SCOTT VAN PELT IN THE NEW TIGER WOODS EA GAME

WithLeather has the preview for the new EA Tiger Woods 2010 game. Actually there is no preview. It's ESPN's Scott Van Pelt talking as a cardboard cutout to Tiger Woods. It's actually quite funny. I was waiting for a "I banged my European nanny too!" joke but it never made it into the commercial. Maybe the game. We shall see.

CONGRATULATIONS GO OUT TO THE LAKERS AND PHIL JACKSON

If you hadn't noticed the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Championship last night. In doing so they captured their 15th NBA Title and Phil Jackson won his 10th as a coach. He now has the most championships as a head coach in any professional sport passing Red Auerbach who captured 9 with the Boston Celtics. He also has a fancy hat displaying the Roman Numeral "X" and the years of the titles he won in Chicago and LA. Before you get all huffy puffy about the hat let it be known his kids made it for him. 10 championships is ridiculous no matter how you cut it. And to think he would have 12 if MJ didn't decide to start playing baseball after his father got killed. I'm not a Lakers fan by any means but I've always respected the way they play the game. Not sure what it is but they just a flair about them. I don't even care about Kobe anymore, he is just so likable...

BOBBY COX BENCHES YUNEL ESCOBAR

The Atlanta Braves are playing embarrassing baseball right now and after losing 2 of 3 to the Baltimore Orioles this past weekend Bobby Cox needed to send a message to the team. Shortstop Yunel Escobar, aka Frosty tip douchebag, received it in the bottom of the third inning when he was benched for Diory Hernandez.

“I thought we should have turned a double play in the first inning,” Cox said. “They get no runs. And [it] wasn’t heads up on the rundown either. We pride ourselves on doing things right and being in the game [mentally] and don’t do things lackadaisically. I just felt we should have turned a double play easy. I’m not saying it cost us the game, but it cost us three runs in the first and you don’t know what’s going to happen in the second.”

I would show you replays of the two botched mental mistakes by Escobar if the MLB Gestapo would let me. But apparently showing MLB highlights without their consent is so Anne Frank. Listen, enough of the Nazi talk, Escobar needed to be benched yesterday. Actually he needed to be benched a long time ago. Escobar was begging for a wake up call and hopefully Cox delivered it loud and clear. Pay attention and hustle. Escobar has a ton of talent but the guy has the brain the size of an ant's penis.

And what does Escobar have to say about his benching? No habla English! Escobar is pulling the Sammy Sosa treatment and acting like he doesn't understand English. Relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez is his "translator" for any questions directed towards him. Have I told you how much I hate Escobar lately? The guy is such a piece of shit. He has been a distraction and he can't even own up to his own mistakes and instead has to hide behind one of his teammates. Fuck him. The Braves need to trade his ass immediately. He has value. The guy can play a mean short when he wants to but apparently he is still bothered by a lack of maturity.

This isn't the first time Cox has tried to get through to Escobar:

When asked if he was trying to get Escobar’s attention, Cox sighed and said, “I’ve talked to him an awful lot since he’s been here.”

Hopefully Gonzalez can translate it to him. You are gone amigo. When one of the greatest and most respected managers in MLB history has had enough then it is time to cut ties. The same with Jeff Francoeur. Both could use a change of scenery and both should have trade value. Personally I would want neither but I could see the Baltimore Orioles or Boston Red Sox expressing interest mainly because Escobar can swing a mean bat.

What do you guys think? Is Escobar and Frenchy the main problems on this team or does it run deeper? Why is hitting coach Terry Pendleton not a candidate to be replaced?

YOUR MONDAY MORNING WAKE UP SONG

Can't Tell Me Nothin' from Zach Galifianakis