Saturday, October 4th, 2008 - He chutes, he scores

Kimbo Slice faces MMA legend Ken Shamrock tonight on Elite XC on CBS. "The World's Most Dangerous Man" - and those quotes are getting more sarcastic by the minute - says he's going to knock out Kimbo and shave his beard. He best bring a sledgehammer, or a gun. Last I looked, Shammy lost his last five fights in craptacular form...Toronto FC travel to the swamps of New Jersey to face New York Red Bull tonight. Kickoff for that one is 7:30pm with coverage on The Score. Here's hoping they can put in another strong effort like last week, particularly with the pressure of making the playoffs virtually off...how about adding a second Wild Card to the MLB playoffs, and have the two wild-carders meet in a one game showdown, winner advancing? I kinda like it...is there anybody that believes the story that Tim Donaghy was the only NBA referee in on fixing games? No chance. Sorry, David Stern...what the schedule makers were thinking having Boston and Anaheim play the first three games over five days is beyond me. They're off again today...the NHL season starts today with a pair of games in Europe. Here's hoping CBC shipped Don Cherry overseas and a mob of Euros take him to the proverbial woodshed...Rich Harden had to get a cortisone shot to make it to his start in L.A. today and may not be in the game by the time most Dodger fans arrive. The Cubs are in a world of trouble. Have I mentioned best of five is terrible?...it wasn't all negative for the New York Mets this year. They're the first team in baseball history to lead in consecutive September's by at least 3.5 games and blow those leads...the Milwaukee Brewers are batting .115 through two games of their series. A-Rod circa 2005-6 and Barry Bonds think that's embarrassing...true story: the Jacksonville Jags Maurice Jones-Drew drafted himself first overall in a pool with fellow NFLers...who went 12 for 12 last night? The prosecution in the O.J. Simpson case. Looks like the Juice is going for a lengthy stay in the Crow Bar Motel...an elderly lady in Ohio was about to have her home foreclosed - not rare in the U.S. these days - so she "musta done shot herself" in the words of her neighbor. I only include that because I get a kick out of red neck misery...in the history of the divisional series, only 7 times (out of 54) has a team down 2-0 come back to win the series...seven sky divers were to bring the game ball for a soccer game in France. However, going 6 for 7 in terms of survivors probably wasn't something they planned, and the guy with the game ball kissed the ground after his parachute malfunctioned...loving Manchester United at -1 +106 at Pinnacle today. That one starts at 12:30...have a great Saturday.

Friday, October 3rd, 2008 - Cubs on the Brink

Raider Fan beware: Al Davis mom lived to 103. Despite appearances, he's only 79. Former Raider Warren Sapp took a blowtorch to Davis and his meddling ways in an awesome beatdown. On the comedic scale, former Raider coach and now Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan piled on further in this hilarious send up of his days there...did you see the Cubs defence in the second inning last night? I've seen slo-pitch teams who played better defence than that. They reminded me of the bumbling Detroit Tigers in the World Series a couple years back. The Cubs are down 2-0 after a 10-3 loss and heading on the road. Looking like the streak is on to 101 years real soon...CC Sabathia channelled his feeble playoff performances of last year and picked up the loss. Walking the opposing pitcher to load up the bases is almost always a sign that the next guy is jumping ship with a grand slam, and that's just what Shane Victorino did to take a 2-0 lead in that series...the Hateorade is flowing early in the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox series. Evan Longoria went deep twice to give the young Rays the lead in that set...in a sure sign that hockey season is here, that loser Don Cherry is spouting off about European players. His latest take is that Alexander Ovechkin - hands down the best player in the game - will not improve. With high hopes, I'm adding Don Cherry to my Death Pool for 2009. Hate that guy...Habs goalie Carey Price went Matrix for a save a couple nights ago. This has to be seen to be believed...the heat is now starting to build on Toronto FC general manager Mo Johnston. I think it is too early to declare him a failure, as they're only two years in and hurt badly by the MLS lame international games rule, but he best have a strong off-season and deliver a quality team next spring, and not just one that can compete for a playoff spot, but one that is a lock for one...in related Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment news, they're said to be out of the running to buy a European soccer franchise. The fans of any such franchise should consider themselves lucky...

Thursday, October 2nd, 2008

Bob McCown and the Grumpy Old Men at Fan590 report that Jim Balsillie is close to a deal to buy the Nashville Predators. In related news, Gary Bettman's getting his blood pressure meds...whatever happened to Red Patch Live?...magician David Blaine is said to be unhappy with Liverpool's Robbie Keane for breaking his record of doing nothing in a box for two months. Keane finally scored for Liverpool, in Champions League play yesterday in a 3-1 win over PSV Eindhoven...who to cheer for in this baseball playoffs? Because of Yankee and Canadian content, going to have to say the Chicago Cubs, even a game down, though the LA Dodgers aren't lacking in Yankee and Canadian content themselves...former NFLer Travis Henry is going to have a tough time paying for all those kids across America if he continues to get busted for purchasing coke...I was sure I wouldn't see it the entire MLB playoffs, but there it is after one game: a sub three hour game...informal poll time: what organization is a bigger joke: Oakland Raiders or the Toronto Maple Leafs?...Chelsea was held to a draw with the surprising Romanian side CFR Cluj. Anything that is bad for Chelsea is good for the world...the Philadelphia Phillies won their first playoff game since Mitch Williams was serving up meatballs to Toronto Blue Jay Joe Carter...it took all of one game to once again show why the best of five idea is a lame one in baseball. The LA Dodgers rode a trio of long balls en route to taking home field advantage over the Chicago Cubs, despite being 13 games behind them this season. The noose is gonna get tight fast in ChiTown. The Boston Red Sox also ripped home field from Anaheim, despite being five games worse. This best of five thing is borderline criminal, or at least, cruel...in an si.com poll, 41% of NFL players polled called Peyton Manning the least mobile QB in the game...in a shocking development, members of Twisted Sister have decided that now, they will in fact take it...have a great Thursday.

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

Rickey Williams said all the free time in the bye week led him to be tempted to hit the herb again? I'm sure The Tuna is thrilled to hear that...The last time the Chicago White Sox won the World Series in 2005, they did it with strong pitching. In two must win games, they've given up all of three runs to move on and face Tampa Bay...sprinkled a wager on all the available underdogs for the first round with the fine folks at Pinnacle. Seems the wise play with the five game series. In order of likelihood, I'd rank them Milwaukee (+162), Boston (+117) and LA Dodgers (+194)...get your votes in at the poll to the right for which fav you think is most likely to expire early...the Boston Red Sox have won nine straight playoff games over the Anaheim Angels...who but the Cincinnati Bengals would sign Cedric Benson, he of the multiple arrests this year...to borrow from Joe DiMaggio, "I want to thank the Good Lord for not making me a Raider fan"...the Vancouver Canucks have named goalie Roberto Luongo captain. Yeah, that ought to fix everything...no huge upsets in Champions League play yesterday, other than Juventus drawing a Belarussian squad 2-2. Another batch of games go today...distant cousin Tony Mandarich says he used steroids while at Michigan State, but not the pro's. That surprised nobody...two and a half minutes of killer NFL hits...Yankees GM Brian Cashman will stick around for another three years as there is a "job to finish". Go get 'em, Cash!...Bates College in Maine is offering a class on "Red Sox Nation". What a freaking world...have a great Wednesday.

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008 - One Step Closer

Is Toronto not the most backward sports market in the world? I can't think of another that would see the team President confirm the manager and General Manager one day, and less than a few weeks later, announce he's quitting like Paul Godfrey is with the Blue Jays. So where does that leave the incoming President? With a GM and Manager he might not want. Yet another reason why for the Blue Jays the playoffs will remain something other teams do, just like the Maple Leafs down the road. Backward...Anaheim Angel Torii Hunter says that drug testing is what is resulting in the lower home run totals this year. What's he going to say next, lack of eating leads to starvation? The home run total per game is at its lowest in 15 years...the Pittsburgh Pirates have finished sub-.500 for the 16th straight year, and had zero pitchers with 10 wins. At least they've got the Pens and Steelers in Pittsburgh...stop me if you've heard this one before. Guns N' Roses "Chinese Democracy" is coming out November 25th...while writing this blog, Ray Lewis delivered another hit...the Chicago White Sox had to go through a nearly four hour rain delay and played 8 innings in a nailbiter they were losing before blowing it open and winning 8-2 over the Detroit Tigers to give them a slice of the AL Central. Today, they face Minnesota in a one game playoff, their third opponent in three days, with a date with the Tampa Rays on the line...including last night, there have now been five overtime games this NFL season. Seems unusually high, no? Less surprising is that four of the teams that won the coin toss won the game. And people deride soccer's penalty kicks as a coin toss...how do you know Jose Morinho's Inter Milan lost on the weekend? Easy. He's bitching about the referee and opposing fans as the reason his team lost...Tony Romo and Ben Roethlesberger: have you seen either without a helmet on and not wearing a hat backwards?...speaking of Romo, seems that he and Terrell Owens had a pretty healthy conversation about the balls he's been getting. Memo to T.O.: Romo isn't the problem, the lack of a legit #2 receiver is. That said, they'll go out Sunday, he'll get a pile of catches, yards and sixes against the inept Cincinnati Bengals, and all will be fine, and then repeat it against Arizona and St. Louis in the weeks following...have a great Tuesday.

Monday, September 29th, 2008 - Almost playoff time!

Not sure any player in baseball history has ever had a bigger contract year - Carlos Beltran in the playoffs with Houston a few years back, maybe - than CC Sabathia...the New York Mets went out on the last day of the season for the second straight year, both at the hands of the Florida Marlins...how is this for weird? 89-73 record, 48-33 at home, 41-40 on the road. If you have "New York Yankees 2008" in mind, you're right. But you'd be also right if you had New York Mets. No kidding. Exact records. The Mets scored 10 more runs and gave up 12 fewer. Oh, and both closed their stadiums...the Chicago White Sox play today in a must-win game today against the Detroit Tigers. A win and they finish tied for the AL Central pennant. From there, they'd face current Central leader Minnesota in a one game playoff. Loads of high tension baseball starts today...I've seen the hilites and still can't believe it. The Kansas City Chiefs downed the Denver Broncos...Tennessee and Buffalo are the lone teams at 4-0, with the New York Giants at 3-0, as the lone undefeated teams. I have a hard time thinking the New England Patriots will be cracking open champagne bottles when the last goes down like those pathetic souls of the 1972 Miami Dolphins...make that 5-3 (+206) on the year in PrimeTime picks. Tonight, going to play the underdog Baltimore Ravens to cover the +9 at Pittsburgh. Not really loving that pick, but have to figure that minus Willy Parker and with a banged up Big Ben, the Pittsburgh offence shouldn't pile up too many points on the traditionally tough on Monday Ravens defence. As always, get your wagers in at Pinnacle...worth catching on Showcase: Cock'd Gunns...here are the 10 funniest signs by homeless people...Josh Beckett is being held back until Game 3 of the Boston/Anaheim series because of an injury. If Beckett isn't his usual playoff self, the Red Sox are in big trouble...have a great Monday.

Sunday, September 28th, 2008 - DeRo to T.O.?

Good of the Oshawa Generals to get around to retiring Bobby Orr's number from his junior days. Of greater interest, what took them so long?...local boy Dwayne DeRosario was being heavily touted as a possible designated player - one whose salary doesn't count against the cap - for Toronto FC next year. That'd be fantastic. Maybe the two first round picks, currently the top two picks, get a deal done. TFC drew with DeRo's Houston Dynamo, playing their most inspired game in months...New York Met Johan Santana is now unbeaten in 18 starts. And to think he'd have been a Yankee for Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera. The Mets and Milwaukee Brewers are all square going to Game 162 of the season today. Could be a play-in game tomorrow...Hull City downed Arsenal in a shocker of a result yesterday in English Premier League action. They're the surprise of the season so far...cannot believe the NHL season starts in less than a week now. More surprising is that the Leafs twice appeared above the fold in the Toronto Star this week despite far more pressing sporting events on the go such as, well, everything else...wow are the Toronto Argos ever brutal. 20 points total scored the last two games...Ole Miss downed Florida in NCAA football action, continuing a week of some big time upsets...Sam Mitchell says he hasn't sworn in months and won't be going forward. I call fuckin' bullshit...Week 4 of the NFL goes today and it is the first bye week of the year. For the PrimeTime picks (4-4, +3), going to ride Chicago +3.5. With Brian Westbrook and Donovan McNabb a little nicked up, tough to take the Eagles on the road against a team with a strong defence. Also liking Cleveland +3.5 and San Diego -9 today. Get your wagers in at Pinnacle...have a great Sunday.