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This weekend marks network TV’s first foray into the MMA craze sweeping the nation when CBS presents its Saturday Night Fights featuring the talent from the Elite XC stable of fighters. The headliners includes Internet sensation, Kimbo Slice and American Gladiator, Gina Carano, a favorite of ours around here.

But is this the right way to bring MMA to the masses? By relying on star-quality instead of talent? Dan Wentzel of Yahoo Sports doesn’t think so and he gives some very compelling reasons why:

The sport has taken off in a way few others have – fueled purely by fan interest. It stands in stark contrast to all the network airtime spent on sports propped up on political correctness or obligation. MMA long ago deserved network attention.

Individually, nothing is wrong with a shooting star such as Kimbo Slice fighting on Saturday’s EliteXC card on CBS.

Together, plenty is. In fact, practically everything is.

EliteXC is a desperate promotion that’s hemorrhaging money. It’s willing to sell anything, even a false portrait of its sport, to succeed.

Kimbo is a guy with unexpected and most likely fleeting earning potential; understandably he’s willing to cash in even if it means tomato-can opponents and an image so unfortunately stereotypical.

The gist of Wentzel’s article is instead of relying on recognizable names, they should follow the lead of the UFC and focus on the proven talent. Yes, Kimbo is becoming a household name because of his YouTube fights (and ESPN’s 60 Minutes knock-off) and Gina Carano is very well known around the sports blogosphere but are these two really the face of MMA?

I doubt Dana White would agree as long as he has the Anderson Silvas and Quinton “Rampage” Jacksons of the world under contract.

Nevertheless, the MMA is coming to your network television whether you are ready for it or not. Just be warned, instead of seeing the best of the best, you’ll be seeing the most recognizable faces — and in Gina’s case, one of the hottest. Although, it would be nice if she actually made her fighting weight. Giving up a portion of your fight purse because you can’t get down to the regulated weight can’t feel very good.

For your enjoyment, FanHouse has a great little guide for those of you new to the MMA craze. Before I go, is there anyway possible we can get a Kimbo Slice/Eric “Butterbean” Esch match-up before I die? It’s not like Butterbean is some kind of pushover, even though he’s as big as a house. Observe:

My memories of kickball don’t go much past my elementary school days, although I’ve been in the occasional barbecue game. However, much to my chagrin there’s a very active adult league going and apparently, there isn’t much messing around when it comes to the players AND the crowd. Steady Burn has much, much more:

On Sunday in Tampa, two fights broke out amongst as many as 100 people during a women’s kickball league game – one right after the other had been calmed by police.

People at the scene told the police that the fight had nothing to do with the kickball game, and it started because of an argument over a video on YouTube.

This comes on the heels of the guy being arrested in Macy’s for carrying an actual rusty scabbard because his kickball league liked to dress a pirates for their games. Pirates playing kickball. Can you say “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story?”

I’m thinking someone should start a kickball league where the participants dress as ninjas so we can have pirates-versus-ninjas games.

That would just rule.

Ever since I saw the opening sequence of Casino Royale, I’ve been oddly fascinated by parkour. Not that I could ever pull off much of what the “art” consists of, but nevertheless, I’m awfully impressed by those that do. In the following videos, we have two examples, one demonstrating the correct way to “do” parkour. The other one? Not so much.

First, the correct way. It’s is a little long but it’s worth the watch, even if the editor went a little overboard with the effects.

This next one — or the incorrect way — is a much shorter but it does a great job of demonstrating why those of us lacking the requisite parkour skill should probably leave well enough alone.

Broken ribs, anyone?

I’ve seen a lot of memorable performances and plays in the past year. Things like David Tyree’s catch, Tyson Gay walking Asafa Powell down, Dwight Howard’s Superman and so on. However, what I witnessed from Big Brown at the Preakness equals or surpasses these and other highlight-worthy exhibitions. While the Preakness infield was apparently its normally fun self, watching Big Brown destroy the field as he rounded that last turn was pretty exhilarating as well.

Next up for Big Brown: three weeks worth of “Will he be the first horse since win the Triple Crown since Affirmed?” speculation as he prepares to run the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the coveted Triple Crown. While Big Brown’s chances to finally accomplish the Triple do look great, the fact the Belmont is the longest of the three races — 1.5 miles — may play a part in the outcome.

Will jockey Kent Desormeaux preserve Big Brown’s energy so his horse has enough left for a strong finish or will this be a repeat of Smarty Jones?

It was a busy Game 4 for Utah’s Ronnie Price yesterday. After getting smashed to the floor by Ronny Turiaf — a fall that opened Price up above the eye and resulted in Turiaf getting ejected (Price also received stitches for his troubles) — he followed that up with a resounding blocked shot, one that left victim Luke Walton looking kind of dazed and confused.

Of course, coming from the Bill Walton gene pool, that’s to be expected.

The question surrounding the Turiaf foul is whether or not Ronny should have been ejected or did the officials overreact when they saw Price’s blood?

Yes it was a hard foul, although, it didn’t look like Turiaf was trying to injure Price. However, it does look like he did help guide him to the floor with his left arm. But does that make it a Flagrant 2 or did the appearance of Price’s blood after he hits the floor elevate the foul’s severity in the eyes of the refs? Whatever the case, Turiaf got ejected for his troubles.

Of course, the busy night for Ronnie Price didn’t end there. Later in the fourth quarter, Luke Walton got free for what looked like a breakaway layup. Yeah, not so much. Price ran him down and unceremoniously denied Walton in spectacular fashion.

Was that better than Tayshaun’s block of Reggie Miller, considering the height differential? I mean, Price is listed at 6-2 and Walton is 6-8.

Perhaps next time you should dunk the ball, Luke.

As for the Lakers/Jazz series, it’s tied 2-2 and Game 5 is, for some reason, not until Wednesday night. I guess traveling all the way from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles requires almost a four-day recovery period. Have I ever mentioned the NBA Playoffs’ television schedule sucks?

Thanks to LWS, we are now aware of a follow-up to the Duke “This Is Why You Suck” video, this time, aimed at the Florida Gators universe.

Sounds a lot like hate to me. Of course, news about dead women, dead teammates and stolen credit cards doesn’t help your cause that much.

Everyone’s favorite steroid snitch is looking for a place to stay after his mansion in California was foreclosed, leaving the stoolie without a home. Maybe Earl Hickey is right about this whole karma thing. When asked why his house was snatched up, an explanation was offered:

Canseco told the syndicated TV show “Inside Edition” that he walked away from his $2.5 million, 7,300-square foot home in suburban Encino because it didn’t make sense to continue making payments.

“I do have a judgment on my home and it to me is very strange because it didn’t make financial sense for me to keep paying a mortgage on a home that was basically owned by someone else,” he said in an interview that aired Thursday.

Sounds like he’s broke to me. I guess ratting out the entire Major League Baseball association didn’t go as well for him as he had hoped. Nor did that Surreal Life appearance.

Oh well, at least he got to potentially score with this gift from God.

While this play starts with Rafer Alston trying to contain the Utah point guard on the perimeter, it ends up with he and Shane Battier getting absolutely dunked on. Williams’ play was just one of multitude of highlights from the NBA Playoffs this weekend — highlights you might’ve missed as they were buried under two days of Chris Berman, Ron Jaworski, Mel Kiper, Keyshawn Johnson, et al.

Odenized has this posted as well but he includes the subsequent play showing just how dominant Williams was down the stretch Saturday night…

Well, besides his two missed free throws at the end but even then, he was bailed out by Mehmet Okur and his potentially game-saving offensive rebound, a rebound that just escaped being secured by McGrady’s hands.

Football ain’t the only game of inches, it appears.