Hello from S.A.!

Thanks to pico for the invite to this here sporting blog. For those that don't know me (read: everyone), I'm a huge fan of the Spurs and Longhorns. I also follow the Red Sox somewhat casually, thanks to a trip to Fenway a few years ago.

I'll be glad to share my thoughts on all things silver, black, burnt orange and white. This should be fun.

Chris Duhon, who I had the pleasure to cheer on at Duke for 2 years, is from Slidell, LA - his hometown is currently underwater and he has already started a relief fund. I like to think that actions like this set the blue devils apart. Call it Coach K's good influence and the mark of a good leader.

ugueth oopsbina (as emailed to eben)

meaningful game #1 (illadelphia sillies vs. NYMets. final score: mets 6, philasillies 4):

recap.

despite a pathological inability to score runs with bases loaded, the mets found the one guy who doesn't shit his pants with men on base: ramon "curtain call" castro. the bleacher fans are happy with their souvenir. the fans stayed late, despite jae seo's crap 1st inning and tejeda's skill (along with madson's dumb luck. after his wild pitch scored one). and reyes? the kid is pumped. you would be too if pat the bat let a pop up fall in front of his feet and you were jogging fast enough to make second. "my bat hammy! my bat hammy!" extra: stealing third base like he was going to the fridge between commercials.

castro: 38 hits. 36 rbi. flushing, we have a catcher.

Join MySpace just to see Martell Webster's personal site. High-larious.

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Huggy Bear is out at Cincinatti. They are sending security to get him now. I'm not even joking. I will miss the team of actual criminals, kids who couldn't read, poor shooters...

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The Mets are like me. They score a lot! And they might have inadvertently found a first baseman who can hit in Mike Jacobs.

Everyone's Favorite Jackass Back on the Police Blotter

From the Winner's Circle:

Lawrence Phillips is apparently living on the left coast, playing pick up football and choking women. After a stellar career of throwing women down stairs at Nebraska and driving drunk on I-40 in my second home St louis, and getting cut from the Rams and the Dolphins and the 49ers and the Montreal Alouettes...

We have Lawrence trying to run down LA teens for stealing his alleged posessions. In a car reported stolen. Sweet.

Best of all-- I didn't know he was banned from Canada without a Visa. Who gets banned from CANADA?

From Rush Limbaugh, who wants to get Donovan McNabb + Terrell Owens together to discuss their rift:

"This rift cannot be allowed to continue, ladies and gentlemen. It just can't, and I would like to offer this program as a means of getting these two Americans and star players back together," Limbaugh said. "They may not want to talk to each other face-to-face, but perhaps they would join me on this program and speak to each other telephonically via this program and settle this."

-Pico, posting from Mjr's computer.

Mike Cameron, get better soon. Here is a recap of the incident complete with video of Cameron running into Beltran, a collision that resulted in many facial fractures.

Football heresy sounds like this:

I hope Gus Frerotte gets the starting job with the Miami Dolphins. Not that I care, and not because I want them to be actual competition to the Jets. But because AJ Feely is a media creation, a fantasy from the minds of the Philadelphia media a few years ago, playing a simplified, stripped down offense with a good defense backing him up while with the Eagles.

What’s wrong with Gus? He put his head into the brick wall at RFK stadium while playing against the Giants 8 years ago. I’m sure he’s grown up and has the maturity of a 17-year old.

***********

Basketball shadiness sounds like this:

Shareef Abdul-Rahim’s trade deal from the Blazers to the Nets has been called off because of a knee that has never held him out of a game… but might. An injury from an old high school knee surgery. I would have like to have seen ‘Reef in a Net uniform, and seen him do something besides be on losing teams.

Instead, the Nets now have Temple’s Marc Jackson, 6’11” with questionable inside game, which the Nets could use more of. And atrocious defense, which the Nets can’t afford more of, what with VinSanity’s offensive mindset/ Krstic’s 6 fouls are for giving defense/ Jason Collins non-contributions/ Jeff McInnis’ complete lack of understanding of “get between man and hoop,” and Jason Kidd’s ancient knees.

Jersey, we have a problem.

The Jets lay down the Law. Ty Law. Old, pricey, former Patriot, but the Jets haven't had guys who can stand between the receiver and the football. That's always a good idea. Still, the problem is the offense-- great in spurts but garbage against the Patriots. But that happens to everyone.

But they cut longstanding nickel corner, Ray Mickens. He was a midget but the guy did a decent job; I hope he catches on somewhere. On the other hand, he has been with the team for almost ten years, which is a lifetime for a corner.

Wait. Ty Law has been in the league almost as long... and coming off a knee injury...

Wha'd we think about Hammah?

Reference of the day:

Scott Van Pelt on Sportcenter used the expression "He got the Gas Face" when referring to a strikeout during today's Angels/Devil Dogs game.

I think Pico and I will be the only ones who get that.

Do I smell realignment time??

So looking at the National League standing, it is interesting to note that all five teams in the NL East are over 500, with the current basement dwelling New York Mets currently standing at 54-52. And at seven games out of first place, the Mets are closer to first place than NL Central’s second place team, the Houston Astros, are to St. Louis Cardinals (8 games out.)

Meanwhile, over in the National League West, the first place San Diego Padres are actually three games under 500 (52-55 .486) meaning that ALL five teams are under 500! Umm, can you smell a shift in talent? This is just the opposite of NBA, huh?

Here are the current standings as of today:

American League
East	W	L	Pct	GB
Boston	61	45	.575	--
NY Yankees	56	49	.533	4.5
Toronto	55	51	.519	6.0
Baltimore	51	56	.477	10.5
Tampa Bay	42	66	.389	20.0
Central	W	L	Pct	GB
Chi White Sox	69	37	.651	--
Cleveland	57	51	.528	13.0
Minnesota	55	52	.514	14.5
Detroit	51	55	.481	18.0
Kansas City	38	69	.355	31.5
West	W	L	Pct	GB
LA Angels	62	45	.579	--
Oakland	60	47	.561	2.0
Texas	53	53	.500	8.5
Seattle	46	60	.434	15.5
National League
East	W	L	Pct	GB
Atlanta	62	46	.574	--
Washington	57	50	.533	4.5
Philadelphia	56	52	.519	6.0
Florida	54	51	.514	6.5
NY Mets	54	53	.505	7.5
Central	W	L	Pct	GB
St. Louis	68	39	.636	--
Houston	59	48	.551	9.0
Chi Cubs	54	53	.505	14.0
Milwaukee	53	55	.491	15.5
Cincinnati	48	59	.449	20.0
Pittsburgh	46	62	.426	22.5
West	W	L	Pct	GB
San Diego	52	55	.486	--
Arizona	52	57	.477	1.0
LA Dodgers	48	59	.449	4.0
San Francisco	45	61	.425	6.5
Colorado	39	67	.368	12.5