NBA
It’s rare when I take the time to watch an NBA game in which
I have no interest, but the Wizards and Cavaliers happened to
play on Saturday afternoon, so I tuned to it-and, man, I’m glad
I started watching when I did.
Brendan Haywood and LeBron James got tied up in the final
seconds of the first half and both were given technical fouls
for mouthing off and pushing. This should have been an even
punishment, right? Wrong. While Haywood and James got what
they deserved, Antawn Jamison was slapped with a technical
as well for getting in James’ face. I have no problem with the
call. What I have a problem with is that the referees punished
Jamison, yet let Cleveland’s Ben Wallace and Zydrunas Ilgauskas
get away with the same thing.
If you’re going to restore order and do so by handing out
technical fouls, you have to do it in an even fashion. Yes, Wallace
and Ilgauskas showed up after Jamison, but does that make
them less guilty? Did I completely see this wrong? Perhaps I
did. However, what I did see correctly was a Washington lead
diminish from 6 to zero in very little time. Would these fouls
have made a difference? Maybe not – but giving the Cavaliers a
technical free throw and awarding none to the Wizards seemed
to switch the flow of momentum at the time.
NFL
After many weeks, I finally have grown tired of all the talk
surrounding Chad Johnson and the Cincinnati Bengals.
The situation is quite simple-if at this point Johnson wants
a trade, Cincinnati should shop him around or set an ungodly
amount of money in front of him. Ocho Cinco obviously doesn’t
want to play in Cincinnati anymore, so why bother? It’s my
opinion that, despite his loud mouth and celebrations,
Johnson is a minimal distraction in season. However, his
behavior at this point is a distraction, and keeping him around
is going to do nothing but throw fuel on the fire. Trade him
for another wide receiver and a couple prospects, cut him or
– if the Bengals truly insist on keeping him – give him enough
money that playing for a team with a chance at the Super Bowl
becomes less important.
Cincinnati has come a long way during Marvin Lewis’ tenure
as head coach, and a situation such as this will be nothing but
a setback. If Johnson wants to be on a team with Super Bowl
aspirations, it’s time to put some talent around him or to let him
go. With C.J. unhappy, the team is going nowhere.