Odds and Ends

• If the Titans do not want to allow QB Steve McNair to practice at the team's facilities, maybe they should just release him. I can think of one team that may be more than a little interested to let him train.
• Maybe this will discourage teams from giving outrageous bonuses. The Titans owe McNair a $50 million roster bonus soon.
• If you think you have tax problems, read this article from ESPN dealing with franchise ownership and estate taxes, particularly in passing NFL team ownership from parents to children.
• And if you think that these rich team owners have problems, imagine passing a family business or family farm down from in the family. All the more reason to permanently eliminate the death tax.
• Mike Gravel? For President? I'm not even sure Democratic voters are ready for that concept.
• The Orioles team ERA at the moment is 5.12. The team ERA for all of 2005 was 4.56. Does that mean Leo Mazzone is failing (answer: no. Can you imagine how much Brower, Byrdak and Cabrera skews that right now?)
• The Braves, on the other hand, have jumped from 3.98 to 5.72.
• If the Orioles are going to stay in contention, they are going to have to score more runs early in games. The team just won't be able to rely on come-from-behind victories all season. The team is tied for second at the moment with Tampa Bay, and will need to get ahead early to stay in this race.
• Yes, Tampa Bay is in second place.
• I cannot understand for the life of me some car manufacturers. My Ford Taurus rental (which is from after my accident; a whole other story itself) has no remote door control, yet has no key hole in any door but the passenger door. How does that work?