March Madness

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

For those of you who have been here before and know the Wednesday intro by heart - you can go right to this week's entry. For those of you who are checking in for the first time, or are relatively new to the page - Wednesday entries look back at the weird, the whacked and the downright silly stories from the world of sports over the past seven days...it has been a while since I have done a Wednesday entry, so some of the stories may go back a little over the last week. I'll let you judge where each one of this week's nominees belong.


NHL

THE APPRENTICE
The Los Angeles Kings recently announced that they were parting ways with head coach Andy Murray. The Kings had been struggling, but they were still hanging on to a playoff spot in the Western Conference. In discussing the decision to let go of Murray, Kings GM Dave Taylor was quoted as saying the team wasn't playing with the same sense of urgency or passion they had played with earlier in the year. Gee Dave, maybe that's because the team has been wracked with injuries - or maybe because Kings' ownership wouldn't spend money to keep some of your better players. Some reports say that the Kings' newest acquisitions have gotten along too well with Murray - one of them being Mark Parrish who came over from the Isles.

Murray was replaced by John Torchetti who had a stellar coaching record with the Florida Panthers a few years back. This firing is wrong on a lot of levels - not the least of which is the ridiculous hope that a coaching change this late in the year is going to help your team. Dave Taylor should know better...but I'm sure he's more worried about his own can right now. File this one under "whacked".

CAT IN THE CRADLE
So the Boston Bruins finally got around to firing Mike O'Connell's can last week. I agree with the firing - but I have to ask WHY it came after the trade deadline? Why did Sinden allow him to trade Samsonov? Sinden's only remark was - we knew he wasn't going to be here next year, so why let him finish this year? To make this story even better, Charlie Jacobs (son of Bruins' Owner Jeremy Jacobs - "My boy was just like me".) is on record saying that they aren't just going to go out and hire a "name" ie. Orr, Neely, Bourque and anyone else who put on a Bruin uniform - no, the Bruins next GM had to be willing to build a long term relationship with the Jacobs family...

One question - isn't that the kind of thinking that has kept Harry Sinden around all this time? Is that what the Bruins really want...another Sinden? Or just another guy who will kiss their cans and say "Yes Sir" to everything they say? Fear not Bruins' fans...Harry has taught young Charlie everything he knows. File this one under whacked - but then again, its the Boston Bruins.


NFL

SNAKE EYES
A Minneapolis judge agreed with claims made by Daunte Culpepper and Moe Williams that they were treated differently than two white men who were not charged in the Minnesota Vikings' version of Tub Rub. Culpepper for his part finally came clean about what he was doing on the boat - he was playing craps...that's all. Craps. Last week, he welcomed the chance to clear his name - this week, he'll take the freebie. I don't even want to get into anything else "Daunte-related". This one goes under the downright silly.


I WONDER IF HE INHALED
Bengals WR Chris Perry pleaded guilty to charges of marijuana possession. To his credit, Perry realizes that he let everyone around him down and he apologized for it. He plans to get on with his life after he faces firearms charges in Florida. Ya, and Terrell Owens is a major problem huh? File Chris' story under "whacked".


WE KNOW THESE TWO DID
Randy Moss' agent was charged with possession of crack cocaine. Dante DiTripano and his wife were found to be in possession of drugs in a hotel room in Florida. Say what you want about Moss - he went on record saying he was going to stand by his friend. Terrell Owens would say that that was downright silly - so would Bronson Arroyo.


MLB

HE LOVES THEM, HE LOVES THEM NOT
David Wells' love hate relationship with the Boston Red Sox is back on "love". Last week, he was up to his old self again - demanding a trade if he wasn't in the starting rotation in April, calling Terry Francona an idiot, and everything else that goes along with David Wells'. This week, he loves the Sox again and thinks that all five starters can win 20 games this year. I think David has been hanging out with Moss' agent. I can't decide if this one is just plain whacked or downright silly...there's a difference you know.


HE LOVES THEM, HE LOVES THEM NOT II
Alfonso Soriano has agreed to play LF for the Washington Nationals - and all it took was a threat to put him on the disqualified list - meaning he would lose salary and service. After all that - Alfonso wants everyone to know that he really loves the game and he just wants to play. Put this one under weird.


DWIGHT GOODEN
He's in trouble again. This time he violated his parole and used cocaine. Dwight is looking at time in prison for this indiscretion. Just plain said...that this once great major league ball player has wound up like this.


BRAWLIN BOSTON RED SOX
Boston relief pitcher did what starter Josh Beckett wouldn't do the day before. Tavarez took a swing at Tampa Bay Devil Rays OF Joey Gathwright - in a game the day before, Josh Beckett was shouting and hurling insults at Phillies 1st baseman Ryan Howard...Beckett declined Howard's invitation to come out and have a chat...if you know how big Howard is - you would know why Beckett wasn't exactly eager to back up his words.

File this one under silly - because what Julian Tavarez did was downright stupid - expect Coco Crisp to get plunked when Boston meets Tampa in the regular season...and if I was Coco, right after getting hit, I'd walk up to Tavarez and punch him right in the head.


HEE SEOP CHOI...HEE SEOP CHOI
The Red Sox picked up Hee Seop Choi off of waivers from the Dodgers - this gets play here because with this pickup - that makes FOUR members of Hazel Mae's Heroes (my NL only roto team) to be picked up by the Sox. The others were, Josh Beckett, Alex Gonzalez and Dustin Mohr. I wonder if Theo reads this page...things that make you go hmmmm.

Ok, I'm going to call it a night tonight - stay tuned gang...we have a new contributor coming to the site - from Hazelspeeps at yahoo. Renee will be joining the page as the eye on New England. I will issue a press release tomorrow...Renee is something special...you'll come to see that.

Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - because it is on right now

Bed's Too Big Without You (Live Version) - The Police (only available in box set collection - GREAT version).

Peesth Out!