A poll of 100 major leaguers during spring training and published in the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine has 38% saying the New York Yankees will win the World Series; the players estimate 5% of players are using some form of performance enhancers; 52% called the Yankees the best franchise to play for and 23% called the Pittsburgh Pirates the worst, 67% said Barry Bonds deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, and the players guessed 36% of players were unfaithful to their spouses.
It was a wild one in The Bronx last night, as there were 6 homers in the Yankees 11-9 win over the Boston Red Sox, four for the Sox, and the Yankees pair coming in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game thanks to an A-Rod blast, and win on a Marcus Thames two run shot. The loss drops the Sox 8.5 back of the AL East leading Tampa Bay Rays. With Toronto and New York ahead of them as well, they've got a mountain to climb. Real shame for Jonathan Papelbon, who gave up the big bombs.
The irony of Bret "Hitman" Hart rocking a Toronto Blue Jays jersey on Monday Night Raw last night: so few of the Jays hit with any regularity.
What ever happened to Tampa Bay Ray Carlos Pena?
Peter King at SI.com has his first cut at the NFL Power Rankings, for what they're worth in the middle of May. Good news if you're a Green Bay fan, as they check in top of the list. Not so good if you're a Buffalo Bills fan, unless you think having the second pick in the draft in 2011 is something to look forward to right now.
After watching his Barcelona team look to an unproven player in a key game, Thierry Henry started to read the writing on the wall, and it now appears his signing with New York Red Bull in the MLS is about to happen. Good news for NYRB fans especially, and soccer fans on this side of the pond of Henry can find even a fraction of his old form he showed at Arsenal. He was a special, special player just a few years back.
Franck-ly, I can see why French soccer star Franck Ribery, among others, would be fooled into thinking Zahia Dehar is older than 17. Loads of pics here of the girl that has a few Frenchmen in legal hot water.
It is only game two, but it looms large for the Montreal Canadiens after you're on the wrong end of a 6-0 curb stomping. Will the Habs turn to Jaroslav Halak again? You'd think that's a no-brainer given what he has produced in the playoffs so far. If he doesn't find that form or something close to it, and there's little reason to believe in Carey Price right now, the Habs are not long for the playoffs.
Anytime you hear features of how a guy "isn't like the rest", be skeptical, because ultimately, it ends up being a load of garbage when all is said and done. The latest is Houston Texans wideout Andre Johnson, who figures that he's outperformed his contract and wants to renegotiate the remaining five years and $60 million remaining, the poor guy.
Speaking of contracts, the Washington Capitals have lobbed $67 million over 10-years at Niklas Backstrom. I really, really cannot believe teams think deals of that length are wise. Way too much room for issues, be it injury, rising caps leaving players undervalued, or simply a player unde performing for years and becoming a bad contract.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi scored 47 goals this past season for his La Liga winning club. In case you missed any, or wanted to see some of his brilliance again, check them out here. Yes, all of them. Even if not a soccer fan, check this guy out. Mindblowing many times. Oh, Messi also took a dig at England's Ashley Cole, saying his soon-to-be-ex-wife Cheryl Cole - smokin' Cheryl Cole - should cheer for Argentina as his team plays the most attractive football and Argentinian men know how to treat women. Ouch.
