General: Weekend Sports' Update

I interviewed Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr... well, if you really believe that, then you won't find this interview funny.

Also, we'll look at the NBA, which starts training camp this week, and much more, and that means a lot of football.

Let's get started...

* The NBA starts training camp next week wow the time flies. Some people like Shaquille and Jermaine O'Neal think the Detroit Pistons got lucky because every team had one injured star player that they played in the playoffs.

No one on the Pistons used Chauncey Billup's knee injury as the reason the NJ Nets knocked them out in '02-03. That and Rasheed Wallace had a bad foot that he played with last year, along Rip Hamilton having to wear a Phantom of the Opera mask. That and the Pistons didn't have a guy like Kobe turning the ball over by constantly doing dumb things like trying to dribble through three people instead of a passing it, nor a guy like Ron Artest committing dumb fouls in crucial moments. That and the Pistons had depth because they didn't spend all their money on one or two players. That and they played like seasoned veterans, unlike Reggie Miller, who went up for a lay-up instead knowing in the waning seconds of Game 2 Eastern Conference finals because dunking the ball would've given him a better chance of it not getting blocked by someone and tie the game. That and the Pistons played great defense, thus allowing their opponents to score less points than they did to put it simply.

* Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson looks like OJ Simpson with his frame and running style. I mean that as a compliment and referring to OJ's football playing days.

* Country music singer Tim McGraw is in the new movie about high school football called "Friday Night Lights." You might not recognize him without the cowboy hat. Also, Detroit Lion emerging star rookie receiver Roy Williams is in the movie too. You might not recognize him on a championship team.

* Wannabe me Mel Kiper Jr. report by talking about a player know has ever heard of: Louisiana Tech halfback Ryan Moats might be the best running back in the country. 236 yards vs. ranked Fresno St. Saturday.

* People like to rip the Big Ten saying the league's best player is Ohio St. kicker Mike Nugent is the best player in the league. Thus, forgetting about Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards and Purdue quarterback Kyle Orton, both who might be first round NFL picks. Also Minnesota running backs Laurence Maroney and Marion Barber. Wisconsin's Anthony Davis is another name.

The top teams in the Big Ten won't be beat 34-10 at home like Tennessee was either.

* Speaking of Tennessee being blown out, the best audible-caller in the NFL, Peyton Manning, needs to comeback to his alma mater to teach the two freshman QB's to call the right audibles, ones that won't result interceptions.

But how about Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell, his name needs to be put up for Heisman consideration after that game. Every crucial pass he had to make was on the money. Maybe him and their half back Cadillac Anderson can be the first two players on the same team to be in the Heisman running at the same time.

* I interviewed Michigan football Lloyd Carr on the 50-yard line during one of their practices because I have a void in my life where no one was giving me short harsh answers and dirty looks, nor trying to avoid me when I try to talk to them.

Me: Were you a big fan of Jimmy Stewart growing up?

Lloyd Carr: Now why would you ask me a stupid question like that.

Me: Because based on the way you look and talk people think you two are the same person.

Lloyd Carr: (Staring at me angrily. Walks away.)

Me: But Lloyd I have more questions. Lloyd? I like Jimmy Stewart. It's a Wonderful Life was a great movie. Lloyd?

* Baltimore Raven running back Jamal Lewis plea bargained on conspiracy to distribute cocaine charges. He will serve six months of jail time behind bars next spring instead of a possible 10 years or more behind bars. Now I am convinced the government is really winning the drug war and, also, writing a joke that wrote itself basically.

The Colts are riding high. Their bend but don't break defense actually more like bend and maybe get a little lucky defense came through for them yesterday. Their entire offense should be the representative for the AFC team in the Pro Bowl.

* Billy Volek, even though the Tennessee Titans lost, is the best backup QB in the world he scored 17 points for my fantasy team yesterday. Betcha Arizona, Cleveland, Washington, Oakland and Green Bay wished they had him right now.

* Saw Detroit Piston Darko Milcic on the cover of the Detroit News sports section reading to kids at a charity event!? Does he know English well enough to be reading to kids? Anyway, I covered one of those Piston reading/charity things once about a year and a half ago and was one of the few reporters there, that and my weekly Detroit publication didn't run my article, nor did hardly any other local paper give the event much mention, if any. Now, the local Detroit media is jumping all over the Pistons bandwagon. Hope this extra attention doesn't mean I can't get a $10 dollar ticket and sit almost anywhere anymore at the Palace of Auburn Hills.