One Man’s Negro is Another Man’s ——?

Suarez and Evra during their not-so-"friendly" encounter.

I’m not well versed enough in European soccer to tell you much of anything about Patrice Evra, a talented Frenchman who plays fullback for Manchester United, or Liverpool’s Luis Suarez of Uruguay, the team’s most dangerous forwards.

Both men represented their countries in last year’s World Cup. They even faced off in a friendly that resulted in a 0-0 tie. (Evra captained the French squad until he was stripped of it after leading a controversial player revolt that became the hallmark of the team’s much-chronicled meltdown.)

On October 15, the two men crossed shins once again at a Premier League friendly and this time it wasn’t very, well, friendly at all.

Suarez was recently suspended for eight games for, in part, using the term “negro” (or the Spanish equivalent) during an on-the-field confrontation during that game.

That was revealed in a 155-page report conducted by an independent commission that detailed the whos, hows and, most important, the whys regarding what led to the suspension.

Suffice it to say that it came down to how the word was used rather than the use of the word itself.

Suarez contented that the term was not a disparaging one in Uruguay, and that may be true.

But Evra contended that Suarez used the term to punctuate sentences in which he said he would kick Evra and that he “doesn’t talk to” black players.

I’m in no position to say whether authorities over-reacted to the incident. But I applaud them for addressing it in a way that acknowledges the brewing trend of racists taunts that have come to characterize European soccer in recent months.

The penalty was almost certainly, in part, a reaction to the growing sense that European soccer, while still where the game is played better than anywhere else in the world, had become soft on racism.

There’s not only no place for that in sports (on any continent) but as the game continues to try and establish a foothold in the U.S., and as a global marketing power, many corporations will be reluctant to associate themselves with a sport won’t embrace all cultures.

Hottest Seat in the NFL? Hey, Jim Caldwell, Take a Load Off…

Most of the participants–peripheral or not–are pretty clear about their desires.

If you’re a fan of the Indianapolis Colts, you want the Colts to lose on New Year’s Day to the Jacksonville Jaguars. That way you’ll lock up what many feel is the next great once-in-a-generation QB, Stanford’s Andrew Luck.

If you’re a Colts player, you want to win. Period. That was never more clear than last night when the Colts came back to defeat the bound-for-the-playoffs Houston Texans 19-16 for their second win of the season. To players, Luck has nothing to do with it. These guys are playing for their suppers.

And then there’s Jim Caldwell, the Colts head coach.

Like any coach, he’d like nothing better than to coach a team with a great (or at least potentially great) quarterback. And Luck’s that guy. Lose and you ensure yourself of going from Peyton Manning to Andrew Luck, with just a little bit of Dan Orlovsky.

Win?

Beating the Jags would put Luck in play, with the Minnesota Vikings and St. Louis Rams also in the running for the top pick.

And should the Colts lose Luck to one of those team, well, that New Year’s Day win in Jacksonville might go down in infamy in Colts lore.

That said, a Colts win might also allow Caldwell to keep his job.

Might being the operative word.

Had the Colts run the table–or more appropriately, had the table run over them–Caldwell would have almost certainly been fired. Though his record was a sterling 24-8 coming into this season, the stink of 0-16 (along with the still-bitter memory of the Colts failing to “go for” undefeated in 2009, Caldwell’s first season; and losing to the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV, where the general consensus was that he was outcoached) would have been too much to survive.

That said, owner Jim Irsay doesn’t seem to be the type who over-reacts to short-term aberrations. After all, he paid Manning his full $26 million for this season, even though he didn’t play a down. And he looks to be willing to pay the 35-year-old Future Hall of Famer his $28 million option in March (which would) engage the final four years of his current five-year, $90 million-contract), even though he’s coming off a neck injury that would make his comeback a damn-near a miracle.

It wouldn’t have surprised me if Irsay had retained Caldwell, even if the Colts had gone oh-for’11. Especially since the team would be selecting Luck, giving the coach the kind of gem he should have the chance to coach after enduring this kind of hell.

It also wouldn’t have surprised me if Caldwell had been canned. In fact, he reportedly expected to be fired if the Colts had gone 0-16. It’s the nature of the business–win or go to the television studio.

But the Colts won’t go winless. In fact, they’re one of the hottest teams in the NFL. Okay, not really but after all they’ve been through the deserve to stick their chests out a bit.

But right now I’m not sure if Caldwell feels he’s done enough to save his job. More important, does Irsay believe his head coach deserves at least another year on the sideline?

A victory on New Year’s Day might be enough to help Caldwell retain his headset–but it also might cost him and the franchise dearly.

To paraphrase Dirty Harry: How Lucky you feelin’, Jim?

I Hate MVP Predictions…But Here’s Mine!

I hate it when sports prognosticators pick post-season award winners before the first national anthem’s been sung.

Too much happens between the first play of the season and the last that has a profound impact on individual performances. But more important, these predictions influence voters–creating a leader-in-the-clubhouse or it’s-this-guy’s-turn mentality that becomes hard to beat.

Occasionally, though, it does. In the Heisman race, it seems early “front-runner” (at least in the minds of the prognosticators) Andrew Luck of Stanford was victimized by the hype surrounding him and failed to live up to the high expectations placed upon him. The eventual winner, Robert Griffin III of Baylor, meanwhile, was a virtual preseason unknown who emerged from the abyss of zero expectations and dazzled voters with his exciting play.

Now…

All that said, I’m going to predict the MVP for the upcoming NBA mini-season: Chris Paul.

Of course, a lot can happen between Christmas Day and the end of the regular season (playoffs aren’t factored into post-season awards) but already the near-consensus best point guard in the league, is showing that he will likely transform the long-moribund Clippers in the best team in Los Angeles (at least until Dwight Howard takes up residency there).

Paul had 17 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in just three quarters in his Clipper debut last night against the Lakers. More important, the Clips crushed the Lakers 114-95.

Yes, it was preseason.

Yes, the Lakers still have the best player in Los Angeles in Kobe Bryant.

But Paul (along with the additions of Caron Butler and Chauncey Billups, and the holder of that young cat who dunk over cars) has already shown these ain’t your Daddy’s sorry Clips.

They will march stride-for-stride with the Lakers this season, if not run them off their own Staples Center floor.

And Paul will own LA this season – beating out the seemingly consensus preseason-front runner Kevin Durant.

Love you, Kevin but sorry, your Luck will run out, too.

Great Win, Colts! Or Bad Luck…?

Good for the Colts.

No team should go oh-fer. No matter how bad they may be (and the Colts were never considered one of the NFL’s bad teams), no team deserves that fate. Players are professional, and most of them had pride. Winning the Super Bowl is tough, but every team should at least one game.

Indianapolis finally got it’s win–defeating the mediocre (7-7) Tennessee Titans today, 27-13.

Good for them, but did it hurt them in the long-range, big-picture Andrew Luck derby?

There’s been some “debate” over whether the Stanford quarterback (full disclosure: I’m a Cardinal alum and though Luck should have won the Heisman) should still be the No. 1 pick. But that debate doesn’t include anyone in the NFL, where Luck remains the hands-down No. 1.

All that said, did the Colts, in winning, lose their grip on the young man many believe to be the game’s next once-in-a-generation franchise QB?

Let’s see:

The Colts two remaining games are against Houston and Jacksonville. Both are winnable, given the Texans having clinched the playoffs and that the Jaguars, well, stink. But let’s say the Clots go 1-1, giving them two wins for the season.

There are two other two-win teams–St. Louis and Minnesota.

The Rams will lose their final two games. Write it down. In ink. They play Pittsburgh and San Francisco. So the Rams will finish with two wins.

The Vikings finish the season against Washington and Chicago. They should win at least one of them but could lost both. Just for the fun of it, let’s say they do lose both and finish with two wins, as well.

Now, I’m not going to go through the various Matrix-like machinations that could deliniate the various tie-break scenarios. For the sake of sanity let’s just assume all finish 2-14.

If the Rams Pick, No. 1, they’re not likely to choose Luck because they already have a talented young QB in Sam Bradford, who’s only in his second year. Or would they? How much would Bradford be worth on the trade market–to teams like Kansas City, Seattle or Washington. GIven how woeful the Rams have been I would not be surprised if they hit reset and start over with Luck.

The Vikings? Please. They’d pick Luck faster than Mel Kiper could comb his hair.

So good for the Colts. But until today it seemed clear that the franchise had its heir to Peyton Manning.

Now? Well, it should make the last two weeks of the season very interesting.

Look Out for Lexi!

American Lexi Thompson, 16, today became youngest woman to win a European Tour event when she shot a 5-under 67 to capture the Dubai Ladies Masters. She was already the youngest woman to win an LPGA event, having done so earlier this year.

Right now, she may be the most under-the-radar superstar in our midst.

Here’s what I wrote about her in October for ESPN.com:

Mike Whan is no dummy. Though not for the reason you may think.

Last week, the LPGA commissioner granted the petition of 16-year-old phenom Lexi Thompson to join the LPGA Tour two years short of its required age minimum. The standard was long ago instituted to protect young girls from the rigors of professionalism, and the sport from having to babysit.

Waiving that rule was the right move, despite my belief in minimum age restrictions in pro sports.

Thompson is poised, pretty and pretty darned good. And oh yeah, she’s American. The easy second-guessing call is that Wahn stamped her petition because the tour needs her to be The One in order to regain relevance with a U.S. audience tired of waiting on Michelle Wie and less able or willing to root for any of the myriad talented golfers from Asia atop the leaderboard.

In fact, the LPGA doesn’t need Thompson to be its Tiger (how long will I have to clarify with “pre-scandal” Tiger?) as much we might think — at least not right now. Sure, the women’s game still lacks a star of the stature of Annika Sorenstam or Lorena Ochoa. Yet all but two of the players in the top 10 are in their 20s, (average age: a tad over 26), and four are American (same as in the men’s rankings).

“If you’re the commissioner of any sport,” Whan told me on Tuesday, “one thing you worry about is, ‘Do I have a crop of young stars almost ready to grab the baton, or are my stars heading to retirement?’ I don’t spend a lot of time worrying because most of my best players are under 30. Add Lexi to that, and [No. 1] Yani [Tseng] is 22. Michelle Wie, at 21, has her best golf ahead. I’ve got some pretty good baton takers coming along.”

Whan is smart because he made granting Thompson’s petition a tap-in gimme by forcing her to earn her way onto the tour.

That seed was planted in December when Whan denied Thompson’s request to play in up to 12 LPGA tournaments in 2011 under sponsor exemptions — double the number allowed non-members. Had he granted it, the engaging 5-foot-11 teen would have certainly been showered with more invites to dance than a head cheerleader. She had turned pro without tour membership the previous June and finished 10th at the U.S. Women’s Open (which she qualified for) and second at the Evian Masters. Playing just a handful of tournaments, she earned more than $300,000.

Despite that quick success, Whan had the temerity to tell Thompson’s team: “Not yet.” He told them, however, that the sport was relaxing rules for participants in Monday qualifiers and Q-school, essentially granting Thompson “the opportunity to prove” she belonged on tour. “I said, ‘If you can [play on tour], you will,” he said. “I think [her parents and agent] were ready a year ago, but I’m not sure she was ready a year ago.”

This year, Thompson has played like many a mid-level handicapper — some good rounds, some horrendous. Whan watched most of them, especially the horrendous ones, particularly a final-round 78 in May at the Avnet LPGA Classic in Mobile, Ala. Thompson woke up Sunday morning tied for the lead. She finished tied for 19th, nine strokes behind the winner.

In the wake of that abysmal day Wahn saw something that told him this young golfer just might be ready. “She was honest with herself, the media and fans,” the commish said. “She was disappointed. Said she can play better. It happens. She didn’t wilt, didn’t run to the car, avoid the media tent or ignore the people with Sharpies. She signed all the autographs and said it was part of golf. She didn’t change her demeanor or approach. I’m not sure I would have handled it the same way.”

In July, Thompson blew away the field in Stage 1 of Q-school, winning by 10 strokes. The second of three stages was to be played in late September. But just prior, her prodigious talent caught up with her precocious nature. She won the Navistar Classic by five strokes, becoming the youngest LPGA Tour event winner ever — by two years.

Based on that win, Thompson again petitioned for LPGA acceptance. This time, Whan, in what might be among the more scrutinized decisions of his two-year tenure, said “yes.”

“It’s been a nice process,” he said. “I haven’t been doing this job a long time. But it seemed strange to get a letter saying, ‘I’d like to be an LPGA member, and here’s why.’ We set rules for a reason. If we’re going to step outside those rules, that was the kind of comfort we need. To earn your way onto the tour the old-fashioned way, especially if you’re under our age regulation, is good for the tour and the player.”

But is she good enough? That remains to be seen.

She’ll face tough overseas competition (potentially on courses far from home). Since recovering from the English-language rules fiasco of 2008 under previous commissioner Carolyn Bivens, the tour’s diversity has allowed it to grow internationally.

“I missed that wave,” Whan said (though he left out: thankfully!). “When I came in, I said, ‘Hey guys, we’re a business going global. One thing constant among any business going global is mistakes.’ No CEO who’s taken their business global sits back and says, ‘Man that is easy.’”

The next stops are South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan and Mexico, and a crop of young Americans, including Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Wie, is showing up on Sundays more often than in recent years.

Whan is convinced Thompson is ready to join them. And for now that’s good enough.

The Feds’ $6 Million (Didn’t Get Their) Man

Barry Bonds was grounded today–sort of.

That’s essentially the penalty handed down today by U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in the seemingly never-ending perjury case against baseball’s home run king.

Bonds was the last man standing in drama that unfolded in 2003 when a grand jury was called to build a case against the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative, the place that was the ultimate drive-through for many elite athletes seeking PEDs–including, allegedly (wink), Bonds.

During his testimony, Bonds said he didn’t “knowingly” take any ‘roids. Yet he hemmed and hawed about it so much that a) the Feds thought he was lying but b) they couldn’t prove it.

Ultimately, he was convicted of obstruction of justice in that he gave “misleading” testimony to the grand jury.

Six million dollars later (according to Sports Illustrated) Bonds was sentenced to 30 house arrest in his stupid-palacial 15,000-sq-foot home (above).

He was also sentenced to two years probation and 250 hours of “community service.”

And even that was put on hold while Bonds appeals his conviction, which will take years.

I am not happy.

Like many people, I thought what began as a justifiable effort to ferret out drugs from the elite level of sports disintegrated into a witch-hunt after Bonds.

What cost them most was that their most critical witness–Bonds’ former trainer, Greg Anderson– refused to testify. Flat out, said no. In fact, Anderson (the ultimate BFF) went to jail four times on contempt charges rather than be a government witness.

Without him, the Feds had nothing.

And they’ve had nothing for years–at least about $5 million ago.

Can we all sue for restitution?

In Los Angeles, Who’s Golden Now?

Lucy Nicholson photo/Reuters

Who’s the best team in LA? Really.

Yes, I can now actually ask the question without having my NBA credentials revoked.

I’ll even go on the record now and say it…the Clippers.

I’m 2000 miles anyway from the giddiness and gloom that are unfolding in various Los Angeles in the wake of what is no doubt the biggest move of the NBA’s wacky offseason. But I’m as excited to see the pairing of dynamic point guard Chris Paul (acquired late last night-or was it early this morning?–from N’awlins) and the most exciting and dominating big man in the game, Blake Griffin, as if I had seats next to Billy Crystal.

I’m sure it’ll take awhile for all the Clippers new pieces to gel. (Almost lost in the buzz over the Paul move are prior signings of Caron Butler and Chauncey Billups). But in the meanwhile, “Showtime” has a new address, and by the end of the season, I predict the hungry, on-the-rise Clips will go further in the playoffs than the near-the-sunset Lakers.

Of course, my “out” is that given what’s transpired so far since we were all spared yet another gloomy-faced press conference to discuss the state of collective bargaining negotiations, about a gazillion trades could (and probably will) transpire before the trade deadline.

And no doubt, we’ll likely see an overabundance of nagging injuries due to the short training camp and preseason.

Nonetheless, in the end, Baby Brother will payback Big Bro’ for all the butt-whippings they’ve received in recent seasons.

The tide has shifted.

Step back, Jack? Not quite. But Tiger Woods is Finally Ready to Win Again

I’ve gone on record saying Tiger Woods will not surpass Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major golf championships. He’s got 14, as almost every golf fan knows. But he’ll be 36 years old at the end of this month, and to topple Jack he’ll have to win five more majors at an age when time is more foe than friendly.

Indeed throughout golf history only 17 other men have won as many as five majors in their entire careers–and Phil Michelson, considered maybe the second-best golfer of this era, isn’t among them. Lefty has four.

I’m not ready to back down from my Tiger-won’t-jack-Jack prediction just yet, but I will say this: Tiger is ready to win again.

In fact, I think he’ll win at least one major in 2012. And if it’s The Masters in April (the most tiger-friendly major), he just may win two next year.

And if he does that, well, check back with me then.

Tiger won a tournament on Sunday, his first victory (in damn near anything, really) for the first time in 749 days and about 356,567 moments that probably sucked.

He won the Chevron World Challenge, his own personal outing, of sorts. With only 17 participants it wasn’t very worldly, which some have used to diminish the triumph.

But to me it wasn’t simply that he won. Indeed had he won handily it would have been a nice story and little more.

It was how he won–with klutch birdie puts on Nos. 17 and 18 to overcome a one-shot deficit to another Masters champion, Zach Johnson.

Suddenly, we were all watching again–switching even from compelling NFl games (I was working the remote on Green Bay-Giants) to watch Tiger stare, pace, crouch, focus, stare, pace, address the ball and …

Even as Johnson watched Tiger’s final birdie roll towards and into the cup (launching a Tiger roar the likes of which I don’t think we’ve ever seen/heard), the expression on his face simply said, Yeah, he’s back.

For the first time in what seems like a lifetime, an opponent seemed to know an important putt by Tiger Woods was going dead into the cup.

Woods won’t likely become dominant again. He’ll have more bad days, bad tournaments.

Gone are the days when merely stepping onto the first tee was worth three to five strokes against a field intimidated by his presence.

That Tiger is done.

But this Tiger is healthy. And seemingly confident again.

This Tiger can win. And will.

Here We Go Again: Why College Football in Dumbest Major Sport

Yes, the BCS blew it. The rematch between LSU and Alabama for the now very mythical national championship is absurd. LSU should be facing Oklahoma State (which trailed ‘Bama in the computer rankings by about a nose hair) on January 9th. Pure. Simple.

Instead, the Cowboys will play a thrilling matchup with Stanford on January 2, a game I venture will have a larger national following than the Repeat Bowl.

I’m really tired of arguing that college football should have a playoff. I don;t even feel like I’m arguing against anyone anymore. Even those die-hards who say the regular season is a playoff are mute now since it seems that game between LSU and ‘Bama a few weeks ago was a non-playoff playoff game. If it was a playoff game, the Tide would be rolling to, say, the Fiesta Bowl to meet Andrew Luck and the Cardinal.

No one is being served by the current state of college football – but the BCS and the SEC.

And that’s a shame.

God’s Tweet to Stevie Johnson: “I don’t do stupid, dude–and I had nothing to do with those dropped balls!–the REAL Head Coach”

The national reaction to Tim Tebow’s public displays of faith was pretty stunning to me, but again it was not.

He’s not the the first professional athlete to “give God credit” during games. From Mark Bavaro to Barry Bonds to Larry Fitzgerald, athletes in almost every sport have been very public about their faith.

But none have been vilified and mocked like Tebow. Earlier this year, two of those laugh-a-minute Detroit Lions – linebacker Stephen Tulloch and tight end Tony Scheffler – thought it fun to mock Tebow’s prayerful pose after sacking him.

As a christian myself, I wasn’t surprised. Despite the fact that America is known as a “christian” nation, religion is still a lightening rod in many circles, inspiring ridicule (fear?) among some. But I have marveled at how Tebow has handled it all, never wavering nor stooping to the level of the critics or those players who mocked him.

Moreover, he continued to improve, to handle the heat, to win. In doing so, he has demonstrated the strength of his faith more than a thousand images of him bowing on one knee could have.

AP photo

By contrast, we have Buffalo’s talented but stunningly immature wideout Stevie Johnson.

On Sunday, just hours before Tebow led the Broncos to yet another fourth-quarter comeback victory, over San Diego, Johnson scored against the New York Jets and proceeded to put on a display of stupid shenanigans by mocking Jets wideout Plaxico Burress.

Photo by Tyson Trish / NorthJersey.com Staff

How?

By pretending to dance then shoot himself in the leg–an night-club accident that cost Burress two years in prison. Not funny.

What was funny was that Johnson, who professes to be a christian–remember his tweet blaming God for another dropped ball last season?–dropped three potential game-winning passes in the final minute.

Clearly, God don’t like stupid.

RSJ note: Johnson seems to have realized the massive error of his ways. He has apologized to Burress and the world.