The St. Louis Police Officers Association ripped the five Rams (Tavon Austin, Kenny Britt, Jared Cook, Stedman Bailey and Chris Givens) who took the field before Sunday’s game against Oakland with their hands in the air in the “Don’t Shoot” position, and demanded the league punish them. Then the St. Louis County police chief said he received a satisfactory apology from the Rams. Then the Rams denied issuing any such apology.
In other words, this is your standard, “He said, he said, and then the Rams left for Los Angeles feeling somewhat relieved” story.
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Now a team that hasn’t been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Jim Harbaugh that isn’t a massive reclamation project:
The Chicago Bears, who will almost certainly fire Marc Trestman at year’s end. They have a quarterback who is more arm than aim in Jay Cutler, a load of wide receivers and a strong running back easing toward the back end of his career in Matt Forte, and a defense that, well, hasn’t been all that Bear-like lately.
In other words, the 49ers, except for the defense.
[RELATED: Harbaugh: 'I don't worry about my future']
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The New York Post (http://bit.ly/1FHYVio) is offering the idea that Mickey Rourke’s fight in Russia against an American named Elliott Seymour was on the not-so-up-and-up, as Seymour was described by people back in New York as "homeless and desperate,” and “a professional opponent.”
“Meaning you pay him to lose,'” the source told the Post’s David K. Li. “The fight was a joke. Mickey needs to stop pretending he ever was very good and just keep acting. It's kind of an embarrassment, really. Mickey throws punches so slow an infant could avoid them.”
It’s getting so you can’t believe in 62-year-old actors who think they can box competitively any more.
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ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters will surely be hearing from the NFL’s mouthpieces at ESPN for this little gem: “It's miserable here, but of course it is, it's Dolphins-Jets.”
I believe I’m in significant admiration – though she probably should have leaned her head off-camera and made loud spitting noises.
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Rex Ryan said Monday night, “I can’t believe we’re 2-10. It’s a joke.”
Yeah. How did they ever beat the Steelers?
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On the other hand, it is becoming clearer that the NFL’s next version of media control now that the current one has come undone so laughably and in so many places is to stop talking entirely. Jed York is bordering on the hologrammatic, Washington general manager Bruce Allen has spoken to reporters all season, and many owners never emit a peep until its time to slander players at CBA time.
All that said, the fines for Marshawn Lynch seem, yes, hypocritical – at least until you realize that the NFL has several rulebooks, none of whom their most powerful members ever have to follow at all.
Fire Roger Goodell? Not while there are lessons about contempt for the truth to be taught.
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And finally, Spurs 100, Sixers 103. Since the NBA’s Western Conference is 64-26 (.711) against the East, this result should not have been surprising, but even a basic understanding of math should tell you that if Philadelphia had a Western Conference team, its current record would be minus-7-24.
