Since 1976, the LA Clippers have had 38 first rounders, including 23 top 10's, 12 of which were top 4's. Only Danny Manning made the All-Star Game as a Clipper. It is that tradition of excrement that Blake Griffin finds himself up against...Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke has spoken at length about the Leafs looking to get bigger and tougher. So who does he draft? 167 pounder Nazem Kadri. Now, I've seen Kadri first hand as a Kitchener Ranger - and there's a reason he could net Steve Mason in a trade as a junior - but seems odd, as talented as I think he is, that Burke leaned that way...the New York Islanders selected John Tavares first in the draft, despite making it appear they were leaning in other directions. Have fun there, J.T...the Philadelphia Flyers sure seem to have given up loads to acquire Chris Pronger: a couple players including Joffrey Lupul, first rounders this year and next, and a conditional third. Seems like too much for a 34-year old, or is it just me?...the AL East went 5-0 last night in Interleague play with the closest margin of victory three runs. Toronto Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero and the New York Yankees CC Sabathia both went over half way to no hitters...Toronto FC are in Salt Lake tonight to take on Real. TFC have a load of road games left and will need to get some good results if a playoff game is to be a reality this fall. Kickoff is 9:30 on SportsNet...don't mess with off duty cops in parking lots at stadiums. You'll get shot in the head...check out these 10 awkward yearbook shots of metal stars before they were famous. Creepy. Paul Stanley looks like Anton Chigurgh from No Country For Old Men (a must see flick, by the by)...the Montreal Canadiens are still chasing Vincent Lecavalier, but are having a tough time lining up bodies to go the other way. That tends to happen when half your team are free agents...have a great Saturday.

Utterly amazed at the robots out there lamenting the demise of Michael Jackson. The guy hasn't done squat for two decades really, and on top of that, descended into freakdom and as an added bonus, was a child molester. And here I thought the "Jesus Juice" was reserved for 12-year olds who "shared" Jacko's bed. And really, why are people saying "rest in piece" when he'll be resting in pieces, if anything? And no, this isn't bitterness over not having Jacko in my death pool for 2009 (though I did have Farah Fawcett)...the NBA had a fast and furious day yesterday, starting with Shaquille O'Neal getting dealt overnight to the Cleveland Cavaliers, then turning to Vince Carter getting dealt to the Orlando Magic - ostensibly to replace free agent Hedo Turkoglu - and then finishing with the draft. As everybody expected, Blake Griffin went first overall to the place nobody wants to go, the LA Clippers, and after that, it was nothing predictable. The Toronto Raptors took DeMar DeRozan at #9, and sounds like quite the talent. As usual, Raptors fans no doubt figure the team got it wrong...good news for the Toronto Blue Jays: Shaun Marcum looks on track to return in late August...A-Rod's 563rd career homer last night ties him with Reggie Jackson in 11th overall. After a 4 of 40 skid, A-Rod has gone a much better 5 of 15...Brazil downed South Africa 1-0 in their Confederations Cup semi-final, and will move on to face the U.S. in Sunday's final. I was very happy to get down on Brazil at -1 -124 on that one with the fine folks at Pinnacle...the NHL draft goes tonight, and barring a miracle, it'll be a far more tame affair than yesterday's NBA version. That said, the Toronto Maple Leafs could be moving Tomas Kaberle after a significant offer popped up yesterday. Who goes first, John Tavares or Victor Hedman?...the final weekend of interleague play goes this weekend around the Majors. Attractive: the Subway Series in New York, the Battle of Chicago, Toronto hosting Philly. Not so much: KC at Pittsburgh...have a great Friday.

U.S.A. emulates Redeem Team and pwns Spain

Incredible. That's the only way to describe the U.S. beating Spain in yesterday's Confederation's Cup semi-final 2-0. Had you given me a million, I wouldn't have put even $100 on the U.S. to beat Spain. And as always, Spain kept it classy: they walked off post-game and didn't do the traditional shirt trade with the victors. The U.S. will face the winner of today's other semi as Brazil takes on host South Africa. Surely Brazil romps there, no? As we saw yesterday, stranger things have happened. Can't wait to hear Jim Rome talk about the American win today...the NBA draft goes tonight and you can expect, in order, these things: Blake Griffin is going first, and you'll see a lot of ill advised suits towering over David Stern. You can also expect coverage of the draft on Canadian sports networks to follow 15 minutes of coverage of the NHL draft coming Friday. I believe TSN is featuring projected fifth rounders tonight. Set your PVR's!..it is a Thursday, and if you're like me, you wish The Office never stopped at any point in the year. But this site will help you get by. It's got pretty much every quote worth reading and reliving...Toronto FC absolutely dominated New York Red Bull last night, and even had Pablo Vitti score his first fo the year, in their 2-0 win that moves them to second place in the Eastern Conference. Next up is a trip to Real Salt Lake on Saturday night...as afternoon baseball goes, tough to beat a matchup that will see Chris Carpenter start for the St. Louis Cardinals and Johan Santana on the bump for the New York Mets...summer is here. Marissa Miller sports a bikini. 'Nuff said...ESPN's Jerry Crasnick on the baseball player formerly known as Vernon Wells...been some time since I delivered an edition of People I Hate, so today, I bring you another. Not sure about you, but I cannot stand people who use the term "as they say..." and the like where it is very unclear who "they" exactly are...have a great Thursday.

The U.S. faces Spain today in the first semi-final at the Confederations Cup in South Africa. Have a sneaking suspicion that this could get ugly. The U.S. is into the semis despite only a single win in three - over Egypt, at that - and Spain is in the running with Brazil as the best in the game, and plays such a ball control attack that the U.S. will be lucky to gain possession more than 35% of the game. Prediciton? 3-0 Spain...not sure how they continually manage to be making big moves to stay in the mix, but have to like San Antonio Spurs acquisition of Dick Jefferson for Bruce Bowen and Kurt Thomas, principally. The move doesn't get an aging team much younger, but still like the move...curious betting patterns in a tennis match at Wimbledon. Weird. Or not...Free Reign are the heaviest metal band ever. Literally. The band features four Dallas Cowboys lineman and they've got a record coming in the fall. Good to see the Cowboys focused on a make or break season for many of them...no argument here over the Bleacher Report's #1 in the Top 10 WWE divas. Check it out here...Maria Sharapova is out at Wimbledon... brief one today on a rare busy day at the office. Back tomorrow with loads.

Allen Iverson's famed "Practice" rant, remixed:

Save us!

There has only been one Wimbledon Ladies final contested this decade that didn't include Venus or Serena Williams. That took place in 2006...all five of Roger Federer's Grand Slam final losses have been to Rafael Nadal...one real downside to Interleague play: the number of days off during stretches of play. I get that they want to build in a buffer if there are rainouts, but still, painful seeing Monday nights with a handful of games at best. You'd think they'd move up Interleague to a time when the NBA or NHL playoffs are on with all these days off...the Philadelphia Phillies have one of the worst home records in the Majors. That's the downside of winning a World Series and then your stars always being in demand for appearances when at home, says ESPN's Eric Karabell on the Baseball Today podcast, and word is Phillies management may order the players to drop all appearances for the next two months...with the NBA draft two days away, the Boston Celtics are looking to make a blockbuster deal with the Detroit Pistons. The Celts would move Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo with the Pistons shipping Dick Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Rodney Stuckey the other way...Roger Clemens is said to be contemplating a book to "set the record straight" says Baseball Today's Peter Pascarelli. Wouldn't that mean his version of the record wasn't already straight?...former Buffalo Bill and current NFL free agent J.P. Losman - once a first round draft pick - is said to be close to signing with the Las Vegas entry of the USL. Surely there's a backup job somewhere he could at least get a shot at before going that route, no?... Joel Sherman of the New York Post says that MLB should allow a "one-time, one-contract reprieve for all 30 teams." Similar to what the NBA did in 2005, Sherman basically says each team should be allowed to rid themselves of one contract, with MLB's central fund absorbing the money owed to the players. Those 30 players would then become free agents. Interesting read...Chicago Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf will be making a bid on the Phoenix Coyotes that would leave the team in Phoenix. Good luck with that, Reinsdorf...Chris Chelios days in Detroit are finally done, at the age of 47. Surely that's the end of the road, no?...Carlos Beltran has joined the list of New York Mets walking wounded alongside Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado, among others. The Mets are done...have a great Tuesday.

Take that, Natinals

The Solidarity Fund of the Quebec Federation of Labour is in on the Molson's purchase of the Montreal Canadiens. This bodes well for non-Habs fans. After all, unions have so far demonstrated that profit comes first and last...and how is it that the NHL figures the Habs can go for $500 million or so with a first rate arena but they may get about the same for the Phoenix Coyotes moving to Hamilton? That's like selling a Chevy Cavalier for the same as a BMW 740...which job is more deserving of danger pay: soldier in Iraq, or Toronto Blue Jays pitcher?...are you shocked Mike Weir is fading down the stretch at the U.S. Open, which will conclude today? Me neither...how appropriate that on the first full day of summer that Wimbledon gets under way? With each Roger Federer win over the next two weeks, expect the hype to get bigger as he gets closer to the all-time Grand Slam wins record of 15. Hoping he does it...doctor's orders said that A-Rod should be rested 5-8 games in the first 45 games. For some reason, the New York Yankees waited 38 days before giving a burnt A-Rod his first day off after returning from his hip surgery. Not wise with a guy signed for the next decade or so. Part of his fatigue may be some late night partying with girlfriend Kate Hudson...Carlos Tevez looks like he'll be leaving Manchester United and going to either Chelsea or Manchester City...at the Confederations Cup, the U.S. laid a 3-0 beatdown on Egypt to advance to the semi-finals at the expense of Italy, who were busy getting pounded 3-0 to Brazil. Tough times for Italy. The U.S. will face Spain in the semi-finals on Wednesday and get humiliated, while Brazil will fist hosts South Africa in the other semi-final on Thursday. Bankers, those...remember the 3,400 Club? C.C. Sabathia left yesterday's game with what is being called "bicep tendinitis". While he says he'll be good to go Saturday for his next start, you have to wonder with all the miles on those tires the last two years...have a great Monday.

Dirty Sanchez

As predicted here yesterday, the main event at The Ultimate Finale between Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida would be a firecracker, and it was that and more. Both came out throwing bombs and had to throw at least 20 punches each in the first minute. Guida bounced off the mat after a nasty boot to the head that would've left others asleep. For three rounds they went at it fast and furious and Sanchez was the deserving winner in what could be the fight of the year. Not as predicted: the winners of the finale's from season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter. Ross Pearson and James Wilks were both winners...the Toronto Blue Jays can't get swept by the Washington Natinals, can they? My wager at Pinnacle sure as hell hopes not...so much for the presumed Tiger Woods victory at the rain deluged U.S. Open. El Tigre is 11 shots back going into the third round. Canadian Mike Weir is two back of Ricky Barnes...Daisuke Matsuzaka will be skipped next time through the BoSox rotation, such are his struggles. Remember the talk when he was coming to MLB? He was made to sound like he'd be the most dynamic starter in decades. Instead, he's pretty much an average, mid-rotation guy. Best nickname I heard for Dice-K was "Dice-BB" for his penchant for free passes to first...in case you didn't know, there are a lot more than just cougar's out there. Click here to find out what a puma or a dragon is. Solid stuff...spelling mistakes happen, typos even moreso. But that don't mean it isn't funny...the Montreal Canadiens have been sold by George Gillett, and the Molson family of beer fame are the new owners, again...Cristiano Ronaldo told us what we already knew, and that he wanted to jump to Real Madrid last summer. But to hear him talk of becoming the greatest player ever at Madrid and in soccer history? Well, good luck with that one CR...have a great Sunday.