During last Friday’s game against Denver, Mark Cuban was so incensed at the refs for not calling a technical on JR Smith (Smith left the Denver bench to taunt Antoine Wright) that he whipped out his cell and posted the following message on Twitter:

“How do they not call a tech on JR Smith for coming off the bench to taunt our player on the ground?”

Now, the NBA doesn’t like internal criticism, and they have several rules in place that are presumably borrowed from a few third world dictatorships which punish those in the NBA that criticize the “lig.”

That’s why Cuban’s “tweet” cost him a $25,000 fine, which, by the way, also works out to be a fine of $1,136.36 per word or $324.67 per letter (character), including the question mark.

Fine, whatever, Cuban can afford it.  It’s no big deal.  Hell, even in these hard economic times $25,000 is literally not worth getting out of bed for if you live in the NBA’s world.

That said, it’s still absolutely ridiculous for the NBA to be this sensitive.  I understand the NBA’s need to penalize anyone in-house with a negative opinion of them, but if they’re going to be this touchy over what amounts to be a glorified text messaging service in Twitter, they’re going to find themselves fining plenty of people for plenty of stupid reasons.

Here’s what I mean: the problem with texting in any form–a necessary evil that I try to avoid whenever possible–is its lack of inflection.  I think we all know how the meaning or intent of one single word or sentence can change drastically depending on its delivery.

The difference between saying, “You’re so smart!” to someone who is, and saying, “You’re so smart!” to someone who isn’t is the difference between a “Thank you” and “Screw you” from the person you’re talking to.

And when you just read something like that on a screen, it’s sometimes hard to know if you’ve just been offended or not.  It’s happened to me plenty of times, and I know I’m not the only one.

That’s why Cuban missed a golden opportunity here to raise a stink–well, he did raise a stink but it could have been a bigger one–over his errant tweet.

The NBA just assumed that Cuban was admonishing the integrity of an NBA official (I know! Unheard of, right?), but what if Cuban were simply asking a question?  Are open-ended questions not allowed anymore?  Read the quote again, but this time, don’t read it as a slam on the refs, but rather as a genuine inquiry:

“How do they not call a tech on JR Smith for coming off the bench to taunt our player on the ground?”

What’s wrong with that?  Now, if Cuban’s tweet were this:

“THESE REFS ARE TERRIBLE! How do they not call a tech on JR Smith for coming off the bench to taunt our player on the ground?  I WANT SOME HEADS! THIS IS SOME CRAP!”

Well . . . I’d say his intentions were pretty clear, wouldn’t you?

25 grand is a drop in the bucket for Cuban.  But it will be interesting to see if the NBA has opened a huge can of worms by fining someone over a Twitter post.  By doing so, the NBA is sending a message that a person’s intentions behind a Twitter post are irrelevant.

The only thing that matters is how the NBA takes it, even if you didn’t mean anything by it.  But hey, that’s ok.

Because the people running the NBA are so smart.

–Joey Alfino, Red Editorial Staff.

I have found two spots that have absolutely blown me away recently and shown me what London should really be like. They are At Proud in Camden and the Roof Gardens in Kensington.

The Roof Garden is a rather unique as it has one and half acres of land six stores up in the heart of Kensington. When you have to get up top via a lift you know that something cool is going down.

The club itself is nice and spacious, but it’s when you go outside and see palm trees and grass you’re aware of how special it is. Up there you’ll even find flamingos and a BBQ that goes on till 2.30am. It’s like you’re in St Tropez or some other foreign destination and should definitely be enjoyed. Though the 20 odd quid entry on weekend nights is quite steep, this is another fine venture by Sir Richard Branson.

At Proud is set inside The Horse Hospital which is an old horse stable and is one the most unique venues in town. Amongst the chatter from the revelling masses I swear I heard the sound of hoofs cantering around the premises.

Something else that struck me was the sheer volume and beauty of the barmaids. Never before have I seen so many attractive women serving beverages with such speed. Also service with a smile and a little banter chucked in. Wonders will never cease. Normally in other bars it’s some bloke with a sense of humour bypass who can’t make eye contact for fear of actual customer interaction.

Another attraction at this venue are the stables. You can hire out a stable and have your own little private area amongst the madness surrounding you. I had a little chat with Mark Ronson and Sam Sparro there once. Obviously the stables are now filled with comfy seats and tables instead of mounds of manure.

Looking down from the celestial equine plains I’m sure a few of the former residents doffed their manes in appreciation at one of the best nights out in town in their old home.

–Andre Mcleod, Red U.K. Editorial Staff

With the first two weekends behind us, the field of 65 has been whittled down to four.  And my bracket, well . . . let’s just say my bracket met with an unfortunate accident involving a Bic lighter and my size 9 ½ sneakers.

All bitterness aside however, the first four rounds of the tournament have once again provided us with much debate and discussion as well as some surprises, especially in the Midwest and East regions where–unlike last year–both top seeds failed to advance.

Best team: I really hate to say it, but Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans played better than any team out of the top half of the bracket. The Spartans won the Big 10 regular season title by four games and entered the field as a two seed setting them on a collision course with defending champs Kansas and Big East champs Louisville. Despite coming out of the offensively anemic Big 10, the Spartans forced every opponent they faced to play their defensive minded game.

In the first two rounds the Spartans scored 77 and 74 points over Robert Morris and USC. They out toughed and out lasted a Jayhawk team in the Sweet Sixteen despite trailing at the half and completely dominated and shut down a red hot Louisville team in the Elite Eight to punch their ticket to Detroit and a virtual home court advantage. This marks Tom Izzo’s fifth Final Four appearance and his first since the 2005 season. Look for the hometown crowd to rally behind their team and cause some major headaches for Jim Calhoun’s Huskies.

Most disappointing team: This could go to either of the top seeds Louisville or Pitt but I’m going with the Panthers. The Big East powerhouse looked nothing like a team with a one seed, just barely squeaking by the first three rounds before falling to conference rival and three seed Villanova. With three of the four top seeds coming out of the Big East this year, Pitt played like the one that just didn’t belong.

Most dramatic game: There are a couple of choices here, there was the surprise upset of Cleveland State over Wake Forest or the double-overtime win by Sienna over Ohio State, but these honors have to go to the Villanova/Pitt game. This game was just an out and out battle between two conference rivals that came down to just .5 seconds and a transition lay-up.

Wildcats’ guard Scottie Reynolds sank the crucial lay-up as time wound down to put his team up two points and send them off to Motor City. Unfortunately for the Wildcats this is probably where they end as they just don’t match-up with the Hansbrough/Lawson led Tar Heels. Though, they are coming into the Final Four as the loosest team, playing with little expectations on their shoulders.

Most anti-climatic game: A no-brainer here, the Elite Eight match-up between the Cardinals and Spartans. This game, despite the Cardinals being the heavy favorite, seemed a foregone conclusion from tip-off. The Spartans forced the Cardinals to take bad shots and play a signature low scoring Big Ten game. Yawn.

Best performance by a big man: Just looking at the top half of the bracket–negating Griffin and Hansbrough–this has to go to Kansas center Cole Aldrich. Aldrich turned in a triple-double with 13 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocks in the Jayhawks’ 60-43 win over Dayton in the second round. It marks the first triple-double with blocks since Shaq in 1992 with LSU.

Most ridiculous dunk: This again goes to a Kansas player as little red-shirt sophomore guard Brady Morningstar had not one but two–count ‘em–two dunks in the Sweet Sixteen loss to Michigan State. Too bad that only adds up to four points and the Jayhawks lost by five to the Spartans.

–Aaron Whitebread, Red Editorial Staff

I spent a week preparing myself for Macon, listening to the Allman Brothers every chance I got. So it was with a head full of guitar riffs and the soaring vocals of  “Midnight Rider” that I climbed the stairs of The Big House exactly 40 years after their first concert performance.

It was here that Duane and Gregg Allman, Berry Oakley and their families lived from 1970-72. The Allman Brothers whiled away hot summer days here, writing and performing their distinctive Southern rock, partying into the night and cranking up the volume when neighbors complained.

Rooms that must once have reeked of stale smoke now smell of fresh paint, and the sounds of jam sessions are replaced by the drones of power tools as workmen create a museum commemorating the music that propelled the Baby Boomers into adulthood.

Kirsten West, Managing Director of The Big House Foundation, once lived in the house herself. She and husband Kirk aimed to convert the building into a rock ‘n’ roll B&B. When that didn’t materialize they began laying the groundwork for an Allman Brothers museum.

“This will be a place where fans can see Allman Brothers memorabilia,” says Kirsten, who describes her husband as a “nut case” with a monster collection of photographs, clothing, even the families’ pool table. “But it will also be a state-of-the-art music museum, with touch-screen displays, listening stations and a research center.”

Plans call for more museum than should be expected by the average rocker, oversized ego notwithstanding. But those who grew up with the Allman Brothers Band believe this was no average rock band.

The Big House museum won’t be complete until December 2009, but fans have been making the pilgrimage to Macon for decades. Their itineraries include H&H Restaurant, a typical meat-and-three diner owned by “Mama Louise” Hudson. The elderly restaurateur still cooks at age 84 (although her true age is anybody’s guess) and she tells how she fed the Allmans when they were “all skinny and scrawny.”  The walls at H&H are covered with their own Allman Brothers memorabilia, and the restaurant’s sign sports a mushroom, in honor of the Allmans’ love for “magic mushrooms.”

Down the street sits the former offices of Capricorn Records, which signed the Allman Brothers as well as Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Marshall Tucker Band. Fans can also visit Grant’s Lounge downtown, which drew fans from as far as Europe in the early 1970s. Back then $2 would buy you an impromptu concert by the Allman Brothers, the Marshall Tucker Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, or maybe all of them.

A fan’s final stop is Rose Hill Cemetery. Band members liked to spend time in this idyllic cemetery, drinking, smoking, picking mushrooms and making love until separate motorcycle accidents transformed their favorite hollow into the final resting places of Duane Allman and Berry Oakley in 1971 and ‘72.

Kirsten West wonders publicly what the walls of The Big House would say–or sing–if they could speak. The Allman Brothers’ music has become larger than life, but she expresses no doubt that the Allman Brothers museum will communicate the energy of their work.

As to whether she is wistful about giving up her family home for the museum, she shows no sign of sentimentality.

“This house was never mine,” she says. “It’s always been the Allman Brothers’.”

–Amy S. Eckert, Red Editorial Staff
–Photo by Amy S. Eckert

Wayne Rooney, newly crowned as England’s Player of the Year, will have a key role to play in Wednesday night’s World Cup qualifier against Ukraine.

Rooney was rewarded after scoring five goals in eight appearances for the national side during 2008.

The Manchester United star is a man in form following his two-goal display in Saturday’s friendly against Slovakia.

And manager Fabio Capello will be looking for Rooney to make a similar impact against Ukraine.

It is incredible to think that Rooney will win his 50th cap at the age of 23 when he lines up at Wembley.

Barring injury or a dramatic loss of form, the former Everton man could shatter the appearance record (109) for an outfield player which was set by David Beckham at the weekend.

Even Peter Shilton’s overall record of 125 caps could be under threat.

Another target in Rooney’s sights is the England goalscoring record.

Sir Bobby Charlton sits proudly at the top of that particular list with 49 goals, helped by the fact that Graham Taylor wrecked Gary Lineker’s chances of overtaking the figure.

Rooney is nearly halfway towards Charlton’s tally with 21 goals so he looks to be in a great position to eventually claim the record.

In the immediate term, Rooney could be the man to take England another step closer to the World Cup finals.

Ukraine have a match-winner in Andriy Shevchenko and England must be wary of the threat he poses.

Certainly the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole won’t need any reminding about his ability having played with him at Chelsea.

Although Shevchenko struggled to make an impact in the Premiership, he has undoubted pedigree.

It should also be remembered that Ukraine are unbeaten in Group Six and they have a reputation for being a tough team.

Thankfully, however, the complacency that was shown during Steve McClaren’s spell in charge is no longer there.

Take, for example, McClaren’s annoying habit of referring to call players by their nicknames (’Stevie G’, ‘Becks’, etc), which is now a thing of the past.

This is a stronger, more disciplined unit with Capello at the helm, as the players acknowledge.

Maybe now, at long last, there is someone who can deliver some long overdue silverware. Or am I getting carried away?

–Nick Johnson, Red U.K. Editorial Staff

The White House has seen the future of General Motors, and CEO Rick Wagoner isn’t part of it.  Last Friday, the government told Wagoner that it’s their way or the highway . . . so Wagoner hopped in a hybrid and hit the road.

It had to happen, folks, and we all know it.  With everything that’s going on in this country, finding a way to stop hemorrhaging money is important but it’s not enough.  It has to be accompanied with symbolism.

During Wagoner’s time as CEO, GM has lost tens of billions of their own money and has taken billions of ours, but on the upside, he’ll be freeing up about 47,000 employees by the end of 2009 so they can finally have some free time.  Won’t that be nice?

Well, I guess the number is actually 47,001 now that Wagoner is also out of a job, but don’t worry about him.  Wagoner is entitled to a $20 million retirement package . . . see what I mean about symbolism?

So the White House had to change the sheets, and while it’s understandable that some people might be a little freaked out about our government’s new ability to push out the CEO of a publicly traded company, it really isn’t difficult to understand why this happened.

There are strings attached to loaned money, and once you drink from that well things are never going to be the same (ever seen a mob movie?).  Just ask AIG or whatever it is they’re calling themselves these days.

Other major concerns surrounding our government’s terribly accurate impression of nationalism, have to do with Wagoner’s replacement.  It’s being reported that Fritz Henderson will be the interim CEO of GM, and let’s hope that’s true.  Giving him the position permanently would be a huge mistake.

Fritz Henderson’s background–like Wagoner’s–is in accounting, and I think we all know that accounting isn’t really in vogue right now.  You can see this sort of thing paralleled in sports all the time.  By and large, a football team doesn’t generally do as well when its general manager specializes in money and not football.  Sure, they might sell seats, but they tend not to see a post season.  Carl Petersen and the Kansas City Chiefs are a great example.

That’s why a good football general manager is also a “football man.”

So, it would stand to reason that GM would benefit from their next permanent CEO having a background in engineering, yes?

If the White House is going to control the future of the American auto industry with this much scrutiny by politically sacrificing GM’s CEO, and if they plan to have a hand in selecting Wagoner’s replacement, they had better be very careful about whom they choose for two large reasons.

First, there’s no point in firing Wagoner if you’re just going to replace him with someone who has the same philosophy and skill set, and two, if Wagoner’s successor fails miserably, so will Washington.

After all, this, and everything else after it, is officially Washington’s idea . . .

–Joey Alfino, Red Editorial Staff.

Just like that, the best part of the tournament is over. The ten days of madness have now left us with two potential mismatches that will probably give way to one final, anti-climatic mismatch. They just don’t make Final Fours like the first four rounds.

But that’s ok, because as usual the first four rounds of the NCAA tournament have left us with much to reflect on and sift through. True colors have been shown, and new perceptions created.

Best team: As dominating as North Carolina looked, no one played better than Connecticut. The Huskies predictably decimated their first two opponents by 56 and 26 points respectively, before toughing out a win over an underrated Purdue squad and outlasting a relentless, balanced Missouri team. And it was a total team effort. Freshman Kemba Walker went off, Hasheem Thabeet altered more shots than were countable and Stanley Robinson played like the second coming of Hakim Warrick. While they have a tougher Final Four matchup than UNC, playing against under-the-radar Michigan State before a partisan crowd, they are the best team of the remaining four.

Best player: Admittedly, this section should be called “stating the obvious,” but the tournament performance of Blake Griffin just cannot be overstated. Apply any of the clichés you want: man amongst boys, “a special player,” “a once in a decade type talent”: Griffin just flat out dominated and humiliated his opponents. The Chris Wilcoxes of the world better look out: this dude’s gunning for your job.

Most disappointing team: With the pasting they took at the hands of Missouri, Memphis is the obvious choice here, but there is another team that just didn’t play as well as they should have: Gonzaga. The Zags were a team loaded with upperclassmen, tons of tournament experience and a helpful “no one gave us a chance” card to play. Still, they looked like they didn’t even belong in the same gym as UNC. Asking for a win was surely a little much, but how about some heart? The chances of the Zags ever experiencing their long awaited breakthrough are looking slimmer and slimmer each year now.

Second most ready for the NBA after Blake Griffin: Tyreke Evans is a hoss, plain and simple. Even though his team got killed, Evans looked like an NBA player toying with some playgrounders against Missouri as he treated the Tigers vaunted defense like a yield sign. If he comes back to Memphis next year, he should be the preseason favorite for national player of the year.

Most disappointing game: Oklahoma/North Carolina had everything going for it, except for any semblance of competitiveness. Like they did during their losses to Missouri and Oklahoma State, the Sooners looked like little more than the Blake Griffin variety hour. Willie Warren, if you’re reading this, DO NOT GO PRO.

Best game: Remember, this is down South and out West, so Pitt/Villanova is ineligible. So we have to go with the weekend’s second best game, UConn/Missouri. As mentioned above, the Huskies got everything they could have possibly wanted from their stars, but so did Missouri. Seniors DeMarre Carroll, Leo Lyons and Matt Lawrence all played like their lives depended on it, and reserves Justin Safford and Keith Ramsey did everything they could to keep the Tigers afloat. What resulted was a desperate feeling game on both sides that came down to one side just being a little bit better than the other.  It was what we wish all tournament games would be like.

Most absurd dunk attempt: Seriously, what on Earth was Tyler Hansbrough trying to do yesterday? Sorry Tyler, you’re no Dwight Howard.

–Patrick Daugherty, Red Editorial Staff.

Braun GP, the new kids on the block in F1, delivered a warning to their rivals with Jenson Button’s victory in the Australian Grand Prix.

Button’s win, coupled with team-mate Rubens Barrichello’s second-place finish, made it a stunning debut for the team headed by former Honda GP team principal Ross Brawn.

Of course, as the saying goes, one swallow does not make a summer, but Brawn have put themselves on the map and proved they have not just come along for the ride.

Likewise Button must be overjoyed after finding himself in the F1 wilderness following the demise of Honda GP.

Rising like a phoenix from the ashes, Button secured only his second victory in a career which has failed to reach the heights since he burst onto the scene in 2000 as a highly-promising 20-year-old.

With serial entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson on board as a sponsor, the future looks bright for Brawn GP.

Ross Brawn describes the success in Melbourne as “quite simply a sensational result”.

He acknowledges that it is just the beginning, adding: “We have to keep developing the car throughout the season if we want to challenge for further wins and the championship.”

Talk of winning the championship is premature, to say the least. But, hey, why not reach for the stars?

Defending champion Lewis Hamilton was pleased to be promoted to third place after Jarno Trulli was handed a 25-second time penalty.

McLaren chiefs admit they are a few weeks away from building a car capable of competing with Brawn GP.

As it stands, Hamilton must feel like a jockey who has been handed an unfancied horse in the Grand National.

He did an admirable job on Sunday but unless he’s given a better ride, it’s unfair to expect him to be the first to cross the finishing line.

Much will depend on how quickly and efficiently the McLaren mechanics work.

If they do not get their act into gear soon, Hamilton may lose too much ground.

Will Brawn GP’s fairytale start continue or will it just be a fleeting success story?

We do not have to wait long for the next intriguing instalment as next up is the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend.

–Nick Johnson, Red U.K. Editorial Staff

If Andrew Strauss manages to steer England out of despair and into a new era of success, yesterday’s ODI victory in Barbados may one day be seen as a turning point.

Let’s be honest, England have been battered in Tests and one-dayers all winter.

Their solitary success was gifted to them when West Indies coach John Dyson made a cock-up that left him as red-faced as a Home Secretary’s husband.

And another reverse seemed likely as Chris Gayle smashed the bowling to all parts of the Kensington Oval during the early exchanges on Sunday.

But now victory in the fifth ODI in St Lucia on Friday would give England the consolation of an improbable series win.

“Friday is an opportunity to go home with some silverware, which would be very satisfying for the lads and give us some momentum going into the summer,” Strauss said.

That they have the chance to salvage a little redemption is thanks in no small part to the captain’s dazzling display.

Strauss struck an unbeaten 79 from just 61 balls as England ultimately cruised to their reduced target of 135 in 20 overs.

The opener’s innings included nine fours and a six as he rattled along at a strike rate of almost 130 per 100 balls.

That’s the sort of contribution Strauss’s critics have often accused him of not being able to make.

But unlike many of his colleagues, the left-hander appears to be finding a new method to suit the demands of limited-overs cricket.

He has learned to improvise and use an angled bat to guide the ball past the fielders.

The captain himself says that attitude is the key. “Sometimes you can think a bit too much about batting,” he admitted.

“We were able to be a bit more positive, watch the ball, hit the ball and thankfully get off to a good start.”

England have endured a miserable winter, but at least their captain is flourishing with the bat and setting an example others can follow.

As well as yesterday’s match-winning knock, Strauss scored three centuries in the Test series and a hundred in the second ODI at Guyana.

That’s an impressive record in a struggling side.

If England complete a series victory on Friday, Strauss is one man who will certainly deserve it.

–Rob Wightman, Red U.K. Senior Sports Writer

OK, let’s get right to the leaderboard at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (aka Bay Hill) in Orlando. Sean O’Hair tops the group at the halfway mark, three strokes ahead after carding a 5-under 65 on Friday. O’Hair is a top 30 world-ranked player and pulled off a mistake-free round until the 18th. He birdied the first three holes. Nice. Describing the course’s rough, O’Hair used the phrase “very penal.”

Now, answer this: Did Arnie ever once use the word “penal” to describe anything about one of his golf rounds?

Right, didn’t think so.

O’Hair leads Jason Gore (remember him?), who is 5-under, while Australia’s Robert Allenby and Japan’s Ryuji Imada reside at 4-under. And some guy named Tiger is 3-under.

That guy, Tiger, was considered fortunate because he holed two chips (gotta love those no-putt greens) after finding the penal rough. Tiger started on No. 1 by chipping in, then on the sixth he chipped within 2 feet after rough times, chipped within 4 feet on the seventh and just dropped the ball in the hole altogether following yet more rough action on the eighth.

Popular opinion (that would be golf media reporters, columnists and bloggers) surmised that Tiger was fortunate to finish with a 69.

Hooey. The Human Stimulus Plan finds a way to stay in contention–a spectacular way–and everyone has decided his 68 and 69 the first two days is a sign of deep problems.

We should all have such problems, on the golf course, in life, whenever we are looking to recover from making a mistake. Tiger might not win this weekend, but he will be ready for the Masters.

Simple as that.

Davis Love III, maybe not. He missed the cut on Friday and as 47th ranked on the world list, he seems to be doing just fine, thank you, especially as a 40-something. Trouble is, only the top world 50 are invited to Augusta and the next seven challengers to D. Love all made the cut. He needs to hope for some penal experiences for those seven.

While everyone will be talking Tiger-speak this weekend, Phil Mickelson skipped Bay Hill to get ready for the Masters. But I am happy to report that Mickelson might well have boosted one of golf’s most fan-friendly developments since, well, Arnold Palmer was leading his Army here, there and everywhere but the penal rough. It turns out that Mr. Phil’s overheard conversation with his caddie at the Doral produced such good TV and golf gab that NBC is planning to experiment with microphones on some caddies.

This is good.

Viewers won’t be hearing those miked conversations in real-time, but after some filtering to rule out the dull and any language that might break a Lenten promise or two, we will hear what those caddies are telling their bosses. How cool is that?

The only thing better? If somebody had thought of this when Arnie was still playing.

–Bob Condor, Red Editorial Staff