Who Would You Throw Under The Bus?

Sports fans, it's that time of week again. Time to call out the object of your ire in the sports world. Who has got you so in a tizzy that you CAN'T WAIT to call them out? Here, you can do that by throwing them under the Bus. And away we go, with Jimmie Johnson as the driver and my special guests, the Dallas Cowboys' beefy offensive line.

The Four Tennessee Basketball Players: these geniuses got popped for packing heat after being stopped for speeding early Friday morning. Not only that, they were also popped for an open container of alcohol and for smoking the hippie lettuce. You're part of a nationally-ranked team, with a coach striving to do what's right and doing his best to run a clean program. You brought shame and reproach on the program. Hope you have PLENTY of time in the hole to think about what you did. In the meantime, you're the first four under the Bus in 2010.

Indianapolis Colts: you had a chance against the Jets last week to go 15-0 and make a run at history. (Regardless, I didn't have the Colts coming out of the AFC; I have the Chargers.) Coach Caldwell had a chance to put his stamp on history for the ages had the Colts been able to run the table. They called off the dogs against the Jets and sleepwalked through the snow against the Bills. Now they're 14-2. That's some bad juju going into the playoffs. One and done. But before the Colts go one and done, they get thrown under the Bus for losing to the woeful Buffalo Bills.

St. Louis Rams: a sorry franchise like this should NEVER have the right to draft Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska first overall. They lost to the 49ers and clinched the #1 overall pick. Suh is the kind of DT that comes along once every 20 years. Rams, great job in laying down and quitting in the fourth quarter when the game was very much winnable. Because you're so sucky as a franchise, you should have to relocate so as to spare the fine people of St. Louis such a debacle. The Rams get thrown under the Bus for quitting and getting the #1 overall pick. They are the LA Clippers of the NFL, my apologies to the Clips. At least the Clips HAVE made the playoffs recently.

Phoenix Suns: losing to the Memphis Grizzlies, regardless of the time of the season, gets you thrown under the Bus every single time.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!

Who Would You Throw Under The Bus?

Sports fans, your outlet for expressing your ire is back! After a hiatus of a few months, Who Would You Throw Under The Bus? is back. You know you have some object of your ire in the sports world that you want to call out BIG TIME. I know I do! Let's get started!

NFL on Fox crew: These guys ALL, to a man, picked the NY Giants over Carolina. ALL of them totally DISSED Carolina, calling them a fluke, treating their beatdown of the Minnesota Vikings in front of a national audience as such. WELL GUYS, TIME TO EAT AND SUCK ON SOME CROW! What a beatdown the Panthers put on the NY Giants today! With a Dallas win tonight, the Giants will be playing golf after next Sunday. Because you all dissed Carolina, it's time for you guys to taste some tread!

NFL Schedule Makers: WHY, on God's green earth, did you schedule the woeful Washington Redskins on a SUNDAY NIGHT GAME? They were PUTRID against the equally putrid NY Giants. A better matchup would have been Steelers-Ravens. For scheduling the God-awful Redskins on a Sunday night, and subjecting the nation to that crap, whoever is responsible for this debacle gets thrown under the Bus.

Lamar Odom: all you had to do was move the box a few FREAKING INCHES one way or the other, and all would be well. Instead, you left it there and tripped over it, taking a header down the stairs and causing you to miss a game. Common sense SHOULD tell you to MOVE THE FREAKING BOX! But you didn't, you missed a game because of it, and nearly cost the Lakers a sure win. Because of NOT moving the box and missing a game because of it, you get thrown under the Bus.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to chime in with yours!

Who Would You Throw Under The Bus?

Folks, it's that time of week again. With the baseball season and NASCAR winding down, college and pro football heating up, and the NBA and NHL about to start their seasons, there are PLENTY of teams and individuals that you, the sports fan, can throw under the Bus. I know there are plenty of nominees that I have.

Washington Redskins: what in the HELL was THAT? Losing to the Detroit LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLions??? Inexcusable and unforgivable. The Redskins' awful 9-7 win over a putrid St. Louis Rams team was a harbinger of things to come. Jim Zorn needs to go. To be touted as a possible playoff team and to lose to a team that was on a 19-game losing streak? The Redskins need to get thrown under, then have the Bus back up over them, then get thrown under again. Then the process needs to be repeated over and over.

Oakland Raiders: I have found a team even more pathetic than the Washington Redskins. That was a pathetic effort put forth by the Silver and Black at home. I figured that they would lose to the Broncos, but put forth a spirited effort. Instead, JaMarcus Russell was putrid, the defense couldn't stop anybody, and they made Kyle Orton look like Dan Marino in his prime. The QBs behind Russell are dreck. Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye? You've GOT to be KIDDING me!!! You SHOULD be automatically motivated to play against a division rival. But the Raiders were flat. Because the Raiders were that flat, they get thrown under the Bus.

Cleveland Browns: yet another putrid effort by a putrid team. I figured they would lose to the Baltimore Ravens, but at least put forth a BETTER effort. At least they don't have QB issues, unlike the Raiders. But they have coaching and talent issues. Eric Mangini fined a player just over $1,700 for leaving a $3 bar tab at the team's hotel last week. It's getting ugly in Cleveland, and it's going to be a LONG winter. For their "effort", the Browns get thrown under the Bus.

St. Louis Rams: this team could go 0-16. They are that bad. At least they did manage to score two TDs in their loss to Green Bay. But they still got blown out. At home, no less. Steve Spagnuolo should weed out the players that don't want to play and CUT THEM. Then he should replace them with ones that WANT to play. The Rams get thrown under the Bus.

The Fan that Caught Matt Carson’s first MLB HR: the Oakland A’s outfielder was ecstatic about hitting his first MLB home run recently. That is, until he learned that the fan that caught it DEMANDED NO LESS than $10,000 for the ball. What a greedy bastard. Fan, you’re a real PRICK. It may be the only HR that Carson ever hits in the big leagues, and you’re trying to shake him and the A’s down? Looks like you learned from the best: Al $harpton and Je$$e Jack$on. Fan, you and the other shakedown artists and frauds ALL go under the Bus.

Los Angeles Dodgers: even though they clinched a playoff berth, losing two of three to the Pittsburgh Pirates is embarrassing. Particularly when you allow FOUR runs in the bottom of the ninth to the Pirates. That will get you thrown under the Bus every single time.

California Golden Bears: for a team that was touted to possibly overtake the USC Trojans for the Pac-10 title, they laid a putrid egg against the Oregon Ducks. Yecccccch. Once again, they disappoint, right on cue. For that, the Golden Bears get thrown under the Bus.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours.

Who Would You Throw Under The Bus?

Sports fans, it's that time of week again. What in the world of sports has got you in a tizzy? You can call out the object of your ire by throwing them under the Bus. And not feel guilty about it. This is a guilt-free zone here at Who Would You Throw Under The Bus?. I have a few nominees this week.

Shane Mosley: he barged in, WWE-style, into Floyd "Money" Mayweather's post-fight interview. Mayweather had dominated Juan Manuel Marquez en route to a unanimous decision over Marquez. Mosley then had to act like an ass and tried to provoke Mayweather in an effort to get a payday. For acting like a total ass, Mosley gets thrown under the Bus.

Jeff Reed: the Steelers' kicker missed two short field goals that would have given the Steelers a hard-fought win in Chicago. For costing his team a win, Reed gets thrown under the Bus.

Kevin Harvick: he was upset that Ron Hornaday was racing him late in the Truck Series race on Saturday, allowing Kyle Busch to win. NEWS FLASH, Kevin--that's what Hornaday's SUPPOSED to do. You're paying him to RACE. He was doing his job. Had Hornaday been a lap down and was racing him, Harvick's ire would have been understandable. But Hornaday was in second, behind only Busch. While Harvick had a strong truck, it wasn't as strong as he thought; he couldn't overtake Hornaday even though Hornaday gave him LOTS of room on the inside. So Harvick should be upset at himself and not Hornaday. Perhaps it's the frustration of his worst Cup season boiling over. But I'll solve this by throwing Harvick under the Bus that Hornaday is driving.

Milton Bradley: the Cubs' OF got himself suspended for the remainder of the season for critical comments about the team. The Cubs say it was for "conduct detrimental to the team." The sad part is that Bradley has mad game, but is a major head case. At this pace, he'll be out of the league before long. Apparently, anger management courses haven't worked with this guy. Bradley gets thrown under the Bus as part of his anger management class.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!

Who Would You Throw Under The Bus?

Sports fans, it's that time of week again. Time to call out the object of your ire in the sports world by throwing them under the Bus. I have a few objects of ire I'd like to throw under the Bus!

NFL

Carolina Panthers: that was PATHETIC. SEVEN turnovers, five of them by Jake Delhomme. I WANTED to believe in Delhomme, many times even sticking up for him. After today, I cannot believe in Delhomme any more. Jeff Garcia, where are you? We NEED you. Garcia's pushing 40, yet he's STILL a better QB than Delhomme. The Panthers get thrown under the Bus for their pitiful effort, and Delhomme gets thrown under for being a turnover machine.

Cincinnati Bengals: the Lions of the AFC find new and inventive ways to lose games. This week, it was the result of a tipped ball that found its way into the hands of Denver WR Brandon Stokley. All the Bungles', er, Bengals' defender had to do was BAT THE BALL OUT OF BOUNDS. Instead, he tried to bat it to himself for an interception. Only problem: Stokley was in the vicinity and got himself an early Christmas gift. Game, set, match, Broncos. Only fitting that the Broncos won their first game without Jay "I Cried My Way Out of Denver When Mike Shanahan Was Fired" Cutler. Even more apropos: Cutler threw FOUR picks against Green Bay. But I digress. The Bengals get thrown under the Bus for their inventive ways of losing.

P.S. It's bad when you're lumped in with the Cincinnati Bengals in this post.

TENNIS

American Men's tennis: for not having an American male contending for the U.S. Open title. Or at the very least, in the semifinals. All I ask for is a QUARTERFINAL appearance. Please, please, a Sweet 16 berth? NONE OF THAT! The last American man to survive was John Isner. John who? Exactly. He lasted until the third round and all its glory. After his appearance in an epic Wimbledon final, Andy Roddick looked like he was a serious contender for his second U.S. Open title (he won in 2003). He was bounced unceremoniously in the second round. Is it that the rest of the world has caught up, or do we not give a rat's @$$ about tennis like we used to? I say both. For lacking in development, the powers that be that rule the USTA get thrown under the Bus.

Serena Williams: she had a bizarre ending of her semifinal against Kim Clijsters. She was given a point penalty. On match point. At 15-30, a line judge called a foot fault on Williams' second serve. That made it 15-40, double match point. Williams began berating the line judge with a profanity-laced tirade. The chair umpire, after consultation with the line judge and tournament referee, then awarded the point to Clijsters. Game, set, and match, Clijsters. For her meltdown at match point, Williams gets thrown under the Bus.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!

Who Would You Throw Under The Bus?

Sports fans, this is the time of week to throw whoever you think goes under the bus. I only have three.

ESPN: These idiots were ROOTING for a late caution because they KNOW that Kevin Harvick would have won the race. They were still smarting from the @$$-kicking that Happy laid on the field in the NNS race the night before. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW ESPN?? DAMN YOU TO HELL. UNDER THE BUS YOU GO FIRST!!!!!

Clint Bowyer: he brought out the last caution with his spin. Clint, next time get your car under control. For costing Happy a win, you get thrown under the Bus. DAMN YOU!!

Shawne Merriman: for allegedly assulting Tila Tequila. I'm not a Tila fan, but NO WOMAN deserves to be assaulted. Shawne, you shouldn't be doing that. You get to go under the bus for allegedly assaulting a woman.

Who Would You Throw Under The Bus? -- August 16, 2009

Sports fans, it's that time of week again. What team, player, coach, manager, team executive, owner, or fans of teams have you in a tizzy? What CAN you do about it? Here, you can throw them under the Bus and call them out for the cause of your ire. I have some nominees that I would like to throw under said Bus!

NFL

Washington Redskins: some genius in this organization misspelled RB Ladell Betts' name on his jersey. They spelled it "Bettis" on his #46 jersey. Now if he only could run like the Bus in his prime, the Redskins may have something. Oh well, it's better than spelling it "Butts" or something like that! The genius needs to go back to school and learn how to spell. But first, he has to get thrown under the Bus for being a dolt.

Garrett Hartley: it's rare that I mention a kicker for anything, unless he commits such a gaffe that it's worthy of being thrown under the Bus. Hartley violated the NFL's substance abuse policy by testing positive for a banned stimulant. For that, Sheriff Goodell suspended him for the first four games of the season. But not before Hartley gets thrown under the Bus first.

NASCAR

David Ragan: he WAS the caution when it wasn't thrown for rain. He took out a very solid car in the Blue Deuce, and he spun close to the flag stand. Perhaps his car should have been painted yellow to signify "I'm a traveling caution flag!" While I like Ragan, he's gotta go under da Bus tonight!

MLB

Boston Red Sox: for beaning Ian Kinsler of the Texas Rangers in yesterday's game. Kinsler had been wearing out Sox pitching since his activation from the disabled list before Friday's game. He was first pitched under his chin, then he was beaned. If you're going to drill someone, DRILL HIM IN THE RIBS. What the Sox pitcher did SHOULD merit a lengthy suspension. The Sox get thrown under the Bus for trying to start a beanball war.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!

Who Would You Throw Under The Bus? -- August 9, 2009

Sports fans, it's that time of week! Because of the rotten economy, we here at Who Would You Throw Under The Bus? have had to downsize, like many others. Hence, the Short Bus. However, we put a Hendrick Motorsports engine under that hood, so even though the Bus is short in stature, it's long on power. (Yeah, that last part was a little bit off; just wondering if you were paying attention). Here are a few nominees.

NBA

Mark Madsen: the Minnesota Timberwolves’ forward/domain name speculator bought the website P2P.com from Daniel Goncalves, a hacker who stole the site to Madsen for $111,000. Goncalves is the first-ever target of a criminal prosecution for domain name theft. The right thing to do would be to return the domain name to its rightful owners, investors Marc Ostrofsky and Albert and Lesli Angel. But Madsen won’t surrender the domain name. For receiving the domain name by theft and not returning it to its rightful owners, Madsen gets thrown under the Bus time and again.

Rashard Lewis: the Orlando Magic forward failed a random drug test and got himself suspended for the first ten games of the 2009-10 NBA season. To his credit, he took full responsibility. However, if you are taking supplements, and you have a question about one of them, why not ask a trainer or nutritionist about them per the NBA guidelines? If you still have questions, ask your team doctor or the NBA office. Even though you did take full responsibility, you still get thrown under the Bus.

NFL

Michael Crabtree: the 49ers' top draft pick is foolishly holding out on the advice of his agent. He wants to be paid more than Darrius Heyward-Bey, the #7 overall pick selected by the Oakland Raiders. There is a reason Crabtree fell from a top 3 pick to #10: a lingering foot injury that scared off several teams. He's even threatened to hold out the entire season. I say the Niners call him on his bluff. Mike Williams did this a few years ago, and he was out of sight, out of mind. (As an aside, the Niners have his rights until the first pick of next year's draft is announced.) I have one piece of advice: ditch the agent a la Lamar Odom and negotiate your own deal. You get thrown under the Bus for holding out, and your agent gets thrown under the Bus for giving you foolish advice.

MLB

Prince Fielder: the Milwaukee Brewers' 1B attempted to storm the Dodgers' locker room, only to be held off by security. He did this in response to being hit by a pitch from reliever Guillermo Mota. Mota hit Fielder with two outs in the top of the ninth in response to a Brewers' pitcher plunking Manny Ramirez after Ramirez singled, doubled, and homered in the game. If Fielder wanted to go after Mota, he should have done so right then and there. Storming the opponents' clubhouse is a HUGE no-no. Fielder gets thrown under the Bus for his breach of etiquette.

NASCAR

Robby Gordon: he went idiot yet again in the Nationwide Series race at the Glen, bumping and banging with Joey Logano before finishing off his day by punting him. The scary part followed: Logano's car caught on fire as he made his way around the track. Fortunately, he got out in time. This on the heels of his tete-a-tete with David Stremme at Pocono last week. Logano, to his credit, took the high road for the most part before parting with this gem: "You can't fix stupid, and stupid is forever." The quote of the year in my book! I can envision this guy (Gordon) bumping his gums trying to rationalize his actions. Where's that dreaded Rule 12-4-A, actions detrimental to NASCAR? Gordon gets thrown under the Bus for going idiot, and NASCAR gets thrown under the Bus for not cracking down on Gordon and its inconsistency in applying the rules.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!

Who Would You Throw Under The Bus? -- August 2, 2009

After a three-week hiatus, this column is back in a new locale. As before, Who Would You Throw Under The Bus? will be posted on Sundays for the foreseeable future with the exception of the 14th of this month. I will be taking a brief vacation from the 15th to the 18th. I have some nominees.

Minnesota Vikings: they flirted with the possibility of Brett Favre coming into camp for several months. I wonder how Sage Rosenfels and Tavaris Jackson were feeling, particularly Rosenfels. Favre spurned the Vikings, now the team has egg on its face. I realize that the Vikings HAD to do something in order to bolster its Super Bowl chances, but to court a washed-up QB? For giving its fans false hope, the Vikings get thrown under the Bus.

Pittsburgh Pirates: for being a farm team to the more successful teams, particularly the Boston Red Sox. Seriously, did the Red Sox’ AAA team move to Pittsburgh? This once-proud franchise, the franchise of Roberto Clemente, the franchise of Willie Stargell, has become a clearing house. Every year it’s the same song: the Pirates trade their best players for prospects. Meanwhile, the Buccos are well on their way to their 17th straight losing season, a major league record. To say that they are the Clippers of the MLB would do the L.A. Clippers no justice. The Clips HAVE made the playoffs in recent years, unlike the Pirates. The Pirates, their ownership, and their front office ALL get thrown under the Bus.

Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!

Big Announcement

I have a big announcement. Starting tomorrow, Who Would You Throw Under The Bus? will make it's triumphant return on these pages of the Lug-Nuts and Fan-Addicts Sports Blog. After I had left Fox Sports Blogs, it took a hiatus. It will be on Sundays for the foreseeable future, with the exception of the 14th of this month. It will be posted late that evening as I will be taking a brief vacation for a few days in that time frame.

As always, I will be looking forward to your nominations.