The BCS Being Reviewed by Congress

The Bowl Championship Series is coming under fire once again, and this time it's not just by fans and talking media heads. This time, it's being looked at by the United States Congress. The Senate will be holding hearings next week on the BCS and whether or not it violates anti-trust laws. Orrin Hatch (Senator from Utah) believes that the BCS is in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act which prohibits contracts, combinations or conspiracies designed to reduce competition. “I don’t think a more accurate description of what the BCS does exists,” Hatch wrote. He noted that six conferences get automatic bids to participate in the BCS, while others are specifically left out. Hatch said the system, “intentionally and explicitly favors certain participants.” It'll be interesting to see what comes of this, if anything at all. It doesn't look as if the NCAA is going to change the current format anytime soon, so this may be our last hope for a playoff system. We will keep our eyes open and see how this one shakes out!

Yao's Career Over?

The word on the street isn't good. Yao's injury is bad, and well frankly it has worsened. Rockets team physician, Tom Clanton, said that the injury could be season-ending and even career-threatening. Right now, the Rockets have no idea exactly how long Yao will be out. Most of it will depend on the course of treatment that Yao chooses, and how his foot responds to that treatment. Clanton said that a CT scan revealed that Yao's foot failed to heal as expected, and he now may have to go into surgery. Yao was suppose to be the centerpiece of the Rockets franchise for years to come, yet now all of that is in jeopardy. The NBA free agent season is set to open tonight, and it's possible now that the Rockets will have to go looking for a replacement. It'll be interesting to see what the Rockets do, and if they try to replace Yao, if only for a season.

Roddick Advances at Wimbledon

American hopeful, Andy Roddick, has advanced to the Round of 16 at Wimbledon once again. Roddick has never won the Wimbledon title, yet he does have two second place finishes at the All England Club. Roddick was able to hold on and beat Jurgen Melzer in a 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 6-3 win. Behind his electric serve, he was able to outlast Melzer and win two sets by tiebreaker points. Roddick finished the match with 33 aces. Roddick will now have to face Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic. If he can defeat Berdych he will advance to the quarterfinals. In other Wimbledon news, Murray, Haas, and Hewitt, also advanced to the Round of 16 on the men's side.

Oudin Ousts Jankovic

Once again an American woman is dominating the headlines at Wimbledon. However, this time it's not one of the Williams' sisters that's making the news. It's 17 year old Melanie Oudin from Marietta, Georgia. Oudin has fought her way into the Round of 16, at the biggest grass tournament in the world. She ousted former number one ranked Jelena Jankovic today in the third round, pulling off one of the greatest upsets in tournament history. Ranked No. 124 in the world, Oudin had to win three qualifying matches just to get into the Grand Slam event. However, this isn't her first rodeo. She's played in two other Grand Slam tournaments as well, but has never made it out of the first round. She's still very young, and has a ton of upside. I seriously doubt that she advances on to the next round, but nonetheless she has made her mark and will continue to get better. Oudin will definitely be a contender in the coming years.

Lebron, Shaq, and the Cavs

As most everyone knows at this point, the Phoenix Suns traded Shaq to the Cavaliers for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, a second-round pick in next year’s draft and $500,000. And just as soon as it happened, all of the talking heads in the media claimed how great a fit it would be to have Lebron and Shaq in the same lineup. All the while, I was thinking....what in the hell are they doing!? Shaq is a 37 year old guy that has put his best years behind him. He's no longer a spring chicken, by any means. Lebron doesn't need another big guy to clog the lane for him. Lebron has Ilgauskas to do that for him. He needs a wing player that can stand outside the arc and knock down 3's, a guy that can grab 10 or 12 rebounds a game, and be a defensive stopper. He needs a Scottie Pippen or a Robert Horry, or maybe a Bruce Bowen, but not a 300lb man that can't run the floor. Lebron is at his best when he's in transition, or driving the lane. It's hard to push the ball with a center that can barely make it past half court. They've tried this already with Ilgauskas, it doesn't work. We've seen this movie before, and it never ends well. I hope for Lebron that it does, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Blake Griffin, The Excitement, and The Curse

As most everyone knows by now, Blake Griffin was selected as the #1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Griffin had an outstanding career with Oklahoma, and he's a phenomenal physical specimen. He's a great rebounder, and a superb finisher around the rim. He does lack a solid post-up game, but that will come with time and practice. Griffin has brought an air of excitement to the Clippers, and they are hoping he can turn the fortunes of a struggling franchise. "He can be great," USC's Demar DeRozan said. "You really don't see big men as athletic as Blake Griffin was. I had the chance to play against him this year. Just to see how talented he is and how big and strong he is, is amazing." However, Griffin will not just be battling the fact that he's playing with a horrible franchise, he'll also be fighting against the curse of the LA Clippers. It's bad enough having to share the same city with the storied Lakers, and Kobe Bryant, but it's even worse trying to pull the team up out of mediocrity. The Clippers have been so bad for so long, that it's moved from a trend to a curse. It's not quite as bad as the Cubs, but give it time.

Blake, I know you're a great kid and a great basketball player. However, I'm not sure you're even good enough to break the curse of the Clippers! Good luck!

Augie Garrido and His Crazy Year

Tonight, the Texas Longhorns will face the LSU Tigers in the championship game of the College World Series. Once again, Augie Garrido has his Longhorns in a position to win another national championship, yet many consider him lucky to still have a job. Garrido, who has already won five national titles with two different schools, was arrested earlier this year while driving drunk. Texas decided to suspend him for four games at the beginning of the year. The 70-year-old Garrido, who pleaded guilty to DUI and will be sentenced after the season, said he used the incident as a teaching opportunity for himself and his team. The players said that their coach’s arrest, and its fallout, only made them stronger and closer.

Garrido had met some old friends for dinner on a Friday night at a restaurant in Austin. While eating, he also had a few glasses of win. On his way home, he then stopped at a bar to see a friend. Police pulled him over just a few blocks from his condo because he had forgotten to turn on his car lights. He ended up having to spend a night in jail. Garrido said that he had drunk five glasses of wine that night.

Garrido admitted that he feared for his job. He said that he had failed to adhere to his own creed, which was to "do what's right." Garrido said, “I did not do what was right. What we lose in that situation is freedom, control, respect and trust,” he said. “Those four things went out the window.” Garrido stood up and admitted his mistake, and took full responsibility for his actions. His players had already respected him as a coach, but now they had even more respect for him as a man. “He showed us that he’s a leader by taking responsibility for it and making an example of himself,” said Longhorn's pitcher Chance Ruffin.

Tonight, Garrido will go for his 6th national championship and his third in the last seven years.