Today's Best - 12.12.07

5. Arthur Blank - Arthur Blank now has a built in excuse for anything he does in his life from now on : "trust issues". Earlier this year he was burned by his Pro-Bowl, franchise quarterback, Micheal Vick who he reportedly trusted and treated like a son and is now serving a 23 month sentence for his role in a dog-fighting enterprise. On Wednesday Blank spoke about his disappointment in coach Bobby Petrino saying that the best way to describe the teams feeling is "betrayed". The betrayal comes from Petrino's decision to leave Blank's Atlanta Falcons to take the vacant coaching position at the University of Arkansas. Just earlier in the week Blank was singing his adoration of his first year coach from the mountaintop that is the booth on Monday Night Football. I think the 65 year old Blank should take this opportunity to have second mid-life crisis, and go out and engage in all sorts of debauchery, nobody will be able to point the finger, he has trust issues!

4. The Struggling Houston B-12 Market - Miguel Tejada was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Houston Astros in exchange for five minor league players. The former MVP has turned into the most glorified singles hitter in baseball (.442 Slugging in 2007) and has even lost his Ironman mystique after cracking a bone in his wrist last season, forcing him to miss 29 games. Also of worry is Tejada's diminishing range at the shortstop position especially making plays going to his left. I don't know if it's just me, but every time am watching an Orioles game or an All-Star game that Tejada has been involved in he is ALWAYS stretching, I thought that this would aid in his range at short, but now that I think about it he is probably wrapping up his lunge stretches as dribblers are being hit up the middle.

3. Willie Mays' Legacy - Aaron Rowand has agreed to a five year - 60 million dollar deal to patrol center field in San Francisco. Although nobody can deny the incredible season that Rowand had in the Phillies outfield, and it is clear that Rowand will be an upgrade to the combination of Dave Roberts, Randy Winn and Rajaj Davis that patrolled the position last year, Ii think after the length of the contract both Willie Mays' legacy as the best Centerfielder in baseball history and more importantly in Giants history will remain intact. This however could change if fans and analysts alike begin to count broken bloody faces as a result of making plays in the center a hall of fame caliber stat. If this is the case, Rowand may already have an insurmountable lead.

2. NBA Technical Foul Fund - In the Bulls/Pacers game Troy Murphy and Tyrus Thomas get into a scrap. After being forced to the ground by Murphy after grabbing a rebound and retaliating with a punch to the face. After the ensuing scrum between the two teams, officials awarded Murphy his second technical foul of the game and gave Tyrus Thomas a double technical. Added to an earlier technical foul received by Pacers coach Jim O'Brien this leads to a hefty chunk of change for the technical foul fund. Jermaine O'Neal said of the incident "We appreciate Murph getting thrown out of the game, getting us going." It's kind of difficult to tell if this is a compliment or a put-down, just for the sake of controversy, I'll go with put-down.

1. Carlos Boozer's Elbow - I'd like to applaud what has been reported as an accidental elbow to the face of Steve Nash delivered by Carlos Boozer. The blow chipped Steve Nash's tooth late in the first half and forced Nash to play the entire second half with an oral affliction. I would like to believe that the elbow was targeted and on-purpose. It is time that someone stood up and made sure that Nash remembers the lesson taught to him by Robert Horry last year. That lesson: "Yea, you could run around and make your jump-passes and shoot your threes, and steal MVPs but when it comes down to it, you'll have to out-physical the rest of us to win a championship." Nash went on to finish the game with 29 points and 11 assists while going 10-12 from the field in a Suns 103-98 win, which goes to show you, he refuses to learn his lesson and is a glutton for punishment.