Video of DJ Byrd's Heady Timeout Play Last Night

For those who missed it because they were asleep or watching the meaningless Sugar Bowl or taking in the latest Batman movie -- or for those who just want to enjoy it again -- click below to see video of DJ Byrd doing what hustling Purdue seniors do.

Damian Johnson Throws Down The Gauntlet

Quite simply, Damian Johnson thinks Purdue isn't as talented as everyone makes them out to be. In fact, he thinks Minny is just as talented. Ready to accuse us again of taking something out of context or "reading into" something? Here's the story and here's the money quote:

"They get pubbed up a lot and I just don't feel ... I feel like we're just as talented as them," he said. "In my opinion, they're a good team, but to me, they're not as talented as people believe."

It's rare that guys say things like this and then almost immediately have the chance to back them up, but tonight is that chance. Minnesota might provide Damian is right. But even if they do, this seems like a dumb thing to say.

Damian, just out of curiosity, have you ever been hit by a train?

(Thanks to multiple readers for pointing this out in multiple mediums.)

Todd Jones Is A Teeny Bit Sensitive

I have to say, I think Todd Jones is being a little bit too sensitive in his teammate being called a "scrub" by a SF reporter. The Big Lead has this story where Jones, who writes a column for the Detroit Free Press (in his spare time between cheeseburgers, I guess), absoluely lambasted Henry Schulman -- the columnist in question -- who had the temerity to write the following:

Adding to the wickedness was the fact that Sanchez was beaten not by one of Detroit’s high-salaried thumpers, but a .219-hitting scrub named Ryan Raburn, who pinch-hit for Kenny Rogers in the eighth inning …

Jones -- who apparently has a crush on Raburn -- flipped out in his column and defended Ryan's honor:

Isn’t that a little harsh? I can’t think of anybody who has ever played in the major leagues as a scrub — not even Bob Uecker. Sure we’ve got thick skin, and reporters don’t bother us for the most part … But when it’s a personal attack on a guy’s ability or perceived place in this game, enough is enough. I’d rather be a scrub than be a guy who sits on the sideline and watches what happens and then writes about it.

Whoa, easy there, big fella. When you had an 8.24 ERA with Colorado in 2003, do you know what they thought you were? Yeah, that's right.

Also, when will athletes give up that whole, "I'd rather be the guy playing than some loser watching and writing about it" baloney? I mean, seriously? Are you that stupid, Todd? (Wait, don't answer that.)

For the bajillionth time, if nobody wrote about you and your buddies playing a kid's game, then your fat ass would be sitting in a lawn chair in your gravel driveway in Marietta, Georgia while you chewed tobacco and crushed beer cans against your forehead while wondering if the next tornado would uproot your single-wide from the cinderblocks it's sitting on.