Published: October 12, 2006 03:39 pm      

ALL IN THE GAME: NFL, NHL, NBA and NASCAR dominate the sports headlines

Is Brett Favre washed up?

How long can Peyton Manning carry the Colts?

Will the Tennessee Titans of Bud Adams win a game this season and if not who should they go after with the number one pick in the draft?

Can Chris Sims come back after having his spleen removed?

Will Terrell Owens last the entire season with the Dallas Cowboys?

These are all questions that are dogging the minds of local sports enthusiasts and they make it hard to concentrate on the everyday tasks that each of us must accomplish. The answers must be forthcoming soon to relieve the tension in the air.

Then there’s the beginning of the NHL season. After a fairly good performance last year, the Nashville Predators are off to a rocky start and newly wealthy goalie Tomas Vokoun has surrendered 13 goals in his first two games. Off-season signings were supposed to propel the franchise into the middle of the fray with the likes of the Red Wings, Blackhawks, Maple Leafs and Avalanche. Oh well, at least that season has just begun and we have many weeks of puck-pounding action to look forward to. After all, what’s more exciting than a shoot-out win?

And at last, the NBA is back in action. The dribbling and dunking set is still in pre-season work and the 2006 season will be over sometime in 2009. It pains me to think of how much those players must endure for a scant few million dollars. I’m glad that the rest of us don’t have to go through that grinding schedule. I’m not sure that many of us could handle it.

How come it’s OK for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to do whatever he chooses on a racetrack but let someone put a small scratch or dent on number 8 and they’re viewed as something akin to a serial killer?

Now, I don’t know a restrictor plate from a universal joint, but I think that I know what is best for the stock car racing circuit. Just let each team build the fastest and best car that they can and put them on the track on Sundays and let the best team win. I think that Jeff Gordon is probably the best driver in the sport but his image is just not one that hits it off with the majority of NASCAR fans and the stands erupt with cheering when some misfortune comes his way. Maybe if he’d get a few tattoos and hang out with uglier women his popularity would increase. Also, I heard that Michelle Wie was wanting to get into NASCAR but she doesn’t want to have to work her way into it via the Busch Tour.

The Stone Memorial Panthers assured themselves of a winning season with their 14-0 win at Warren County last week. That’s quite an accomplishment for Marty Davis, his staff and the players. They’re on the road at East Ridge this week.

The CCHS Jets will be hosting the Cookeville Cavaliers on Friday night and that game will be carried on ESPN 360. Good luck Jets.

There wasn’t much excitement in the world of college football to write about this past weekend so I’ll have to put off my critique of that segment of the sports world until next time. Surely there will be some good games to mention from this Saturday’s edition.

It appears that, once again, the SEC will beat themselves up enough that a championship contender may not survive. Florida is the only hope left. Go Gators!

Remember Barbaro? He continues to improve and will hopefully have a long life.

GO JETS!!! GO PANTHERS!!! GO USA!!!

Jim Butler is a Chronicle correspondent, and his column appears each Friday.