(Sean is back, so I'll evacuate the topic of baseball for the moment.)

Enough is enough. Professional sports should take a page out of the NHL's book and crack down on violent conduct. (Dale Hunter, are you listening?)

It's more than just fighting. Professional players egos seem to be more inflated than Macy's Thanks-giving Day balloons.

How about the sight of Jim "Sticks and stones do break my bones, and words hurt like dickens" Everett, who attacked ESPN's Jim Rome on-air for calling him "Chrissy Everett" during a talk show?

(Personally, I think the only individual who has a right to be offended is the tennis champ herself.)

There was also the wonderful verbal war between Indianapolis Colts (as opposed to Baltimore CFL Colts!) GM Bill Tobin and Baltimore-based ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper.

Kiper tore into Tobin for choosing Trev Alberts over Trent Dilfer in the NFL draft last Sunday.

Tobin responded by saying that because he was from Baltimore, Kiper had some kind of bias against the NFL Colts. (Now why would he suppose a thing like that?)

Real mature, guys.

At any rate, the debate was replayed over and over again, another winner for the ESPN highlight reels.

Then there's the case of Baltimore Oriole relief pitcher Jim Poole. (Yup, I'm back to baseball.)

When this writer approached him for an autograph earlier this season, he said. "I'm sorry, but the fans down in the bullpen were rude to me, so I'm not gonna sign."

Waaaahhhhhh! Poor Jimmy. My heart bleeds for ya, pal.

Someone, help me, please. I don't want to see fights.

I don't want some oversensitive prima donna refusing autograph requests.

And for gosh sakes, I don't want to see commentators fighting on network TV.

I'm not asking players and commentators to be role models. Sir Charles is right. But the fans deserve better.