Papelbon-ehead

Had a friendly debate over Joba Chamberlain recently, with the other side thinking he's best suited to the pen. My side? Here is all I ask of them: prove to me that 200 innings is fewer than 70 and we can talk. Your best pitchers should be aiming for 600+ outs, not 210. It is not really complicated. You know who would make a good pinch hitter? Albert Pujols, he’s a really good hitter. But you want him up four times, not once, no? How is that different?...the one thing you knew for certain about Terrell Owens move to Buffalo: James Hardy was going to give up his #81, and he did...Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez might want to be careful what he wishes for in saying they're getting Manchester United at a good time tomorrow. Recall, of course, that Inter Milan skipper Jose Mourinho said he wanted United when the Champions League draw went a few weeks back, and we know how that turned out. Kickoff is 8:40 tomorrow on Setanta...the United Football League is starting operations this fall with a contract on Versus. How's that for an association, Gary Bettman?...Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon went off about how Manny Ramirez had to go because he was a distraction. Because talking about last August isn't a distraction, of course. Papelbon also likened Manny to cancer. I'm sure teammate Jon Lester, a cancer survivor, appreciates that...as enthused as I am for the coming Toronto FC season, I'm the polar opposite when it comes to their new unis. Fugly...Charles Barkley says he's driven drunk at least 100 times a year. Is there anything this guy doesn't do to excess?...sad news for RandoMango. After 334 consecutive days posting, your faithful blogger is putting down his proverbial pen, until Monday that is. Moving over the next couple days and will be largely unplugged from the sports world and the interweb. Have a great few days.

PTP

Tonight, we're playing Pitt in college hoops at -4. Easy.
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

Maybe "committment" means something else in Beckham's world?

David Beckham says he's very much committed to MLS. Right, because what says "committed" more than trying to engineer a move to AC Milan permanently. Then again, he probably thought that sleeping with his assistant while he was in his early days in Spain was showing his commitment to his wife. What is old is new again. Milan will play a friendly in LA as part of the deal to keep Beckham until June. That game is set for July 19th..if you can figure out why the New York Rangers were awarded a 17th round compensitory pick because Alexei Cherapanov died this year, I'd love to hear it. If that is the case, the Maple Leafs should be looking for a bunch of compensatory picks for some of the deadwood they've drafted over the years...ahead of what could be the final nail in the coffin for Liverpool's EPL hopes this year, manager Rafa Benitez is talking some big junk and saying his team will go in and win at Manchester United's home Old Trafford. Don't take his advice, people. Man U wins this one tomorrow...if you haven't heard how Terrell Owens release from the Dallas Cowboys was delivered by Jerry Jones, you might want to read this. Almost plays like a break-up of sorts...there is growing talk that the big name NBA free agents of 2010 - LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh - are more likely to re-sign and extend their deals with their current teams this summer than before thanks to the economic crisis causing a drop in the salary cap and limiting how much another team could offer moreso than even in the past...Peyton Manning and the Manning family were honoured in their home state of Mississippi on Tuesday with Manning Day. Shame Peyton wasn't around. He was busy golfing with Tiger Woods that day. Stay classy, Peyton...the notion that Brian McNamee injected Roger Clemens at Yankee Stadium in 2001 is hardly a revelation. Considering the time those guys spend at the ballpark, odds are...Terrell Owens has more receiving touchdowns the last two years than do the Buffalo Bills combined...it wasn't always pretty, but the goals sure were as Manchester United downed Inter Milan 2-0 to take their round of 16 game. Also advancing: Barcelona, Arsenal via the dreaded shootout, and Porto...have a great day.

Dominican't

So, about the idea that Real Madrid is a soccer power in Europe? Nevermind. Liverpool were never threatened by the Spanish side in yesterdays second leg of their Champions League round of 16 game, taking Real apart with stunning ease 4-0, and it wasn't even that close. Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard were beasts all game. Why Cristiano Ronaldo would contemplate leaving Manchester United for that outfit is beyond me. Real is likely heading toward another coaching change and more roster turmoil. Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Villareal also advanced to the final eight..SI.com's Peter King, between sips of Starbucks, figures Arizona Cardinal Anquan Boldin will be a Philadelphia Eagle or New York Giant before July hits. As a Cowboy fan, at least the Redskins will always suck...Koko B. Ware is going into the WWE Hall of Fame? Who is next, The Berzerker?...Carlos Marmol came on to close out Holland and the Dutch proved too much and downed the Dominican 2-1 in 12 innings. Anybody else think that he's going to get the Andreas Escobar treatment when he goes home to the D.R.?...it didn't take long for the conspiracy theorists to figure A-Rod's sudden hip injury and surgery is merely cover for an MLB suspension...since November 28th, the New York Isles are 1-19-2 on the road. The 1980's must seem decades ago. Forgive me while I channel Yogi Berra...among the many interesting points in Declan Hill's book "The Fix" - a look at the extent to which soccer is fixed in the gambling world - is a revelation that some bookmakers in Russia stopped taking bets on the NHL in the 1990's, such was the level of fixing going on there with Russian players in particular. At the time, there were rumblings of "protection money" being extorted from Pavel Bure and Alexander Mogilny, but I don't recall gambling ever being brought up...Bret Hart once gave Vince McMahon a clothesline in a strip joint. True story. By the way, if you've never read Hart's bio "Hitman", do yourself a favor and start now...in Champions League action today, it doesn't get any bigger than Inter Milan at Manchester United. Also a big one in Rome, as Arsenal travel to face AS Roma. Again, I feel a strange fever coming over me today at the office around 3pm...Adam "Pacman" Jones has a new job, but it isn't in the NFL. He's on the terrible show "Pros vs. Joes", which led to this awesome email to Jim Rome: "Dear Jim, is Pacman a 'Pro' or a 'Joe'?"...line of the day from Gary Loewen at the Toronto Sun: "the NBA Development League is being innovative by allowing its three division winners to choose their first-round playoff opponents. No Raptors jokes here, please"...finally on my 10th listen, I figured out what Quinton "Rampage" Jackson screamed into the mic as he and champion Rashad Evans faced off in the ring after Jackson's win over Keith Jardine to hype their fight down the road: "there's gonna be some black on black crime." Amazing. Love me some Rampage...have a great Wednesday, back later with your PTP.

Carbo-no

Not sure what kind of mental midget you'd have to be to update your Facebook status to say that your employer is "retarted", but that is exactly what one Philadelphia Eagles employee did after the team let Brian Dawkins go and sign with the Denver Broncos. Oh, did I say "employee"? I meant "former" employee. He was let go...Vladimir Guerrero is merely the latest Dominican to let his real age slip after years of advertising that he was younger, admitting he's 34, not 33 as he declared when he signed in the majors. Seeing Vladi move, I can confidently say his knees are at least double that...a couple co-workers tipped me off to a website that, well, it is called thisiswhyyourefat.com. Enough said...in something of a shocker, the Montreal Canadiens pulled the plug on coach Guy Carbonneau and General Manager Bob Gainey is taking over. Guess when the heat is on in your 100th year and your own future in the organization is in question, you may as well take the reigns behind the bench and sink or swim with your own team...a good friend of mine - and TFC season ticket holder - is looking for votes in the "Weekend Wonders" competition by 4-4-2 magazine. Click this link and click on the stars of Anthony Middleton to give him a vote. The winner gets a full set of uniforms, and Middleton donates them to local schools, a pretty noble cause in my book. Vote as often as you wish...as a result of the time change in North America - but not Europe - all the Champions League action in the Round of 16 over the next two days will start at 3:45pm. The focal points today will be Turin where Juventus host Chelsea. Hard to imagine Juve plays as poorly as they did in London, and they'll need a 2-0 win to advance in 90 minutes. Michael Essien returns from a knee injury for Chelsea, and could start. Also, Real Madrid travel to Liverpool needing at least a victory to balance out the 1-0 home loss two weeks back. Should be fantastic stuff...so, what is worse: Holland beating Dominican in the World Baseball Classic, or Canada getting punked at home to Italy?...so the geniuses that run the NHL have proposed new rules to prevent hits to the head, which are often judgment calls. Not judgment calls, or banned under the new proposal: hits to the head by fists. Smart. Nobody will clown you for that oversite, NHL...if you thought yesterday's photobombers were great, check out this fan of Atletico Bilbao - a Spanish soccer team - go off behind a reporter...why is it in the major leagues that players coming out of the dugout to celebrate runs is a no-no except for a walk off run, but in the World Baseball Classic it is acceptable? The reason, I'm sure: the usually lame "code" again. There's something endearing to seeing players, especially on the multi-millionaiire loaded U.S. team, celebrating in an event where they're paid next to nothing, or less...back with your PTP later today.

Tragically hip

Terrell Owens had a gem of a quote at his Buffalo Bills presser, noting that he's gone from America's Team to North America's Team, with the Bills of course playing in Toronto annually now. Guessing that the locals in Buffalo will not appreciate that so much. Hot on the heels of that, somebody came up with 10 reasons T.O. should have gone to the CFL. Owens scored 58 touchdowns in 65 games over three seasons with the Cowboys, more than any other wideout in the NFL in that period...watching midgets fight is like watching regular sized people fight from far away...the FA Cup semi-final draw has taken place and Manchester United will take on Everton, and Hull City or Arsenal will face Chelsea...like the NFL with Ron Mexico and others, you can no longer buy a customized A-Fraud jersey. A-Rod will be out 6-9 weeks after wisely opting for surgery to repair the torn labrum in his hip. Coming back towards the end of April or in May is a far better option than being a bad step away from being out for that time come later in the year. His doctor figures the six week time frame is likely..I nearly broke a rib laughing at this site that illustrates how to pee with morning wood...seems that there is indeed a limit to what the New York Yankees can charge for premium tickets, as some remain unsold at their new palace. For a mere $325 per ticket per game, you can get some great seats. For $2,500, you can get real close..here's a peak at the 10 most gruesome sports injuries. Not sure how Eduardo's broken leg playing for Arsenal last year didn't make the cut, but there's sure some bad ones in this list...continuing with the quick hits today, here's a page with the best male photo bombers. Awesome stuff...I'm amazed it has taken so long, but a lawyer by the name of David Cornwell, in the running to become the new head of the players union, has spoken out and questioned the legality of Roger Goodell dispensing discipline on players for offenses off the field. I'll be shocked if he doesn't win some concessions in that regard if he gets to the bargaining table for the next labor deal...Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke on whether fighting will get banned in the NHL: "I will personally challenge anyone who wants to get rid of fighting to a fight." Funny, but Burke is getting far too serious over something that does little to nothing to enhance the game...Arsenal striker Eduardo ended the debate as to who scored the goal of 2009 yesterday. There won't be one better than this...back later with your PTP.

4:53pm EDIT: Niagara is your PTP for the night - that's NCAA hoops for the uninitiated. 9pm tip.

Get your chicken wings ready!

For all my Buffalo Bills friends - and there are many - it is going to be an immense pleasure watching them cheer on Terrell Owens after hearing them kill him over the years as he signed a one year deal there. For a guy like that, as with others like Manny Ramirez or AJ Burnett, a one year deal is an absolute masterstroke. He'll stay motivated, in line, and if not, the risk is minimized. That said, Sportsbybrooks gives four reasons why signing T.O. is a terrell-ible move for Buffalo..if you hear that Holland beat the Dominican at something, you have to assume soccer or speed skating or any number of sports. But baseball? No. Yet the Dutch proved too much for the Dominican's and downed them 3-2. Good thing A-Rod wasn't playing for the Dominicans, he'd have had to take all the heat I'm sure...Dallas Cowboy Marion Barber made a rare public comment, this to defend Terrell Owens. I don't hear anybody taking up for Tony Romo...how does Canada play at home in the World Baseball Classic, with very reasonably priced tickets, and it doesn't sell out? In Montreal, the building is packed, no question...two weeks from today, you will wake up to read RandoMango to confirm that Toronto FC did indeed win their opening game at Kansas City on the road the night prior...Chelsea and Manchester United advanced in FA Cup play yesterday. Chelsea downed Coventry City 2-0, while United crushed Fulham 4-0...meantime, Jose Mourinho is again talking about potentially being United's next manager. There's a lot to like about Mourinho, especially his personality and resume, but his oftentimes skill killing defensive aproach isn't among those things...if A-Rod is merely out 6-9 weeks after his surgery on his hip, wise move getting that done now...at UFC96, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson proved he's well on the comeback trail, with a decision over Keith Jardine. Cannot wait to see Jackson back on top, where he will end up soon...finally a deal in the ongoing David Beckham drama, and he'll stay with AC Milan until the conclusion of the season and return to LA Galaxy in July. My scalping possibilities aren't liking that with Galaxy set for a trip to Toronto earlier in the year...back with your PTP later today...have a great day.