Today's Topics: Dolphins cut Chad Johnson

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Chad Johnson's on-field assets couldn't make up for the receiver being an off-field ass.

The Miami Dolphins released Johnson a day after the player formerly known as Ochocinco spent Saturday night in jail following an arrest on a domestic violence charge.

Yes, a person is innocent until proven guilty. And until now, Johnson's career has been colorful and controversial, but not full of mug shots.

Still, it was just a matter of time before such a publicity whore as Johnson would embarrass the organization.

As seen on HBO's Hard Knocks last week, Johnson was reprimanded by new Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin for using bad language during a press conference.

(Johnson also joked -- predicted? -- he would get arrested on his off day during the episode.)

If F-bombs earned admonition from Philbin, it's little surprise an arrest warranted a release.

Kudos to the Dolphins for reversing field quickly.

But make no mistake, if Johnson's talents were as they were during his best years,  Miami would have offered the player another chance.

Perhaps Johnson being released by the New England Patriots should have been the first clue his skills had eroded, no?

It's a clue that likely will be ignored by yet another team Johnson can embarrass.

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The U.S. men's basketball team wins the Olympic gold meal.

Is that news?

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Friend and Star-Ledger (N.J.) MLB columnist Jeff Bradley hit the nail on the head with a Facebook post about Tiger Woods.

"Forget about anything off the course. There is no worse role model for young golfers than Tiger Woods, the way he flings clubs, curses and mopes around the course when things don't go his way. No respect for his fellow players."

That comment puts Jeff 2-under after one hole. :)

Today's Topics: Honey Badger, Dwight Howard & the Lakers, USA basketball

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Just had to break the news to my nephew, a diehard LSU fan, that the Honey Badger no longer lives among the Tigers.

His response: "If he transfers to Alabama, I'm going to drive to Alabama and slap him silly."

Ryan, Tyrann Mathieu probably didn't even feel the doctor's slap upon entering this world, so don't bother.

LSU coach Les Miles announced that CB Mathieu, aka Honey Badger, was kicked off the team and had his scholarship revoked for violating a team policy.

Mathieu can stay and attend classes at LSU if he pays his own tuition.

(Give me a sec, I'm still laughing after typing the previous sentence. ... Ahem. ... OK, let's resume.)

Last season, Mathieu was suspended for a game after reportedly failing a drug test.

Something tells me we haven't heard the last of the Honey Badger. The only question in my mind is: Will the next story about Mathieu involve his transferring from LSU or his being arrested?

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Just saw a headline about the U.S. men's basketball team being on the verge of winning the Olympic gold medal.

Yawn.

Let me know if they lose. Otherwise, I have little interest.

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So Dwight Howard goes to the Lakers and joins Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Pau Gasol and Jack Nicholson.

Before people start guaranteeing a Lakers-Miami Heat NBA Finals in 2013, let's play some games. L.A.'s Fab Four (sorry, Jack) isn't exactly comprised of youngsters. 

If giving the stars some needed rest and/or injuries creep in during the regular season, home-court advantage throughout the playoffs won't be a given. 

That would make winning a playoff series against Oklahoma City or another Western power less than a sure thing for the Lakers.

Today's Topics: Sports heckler, Sabathia, Dong

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Relaxing at home Friday night enabled me to catch some interesting sports sights on TV.

1. He's baaack!

When I flipped on the Marlins-Nationals game, the camera was focused on Miami batter Donovan Solano. 

But wait a sec, that looks like Robin Ficker sitting a few rows behind the Marlins dugout?

Don't know who Robin Ficker is? Well, he became a nationally known heckler when he attended Washington Bullets games. His verbal assaults were directed at the opponents. He was loud, could be clever and didn't limit himself to NBA events.

To me, Ficker fell under the category G.A.L (Get A Life). I was shocked to learn that Ficker apparently was an attorney -- so he should have had half a brain.

A quick web search resulted in news Ficker has been attending Nationals games. In fact, he even got an autograph baseball recently from Rays manager Joe Maddon.

I guess Ficker continues to search for a life ... or attention ... or both.

2. C.C. not yanked

Switching to the Yankees-Mariners game, I found it a little strange seeing Ichiro Suzuki wearing the Pinstripes against his former team.

But then I saw something more unusual than that.

Despite giving up a two-run homer in the ninth inning, C.C. Sabathia was allowed to finsih what he started in New York's 6-3 victory. He earned his ninth complete game as a Yankee and 35th overall.

These days, it seems complete games are less common than no-hitters.

3.  China's Dong

Turned to NBC just in time to see a Russian bouncing up and down and quickly surmised Trampoline was an Olympic sport. 

Then again, if Synchronized Diving has a place at the Games, why not Trampoline?

Apparently, the Russian bounced and contorted his body sufficiently enough to earn a medal with one competitor to go. That competitor? China's Dong Dong.

Dong exploded onto the trampoline and proceeded to, as they say in golf, knock it stiff. He took the gold.  

Dong Dong. Sounds like a helluva Synchronized Swimming team.