To 7 they go...

Former Toronto FC coach Chris Cummins finally came clean in an interview with Kristian Jack at The Score as to how things closed out with Toronto FC and he buries GM Mo Johnston, painting him as a backstabbing control freak. In response, Mo is saying he's going to pursue legal action. Also likely suing: Backstabbing Control Freaks, coming after yours truly after that association. How very MLSE of him. Remember when Toronto Raptor coach Butch Carter sued Marcus Camby, then of the New York Knicks, for $5 million during the playoffs for defamation of character, only serving to embarrass himself and his bosses? I digress. RedNationOnline cracks Mo saying he'll either go loudly or quietly, but go he must. I wouldn't be so sure, this is MLSE we are talking about and normal logic doesn't apply.

Over first 10 years of Philadelphia Philly Ryan Howard's career, he'll have earned $190.5 million, including the five year extension he signed yesterday for $125 million. Who else has done that the first ten years of their career? Nobody. The Toronto Sun's Bob Elliot tweets that it is a "good thing the Jays chipped in $6 M to help Phillies make 2010 budget" on the Roy Halladay deal. Ouch. So if he's worth $25 million, that has to be the starting point for Albert Pujols, no? ESPN looks at how two years ago, Howard and the Phillies couldn't agree on a one year deal and how this came up.

The Montreal Canadiens rode a 53-save performance from Jaroslav Halak to a 4-1 game 6 win over the Washington Capitals. The SportsPickle tweets that "the word 'clutch' in Russian is 'сцепление'. Just as I suspected. It looks nothing like 'Ovechkin.'" A mite harsh for a guy who has virtually won all there is to win, but this is a #1 seed a game away from a first round exit. Speaking of exits, the Buffalo Sabres and Nashville Predators are out.

Ratings for the first round of the NHL playoffs have been remarkably strong. Strong enough that ESPN is contemplating picking up hockey again for 2011. Gary Bettman is no doubt not interested.

With the New York Yankees visit to the White House yesterday, that is now five visits with three different Presidents for "The Core Four" of Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte. Thanks for that, TS.

The combined score of the last four Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates games: 53-3 Brewers. Incredible.

A TV idea that has to happen soon: "The Bachelor: Ben Roethlesberger."

Remember when the Boston Red Sox would assure 30,000+ were at the Rogers Centre for a visit? Last night there might have been less than a third of that, despite the announced crowd of 13,000. This long piece in the Toronto Star looks at whether the Jays will ever draw again.

Turns out there is an entire website, with a book available, dedicated to "The Baseball Codes".

Is it possible that Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin, expected to go top two in the NHL draft, would prefer to go second overall to avoid being taken by the Edmonton Oilers? Eric Francis seems to think so. Frankly, I don't get it - have always loved any trip to Edmonton, and if a place was good enough for some guys named Gretzky and Messier for years and years, not sure how you wouldn't want to add your name to those ranks by getting that team back to glory.

Four out of five aren't had. CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes are a combined 9-1/2.43ERA/.211 BAA/3HRs in 92.2IP. At the other end of the spectrum is Javier Vazquez: 1-3/ 9.00ERA/.309BAA/5HRs in 20IP.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is talking up a rookie wage scale, and can't possibly agree more. As he notes, the St. Louis Rams are likely to pay Sam Bradford $40-$45 million before he steps on a field. What if he's the next Ryan Leaf? I've long thought nothing does more to blow up a team's salary structure, and arguably chemistry, than giving a guy who turns out to be a bust huge dollars.

No team has ever started 4-9 or worse in the AL East - like the Boston Red Sox did - and ever made the playoffs, even as a wildcard. What's the problem with the Red Sox? Well, as the Boston Globe puts it: "In Tim Wakefield, David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, and Jason Varitek, [manager] Terry Francona also has four older players on the downside of their careers who believe they should be playing every day and aren't. Having two such players on the roster would be a lot to handle. He has four."

With the "retirement" of New Jersey Devils coach Jacques Lemaire, the the next Devils coach will be the 15th in 23 years for Lou Lamoriello.

Tito Ortiz was arrested for beating Jenna Jameson yesterday. Are you like me and thinking "hey, Tito won a fight!"

Perhaps the best post-goal celebration I've ever seen...