Thursday Night Football is back

The NFL's run of Thursday games starts tonight with the Baltimore Ravens visiting the Atlanta Falcons. Suspect the bookmakers got the line wrong here as the Falcons are -1.5. I'd be surprised if the Ravens lost this one at all.

The New Orleans Hornets are a perfect 7-0 at this early stage of the NBA season. Anybody saw that coming?

I'm sure the Miami Heat blowing a 20-point third quarter lead to the Utah Jazz didn't make anybody smile on Tuesday night. Or not.

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman made a trip to Arkansas yesterday to meet with free agent prize pitcher Cliff Lee. Word is Lee is looking for a CC Sabathia-like deal of seven years and $161 million. That ought to trim the field from the reported seven or eight teams said to be interested. Get 'er done, Cash.

Monday's start of the NCAA season will see the ESPN family of networks broadcast 28 games over 24 hours. And here I thought Canada loved hockey. That's insane.

If you're an MMA fan at all, The Score will be airing the second last WEC card tonight at 9pm Eastern before they're folded into owner UFC's brand. Look for yours truly in the 15th row if you're watching.

A nice development in the pro soccer ranks: fewer and fewer teams are putting the ball out of play when an opponent is down. It was a nice sporting touch in the early days when guys were legitimately hurt in challenges (collisions or tackles for the uninitiated). But as some turned it into strategy to kill the flow of games, it turned into a farce. Good to see teams now leave the decision to halt play for injury in the hands of the officials.

Derek Jeter won the Gold Glove for the American League, which even this Yankee fan will say is comical. Elvis Andrus was far more deserving. As for Robinson Cano and Mark Teixera: no question. Best at their spots hands down.

Have you seen those "Shake Weight" ads? Most ridiculously hilarious thing I've ever seen. Not at all suggestive. Google it if you are wondering.

The NHL is changing its all-star format. It will have elected captains who will then pick the teams. At least the lead-up will be more interesting than the game then. If that eliminates fan voting, then that's a definite improvement.

Derby time in Manchester

Things will get heated in Manchester today with cross-town rivals Man City hosting Man United in English Premier League action.

There are six teams remaining in the CFL Grey Cup hunt. The Argos are the long shot at 16-1, pretty long odds for so few teams remaining. Message being sent by Vegas? Clearly.

Crazy story regarding Auburn QB Cam Newton, Heisman candidate, and talk he was paid $180,000 to go to Auburn. The best part of the story is Florida coach Urban Meyer - he of the 30+ players arrested during his tenure - denying that it was him that floated the story to the media.

Another night of inept offense - read "non-existant" - for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I get that Ron Wilson and Brian Burke point to the first line as being the biggest culprits, but even an average team will shut down Phil Kessel et al when the other three lines pose almost no threat to score at all. Sure the Leafs defense is improved, but last I checked, you can't win if you don't score, and too often, the Leafs generate nothing. The Leafs were beat 4-0 by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Carolina 7 - Edmonton 1. Ouch.

The NBA best hope its TV deals remain strong. Too many games I flipped by last night with gaping sections of empty seats, Milwaukee and New Orleans especially. Speaking of empty seats, imagine there will be a few in Toronto tonight with the 1-6 Raptors hosting the 1-6 Charlotte Bobcats.

Triano uncensored

On a work trip with a whole lot of extra-curriculars in some town in Nevada I've never been to before. Could be trouble! So, not likely to see much linkage, and won't be on daily I'd imagine, but them's the breaks. .

The Toronto Raptors coach Jay Triano gave a pretty fired up response to his team's bad body language after another loss last night, this one to the Golden State Warriors, by a 109-102 score. Triano gave the dump button a healthy workout in defending his players as having poor body language because they care and want to win. Maybe they were upset over the reported 6,000 empty seats?

Hey Jerry Jones, here's a thought: You've ripped through numerous coaches over the years in search of the Super Bowl that has eluded you for a decade and a half. Maybe it is time to look a little higher? You know, get an actual GM? Crazy, I know. The Cowboys are 14 point dogs at the New York Giants in Week 10. Is there anyone that thinks they cover that? I don't. Oh, Jerry finally got around to putting Wade Phillips out of his misery. Jason Garrett, who has found ways to blow loads of offensive talent, takes over as lead man.

Joe Morgan and Jon Miller are off the Sunday Night Baseball crew. Often enjoyed them - other than Miller constantly butchering the pronunciation of Adrian Beltré - but if Dan Shulman gets the promotion, all is good. Love Shulman.

One board in two of four games for Chris Bosh, and his numbers overall are about half of what he produced last year before quitting...errr...getting hurt. Not exactly what you'd expect for $16 million or so.

Talk of Derek Jeter getting three years for up to $60 million from the New York Yankees has me feeling ill. Or maybe it is the $6.50 price of beer on this flight? Anyways, I'd rather see Jeter get $60 million for three years than $60 million for five. The term will hurt the Yanks far more than the cash will.

A full slate of English Premier League and Serie A action over the next couple days.

The Buffalo Bills are favored over Detroit this weekend. Wonder how bad Detroit wants to beat them to keep the Bills in line for a winless season after the Leos pulled the trick a few years back?

If anyone has seen or heard from Chad Ochocinco, please alert the Cincinnati Bengals. He's barely more productive than Chris Henry this season. On the plus side for the Bengals, the Batman to Ochocinco's Robin/Hasbeen, Terrell Owens, is in line to hit all his incentives.

Surprise teams for reasons you'd prefer as a fan of them this NFL season: Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Bucs. Aren't 4th place schedules great?

Did you know the MLS Cup is in Toronto in less than two weeks? The way MLSE is promoting it - which is to say it isn't - you probably didn't. They'll likely draw a Jays/Argos/Raptors sized crowd.

Great sign - at right - from the San Francisco Giants championship parade last week.

The beatings just keep getting worse - and by worse, I mean hilarious - for the Dallas Cowboys.  Since Tony Romo went down three weeks back, the Cowboys have given up 114 points in a little over 10 quarters.  And this from an alleged defensive coach named Wade Phillips.  Jerry Jones may not want to pay a coach for next year if the league goes into a lockout, but surely even he can't take repeated embarrassments for a team that has obviously quit.  What else could it be if you're going to get pounded 45-7 on Sunday Night Football?  Jones is meeting with his "coaching staff" today.

The Arizona Cardinals have 8 TD's scored this year on kick, punt or interception returns. They have 6 scored by conventional means.  Might explain partly why they're investigating a deal for Donovan McNabb.  Guess they don't worry about his "cardio fitness" like the Washington Redskins do.

Tweets @benmaller: Phil Jackson on Raptors w/out Bosh: "We played them once last year and it felt like Bosh wasn't there, like he was in Miami".  For his part, Bosh is trying to find his game and fit in.  Here's hoping much failure for he and his teammates.

RM returns at 6pm.

Big 2 and Ru

Baseball's free agency period is just about to launch (midnight tonight).  Here's a peak at the Top 50 talents available, and where they might land.  If this proves accurate, looks like more than a few new players are heading to Boston.  This piece says the Washington Nationals are lurking as a potential landing spot for Cliff Lee.  I won't pretend to know, but he'd have been lying on his "contender" requirement in that case.

The Miami Heat may have their "Big 3" (quotes very much needed), but I'm trademarking a new name for them: "Big 2 and Ru".  Not exactly a stellar start for CBdOne.

Part of the waffling over whether Randy Moss was being released earlier this week - he was, then wasn't, then was - is supposedly because Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf was considering keeping Moss and booting coach Brad Childress for, among other things, not consulting him or the GM on the move.  Here's a thought: he should have considered punting both.  Why, other than to save the money on Childress and the cost of hiring a new coach, does he keep the job for what has to be a fireable offence?

Guess which former Philadelphia Phillies wideout has weighed in on whether Donovan McNabb deserved to be benched and is a top QB?  Terrell Owens?  Yep.  But he's not alone, nor the worst offender.  Freddie Mitchell - remember him? - piled on too.

Check out the 100 hottest NBA cheerleaders.  The Toronto Raptors placed one in the top 100, at a lowly #88.

Rogers Communications says it has no plans to expand the Bills in Toronto series.  Yeah, there's a shocker.  A batch of games they wildly overpriced and have yet to see a physical sellout isn't something they want to perpetuate?  Don't exactly have to have a degree from the Wharton School of Business to figure that one out.

The Vancouver Whitecaps have launched ticket packages for their first MLS season next year, and they're intent on outdoing Toronto FC for the highest priced soccer ticket in the land.  File under "what are you thinking?"

We may be well into fall and steamrolling towards winter, but never a bad time for a little Summer.  Glau, that is.

LSU...today is gonna hurt.  Yours, Alabama. 

Back to some EPL action, have a great day.

Check out this Boston Celtics fan getting loose the other night.  Incredible.  Thanks to BH for that one.

"What should I do?"

Troy Polamalu got all up in Roger Goodell's hair over the crackdown on hits in the NFL, saying that part of the problem may be that Goodell wields too much power and influence with no checks and balances like a proper government.  Silly Troy, thinking this is a democratic business he's in.

A quick peak at the NHL Albatross players.  Not surprisingly, other than he's just a dozen or so games into his contract, Ilya Kovalchuk leads the way.

Here's a peak at the ten issues facing the New York Yankees this off-season.  #2 is already taken care of.  Speaking of #2, Derek Jeter's people say his value to the team can't be overestimated.  Oh, but it can...and has.  One ring as the vaunted Captain, last I checked.  The always hilarious SportsPickle has a great article saying Jeter is demanding to be paid $1 million per intangible.

Fox Sports Soccer looks at the ultra convoluted playoff system employed by the MLS.  Memo to Don Garber: simple is good.  People get simple, especially if they're just new to your league.

Dallas Cowboy Roy Williams has had himself a nice year.  He's been one of the better Cowboys, for what that is worth.  But saying he thinks the Cowboys can win nine straight is comical.

Rogers announced yesterday that the Buffalo Bills hosting Chicago Bears game this Sunday in Toronto is sold out, even though you can easily get four tickets in the lower and upper bowls.  Word is the fine print of the announcement read "well, compared to a Toronto Blue Jays game the place sure will be packed."

For a few of you I know all too well, top 10 things you didn't know about Jägermeister.

A whole lot of Arianny Celeste pics, not including her Playboy pics from this month, which Hugh Hefner's legal team seems to be working overtime to keep off the 'net and pull off when they do hit.

Didn't take South Park long to lampoon LeBron James "What should I do?" Nike ads, mixing BP into the mix.

Here are the 25 least manly things in sports.  Pretty freaking comprehensive, it must be said.

Weird video from a soccer league in Brazil.  A player - and I can't imagine he's in the top flight given his physique - is getting ready to take a corner kick when a fan jumps out of the stands and, well, see for yourself.

RM returns later this morning/early afternoon.

Capt. Hyman Shocker?

Nothing to do with sports, but what better way to lead off today than with this great pic sent my way by  Bukkake?  Awesome.

Randy Moss is now a Tennessee Titan, his third team in 5 weeks.  They were the only team to put in a waiver claim on him. Good luck this off-season, RM!  Good thing the Pro Football Hall of Fame doesn't do the team affiliation like baseball. Not sure he'd be happy as a Minnesota Viking, and can't imagine any other possibility. What a nutjob.

Speaking of waivers, the Buffalo Bills claimed Shawne Merriman, former San Diego Charger standout. So, now they've got Maybin and Hasbin for linebackers.  What's really surprising about Merriman is he's only 26. 

Jon Heyman at SI.com takes a peak at the MLB off-season, now upon us. Good news for New York Yankee fans if Heyman is right, Cliff Lee will be in pinstripes.

There's some things that you really shouldn't venture into when it comes to trash talk purposes, if only because karma has a ridiculous reach. So when Kevin Garnett cracks on Charlie Villenueva as a cancer patient, that's probably one of those areas. Besides, why go there when CV has so many other areas you can crack him on?  George Karl, Denver Nuggets coach and cancer survivor, wasn't impressed.  An NBA player poll had Garnett as the runaway winner for biggest trash talker at 62% of the vote.

If you're Donovan McNabb, pulled at crunch time on Sunday for the Washington Redskins, and your coach expresses concern that not only you aren't that familiar with the playbook for the two minute drill, but that you're also out of shape, and then he brings in the State of JaMarcus Russell for a workout, bet you're not shopping for real estate.

Interesting piece on Monday from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun on the top two centres for each team in the NHL this year. The Leafs duo of Tyler Bozak and Mikhael Grabovski have all of 8 points so far...combined. That's dead last in the league, and an area Brian Burke needs to shore up badly. 

There are rumblings that Derek Jeter is after six years from the Yankees. Yeah, that'd be a great idea for a guy who already moves like his knees have been dipped in cement before he takes the field.  If I'm Brian Cashman and at the negotiating table, I ask DJ this: "who loses more by you leaving, us...or you?"  No brainer, Jeter does.  He won't get half the money elsewhere, and even less of the adulation.  I'd finish with "here's video of your 2010, and the last decade of plays to your left.  Sign here, here's what you're making for two years." 

While Bobby Clarke was trying to spit out a single thought between periods on TSN, this blog entry was completed entirely. Only slightly exaggerating.

Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports thinks that the majority of people asked would not be in favor of an expanded playoffs in baseball and says three rounds is already too long for the playoffs.  I completely disagree on the latter, the problem is the ridiculous breaks between rounds.  Lose that and you could easily add another round of playoffs.

Toronto FC finalized and confirmed their deal with Jurgen Klinsmann, who has free reign to do as he pleases with the hiring of GM, coach, implementing style of play and so on.  I like it.

I've yet to see a Toronto Raptors game beyond stumbling across it - and even the one a few friends put on at my place was met with indifference and only passing glances - and have to say, my life is better for it.  Word is they got smoked last night. 

This website - Overstream - allows you to take random YouTube video's and throws subtitles on the screen that have nothing to do with what is actually being said, with hilarious effect.  The subject in this one?  Wayne Rooney's almost-departure from Manchester United.

Check out this awesome rant by Florida Atlantic colour guy Dave Lamont.  Wow.

The Wall Street Journal did a study of the FOX NFL pre-game show and determined that 10% of the show is spent with the panel laughing.  The Big Lead has a great vid that shows it isn't just a FOX thing.

The New York Mets hired former Toronto Blue Jays GM JP Ricciardi yesterday.  His task?  To rebuild the Mets scouting department.  Wasn't he the guy that took a blow torch to the Jays scouting department as soon as he took the job?  Only the Mets.

Was it a lack of effort on the field?  Infighting with the coaching staff?  Nope.  What did Randy Moss in with the Minnesota Vikings was his teeing off on a catered meal as being not fit to feed his dog.  As an aside, what will the media have to cover if Moss is done next year, with T.O. and Brett Favre also possibilities?  Sorry, shouldn't have had T.O. in there, he's having a better year than those two, and who would have figured that?

8 shut-out periods before the Toronto Maple Leafs finally found the net last night in a 3-2 loss to Ottawa.  That sound you hear is the sound of reality grinding expectation to a halt after a 4-0 open to the season in Toronto.

NBA Commish David Stern can't be a very busy man these days, what with getting around to banning players from wearing headbands upside down.  What's next, inside out?

Dwayne DeRosario may want to get a new deal out of Toronto FC, but there's nothing happening on that front. 


Yankee Stadium is getting dressed up to host Notre Dame vs. Army on November 20th.  Pictures here.

50 hottest new WAG's for 2010.

Yankees boss Hal Steinbrenner says the team hopes to agree to a new deal with Derek Jeter, but it has to make sense for both sides.  Memo to Hal: your side's definition of making sense does not exceed three years.  Money is irrelevant, do not give him more than three.  Two preferably.

David Beckham is a good dude, have to say, and a decent actor.  Hilarious hidden camera routine he was in on with Ellen DeGeneres.



A beauty of a goal in the OHL a few nights back from Ryan Strome of the Niagara Ice Dogs, courtesy of my boy KD.  One day I hope to try to replicate this effort in a certain PS3 game. Gets better with every replay.

Giants take the World Series

Well that was easy enough, and surprising at that.  The San Francisco Giants rode another strong start - or was it horrible Texas Rangers sticks? - to a 3-1 win last night to take the World Series 4-1.  Hell of a run for the Giants, it must be said.  Ought to be a very interesting off-season, as it always is in MLB, starting with the "award season" and then into free agency, winter meetings...makes the winter go by just a little bit quicker, thankfully.

The Indianapolis Colts exacted some revenge for their Week 1 beating at the hands of the Houston Texans last night with a 30-17 home win.  The Texans look like they can't defend the pass against anybody.

And then, there are the Minnesota Vikings.  Yesterday, the news went from Randy Moss was being put on waivers, to reports it not being true a couple hours later, to finally the official word coming down that he was in fact history.  Four weeks and done for #84 with his first team.  Not exactly the way he or his agent probably hoped a contract year would pan out.  The Vikings are in the running with the Dallas Cowboys for the biggest circus this year, and that is saying something. Not sure which is a bigger disappointment.

Wonder who players think was the best pitcher in the AL this year?  They voted David Price, with CC Sabathia second and King Felix Hernandez third.  I'd bet confidently the Cy Young voting ends in the same order.

If you're a fan of the Toronto Raptors, you may have heard about Chris Bosh treating his time in Toronto as though it didn't really happen, because it wasn't on U.S. television.  Classy.  Love Stan Van Gundy calling Bosh "Dwayne Wade's lap dog".

Weird stat that I've yet to confirm: the winning team of the NFL's game in London the last two games has gone on to win the Super Bowl within two years.  Really.  In 2007, the New York Giants won in London and won the Super Bowl in 2009, 2008 it was New Orleans who of course won this year's Super Bowl.  New England won the game in 2009 and is every bit a possibility for this year.  San Francisco won this year's game, so you've got that, 49er fans.  Overall, including exhibition games, the London winner is 6-1.  Crazy.

One thing the Buffalo Bills may be able to claim coming to Toronto this weekend: they've earned the worst record in the NFL, given that they may claim the worst player in the game in former 2009 first-rounder Aaron Maybin (11th overall).

Four, count 'em...FOUR...vids to close out the day.  

After hearing "penetration" and "inches", what else could ESPN's Chris McKendry do but drop a "Ben Roethlescock"?


In case you missed Tennessee safety Donnie Nickey going WWE and inadvertently punching a ref, here it is again:

Real Sociedad, of Spain's La Liga, are trying to take a run at those whacky Icelanders for best goal celebrating team.  They've got work to do.


Far more entertaining is anything to do with slingshots, particularly when they fail.  While launching a can of beer.  As the old joke goes: how do you know you're about to go to a red neck funeral?  Answer: when you hear "hey y'all, watch this."

Giants on the brink...

After another shutout last night, 4-0, the San Francisco Giants are up 3-1 and ready to pop champagne in Dallas tonight.  They'll have to best Cliff Lee to do it.  However it ends, hopefully it is the last World Series that runs into November.  At least for next year, it would be.  Going into last night, the Rangers had faced left-handed starters 6 times in this post-season: Johnathan Sanchez, CC Sabathia twice, David Price twice and Andy Pettitte. Only Sabathia beat them with  an 11-hitter until Madison Bumgarner threw a gem last night.

2. That's the number of articles in yesterday's Toronto Sun forcing Blue Jays references into World Series headlines.  The Jays belong in a World Series conversation like a pedophile at a school crossing.

The hits just keep on coming for Brett Favre.  Last week, his ankle, yesterday, his chin got busted open for 8-10 stitches - depending who you believe - and he was "woozy".  Before the Vikings 28-18 loss in New England, Jimmy Johnson said Favre is washed up and mentioned how he regreted not benching Dan Marino near the end of his stay in Miami.  Good to see at least somebody calling Favre what he is: finished.  That said, the world really needs Favre to keep on playing.  We already know what happens when he's got some spare time on his hands.  Great pic here, and at right.

Pretty sure yesterday's Washington Redskins visit to Detroit, won 37-25 by the Lions, answered the question "why was Philadelphia so comfortable trading their quarterback to a division rival?"  Donovan McNabb was benched in this one after a series of 3-and-out's.

Trivia time: what NFL team has outscored opponents 92-17 the last two weeks and rolled up 500+ yards of offence?  Believe it or not, the Oakland Raiders.

Toronto FC's season is over, but they're looking like they're about to have their best off-season ever.  They're expected to announce Jurgen Klinsmann as their top man in the organization in the next few days, and have some world class names that have been in discussions about the head coaching job, most notably Roberto Donadoni (former Italian national team coach) and Carlos Quieroz (former #2 at Manchester United, head man at Real Madrid, and Portugal's head coach until last month).  Those are shocking names, frankly.  John Molinaro at the CBC says that TFC's new GM is right under their nose: Earl Cochrane, the interim GM.

Dave Perkins at the Toronto Star is a joke, or cheerleader for the Blue Jays, or both, depending on your perspective.  Smart, he is not.  DP wrote an article yesterday of how the Yankees are aging and have no reliable pitching aside from CC Sabathia.  Didn't Phil Hughes win 18?  He's 24, last I looked.  Oh, and the guy who is a coin-flip in the AL MVP race happens to be Robinson Cano, who just turned 28 last week.

Sign at a San Francisco bar.  At right.

NBA Commissioner David Stern entertained the idea of contracting a team or few to help bring NBA expenses down.  Magic Johnson thinks the idea would only improve the quality of basketball.  I can solve the NBA's expense concerns in one shot: eliminate the WNBA.  Done.  Nobody will even notice.

If you think you're having a bad day, just take a read of this interview with NFL draft bust JaMarcus Russell.  You'll feel a whole lot better once you're done.

Looks like Brett Favre with his pecker hanging out wasn't the only football costume popular this year.

KD may not send me video games promised, but he sent this awesome video. Words can't do it justice.

wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

Looks like the World Series may have some life in it after all, thanks to a 4-2 win for the Texas Rangers.  Not sure about you, but everything Vladi Guerrero does outside of swing a bat comes off as dangerous to his own health, no?

NFL blackouts are up 63% year over year.

That's two straight games without a goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs after being shut out 2-love to the New York Rangers last night.  Safe to say that the expectations some had early in the year have come crashing back to earth.  Fans were booing newly minted captain Dion Phaneuf last night.  Why exactly remains unclear.

26 sexy Hallowe'en costumes that someone argues shouldn't exist for some reason.  Well, I guess it does get pretty creepy as you get closer to the top of the list.

Esquire says Minka Kelly - soon to be Mrs. Derek Jeter - is the 2010 sexiest woman on the planet.  Hot, yes.  Hottest?  Sorry.   Still, at least Jeter's off-season will be better than this past season.

Check out the 25 dumbest World Series moments.  Good stuff.

Back later with your Prime Time Pick, and there's one bit left.  Gonna be unloading a pile of material this coming week.  You've been warned.

Long overdue, but thanks to getting around to watching Hard Knocks, Antonio Cromartie of the New York Jets tries to remember his kids names.  Yes, I said "tries".

Klinsmann!

Hope somebody has alerted the Texas Rangers that it is time to show up and start playing some ball, especially now that they're at home for Game 3.  Not sure anybody figured the Rangers would give up 20 runs in the first two games, most of that coming from a seriously inept bullpen.

I know I had a few beverages last night, but did I hear the Toronto Raptors not only won, but that they did it in convincing fashion and played a little defence?  Oh, it was merely the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Hear from a recent Vegas visitor the Raps are tied - with the Minnesota T-Wolves - for the biggest longshot to win the NBA title at 34,000 - 1.  Wouldn't put a penny on it.  Reggie Evans has 30 rebounds in two games.


The big game on the English Premier League calendar today is a 12:30pm (Eastern) showdown between Tottenham and Manchester United, with Man U hosting.  These two typically play some wide open games so should be interesting.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he's in favor of European expansion for his league.  Maybe it is the travel or the trouble some players would have getting into the EU with their records off the field, but just can't see it working.  That said, a team in Amsterdam, for example, would make for some awesome happenings

Cliff Lee - or at least his agent - insists talk that Yankee fans harassed and possibly spit on his wife during the ALCS does not at all affect their standing this off-season as he nears free agency.  Something tells me his agent would say that if the guys in Section 123 went Ben Roethlesberger on her.

If Toronto FC were looking to make some splash and score some credibility, they sure accomplished that in hiring German soccer legend Jurgen Klinsmann.  Stephen Brunt at the Globe points out that if Bryan Colangelo and Brian Burke were credibility hirings with experience for their slices of the MLSE empire, Klinsmann is on another planet  as a world class player, decorated champion and certified top flight coach.  He'll have the authority to do as he sees fit with the team.  Damn impressive move.

Scouts speculate the Yankees might try to trade Nick Swisher this off-season.  They not only weren't impressed with his smack-talking Cliff Lee, but he's also hitting .162 in 33 playoff games.

Interesting piece from Roy MacGregor at The Globe And Mail on the "baseball-ization" of hockey stats and descending into the irrelevant.

50 crunching NFL hits, mashed up.

25 perverted Hallowe'en costumes.  Not for the sensitive, that's for sure.

Have a great day.

Back!

We're back, after a busy work trip to my fav city in Canada - Montreal.  Sorry Toronto, regrets Vancouver, swing and a miss Halifax, sucks to be you Ottawa, nice try Edmonton, not-even-the-best-in-Alberta Calgary...Montreal wins hands down.  Wasn't all work by any means, not when your hotel is a couple blocks from Crescent Street.  Also, worked my way into some last minute Montreal Canadiens tickets Wednesday, a very entertaining 5-3 win over the New York Islanders.  I've always said that hockey is far better live than on TV (other than those painful TV-timeouts) but PK Subban is even more entertaining than that.  That is gonna be one hell of a player, and soon.  Had a laugh hearing the fans cheer Carey Price hard after he was booed equally hard last time I was there in February, and he wasn't even playing that night.  How soon they forget!  Great times.

Anytime the Texas Rangers want to show up would be fine.  A 9-0 beat down last night is no way to generate interest outside of San Francisco. Matt Cain has now thrown 21 2/3 shutout innings for the Giants, who are up 2-0 and had Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer" going last night post game.  You know, because they're "half way there".

Bud Selig should pounce on this one: the MLB players union says it would consider adding extra playoff teams.

Here's one way to handle your ejection from a sporting event: 1. Leave the field of play.  2. Return with car.  3. Try to run down the referee.

The NBA enlisted comic - they ones who draw, not make people funny - Stan Lee to draw covers for each NBA team.

Here are the 10 Greatest World Series photos of all time.  The way this series is going, don't imagine there will be any pictures taken of the final games.  Fox must be lamenting the abscence of the New York Yankees, given that ratings dropped 25% from Game 1 last year to this year.

I love frivolous lawsuits.  A man is suing McDonald's for making him fat.  Oh, he won.

Word is Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has been told he's got a transfer fund of £100 million.  Nice work, Wayne Rooney.  Wayne got himself a raise, and a way to improve the talent around him.  A start: get

A little late getting to this one, but a great history of rap with the always hilarious Justin Timberlake and the occasionally funny Jimmy Fallon.

Finally, RM is coming back. Today at 3pm (at the latest).

The Carolina Hurricanes are finally playing their home opener today, after travelling 21,000 kilometers - aided by opening in Finland - to play their first seven games.  Am sure they'll be coming home to a heroes welcome in the four figures.

Catcher Bengie Molina is a World Series winner this year, regardless of the outcome.  Having played for both the San Francisco Giants and now the Texas Rangers this year, he'll collect a ring either way it goes, though you have to figure getting one in a Giants win has to sting.  That will be five rings in nine years for the catching Molina brothers.

Back tomorrow

RM returns tomorrow.  For the record, like Texas to win the World Series.

Best SNL parody ad ever

Well how else could the Dallas Cowboys season go but to see Tony Romo get pounded into the ground and break his collarbone?  The Cowboys were 41-35 losers to the New York Giants in a wild Monday Nighter.  1-5 on the year, the death march starts now for the next 10 weeks.  The biggest fear of this Cowboys fan?  That Jerry Jones might view Romo's abscence as a reason to give Wade Phillips another year.

Speaking of broken bones.  Brett Favre is in a cast with a stress fracture in his ankle.  Looking like that consecutive starts streak - impressive, no doubt - is about to come to an end.

Allen Iverson has signed a 2-year deal to play in Turkey. If you're wondering how to say it, "Biz pratik hakkında konuşuyor" translates to "we're talking about practice" in Turkish. Strangely, Hedo Turkoglu hasn't heard the word in either language.

One approach I'm guessing the NFL won't use to market the London, England game featuring San Francisco and Denver on Sunday: "Come see a 1-6 bust face a team that gave up 59 in 3 quarters to the God-forsaken Oakland Raiders!"

Work trip on the go.  Gotta keep it brief the next few days, unfortunately.  One last thing:

An awesome ad from Saturday Night Live featuring Brett Favre.

RM returns later today. Stay tuned.