Day Late - Thanks Blogspot

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in – from the regulars who visit to see what's making news on Weird and Whacked Wednesdays, to the first timers who have happened upon this page and are wondering "What the F***?" Blogspot was down last night - so Wednesday's post comes today. Before I start, as always, a special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

For those of you who have been here before – you can skip the formalities and move down to this week's entry. For those of you who haven't been here before, Wednesday's entries take a look back at some of the more humours stories in the world of sports from the past week or so – stories that would be classified as weird, some that are so out there that they can only be described as whacked, and those that are just downright silly. I'll let you decide where the story falls.

As the title states – the theme for this week's Weird Whacked Wednesday entry is all about having a big mouth…so without further delay, on with the show this is it.

EUROPEAN SOCCER

SHARIF DON'T LIKE IT
England Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has gotten himself into trouble with the British media and fans of England – AGAIN. A couple of years back he was roasted by the English media for a hot, steamy (and some would suggest tawdry) affair with his then secretary – the lovely Faria Alam. This time around, in a gag that would have made Ashton Kutcher proud, Sven got "Punk'd" by a British tabloid reporter who has been known to pull this stunt a few times before.

Mr. Mahzer Mahmood posed as a sheik and invited Eriksson to Dubai to discuss what English Premiership Team he might be able to purchase (a la Roman Abromovitch). Eriksson must have gotten loaded – not only did he spill the beans about Aston Villa being in rough shape, he went on to say that he would like the job after the 2006 World Cup (to be won by Portugal – right Hazel?), he tried to impress "Sheik Mahmood" by saying he could lure David Beckham to the team and a number of other unhappy players such as Michael Owen - oh yeah, if that wasnt' bad enough he also said the Premiership is riddled with corruption.

You can imagine how well Eriksson's recount of the state of the union in the Premiership went over. The funniest part of the story is that the English Football Association met with Eriksson and will release him from his contract after the 2006 World Cup (to be won by whom? All together now…). The final two years on Eriksson's contract was reportedly worth over $5M U.S. Way to go Sven…I wonder if he made the face he did at Euro 2004 when Portugal scored their second goal against England. Classic.

MLB

WORKING FOR THE CLAMPDOWN
So, the whole world knows that Theo Epstein is now back with the Red Sox - I guess you can only understand all of this if you are immersed in Boston sports 24/7 - hello Hazel Mae!!!!! But there are some interesting angles on this -

• Theo decides not to resign in October, speculation is that he is still "advising" through the fall and early part of winter, then he comes back as GM and executive vice president - oh yeah, and the little bit about the Gorilla suit (but that's nothing compared to all the other angles on this story);
  
  
• The two men hired to replace Epstein - Jed Hoyer and Ben Cherington lose their dream job as co-GMs; the consolation prize (and a pretty good one I would say) is that they got to be interviewed by Hazel (I'll check the video on NESN tomorrow);
  
  
• Larry Lucchino, demonized by most Red Sox fans last fall, originally seen as the victor in the battle of young and old - is now the vanquished...holding a press conference today with Epstein, Hoyer and Cherington to explain things. thing that make you go hmmmm
  
  
• John Henry didn't attend the press conference with the four horseman of the Sox... you make your own assumption.
  
  
• The story that Theo is returning to the Sox is first reported by the Boston Herald - I may be wrong, but isn't the Boston Globe the paper that is supposed to be connected to the Sox? How does the Herald break the story? I'm not going to point fingers... Why wasn't Hazel the first one to know? I would have spilled the beans to Hazel (no smart remarks!

Newsflash : WEEI just reported that the Sox have reached a minor league deal with Colorado OF Dustin Mohr. This is the second member of Hazel Mae's Heroes (my rotisserie team) to join the Sox...coincidence? Maybe... again, things that make you go hmmmmmm


KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
Former Colorado Rockies Pitch Denny Neagle found the world's most expensive "Purveyor of Pleasure." Neagle pleaded guilty to solicitation of a prostitute in a Colorado court. Neagle was arrested in Dec. 2004 after he offered a nice young lady $40 for "favours". This little indescretion cost Neagle millions (he had $10 Million on the final two years of his contract) after the Rockies voided his contract ; they later reached a settlement. I hope it was worth it Denny...you know what Eddie Murphy said about women..."HALF? HALF? Not even if they shot sparks out of their "BEEEEEEEPS"

NBA

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO
Ron Artest of the Indiana Pacers was traded – finally. On Tuesday, reports surfaced that Artest had been traded to the Kings for guard Peja Stojakovic – then reports said that he refused to be traded, on Wednesday Artest finally relented and will join the Kings. Funny quote from one of the Kings owners, Gavin Maloff – "We're gamblers. So we are going to take a chance on him." For those that don't know, Mr. Maloff owns a casino with his brother. Take a chance on Artest? That's like going all-in on a pair of sevens. (I bet Hazel plays poker…bet she's good at it too) Larry Bird must be laughing right now. Can anyone say Snake Eyes?

I think that wraps it up for this week...feel free to submit your ideas for the Weird and Whacked . Have a great one peeps!

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world. Enjoy your weekend.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - if you haven't figured it out...the theme music has been from the one and only....THE CLASH. As such, the song of the night is for Sven Goran Eriksson

Rock the Casbah - The Clash

Peesth out!