Sports Thoughts 2/20/06

• Are you a new fan of curling? The Winter Olympics tends to generate interest in some obscure sports and curling may be as obscure as it gets. Yet it turns out that there is a Curling Club in Kansas City and for $10 you can learn how to curl! Wear warm clothes and clean shoes, they'll provide the rest if you RSVP.
  
• The Jayhawks are on a win streak and are ranked for the second week now. The Sportsline Top 25 has them ranked at 21, the AP at 16, and the Coaches Poll at 18. Not bad for a "rebuilding" year! I wasn't even expecting them to make the tournament this year.
• Here's everything you ever wanted to know about the this year's gold medals.
  
• How long was the Daytona 500 yesterday? Do race fans watch the whole thing or do you pop in a movie and come back for the big finish? When do you take breaks to, uh… er… for when nature calls? It's not like racing has a halftime or even timeouts. Or is this the kind of sport you can watch while reading a book or magazine, like golf?
  
• Ricky Williams, the talented NFL running back, has failed another drug test. Way to go. After quitting on his team at the last minute in order to pursue his marijuana habit full time, he was forced back into the game last year (otherwise the Dolphins wanted their millions returned). But now with his fourth failed drug test, he's facing a minimum 1 year suspension. This will probably cost him every penny he has and he may never play again. I hope the dope was worth it, Ricky. And by the way, shame on his "friends" and family for not doing more to prevent this. Good grief – his life may be ruined now.