A few stories in the LA Times last week I found interesting.

A former NBA player, who is now coaching Mississippi, punched a cab driver. Any guess as to what he said while he was punching the cab driver?

Let's do this multiple choice:

A) That's not the turn to Main Street, you jerk! B) Why aren't you working at a 7-11, instead of driving me to 7th and Main? C) If I'm paying so much for cabfare, the least you could do is wear some right guard. D) Bin Laden!

If you guessed "D", you're a winner. The paper didn't say the exact phrase he yelled. It just mentioned that he was calling the cab driver "Bin Laden."

Hopefully this jerk is thrown out of college athletics forever.

Of course, if this was a black cab driver, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would be in town.

I think they should for this guy, too. After 9/11, I have to think the amount of people that yell racial stuff at Middle-Eastern folks, is astronomical.

Another person that made the news for throwing punches, was Assistant Fire Chief Glynn Johnson, in Riverside. This dude beat a 6-month-old puppy. First with his fists. Then with a 12-pound rock.

And, what did he tell investigators? Well, let's do the multiple choice again:

A) It was crapping on my crab grass! B) The dog looked at me and tilted it's head. I have a twitch and turn my head like that sometimes. I thought he was making fun of me. C) I just rented Cujo, and I wasn't taking any chances. D) It was self-defense.

Yep, it was "D" again. Because, we all know how scary puppies can be when they're charging.

The story went on to say that he had shot a neighbors dog with a pellet gun in the eye. And he told the neighbor it wouldn't do any good to report him, as it would be his word against theirs.

There was controversy as to whether this guy would keep his job (he's on the very popular "paid administrative leave" while it's being investigated).

Let's hope he doesn't.

And, if he loses it...I'm sure Sharpton will be in town to fight for his job. He's a high-profile African-American.