THUMB THINGS TO PONDER

Thumbs down

To Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse, who bolted the stadium Sunday before his team's loss to the Colts after being told he was going to be deactivated for the game. Kearse, 33, who was released by the Eagles after the 2007 season, had started 20 straight games for the Titans, but has been largely ineffective this season (one sack, nine tackles) and was replaced at left end by rookie William Hayes. Asked why he didn't stay for the game, Kearse told reporters: "First off, I wanted to hang out with my family and friends that I had in town. And second of all, I didn't think one person not on the sideline was going to make a difference in this game. I used that time to hang out with my family and not get stuck in traffic leaving the game. Once I got the official word, I jumped back in the Benz and went home." Nice.

Thumbs down

To Rush Limbaugh, who just had to find an African- American to blame for being dumped from the group attempting to buy the Rams. Limbaugh claims the man behind his ouster was NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith. Claims Smith put the fear of God into commissioner Roger Goodell and the league's owners over what would happen if they let Limbaugh into the league, prompting Goodell to tell the group headed by St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts that it had to get rid of Limbaugh. Seriously, does this pompous pill-popper really believe Goodell and the owners needed Smith to tell them it would be a real bad idea to allow him to own even a tiny piece of an NFL team? And if Smith really did have the fear-of-God power over the owners that Limbaugh thinks he does, why isn't there a new labor agreement?

- Paul Domowitch