I'm a big fan of Law & Order Classic, in fact I've watched it since it first aired 17 years ago. 
Now comes word that NBC may be pulling the plug on the veteran series.  Series creator Dick Wolf has said that he's like for "Classic" to go twenty years to tie the record for longest running prime time drama.  Your leader in the clubhouse?  One of the greatest shows of all time "Gunsmoke."  I wonder if James Arness and Buck Taylor will go "Miami Dolphins" on L&O.

Anyway, being the good hearted soul that I am and being faced with an abundance of downtime, I have some suggestions to maybe save the show.  We go to press:

• Whether they keep it or ax it, you know Fred Thompson can't come back as Arthur Branch when he's talking about going presidential.  So, my suggestion here is you create a tension between the D.A and Jack McCoy (more on that later) by bringing back the character of Paul Robinette, played by Richard Brooks.  Brooks has guest started a few times as the same character, now a defense attorney.  So, if you make him the D.A and add to it his sole purpose of being D.A. is using it as a stepping stone to get to the Mayor's office, it will drive a huge wedge between him and the principled Jack McCoy.  Michael Warren would work nicely here too. If you insist on continuing the trend with aging white guys (sorry Dianne Weist) then your man is the great Daniel Benzali.  And that is what we want because. . .
• I love Sam Waterston.  I love his indignation, his fighting for justice, his comb over eyebrows.  But in order to keep the show alive, it's time for Sam to finally cross the line and get his butt canned by the new guy, halfway through the season like Sabrina Sutherland did.  I would replace him with someone younger and smarmier.  Like Oliver Platt.  He was awesome in "The West Wing"  If Ollie isn't available, there is a guy named Ted King, who currently is on General Hospital that fits the bill nicely.  That would also get Princess to watch this show.
  
• This green and the young thang deal doesn't work for me, largely because I think Ed Green is the weakest cop they've ever had.  He's a good second banana, but as a lead dog, he is pretty lame.  You need a Lennie Brisco or Joe Fontana type.  Milena Govich goes away and is replaced with Bruce Weitz.  Yup, Mick Belker baby, the greatest TV cop of all time.
• I like Lt. Van Buren.  I'd stick with her.  Maybe create a police captain that gives her a hard time like there was in "Homicide, Life on the Street."
  

Lightning Round

• Good all-around game by the White Sox last night with no no-hitter hangover.  I'm still wondering when Paul Konerko will break out and if Brian Anderson will ever get in a game. Let's see how they do against the evil Tigers tonight in the murder capital of the world.
• Rich Hill=Young Mark Buehrle.  What I don't get is that Ted Lilly has similar stuff, yet Hill is the one with the 3-0 record.
  
• Thrashers GM Don Waddell says Bob Hartley will be back next year as coach of the Thrash.  With decisions like that, Don may turn into the next Doug McLean.
• In the chase for Lord Stanley's cup, it's amazing that Gary Bettman spent all that time working with David Stern and didn't learn how to fix playoff series.  Now the most exciting young player in hockey goes home after the Senators took out the Penguins 3-0.  In the NBA, this never would have happened.  In other games, how 'bout them Calgary Flames?  Must be something in the air in Canada that makes them a better team at home.  Detroit looks slow and old.  The Stars and Canucks take it to OT where the Stars stave off elimination with a Brenden Morrow goal.  This coming after Vancouver had been whistled for too many men on the ice.  And, buh bye Minnesota Wild, thanks for playing, please collect your winnings at the door as the Ducks advance. Think about it. If the Red Wings do get beat by Calgary, the only team left NBC can really bank on is the New York Rangers.
  
• The Nashville Predators are a bunch of Smurfs.  They are fast and pesky, but up against a big, physical team like San Jose, the going gets tough for them.  Especially when they lack a Todd Bertuzzi type to stand in front of the net and set screens.  They may win tonight at home, but this series goes no more than six.
• The Blackhawks have re-signed their backup goalie, Patrick Lailme.  If a puck is stopped in an empty arena, does it make a sound?  I don't know about you, but if I were a free agent for the Chicago Black Hawks, I'd run like hell just about anywhere. 
  
• Howard Katz claimed that he offered Dr. J. for Michael Jordan pre-draft 1984.  Sounds like revisionist history to me, especially if Portland would have taken Jordan instead of Sam Bowie.
• This is what eventually gets major league managers fired, not cocky, smart mouthed radio hosts.
• The NCAA is about to close the text messaging loophole.  Urban Meyer is now raising carrier pigeons.
• No matter what you might think of him, Mike Ditka is basically a decent guy.
• Do you think the NCAA would have done this to a big school?  I doubt it. They always seem to make examples of the mid-major schools because they don't have the revenue issues punishing an Oklahoma or a Tennessee would have.
• One thing I don't like about NASCAR: Everybody is too friendly with each other.  Where have you gone David Pearson?
• Here is the history of baseball's great lard asses (sans Bobby Jenks and Ivan Calderon.) (Brought to you by our friends at Bugs & Cranks.)
• Mama's boy Mitch Mustain's new babysitter is Pete Carroll.  You better mind your manners son, because unlike the last coach your mama took after, this one is bulletproof.  Here's hoping they play Arkansas in the national championship game and some lineman crushes the little panty waste.
  
• Butkus gets a lawyer. Um, no not him. 
  
• Our friends at Bugs & Cranks have done a preview of this year's Japanese League Baseball.  Go Ham Fighters, go!
  
• I don't blame NBC for running the video they got from the Va. Tech killer.  Yes it is disturbing, but only because someone like this wasn't locked up in a padded cell.  Besides, if you've ever been forced to be in a room with Jerry Springer on, THAT'S disturbing.
  
• Unemployment in Wisconsin is down to 5.6%.  Not quite low enough for me, thanks.
• Americans are hung up about getting naked.  I've seen me in the mirror and wearing clothes is more of a courtesy to other human beings, not necessarily a custom.