Basketsprawl

Things erupted when the rookie Mardy Collins committed a flagrant foul on the Nuggets’ J. R. Smith, who was going for a layup. In seconds, Nate Robinson and Smith appeared to tackle each other, and a scrum formed behind the baseline.

Anthony then punched Collins in the face, sending Collins to the floor and escalating the fight.

Several other players also threw punches, and Anthony is almost certain to draw a suspension from the league. The Knicks’ Jared Jeffries had to be restrained as he chased Anthony. Several players, coaches and security guards ran onto the court trying to end the fight.

With all 10 players who were playing at the time of the fight ejected, the game was delayed for several minutes as the three referees tried to sort out what had happened.

Another black eye (pun intended) for the NBA.

Baggy bags it

Bagwell didn't finish with 500 homers or a .300 average, but he needs to go into the Hall of Fame, probably on the first ballot. In 15 seasons, he hit .297/.408/.540 with 449 homers, 1.529 RBI and 1,517 runs scored. His OPS ranks 24th all-time, and much of his production came in the Astrodome, a pitcher's park. Over a two-season span in 1999-2000, he hit 89 homers, scored 295 runs and drove in 262. His 152 runs in 2000 is the highest total anyone's managed since Lou Gehrig in 1936. However, he was at his absolute best in 1994, hitting .368/.451/.750 with 116 RBI in 110 games before a broken hand ended his season even before the strike could. He was the unanimous MVP that year anyway, and he also finished second in 1999 and third in 1997.

Weekend Postpourri

-- James Gandolfini is slated to be the King of the Krewe of Bacchus at this year's Mardi Gras.

-- An e-mail addy that expires after ten minutes. Perfect for those invasive registration sites.

-- Speaking of spam, have you been getting more lately from people whose names sound vaguely familiar, offering you stock tips, knock-off Rolexes, and Windows Vista downloads? There's a reason.

-- The SEIU janitors won again, this time against the nation's largest mall management company. Link via Matt Stoller at MyDD, the leading source for this news.

-- There continues to be lots of news regarding the pending sale or breakup of the Tribune Co., which owns the LA Times, the Chicago Tribune, New York Newsday, the Chicago Cubs baseball team and a host of other media properties. Entertainment kingpin David Geffen sold his Jackson Pollock painting "No. 5, 1948" for $140 million to raise money to buy the Times, which he bid $2 billion for yesterday. The Chandler family, whose forbear founded the paper, built a media empire called Times-Mirror then sold it to Tribune, are divided over whether to get back into the business or not. Other multi-millionaires want part or all of the company.

-- I made it on time to the "frenzied groupthink" party, but I was late to the after-party. Eileen is always better at responding to this sort of hysterical rant than I am, anyway.

-- Poaching Kuffner's turf: these two posts from Tory Gattis and Christof Spieler are interesting as an Inner-Looper. Tory introduces me to the acronym TOD, or transit-oriented development. Christof has the excellent mobility take, as always.

-- Right of Texas and Paul Burka break down Henry Bonilla's ass-whipping in the 23rd. Update (12/16): P.M. Bryant pulls together a much better compendium of links and analysis.

-- Since I'm not a gamer I don't need or want a Wii, but if it's on your Christmas list for you or someone else, you better be careful with it.

Moneyshot Quotes of the Week

"I never understand that question, you have a President that's in deep shit. He got us into the war, and all the reasons he gave have been proven invalid, and the whole electorate was so pissed off that they got rid of anyone they could have, and then they ask, 'What is the Democrats' solution?'"

-- Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), quoted by the New York Observer, when asked what the Democrats should do about Iraq

"I must tell you, I'm sleeping a lot better than people would assume."

-- President Bush, in an interview with People magazine

"I don't think I would have called it the war on terror. I don't mean to be critical of those who have. Certainly, I have used the phrase frequently. Why do I say that? Because the word 'war' conjures up World War II more than it does the Cold War. It creates a level of expectation of victory and an ending within 30 or 60 minutes of a soap opera. It isn't going to happen that way. Furthermore, it is not a 'war on terror.' Terror is a weapon of choice for extremists who are trying to destabilize regimes and (through) a small group of clerics, impose their dark vision on all the people they can control. So 'war on terror' is a problem for me."

-- Donald Rumsfeld, 12/12/06

Also from Rumsfeld, the following:

(T)here has been comment in the press of late about whether or not we’re even engaged in a war on terror, or whether our purpose might be better explained in a different manner. Let there be no mistake, we are a nation at war, against terrorist enemies who are seeking our surrender or our retreat. It is a war." 8/2/05

"I would like to say that Iraq is really one of the battle grounds in the global war on terror." 4/24/06

"Iraq is the central front of the global war on terror." 12/16/05

Q: My argument is that we are fighting the war on terror in Iraq. Back me up a little bit on that, Mr. Secretary.
RUMSFELD: Well, you're absolutely right. 8/3/04

"(Iraq is) part of the global war on terror; let there be no doubt." 9/10/03

Q: Do you feel that the Administration by turning its attention onto Iraq would be leaving the job undone a bit too soon?
RUMSFELD: Oh, no. Indeed that’s part of the global war on terrorism, Iraq. 12/4/02

"Well, I'm not a very good writer. I have the ideas, and I have somebody else put the words together."

-- Tom DeLay, talking about his blog

"He underwent successful surgery to evacuate the blood and stabilize the malformation. (North Dakota Senator Tim Johnson) has continued to have an uncomplicated post-operative course. Specifically, he has been appropriately responsive to both word and touch. No further surgical intervention has been required."

-- US Capitol physician Adm. John Eisold. You may send a get-well-soon greeting to Sen. Johnson at this link.