Canes broadcaster should be canned? Fact

1. Lamar Thomas, University of Miami TV analyst, deserved to be fired by Comcast after his… 1. Lamar Thomas, University of Miami TV analyst, deserved to be fired by Comcast after his comments about the Miami/FIA brawl.

Dave Siegal: Fact. Thomas vociferously encouraged the disgraceful fight in Miami to swell up without any regard to the dignity of college football. The University of Miami was gracious enough to welcome Florida International to begin a little intra-city series, mainly because venerated Miami sports figure Don Strock is the coach. Everyone from Strock to Thomas knew this was a guarantee game on the Hurricanes’ behalf, and while it was unfortunate for these kids to be fighting away from the action, there was absolutely no need for Thomas’ comments.

Dave Thomas: Fact. And mainly because he has disgraced the last name Thomas and I just can’t let that go. His comments were unbelievable. He suggested that the teams finish the brawl outside of the stadium. He was talking like he was sitting on his couch with some buddies and not like he was in a booth as a journalist. He also said that no one comes into the Orange Bowl and talks smack – yeah because no one can get a word in on all the thugs that the “U” puts out on the field. This just goes to show what kind of program is really being run down there and it has been going on for too long (Thomas, a former Hurricane, proved he would have done nothing different when he played). He definitely deserved to be fired, and the NCAA should come down hard on Miami.

2. WVU deserves to be higher in the original BCS standings.

DS: Fiction. Yes, the Mountaineers have been toying with their opponents so far, but none of them have been ranked and only Maryland has a respectable record at 4-2. WVU should be thankful that they are even in the top seven, let alone the top five. Yes, all of the other teams in the top fifth of the BCS have faced one or two patsy opponents, but WVU Athletic Director Ed Pastilong needs to make a concentrated effort to get his team to duke it out with the big boys from the start. While the Big East is not the Big Ten, it is strong enough that it’s not necessarily the MAC, either.

DT: Fact. I’m tired of the whole they-haven’t-played-anybody talk. They are currently fifth behind Ohio State, USC, Michigan and Auburn. Auburn is the only team ahead of them that has lost a game and should be behind the Mountaineers. The team can’t control who is or isn’t on their schedule. All it can do is go out and win, and it has done just that. The AP Poll has Auburn at eight and the USA Today has them at seven. Also, I know it doesn’t really matter, but just for the simple fact that WVU dominated the Sugar Bowl last year with much of the same guys this year, it should get the benefit of the doubt that it can beat big time opponents. WVU should be fourth and not fifth.

3. The Steelers are officially back after their big home win against Kansas City.

DS: Fact. Coupled with losses by the Bengals and Ravens, the AFC North race is a lot more competitive now. Ben Roethlisberger proved on Sunday he was back to his pre-Super Bowl form, silencing his critics and skeptics along the way. Had either Cincy or Baltimore won, the Steelers would still be on the outside looking in, but a 1-3 start didn’t hurt them in 1976 and it may not hurt them in 2006 if all weeks are like Week 6.

DT: Fact. I think this has little to do with what other AFC North foes did this past week and more of the style of play that Pittsburgh was able to get back to on Sunday. Not only did they win big, they did exactly what they needed to and played Steeler football. They got great play from their offensive line and established the run early. Roethlisberger managed the game and made the big play when he needed to, and the defense looked like a championship defense. They got an early lead, protected the ball and shut down their opponent in the second half. If they can find that formula from here on out, there is no doubt they will be a postseason team.

4. The Tigers, who swept the A’s in the ALCS, will win the World Series

DS: Fact. When you’re hot, you’re hot. In baseball, the best teams make the playoffs, but the hottest teams win the World Series. This has been the case since 2001, and the Tigers of this year are no different. They are peaking in October and more importantly, having fun along the way. It could be a five to seven game world series, but whoever wins the NLCS could be worn out from the constant rain delays and urgent travel between New York and St. Louis. The Detroit Tigers are a team of destiny and this will result in another Motor City parade.

DT: Fact. While the whole team-of-destiny thing seems to simplify the situation a little too much, how can you argue it? The Tigers pretty much came out of nowhere and have been the best team in baseball since the first pitch of the season. They have gotten it done in all aspects of the game – all season. They have been led by outstanding pitching all season long from starters, middle relievers and closers. They have a solid offensive lineup and a steady defensive unit. They seemingly have no holes in any facet of the game, and to top it off, every move manager Jim Leyland makes is the right one at the right time. I just don’t see the Tigers losing in a seven game series.

5. The hiring of Lou Piniella makes the Cubs a playoff team next year.

DS: Fiction. Yes, I’m a Cubs fan and maybe the Cubs will make the playoffs next year, as they always say in the North Side, but there’s obviously no guarantee. Didn’t the baseball experts say the same thing when Dusty Baker was hired four years ago? And he was coming off a World Series appearance while Piniella hasn’t seen the playoffs since 2001. Piniella doesn’t have the powerful pitching that Baker had for that one joyride season. Mark Prior and Kerry Wood will not reach their promise because of injuries; Carlos Zambrano may not stay, and there’s no guarantee that Alex Rodriguez will be the Wrigleyville savior. Though the NL Central isn’t as strong as it once was, when you finish worse than the Pirates, asking for the playoffs is a big demand.

DT: Fiction. It really has nothing to do with managing as much as it does with health. Kerry Wood and Mark Prior only made 13 starts this past season and if they are healthy, they are quite possibly the best one-two punch of starters in baseball. But they were never healthy and Dusty Baker never had a chance. If they do get healthy and the Cubs maybe go after A-Rod, they might have a chance to win a lot more games than they did this past season. But it doesn’t seem that just because they hired Lou Piniella they’ll be able to overcome the 17.5 game lead the division-champion Cardinals had this year.