08/13 Quickie: NFL Pre, Tiger, HOF

For those who care about NFL preseason games, a triple-header last night to kick off a long weekend of openers for every team:

*Slow start for the defending champ's 1st-team offense.
*The Cowboys offense still stinks.
*The Ravens offense looks pretty good.
*Jimmy Clausen didn't embarrass himself.

Honestly, it's all fluff. The starters play a couple of series, then it's all backups and players that will get cut inevitably. Tonight: McNabb debut for Redskins; Kolb's first game as clear QB1.

(Apparently, McNabb is not having an easy time executing Mike Shanahan's offense, so tonight -- even only a series or two -- could be a train-wreck. Expect lots of hand-offs.)

Yes, that would be Tim Tebow's NFL debut coming on Sunday. It will get more attention than any other preseason detail this weekend.

Tiger at the PGA: Only 3 back. OK, OK, not bad... Wow: Tiger has created expectations to the point where not sucking is reason to view him as a success.

MLB: What was more shocking -- the Blue Jays scoring 4 in the bottom of the 9th to beat the Red Sox or the Phillies scoring 4 in the bottom of the 9th to beat the Dodgers?

The big question isn't whether Chipper Jones will return this season (he most definitely won't), but whether this is the way his career ends, period.

MLB Fantasy Stud: Johan, who made fans momentarily forget about K-Rod by taking care of everything himself (10 Ks, 0 ER and -- naturally -- playing for my fantasy opponent this week.)

CFB Season Preview: Playboy magazine thinks that Ohio State will be national champs, beating Texas in the title game. Umm.... no. Oh, sure, OSU might make the title game, but they wouldn't beat Texas... or Alabama... or Boise State... or even Florida, should it come to that.

USA Hoops: Is it me or did the intramural scrimmage not showcase the team in the best light? Durant looked good, obviously, but otherwise I was underwhelmed.

NBA Labor Woes: Don't let yesterday's meeting fool you -- there is a lockout coming. The owners will win the battle to cut/cap salaries and the players might strike or get locked out, but they aren't going to win. It is really hard for NBA players to gain fan sympathy when the NFL system of no guaranteed contracts is something we've all gotten used to.

I find it quaint that LeBron, Wade and Melo showed up -- like their presence was going to dazzle the owner's side (either that, or that they are somehow populist supporters of the union, rather than mostly concerned that their own deals will be ripped up and replaced with much less).

Congrats to the new Basketball Hall of Famers, getting inducted tonight: Karl Malone (who redefined the power forward position, a foreshadow of FreeDarko's positionless revolution), Scottie Pippen (best sidekick ever?), Cynthia Cooper (all-time great women's player), the late Dennis Johnson and Gus Johnson, Lakers owner Jerry Buss (good timing) and legendary high school coach Bob Hurley.

Reggie Bush privately apologized to new USC AD Pat Haden? That's the first smart PR move Bush has made in this whole fiasco. Now, if only he would offer a public apology to USC fans.

Great hire by Georgia to poach Florida assistant AD Greg McGarity, who has strong personal ties to UGA and the experience of working in the best-run athletic department in the country.

-- D.S.