General: Sterno's Talkin' Smack -- Episode #67

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

I am so pumped up about this edition of the program. We will delve into the Kobe-Shaq debates. We'll talk a bit about Eddie Griffin's troubles, and some comments from the world of Major League Baseball. Let's get started.

Smack This: Kobe vs. Shaq -- How great is it that Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant are at each other's throats again? I am loving this. Life in the NBA was so boring when they both kept their mouths shut. I guess that while all of the Lakers and the city of Los Angeles have pretended that their little Kobe is still an angel, that not everyone is happy with the multi-lingual, multi mistress basketball star.

So, you haven't heard? Long story short, Shaq decided to give Bryant some advice on his game. It seems that Kobe Bryant hasn't been passing the ball too much this preseason and Mr. O'Neal felt as if it was time to do some coaching.

"As long as it's my team, then I'll voice my opinion. You media guys may give it to Bryant; like you've given him everything else his whole lifetime, but this is the Diesel's ship. So ... if you ain't right physically don't be trying to go out there and get right on our expense. Use the people out there, then when you get right you can do what you do."

That sounds a bit harsh don't you think. I guess Kobe wasn't too concerned with O'Neal's comments.

"I know how to play my guard spot. He can worry about the low post, and I'll worry about the perimeter."

Oh boy! Away we go folks. It looks like them be some fighting words. Look it is no secret that these guys have been playing nice for a couple of years for the media but still aren't exactly in love with each other. However, I thought that the public bashing was over. Although, I don't ever remember it being this crazy. The two of them used to hint all the time but never out in the open like this.

I am curious to see the reaction, if any, from the rest of the team. Especially, after a certain comment from the big man topped it all.

"Just ask Karl and Gary why they came here. One person, not two. One. Period... I'm not telling Bryant how to play his position. I'm telling him how to play team ball."

The question is whether or not there is any truth to that statement. Who did Gary Payton and Karl Malone come for. If you ask me, they came for both. With those five guys playing at their best, the Lakers will be champs and will be unstoppable. It isn't even a question. However, you can't blame Shaq for being pissed off considering that the Lakers are coming off of an extremely disappointing season and all they can talk about is rape, adultery and trial. It doesn't exactly make for a focused group. I have a feeling that eventually Zen-master Phil Jackson will find a way to let cooler heads prevail.

Until then, I'll be watching with a big ass grin on my face!

Los Angeles Lakers Off-Court Drama -- Smacked!!!

Smack This: Eddie Griffin -- Eddie Griffin's career with the Houston Rockets has been one hell of a ride. Well, at least it has been so off the court. On the court, he hasn't done diddly squat to help the team. His eight plus points a game hasn't exactly made him an All-Star. It has however, made the Rockets wish that they had never made a draft day deal with the New Jersey Nets.

That's right. You remember that one. The one that sent Richard Jefferson to the New Jersey Nets, made one team a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference and sent another scratching its head. It would be bad enough in itself if Griffin was just a crappy player. No, he's a pretty crappy guy too.

Griffin, who already has an unsettled marijuana charge against him in the state of Texas, has apparently gone a step further in his case to become the NBA's biggest idiot, which says a lot in the NBA. Apparently, and none of this is fact as of yet, Griffin beat and shot at a woman that claims to be his girlfriend.

Joann Romero called police on Saturday and accused Griffin of punching her and shooting at her. She was later treated at a hospital and released for what the police report said were "serious injuries" to her face. Nice! Great job Eddie. Not only do you suck on the court, but you suck off of it as well.

What is wrong with these people? I know I have gone into this rampage before, but these guys have everything handed to them on a silver platter and they throw it all away time and time again. They get the money. They get the fame. They get the women. They get it all. Then, they screw it up. It never ceases to amaze me how retarded some of these guys are.

Eddie -- get a clue my friend. I can tell you one thing. Jeff Van Gundy may never sleep, and hang by the ankles of seven footers but he won't put up with a bad guy in his locker room. Eddie Griffin has one foot left in the NBA while the other sits it anonymity.

Eddie Griffin -- Smacked!!!

Smack This: Final Thoughts From MLB -- On one hand it's sad to see the MLB season come to an end, yet on the other hand I am still ecstatic about what happened in Game Six of the World Series, with the Florida Marlins becoming world champions. I almost couldn't believe my eyes. The Marlins were jumping up and down like human pogos on the same mound that Mariano Rivera had stood and closed game after game.

Look, Joe Torre has made mistakes before and his team has bailed him out. The wrong guy has gotten the big hit, the wrong pitcher has gotten the big out, and all has been peachy. Not this time Joe! The fact that Mariano Rivera stayed in the pen while Jeff Weaver of all people, trotted to the mound, is a definite reason that the Yankees are in mourning right now. The fact that Aaron Boone couldn't get a pop fly with the bases loaded in that eleventh inning of Game Four is also a reason they are home right now. Quite possibly most of all, the fact that Alfonso Soriano's strikeouts created more wind than Hurricane Gloria back in 1985 may be the reason that the fish weren't squished in the Bronx.

The question is what will happen now with the Yanks? You know that right now as we speak, somewhere in Tampa, Brian Cashman sits with an angry "Boss" and a meeting to discuss the fate of the team is ongoing. What will they decide?

All I know is that this current Yankees team is a far cry from what we saw in 1996. This is not the same heart, grit and guts that we saw with Jim Leyritz, Tino Martinez, and David Cone. Whatever they do, whether it be getting a Guerrero or a Tejada, trading Soriano for a top flight pitcher, or begging Roger Clemens not to retire, they need to bring the spark back to not only the Yankees bats, but to their bench.

What about the Red Sox firing of Grady Little? What did you make of it? Sure, we knew he wasn't going to be the team's manager, especially after his comments about the city treating him like crap, but were the Sox really honest about why he is gone? In both the press conference as well as the comments in the Boston papers, Theo Epstein and company talked about "going in a new , long term direction." Did they bring Grady in, planning to get rid of him after a year? I highly doubt it. We all know that Little is gone because of that Pedro incident in the eighth inning against the Yanks, and hiding from it doesn't fool anyone. Get a grip!

MLB Season Ending Activity -- Smacked!!!

One for the Road: The NBA season begins on Wednesday night and the Lebron James era begins as well. Through all of the Kobe nonsense and the "King James" hype, has anyone noticed how good the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks have gotten. That Western Conference will be tougher than ever this coming season.

Hit me up with feedback at eSports (click the Write the Editor link) or on my homepage at http://www.suite101.com/myhome.cfm/theycallmethecloser. Come on and click that link already! You can't possibly agree with everything I say!

See ya' all next time folks! Until then, don't be the one who's smacked!