General: Sterno's Talkin' Smack -- Episode #86

Sterno's Talkin' smack. No holding back here. It's all trash, all the time.

Welcome to a GREAT Thursday morning edition of the column. Today, I'll take shots at Pete Rose, cool off the angry Knicks fans, and talk about the NFL's coaching carousel. It's a dandy!

Smack This: Pete Rose -- I really didn't want to comment on this story because it lacks any kind of flair, but it is bothering me too much to keep my mouth shut. Look, Pete Rose was a tremendous baseball player, a legend on the field, and he will always be "Charlie Hussle." However, to yours truly, he has become a snake and a complete pain in the ass. You heard me.

Just because Rose had thousands of hits when he played, doesn't mean that it is okay to be an outright liar. That's exactly what he is. I don't want to hear this apology now. Heck, it wasn't even an apology. He said he gambled. He didn't say it breaks his heart. He didn't say it makes him cry into his bowl of Cheerios. No, he did it to get into the Hall of Fame. He admitted as such. He's now practically demanding it from Bud Selig. Why I ask you? Why?

If it isn't sincere (which it's not), then why are we forgiving him? Why would we put him in the Hall of Fame? Everyone says he deserves to be there. I agree with that. I have said that for a very long time. What he did on the field made him worthy. Barry Bonds is a jackass but he's getting in the Hall on a red carpet. Put Rose in as well. However, if the reasoning behind keeping him out was that he hadn't admitted his wrong doing, then I do not believe he should be put there now. It just doesn't show any principal at all.

In addition, we have heard for years and years about these recordings and taps of Rose's phone calls to "bookies" from the clubhouse and the manager's office. For him to deny any of that in this interview with Charles Gibson is just simply asinine. He knows that we have proof. Why would he deny it now? I will tell you why. Because, he is just as stubborn as he ever was. He still can't admit he's wrong and if he wasn't too broke to afford to pay attention, we wouldn't be hearing any of this right now.

I hope they put him in the Hall of Shame -- that's right! I said it!

Rose -- Smacked!!!

Smack This: Knick fans who have lost their mind -- I know I touched on this a bit yesterday but after listening to Knicks fans moaning and groaning over the past 24 hours, I have to attack this situation yet again.

Are you people crazy? Those of you who think that this was a bad deal are exactly that. Look, I am sick and tired of hearing everyone talk about the distant future. Everyone is so concerned about five years from now, draft picks that will be lost, and rebuilding.

Hello! News flash people! Your shooting guard makes $100 million and you can never ever deal him. The Eastern Conference is a laughing stock of teams trying to win a race to get swept by the Lakers. How could you not want to try and win now? It has been thirty years. Should we wait another five if we don't have to? What is wrong with you people?

How many years in a row have the Knicks unofficially led the NBA in shot clock violations? Seriously, how many? If you have seen one offensive set, you have seen them all.

A bad point guard (put in Charlie Ward, Howard Eisley, Rick Brunson, Chris Childs, Mark Jackson) dribbles to the top of the key and looks for ALlan Houston. There's a ghetto pick and roll. Houston sticks up his hand and gets the ball (in a bad spot normally). Now he goes one on one with four seconds left on the shot clock. Are you not sick of that? Now, we finally have a guy in Stephon Marbury, who can break down the defense off the dribble, draw fouls, drive to the basket, and dish to the open guy. Houston may get more open looks, Dikembe Mutombo may get more stuffs, and the team that shoots it better at the line than anyone may get more opportunities to do so.

So, stop crying and start watching Knick fans. Isaiah obviously isn't done making moves to better this organization and if they are anything like the first couple, the Knicks are well on their way back into the hunt in the Eastern Conference.

Knick fans with a fever -- Smacked!!!

Smack This: NFL Coaching Carousel -- Let me just fire out some thoughts on the moves that have and haven't been made to this point in the coaching carousel.

Firstly, Tom Coughlin is definitely the right guy for the New York Giants. All I have been hearing over the past couple of days is that Coughlin was a disciplinarian, too tough for players of today, wore out his welcome in Jacksonville, and so forth. What a load of crap! How about the Bill's? Those two coaches are harder on their team, and more matter of fact than any in the NFL. They also did the best two jobs this year (Marvin Lewis was top notch too). Coughlin will beat some sense into players like Tiki Barber who wouldn't be fumbling too much if he spend more time with his hands glued to the football instead of the microphone. He and Michael Strahan do more television spots than any Giant I can ever remember. It's time to be leaders on and off the field and drive towards a championship and not a career in broadcasting.

I can't believe that Joe Gibbs is coming back to coach the Washington Redskins in 2004. I was stunned. A radio personality for WFAN Radio in New Year, named Chris Carlin, jokingly spoke of Dan Snyder doing "anything in his power" to get the right coach. Maybe he would even call Gibbs. I don't think even Carlin thought it was possible. Wow. I hate to say this but I think Gibbs will in fact pull a (Dick) Vermeil. If he assembles a staff of Greg Williams on defense and Joe Bugel on offense, he will be well on his way.

Why is Jim Fassel such a hot commodity? Is there any more proof that we need that this league has weak coaches? Fassel's guarantee was three years ago. Since then his team has choked in the playoffs, tanked in his last season, and he has been canned. Now, he is interviewed by every team looking for a coach (minus the Raiders)? Why is that? If he goes to Buffalo he can enjoy an offensive line that rivals the pathetic group he coached at the Meadowlands. Guarantee this!

Bill Callahan is interviewing at Nebraska? What happened to this University's program? Why did they fire Frank Solich? Now, nobody and I mean nobody wants to go there. If out of being desperate more than anything else, they hire Callahan, they will be the laughing stock of college football. Callahan, the coach who's players almost beat the breath out of him in the locker room, to man the same sidelines of the great Tom Osborne? Oh boy!

Coaching Carousel -- Smacked!!!

One for the Road: Note to Jim Duqette and Fred Wilpon of the management in New York. PLEASE go after Vlad! Cedeno must go!

Hit me up with feedback at eSports (click the Write the Editor link) or email me directly at sterno17@hotmail.com. Unless, of course, your afraid to go toe to toe with Sterno? See ya' all next time folks! Until then, don't be the one who's smacked!