A screen legends passes. Oh man, I try to talk up the Big East, another lame suggestion on how the NFL can split $9 billion, new NFL rule changes and LT and more in this edition of Rants and Raves.

Elizabeth Taylor passed away of congestive heart failure at the age of 79. But it was MS. Taylor who gave many a man heart failure in movies like “Cleopatra,” “Butterfield Eight,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf.” She was like the goddess she played in “Cleopatra,” elegant and above all the other actress in Hollywood at the time. She will be truly missed.

What’s up with the Big East? They had 11 teams in the tournament, but now only 2 survive. Last Sunday didn’t help in that there were two games where the Big East played against each other. Now there are naysayer’s that say the Big East is over rated. I say it isn’t. ACC, SEC or any other conference from top-to-bottom is not as strong as the Big East. Anything can happen in a tournament . That is why its called March Madness.

I just can’t give it up. I have to stick my two cents in. Here is another suggestion for the NFL owners and players. How about each side taking 45% each and then give 10% percent to the players that played in the NFL before 1970, who don't have the pensions that players now have. These legends of "real" football don't have great, or any, medical coverage, while living on a very small pension. They can use all the $$$ they can get.

Now the NFL is taking on the poor defenseless player. Looks like there will be more rules changes once the NFL gets their act together. The NFL will change the rules for illegal hits, instant replays and kickoffs. Players will have a chance to get suspended for flagrant illegal hits.

Rules defining a defenseless player will be expanded and now will include eight categories:

• A quarterback in the act of throwing;

• A receiver trying to catch a pass;

• A runner already in the grasp of tacklers and having his forward progress stopped;

• A player fielding a punt or a kickoff;

• A kicker or punter during the kick;

• A quarterback at any time after change of possession;

• A receiver who receives a blind-side block;

• A player already on the ground.

The league's competition committee plans to propose at next week's owners meetings moving the kickoff up to the 35-yard line and are thinking about bringing a touchback out to the 25. It also will propose making all scoring plays reviewable by the replay official.

What’s the NFL trying to do?? Ruin a game that is already starting to go down the tubes?? Its hard enough for the refs to run the game now more senseless stuff for them to mess up.

This has nothing to do with anything I am currently blogging about. But I just like her smile and had to post it.

Hopefully Lawrence Taylor will finally learn from his mistakes. He was sentenced yesterday to 6-years probation for sexual misconduct and patronizing an underage prostitute. LT has to register as a sex offender.

Can someone answer this question? Now pay attention

Why is it that when you go to the gas station and use your credit card to pump gas, the gas pump doesn’t stop until your car’s gas tank is full.

Are you still paying attention, but, when you pre-pay, the gas pump slows down with about 50-cents to go and it then takes almost a minute to finish pumping? Any gas experts???

Pictures by: Big East Logo with teams - missourisportsblog.com, NFL Logo - 6magazineonline.com, Elizabeth Taylor - glamour.com/images, Lawrence Taylor (after football) - 3.bp.blogspot.com 

Are the Jet’s classless?? Brandi Favre a druggie?? Does Lawrence Taylor plead?? These questions, and more, are answered inside this edition of Rants and Raves.

What’s up with the Jets? After the Jets defeated New England, 28-21, several Jet players made very classless statements. One of which was from Bart Scott:

Do you think this was appropriate? I don‘t. But then again, their coach, Rex Ryan doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut.

On the heels of the New England sass talk, comes the gushy, kissing up to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Come on Jet Players and Coach Ryan, pucker them lips and kiss the Steelers ass.

Brandi Favre, the younger sister of you-know-who, was arrested along with five other people in Diamondhead, Mississippi. The police found a meth lab in a condo complex, after witnessing a drug purchase near the place. The five were taken to a hospital for decontamination before being sent to jail. Hazmat teams went into the condo unit to dispose of the chemicals.

Speaking of a Favre, Brett turned in his retirement papers to the NFL. Yeah!!

Lawrence Taylor finally plead guilty to two misdemeanor charges stemming from the May 6^th arrest for felony statutory rape. He will be sentenced to six years probation, but, he must also register as a sex offender.

Now isn’t this the LT we would like to remember?? The man who led the G-Men to two Super Bowl titles, in 1987 and 1991, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. You bet we do!!

Do you really think the Denver Nuggets will get a better deal than what the New Jersey Nets are offering?? Come on Denver, wake up!! Two #1 picks, Derrick Favors, Devon Harris and several other players and yet your considering the Knicks low ball offer?? Is there an NBA conspiracy?? Is David Stern involved in trying to get Melo to the Knicks???

In the Nets smartest move of the season, Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov delivered the bombshell to the media on Wednesday night, he said nyet to Carmelo Anthony.

"I'm not happy with the way ... this deal has gone until now," Prokhorov said. "It has taken too long. It has been played out in public and it certainly has taken a toll on the players and I believe that it has cost us several games. I think management did a great job, but there comes a time when the price is simply too expensive. I'm instructing our team to walk away from the deal." "It's my decision," said Prokhorov, who said the Nets were given permission to speak with Anthony but never got a "straightforward answer" on the specifics of that meeting. Prokhorov said he never heard from Anthony. "Maybe he sent me an e-mail, but I don't have a computer," Prokhorov said. "Maybe the carrier pigeon got lost."

The Nets have five 1^st round picks in the next two years and plenty of cap space. If the Nets GM Billy King plays his cards right the future looks bright.

The heir-apparent to Mariano Rivera is now a New York Yankee. Rafael Soriano has agreed to a three-year, $35 million dollar deal. Rumors are circulating that it was Rivera who went to bat for Soriano. Rafael is 11-20 with a 2.73 era in 9 seasons. He has 88 saves (in which 45 were last year with Tampa Bay) and has played for Atlanta, Seattle and Tampa Bay. Rafael Soriano has options after the first and second years of the deal.

Speaking of the Yankees, if they are really serious about getting another pitcher, how about Seattle’s Felix Hernandez. Yeah I bashed him about winning the Cy Young, but that’s because he was no where near 20 wins and remember Steven Carlton was on a team that was offensively challenged and he won 27 games. Can you imagine Hernandez stats on the Yankees, with their offense?? 27 wins easily. The Yankees can give up one of their prized catchers (they have 2, and the third one ain’t bad either), some pitchers, and a position player or two.

Jaguars are in desperate need of a lock down defense back. They will use their first round draft pick on one, and you can rest assured another pick in the 3^rd or 4^th round. How about taking the best lockdown back in the league, Nnamdi Asomugha, and sign him to a $15 million a year contract.

Here is a clip of the United States Ceremonial Team:

Pictures by: Nnamdi Asomugha - justblogbaby.com, Brett Favre - eworldpost.com, New York Jets Logo - the5thcorner.com, Jacksonville Jaguar logo - Sportslogos.net, Brandi Favre - gossone.com/worlds/, Denver Nuggets - images.arenstaren.multiply.com, Lawrence Taylor (after football) - 3.bp.blogspot.com, Lawrence Taylor (football days) - live.drjays.com, Mariano Rivera - bronxbaseballdaily.com, Rafael Soriano - static.businessinsider.com, Felix Hernandez - chrisoleary.com, New Jersey Nets Logo - pycomall.com/image, Mikhail Prokhorov - images.forbes.com, Huggs and kisses to you - 4.bp.blogspot.com/

Video by: Bart Scott - Bigser9 on Youtube, US Ceremonial Team - Drill4life on Youtube