Mark Slessinger a great coach, but his best work is as a foster parent
Mark Slessinger does his best work away from the court. Gregg Doyel says the New Orleans men's basketball coach and his wife, Toni, are true heroes as foster parents to children in need of a loving home. 

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Sergio's racist joke aimed at Tiger not funny, to define Garcia's legacy
Sergio Garcia crosses a line in his feud with Tiger Woods by making a 'fried chicken' joke. Gregg Doyel says Garcia's terrible choice will forever stain an already tarnished legacy. 

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Good for Chargers shielding Te'o, no matter how much the media whines
Manti Te'o has survived his controversy. But the Chargers have put him on media lockdown: no interviews. Gregg Doyel applauds the move, despite the outrage displayed by colleagues. 

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Even if you don't like Coach K, you know he's best to lead Team USA
Mike Krzyzewski reportedly is waffling on whether to leave USA basketball. Gregg Doyel says it's great news because no one is better suited to lead the US to gold in Rio in 2016. 

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Tiger's renewed popularity proves winning does indeed fix everything
Tiger Woods was the scourge of the sports world ... until he won four of his last seven tournaments. Now the bandwagon is back. Gregg Doyel says this proves one thing: Winning cures all. 

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Hate Mail: Tebow fans are good for one thing -- ruining everything
If you're a Tim Tebow fan, odds you're not a fan of Gregg Doyel's take on Tebowites making their beloved QB all but unemployable in the NFL. Doyel responds to readers' emails in this week's Hate Mail. 

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Of course Jay Paterno believes in his dad, but in no way should you
People have made up their minds about Joe Paterno's legacy, but that hasn't stopped his son, Jay, from trying to change opinions. Gregg Doyel says it's understandable, and pathetic. 

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Ortiz has right to deny cheating, but that doesn't mean it's wrong to ask
David Ortiz implies that questions about PED use, given his fast start, drift into foul territory. But Gregg Doyel says Ortiz should know that in a sport rife with cheaters, it's fair game to wonder. 

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Rose's rep as a teammate wilts with each game that he sits out
With Derrick Rose's Bulls teammates battling through a rash of injuries and maladies, Gregg Doyel wonders how he can look them in the eye while continuing to sit out playoff games. 

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Congratulations, Tebow fans: You've run your favorite son out of the NFL
There's not a GM in the league who wants Tim Tebow on his team, says Gregg Doyel, especially a Tebow whose influence has reached ridiculous proportions. 

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Critics of Geno Smith everywhere ... but none of them believable
Geno Smith's critics have been piling on unfairly since before the draft. Gregg Doyel hopes the Jets' rookie QB proves 'em all wrong. 

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Boston College publicist Kelley inspires as he battles ALS
Sports information director Dick Kelley is an inspiration to his Boston College family as he maintains grace and dignity amid a struggle with ALS. Gregg Doyel tells Kelley's story. 

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Beat the Heat? It won't happen once in these playoffs
It's a perfect question: Are the Heat so dominant that they won't lose a single playoff game? No NBA champ has ever done it before, but Gregg Doyel says no one is going to beat the Heat. 

Thunder learn hard way Durant needs more help from teammates
Kevin Durant is a superstar, but he needs help. Game 4 is an example. Gregg Doyel says the Thunder might not go much further if their go-to option doesn't get more support from the role players surrounding him. 

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Jason Collins no longer has to live a lie, and that's worth celebrating
Someday a pro athlete coming out won't be news, but NBA vet Jason Collins' announcement that he is gay is historic news. And Gregg Doyel says it's a story to celebrate -- and learn from. 

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With physical Garcia, Rockets may have found way to contain Durant
A few nasty thumps. As Francisco Garcia knows, getting physical with Kevin Durant -- getting in his head -- may be the secret to beating the Thunder. 

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Greatest ever? LeBron could have been that -- as an NFL tight end
LeBron James is the NBA's best player and in the running to be the greatest basketball player ever. But Gregg Doyel can only wonder just how good James could have been if he kept playing football. 

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Johnny Manziel doing nothing wrong living it up as Johnny Football
Johnny Manziel is living the life of a 20-year-old Heisman winner with money. Condemn him? Gregg Doyel insists we should be celebrating Johnny Football. 

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Frazier comes through for disabled batboy, making him my favorite
His play on the field makes the Reds' Todd Frazier popular with fans. But it's a special moment off it that has made Frazier a favorite of Gregg Doyel. 

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Sports helps Boston, nation start healing process after bombings
Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics Nation help Boston start to recover after the bombings. Gregg Doyel says sports stories help bring out the best in Americans. 

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Only epic futility can save Marlins from their owner
Lose, Marlins. Lose like no team has ever lost before. Gregg Doyel says that's the only way to get rid of Jeffrey Loria, who seems intent on doing to Miami baseball what he did to Montreal. 

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Hate Mail: Boeheim incident brings out even angrier emails than usual
Well he did it again. After his dustup with Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, Gregg Doyel has really drawn the ire of readers this time, some of whom are ready to actually fight. 

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Silly NCAA rules stop Louisville men from supporting women in Final Four
Because it's an 'extra benefit,' Louisville's champion men can't fly to New Orleans to support the women in their NCAA final. Gregg Doyel says it's another example of NCAA rules getting in the way of what's right. 

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Webber's appearance a first step toward healing Michigan rift
Michigan is here, so he had to be here too. He's Michigan. He's the good of Michigan, the bad. And if he wasn't going to be here, then Michigan wasn't going to be here. Not entirely.  

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Don't let Kevin Ware's story get lost in mess of misguided agendas
If there's a message in the Kevin Ware story, Gregg Doyel wants Ware to tell it. Not all the people peddling their own agendas and seeking to turn Ware into a cause. 

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Are there more coaching monsters like Mike Rice in college hoops?
Mike Rice is fired by Rutgers, his treatment of players impossible to justify. Gregg Doyel wonders if there are more Mike Rice-types out there and fears the answer is yes. 

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Enfield lacks charm of great coaches, but can still make USC great
Andy Enfield? He's nice. Gregg Doyel knows that's damning with faint praise, but wonders whether USC's new coach has the charisma to make the Trojans great. 

Florida Gulf Coast acts like it belongs in the big time
Doyel: Pressure on FGCU? 

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Hate Mail: A new picture, but the contempt remains the same
Gregg Doyel has a new, softer mugshot, but readers still don't like it. Or his takes on national sports stories. Doyel answers readers' emails in his mailbag column. 

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Selig fighting good fight against PEDs, but he can't win
Give Bud Selig his due. He's the only commissioner serious about ridding his sport of PEDs. Too bad the good fight is a losing cause, Gregg Doyel says. 

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Advice for Ole Miss' Henderson, after two-fingered goodbye wave
Marshall Henderson is not J.J. Redick or another of college hoops' Most Disliked Players. The Ole Miss guard is a legit jerk, and Gregg Doyel has advice for him. 

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L'ville stays classy as it begins Big Dance run on Kentucky's court
L'ville could gloat about Kentucky's ugly season as well as playing at Rupp Arena. Instead, Gregg Doyel says the No. 1 seed Cardinals are taking the high road and staying focused on themselves and only themselves. 

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Don't confuse the Steubenville story with a football story
Gregg Doyel tells another side of the Steubenville rape case, focusing on a society in which too many are reared not to protect, but to take what they can. 

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Belichick gets credit, but it's Brady who keeps Patriots winning
When the Patriots win without Wes Welker, Bill Belichick will get credit. But Gregg Doyel says it's really Tom Brady who's behind New England's success. 

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Kobe's ankle will heal, but damage to Jones' rep can't be undone
The damage is done when it comes to Kobe Bryant and Dahntay Jones. Gregg Doyel says Kobe's ankle will heal, but Jones' rep will never fully recover. 

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Hate Mail: Championing tolerance brings the crazies out of the closet
Tim Tebow fans still can't let go of a Gregg Doyel column from a few weeks back and Doyel can't let them have the last word. He responds to readers in his mailbag column. 

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Chicago fans trying to rush Rose need to remember Cutler, Peavy
Citing injuries to Jay Cutler and Jake Peavy, Gregg Doyel blasts Chicago sports fans for trying to rush Derrick Rose back from a torn ACL. 

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Will it take a death to end fighting in hockey? Let's hope not
Fighting in sports is fine, Gregg Doyel says. In fighting sports like MMA and boxing. Fighting in hockey? Not fine, and it's time to end it despite decades of history. 

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UFC won't tap out in fight for major sports status, but it has peaked
The UFC wants to be more than a niche sport, but Gregg Doyel says it's unlikely that it will get much more popular than it already is -- and a new TV partnership won't change that. 

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AD Haden doing Southern Cal no courtesy talking to unethical Floyd
Southern Cal athletic director Pat Haden promised to clean up Troy, but Gregg Doyel says Haden's decision to interview Tim Floyd, the ethically challenged ex-Trojans basketball coach, is dirty business.