Tuesday Thoughts

Yesterday, those in the Washington D.C.-area enjoyed a balmy record-high of 76 degrees. Although the temperatures in the area have since chilled to a mere 50 degrees, such issues of climate change have ramifications on the NFL and how teams adjust to the new conditions.

(1) Can the notion of the "cold weather team" (e.g. Pittsburgh Steelers) fade away in the NFL as global warming claims new territory? It could possibly fade in our children's viewing era. In spite of these changes, the best organizations are those that adjust readily to foreseen and unforeseen alterations. As for other sports, they will also be affected negatively by the addition to new and reintroduced diseases that were once only subject to tropical areas.

(2) From the balmy to the fuming, how on earth does Isaiah Thomas get away scot-free for his antics? There is an obvious double standard between player and coach discipline coming down from the league offices, as both have brought the game into disrepute. Back to the general manager, team president, and head coach, Isaiah Thomas. He allegedly told the opposition best player to avoid going into the lane. He also thought he was coaching the Nuggets, because he suggested who should be in the game with two minutes left. Thomas did nothing short of inciting riot on the court during the game and stink of hypocrisy afterwards. A real coach would've smacked Nate Robinson upside the head for going into his version of the Edward Petrossi fighting stance. He didn't throw out a white flag, because the players (namely, David Lee, who was the best healthy player that the Knicks had on the roster that night) he had on the floor didn't indicate as such.

Perhaps, it's true that actual Nuggets coach George Karl was sticking it to Isaiah Thomas for his hand in the tumultuous dismissal of former coach and Karl's close friend Larry Brown. Perhaps, Isaiah's Knicks may want to enter a YMCA elementary school league in which the score is not kept. That way, he won't instruct his youngsters to become savages that commit unnecessarily hard fouls just because the score is lopsided.

(3) And from the fumes to the spit. I am understating like the British when I say that Terrell Owens is a hypocrite and a scumbag. Did I mention liar? Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall is an in-your-face player who tries to match his talent with his mouth. PFT is all over the fact that TO cites a spitting incident prior to his professional career (he was the recipient) and how degrading it was in his children's book.

The $35,000 fine is a joke, and especially for someone who has pocketed $10 million this season. The player, one with a horrific reputation, spat on another player. Had the 1st quarter infraction been caught, TO, or anyone, would've undoubtedly been ejected. He didn't get ejected. With that said, why is there no suspension?

I don't know, but it might have to do with padding his league-leading 15 drops.

(4) And from the spit to ... "The Answer" whose value is still not yet known by one Billy King. AI was traded a few hours ago to the Nuggets for Andre Miller, Joe Smith, and two 2007 first-round draft picks. This is a bad trade financially (only $7 million from the expiring contract of Joe Smith and Andre Miller won't be off the books until 2009) and on the court, as Philadelphia loses Iverson for the Nuggets' third best player. Speaking of Miller, he'll cost in excess of $19 million over the next two seasons. That's in the region of Dalembert's earnings and just a million less than what Chris Webber will make in the 2007-08 campaign.

Good luck inking Iguodala in a couple of years.