$150 million for Jeter? You've got to be joking.

Pretty solid day of NFL action yesterday, especially the New Orleans at Dallas game which looked like it'd be over before the first quarter was done, but the Cowboys gamely fought back and might have won it if not for Roy Williams not knowing how to protect the ball in the shadows of the opposing goalposts against a team that constantly looks for turnovers.  In the end, a good result for Dallas even in a 30-27 loss: they competed, but still lost to keep the draft pick for 2011 nice and high.  Detroit looked fantastic in the first half against New England, but in the second half, they remembered they're Detroit and they got smoked 45-24.  And in the late game, Derrell Revis showed Terrell Owens just what an "average" cornerback can do, holding T.O. to three catches and 17 yards in the Jets 26-10 win.

Phil Simms to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson after the latter broke down the Lions/Pats game: "good analyzation there". Yeah, great "analyzation," Phil.

Derek Jeter is said to be after 6 years and $150 million from the New York Yankees.  I'd sooner see a terrorist be given a cache of nukes before giving Jeter that term or dollar amount.  Strange, coming from The Guy Who Wants To Win More Than Anything.

Cathal Kelly at the Toronto Star hammers the idea that MLS is floating about lining up its schedule to match the rest of the world's, which would see the league run through the winter instead of the summer.  I'm sure that would be a lot of fun attending games in Toronto, Seattle, Portland, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Colorado, Kansas City, New England, Columbus, D.C.,  and soon, Montreal.  That leaves about a handful of cities where it would work.

Good news, Buffalo Bills fans.  Forbes has a piece on who the best quarterback for the dollar is this year in the NFL and it is Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Toronto FC is still apologizing to its fans for the Mo Johnston/Preki team of 2010, ditching five players closely tied with the two.

A great bit from The Sports Pickle on using sports cliche's in everyday life.

Check out these NBA cheerleaders slam dunking.

The latest FIFA Goal of the Year nominee sees Arsenal's Samir Nasri shred FC Porto's defence.  Awesome.

Chilly chilled

Looks like it wasn't just a guess here yesterday that the Green Bay Packers may have authored the demise of two rival coaches.  Brad Childress did indeed get the boot in Minnesota.  In related news, NFL analyst Rodney Harrison says here that it is time to put Brett Favre out of his misery.  Why?  We were just starting to have some fun?  For his part, Favre is giving hints he may pack it in immediately.

Sure, Peyton Manning's interception thrown in the red zone aided a few teams in his division in their playoff hunt, but you don't expect a rival QB - Jacksonville Jaguar David Garrard in this case - to tweet out "Thanks Peyton.  U da man???"

A wild weekend in the English Premier League, with Tottenham rallying from a pair down in the second half to beat rival Arsenal 3-2.  Chelsea shockingly lost again, this time 1-0 to Birmingham despite dominating, which allowed Manchester United to pull even in the Premier League with their 2-0 win over Wigan.  Sure, United may have seven draws in 14 games, but "undefeated" sounds a lot more like championship material than a team with four losses in 14, which is the case with Chelsea.   Mix in Arsenal and Manchester City and there are four teams within three points of first place.  Going to be a wild race, though United defender Patrice Evra expects his team to take the title.

Canadian boy Joey Votto was the runaway NL MVP winner, with 31 of 32 first place votes.

The Miami Heat were pounded at home 93-77 by the not-exactly-powerhouse Indiana Pacers. What a crying shame.

Turns out those NFL uniforms for next year turned out to be fakes.  Depending on your team, major relief.

Jason Whitlock has a great look at how important it is to treat being a quarterback as a full-time job, something that Brett Favre and Vince Young have failed to do.

Turkey's Hamit Altintop provides a lighning bolt for the latest FIFA Goal of the Year nominee.  What a bomb this is.

Don't get too hot now, Buffalo Bills, or you may miss out on drafting Andrew Luck.  Check out the run - and thundering shoulder - Luck dropped on the weekend.

Nice weekend for the NHL

Did somebody tell Brett Favre last night was a playoff game?  Sure seemed that way when he tossed a terrible INT in the dying seconds. The New York Jets went house call on it to help cover the -4.5, and win the game 29-20. OHB also set a record last night for most fumbles in NFL history to go with lobbing his 500th TD. The Vikes host the Dallas Cowboys Sunday in a loser-is-all-but-done matchup of surprise 1-3 teams.

The San Francisco Giants beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 to take their series 3-1. Very classy of the Giants to stop their celebrations on-field to line up and salute retiring Braves manager Bobby Cox, another guy for whom leaving Toronto only meant good things.  They'll start the NLCS on Saturday in Philadelphia. How does Tim Lincecum and Roy Halladay starting strike you?

Cliff Lee and David Price will take to the hill in Tampa Bay tonight in their deciding Game 5 of the ALDS. Hard not to bet on the Rangers with a +109 price. Like their offence's chances to do damage more than the Rays to get to Lee.  First pitch is 8:05pm. 

The New Jersey Devils, in a hell of a cap bind, dressed 15 players for their loss Saturday afternoon to Pittsburgh. Three games into the year - with no wins - and Lou Lamoriello is playing cap games to save dimes. Tell me again how great caps are? Oh yeah, and Sidney Crosby is playing on a line with Mike Comrie and Chris Kunitz. Thanks, Cap.

San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York says his 0-5 49ers will still win their division. In any other division, I'd say impossible, but in the NFC West, perhaps there's a slight chance, though being three back of Arizona makes it a chore and then some. Check out their remaining schedule. Laughable.

At the other end of the spectrum - in terms of ownership perspective, but still on the subject of horrible teams - Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson acknowledges that the state of his squad is "bad" and that they're about three years from turning it around.  He also says that at 92, he probably won't be around to see it happen which will bring about a whole other kind of mess for the franchise.   If Pinnacle offers a line, I'm going to bet it takes more than three years, and he's around for more than three.

Is Jon Gruden paid by the word?

The Sportspickle tweets a beauty: "Gamecocks beat Alabama, Bobby Cox's career ends, Brett Favre. It's been a big sports week for Cocks/Cox/cocks."  Guess he didn't notice that Courtney Cox is on the market again.

Euro 2012 qualifying resumes today and no game is bigger than Italy taking on Serbia, with both teams struggling in the early stages.  All the fixtures here.

Damien Cox via Twitter: "Nice Thanksgiving weekend for NHL. One arrest, one obscene gesture, one dirty hit, one player taken off on stretcher." If you're wondering, it was Mike Ribeiro of the Dallas Stars on a DUI, James Wisniewski (video below), Niklas Hjalmarrson with the dirty hit (video below), and both Jason Pominville and Andrej Pavelec taken out on stretchers.

James Wisniewski gives it to Sean Avery...


Niklas Hjalmarrson crushes Jason Pominville, blind side...


The "Carlton" made its long awaited NFL debut in Detroit on Sunday...

88 in for $55,000

After complaints of small crowds from Evan Longoria and David Price, the Tampa Bay Rays are giving away 20,000 tickets to tonights game. Get the feeling it won't matter, and they'll still have under 20,000 in attendance?  I suppose the fact they clinched a playoff spot last night won't help the cause, although the AL East remains up for grabs.

Had some suggest the crack about "Thank you Cito" night seeing the giveaways extended into next season was a bit out of line, and you're right. There's a good shot they get 35,000 tonight. After all, the Yankees are in town, although they'll be likely playing a heavily loaded with back-ups squad after clinching a playoff spot last night and no doubt tearing it up.  In news relating to the playoff spot, Losers are mobilizing to simultaneously cheer on seven teams.

If ML$E thinks those empty seats at Toronto FC's Champions League game are about a cool, rainy day, they're begging.  John Molinaro at the CBC says they've reached the crisis stage.

Finally Delonte West asked about sex with LeBron James' mom and he said he absolutely didn't sleep with her because they were up all night.  Something like that..And for all the times LeBron has talked, how is it that not once has he referenced his former teammates in any way?  Doesn't that strike you as odd?


In retrospect, guessing Dallas Cowboys rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant is going to wish he carried Roy Williams pads when asked at camp a couple months back.  Why?  Seems RW goes his revenge, as instead of just having DB pay for a dinner for the team's offensive players, RW invited the defense as well to a swank steakhouse.   The bill?  $55,000.  Ouch.

What a turnaround for Michael Vick. After an off-season shooting at his birthday party that almost saw him off the Philadelphia Eagles and out of the game, he's not only starting for the Eagles and playing as good as ever, but he's also selling a pile of jerseys.  Vick will face Donovan McNabb and the Washington Redskins this weekend. No storylines there.

The Jacksonville Jaguars appear to have picked up Buffalo Bills castoff Trent Edwards. Yeah, that'll fix it.


Check out this shizophrenic split for AJ Burnett that happened in early May:  "through May 6 — six starts — Burnett was 4-0 with a 1.99 ERA. His strike out totals — just 28 in 40.2 innings — were down, but he was keeping both runners off base and the ball in the park. Just one of the first 164 batters to face him homered. Since then, Burnett has, with the exception of a few good starts in July, been utterly abysmal. He’s 6-15 over his last 26 starts, and he’s averaging just over 5.1 innings per start. After [Monday's] 2.1-inning, seven-run fiasco, his ERA over those 140 innings is 6.30, and he’s allowed 23 home runs and 64 walks while striking out just 111 guys. Opponents have an OPS against him of approximately .860. In other words, A.J. Burnett’s opponents are putting up better offensive numbers than Mark Teixeira."  Ouch.

Have a great Wednesday.

Somebody's going to Wrong Island

Clearly, Chelsea learned nothing about Liverpool's heart from the Reds' Champions League win in Istanbul a couple years ago, and clearly, neither did I in figuring Chelsea would easily hold on at home after a 3-1 lead they snatched on the road last week. Liverpool dominated early, and gained confidence after two first half goals, but the Blues rallied back to clinch a semi-final date with Barcelona in an incredible 4-4 tie...today, Manchester United travel to face FC Porto in a game they must win, something no English side has ever done at Porto. Today is the day that changes. Banker bet it. Arsenal also host Villareal to sort out the other semi-final...the NHL Draft lottery went last night, and the first overall pick goes to the New York Islanders - the odds on fav - who you would assume draft John Tavares. The Toronto Maple Leafs will pick 7th, if GM Brian Burke doesn't move up. The draft order can be seen here...funny thing about the NFL schedule coming out last night is if you ask all your buddies, their teams are all going at least 10-6 and making the playoffs. Fun exercise: write which games your team will win or lose right now and look at how wrong you are come January. Turns out the Buffalo Bills will be hosting the New York Jets in Toronto, not the Indianapolis Colts are believed. That will go December 3rd...building on yesterday's 60+ win story. All six of Phil Jackson's previous winners of 60+ went on to win the NBA title...thank you, AJ Burnett, for pitching a gem - again - and netting a solid PTP winner. Burnett had a no hitter going into the 8th and it blew up moments after I tuned in. No joke...the latest chink in the Toronto Blue Jays pitching staff sees alleged #2 starter Jesse Litsch head to the disabled list...the NHL playoffs starts tonight, and there's nothing better than the first round of the NHL's tourney. Don't miss it...whatever happened to Shonie Carter? Miss that spinning backfist...have a great Wednesday.

Happy belated birthday to RM

Somehow even I missed it. RandoMango celebrated it's first anniversary last Monday..the baseball season is barely a week old and Manny Ramirez is already talking about his next and last team. Turns out he was kicking about the idea of a reunion in Cleveland with one-time teammate Jim Thome recently...the NHL draft lottery goes tonight, and another dose of hope gets dished around Leafland...the NFL is a league like no other. They raised a giant middle finger to sports radio and newspapers across the continent by releasing their schedule - on the NFL Network no less - tonight at 7pm, after the majority of talk shows are on ice for the day and papers are mostly locked down...nice 72.0 ERA on Chien-Ming Wang last night in a 15-5 Tampa Bay Ray beatdown of the New York Yankees. It was such a disaster that Nick Swisher even pitched an inning, which you can see here...Liverpool midfield stud Steven Gerrard may be hurting, but word is he'll give it a go today as Liverpool needs a 3-0 win on the road at Stamford Bridge to win their Champions League quarter-final match-up with Chelsea after getting drilled 3-1 last week. Of course, a 3-1 Liverpool win sends it to extra time. Less contentious or likely seems Bayern Munich coming back from a 4-0 loss to Barcelona last week...the first look at the new home of the New York Mets - Citi Field - can be seen here. Freaking impressive looking place, particularly if you've ever been to the dump that was Shea Stadium. That place made Exhibition Stadium look modern...it'll cost on average 17% less this year to see the Buffalo Bills play in Toronto. Wonder if those that got raped for tickets to all games will see a refund? My money says "no"...Phil Jackson joins Pat Riley as the only NBA coaches to have 60+ wins in a year with seven each...didn't figure Jon Lester would have a second bad start in a row, but the Oakland A's lit him up something fierce last night. The PTP could be streakier than a truck-stop toilet bowl. Back with your pick later.

T.O. Shows

Remember the coverage in the media when Terrell Owens didn't show up for voluntary camp with the Buffalo Bills, and how little coverage there was that he was away partly from habit, and partly because he was getting an award for his charity work? Be sure to note how short the coverage will be now that he's in camp. When the Buffalo Bills play Indianapolis in Toronto this year - I'm told the third Sunday in November - ESPN The Magazine says they're changing the name of the city for the day to T.O.ronT.O. Seriously...the best nickname I've heard in sports in some time goes to Kansas City Royals closer Joaqim Soria: "The Mexicutioner". Yes, he's from Mexico...Quebec Premier Jean Charest vows the for-sale Montreal Canadiens will not be moving. That's some kind of statement. What's he going to say next? The sun will rise in the east? If Charest was really concerned about doing the right thing, he'd find a way to forbid Celine Dion from buying the team...it took 654 games, but the Columbus Blue Jackets know they will finally play one of the playoff variety. Ken Hitchcock will have a dangerous team ready to shut down whomever they draw. Also punching their tickets are the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens - the playoffs are better whenever those two are in..hope you enjoyed yesterdays PTP winner. At least for his first start, AJ Burnett earned his keep. Love me some baseball wagering...as sad as it was to hear about Anaheim Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart meeting his untimely demise in a car crash, it is hard to call it an accident when the loser that hit him was driving under the influence...six national team players on the Czech Republic soccer team - plus the coach - were dropped after they lost to Slovakia 2-1, not because of the loss, but because they were photographed with prostitutes. Well played, fellas...for today's PTP, play the Philadelphia Phillies and Cole Hamels at -1.5 +125. Tough to pass up that value, even if the half run will occasionally cost us a push. Also loving the Tampa Bay Rays at -1.5 +133. Enjoy...have a great Good Friday.

Buy booze, get free hockey tickets

Nice marketing coming from the Phoenix Coyotes - buy a 1.75 litres of Smirnoff vodka and get a free ticket. No word on if you can bring the booze to the game. Shocking that a man with Polish roots like Wayne Gretzky would be pushing a Russian product...a report out of England says that 50% Liverpool owner and Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett will be divesting himself of the Canadiens. Seems unlikely the classy Gillett would let that information leak in the Habs 100th year, but that ship seems riddled with holes of late so hard to say...it amazes me that Terrell Owens not going to voluntary camp is even a story. He never has. And if you look at the guy, a camp where you only work out is more for other guys, not for a guy who looks like he was cut from granite. Of course, the fact he's getting a public service award will not get national media play (thanks to TS for that one)..there is talk that the Buffalo Bills will be having a second regular season game in Toronto this year. Why? It isn't like the first was a roaring success unless you guage that by disgruntled fans overpaying for everything...within 48 hours of being granted an MLS franchise, the Vancouver Whitecaps took deposits for 5,000 season tickets. Amazing. More amazing is that the 'caps will be playing in BC Place and making it look spectacular, thanks to $365 million in renovations. Check this rendering out...like a parent to a child, the New York Yankees have given A-Rod a serious talking-to about not being a distraction and focusing on baseball alone. Good luck with that. Sounds like A-Rod could be back soon, with some talk he's just days away from playing. My fantasy squad thanks you, A-Rod...wow, I pick Duke's ladies hoops team and out they go. I'm the kiss of death. The Duke men's hoops team best beware...hard as it may be to believe, but the Houston Rockets are a half game out of second in the very tough NBA West...Jerry Jones wouldn't trade quarterback Tony Romo for "anybody". It is that kind of thinking that has the Cowboys sans a playoff win in over a decade...have a great Tuesday. Back with another PTP death lock later as I look to curse teams I hate. Can't believe how tough this has been when I lit up the NFL Prime Time games all season.

Tragically hip

Terrell Owens had a gem of a quote at his Buffalo Bills presser, noting that he's gone from America's Team to North America's Team, with the Bills of course playing in Toronto annually now. Guessing that the locals in Buffalo will not appreciate that so much. Hot on the heels of that, somebody came up with 10 reasons T.O. should have gone to the CFL. Owens scored 58 touchdowns in 65 games over three seasons with the Cowboys, more than any other wideout in the NFL in that period...watching midgets fight is like watching regular sized people fight from far away...the FA Cup semi-final draw has taken place and Manchester United will take on Everton, and Hull City or Arsenal will face Chelsea...like the NFL with Ron Mexico and others, you can no longer buy a customized A-Fraud jersey. A-Rod will be out 6-9 weeks after wisely opting for surgery to repair the torn labrum in his hip. Coming back towards the end of April or in May is a far better option than being a bad step away from being out for that time come later in the year. His doctor figures the six week time frame is likely..I nearly broke a rib laughing at this site that illustrates how to pee with morning wood...seems that there is indeed a limit to what the New York Yankees can charge for premium tickets, as some remain unsold at their new palace. For a mere $325 per ticket per game, you can get some great seats. For $2,500, you can get real close..here's a peak at the 10 most gruesome sports injuries. Not sure how Eduardo's broken leg playing for Arsenal last year didn't make the cut, but there's sure some bad ones in this list...continuing with the quick hits today, here's a page with the best male photo bombers. Awesome stuff...I'm amazed it has taken so long, but a lawyer by the name of David Cornwell, in the running to become the new head of the players union, has spoken out and questioned the legality of Roger Goodell dispensing discipline on players for offenses off the field. I'll be shocked if he doesn't win some concessions in that regard if he gets to the bargaining table for the next labor deal...Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke on whether fighting will get banned in the NHL: "I will personally challenge anyone who wants to get rid of fighting to a fight." Funny, but Burke is getting far too serious over something that does little to nothing to enhance the game...Arsenal striker Eduardo ended the debate as to who scored the goal of 2009 yesterday. There won't be one better than this...back later with your PTP.

4:53pm EDIT: Niagara is your PTP for the night - that's NCAA hoops for the uninitiated. 9pm tip.

Get your chicken wings ready!

For all my Buffalo Bills friends - and there are many - it is going to be an immense pleasure watching them cheer on Terrell Owens after hearing them kill him over the years as he signed a one year deal there. For a guy like that, as with others like Manny Ramirez or AJ Burnett, a one year deal is an absolute masterstroke. He'll stay motivated, in line, and if not, the risk is minimized. That said, Sportsbybrooks gives four reasons why signing T.O. is a terrell-ible move for Buffalo..if you hear that Holland beat the Dominican at something, you have to assume soccer or speed skating or any number of sports. But baseball? No. Yet the Dutch proved too much for the Dominican's and downed them 3-2. Good thing A-Rod wasn't playing for the Dominicans, he'd have had to take all the heat I'm sure...Dallas Cowboy Marion Barber made a rare public comment, this to defend Terrell Owens. I don't hear anybody taking up for Tony Romo...how does Canada play at home in the World Baseball Classic, with very reasonably priced tickets, and it doesn't sell out? In Montreal, the building is packed, no question...two weeks from today, you will wake up to read RandoMango to confirm that Toronto FC did indeed win their opening game at Kansas City on the road the night prior...Chelsea and Manchester United advanced in FA Cup play yesterday. Chelsea downed Coventry City 2-0, while United crushed Fulham 4-0...meantime, Jose Mourinho is again talking about potentially being United's next manager. There's a lot to like about Mourinho, especially his personality and resume, but his oftentimes skill killing defensive aproach isn't among those things...if A-Rod is merely out 6-9 weeks after his surgery on his hip, wise move getting that done now...at UFC96, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson proved he's well on the comeback trail, with a decision over Keith Jardine. Cannot wait to see Jackson back on top, where he will end up soon...finally a deal in the ongoing David Beckham drama, and he'll stay with AC Milan until the conclusion of the season and return to LA Galaxy in July. My scalping possibilities aren't liking that with Galaxy set for a trip to Toronto earlier in the year...back with your PTP later today...have a great day.

Saturday, January 3rd, 2009

Freak NFL stat: if you are +1 on takeaways/giveaways, you will win 80% of the games...in what would be a huge development, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger may jump ship to take over at Real Madrid. What a difference that would be, going from a large club with significant restraints because of the financing on the Emirates Stadium to one that is a bottomless pit of money...Chris Paul and Lebron James told the great show E:60 that they regularly play XBox head to head. Online. Something about that amuses me...add the Arizona Cardinals to NFL home sides that are struggling or struggled to sell out their game this weekend. As of yesterday morning, they had 3,700 tickets to get rid of. This, for a team that hasn't been in the playoffs in a decade. No word on if they managed to sell out...Stephon Marbury might land with the Boston Celtics. Seriously. Interesting Starbury fact: teams that deal him improve by an average of 27 wins the following season. Look for the New York Knicks to make a huge leap next season if that holds...the Baltimore Ravens five losses this year are to Pittsburgh (twice), Tennessee, Indianapolis and the New York Giants, who combined to go a whopping 49-15...a perfect 2-0 start to the year on Prime Time Picks, and today, gunning to make it 3-0. Here's some background: teams that enter the playoffs .500 are 2-7 since 1972, with one of those wins coming when two 8-8 teams played each other. San Diego enters the playoffs at 8-8. Indy has won 12 straight, but is only a one point fav. Seems strangely, sucker-bet low, no? Regardless, taking Indy to drop the hammer on the Bolts and cover the spread (-1 +101) comfortably. Get down with Pinnacle here...it was only a matter of time before somebody was killed from a hockey fight, and now, Don Henderson of the Whitby Dunlops becomes the test case for what the game does going forward...Buffalo Bills safety Ko Simpson started the "NFLers Arrested" edition for 2009 off with a roaring start, busted for not leaving the area while a friend of his was being arrested. In true athlete fashion, he played the "don't you know who I am?" card and told the police he's "worth millions!" Step your game up, Ko, Eddie Belfour already used that tactic in telling the cops he was worth "billions" years ago...NBA ref Derrick Stafford will not be punished for calling Vince Carter "boy", which Winessa didn't like. That is not right in my opinion. The NBA should come down hard on Stafford for calling a girl a boy...Canada faces Russia in one semi-final of the World Junior Hockey Championships. Of note, the U.S. soiled the bed in their quarter-final yesterday with a 5-3 loss to Slovakia, a huge underdog to one of the pre-tourney favs who will now face Sweden in the other semi-final. If you sweat karma, however, saw one sign at a bar driving through town yesterday that said "Catch Canada go for gold on Monday here"...have a great Saturday.

Friday, December 19th, 2008

The Buffalo Bills made some dubious history with last Sunday's Meltdown at the Meadowlands, becoming the first team to blow a lead in the final two minutes on a defensive touchdown since 1981. Still can't figure how the notoriously hyper conservative coach Dick Jauron goes for a passing play in that situation...have to say, didn't figure Mats Sundin would end up playing for the Vancouver Canucks, signing for the balance of the year only. Maybe he's looking to acclimatize himself for the 2010 Olympics and defending the Swedish gold?...Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending reject Scott Cleminson is having an incredible run filling in for Martin Brodeur in New Jersey. Meanwhile, notes GBVH, Curtis Joseph doesn't look like he cold stop a beachball when he's gets put in the pipes to boost NHL scoring totals...last nights 8-5 win for the Boston Bruins was the first time this year the Bruins gave up five goals...Brett Favre made the Pro Bowl? I'd have rated him third best QB in the division and if not for Trent Edwards concussion that seemed to derail his season, he might've been the fourth best...incredibly, only 8% of Tiger Woods income as a pro golfer has come from actually golfing. The rest is from endorsements...the Champions League round of 16 draw went this morning and there are a few real tantalizing matchups - no pun intended on the "real". How about Chelsea vs. Juventus, Manchester United vs. Inter Milan and Real Madrid vs. Liverpool? I'm going to suggest Juventus, Manchester United and Liverpool escape those fixtures. Can't wait to see Man U's Sir Alex Ferguson and Inter's Jose Morinho resume their war of words...the Indianapolis Colts have come back when trailing by 7 or more six times this year, and the dreaded defensive touchdown - which always seems to do in a solid cover or under play - dropped Prime Time Picks to 18-13...good of the Colts Reggie Wayne to show us his plummer impression last night...Boston Red Sox owner John Henry says they've been outbid on Mark Teixera? Who has the cash to do such a thing? Come on, Brian Cashman!...former UFC champion Randy Couture is looking at retirement - wise - and doing movies, including one he'll star in alongside Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren. What is it, Rocky 4.5? Insert your joke about working with Stallone and the very washed up Lundgren "here"...Manchester United will face Liga de Quito from South America in the Club World Cup final in Japan on Sunday...a part of me would love to see the Toronto Raptors lose to the lowely Oklahoma City Thunder tonight, just to see the hand wringing increase in Raptorland...it was a record day for RandoMango yesterday: 581 hits, blowing past the previous high of 289...tickets to the new Yankee Stadium home opener are already going for a mere $45,000+ at StubHub... have a great Friday.

Another reason why Charles Barkley rules: check out his George W. Bush impression:

Monday, December 15th, 2008

A Prime Time Pick never felt so good as the Dallas Cowboys easily covered the three points in a 20-8 win over the New York Giants. Tonight, we're gunning for 18-12 and playing the Philadelphia Eagles at -14 to keep pace in the NFC playoff race...in Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, the Dallas Cowboys have three fantastic running backs...you're up with 2 minutes to play in an NFL game. You run, right? Not the Buffalo Bills. They confounded the six losers who still play QB1 and called a pass play, leading to a big hit on QB JP Losman, a fumble recovery for a touchdown and a sudden win by the New York Jets...the Miami Dolphins haven't given up a touchdown in three games. Them or Jets will win the division if they win out, and to make it real interesting, they face each other in Week 17...scratch the Ottawa Sens off the list of possible destinations for Mats Sundin. He's expected to sort out his landing spot this week, with the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks the likely landing spots...during the writing of this entry, Eli Manning was sacked again. And again...say what you will about the Pittsburgh Steelers not winning with a whole lot of style, the fact remains they're getting it done despite the NFL's toughest schedule. They're my pick to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl...in a move that ought to surprise nobody, Sean Avery is done in Dallas. Wonder if NHL owners will push for non-guaranteed deals at the next labour deal? Bryan McCabe would "never" play in such an environment, of course, but the world would adjust...so much for Chelsea going tops yesterday. Like the other top sides, they drew this week as well. This is shaping up to be the best EPL race in years, just for how many teams are in the mix...former Giant Tiki Barber admit that he was wrong about Eli Manning's leadership abilities. Thanks Tiki, what's next, the sky is blue?...have a great Monday.

Monday, December 8th, 2008

Since they last made the playoffs in 1999, the Buffalo Bills are 14-59 for a .192 win percentage against teams that were .500 or better the year prior...a year ago at this time, the Miami Dolphins were still winless. What a difference a year makes - the Fish are now 8-5 and very much a playoff contender and tied for the AFC East after beating the Bills 16-3 in Toronto in a game that lacked any kind of entertainment value, particularly if you were suckered into a $575 ticket. Suspect the 0-13 Detoilet Lions won't see such a turnaround...speaking of Detroit, only Indy, New Orleans and Green Bay stand in the way of 0-16, though a part of me just knows the bloody Packers will give me another reason to hate them and drop that last game...first reaction: who has had a better year - Chad Pennington or Brett Favre?..the Dallas Cowboys defence looks light years ahead of where they were before head coach Wade Phillips took over play calling, which begs the question: what the hell took him so long? Shame that Tony Romo and Jason Witten couldn't get their plans in order late in the game, leading to one very back breaking interception and a 21-14 loss at Pittsburgh. Somehow, the Cowboys started the day out of the playoffs and finished in...it'll be Oklahoma and Florida for the BCS Championship. Now prepare yourself for the endless and annual debate over how the NCAA needs to put in a playoff system...a last second loss at home for the reeling Toronto Raptors. Is this team ever going to win in December?...that's 16-11 for Prime Time Picks after a wire-to-wire easy winner in the Baltimore Ravens. Tonight, the Tampa Bay Bucs visit the Carolina Panthers in what is a huge game in the NFC South. Despite the 22-2 home record of NFC South teams this year, I'm leaning toward the Bucs (+3) in this one, largely because they've been far more consistent than the Panthers have. Mix in a better defence and there you have it. Bet wise, bet at Pinnacle..here's the Top 10 NFL hits of "all da times"...have a great Monday.

Friday, December 5th, 2008 - Triano Loves Rock

The best name I've heard so far for Plaxico Burress: 2-Plax...why the World Baseball Classic seems amateur: Alex Rodriguez played for the U.S. in the inaugural edition. Next time around, he's playing for the Dominican Republic. Part of me hopes it is as a shortstop just to remind some New York Yankee fans that the best shortstop on the team plays third...Don Cherry told Jim Rome that Sean UNS-Avery's™ comments were worse than a hit from behind. Not sure about that, Grapes. As classless and out of line as it was, nobody's spine was under threat. Why I think Avery is done in Dallas, and perhaps the NHL: when you're willing to leak personal information, how is your own team to trust you? I'm quite sure Avery has seen some things with teams past and present - guys straying from their wives while on the road, drugs and such - and nobody wants a guy like that around that will say anything to anyone. He's Jose Canseco without waiting until he's done in the game. Word is the Stars are looking to get out of the contract signed this past summer. Check out his exchange with an elderly fan in Nashville earlier this season, which the NHL allegedly knows about. How was he not booted from the league for that? Avery got six games, and has been ordered to go to counselling...the Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins game in Toronto this weekend is sold out, we're told. Anybody else smell a work?...Jay Triano - 1-0 lifetime as Toronto Raptors head coach after winning a game last year - makes his debut with a toughie at Utah. Memo to Triano: Welcome to 1-1...Toronto Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson benched Tomas Kaberle for the first period of a 6-3 loss last night in Phoenix, and he promptly went out and played horribly. His days in Toronto are winding down fast...have a great Friday.

Monday, December 1st, 2008

Manchester United has yet to play a game on the road in EPL action against a team that wasn't in the top half of the standings last year. Translation? The schedule will lighten up with trips to Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal all completed and they're well in range to win the title for the third straight year. Oh, and Cristiano Ronaldo? You mockingly clap a refs call in his face and you may as well punch him in the mouth because you're mere moments from getting tossed. Man U downed Man City in their chippy matchup yesterday...if you thought the cookie lick race ad was bad, just think how bad it could get if we see a Manning vs. Manning Super Bowl?...that's 0-12 on the year against the spread for the team that beat the Detroit Lions the week prior. Next up to not cover: Tennessee...Dan Dierdorf continues to murder the English language, calling the Plaxico Burress news "distractional". Speaking of Burress, here's ten reasons why he shot himself...losing Shawne Merriman doesn't turn you into a 4-8 team. Norv Turner sure can though. That's his track record after all...so about all that "this game in Toronto is wildly important" talk for the Buffalo Bills: nevermind. Think Rian Lindell's Monday Night wide right is still rattling around in his brain? He had two more misses yesterday, including one from 20 yards as the Bills came out flatter than piss on a plate in a 10-6 home loss. To San Francisco...wonder if Atlanta Falcon Michael Turner enjoyed pounding his former team yesterday? Methinks the San Diego Chargers kept the wrong running back...most impressive win of the day? Has to be the Pittsburgh Steelers destroying the New England Patriots, especially that it came in the second half of the game, a time the Pats notoriously dominate...Chelsea dropped another game at home to an amped up Arsenal and suddenly, the top of the English Premier League is very crowded. Liverpool could go top of the table with a win today over West Ham. When's the last time Liverpool was tops in December?...a very easy cover for the Minnesota Vikings to bring the Prime Time Picks to 15-10. Tonight, we're riding the mercurial Jacksonville Jaguars at +3.5 over the home Houston Texans...Las Vegas did it again. The LA Lakers were a 12.5 point fav over the Toronto Raptors, and won by 13...have a great Monday.

Friday, November 28th, 2008

It took longer than anyone expected once he came free, but Brian Burke has finally landed in the Toronto Maple Leafs GM chair. Burke has a six year deal to do what nobody has been able to in forty plus years. Not sure who will be happier about the move, Leafs fans, or the media? Burke is nothing if not a good quote...it was romp central in yesterday's NFL action, though the Philadelphia Eagles sure surprised in showing signs of life in hammering the visiting Arizona Cardinals. The Dallas Cowboys are starting to look like they've turned their season around as the offence is moving the ball with ease, though it was Seattle they played. Up next: Pittsburgh, the New York Giants, Baltimore. That'll tell the tale. Oh, and the Detroit Lions are looking every bit like a team that has "0-16" in its sites..Toronto Raptor Chris Bosh is eyeing the MVP award for this year and openly talking about it. The way he's playing, it shows...Toronto FC goalkeeper Greg Sutton thinks the squad can make a run for the playoffs and championship next year. He must know something about pending player moves because the team still lacks scoring punch...Allen Iverson skipped practice. Go ahead, say it to yourself, you know you want to...a pair of Buffalo Bills fans have a petition going to have the Rogers Centre roof open for the Bills game against Miami in a couple weeks. People who start petitions are losers, as are those that sign them...three straight losses for Prime Time Picks after six straight wins. Streaky...the three leading scorers in the NBA: Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh. All free agents in 2010..have a great Friday.

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008

That Donovan McNabb didn't know it was possible to tie in the NFL is absolutely mindblowing. A quarterback, of all positions, should know the rule book inside out. Tends to help you with, you know, knowing the game and all...each team that has beaten the Detroit Lions this year has failed to cover the spread the next week. Early Week 12 play: Atlanta to cover against Carolina. Remember gamblers, streaks only end once...Mark Cuban has been accused of insider trading. If they made an example of Martha Stewart for doing same, betting they'll treat him even more harshly...how much money was lost by people who had bet the Pittsburgh Steelers to cover on Sunday? A mere $66 million...true stat: the New England Patriots are 6-0 in games they win the coin toss in, 0-4 in games they don't...Buffalo Bills fans might have had enough of Monday Night games after the past two years. Last year, if you recall, they lost at home after a frantic Dallas Cowboys comeback and last second Nick Folk field goal. Last night, they lost when Rian Lindell went wide right. The loss dropped the Prime Time Picks to 13-7..I haven't a clue why Lance Armstrong says he fears for his safety at the Tour de France. Everybody knows that when encountered with any form of aggression, the French turn tail...Citigroup will be laying off 53,000 world wide, many in New York. But fear not, the New York Mets will still get their $20 million for naming rights to the new stadium - per year...have a great Tuesday.

Monday, November 10th, 2008

The Charlotte Hornets draw fewer than flies. And the NBA went back there why, exactly? Some on hand might have noticed the visiting Toronto Raptors went on a 17-0 fourth quarter run to turn a two point deficit into a blowout win, 89-79...so much for the St. Louis Rams playing hard under Jim Haslett. Doesn't matter who you're playing, when you give up 40 in a half, you're more than just a bad team - you're also lacking desire...Chris Bosh broke the 7,000 point mark in his career in yesterday's Raptors win. 2,400 more and Vince Carter's Raptors record will - in fitting Wince fashion - fall. CB4 had a mere 30 points and 15 boards yesterday...not the same since he was concussed: Buffalo Bills QB Trent Edwards. That porous offensive line doesn't help the cause either. What seemed like a sure playoff trip is looking a lot more doubtful now after yesterday's 20-10 loss at New England...of course, after mentioning the Tennessee Titans went 8-0 without a 200-yard passing game, off went Kerry Collins for 289 yards to send the Titans to 9-0...14 teams since 1966 started the NFL season 9-0. 6 won the Super Bowl and 9 reached the big game. Bodes well for the Titans...a Sports Illustrated poll of NFL players listed Tom Coughlin (16%), Bill Belichick (11%), Eric Mangini (9%), and Tony Sparano (7%) as the four coaches they'd least like to play for. All were one time assistants of Bill Parcells, who despite now being a team President, still finished fifth in the voting...the Philadelphia Phillies had 16 days off in the post-season to play 14 games. They had 19 off to play 162 regular season games. Time to look at a flexible playoff schedule, no?...Edmonton Oiler Ales Hemsky is putting together quite the hilight real in the first month of the season, scoring one beauty goal after another...that is now 12-6 (+645) on the Prime Time Picks. If you ain't riding this wave, sucks to be you. Tonight, going to take the Arizona Cardinals (-9) to punish the San Francisco 49ers. Who knows, maybe Mike Singletary drops his pants at halftime again? Won't matter, the Cards are rolling and have way too much offense to not put up 40 tonight...wouldn't it be something if Brian Burke, Maple Leafs President and GM in waiting, instead went to the Boston Bruins?...have a great Monday.

Sunday, November 9th, 2008

With a win over the Buffalo Bills, the New England Patriots will tie the longest active win streak against one team with 10 wins...the New York Giants have won 13 of 14 on the road. Tough not to like them plus the points today as they travel to face the Philadelphia Eagles...Josh Childress life as a basketballer in Europe: commercial flights, five hour bus trips, roommates in modest hotels and occasional games in 1,000 seat gyms. Yeah, I can see Kobe and Lebron going there, approximately never...somehow, the Tennessee Titans have gone 8-0 despite not having a single 200-yard passing game...Manchester United's Gary Neville really should retire. His brutal performance yesterday could be a championship deal breaker as United dropped a 2-1 thriller to Arsenal...CC Sabathia and Derek Jeter have been exchanging phone calls. Here's hoping it is for CC asking Jeter about a good place to live in New York...I know Remembrance Day is around the corner, but anybody able to guess what pictures of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan are doing airing between periods of a hockey game? I prefer religion, politics and sport to not cross into each others domains...Al Strachan suggested on Hockey Night in Canada that if General Motors, Ford and Chrysler go bankrupt as some are predicting they will next year, the Detroit Red Wings won't last a year in Detroit because there will be a mass exodus from Detoilet. Scary thought, no? And actually seems possible in this environment...the last decade, no Stanley Cup winner played lower than .636 hockey in October (1999/2000 New Jersey Devils), with the other nine going .750 or better and an overall average of .801. Make of this what you will...the New York Rangers are looking for a compensatory draft pick because - wait for it! - Alexei Cherapanov was unsigned when he died last month. Seriously...Pat Gillick to run the Toronto Maple Leafs? Hardly ridiculous...the Leafs hammered the Montreal Canadiens last night 6-3, shocking anyone who cares about hockey...11-6 (+435) and that increases to 12-6 tonight when the New York Giants win outright at Philadelphia. The three points you're being given by the fine folks at Pinnacle are just a bonus. Also a big fan of Atlanta (-1), and have a weird belief that the Buffalo Bills (+4) can win in New England...have a great Sunday.