Bad week

It was not exactly the best week for Bob Huggins or Lawrence Phillips, now was it?

Huggins will not forget the name Nancy Zimpher anytime soon. Zimpher, the president of the University of Cincinnati, apparently had enough of Coach Huggins. The fact that Huggins put Cincinnati hoops on the map notwithstanding, Zimpher had enough of subpar graduation rates and numerous arrests over the years -- including Huggins' own for DUI a year ago.

"We expect to recruit very strong students on the court and in the classroom," Zimpher said in a recent interview with the Cincinnati Post. "We expect our coaches to be role models, and we expect our students to be role models. I will not apologize for setting high standards."

I, for one, applaud her. It seems many other college presidents would not have looked at the low percentage of student-athletes graduating. They would have focused on the 399 career wins and the 14 straight NCAA appearances.

Zimpher had none of that. She left Huggins with two choices. Resign or be fired. No middle ground.

You go, girl.

Phillips ... now that's another story.

In March 1997, I wrote a column when I was working for a small paper in Oklahoma. In that piece, I referred to Phillips as a punk for humming as he was led away for a 30-day jail sentence for violating his probation stemming from the assault of a female basketball player at the University of Nebraska.

At the time, I said he should work in rehabilitating his life. Now 30 years old and as far away from a spot in the NFL as I am, it seems nothing has changed. The Associated Press reported this week Phillips -- already wanted for domestic violence (big shock, I know) -- allegedly ran a car into three teens after a pick-up football game.

Oh yeah, the car was reported stolen. Phillips also said he wouldn't be taken peacefully, the report said.

Maybe it's time for him to do some hard time. Perhaps a judge will do for Phillips what Zimpher did for Huggins.

For those curious enough to read the column, it's at: http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:rNv7opwC9XgJ:www.ardmoreite.com/stories/031397/sports/sports01.html+lefkowitz+%22Lawrence+Phillips%22&hl=en

What do you think? I'd like to know.

Royal flush

There's something about watching a team so bad -- make that so completely and utterly awful -- that it's like watching the aftermath of a horrific car wreck. You know you shouldn't rubberneck, but you just cannot help turning your head and taking in the spectacle.

Enter the Kansas City Royals.

Heading into Saturday's game at Oakland, the Royals have dropped 19 straight games -- baseball's longest losing streak since the '88 Orioles started the season 0-21.

I cannot help but think of the caption to a "Far Side" cartoon: Welcome to Hell ... Here's your accordion.

Manager Buddy Bell is only 53, but he looks like he has aged 20 years in a month. In fairness, not all of it has been baseball-related: his nephew was recently killed in Iraq.

"It's unexplainable, really,'' Bell said after Friday night's 4-0 loss in Oakland. "I don't think we're a playoff-contending team by any means, but I don't think we're this bad."

Oh, yes you are. Quick -- name four Royals. I know ... neither can I.

Let's try to put this in perspective:

--The Royals have not won a game since July 27 when they knocked off the first-place White Sox.
--They are 20 games behind fourth-place Detroit. Yes. 20. Yes. FOURTH-place.
--Here is the rest of the schedule for August: two more against Oakland, and three-game series against Boston, New York and Minnesota.

0-for-August anyone?

Anyway, what do you think? I'd like to know.

You don't say

Let's see if I got this right ... Randy Moss smokes marijuana?

What's next? Vince Vaughn is overrated? A pound of butter a day will kill you? William Shatner is a jackass?

Just checking ...

Checking in

I'm fine. I have been real busy with work, some additional responsibilities that have been taking up what little free time I have.

I promise ... there will be a post soon.

PC taken up -- or down -- to a new level?

Face it, folks: we screwed over the native Americans.

I am not going to go all chapter and verse how it was done. My problem is this ruling the NCAA came out with this week: it would prohibit teams with nicknames, symbols or mascots considered "hostile or abusive" from hosting NCAA postseason events.

The NCAA also will not allow such nicknames or symbols to be on team uniforms or clothing in NCAA postseason competition beginning Feb.1.

This is the most pressing thing on the NCAA's minds?? Please.

Max B. Osceola Jr. of the Seminole tribal council may have put it most succinctly in an article written by Steve Ellis of the Tallahassee Democrat

"It's like history -- they left the natives out," Osceola said. "They have non-natives telling natives what's good for them or how they should use their name. You have a committee made up of non-natives telling people that they can not use a native name when you have a native tribe -- a tribal government, duly elected and constituted - that said they agree with Florida State."

As far as I can tell, there is ONE offensive nickname in sports -- the Redskins. Yes, it is akin to calling a team the New York Negroes. (BTW, yes, the St. John's Redmen was an offensive name -- I'm just not sure Red Storm is much better.)

Ask yourself: are the Fighting Sioux from the University of North Dakota offensive? The University of Utah Utes? Last I checked, these were names of tribes. Proud names.

Florida State president T.K. Wetherell was livid over the decision.

"You're not going to put the name Seminoles on the scoreboard but you put the Hooters girls on it. That's just stupid.
... It's just frustrating that they don't deal with issues more important to the athletes (instead of) grandstanding on this," Wetherell said in the Democrat.

My guess is there will still be the Fightin' Illini, the Fighting Sioux, the Seminoles and the Rainbow Warriors come Feb. 1.

What do you think? I'd like to know.

When you have nothing to write about ...

I guess this is the equivalent of ad-libbing.

1. Given a choice of Brokaw, Rather or Jennings, give me the Canadian each time. Hard to believe he was 67.

2. I was driving to IKEA Monday when I was listening to "The Best of Tony Kornheiser" on a Washington sports radio station. Two words -- shut up. Listening to him prattle on to ESPN anchor Pam Ward during the past college football bowl season was nauseating at best.

3. IKEA's furniture is better than it was 13 years ago when I first bought a sofa and bed from them. And their prices are still very reasonable.

4. Rafael Palmeiro needs to retire.

5. At what point does it become to expensive to drive? I saw gas Sunday in Virginia for $2.70 a gallon.

What do you think? I'd like to know.

It's always the ones you least suspect

Rafael Palmeiro? Steroids?

Nahhhhhh.....

Of course that was the same thing many said when Marv Albert was accused of chowing down on a former lover.

No, Palmeiro didn't go Hannibal Lechter on someone. But he did test positive for stanozolol -- same thing that brought Ben Johnson down.

With more than 560 home runs and 3,000 hits, Palmeiro was a mortal lock for the Hall of Fame. This positive test kills that off.

He did do one thing Thursday -- a day when the Orioles canned manager Lee Mazzilli. Palmeiro requested the celebration for his 3,000th hit be canceled.

Classy gesture -- I wouldn't want to feel much like celebrating either.

What do you think? I'd like to know.

Death knell, anyone?

Bread and pasta eaters, rejoice. Same for fruit and veggie folk. You are free once again.

The company started by the late nutrition guru Dr. Robert C. Atkins to promote a low-carb lifestyle filed for bankruptcy court protection Monday, a further sign of the waning popularity of the diet.

The company, Atkins Nutritionals, Inc., which sells Atkins-brand nutrition bars, shakes and candy as well as offering low-carb diet information, has been hurt by waning popularity of its namesake approach, which focuses on eliminating carbohydrates such as bread and pasta to shed weight.

According to an AP report, the diet became one of the most popular in U.S. history, spawning a virtual cottage industry of low-carb regimens — but also drew criticism from experts for its focus on fatty foods and low fruit and vegetable consumption.

About time, too. This craze went on far too long.

Has anyone out there had any success with this? Failure? Your thoughts?

What do you think? I'd like to know.

Washington Follies

Thinking of something a friend of mine said a couple weeks ago, and now I am starting to wonder ... maybe Bush is a war criminal. It's clear he is an idiot.

According to The Associated Press, Bush Monday morning sidestepped the Senate and installed embattled nominee John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations, ending a five-month impasse with Democrats who accused Bolton of abusing subordinates and twisting intelligence to fit his conservative ideology.

"This post is too important to leave vacant any longer, especially during a war and a vital debate about UN reform," Bush said. He said Bolton had his complete confidence.

Great ... so G-Dub has another of his men in place to bully and cow the rest of the world.

Can someone explain to me what this war is really about? Stopping terror? Oil? Osama? 21st Century colonialization?

What do you think? I'd like to know.