Oftentimes in the news we hear things that make us shake our heads and go “huh”? You know…random things like Dennis Rodman wearing a bridal outfit to a book signing or Roseanne Barr being considered a “wise” choice to let sing a National Anthem during a game. Oftentimes teams or individual star players make decisions or act in a way that just leave you wondering “what in the world were they smoking” as their tactics or decisions seem to backfire in their faces.

Here are three such events in particular that got me saying “whaa?”

1) Shawne Merriman Opting to Play the Entire 2008 NFL Season Without Surgery

Okay so your a top 5 defensive player in the NFL, compared to such greats as Lawrence Taylor and Ray Lewis at your respective position, playing in one of the most physically intense and violent leagues in all of the nation, and you decide to risk your entire career by playing with two torn knee ligaments in the same knee? Despite having four surgeons already recommend that you have surgery to keep your knee stabilized instead of lacing up to get beaten up and bruised, how in the world can either Merriman or the Charger front office allow this to happen? I mean sure, Merriman looks like a warrior and an all-out team player for putting his career all on the line to win a Super Bowl this year, but I mean this is your #1 asset defensively. Why would you let him take the tremendous risk of ruining his career for one measly season if your the Chargers’ front office?

After doing a little digging, I seem to have found an answer to this one. It turns out that Mr. Merriman is going to be a free agent after the 2009 NFL season. With time running out to win a ring and the tremendous salary a skilled defensive linebacker like Merriman will demand on the open market in 2009, Chargers GM A.J. Smith figures why not roll the dice on this one – considering he most likely lose Shawne to free agency in a couple of years anyways. However if I’m Shawne Merriman or his agent, I’ve got to be wondering if going to the Superbowl is really worth risking the rest of my career, the hundreds of millions of dollars I could be earning down the road and possibly hampering my natural walking ability period. I dunno Shawne….you must really like living life on the “edge” if you think you can get away with this one. Good luck buddy.

2) Jason Kidd Donating His Olympic Gold Basketball Medal to a Casino Hotel Owner’s Wife

Recently it was reported that NBA all-star guard Jason Kidd gave away his Olympic US Mens basketball gold medal that he had won over in Beijing to the wife of Las Vegas hotel and casino owner, Steve Wynn. Apparently he had met Ms. Elaine Wynn while staying at a Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas with his U.S. Men’s Olympic team training for the summer games. Talking with Ms. Wynn during a banquet, Kidd was impressed with her “knowledge of the game” and made a bet that if his Olympic Men’s team won the gold in 2008, he would give her the medal.

Whaa?

This is an Olympic gold medal we are talking about right? And yes, I do realize that Jason Kidd had already won one for Men’s basketball back in the 2000 Olympics in Australia, but I mean really…..most overseas professional athletes train their whole careers just to get such an opportunity and here Kidd is just giving his away? Personally, there seems to be more than meets the eye to this story. Either Kidd owed a really large gambling debt that he couldn’t pay back to the Wynns or Jason really has no sentiment and pride in playing for his country. Rumor has it that he was upset at his lack of playing time he getting on the court in China and this was his way of showing it.Either way, if this is true, it’s a complete shame. How can you be a role model to millions across the world and let them see you show no honor or pride in playing for your country? I mean, the very least he could have done if he really didn’t want the medal was to auction it off at a charity event and then donate the money to building more after-school basketball programs in inner cities or something. To me this story just doesn’t sit right, especially when it comes to Jason Kidd’s publicity image and I hope he does the right thing and take it back.

3) Milwaukee Brewers Working C.C. Sabathia Like a Dog

Okay so the Brewers decided this year not to rest on their laurels and go for a big name acquisition that would actually get them to the post season. So far so good. But now that you have an All-Star caliber ace at the top of your rotation, why are you wearing him down like he’s never gonna pitch again after this year is over? Much like in Merriman’s case, perhaps the Brewer organization feels that they won’t be able to re-sign Sabathia after this year is over but nonetheless….do you really want to wear down your best pitcher in the regular season when you know you need him “fresh” in October? The Indians tried this last year with C.C. when they “milked” him down the stretch run of September and late August…..only to see Sabathia ineffective and worn down in the AL wild card and AL championship playoff series. If I were Ned Yost and Doug Melvin, I’d consider shutting down the big man after six innings or so his next three starts just to save some “ammo” for when it really counts. I mean seriously…..do you really have to let C.C. in there in the eighth inning with a six or seven run lead on the road against teams like San Francisco, Washington or Pittsburgh? Understand that after pitching lights out in September of 2007 to lead the Indians to an AL central pennant and a Cy Young award, Sabathia didn’t manage to pitch more than 6 innings in any of his three post season starts compiling an 8.80 ERA. He later on admitted that his lack of command and ineffectiveness in velocity was due to arm fatigue.

If the Brewers plan to keep playing till late October in the fall classic, they are going to have to put C.C.‘s ego as well as their own pride in check, and give the big man some much needed rest.

So there you have it, my three “head scratching” moments of the past two weeks. If you agree or disagree with any of these, or even have your own “huh” stories you’d like to talk about….feel free to leave a comment below.