In what was the most notable "zero tolerance" separation since the demise of Robert Montgomery Knight at the hands of Myles Brand, the Chicago Bears waived good bye yesterday to troubled defensive tackle Tank Johnson.

There are some (and I heard a couple this morning on the talk shows) that say he hasn't yet been convicted in his latest brush with the law, a 3:30am pull over by Arizona authorities who blood tested Johnson after they suspected that he was driving impaired.   They say Johnson needs his day in court, that he was being profiled, that he was just driving fast and that's all.  And to them I simply say "bull cookies."

The fact that Johnson, who had already served a stretch in Cook County jail for illegal possession of firearms was even  out at 3:30am, reeks of a player thumbing his nose not only at the commissioner that went lenient on him, but the coaches, players, administrators and fans (some) who supported and defended him.  Even his two biggest supporters (slash enablers), Bears GM Jerry Angelo and Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith could not turn and look the other way this time.  They had tried desperately to save the man from himself and they were rewarded with more grief.  At some point, enough is enough and clearly, when reports of this latest incident were reported, you knew we had reached enough.

Tank Johnson is a troubled young man who has urinated on his opportunity to straighten out his life and have a productive career in the NFL.  His first arrest in 2005 for an illegal hand gun didn't cure him; the raid of his house in lake county didn't cure him; the death of his best friend in a shooting incident 36 hours after the raid didn't cure him; thirty days in Cook County jail didn't cure him and the commissioner of the NFL not suspending him for a year and even offering him a reduced sentence provided he stay out of trouble didn't cure him.  And now, Tank Johnson is left holding the bag of crap that he created for himself.

All of us that write and read these sports blogs and follow sports and at one time dreamed of being a highly paid, largely celebrated professional athlete wonder why.  Why, would someone with the talent, ability and ethic choose to piss their career away like this?  Why forfeit millions of dollars and a fantastic lifestyle just to go out and have a few beers in the wee hours of the morning.

You know what's coming now.  Tank will claim he's got a substance problem, do some time in rehab and in a year, petition the league to come back.  Or he'll do rehab, find Jesus and try to come back. And some sucker will sign him for the league minimum and eventually have their investment ruined by a poor decision made by Tank Johnson.

Yeah, people change, but Tank Johnson probably won't be one of them.  If it is truly three strikes and you're out, Tank is sitting back in the dugout.  He may eventually get into the arena league or perhaps, if Mark Cuban forms that new football league, but you may never see Tank Johnson in an NFL uniform again.  And as sad as that may be, the only one to blame is Tank Johnson.

The NFL is taking a dim view of sordid off the field activities.  Roger Goodell is warning rookies that the NFL will not tolerate bad off the field behavior and that if you want to play with guns, thugs or drugs, you will not play in the NFL.  Maybe somewhere in the class of 255 draftees, someone will get the message and not wind up like Tank Johnson, a sorry footnote to Chicago bears history.

Lightning Round

• Another bi-product of football players gone wild is that their alleged victims use them as lottery tickets.  Hope Pacman Jones has a savings account.
• OMG, the White Sox won a game, struggling against the Devil Rays.  But a win is a win.  However, it is not cause for celebration when you are led to victory by Andy Gonzalez. As a right fielder, Gonzalez is a great shortstop.  John Danks, when your offensively challenged team offers you three runs in the top of the fourth to take a 3-2 lead, DO NOT piss it away in the bottom of the fourth. Same two teams tonight in Florida.
• Ozzie Guillen, who is loved and supported by the White Sox brass,  talks about nuclear winter. 
  
• Maybe Kenny Williams should have lunch with Jerry Angelo to find out how to sign players early so he doesn't have to trade them for magic beans.
• Just thinking out loud, but that wild win over the Rockies last night and the sweep over the Sox over the weekend might just be the wake up call for the Cubs.  I'm just sayin'.
• If you think the current major league Milwaukee Brewers are good (they've won 10 out of 12 since being no hit in Detroit) they have some players at the minor league level that are pretty impressive as well.  And, a shiny new first round draft pick.  This is why Kenny Williams has to blow up the White Sox because unlike the Brewers, who feature seven home grown starters, the Sox have very little promise in their farm system.
• Here's some kool-aid I would never drink.  Ever.  No way, no how.
• The longer the mystery surrounding Curt Schilling's health goes on, the higher the price will be for Mark Buehrle.
  
• In this week's major league power rankings, the White Sox are lower than the Washington Nationals. 
  
• Here's some of the sleeper picks of the NHL draft.  Note none of these players will play for the Blackhawks.  Nicely done, Dale.
• Rick Hendrick can not buy number 8 from DEI because DEI doesn't own the number, NASCAR does.  DEI can give it up and Hendrick can request it.  Or, Hendrick can pay DEI not to request the number and have NASCAR assign it to him, which is what may go down.
• With war in Iraq, illegal immigrants sneaking over and under our borders, guns, drugs, the deflation of the housing market, social security, health care etc., isn't it nice to know that Michigan congressman John Dingle is concerned about your ability to receive football games.
• Golfer Greg Norman is trying to finalize his divorce so he can go love, set, match with Chris Evert.  And what is it with Chris and Aussie men?
• Rosie O'Donnell will not be replacing Bob Barker on "The Price is Right."  She may, however, join forces with Keith Olbermann.
  
• A Nevada poll puts Fred Thompson in the lead among Republican presidential candidates.  The liberals are mad Fred is still doing work for ABC, but since Fred is not an announced candidate and since equal time does not apply, the point is moot.
• The great hot dog eating champ know as "Tsunami" has developed arthritis in his jaw from sucking down wieners.
• Paul McCartney, who packed stadiums and arenas with the Beatles and Wings and is one of the most renowned song writers of all-time will be playing a record store in LA on Wednesday night.  Exactly how far has this man fallen?
• Some 450,000 tires made in China have been recalled because they lack an important safety feature.  So, first, they try to poison our pets.  Then, they try to drive us off the road.  Sounds like a silent coup attempt to me.
• Here's an easy scorecard to keep track of who is sitting on the podium with your presidential candidate.
• The little guy makes a rare attempt to kick the giant know as the RIAA in the knee.  Here's hoping she misses and winds up kicking him higher up.
• BREAKING NEWS FROM BUTKUS D. DOGG: Scientists are researching the possibility that we dogs may be able to imitate human behavior.  Duh.  We dogs have been imitating middle aged men for years.  We lie around and sleep all day and scratch ourselves.  The only thing we can do that men can't is lick our privates.  And if they could do that, they'd never leave the damned house.  Back to you, Bald Guy!
• The founder of the Johnsonville sausage company is dead at 92.  No word yet on whether he will be buried, cremated or ground.
• Let's load up the time capsule and flash back to the year in music 1989.