Leading Off

Recently, I was talking with Jerry Reynolds, the Kings' director of player personnel, about how this year's team was more fun to watch.

The storm clouds are swirling around Raiders coach Tom Cable. He avoided charges for assaulting an assistant coach, but an ESPN report Sunday revealed accusations of violence committed by him against two women in his past.

They're doing it again. They're teasing us. The Sharks are trying to convince us that it's OK to watch them. It's OK to root for them. It's OK to think they won't break your heart again.

A few observations after watching the Kings' home opener from Section 115, Row E.

We have a reader who calls frequently – he never leaves a name or number – to exclaim we're disrespecting Oregon football.

It must have been difficult for Mike Singletary to bench Shaun Hill in favor of Alex Smith last week.

You've probably heard the story of the 1972 Dolphins, the only NFL championship team to go undefeated.

To paraphrase "Network" anchor Howard Beale, I'm as mad as hell about the baseball playoffs, and I'm not going to take it anymore!

Let's try not to jump off the bridge, yet. The Bay Bridge is still under repair, and the Guy West Bridge is too short. One game does not a season make, but the knee-jerk reaction to the Kings' season-opening loss at Oklahoma City on Wednesday is, naturally, to be frustrated.

A friend used to say that she didn't want to move to Southern California because strange things happen to marriages there. She may have been right, at least when it comes to baseball teams.

Every Kings game – including tonight's season opener in Oklahoma City – will be seen on cable.

The last time we saw Mark McGwire, he sat fidgeting before a Congressional panel in 2005, refusing to answer questions about steroid use during his baseball career. He said he was "not here to talk about the past."

Maybe the 49ers should have been paying Michael Crabtree the same money – or even more – than the Raiders gave their rookie, Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Welcome to the ground floor. Welcome to the bottom line. Welcome to the Kings' 2009-10 season.

ESPN has started a series of weekly documentary films called "30 for 30." The event highlights the work of 30 directors on 30 sports topics.

Last Saturday, I participated in the Foxy's Fall Century bicycle ride with my fiancée. It was exciting because it was my first organized century ride (100 kilometers) since I took up cycling nine months ago.

Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher started a firestorm just by wearing a jersey. The problem is, he wore a Peyton Manning jersey. Fisher, whose Titans are a surprising 0-6 entering their bye week, was at a charity function Tuesday for former Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy. Fisher took off his coat and shirt to reveal the Colts jersey.

Singletary's latest test was 49ers' bye week.

About 20 years ago, half of the NFL coaching jobs could be traced back to 49ers coach Bill Walsh. His legacy was known as the Walsh coaching tree.

With apologies to the Rams, Lions and Chiefs, you could argue last week the Raiders were the worst team in the NFL – last in offense and second to last in defense.

Of the three major professional sports – football, basketball and baseball – the NFL leads the way on cracking down on unwanted behavior off the field.

Stanford is having a breakout football season, and that's reason for its fans to be worried.

As the American League Championship Series begins tonight in New York, a lot of the buzz is about the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez and his sudden postseason power surge.

Maybe it's fitting that John Wooden's birthday – he turned 99 Wednesday – is so close to Friday's opening day of college basketball practice.