Odds and Sods

Penn St. point guard Stanley Pringle has been charged by police for public masturbation in the University’s Pattee library.

The point guard allegedly sat behind the woman in the stacks, attempted to start a conversation with her and then began to masturbate.  He has been linked with a similar incident in a McElwain Hall stairwell.

Obviously, we feel for the poor girls involved.  But we must ask this question.  If Pringle plays again, does the incident stifle basketball commentary?

Surely, praising Pringle’s dribbling ability and penetration would now be out of bounds.  He cannot be said to be stroking it or to be holding the ball for a last second shot.  Can he feed the big man? Can he run a motion offense?  Pump fakes and facials are clearly out of the question.  What about reach-in fouls?

The Michigan High School Athletics Association will pay $7.4 million in fines and legal fees, after being rejected once again in a Federal Court ruling over a Title IX violation.

A group of Grand Rapids women filed the original lawsuit in 1998, claiming, rightly, that the MHSAA unfairly discriminated against girls basketball and volleyball players, by forcing them to play in a different season than in every other state to facilitate scheduling.

Title IX, passed in 1972, prohibits discrimination based on sex in any educational related activity.

“We are not going to offer any comment for at least the next week to 10 days,” the unfortunately named MHSAA spokesman John Johnson told AP.

The bulk of the assessed amount stems from legal fees and numerous appeals.

This is now $15.8 million in needless legal fees to protect idiocy, which could have gone to the children of the economically depressed state.

Liverpool and Arsenal had an Oscar and Felix feel.  Both clubs are each other’s bogey teams.  Arsenal’s Frenchified fancy dans cannot break down disciplined defenses and remain prone to adept counterattack.  Lump and pray Liverpool struggle when forced to play chess on the ground rather than checkers in the air.  The clash can create soccer nirvana or reaming vulgarity.  This 1-1 draw had a bit of both.

If a side should feel aggrieved, it is Arsenal.  They dictated the second half, only to shoot blanks.  The Carragher rules apply to Dirk Kuyt, who pulled Hleb down in the penalty area without reprimand.  Kuyt also picked this one match to maraud around the pitch like a crazed baboon, rather than remain oblivious.  The match could hinge on the Pool’s away goal.

Apparently, Avram Grant rowing down the straits on his sinister raft of skulls failed to shock the obstinate Turks, as Fenerbahce beat Chelsea 2-1.  The Dark Lord has vowed “not to rest” until the rematch next Tuesday, because he looked like he was sleeping well before.  The match is more tabloid fodder than demonstrative, however.  Expect Chelsea to close them out 1-0 next week at Stamford Bridge.

Roma tumbled without their talisman Francesco Totti, beaten 2-0 by Manchester United.  The two teams play a similar style, but United is the seven diamond version.  Isn’t Rooney overdue for his bi-monthly metatarsal injury