What KG Should Have Said

Big news in the sports world on on Twitter was Celtics big man Kevin Garnett allegedly telling Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva that he "looked like a cancer patient" during Tuesday's game between the Boston and Detroit. As usual there seems to outrage on both sides. Some feel this is typical Garnett behavior and
Garnett has come out and said that his exact words were: "You are cancerous to your team and our league."

Now, I can see both side of the story on this. On the one hand, talking smack about cancer is not cool but then again on the field of battle the rules of regular society can sometimes not apply. It brings back to me the Zinedine Zidane headbutt. Materazzi had insulted Zidane's sister. While taking shots at ones family is considered below the belt, Zidane should have taken the high road. He didn't and his absence hurt his team in the title match. People can say some awful things when they get the adrenaline flowing, just ask Xtra Medium and Matt Bryant.

What should Charlie have done? If he took a swing at Garnett he would be suspended and lose some coinage but he would have stood up for himself. Villanueva's medical condition results in hairloss, giving him the look he sports. I would think by now he would let those kind of insults roll of his back. KG was a little too direct in his insults, he should have gone for something more subtle. Depending on whether he did call him a cancer patient or called him a cancer to the league. Here are a few suggestions for what could have been said by KG that may or may not have turned this into a big deal.

"Why don't you go back to your home on Rigel VII?" (Don't blame me I voted for Kodos)

"ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, except you being an All-Star."

"How was it being in a Kids In The Hall movie?"
"Cue ball, corner pocket."

"I had sex with your wive/girlfriend."

"You have to live in Detroit."

"Powder called, he wants his look back."

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Brandon Phillips Tells Us How He Really Feels About the Cardinals

Now this is the kind of baseball talk I can get behind. Brandon Phillips of the Reds decided to share his feelings on the Cardinals before their big series against the Cardinals yesterday:

"I'd play against these guys on one leg," Phillips told Hal McCoy, a columnist for the Dayton Daily News. "We have to beat these guys. All they do is bitch and moan about everything, all of them. They're little bitches, all of them. I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear: I hate the Cardinals."

Phillips promptly went 0 for 5 in a 7-3 loss to the Cards. Yet, this is the kind of emotion I like to see in baseball. The advanced stats have their purpose and their place, but in the end, this is a game played by humans (and umpired by humans). Hell, even a thousand years into the future humans still play blernsball instead of humans. I like to see rivals sounding off, even if it was a little over the top. As baseball season overlaps into football season, the pennant races are a great way to keep eyes on the sport until the playoffs arrive.

The Reds currently are clinging to a 1 game lead. Here's hoping the NL Central race comes down to the final few weeks of the season, and the rivalry intesifies. Just don't expect the best player in this situation, Albert Pujols, to throw any gas on the fire:

"You need to bring your 'A' game to the field."

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