Because millions of young boys across this country watch football and dream of being the next star. Because hundreds of thousands of them play decent foot ball in high school and thousand of them play great football in college. Because we hold up our athletes as our nation's heroes (a stupid, naive thing to do, but there it is), and we treat them like gods. Because we then expect them to behave like heroeas and gods. Because if they behave so eggregiously there are plenty of guys who would give anything to take their place.

Being a star athlete is a tremendous achievement. It is also a privelage. It comes with obligations that "regular" jobs don't necessarily have.

Who goes to bed at night dreaming of becoming the next accountant?

I think "The Nanny Diaries" is a much better read. "The Devil Wears Prada" was sooooo melodramatic, the heroine was sooooo whiny, and I really didn't root for her. Who cares that a middle-class girl has a crappy job with an evil boss? I thouht she was selfish and petty, and ... boring. I thought the movie did a better job of handling both her character and Miranda's. The movie cut dozens of pages of "She's so mean to me! She's soooo mean to me! Look,she's really mean to me!" into 30-second montages that made the point without belaboring it. I loved how the movie improved the how-I-got-to-Paris plotline, revealing the heroine's less-than-pure weakness, And her decision to leave Paris was more central to the plot (I didn't think the whole alcoholic friend in the hospital bit was really helpful. Mewlodramatic, yes. Helpful to telling the story, no). The movie heroine proved to be more resourceful and smart than her book counrterpart, and the movie heroine was a deeper, more complicated character, with a better arc.

"The Nanny Diaries" wasn't really a melodrama. It's heroine certainly had more brains and courage than "Prada," and while the plot certainly had its over-the-top scenarios, I felt it was a more worthwhile comment on Manhattanit culture.

I'm not sure I believe Scarlett Johansen as Annie: this character isn't supposed to be sultry and pouty. But I hear Laura Linney is awesome as Mrs X.

As other posters have said, nether book or movie is high Art. But neither is James Bond or the Bourne ad Infinitum or anything by Tom Clancy or Scott Turrow. No one ever goes to these films (or these novels) complaining that they're too "fluffy." It's not the point, is it? It's entertaining for a demographic of movie-goers. And so is the so-called chick-lit genre.

Remember? Henry VIII decided God spoke directly to him, bypassing the pope and the entire clergy. He then raped, tortured and killed 5 wives, dying before he could get around to beheading wifey #6. Not to mention the thousands of clerics and citizens he executed, hanfged, burned at the stake or racked for "heresy," which meant they failed to keep up wih Good King Hal's religious whim of the week.

This is what scares me most of the whole article: not that some Christians need Jesus in their bedroom, and not because some Christians try to claim BDSM is holy. But the husbands (were it the wives it would scare me too, but it's not in this case) becoming the direct pipeline to God, and therefore any act they do is on God's authority with His blessing and consent? Freak. EEE.

got off on a technicality, escaping the block by a hair's breadth by agreeing to a divorce/anullment, and to Hal's (likely hallucinogenic) description of her as ugly, smelly and sexually malformed.

Yes, he *executed* 2 wives, but wife #1 was "put away" in a castle with inadequate heat, light and food, and dragged before his Court and told that her marriage was invalid ... until she died. Of a broken heart, of exhaustion or of neglect/poor living conditions (though her autopsy stated she died of "dropsy"). Wife #3 died of sepsis soon after birthing her baby boy, in no small part because Hal dragged her before the court to present said baby before she was healed from the birth. Wife #4 (Anne of Cleves) and #6 (Catherine Parr) were both placed under house arrest for displeasing the king, and had accusations of witchcraft and treason circulated against them. For whatever reason, Hal chose to "amicably" divorce #4 instead, and "forgave" #6, but still, it must have been torture to live with that guy.

In addition to implying that the Senate, the media, major figures at the DoJ, and the American people are vindictive bullies picking ona poor, honest man, Bush listed several Gonzales accomplishments in his farewell speech today. Apparently, Gonzales will be remembered for protecting our children and civil rights.

I'd like one of what the commader in chief is drinking.

I got back from vacation, and so missed this article when it was fresh. But my hat is off to thew authors of this book. Thank you!

And to anyone out there in need of support while pumping for babies for any reason, there are several on-line support devoted to supporting pumping moms. One very good one is pumpmoms. The women on this group have incredible stores of knowledge, tremendous insight and kindness, and tons of class. Anyone in need of pumping assistance should check them out.