Weekly Sporties

-It is not at all uncommon to see professional athletes get traded during the season. At this point it is almost a tradition on baseball's trade deadline to have a camera focused solely on the guy who was held out of the lineup because he was the subject of trade rumors, just to be positive that someone will eventually get a picture of him going around hugging his teammates goodbye when he officially gets traded in the 5th inning. But as awkward as that day may be, at least that guy isn't playing. After all, teams don't want to risk someone getting hurt and voiding the trade before it even takes place. That is what made Mike Cammalleri situation so unique. Just one day after speaking up about the poor attitude in the Montreal Canadiens's locker room, saying that people around the organization had a "losing mentality", the team traded him in the middle of a game against the Bruins. After playing the first period they tossed Cammalleri in a cab and sent him back to the team hotel to grab his stuff because he was now a member of the Calgary Flames. I understand that Cammalleri's comments probably didn't make him any friends in the organization, but if you're a Montreal fan you have to question whether or not this was the best decision. It's one thing to get rid of a guy, it's another to be so anxious to get it over with that you do it before you've made sure you got the best offer. And 24 hours certainly doesn't sound like enough time to do much in the way of negotiating. Also, not that I want to agree with Cammalleri because I don't know much about the current state of the Canadiens, but I gotta say kicking a guy out just because he offered some criticism sounds an awful lot like loser mentality.

-There is a rumor going around that Red Sox captain Jason Varitek is planning to come to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, which basically means that he is back to trying out for the squad and has no guarantees of being with the team in any capacity. Reportedly the Sox want him to retire but 'Tek wants to keep playing. However, he also doesn't want to play for another organization, which really forces his hand. With Kelly Shoppach and Jared Saltalamacchia on the roster, Jason doesn't really have much of a chance to break into the lineup, so in my mind this is extra cruel by the Red Sox. They would be better off being honest, telling him that he doesn't have a shot and keeping him at home. All inviting him to camp is going to do is paint new manager Bobby Valentine into the corner of being the guy who had to cut the Captain and start him off on the wrong foot with fans. Frankly, I can practically see the depressing new conference in Florida. Given the way the Red Sox front office has already handled this offseason, they can't afford many more PR gaffes. Thank him for his years of service and great memories, offer to have "Jason Varitek Day" at some point this season and send him on his way. I know it sounds cold, but it may be the best thing for everyone involved.

-With Bill O'Brien headed to Penn State to take over as head coach once the season is over, the Patriots appeared as if they were going to have a job to fill this offseason. Well, they didn't have to look too hard because the guy that O'Brien replaced, Josh McDaniels, agreed to come back and be the team's offensive coordinator before the job ever officially became available. Admittedly, it is a little weird. McDaniels was fired Monday along with the rest of the St. Louis Rams staff, hired by the Patriots on Sunday and will be on the sidelines tonight as an offensive coach before taking the OC job back next season. Of course, since the Patriots are playing the Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow, the team that McDaniels used to coach, people around the league are crying foul, thinking that this gives the Patriots some kind of inside information. Now there is talk about implementing some kind of rule to prevent this kind of thing in the future. First off, it is not like the Broncos are still running McDaniels' offense (I'd love to see Tebow even attempt to pull off what Brady does). Secondly, it is not like teams don't do this with players all the time. Players are signed right before their new team plays their former team, pumped for information about schemes and released as soon as the game is over. Hell, the Broncos signed someone yesterday and he'll be in the lineup tonight, which to me makes a hell of a lot more impact than any coach could. Why do I feel like this is only an issue because the Patriots did it?

-I am usually the first guy in line to credit someone when they play hurt. I admire the toughness that it takes to go out when you are already in pain, knowing that it is only going to get worse. All I want in return is that you don't milk it. For the last few weeks Ben Roethlisberger has been playing with a severely hurt ankle. Initially thought to be broken, it turned out to just be a very painful high-ankle sprain. While he did miss one week with the injury, Roethlisberger came back to play the final game of the regular season as well as the Steeler's first round matchup against Denver. Again, admirable and tough as hell. But, at the same time I was really bothered by the fact that Ben was wearing two-different colored shoes. You see, because of the brace on his ankle, Roethlisberger had to wear two different size cleats. That part I get. But one cleat was black while the other was yellow. Am I supposed to believe that these were the only cleats Ben could find? Having worked for an athletic shoe company before I know damn well that when it comes to the professional athletes, shipping miracles can happen. Stuff that would take weeks to get to you or me arrives the next day. The only reason he would have had two different cleats is would be that he wanted to wear two different color shoes to remind everyone, "Hey, this is the ankle I hurt! Everyone, look how tough I'm being!" This is officially where you lose me. Look, you're already going to be praised all day for playing through pain, don't look for extra sympathy by feeling like you have to remind us that you're playing through pain. I've heard people say that Ben has been known exaggerate to how much pain he is in to try and look tougher, but I never believed it until he did everything short of attach a Post-It note with an arrow to his sock.

-This week the NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks made their celebratory trip to the White House to meet the President. It was a mostly routine affair and they even got Mavs owner Mark Cuban to wear a suit, which happens about once every three years. But, all was not totally well as Mavericks player (and D.C. native) Delonte West was denied admission, allegedly because he has a felony arrest on his record. At first, West seemed to take his denial in stride, saying "That's what happens when you make bad decisions in your life. You can't go to the White House." Of course, that was before someone pointed out that if that was really the case than a great number of athletes through the years (as well as a few politicians) shouldn't have been allowed in. West then decided this was just another in a line of examples of people holding his past against him and went a little crazy on Twitter, airing his grievances. I have a much simpler explanation about why West, whom I like very much and wanted the Celtics to re-sign, wasn't brought to the White House: He wasn't on the Mavericks last year and wasn't part of their Championship. Dude, you don't get to celebrate when you join after the games are over. That's not holding your past against you, that's just common sense. Everything doesn't have to be part of a larger plot.

-Just one event into the year and already people on the PGA are complaining about the pace of play. (For those of you who may not be into golf, allow me to explain: slow play on the golf course is one of those subjects that golfers can always pull out to get a debate going when they can't come up with anything else to talk about. Think of it like weather at a boring cocktail party - it's always there when you need it.) Along with the complaints about how long it takes to play a round of golf always come a few suggestions. For example, Luke Donald suggested that players should be lining up putts at the same time so that they can putt right after each other, saving about 30 seconds per player, per hole which would speed the entire affair by about a half an hour. It sounds all well and good, right up until the time when someone complains about another playing lining up their putt in the first guy's field of vision. When stuff like that happens etiquette will always trump speed. The other problem with slow players is that often they refuse to acknowledge how slow they are. That's why I want to see the Tour threaten to put something ridiculous put into place, like posting times next to scores. Guys that take over a set amount time to play a round will get a penalty. Since most of these guys are independent contractors the only place you can hurt them is their wallet. But, hey, if they start fining guys for taking too long, the upside is that players like Kevin Na will finally be able to say they lead the Tour in at least one stat.

-When it comes to sports, time passes in dog years. What was a major controversy at the time feels like it happened in a passed life just one year later. For example, by now most people have forgotten that at about this time last year Cam Newton was in a lot of hot water with the NCAA because it certainly looked like his father tried to get some money from boosters in exchange for guarantees that Cam would go to one school over another. (A Rookie of the Year season in the NFL will go a long way to erase such memories.) Still, to make sure they never have another situation like that ever again, this week the NCAA passed what is unofficially known as the "Cecil Newton Rule." Basically it states that in addition to players being unable to take improper benefits, they will also be ruled ineligible if any relatives, close friend or other acquaintances are found to have taken improper benefits from a booster in exchange for influence with the player. It's a good rule, one that prompted the same reaction throughout most of the land: "Wait, why wasn't that already illegal?" The NCAA, ladies and gentlemen - Better late than never!