail a little over a month ago from Tom C. saying that the recent controversies surrounding Brett have made him poison when it comes to TV. Not so fast, Tom, as Lee Corso is wont to say. From Tom:


“I’m sure that Favre has interest in TV, since he has been on it so much and likes attention. However, he may not want to do the whole 25 weeks or so from pre-season in August through the Super Bowl in early February.


But even a limited schedule could seem out of the question for Favre, as I’m sure some of the various NFL TV types, may not want to work with him. The recent controversies surrounding Favre have made him poison when it comes to TV - at least in the short-term.


If he had retired after his time with the NY Jets or even after the 2009 season, it would have been easier for him to get a shot at TV. But after the 2010 season there is definitely a backlash against him. People don't look at Brett like they did three or four years ago, when he was the aw-shucks type of guy, the gunslinger, the everyman.


Besides even if he didn’t have these latest problems, who would take a run at him? I don't think he would be that great on TV by just the way he talks. He's very slow. Now, with all that other stuff, I heartily disagree with you." END.

My response to Tom C:

"We often use the cliches about the public being "forgiving" and everyone deserving a "second chance". I realize with Favre that it's more than one incident with him. It's hard to overcome a number of different incidents and stuff that has happened over such a short period of time. All this stuff is fresh in the public’s mind, therefore you would think it would be hard for ESPN (or any other network for that matter) to use him next season.

Still, history tells us it only takes one executive with a bright idea and the belief the combination of Favre's marquee presence and his controversy would translate into ratings by putting Favre on TV. As far as Brett being slow, there's probably not a TV exec who believes he can't make this guy better. I'm sure Brett can be engaging and funny too, even with all the baggage he now carries?

How about Michael Irvin, Frank Gifford, and Mike Tirico. Charles Barkley found his way on TV. Magic Johnson is still treated like a king. Cris Carter and cocaine addition? Cris Collinsworth just being obnoxious? Are you trying to tell me that everyone who is on TV has no skeletons in his closet? This is why many announcers, especially those who are former athletes, are refusing to condemn or comment on Favre. They did things as bad or worse.

Most commentators are just trying to fly under the radar on this one, because they don't want to bring attention to their own past or present. Brett was definitely wrong, but he's clearly being treated as a high profile scapegoat in this one. There are way too many stories out there like this one that will never get reported, because they don't involve such high profile figures.

Brett will be on TV if he wants to. Keep in mind, this guy has donated millions to charity, and he has worked with "Make-a-Wish" and other similar charities." END.

 

COOLEST SPORTS NICKNAMES: “THE GOLDEN BEAR”

Today’s sports nicknames are terrible, such as A-Rod, Bags, and L.T. They are nothing more than a combination of a player’s first and last name. But nicknames haven’t always been so bad.

Here is another cool one from the past: “The Golden Bear”

When Jack Nicklaus was in his early 20s his future agent, IMG founder, Mark McCormack, gave an interview in which he talked about the up-and-comers in the American golf scene. He was especially taken with Nicklaus, who he referred to as “large, strong, and blond.” The writer began referring to Nicklaus as “the Golden Bear,” and by the time Nicklaus knocked off Arnold Palmer in a playoff to win the 1962 U.S. Open, the name had stuck. That didn’t keep casual fans like me from referring to him as “Jack Nicholson” back in the day.

FLUB OF THE DAY

On this week’s “High School Sports Zone” (Sundays, 9 pm) on Channel 57 (KUBE) hosted by Todd Freed, Todd continued to misidentify some players during the highlight parts of the show. I caught at least three of those flubs and that was just for the players I’m familiar with. However, since local high school kids are not household names, very few will ever notice flubs like these.

A RIDICULOUS STATEMENT BY SHANE BATTIER



From Saturday’s (2/12) Houston Chronicle article written by Joseph Duarte, Shane Battier of the Rockets, was attempting to explain why his team doesn’t play as well at home as it does on the road (actually, the Rockets don’t seem to play well anywhere): "Overall, my experience in Houston is we've been a better road team. My first two years with Tracy (McGrady) and Yao (Ming), we were a really good road team and struggled to close games at home. I thought last year we were a really, really good home team, but not this year."


Of course, this was an article that didn’t challenge Shane’s statements, which then noted the “distractions” that supposedly come with being home.

"We come home and you've got your wife, your girlfriend pampering you and you're sleeping in your own bed," Battier said. "You don't have that edge that you have when you're on the road, sleeping on hard beds, eating bad hotel food."

This is beyond insulting the intelligence when “It’s hard to win on the road” is the chant of pro and college athletes and coaches. These overpaid jokers sleep in expensive hotels with comfortable mattresses that serve pretty good food. Battier went to Duke, where he was more than likely taught that rules don’t apply to him and that you can explain away anything to anybody, especially a sportswriter (Joseph Duarte in this case), if you talk long enough.


Houston is not a hard-edged group of road warriors. As of the morning of 2/17, Houston is 11-18 SU, 16-12-1 ATS on the road. On their home floor, the Rockets are 15-13 SU, 12-15-1 ATS. So, is Shane talking about being a better road team when they bet on themselves, because 15-13 at home is better than 11-18 on the road. Why does he think they play better on the road if they have a losing record straight-up on the road and a winning record at home?

And speaking of overpaid jokers whose words are taken as the gospel, Charles Barkley guesting on Wednesday's (2/16) "Jay Leno Show" said that there was no way that the Cleveland Cavaliers would beat the LA Lakers that night. Final Score: Cleveland 104, Lakers 99!!!

CBS MAY HAVE LOVED RAYMOND, BUT NOT ANYMORE!



I’m not a big golf watcher, but next to the Masters, the Pebble Beach Pro-Am on CBS is one event that I might turn on, which I did for a couple of hours this past weekend.

Like all TV networks, CBS likes to cross-promote its shows. So when Ray Romano of CBS’ “Everybody Loves Raymond” show played at Pebble Beach in past years when the show was on the network, the cameras would be certain to show what seemed just about everyone of Ray’s shots. And then CBS would talk with Romano, as he walked the course, in effect, promoting his show. Everyone on the golf telecast loved Raymond.


Romano’s show on CBS ended in May 2005, so he is no longer a CBS star. So last weekend’s Pebble Beach coverage on CBS hardly showed Romano with just one quick chat. I guess everyone doesn't love Raymond that much anymore.




MICHAEL JORDAN STATUE HAS THE WRONG UNIFORM NUMBER!

ONCE AGAIN, SPORTS TALK HOSTS MISS THE POINT!



Last week, some of the local sports talkers, including Mike Meltser (SR610) and Dylan Gwinn (Sports Talk 790) talked about TCU saying, “No”, to a 2011 rematch with Wisconsin. The two teams met in the Rose Bowl earlier this year resulting in a TCU win.

The sports talkers jumped all over TCU for being hypocritical cowards because TCU like several other non-BCS schools were the ones who complained in the past that BCS schools refused to play them. Now TCU was refusing to play a BCS school. WTF?


According to a report from ESPNDallas.com, an unspecified third party came to TCU athletic director, Chris Del Conte, and Wisconsin coach, Bret Bielema, about the possibility of a Rose Bowl rematch between the Horned Frogs and the Badgers in Madison, WI, to open the 2011 season on September 3. It would be a one-time game and not a home-and-home series.


Bielema, wanting to get another shot at TCU, could barely contain his enthusiasm. Del Conte? Not so much. That’s when the sports talkers jumped on TCU, but I think they didn’t know all the facts.


First of all, Wiscy originally had a game scheduled for the opening week at home vs. UNLV that doesn’t want to go back there. The third party was shopping the game around to other teams, but TCU had no interest in playing a one-time game, though they would have gotten a nice payday from it. Besides, TCU already has a game scheduled at Baylor on that day, which is the back half of a home and home.


At this point in time, TCU is being smart and is milking their Rose Bowl win. They won’t play a heavyweight again until they back into another prestigious bowl game. But don’t forget that in the 2012 season, TCU will be a part of the Big East Conference, which happens to be a BCS conference. The shoe is now on the other foot for TCU.


TCU simply did what any school that isn’t in desperate need of money or recognition would do. Yeah, sure that sounds like a great deal for Wisconsin. TCU will play at your place on opening day, but what the heck, Wiscy doesn’t have to worry about having to return the favor that might actually make it a fair proposition.

I certainly have no dog in this fight, but it doesn’t take much common sense to see that Wisconsin is the desperate party here trying to stack the deck. You want to prove something Wiscy, play a home and home. I am sure TCU would be willing to talk. Until then, you lost and they won, you should be the team desperate enough to do anything to play.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting a home and home with anyone, but Wisconsin wants a one-time home game. I would have refused it, also. They want revenge on their home turf. TCU beats Wisconsin in a game that mattered and now they are cowards for not wanting to play Wiscy again on their home turf? Sorry Badgers, you had to play a team where you could not run up the score and got beat. Deal with it!


TCU’s main objective is to get to another BCS game this season and trust me that the road they are going to take is the easiest one they can find. They already have analysts impressed with the Rose Bowl win. TCU is going to ride that as long as they can. Forget top notch competition proving that they are the best. Too bad they couldn’t play Auburn, maybe that should be their 2011 opener. However, I do have a feeling that they would still wave the Baylor flag.


Why is Wiscy so scared to make a fair deal? There is only one chicken in this coop, and it’s the team that lost the Rose Bowl.


The facts are that TCU has lost two home games already. The Mountain West Conference hosed them by moving their home game against Boise to Idaho, and Texas Tech cancelled their game in Fort Worth. So TCU was only going to have four home games. They are scrambling trying to find two home games now. They can’t afford to schedule Wisconsin or anyone else to a road game in 2011.


Those are the facts, sports talk guys!

ODDS AND ENDS:

1. Redskins wide receiver and kick returner Brandon Banks and a friend were stabbed on Saturday (2/12) at 3 a.m., outside a Washington, DC, nightclub. A pro athlete involved in a bad incident at 3 a.m. outside a nightclub? Shocking!

2. Dick Vitale made it clear at the end of No. 1 Ohio State's loss at Wisconsin on Saturday (2/12), that because the home team, which is a good team won, the result should in no way be regarded as an upset. (Wiscy was actually a slight favorite in Vegas.) I hope that our local sports talk hosts were listening and assimilating that information for future reference, so that they won’t continue falling into this trap of calling such games "upsets".

3. Sports announcer, Kevin Harlan, continues his play-by-play hysteria. I can’t believe that he legitimately grows that excited on every radio and TV broadcast he works. I believe that this is all an act that insults intelligent viewers. This weekend, Kevin will be handling the rookie challenge, shooting stars and skills challenge, and three-point and dunk contests on TNT, so check out Kevin for some more hysteria.





CRIER’S CORNER

BASKETBALL ACTION


Yesterday’s Record ATS: 8-4
Cumulative Season Record ATS (excludes “pushes”): 370-241


Today’s Action (for reading purposes only):

NBA



DALLAS (+1) over PHOENIX*
This was once a very solid rivalry, but those days are gone. In the first of four meetings, the Mavs handled the Suns easily, but there was one little reason. Steve Nash left the game after just four and a half minutes with a stinger. This was also in the limbo period of the trade that brought the "Polish Hammer", Marcin Gortat, to the Suns. DALLAS, 105-97

Please note that there will be no regular season NBA action for the Crier until next Tuesday (2/22) due to the All-Star Game hiatus.


MINNESOTA at PENN STATE* (TOTAL OVER 126.5)
In terms of both points allowed and overall defensive efficiency, both teams are coming off their absolute bests of the season, allowing 41 and 45 points and grading out substantially better in defensive efficiency than any other game either played previously this season. It took a lot of misses by Iowa and Northwestern for those numbers to materialize. Penn State loves dragging tempo down, but Minnesota has the size for several things: running after misses and increasing that tempo, and easy offensive put-backs. MINNESOTA, 68-67

ARIZONA* (-8.5) over WASHINGTON STATE
Just in case anybody had any questions . . . this is the same old Washington State. You have to look beyond Klay Thompson, who’s wonderful, and see that the remainder of the critical talent base isn’t quite up to snuff among those performing for serious minutes, when you compare them to MoMo Jones and other Wildcat delights. Derrick Williams’ shooting hand gets better by the day. Looms a statement game – hide the women and children. ARIZONA, 79-62


ARIZONA STATE* (+8.5) over WASHINGTON
This would be one of the great spots of the year if you could trust Sparky, in this season of broad disappointment. Huskies will be one of the great play-againsts in the Big Dance (presuming they stagger in) when they face any sound fundamental team with anything resembling comparable talent. WASHINGTON, 72-70


LSU* (+9.5) over ALABAMA
The Tigers need more time to put it all together, but some of the pieces are in place, and the Tide is not the life force they are when defending their home floor. ALABAMA, 73-70


PROVIDENCE* (-12.5) over DEPAUL
Have the Blue Demons suddenly turned into a collection of "Mr. Wonderfuls", because of a couple of near-misses? Absolutely not. This is another deadly matchup for the visitor, against a Friar outfit who will be utterly-delighted to run with DePaul and are far-superior in every aspect of the style. Oliver Purnell’s style makes the players happy – there’s nothing more fun in this sport than running ahead on the break in transition – but on style points, Friars have this won, on the first tee. PROVIDENCE, 80-61


UCLA (+1.5) over STANFORD*
The Cardinals are perking up, but they’ve been better as dogs when foes are unlikely to take them with the utmost seriousness. The Bruins will be ready for what’s coming. UCLA, 69-64


MIKE IN DA

HMW

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