Former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson indicted on drug charges (USAToday)
Its a sad state of events — a guy that once was on top of the sports world, making millions of dollars and living high on the hog and ends up like this. Quite pitiful.
No infection found in Barbaro’s hind legs (AP)
Fleet of flame horse Barbaro has been given a temporary clean bill of health as an examination has shown no infection in his hind legs.
Thankfully, we can now carry on.
Olney: Yanks clear launch pad for Rocket (ESPN INsider)
ESPN’s Buster Olney details what the Yankees have done to make way for a possible return for Roger Clemens to the Bronx.
He also blogs about other happenings around MLB. An excerpt –
The Brewers want to see how their season might go if three-fourths of their infield doesn’t get hit by injury, as it did last year.
Mike Lowell says he’s not surprised that the Red Sox hung onto Manny Ramirez. Within this story, there is also word that Jonathan Papelbon is not ruling out the possibility of closing in 2007, although the medical advice the Red Sox are getting is that it would be better if Papelbon moved to the rotation to give him the kind of rigid schedule that might protect his throwing shoulder.
Lowell also said, in this Jeff Horrigan story, that he finds it odd how there is more attention given to the performance-enhancing drug issue in baseball than in football. Couldn’t agree with him more.
The Mets are impressed with the fact that Guillermo Mota was a standup guy in dealing with his positive steroid test, Michael Schmidt writes.
Richard Hildalgo is working out a minor-league deal with the Astros. His decline has been astonishing.
Right now, the Yankees’ only lefty reliever is Mike Myers, as Anthony McCarron writes.
The news and notes as we reach mid-day…
Pirates shuffle ownership structure (MLB.com) While they’re at it, any chance they can shuffle out their roster, too?
Gonzalez, Chiefs agree to extension (AP) Tight end to finish career in Kansas City
Business leaders in OKC pass on Penguins (AP) One midwestern city fails. When will the other one?
Florida’s Caldwell wants another title, to stay at Florida (ESPN.com) Florida has a big mountain to climb in 2007.
‘Has “Quite Frankly” been cancelled?‘ (Deadspin) Quite frankly, the show sucked.
Inside Hockey has released their power rankings for the National Hockey League for the past week. Here’s an excerpt of the top ten, with the rest after the jump.
For more great hockey information, visit InsideHockey.
1. Buffalo Sabres (1): Three Sabres Daniel Briere, Ryan Miller, and Brian Campbellwere deservedly voted to start in the All-Star Game, a crystal-clear sign that Sabre-mania has struck in Buffalo, the NHLs smallest US TV market.
2. Anaheim Ducks (2): The injury-ravaged Ducks put up a good fight against the hard-charging Predators in Nashville on Tuesday night, coming up just short in a 5-4 overtime loss. But on Thursday night, the Ducks caught fire, trouncing Dallas 5-1 on the strength of a Teemu Selanne hat trick, his first in nearly six years.
3. Nashville Predators (4): Finally healthy, the Predators are a clear-cut Cup contender. In Tuesday nights win over the Ducks, Steve Sullivan and Kimmo Timonen teamed up for a brilliant goal in overtime. Tonight they will look to extend their winning streak to four when they host the Blue Jackets.
4. San Jose Sharks (6): Silicon Valleys tech-savvy hockey fans voted both Joe Thornton and Jonathan Cheechoo into the All-Star Game, but only Jumbo Joe deserves the honor. With only 13 goals and a minus-10 rating, Cheechoo has slipped badly this year.
5. Detroit Red Wings (3): Henrik Zetterberg scored twice in regulation, and again in the shootout, to lead Detroit to victory over the Avalanche on Tuesday night. And last night, Tomas Holmstrom’s hat trick powered Detroit to a 5-1 win over Phoenix, ending the Coyotes’ seven-game winning streak.
6. New Jersey Devils (9): After an atrocious start, captain Patrik Elias has returned to All-Star form. In his last 11 games, the Devils captain has tallied 14 points and a very impressive plus-10 rating. But if the Devils are to make any noise in the playoffs, they’ll need to give Martin Brodeur some well-deserved rest.
7. Atlanta Thrashers (7): Injuries caused Kari Lehtonens NHL career to get off to a rocky start, but the fabulous Finnish netminder has settled nicely into the starting role in Atlanta (.911 SV%, 2.83 GAA) to lead the Thrashers to the top of the Southeast Division.
8. Montreal Canadiens (5): Hard-hitting blueliner Sheldon Souray has improved by leaps and bounds in the defensive zone, and his point shot on the Habs power play is one of the NHLs most-feared weapons. He is a deserving All-Star Game starter.
9. Dallas Stars (8): Strong play from defensemen Philippe Boucher and Sergei Zubov, and of course, goaltender Marty Turco, has helped the plucky Stars stay close on the Sharks heels. But last night’s ugly loss to the Ducks is a sign that the Stars just dont have the firepower to compete with the West’s elite teams.
10. Calgary Flames (11): Kristian Huselius recently completed a four-game stretch during which he tallied eight points. And last night, he tallied three points (and a plus-four rating) in the Flames 7-3 win over the Avalanche. If he can start putting together consistent nightly efforts, he will emerge as a top-tier NHLer.
Beckham’s arrival has déjà vu written all over it déjà vu [dey-zhah voo, vyoo; Fr. dey-zha vy] -noun1. Psychology. the illusion of having previously experienced something actually being encountered for the first time.
2. disagreeable familiarity or sameness.
Once upon a time, a professional sports franchise based in Los Angeles, Calif. dealt for a superstar player that was a national icon. He was a symbol that was so synonymous (and still is) with his game that when one utters the name of the sport, one would immediately identify him by name.
Are we talking about David Beckham, international futbol star, known metrosexual and a man who transcends his sport the way Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan have that signed a five-year, $25 million deal with MLS club the Los Angeles Galaxy?
Nope, we’re talking about Wayne Gretzky.
While both athletes come from different countries (Gretzky from Canada; Beckham from England), play different sports (hockey for Gretzky; futbol for Beckham), married stars (one the actress Janet Jones; the other pop celebrity ‘Posh Spice’), their paths have some eerie parallels and the potential transactions could have similar results.
News and notes you may’ve missed in the paper this morning…
Wie struggles in 1st round of Sony Open (AP) Ms. Wie needs to listen to Stuart Appleby as she continues to make a fool of herself.
Pettitte wants Clemens to join him in NY (MLB.com) No shock here.
Dodgers to open all-you-can-eat section (AP) The Dodgers want you to stuff your face, get sick and leave early?
Barry Bonds comes to teammate’s defense (AP) He allegedly throws his teammate under the bus and now apologizes. Solid stuff.
Howard chooses Close as agent (FOXSports.com) MVP wants MVP dollars.
Pedro visits a Mets prospect — his son (MLB.com) Another in a long line of Martinezes to play in MLB.
Mike Sherman might not be the man in Arizona afterall (PFT.com) “The Lee Corso Not-So-Fast Award goes to….”
More on Salisbury: Was this his first offense? (The Big Lead) First, a rumor rolls from PFT, then word in a Sportsline column…now, it’s he cutting his online chat short t’other day. Where there’s smoke, there’s ball sack?
Rangers seriously shopping….Nashville dealing? (Hockeybuzz) Is that….it can’t be?!?!?!?! A hockey rumor!
Diaz, Timberlake confirm uncoupling (E!online) Does ‘The Joker’ have his dick in a box?
Versus picks up NHL television option (Hockeybuzz) The NHL can’t buy itself a break.
Check out these form-fitted NHL jerseys (Random) Another hockey-related post? Get out of bed, kids.
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