Not sure if everybody caught this coming across the wire yesterday, but Charlie Villanueva was selected to the NBA Rookie team for the Rookie / Sophomore Challenge.

(As an aside, ten years from now when technology allows our A.I. Super HD Hover TV's to give us a real time breakdown of what type of drugs the players have taken before the game; the entertainment value of such a contest will increase exponentially.)

As the 7th pick in the most recent NBA Draft, Charlie V. NOT being selected would be akin to Damien Cox taking a pass on covering the Men's Hockey team at the Turin Olympics. However, this didn't stop the brash 21 year-old from making this bold statement: "When they drafted me, people criticized me and I carry that with me. It's a good accomplishment, I proved my critics wrong and playing in that game is an honour."

First of all Charlie, congratulations on your selection.

Now - Please shut your mouth.

You are the 6'11 sixth-man for an undersized team that - currently - is 14 games under .500. The kindest - and most accurate - adjective to describe your play as we pass the mid-point of your rookie campaign is: inconsistent. Un-ironically this is the exact same way that you were described at the University of Connecticut, which - more than any other quality directly associated with your considerable talent - precipitated the criticism of your selection last June.

The following players in the NBA are allowed to shoot off at the mouth whenever they deem it necessary:

Shaquille O'Neal - 3 Rings.
Tim Duncan - 3 Rings.
Kobe Bryant - 3 Rings, and the scariest legal team in the United States of America.
Chauncey Billups - Testicles the size of large infants, this man has.

Charlie my friend, that's the list. Nobody would be happier than yours truly if your name was added one day. In the interim please stay sentient of this factual piece of information: that day is a long ways away.

SA