How lucky is Anquan Boldin? He’s with the lowly Arizona Cardinals when they have a magical season and almost win the Super Bowl. Then, as that team implodes, he lands with the Baltimore Ravens and, a couple years later, wins the Super Bowl. Now, as that team falls apart, he’s traded to the 49ers, who are gonna win The Big One in the next year or two. And yes, I’m talking about the NFL in March.

Otis Taylor of the 1970s Chiefs.

Amazing how an underachiever like Randy Moss can make a totally ridiculous statement–that he’s the greatest wide receiver of all time–and announcers on ESPN TV and radio spend multiple hours discussing a statement everyone knows is false. (Randy: kudos for getting people to talk about you.)

Another thing: Mike&Mike this morning were comparing Moss to who they thought were the greatest wide receivers of all time–Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, Cris Carter. Astonishingly, the wide receiver position actually existed before the 1990s.

Mike Greenberg said the NFL had never seen speed like Randy Moss at the wide receiver position. Uh–Olympian Bob Hayes? World-class sprinter Cliff Branch? Oh yeah, that was before 1990.

I realize they didn’t throw the ball as much in earlier years, so wide receivers didn’t rack up the stats like today’s receivers. But there are a bunch of guys who might have had amazing stats if they had played with Montana and Young: Swann, Stallworth, Hayes, Biletnikoff, Largent, Berry, Lofton, Joiner, Maynard, Pearson, Alworth, Warfield, and one of my personal favorites who never makes “best” lists, Otis Taylor of the Chiefs (anybody remember him? Len Dawson to Tayor–great combo.).

I like rivalry jokes. These ones are crafted around university football programs. For many of them, you can insert the name of whatever college you dislike. Enjoy.

Q: Why do Tennessee fans wear orange?
A: So they can dress that way for the game on Saturday, go hunting on Sunday, and pick up trash on Monday.

Q: Why do Oklahoma fans keep their diplomas on their dashboards?
A: So they can park in handicap spaces.

Q: What does the average Alabama player get on his SATs?
A: Drool.

Q: What do you say to a University of Miami football player dressed in a three-piece suit?
A: “Will the defendant please rise.”

Q: How many Michigan freshmen football players does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. That’s a sophomore course.

Q: If three Florida State football players are in the same car, who is driving?
A: The police officer.

Q: How can you tell if an Auburn football player has a girlfriend?
A: There’s tobacco juice on both sides of the pickup truck.

Q: What do you get when you put 32 Arkansas cheerleaders in one room?
A: A full set of teeth.

Q: How do you get a former Ohio State football player off your porch?
A: Pay him for the pizza.

Q: What are the longest 3 years of a Louisville football player’s life?
A: His freshman year.

Q: How many LSU football players does it take to change a tire?
A: One, but he gets 3 credit hours.

Q: Why was O.J. trying to escape to Indiana?
A: Police would never look for a Heisman Trophy winner there.

Q: Why do Colorado football players like smart women?
A: Opposites attract.

Q: What does the “N” on the helmets for the University of Nebraska stand for?
A: “Nowledge.”

The India delegation enters the stadium at the 2012 London Olympics. The woman in bluejeans was a gate-crasher, not part of the team.

India’s men’s field hockey team is a traditional powerhouse, but hasn’t medaled in over 20 years.

India’s women’s badminton team.

India is the world’s 2nd largest country, with 1.2 billion people–four times the size of the United States. But in the 2012 Summer Olympics, they won just six medals–2 silver and 4 bronze. Which is actually good, considering that their pre-Olympics goal was to win five medals.

India has competed in every Olympics since 1900, yet has won just 26 medals (9 gold, 6 silver, 11 bronze). In other words, India has won just a few more medals than Michael Phelps.

What’s up?

A Google search showed that this subject fascinates lots of people around the world. And a variety of reasons–or excuses–have been cited for India’s lackluster Olympics performances.

• Not a priority. Sports just isn’t a priority among Indian families. Education and job training–and survival in general–take center stage. Athletics is viewed as something you do for fun. India certainly has people with potential world-class athletic skills. But it is rarely developed, or at least not developed at a young enough age.
• Infrastructure. India doesn’t have a widespread sports culture with athletic teams at all school levels. They lack a system where the best athletes rise to the top, along with skilled coaches and trainers.
• Money. Though India is developing economically, families lack the money to invest in high-calibre athletic training for their children, and local governments lack the funds to invest in good practice and competition facilities.
• No economic safety net. An American can spend many years de-emphasizing school and, if athletics doesn’t work out, still live a good middle class life. But in India, you’re taking a very big chance. It’s tough to make up ground.
• Caste system. A large part of the population is automatically excluded, because they come from lower castes. If you make the Olympic team, you’re probably a member of a higher caste.
• Not a national priority. Developing countries that do well have high investment from the central government–China, North Korea, Cuba. The Indian government has too many other concerns.
• No dominant sport. Developing countries usually excel in a particular sport–track (Jamaica, Ethiopia, Kenya), wrestling (Turkey), weight-lifting (Kazakhstan), boxing (Cuba). No such sport has emerged in India, unless you count cricket.
• Childhood malnourishment. Too many of India’s people begin life as undernourished children, and they never develop the physical qualities needed to excel in athletics.
• Corruption. The Indian athletic bodies are ridden with corruption.
• Tribalism. India has numerous ethnic identities with distinct languages, not to mention the divisions of the former caste system. North Korea, by contrast, has a single ethnic identity.
• Gender issues. Skimpy outfits–a staple in many sports–is frowned upon in Indian society.
• Cricket rules. India is a one-sport nation, obsessed with cricket. Which is not an Olympic sport.

Something else I found interesting.

Between 1928-1968, India won the field hockey gold medal all but two times (when neighboring Pakistan won). In 1976, the Olympics switched from natural turf to synthetic turf, which is more expensive. Indian localities lacked the money to switch fields to synthetic turf. Consequently, Indian players continued growing up on grassy fields, learning skills which weren’t suited for synthetic turf.

So there, an explanation of why the world’s second-largest country, it’s largest democracy, and its largest English-speaking country just can’t cut it in the Olympics.

I’m pleased about the Mavericks win on a number of levels:

• Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion previously played for my favorite team, the Phoenix Suns.
• Marion played for UNLV, a team people love to hate, but which I’ve always liked, especially in the Jerry Tarkanian days. I know, that makes me evil.
• Jason Terry is from the University of Arizona, one of my favorite college teams. (Yeah, Miami had Michael Bibby, who actually led Arizona to a national championship, but what can I say?)
• Tyson Chandler is from Hanford, Calif., just a few miles from where I went to high school in Tulare.
• Peja Stojakavoc, in his prime, played for the Sacramento Kings, who came excruciatingly close to beating the Lakers to make the finals. A victim of Bigshot Bob Horry. (Yeah, Michael Bibby was a member of that same Kings team.)
• JJ Barea–I didn’t know anything about this guy before this season. But you gotta love the way a little guy like that plays so doggone BIG.
• Mark Cuban–I’ve always thought he was a great owner, and a wonderful asset to the NBA. Too bad he wasn’t able to buy the Cubs.