What's In A Name?

Ron Artest has done a lot of crazy things during his time,
including a few wacky haircuts. But under the new name
Metta World Peace he is currently in a dogfight with Chad
Ochocinco for world's craziest athlete.

It appears the search for the world's craziest athlete has turned into a two-horse race – and Charlie Sheen isn't included, despite using steroids during the filming of "Major League".

That's right, following the example of one Chad Ochocinco, the artist formerly known as Ron Artest upped the ante by changing his entire name. Instead of being known as Ron Unocinco (for one-five in Spanish), he has changed his name to Metta World Peace – pretty ironic for a guy who once climbed into the stands in Detroit after a Diet Coke was flung at him.

When the announcement came last week, sports broadcasters and writers across the nation cringed at the thought of using him in their stories. Can you just imagine hearing "Peace for three," while watching a Laker game on TV? Or how about Laker public address announcer Lawrence Tanter introducing him as "Mettaaaa Woooorld Peeeeeeeace"? It's about to get ugly in Tinsel Town, folks.

Not to be outdone, Chad Ochocinco isn't giving up the crown just yet to Peace (see, even here that looks bad). The troubled Bengals' star has been in the new more times this summer during the lockout than he has for his on-the-field antics during any regular season.

From trying out for MLS to bull riding, Ochocinco is slowly crossing off his bucket list during his free time. He even took a couple of laps around the Atlanta Motor Speedway with Jeff Burton, going 150 miles per hour. My guess is that a couple of cars in his garage can top that.

But while being a NASCAR driver may not be in Ochocinco's future – as he was quoted in saying "I'd lose every damn day" – the tour will go on. Next up for the eccentric wide receiver? Rumor has it he will be wrestling with an alligator – because that's exactly what the Bengals want to hear.

Your move Mr. Peace – or is it Mr. World Peace?

The Greatest Show On Dirt

Warren Morris's home run lifted LSU to the national
championship, and made this sportswriter fall in love
with the College World Series

If you haven't been tuning into ESPN and ESPN2 the last couple of weeks, shame on you. Double that shame if you have a child who is enthralled in baseball or softball.

For those who love baseball and softball, there is no greater month than June – when the College World Series takes place. Aside from the ping that comes off a metal bat, the College World Series is baseball at its purest.

Sure, being an Omaha native, I may be a little biased. But if you watch the games, you will see what I'm talking about.

These players give 110 percent every play – unlike their multi-millionaire counterparts in the Major Leagues. They line the dugout railing doing odd chants and rituals hoping to bring good luck to their team, and when that doesn't happen those tears that stream down their faces are real.

Growing up in Omaha, I still have fond memories of attending games at Rosenblatt – the stadium that housed the CWS for 60 years. I remember attending a Georgia Tech game, with this shortstop that had a really long last name and this catcher that could hit everything in sight. A couple years later, Nomar Garciaparra and Jason Varitek were bring a championship back to Boston, along with fellow CWS alum and former Florida State Seminole J.D. Drew.

From LSU's Warren Morris, whose homer in the bottom of the ninth won the national championship for the Tigers, to Robin Ventura's 58-game hitting streak for Oklahoma State, those memories are forever engrained in my brain. Even meeting Stanford right fielder Carlos Quentin – a family friend of my best friend – was a special moment. Little did I know Quentin would turn out to be a star for the White Sox.

While it may not be possible to make it to Omaha – although I strongly suggest you plan it as a future vacation destination – just watching the games on TV is worth it. So many young players want to be the next Albert Pujols. But in order to get to that point, they have to learn to play the game the right way – the way these college athletes play.

There's no egos, just a bunch of Charlie Hustles out their doing whatever they can to help their team win. Whether it's taking a pitch off the elbow or ending up with a face full of grass, these kids make it the greatest show on dirt.

O Canada...

Have you ever been so mad that you threw a mannequin through a window?
Vancouver taught us a valuable lesson– don't mess with Canada when it
comes to hockey.

Canadians are typically very humble and welcoming people. Aside from their weird accents and that they are, in fact,  afraid of the dark, I have nothing against them – except that they aren't American.

But last week, we all learned a valuable lesson – when it comes to hockey, you don't mess with Canada.

Once docile Vancouverites turned into raging pyromaniacs, setting cars a blaze and smashing store windows after their beloved Canucks lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals to Boston. The only thing that stopped rage-infused crowd from destroying the city was the fact that Tim Thomas showed up to make yet another save on Vancouver.

Ok, that last part was untrue – and, perhaps a little harsh considering some people are still trying to cope with Vancouver's loss. But still, why would you riot after your team loses? And an even better question, why wasn't the Vancouver Police Department ready for a riot – since apparently a riot was bound to happen, win or lose?

Before you question my loyalty to the sport, know that I'm a huge hockey fan. When it comes between watching an NHL game or an NBA game, I'll choose the NHL game just about every time. Even so, I've never been so angry that I've thrown a mannequin through a storefront window.

Over the last couple years, we've got to experience life in Vancouver – first with the Olympics and now with the Stanley Cup. Something tells me that it may be a while before we see either there again.

So, in an effort to sidestep a similar situation in the future, I propose that every year we crown at least one Canadian team a champion of some sorts – especially with a new team set to take the ice in Winnipeg next year. That way we keep peace with our neighbors to the north and avoid World War III.

And while we're at it, why not crown the Cubs 2011 World Series champions, already? I mean, Chicago was burnt to the ground once. Could you imagine the chaos that would ensue in Wrigleyville if they were to actually win it all?

Making The Most Of The Situation

No doubt Alterraun Verner suffered some headaches
while finishing his degree at UCLA. But the Tennessee
Titans' cornerback proved that you can be productive
even in a lockout.

At certain times, the NFL lockout has looked like a messy divorce. Neither side is speaking to each other, and when they do talk, it usually results in an argument and more bitter feelings.

But while some players lounge by the pool sipping Mai Tais and listening to Jimmy Buffett at their mansions, others are using their current free time to do good in the world.

Yes, that's right – good. Not every player is a spoiled, often overpaid brat that is concerned about how he's going to afford his next Porche if he doesn't play this season.

Take Kansas City tight end Leonard Pope, for instance. While attending a pool party in Americus, Georgia, Pope saw a 6-year-old boy of a longtime friend drowning. Dropping whatever food may have been in his hands – something that's difficult for any tight end in the league – Pope dove in and saved the boy like he was making a game-winning catch. The only casualties in this scenario were a wallet and a cell phone.

Pope may get all the glory for being Superman to a youngster, but he isn't the only one making his momma proud. Tennessee Titans cornerback Alterraun Verner also did right recently by using his time off wisely.

Verner, who left UCLA early to pursue his dream in the NFL, saw the lockout as an opportunity to return to school and finish the five classes he needed to get his degree in mathematics and applied sciences.

Instead of renting an apartment or making the outrageous commute from his parents house, Verner has become part of the student body – holing up in a 144-square-foot dorm room barely big enough to hold his 42-inch TV, let alone all the books he needs to complete his degree.

Verner often interacted with the students – even UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley, who happens to live on the same floor – without much fanfare. He doesn't flash Titans gear or the fact that he's already made millions in the NFL. He probably parties about as much as every other math student – which is not at all.

No, for Verner, the lockout proved to be a second chance in life.

The career as an NFL player is so short, most players are forced to promote some product or another after they retire just to keep themselves from getting bored. But with his new degree, perhaps after his playing days are over, Verner can continue to inspire others to make the most of their lives as a teacher.

So for all those players out there enjoying their current unemployment, take a tip from Pope and Verner – get out there and be productive. It doesn't matter if you get involved in a charity, go back to school or improve your game – heck, you could even work on your tan as a lifeguard at the local pool – but don't just sit around and do nothing. Remind the world why we love you because, at this point, you need all the good publicity you can get.

Caution: Choking Hazard

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade showed their immaturity 

by faking an illness before Game 5 of the NBA Finals. And 

they wonder why everyone hates them?

And the award for Worst Actor/Poorest Sports goes too.... none other than LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

As if the world didn't have enough of a reason to hate the Miami Heat, Wade and James proved their arrogance once again – this time pretending to be sick during the shoot-around before Game 5, mocking Dirk Nowitzki's illness during Game 4 of the series.

What did Dirk ever do to them?

Sure, at times the media has hyped up a players illness to make a more interesting story – that happens after covering a hundred games over the course of the year. But anybody who has ever played a sport while battling the flu knows how difficult it can be. Your body moves slower. Your mind is sluggish. It's nearly impossible to be on top of your game.

Wade and James proved their immaturity, having fake coughing fits during practice. They act like they've already wrapped up the NBA title, they just need to show to claim it. The ironic part is that neither Wade nor James has really shown up in the Finals.

But what makes the crime against Nowitzki even more puzzling is the fact that Wade is involved. Wade has been the poster boy on toughness. Even in this series he's been battling several injuries – all while not hiding that fact from the media.

Now he's jumping on Dirk for fighting through a 101-degree fever? Sounds a little bit like a double standard, don't you think Mr. Wade?

There used to be a time when basketball was a great sport – no drama, players caring for each other while also being competitive. Not any more – at least not in Miami.

The Heat have more drama than a high school girls' locker room. While they are trying to come together for a championship, it seems like their individual egos are taking over. And I, for one, could not be happier.

With tip-off just a few hours away, I hope Dirk can muster enough strength to end the South Beach Trio's season without a ring. He certainly deserves it by playing the game the right way, without complaining or antagonizing the other team.

If that happens, perhaps we'll see that those coughing fits by Wade and James were real – as the first warning signs of what could be the greatest choke job in the history of sports.

Fading With Grace

There used to be a time when Tiger Woods held
trophies like the 2008 U.S. Open Trophy more often
than not. But age, a bitter divorce and injuries have
shown that we may have seen the best of Tiger.

It's ironic if you think about it, really. Athletes play in front of millions of fans every year, handling the pressure without so much as breaking a sweat. But when it comes to matters of their personal lives, they are as clumsy and awkward as a teenager at his first dance.

Even with age, it seems that the fame and power they gardner during their careers has kept them from making wise decisions later in life.

No, I'm not about to bash Brett Favre – yet. Although, by the time you're finished reading this, chances are he will have called a press conference to announce he's coming back.

This has more to do with two athletes that dominated the mid- to late-90s – Tiger Woods and Shaquille O'Neal. Both athletes made headlines this week – something that's not out of the ordinary for either one, especially with Woods' recent divorce and Shaq's ability to draw the media like bugs to a florescent light.

For Shaq, the three day retirement celebration is well-deserved. He burst into the league with backboard-shattering dunks and added a personality that is rare in NBA players – except for maybe Dennis Rodman. His only real mistake was the movie "Kazaam"– and even after that, most sportswriters are still willing to put him in the Hall of Fame where he belongs.

But while Shaq's three-day extravaganza was filled with jokes and laughter – both through Twitter and at his home in Orlando – there is nothing funny about what has become of Woods.

Like O'Neal, the media was drawn to this youngster. He spoke so eloquently and could drive the ball a mile, to boot. But as anybody who has ever picked up a club knows, golf is a mental game.

After Elin kicked Tiger out for cheating on her – why he would do that to a Swedish supermodel still baffles me – Woods has never been the same. It used to be interesting to see who would finish behind Tiger. Now he's just trying to make the cut.

I'm not saying Tiger's golf game is done. He has been battling injuries and the stress put on by his own stupidity. But it used to be a matter of when, not if Tiger would break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major victories. With Woods withdrawing from this weekend's U.S. Open, perhaps we're witnessing the end of Tiger's era.

The worst part of watching all this happen is that the Sunday the tournament ends will be Father's Day. Nike used to run commercials depicting a young Tiger learning the game of golf from his father, Earl Woods. Earl died a few years ago – a monumental tragedy for Tiger and for the world. 

Athletes get lose a step as they get older – everyone who has ever played sports will tell you that you can't stay at your peak forever. But one can't help but wonder, what would Earl Woods think of the way his son has faded from the spotlight as he has aged?

Taking One For The Team

Jim Tressel took full responsibility for the actions of his
team, resigning as Ohio State football coach. We can only
hope his players learned something about integrity while
the Vest fell on the sword for them.

I hate to be the one who said I told you so, but...

A couple months ago on this very same blog, I railed on Jim Tressel for his involvement in what has become a spring-long scandal in the Ohio State Football program. A once proud program has become tarnished with tattoos and cheap cars.

Earlier this week, Tressel announce his resignation as the Buckeyes' football coach. In doing so, the Vest may have become the sacrificial lamb for the entire university – including Gordon Gee, who was once famously quoted as saying "I hope Tressel doesn't fire me," in regards to the current scandal.

Back in March, I had previously said I lost a lot of respect for the Vest. He admittedly knew what his players were doing and chose to do nothing about it.

Mr. Tressel, you have earned my respect back.

While your players are obviously to blame for the whole situation going from bad to worse, you chose to accept full responsibility for their actions. Whether you truly knew everything they were doing or not, you chose to face the media and the hundreds of questions that were about to arise like a man. You didn't cower from the spotlight, but embraced the scandal for what it was – an opportunity to teach some young men between right and wrong, all the while knowing you weren't going to be on the sidelines of the Horseshoe next season.

Across the country, another football power in Southern Cal is also steeped in scandal. But look at how differently the two schools handled their misdeeds.

Southern Cal did it's best to brush everything under the rug, hoping nobody would notice. Meanwhile, Ohio State came out to the NCAA and said they screwed up – of course this was after the federal government got involved – but at least they admitted to their faults.

It's no secret that college athletes live pretty pampered lives – football and basketball players are the most pampered of the bunch. Even when I was in college, I still remember current Atlanta Falcon and former Missouri safety William Moore driving around campus in his black and gold Pontiac Bonneville, complete with tinted windows, a killer sound system and dazzling 22-inch rims.

Now, you're going to tell me some kid from Hayti, Missouri – an area stricken with poverty since the 1960s Civil Rights Movement – can afford a car that nice. If you believe that some booster wasn't helping make sure Moore looked as sharp off the field as he did on, well, let's just say I've got a couple of guys in Ohio who would love to sell you some new cars.