He also comes across as a whiner…

“Come here, I want to see your face when you ask this question, the way you are going to ask it,” Strahan said. “I know you are going to ask it in a way there is more division and more of a negative way than it was, so come here, I want to see your face, please.”

Strahan then asked the media to clear a path so he could see Naqi.

“You’re a responsible journalist, look me in the eye and ask this question the way you want to ask it,” said Strahan, who only came into the locker room after being told by the public relations staff that Naqi was questioning his teammates about his comments. “Look a man in the eye before you try to kill him or make up something.”

Note: Video of the incident and Naqi’s take are on the above link.

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Al MacInnis’ number two can’t be far behind…

Canadian Press

11/29/2006 4:15:05 PM

CALGARY (CP) - The Calgary Flames will recognize the hometown hero who helped them win the Stanley Cup by retiring goaltender Mike Vernon’s No. 30.

The 43-year-old Vernon, who was born in Calgary, played his minor and junior hockey in the city and was drafted by the Flames, will see his number join Lanny MacDonald’s No. 9 in the Pengrowth Saddledome rafters Feb. 6.

”I’m a hometown boy. It makes me feel good,” an emotional Vernon said Wednesday at a news conference. ”I’m blessed to have had such a long career, to play here in my hometown in front of my family and friends.”

The fine folks @ Deadspin with a Merril Hoge contradiction! Good times…

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Looks like the right move by Phillies general manager Pat Gillick…

by Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.com

The Philadelphia Phillies backed away from a multiyear agreement with free-agent reliever Joe Borowski because of concerns over Borowski’s shoulder after the pitcher took a physical, several baseball sources told ESPN.com.

According to the sources, the Phillies were prepared to sign Borowski when a team doctor examined the results of the physical and advised against giving the pitcher a multiyear contract.

Borowski’s agents, Ron Shapiro and Michael Maas, continue to field one-year offers from several clubs. It’s believed they haven’t ruled out resuming negotiations with Philadelphia.�

Track stars-to-NFL-wide-receiver have had some success, like NFL Hall of Famer (and former Dallas Cowboy) Bob Hayes…

By John Clayton
ESPN.com

The Houston Texans worked out the world’s fastest man, Justin Gatlin, on Tuesday but that doesn’t mean he’s making a fast entrance into the NFL.

The Texans didn’t make a big deal out of the Tuesday visit. They looked at Gatlin like they did with two other receivers — Kevin McMahan of Maine and Jovan Witherspoon of Central Michigan. NFL teams usually bring in players for Tuesday workouts while the 53 players on the regular roster take a day off.

The only difference in this workout was the name recognition of Gatlin, the 100-meter gold medal winner in the 2004 Summer Olympics. Gatlin holds the world record for running the 100 meters in 9.76 seconds.

In April, he tested positive for the banned substance testosterone and accepted an eight-year ban from track and field.

Another day, another arrest for rapper Snoop Dogg:

Snoop was arrested for a third time in three months Tuesday after cops busted him on the aforementioned charges as he left a taping of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

The rapper, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, was arrested on counts of illegally possessing a handgun, possessing cocaine, transporting marijuana and for having a false compartment in his car.

According to police spokesman Sergeant Kevin Grandalski, Snoop’s entourage was pulled over just after 6 p.m., as soon as the rapper had left NBC’s studios in Burbank, where he was taping a performance for last night’s Tonight Show.

from the fine folks @ E! Television

As a fan of Carlos Tevez, the Lead finds this quite humorous….

The 22-year-old Tevez was handed both punishments by his West Ham United team mates for storming out of Upton Park on Saturday after his substitution in the team’s 1-0 home win over Sheffield United, British media reported on Wednesday.

The Sun tabloid even had former Corinthians striker Tevez in the colors of Argentina’s arch-rivals Brazil in a photomontage on its back page.

Two-year deal with a club option in 2009…

per Rotowire

***UPDATED***

Associated Press

11/29/2006 12:51:00 PM

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Craig Counsell returned to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, agreeing to a two-year contract.

Counsell played for Milwaukee in 2004. The 36-year-old spent the last two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

”The Brewers are glad to have Craig back,” said Brewers general manager Doug Melvin, a native of Chatham, Ont. ”He has always exemplified the true professional in how he prepares and plays the game. His ability to play all infield positions will be extremely valuable. Craig also brings a contact approach to hitting and has always been a fundamentally sound player.”

Our friends at InsideSTL conducted an interview with former New York Met, New York Yankee and San Francisco Giant OFer Darryl Strawberry on the morning radio show, The Morning Grind.

Below is an excerpt of that interview form the two hosts, Tim McKernan and Jim Hayes –

Jim Hayes � What a fascinating life you�ve lead? Obviously lots of good�and plenty not so good that�s been chronicled in the media. Our questions to you�for Darryl Strawberry�is…what are you doing in St. Charles?

Strawberry � It�s a blessing to be here. Me and my wife came here, to visit her family over the Holidays about a year ago and we just to happened to pop into a beautiful church, and we loved it. We decided this was a place where God wanted us�Church on the Rock. A wonderful pastor, wonderful teacher. That�s what brought us here. I love the ministry. Love the outreach, helping those who need it. We came, and saw that, and our hearts were for that and wanted to be a part of that.

Click here to read the rest of the interview

Short little blurb on ESPN tells us that SP Pedro Martinez of the New York Mets is feeling good.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Pedro Martinez said he is making strides in his rehab, but doesn’t expect to return the New York Mets’ rotation until midseason.

“The rehabilitation process is better than expected,” Martinez said.

Some good stuff (as always) from Buster Olney of ESPN INsider. Other notes that appear in the column are: Tony La Russa’s continued defense of Mark Gwire; the Dodgers have interest in former Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal and Brad Hawpe has been told he’s staying put in the Mile High City…

� Tom Glavine wants to go back to the Braves, writes David O’Brien, but there’s just one holdup — the Braves haven’t made an offer to Glavine.

� The Dodgers are not interested in Barry Zito, writes Steve Henson. That could leave only the Mets and Cubs as possible big-market suitors for the left-hander.

� The Indians are interested in Keith Foulke, writes Paul Hoynes.

� The Mariners are looking to reacquire Freddy Garcia, writes John Hickey. Within this piece, Hickey also writes that the Mariners remain the front-runners to sign Jason Schmidt.

� The Rays are trying to move a regular-season series in May to Orlando, writes Marc Topkin. Within this same piece, there is word that Tampa Bay has signed Hee-Seop Choi.

More after the jump »

Some more hot stove tidbits from one the game’s insiders…

Another reason why the Dodgers could be a logical fit for Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez: Dodgers manager Grady Little, who managed Ramirez in 2002 and ‘03 with the Sox and coached him with the Indians in 2000. Little had to endure his own “Manny being Manny” moments in Boston, but one of his greatest strengths is his ability to relate to players.

The Braves appear unlikely to sign free-agent left-hander Tom Glavine unless they can trade right-hander Tim Hudson, whose salary will rise from $6 million next season to $13 million in both ‘08 and ‘09. Braves second baseman Marcus Giles also remains a candidate to be moved; he continue to generate significant trade interest despite the glut of second basemen on the free-agent market.

The Diamondbacks, Padres, Giants, Rangers and Indians are believed to be among the teams interested in free-agent left-hander Mark Mulder, who had season-ending shoulder surgery in August and isn’t expected to be ready by the start of the season. The Diamondbacks would benefit from adding Mulder to a rotation that already includes Brandon Webb, Livan Hernandez and Doug Davis. Ditto for the Padres, who could add Mulder to Jake Peavy, Chris Young, Clay Hensley � and maybe Greg Maddux.

There’s more including: Rocco Baldelli drawing interest from the Boston Red Sox; the Baltimore Orioles sinking $42MM in relief help and why the Yankees are out of the Ted Lilly bidding for now…