First impressions, second thoughts and the third degree:

Did Ben Sheets really just announce his desire for free agency by essentially telling the Brewers "You snooze, you lose?" Talk about tacky. …

During the first three years of his current contract, Sheets got a ton more from Milwaukee ($27.5 million) than he gave back (28 wins, five complete games, four trips to the disabled list). So now, when things are finally going well for him, he has the audacity to tweak general manager Doug Melvin for electing — prudently — not to negotiate during the season. …

Look, Sheets has every right to maximize his earning potential elsewhere if he wants. But for him to suggest he probably wouldn't consider an offer from the Brewers at this point - "You can't invite yourself back." - is an indication that Sheets either has a terrible memory or an appalling lack of appreciation. …

It's all well and good that NBA analysts are saying the Bucks will be better through defensive toughness - new coach Scott Skiles and draftees Joe Alexander and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute figure to set that tone — but perhaps no franchise has talked more and delivered less to its followers in recent years. We'll wait and see together. …

Reports out of New Jersey say small forward Richard Jefferson isn't happy with the trade that sent him from the Nets to Milwaukee. Like we've never heard that whine before. He'll come around. …

Eric Gagne is back on the clock for the Brewers and, fair or not, here's one way to look at his tenure: Milwaukee was a losing team with the former closer in the bullpen and 11 games over .500 when he was on the 15-day disabled list. …

When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said last week that it's "ridiculous" to reward untested rookies with huge contracts and that "the money should go to people who perform," he knew that it was his guys — the franchise owners — who were responsible for that fact, right? ...

U.S. cyclist Floyd Landis spent $2 million trying to prove he won the 2006 Tour de France fair and square. Just like his drug test, he failed, but he raised enough questions about how poorly some athletes' drug tests are handled that the next contestant just might have better luck. …

It sure looks like Team USA men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski is making a big personnel mistake by not taking enough post players to the Summer Olympics. If Dwight Howard gets into foul trouble or gets hurt — he's currently recovering from a stress fracture in his sternum — the drop-off to Chris Bosh or Carlos Boozer looks to be fairly dramatic. …

For the time being, the most anticipated moment in Beijing will last less than 10 seconds: The men's 100-meter showdown between Usain Bolt of Jamaica, who holds the world record at 9.72 seconds, and American Tyson Gay, whose wind-aided 9.68 clocking sent a buzz through the U.S. Olympic Trials, should be epic. …

To know Madisonian Jerry Kelly is to know that his efforts to have the PGA Tour aid flood victims in Iowa are consistent with his character.