The Roundup: Manny being Mannoying, the Kings' draft decisions and the coach with no shame

By Fernando Gallo

Was it a wrong turn at Albuquerque?

Manny Ramirez made a rehab start last night in Albuquerque, going 0-2 and staying mum about his drug violation bust. Thanks for continuing to be a stand-up guy! Seriously, has anyone ever given a damn less about what people think than Manny? The guy is a joke. He does what he pleases, shows up to the park in a uniform so baggy it looks like a kid wearing daddy’s clothes, and apologizes for absolutely nothing. Worse yet: nobody cares. The Dodgers will keep paying him, the fickle Dodger fans will adore him, he’ll hit a bunch of home runs and be in the postseason again. I’d like to be an athlete, because apparently accountability isn’t necessary. Just ask Mark McGwire or Barry Bonds.

A new Kings chant will be born: Ru-Bee-ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh! (here’s a link for the uninitiated)

Ricky Rubio during his stint at point guard
for the Spain National team. Picture by user
Rich115 on Flickr.

My appeal to Geoff Petrie: Please please please please please please please don’t screw this up. The No. 4 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft could be used on a variety of players, including Spanish sensation Ricky Rubio, punishing hybrid guard Tyreke Evans, or defensive specialist Hasheem Thabeet (if he falls that far – not likely). Aside from having awesome names, these three guys appear destined to be difference makers in the NBA. For my money, I’d like to see the Kings take Rubio. He’s a fantastic passer (which was a requirement for point guards last time I checked) and has played with men on an international stage in the Olympics. He may take some time to adjust to the Association, but he has tremendous upside. Evans wouldn’t be a horrible pick – I like his toughness and raw talent. I just don’t want to see Petrie make some stupid reach for a player that should be going at No. 24 instead of No. 4 (are you listening Al Davis?). I also don't like Minnesota's stockpiling of draft picks - not only are they poised to stockpile young talent, they might be about to move up to grab Thabeet or Rubio.

Perhaps he will divulge some Pearls of wisdom?

Speaking of the draft, NBA TV did a smart thing and hired Tennessee Men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl as an analyst for its draft coverage. Pearl has got to be one of my favorite coaches ever. He’s a great speaker, great motivator, and a pretty darn good coach, having already made it to a few Sweet 16s and being name SEC Coach of the Year twice. But what makes Pearl my favorite dude is all of his non-basketball shenanigans. He’s showed up shirtless and painted in orange for a Tennessee woman’s basketball game for the fun of it, has sweated through shirts and sports jackets on the sidelines, felt up ESPN sideline reporter (and former Florida Gator dancer) Erin Andrews, and has a very nice-looking fiancé. This year, Pearl will also coach the U.S. men’s basketball team in the World Maccabiah Games, a Jewish Olympics of sort (no, really), as he is a practicing Jew. I also love the fact that he occasionally rocks the ridiculous orange blazers on the sideline. The man certainly has a lot of chutzpah.