Jones apologized, through his attorneys, because that’s how high-profile athletes show remorse. He’s also going to enter a treatment program — Step 2 in the Improve Your Public Image Playbook. The Bengals need to dump this guy, if only to send a message to younger players that a line has been crossed.
Brent Musburger signs off Tuesday night, capping a legendary broadcasting career built on an engaging, homespun delivery. And his references to the "boys in the desert" when a point spread is in question as the clock winds down on a football or basketball game.
Unfortunately, Musburger is going out with a boring SEC basketball game. We’ll be “looking live” from Rupp Arena, which is cool. I’m sure the Big Blue fans will give him a nice standing ovation. Wonder if Brent Mustangburger will be in Cars 3.
Jim Harbaugh has a lot of strong points, but fiscal responsibility is not one of them. Harbaugh plans to take his Wolverines to Rome over spring break. Rome, as in Italy. News also broke last week that Michigan is the first public university to pay three assistant football coaches $1 million per year, each. I know college football rakes in serious dollars, but giving Harbaugh a blank check might not be a great idea.
Give NASCAR credit for trying to stir up interest in a sport most Americans find boring, especially on television. Like hockey, racing is much better in person. The new points format basically creates three races inside one. The drivers seem to love the idea. Probably because they get built-in bathroom breaks.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank is picking up the tab to send his team's employees to the Super Bowl next week in Houston. All of them. Pretty classy move. Almost makes me want to go pick up a new circular saw at The Home Depot.
Trending up: Dion Waiters, Chris Hogan, Trevon Bluiett. Waiters shot down the Warriors with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer last Monday and two days later clinched a win over the Nets with a late 3. He's averaging almost 15 points per game for the Heat. Maybe he could be the playmaker LeBron wants to add to the Cavs roster. Oh, that's right, the Cavs traded him two years ago.
Trending down: Kyle Korver, Marcus Smart, Lakers defense. Korver is so passive he has shot just one free throw in 224 minutes of playing time since joining the Cavaliers. I would not have guessed that Korver is 35 years old, either. That pickup was awful, I'll give whining LeBron that. But in Dan Gilbert's defense, you can't dramatically make over a roster in January.
Knucklehead of the Week
Andrzej Wawrzyk was supposed to duke it out with WBC heavyweight champion James Wilder on Feb. 25 in what would have qualified these days as a big fight. (Quick, raise your hand if you’ve even heard of Wilder, who is undefeated.) One problem with that showdown: Wawrzyk tested positive for an anabolic steroid. Both of his urine samples taken earlier this month in Poland came back positive. Wilder must be real scary because this is the second straight time his opponent has been knocked out because of a positive drug test.
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