Congratulations to Oklahoma baseball coach Larry Cochell for raising the bar on racism and ignorance in baseball, completely obliterating the former mark set by John Rocker.

Cochell was doing an interview with Gary Thorne, as ESPNU broadcasted one of their baseball games. Before the telecast, he was talking to Thorne off-camera, and he called outfielder Joe Dunigan, a black outfielder, over. He praised him for staying in school. When Dunigan left, Cochell said to Thorne, “There’s no nigger in him.” He meant that as a compliment. And wait, there’s more… it gets better.

“There are honkies and white people,” Cochell explained. “And there are niggers and black people. Dunigan is a good black kid.”

What a sweet, sweet, man. First, he’s nice to enough to compliment the negro for staying in school, because every other negro is, of course, out selling drugs and robbing liquor stores. But Dunigan isn’t doing that, because he’s one of the good ones. What a beautiful sentiment.

And when he compared the term honkey to that other elegant word, I think that really shows how sensitive to the race issue that Larry Cochell is. He doesn’t single out just black people. He wants you to know that despite black people being enslaved for 400 years and discriminated against widely today, that he views the situations as equal. Such a fair-minded guy. He’s a hero.

Somehow, he has not been fired yet. He issued an apology, and I’d quote it here if it mattered. It doesn’t. That’s not the kind of thing an apology makes go away. You can’t sink an ice pick into someone’s chest and then be like, “Oh, hey… my bad, dog.”

It’s not the racism that shocks me. I know the attitude is out there that there are some good black people among all the bad black people. That exists way more than you’d like to believe, and it’s probably never going away. The fact of the matter is that there are a lot of people out there who saw this story on SportsCenter and thought, “Hey, the guy’s trying to compliment the kid, and it just came out wrong. The only thing wrong is that he actually used the n-word.”

That’s out there. And while it makes me feel sick, ill, and hopeless, if I got mad every time I suspected someone of having that attitude, I’d spend all day just breaking things over my head. The thing that’s actually shocking to me is that there’s someone out there who thought it would be OK to say that word. I mean, even David Duke knows that he can’t say the n-word. Fucking Klan members know that if they say it in public, they’re going to get in some heat. The fact that that someone thought it was cool to use that word… that he thought people would understand… That’s what I can’t wrap my head around. Just bizarre.

I don’t wish the guy a life of poverty and shame or anything, but you can’t just let someone say that. Don’t get me wrong, it makes me mad that he said what he said, but the fact of the matter is that there are a lot of fucked up people in America. Larry Cochell has a lot of company in RacistLand. If you want Larry Cochell to be hurt, fired, shamed, etc., well then you’ve got to wish the same on a lot of people… and that probably includes a lot of people you call friends and family members.

I’m usually hesitant to call for anyone to be fired. This isn’t like Paul Silas losing his job… he’s made his share of money, he can get work doing something else, and Paul Silas is going to be alright. But OU’s baseball coach probably doesn’t make a ton… and if you fire him, you’re fucking not just with him, but with his family, and eventually, probably his assistants, too, and their families, whenever the new head coach replaces them.

But that said, this guy has to go. Oklahoma University just cannot tolerate that. When I wake up, if this guy still has a job doing anything other than operating the Tilt-a-Whirl at the KKK Carnival, I’m going to be upset. I’m sorry, but no apology or excuse is good enough.

By the way, can someone people give me an example of a honky, and contrast that with a white person? I’m not sure of the differences. School me.

And I think he had to do it. If he just lets the “I wasn’t the one who got tired in the Super Bowl” line from Terrell Owens slide, he looks like a pussy… he looks like someone who isn’t the leader, who isn’t in control of the team. And if the Eagles want to succeed, he has to be. If he wants to be the man, he can’t just sit back while Owens is acting a fool. He’s got to show that it’s his team.

And it’s clear at this point that that is Terrell’s m.o. To act like he’s above everyone else. He doesn’t have to honor contracts. He doesn’t have to put in the work at minicamp. He doesn’t have to take any blame for the team not winning the Super Bowl. There’s something really bothersome about guys who want to act like an asshole, and still be the hero.

The Eagles just look like such a mess right now. Owens is threatening to sit out the entire year, McNabb has to respond to these lame-ass comments, Corey Simon and Brian Westbrook are holding out, and they can’t find anyone to take Freddie Mitchell… from the outside, it looks like a big clusterfuck. And I don’t know how they’re going to fix it.

If they end up just paying T.O., it looks like he’s running the franchise. It looks like he can do anything he wants, be it taking shots at McNabb or bailing out on his teammates in minicamp, and get away with it. A team just can’t have that. And if they don’t pay him, and he doesn’t play, they’re not making the Super Bowl. It’s going to be very difficult to have any kind of a passing game if Todd Pinkston is your #1 receiver.

The Terrell Owens era in Philadelphia isn’t looking real strong right now. If you don’t win a Super Bowl with him, it has to be considered a failure. That’s what he was there for, and it didn’t happen. And if he nearly singlehandedly manages to destroy all team chemistry in one off-season… well, that goes beyond failure. He’s an anchor around their necks right now.

Man, San Antonio brought the lumber last night. They flipped the Nuggets over and did them dry. If Game One was a statement for Denver, Game Two was an exclamation for San Antonio, and it ended with the word, “BITCH.”

Tim Duncan was much closer to his old self. For some reason, Denver ran multiple guys at him, instead of just Camby, and Timmy had something for each of them. And that helped Tony Parker, Brent Barry and Manu Ginobili find their games… passing is an underrated part of Duncan’s game. It’s somewhat worthless to double team him, because he’s going to score anyway, or find someone else for a 3.

Speaking of Manu, he came off the bench last night. Last year and the year before, when Manu was a little more out of control, and Pop was bringing him off the bench, it was a thing of beauty. Manu Ginobili is too good to be a 6th man, but in a lot of ways, he could be the best 6th man in the history of the NBA. He did it again last night, in an effort to get Brent Barry going, and it worked. Bones come out and found his stroke, and Manu came in, and for the Spurs, that’s like finding money.

Anyway, now it’s on Denver to respond. And I think they will. I don’t think they’ll win the series, but they’re not going to get blown out again right away. Home court is pretty big for them, with the thin air. I still like San Antonio in Game 3… they’re confident right now. As great a job as George Karl has done, in a matchup of adjustments between him and Gregg Popovich, I’m going with Pop.

Some reporter asked Popovich how Manu responded to coming off the bench. “He asked to be traded. In the off-season. And I said ‘No,’ and that was just the end of it. So he handled that pretty well, I thought, after the initial request.”

All with a perfectly straight face. Popovich is my kind of cat.

Man, how exciting is the NBA right now? Last year, through the playoffs, I felt like there was only one team playing at an elite level. Maybe two, before the Spurs lost on some .4 bullshit. But the Lakers were cracking, I didn’t feel like Minnesota was for real, Indiana was close, but not there… Detroit was the only team. But this year, there’s at least three teams playing at an elite level. Detroit, Miami, and San Antonio… and there’s a few other teams that are possibilities. If Tracy McGrady and Yao are indeed male, they’re going to be an elite team. Phoenix’s record says they’re an elite team (though I don’t buy it). Denver could be close.

And after that, you’ve got these teams in the East who look so good for the future. Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, and Washington have languished in sub-mediocrity for so long, it’s exciting now that they’re getting some talented young pieces in place who are starting to get it. At least two of those four, barring major mismanagement, are going to be excellent teams in a couple of years. It’s nice.

Elsewhere…

Just briefly about the Phoenix game. The Suns won, but they’re not winning a title. Period. The Grizzlies were successful in slowing the game down, and Memphis was getting any shot they wanted against the Suns, all night long. They had no answer for Pau Gasol. None. Without getting into details, credit Mike Fratello for adjusting from Game 1 to Game 2, and then the first half last night to the second half.

Seems a little strange to be complimenting Memphis after they lost, but… they’re an 8-seed, and they damn near left the 1-seed’s gym with a split. They should’ve. They missed three free throws in the last two minutes, and they still had a look at a game-tieing basket right at the end.

Memphis had the plan, but… they’re not a good offensive team. Not in terms of talent, or in terms of a system. They won’t play another team like that again.

The Pistons once again dismantled the Sixers, taking a 2-0 lead in the series. Quite similar to Game 1, actually. Sixers lead early, hang around for a while, but in time, it becomes crystal clear that they don’t have the horses to hang around for the full 48.

The Sixers actually had a pretty good game plan. They wanted to spread the floor, then penetrate, so they didn’t have to deal with Ben and Rasheed so much once they got in the paint. From there, it was on Iverson to score it himself, or hope the defense collapses and he can find Korver or Webber for a clean outside look.

Fortunately for the Pistons, they’re good enough on the ball that they can deny penetration most of the time, and can afford to leave a guy to just stick on Korver. They ran four different guys at Iverson: Billups, Tayshaun, Rip, and Lindsay Hunter. Billups was the only one who Iverson torched with regularity.

Now it goes back to Philly, where I don’t think the Sixers can take a game, but it’s possible. You never know when Iverson’s going to go off for 40, but I think the Pistons are about the best-equipped team in the league to limit that possibility.

There are times when Detroit doesn’t seem as invincible as they were last year. Maybe I’m expecting a little too much from them, maybe they just haven’t really turned it on yet, but… I think they’ll have their hands full against a team with more overall athleticism than the Sixers.

By the way, the highlight of the game, other than a stretch of ridiculous blocked shots by Tayshaun, Rasheed, and McDyess, was a technical foul on Darko. With 3 or 4 minutes to play, he got tangled up with Marc Jackson for a rebound underneath the basket. Jackson was shoving a little bit, nothing out of the ordinary. Darko pushed back, and ended up with his forearm up near the neck of Jackson, pushing him with a little aggression. When he was drafted, word was that he had a mean streak… I hadn’t seen it before tonight. How embarrassing would it have been for Marc Jackson to get his ass whooped by Darko?

I only caught the end of Miami/New Jersey, and didn’t pay a lot of attention to Seattle/Sacramento. I just want to reiterate again, though, that Inside the NBA on TNT is the best show on television. Not the best sports show, not the best studio show… the best show on television. I’m even liking Magic Johnson these days. That’s one of the best things about the playoffs to me… that I get way more Charles, Kenny, and EJ.

Sony’s unleashing a new football game this year, in light of EA’s exclusive rights to the NFL and NFLPA. They’ve decided to go in the complete opposite direction, and combine a football game with role-playing type game, and mix in a bunch of other stuff.

Basically, you start out as a guy who inerhits a football team from his father. Unfortunately, your father is in major debt to a Jamaican kingpin, and you’ve got to win games, and pay off the debt. Along the way, you also have to fight people, play poker and blackjack in back rooms, and bet with bookies.

I think it would feel a little more dangerous if they just made you the GM who has to take over the Redskins after they go 0-16, have no money coming in, are in salary cap hell, and can’t make LaVar Arrington’s paycheck every week.

The coolest thing about the game (because the rest of it seems kinda lame to me) is the Position Specific Gameplay. Just play as one guy, one position… that sounds fun to me. I’d like to learn to play safety or linebacker.

All in all… I’m not excited, though it could prove to be somewhat entertaining.. The screenshots look pretty slick. But I’m not going to rush to stores and buy it or anything.

Coach K has taken some criticism for his American Express spots, the ones that seemed to be on a continuous loop throughout the NCAA tournament. I forget exactly how they went, but the jist was something like this:

“Hi, I’m Mike Krzyzewski, and I am a wonderful human being. I care about my basketball players so much that I have all of their first and middle names tattooed somewhere on my body. I have invited them all into my home, cooked vegetartian lasagna for them, and offered to let them bathe with my wife, or with me if they wish, because I would never discriminate against homosexuals. And I will do the same for your child, provided he’s 6’10″, can rebound, and accepts Jesus Christ as his personal savior. I want your child to become as wonderful a person as I am, and American Express helps me do that somehow.”

Anyway, I guess some people got on Coach K’s back for capitalizing on a recruiting advantage that certainly isn’t available to anyone else. I never faulted Coach K for it, because I think any other coach out there would’ve done the same thing if they had the opportunity, but, that said… it is a little bit of an unfair advantage.

So Dick Vitale heard the criticism… AND HE’S NOT HAVING IT, BABY! He sticks up for Coach K, because of course, life is just so unfair to the guy. Dickie V also manages to somehow work A-Rod into the conversation, because, y’know, he needs a friend, too.

I get that Coach K is a great coach. I get that he’s accomplished a lot, and it’s fine for Dick Vitale to admire that. Hell, everyone should admire that. His track record is beyond reproach. But still… Vitale’s love of Coach K gets a little bit creepy. Why the hell is there an article sticking up for him, out of the blue, in the middle of April? It’s almost like they’re communicating through secret public love notes. I think it’s even exceeded Ahmad Rashad’s admiration for Michael Jordan, and that was no easy task.

I can see Dickie V sitting down for dinner with his family, saying Grace, and thanking the Lord for Coach K before he begins to eat. Before lovemaking with the wife, Dickie V probably slaps the floor and says, “I’M GONNA DO YOU LIKE COACH K WOULD, BABY!” It’s unhealthy.

Because he is the only man capable of solving the problem fairly and reasonably, Dick Vitale has come up with a way for the NBA to institute their 20-year age minimum, and still be fair to the kids.

A bit of a disclaimer: To say I was biased while reading this is a bit of an understatement. When I read the opening paragraph and saw that this would be about Dickie V’s plan to save the NBA and college basketball, I immediately assumed that it would be asinine. I don’t believe I was wrong in this assessment, but there’s my bias upfront, and if I’m wrong, you can feel free to let me know.

Here’s Dickie’s plan: The NBA appoints a panel of GMs, such as Jerry West, Rod Thorn, Larry Bird, Mitch Kupchak and Ernie Grunfeld, to evaluate the high-school players who want to go into the NBA. They, and they alone, decide which are qualified to enter the draft.

I think this is a terrific idea because 1) these NBA GMs don’t have enough work to do, and would probably appreciate the responsibility of having to decide for the entire NBA who is good and who isn’t, 2) NBA GMs have proven so adept at accurately judging high school talent, and it certainly isn’t the fault of NBA GMs that the league is in this situation to begin with, and 3) I’m sure that no GM would act in their own self-interest, I’m sure there would be no behind-the-scenes lobbying going on, and I’m sure we could all trust that this decision process would be on the level at all times.

The next step of the plan is for the selected high school players to choose whether or not they want to play in the NBA or go to college. Much like they can now.

Step three of the plan indicates that every other high school player that wasn’t selected has to go to college for three years. This is good because none of those players will have financial needs. Only the selected high school players are allowed to have financial need. Everyone else is assigned to be well-to-do for a period of three years.

I get that Vitale’s an entertaining guy, I get that he has a flashy on-air persona that the general public likes. I don’t always hate listening to him call games. But the fact that he gets paid to write, actually sit down and write, things like this… well, that’s a whole other issue. We should all be offended.

Fascinating night in the NBA. Extremely compelling.

Tracy McGrady stepped up huge last night in the series that I’m calling The Vagina Monologues. I’m calling it that because this series is all about who’s going to be a pussy, and who isn’t. Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming have made a career of it so far. If they can break the habit, they’ll win this series.

Last night, the lead vagina was Keith Van Horn. You can (and I would) make a very convincing argument that he cost Dallas the game last night. First, when he had two open looks with the score tied late in the game, and refused to pull the trigger both times, despite the fact that he was told to be ready to do just that. Then it was McGrady on the other end, with Van Horn’s man screening. It was his responsibility to step up and put his hand in his face, but he didn’t. He sagged back, made a skirt-a-rrific little lunge, and McGrady buried it. Game over.

But the story here is McGrady… I really feel like last night was one of the most exciting nights in NBA history. Tracy McGrady is starting to get it. If you like basketball, and you don’t hate the Rockets, you’ve got to be thrilled about that.

I’ve been as hard on Tracy McGrady as anyone. I’ve seen him refuse to play defense, outright dog it in Orlando, and absolutely hide from the ball in clutch times. I’ve seen him be way too satisfied with scoring 40 points and losing. But he’s showing signs that all of that is over. He’s accepting the fact that he’s the one with the talent, he’s the one with the responsibility. He’s accepting that, and acting on it.

I had my doubts, and I can’t say I’m 100% convinced yet, but… the signs are there. In the first half, he was assertive, he was aggressive, and he took it to the Mavs. Yao had a great first half, too, but a lot of it had to do with Tracy McGrady. He made Yao better. That’s another thing I’ve never seen T-Mac do before, is make another player better.

With 3:00 to play, the Rockets had six possessions left. Every time, the ball started out in McGrady’s hands. It was absolutely fascinating to watch… You were seeing someone grow up before your very eyes. I just can’t tell you how exciting it was. Anyway, on three of the possessions, Tracy McGrady passed the ball. All three of those times, the Rockets scored. I think in each instance, he might the right decision with the ball. Two other times, he shot and missed. On their final possession, with the score tied, the game on the line, he created, and he hit a jumper. He got some help from Keith Van Horn’s feminine moisture, but still… he had the confidence, he took the responsibility, and he hit the shot.

And not only that, at the end of the game, he asked to guard Dirk Nowitzki. Someone with McGrady’s height, strength, and athleticism could win the NBA’s defensive player of the year, every single year. It’s all about effort and desire. He was making hustle plays, breaking up fast breaks, etc. It was a joy to watch, and I don’t even like the Rockets.

I’m still not 100% convinced. But I am convinced that it’s at least starting to happen for him. I’m extremely happy for the guy.

Of course, you might think that’s odd, considering that I’ve been exceedingly hard on him. But I don’t see it as him really proving me wrong, but it’s him changing who he is. I’m not changing my tune. I’m not taking back anything I said. Listening to his post-game interview last night, McGrady sort of acknowledged that he has not manned up in the past, and that he’s doing it now. I think if he read everything I’d said about him, he’d agree with me that to this point in his career, he’d agree with my overall sentiment, if not the actual harshness. And I’m thrilled for him that he’s starting to get it.

And how amazing is it that it looks like Tracy McGrady will “get it” and become a team leader before Kobe Bryant will? I think the difference is just that Tracy is a real guy, who will admit some deficiencies, and with the help of a coach, work to overcome them. It looks like T-Mac is doing that right now, as we all watch. I don’t know if Kobe’s ever going to be able to do that, because his problems go beyond basketball. He doesn’t trust anyone. He doesn’t inspire trust. He doesn’t show vulnerability. He seems to want to make himself inhuman, above everything. A guy like that can try to be a leader, but no one’s going to follow.

And with all this said, I’m still not counting Dallas out of this series. Assuming that Avery Johnson doesn’t actually murder Keith Van Horn tonight, KVH shouldn’t see the floor in the last five minutes of a game again. It’s too late in the proceedings to give him another chance to prove himself. But Dallas has been an excellent road team this year… and it wouldn’t shock me at all if they took 2 in Houston.

Elsewhere…

The Pacers stole one in Boston last night, thanks to Reggie. It was a vintage performance from the man who’s ears make up 30% of his body mass. He was a virtuoso in the first half, and came back strong again at the end of the game to help the Pacers seal it.

Indiana really is a threadbare version of itself. The bad news is that they’re without Artest, Tinsley, and about half of Jermaine O’Neal… but the good news is that they are still the Pacers, deep, disciplined, and well-coached. That gives them at least a puncher’s chance.

They shouldn’t be able to hang with the Celtics. Talent-for-talent, they shouldn’t even be in the same gym with Boston right now. The difference between the two teams is that Boston is difficult to defend because of their athleticism and dynamic players… while Indiana makes themselves difficult to defend by working hard, moving without the ball, and running their sets. Indiana has a huge advantage in the coaching department.

That said, Boston should still be able to win this series. Indiana’s got just enough to hang with them, and somehow may be able to manufacture enough juice to win four games, espeically since their heading home with a split, and they’ve got one of the most substantial home court advantages in the league. They’re going to need it.

But I’m impressed with Boston. Their last draft, producing Delonte West, Al Jefferson, and Tony Allen, could go down as one of the best in recent memory. Antoine Walker looks at home in the green-and-white, and, of course, Paul Pierce is the baddest motherfucker on the court when he chooses to be. I was hard on Danny Ainge last year, and I’m seeing that I was too quick to judge. Individually, the moves seemed questionable, but in the bigger picture, he had a plan, and for the future, it looks excellent.

I really feel like this is his best chance at greatness. For the reasons stated above, he needs more than a coach, he needs a psychoanalyst. Phil Jackson, and only Phil Jackson, fits that bill.

Like I said, basketball isn’t the issue. The entire atmosphere around Kobe has to change, and I just don’t believe any coach other than Phil Jackson thinks like that. Getting Kobe to be a part of a team, on and off the court, is a challenge that I think Phil Jackson wants. Coaching a Kobe-led team to an NBA Championship would be the crowning achievement of his career… and I think he wants it. And I think the Lakers need it.

Of course, they’re going to have to pay about $10 million per for the opportunity. If it works, it’s worth that much times ten.

I can’t tell you how disappointed I am in the Arizona Cardinals. Gone is one of the league’s best uniforms, and in is this “We Wish We Were the Falcons” jersey.

It’s red, it’s white, it’s striped, and it features black piping. Yawn. Quick memo to NFL uniform designers… piping is for evening gowns and handbags. On NFL uniforms, it’s uselessness is exceeded only by its homosexuality.

It’s just so sad. The Cardinals had a clean, crisp, distinctive look, and they’ve replaced it with an attempt to look like every other typical team. I’m disgusted.