Not a lot of people in Carolina are happy with Jake Delhomme right now. The Panthers QB has turned the ball over 10 times in his last two games, and Delhomme looked downright deplorable in Carolina’s 38-10 beatdown at the hands of the Eagles. Among those who’ve voiced displeasure with Delhomme is Panthers WR Steve Smith, as Fox microphones picked up Steve telling Jake, “I never really liked you as a quarterback. But as a person, that’s who I love.”

But wait a second - it was all just a crazy mixed-up misunderstanding!

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• A Michigan player punched a Notre Dame opponent during last weekend’s game? Rich Rodriguez has no idea what you’re talking about.

• Duke football players bedevil fans with their own shirtless poster.

• How did Lane Kiffin get to be the coaching genius that he is? By washing Reggie White’s car while his dad coached.

• Bills KR Leodis McKelvin decides not to press charges against the two teens who vandalized his yard after the Pats loss.

• Panthers WR Steve Smith loves teammate Jake Delhomme as a person, but hates him as a QB.

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Everyone remembers Jake Delhomme’s horror show in last year’s playoffs, where he accounted for six turnovers in a 33-13 loss to the Cardinals (on his birthday, no less).  Delhomme was rewarded for the collapse with a mammoth, $42.5 million extension in the offseason, which made little sense then and even less now after Delhomme rang in the season with four more picks against the Eagles in the opener.

(This made sense at the time.)

If that seems galling to Panthers fans, imagine how “thrilled” Steve Smith would be. The player who, just three years ago, was considered the best wideout in the game (this is when Randy Moss was still languishing in Oakland), now has to deal with Captain Interception firing the ball “toward” him. Using our Future Glasses, we can tell you that this ends in a season with approximately 1100 receiving yards and 4 TDs, and Smith kind of sees that coming too.

So after one especially egregious pick on Sunday, Delhomme took it upon himself to apologize to Smith. In retrospect, that may not have been wise.

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• Jacksonville Jaguars lineman Richard Collier speaks out for the first time since being shot 14 times & having his leg amputated.

• Since the Rose Bowl’s been like a second home to USC lately, the Trojans will wear their red home unis when visiting UCLA this Saturday.

• Dusty Baker wants one more chance to ruin Kerry Wood’s arm.

• At least one football league is United in its support of Michael Vick.

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Amid this entire “Plaxico Burress Shot Himself In The Leg Like That Cheddar Bob Guy From 8 Mile” controversy, there has been a rather salient question: Why, exactly, was Plaxico packing heat in the first place? And no, “Suicidal Leg Syndrome” is not a valid answer (though Pfizer is making a pill for it anyway).

(You have to admit, that’s a really good drawing of a gun.)

Though we can’t know the real answer unless and until Plaxico tells us, a pretty good place to start would be Plaxico’s fellow receiver, Steve Smith; according to Tiki Barber at NBC (via NEWSDAY.COM), Smith was held up at gunpoint as he returned to his home in a gated community after a night out with friends Monday night. Okay, Tuesday at 4 a.m., but whatever.

“Ah, but if Smith lives in a gated community, how could he get robbed at his front door?”, you might ask. And there’s a simple and kind of disturbing answer waiting for you (proceeding emphasis ours):

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I’ve often heard that the NFL is a “copycat” league. In other words, if one team does something and it works, every other team in the league is going to try and do it too. Apparently the latest hot new trend spreading across the league is that of team’s suspending their best wide receivers for being insubordinate little punks.

First the Carolina Panthers suspended Steve Smith for two games after he broke Ken Lucas‘ nose in a fight, and despite not having their top receiver, the Panthers started the season 2-0. Now the defending champion New York Giants have followed suit, and they’re suspending Plaxico Burress as well.

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• It was a dark and stormy night at Wrigley Field on Monday, and SbB writer (& White Sox fan) Tom was right in the middle of it.

• The Carolina Panthers may send Sluggin’ Steve Smith packing.

• Prince Fielder & Manny Parra brawl in a Brewers dugout brouhaha.

• Brett Favre really doesn’t want to be a bother - even though he is.

• Powerade rolls out a new ad campaign featuring a British Olympic cyclist riding without her clothes on.

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Hmm. Apparently, NFL teams frown upon intrasquad beatdowns. Last week, the Carolina Panthers’ Steve Smith went all “Michael Westbrook“ on teammate Ken Lucas (reprising the role of Stephen Davis), the team promptly suspended the Pro Bowl wide receiver for two games, everybody kissed and made up, and we’re all ready to move forward.

Except, maybe Carolina’s front office. According to Matt Mosley of THE BLOG FORMERLY KNOWN AS HASHMARKS, Smith’s surly disposition and penchant for Debo-ing teammates (language NSFW) could be his ticket out of town.

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While Ken Lucas is back practicing with the Panthers this afternoon after getting beaten up by teammate Steve Smith on Friday, not all is finer in Carolina. Yes, Smith issued an apology for his actions this morning, and both he and Lucas say they’ve talked about the fight and are putting it behind them, but it turns out that Smith isn’t the only one who is going to miss some time thanks to the melee.

While Steve has been suspended by the team for their first two regular season games, it turns out Ken is going to miss 2-3 weeks, too, thanks to surgery he’s going to need on his nose. Read more…

Managers of keeper leagues around the world woke up to some bad news this morning: The number 1 WR is all of fantasy sports, Steve Smith, has been suspended for the first two games of the year.

The suspension comes as punishment for yesterday’s TKO of Panthers cornerback Ken Lucas during the team’s second practice (Practice?!?!) of the day. That’s certainly one way to sabotage your team’s chances right out of the gate.

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