AJ = Money

Two games of the World Series are down and the series is now tied at a game a piece after AJ Burnett pitched an absolute gem for the Yankees, who scored just enough to get it done at 3-1. Burnett did no less than save the Yankees chances last night as an 0-2 count with three coming in Philly starting tomorrow would've been too big a mountain to climb. He should've put up a donut if A-Rod makes a play on a Matt Stairs hit that drove home a run. Somebody needs to tell A-Rod it isn't the World Series, he's having an awful series right now after carrying the Yanks the first two rounds. For his part, Pedro Martinez was outstanding too - or was it that the Yankee bats are god awful top to bottom right now? Even when the Yankees got a couple on with none out and could've blown the game open, they shot themselves in the foot as somehow Derek Jeter elected to bunt with an 0-2 count and missed badly, fouling off practically into the Yankee dugout before the umps got into the act and botched a call that led to a double play that shouldn't have been. Post-game, Jeter summed it up neatly: “That was me. That was stupid,” he told Peter Abraham who used to cover the Yanks but now works for the Boston Globe. Yes, it sure was. Who would've figured on two low scoring games in the Bronx with these high powered offences? If the Yankees don't generate some more offence beyond waiting for the long ball, they're in trouble. Four runs in two games won't beat a team as good as the Phillies with any regularity. But Mariano Rivera is in typical form, nailing down the final six outs. Rivera has 14 6-out playoff saves since 1996. All of baseball's closers combined have 11 over the same time frame, with nobody having more than 3. Mo money!

With the series shifting to Philadelphia now and National League rules, surely the Yankees pitchers don't hit worse than anyone they'd DH's have, do they? Doesn't seem possible.

In previewing the NBA season, 2 of 5 analysts at ESPN The Magazine pegged Chris Bosh as the most likely free agent to leave his team at the conclusion of this season. For what it is worth, one picked LeBron James and two had Amar'e Stoudemire.

New Orleans Saint running back Reggie Bush, who has come nowhere near the hype that he generated coming out of USC, says the Saints can go undefeated. This is true, technically, since they already are defeated at 6-0. But, if they do go 16-0, he won't have that much to do with it. Of course, he loses even more credibility in discussing how he will in fact win an MVP award one day. I'd be stunned if he was ever his team's MVP, nevermind that of the entire NFL.

Interesting interview here with Buffalo Bills wideout Terrell Owens. He sounds positively humble, and likeable. In case you were wondering.

If you're a parent, how in your right mind can you let your kid dress up for school today - or ever - in a Michael Jackson outfit? Wrong. Period.

Not that payroll determines what happens in a game, but it is worth mentioning that when Real Madrid lost 3-0 to Alcorcorn in Copa del Ray play, the third division side had a payroll 400 times lower than Real. That's a team with a £1 million annual budget compared to Real's £400 million. Amazing.

Have a great Friday, back in the morning tomorrow.