The Sights of Opening Day

Alex Rios and Vernon Wells get ready for their turn in the batting cage before Opening Day against the Tigers, as hitting coach Gene Tenace looks on.

General Manager J.P. Riccardi looks to involve third baseman Scott Rolen in a laugh, but Rolen doesn't seem interested.

Jays' manager Cito Gaston has always been known as a hitter's manager - as Lyle Overbay learns in batting practice. Overbay's first at-bat in the game? An RBI double.

The Jays' hopes for 2009 rest on their young bats, such as Adam Lind and Travis Snider (above). Snider went deep on Opening Day.

Toronto's 12-5 Opening Day was almost marred when fans began throwing objects on the field, including 2 baseballs. After a conference between managers - and a warning from the P.A. announcer that any more objects thrown would result in a Jays forfeit - the game resumed without incident.

Now, It's Truly Spring

Yes - the NHL playoffs are almost here, the snow is long melted...and the baseball season begins on Sunday night. Here are my picks for the upcoming season:

AL:


East - Tampa Bay

The American League East certainly seems like it will fall into the same trappings as last year, even with New York making major improvements to its roster. But Tampa Bay and Boston have similar pitching and better offence, so they will survive baseball's toughest division.

Central - Chicago

The Central will come down to Chicago, Minnesota and Cleveland, but don't be surprised if Kansas City isn't in it when Labour Day rolls around. They're built like the Rays were last year, with great hitting and an amazing rotation. If not this year, then next for the Royals.

West - Los Angeles

The West seems like it will be L.A.'s party, although Oakland should make strides. Texas and Seattle are too far back to contend.

W/C - Boston

American League Champion: Tampa Bay

NL:

East - Philadelphia

Even with the Mets' improvements to their bullpen, the Phillies should have enough firepower to hold them off. Florida and Atlanta are better, but it's not their year.

Central - Chicago

There really is no other option in baseball's weakest division. St. Louis always seems to find a way to finish second, but talent-wise, they can't compete with the Cubs. The Reds could surprise, but it won't be enough.

West - Los Angeles

As much as the Giants have improved, the West is a two team race between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks. L.A. needs their pitching to hold up, because the offence is there. They may not do much in the playoffs, but they should have enough to win the West.

W/C - New York

National League Champion: Chicago

World Series Champion: Tampa Bay

It's hard to imagine the Cubs making the World Series, let alone winning it. The Rays young talent leads them past the tough American League, and lets them cruise to their first ever World Series championship.

1 Down, 103 To Go

After Sports Illustrated reported that Alex Rodriguez used performance-enhancing drugs (a term so popular now, the acronym PED is commonplace), the greatest current baseball player admitted that, yes, this leaked report was correct, and yes, he took PED's while playing for Texas from 2001 to 2003.

A-Rod (or A-Fraud, or A-Roid, or just, you know...Alex) certainly has learned from his juiced predecessors. After a few hours of angst, the public and media largely forgave Jason Giambi, Andy Pettitte and Jose Canseco for their admitted drug use. The reception for those players who have denied similar evidence, namely Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, hasn't been as receptive.

The question still remains, though: Why was Alex Rodriguez's name the only one of 104 from this list of "cheaters" that was leaked to SI? Why is pitcher/blogger Curt Schilling the only person bringing this up nationally?

There are 104 baseball players who took PED's before baseball make them illegal. It's time for the less-famous names to be released, so those who bemoan players like Bonds, Clemens, and now Rodriguez, will release steroid use in baseball was a wide-spread problem not limited to superstars.

Once that happens, maybe we can all move on.

So, We Meet Again...

Okay, it's obviously been a long time since I've posted anything on here, but with full time school and a full time internship (at TSN, no less), it's been hard to find the time to post my thoughts on the world of sports.

So, without further adieu...

- CC Sabathia signed with the Evil Empire today, 7 years @ over 160 mill. Not bad work in today's tough economic times if you can get it. Makes you wonder where that Sabathia to the Dodgers talk on Sunday came from. After weeks of speculation about CC's love of batting and wish to play in Southern California, it turns out in the end that money speaks louder than anything else. Or maybe it's just because pinstripes are slimming.

- With Sabathia and K-Rod (to the Mets) off the MLB free agent list, A.J. Burnett is likely the next big fish to find a new pond. Reports today put the Yanks and Braves 1-2 in the sweepstakes for the overrated right-hander, and it's anyone's guess where Burnett will end up. I'd love to see him join New York, just so long-suffering Blue Jays fans can watch him crash and burn in the Big Apple.

- Speaking of the Jays, a heartfelt goodbye to Ted Rogers. I worked for his company for 6 years, and while I never met the man, the one time he spoke to a group of us on a conference call really picked up the troops. He will be missed.

- While I was writing that, Nicklas Lidstrom won the Wings-Flames game for his team in overtime. And I cheered - not for the Wings win or the Flames loss, but for Lidstrom's game-winning goal for my fantasy hockey team. Sports have a much different meaning now with the advent of fantasy games.

- Was Bills in Toronto a flop? No, no, a thousand times no. Just because the game was garbage doesn't mean the experiment failed. The stadium was full (mostly) and we were able to showcase our city to the United States for something beside hockey. If the Bills hadn't put up a horrendous effort (7 days after another horrendous effort), we'd be praising how strong the experiment was. And to those who a) wanted the dome roof open or b) complained that the closed roof favoured the visiting Dolphins...grow up. Sunday was the coldest days of the year so far, and I doubt 50,000 people would have preferred sitting outside in that just to give their adopted home team a perceived advantage.

- Michael Phelps won the SI Sportsman of the Year. Chantal Petitclerc won the Toronto Star's Lou Marsh Award. It's almost like in Olympic years, no other sports matter.

- Does golf season ever end?

- This year's Winter Classic between Detroit and Chicago from Wrigley Field will get better ratings than last year's game by a mile... and will pass whichever college football game it is up against that afternoon. Mark my words. And if they put it in a Canadian city next year, the ratings will collapse. But put it in Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park...watch out.

- Why is no one talking about the Carolina Panthers for the Super Bowl this year?

- Why is everyone still talking about the New York Jets for the Super Bowl this year?

- There's lots of talk about salaries being cut because of the economic problems, but why is no one talking contraction in leagues? Both the NHL and the NBA have franchises which don't draw nearly enough people to sustain themselves now, and contraction will improve their talent pools immensely. And for the record, those franchises are Nashville, Florida, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Phoenix and the Islanders for the NHL and Memphis, New Orleans, Charlotte, and Atlanta for the NBA.

- I'm the first one on board for the "let's get rid of Sean Avery from the NHL" train, but... If there's a belief that Avery needs "psychological help", then why hasn't it happened yet? There seems to be such a stigma in professional sports regarding mental illness, and to me, the perception is along the lines of homosexuality: the law of averages say it's there, but no one talks about it. If Avery does have some sort of mental illness, and he wishes to treat it, then we all need to back off. And maybe, in the long run, something like this will open the door for players to openly admit that they have issues with mental illness.

Top 10 Most Overrated Active Athletes

10) Michael Phelps - Swimming: Yes, 8 gold medals is quite an extraordinary achievement. But guys who finished 4th and 5th were breaking world records in that pool as well. Something tells me if Phelps was Chinese, we'd be questioning his age.

9) Maria Sharapova - Tennis: For all the accolades Ms. Sharapova receives, her domination seems to come only when the Williams sisters are off their game, either literally or mentally. If she recovers from her current injury well enough to beat them at Wimbledon next year, I'll be a believer.

8) Rick Nash - Columbus Blue Jackets: The former 1st-overall pick has only been a plus player twice in his pro career - with a + 5 and a + 2 last year, with no playoff appearances for his Blue Jackets. Add in that his highest point total was last year with 69, and it's easy to see why he shouldn't have a team built around him.

7) Donovan McNabb - Philadelphia Eagles: Too many injuries (only 3 seasons where he started all 16 games) and no ring means he shouldn't be put into the upper echelon like he is.

6) A.J. Burnett - Toronto Blue Jays: It's easy to get a career high in wins when you don't go the distance once all year and baseball's best pen is behind you. Halladay went the distance 9 times, A.J. - 0.

5) Michelle Wie - Golf: This one's hard because it's not really her fault. She's been placed as a sponsor's exemption in second-tier men's events rather than play with her own gender. Thankfully, her success at Q-school is the first step to getting back on track.

4) Francisco Rodriguez - Los Angeles Angels: Also not K-Rod's fault that he's here. His "record" 62 saves are impressive, yes, but playing on a great team helps. Not to mention the rule that even with a 3 run cushion, a save can still be recorded. He'll get a huge offer from a number of teams - the largest from the Mets, I'm sure, after this year's failures from the pen - and a decent number of pitchers could likely set the same record on this Angels team.

3) Brett Favre - New York Jets: It's hard to write this one after his 6 TD performance against Arizona today (although it would have been less had the Cards, you know, covered anybody), but Mr. Favre holds all the bad records for quarterbacks as well as the good ones. That comes with his Ripken-like starting streak and the natural law of numbers. If you play more than everybody else, you'll set more records than they will. He does get points, though, for saying today "Don't book your Super Bowl tickets yet."

2) Tom Brady - New England Patriots: Brady's inclusion on this list is tied to the performance of Matt Cassel, who so far has been good, not great, for the Pats. If Cassel improves as I think he will and leads the Patriots to the playoffs, Brady's mystique is gone forever.

1) Phil Mickelson - Golf: The reason Phil Mickelson is so popular is because of his endearing personality. Everyone loves him, and I think he's a very engaging character. His 34 PGA tour wins help his fame, but after finally breaking through the majors wall by winning 3, Phil has faded. He only has 2 wins this year, even without the omnipresent Tiger Woods over his shoulder. Everyone wants a rival for Tiger, like we have with Federer and Nadal in tennis. The only problem, Tiger has no rival, no equal. He is the best golfer ever, period. And much like Sergio Garcia (who narrowly missed this list), Phil Mickelson is rated higher by the media and by fans because of that desire.

Now THAT'S A Frenzy!

When comparing trade deadlines in sports, Major League Baseball's version is usually as exciting as a Tiger-less non-major golf tournament. But yesterday's (non-waiver) trade deadline produced 2 blockbuster deals that may dramatically shift the balance of power in half of the divisions in baseball.

First, the one no one saw coming as the deadline passed at 4 p.m.: Manny Ramirez to the L.A. Dodgers, Jason Bay to the Red Sox, and 4 guys named Moe to the Pirates. The A.L. East now no longer has to deal with Big Papi and Manny back-to-back, but Jason Bay is a very good hitter and fielder, and will fit in nicely with the Boston squad. Even with the Yankees improvements this week (Nady and Pudge), Boston is still the best team in the division, and should squeak by the Yanks and the Rays (who did nothing, but were close to getting Bay) to represent the East in the playoffs.

As for the Dodgers, the Ramirez acquisition puts them clearly ahead of Arizona in baseball's worst division. Adding his power to complement Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent should push this .500 team to the post-season, and it may allow them to challenge the Mets and Cubs for the NL pennant.

The other big deal of the day was Cincinnati sending Ken Griffey (please stop calling him Junior) to the White Sox. This gives Griffey his best shot yet of winning a World Series, but nothing is locked for him and Chicago. After fighting off Minnesota and Detroit for the Central crown, they will be forced to knock out at least one of Los Angeles, Boston, New York and Tampa, three of which have recent World Series championships. Kudos to the Sox for the trade, but in the deep American League, it likely won't help their chances.

And then, there's our beloved Blue Jays. Rumours say the Jays turned down a Jason Bay - Shaun Marcum/Travis Snider deal, as well as a deal with the Mariners for Raul Ibanez. At the end of the day, Toronto is not as strong a team as they were in April, what with the losses of Marcum, Aaron Hill and Dustin McGowan to injury this year. And let's be honest: they weren't that strong in April to begin with. But in a year where teams held on to future talent tighter than grim death, Toronto fell into line with the rest of the major leagues. We just need to hope that Snider is everything the Pirates wanted - and soon.

Time To Play Catch-Up...

It's been a while, mainly because summer turns the sports fan's mind to thoughts of things that aren't athletic, since the middle of the baseball season and the beginning of the CFL season aren't exactly huge draws. But, these last few weeks have seen some great and awful things in the sporting world, so it's time to play catch-up...

- This week, Toronto is the centre of the sporting world, and still no one seems to care. Fed and Rafa, Canadian Open with a real shot of a Canadian winning it, MLS All-star game with soccer's biggest star, David Beckham, and the Jays host Seattle and Asia's most famous baseball star, Ichiro. But yet, there is no buzz, no talk, no nothing here in the GTA. But if the Leafs were playing, watch out!

- Speaking of the Leafs, (former) captain Mats Sundin reportedly said that he will make his decision regarding his playing future on August 1. Funny, I thought it would take longer, but I just hope he sticks to it so we don't have to hear about this anymore.

- Hey, possible retirements! While we're on the subject, what of Mr. Brett Favre? The latest news is that NFL Commissioner Gordon - oops Goodell - (sorry, Dark Knight hangover) wants the Pack to deal him. In any other league would the Commissioner openly tell a team what to do regarding one of their players? While I agree with Goodell, it's not his place to say, and it speaks to the arrogance of the league and its leader. Here's hoping, though, that the Packers trade the old man quickly to an AFC team that will fail to make a mark this season, if only to shut Favre up once and for all.

- The Jays, meanwhile, are 14-12 under Cito Gaston since his return. Good? Yes. But not great, and this team needs great if there's any hope for 2008. They need to win these next two in Baltimore and take the series against Seattle to gain some confidence, because after that, the Rays come to T.O., and Tampa Bay has dominated Toronto this year. Ah, who are we kidding? There's always next year.

Wow, do I hate the summer. Only 6 weeks until the baseball season gets interesting and real football begins. Until then, I'll be watching tennis and golf on the off chance something interesting happens. If not, the Jays will be on, and I'll continue to be disappointed.

I Don't Know If I'd Call It A Frenzy...

So, Happy Canada Day and all that. Canada's lone baseball team is playing a series on the other side of the continent in another country. Remember when Canada Day weekend meant the Jays played the Expos every year? Ah, memories.

But of course, July 1 is the first day for unrestricted free agents to sign with new teams in the NHL. There were plenty of signings to satisfy the cravings of hockey fans who cannot wait the 3 months in between the draft and training camp, so let's break them down.

First, Brian Campbell signed the biggest deal of the day, going to Chicago for 8 years. Nice to see him mention the classy nature of the Sharks organization twice to James Duthie on TSN. Good luck, Brian. Your playing elsewhere next year helps me forget that you were in the penalty box for the elimination goal against Dallas. But, he's a great player and Chicago is looking dangerous in the years ahead - the next Pittsburgh. And apparently he owes Duthie dinner...

Speaking of Chicago, they also picked up Cristobel Huet today to (presumably) back up Nik Khabibulin. But, as was pointed out by Gord Miller, the B-Hawks are over the cap right now, and with two quality goalies, does this mean the end of the Bulin Wall in Chicago? Seriously, name the last team with two starting goalies that won the Cup. Exactly. One of these two will fail and either be traded or released by this time next year. Mark my words, it'll be Nik.

Meanwhile, Huet's former team, Washington, let him and his competition last year, Oleg Kolzig, go. So, to make up for it, they signed - say it with me now - former Hart Trophy winner Jose Theodore for 2 years. You know, Jon Stewart said it best about Sly Stallone, and it's oddly appropriate in this case: Once you win an Oscar, they can't take it away from you for any reason. So why would a team with 2 quality starting tenders let them both go to sign Theodore? Between Chicago, Tampa Bay (Kolzig's new home) and Washington, there will be failure in 2009.
And of course, it wouldn't be a free agent discussion with Mats Sundin, who was offered $20 million over 2 years to play in Vancouver. And of course, we won't hear his decision until, what? Thanksgiving?

All in all, not a bad day for these players. Once Marian Hossa and Jaromir Jagr sign, though, the frenzy will be over.

Oh.

The Jays are wearing red-coloured logos on their hats. That makes up for it.

Time for a New Obsession

Well, another hockey season is in the books, and, for once, the best team in the regular season was the best team in the playoffs, and, as a result, no one can deny that the Detroit Red Wings were the NHL's best in 2007-2008. As much as everyone wanted to pick Pittsburgh, Montreal, or (gulp!) San Jose, the better team won. And we can't even complain that they rode a hot goalie or bullied their way to the Cup (ah, the Ducks): Detroit played smart, classy hockey and deserved to win.

But there is no hockey until training camp starts in September (yes, only 3 months from now), so now we must focus our attention on other sports.

First, the NBA.

Crap. Their final (heretofor referred to as "Finals") begins tonight and as I write this the Celtics lead by 5 with 5 minutes left in the first half. I guess that means I can turn the channel back in 90 minutes and very little will change. Any sport that has a referee with gambling and Mafia connections and another who was openly hostile against one particular player one year - Tim Duncan last year - then suspended for such hostility, then referees a series featuring that exact player the following year has some serious issues with fair play. Forget the SpyGate and steroid hearings, U.S. Congress; get your attention towards the unfair competition at hand in the NBA. Maybe that's why the league got their dream Finals match-up...

Okay, well, there's always baseball. But it's June, and virtually nothing is decided now. Oh, except that the Blue Jays are an average team and will likely stay that way throughout the rest of the year. Next.

The NFL season is still 3 months away, and hockey is 4. Maybe it's time I brush up on my CFL knowledge.

Or I could just stop watching sports...

Hmm...

How many teams are in the CFL again?

Big Hurt's Bitching may bring Barry Bonds

After yet another slow start for Frank Thomas, rather than assuming this is just like most other seasons and wait it out, the Blue Jays have decided to grant him his unconditional release.

Rumours abound that the decision was for business reasons, as the Jays would have had to pay an extra $10 million if Thomas passed 1,000 plate appearances over this season and last. With 600+ already in the bank, it seemed the Big Hurt was well on his way to the mark.

The one thing that the Jays did right here was release Thomas before he became a distraction. Leaving a future Hall of Famer on the bench while starting Rod Barajas of all people at DH would have been uncomfortable for many. However, releasing him of his contract does not release the Jays of the $9 million-odd payout for the rest of this year and next.

Clearly, there were other forces at work here rather than just business and baseball. After the unfortunate departures of Shea Hillenbrand and Ted Lilly, the forces that be foresaw another ugly incident in their future, and cut the cord before the damage was done.

Now the Jays need a DH, and a rotation of Matt Stairs, Lyle Overbay, Shannon Stewart, and Rod Barajas will not cut it in the increasing difficult A.L. East. The Jays need a big bat in the middle of the line-up to protect Alex Rios and Vernon Wells, and there's only one man out there with the kind of talent who is available:

Barry Bonds.

Yes, that Barry Bonds. Mr. Tax Cheating, Steroid Taking, Mad at the World Bonds. But, he would add left-handed power the Jays sorely lack, and with frequent visits to Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park - two parks with short right field perches - a left-handed power bat would be welcome.

Also, even though he's 147 now (give or take), he'll still command respect from A.L. pitchers, so a .500 OBP isn't out of the question, and for a team that struggles to get base runners, Bonds would fit in nicely.

Yes, his personality is a problem. Yes, he has legal issues. Yes, many fans would not be happy. But all that would go away if the Jays win the World Series.

Is this likely? About as likely as Bonds being proven innocent. But, one can dream.

Caps In, Canes Out, Jays Dominate, Raptors Suck

That's Saturday's sports in a nutshell, folks. Washington did what Carolina couldn't - beat the Florida Panthers (a team long out of the playoffs) when it counted for real. As a result, the Canes are out of the playoffs this year, not too far removed from their Stanley Cup winning year. It just goes to show you how even the NHL is this year.

On the other side, the league, TSN, and NBC must be happy tonight; instead of having to show Carolina hockey this post-season, they get to show Alex Ovechkin and the exciting Capitals. Here's hoping they draw the Pens in the 2nd round.

The Jays won their second straight over the Red Sox, 10-2, in a dominating performance by the majority of the team. Jesse Litsch kept the Jays' starters' streak going of 5 straight strong outings by the starting staff. Tomorrow, one of the best pitching match-ups of the year (and it's only April) - Roy Halladay v Josh Beckett.

Apparently, the Raptors are still playing. I had no idea. You see, after the Leafs were eliminated and the Jays started this season, the Toronto sports media has ignored the Dinos. Good thing too - they lost again tonight, this time to New Jersey. They have now lost to Charlotte (twice), Atlanta, and the Nets this week. I should have faith in this team this year because...?

NHL playoff predictions coming soon...

Call It Wishful Thinking

With the baseball season's first pitch (in North America) less than 24 hours away, I felt it was time to offer up my predictions for the upcoming campaign. As always, these merely represent my personal views, and will certainly not pan out by October. Enjoy.

AL

East: Boston
Central: Detroit
West: Los Angeles
Wild Card: Toronto

Yes, I have the Yankees not making the playoffs, and Toronto getting in. The Wild Card will be an amazing race this year, as, in addition to New York and Toronto, expect to see challenges from Cleveland and Seattle. I believe it will go down to the last day.

AL Champion: Los Angeles

NL

East: New York
Central: Chicago
West: Los Angeles
Wild Card: Arizona

The NL West is the league's best division, and its most difficult to predict. With the exception of the Giants, every team has a realistic shot at playoff ball. It's time for Joe Torre to prove that he can win without the bottomless pockets of the Yankees.

NL Champion: New York

World Series: New York (Mets) over Los Angeles (Angels)

Call it a hunch: teams that blow division leads (like the Mets did last year) either collapse further down the standings or rally around it and succeed. With the addition of the majors' best pitcher, Johan Santana, the Mets have the ability to succeed. The only question is, can the Mets get past the mental block of last September and win it all? I think they can.

The New Liar's Club

A day after Roger Clemens and Brian MacNamee testified before Congress regarding the former's alleged steroid and HGH use, we are no closer to understanding anything about the situation at hand.

It appeared from the testimony that neither Clemens nor MacNamee has any credibility left; both were shown to be liars, or, at least, very sketchy in their recollections of the events in question.

Skipping the argument that such discussions should or should not take place under oath in front of Congress (they shouldn't), the fact remains that players such as Clemens and Barry Bonds are but two of dozens of baseball players who have taken performance-enhancing drugs.

All of this talk about baseball, by the way, takes away from the fact that football, basketball, hockey, track and field, and cyclists either are or likely are taking some sort of booster that is against the law.

It's all a matter of degrees, and the consensus seems to be that Roger Clemens taking legal drugs to boost his health to pitch are fine, and him taking illegal drugs to do the same thing is a crime beyond words.

I am not a part of this consensus.

You can say all you want about "protecting the kids", but if there are kids who decide that taking drugs like these to enhance their performance, then blame their parents, not Clemens and Bonds.

It still remains that baseball completely ignored drug use in the past 10-15 years, and they are now paying the price. Getting shady trainers to testify against superstars is not going to solve the problem, either for Congress or for baseball.

To me, there is one simple solution: acknowledge that the league screwed up, and move on. Banning players like Clemens and Bonds from the Hall of Fame ignores the accomplishments they achieved before their alleged steroid use, and the league would be better off if they admitted cupability in this mess, and led the charge from here on in to a clean sport.

Will this happen? It's about as likely as Shoeless Joe and Pete Rose getting into the Hall. But, here's hoping.

Shut Up And Move On

Last week, the much-anticipated Mitchell Report was released, detailing the rampant use of performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball.

Of course, even the most casual baseball fan already knew that the use of steroids and human growth hormone was as prevalent in the game as snow in a Canadian winter.

The centre of attention from the announcement has been the inclusion of Roger Clemens, arguably the best pitcher since the war, in the report. Thankfully, many in the media are painting him with the same brush as Barry Bonds, proving, at the very least, that those doing the accusing are not hypocrites.

But what is most important is this: during the alleged drug use by Clemens, Bonds, Andy Pettitte, and a slew of other major leaguers, it was not against the rules of the game to do so. Some might say you don't need a law saying you can't kill someone to know you shouldn't do it, but we do have such a law. Baseball didn't formally ban steroids until 2003, and HGH until 2005.

People are talking about if Clemens' vast records, like Bonds', should be labelled with an asterisk, or wiped out altogether. But history is history; it cannot be changed. It must be written as was, warts and giant heads and all.

The solution as I see it is simple: shut up and move on. These substances are against the rules of the game now, and testing is in place. For the sake of history, future baseball fans should know that in the last 10 years, any records or remarkable achievements should be taken with a grain of salt, and that they may not have been achieved honestly.

But the fact remains that they were achieved, so elect Clemens and Bonds to the Hall Of Fame (on the first ballot, of course) and say, from this moment on, that baseball is clean.

At least until the new drug du jour hits the clubhouse.

Bonds Indictment Shortsighted

On Thursday afternoon, Barry Bonds was indicted on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. The U.S. government says he lied under oath when he said he never knowingly took performance-enhancing drugs, and Bonds faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

The timing aside (the indictment coincided with the first day Bonds could sign with a team as a free agent), the indictment as a whole smells funny. We all remember Rafael Palmeiro pointing his finger, under oath, at the U.S. Congress and saying, quite plainly, that he had never taken steroids. Four months later, he was found to have been lying. Where is his indictment? Where is his guilty plea and jail time? Oh, that's right. Rafael Palmeiro didn't break baseball's greatest record this year.

The number of players who have taken steroids in all sports, never mind baseball, is growing by the week. Numerous players are found to have taken steroids or human growth hormone, and they are met with a slap on the wrist and a "you shouldn't do that again, young man" attitude.

Bonds is met with the full force of the United States Government.

The closest competition to this is American sprinter Marion Jones, who was also indicted on similar charges last month, and promptly pled guilty to them, and returned her 5 gold medals.

But they don't care about track and field. No one does.

It's all about Bonds, and if they can find him guilty, they can ignore his accomplishments and pretend the whole thing never happened.

This is an unacceptable course of action. The government allows Palmeiro to lie and Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa to dodge the questions about steroids, but wants to hang Bonds out to dry?

Barry Bonds, steroids or not, is the greatest position player in the last 30 years, and that is undisputed. Even before the alleged steroid use began, Bonds had won 4 MVP awards and was on pace to hit over 600 home runs.

Because he hit 762, the feds want a piece.

No one should be able to cheat in sports and get away with it. But the game suffers when one individual gets sacrified, while the other cheaters in his sport get a free ride to Cooperstown.

Let him stand trial, because that is the law. Just start the paperwork on everyone else involved.

Indian Burns at Rocky Mountain High

Who you got, LeBron or Carmelo?

After a grueling 162 game season and two playoff rounds, it appears that we are set to have a Cleveland/Colorado World Series. The Rockies, of course, have already clinched their spot in the Fall Classic, winning what seems like 162 straight games. Seriously, it was 3 WEEKS ago that the Rockies last lost. That usually only happens in football, and even then, only with the Patriots and Colts.

Cleveland lit up Tim "Interstate speed knuckler" Wakefield for 7 in the 5th, and held on to a 7-3 final to take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the BoSox. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Boston was down 3-0 to the Evil Empire in 2004, only to come back and win 8 straight against the Yankees and Cardinals to win the World Series.

Assuming Boston does not repeat their incredible feat 3 years ago, it is time to start talking about a Rockies/Indians match-up. Once the series is set, and because there will be between 3 and 5 days to talk about it, there will be an endless array of match-ups to look for.

I want to talk about how no one, maybe outside of Cleveland and Colorado, would have picked these teams to make it this far. It seems the tide is turning in Major League Baseball from a league dominated by the super-rich, to having some semblance of parity. It's not quite the NFL yet, but a Rockies/Indians World Series would go a long way to bridging that gap.

By the way, I know it's not set yet, but I would like to take this opportunity to pick Colorado to win it all. How can you go against a team this hot? Watch now, they'll get swept...


ADDENDUM: Did you watch? They did get swept. Only in America.

"If Life Has Taught Me One Lesson Repeatedly, It's To Know When I'm Beaten."

- Seymour Skinner

Today, 10:38 p.m., the Buffalo Bills are beating the undefeated Dallas Cowboys 24-13 in the 3rd quarter. The 1-4, rookie QB and running back led, no MNF appearance in a teenager's life, no playoff appearance in this century Bills are beating the new golden boy-led, twice Super Bowl blowout won Cowboys.

It was this game, of course, that I jumped off the Bills bandwagon and didn't pick them to win, or even cover, for the first time this year. (P.S., Chris Berman is right; No One Circles The Wagons Like The Buffalo Bills!)

Therefore, I would like to announce my retirement from picking NFL games, at least for the foreseeable future. Yes, most of it is because of my extremely heavy school and work loads, but mainly because Principal Skinner knows what he's talking about.

By the way, the Yankees are down 6-3 in the 7th, and look like their season is done. And just like the Cubs, multiple opportunities by the Yanks have been wasted. So long, dream ALCS matchup.

Go Bills!

Is There An Echo in Here?

This past July, I mentioned that the Wednesday of the baseball all-star break was the worst sports day of the year, and I praised the NHL for releasing their schedule on that day.

Now, here we are, Tuesday October 2nd, the second worst day of the sports year. The baseball playoffs begin tomorrow after a fantastic wild-card playoff game last night in Denver. The NFL is always off during the week this time of year, and NBA training camps are getting set to open.

The NHL starts (in North America) tomorrow. How great would it be for this struggling league to open up with a huge slate of games on a night where NOTHING else is on tap? A league that has virtually no television exposure in the U.S. needs a break, and opening on a night against 3 baseball playoff series opening up is ridiculous.

I have no game to watch tonight, which is unfortunate, because tomorrow, I and other sports fans (especially in Canada) will have to choose between the Leafs/Sens and the Red Sox/Angels.

It shouldn't have to be this way, and the NHL had the control to change it for their own benefit. They blew it.

When 162 Games Aren't Enough

I realized this weekend, strangely while watching opening Sunday in the NFL, that I haven't written much about the Blue Jays lately. And after this weekend's performance of Canada's lone pro ball team, I understand why.

The Toronto Blue Jays just lost two games in a row in Tampa Bay.

In Tampa Bay.

While "battling" for a playoff spot, and having only 3 teams to pass, the Jays lost 2 in a row to one of baseball's worst.

The Jays always seem to be around the level of superior play needed to contend year after year, and are always ahead of the level of mediocrity that befalls teams like the Devil Rays. But when you can't beat a team like that before a home stand against the elite in your division, the Yankees and the Red Sox, you don't deserve to be contending for a playoff spot.

When Jeremy Accardo gave up his second two run homer of the 9th inning last night, my heart sank. Mainly because I realized that a team like this needs a lot more than 162 games to get a playoff spot.

And that is sad.

The Worst Day of the Year

In 2007, it is Wednesday July 11, and in most years, it is the second Wednesday in July.

This is the worst sports day of the year.

Between the middle of June and Labour Day weekend, the only major North American sport in operation is Major League Baseball, and its only competition in that time span in Canada is the CFL, and yesterday was the only day that there was no baseball anywhere across the continent, with their all star break concluding.

The NHL knew this, and took advantage of the media's free space to release their schedule for the upcoming season. On the Canadian sports news programs, this story was the focal point of their show.

The CFL, on the other hand, did not have a game on last night, instead sticking to their usual games on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday this week.

Sports news programs are an hour long and the sports section in the newspaper isn't any smaller on the worst sports day of the year. The CFL, already reduced to a minor league in the eyes of football fans, would have the full attention of Canada's sports media for a day, something any league that is not on top would relish.

A doubleheader on the Wednesday of baseball's all star break by the CFL makes a lot more sense than scheduling games on Sunday afternoons in September. But, maybe that's why the CFL is a minor league.

That and the lack of talented players.