Packer tight end Ryan Taylor was fined $21,000 by the NFL yesterday for his block of Arizona's Rashad Johnson in the the Packers last game. It came on a punt return. Taylor was not penalized on the play. I was at the game and the hit was a big one and it was borderline. Johnson never saw it coming and the league said it was a blindside hit and that is why the fine is being assessed. Sometimes it seems that fine amounts are arbitrary and there are those who say if a player wasnt penalized why should he be fined. Obviously the officials dont see everything and after looking at a replay there may be a different opinion on whether a play was legal or not. I'm all for protecting defenseless players in situations like this and certainly don't want to go back to the NFL of my youth where the brutality of the game was what made it popular. We are seeing the fall out from that in the number of former players who are suffering horribly from injuries sustained years ago...along with the number of dementia cases which have led to numerous suicides. I don't want that...but it seems that the game has fundementally changed when what uesd to be plays that were applauded are now resulting in fines and suspensions. I guess football fans are going to have to live with that going forward if they are going to keep watching the games

The Miami Marlins have decided that the big-money route they took last year didnt work so they are unloading. it started at the end of last year and is continuing this week with a blockbuster trade with Toronto. The Blue-Jays feel that the AL East may be ripe with the Yankees and Red Sox both showing chinks in the armor...so the Jays have decided to go for it...trading prospects for Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson....all of a sudden the AL East got alot more interesting.

The Badger basketball team faces their first real test tonight...on the road at #10 Florida. You can hear the game on WSAU with pre-game at 5pm

The Bucks are also in action tonight at home vs Indiana. You can hear the game on Foxsports1390 at 6:40.

Songs Of The Day   (from my I-pod)

Lawless Avenues-Jackson Browne (1986) a cut from the great "Lives In The Balance" album about the constant cycle of violence on the mean streets of LA.

Lawyers, Guns & Money-Warren Zevon (1978) The ascerbic wit of Mr. Zevon strikes again... a classic cut from "Excitable Boy"