The New York Jets 3 ring circus is now a 5 alarm fire. The tent-poles have collapsed, and the tumblers, tigers and freaks are fleeing the carnage. I always say give me an A or give me an F. And the 2012 Jets are a big fat F.

And Tim Tebow to gang green was an F-minus. They brought him in to add a completely new dynamic to their offense. And then barely used him at all. And he was supposed to push Mark Sanchez. Never mind Sanchez, in the end, he couldn’t even beat out Greg McElroy. And now he’s bent, quote “ummm, some things are hard to understand.” Ummm. I agree. Like you thinking the Jets misled you. They didn’t mislead you. They mis-read you. They thought you could help them. And obviously, they were wrong. Believe me, considering the heat the gm and coach are taking right now, if they thought you could have helped them, they would have played you. And trust me; they’d trade you if they could. But there is no market’ for personal punt protectors.

J-E-T-S, R-I-P. That circus was a blast while it lasted.

But wait! There’s more! The Jets may also be looking to break off Mark Sanchez. And according to the New York Daily News, they may already found his successor. Mike Vick. The paper quotes a team source who says, “bring it on. Rex loves him.” I’m sure he does. Especially compared to what he has right now. And Mike can ball. And Mike can pass. But he can’t block, which is why he spent most of the season in Philly with a helmet under his chin. And he can’t pass it to himself, which is what he’ll have to do if he goes to the Jets.

Don’t get me wrong, the Jets definitely had a Sanchez problem this season. But they have an even bigger talent problem. They didn’t have any, offensively. When Vick was Vick a couple of years ago, he was vertical in the pocket and surrounded by DeSean, Shady, and Mac in the huddle. The Jets have none of that. So go ahead and pull the trigger for Vick if you want, but unless he gets help, you won’t be much better off than you are right now.

Carmelo Anthony is getting a lot of MVP run right now and deservedly so, but don’t sleep on Kevin Durant. Everyone knows he has the 3 scoring titles, a boatload of moves and the silkiest J in the game. But the rap on K.D. has been that he should just be called K because there is no D. Not anymore.

Check his act last night against the Hawks. You may not see a more amazing sequence all season. Durant blocks Josh Smith not once, but twice and nearly three times. Then he runs the floor and finishes it with a sledgehammer at the other end. Rejection…rejection…ignition. And a monster moment from Durantula. You block two shots on one possession, you’re Dikembe Mutombo. But I don’t remember deek sprinting out after the swat and finishing the fast break. Durant was finishing his jam around the time Mutumbo would have been starting his wag. That was all part of a 41 and 13 night for Durant. Everyone knew he was an unstoppable scorer but his boards are up, his dimes are up, his steals are up, his blocks are up, and the holes in his game are gone.

Again, Melo’s having a great year but if the MVP were handed out today, it would go to Durant. Hands down.

Once again, Kobe Bryant is catching heat for jacking it up too much. An anonymous asst. coach…because what’s more credible than that…told ESPN.com Bryant’s shooting too much and it’s hurting the Lakers. And sure, the numbers do seem to support it: they’re 4-11 when he takes 20 or more shots. And 8-3 when he doesn’t. But in this case, the numbers lie.

Fact is, he’s shooting less now than he did in their last two title runs. And he has the highest shooting percentage of his entire career. And he’s dropping more dimes than he usually does. Bryant is not the problem. The fact that they’re banged up, aren’t that talented, don’t play any defense and have no bench is. He’s not doing anything he hasn’t done his entire career. Until someone around him gives him a reason to trust them more than he trusts himself, he’ll just keep jacking. The Lakers have plenty of problems. But Bryant’s not one of them.

Ask anyone who has done it: passing a kidney stone is hell on earth. You can either go into the fetal position and pray for death. Or try to pass the time and fight it. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban passed his 140 characters at a time. Ever the innovator, Cubes live-tweeted his suffering. Welcome to social media in 2012: when a billionaire breaks down his agony for 1.4 million followers one tweet at a time.

And I’ll be real: it’s pretty compelling. Here are the highlights: “if this one pops out in one piece I’m either going to get it bronzed or sell it on eBay. #pukinglikeaftermyfirst beer…what should I name this little bleeper #namecubanskidneystone…I’ll gladly trade this stone for an alien probe…tell e’m I’m doing this stone grandpa style…the kidney stone is dead! It’s finally over it was 5mm and it was special.” So are you Cubes. You have to have a set of stones to tweet about your kidney stone. Stay strong, and know your seat is still warm on our Showtime show. Get you next season.

Mike D’Antoni returned to New York and did what he usually does in the mecca: he lost. Badly. Boat-raced 116-107. Knick Carmelo Anthony, who was probably most responsible for running D’Antoni out of New York, insists last night wasn’t personal. Right, and I’m gonna get 10 good calls on today’s show. It was personal and this dude was possessed. 3 ball to start the game. Cash. Then another. Cash. Then the heatcheck in transition. Cash. 11-2. Thanks for playing. Get off our floor.

Melo was dropping treys with the smoothest hand that town has seen since Captain Sully turned the East River into a runway. Tyson Chandler said Anthony was “exploding.” Right. And exploiting. Exploiting a defense that again offered no resistance whatsoever. Lay-ups…three balls…dunks…whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted it. Had the Lakers not knocked Anthony out of the game in the third quarter, he probably would have finished with 50 and the Lakers would have lost by 30. That’s four straight losses, 6 of 7 overall, and the Lakers have never looked any worse than they do right now.

And I don’t want to hear about how they “made a game of it” …either. That’s what it’s come to? Already? They Lakers are settling for moral victories now? They didn’t make a game of it. Anthony’s injury made the final score a little less humiliating but that game was over the second the ball went up for the opening tip. Kobe Bryant says he wishes they were playing the Washington Generals next. They are the Washington Generals. Sure. They’re banged up. And we do need to see how they look with Steve Nash on the floor, running Mike D’Antoni’s system. And Nash will get everyone easier shots, take care of the ball and cut down on their turnovers. But if you’re waiting on a 38 year old guard to come in and save your season, you’re begging. Too old, too banged up, too slow, not athletic enough, not talented enough, not coached up enough and essentially not who we thought they were. There’s no Hollywood ending in this one.

NFL players don’t want to play Thursday night games. And NFL fans don’t want to watch them…not if it’s the Bengals and Eagles they don’t. Or whoever Cincinnati was playing last night. Because that wasn’t the Eagles. No Vick. No Shady. No DeSean. No Celek. No shot of winning in their own house. And no shortage of nationally televised rock bottom moments.

I’ll give the Eagles this, though: at least they’re getting innovative with it. They’re giving us things we’ve never seen before. Like 4 turnovers in five minutes. Go ahead and slap that number on a piece of wood, and throw it up on a wall, because that one’s never coming down. Or how about delaying the game with equipment malfunctions like locked up bonnets. The Eagles even invented a brand new penalty… Disconcerting Signals?? They should have also been flagged for “distressing beacons” and “alarming omens.” But you know me…I always look for the positive: and credit to the Eagles special teams…for blocking a punt. Their own punt. At least somebody made a play. I still can’t believe that game was on TV last night.

Oh and know this….Bengals wideout A.J. Green is never going to have to pay for another meal ever again. Not in the ‘Nati. Not anywhere. Not after he clutched up with a late T.D. last night. Sure it was in garbage time and meaningless for the Bengals. But it was money for the fantasy playoffs. One minute, the guy is getting destroyed online for not doing anything all game. The next, he’s a legend and an icon.

In a game that had already been over for an hour. Dalton to Green may as well have been Montana to Clark. Now don’t choke on Sunday dorks.

And the long, national nightmare may soon be over. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is finally…finally…considering expanding the playoff field from 12 to possibly 14 or even 16 teams. I never thought this day would come, and now that it’s here, it’s almost too good to be true! It’s like a Christmas miracle... What is this? A joke? A way to get a 7-9 team into the postseason tournament.

Look, the NFL playoffs are great, but the next person I hear clamoring for more teams in the postseason, will be the first. This isn’t on anyone’s radar. But the Commisisoner knows the league is coming off two of its worst weeks ever, with two horrific tragedies and the Saints Bounty scandal, and it’s all anyone is talking about. So the Commissioner probably thinks, let’s run a little misdirection, and change the conversation. And how does he do that: by trying to change the kickoff rule and opening up the postseason to half the league. Nice spin. Nice try. No one’s buying it. And no one wants to see a sub .500 team in late January.

Angels owner Arte Moreno has done it again. That’s the second year in a row he ripped the biggest free agent on the market without anyone even knowing he had any interest at all. But really, it’s not that surprising. Not when you consider the Angels missed the playoffs after he scratched huge checks for Pujols and pitcher C.J. Wilson last year. And not after seeing what his cross town rival, the Dodgers have done this offseason. That’s just not the way this guy is wired. And he just landed a couple of haymakers on his two biggest rivals: the one in division, and the one across the street.

And this time, it really is World Championship or bust... And because of that, it says here, they’re not done yet. They don’t win a ring without another arm, and they won’t stop until they get one. Let it ride, Arte.

Laker fan, I’m not going to sit here and tell you, everything’s going to be just fine. Because it probably won’t be. In fact, considering how old and banged up this crew is, and that they’re trying to learn each other and a new system, they’re already running out of time.

And no, they’re not going to fire Mike D’Antoni and bring back Phil Jackson. Breaking D’Antoni off now would be almost as ridiculous as him sticking with a system that clearly isn’t working and doesn’t fit the personnel he inherited. You’re not coaching the 2005 Suns, Mike. It’s the 2012 Lakers; they can’t run, and they can’t adjust to you, so you need to adjust to them. Stop asking Pau Gasol to do things he can’t do, put him back on the block and take advantage of what he can do. And I have no problem with you not coaching a lick of defense. Well, at least when your teams were getting up and down and hanging 110 on the opponent every night. But since that’s not happening, maybe you get your guys to work a little harder on that end of the floor. Because from where I’m sitting it doesn’t look like they give a damn.

Things were feeling reeeaaaly retro in South Beach last night. Because if the Golden State Warriors are doing the Heat in their house, it’s gotta be 1990… and run TMC are running Rony Seikaly right off the floor, right? Wrong. That wasn’t Tim, Mitch and Chris, it was Stephen, David and Draymond stunning the King, Flash and Chris Bosh, for their fifth win in a row.

You know the Warriors have crazy mojo working when a rookie like Draymond Green gets the better of LeBron in the fourth quarter…and then grandpa’s him right after the game, quote: “he is one of the greatest players in the world, but that’s not a license for me to back down. I’m trying to make a name for myself in this league like he did one day, way, way, way back in the day, once upon a time.” What? You mean like way, way, way back last June. You make this cat sound like he’s Oscar Robertson. Kirk Cousins coming off the bench for RG 3 thinks Draymond Green beating LBJ was good for Sparty’s look. The Warriors are real and it proves once again: ain’t no party like a West Coast party.

The Chicago Bears are unraveling…Brandon Marshall knows it and he’s out to stop the bleeding. He’s making Sunday’s game with the Packers personal, calling guys out, using props and dropping metaphors, quote: “I’m not going to use the word hate, but I really dislike the Green Bay Packers and their players.” I’d rather hear that, then some B.S. about how much he admires Green Bay when you know he doesn’t.

Problem is, he chased that by carrying out a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, bumped his theme song and tried to make it a metaphor for the Bears’ season. One problem, big dawg, Chuck spends every Christmas depressed, and devasted. That kid is a life suck; the ultimate cooler: he brings everyone down. He’s punching bag. A complete buzz kill.

Look, I love that Marshall is trying to lead from the front but dropping Chuck Brown's name is not the way to do it. You know what they need even more than leadership? Blocking and somebody to get in the way of Clay Matthews this time.

Then again, the Bears don’t need Brandon Marshall or Charlie Brown to motivate them. Not when they’ve got Packers tight end Jermichael Finley popping off. Finley’s been dominant in two areas this year: infuriating fantasy owners and running his mouth.

The Bears will be without Brian Urlacher Sunday and Finley says that’s actually bad news for the Packers: “Urlacher is at the end of his career right now; he’s playing a little slow out there. I don’t think they’re losing too much if he’s out. Putting another guy in might help them a little.” Better that he’s cracking the opposition than his own quarterback, so I guess that’s a step in the right direction. But cracking a rival right before one of the biggest games of the season isn’t. Especially when you’re not doing a whole lot yourself to help your own team.

Again, insulting Urlacher is probably better than complaining about Aaron Rodgers. Then again, he really shouldn’t be doing either. Ball up, J.

If it’s mid-December, then you know the New York Giants are looking to flip the switch again. But aren’t down with actual flips. The fans may be loving David Wilson’s gymnastics act in the end zone, but Justin Tuck isn’t having any of it: “I told him several times never to do that again…the last thing we need is him having some tweak injury by showing off to the crowd…let’s just keep him upright and running and leave the back flips for YouTube.”

Look, it’s unbelievable that dude can stick a flip, in full pads, after sprinting 100 yards. But as usual, Mr. Tuck is right. If Wilson were to sniper his landing and jack his Achilles. The Giants lose their homerun hitter and he’d go straight to the Gus Frerotte Hall of Fame. I love Wilson’s end zone act, but if he keeps back flipping, he’s liable to get backhanded by Tuck…Osi…or J.P.P…or all three.

You can’t go five seconds this week without getting a best of 2012 list shoved in your face, so I won’t hit you over the head with another one. But I will give you this: my NBA Play of the Year. Roll it!

That’s referee Courtney Kirkland getting about 3 feet off the floor and checking Kris Humphries. That’s incredible! The only thing missing was Kirkland hitting Humphries with a Mount Mutombo finger-wag. Get that weak junk out of here, Humphries! You don’t shoot your throws until I tell you to.

Look, I love that the ref sold out defensively…, I just don’t know why he did it. I know he was trying to save Humphries from shooting it but he flew at him like he was trying to save the world. He looked like he was jumping on a live grenade for his platoon... Humphries has now been abused by a point guard and rejected by a referee.

Too bad the ref wasn’t at the altar on the E Network so he could send Humphries vows into the tenth row.

We’re right back where we were last Monday: talking about football in the wake of a tragedy and wondering why. Only this time, instead of wondering what Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher was thinking, we’re left to wonder why Cowboys defensive lineman Josh Brent wasn’t thinking. Why didn’t he call for a limo, or a cab, or make use of the NFLPA’s Safe Rides Program? Had he made that call, his best friend and teammate Jerry Brown would still be alive today. And Brent would have been on the field yesterday and not in jail for intoxication manslaughter.

Making that call is the easiest thing in the world to do. Getting behind the wheel of your car, drunk is most ignorant. Especially with a guy like Brent who already had a DUI on his record.

Sure, this isn’t just an NFL problem, it’s a societal problem. And no one has any excuse to ever get behind the wheel of a car intoxicated. But especially NFL’ers, who have a system in place to prevent this very tragedy from happening, and the means, I’ll never understand guys who spend upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars on their cars, but not 50 dollars on a cab. Why? Because it’s bad for your look? You know what’s bad for your look? Being charged with intoxication manslaughter after killing your best friend.

Look, it’s pretty clear these guys are going to drink. That’s fine. Just don’t drive after you do it. The biggest tragedy here is that it was 100 percent preventable. It should have never happened.

I was 3,000 miles away but I could still feel the wind get sucked right out of the District yesterday. Robert Griffin III broke the pocket late in the fourth quarter against Baltimore. Then Haloti Ngata broke Bob. At least it seemed that way. Because it looked as Griffin’s leg was going to snap right off and go flying into the seats.

Griffin is so spectacular, even his injuries are freakish. Dude must be gumby, because, incredibly, his MRI revealed nothing more than a sprain. No ligament damage. I get something amazing is happening in the District. And that it all starts with the guy who has rejuvenated not just an entire franchise, but the whole city. But for the last time…get down, Griff! I know you’re trying to get your team into the postseason. And that you thought you were sliding, but you were about three steps too late. That’s your warning, Bob. You limped away from that one. You’ll be a carted away from the next. Everyone knows you can hit the jets: now you have to prove you can hit the deck.

And RG III may get the Redskins to the playoffs, but another rookie Q.B. gets yesterday’s game-ball. Kirk Cousins came off the bench, ice cold, to replace the rock star, save the game and keep their season alive. It was so brass because he made it look so easy. All he had to do was take over, 2nd and 20 with less than a minute to play, down 8, against an extremely savvy and veteran Ravens defense. And he looked nothing like a rook. He looked like he was back in Lansing, punking the Wolverines. 15 yarder over the middle. 11 yarder to the end zone. Need a two pointer to tie? Call my number, I got this. They did. And Cousins cashed the Q.B. draw. KC1 flashed some RG3. Watching Cousins wreck the Ravens finally gave the Big Ten something to pound its chest about. Because while that conference is currently without either, Kirk Cousins is both a Legend and a Leader.

I know Seattle is a tough place to play. But it’s not 58-0 tough. But it was for the artist formerly known as the 4-0 Arizona Cardinals. Seattle shouldn’t beat the University of Arizona 58-0. But if Russell Wilson doesn’t get yanked from that massacre they probably hang 75 on them... And the most difficult part of watching the Cardinals play is watching Larry Fitzgerald try to play. Fitz is now a member of that same sad fraternity Steven Jackson used to be the president of. The Brilliant Player, Hopeless Team House. At least they still fed Jackson the rock on their way to 1 and 15. Fitz finished with one reception for two yards.

Photos: Larry's Career

Dude is one of the best ever, but not good enough to throw himself the ball. That’s just not right. But help is on the way. In the form of…wait for it… Vince Young. At least according to V-Y who tweeted at Fitz, @larryfitzgerald you know I can help tell coach.”

Put aside how sad it is that this guy is tweeting for work…he’s probably right; Fitz would be better off with Vince Young. Or 51 year old Steve Young. Or Burt Young. Or Neil Young. Or Sean Young. And if all this weren’t bad enough, Fitzgerald’s father Larry Senior accused the team of quitting…uh oh! Kurt Warner ain’t walking through that door. So Larry Fitzgerald might be sprinting right out of it.

Twitter has brought a new lexicon to the English language. And you’re probably constantly trying to decipher all the new terms flying across your feed: T.I.S.N.F., I.M.H.O. L.Q.T.M. He Aint Bout Dis Life.

Of course, the last one comes to us courtesy of San Antonio Spur Stephen Jackson. That one I do understand. Because there, Stack Jack was tweeting in the universal language of violence…and directing it at OKC big man Serge Ibaka.

Jackson was watching Ibaka get into it with his guy Metta World Peace Friday and let his thumbs go: “somebody tell Serg Abaka. He ain’t bout dis life. Next time he run up on me im goin in his mouth. That’s a promise. He doin 2 much.”

O.M.G. Bolo, Serge be on the look out. And you know Jackson means it. Last time he had Peace’s back, he ended up goin in the mouth of Pistons fans who weren’t about dis life.

Jackson deleted the tweet and apologized but the league dinged him 25 k nonetheless.

Stephen, I know you ain’t playing, but I’m starting to think you aint bout dis Twitter. S.M.H. T.T.Y.L.. That’s 25 large, my man. Put the phone down.

Finally, with this town fully gripping and Laker fan panicking, the team finally had a night. A win over New Orleans. And a milestone for the Mamba. The team may still be under .500 but 24 is over 30-thousand.

In fact, in breaking the 30,000 point barrier, 24 looked more like number 8 for most of the night: the kid with the loose lettuce in the late 90s who got his first few thousand points from four feet off the floor. And he loves to remind the world every now and then that he can still assault the iron.

But on the big bucket to pass 30 gerr, his full evolution was there for everyone to see: Al Farouq Aminu had to jump out to cover him because of his range: Mamba blew right by him with his acceleration…then he wrecked Robin Lopez in the paint with his shake….elevated…and then finished with his touch: total package. Total domination.

Photos: Mamba

16 years. 30-thousand points. 5 rings. Big ups Mamba. Now if they cold do something about that 9-10 record.

I’ll be real: I’ve been doing this long enough that very little ever shocks me. Bret Bielema busting out of Wisconsin to take over at Arkansas shocked me. I had penciled him for another 20 years there. Everything about the man says Wisconsin: his mid-western roots…his smash-mouth philosophy…his barbershop haircut…the way he ended every single conversation I have ever had with him with, “Thank you, Jim. On Wisconsin!” I thought his idea of south east was Racine and Kenosha. Bret Bielema felt like a bratwurst lifer who’d just keep stacking Rose Bowls, show up in the BCS every few years, call it a day and retire to lake Geneva. Uhh, not so much!

The SEC just got more powerful and the Big Ten just swallowed another haymaker quite a year for the legends and leaders: they just lost one of their best coaches, to a middle of the road SEC program…they have an unbeaten team that won’t play in a bowl game…plus the Penn State nightmare. And a five loss team, in a the Rose Bowl, that dropped 70 on another conference power in Nebraska.

But good news for Bielemea who obviously is getting paid and has a new challenge to attack. I respect it big man. And more importantly I’ll look forward to you ending our next conversation with, “Thank you, Jim, Woo Pig Sooie.”

Say it with me, Tim Tebow honks. Te-bow. Te-bow. Te-bow. Ehhhhh!! Not happening. Not now. And probably not ever in New York. Not if Rex Ryan named Mark Sanchez his starter a week after benching him. I know the Timothy Richard Nation thinks he can play. But Ryan knows he can’t. And apparently so do some of Tebow’s ex-teammates in Denver. After he won them a playoff game last year, you’d think they’d love him. And they do. Just not as a quarterback. One anonymous Bronco told CBS columnist Mike Freeman, “He’s a good person. Just not an NFL quarterback.” Quoting another: “he’s not really and NFL quarterback.” Quoting me: he’s a h-back.

Photos: Tebow Time

Look, if the guy really could play Q.b., there’d be a mutiny in the Jets locker room and those anonymous quotes would be coming from Jets players hammering Ryan for not playing him. But not one person is saying that. Not even in the cowardly, anonymous way. Hate to say I told you so. No I don’t. I did. Apologies accepted.

Calling all Vikings fans. Linebacker Chad Greenway is calling you out. Get your Leine’s on ice and double-down on the Jager, because the Bears are coming to town and Greenway wants it to be drunk o’clock all day long on Sunday. In fact, he wants you getting started Saturday night: "hopefully they're super-duper drunk. So drink liquor, not beer. Yeah I would say morning drinking. Why not? You could pull an all-nighter. Then you'd have the drunk, tired guys who will be really obnoxious."

Chad… really no need to remind adults wearing yellow braids and horned helmets to get super-duper drunk. That was already the game plan. Shoot. That’s the life plan. Right. Like there were a bunch of Viking fans who had already hit the market for veggie platters and Ginger Ale for this weekend’s tailgate. But then they heard their linebacker calling for over the top, drunken belligerence, so they beat it to the Bevmo for some booze. That would be like Carson Palmer encouraging Radier fans to get all theatrical and dress up like orcs tonight. No need. They were already going to. Tom Brady telling Pats fans to get “lubed up” a year ago can’t believe Chad Greenway is advising them not to waste time with beer. Remember Vikings fans: liquor before beer, you’re in the clear. All night liquored and morning bloodies, you’re in handcuffs. Mix in a cab.

I never thought I’d say this but with a new system kicking in in 2014, I’m going to miss the BCS and all the BS that goes with it. Especially now. I mean, the BCS jacks things up most years, but never like this. Starting with Northern Illinois playing Florida State in the Orange Bowl. No one, anywhere, wants this game. Hell, NIU’s coach, Dave Doeren didn’t even want it, he bolted the first chance he got and won’t even be there for it. And NIU lost to Iowa. That alone should keep them out of this game. Good luck keeping it within (3) touchdowns. And how the hell did unranked Wisconsin get a berth to the Rose Bowl with five losses?? And what did Louisville, losers of 2 of their last 3, and a team that got blown out by 7 and 5 Syracuse, do to earn a Sugar Bowl shot against Florida. And where are Georgia, South Carolina and Oklahoma.

The BCS: the most jacked up system ever. It used to be infuriating. Now it’s just hilarious. I’m really going to miss these jokers.

There are so many more questions regarding Jovan Belcher than there are answers at this point. How does a self-made player, who was nearly unanimously liked and respected by coaches and teammates, the player who was singled out as someone coaches didn’t have to worry about, just snap and shoot his girlfriend? In front of his mother? And then himself? What went so terribly wrong?. Police haven’t released a motive and Belcher reportedly doesn’t have a history of concussions or mental illness. So what happened?. I have no idea. I don’t know the man. But as tragic as this is, and I understand how his teammates are badly shaken and feel as if they’ve lost a member of their family, I can’t sit here and memorialize Belcher for overcoming such long odds as an undrafted free agent…and for being a great teammate, and playing the game the way it was meant to be played. Not when you consider what he just did.

And the Chiefs were right not to memoralize him before the game or put a decal on their helmet. He shot his girlfriend, multiple times, in front of his mother, and then killed himself, in front of his superiors, orphaning a three month old baby. I have no idea what Belcher was dealing with, but nothing is bad enough to justify a crime that heinous.

And to the question of whether or not that game should have been played; it wasn’t forced upon the players. They voted to play. And judging from how inspired their effort was, they clearly wanted to be out there... And if it helped them to cope with the tragedy, I don’t have an issue with them taking the field. They were given the choice and it was right for them. But what about Belcher’s girlfriend Kasandra Perkins and her family? Did playing that game yesterday, helped them cope? Were they in favor of it? Did they have a vote? I doubt it. And playing that game immediately after she was killed certainly isn’t respectful to her or her family. The players wanted to play. It was left up to them. But when they made that call, did any of them consider Kasandra Perkins and her family? Because I doubt they felt the same way about playing that game as the Chiefs did.

Ever see a 9-3 team that looks more likely to go 0-1 in January than the Baltimore Ravens? I mean, we already knew they bring nothing with them on the road, but they’re still unbeatable at home, right?? Ehhhhh!! Not if Charlie Batch is coming in and doing them.

When Ben Roethlisberger went down, everyone just penciled in two wins for Baltimore. Obviously, they did too, or they wouldn’t have shown up with their “D” game against their arch rivals. How else do you explain losing to Chuck Batch in your own house? And if you don’t let your best player touch the ball a single time, in the fourth quarter of a tight game, you’re asking to get beat. Check Ray Rice’s numbers in the money quarter yesterday. Zero carries. Zero catches. Zero impact. Zero points for Baltimore. And zero excuse for that happening. Especially when the self-professed best Q.B. in the league was getting outplayed by a 37 year old, third stringer. In his own house. In a game he had to have. Tough to front like you’re elite, Joseph when you get Batched in your own building.

Alabama 32. Georgia 28. The Tide lived up to their reputation. Georgia lived down to theirs. Bama found a win to win another big game. And Georgia found a way to lose another big one. And predictably, when a reporter mentioned that to Dawgs coach Mark Richt he snapped.

Look, your guys did play hard. And it was a great game. But the fact is, you did come up short. Again. In another huge game. At home with a chance to play for the national title. You’ll never have a better look at it than you did right there and you once again failed to cash it in. You need to wear that coach.

And as far as your take that you didn’t lose the game so much as you just ran out of time…look at the scoreboard, you lost. And as far as running out time, had you told your Q.B Aaron Murray to spike it rather than throw it in the flat with no timeouts left, inside the ten, you would have plenty of time. Maybe even enough time for two plays. Great game. Bad clock management. Saban wins a big one. Richt loses a big one. Same as it ever was.

The Lakers got punked in their building by Orlando last night to drop below .500 again. And Kobe Bryant says if they don’t get right, quickly, he’s going to hold a closed-fist meeting: “I’ll kick everybody’s (ass) in this locker room if it doesn’t happen.”’ And you think the Magic enjoyed wrecking Dwight Howard, in Staples, very much? As you’d expect, the Magic approached that one like Game 7 of the Finals. And I expected Howard to do the same. But I was wrong. He insisted going up against his former team “wasn’t emotional.” If it wasn’t, it should have been. I know you’re laid back, and not much sticks to you, big fella, but now would be a really good time to start taking things personally. And get your free throw percentage up over 50%.

Photos: Dwight

The Lakers are out of sync, they don’t play dee, their intensity lacks and they look like they’re all waiting around for a 38 year old point guard to come back and save their season. Better turn your rings around and have that meeting Mamba tonight.

I was saddened to see the passing of Rick Majerus. I always got a huge kick out of the man and loved having him on our shows. And this dude could flat out coach. The fact that he had Utah, I said Utah, in the title game against Kentucky in 98, tells you that. Not only had them there, but had a double digit lead in the second half and was up four with just 5 minutes to play before the Utes finally ran out of gas. No one got more out of what he had than Majerus.

Now, part of the reason for that was, he pushed people. Hard. While jovial in national interviews, he was extremely tough on his players, assistants, staffers and the local press. I loved the guy, but I didn’t have to live with or work for the man. I only knew him from afar but what I knew I liked.