Aliens at Yankee Stadium?

Dan Rooney, part of the Pittsburgh Steelers ownership group, when asked if the team supports QB Ben Roethlesberger, offered his full support, if you can take "no comment" to mean they support him.

A funny thing happened in last night's NHL playoffs: the favs won more games than not, and more stunningly, there were goals galore in a couple games. The stunner: the Chicago Black Hawks getting it handed to them at home, 4-1 losers to the Nashville Predators. Also, do yourself a favor and check out Sidney Crosby making a huge defensive play and turning Jason Spezza into a pylon in the hilite reel at the right of the page. That starts a minute into the pack. With the NHL playoffs being almost entirely upsets through all the first games, here's a peak at the ten most famous first round upsets.

My best take on Toronto FC's Julian De Guzman, far and away the team's highest paid player at a million per: if you asked a casual observer "which guy on that team do you figure makes the most on the team?", virtually all would respond pointing at Dwayne De Rosario, and you might go five or six deep before you'd heard De Guzman's name. Talented, sure, but he's barely making an impact. TFC won their home opener Thursday night and JDG was again a non-factor. They say your team is in a great spot when your best player is also the hardest worker. In that case, TFC is in trouble.

Amazing, but true: going into last night's baseball action, Adam Dunn of the Washington Nationals had 11 walks this season to lead the majors. He, along with eight other players, had more than the entire Houston Astros team who checked in with six, four which were by one player. That's a bad team, though I'm sure umpire Joe West figures they're just playing the game right.

Toronto Raptor Chris Bosh - and you may not be saying that for long - has yet to decide on his free-agency plans. What, you expected different?

A great, hilarious website courtesy of long-time reader Bukakke. Check out one man's email exchanges with various Craig's List advertisers. The "Disguised Weapon" one literally had me in tears I was laughing so hard.

Sure, the Boston Red Sox have a lot of pitching and can pick it in the field. But a little offence wouldn't hurt them. How long til they ditch David Ortiz?

Thursday's game one overtime loss to Montreal marked the first time in his entire career that Alexander Ovechkin didn't register a shot or a point. Not a positive development for the runaway President's Trophy winners. Ovie had this to say.

Hear about the fat dude that got smashed at a Philadelphia Phillies game and got into it with multiple fans, including an old dude who popped him, and then another dude that crushed him before fat dude projectile vomited all over the place, including an 11-year old girl? Full details here. Amazing. The family of the girl said he jammed his fingers in his mouth and did it on purpose. Only in Philly.

Hear about Chicago Sun-Times writer Joe Cowley who says that not only should the Toronto Blue Jays move from Toronto because nobody cares, but they should move to the murder capital of the world in Caracas, Venezuela? Real smart. There'd be no security concerns there for millionaire athletes visiting. This is also the guy that has previously been assailed by other writers for how he handles MVP ballots. Oh, Mr. Cowley? The Jays have averaged more fans in attendance than your ChiSox 21 of the last 33 years. The Jays, for their part, don't seem concerned.

GBVH notes that there were 14 MLB games played last night. The home side won 13 of the 14, with the Toronto Blue Jays the only loser.

Have a great Saturday, back tomorrow.

RM returns at 1pm

No RM today...

RM returns tomorrow morning with a super sized edition.

Supergrass

Toronto FC make their home debut for 2009 at BMO Field, and for the first time at home, on grass. They host the expansion Philadelphia Union, who are 1-1 entering this one. RedNationOnline has TFC winning their first of the year 2-1.

Upsets were the order of the night last night as the NHL playoffs opened. Road teams - Ottawa, Philadelphia, Colorado - took their opening games, with only Phoenix holding serve. 20 goals in four games made the "under" a wise play.

A day after finding out his LA Lakers will be facing Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder in a tricky first round NBA playoff matchup, Lakers coach Phil Jackson is already working the refs about how often Kevin Durant gets to the line. Right, Phillip, because if anyone knows about a guy getting to the line a lot in a game, you do with Michael Jordan.

TheBigLead took a great run at Ben Roethlesberger's look during his apology for his bad taste while out in public, cracking his haircut as a "WWE look". I think he makes some of the legendary bad seeds of wrestling look good. Big Ben did clean up his look ahead of his meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell yesterday.

UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste in Maxim? Yes please!

Great Q&A by SI.com's Grand Wahl with MLS Commissioner Don Garber. Check it out here. He certainly gives the impression, unlike Gary Bettman, for example, that no topic is beyond a candid answer.

Sounds like Tiger Woods and wife Elin are going to be starting divorce proceedings any day now. Nevermind interest in the settlement, can you imagine what Tiger is going to do when he's NOT married? Is there a woman anywhere that he won't chase?

The Vancouver Whitecaps, who enter the MLS next season, are looking like they'll blow away their 16,500 season-ticket target.

Check out this great sign at Yankee Stadium welcoming back Hideki Matsui. Hilarious.

There were 10,610 at the Toronto Blue Jays game last night. Question: what are they going to get against Kansas City in mid-June, say, and they're 15 games out? If you don't allow for the possibility that baseball might never come back to the early 90's glory in Toronto, you're kidding yourself.

Check out Manchester United's exit from the Champions League last week re-enacted with the power of Lego! Clearly a Bayern Munich fan judging by the omission of all United goals in a game they won. Funny stuff.

Mid-week Mega Edition

Classy as hell of the New York Yankees to ignore Hideki Matsui's uniform yesterday during the ring ceremony and mob their former teammate, and last year's World Series MVP, led by the playoff MVP Alex Rodriguez.

The NHL playoffs start tonight and like most playoffs, the first round tends to be the most interesting. My picks: Washington over Montreal in five, New Jersey over Philly in six, Buffalo over Boston in six dreadfully dull 1-0 games, Pittsburgh over Ottawa in six, San Jose - yes, SAN JOSE! - over Colorado in five, Chicago over Nashville in five, Vancouver over LA in six, and Detroit over Phoenix in six. I'm hoping it is a Washington and Chicago Stanley Cup final, with Chicago to win, but suspect it will be Washington against Detroit, with Washington winning. Who ya got?

Montreal Canadiens forward Tomas Plekanec said his team need not be concerned about the opposition goaltending as it isn't like they are are facing Ryan Miller or Martin Brodeur. True, but it isn't like you've got Alexander Ovechkin on your side either, TP.

Jimmy Rollins hurt his calf running to the 3rd base line during ceremonies for the Philadelphia Phillies home opener. Love baseball injuries!

The loading up of the NFL's Eastern divisions continues, with the AFC at it this time with the Miami Dolphins acquiring wideout Brandon Marshall from the Denver Broncos for a pair of second rounder. Great deal for the Fish, especially if they can keep Marshall away from South Beach some. Once again, it is a painful reminder of what the Dallas Cowboys gave up for Roy Williams when the Fish pull Marshall for a pair of #2's.

The NHL draft lottery went last night and Toronto Maple Leaf GM Brian Burke's worst fears when it came to that weren't realized as the Boston Bruins, holding the Leafs pick from the Phil Kessel deal, didn't get top spot in the lottery - that went to Edmonton. But, it isn't like Burke would've forecast the pick this year being what will be a great #2 most likely. Burke has maintained all along he'd do the deal again and in Kessel, who seems a 40-goal lock in a full season, and he just may be right. Maybe.

CBS Sports and the voice of The Masters Jim Nantz has his panties in a bunch because Tiger Woods used some less than appropriate language, whatever that means in this day and age. Here's an idea, Nantz: if you don't want colourful language coming across the airwaves, have your network turn off the mics. I'd rather hear a guy be real and drop an f-bomb or the like than hit a bad shot and say "Gosh Darn it, that shot really wasn't great". Welcome to 2010, Nantz. Oh, and thank Tiger for coming back because nobody really cares about your sport...err...game...unless he's there.

Steve Simmons at the Toronto Sun tears Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment a new one for having "something deep within the culture of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. that produces embarrassing team after embarrassing team." Not sure why the Toronto Argos and Blue Jays get off so easy in the city of horrid teams, but he does make a solid point.

Long time Boston Globe writer Dan Shaughnessy writes that it is time for the Boston Red Sox to push David Ortiz into a lesser role. Why, 2 for 18 with 9 K's, no homers and one RBI isn't worth $12 million? The way the Sox have started the year, they likely need to make a few changes to get going.

Shame there were so many people dressed as blue seats at the Rogers Centre last night. They missed a hell of a performance from Ricky Romero who took a no hitter into the eighth before AJ Pierzynski played like he got hit - wasn't even close - to get to first, before former Jay Alex Rios hurt the hopes of the dozens in attendance with a homer into the Jays bullpen. The Jays were 4-2 winners. Pretty unimpressed that commentator Buck Martinez, who has made a nice transition from a killer colour man to play-by-play, chose to play to superstition and wouldn't mention that he was working a no hitter. Buck - you're not behind the plate or in the dugout anymore. Let the fans just tuning in know what is up.

KFC's Double Down: are you kidding me? At least it isn't available in Canada.

Toronto may be getting its own version of The Jersey Shore, as a casting call is out for Iranians to get immortalized on TV. Toronto could have so many versions, too: think "Woodbridge Shore", "Pretentious Whores" and "Hipster Bores".

SI.com's four NBA writers unanimously have Chris Bosh leaving the Toronto Raptors this off season when he hits free agency. Can you blame him?

"Where's Halladay?"

Love this Ben Roethlesberger pic, mostly because of what is written over his left shoulder. Stellar.

Not since 2003 has a team qualified for the NHL playoffs with fewer than 90 points. This year, Philadelphia and Montreal break that streak with 88 point seasons. Montreal also enters the playoffs in 19th place in the overall standings - the lowest of all entrants - but plays in the final 16. But hey, that's the system. Am sure no Habs fans are complaining. Well, other than having to face Washington who could well take them out in three.

The Toronto Blue Jays have a guy named "Merkin" on their team? Awesome. If you don't know what that is, check it out here. In other opening night news at the Rogmahal, wonder how many Jays fans were miffed Roy Halladay wast introduced last night?

The Big Lead looked at baseball predictions from 108 media members and the team chosen to win their division most was the Philadelphia Phillies, with 100 votes.

Boston Red Sox fireplug Dustin Pedroia called umpire Joe West's allegations last week that his team and the New York Yankees play slowly "ridiculous". Pedroia also added this gem: "if he doesn't want to do Red Sox and Yankee games, he should tell the umpires' union. Then when we're in the World Series, he'll be out of that assignment, too." Dan Shulman told Prime Time Sports that the two biggest culprits "by far" are David Ortiz and Jonathan Papelbon, who "make it all about themselves out there".

What does it say of Heavyweight boxing when Evander Holyfield won a slice of the world championship? What does it say of Heavyweight boxing when I'm only mentioning it three days after the fact? Bet this is the first most are hearing of it.

Manchester City are said to be ready to pay £50m to sign Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas. City are also said to be hot for Liverpool striker Fernando Torres and Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The complexion of the English Premier League would definitely change if those two jumped ship.

I don't know why this video of Metallica as a smooth jazz act is so funny, I just know that it is. If this thing goes viral, I'm sure Lar$ Ulrich will be pouncing for a cut, and pushing his bandmates to go in this direction.

Former NBAer Derrick Coleman (aka "Grandmama") made a $87 million for his career. That's the good news. The bad is that he's now $4.7 million in the hole after trying to revitalize Detroit's economy and things didn't pan out as he had hoped.

When asked why he struggled his first time out as a New York Yankee, Chan Ho Park delivers the best answer. Ever.

A lot of venom for a Monday morning...

With a draw at Blackburn yesterday, it is all but a foregone conclusion that Manchester United's quest for a record fourth straight English Premier League title is done. Not a good couple weeks for Man U.

It took all of five games into the season for Seattle Mariner Milton Bradley to flip off the fans. The more things change...

Moving to the weaker National League is working out just fine for Roy Halladay. Check out his line through two starts in the first week: 2-0, 1 complete game, 16 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 17 strikeouts.

Major League Soccer has now moved ahead of NBA and NHL in terms of average attendance. No, seriously.

Barry Bonds says he is "proud" of Mark McGwire for admitted past drug usage. Doesn't that just feel greasy? Bonds also wondered whether Big Mac's bean bag had experienced the shrinkage Barroid has.

Comic/actor Jim Carrey via Twitter: "Well, I ate my inoffensive sandwich with an acceptable glass of milk and took the dogs out, while avoiding any controversial thought, then I was sexually assaulted by Ben Roethlisberger! I can't be certain but it sure looked like him! Good thing I'm a Steelers fan!" Big Ben, it appears, will not be charged for his latest act though it remains to be seen what NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell does. I'm betting suspension.

In other Steeler news, they fired a shot across Big Ben's bow by dealing Santonio Holmes, Super Bowl MVP just last year, to the New York Jets for a fifth rounder after he has run into his own controversy. Is there anyone not tied to the Jets right now? A fifth rounder for a talented guy with some issues? Man, the Dallas Cowboys sent way more than that Detroit's way for Roy Williams, and he doesn't produce nearly as much.

Speaking of Dallas, check out the demolition of Texas Stadium in this video here. The good stuff starts at 1:15. 20,000 came out to tailgate and watch. Love that before blowing up one tonne of TNT, American's think blowing off some fireworks seems fitting.

After getting crushed at home in a game they had to have to keep the final playoff spot in the NBA's East, I think the solution for the Toronto Raptors lies in them travelling to Detroit on the same airline that carries Polish government types. A more gutless team I've never seen.

One great comment from Jim Nantz of CBS Sports covering The Masters yesterday, when he said Tiger "managed a 69 through all of this". Shame he didn't add, as Jason Whitlock suggested, that he was "five strokes short of a climactic finish." Phil Mickelson won, if you haven't heard. Tina Fey's delivered a few haymakers that golf isn't a sport on Saturday Night Live this past weekend too. Great stuff.

The Houston Astros are the seventh team in the 21st century of Major League Baseball to start 0-6. The only one of the previous 5 that didn't lose at least 94 games were the 2008 Detroit Tigers who finished 74-88.

The NHL playoff matchups are set, and you can view them here. Seems unlikely that any of the top four seeds in the East get beat. Interesting Stanley Cup stat: one non-top six finisher in the last 25 years has gone on to win the Stanley Cup.

Six games to open the season on the road against the other AL East powers - Boston and Tampa Bay - and the New York Yankees went 4-2. Not bad, considering Alex Rodriguez is just starting to hit, Mark Teixera isn't, and Derek Jeter is stranding more people a game than the SS Minnow did once.

Check out UFC President Dana White go off in a presser about how irate he is over Anderson Silva's garbage effort Saturday night. Shame all sports leadership isn't this honest and fan focused.

TFC gutted in New England

Not content with an impressive first half and a 1-0 lead on the road, Toronto FC instead went down like a house of cards in what would finish a 4-1 loss at New England, arguably as bad a defeat as last year's season closer in New York.

Lionel Messi has 14 goals in 9 games for Barcelona. Not sure too many NHLers have scored at that rate, yet it always is Hockey Fan cracking on soccer as being low scoring. With the 2-0 win, so much for Ronaldo's "guaranteed win" yesterday for his Real Madrid. He can now enjoy watching Barca take effectively take La Liga and the Champions League on his home field. Of course, Ronaldo still says - and maybe even thinks, in his own myopic way - that Real Madrid can overcome to win the league.

Toronto FC defender Nick Garcia is the worst thing to happen to Toronto since SARS.

CC Sabathia was four outs from a no hitter yesterday in the New York Yankees 10-0 beating of the Tampa Bay Rays before Kelly Shopach hit a legit single to put an end to it.

Not sure what it is with combat sporting events going overseas for events, but Frankie Edgar beating BJ Penn has me thinking of Mike Tyson losing to Buster Douglas in Japan all those years ago. Couldn't see it coming, and still can't believe it. Edgar decisioned Penn and took all five rounds on two of the judges scorecards, four on the other. Shocking. The other main event saw Anderson Silva score an unimpressive decision over Demian Maia.

And with the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, Toronto FC select...

Fox MLB colour man Tim McCarver saying throwing more pitches doesn't mean you're more likely to get hurt is like saying a dozen beers is as likely to get you drunk as one. Moron.

Toronto FC GM Mo Johnston has traded the first pick in the 2011 draft for a 2011 second rounder from Vancouver...

18 of the last 19 Masters winners have come from the final pairing so it wouldn't seem promising for Tiger Woods, who is four shots back of leader Lee Westwood. But, stranger things have happened on the final Sunday at Augusta.

Strange days in Montreal when Les Glorieux are getting a standing ovation for tying the Toronto Maple Leafs, who ultimately went on to win the game on a Dion Phaneuf overtime goal.

A healthy collection of misspelled uniforms. Good stuff.

Pittsburgh Penguin D-Bag Matt Cooke goes looking for a fight with Atlanta Thrasher Evander Kane and gets...thrashed. One punch. Take that BITCH. I'm no fan of hockey as a part of fighting, but this is awesome.


A brilliant edit of the Tiger Woods Nike commercial, with Morgan Freeman's famed bit from The Shawshank Redemption spliced in...