Random Observations on the Wonderful World of Sports

In the words of the great San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Scott Ostler, here are my deep thoughts, cheap shots, and bon mots:

---A week has passed, and A-Rod is still dominating the news. Get over it, people.

---In no way do I condone the use of performance-enhancing drugs, but the sad truth is that the vast majority of players used steroids. It truly was the Steroid Era, and it is time to move on.

---Any talk of placing an asterisk by Alex Rodriguez's name is nonsense. Much like Barry Bonds, A-Rod's accomplishments are unfairly diminished in the public eye. With or without steroids, A-Rod was and still is a superior talent. A-Rod should not have used PED's, but if you are going to place an asterisk by his name, you minus well place an asterisk by the numbers of Neifi Perez.

---On a scale of 10, I would give A-Rod's apology a 7 on the sincerity meter. He seemed to genuinely regret his actions, but it is hard to believe that he only used steroids for three years. And his attack on Sports Illustrated writer Selena Gomez came across as nasty and desperate.

---It was a fun All-Star weekend in the Valley of the Sun. The game was a slaughter, but Shaquille O'Neal's wildly entertaining performance on the court and on the dance floor made the game worthwhile. And once again, the slam dunk contest was spectacular.

---Nate Robinson is a deserving slam dunk champion. His dunk over Dwight Howard is one for the history books.

---LeBron has announced his candidacy for next year's dunk contest. Judging by his impressive slam at the end of last night's game, he has every intention of putting on a show.

---Memo to Craig Sager: You're covering the NBA All-Star Game, not a disco dancing party from the 1970's.

---Steve Kerr was an indispensable part of the Bulls dynasty in the '90's, and he seems to be a real nice guy, but he is making a series of dubious decisions as GM of the Suns. First, he puts Amare Stoudemire on the trading block. Then he fires Terry Porter halfway through Porter's first year at the job. I realize that Phoenix is not experiencing the same success that they experienced during the D'Antoni years, but Kerr is making a series of knee-jerk decisions that will only dig a deeper hole for this franchise.

---Does Dwayne Wade have some type of injury, or is he just trying to make a fashion statement with that flashy tape under his eye?

---You can almost see the air coming out of Duke's balloon. After a tough loss to the rival Tar Heels last week, Mike Kryzewski's club fell to Al Skinner's inconsistent Boston College team last night. The Blue Devils have star power with Greg Paulus, Kyle Singler, and Gerald Henderson, but I do not see this Duke team getting past the Sweet Sixteen.

---Quick shoutout to University of San Francisco head coach Rex Walters. Under his leadership, the shorthanded Dons put up a good fight against the mighty Gonzaga Bulldogs. It will take some time, but Walters will eventually lead the Dons to the NCAA Tournament.

---Matt Kenseth is your 2009 Daytona 500 winner. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......Whoa, I'm sorry, I just got a little sleepy there for a second.

---According to buddy Mark O'Meara, Tiger Woods is better than ever. I believe it. I would be shocked if Tiger isn't a strong contender at Augusta come April.

---And finally, Brett Favre says he's retired. David Letterman put it best: Is it really that time of year already?