Swine Flu?

• Toronto FC are on the road tonight in California, playing Chivas USA who always pack in the crowds in Carson. With the playoffs in site, every point counts for the Reds, who will be minus "Captain Overrated" Jim Brennan, out for a game after collecting his fifth yellow card of the season last weekend.
• that's ESPN's Erin Andrews to the right. Wonder if the pictures of her last month in her hotel room naked were taken after getting the mud off?
  
• after a slow start to the year, hard not to imagine Mark Teixera of the New York Yankees nabbing the AL MVP award. As good as his offence has been, his defence at first has made a world of difference, especially in cleaning up the throws of the rest around the horn. Mix in that he's on the team with the best record in baseball and the argument becomes much easier. In the NL, is there anybody other than Albert Pujols?
• with Michael Vick, the Old Has Been, Rick Pitino and David Ortiz acts in recent months, and his own flying under the radar, Alex Rodriguez is almost starting to seem like a normal guy of late, no?
• what are the odds that the swine flu would hit a Japanese baseball team called the Japanese Ham Fighters?
• hard to believe, but the Texas Rangers have allowed the fewest runs in the American League. Considering the bandbox they play in, that is damn impressive.
• Gary Sheffield must have been reading this space a couple days ago and realized that as the New York Mets leading home run hitter, he should be paid a lot more than he is. So of course, he sat out a game and is said to be upset with management. Sheff is a serious piece of work.
• San Jose Sharks captain Patrick Marleau and assistant Joe Thornton have been relieved of their duties. Can't recall two guys losing their letters at the same time before without being traded.

Have a great Saturday, go Reds!

19.19

• As if cutting .11 of a second off of the 100 metre record weren't enough for Usain Bolt, he's now trimmed the same margin off of the 200 metre record in a 19.19 run. I know sprinters want to look loose as tension hurts big time, but he barely looks like he's trying out there.
  
• so why is it that the NFL owners are eyeing a lockout in 2011? Seems they have an issue with the players salary rising under this deal from $84.5 million to about $126 million for this year. In other words, they want their cake and to eat it too.
• might the MLS be looking to buy the United Soccer League and go to a promotion/relegation system down the road, the same as is done in the rest of the world? Interesting idea, but I can't see teams being bought for the franchise fee of $40 million and up in the MLS now and risk being sent down to lower profile league. After all, unlike the NHL even, the MLS at least appears on ESPN.
• Nuts.uk.com uncovers the ladies with legs, who know how to use them. Definitely NSFW.
• one NFLer - Michael Vick - leaves prison, another is about to take his place. Plaxico Burress is going into the Crowbar Motel for two years after carrying an unlicensed weapon in New York that ultimately went off and shot himself in the leg.
• Cris Collinsworth told The Jim Rome Show that even after Old Has Been announced his retirement, several Minnesota Vikings started a pool for when he'd come back. Now, either NFLers have too much money and time on their hands, or the subject of the bet is seen to be as reliable as a shizophrenic on crack. Or both.
• most dangerous job of late, domestically at least, is that of a cab driver driving a professional athlete. First, there was Patrick Kane of the Chicago Black Hawks who helped smack an old cabbie around. Now comes word that Tampa Bay Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib cracked another cabbie. If I were Russell Peters right now, I'd wonder if the latter was a family dispute.

Have a great Friday.

Lee is on fire in Philly

• My my how the tables are turning on a certain ego maniac that we don't discuss by name in these parts. Even long-time apologist and #1 on Old Has Been's speed dial, Peter King at SI.com, is saying the move is all wrong for the Vikings. Looks good on him. Here's hoping it gets far worse. Oh, and DJ Gallo at ESPN tore him a new one, too (thanks to B. Kennedy for that one). And, you can add former Vikes QB Fran Tarkenton to the list of those unimpressed.
• All you need to know about the New York Mets struggles this year can be summed up in one sentence: Gary Sheffield is leading them in home runs, with 11.
• Manchester United looked rough in a loss to newly promoted Burnley yesterday. Too many bad passes, too lacking in fluidity on the attack, and too little of Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and especially, Cristiano Ronaldo. Sir Alex Ferguson says he's not concerned. Tottenham Hotspur crushed Hull City 5-1 on the road, and Liverpool smoked Stoke City 4-0 to cover off the big names yesterday.
• Cliff Lee moved to 4-0 since moving to the Philadelphia Phillies with a complete game, 11k effort. Meantime, the guy it looked like Philly wanted most, or at least first, Roy Halladay, was getting smacked around by Boston, only going five innings in a 6-1 loss. That was Halladay's first start in 70 against AL East opponents where he didn't pitch into the sixth. The Sox win puts them back in the lead for the AL Wild Card.
  
• Colorado Avs goalie Peter Budaj has Ned Flanders on the back of his mask? Weird.
• the Florida Marlins are the first MLB team since the 1937 St. Louis Browns to knock 10+ hits in 14 straight games. Impressive. Mix in that pitching staff and that'll win you a few games.
• Fuckingmanly.com presents the Top 11 Hottest Women, and frankly, you couldn't have a better #1
• the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, California, USA, Earth might have all 9 regulars hit .300 this year (minimum .200 ABs). Catcher Mike Napoli might be the weak link in that.
  
• the Philadelphia Eagles are 10-0 against the spread in Week 2 of the NFL pre-season. The Indianapolis Colts are 3-16 straight up their last 19 pre-season games. They play tonight. Your friend Pinnacle can be found here. The Eagles are -3 at home. Enjoy.

Have a great Thursday.

He's back, like herpes

• Is it bad karma that I hope a certain Minnesota Viking, unretiring for the 87th time, suffers a serious, career ending injury? It might even happen at the hands of a teammate for all this guy has done to undermine a team's chemistry. The Old Has Been is positioning himself for a soft landing, with games at Cleveland, at Detroit and home to San Francisco to open. Of course, Old Has Been saw his team get off to a decent start last year with the Jets before he true colours showed.
• Don't let pre-season NFL records fool you. The Detroit Lions, after all, were 4-0 in last year's pre-season, and we all know how that ended.
• Venus Williams shows up at the Rogers Cup in Toronto and promptly loses her first match to some relative nobody. (Begin sarcasm) That never happens before the U.S. Open (end sarcasm).
• I don't know why, but I find it strange that an assistant coach in the NHL, and himself a long-time player in the league, presumably making good money still, would play the Lotto 6/49. But Toronto Maple Leafs Keith Acton did, and won a $98k prize. See, who said the Leafs didn't win the lottery this summer?
• from the Department of the Bland, check out the new Canadian Olympic hockey jersey's. That said, if you need one, leave your email and I can track one down for you (it'll be deleted immediately after). Can save you a bundle on this and all jersey's.
• a Philadelphia Eagle dog jersey? Sure, why not.
• funniest email to The Jim Rome Show on the subject of Michael Vick: "he's going to be the Eagles punter as he's got a killer pooch kick." Sorry, that's just clever.
  
  

Well played, Boras

• Jon Heyman's latest at SI.com includes this quote on JP Ricciardi from a rival exec: "no one gets to rebuild twice without going to the playoffs once." Seems perfectly logical to me. Heyman also covers the circling-the-drain Boston Red Sox.
• Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable cracked one of his assistant coaches in the mouth. The Raiders Commitment To Excrement is ongoing, and going strong.
• just what the world needed. Jay Glazer at Fox Sports is convinced that it won't be long until a certain has-been QB will be in discussions with the Minnesota Vikings about a comeback. No, seriously.
• Olympic wrestling gold medalist and now pro-wrestler Kurt Angle will be making a court appearance today after being arrested for possession of HGH, stalking his ex-girlfriend. Oh it's true, it's damn true.
• the NFLPA has informed players that they best prepare for a potential lockout in 2011. They can't be serious, can they? The league that has it all and has its players under non-guaranteed contracts wants more? Sad.
  
• what did Chavo Guerrero do to have to endure a weekly humiliation at the hands of Hornswoggle every Monday Night Raw?
• UFC heavyweight and Hall of Famer Randy Couture gives great interview.
• the Washington Nationals signed Stephen Strasburg with all of a minute to spare, a record deal of $15.1 million for the flamethrowing rookie, but word is his agent Scott Boras was looking for something closer to say, $50 million. Had he not signed, Strasburg would've gone back into the draft next year and likely end up getting taken by...the Washington Nationals.
  
• Question: why is there braille on the drive-thru ATM at my local bank? Or a sign at the local corner store declaring dog's not permissible in the store except for seeing eye dogs?
  
• the next season of Dancing With The Stars will feature Chuck Lidell and Michael Irvin, among others. I've got Lidell to get knocked out early.
• fresh off the opening weekend, 12 of the EPL's 20 sides will get it on over the next two days as they go full bore into their schedule. 8 teams had games pushed back, including Arsenal who take on Celtic in Champions League play, because of European competitions also on the go. Free money today on Chelsea at -1 -101 at Sunderland. Get down at Pinnacle.

Have a great Tuesday.

9.58

• Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt ran a world record 9.58 yesterday at the World Championships in Berlin. Scary part is he looked like he barely tried to get that time. Check out the video here if you haven't seen it.
• I don't know that there's anything that Jose Canseco wouldn't do for money, but him being scheduled to fight Rodney King is definitely surprising. Or odd. Or both.
• Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson went off on the subject of players faking injury to stop play when the opposition is in attack. Good for you, SAF. That kind of thing should never, ever enter a game.
• SAF will also be going off on his decimated defence, if a Barcelona bid for Nemanja Vidic is successful. Man U is also minus Rio Ferdinand at the moment as he's hurt. Again.
• Tiger Woods did the unthinkable and choked away a final round lead at the PGA Championship, opening the door for South Korean Y.E. Yang who went on to win the years final major by three strokes.
• here are the 20 sexiest rock star spawn. Some good stuff there, but Nicole Richie at #8? Umm, no.
• the Boston Red Sox are in an epic free fall. 7.5 out in the AL East, and they now trail the Texas Rangers for the Wild Card. Guessing they'd like to have the decision not to deal some young arms for Roy Halladay back, huh?
• Former Toronto Blue Jay Greg Zaun hit a grand slam in the eighth inning yesterday against his old team as the Tampa Bay Rays won 5-2. And as it is Zaun, he had tonnes to say.
  
• Surprise, surprise, the New York Jets are happy that former coach Eric Mangini is gone, along with his drill sargeant ways. Am sure that they won't miss He Who Shall Not Be Named as well.

That's it for Monday, have a great day.

Gunners Go Wild

• Tom Brady guested on Entourage last week. This week is Phoenix Sun Steve Nash's turn. But really, as long as they're working in Emannuelle Chriqui (Sloan) into the mix, does anybody else matter?
• The men's 100m final at the World Track and Field Championships goes today in Berlin. American Tyson Gay and Jamaican Usain Bolt are lined up for a hell of a showdown. Gay has run a 9.77 this year, beating Bolt's best time this year of 9.79.
  
• 94% of the top 50 female tennis players, or 47 of the 50, are European born. The Williams sisters and Aussie Samantha Stosur are the exceptions. That figure assumes, of course, that you're counting Russia as part of Europe. The ladies tour stops in Toronto this week.
• Arsenal were the big winners on the opening day of the EPL, 6-1 winners at Everton. Saturday's action was dominated by road teams, as the home sides prevailed in only 2 of 8 games. Manchester United opened their title defense this morning with a 1-0 win over Birmingham.
  
• Toronto FC were comfortable 2-0 winners over DC United and moved into third place in the East. Home boys Dwayne De Rosario and O'Brian White scored for the Reds at smoking hot BMO Field.
• This New York Yankee team is starting to get that look about them that they'll stay on this roll right through October. The Yanks now lead the East by 7.5 and can essentially cruise through the last 5 weeks and get players healthy and rested. The Yanks have won 12 of 13 after yesterday's 5-2 win at Seattle.
• the Washington Nationals offered top draft pick Stephen Strasburg a record contract for a rookie, but it remains unsigned just a day ahead of the deadline. Not enough for the Scott Boras client. Baseball badly needs to alter its draft system and tie your pick to a certain pay scale.

That's all for today. Have a great one.