Chicago Bulls to Coach Skiles; Merry Christmas, You're Fired

The holidays can be tough on some people. It can be a very stressful time with all the running around, chaotic shopping crowds, and inclement weather. Thankfully for the struggling Chicago Bulls head coach Scott Skiles, he'll have plenty of off time to recoup. Off to a dismal 9-16 start the Bulls have fired Skiles, with no replacement in the wings.

Skiles took the head coaching position in Chicago 5 years ago and lead the Bulls to their first post-Jordan playoff appearance in his first full season. Last season the Bulls overcame a disappointing start to advance to the Western Conference semi-finals before losing to the Detroit Pistons in 6 games.

However with the raised expectations, and another poor early season performance, Skiles was shown the garland adorned door. Well, so much for the holiday spirit.

Game 36: 12/23/07: Penguins 4 - Bruins 2

In their final game before the Christmas break the Penguins put together a victory, beating the Boston Bruins at home 4-2. It was a milestone night, as the Penguins sold out their record 31st straight game at the Mellon Arena, Sergei Gonchar picked up his 400th career assist, and Georges Laraque's 50th career goal turned out to be the game winner.

After a rough game against the Islanders on Friday night, giving up 4 goals on 20 shots, Dany Sabourin was given the night off and Ty Conklin got the call. It was Conklin's second start of the season since being called up following the Marc-Andre Fleury high ankle sprain.

The Bruins PJ Alexsson opened up the scoring, taking advantage of a Evgeni Malkin turnover and beating Conklin only minutes into the 1st period.

But it was the Penguins who came out flying in the 2nd. Erik Christensen feed Georges Laraque behind the net, who found Gary Roberts in the crease for the tying goal.

Later in the 2nd on the power-play, Evgeni Malkin's slapshot found it's way over the shoulder of newly acquired Bruins goalie Alex Auld, and giving the Penguins the lead.

30 seconds later Georges Laraque increased the lead to 2 goals, crashing the net and deflecting a Roberts pass Auld.

In the last minute of the 3rd, with Auld pulled for a 6th skater, the Bruins pulled within one on a Petteri Nokelainen goal.

But when Sidney Crosby's bad angle attempt at an empty net goal hit the post, Gary Roberts was there to pick up the puck and burry it into the net to put the game away.

Conklin stopped 28 of 30 shots, picking up his 2nd win on the season.

It was the play of the Penguins 3rd line of Laraque-Roberts-Christensen that made the difference. Collectively they had 3 goals and 4 assists.

Brooks Orpik found himself a healthy scratch again, the 3rd straight game. The Penguins have had one too many defensemen since the call up of Kris Letang, and lately it's been Orpik who has been the odd man out. As explained by Rob Russi in this mornings Pittsburgh Tribune, Orpik's been upset about the recent scratches, especially in Boston where he had purchased tickets for family and friends.

With the win the Penguins jump to the 3rd spot in the incredibly tight Altantic Division, which sees only 5 points separate the first place New Jersey Devils and last place Philadelphia Flyers.

After a Christmas break the Penguins will welcome the Washington Capitals to the Mellon Arena on Thursday evening. The two teams have played once this season, with the Penguins skating away with the 2-1 victory in Washington.

Chris Simon Recieves 30 Game Suspension

In another notable suspension handed down from the NHL league office, New York Islanders Chris Simon has found himself with a some mandated time off around the holidays, and a good deal after that. Simon, who already has a storied history with the leagues disciplinary committee, received a 30 game suspension for a stomping incident that occurred Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In the 3rd period, down 3-2, Chris Simon slue footed Penguins irritator Jarko Ruutu and then proceeded to stomp on Ruutu's foot while he laid on the ice. Simon received a 5 minute major penalty and a game misconduct for intent to injure. Ruutu hobbled off the ice, but was able to return to the game.

By this point the league office probably has Simon on the speed dial. It was only 9 months ago that he received a 25 game suspension after he took a baseball swing with his stick at New York Ranger Ryan Hollweg's face. Saturday night's incident happened in only Simon's 26th game returning from the suspension. But those are just the most recent of 7 suspensions Simon has totaled.

1997 - Suspended 3 games after directing racial epitaph towards Edmonton Oilers Michael Grier
2000 - Suspended 1 game after cross checking Penguins Peter Popovic in the throat
2001 - Suspended 2 games after elbowing Ander Eriksson
2004 - Suspended 2 games for cross checking and then jumping on and punching Tampa Bay Lightning's Ruslan Fedotenko
2004 - Suspended 4 games for kneeing Dallas Stars Sergei Zubov
2007 - Suspended 25 games for swinging stick at Rangers Ryan Hollweg
2007 - Suspended 30 games for stomping on Penguins Jarko Ruutu

Flordia State Players Face Suspension For Online Cheating Scandal

Cheating is all the rage in sports recently. Sure, gaining an edge on an opponent has probably always existed, from pitchers doctoring baseballs to bosses stacking inner-office basketball games in their favor. But this year, cheating has been taken to a new level, and as many as 20 Florida State football players are reminding everyone that it need not be defined to the actual realm of sports. It can occur, I don't know, say in an online college class.

According to a report from ESPN.com's Mark Schlabauch, as many as 20 football players at Florida State, as well as student athletes from other sports, will face suspensions following an investigation into a cheating scandal revolving around online courses. If the football players are suspended they can not participate in the teams New Year's Eve Music City Bowl against Kentucky, along with the first 3 games of the 2008 season.

I'm a little caught off guard about this, because before now I just kind of assumed that the players actually did not participate in any classes. In the ol' days I believe they just focused on what's most important, football, and their teachers just passed them on.

I don't know just how much I can add to this story, but I should say that I have some own personal experience in the temptation of academic cheating. Once in first grade during a spelling bee the bonus word was "baseball". Well, being the same obsessive sports fan I am today, only 2 1/2 feet shorter and with a Mario Lemieux poster on my wall (actually who am I kidding, I still have 66 on my wall), I was wearing a baseball t-shirt that had the word "baseball" spelled out clearly on it.

Sadly I must admit I gave in to the temptation and cheated off my apparel, and I still carry the guilt for it to this day.

Now It's The Players Turn

The aftermath of the Mitchell Report has seen several phases. The initial was directed at the actual names named in the report. Next all eyes turned to the evidence behind the claims. Now all attention is on the actual players. Who is going to step up and admit to performance enhancing drug use? Who will fight the claims of the report?

First to act was the biggest name on the list, Roger Clemens. Before the sun fell on the day that will forever be remembered in baseball infamy, a Clemen's representative issued a statement adamantly denying any use of PEDs by the 45 year old 7-time Cy Young Award winning pitcher.

But next came Andy Pettitte, who admitted to using human growth hormone while rehabbing an elbow injury in 2002. This admission does significant damage to Clemen's defense, and gives credibility to the testimony of personal trainer Brian McNamee, who named Pettitte and Clemens in the report.

Back immediately after the initial reaction to the report, when everyone began sifting through the evidence, the name brought up most to discredit the report was that of Brian Roberts. They attested that mere testimony and no actual evidence other than that should not have landed Roberts in the report, and used him as the primary example of the flaws of the Mitchell Report.

However, in an interview in this mornings Baltimore Sun Brian Roberts came clean, admitting to using steroids in 2003.

MLB player turned ESPN analyst Fernado Vina was also named in the report and has publicly owned up to use of HGH. Vina claims to have only used the substance on one occasion, a common theme amongst the admissions of those named in the report. However, the report included 3 checks, from March of 2003 through July of 2005, from Vina to Mets clubhouse boy and steroid dealer Kirk Radomski.

Ex-Red Sox reliever Brendan Donnelly was named in the report for having a telephone conversation regarding steroids with Radomski, and then later receiving steroids in 2004. He has admitted to talking with Radomski about Anavar, a steroid, but claims he never received or used the substance after learning it was classified as a steroid.

Add ex-Arizona Diamondback Alex Cabrera to the list of those denying the Mitchell Report, as well. Cabrera was named in the report for allegedly having a package of steroids delivered to the Diamondbacks clubhouse, but Cabrera claims to have nothing to do with it. In a statement on his Winter League teams website, the Caracas Lions, he suggests he is only an easy scapegoat for the Diamondback organization.

But that's only a handful of the 86 current and former players named in the 409 page report, where are the rest? Miguel Tejada, Eric Gagné, David Justice? And will those, like Pettitte and Roberts, who were named and have admitted use, now meet with the league and be more forthcoming? I don't know, but it seems as if the aftermath of the Mitchell Report may play out to be ever bit as meaningful and informative as it's release.