Head Coach Jim Calhoun returned today to the practice court of Univ. of Connecticutt, and none to soon.  With his leave of absence due to health issues, Associate Coach George Blaney led the perrenial powerhouse out of the Top 25 with a record of 3-4.  Perhaps of greater question is if Uconn will make it to the big dance this March.

And while those are questions for today, the greater question hanging over the Uconn program is how much longer Calhoun will patrol the sidelines.  Even though he has signed a new contract, we have seen the consequences of when an aging head coach with health issues (Arizona's Lute Olsen) holds up the transistion to another coach due to their own desire to stay on.  Don't be too surprised if Uconn is under the direction of a new head coach after this NCAA season is over.

So the NBA decided this past week to suspend wild west imitators Gilbert Arenas and Jarvaris Crtittenton of the Washington Wizards for the remainder of the 2009-2010 season.  What else were they to do?  A number of years ago the NBA was viewed as a league with an image problem due to the manner its players dressed, that it portrayed its spoiled millionaires as thugs.  Now they are making like Scarface carrying weapons into lockerrooms.

The NBA is correct in its decision.  If any of these players were working at the local 7-11, they would be out of a job, not just suspended.  And it isn't NASCAR where if you want to have a fight you go over to the pit crew area of your opponent and throw down (and lets be honest, the only reason anyone watches is for the crashes).  But the possibility of having a weapon drawn on a court in response to a call not liked is too high a price to pay for the NRA.  Truth is, that is unfortunately a likely occurance in the inner-city with some money on the line.  The NBA players are already compensated.

The moment the players confirm in the eyes of the public that the players (even though its some, a few, even one) is an undeservingly paid millionaire, ticket sales will drop and tv packages not subscribed to.  And wait, then there will be converstaions like: "It used to be I couldn't afford an NBA ticket, now I need to bring a handgun to protect myself in the stands incase a player goes off his rocker".

On Sunday the Knicks gave their fans a game to remember.  Perhaps they were trying to assist their NFL brethren NY Jets by drawing attention away from their failed bid in attaining the Super Bowl by trying to capture the back page of the local tabloids.

By losing to the Dallas Mavericks 128 - 78, the Knicks set an all-time record of 50 point loss at Madision Square Garden.  Is this a sign that D'Antoni was turning things around in NY?  Aren't these Knicks in the thick of a playoff hunt?  And aren't records made to be broken?  This is one record that they may not want to touch.

The University of Connecticutt's Head Basketball Coach, Jim Calhoun, has taken an indefinte leave of absence for medical reasons.  This is not the first time the 67 year old Calhoun has taken medical leave.  He has battled cancer on three separate occasions.  This recent leave is being attributed to high blood pressure and stress.  The school has not given any further details.  George Blaney will take over for the Hall of Fame coach until he returns to the sidelines.

Former New York Knick and Brooklyn legend Stephon Marbury has signed with the Shanxi club in China.  Marbury, who finished last season with the Boston Celtics after being released by the New York Knicks stated earlier this year that he was taking the year off instead of looking towards Italy as originally intended.  Marbury will join his new club next week with an agreement that is not financially loaded.  Instead, Marbury states that his motivation is to help promote his brand of sneakers in the Far East.

On Friday Gilbert Arenas walked into a DC courtroom to plead guilty of a felony gun charge of carrying an illegal weapon.  He could face as much as 5 years, but it is rumored that in a plea deal the most he would face is 3 months and likely less than that.

If Arenas was not a professional ball player, a supposed "role model", would the local jail be preparing his next uniform of orange and numbers longer than two digits for his extended stay just about now?  Of course.  The judge that sentenced Plaxico Burress got it correct.  Its because these athletes, whether they like it or not, agree with it or not, are role models that thay have to be held up to an increased standard.  It is now their greatest role to teach the young men and women that laws apply to all, regardless of wealth, status, color and any other descriptive that can be used to divide us instead of uniting us.

And only now, as it was reported by the reporters at the plea deal, does Arenas begin to understand the depths of his actions.  And we are not just speaking of the potential loss of $80 million dollars.  Reality has to sink in.  Reality is what is happening in Haiti right now.  He is living a dream life.  No one is arguing that he shouldn't have that opportunity and right.  But act like you deserve it.  When Americans tear down their idols is when the idols forget how to connect with their fans.  Arenas may have some time to reflect on that.

Former New Jersey Nets and St. John's star Jayson Williams has just pleaded guilty for having accidentally killing Costas Christofi with a shotgun, his limosine driver, in 2002.

Eight years after the incident and a 2004 reckless manslaughter trial that ended with a deadlocked jury now brings to close the story of how Williams fell from rising television and NBA analyst to reportedly spending the next 18 months in jail without parole.  He was to face retrial later this month.

It's interesting how this decision this morning comes on the heel of his one car auto accident last week that has left him with a broken vertabrae.  He was charged with DWI in that incident.  Is his decision the final turning point that he sees the path that he has tumbled down since that fateful day?  Has he reached rock bottom?  There was the reported incident last year in a New York hotel where he alledgedly attempted suicide.

Whatever demons that exist in Jayson Williams hopefully this will begin his road back.  We can only hope that he becomes a cautioniary tale to the dangers of the handling of handguns and other weapons - see Plaxico Burress and Gilbert Arenas for further incidents among professional athletes.