The Bosh is Back

Irina Shayk, who is also the girlfriend of Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, graces the cover of the SI Swimsuit issue.  Another reason to hate Ronaldo, if you're so inclined.  All kinds of Swimsuit goodness here.

Champions League play yesterday saw a couple good results for the road teams.  As predicted here, Tottenham downed AC Milan, 1-0, in a game where Milan's Gennaro Gattuso went insane post-game and grabbed Spurs assistant coach Joe Jordan and head-butted him.  Nice knowing you, GG.  Valencia were held to a draw at home with German side Schalke.  Up today are a nice pair of matches in Shaktar Donetsk visiting AS Roma, and a gem in London with Arsenal hosting Barcelona, a game that Gunners midfielder Jack Wilshere says Arsenal will need to get "nasty". I'm betting Barca win on the road here.

Any thoughts on the news that OJ Simpson was severely beaten - into unconciousness - by a skinhead while in prison, and suffered injuries that kept him in the infrimary for three weeks?  Seems to confirm karma exists.  Except his lawyer says it didn't happen.

Baseball trivia: Only one team has two starting pitchers with 100 starts combined over the past three years. Name team and the 2 pitchers.  Answer at bottom.

Says one Twitterite for Chris Bosh' visit to Toronto tonight: "Don't boo Chris Bosh tomorrow, take the piss. Example: 'You're not even Robin. Not eveeen Robiiin.'" because he's not even second fiddle.  Love it.  For those wondering if Bosh gets booed tonight, let me assure you, he most certainly does.  Steve Simmons at the Toronto Sun looks at Bosh years as a Raptor and concludes few had a better run in Toronto.

Very classy of Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson to ask Peyton Manning if he needed help reading the financial reports during a CBA bargaining session.  I'm no fan of Manning, but he's put a lot more money in owners pockets than Richardson has.  That was just one of the insults thrown at the players, Drew Brees included, by Richardson.  Looks terrible if you're wanting a full, non-scab NFL season, but I maintain they get a deal done.  NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says "the time has come" to get a deal done.

Bruce Arthur at the National Post says it would be a mistake for the Toronto Blue Jays and Jose Bautista to work a long term deal right now.

Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke is not done dealing, with talk of Tomas Kaberle being next to bolt the 416, with Boston said to be the destination.  I'd love to see the Leafs get the #1 this year they traded for Phil Kessel back and go into the biggest tank job of all time down the stretch only to lose the lottery and get the, like, 4th pick.

Suspended UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen - and hands down the best trash talker anywhere in any sport - says he's 5-1 against UFC Champion Anderson Silva.

The best Toronto acquisition, any sport: Dan Shulman is back at TSN.

If you don't listen to Bill Simmons (The Sports Guy) and his podcasts, here's a wrap-up of his annual chat with NBA Commissioner David Stern, in which Stern mentions that Vancouver is among the cities looking to move the New Orleans Hornets.  As luck would have it, the owner of the Vancouver Canucks is interested.  Here's a thought for Stern: if he is interested in fixing the mistakes made in leaving Seattle and Vancouver, send the Hornets to one, and the other can have the disaster area known as the Toronto Raptors. 

Trivia answer: New York Yankees CC Sabathia and - believe it or not - AJ Burnett, are the two to start 100+ games over the last three years.  CC credits a 30 pound weight loss to not eating Cap'n Crunch every day.  Guess Joba Chamberlain was getting down with the Cap'n at least every other day?

Speaking of Sabathia.  Let there be no doubt he will opt out of his Yankee deal at the end of this season, knowing the Bronx Bombers have money to spend and there's nobody remotely on his level due on the market.  He'll stay in New York, extending the remaining three years on his deal by another three or so.  Smart business.

Final bit of Yankee for the day: Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports suggests the St. Louis Cardinals way out of the Albert Pujols mess, and possibility of him going to the hated Chicago Cubs, would be to work a deal for say, Mark Texeira.  Wow.  That would be big.  Or perhaps Philadelphia Phillie Ryan Howard, who also happens to be a local boy to St. Louis.  Word is the Cards offered an eight-year deal worth over $200 million to Pujols, one he's expected to turn down.  Cards manager Tony LaRussa says the MLB Players Union is behind Pujols desire for a mega contract.  Maybe partly, but he's in the driver's seat.


I really, really can't get enough of the Foo Fighters "White Limo", song and vid.