This is going to be one of those "there's nothing sportsrelated really going on right now, but I still have to write a column" column.

After 17 years of writing at least one column a week, you'd think it would be second nature to me - and it usually is - but being limited to sports only, really shallows out the inspiration pool, if you know what I mean.

So, that's the excuse for the following column.

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Every now and again, you get to thinking about how things could be better. In this case, how could things be better in the world of sports?

So, off the top of my head, the things that irritate me that I would like to see changed.

. The designated hitter in baseball. Call me "Old School" or whatever, I am so tired of the DH. When you have one, sometimes two, players on the roster making millions of dollars per year for just hitting, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

It's like the line from the movie "Bull Durham."

"This is a simple game. You throw the ball. You hit the ball. You catch the ball. Got it?"

I don't like the presence of baseball players that just hit. And, in association with that, having guys that only throw the ball since pitchers don't have to bat in the American League.

. Can we just not have any more reports on ESPN or the local sports casts about suspensions? With the advent of the Internet, if we want to find out that stuff, we can check on our team's sites or on the sports sites. And the TV announcers can tell us why the star running back isn't playing in the game that day.

. The NFL could do us all a favor by rolling back the rules on pass interference. Pro football is starting to resemble a video game.

300-yard passing games used to mean something. Now, out of a 16-game weekend, there will be nine or 10 of those type of QB performances ... and a couple of those will be 400- yard games.

And a game with three touchdown passes will get a little notice ... but not much. There are too many games with four or five touchdown passes.

This is all coming about not because of an increased level of athletic talent, but becuase defensive backs can't hardly touch a receiver without drawing a flag.

Me, I guess I'm strange. I don't mind a 14-13 or 7-3 game. Nowadays, games are uaually 31-27 or 45-17 ... or something ridiculous like that.

It would be nice if we could get back to some real footbal.

. And I'm not even going to get started on all these nicknames pro athletes end up with nowadays - CP3, King James, and, of course Ocho Cinco.

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OK...I've got it off my chest now...I feel better. Y'all have a good week.