First it was Jim Joyce, one of MLB’s Three Blind Mice, and his not-so-perfect game and now it’s ‘the process call’ and the game that will haunt Lions fans all season long. For ruining a game winning drive and giving Detroit another reason to despise officials, the Bitch Slap of the Week goes to the NFL zebras.

What seemed to be the go-ahead touchdown catch for Calvin Johnson and the Lions turned into the most heated topic of opening weekend.

With 25 seconds left in the game, Johnson caught the football and landed in the end zone, only to have the play called an incomplete pass. Why? Because after Johnson landed, his right hand smacked the grass and the ball hit the ground or as the referee put it, Johnson didn’t maintain possession throughout the entire process of the catch.

Are you kidding? The man practically did a summersault before the ball was out of his hands.

Calvin Johnson caught the ball with both feet in bounds, braced himself with his left hand, and landed on is rear in the end zone. As he was getting up to celebrate, only then did he let go of the ball.

Sticklers can argue that the officials made the right call, but every sports fan knows that this ‘rule’ is ridiculous.

Die-hard Bears fan Michael Wilbon had this to say about the call:

“Get rid of the rule. Get rid of it today… This was wrong and the NFL officials ought to be embarrassed about it… The NFL has failed the Detroit Lions and it fails any team that loses with this.”

Wilbon’s statement seems to reside in the minds of most Chicagoans. In an online poll conducted in the Chicago newspapers, The Sun-Times and The Tribune, roughly 70-80% of their readers said it should have been a TD.

When Chicago fans are willing to forgo a Bears victory, then you know something is wrong. Zebras should never change the outcome of a game on a call like this. With 95% of the nation unaware of the rule, odds are Calvin Johnson didn’t know about it either. And even if he did, then I’m sure his rush of adrenaline kept him from thinking ‘hold onto the ball for 10 more seconds’.

The on-call referee during this play was Gene Steratore and he is sticking to his incomplete ruling. Steratore can line up and be the first to get slapped and maybe a severe beating courtesy of Vanden Bosch and the Lions defense should follow.

The NFL zebras should have learned from the Tiger’s Armando Galarraga incident or the 2008 Ed Hochuli’s debacle that handed a game away.

Since they didn’t, we honor them with our Bitch Slap of the Week.

Used with permission of the author.

Logan Rhoades is a Los Angeles-based writer and contributor to Sports Climax. With an extensive knowledge of ESPN topics and celebrity gossip, he is known for mixing sports and pop culture to entertain his readers. Check out his blog and Follow him on Twitter @loganrhoades.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

Week Two of the college football season is over and we learned a very important lesson: we know nothing about college football. The media and fans can talk all they want and make prediction after prediction, but it means nothing going into the rest of the season. Myself included.

The flip of performances displayed on Saturday was more impressive than the Dos Equis man’s passport. To prove it, lets take a review of some of this weekend’s games.

After coming within seconds of beating No 3 Boise State last Monday, No.13 Virginia Tech was shocked at home by the James Madison Bulldogs 21-16. It was the first time in 20 years that JMU beat an FBS school and it basically just proved what we all already know; the number 13 is unlucky… and Virginia Tech isn’t that good.

The good news is that the Hokies (0-2) won’t be ranked after this loss, so there’s no need to worry about that number jinx anymore.

Speaking of Bulldogs, the ones from Georgia couldn’t find the endzone all day after scoring 55 last week and speaking of jinxes, a week ago I predicted that a Heisman-candidate quarterback would be playing in the Florida State game. Well, I was right; I just guessed the wrong guy. Christian Ponder was completely out shined by Landry Jones and the Sooners who put up 47 points against a Seminoles team that had more missed tackles than points.

This was the same Oklahoma team that squeaked by Utah State in their opener and looked very weak defensively. Well they certainly flexed their muscles against FSU on Saturday. Maybe Christian Ponder should have done what he did last week… only play one half of the game. Final in this one was 47-17.

Sorry for jinxing you Christian. My next prediction is that OU will go undefeated. Let the hex begin!

Another Heisman hopeful is No. 12 Miami Hurricanes quarterback Jacory Harris. Unfortunately for Jacory, he played No. 2 Ohio State this week and was on the downside of a 36-24 score. Jacoby threw away some early season Heisman votes with every interception. He now has 4 less votes.

What was projected to be a great offensive game turned into a special teams show and an unfair quarterback matchup. Miami returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns, but couldn’t get anything started on offense. Sloppy play and misfiring haunted the Hurricanes, while Terrelle Pryor looked calm and collected sitting behind the shotgun.

If this weekend taught us that we know nothing, then Denard Robinson taught us that the Michigan Wolverines are back. The dreadlocked Michigan quarterback lit up Notre Dame compiling 502 yards of total offense, including 258 on the ground, both of which were record breakers and led his team to a 28-24 win. Denard is a record-breaking machine who may be saving Rich-Rod’s head coaching gig at Michigan.  

For those of you who were not fortunate enough to watch this spectacle, just picture Lil Wayne with the skill set of Ricky Williams, who also has the ability to throw the pigskin.

The real shocker though is that Notre Dame almost won. With their starting QB Dayne Crist out for most of the first half due to an injury, the Fighting Irish were one throw away from pulling off the victory. The Irish managed to stay in the game regardless how bad walk-on Nate Montana, yeah Joe Montana’s son, played with Crist on the sidelines. This game was a gut-wrencher; everything a football fan could ask for, unless you’re a Notre Dame fan.

Another game deserves at least a quick honorable mention. No. 15 Georgia Tech decided not to show up with their best and were upset by unranked Kansas 28-25.

Conference play starts next week for the majority of the nation, so get ready for some in-state rivalry and a few upsets. Let’s see if Virginia Tech can beat an undefeated East Carolina at home. Get your beer ready, it’s tailgating season.

More NCAA:

Denard Robinson is a Record-Breaking Machine – Sports Climax 

Gamecocks Send Bulldogs Packing 17-6 – Sports Climax

Sexy NCAA Climax Girl of the Week (photo) – Sports Climax

Used with permission of the author.

Logan Rhoades is a Los Angeles-based writer and contributor to Sports Climax. With an extensive knowledge of ESPN topics and celebrity gossip, he is known for mixing sports and pop culture to entertain his readers. Check out his blog and Follow him on Twitter @loganrhoades.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

Earlier this week, it was announced that Reggie Bush’s Heisman Trophy would be revoked. Although there is no doubt that he is guilty of accepting gifts from USC, should he really lose his Heisman trophy because of it?

Well, it’s a complicated issue, to say the least.

The Heisman Trophy is awarded to the most outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. The key words here are: performance and integrity.

Did Reggie Bush perform with integrity?

The quick answer is yes, he did.

The way I see it is that Reggie Bush didn’t cheat the game; he cheated the system. So even though his off-the field lifestyle was led with bad decisions and illegal action, his on-the-field performance was always outstanding.

And for that reason, he should keep his Heisman.

Perhaps the most interesting topic surrounding this controversy is whether or not Reggie would have done as well if he had not received so many perks courtesy of the university.

No one knows the answer to that, and no one ever will. Which is why we can’t demean his accomplishments during his time at USC.

Regardless of what he received from the university, Reggie Bush played the game fair. It’s not like he was receiving performance-enhancing drugs for four years. He, like every other player, had to earn every single yard and touchdown during the season.

Put it this way: if you gave me a fighter jet and Stacy Keibler, I could never in a million years match Reggie Bush’s stats from 2005. Never.

So, even though I believe Reggie Bush and USC should be punished for their actions, I do not think that Reggie should be stripped of his Heisman. He was voted the winner for one reason: his performance during game time was outstanding.

So you can take away his money, houses, and cars, but you can’t take away his accomplishments from that year. What he did on the field, he left on the field… and that was everything he ever had.

Used with permission of the author.

Logan Rhoades is a Los Angeles-based writer and contributor to Sports Climax. With an extensive knowledge of ESPN topics and celebrity gossip, he is known for mixing sports and pop culture to entertain his readers. Check out his blog and Follow him on Twitter @loganrhoades.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

On Monday night, in front of a rather large Virginia Tech crowd, Boise State scored a last minute touchdown to capture the victory and stamp their ticket to the BCS championship game. At least that’s what the media is making it seem like.

We can all agree that No. 3 Boise State looked impressive on Monday (mostly in the first quarter), but let’s not forget that this was only their first game of the year. How is it possible that we are already talking about whether or not they are championship contenders?

It just doesn’t make sense. This game needs to be analyzed a little closer.

Boise State was the higher seed in this match and they beat a team with zero wins so far this season. Having the majority of their starters return from last year, the Broncos were facing a less experienced and less talented Virginia Tech team.

Boise State should have won the game; they were the better team. So what’s with all this championship talk?

There’s a reason why the season is more than one game long. It’s the same reason why we love college football; it’s unpredictable. We all saw what happened to Sam Bradford and the Oklahoma Sooners last year.

Injuries and upsets happen; it’s a fact of the game.

So what makes this team so special and impervious to the unknown? Besides their infamous smurf turf and punching escapades, of course.

Sure, rooting for the underdog is fun, but since when is the No. 3 team in the nation an underdog? Rocky Balboa was an underdog; Boise State is not. If a team is ranked in the top 5, then they are expected to win. It’s as simple as that.

And even though the Broncos have finished the last few seasons with some exciting finishes, that does not mean they are the best team in the land… or even the third best team.

The only way for Boise State to prove their worth is by moving to a new conference where they can play schools with actual football programs. The Broncos cannot keep competing with weaker teams and expect to be praised for their accomplishments.

Yes, Boise State has beaten a few ranked teams over the years, but we need them to play against quality opponents on a consistent basis, week after week. When that happens, then we can talk about a championship run.

Or maybe we can wait until the Broncos actually play a home game first, before we crown them. After all, it is only week one, so how about we act like it.

Used with permission of the author.

Logan Rhoades is a Los Angeles-based writer and contributor to Sports Climax. With an extensive knowledge of ESPN topics and celebrity gossip, he is known for mixing sports and pop culture to entertain his readers. Check out his blog and Follow him on Twitter @loganrhoades.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

The first week of college football is in the books and although many of the Top 25 teams played as expected, a few  games and players stood out.

One of the statement makers were the No. 11 Oregon Ducks. Although the Ducks were expected to win their game against New Mexico Saturday night, no one could have predicted the slaughter that ensued.

Collectively the Ducks put up 720 yards of total offense (a school-record) and took New Mexico to school, 72-0. This victory marked the starting debut for Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas who threw for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns. 

Although Thomas ended up with some impressive numbers, the real star of the game was Oregon’s backup RB, Kenjon Barner. With the starting running back suspended for a game, Kenjon got the chance to line up with the first string, and boy did he ever play. The speedster took advantage of the opportunity and rushed for a career-high 147 yards, scored four rushing touchdowns and took another to the house to end the day with five TDs–all in the FIRST HALF!

Talk about making a statement.

Another guy taking snaps who’s making a strong his case is Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder. While Barner is working his way up the roster, Ponder is working his way up the Heisman Trophy list.

Yes, you heard it here first: Christian Ponder will be fighting for the Heisman at the end of the year and you might want to jump on the bandwagon now before it gets too crowded.

The Seminoles QB is coming off of a season-ending injury and looks better than ever. Against the Samford Bulldogs, Ponder made it all look too easy completing 85% of his passes and throwing for four touchdowns … in the FIRST HALF.

Does anyone play a full game anymore?

Facing another test next week, it will be interesting to see what numbers Ponder can pile up against the inexperienced Oklahoma secondary next week. We know we’ll be watching. BTW, FSU came out on top of that mismatch 59-6.

On the flip side of the coin, a player we don’t recommend watching, unless you’re a Georgia Bulldog fan and love Gators failure, is the Tim Tebow protégé, quarterback John Brantley. Brantley’s debut for overrated No. 4 Florida can be summed up in four letters: U-G-L-Y.

Going into the final quarter against Miami (Ohio), the Gators had a pathetic 26 total yards of offense, including -16 yards on the ground. They finished the game with 8 fumbles, countless bad snaps and let’s just say that Brantley stunk up the joint.

After seeing this inexcusably sloppy performance, it appears Tebow’s success may not carry over to Brantley as smoothly as Florida fans would have hoped.

A team dealing with a similar situation is the Texas Longhorns. With Colt McCoy, the fearless leader of the offense gone, the ‘Horns offense has gotten a facelift and looked like a whole new squad this weekend. Even though the Longhorns beat Rice 34-17, mental mistakes and the inability to score in the red zone left UT fans wanting more.

As one Longhorn fan put it, “The game was like an over glorified scrimmage and it could easily have been a 52-3 victory. It’s clear that Mack Brown is really trying to drive in the point that we’re a running team now.” – Alex Robertson.

Under the arm of Colt McCoy, Texas was a pass-happy team, but now that Garrett Gilbert is calling the shots, things have changed. Although he showed signs of a quality quarterback, Gilbert’s accuracy and timing were less than stellar.

Fortunately for the Burnt Orange, a weak out-of-conference schedule and a strong defensive core will help Gilbert hone his skills and perfect his pass. With that being said, Gilbert is coming from a long line of great college quarterbacks, so he has some big shoes to fill, and he needs to do it quickly.

College football may only be one week into the season, but we have already learned a lot. Get ready for next week’s lesson. See you then.

MORE NCAA Babes and Articles:

Dawgs Dominate in Murray’s Debut – Sports Climax

Gators struggle in win in The Swamp – Sports Climax

Used with permission of the author.

Logan Rhoades is a Los Angeles-based writer and contributor to Sports Climax. With an extensive knowledge of ESPN topics and celebrity gossip, he is known for mixing sports and pop culture to entertain his readers. Check out his blog and Follow him on Twitter @loganrhoades.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

The recent buzz surrounding the NFL is around Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart. His future with the team is uncertain, but the one thing we do know is that the man is a winner.

Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at the success of the teams he’s played for.

While Leinart was at USC, he won: the Heisman, the BCS national championship, and the AP national championship. He was 37-2 as a starter and he led the team to a 34 game winning streak.

Before the Cardinals drafted him in 2006, they had never finished better than 3^rd in the NFC West. Once Leinart became a member, the team made a trip to the Super Bowl and was back-to-back NFC West divisional champs.

Fun Fact: Did you know Matt Leinart finished the 2008 season with an 80.2 passer rating? To put that into context for ya’, a passer rating of that magnitude in 2008 would place him right ahead of Ben Roethlisberger and a mere 8/10 of a point behind Brett Favre, two guys whose fingers are decorated with Super Bowl rings. Not too bad of company if you ask me.

But you don’t need to take my word for it; just look at the facts.

Facts about Matt Leinart in the NFL:

He is undefeated when playing against the Seattle Seahawks and the St. Louis Rams.

He has never thrown an incomplete pass against the Indianapolis Colts.

During his rookie year, he went undefeated against teams whose name started with a number.

He has never dropped a single pass during the regular season.

He is averaging 405 yards through the air when attempting over 50 passes in a game.

He has never lost a game during a bye week.

During 2007, he was undefeated when the game was decided by a 43-yard field goal.

He has never lost when playing with a RB who is 5’7”.

In his last game of the calendar year, he is averaging 9.4 yards per completion.

He has never been sacked in the post season.

He has won every single game when playing on his kicker’s birthday.

With credentials like this, it’s no wonder he’s the talk of the town. There is literally no other quarterback in the history of football that you can say these things about.

The facts don’t lie, people.

Used with permission of the author.

Logan Rhoades is a Los Angeles-based writer and contributor to Sports Climax. With an extensive knowledge of ESPN topics and celebrity gossip, he is known for mixing sports and pop culture to entertain his readers. Check out his blog and Follow him on Twitter @loganrhoades.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

What’s black, about three feet long and is constantly being tugged on?

Troy Polamalu’s hair and it officially appraised for more money than your entire house.

The Troy Polamalu mane has been insured by Proctor & Gamble’s, Head & Shoulders for $1 million. Few more details have been released but it’s safe to assume that the Pittsburgh Steelers are breathing a little easier knowing that his hair is covered.

Seriously, Polly, we know you endorse Head and Shoulders and we understand that your long hair is a tribute to your Samoan heritage, but is it really worth a million dollars? We challenge you to look us in the eyes and tell us so.

Unless you’re storing some top-secret classified info for the CIA in that mop of yours there’s no way that your locks are worth four homes in a standard American neighborhood. So what are you hiding in there? Do you know who the second shooter on the grassy knoll was? Is the Loch Ness Monster real? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

Have to wonder if Jake the Snake is kicking himself in the ass right now for not getting his mustache insured during his professional wrestling days. Think about it. How much would that famous Tom Selleck ‘stache be insured for? In comparison maybe $5.34 billion.

So what’s the real issue here? Is this a gimmick by the company to get thousands of websites like ours to fall victim and be stupid enough to write about it?

We’ve been duped before so why not again.

Another version of this story can be found on Logan Rhoades’ blog here.

MORE NFL:  Rex Ryan F Bombs – Sports Climax

Why Goodell should lift ban on Tweets – Sports Climax

Used with permission of the author.

Logan Rhoades is a Los Angeles-based writer and contributor to Sports Climax. With an extensive knowledge of ESPN topics and celebrity gossip, he is known for mixing sports and pop culture to entertain his readers. Check out his blog and Follow him on Twitter @loganrhoades.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has ruled with an iron fist over the past few years but he may be ruining the game of football one fine at a time.

It started with a ban on steroids, then it became illegal to shoot yourself in the leg, “sup Plaxico”, and now he has taken away the right for players to use Twitter during games.

Goodell is taking this Twitter thing serious, too. In fact Batman & Robin’s Chad Ochocinco was fined two car payments ($25,000) just last week for two Tweets. Dropping the hammer down, Mr. Goodell may be inadvertently eliminating some entertaining parts of the NFL.

We don’t want to hear a quarterback congratulate the opposing team on their Super Bowl victory after his interception led to their victory. We want to hear him curse out his O-Line for not giving him enough time–and that’s where Twitter comes in.

With all of the personalities and attitudes in the NFL, one can only theorize as to what the athletes are actually thinking during the games. With real-time Tweets, it’s guaranteed to be entertaining.

During preseason, @THEREAL_LENDALE offered us a real-time Tweet and pic of Tim Tebow’s halo hazing haircut with “@THEREAL_LENDALE Look at tebow new hair style lmao… Loks good ROOK!!!!!!!!.”

Now imagine how entertaining player’s Tweets could possibly be if they occurred from the field or bench during the game. Here’s a theorized version:

@BrownsDB:“Does @OGOchoCinco really think those gold teeth look good. Boy tryin to b like leon spinks.”

@OGOchcinco @BrownsDB I got your teeth MF! That u looking at my backside sidesteppin in your end zone HA!”

@EaglesOT: “damn no wonder they call Haynesworth Fat Albert, he got more rolls than mrs fields. smh.”

@VikesBackupQB: “LMFAO!!! Grandpa just threw his 4^thpick of day. Lame duck flopping thru air, needs 2 retire!!! Lemee in there!”

@ColtsOL: “LMAO. Peyton pointing all over the field. It dont mean shit. Fks with peeps heads tho. LOL!”

@ChargersPK: “Just juggled the football 59 times. I think coach saw me. Awesome game.”

@DBCromartie: “I see one of my kids in the stands. Cool, its whats his name.”

The possibilities and endless, but in order for us to enjoy these sweet insights, we need Roger Goodell to reverse his position on the subject.

The common stance for the Anti-Twitter supporters is that allowing players to share their opinions and thoughts during the game would make the post-game interviews useless, therefore wrecking the multi-million dollar contracts with the media outlets especially in Bristol.

This would be a valid point if anyone actually watched these interviews. The only time the post-game interviews become relevant is when the person being interviewed goes off the deep end and hands us a solid decade of mockery.

Of all of the post-game interviews over the past 10 years in the NFL think of the few that stand out.

1) Dennis Green screaming during the post-game presser after his Cardinals blew a sure win against the Bears, “They are who we thought they were.”

2) Jim Mora’s, “Playoffs? Playoffs!?” rant.

3) Herm Edwards talking about lunch and playing to win.

4) Terrell Owens crying over his quarterback.

Some of these historic moments have made great Coors Beer commercials but imagine how much more goodness there would be if these coaches and players were allowed to express themselves during the game. For anybody who has ever laced up the spikes, you know things are said during the heat of the competition; things you might want back. For fans, these are gold bars of greatness.

So what’s it going to be, Mr. Goodell?

Our first step is to get a good Twitter spokesman. What’s Ben Roethlisberger up to?

MORE NFL: Rex Ryan F-Bombs – Sports Climax

Ochocinco fined 25K for Tweeting during game – Sports Climax

Stafford is Key to Lions Defense – Sports Climax

Used with permission of the author.

Logan Rhoades is a Los Angeles-based writer and contributor to Sports Climax. With an extensive knowledge of ESPN topics and celebrity gossip, he is known for mixing sports and pop culture to entertain his readers. Follow him on Twitter @loganrhoades.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

Now that the Tiger’s divorce is finalized will he legally prowl the streets of Cougartown?

And what about golf?

Should the PGA’s most recent icon be concerned he’s been hitting the ball like Charles Barkley lately? The ladies man is single now and that may become more important.

Unless you’ve been hibernating in a cave since November you’re aware of the excessive prowling Tiger did while he was in the state of holy matrimony. Now imagine how many of those nights a single Tiger is capable of pulling off.

One of Tiger’s fellow golfers, John Daly, who overcame a “slight” drinking disorder, has been expressing himself with his wardrobe which stole the headlines throughout a recent tournament overseas. Maybe Daly’s funky wardrobe is part of his 12-step program.

So how will Tiger express himself?

He may choose to sit around cracking his knuckles while readjusting to a laid-back new life or if he’s ready to move on and really unwind; he could always borrow a piece of Daly’s wardrobe to hit the streets and go out on the hunt.

“The Tigerhood of the Traveling Pants”

Tiger Woods is the modern day Casanova and was named Athlete of the Decade.

As one of the highest paid athletes in the world, with earnings closing in on $1 billion, he could wine and dine his dates with bottles of Cristal and pearl-filled oysters. At the minimum we’ve been told he’s good for a ‘sext’ message booty call.

While we’re doing a run-down and preview of the man and his goods, let’s not ignore the elephant in the room. Some of the mistresses in his life have said he’s packing some major heat. With the endurance to juggle up to 14ish women at a time while wearing a wedding band on his finger, it’s no wonder that he is. . . . was. . . a top athlete on the PGA circuit.

It doesn’t matter that Tiger is no longer the greatest golfer in the world. The guy is a stud in the bedroom and that’s all that seems to matter to most of the country and us drooling media.

At the end of the day, he’s capable of bringing the ladies home. . . . or to a hotel. . . or on his yacht, or wherever he wants to take them.

But what is in the forefront of these future ladies’ minds?

Are they thinking white gowns and a walk up an aisle or loads of cash with a Gucci purse full of bottomless credit cards?

Elin Nordegren just finalized the divorce this summer and is probably taking a huge chunk of that pile of cash and the kids but some guys would say that’s a fair trade to get laid by virtually almost any woman walking the planet. And even after the heist, Elin still leaves Tiger a young, multi-zillionaire with a huge dong.

To a lot of guys that sounds like heaven. No longer having the responsibility of taking care of a wife and kids, having more money than some countries and presented with the opportunity to try to break Wilt Chamberlains alleged record of laying 20,000 women.

Maybe Rod Stewart was predicting the future when he sang his 1984 Top Ten hit, “Some Guys Have All the Luck.”

Logan Rhoades and Jay Donetelli contributed to this article.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

For fights between teammates in the dugout, dumping talented players and bookending manager Lou Piniella’s season with 16-5 losses against the Braves, the Chicago Cubs have earned our Bitch-Slap-of-the-Week.

The Cubbies who entered the 2010 season expected to be division contenders are currently sitting near the basement of their division with a 51-74 record and 21.5 games behind the NL Central leading Reds.

So again, expectations have simmered in the Windy City. With a 28-38 record at Wrigley and the faces of the franchise gone; the future for Da Boys in Blue looks grim.

Derrek Lee is in Atlanta, Carlos Zambrano is in anger management and to show their love for Lou, the Cubbies got slaughtered 16-5 in his last game as manager on Sunday, all signs of a team in self-implosion mode.

The good news is Cubs fans should be used to losing by now. After all, they don’t call ‘em The Loveable Losers because they win championships. The bad news is they are heading towards adding another year to their record-setting World Series drought (Google 1908).

Unless the Reds, Phillies, Cardinals, Giants, Rockies, Marlins, Dodgers, Mets, Brewers, Astros, and Nationals all stop playing baseball, there is no way that the Cubs will make it to the post-season this year.

The Cubs need a Tim Allen type of Christmas miracle for all of that to come true but unfortunately this isn’t the set of The Santa Clause.

Although many miracles have been performed in downtown Chicago, how I got home that one night, I will never know, the season looks over for the Cubbies.

So, sorry Cubs, but for fights in your dugout, dumping your talented players and bookending Piniella’s season with 16-5 losses against the Braves, you’ve earned the Bitch-Slap-of-the-Week, now go back into hibernation.

Used with permission of the author.

Logan Rhoades is a Los Angeles-based writer and contributor to Sports Climax. With an extensive knowledge of ESPN topics and celebrity gossip, he is known for mixing sports and pop culture to entertain his readers. Follow him on Twitter @loganrhoades.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC