Weekend Recap - Better Late Than Never

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

The Hazies come a day late this week - real life (work) interrupted the Monday Hazies. For those of you who haven't been here before - the Monday Hazies take a look back at some of the more notable performances from the past week. The winners are awarded a Hazie and have the title of "Hazel's Hero" bestowed upon them. While Hazel hasn't officially OK'd the nominees - we'd like to think she give her trademark smile and the thumbs up.

HAZEL'S HEROES

MLB
Jason Bay of the Pirates won his second consecutive National League Player of the Week. Bay made news last week for hitting a home run in six consecutive games - his streak ended last night. He wound up the week hitting .500, with 7 HRs and 15 RBI.

I think Hazel would have to give the thumbs up to a Canadian kid hitting it big south of the border - she'd hand out the hardware.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander and Carl Crawford of the Devils Rays shared the American League Player of the Week award. Verlander was 2-0, with an ERA of 0.56 in 16 innings - including the first complete game shutout thrown by a Tigers' rookie in four years. He finished the month of May going 4-1, with an ERA of 1.73 (surprise, surprise "Hubie" has Verlander in the Hazelspeeps yahoo pool). For his part, Crawford hit .484 for the week with 3 HRs and added 8 stolen bases.

It is said that "chicks dig the long ball" - given "Hurricane Hazel's" reputation as a big time pitcher during her days at Rogers Sportsnet (according to Mike Toth), I think she'd dig Verlander's week. I'm not sure Hazel would be feelin' Crawford's week, since he stole four bases in a game against the Blue Jays and had a two HR game against the Sox.

Check out the month that Ryan Howard is having - going into tonight's game, Howard had hit 13 HRs in May and has over 30 RBI. That rates mention in the same breath as the other winners.

Like they say "chicks dig the long ball" - I think Hazel would dig Ryan's power numbers this month - can you hear her say "Buh Bye"?

As I wrap up the MLB round up - I would be remiss (and probably beaten down by Hazel herself) if I didn't mention that Vernon Wells of Hazel's hometown Blue Jays hit 3 HRs tonight against the Red Sox. Troy Glaus (a member of Hazel Mae's Hackers) has chipped in with 2 HRs of his own.

Hazel has the right to step in and nominate these two - even if they did it against the Sox.


NHL
The Edmonton Oilers have shocked the hockey world by making it to the Stanley Cup Finals - awaiting the winner of the Buffalo/Carolina series. The Oilers have Canadians in a frenzy with this run to the Cup - even people who don't consider themselves hockey fans have stood up (or sat down in a pub) and taken note of what Edmonton has accomplished. I have talked a lot about the players who have lead the Oilers this spring - but this week's Hazie has to go to Kevin Lowe who many thought to be crazy when he signed Pronger and Peca, and even crazier when he traded for Roloson. Lowe took a gamble and it has paid off big time in Edmonton.

If pressed (no smart comments peeps) I have to think that Hazel would say she's pulling for a Canadian-based team to win the Cup. Ya, I know - her support for the Oilers has NOTHING to do with my hockey pools.

Note: The Buffalo Sabres just beat the Carolina Hurricanes in O/T to force Game 7 in Carolina on Thursday. THIS is very good for my other pool - Hazel Karma at work? I guess we'll see now...won't we?

A short list this week for a number of reasons - not the least of which was that it was a "fuzzy" kind of weekend (read: Red Bull and Vodka). The details were shared with my old Hazelspeeps buddy DJames who, no doubt, must have laughed hysterically at some of the events from the last few days. But that is a story for yahoo. The World Cup is coming - and you know Hazel is going to be busy handing out the hardware to the likes of Luis Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco and the rest of the " Selecção", aka the Portuguese National Team.

Plenty to talk about tomorrow in Weird & Whacked Wednesday entry, including:

• Ricky Williams signing with Hazel's hometown Toronto Argos - and Joe Theismann's rant against the signing;
  
  
• The ongoing saga of the Boston Bruins search for a GM;
  
  
• The confederacy of dunces (Roy Mlakar, John Muckler and a reluctant Bryan Murray) , putting the "Tard" in SenaTards by telling fans that they are considering bringing back Dominik Hasek next year - the man who is said to have angel hair pasta holding his groin together.
  
  
• The French National Team criticizing fans in Paris for booing them - who'da thunk it? The French, and in particular - Parisiens, being rude...go figure.
  
  
• Marathoners in Ottawa take a short cut through no fault of their own and end up losing their place - a volunteer had left his station to direct the runners. Does this ever happen in Boston?
  

All this and likely more, because we now know that people now save up all their brilliant ideas and actions for Wednesday - in hopes of being mentioned here.

I'll leave you with the standings in the Hazelspeeps Fantasy Baseball Pool on yahoo for the week ending May 28th.

71.5 - The Bronx Zoo (owned by "Sparky")
70.5 - Tom Sawyer (owned by our resident Steinbrenner "Hubie)
63.0 - Shuggysux (owned by "Shuggy")
62.5 - Tina's Team (owned by our rookie GM Tina)
54.0 - Banana Peels (owned by "Golden Banana")
49.5 - Fighting Bobcats (owned by our commish "Drisc")
49.5 - Hazel Mae's Hackers (owned by El Prez...known here as "Pogue)
49.0 - Naughty Girls (owned by fellow part-time blogger "Renee")
43.5 - GB Steam Boys (owned by Gbak..."George")
37.0 - Leprachauns (owned by "Irish")

Shuggy broke into the top 3 this past week - but Tina is tough, she'll bounce back. A dog fight in the middle of the pack with Drisc and I tied for 6th. Renee's brief, but hopefully enjoyable stay on top of me is now over - she is right under (as opposed to behind) me (and Drisc I guess). George has an excuse for being near the bottom - he works too damn much and get on during the day to beat Hubie to the waiver wire. Plus, when he spends his time supporting the Paw Sox - so you have to give him a break.

In case anyone was wondering - the waiver controversy didn't explode. Looks like yahoo got their act together...all is well in the land of Hazelspeeps.

That's about it for tonight - another big day at work tomorrow. Have a great one peeps - hope your Memorial Day was a great one.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world - June is coming, which means the rise of the Hackers up the standings.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - I was witness to an event that has likely NEVER before and I dare say will NEVER happen again. Two lovely Asian ladies, in a retro club, dancing wildly to a song that they had never heard before - or will again...unless I burn it for them. The significance of this event? That's between my buddy DJames and I...and my gang that was there to see it. It is a memory that will last a lifetime.

Watusi Rodeo - Guadalcanal Diary

Come along with me to the Congo land
Got a zebra by the tail and a python in my hand
Once my home was a Texas plain
But now I'm swinging lasso on an alien terrain
Hottentons and pygmies know where to go
Everybody's headed to the Watusi Rodeo

Cowboys are putting up a fence around
A sacred elephant burial ground
Native women stomping up a flurry in the mud
Villagers are looking for some cowboy blood (Blood!!)

I guess they didn't like those hats we made 'em wear
They don't look right on the native hair
Don't they know that it's all for show
All for showing at the Watusi Rodeo

Monkeys in the trees just thumbing their nose
At the bull riders, ridin' on rhinos
Warriors standing with spears in their hands
Wondering what's next from a crazy white man

Natives are restless under these Stetsons
What are these cowboys doing in the congo
Look like cows but they're water buffalos
Ropin' and ridin in the Watusi Rodeo
Oh they look like cows but they're water buffalos
Everybody's heading for the Watusi Rodeo

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!