Honey Badger Didn't Care, Saban too Tough, Howard Happy, My New Home

Matthieu will have to look elsewhere to play this season.

There has been a celebration in the South. In small towns all over Alabama and Arkansas, chocolate fountains have been working hard, and there is a shortage of all-you-can-eat and cotton candy supplies at Golden Corrals in light of recent news out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

As we know, Tyrann Mathieu was dismissed from the LSU football team on Friday for an undisclosed violation of team rules, which will help the entire SEC West in their respective journeys to the SEC Championship.

Reports say that the Honey Badger could not stay away from hitting the pipe. His decision have cost selfish player playing time for the Bayou Bengals in the past, leaving coach Les Miles no other choice but to dismiss the Heisman Trophy finalist. Does this sound like someone you would want to hang out with?

On his Twitter feed, the 2011 unanimous All-American wrote, "The realist hearts have been through the most pain!! I'm out!!"

By horrifying the LSU English department, Mattieu showed again that he simply does not get it. He does not understand how actions have consequences and when you break rules -- over and over again -- you will be punished accordingly. He does not demonstrate an understanding that the game is not all about him. Now he will learn this lesson at a FCS program (reportedly McNeese State in Lake Charles, Louisiana).

As a fan of college football, it is sad to see arguably the most exciting player in the game no longer able to compete with the top talent. What is worse is when an individual with his talent, who has the chance to set an example for young people, can not get his act together though given multiple opportunities.

ALABAMA TRANSER TO TRANSFER: After four practices under Nick Saban, cornerback Travell Dixon has completed paperwork to transfer from the Crimson Tide. The junior college transfer was expected to see significant playing time, but reports from Tuscaloosa say that Dixon was experiencing, "a little overload."

Call me crazy, but isn't that what is to be expected when you commit play for Saban? Isn't that what makes playing against the Tide's defense so good and so dang difficult for opponents? Isn't that what makes Alabama players NFL ready as soon as they are drafted?

The good news is Alabama will, like LSU with Mattieu (though his back-up Tharold Simon also missed games last year because of drug related problems), fill in their new loss with another speedy monster on the depth chart.

Howard at his Laker press conference.

HOWARD APPEARS TO BE HAPPY, FINALLY : Dwight Howard was traded from the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers this week in a four-team deal. Just go look at Y! Sports site if you want to see all of the players involved. Blogger will not let me have that long of a post.

It only took the Magic two years, a Howard agreement on an extension, and a two better offers turned down. Yes, Orlando got rid of the best defensive player in the game, and they got the fourth best player of all the teams and no one to fill Howard's void. Thirty-year-old Magic general manager Rob Hennigan has plenty of work to do. On the bright side, because of his age he has plenty of time to do it.

Keeping with the franchise tradition of big-time big men, the Lakers again stole the greatest big man in the game from Orlando as they did with Shaquille O'Neal in 1996. Other similarities include their draft position (No. 1 overall) and nickname (Superman). Remember how these two bicker about how different they are? And how Howard said he does not want to follow O'Neal professional career?

Now the Lakers are the team to beat in the Western Conference because they have the most complete starting lineup with room to add a few wiley veterans.

Some things change, but Ole Blue remains the same.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE: I would like to apologize to all three of my readers for not posting more often lately. There have been several events that I would have loved to share my opinion on, but I have been moving into a house from the south Hall County Georgia to the northern parts. The move has cut down on the time I have been able to sit down and write. However, because of the move, I now I have a beautiful new desk, a better view from my desk, and the improvements in overall quality of life that come along with moving from an apartment to a house -- like a quite night's sleep and a new pillowtop mattress, which will change your life. All are welcome.

Changing of the Guard

Either the Celtics or the Lakers will not be playing in the NBA Finals for only the fourth time in the last eleven years. So are both teams done? Is this the last we will see of the NBA's two most storied franchises for a while? Is a new regime of the NBA elite upon us?

Some are saying they are too old. The Celtics have been teetering on the line of too old and the peak of their star players careers, while the Lakers seem too have serious locker room issues. Mr. Laker himself, Magic Johnson has called for the Lakers team to be "blown up" because the issues behind the scenes can not be fixed. The "blow-up" theory has been mentioned  the best option to solve the aging Celtics problems, too.

Slow down. I do not think it is time to start over for either of these franchises. The most obvious reason is the way the contracts in Los Angeles and Boston are set up. The Celtics older players that are calling to be moved are too much a part of the history of the Celtics, a la Derek Jeter and the Yankees last summer. The big three all have huge contracts limiting to where, if they even could be moved. Yes the team is older, but they were just a few plays from advancing to at least a game seven with the Heat. All-Star PG Rajon Rondo, the grease that keeps the Boston machine running, dislocated his elbow and was limited to playing with one arm for the last two games.

Unless the Lakers can figure out a trade deal in which Andrew Bynum is sent to Orlando for Dwight Howard, there are very few moves that can be done to increase the talent on the already most talented starting five. The bench will be shaken up a little bit if they want to advance further in the playoffs next year. They are built to win now and it is too late to start to rebuild a new team around Kobe Bryant. Another factor that played a key role in the Lakers early exit is fatigue. The core of the Lakers has played 44 more games than the Dallas Mavericks over the past three postseasons. Add in an Olympic run and FIBA World Championship run, Kobe was too tired late this season to will his team to victory.

Stick with what you have at least for one more year Los Angeles and Boston. You have a good thing going and "blowing up" your teams would be too risky. Fix the depth on the bench, get some rest this summer, and you will both be good to go for another deep postseason run.