Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 - Show Me Your Lightning Bolt!

Nice showing last night, Brett Favre. How's retirement looking right about now?...back in April, made a wager with the fine folks at Pinnacle on the Blue Jays to win more than 83.5 games this year. The Jays are at 83. Why do I fear "Operation Shutdown"?...it was a week ago, but check this portion of Dave Dameshek ESPN podcast on September 16th around the 7:50 mark. Freaking hilarious stuff...when told that women's tennis players shouldn't be paid as much as the men because they play two of three sets instead of three of five, Billy Jean King responded that that is because women used to play in corsets and playing longer would be dangerous to their health. Okay, BJK, that may be the case, but I don't see anyone saying they're willing to go three of five to get the equal pay...no NFL team - and there are four - from Ohio or Missouri has won a game this year. 0-12...so much for fewer blocking duties helping preserve the health of one Jeremy Shockey, now of the New Orleans Saints. Shockey is now out up to six weeks with a hernia...after three games, Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlesberger has been sacked 12 times, including nine on Sunday against Philadelphia. He'll be getting a place on the sidelines before long at this pace...Bang! Cartoons presents "Patriot Games", an inside look at the world of the Patriots on the heels of Tom Brady's injury. Speaking of Brady's injury, not only did it continue in the long line of the fabled "SI Jinx", the picture also had Brady with his left knee extended towards the camera...good to see the 0-3 Cincinnati Bengals hamming it up in the front row on WWE Monday Night Raw last night...seems "Rocket" Roger Clemens was "heartbroken" at being snubbed by the Yankees in the stadium close Sunday and I can see why. After all, Andy Pettitte did get the start and Jason Giambi was front and centre at first base...if once is notable and two is cause for concern, then a third time has to be a conspiracy. The Denver Broncos are working on #3 after another blown call late helped them out...Memo to JP Ricciardi: trade BJ Ryan to the Mets as soon as possible and pick up one of their pitchers...what a weekend a Yankees sweep of the Jays would set up if the Red Sox lose til Friday: four games. Fenway. A Yankee sweep there and they're somehow in the playoffs, with a severe lack of infield dirt at Yankee Stadium. For the record, not happening...first Boston sports fans had to deal with Manny Ramirez shutdown, now they could be looking down the barrel of a really unhappy Randy Moss...it hit me hard last night when scanning the fish wrap: Toronto FC. DFL. Dead Freaking Last...and this concludes the only publication on sports to come out of Canada today to not mention the start of the inane NHL pre-season. Have a great Tuesday.

Monday, September 22nd 2008 - Last Call at The Stadium

All this talk about who will captain the Leafs is pathetic. And who would want to? It'd be like discussing who should've captained the Titanic while it was taking on water...the Arizona Cardinals are the NFL's longest running team without a playoff appearance at 9 years. Buffalo Bills sit second at 8...missing in yesterday's pre-game ceremony at Yankee Stadium? Roger Clemens. And nary a word during the broadcast...so much for the CFL's rep as the more offensively minded league: two teams - Toronto and Edmonton - managed four points each in losses this past week...Tony Romo tied the NFL record for most wins in his first 15 starts as QB with 13 after the Cowboys dominated Green Bay and Lambeau Field, their first win there...the Indianapolis Colts are now 0-2 at their new home and looking like they've aged...when it starts to fall apart, it really falls apart: the New England Patriots, demolished at home to the lowly Miami Dolphins...the U.S. finally won the Ryder Cup again after a decade in the wilderness. Less surprising? That Sergio Garcia took a giant beating on a Sunday...stop me if you've heard this one before - Philadelphia Eagles Brian Westbrook and Donovan F. McNabb with injury concerns...sounds to me like the Brady Quinn era is about to begin in Cleveland. The way Derek Anderson is going, it is for the best...as storied as Yankee Stadium is, hard not to look at the pics of the new stadium coming along and not be in awe. Best part? No corporate name attached, as you can see at the top of the wall behind left field. Derek Jeter's closing speech was off the cuff, and awesome...4-3 in Prime Time Picks (+103). Tonight, the New York Jets are 8 point dogs at San Diego. The Bolts have lost two last second games to good teams, and have some injury concerns around LaDanian Tomlinson. As much as my dislike for Brett Favre is well documented, I think the Jets have enough to cover that spread, though I think the Bolts win the game. So, the Jets are your play. Get your wagers in at Pinnacle...have a great Monday.

Will Ferrell answers fan mail...

See more Will Ferrell videos at Funny or Die

Sunday, September 21st, 2008

Manchester United travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea this morning at 9am (The Score). This game almost borders on must win - or at least, can't lose - for United. Tough sledding though. Am thinking draw...I believe Chelsea manager Luis Scolari once chose John Terry as the FIFA Player of the Year about as much as I believe in the Easter Bunny...Western was a 61.5 point favorite against York, with the over/under at 68. Final score? 71-0 Western...the U.S. leads the Ryder Cup entering the final day of play 9-7. A bit of a surprise given the lack of Eldrick Woods...try this again. Megan Fox pics. Good stuff...entering the week at 3-3 on Prime Time Picks (+$3). Going back to the well tonight and taking the Cowboys at -3 as they travel to Lambeau to face Green Bay. I am dreading how much Brett Favre love we are going to hear from John Madden lamenting the departure of his man crush. Also today, like Jacksonville (+4.5) and Washington (-3). Get your wagers in at Pinnacle...if there is a soccer god, Tyrone Marshall will never put on Toronto FC colours again. He looked like a total hack in costing TFC two goals in a 2-0 loss that all but closes the door on the playoffs. You suck, Tyrone...Charlie Weis, head coach of Notre Dame, contends that the laptop in the coaching area - illegal by NCAA rules - wasn't there for any purpose. Right, and his previous employer just happened to catch opposing teams signals on hidden camera...the 20 best ESPN GameDay signs...Oasis main man Noel Gallagher has never been one to shy away from stating his opinion, and stating he wouldn't write a song for Amy Winhouse because he figures she'd be dead before he finished is top drawer stuff...I'm still laughing over episode two of Entourage, freaking amazing show...last home game at Yankee Stadium goes tonight. If all goes well, Andy Pettitte gets the win, Mariano Rivera the save, Derek Jeter goes 3 for 4, and A-Rod goes yard...have a great Sunday.

Saturday, September 20th, 2008 - Hefty not wimpy, or garbage

Hefty Mickelson, of all people, led the way for the U.S. in day one of the Ryder Cup. If he's leading, then the losing streak must be coming to an end...Houston Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt has had all of one player - Johnny Damon - try to steal on him all year. Damon was busted...from the Department of Lame: Pearl Jam's Eddie Veddar has written a song for the playoff-bound Chicago Cubs...staff on MLB teams are now being drug tested. Umm, why?...a split schedule in the English Premier League today, with half the games going today, half tomorrow, including the big one with Manchester United facing Chelsea. Liking Fulham to continue their solid start, and Arsenal will blow out Bolton...is there anything that doesn't make it to YouTube? Here's baseball Hall of Famer George Brett, talking about soiling himself in spring training this year, and that he manages that feat twice a year. Awesome....Toronto FC are at Kansas City tonight to face my fav frosted tipped goalkeeper, Kevin Hartman. TFC must win tonight to make a playoff run and while I've repeatedly pronounced them dead in the water, they remain mathematically alive. A win, which they'll get, helps that. Kickoff is 8pm on SportsNet...Megan Fox pics. Why not?...JP Ricciardi's 2009 season is off to a roaring start. Now he's got Shawn Marcum's looming Tommy John surgery to pin an excuse on...why is Emmitt Smith continually destroying all my great memories of him? As a sportscaster, he's looking like he might make Don Cherry seem cogent...if you thought baseball players had the market cornered on ridiculous injuries, St. Louis Blues defenceman Erik Johnson might change your mind. He hurt his knee at a team golf outing. By getting his foot stuck between the gas and brake on the golf cart...have a great Saturday.

Friday, September 19th, 2008 - Boys Will Be Boys

In a new book that looks at the Dallas Cowboys of the 90's entitled Boys Will be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty, author Jeff Pearlman dishes the dirt on a variety of topics, none more disturbing than Charles Haley. Not sure which is scarier: (1) that Haley liked to rub one out in team meatings; (2) once responded to a coach telling him to sit on a chair properly by leaving the room, wiping his rear with toilet paper and coming back and throwing it at the coach or (3) called on a teammate to turn around only to have his erect crank sitting on the desk in a meeting. Of course, this can only mean one thing: I ordered the book at amazon.ca...Kobe Bryant told Jim Rome that winning the Olympic gold is bigger and better than winning the NBA Championship. Good for him...missed in yesterday's technical issue: another record in this Yankee season gone wrong. A-Rod has hit 35 or more homers in 12 years now, tying a record by some guy named "Babe". Also impressive is that Ichiro has had 200+ hits 8 years in a row now...the CFL lost a legend yesterday, as Ron Lancaster passed away after a battle with cancer...Curt Schilling teed off on Manny Ramirez, calling his behavior while with Boston disrespectful to teammates and manager Tito Francona. You know what else is disrespectful, Schilling? Speaking for other people when they haven't asked you to. You're done. Walk away, and write your book. I think he's rapidly ascending to my list of Athletes I Hate which, in no order, includes Brett Favre, Vince Carter, and Deco...not sure what the cowbells are about in the stands at the Trop in Tampa, but can see that trend getting real annoying to visiting players...figure this. In the first two weeks of this season, with both games played in great weather, the New York Jets have run the ball 49.5% of the time. So with Favre, they're 50-50 run-pass, essentially, and with Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens over a full season last year, they were 56-44 pass...only two teams in the salary cap era have made the NFL playoffs after 0-3 starts, so a big weekend for the likes of San Diego, Jacksonville and Minnesota, who were all highly hyped coming in. 8 teams made it last year after starting 1-1...the 2009 baseball schedule is out and if the World Series goes to seven games, it'll be played November 5th. Not a good idea...Julian de Guzman as Toronto FC's designated player under the "David Beckham" Rule? Me likes!...another Ryder Cup gets off today and as usual, the U.S. should be out of it by about noon...and hey, whatever happened to Ted Arcidi?...have a great Friday.

Thursday, September 18th, 2008 -

Manchester United's title sponsor - insurance giant AIG - is now being run by the U.S. government who bailed them out with a mere $85 billion. Wonder if they put the U.S. flag on the jersey now? This comes hot on the heels of an English travel company - XL - going under. Last weekend, West Ham United had to get a seamstress to sew patches over the sponsorship because they have ZERO jersey's without the sponsor name on it. How does The Score still have Zoom Airlines Football Fantasy? It is a rapidly changing world in these economically turbulent times...the Detroit Lions have trailed 21-0 in both games this year. It wouldn't shock anyone if it went to three..answering the question of "does a fool ever learn?", as Reggie Bush ran a punt back 55 yards to put New Orleans up 24-15 over Washington at the end of the third quarter, he pointed at Redskins defenders and taunted them. Reggie clearly didn't you learn from taunting the Bears during the 2006 NFC Championship Game, where the Saints promptly collapsed. Of course, following Sunday's taunt, the Saints promptly collapsed, and the Skins came back to win 29-24...why am I still talking about last week's NFL action? Because the machine never stops. Always something to talk about there...looking for a jersey of your fav player? Have a friend that can get you a jersey - all legit, fully stitched numbers and lettering - for $75-80. May cost you a few bucks more if you don't live in this end of the 519 to ship it. Let me know if you're interested. Most players of any reputation are available. He's also got access to soccer and hockey jersey's too...have a great Thursday.

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008

Derek Jeter set the all-time hits record at Yankee Stadium, passing Lou Gehrig in the final week of The Stadium...in a bit of surprising news, Wayne Gretzky will not be returning to his familiar role as Executive Director of Canada's 2010 Olympic entry. Could he be in line for the coaching role?...SI.com's Jon Heyman says that CC Sabathia might have his heart set on moving back to California, and specifically says he might not be interested in taking the bundle of cash the Yankees are ear-marking for him...more Champions League action today at 2:45. Cristiano Ronaldo is back for Manchester United in a return that should settle Man United's choppy start...as of August 18th, the top two selling NFL jerseys were Brett Favre's Jets jersey and Brett Favre's Packers jersey. People are strange...as predicted back in July, the Tampa Bay Rays schedule would catch up to them in September. Here's another thought: they won't win the division, and will make a quick exit as they'd be facing Anaheim as the Wild Card...Steven Gerrard scored maybe the finest goal of the year as Liverpool downed Marseille in Champions League play...just over a week until The Office returns. I'm pumped for that. "That's what she said". All of them...looking at the NFL lines this week, I'm shocked how many over/unders are in the 35-37 range...until the Denver Broncos did it Sunday, the two-point conversion for a win had only been done twice before. It may have worked, but it was about as smart as putting four bullets in a revolver, rolling the barrel and pulling the trigger by your head. 65% of the time, you're dead. Speaking of the Broncos, afte two games, they're on pace to break the points record set by the New England Patriots last year...last weekend in the English Premier League saw every game but one go over the posted totals...if you're at all a fan of the MMA game, then the Ultimate Fighter series that starts again tonight on Spike will have your attention. Always entertaining stuff...USC has not lost to a Big 10 opponent in over a decade now. Things you wish you knew before the game...have a great Wednesday.

Tuesday, September 16th, 2008 - A Whole Lotta "O" in Big D

Maybe it is the benefit of being fresh in the memory, or maybe it is my Cowboy fandom, but have you ever seen a Monday Night Football game as great as last night's 41-37 win for the Cowboys over the Eagles? Crazy, crazy game...Blue Jays pitching coach Brad Arnsberg believes AJ Burnett will stay in Toronto. Unless the Jays are going to extend him another few years at $15 million plus per season, I really can't see it happening...Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back Rashard Mendenhall's nickname is "Heim". Put it in the middle...Champions League action gets under way in earnest today. Kinda crazy how much the top players play. Here's Wayne Rooney's schedule: two Saturday's ago in Barcelona as England faced Andorra. This past Wednesday in Zagreb as England faced Croatia. Sunday for Manchester United on the road as they faced Liverpool, and tomorrow at home to face Spanish side Villareal. That's too many games, plain and simple...NHL camps are on the verge of opening. Wake me when the playoffs start...a soccer game in the Congo saw 13 die when there was suspected witchcraft at play. At least there was a good reason...Washington Redskins Tight End Chris Cooley was working a picture into his blog when he didn't notice that the picture he was taking of his playbook also included his little red skin. Of course, the Deadspins of the world hopped on it before he could take it down. Not a smart play, Cooley...the Milwaukee Brewers GM Doug Melvin went Lou Lamoriello and axed manager Ned Yost but two weeks before the playoffs as the Brewers stumble to the finish...Bloomberg Radio reported that Fred Wilpon and the New York Mets are looking to buy an MLS team. I'm hoping not to play at Citibank Field, new home of the Mets. The MLS has done well going into soccer only buildings, and a 50,000 seat baseball venue is not the way to go...Jake "The Snake" Roberts rehab has paid huge dividends. If by "dividends" you mean "drunker than ever"...have a great Tuesday.

Monday, September 15th, 2008 - Cowboys/Eagles - As Good As It Gets

No, Adidas isn't a sponsor of the Houston Texans - those missing pannels in the lid at right are why their game against Baltimore tonight is off...I've seen some good football games in my time, but yesterday's San Diego/Denver game had it all - huge offence, big plays, controversial calls, and a wild finish. Down one with 30 seconds on the clock after a non-fumble call, Denver went for two instead of taking the single and sending the game to overtime. Heard one suggestion this morning on Fan590 that knowing they should've lost, Denver went for the deuce to give San Diego a chance at the win. No chance that is true. Kneeling the ball instead would've assured the right result if that was the intent...yesterday's Jets loss to New England was vintage Brett Favre. INT's at the worst possible times that went back for points. Poor New Jersey, having to suffer the two guys I hate most in sports in Brett Favre and Wince Carter. That's the price you pay for living next to New York City...when a team's training staff comes out to check on a pitcher's health, it usually draws concern from the fans over the chucker's health. When that pitcher is Carl Pavano, the hometown fans break out the venom and boo. Lots. Pavano walked off in the 6th with an injury...there will be few Monday Night Football matchups as attractive as tonight's Eagles vs. Cowboys clash. Had to laugh at the NFL Countdown crew for chiding Terrell Owens for talking about his time with the Eagles in an interview they staged and asked him about. Here's an idea: if you don't ask him, he won't talk. And since when did any media outlet prefer "no comment" as a response? Here's guessing when they interview Favre every other segment, they don't hold him to such a standard...looks like Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambramo is just fine, as he tossed a no-hitter yesterday...3-2 (+103) on the PrimeTime Picks now thanks to Pittsburgh not kicking a chip shot field goal. Love when that happens. Or not. Tonight, I'm going with an admittedly homer pick and taking the Cowboys -7. As Pacman said, "(Philly) did only play the Rams". That said, Marion Barber's sore ribs give me pause. Place your bets at Pinnacle...if you're a fan of the Detroit Lions or St. Louis Rams, don't worry about making plans for the playoffs. Not happening...have a great Monday.

Sunday, September 14th, 2008

The Oklahoma City Thunder sold out all their season tickets in five days time. This is impressive, til you remember it is Oklahoma City, and it isn't like there are a tonne of entertainment options...Billy Wagner is out for 2009 for the Mets. Wonder if J.P. Ricciardi is thinking what I'm thinking?...Toronto FC couldn't get it done on a wet day at BMO Field. Is it me, or does Carlos Ruiz look really uninterested out there? A 1-1 draw with Columbus all but finishes their playoff hopes...3-1 on the Prime Time Picks today and up +206. Tonight, we've got the Pittsburgh Steelers to cover the 6 points at Cleveland. That's right, I've got the Browns - the only team opening with two straight at home - going down two straight. Get your wagers in a Pinnacle. Really like New Orleans and New England in other action. Yep, roadies all..and why not like the Patriots today? Troy Aikman does...a 35-3 win for USC over Ohio State really firms the Trojans up as the #1 in the NCAA. Maybe the pollsters give Ohio State another chance when Beanie Wells returns, but hard to imagine him being that kind of difference maker. The Buckeyes got crushed...Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy promotion has handed Affliction a lifeline and will be co-promoting four events in 2009 that will include both boxing and MMA fights. Interesting idea...Bugs and Cranks has put together an interesting schedule of events for Derek Jeter, now that October baseball is all but out of the question. The campaigning bit is awesome, and certainly speaks to Jeter's middle of the road, fence riding tendencies...Wayne Gretzky thinks it is just a matter of time before an NHL squad is in Hamilton or Kitchener. If you happened to catch SportsCentre on Friday, a 10-year old boy wearing a Leafs jersey asked a question of Gretzky on what it took to be a successful professional athlete. Gretzky's response? "First of all, you have to lose that jersey." No, I'm not making that up...it is never, ever, a bad time for a compilation of the funniest Mike Tyson moments...have a great Sunday.

Saturday, September 13th, 2008 - Super Saturday of Sports

ESPN.com's Buster Olney figures the Blue Jays will finish with 86-90 wins, and could've been higher had they (1) had a DH produce the first couple months (2) not lost Aaron Hill for four months (3) had a different GM. Okay, I added the third part. Olney also spoke of the the Blue Jays promise for next year, even with A.J. Burnett out...speaking of Burnett, he's now the majors leader in pitches thrown this year. Check this out for an interesting look at the 2007 leaders. You'll note that most have had injuries this year. That doesn't bode well for the traditionally China Doll Burnett. Roy Halladay is also on the Top 10 for this year...Manchester United travels to Liverpool in the marquee matchup in the English Premier League today. Kickoff is 7:45am Eastern and if Wayne Rooney is on like he was Wednesday against Croatia, Liverpool is in for a hurting. Suspect Rooney plays just behind Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov in a dangerous attack...Affliction's second event, set for October, has been called off. Might be something to do with 700 tickets sold out of 19,000. Looking like Dana White's prediction that it'll collapse by Christmas is right on schedule...Toronto FC welcome back a host of players today when they host Columbus Crew at BMO Field. It is the return of yours truly to BMO after nearly three months in the wilderness. Incidentally, the June 14th game I attended was the last game TFC won. I will guarantee they win today...Beanie Wells is out for Ohio State today for the big showdown with USC at the Rose Bowl. Not liking the Buckeyes chances with that difference maker out...Vince Young talked suicide to his therapist? This is not going to end well...Wince Carturd - easily my most hated athlete ever - is said to be ready to ask for a trade. Seriously, does anybody want that guy? I think I'd take a guy who sleeps with teammates wives and holds out of a playoff game before that guy...here's a solid list: The 25 Hottest Female Sportscasters. What, no Kathryn Humphries?...you can call Carlos Delgado a lot of things, but this year's MVP is not one of them. The National League would be better off not awarding the title than giving it to a guy who was clearly tanking it in the first couple months of the year to get his manager turfed...speaking of MVP's, the St. Louis Cardinals Albert Pujols needs to get his elbow cut on, but is hitting .360? That guy is a freak...have a great Saturday.

Friday, September 12th, 2008 - Offside?

Of course, somebody is out there looking to capitalize on Tom Brady's injury. I know the righteous will rail on about how bad it is to make light of an injury, but let's be serious, the shirt at the right is no more offensive than any number of shirts you can buy in any NFL stadium lot on a given Sunday, and this one you could at least wear into the stadium. Bad taste? Sure. But not like Brady died...as redesigned websites go, I think the Toronto Sun sports section looks like garbage. Shame, it remains the best print sports section anywhere...if you believe in karma, the Dallas Cowboys Tony Romo just netted himself some. An old couple was on the road Sunday night with a flat and after dozens of cars drive by, who stops to help? Some guy with a cut chin and a 1-0 record under his belt from that very afternoon. The funniest part? The old man told Romo not to tell him the score as he was going to watch it on tape delay. And here I thought me and my brother GBVH were the only two sickos who went that way...here's what one site called The Most Memorable Athlete Meltdowns. I'm a little suspect of that group as they didn't mention Oliver McCall's nervous breakdown in the boxing ring against Lennox Lewis...Usain Bolt is going to train with Real Madrid. Make of this what you will...with the Cowboys playing the Philly Eagles Monday, of course the Terrell Owens press machine is firing on all cylinders, as Original 81 said Donovan F. McNabb made him a better wideout (true). He also said he made McNabb a better quarterback (also true). He finished with saying that he wasn't at all to blame for the mess in how he left (not true, as much as I love 81)...maybe it is just me, but of all the sports I follow, which includes most things outside of NECKCAR, I find the NBA offseason the least compelling by a wide margin. Whether it is the trades that don't get announced for a month after everybody knows, or the lots of smoke but little fire on the trade front, it is generally dullsville...Mats Sundin, Ottawa Senator? Sure, why not?...what is with football players having their mothers piping off? Two days ago, it was Vince Young's mom. Yesterday, Larry Johnson's. I'm sure McNabb's mom - never one to shy away from a mic - is getting warmed up along with some soup...the new Giants/Jets stadium may sell its naming rights to German company Allianz, who were once tied to the Nazi's. I'm sure a stadium tied to that name for teams from the city with the highest population of Jews outside of Israel will be thrilled...have a great Friday.

Thursday, September 11th, 2008 - Upset Central

What do you figure a ManRam jersey is going for in L.A. these days? How about $300? Wonder if it comes as large as the tent Manny wears onto the field, maybe that explains the cost because of all that fabric...a complete history of JP Ricciardi's trade record over here. Does he have a calling plan to Oakland?...the city of Toronto is a world leader in recycling, at least when it comes to sports. The Maple Leafs started the trend in bringing back Cliff Fletcher. The Blue Jays followed with Cito Gaston. And now the Argonautanygood's brought back Don Matthews. Matthews had left coaching after a serious bout with anxiety. How is coaching the brutal Argos going to help with that?...oddly, Roy Halladay has never won the U.S. Cellular Field, home of the Chicago White Sox...wonder how watching the Anaheim Angels celebrate clinching tasted for perennial playoff guy Derek Jeter?...44 reason why Entourage is a great TV show...Curt Schilling is spouting off again about New Yorkers, blasting them for enjoying Tom Brady's injury. Memo to Schilling: there are a lot more Pats haters than just in New York, where, by the way, Brady lives. Memo to Schilling #2: you're way more hated than Brady ever will be. To borrow a page from Noel Gallagher, I hope you get AIDS and die...remember that big national championship game a couple years back where USC and Texas staged a great game? Look at the busts that have come out of that game in the pros: Matt Leinart, Vince Young, Reggie Bush, Lendale White...managed to catch Lebron James at the Browns/Cowboys game Sunday, again rocking a Yankees hat. What wasn't shown on TV was that he went to the Dallas sideline and had hugs for Pacman Jones and Terrell Owens. If Clevelanders can't see he's already got one foot out the door come 2010, they're not paying attention...Jessica Simpson and Pacman Jones are talking big game for the Cowboys Monday Nighter against Philly. When Pacman was asked about the Eagles Week 1 performance, he responded with a brilliant "they played the Rams, dude"...a day of upsets in World Cup qualifying yesterday, as Finland drew Germany 3-3, Croatia lost to England 4-1, and Portugal lost a last minute heartbreaker to Denmark. England played a simple game yesterday, and punished Croatia when they picked up a harsh red card. Going to be a tough haul to take the group for the red and white, but if history has shown anything, it is that England is fully capable of soiling the bed along the qualifying road...have a great Thursday.

Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 - Big Mac...Comeback?

I thought yesterday's news of a Lance Armstrong comeback was not a great idea. But here's a ridiculous one: Mark McGwire is talking comeback. Seriously...it didn't take long, but A-Rod has as many homers in a Yankee uniform (205) as Derek Jeter, and 16 more than he hit for Seattle. He sits 11th on the Yankees all-time list tied with Jeter and Dave Winfield, that seagull terrorist...another gem of an outing from A.J. Burnett before passing the batton to sweep a double header over the ChiSox, giving the Jays 10 straight (meaningless) wins. A few weeks back, when they played the Yankees and Burnett pitched a gem, I spotted A-Rod at first chatting with Lyle Overpay. The cameras were in tight and I could see A-Rod say "he does? I'd love to have him," as he nodded toward the mound. Me suspects the conversation was very much around Burnett's future club. For the record, I rewound the PVR to confirm that's what it appeared, and that's what it stood as...Tie Domi is hooked up with Kelly Carlson of Nip/Tuck fame? Wow. It ain't his looks, it can't be his bank as his ex-wife is taking a good cut of that, it couldn't be his personality, and after hearing Nick Kypreos get on him in a bathroom in a dive bar in Waterloo a few years back as the Leafs held camp about his little pecker when Domi accused a guy of peaking, it can't be that either. I'm at a loss. By the way, Kypreos last NHL game came that next night when Ryan Vandenbussche caved in his face. That one is always worth a view here...so Vince Young is going a little wacky and has friends, teammates and family concerned to the point they called police to track him down. Wonder-lic if anyone saw him as not the sharpest knife?...Shawne Merriman's gamble on a shredded knee got him through all of one game. He's now done for the year, at least...another day of World Cup qualifying and the marquee matchup for this guy is Croatia hosting England, whom they've fisted repeatedly in recent qualifiers for Euro 2008. Jermaine Dafoe says a draw would be good for England. And wasn't it Michelle Owen who last November said not one Croatian player would be good enough to suit up for England? And where is he for the return bout? Nowhere. Looks good on you, Owen. Croatia takes this one, because, well, they never lose at home and rarely even draw and because they're flat out better than England, who remind me of the U.S. hoops team before the last few years: too reliant on stars and ego driven, not enough parts that mesh together...have a great Wednesday.

Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 - Fed Express

A mere 18 of 22 for 178 yards with no Favre's - err- INT's for Aaron Rodgers against a strong Vikings D. Suspect a few of the meathead Packers fans are eating a whole lot of crow right now. The Packers won 24-19 ...Alex Rodriguez on the Jays current streak: "A lot of people should be happy they're not in the playoff race because they would be the scariest team." Word is some in New York were upset by this quote because the Yankees were trailing the Jays at the time, so he effectively said the Yankees were out too. Well, duh, what would you rather he say? Go Derek Jeter and pretend they're still in it?...a straight set beatdown of Andy Murray netted Roger Federer his 13th Grand Slam, and fifth straight U.S. Open...the Mets Billy Wagner went from being out for a couple weeks, to being out all of 2009. With their pen in the state it is in now, they may make the playoffs, but they've got no chance of going the distance...somehow, the LA Dodgers have managed to crawl into first in the NL West, and have a schedule where they won't play a single team the rest of the way within 10 games of .500...Randy Moss thinks the hit on Tom Brady was dirty? Randy Moss is wrong...not sure why he'd bother, but Lance Armstrong is planning on returning to the Tour de France in 2009. Why mess with your legacy and reputation that way? That said, he'll probably win. The guy is a freak...have a great Tuesday.

Monday, September 8th - Prime Time Picks

Who do you believe more in, a somewhat hurting Tarvaris Jackson, or Aaron Rodgers in his first start with all eyes on him to see if he wilts under the pressure? Me, I'm taking the Packers to win this one and cover the -3 points. Mostly because the world is convinced Rodgers will crack and the Vikes are being hyped as a contender.

In the late one, as much as I think the Oakland Raiders will be an improved team this year, they won't have enough this early to beat the Denver Broncos, who will cover the -3. I'm thinking Broncos by a TD.

Bet wisely, bet at Pinnacle.

Record - 1-1 ($0)

Oh, and Tom Brady? Done for the year.

Monday, September 8th, 2008 - Down Goes Brady

A little late today thanks to a wonky computer at work that is still off, so no boldface unless it goes through the email as such. What better place to have computer issues than at the office on a Monday morning?...who else could I have taken in my fantasy pool but Tom Brady, who word is tore an ACL and is out for the year…pretty much everything you read listed New England, Indy, Jacksonville and San Diego as the cream of the crop in the AFC. Of those, one franchise QB out for the year, and the other three lost to open including two at home. Welcome to the NFL in 2008…I would say that U.S. Open runner-up Jelena Jokovic has a head like a foot, but feet might be insulted by that…the men's final goes today and a funny thing happened along the way. Seems #1 Rafael Nadal and #3 Novak Djokovic were derailed, and "has been" Roger Federer will take on Andy Murray (the hockey coach?) at 5pm today on CBS…the San Diego Chargers might want to check security video to see if Tatum Bell was anywhere near their stadium yesterday when the Carolina Panthers stole a win in the last second…don't want to get too high after one win, but man did the Dallas Cowboys look great on both ends of the ball. I know the Cleveland Browns will never be mistaken for the 1986 Bears D, but the Cowboys moved the ball at will all day. Next up is a very intriguing Monday Night dance with the Philadelphia Eagles…the last 12 years, at least five teams that didn't make the playoffs the year prior in the NFL made it the next season. I'm going to suggest that the Buffalo Bills will be one of those teams this season. I'm also going to suggest the Detroit Lions will not be…the life of Blue Jay Fan, another September showing when it doesn't matter which will only serve to keep J.P. Ricciardi employed and allow them to sell faint hope for 2009…saw a bit of the great movie Old School and the competition scenes got me thinking. Remember the scene where Will Farrrell (Frank the Tank) is in a debate with the "Ragin' Cajun" James Carville and he suddenly channels something or someone and rattles off a performance you'd never expect to win? That's what I think of Eli Manning. He's channelled his something or someone, and will come back to earth this year…back later with tonight's Prime Time Picks…have a great Monday.

Prime Time Picks

Almost forgot that I've got this whole "prime time" deal going for games this year. Going to play Chicago at +10. Yikes!

Sunday, August 7th, 2008 - Good luck, Chuck

Chuck Lidell lost for the third time in four fights, which should put an end to any notion he's an immediate contender for the heavyweight crown. Rashard Evans took the advice in this space yesterday and brought a gun, in the form of a right to the chin that sent Lidell to the canvas. Not sure about you, but I'm glad Lidell lost - UFC's overt promotion of him at the expense of others who may be more talented was rather annoying...Roger Federer took care of Novak Djokovic in one men's semi-final at the U.S. Open. If the rain holds off today and Rafael Nadal takes care of his end of the bargain, here's hoping they can conjure up something remotely as compelling as the Wimbledon final in June. Personally, I'm hoping Federer wins it to shut up all the doubters who have left him for dead after a great year by anybody but Federer's standards...today is like Christmas day as a child. The real opening of the NFL season. There's nothing like it...the Chicago media is so desperate to make something of "Cowboy" Kyle Orton that they've got a collage of pictures of guys he looks like, including Brad Pitt, George Clooney and my man, Dave Grohl...met Toronto Star scribe Cathal Kelly last night and had a great chat about Toronto FC, and more interestingly, the criticism he takes from the Red Patch Boys. Mr. Kelly is a big fan of "Mango Kid" and "GBV" at the Red Patch Boys website for bringing some sense to the debates over there, particularly around Kelly's articles. Great guy, and knows his stuff, that's a fact...Toronto FC had three players in the lineup yesterday who weren't even on the team until Friday, and had to get special permission from MLS to have them play in a 2-1 loss to Chivas USA. How is that for the integrity of the competition? Plainly, yesterday's game should have been moved when that many players are on international duty. Sure, TV contracts matter, but what about the 20,000 who paid to watch?...the less said about Canada's joke of a men's national soccer team, the better...have a great Sunday.

Saturday, September 6th, 2008 - Soccer Saturday

The ever quotable Ozzie Guillen, manager of the Chicago White Sox, on the Boston Red Sox diminutive Dustin Pedroia: “I never thought I was going to walk a (bleeping) jockey. Walking a guy who just came from being on top of ‘Big Brown’. I can’t believe you can change professions in one year, go from the Kentucky Derby to the Boston Red Sox ball park.”...going by 2007 record, tomorrow's game against the Houston Texans is the easiest non-divison game the Pittsburgh Steelers will play, out of their 10 games outside the AFC North...World Cup qualifying kicks off in Europe today, and Setanta will be covering several games, most on tape delay. I'll be watching tomorrow as Croatia play Borat's men of Kazakhstan...speaking of World Cup qualifiers, Toronto FC is down a mere 9 of 11 starters for today's match with Chivas USA at BMO Field, and MLSE brass are pushing for a change in the rules to prevent teams from getting decimated by national team duty like that. I would file their chances under "none" today. Kickoff for the nail in the playoff coffin is 4pm on CBC...UFC 88 goes tonight, and Rashad Evans better bring a gun, because short of killing Chuck Lidell, just can't see him winning any fight that is remotely close. The UFC has far too much riding on Lidell getting back in the prime slots...add AL home run leader Carlos Quentin to this weeks list of freak baseball injuries. He broke a wrist hitting a bat in the middle of an at-bat. Nice work, Q...it'll be Serena Williams vs. Jelena Janakovic for the women's final at the U.S. Open, and I'm using "women" loosely here...one final bit of soccer news today. Canada takes on Honduras in Montreal in their own World Cup qualifier. Based on what I saw in Toronto a couple weeks back, I'm not overly optimistic...have a great Saturday.

Friday, September 5th, 2008 - 584

In what was a pretty dull opener, the New York Giants threw a blanket of stifling defence on the allegedly improved Washington Redskins for a 16-7 win. There's going to be a lot of great games in the NFC East this year...speaking of "new", the expression "new and improved" is as moronic as saying that you or someone "could care less". Wrong in every way...could the Jays be one of the suiters willing to pay some big bucks for Manny Ramirez? They desperately need a presence in the middle of the order, he's mashed at Rogers Centre his whole career, he's get that shot to stick it to Boston like he wants, and he's said to be a fan of Toronto. Oh, and he does great at Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, too. Makes a lot of sense, don't it?...believe it or not, the Yankees have won the last six games that Carl Pavano started. Three in 2008, two in 2007 and one in 2005. After going out in the fourth on Wednesday, Pavano said "I feel like I cheated my team tonight." Tonight?...Novak Djokovic knocked out Andy Roddick, and then delivered some post match smack that brought boos from the New York crowds. Djokovic is turning into a surly, prickly guy...a great list of 7 happenings in sports that may have been fixed, including the "Michael Jordan was suspended rather than retired" story...it is official, Chad Ocho Cinco jersey's are now available...life in the bullpen can be pretty dull, so a couple Florida Marlins pitchers took it upon themselves to count the "crowd" at their game on Wednesday. Their total? 584. No joke...have a great Friday.

Thursday, September 4th, 2008 - Agbongla-whore

Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has pulled off a feat that even Shawn Kemp or Travis Henry would be envious of. Three ladies. Pregnant. At. The. Same. Time. His reputation in the EPL is of being a poacher in the box, but didn't think that extended to everyday life...trivia in the making: the first use of instant replay in MLB? A-Rod. Of course. A-Rod hit one off the cat-walk at the Trop and 2:15 later (that's minutes), the umps made the ruling and no managers came out to argue. Seems to me baseball got it right with their use of replay. The Yankees swept their two game series with Tampa in a sure case of "too little, too late", though they're giving a nice help to Boston who are now three back...Ottawa 67s coach and junior hockey legend Brian Kilrea will be calling it a career after this coming season, his 42nd behind the bench. I would love to know how many players he's graduated to the NHL...apologies for calling the Abu Dhabi group that now owns Manchester City "billionaiires" yesterday. The truth is they're worth north of a trillion dollars, and looking to have fun with their new playtoy...Canadian national team captain Paul Stalteri's days at Tottenham could be numbered, with Croatian dynamo Vedran Corluka now in the fold and a stud at the same position...and speaking of Croatia and soccer, if Slaven Bilic quits as coach of the Croatian national team to take over West Ham, I suspect I might cry. Methinks that maybe the English press is looking to rock the Croatian boat ahead of next Wednesday's World Cup qualifier with England...Toronto FC has extended recent acquisition Chad Barrett with a four year deal. Barrett is definitely a keeper...baseball players can always be counted on for the most ridiculous injuries. Today, we've got two. Yankee Jason Giambi cutting up his head badly by wandering into a hotel room door, and Angel Jerred Weaver slicing his hand on, of all things, the bench..Brock Lesnar is working his wrestling background to the max, trashing Fedor Emelianenko when his name came up in the Lesnar-Randy Couture presser...and finally today, it is the opening of the NFL season, always a highlite of my sports year. The Washington Redskins are visiting the New York Giants. I'm going to take a run at doing what is typically a suicide mission in gambling circles: betting only the prime-time games, mostly for fun using the sometimes and mostly imaginary $100 wager. The Giants are 4 point favs in this one at Pinnacle. I'm taking the Skins (+4, +101) to cover the spread on the assumption that the public generally overvalues the defending champ going into a year. Bet wisely at Pinny!...enjoy the opener tonight, have a great Thursday.

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 - Lesnar vs. Couture

Not only is Randy Couture back for another UFC fight, but he'll be facing Brock Lesnar on November 15th. This has intrigue written all over it. Dana White says it'll be the biggest fight in UFC history, and he could well be right...here's Jim Leyland's post-game presser after his Detroit Tigers lost on Monday: “I’ll make this easy for you,” he said. “We basically threw a lot of balls when we should have thrown strikes and we threw some strikes when we should have thrown balls. And that’s the end of the conversation. I’ll see you later.” That is awesome...Manchester City signed Robinho, and their new Arabic billionairre owners have their sites on a lot more. They're talking about offering a huge amount of money for cross town star Cristiano Ronaldo among others. Things are about to get real interesting in the EPL with another big hitter in there. Somewhere in Canada, Noel and Liam Gallagher are hitting the bottle hard to celebrate...the Bryan McCabe error, err, era is over in Toronto. McCabe and a 4th rounder move to Florida for Mike Van Ryn. Toronto finished poorly in Mclean's rankings of Canada's smartest cities. Shipping McCabe out has to boost Toronto for next year...one developer says there's "no doubt" that L.A. will have an NFL franchise in 2009. Wonder if anyone in L.A. cares?...Novak Djokovic isn't winning over the fans at the U.S. Open like last year, but why should that ever be the point? He's lined up to face Roger Federer in the semis and Rafael Nadal in the finals if things keep rolling in a tourney loaded with intrigue...have a great Wednesday.

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 - A Flurry of EPL Moves

Figure this one out: J.D. Drew's actual name is David Jonathan Drew...Roy Halladay is one of four visiting pitchers in the history of Yankee Stadium to record four wins in a single year at The Stadium...Carl Pavano went 1,221 days between wins at Yankee Stadium...my alma mater, University of Waterloo, dropped an 18-17 game to the University of Toronto in CIS football action, giving U of T their first win after 49 losses. I'm returning my degree, alumni card, and Bombshelter VIP card...Cliff Lee went the distance again in pitching a shutout for the Cleveland Indians to pick up his 20th win. Sorry Roy Halladay, not much you can do about him this year in the Cy Young race...I wanted Tony Romo badly in my NFL fantasy draft last night, but at the #2 pick, you have to take Tom Brady, right?...Mike Weir soiled the bed to finish second at the Deutsche Bank tourney, shooting a 71 in the final round. Vijay Singh won again...Dimitar Berbatov went to Manchester United, Manchester City swooped in to steal Robinho out from under Chelsea's nose, and Vedran Corluka moved to Tottenham to hook up with compatriot Luka Modric. A flurry of moves at the close of the transfer window yesterday and last night, a bit of a summary which you can read here...and is it me, or does Berbatov look like Gavin Rossdale of "Bush X" fame in that pic?...don't look now, but the Colorado Rockies are only 6 back in the weak NL West...have a great Tuesday.

Monday, September 1st, 2008 - Adult Content

Jim Thome's homer yesterday moved him into a tie with Mickey Mantle. Just don't seem right, does it?...MLB has an interesting case on their hands already thanks to CC Sabathia yesterday. Sabathia missed a ball rolling - on the road - and it was scored a hit, the only hit he gave up on the day. Does MLB call it correctly and give him the no-hitter? Would be a strange thing to do given replay was just put in and not to reverse those kinds of calls. See the play below...the Toronto Sun's great baseball reporter Bob Elliot writes a swan song for Yankee Stadium. Solid read. He forgot one of my favs though: the Yankees and Jays getting into a bench clearing brawl in 1999 and Daryl Strawberry taking on about four Jays himself, and winning. That was my first game at Yankee Stadium...believe it or not, there is an actual line on which NFL team will have the most arrests this year. The Cincinnati Bengals, as you might imagine, are the fav. The Dallas Cowboys check in third, despite being the only team in the NFL to not have anybody arrested in the last year...speaking of arrests, Iowa State has had 22 of its football players arrested since April of 2007. Where are they recruiting? Compton?...Mike Weir has one just one tournament in 10 tries he lead after 54 holes. Easy to wager on a meltdown today...after Chelsea and Liverpool draws yesterday, nobody has a perfect record in the English Premier League. Going to make for a real interesting year when that's the case after three games...a 7:30 start for the Argos and TiCats? Has that ever happened? Must be to make sure no kids are watching with school starting tomorrow. That kind of content shouldn't be seen by the young and impressionable, particularly on a Monday Night, if you know what I mean...have a great Monday.

Sunday, August 31st, 2008 - TFC Gutted

Last night's last gasp loss to Chivas USA all but eliminates TFC from playoff contention. How many points can you throw away in the dying moments and contend?...by the rules of baseball, which state that ""any Playing Field constructed by a professional club after June 1, 1958, shall provide a minimum distance of 325 feet from home base to the nearest fence..."the new Yankee Stadium has an illegal field configuration by maintaining its current setup...Ricky Williams got a one year contract extension from the Miami Dolphins. Looks like he's finally out of debt...Arsenal finally got on track yesterday and Newcastle United suffered the consequences in a 3-0 clinic...the transfer window closes tomorrow so you can expect some last minute wheeling and dealing, particularly from Chelsea who seem tied to everybody...Ohio State anihilated Youngstown State 43-0 to get their NCAA season off to a fine start, but they did lose Heisman candidate Chris "Beanie" Wells to a foot injury...the Mets blew another lead in the 9th. They are making Billy Wagner look like an MVP with their inability to close games in his abscence, and it could well cost them a playoff spot...JP Ricciardi just may fix another of his mistakes in the coming days by trading David Eckstein...word is that the moving vans have already cleaned out Bryan McCabe's Toronto digs, in anticipation of the trade to Florida that will be announced likely Tuesday. Bryan - don't go away feeling you'll be missed...the Vancouver Canucks are but one team charging "premium" pricing for the Leafs visit this year. Is there anything about the Leafs that makes you think "premium" right now?...the Patriots opponents this season had a league low .387 win percentage. They might not go wire to wire without a loss again, but 13-3 seems an easy pick...SI.com's Don Banks has his takes on the NFL season here, and picks a Chargers-Saints Super Bowl...have a great Sunday.

And on this beauty slice of summer day, nothing better than a dip in the pool...and a dunk.