~ WOOOOOOOO, WOOOOOOOO. A Warrant issued was for the arrest of Ric Flair. Hard to believe someone with the name Nature Boy would be in trouble with the law.

~ The Colts invited the Steelers into town Monday night, putting their undefeated streak on the line. It was thought by many that the Steelers smash mouth running game and the return of Big Ben may be the team to stop the Colts run. Indi did all that they had to to win the game easily and not show their hand in the event that the two teams meet up in the playoffs. The NFL will have to throw another lamb to these Colts next week and then we will see what happens when they meet up Wat San Diego and Seattle.

~ Apparently more moves are being done in Tampa's parking lot then on the football field.Sure it would be fun to go to a Bucs game and see Coach Chucky rip apart rookie Chris Simms,or Michael Pittman miss blocking assignments. But what would be more fun then attending the mobile strip club outside the stadium. Apparently Tampa authorities shut down a 40 ft trailer that was being used for lap dances before, during and/or after the game. Interesting idea,but it does raise the question on the quality of the talent involved. If you can't get a stripping job in a club and are reduced to performing dances in a motor home, how badly does a football fan really need to get a lap dance?? Only in Tampa.

~ Byron Leftwich won't have season-ending surgery for his broken ankle, but at least we won't have to see him playing for the Jags. It is still surprising that Leftwich is still the starter there? Maybe they should get Phillip Rivers out of San Diego.

~ Apparently the purse strings have broken in Toronto. On the heals of signing stopper BJ Ryan the Jays are heating up talks with AJ Burnett and have reportedly offered a 5yr $55 million contract to Brian Giles. Nice to see this perennial mid level team spending some money in hopes of making some advancement in the Eastern Division. Time will tell if it will be enough to make any headway on Baltimore, New York and Boston.

~ Didn't take long for teams to fall out of favour with their players. A minimum of 5 players were put on waivers today. Of note Jocelyn Thibault, Ron Hainsey, Simon Gamache, and Colton Orr(hard to believe that a player named Orr would be pushed out of Boston.

~ In one of the most creepy pieces of audio - Tapes released or obtained by The Fifth Estate(CBC Television Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET) between Mike Danton and David Frost were disturbing at best. It gives an insight of the very strange relationship between the player and agent. That may be a piece worth trying to see,but Frost did say that he loved Mike and made Danton say that he loved him too. The story was known to be messed up, but now it is just getting crazy.

~ Raptors loose yet another game, this time on a last second floater from Jason Terry versus the Dallas Mavs. Tune in next time to see who they loose to next.

~ Michael Irvin- please pick one storey and run with it. Three different stories aren't helping your credibility.

Point Shots

~ Another Grey Cup has come and gone. As usual it proved to be a competitive game with two evenly matched teams. If you can get past the lower end quality of play and some of the silly rules the league has implemented you can always be assured of a decent championship game.

~ Jay Feeley is one step from going the rout of Jose Cortez and getting cut. After the Giants kicker missed game winning field goals from 40, 54 and 40 yards. In a game that the Giants needed to win they had ample chances to do just that but a series of drives ended with kicks that landed well short of their destination. The Giants may be looking at this game as the reason that they aren't in the playoffs.

~ Pound for pound LT is the best player in the NFL. A powerful runner with quick lateral moves and supreme downhill speed. That total package single-handedly won the game for the Chargers over the Redskins.

~ The Lions fired coach Steve Mariucci. Only hard thing to understand about this move is why was Matt Millen not let go as well? Now he is in charge of hiring another coach and probably drafting another underachieving or injury prone wide receiver. Maybe it should be a clean sweep in the motor city, and start fresh.

~ The Senators game Saturday versus Boston started well and ended well for Jason Spezza. After striking just 34 seconds into the game on a Dany Heatley rebound he added "stole" a goal from Andrej Mezaros on a tip in on a rocket of a point shot then tallied 2 assists to figure in on all 4 of the Sens goals in the game. Spezza was also then honoured the weekly award for top offensive player in the NHL. Not a bad week for the young center.

~ Pete Rose's eligibility for the Hall of Fame has expired. Not that that means anything. If baseball decides to put Rose in, then he will be in, regardless of any "rules" that they may have in place. If the NHL can exempt Gretzky and Lemieux from the mandatory 5 yr wait (in which Mario has since come back to play), it will take very little to place Rose in the hall. Another "solid" stance by Major League Baseball.

~ One of two things are going to happen, the Braves are going to win a 15th division title in the East, or the Mets will have finally made the moves necessary to dethrone the most consistent team in baseball history. The Mets have bolstered their line-up with the recent transactions involving two very high profile players. Carlos Delgado (who will stand for God Bless America), and closer Billy Wagner. This is starting to look like another New York team throwing money around and hoping to get lucky with big name players.

~ Michael Irvin, if in fact you are telling the truth, please remember in the future to rid yourself of questionable material in your car and pay your tickets. We all know you have had some mis-adventures in your past and have owned up to them like a man. Keep on the straight and narrow...Remember "there's no hope with dope".

~ Chad Johnson's TD celebration was right up to "par" with the bar that he himself has set. After Scoring a TD Johnson took the back pilon out and used it as a putter to strike the ball as a tribute to Tiger Woods. Classic Johnson, can't wait till the next TD

~ Annika Sorenstam, despite being shut out for the second year in a row in the skins game, she is still the most dominate player on the LPGA tour and has been for some time. The LPGA doesn't get a lot of press, and rightfully so even though there are some up and comers that will make the tour more marketable in the near future, however, Sorenstam is either the Tiger of her tour OR Tiger is the Annika of his tour, many in the know believe it is the latter.

~Miguel Tejada says he isn't mad at former teammate Rafeal Palmero, but hey, people say things to the media they don't mean. Palmero is a porn-stasch weating, "blue" pill popping, "B-12" shooting liar (aledgedly). It would be very surprising if Tejada wasn't holding back a little after Palmero basically threw him under the bus buy trying to implicate him earlier in the year.

Point Shots

~ Leave it to the CFL, again. Every year they "impose" a freeze on teams activity during Grey Cup Week, and usually at least one team will provide some major announcement during this time. Now, again, reports are out that a deal that will send QB Jason Mass to the Ti Cats for Danny McManus. No big deal, except mass will probably serve some time under center in this weeks Grey Cup game. Kinda sounds like a bit of conflict for a player who will probably see game action in the leagues biggest game to be shipped out of town as soon as the final gun goes off. But I suppose it would be too much to expect this league to conduct itself in a professional manner.

~ News out of The New York Daily News has reported that the Blue Jays have signed reliever B.J. Ryan to a 5 yr $47 million contract. This really marks the first big money move for Toronto in a long time. Lets just hope that this closer works out better then Dan Kolb did in Atlanta ( Another big name closer that by mid May lost his confidence and his job). Only time will tell how this will work out.

~ Jim Thome is off to the World Champs White Sox. Well, that about signs the death warrant for one or both free agents Paul Konerko and Mr. White Sox Frank Thomas. I guess once you win it once shut it down for 80+ years then make another run.

~ Paul Tracy is looking for a full time ride in NASCAR next year. It would be great to have a Canadian to root for in the top racing stage of them all. It is too bad that once Tracy makes the jump we still won't have a Canadian to root for.

~ The Colts are looking to go 16-0 and win the Super Bowl. Which is better, run the table and stop those parties held by the '72 Dolphins which is just annoying or, have them loose so they don't have that extra distraction and un-needed pressure. Last year it was the TD record chase and not the Super Bowl, lets just see how this plays out. Hard to imagine that losing would be more beneficial then winning. But here we are.

~ parlor games are fun to play pool, ping pong (or table tennis as it may be), darts... All fun and a good way to pass the time. But then there is foosball, kinda way too close to soccer which is not a sport and barely classifies as a game. That is like saying bowling is a sport. In actual sports you don't get better the drunker you get (Wade Boggs and Leonard Little excepted)

Point Shots

~ What does it mean to be a true teammate? Lets take good ol' Manny Ramirez, here is a guy who left a solid team in Cleveland to cash in big in Boston, ok, who really wouldn't do that?However, ever since going to Boston he has been looking for a way out of Boston. Why? Because he is ManRam, and that's what he does, whatever he wants, whenever he wants...and continues to get away with it. What better situation could you want as a player, loads of money and free reign? In comparison look at a true team player. Chipper Jones has agreed to reduce his salary from $17 million next year to $11 Million, saving the team an estimated $15 million over the next 3 years. This unselfish move may help allow the Braves to either keep the team together and or go out and acquire some key components for the ballclub to chase an unpressidented 15th straight division title.

~ Back up Bo Jackson, Brian Jordan and all the other 2 sport stars. Takeru Kobayashi has taken his craft of slamming hot dogs faster then humanly possible one step further. He has entered into the world of competitive hamburger eating, and dominating that. Is there anything this guy can't eat in record time?

~ Is Mario setting the table to not be involved in the upcoming Olympics? He seems to be doing his best Drew Rosenhaus in promoting his "client" Sydney Crosby. Mario insinuated that perhaps Crosby should be the one going to Turin early in the new year. Maybe he is just laying the groundwork for him to either decline the invitation or just not outright make the team after a slow start.

~ If infact that Steve Yzerman and Lemieux don't represent Canada look for some nauseating conversation and stories from every Tom, DICK and Harry throwing out every Canadian forward or centerman into the mix to make the 2006 team.

~ Dany Heatley extends his point streak to 20 games with a goal on Friday on the Island. Still too early to call a winner on the Hossa trade but few from either team can be complaining about the play of either of these two players thusfar.

~ As this post is being created it is 22-21 for Texas A&M over the #2 Longhornes midway through the 3rd. Sure Texas will probably win and still win big, but wouldn't it be epic if it was the Aggies that squashed the National Championship hopes for Texas?

~ After all the Legal trouble Kobe Bryant has had, has he finally snapped and is setting the stage for him to become a drag queen? Seriously what is with the leggings that he has been wearing?How warm do his leg muscles need to be indoors playing basketball? Looks a little "fancy"from this perspective.

~ Certainly Duke is Duke, they are ranked first more times then Leave it to Beaver.....RE-RUNS

Point Shots

~ A week of hype is in store for us. That's right folks, it is CFL Grey Cup time. From recent reports there are no shortage of people looking to unload tickets to the big game. After the BC Lions got off to an 11-0 start tickets sold out early in the fall. Now after QB questions and questionable coaching decisions BC lost their West Finals game to the Esks, people have been putting tickets back up for re-sale. Apparently Vancouver is more of a fairweather city then one might think. You'd almost think this overall support or lack-there-of sounds more like Ottawa then Vancouver.

~ The Toronto Raptors cruised to victory for their second win of the season......errrr..... No they let ET aka Sam Cassell score 10 straight Clippers points in a 2:56 and let them back into the game late in the 4th and then promptly game the game away in a 103-100 loss to the Clippers. Leaving them still with 1 win. Hopefully there is a good rookie class this year and they will beable to score a nice lottery pick. But looking at it objectively, it won't matter. Unless Rob Babcock gets fired a Bryant Reeves esque player will be taken.

~ Those who read this blog may not be surprised to have learned that a tentative deal to send Carlos Delgado to the Mets with cash for prospects is in the works, you heard it here first people.

~ How bad off is your team if Bud Black won't even talk to you about becoming your manager. The LA Dodgers are not a strongly managed team from the top down, but that is not a good omen.

~ Turkey day at least dished us up one good game. The Lions played a typical uneven and unpredictable Lions game, and the Falcons just dominated from start to Finnish. In the Denver -v- Dallas all the billing was for a good game, and for once it delivered. The game went to OT and a surprising Bronco had the "big play" in the extra period to set up another Jason Elam game winning FG. For probably the first time since his college career Ron Dayne ran for more then 3.5 yrds with a 55 yard scamber. Sidebar, how awesome is it that Mike Andersons uniform says Mike Anderson?

Today or there abouts

First lets start out with some breaking news from the world of soccer. It is slow, uneventful, filled with fakers and all the oranges you want. That is all.

A horrible scene in Detroit last night. Juri Fischer, the Red Wings defenceman suddenly collapsed on the bench after apparently having a seizure resulting from or due to a cardiac problem. The only thing that was good about this is that it was a) a home game in Detroit so everything was readily available b) The team doctor ( an ER surgeon ) was sitting right at the players bench and c) everybody involved conducted themselves in a timely and calm manner. With all these factors working together we can now talk about Fischer his recovery and his hockey career and not when his funeral will be held. A+ work. It may not be a happy ending but it is much better then it could have been

Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett for 2 top prospects and a player to be named? How much money are the Red Sox Going to spend or better yet how much money is Florida going to get rid of? Is Carlos Delgado next on the block? Well this happened after the '98 World Series in Florida and they won it less then 10 years later so I guess pencil them to win the World Series in 2011.

Another "Super Weekend"

~ Another Sunday has come and gone, as is the hopes of a NASCAR Championship for Jimmie Johnson. Positioned 52 points behind championship leader Tony Stewart entering the last race of the season, JJ was in a spot to make a run for the championship. Stewart had a tough day on the track, but unfortunately for Johnson, so did he. With a blown rear tire that not only sent his #48 Lowes Monte Carlo spinning into the wall, but spinning him into an eventual 5th place Finnish in the final NEXTEL Cup Race for the championship. Another tough Finnish for Johnson who has finished 2nd for the last 2 years, last year only 8 points behind eventual winner Kurt Busch. Looks like this Hendrick Motorsports team will have too wait till next year to make another championship push. It is just dangerous to not take advantage and close the deal while they are still so close and have a legitimate chance to raise the trophy.

~ With Donvan and TO probably out for the season, it looks like the Eagles will be out of the playoffs for the first time in recent memory. Unless Brian Westbrook can get under centre and throw it to himself it looks like this year is just a write off.

~ The Ottawa Senators have now overtaken the Montreal Canadians for first in the division. Is now the time when they will stop looking up at teams but rather look down at them? Perhaps so. Based on strength of schedule thus far compared to other teams in the league things are looking promising. Especially when you look at the production from the top line with Dany Heatley's point streak with at least 1 point in ever game thusfar in the season and early Hart Trophy candidate Danniel Alfredson, and the you #1 center Jason Spezza.

~ Here is some math for you: Heisman + 1st overall draft pick X National Championship = Reggie Bush.

this kid from USC is one of those special players that don't come around every year. A little Marshall Faulk and dare I say it, a little Barry Sanders. After the show he put on in a tight fought game on the weekend, Bush showed just how complete a player he is and just how he can put a team on his back. The only bad thing about this is people are aware of who he is and will now be relegated to a crappy and/or mismanaged team when he does declare himself available for the NFL draft. Either way, barring injury Bush has the potential to be one of those special playes.

Arround The Horn On Sports

~ Another Nextel Cup season is nearing the end and it looks like the same old story. A dirty undeserving driver will win the championship (to be fair Tony Stewart is actually a good driver and isn't as dirty as he used to be, lets just call him greasy), and it also looks as if Jimmie Johnson will place himself in second place....yet again (possibly for the 3rd year in a row). Don't discoun't the hottest driver on the circut Carl Edwards but things are looking to shape up not well for Jimmie. Sometimes it looks like Johnson is trying to kick down a wall and not a door.

~ 50 games for 1st offence, 100 games for second offence and lifetime ban for 3rd offence. It is about time baseball trys to clean itself up, even if it was the governments prodding to actually make this happen. Basicly what this means is- Get Out and Stay out Rafael Palmeiro , take your pornstash and Viagra and stay at home

~ Congrats go out to Atlanta braves bench boss Bobby Cox on becoming the first manager in the majors to be named coach of the year 2 straight years and now have won the award 4 times tying Tony LaRussa for most all time.

~ Terrell Owens---- Sorry this is a TO free zone, can't give him any more undeserved publicity.

~ Michigan hosts their bitter rivals from Ohio this saturday, usually this is a crap shoot game, needless to say it won't be appearing on any of my proline ticket this week, however with that being said it seems that the team that has the most to lose, ends up losing. Stay tuned for yet another epic battle in the Big House in Ann Arbour.

~ USC -vs- Texas in the Rose Bowl...you heard it here first, or not whatever, still will be a good championship game. BCS still sucks either way.

~ Who would have thought that the Vancouver Grizzlies record for losses may be underfire this year, especially by their former cousins the Toronto Raptors. We know this team was bad but this is starting to not be funny anymore, what an embarrasment. How Rob Babcock keeps his job trought the season is beyond me.

~ Charlie Villanueva ..... wow, not an NBA star in the the making and still very ugly.

Line Changes

With the newly formed line of the Ottawa Senators with the likes of captain Daniel Alfredson, Jason Spezza, and newly acquired Dany Heatley there have been such debate on what this current powerhouse line should be called. Radio stations and print media in the nations capital have been running contests to name that line, and for the most part, simply....People are idiots. Sure this is a great line right now and can do no wrong, but you name a line and that is basically the kiss of death, the line will fall off in production, players will be moved around for new looks and/or secondary scoring. Even if they do stick for the entire season the names that have been batted about are weak at best, many taking a paragraph or the verbal equivalent to explain, some are just uninspired and most are just lame. Time that we just enjoy what they are able to accomplish thusfar into the season and call them Line 1, or Scoring Line 1. No different the Checking Line or Line 4. Sure, not overly creative but you don't sound like a jackass when you say it, and it is pretty much to the point. Nobody needs to be a hero on this, just shut up and enjoy

How enjoyable is this "New NHL"?

We are now closing in on the 20 game mark of the NHL schedule. Usually a point in the season that teams have had time to feel out their lineups have some time to evaluate if their talent and how they match up against other teams.

This season is of no exception, however after a year off it is of even more importance. Many pre-season favorites have fallen from early grace, eg. The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Some have taken this time to prove the nay Sayers wrong, like the Detroit Red Wings and the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadians. Others have just been as advertised, looking at the Ottawa Senators and the Philadelphia Flyers.

In the early part of the season teams have had to make many adjustments, new rules have had to be adapted and adopted by both players and coaches. Rule Changes/ actual enforcement of rules have proved to be of utmost importance. Players have lost the ability to stifle the talent and creativity of the elite players though the "clutching and grabbing". Goaltenders have had to adjust to new size changes in equipment as well as the dangers of playing the puck in the "forbidden zone". Coaches now have to work just that little bit harder to try and defend against the offensive explosion, as well as focus even more on special teams.

And what do all these things have in common...not a whole lot of complaints from either side, and that is terrific! The game has opened up, ties have been eliminated, shootouts have proved to be compelling, even if very few games have reached that point( with the vast majority of games being settles during regular or overtime play).

Fans, at least in Canada have embarrassed the return, and well, the US is the US and it will be a long time in the making for it to reach any standing south of the boarder, if it happens at all.

At the very least it is nice to see that things are progressing, and that is really all we can ask for right now.