What, Me Worry?

Former New Jersey Net Jayson Williams is facing a re-trial on charges of reckless manslaughter related to his 2002 shooting of his chauffeur, Costas Christofi (at his 2004 trial, Williams was convicted of a lesser charge, but the jury hung on the reckless manslaughter charge). His lawyer has been trying to prevent the new jury from hearing what Williams did immediately after shooting Christofi. Here, according to a New York Times article, is what Williams' lawyer argued to the New Jersey Supreme Court yesterday:

On Monday, Mr. Williams’s lawyer, Joseph A. Hayden Jr., argued that the actions of Mr. Williams after the 2002 shooting stemmed from panic. He said that including such details as Mr. Williams’s removing his clothing; restaging the site to make it appear that the driver, Costas Christofi, committed suicide; and asking witnesses to provide false statements would be “enormously and potentially prejudicial to the jury.”

I am sure that is true, but isn't that sort of the point?

While I don't know what the law is in this area, I do find it surprising that two lower courts have sided with Williams and ruled that the actions described by his lawyer cannot be brought up in court. How those actions differ from those of a bank robber running out the door with bags of cash or, as one of the justices noted, a hit-and-run driver fleeing an accident scene, escapes me. If the question for the jury will be whether this shooting was an accident, it seems that evidence of someone desperately trying to cover up an "accident" is highly probative of that question.

A Different Kind of Flop

Here's one of the Freakonomics guys on the government's idiotic law banning gambling on the Internets. It's hardly surprising that politicians would target online gambling, given how well those alcohol and pornography bans have worked out.

Peace in Our Time

I've criticized the Hapless Bud Selig a good bit in this corner of the Internets, but I have to give him and MLBPA chief Donald Fehr credit for reaching a labor agreement well ahead of the deadline.

But he's still hapless.

Cry Me a River

You think you have it tough? No, you don't. You could be a high-level government official with life tenure who has to face the degrading spectacle of (gasp!) media coverage and public discussion of your work. The horror. The horror.

Studies in Ovine Behavior

When the congregation stops listening, it's time to start preaching to the choir. It better be a pretty big choir.

And why does anyone -- conservative or otherwise -- listen to this bozo?

A Chill Wind Blows

America is less American today.

The Military Commissions Act of 2006 became law on Tuesday. A majority of the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as the President of the United States, think it is acceptable for the President unilaterally to declare any one of us to be an "enemy combatant" and to deny us rights we have had for more than 200 years. No trial by jury. No habeas corpus rights.

There are other outrages in the bill, especially those relating to torture -- oh, sorry, I mean alternative methods. But it is stunning that so few seem to care that the President (and not just this President, but any President) now can simply detain anyone he wants for whatever reason he wants. And I do mean anyone. This law does not apply just to those found on a "battlefield," whatever that means anymore. Or just to terrorists, bad guys, those who don't look right, or those with the wrong-sounding names. It applies to all of us. You. Me. Every American bleeping citizen. Again, why do so few seem to care? Some are beginning to talk about a repeal campaign, but I am not optimistic.

Thomas Jefferson had it right in 1788, and it is no less true today. Shame on President Bush. Shame on those members of Congress (of both parties) who failed in their duty to check the powers of the executive and voted for this travesty. And shame on all of us for letting it happen.

Lightening Round II

Apologies for another posting gap. I had hoped to blog more, but Mrs. FCB failed again to win the lottery, so my plans to turn pro had to be put on hold for another week. But here is some of what I would have said:

• I love golf's anti-cheating culture, especially its self-reporting element. I'm sure it would not work in most other sports, and, yes, it sometimes leads to illogical and even unfair results. But if people think you have cheated -- or even might have cheated -- your fellow players never think quite as highly of you ever again (ask Vijay Singh). That said, this is ridiculous. An official witnessed the event, he was consulted, and he said nothing happened, even when asked a second time. A player cannot do more than that. Let it go, Jack.
• Sticking with golf, I am sorry to say that this announcement is at least 10 years too late. Arnold Palmer is by far the most important (not to say the best) golfer ever, but his friends and family did him no favors by not talking him out of playing in tournaments long before now.
• Let's beat the rush and start retching now.
• And speaking of winning the lottery...
• The next time you roll your eyes when you hear a Major League player acting like a Teamster when it comes to supporting the Players Association, remember the numbers you see here. Even though she may lose out on the $1 million accidental death benefit, Cory Lidle's wife will still receive nearly $170,000 per year as a survivor benefit. Union today, union tomorrow, union forever.
• I don't think what Steve Lyons said was particularly "racially insensitive," and standing alone it probably would not have gotten him fired. His comments a couple of years ago about Shawn Green not playing on Yom Kippur were worse, as was his mocking of the visually impaired man at the Mets game last week. The most offensive thing about all this is that the people at Fox apparently thought he was a competent announcer. He, Thom Brennemann, and Lou ("I had him in [Cincinnati/Seattle] and he's really an aggressive [hitter/pitcher/baserunner]" Piniella are the worst baseball announcing crew ever. Thank God Piniella is going back to managing.
• I will never think of the term "lucky stiff" in quite the same way again.
• Let's go, Mets!!

Never Buy Retail

More evidence, as if the Tigers' win over the Yankees was not enough, that it is not how much you spend, it is what you spend it on.

A Stopped Clock

I haven't changed my view of Tommy Lasorda, but I have to admit I kind of like the commercials he is doing for Major League Baseball promoting the playoffs and World Series.

Torre Torre Torre

Joe Torre got too much credit when the Yankees won, and he is getting too much blame now that the Yankees have ended a sixth straight season without a World Series title. Such is the life of a baseball manager. But how quickly they forget: 11 seasons; 11 playoff appearances; 10 division titles; 6 American League championships; and four World Series trophies. In comparison, during his nine-year tenure as manager of the Cincinnati Reds, Sparky Anderson won five division titles, four league championships, and two World Series trophies. I don't care what the payroll is, what Torre has done ain't easy to do.

Of course, as the old saying goes, you can't fire the team. But it would be just like George Steinbrenner to think that his team didn't hit against the Tigers or that his reigning MVP was less visible last week than Mark Foley because the overrated Lou Piniella wasn't around to fire up the team with one of his nonsensical rants.

Torre doesn't need advice from me, but here it is anyway: Take the money ($7 million owed for next season) and run. As far and as fast as you can.

Holy...

Sometimes, an apology just isn't enough.

A Pebble in the Pond

I have mentioned before my interest in reading obituaries and the interesting things you can learn about the lives of people who are otherwise unknown or who had some brief brush with fame.

Australian Olympian Peter Norman died earlier this week. Norman won the silver medal in the 200 meters at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968, but his claim to obituary fame comes from his inclusion in this unforgettable photograph. The obituary points out the little-known fact that Norman wore a badge on his uniform in solidarity with his fellow medalists, with whom he stayed in periodic touch over the years.

If I had to choose the 10 most significant and memorable pictures of the 20th century, that photo would make my list.

Time for Plan B

This is not good news. I was counting on Limbo being there for me, sort of like my safety school for all eternity.

And I feel really bad for all those dancers.