Random Sports Thoughts 1/4/06

• Kansas City has a good chance of getting the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team has been offered a rent-free agreement to play in the new Sprint Center, which opens in October. They will also get a partnership in the management of the Arena without having to pay for anything. That's a pretty good deal. The Penguins will decide in the next 30 days.
  
• Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban said two weeks ago that he was "not going to be the University of Alabama coach." This week he was given 32 million reasons to change his mind… and he did. Saban seems a bit defensive that sports fans everywhere are super offended by his two-faced lack of integrity. Saban replies while sitting in his new Crimson Tide office, "…my integrity for doing that is being questioned. Other people have done this. They just say, 'I have the right to change my mind.' So in my eyes, when I said that, it wasn't a lie. The circumstances changed and I made a different decision. That's not lying." Yeah, sure thing coach, you are the definition of integrity and loyalty. You just changed your mind (to do the opposite of what you said you'd do) and, besides, other people have done it.
• The Steelers may have to find another coach for only the second time since 1969, when most experts expect Bill Cower to retire next week. Chuck Noll and Bill Cower, the two long-time Steelers coaches, are the anti-Nick Saban.
• I made the playoffs in my fantasy football league, going 11-6. I'm surprised to have done well without a solid QB or running back. Instead, I had some great receivers from bad teams, two great kickers, and a lot of luck. Next year though, I intend to get as many good RBs as I can; it's the only sure fire thing in fantasy football.
• What is the one kind of sporting event that gets three big red thumbs down on my TiVo? Professional wrestling. I'd rather have a root canal than have to watch that stuff. But my TiVo thinks that since I watch college basketball and the NFL then I might like to try Total Annihilation Cage Smackdown and Burlesque Show VII. Mmm… no.
• What happens if the Chiefs are actually able to beat the vulnerable Colts in the playoffs? They have to play the Chargers. Yikes. I'm not that optimistic that the Chiefs can get a playoff win, but if the Colts lose, it'll be because of their weak run defense. And that does match up nicely with the Chiefs' main strength.