So much for all the talk of England and especially the U.S. being slam dunks to host the World Cup in 2018 and 2022. Instead, it'll be mob-run Russia taking the ball in 2018, and a whole-lot-more-head-scratchingly Qatar in 2022. Yeah, a World Cup in the desert in mid-summer, in a country that doesn't widely allow people to drink, what a great idea! For their part, Qatar is saying that they plan on air conditioning outdoor stadiums. At least that isn't ridiculous.
Not sure what my fav moment was in the Miami Heat blowout of the Cleveland Cavaliers last night: the "like father like son" chant in warm-ups (LeBron's dad, of course, left the family when he was a child), the "We should have drafted Darko" sign, or one of the Cavs assistant coaches telling 'bron to, well, pretty sure you can read his lips here (oh, and LOADS more below the vid...just mixing things up):
And speaking of the Heat, my GOD is Chris Bosh ever invisible there. He looks as lost as Rafael Araujo did in his Toronto Raptors days, and that is some tough task.
Did I hear Deion Sanders say about Michael Vick: "From Levinsworth to the limelike"? I think you mean "limelight", Prime. Vick was fantastic in last night's entertaining 34-24 win (and Prime Time Pick win) over the Houston Texans.
What could Rogers buying Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment mean for Hockey Night in Canada? The end, speculates the Toronto Star.
In case you didn't know, Dan Shulman is the new lead guy on Sunday Night Baseball. This is a very, very good thing.
A breath of fresh air is new Toronto Raptor Jerryd Bayless, who writes in this piece of how excited he was to come to Toronto, and how excited he is to be a Raptor. He keeps up with that attitude and he'll be a far greater fan fav than a defensively bankrupt never-was who holds up six fingers to indicate a three pointer. Thanks to Boris D for that linkage.
A good week is about to kick off for the New York Yankees. Mariano Rivera is about to sign a two-year, $30 million deal today, after turning down three-years and $45 million (or more) from the Boston Red Sox, who clearly don't trust Jonathan Papelbon, and the LA Angels of Anaheim. Hope you're paying attention, Captain Jeter. The Cliff Lee chase is going to get heated up, with some predicting it'll be done before the end of next week, and Jeter should re-sign too with talk the Yankees may slightly - and wrongly - up their 3-year $45 million offer.
One thing this sports fan could do without: the big story of Tuesday-Friday of each NFL week being what guys are being fined. Heard one laughable stat that Richard Seymour's fine for punching Ben Roethlesberger amounted to one quarter of a percent of his annual salary. Yeah, that'll hurt. So for the average guy making $50,000 a year, that's $125. Back breaking stuff it is not.
None of Phil Jackson's 11 championship teams has ever lost four straight games in a season, something this year's LA Lakers have already accomplished.
Christmas gift idea for a New York Yankee fan: PlayStation 3/XBox MLB 10 The Show, because Derek Jeter will still be half decent in it. Next year's edition won't be so kind. If anybody has that game or another sitting in their desk drawer, send it my way.
So sour that the powder LeBron James throws up before the game wasn't swapped out for anthrax.
So the alleged Public Enemy #1 in Ottawa Dany Heatley made his first return to Ottawa with the San Jose Sharks last night and was met with plenty of empty seats. Speculation is a rumor was floated that Heatley would be driving one of the buses moving fans out to Kanata.
Somehow, this guy dated Kate Moss. What a freaking world.
Explain to me how Ron Wilson still is employed as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs? When they're not blowing late leads like they did again to Tampa Bay a couple nights ago, they're getting shut out by last year's league doormat, the Edmonton Oilers, 5-0...at home. Predictably, fans booed. But they'll be back next game, they always are. And if you're wondering, that makes you more sucker than fan.
Best hockey goal celebration ever? Easy button? Awesome.
Showing posts with label World Cup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World Cup. Show all posts
Friday, December 3, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Lyin' King comes home
Houston visit Philadelphia tonight in NFL action. Considering what Michael Vick did the last time he was on Prime Time TV against Washington, he may break records tonight against a team as horrible against the pass as the Texans are. I'm playing the Eagles at -8.5 for the Prime Time Pick. I don't normally like going over a total at 51, but this one could be threatened early.
And your World Cup hosts for 2018 and 2022 are (drum roll)...being announced at 9:30am (Eastern). You can watch here. If the stories are to be believed, Qatar has moved ahead of the U.S. as the likely winner for 2022. Can't imagine what the rea$on$ behind that might be.
This NFL season represents the first time in 51 years that every team has at least two losses at this point in the season.
A WWE themed wedding? Sure, why not? Not sure what I liked better, the Bret "Hitman" Hart routine, complete with sunglasses, the "Orient Express" entrance music for the Asian couple (Bill Parcells "Jap plays" think that was over the top), the Best Man rocking the theme from Karate Kid, or the groom going Mr. Perfect with his hankerchief...or Howard Finkel in house to announce it all. Awesome.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Rogers to buy Leafs/Raptors/TFC/Marlies?
Rogers Communications is in talks to drop $1.3 billion to buy the Ontario Teacher's Pension Fund'sMaple Leaf Sports and Entertainment share in . The move would make Rogers the largest shareholder in MLSE, and give them control of the Maple Leafs, Raptors, Toronto FC and the Marlies, the Air Canada Centre, Ricoh and BMO Field, in addition to their ownership of the Blue Jays and their building. That'd be some powerhouse of an ownership group, but if I'm a Jays fan, can't imagine I'm thrilled to be in bed with the Leafs, who dominate all things Toronto. Glad to see my monthly contributions to Rogers by my cell, cable, internet and home phone bills aren't at all profitable. At least they get those right, their sporting record is poor, at best, if you consider their Jays run and how well their "Bills in Toronto" investment has gone. Buried in all that talk is word that MLSE President Richard Peddie will be packing it in on December 31st. Unfortunately, 2011 and not 2010. He's a shoe-in to be Gary Bettman's speech writer, given how well he does smug through repeated failure.
A thief, and the suspicion is it is somebody that knew the family and certainly the circumstances, broke into the van of Pat Burns widow during his funeral and snagged a bunch of memorabilia that was due for a charity auction. If there is a hell, that clown has a special spot reserved I'm hoping.
As if the Minnesota Vikings weren't already treating their fanbase so well this season, with one circus after the next, they're upped the ante: they're talking moving to Los Angeles now. The Vikes lease at the Metrodome expires after next season, whether there is one or not.
If you're at all an NBA fan, and want a great look at the drama queens that are the Miami Heat, check out this podcast with Bill Simmons and Dan Le Batard in which they dissect where the Heat are, and where they're going. Simmons figures Chris Bosh will be ultimately dealt - I'm hoping somewhere really happening like Sacramento or Memphis - while Le Batard says it'll be Dwayne Wade that gets moved. Great stuff. The Heat, if you haven't heard, are in Cleveland tomorrow night.
At even strength, where he plays the majority of his shifts, Toronto Maple Leaf winger Phil Kessel is tied for 160th in NHL scoring. He's 2 points ahead of defenceman, and not exactly scoring machine, Mike Komisarek. Oh, and the Leafs blew a 3-1 lead and lost in overtime to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Can Ron Wilson anytime now, will you?
Another week in the NFL books, another fine for Pittsburgh Steeler James Harrison. This time, Harrison was fined for a helmet shot to the chest of Buffalo Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick who was allegedly defenceless. Looking at it, seems Zinedine Zidane's famed head butt to Marco Materazzi in the World Cup final of 2006 was a stiffer shot, minus pads, and didn't get dinged $25k if I recall.
Jim Rome says Derek Jeter doesn't just need to drink some "reality potion", as someone in the New York Yankees organization has suggested, but that a keg of would be more appropriate. When one of the top shortstops in the game - in his prime - in Troy Tulowitzki signs for $16 million a year, how does Jeter figure he's worth more?
Tomorrow, FIFA will announce which nations will play host to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. There's a breakdown for 2018 here, for which Russia is the fav, and one here for 2022, for which the United States is expected to win the bidding.
A thief, and the suspicion is it is somebody that knew the family and certainly the circumstances, broke into the van of Pat Burns widow during his funeral and snagged a bunch of memorabilia that was due for a charity auction. If there is a hell, that clown has a special spot reserved I'm hoping.
As if the Minnesota Vikings weren't already treating their fanbase so well this season, with one circus after the next, they're upped the ante: they're talking moving to Los Angeles now. The Vikes lease at the Metrodome expires after next season, whether there is one or not.
If you're at all an NBA fan, and want a great look at the drama queens that are the Miami Heat, check out this podcast with Bill Simmons and Dan Le Batard in which they dissect where the Heat are, and where they're going. Simmons figures Chris Bosh will be ultimately dealt - I'm hoping somewhere really happening like Sacramento or Memphis - while Le Batard says it'll be Dwayne Wade that gets moved. Great stuff. The Heat, if you haven't heard, are in Cleveland tomorrow night.
At even strength, where he plays the majority of his shifts, Toronto Maple Leaf winger Phil Kessel is tied for 160th in NHL scoring. He's 2 points ahead of defenceman, and not exactly scoring machine, Mike Komisarek. Oh, and the Leafs blew a 3-1 lead and lost in overtime to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Can Ron Wilson anytime now, will you?
Another week in the NFL books, another fine for Pittsburgh Steeler James Harrison. This time, Harrison was fined for a helmet shot to the chest of Buffalo Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick who was allegedly defenceless. Looking at it, seems Zinedine Zidane's famed head butt to Marco Materazzi in the World Cup final of 2006 was a stiffer shot, minus pads, and didn't get dinged $25k if I recall.
Jim Rome says Derek Jeter doesn't just need to drink some "reality potion", as someone in the New York Yankees organization has suggested, but that a keg of would be more appropriate. When one of the top shortstops in the game - in his prime - in Troy Tulowitzki signs for $16 million a year, how does Jeter figure he's worth more?
Tomorrow, FIFA will announce which nations will play host to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. There's a breakdown for 2018 here, for which Russia is the fav, and one here for 2022, for which the United States is expected to win the bidding.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Well, not sure why the NHL thought it was a great idea to have both NHL playoff series going the same night in the Conference Finals, but they're finally breaking up that pattern tonight with the Western Conference series getting the extra day in between games two and three. The Eastern Conference series moves to Montreal tonight and Damien Cox of the Toronto Star thinks it may be time for the Canadiens to give Carey Price a go. So much for going with who brought you to the dance. What if Price starts and bombs, then what? The Habs won't have Andrei Markov in the lineup, his season is done after knee surgery that will keep him out for six months.
The Phoenix Suns are not only getting pounded in their Western Conference series, the LA Lakers are doing it playing the Suns up-tempo style. The Lakers were 124-112 winners last night to take a 2-0 series lead.
Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho - whose ego knows no bounds - thinks that winning the Champions League is bigger than the World Cup. Different, perhaps, and I do accept his point that you could argue you're the world's best team given you can get players from everywhere, but no chance is it more prestigious. The World Cup is once every four years and ask anybody at all connected to the game who won the last World Cup and they'll say "Italy" in a heartbeat. Quick, who won the Champions League four years ago? Inter Milan faces Bayern Munich Saturday in Madrid for the Champions League final.
Joel Sherman of the NY Post writes that A-Rod is the no-doubt New York Yankees go-to guy in a big moment if they have a choice, a change from the past to be sure. Not mentioned yesterday, but worth mentioning that the New York Yankees had Nick Swisher up on the steps holding a bad, ready to pinch hit for Derek Jeter in the bottom of the 9th with the game on the line. Has Jeter been pinch hit for in the last decade plus? The Tampa Bay Rays continued their roll last night in pounding the Yanks 10-2 to move four games up in the East.
Tom Verducci at SI.com looks at whether the Washington Nationals, surprisingly competitive this year, are being too careful with Stephen Strasburg. I've got two words to answer that in the "negative": Mark Prior.
What does Al-Qaeda have to do with sports? Well, when they're plotting revenge on Holland and Denmark over their depictions of Allah, and the World Cup is looming, lots as it turns out. Love how one person can do something they deem offensive and it is an all out assault planned on a sporting event, team or country. Very reasonable.
I'll acknowledge the Toronto Blue Jays are beating everybody's expectations - including yours, if you're thinking of lying and telling us different - but remember this: they were 27-16 a year ago today and in first place in the AL East, and we know how that ended up (28 games back, if you didn't). That, and as Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star noted yesterday, the Jays have only played 14 to date against the best of the AL, and are a less than stellar 3-11 in those games.
The International Ice Hockey Federation took a swipe at Sidney Crosby, among others, for skipping the second rate World Championships, insinuating they lack loyalty to the programs that made them rich and famous. Translation: they're sour they don't have those guys over in Germany to help sell tickets to a nothing event. Criticizing those players for their fatigue and comparing them to miners is ridiculous. Crosby, as one example, went from the Stanley Cup win last year to a camp in Calgary less than two months later, then into the Olympic camp, and into a season with the Penguins. At some point, the gas tank has to be tapped.
The captain of New Zealand's World Cup entry predicts England will win the World Cup for the first time since 1966, for what that is worth, beating either Spain or Brazil in the final. On the other side of the coin, American player Jozy Altidore bumped into David Beckham at an LA Lakers game a couple nights back and told Beckham the U.S. would beat his England side on the opening weekend 3-0. If you're not a fan of the game and looking for a team to cheer for that is a bit of an underdog, take the U.S. They won't annoy you with the diving tactics that certain other countries can't let go of (looking at you, Portugal and Italy), and play with speed from the opening whistle on.
It is a good thing Tiger Woods doesn't have friends like Kansas City Chiefs wideout Dwayne Bowe, who let a rather large secret loose when he talked of how his Chiefs teammates would fly ladies in from around the country on road trips, including sending messages to girls on teammates Facebook accounts and flying those girls in for them.
The "cutting edge of broadcasting". English commentators rule.
Have you ever seen a double alley-oop? You can now.
The Phoenix Suns are not only getting pounded in their Western Conference series, the LA Lakers are doing it playing the Suns up-tempo style. The Lakers were 124-112 winners last night to take a 2-0 series lead.
Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho - whose ego knows no bounds - thinks that winning the Champions League is bigger than the World Cup. Different, perhaps, and I do accept his point that you could argue you're the world's best team given you can get players from everywhere, but no chance is it more prestigious. The World Cup is once every four years and ask anybody at all connected to the game who won the last World Cup and they'll say "Italy" in a heartbeat. Quick, who won the Champions League four years ago? Inter Milan faces Bayern Munich Saturday in Madrid for the Champions League final.
Joel Sherman of the NY Post writes that A-Rod is the no-doubt New York Yankees go-to guy in a big moment if they have a choice, a change from the past to be sure. Not mentioned yesterday, but worth mentioning that the New York Yankees had Nick Swisher up on the steps holding a bad, ready to pinch hit for Derek Jeter in the bottom of the 9th with the game on the line. Has Jeter been pinch hit for in the last decade plus? The Tampa Bay Rays continued their roll last night in pounding the Yanks 10-2 to move four games up in the East.
Tom Verducci at SI.com looks at whether the Washington Nationals, surprisingly competitive this year, are being too careful with Stephen Strasburg. I've got two words to answer that in the "negative": Mark Prior.
What does Al-Qaeda have to do with sports? Well, when they're plotting revenge on Holland and Denmark over their depictions of Allah, and the World Cup is looming, lots as it turns out. Love how one person can do something they deem offensive and it is an all out assault planned on a sporting event, team or country. Very reasonable.
I'll acknowledge the Toronto Blue Jays are beating everybody's expectations - including yours, if you're thinking of lying and telling us different - but remember this: they were 27-16 a year ago today and in first place in the AL East, and we know how that ended up (28 games back, if you didn't). That, and as Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star noted yesterday, the Jays have only played 14 to date against the best of the AL, and are a less than stellar 3-11 in those games.
The International Ice Hockey Federation took a swipe at Sidney Crosby, among others, for skipping the second rate World Championships, insinuating they lack loyalty to the programs that made them rich and famous. Translation: they're sour they don't have those guys over in Germany to help sell tickets to a nothing event. Criticizing those players for their fatigue and comparing them to miners is ridiculous. Crosby, as one example, went from the Stanley Cup win last year to a camp in Calgary less than two months later, then into the Olympic camp, and into a season with the Penguins. At some point, the gas tank has to be tapped.
The captain of New Zealand's World Cup entry predicts England will win the World Cup for the first time since 1966, for what that is worth, beating either Spain or Brazil in the final. On the other side of the coin, American player Jozy Altidore bumped into David Beckham at an LA Lakers game a couple nights back and told Beckham the U.S. would beat his England side on the opening weekend 3-0. If you're not a fan of the game and looking for a team to cheer for that is a bit of an underdog, take the U.S. They won't annoy you with the diving tactics that certain other countries can't let go of (looking at you, Portugal and Italy), and play with speed from the opening whistle on.
It is a good thing Tiger Woods doesn't have friends like Kansas City Chiefs wideout Dwayne Bowe, who let a rather large secret loose when he talked of how his Chiefs teammates would fly ladies in from around the country on road trips, including sending messages to girls on teammates Facebook accounts and flying those girls in for them.
The "cutting edge of broadcasting". English commentators rule.
Have you ever seen a double alley-oop? You can now.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
March of the Penguins in The D
A huge day of World Cup qualifying around the globe but as always, the focal point remains Europe. Some impactful matches: Ukraine at Croatia battle for second in Group 6, and Portugal and Sweden badly need wins to get back in the Group 1 mix...game five of the Stanley Cup finals goes tonight and the momentum seems to have moved towards the Pittsburgh Penguins anytime the pace picks up. But, this one is in Detroit and the home teams have held serve throughout so far, but something tells me the Pens are going to grab the series by the throat tonight, even with Pavel Datsyuk returning for the Wings...Toronto FC host the LA Galaxy who last year scored and conceded goals by the boat load. This year, they've tightened up considerably but are a crazy 1-1-9. Yes, one win, one loss and nine draws. Both teams will be minus some key players as a result of World Cup qualifying - Marvelle Wynne and Amado Guevara for Toronto, Landon Donovan for L.A. - but soldier on they must. Looks like TFC rookie 'keeper Stefan Frei is out with a foot infection...on The Score tonight (Showtime in the U.S.) starting at 9pm, Strike Force present their latest card, with Robbie Lawler facing Jake Shields in the main event. Nick Diaz and Scott Smith should be the fight of the night for my money. See the rest here..Stewart Cink on the PGA Tour tweets while playing. If you can tweet, email or anything resembling that while playing, how much of a sport are you playing, really?...Toronto Legacy as an expansion NHL franchise? Not with that name that makes the Minnesota "Wild" seem like a good idea. I'm sure the NHL would rather deal with that ownership group than Jim Balsillie, given how commissioner Gary Bettman - a former NBA man - operates. After all, the NBA once granted ownership of the Toronto Raptors to John Bitove when there were more suitable options (Dave Perkins)...the Toronto Blue Jays were the first to score on Zach Greinke this year, and now are the first to pound him without mercy. The Jays were 9-3 winners over Kansas City last night at Rogers Centre...the women's French Open final between Dinara Safina and Svetlana Kuznetsova goes this morning. Don't imagine anyone cares much...playing the Florida Marlins today at -128, England -2 -128 over Kazakhstan, Croatia -.5 -1 -103 over Ukraine (LOVE that line) and the New York Mets -1.5 +133 over the Washington Nats...have a great Saturday.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Serious Guacamole
How great is that caricature on the right? If you don't agree, you clearly haven't seen who is lounging on Jessica's couch...Shannon Sharpe says that on Super Bowl Sunday, there are enough avocado's consumed to stack them 18 feet high from endzone to endzone. Who figures this stuff out?...in 2008, there was only one left-handed starting pitcher who gave up fewer home runs, pitched more innings and had a lower rate of walks per 9 innings than the New York Yankees Andy Pettitte. That would be CC Sabathia. Two lefties at Yankee Stadium is going to be a real good thing..the Pittsburgh Steelers faced nine of the top 10 defenses this past season. Translation: they'll get theirs against the Arizona Cardinals who are not a top 10 team defensively...maybe it is just me, but I think I'm looking forward to Georges St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn at UFC 94 tomorrow as much as I am the Super Bowl this weekend. If you get a chance to see UFC Primetime - a three part preview of the fight that goes to each man's camp - check it out on Spike pre-fight today or tomorrow. This is gonna be a war. My money is on GSP, but no result would surprise me...it wasn't looking good for the "under" on 195 play last night at 111 points at the half but thanks to a 29 point half for the Cleveland Cavs and 76 on the half including the Orlando Magic, it was a comfortable under in the end and a 99-88 Magic win...it'll be Roger Federer against Rafael Nadal in the finals of the Australian Open. Great weekend for sports, to state the obvious...I get that TSN paid some big bucks to cover the Olympics, but that watermark they're using on screen is a touch oversized, no? Then again, it is more subtle than the four billion ads they ran over the last year plus telling everyone they had the Grey Cup...how has Joe Torre's upcoming book been received by his former employers? Not good. Best line on the subject: "David Wells will be named the team nutritionist before Torre is invited back to the Bronx." Hope it was worth it, Torre. No more number retirement, no Old Timers Day, nada. Asked what he'd do if he saw Torre now, Wells said he'd "knock him out"...Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer Michael Irvin told Jim Rome that not only will Anquoin Boldin have a greater impact on the Super Bowl than Larry Fitzgerald, he's also a better receiver overall...as you may have seen from GBVH yesterday, Mickey Rourke will not be taking on Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania after all. I'd expect Vince McMahon to kill Rourke for backing out over the coming weeks, but the publicity will be well worth it for the WWE...the United States is putting in bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup's. Bet on them getting one of the two. The beauty of the World Cup is that you don't even need to say what sport it is. Really, it is the only true World Cup...back with the Friday night PTP later. Have a great day.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Saturday, October 25th, 2008 - Joe Pa Going Down In C-Bus Tonight
As lame as the "This One Counts!" aspect of the baseball All Star Game is, here's an interesting fact. The winning pitcher of this year's game was Tampa Bay Ray Scott Kazmir, the loser was Philadelphia Philly Brad Lidge. In game 1 of the World Series, Kazmir was the loser, and Lidge chalked up the save. One difference: Ryan Howard was in the All Star Game. He's missing and presumed dead this playoff year...want a free wager winner tonight? Bet Ohio State at +2 at home against Penn State. Yes, I know Penn State is scoring 45 a game, but they're not going into the Shoe and winning. Tune in to ABC at 8, enjoy Terrelle Pryor going wild. Bet with Pinnacle...Curt Schilling took to his blog again to hammer Manny Ramirez. Shortly after, he pulled down the more offensive comments but like Two Girls & One Cup, once it is out on the internet, it lives forever. Check out the hard hitting stuff here from He Who Is An Authority On Everything...big day in Toronto today. The annual Rock, Paper, Scissors World Championship is on. As always, I'm pulling for rock...last year, the Cleveland Browns averaged 25.1 points per game. Going into tomorrow's game, they're at 15.3...Australia, China, England, Russia and the United States are among the bidders for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup's...Isaiah Thomas overdosed on sleeping pills? Somewhere, Kim Etheridge is trying to calculate how many reasons Zeke has to live...Toronto FC closes off the regular season with a trip to San Jose tonight. A win or loss only hurts their draft position - they have their own pick plus San Jose's first rounders - so here's hoping for a draw...UFC 90 goes tonight and Canadian Patrick "The Predator" Cote gets served to the incredible Anderson "The Spider" Silva. Cote is a 5-1 underdog in this one, and will do well to last two rounds...have a great Saturday.
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