How Many Sobriety Tests Must Paul Pierce Pass?

TMZ lit up email boxes this morning with the dubious tip that an NBA star -- greatest player in the world Paul Pierce -- had been pulled over in Las Vegas last night for suspected DUI. The hook: Pierce passed three field sobriety tests and was released on the spot by the police. Instead of getting back behind the wheel, Pierce stuck his car in valet and got a cab.

A few sports blogs ran with it, with one intrepid fellow even suggesting -- without merit -- Pierce had been stoned. (We're definitely getting more responsible, yeah?) The biggest yuks come from questions about why Pierce would ditch his ride after being exonerated of drunken guilt. 72% of TMZ's brilliant audience thinks "something fishy" has gone down in Pierce's release.

I don't get it. If Pierce was a little drunk, why are we cutting him up for hailing a cab? If he just, I don't know, didn't want to get pulled over again for Driving While Young, Black and Rich ... can you blame him?

The TMZ-ization of the sports blogdome is not something we should strive for, people. The NBA has enough image problems without the invention of fake ones for cheap giggles.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.