NBA Goofs It Up Again

Ok, seriously, what have the Suns done to tick off the NBA? In yet another baffling move by the league, Steve Nash was suspended for his role in Thursday night's altercation with the Rockets. I can understand Matt Barnes getting suspended for two games, since he did much to start it. But come on. He got in a shoving match. Rafer Alston was throwing haymakers -- none of which connected -- and he also got two games. Last I checked, throwing a punch and missing is just as severe as landing a punch. Steve Nash was trying to break it up, got shoved to the floor by Tracy McGrady, and then got suspended for a game. (?!???) McGrady got fined. How was Nash suspended? How was McGrady not suspended? Was Stevie Wonder the guy the NBA used to review the tape of the fight? Shaq came in to end the nonsense and shoved the whole pile. I would have understood if the NBA suspended him for a game. But Nash's suspension was downright ridiculous.

In the last three years, I have seen that travesty of "justice" handed down by the NBA after a certain playoff altercation with a certain Texas team that wears silver and black. I have seen Raja Bell get ejected from a game last season in Denver for the heinous crime of laughing. And now I have seen Steve Nash get suspended for "escalating a fight" when in fact he was guilty of receiving a shove from Tracy McGrady. What's up, NBA? Care to explain yourselves better than those lame explanations you gave earlier today? I think a 13 year old seventh grader would do a better job of handing out suspensions.

Cardinals Avoid Another "They WERE Who We THOUGHT THEY WERE!!!" Moment

Whew! Dodged a bullet there! Sometimes teams just plain get lucky. Good teams also are teams who can win games where they play badly. After seeing tonight's sloppy 29-24 win by the Cardinals over the hapless 49ers, this might be the game from this season that fits my previous description. Some thoughts:

• Coach Whisenhunt needs to institute team fines to every player who gets a false start, offside, or personal foul penatly. They have gone beyond ridiculous this season and nearly cost the Cardinals the game tonight.
• I'm VERY glad that Frank Gore doesn't play for a better team. He kills the Cardinals every time the Cards face him. He doesn't do diddly poo (Jim Mora reference) against the rest of the league, but against the Cardinals, he's Walter Payton.
• Antrel Rolle is awesome. If you include the two interceptions that were called back by penalties -- one of which last year was declared an incorrect call by the league -- he would have 6 INT returns for a TD. That's downright scary. Oh yeah, and had the officials not screwed up that penalty call in last year's Bengals game, Rolle would be the sole holder of the record for most INTs returned for a TD in a game -- 3. As it is, he's tied with a few other bubbas who have 2.
• Kurt Warner just threw for 300 yards or more in a game for the 46th time. Did I mention he's 37? If he's not the leading candidate for MVP this year then something is seriously wrong.
• Anquan Boldin is Mr. Automatic in the Red Zone.
• Larry Fitzgerald & Anquan Boldin are the best receiving duo on one team since Jerry Rice & John Taylor. And I heard Steve Young -- Rice & Taylor's former teammate in San Francisco -- say that Fitz & Q are better than Rice & Taylor. It sounds like I'm describing law firms, here.
• I am now calling the Cards' duo Fitz & Q. Forevermore. There ya go. And I claim it as mine. If you use it without giving credit to me, world, then I'll get you for plagiarism. Bill Simmons has my permission to use it whenever he wants. And since he's such a good guy, I know he'll give me credit. Fitz & Q. You heard it here first.

Now the Cardinals have a four game lead in the division and can really put a stranglehold on it with a win next week in Seattle. This has been some season, hasn't it?