Prime Time Picks - February

• Feb. 28 - Liverpool -110 (14-14, +$117) (28-30-1, -$154) - L
• Feb. 27 - NY Knicks -2.5 -110 (14-13, +$217) (28-29-1, -$54) - L
• Feb. 26 - Louisiana Tech -2.5 -105 (14-12, +$337) (28-28-1, +$56) - W
• Feb. 25 - Boston Celtics/LA Clippers U 199.5 -107 (13-12, +$237) (27-28-1, -$44) - W
• Feb. 24 - Phoenix Suns -7 -105 (12-12, +$137) (26-28-1, -$144) - W
• Feb. 23 - NJ Nets U 192.5 -105 (11-12, +$37) (25-18-1, -$244) - L
• Feb. 22 - Liverpool -1 +109 (11-11, +$142) (25-27-1, -$139) - L
• Feb. 21 - Vancouver Canucks -1.5 +178 (11-10, +$242) (25-26-1, -$39) - L
• Feb. 20 - Phoenix Suns/Oklahoma City U 231 -108 (11-9, +$351) (25-25-1, +$69) - L
• Feb. 19 - Columbus Blue Jackets -0.5 +139 (11-8, +$459) (25-24-1, +$177) - L
• Feb. 18 - Manchester United -1.5 -121 (11-7, +$559) (25-23-1, +$277) - W
• Feb. 17 - Orlando Magic -8.5 -105 (10-7, +$459) (24-23-1, +$177) - L
• Feb. 16 - Ottawa Sens/Colorado Avs O 5.5 -120 (10-6, +$579) (24-22-1, +$297) - L
• Feb. 15 - Anaheim Ducks -1.5 +139 (10-5, +$679) (24-21-1 +$397) - L
• Feb. 14 - Pittsburgh Penguins -0.5 +118 (10-4, +$779) (24-20-1, +$497) - L
• Feb. 13 - Montreal Canadiens -1.5 +275 (10-3, +$879) (24-19-1, +$597) - W
• Feb. 12 - Vancouver Canucks -0.5 +117 (9-3, +604) (23-19-1, +$322) - W
• Feb. 11 - Denver/Orlando U 209.5 +102 (8-3, +$487) (22-19-1, +$215) - W
• Feb. 10 - Cleveland Cavs -6.5 -105 (7-3, +$385) (21-19-1, +$113) - L
• Feb. 9 - Houston/Milwaukee O 195 -105 (7-2, +$490) (21-18-1, +$218) - W
• Feb. 8 - Man United -0.5 -155 (6-2, +$390) (20-18-1, +$118) - W
• Feb. 7 - Aston Villa Pk -119 (5-2, +$290) (19-18-1, +$18) - W
• Feb. 6 - Portland/OKC U 199 -107 (4-2, +$190) (18-18-1, -$82) - W
• Feb. 5 - LA Lakers +7 -109 (3-2, +$90) (17-18-1, -$182) - W
• Feb. 4 - Orlando Magic -13 -105 (2-2, -$10) (16-18-1, -$282) - W
• Feb. 3 - Boston Celtics/Philly 76ers U 191.5 +100 (1-2, -$105) (15-18-1, -$382) - L
• Feb. 2 - Dallas Mavs/Orlando Magic U 208 (1-1, -$5) (15-17-1, -$282) - W
• Feb. 1 - Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 -105 (0-1, $-105) (14-17-1, -$382) - L

Sour Grapes

Washington Nationals GM Jim Bowden resigned over the signing bonus skimming arrangement that saw some in the club take huge chunks of bonuses paid to signees from the Dominican Republic. With the U.S. government investigating, that might be the least of his problems. For his part, Bowden made the Cincinnati Reds worse in his days there, and took over a .500 team their first year after moving from Montreal and turned them into a joke...speaking of the Expos, did not know that among the banners hung from the rafters at the Bell Centre is one saluting the Expos time in Montreal and a few of their players...it may be just over the Ontario border but Quebec is a far better place for a sporting event. As I walked up to grab a beer, I noted no sign for a limit. So I asked how many I could get and the answer was "you're the boss, as many as you want." You could also still get beer in the third period. Amazing...I'm contemplating taking up a collection to close the mere $1.5 million gap between the LA Dodgers and Manny Ramirez so it can be over and done with. Four months of this talk is too much when neither have better options...SI.com's Don Banks says Ray Lewis is the big loser of the first weekend of NFL free agency, having talked of interest in the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets. Problem is neither have made any moves his way and now the Ravens have him at their mercy. Sounds a lot like Manny Ramirez plight, no?...Manchester United took their second title of the season, adding the Carling Cup to their World Club Championship in January. Still to come: the EPL title, looking a virtual certainty with a soon-to-be 10 point lead assuming they beat Newcastle United Wednesday, plus the FA Cup and Champions League...Don Cherry is anti-Alexander Ovechkin, and Ovechkin gave Cherry the best reply you give an old curmudgeon like that: he treated him as irrelevant. Good for Ovi...the Denver Broncos may move QB Jay Cutler, and Cutler is livid about it and refusing to meet with the team to discuss the matter. So if you're scoring at home, he's sour about the idea of leaving, and making it impossible to stay...the Detroit Red Wings have one fighting major in three months. Yeah, fighting is "part of the game" so they must really be suffering in the standings. Or not. They have eight fights all year, 13 lower than the second lowest team in Washington. Since 2005, they have 50 fights. The Anaheim Ducks have 66 this year...you bet two women you can have sex with both for 12 hours. They bet you can't. You pop a few Viagara to enhance your performance. You make it past 12 hours. Then, you die...back later with your PTP.

RM returns this afternoon...

Carling Cup Final

Another four games go in the English Premier League today in a light schedule overall. No real tricky fixtures for the top teams today. The big match of the day comes with the Carling Cup Final (10am, Setanta Sports) as Manchester United looks to grab the first of up to four trophies this year when they face the schedule challenged Tottenham Hotspur, who are in the midst of a brutal 7 games in 17 days stretch. I think United wins this one comfortably, and they're the PTP of the day on a split line of -0.5 -1 +100...if you're at all like me, you'll never, ever tire of Mike Tyson moments...here's a piece of the Joe Torre/Tom Verducci book on then-Texas Rangers pitcher Rick Helling, who warned the union about the use of steroids back in 1998 and ultimately was ignored. Pretty interesting stuff that says a lot about the mindset at the time, and it isn't a stretch to read between the lines and figure out that the majority were using something at the time, such was the environment...Tony Romo's comfort in Dallas - or as this author puts it, "lack of accountability" - is being aided and abetted by Jerry Jones. Starting to feel more like a Brett Favre thing, and you can imagine how I'm feeling about that given my disdain for Favre...after Friday's "I need another word for 'vagina'" thing, here's a bit on 50 words women really hate...have a great Sunday.

Montreal!

Your faithful blogger is in Montreal today to take in the Canadiens hosting the San Jose Sharks. No rooting interest in this one really, and even pulling for guys I have in my franchise pool like Carey Price, Joe Thornton or Ryan Clowe is against the point with my team out of the running and being in full "operation shutdown" mode to try to finish in the basement to nab John Tavares. Prediction? Heavy intoxication...following up on last week's tennis story, in which an Israeli player was not permitted into the United Arab Emirates because they were Israeli, Andy Roddick pulled out of the men's tourney in protest. Well done, Roddick. No word if Novak Djokovic is pulling out, but that is his thing, after all, so it could be for a variety of reasons...with WrestleMania a little over a month away, how about a look at the 1980's where it all started? Here's the golden age of wrestling...here's a look at the Top 10 Most Embarrassing Sports Records. This list starts strong, and stays that way...MMA-er Gina Carano is in the latest issue of Maxim. How can you be in the fight game, as well as American Gladiators as "Crush", and still look this damn good?...your PTP for today goes this morning in the EPL. Playing Liverpool at -131 today. Yes, a little more juice than we're used to giving but Liverpool must win, but Boro isn't much of a tall task for a team that has to win to retain hope of taking the EPL crown. Good luck, have a great Saturday.

Follow the Leader

Tiger Woods didn't advance in his first tourney in nearly a year. The world will move on...NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell clearly understands the public relations game better than most. With the economic struggles, and a potential labour battle in the offing, he's taken a 20% pay cut. Tough for a union to declare all is well when the man at the top is taking a voluntary chop...hard as it may be to believe, but three CFL teams - Saskatchewan, Winnipeg and Hamilton - are looking to build new stadia along with a potential fourth in Ottawa...Baseball Prospectus has A-Rod playing through the 2019 season and falling short of Barry Bonds home run record of 763 with 730. That said, he's currently on pace to break the record some time in 2013, fitting given his jersey number. ESPN's Peter Keating says he's going to make it...the internet never ceases to amaze me. Take this, for example: a fine place to go when you need another word for "vagina"...AskMen is back with the Top 10 MMA submission moves...former NBA super agent David Falk - Michael Jordan's agent for a time - told Drive This, and was quoted in the New York Times, saying that unless the NBA players union is prepared to give up some serious concessions when the new labour deal goes into place when the current deal expires in 2011, the NBA could be looking at a two or three year period of no games. He says NBA Commissioner David Stern will push for a hard salary cap, shorter contracts, a higher age limit on incoming players, elimination of the mid-level cap exception and an overall reduction in the players' percentage of revenue. Not only that, Falk predicts he'll achieve it. And, Falk said, Stern will probably get what he wants. Of course, if the economy turns around by then - which it should and then some - that could have a way of calming the hardline that Stern will be pushing. Or, this period could just serve to remind them how many holes there are in their current deal...the internet never ceases to amaze me. Somebody took the time to put every swear word in the history of The Sopranos in chronological order in one video. This is mesmerizing...malapropism's are awesome. After A-Rod dropped the "I made my bed, I'm going to have to sit in it," here's a list of others that have come from the sports world...and after getting into a vehicle with the very same cousin he used performance enhancing drugs with, A-Rod has been told by the New York Yankees that said cousin is not welcome around the team. Look, he can hang around anyone he wants, but when he brings a guy whose association with him has brought a cloud over the player and therefore team, that's just not smart...It is amazing he needed to be told that...the Georges St. Pierre/BJ Penn spat over the vaseline allegedly on GSP's back at their fight last month has yet to subside. GSP's camp finally responded publicly and it is a gem, as they said the complaints are "nothing more than Mr. Penn's desperate attempt to protect his reputation and commercial value after being totally dominated by a superior athlete"...12:01am today was the start of NFL free agency. Sounds like run stuff Albert Haynesworth may be going to the place where talent goes to die. Namely, the Washington Redskins. After dumping Derrick Brooks and Warrick Dunn - no country music jokes, please - the Tampa Bay Bucs are over $50 million under the cap...as for the PTP, bet the New York Knicks tonight -2.5 -110 as they host the Philadelphia 76ers...have a great day, back later with your PTP.

Real Stunned

With Steven Gerrard out and Fernando Torres on the bench for the second half due to injury, you'd think that Liverpool wouldn't win at Real Madrid? Win they did, hard as it may be to believe. Also winners were Chelsea against a surprisingly flat Juventus squad, and Bayern Munich who flattened Sporting Lisbon 5-0 on the road. Villareal and Panathanaikos drew...one week until NHL Trade Deadline day. Expect far more discussion than actual activity of consequence. The Ottawa Senators are going to look to move any unrestricted free agents, including Filip Kuba and Chris Neil, and it ought to be an interesting week as Brian Burke looks to move virtually everyone from the Toronto Maple Leafs...it only took two at-bats, the first a walk, for A-Rod to go yard in the New York Yankees first Grapefruit League game. There will be no referencing wins and losses in Spring Training as that is entirely irrelevant...John Tortorella has a rule about not stepping on the team logo for his New York Rangers. Scott Gomez hasn't stepped across the logo on the ice at Madison Square Garden or elsewhere all season...Jerry Jones is musing on a Super Bowl at his new stadium with 125,000 fans in attendance, and talking of how he can get to that number by removing the arm rests in parts of the stadium to get more people in. After all, when you think of paying ridiculous ticket prices for the Super Bowl, why would you assume you've got the luxury of arm rests?...The LA Lakers are 29-2 when Kobe Bryant scores 29 or less, 18-8 when he goes north of that number...Scott Clemenssen carried the New Jersey Devils in goal with Martin Brodeur out, but is now back to the AHL with Brodeur coming back. Life is not always fair, clearly. How is he not dangled at the deadline?...a nice and easy under last night in the Boston Celtics/LA Clippers game. Here's hoping the ship has been righted...have a great Thursday, back with your PTP later today.

3:22pm UPDATE: Going off the beaten path with a limited NBA board, and not happy with how the NHL has gone of late and playing an NCAA hoops pick. Play Louisiana Tech -2.5 tonight. Good luck!

The Cobra Kai open Grapefruit League play today

There's nothing like baseball injuries, as I've often said. Check out the latest in the picture at the right. Nice work, Tatis. Insert your joke in the commentary section as you will...
Manchester United is now unbeaten in a record 20 Champion's League games after their draw at Inter Milan yesterday, a game they thoroughly dominated. Inter manager Jose Mourinho is unbeaten in home games since February 2002, a streak extending across stints with FC Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan. Mourinho didn't stick around to shake hands after the game, but picked up a $600 bottle of wine to share with Man U manager Sir Alex Ferguson after the second leg in a couple weeks..ESPN's Bill Simmons called the New York Yankees the "Cobra Kai" of baseball. That is far more clever than Evil Empire. If you aren't picking up the reference, check this out...the Detroit Pistons were 4-0 when they made the deal for Allen Iverson. Since, they are 23-28, the first time they've gone sub-.500 over a 50 game stretch since 2000-'01. Now, it is hardly all Iverson's doing, but no doubt losing Chauncey Billups has hurt that teams mojo. Bet heavily on Iverson not being re-signed this summer. Wonder if A.I.'s new haircut is to soften his image for free agency?...Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware isn't worried about gag orders: he says Ray Lewis told him his dream is to play for the Cowboys. Jerry Jones best be listening with those pinned back ears of his...Chelsea host Juventus and Liverpool travel to face Real Madrid in today's headline matchups. Really like Real Madrid to knock off Liverpool. Speaking of the 'pool, you can no longer place wagers on whether manager Rafa Benitez will leave through quitting or firing after this season when huge wagers came in on the "he's gone" side that took the odds from 20-1 to even money. Translation: he's gone...was very interesting to see Toronto Raptors coach berating point guard Josee Calderon to pick up the pace and get the ball across centre quicker. Caleron is to flow and speed what snow shoes are to surfing...shame on me for missing that those coach killers the Toronto Maple Leafs cost another opposing coach his job. First it was the Pittsburgh Penguins Michel Terrien a few weeks back, and on Monday, it was the New York Rangers Tom Renney. That's the price of losing to a team almost entirely lacking talent...Toronto FC added a stud defender, and a Canadian no less. Adrian Serioux is going to be a fan fav at BMO Field for sure. He's the guy who famously drilled David Beckham early in his stint at MLS and when Beckham protested, coldly replied "welcome to the MLS". TFC is going to the playoffs this year, I guarantee it...back with your PTP later.

PTP

Your pick tonight is the Phoenix Suns -7 -105. Good luck.

Champions League Dream Matchups

If the New York Rangers were comfortable under coach Tom Renney, that is about to change dramatically now that Renney is out and been replaced by John Tortorella, who ought to be a hit in New York. How has Pat Quinn been overlooked again? Makes no sense, when the Rangers are scoring a league low 2.33 goals a game and Quinn is an offense-first, offense-second coach...spring must be around the corner if Vernon Wells is battling injury again. Jon Heyman at Sports Illustrated notes V-Dub became a lot less durable after signing for $126 million...now comes word that the Jerry Jones issued gag order doesn't just apply to the coaching staff, but also the players. In response, Tony Romo issued a final press release saying "I don't see what the big deal is, I've been gagging since December, and every December."...if you're ever going to "develop a fever", today at about 2pm is a good time, especially if you can have it carry you through tomorrow. The next two days you'll see some of the best Champions League action of the year with such high profile matchups today as Manchester United at Inter Milan and Arsenal at AS Roma. Man U is minus stud defender Nemanja Vidic - best in the world in my book - through suspension. Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho is hilarious - even when he loses, he claims to have been responsible for the other team rising up. His latest claim is his success at Chelsea caused United to step their game up. More and more, he's my fav quote in sports, up there with Charles Barkley. There's nothing he won't say...I haven't a clue what to make of this Randy Johnson tale - whether it is real or fake, but the story and the voice telling it are sure creepy...how do you define "fantasmagoric"? This save by the Dallas Stars Marty Turco, apparently...I've never understood why newspapers print spring training schedules or keep standings, but guess it is baseball, and data is never in short supply. Jacked for games to get started...the Toronto Maple Leafs are a team in the gutter, GM Brian Burke is talking openly about how they'll likely be there for at least another season, and payroll is down. How then do you explain hiking ticket prices 3.5% for next season?...this PTP thing is starting to wear on me again. Seemed so easy earlier in the month. I shall return! And return later today, I shall...have a great Tuesday.

PTP

Sorry for the lateness but still plenty of time to get your play in. Tonight's play is New Jersey Under 192.5 -105. Good luck!
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

Shut it, Sid

Jerry Jones once again is saying the information about Terrell Owens being released is "misinformed". Nice touch dropping a gag order on your coaching staff too, Double J. That'll do wonders for the perception Wade Phillips is merely your puppet...the Toronto Raptors must be wondering how it is possible Shawn Marion grabs 15 boards in a game. For most of them lightweights, that's a good week's worth of games...are the Oscar's done yet? After Saturday's Spirit Awards, even if Mickey Rourke won the Oscar for best actor, my bet is they changed it after seeing this incredible speech. Honestly, if award shows were like this, they'd be worth seeing. Not for young ears!...PGA ticket sales and TV ratings have been down significantly since Tiger Woods went out. Guessing the PGA and the sponsors will be glad to have Eldrick back this week...Marvin Harrison is said to be ready to ask the Indianapolis Colts for his release. This is what is commonly referred to as a "face saving measure" when you're about to be cut...the Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby feud took a great step up yesterday as a chirping Crosby received a nice wave goodbye from Ovechkin in a 5-2 Caps win. The talk continued post-game where Ovechkin, like most of the NHL it seems, cracked Crosby for his constant whining, and Crosby said he didn't like Ovechkin's style. What Alexander The Great failed to mention was that the Pittsburgh Penguins might be the first team to have the top two in scoring players on the defending conference champions to not make the playoffs the year following. That would've been real good. Shut your mouth, Sid...the off-the-record talk in Montreal says there is rampant drug use and prostitute use in the Montreal Canadiens camp, says Gabe Morency at Drive This, a guy with deep ties in Montreal...it is pretty funny that all this talk of how certain Habs - Chris Higgins and Carey Price most notably - are partying a bit much comes around when the team is struggling. One thing for certain: they are partying no more or less than they were than earlier in the year when they were tearing the league up but it becomes an issue when the team is losing and some stop turning a blind eye and look to stir the pot...still minus internet service thanks to those D-Bags at Rogers who are showing their ineptness extends beyond baseball. Fortunately, have access at the office...back later with a crucial PTP...wanna hear what senility sounds like? Check out Don Cherry on Saturday night. Interesting comment at 6:39, too...have a great Monday.

Damn you, Rogers!

Thanks to the fine folks at Rogers who took "I'm moving on March 13th" to mean "disconnect my stuff now", I'm internetless for the time being so a bare bones RandoMango it is today...the NCAA is looking at a rule change in football that would see taunting after a touchdown cost the team that scored that very touchdown. That might be the mose ridiculous rule idea I've ever heard in sport. I want to crack that Florida, Miami and USC would never score again but am more stunned that they're even contemplating it...the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to get good in a hurry. They've got a young stud in Kevin Durant to build around, and in the next two years, have five first round draft picks...as hot as the PTP was, it is cold this week. Almost following the weather patterns. 0-5 going against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Weird...couldn't have scripted it better for the meathead Leafs fans who have gone with the lame "Mats Sundin isn't a leader" garbage or questioning his talent over the years to see the Leafs lose in a shootout with the former captain delivering the death blow on the final shot. Beautiful. More impressive was the ovation Sundin received in the first frame...UFC95 had some fantastic finishes, Nate Marquardt's in particular in which he hit Wilson Gouviea from a half dozen angles in a few seconds. Diego Sanchez was a worthy winner over Joe Stevenson in the main event...the Toronto Raptors? You're dead to me...GBVH made an eye-popping comment last night: Toronto FC is but a month from opening the season at Kansas City. That has to mean it is going to get warmer fast, right?...when an Israeli born player is barred from competing in the United Arab Emirates like was the case this week with Shahar Peer, what is Serena Williams, frequent speaker on racism, doing at the tourney?...finally the Toronto media is asking the question. Says Steve Simmons at the Toronto Sun: "Shawn Marion must appreciate what he doesn't have in Steve Nash every time he looks for a pass and Jose Calderon isn't moving the ball to the open forward. And we wonder: is Calderon the guard to play the up-tempo style Colangelo desires?" No, plainly and truthfully...wonder how smart JP Ricciardi feels now inking Vernon Wells to his contract when producers of equal value like Adam Dunn or Bobby Abreu are pulling in fractions of his salary? Looked good at the time though, no?...with an inspired return yesterday, Alexei Kovalev got back in the good graces of Habs faithful, if not his coach and GM. He also became unofficially the first player to say he had a "hankering" to play...quick, get down on Liverpool -1 +109 for your PTP...have a great Sunday.

Craptors

Honestly, I've seen some horrible teams in my 35 years on this mortal coil, but I'd be hard pressed to say I've seen a bigger group of underachieving softies than the Toronto Raptors, who laid down at Madison Square Garden in a not-even-this-close 127-97 loss. Sam Mitchell is luckier than the person who will win the $48 million 6/49 draw tonight - hopefully me! - for being rid of these prideless pieces of trash. Trade them all, move the franchise - I don't care anymore...tough week for the Montreal Canadiens. First l'afaire Kovalev, and now comes word that the Kostitsyn brothers and Roman Hamrlik are tied up with a mobster. Bob Gainey is getting more morose by the minute...worse still is being a client of Scott Boras this week. If it isn't A-Rod and that whole circus, it is Manny Ramirez not being signed, or Xavier Nady and Johnny Damon having their assets frozen after some fraudulent investor robbed clients of money...Chelsea v. Aston Villa is the focal point of today's EPL schedule. Villa has been on fire most of the year, but have a feeling Chelsea will turn things around playing both Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba up front. I'm betting the Blues this morning...second baseman Orlando Hudson signed for a year and $3.4 million with the LA Dodgers. That, friends, is one hell of a bargain for a plus glove and bat...hope Carrie Underwood and Hillary Duff are friends now that Mike Comrie, dating Duff, joins Fisher, dating Underwood, on the Ottawa Sens after a trade yesterday...Canada hosts the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic in two weeks time at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. Pretty serious lack of buzz, no?...when someone asks you today how you're doing, just say "gruntled." Seriously, why isn't that an appropriate answer?...Mats Sundin returns to Toronto tonight for the first time. There is only one appropriate response, Leafs fans: cheers. Non-stop cheers. For him at least, the home team should be skewered. In honour of the man, here are Sundin's Top 13 moments...don't forget UFC95 is live on SportsNet at 3pm...have a great Saturday.

NBA deadline - so uneventful...

Tracy McGrady will need at least another year before he sees the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time in his career - he's 0-12 - now that he's going under the knife for micro fracture surgery on his knee...Wade Phillips is still the Dallas Cowboys coach. Therefore, I'm sour...the Quebec commission that threatened to prevent UFC97 from going off in April is now relenting, and the show will go on in Montreal...UFC95 goes tomorrow from London, England and is available free on SportsNet (3pm Eastern live and 9pm tape delay). In your main event, Diego Sanchez - and how is his nickname not "Dirty"? - faces Joe "Daddy" Stevenson. Sanchez fights are always super entertaining, and this should be no different...MLB commissioner Bud Selig made more last year than the CEO's of Apple, Pepsi and Nike. Not bad for a former used car salesman...saw an ad on Fox with Summer Glau and Eliza Dushku for their shows tonight, Terminator and Dollhouse. Who's hotter? I'm leaning towards Glau, mostly because Summer's my season. That, and Dushku is a Red Sox fan...there's something to be said for MLBTraderumours.com's approach to never mentioning drug use stories, ever...not surprisingly, LA Galaxy fans are not too pleased the David Beckham is so openly trying to move to AC Milan. If they said they were surprised, that would be the real shocker...from the Department of Weird, old wrestling legend Verne Gagne - now 82 and in a living assisted community with Alzheimers - killed his 97-year old roomate. No, he didn't hit him with "the sleeper"...for those wondering why Toronto Raptors Josee Caleron was spared a skewering in this space yesterday after his performance a couple nights ago in one of the worst games you can see out of an alleged starting, $8 million plus point guard, it is a rare occasion where I thought it would just be piling on...Toronto Blue Jays stud pitcher Leroy Halladay says he wants to win, and he wants to stay in Toronto. Somebody might want to point out to Halladay that he can't have both anytime soon in Toronto, and time is wasting on his career...Tiger Woods is returning to the PGA Tour next week. With the media onslaught coming, you'll think it is Barrack Obama and Jesus H. Christ teeing off before next weekend is through...back later with your PTP. Damn you, Leafs! That's 0-3 on the year betting against them slugs...have a great Friday.

If you're a mascot, is a dunk worth it if it costs you an ACL?

The Price is wrong, bitch

See Alexander Ovechkin's 42nd goal last night? Wow. All I can say. Watch it here...Jay Mohr filled in for Jim Rome earlier this week and offered this beauty on former NBAer Jayson Williams wife filing for divorce saying she doesn't feel safe around him - he's the guy who manslaughtered his limo driver years ago - because he urinates in the sink and takes Cialis: "how can you take Cialis and pee in the sink? Things are not going the same way! Maybe you do 'the ski jumper'?" Amazing...sounds more and more like Terrell Owens will be staying with the Dallas Cowboys if Jerry Jones hints are to be believed at face value. Get it? "Jerry Jones" and "face" used in the same sentence. Only at RM do you get this kind of stuff for free...Manchester United put on an absolute clinic yesterday in downing Fulham 3-0, adding to 'keeper Edwin van der Sar's clean sheet total which now has the all-time European mark in site, and adding to the PTP totals with the cover. United now sit five points clear of second place Liverpool in the EPL table with 13 games to go...Toronto Raptors coach Jay Triano get booted with five minutes to go. Surely I'm not the only one who saw that and figured he did it to go write a resignation letter. All kidding aside, the February 9th issue of ESPN The Magazine says "word out of the executive suite says Triano has a great shot at keeping the job" and that he and Bryan Colangelo "have a great connection" and "see the game the same way"...the NBA trade deadline is 3pm today. What, no 12 hour shows on our sports networks?...Al Strachan tells Hardcore Hockey Talk that Alexei Kovalev's issue is a simple one: a single guy enjoying the night life on Crescent Street far too much. Guessing leaving him behind on a road trip then might only increase his partying if he's not wise. But seriously, Strachan says he'll be back on the weekend and a decision will be made in the two weeks leading up to the deadline on whether to move him, knowing right now they're not likely to get value for him...Sir Charles Barkley has - finally - apologized publicly for his DUI earlier this year and returns to the TNT crew tonight. He also publicly thanked Alex Rodriguez and the NBA trade deadline for giving him great cover and keeping this off the front pages of all papers. The latter part isn't true...how to spend $1.3 billion, in under three minutes...folks, ignore the baseball will get a salary cap mental midgets talking. It will not happen and here's a slight clue as to why: league revenues last year were $6.5 billion. Say the players demand 55% of that - a slightly low number relative to what other leagues are doing - teams would need to spend $3.6 billion total to achieve that (rounding up slightly here). That may not seem daunting to you, until you realize the league's teams spent $2.669 billion on salaries last year. There are 30 teams. That averages to $120 million per team. You think that is going to happen? Even assuming that the floor is $80 million, that would give you a ceiling of somewhere around double that. Fine, have it, but expect about a dozen teams to close up shop in short order. That arrangement hurts those at the bottom end FAR more than it hurts the top revenue teams. Look no further than the NHL - you think the Toronto Maple Leafs care about the cap being in place? Hell no. They're more profitable than ever, save for missing playoff dates. But teams like Atlanta, Nashville, Tampa, Florida are DYING because of the salary floor. Great idea, if you want to see a third of the teams disappear. Moreover, a cap in baseball will never happen because not only does the union not want it to - though they should if they could get that 55%, the owners that matter don't want it either...have a great Thursday, back later with your PTP.

Bosh out?

In 2003 when MLB conducted its baseline tests and there needed to be 5% failures for MLB to implement testing, the Chicago White Sox to a man contemplated not taking the test which would be scored as a failed test, but the union talked them out of it. Wonder if any of the 104 failed were just no-shows?...shocked that nobody at yesterday's A-Rod presser that nobody figured "Boli" he used from the Dominican Republic is part of the word "anabolic". Pretty obvious, no? Why have we not seen that anywhere else?...the Boston Celtics traded E.T. to the Sacramento Kings. The NBA trade deadline is tomorrow at 3pm and thus far, the Toronto Raptors have yet to bring in a heart surgeon, but are said to be part of a deal that would see Amare Stoudamire brought in with Chris Bosh shipped out. Interesting, though Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo denies it. The Cleveland Cavs may bring in Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards in a move that would make for one hell of an Eastern Conference playoff race between the Cavs and Boston Celtics...looks like Alexei Kovalev's act is nearing an end in Montreal. Habs GM Bob Gainey has told him to stay home for the Habs two game road trip...2008 NHL first overall draft pick Steven Stamkos busted out with a hat-trick last night, giving him 10 on the year. If the Bolts can get some goaltending, a playoff spot should be theirs...soccer managers are a different breed, and speak with no regard for political correctness. How else do you describe Arsenal's Arsene Wenger calling today's 3pm matchup of Manchester United at Fulham one that United "will certainly win"? Good enough for me. Man U is your PTP today at -1.5 -121...I shouldn't find this t-shirt as funny as I do...as if I didn't hate JJ Redick enough, his three bomb at the end of the game cost me a split on my Orlando/Under wagers last night, sending it over, and of course, the Magic didn't cover the -8.5 in OT...have a great Wednesday.

Eduardo!

It is a shame that in sport, you so often get hammered with stories of drug use, off-field issues and bad personalities but when a great story comes around, it gets the short end of the stick. Not today. Eduardo Da Silva, who on February 23rd of last year nearly had his foot amputated so severely was his ankle and leg broken in a vicious tackle, returned less than a year later to play two games for club - Arsenal - and country - Croatia - in the space of six days. He set up the winner for Croatia over Romania Wednesday, and yesterday returned in incredible form for Arsenal, scoring a pair, as the Gunners hammered Cardiff City 4-0 in FA Cup play. Goosebumps... now back to the usual, Florida Marlins star shortstop Hanley Ramirez added 25 pounds of muscle this off-season. That is normal, after all...A-Rod's circus of a presser goes this afternoon and his Yankees teammates are expected to back him fully, and literally. Go figure that it might have taken the performance enhancing drug usage of years back to have his teammates finally embrace him. Again, if he's wise, more detail is preferable to less...if Brett Favre is still holding out hope of playing for Minnesota to get over on the Green Bay Packers, he can forget it: the Vikes aren't interested...Roy Halladay could be dealt this season. As hard as it is to imagine the Toronto Blue Jays without their stud chucker, dealing Halladay makes too much sense, no? Memo to Yankees GM Brian Cashman: he's worth Phil Hughes. Plant the seed...Station Casinos is one company that made a list of 15 Companies That Might Not Survive 2009. This might not seem significant on the face of it, aside from it being shocking casinos could lose money, until you realize they're owned by the Fertitta brothers, who own 90% of UFC. Somewhere, Dana White is sweating bullets...one other sign the economy is an issue in sports: the Dallas Cowboys don't have a deal for naming rights to their new billion dollar home, and will likely wait out the economic crisis to get top dollar later...have a great Tuesday, back later with your PTP.

3:56PM UPDATE: Playing Orlando -8.5 tonight over Charlotte. Liking the under there as well.

Paging Roger Goodell...

Lose to the Toronto Maple Leafs repeatedly and you're bound to lose your job, which is exactly what happened to Pittsburgh Pens coach Michel Terrien. The Empties Crushed blog weighs in: "This is too bad. I liked Mike. Thought he was one of the better coach the Penguin organization has had in long time. It's a shame the player didn't step up for him and win more game." If you've read that closely, you're probably on the floor howling like I was. Well done, GS...NBA all-star over under? 264. Total? 265. Incredible. Lost by a single point. The Anaheim Ducks, on the other hand, were not so accommodating in losing 6-2 and giving PTP its second straight loss. Fortunately, had a big enough wager on Man United to offset the other two. Back in the saddle later today, and can't wait for the return of the NBA tomorrow. Also, if you can find a line on when YF wagers next, take the under, no matter what it is...the Shaq/Kobe sharing of the MVP was vomit inducing enough, their interviews together after even worse...David Beckham says his future is out of his hands. Welcome to professional sports, Beck's. His AC Milan lost an electric 2-1 game to Inter Milan...you know how sometimes you just see a guy's act and you get that feeling "this will end badly"? That's the feeling I had when I saw the grilled up Buffalo Bill Marshawn Lynch a couple years ago. Then in the last off-season, he drops a hit and run on somebody. This past weekend, he mixed in a fellony gun possession charge. Memo to Marshawn: Roger Goodell, on line one...San Diego Padres reliever Heath Bell is coming into camp more fit than years prior, 25 pounds lighter. He'll need to be at the top of his game for a very poor Padres rotation. How did he get fit, you wonder? Was it the Pudge Rodriguez "*wink* no more burgers *wink*" diet? No. Wii Fit, of course...have a great Monday.

The only part of the NBA All-Star game worth watching...

Scudeto Smackdown!

If, as it sounds, the performance enhancing drugs issue ends up bringing "The Rings" - Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Jorge Posada - to stand next to A-Rod at the opening press conference that might rival media day at the Super Bowl, that can only be a good thing for him and the Yankees. Sidebar: I got in at 5-1 on the Yankees to win the World Series this year. Incredibly short odds in a brutal division with Boston and Tampa Bay, but better than the 3-1 you used to get in the hey-day...if you're in the top 50 in men's tennis, you're required to specify one hour per day that you are available - and where you'll be - for drug testing. That's ridiculous. If I were under such a regime, I'd offer up 4am-5am daily...AC Milan and Inter Milan will lock horns in a match that could all but clinch the Italian Serie A championship for Inter. Expect fireworks, literal in the stands, figurative on the field. Go AC!...the Olympics are a year away, and the fine folks at SI.com are getting ready for the hockey tourney by looking at the potential U.S. and Canadian national teams. No doubt more to follow...by tomorrow, all Spring Training camps will be open in MLB. Here's a solid overview from Jayson Stark on who made moves, who didn't, and other things to look for this season...I'm sure you've all seen the "Mighty Putty" infomercial by now. Here's an alternate version...The Onion Sports Network delivers this obituary for A-Rod. Funny stuff...baseball's 40-40 club: Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez and Alfonso Soriano. One of these is not like the others, so far at least...in the Pop Culture Grid in the February 16th issue of Sports Illustrated, former Toronto Raptor and now Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva answered "Toronto" to "______ is completely underrated." Make of this what you will...looked so good at 2-0 after the first frame for the Pittsburgh Pens PTP, but somehow, the Toronto Maple Leafs pounded them - again - and it was a 6-2 Leafs win. Today, playing the Anaheim Ducks at home at -1.5 +139 against the terrible Atlanta Thrashers. If you're looking for other options, liking the under in the NBA All-Star game at 263, and Manchester United over Derby in FA Cup play, despite the -1 -1.5 -106 split line. Man U doesn't concede goals to anybody of late, though of course, I do fear the Kuszcak-in-goal (or Foster) factor in non-EPL games. Tough..have a great Sunday. May the winners be ours!