Back by popular demand, or perhaps by blatant indifference, it’s Throwing Tomatoes.

It’s been a busy stretch in the world of sports lately, leaving plenty of opportunities to show displeasure at people in the world of sports, whether it be directed at baseball’s offseason, the NBA or NHL seasons, College Football, or the NFL as it nears its finale.

So as the sports world turns, the stories pile up and more sports frustration emerges.  Don’t sweat it, The Wife Hates Sports has them all covered – in lycopene, that is.

Throwing Tomatoes: January 19, 2012

Target: The New York Jets

It feels like the negative Jets headlines are coming out faster than Rob Lowe can break sports news.  First, it was New York’s subpar season, followed by Santonio Holmes.  But that was only the beginning…

Sub-Target: Mark Sanchez

The artist formerly known as “Sanchise” has taken the brunt of it, first being referred to as “lazy” by some unnamed teammates, who also endorsed the acqusition of Peyton Manning.

Then again, it’s hard to argue the history, what with GQ and other pretty boy ads coming out of the woodwork, plus an open video on the sidelines featuring Sanchez eating a hot dog.  Those stories never had legs when the team was winning games.

Sub-Target: Rex Ryan

The New York head coach chimed in, stating that “the majority of our football team” had confidence in Sanchez.  Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but…

Sub-Target: LaDainian Tomlinson

LT opened up on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” show, tossing shots at nearly everyone.  But while Tomlinson could have found a way to take the heat off the Jets, he instead threw gas in the fire.  The better move would have been to keep everything behind closed doors.

Sub-Target: Woody Johnson

That’s not all on Sanchez.  Jets owner Woody Johnson said that “we think he’s our guy”, but also wouldn’t dismiss the idea of Peyton Manning wearing green.  For those that are counting, that’s another ringing endorsement for Sanchez.

Sub-Target: The Final Word on the Jets – “The D”

In the end, the majority of the criticism has been against offensive players like Sanchez, LT, Holmes, plus the departed Brian Schottenheimer.  Somehow avoiding the heat is the Jets defense, who deserves its fair share.  A clear strength in past seasons, the Jets did manage to finish 5^th in yards per game and 5^th in pass yards allowed.  However, the run D was in the middle of the pack, and the team defense also allowed 22.7 points per game, good for 20^th in the NFL.

Target: Rob Lowe

For those that hadn’t heard, Rob Lowe recently tweeted that Peyton Manning would retire.

Keep in mind, a guy that played a character known as “#2” can easily be full of crap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_A8bFsBKTs

Joe Biden

In front of a San Francisco crowd, Biden said that the Giants are “on their way to the Super Bowl”.

Don’t worry… he didn’t follow that by predicting that Tim Lincecum would be the Super Bowl MVP.  Still, ouch.  Poor guy.

Target: Aaron Rodgers

Recently crowned Miss America Laura Kaeppeler gave a recent shout-out to Rodgers, asking him to call her.  Rodgers saw the broadcast, and has yet to drop her a line.

While the rest of the world is doing a “discount double take” on Kaeppeler, the Green Bay quarterback is clearly still fuming over the team’s recent loss to the Giants.

(h/t Shutdown Corner)

Innocent Bystander: Laura Kaeppeler

A woman this beautiful (below) is likely not used to rejection.  Eh, she’ll get over it.

While many men are giving Kaeppeler "discount double takes", Aaron Rodgers is not biting.

Target: Matt Antonelli

Signing with the Baltimore Orioles during the offseason, Matt Antonelli is basically an unknown in baseball, but he does tweet a whole heck of a lot – including this recent nugget:

MattAntonelli9 Matt Antonelli

“Day one in the books and still haven’t been beat up for wearing my Brady jersey around Baltimore”

Now, it’s my turn.  Hi, I’m Matt Antonelli.  I’m new to Baltimore.  This new fanbase is very disgruntled, and before I came here, no one had ever heard of me.  I know how passionate this city is about its football team, yet I’m going to wear a Tom Brady jersey during AFC Championship week.  Oh, and if you didn’t see me wearing it, I’m also going to tweet about it.  Bravo, Matt… BRAVO.

Target: Glen Davis

“Big Baby” Davis was called for a technical foul after dropping his drawers after a call that frustrated him.  Fortunately, there was no resulting visual where we’d have to call him for traveling, too.  If you didn’t catch that joke, then don’t ask me to explain it.

(h/t Game On!)

And finally, the current faces of team frustration in sports:

Boston Celtics – A slow 5-8 start is stirring up trade rumors in Beantown

Buffalo Sabres – Four straight losses and a 2-6-2 record over its last ten games

Columbus Blue Jackets – The team’s 31 points is seven fewer than any other NHL team.

This has been Throwing Tomatoes, where we practice the “discount double chuck”.

After a slower than molasses stretch fueled by two separate lockouts, the sports world has been hit with a kick in the pants that a lifetime supply of Five Hour Energy couldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.

The resurgence has of course been a direct result of the NFL’s return, as well as as the upcoming trade deadline in Major League Baseball.

So as the sports world turns, the stories pile up and more sports frustration emerges.  Don’t sweat it, The Wife Hates Sports has them all covered – in lycopene, that is.

Throwing Tomatoes: July 27, 2011

Target: The Donovan McNabb Trade

It appears that the one-year experiment of Donovan McNabb in a Redskins uniform is all but over with, and after a subpar 2010 campaign, die-hard Washington fans could let him go faster than the Eagles’ front office could say, “I told you so”.  But wait, there’s more…

Sub-Target: Washington Redskins

Donovan McNabb appears to be headed to Minnesota

It’s understandable that McNabb’s contract situation – and the fact that they were publicly displeased with his performance in DC – likely added to the challenge in obtaining a significant return, but a maximum of two 6^th-round draft picks?  That’s it?  Something tells me a team like the Patriots would have managed to get a better return from a player of McNabb’s caliber.

Sub-Target: Redskins Fans

Currently, the roster will now be left with a QB depth chart featuring John Beck, Rex Grossman and Kellen Clemons – certainly nothing to write home to Mom about.  Then again, perhaps Beck can prove people wrong.  After all, he’s had a great attitude and is highly motivated.

Innocent Bystander: Minnesota Vikings

I actually like the deal for the Vikes.  With the departure of Brett Favre, it was clear that Minnesota needed a veteran presence at the QB position – and with so much talent on that roster, the Vikings have the pieces in place to make a run.

Target: Hanley Ramirez

Once again, the Marlins superstar – and one of the best shortstops in baseball – is in the headlines for negativity and controversy.  Ramirez responded to Jeff Conine’s radio show comments – where Conine suggested that he would trade Ramirez if in charge – by calling him a “chicken”, and saying that the former Marlin should “come over and talk to me like a man”.

But here’s the thing: While Conine could have chosen a better avenue to express his thoughts, Hanley further proved that Conine is indeed correct with what he said.  Ramirez is a streaky player that often causes too many clubhouse issues, and with the Marlins being a young team that needs another year to grow and compete, Florida could pull a major return from a team looking for a bat like Hanley’s.

Innocent Bystander: Chickens of the World

Oh, the poor chickens, what did they ever do to be used as such a negative comparison?  Take these tasty, I mean, cool fellows:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_2_EJogf2A

Target: Jay Cutler

The latest news involving Cutler is the fact that the Chicago Bears QB reportedly got “cold feet” and called off his engagement with actress Kristin Cavallari.

The beautiful Kristin Cavallari is reportedly no longer engaged to Jay Cutler

This most certainly opens up a whole new can of jokes on Cutler, many of which can be linked back to his second half absence in last year’s NFC Championship game.  But dropping Cavallari faster than Braylon Edwards can drop a deep ball?  C’mon Jay, that’’s just crazy – she’s beautiful and talented.

Innocent Bystander: Kristin Cavallari

Again, getting dumped on a national stage – it’s a shame, but not to worry, there will be plenty of men waiting in line.

Target: Seattle Mariners

Sure, Seattle finally broke its 17-game losing streak, and that was mostly thanks to ace Felix Hernandez, who shut down the Yankees on Wednesday.  But that doesn’t mean that the team didn’t earn this barrage of red fruit, because the Seattle’s play in July should have been set to the theme of The Benny Hill Show.

Target: Jerry Meals

He’s the umpire who blew the call during Tuesday night’s 19-inning extravaganza between the Pirates and Braves.  Meals later admitted to blowing the call, but if you haven’t seen the mistake, it was a major one – and it cost the upstart Pirates the game.

Innocent Bystander: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates clearly suffered a blow during this loss.  We’re talking a 19-inning game loss on a painfully bad call – the worst of the year.  It’s a situation that can send a team into a downward spiral, especially a group that hasn’t been in that position, well… ever.

Jerry Meals' botched call in the 19th inning of the Braves-Pirates game Tuesday night was the worst of the year

Target: The Colby Rasmus Trade

Early Wednesday, the first major deal of the week dropped, when the Blue Jays, White Sox and Cardinals got involved in a trade that sent Cardinals OF Colby Rasmus to Toronto, SP Edwin Jackson to St. Louis and more.

Sub-Target: St. Louis Cardinals

If the reports of a stressed relationship between LaRussa and Rasmus are true, then it’s not a shock that the young star was dealt.  And while it’s clear that the Cardinals needed pitching, it’s disappointing that arms like Octavio Dotel and Edwin Jackson were all the Cards could reel in for a 24-year old player with tons of talent.

Innocent Bystander: Toronto Blue Jays

The deal is a good one for the Jays, who clearly take on a talent that could flourish in an offense featuring a number of young stars.

And finally, the current faces of team frustration in sports:

Tampa Bay Rays – Losers of 7 of 10, the Rays have fallen 11 games back in the division race

Seattle Mariners – Again, 17 straight losses, and only five wins in July to this point

Houston Astros – 34-70 and 8 games worse than any other team in baseball

This has been Throwing Tomatoes, where the red fruit doesn’t taste like chicken.

Throwing Tomatoes is a feature that Kevin Paul started five years ago when blogging in the Fox Sports community.  It has been featured numerous times, including on the Fox Sports home page on several occasions.

No one has perfect aim, just look at LeBron James in the fourth quarter.  That’s why KP and TWHS are bringing a new spin to Throwing Tomatoes, to be brought out on occasion.  The stories in sports that are deserving of a tomato will still be targeted, but the occasional innocent bystander will get hit from time to time, too.

So as the sports world turns, the stories pile up and more sports frustration emerges.  Don’t sweat it, The Wife Hates Sports has them all covered – in lycopene, that is.

Throwing Tomatoes: June 23, 2011

Target: Ron Roenicke

Milwaukee Brewers manager Ron Roenicke delivered a complaint via the media after his team was given an ol’ fashioned beatdown at the hands of the Boston Red Sox.

“Interleague is not fair,” Roenicke told Chris Jenkins of the Associated Press. “That’s all there is to it.”

Hey Ron, how do you think the Rays, Blue Jays and Orioles feel?  Each has to play the Yankees and Red Sox 18 games a piece.  Do the math: That’s 36 out of 162, for approximately 22% of the season.  Go back to your Pirates, Cubs, Astros and quit cryin’, because after all…

Target: Los Angeles Lakers

A pre-NBA Draft report stated that the Lakers offered Lamar Odom to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the #2 pick in the NBA Draft.  Listen, I know this isn’t the deepest of drafts, but c’mon now – Odom (31-years-old, 14.4 ppg, while starting 35 of 82 games on the year) for the number two pick in the draft?

Innocent Bystander: Khloe Kardashian

On top of that offer, doesn’t Khloe Kardashian come as a package deal with Lamar?  Shouldn’t that mean that the Timberwolves should be receiving draft picks, too?  Tip your waiters…

This trade offer reminds me of the annoying fantasy owner that every league has – you know the guy, he offers up the most absurd trade offers DAILY!  For example: A backup catcher and/or a fifth starter with a 6.00 ERA for Evan Longoria – and not to be confused with Eva Longoria.

Innocent – But Damn Sexy – Bystander: Eva Longoria

For the sake of the visual, there's always a way to tie in the beautiful Eva Longoria

Target: Joe Ricketts, Chicago Cubs Owner

Ricketts, owner of the Cubbies, has been sued for harassment, and some of the comments that he apparently said are INEXCUSABLE.

He should also be sued for the product he’s putting on the field, too.  Somewhere – but who knows where – Bartman has to be nodding his head in agreement.

Target: Ron Artest

Ron Artest wants to change his name to “Metta World Peace”.  Wow, eat your heart out, Ochocinco.

Will the back of Ron's jersey say "World Peace" next season?

Target: Jennie Finch

Former USA Softball beauty Jennie Finch is back in the news, this time because of the announcement of the birth of her and husband Casey Daigle’s second child.  The kid’s name: Diesel Dean Daigle

She may be beautiful, but Jennie Finch could use help naming her kids.

I hope the kid came out with a thick skin.  Ten bucks says his older brother Ace Shane took a step back and said, “Yikes”.

Target: Jim Riggleman

One word: QUITTER.

Target: Donovan McNabb

McNabb was seen working out with several former teammates in Philadelphia.  Anyone else think there’s more to this, as in the fact that it’s a kick to the crotch of Mike Shanahan for all he and the Redskins put him through last season?

Innocent Bystanders: Redskins Fans

Honestly, with the way Donovan played last year, I honestly don’t think these fans care all that much.  And with the number of holes on Washington’s roster, they shouldn’t.

Target: TMZ

TMZ approached Greg Oden in Las Vegas and asked if he was LeBron James.  When he said no, they then inquired if he was a basketball player.  Ouch.

Innocent Bystander: LeBron James

For once, LeBron is not a direct target, but being compared to an underachieving Oden is unfortunate.

Innocent Bystander: Greg Oden

At least he didn’t hurt himself trying to avoid the TMZ cameras.

And finally, the current faces of team frustration in sports:

Kansas City Royals – Five straight losses and now owners of the worst record in the AL

Florida Marlins – The Fish have just two wins in the month of June

San Diego Padres – The Padres are 14-26 at home.  One other team is playing that poorly

Houston Astros – 12-games below .500 at home, Houston is that other team.

This has been Throwing Tomatoes, where the red fruit never quits.

Throwing Tomatoes is a feature that Kevin Paul started five years ago when blogging in the Fox Sports community.  It has been featured numerous times, including on the Fox Sports home page on several occasions.

The sports world has been active, from the drama at Ohio State, to the NBA Finals, to the Stanley Cup Final, Major League Baseball season and more.

So as the sports world turns, the stories pile up and more sports frustration emerges.  Don’t sweat it, The Wife Hates Sports has them all covered – in lycopene, that is.

Throwing Tomatoes: June 8, 2011

LeBron James

…for falling flat in the 4^th during Game 4.

Do you think Scottie Pippen wants to take back his comments about LeBron being the best ever?  What legendary star manages just eight points and barely even takes a shot during the final six minutes during Game 4 of the NBA Finals?  We never saw MJ do that.

Sorry, LeBron, but we never saw MJ disappear in the 4th quarter of an NBA Finals game

Speaking of LeBron…

DeShawn Stevenson

…for saying that LeBron James “checked out” during Game 4.

Real smart, DeShawn – go out there and awake a sleeping giant.  Why don’t you make fun of Pat Riley’s hair while you’re at it?

Speaking of Giants…

Miguel Tejada

…for not earning a dime of his contract this season.

It all started when the Giants offered Edgar Renteria a $1 million contract during the offseason, all after being a major impact in San Francisco’s World Series win.  Renteria referred to the contract offer as “a lack of respect”, and I agree.

Later, the Giants went with Miguel Tejada, who had shown signs of declining, both defensively and on offense – one reason the Orioles moved him to third base.  But the Giants signed him anyway, played him at short (until Sandoval got hurt), and Tejada responded with not just defensive blunders and lack of range, but also a .214 average – and worse – a .238 OBP!

Now, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports that it may be time to kiss Tejada goodbye in San Francisco.  And once again, I agree.

Speaking of kisses…

Bryce Harper

…for blowing a kiss, then blowing up the headlines.

If Bryce Harper keeps blowing kisses, he'll be hearing chin music soon

Most know by now that hyped up Nationals prospect Bryce Harper hit a clutch home run then blew a kiss to the pitcher after.  The act has outraged some and left others indifferent.

Three words: Bad move, Bryce.  It drives me crazy when showboating comes into play like this, and it runs rampant around baseball.  Expect consequences, and don’t be shocked if this leads to some chin music.  He would have already been plunked in the majors.

One would think with all that cash, Harper had enough dough to hire an adviser.

Speaking of cash…

Terrelle Pryor

…for potentially sending Ohio State into a college football abyss.

Everyone knows the Ohio State story – the cars, the tattoos, Jim Tressel’s resignation and more.  Amidst the drama, former top recruit Terrelle Pryor has decided to leave and skip his senior year.

But wait, there’s more.  Reports are emerging that a “former friend” of Pryor said that selling team memorabilia may have earned Pryor “anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000” in a year.

Imagine what could have been with this talent.  Instead, Pryor, per a recent report, could end up in the CFL with the Saskathewan Roughriders.  Time will tell if he gets invited to that party.

Speaking of parties…

Washington Redskins

…for adding party decks.

OK, fine, it’s a pretty sweet addition – but in all seriousness, the Redskins should instead focus on giving the fans a reason to party.

Then again, there’s that whole lockout thing.

Speaking of being locked out…

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers

…for the ongoing coach drama.

The media continues to be locked out from Kobe’s true feelings about Mike Brown and the coaching situation in LA.  There’s no secret that Bryant’s original vote was for Brian Shaw, but my guess is that’s clearly not what’s bothering him.

It’s the way it went down.  Should Kobe have been included in the discussion before the Brown hiring?  Yes, absolutely.  He’s simply done too much for the franchise, even as a player – and he’s still the current face of the Lakers.  He’s earned the right to give his two cents.

And finally, the current face of frustration in sports:

Cleveland Indians – Losers of 7 of 10, having a six game lead drop to one

Oakland Athletics – Nine straight losses after being swept by Baltimore

Florida Marlins – Six straight defeats and now just three games above .500

Minnesota Twins – Just six wins at home, by far the worst in baseball

This has been Throwing Tomatoes… checking out for now – but not forever.

Throwing Tomatoes is a feature that Kevin Paul started five years ago when blogging in the Fox Sports community.  It has been featured numerous times, including on the Fox Sports home page on several occasions.

Over the last week, the sports world has continued to be active, from the ongoing excitement of the NBA and NHL playoffs, to Major League Baseball hitting its second month, to the 2011 NFL Draft and more.

So as the sports world turns, the stories pile up and moments of idiotic sports frustration emerge.  Don’t sweat it, The Wife Hates Sports has them all covered – in lycopene, that is.

Throwing Tomatoes: May 4, 2011

Rashard Mendenhall

KP thinks Rashard Mendenhall recently took one too many stupid pills

By now, most of you are familiar with Mendenhall’s comments regarding Osama bin Laden (via his Twitter account) – and like many of you – I’m speechless.  I’m all for a guy exercising his right to freedom of speech, but plain and simple, when you’re in a spotlight such as the one Mendenhall is in – your soap box is larger.  A guy simply needs to be smarter, and not drop such words about an incident that has affected so many people.  I can think of no other excuse other than the fact that the Steelers RB took one too many stupid pills that day.

Washington Capitals

It’s becoming a hand-in-hand marriage – the Stanley Cup Playoffs arrive, and the Washington Capitals are a highly-rated, underachieving bunch.  Trailing 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Semis to Tampa Bay, Washington still has a chance, albeit a small one.  After all, the Flyers did it to the Bruins last year, and the Blackhawks forced a Game 7 against the Canucks this year.  But with the Caps, this has become the norm, and a comeback seems about as likely as Alexander Ovechkin doing a commercial for Crest.  Heck, four out of five dentists likely agree, too.

Come 2012, a change may need to happen, and let’s face the painful facts D.C.; you can’t spell Ovechkin without the letters C-H-O-K-E.

KP thinks that four out of five dentists would agree that Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals are choking yet again (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Frank McCourt

Frank McCourt thinks Bud Selig is un-American. What do you think?

The troubled owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers remains a target in this edition.  Recently, McCourt referred to Bud Selig as “un-American”.  Let’s think about this for a second, shall we?  McCourt has racked up millions of dollars in debt, he can’t afford the team’s payroll and he’s asked to borrow money from various outlets, including a $30 million loan from Fox.  That sounds familiar to millions of Americans out there – so maybe McCourt is right, after all.

Ryan Mallett

Like the aforementioned McCourt, Ryan Mallett is a repeat offender.  By now, everyone knows that Mallett was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft.  His draft free fall was likely due to numerous, rumored off-the-field concerns – and recently, it was reported that Mallett was almost an hour late to a pre-draft meeting with the Tennessee Titans.  With the stories continuing to emerge post-draft, I have a hard time believing this is a smear campaign, and if Mallett wants to succeed in the NFL, he’ll need to get his act together, especially playing under Bill Belichick.

Derek Lowe

Atlanta Braves SP Derek Lowe is the latest in a long line of athletes to get busted with a DUI.  Seriously, would it kill these MILLIONAIRE sports stars to just suck it up and pay for a cab?

Shin-Soo Choo

Busted! (See Derek Lowe)

Maybe Choo and Lowe saw Seinfeld’s bit on cab drivers…

Odd Critique of Andy Dalton

Get this: Andy Dalton, former TCU QB and now second round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals, was actually catching criticism for having red hair.  Give me a break, like hair color really affects a player’s performance.

Hmm, maybe more people saw Mike McQueary play than I would have originally thought (only true football fans or Penn Staters will understand that zing).

Greg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs

Spurs head coach Greg Popovich said that injuries slowed the team.  No, age did.  The Spurs are old, and it’s clear that after being outplayed by a young and quick Memphis team, San Antonio should make significant changes in the offseason.  Inject some youth into the franchise.

Overstock.com Coliseum

The home of the Raiders and A’s is being renamed to the Overstock.com Coliseum.  We won’t see an overstocking of wins on the football field.  The jokes just write themselves, don’t they?

Mark Ingram’s New Statue

To add to his growing trophy case, Mark Ingram has a new statue that was dedicated to him – a statue of…chicken salad?  One word: Ridiculous.  On second thought, anybody got any bread?

THIS WEEK’S BEEFSTEAK TRIO

Albert Haynesworth

Add a misdemeanor sexual abuse charge to Haynesworth’s resume – and a lifetime membership to the Throwing Tomatoes Target Practice Club, too.

Janoris Jenkins

For those counting, that’s three arrests for Jenkins.  All that talent, wasted – but it was the right move for new Gators head coach Will Muschamp to cut ties with him.  Would Urban Meyer have done the same?  All signs point to: NO.

Roger McDowell

Usually, when the individual apologizes, I let the tomato slide.  But McDowell – and his rants, slurs and gestures – were simply too hard to ignore this time.  Punishment well deserved…

NEW! The “YOU DECIDE” Tomato Concept

Let’s pretend this guy is propped up on a dunk tank filled with tomatoes.  It’s your call:

TIKI BARBER – Regarding his NFL comeback: “It has nothing to do about the money”

Do you believe him?  If yes, then he escapes.  If not, TOMATO.  I don’t know about you, but my vote is juicy and hanging from a vine.

And finally…

…a quick-strike of red to the following teams…

Chicago White Sox – Worst record in the American League (11-20)

Texas Rangers – 7-13 since a red-hot 9-1 start to the season

San Francisco Giants – Offense is struggling, defending champs now below .500

San Diego Padres – A .217 team batting average is just brutal

Minnesota Twins – It’s May 4^th and the Twins have just 13 HR as a team

Chicago Cubs – The Cubs’ pitching staff has walked 119 batters – most in the majors

This has been Throwing Tomatoes, where the stupid pills are overstocked.

Throwing Tomatoes is a feature that Kevin Paul started five years ago when blogging in the Fox Sports community.  It has been featured numerous times, including on the Fox Sports home page on several occasions.