Monday, July 31, 2006

Random Thoughts

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

For those of you who have been here before, you know Monday nights are "Hazies" entries - this morning, I mentioned a few of the more notable performers from the past week or so. I wasn't going to do it tonight, but after watching David Ortiz hit a three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth to give Boston a 9-8 victory over Cleveland - the second time in three days he has had the game winning hit for the Sox - there is only one "Hazie" tonight...and that is for David Ortiz; because chicks dig the long ball.

Actually, one more "Hazie" goes out to former Cardinal stopper Bruce Sutter who was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame this past weekend.

So while David Ortiz has the title of "Hazel's Hero" bestowed upon him this week - we'll look at some of the "not-so-heroic" figures from the world of sports this year. My man Adam once told me that I should stop referring to them as "Hazel's Zeros".

MAYBE HE'S NOT A SUCH MAAN MAN
Word from France today that Tour de France winner Floyd Landis' urine sample showed that there was synthetic testosterone in his system. Landis told the world last Friday that the elevated testosterone in his system was a result of his body's natural metabolism - and that he would prove to the world that this was not a case of doping. A not so defiant Landis was unavailable for comment today.

Why do these guys do this? Why are they so defiant when proclaiming their innocence to the world - only to be exposed later on? Didn't he learn anything from Lance Armstrong? Speaking of Armstrong - last week, another former American Tour winner, Greg Lemond, told reporters that if Landis was guilty - he hoped he would own up to it and not hide his cheating, like "other" cyclists (thought to be a shot at Armstrong).


DON'T DENY - JUST BLAME SOMEONE ELSE
American sprinter Justin Gatlin took a page out of Gary Sheffield's book of excuses. Gatlin was also found to have elevated levels of testosterone in his system - Gatlin has not come out and denied the findings, instead saying that it was the result of a massage therapist who rubbed testosterone cream on his legs. For those of you not following this story - Gatlin's coach, Trevor Graham, has been associated with a number of other athletes who have received drug-related suspensions. Gatlin's lawyer has come out and said their case against the charge is to claim an "exceptional circumstance", in other words Justin didn't know what they were doing to him. Dick Pound is all over this one and wants Gatlin banned for life.

This case is particularly funny in light of the fact that earlier this year, when Gatilin tied the record for fastest 100 metres, he claimed that his time was actually 9.76 and wanted to be recognized as the sole holder of the "World's Fastest Man" title.


HOLLAND IN AMSTERDAM?
A month ago, SenaTards GM John Muckler told the hockey world that goalie Dominic Hasek said that he would only return to the NHL to play with the Tards. According to Muckler, "Hasek wanted to finish what he started - winning a Stanley Cup in Ottawa." Today, Red Wings GM Ken Holland announced that the team had signed Hasek to a deal to play for them this year. I have always thought of Holland as one of the smarter GMs in the NHL - but this one looks pretty dumb. I think Holland must have been in Amsterdam enjoying a "space bon bon" when he came up with this one. Stay tuned...the demise of the Red Wings is imminent.


THE HEAD TARD IN TROUBLE
SenaTards' owner Eugene Melnyk is in the midst of a situation with the Ontario Securities Commission. It seems that Mr. Melnyk, a Canadian citizen living in Barbados, broke a number of trading laws in his dealings over the past decade. Melnyk claims that he is not responsible - that the transactions were carried out by trust companies. How the rich get richer...


NOT SO THRILLING
Canadian auto racer Paul Tracy, who refers to himself as the "Thrill from Westhill", demonstrated how reckless and volatile he can be this past weekend when he pulled out in front of former teammate (and fellow Canadian) Alex Tagliani, knocking both drivers out of the Grand Prix in San Jose. A heated discussion followed with Tagliani berating Tracy for his recklessness - the "Thrill" threw a punch at his countryman, later explaining he had to defend himself. Tracy has always been thought to be a bit of an ass at the best of times - I guess this proves he is a complete ass at the worst of times.


There you have it - the "Not-So-Heroic" figures from the world of sports this past week.

The Hazelspeeps Fantasy Baseball Pool stayed pretty much the same this past week - one slight change at the bottom of the standings as Commish (and soon to be dad) Drisc moved up into 8th spot. Expect changes next week - as Renee got fleeced in a trade with league leader Bronx Zoo (Renee doesn't read the page very often, so she won't see this)

86.5 - The Bronx Zoo - owned by Sparky, who has taken over for Hubie as the resident Steinbrenner - after weeks of preaching faith and patience, he has traded 6 of his players.

69.5 - Shuggysux - owned by Pogue (the other Pogue) who may or may not be out of the country, or may or may not be aware of his standing as he never makes a move or checks in.

61.5 - Tom Sawyer - owned by Hubie who has joined recruiting efforts for the Hazelspeeps Fantasy Football pool.

56.5 - Hazel Mae's Hackers - owned by El Presidente (me) who is holding steady - but STILL happy to be on top of Renee again this week.

57.5 - Naughty Girls - owned by Renee who did the unthinkable and traded David Ortiz to Bronx - I STILL think she just likes being under El Pres.

52.5 - Tina's Team
- owned by Tina who has been been tinkering with her lineup.

48.5 - GB Steam Boys - owned by George who is still missing - he must be making a lot of steam these days.

46.5 - Fighting Bobcats - owned by Commish Drisc who announced that football is his game and is getting ready for the NFL pool.

44.0 Banana Peels
- owned by the Golden Banana who has been quiet.

27.0 - Leprachauns - owned by Irish who also made a deal with Bronx.

There you have it - standing for the week ending July 30th. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the night on Hazelspeeps - for Floyd Landis, Justin Gatlin, Eugene Melnyk et al

By Design - Stabilo (if you are in the U.S and haven't heard this song - find it and download it...its definitely worth it.

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!


Planes, Trains and Automobiles

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

By 4:00 pm (or a little after that) MLB fans should know who is going where. The Yankees fired the first shot at the Red Sox yesterday by picking up Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle from the Phillies - I may be the only person in the world who isn't ready to just hand the A.L. East title to New York. More on that later.

The Red Sox are rumoured to be working on a big deal today - while my pal Renee tells me that Mike Lowell won't be traded, I half expect to see his name later today - maybe even Coco Crisp, who hasn't been the answer to Johnny Damon. I'm still holding out hope that Theo Epstein will make my HR shot a reality by landing Miguel Tejada - Renee still thinks I'm out to lunch on that one.

The Chickenhawk (aka J.P. Ricciardi) says he has been trying to work a deal out, but has no takers - J.P. its time to start thinking about next year...Year 8 of your 5 Year plan to get the Blue Jays into being a World Series contender.

Chase Utley's streak is now up to 31 games - and he still isn't talking about it.

Carlos Beltran hit his 3rd grand slam in the month of July - interesting stat passed on to me by a Mets fan who reads the page (a Torontonian living in NYC), Beltran has more 2-out RBI than David Ortiz...who knew?

Floyd Landis must be breathing a sigh of relief, albeit a brief one, with news that U.S. Sprinter Justin Gatlin has tested positive for performance enhancing substances - which of course he has no knowledge of ever taking any banned substances.

I've got to book - lots to do on my last day of vacation. Have a great one peeps...back later with more.

HAZEL'S MONDAY HOROSCOPE
A personal problem will upset your day. Focus on home, money and relationships. You may be tempted to drag an outsider into your dilemma. Keep things simple and solutions will become apparent. 3 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the day on Hazelspeeps - from the movie

Mess Around - Ray Charles

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Sagres, Super Bock and Sandeman

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

Slow motion kind of morning after a night of Sagres, Super Bock and some Sandeman - that's what happens when you bring a bunch of porkchops together for a family gathering.

Stories that caught my eye today -

Chase Utley extended his hitting streak to 29 games - Ryan Howard hit his NL leading 34th HR, looks like Howard isn't suffering the same fate Bobby Abreu did after winning the HR Derby at the All-Star game. Almost makes you forget about Brett Myers...nah, not really.

David Ortiz showed once again why he is the best clutch hitter in all of baseball - cue balling a single to beat the shift and drive in the winning run against the Angels yesterday. Ortiz is one of the few players in baseball who is worth the price of admission.

Terrell Owens makes a good first impression as camp opens for the Dallas Cowboys. We've heard this one before - Cowboys fans across the world (yours truly included) hope that the Tuna can manage Terrell's ego.

That's about it for this morning...like I said, slow motion kind of day. Have a great one peeps.

HAZEL'S SUNDAY HOROSCOPE
Get any little jobs out of the way around home before you go out and have fun. Shopping for something obscure that you want will result in a conversation piece. Someone you are close to may not be happy with your purchase. 3 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - with thoughts of the gathering last night...

I Got Loaded - Los Lobos

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Saturday, July 29, 2006

From Renee's Desk/Laptop

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

Moving a little slower than normal today - great night yesterday. I've got nothing today...so the update comes from the desk of my pal Renee who has been all over the Hazelspeeps Fantasy Pool this morning - beating me to Florida's Anibel Sanchez.

Renee reports that there is no way RAMADA becomes a reality - she has completely shut me down, saying no way no how the Sox land Tejada, she's calling for Abreu or Soriano and a starting pitcher as part of a blockbuster. I'm not disagreeing with her, but we'll see what happens.

Renee says that Coco could be on his way out of Boston - things that make you go hmmmmm.

Ok, I've got to book - big party this aft. Lots of Port, lots of Super Bock and Sagres.

Have a great one peeps.

HAZEL'S SATURDAY HOROSCOPE
Troubles will begin at home if you have neglected your responsibilities. Try to make plans that everyone can enjoy. Special activities, a little gift, a few nice words and tenderness will help you get through any tense moments. 3 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world - have a great weekend.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - with thoughts of last night at the pub

Fiesta - The Pogues

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Friday, July 28, 2006

Gettin Miggy With It

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

The final weekend before the trade deadline in Major League Baseball - some big names being mentioned, with Bobby Abreu and Alfonso Soriano topping the list. Now comes word that the Baltimore Orioles may be entertaining offers for SS Miguel Tejada. Time to finish "The Economics of RAMADA piece I started back in December - How the Red Sox could afford Miguel Tejada and keep Manny Ramirez.

I've got to book gang - have a great one peeps.

HAZEL'S FRIDAY HOROSCOPE
Don't let problems you are experiencing with someone you have to deal with ruin your day. Help someone elderly whom you admire. The experience and knowledge shared will be well worth the time spent. 3 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world - have a great weekend.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - just because

Morning Wood - Nth Degree

Peesth Out...Buh Bye.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

All About Austin Powers

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

Interesting news that didn't make the Wednesday entry - but would have.

HE'S A MAAAN MAN!

Tour de France officials announced today that Tour winner Floyd Landis tested for high levels of testosterone/epitestosterone during the race - if Landis' B sample shows a positive result, he could be stripped of his victory.

Landis' team has already suspended him pending the second test result. You probably don't care about cycling, but it is an interesting story nonetheless.

For those of you wondering - Lance Armstrong had no comment.


FAT BASTARD

Let me introduce you to Denver Broncos punter Todd Sauerbrun, who lost his appeal of a league ruling and will be suspended for the first four weeks of the NFL season after testing positive for ephedra - which he ingested by taking a dietary supplement to lost weight.

Unlike Bengals' coach Marvin Lewis - Broncos coach Mr. Ed (oops - Mike "big front teeth" Shanahan) told Sauerbrun that he was very disappointed. Shanahan went on to say "He's the only guy on the team which I don't care if he's fat. I don't care if he's 30 lbs overweight. All you've got to do is punt the ball." Classic.

Sauerbrun didn't take Shanahan's comments very well, retorting - "Well, I care if I'm fat."


YOU'RE WITH ME LEVY
The Boston Herald reports that one of Hazel's idols - ESPN'S Chris Berman, and her significant other Steve Levy, "stormed the stage" at a concert in Boston to perform with Huey Lewis and the News and Chicago.

While the obvious question would be "WHY?", I had to ask myself...what does it take to "storm the stage" at a Huey Lewis concert? What there was 60? 70? people there? What are you guys - 18? 19? I'm wondering if they did a duet on one of Huey's classics "If this is it"... Berman is such a ham he probably tried to sing "Heart and Soul". I won't get into any possibilities on Chicago's sets...cuz that would be like starting a rumour or placing doubt.

Geezus guys - for Hazel's sakes - can you friggin pretend to be cool? Pretend like you are hip? Like its 2006 and not 1983? Please?

Note: if you are wondering about the title - go to Deadspin and do a search for the best Chris Berman story you will ever read.

That's about it for tonight - I'm going to yahoo to answer my girl Renee who is slapping me around there again tonight. Tonight's topic is whether or not Boston should retire Curt Schilling's number when he retires...if you have read this page in the past, you know that I'm definitely in the NO WUCKING FAY camp.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world - and if you are indeed checking in, you got a chuckle out of the shout out to your boys.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - for Chris and Steve, those wild and wacky stage stormers

I Need A New Drug - Huey Lewis and the News

or, if you prefer

Young Americans - David Bowie

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

It Must Be Some Misunderstanding

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

Its Wednesday, and if you have been here before you know what it means. For those of you who haven't been here before, Wednesdays are when we look back at some of the more colourful and interesting events that have taken place over the last week or so in the world of sports. Some of the stories fall under the category of weird - where you wonder how this could happen; some of the stories fall under the category of whacked - where you wonder what they were thinking when they did this; and the truly outstanding newsmakers and their stories fall under the category of "just plain dumb" - where you don't even try to understand it. I will let you decide where each fits.

WHEN A HUG IS NOT JUST A HUG
Word from Hazel's almost would-be employers, ESPN, is that they have dismissed Harold Reynolds amidst allegations of sexual harassment. Reynolds claims that he just gave a woman a hug and that feels like it was misinterpreted - oh yeah, and he wants his job back.

I'm going to file this one under "whacked" - you'd think this guy would know the rules of the game. Harold, you are no longer a major leaguer - you probably think it is your god-given right to reach out and touch anyone you feel like, but it is not how the game is played in the world outside of professional sports. Plus, haven't you heard the old saying? Chicks did the long ball - and if memory serves me right, you weren't exactly a big bopper. Well, I guess that mean another opening at ESPN - I wonder if Hazel has a cooling off period on her contract with NESN...she might want to reconsider and talk to ESPN again. (just kidding...settle down New England, I'm not starting any rumours).


THE DEVIL MADE HIM DO IT
Word from France is that a cyclist in this year's Tour de France tested positive for doping. While the name, nationality and team name of the cyclist has not been given, pending a second test, USA cycling was quick to state that they had not been contacted (well, duh - Lance Armstrong retired from cycling - sorry, I couldn't resist). If you are wondering about the title? Check out the "Postcards from Europe" blog entry - you'll get it.

File this one under "whacked" - this year's tour starts off with a number of top cyclists being banned from the event for allegedly contacting a Spanish doctor who was implicated in provided riders with performance enhancing drugs - and you are dumb enough to take something? Man, whoever you are - you are one pretty dumb young man...spare me the "it was just B12" crap.


AT LEAST HE WASN'T CHARGED
The NFL announced that Cincinnati Bengals' LB Odell Thurman will be suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Yet another good news story from the Bengals camp - with four players already facing criminal charges, now this. Coach Marvin Lewis says he's very disappointed, but hopes Thurman can get himself back to playing football - yep, that Marvin is a players' coach alright.

File this one under "whacked" - I figure the majority of NFL players violate the policy in some way or another, but when you are on a team like the Bengals, wouldn't you think that the NFL might be tightening down on you? I know, I know - the testing probably took place before some of the more recent charges against Bengals' players...but Chris Henry was there last year and getting into all sorts of trouble. Ok, maybe its a better fit under "just plain dumb".


BEARS 4 - 4 BENGALS
Chicago Bears TE John Gilmore was arrested and charged with marijuana possesion and three other misdemeanors. For those of you counting - Gilmore is the 4th Bears player charged this off-season. I wonder how long before Gilmore joins Odell Thurman on the suspended list.

File this one under "just plain dumb" - I wonder if John has ever heard of Ricky Williams? You get stopped by the police with marijuana and you start a "scuffle" with them? I wonder if Bears' management has the same type of "standards" Mike Brown has set for the Bengals?


That's about it for tonight - vacations are hard and tiring. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - because I heard it today

Fascinated - Company B

Peesth Out..Buh Bye!

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Maybe Harry Sinden Was Right After All

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

I don't know about you - but I'm lovin' what the new NHL is doing to some of the league's biggest whiners. In the vain of be careful what you wish for because you just might get it, I present the case of the Buffalo Sabres. Over the past few years Sabres management cried about not being able to compete with big speading teams in the NHL - the Sabres went to arbitration with forward Daniel Briere and lost, meaning that in order to keep Briere they will have to pay him $5M for the upcoming season. The New Jersey Devils suffered the same fate when they went to arbitration with Scott Gomez - $5M per season to keep him.

Briere and Gomez are both good players - no question, but to commit 12% of your payroll to either of them? In the case of Gomez, the Devils just signed Patrik Elias to a huge contract - and overpaid for Colin White...throw in Martin Brodeur's contract and you have a lot of money already committed. I don't know how they are going to sign Gomez - it will be interesting.

There was a theory that winning the Stanley Cup never fit into Harry Sinden's business model. The theory went that in order to maximize profits, Sinden's team needed to make it to the second round of the playoffs, that way the team could collect five or six home gates (pure profit) and not have to deal with players looking for a raise based on the team's performance.

Daniel Briere is a good player, a very good player, but is he a $5M/year player? I don't think so - I'm sure his playoff performance was a factor in the decision to award him that big contract. In a situation that would have made Harry cringe - the Sabres are going to have to pay a player big money, for what amounts to nothing. The home gates the Sabres had during this playoff run will undoubtedly be eaten up by Briere's contract and others yet to be signed. I guess Harry had it right all those years ago.

Have a great one peeps.

HAZEL'S WEDNESDAY HOROSCOPE
You'll have everything set to go but that doesn't mean the people closest to you will agree with what you are doing. Doing things with children or your peers may be fun but costly. Consider a professional change. 5 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - for the new NHL

Money - Pink Floyd

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Belated Congratulations to the *

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

I completely forgot to mention that yesterday was Barry Bonds' birthday - where are my manners? Happy Birthday to the ageless wonder forever to be known by the symbol *. Word has it that the Giants were planning to throw Barry a big birthday bash - but they couldn't find a birthday hat to fit that big head of his.

Word has it that the four minor league players suspended for testing positive for banned substances are all represented by the same agent - things that make you go hmmmmm.

That's about it for this morning peeps - have a great one.

HAZEL'S TUESDAY HOROSCOPE
If you look outside your immediate zone, you will discover plenty that interests you. A chance to take on something different will give you a new lease on life. A short trip will allow you to see first hand how you can get ahead. 5 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - for the four suspended minor leaguers

Home For A Rest - Spirit of the West

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Monday, July 24, 2006

Monday's Hazies

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

Tonight a scaled down version of the Hazies - for those of you who haven't been here before, the Hazies are awarded to those who have put in notable performances from the last week or so. The lucky few are awarded a Hazie, and have the title of "Hazel's Hero" bestowed upon them. While Hazel hasn't officially approved the list, we'd like to think she would give her trademark smile and give a thumbs up.

MLB
Vernon Wells of Hazel's hometown Toronto Blue Jays was named the American League Player of the Week. Wells was on fire last week and was the driving force behind the Jays taking 3 of 4 from the Yankees this past weekend. Vernon posted a batting average of .448, with 4 HRs and 10 RBI - his slugging percentage was an unbelievable .966.

Adrian Gonzalez of the San Diego Padres was named the National League Player of the Week. Gonzalez hit .607 for the week with a slugging percentage of .964 (have I said unbelievable?) and an on base percentage of .645. Somehow, I think Gonzalez would have traded las week for the week he had two weeks ago when he hit 5 HRs and knocked in 12 runs.

GOLF
Hazel likes golf, so I would think she would want to recognize Tiger Woods' win at the British Open. Woods said he won the tournament for his late father - nice. I'm not one of Tiger's biggest fans, but you have to give it up to him.

CYCLING
American Floyd Landis made it seven wins in a row for American riders at the Tour de France. While this was a crazy tour - with a number of riders being banned from the race - it is still an impressive feat.

We should really make the Hazies a daily entry - I'll get on that tomorrow. I type this knowing full well that I'm probably going to have to give Toronto's Eric Hinske some credit - and believe me, that is very painful.

Time for an update on the Hazelspeeps Baseball League on Yahoo. There was some movement in the middle of the pack this week - but the leaders remain the same.

83.0 - The Bronx Zoo - owned by Sparky, who has nominated Shuggysux owner Pogue at the league's MVP this year.

71.0 - Shuggysux - owned by Pogue (the other Pogue) who could not accept the MVP award as he is off on location or on tour or something - so I will accept on his behalf.

62.0 - Tom Sawyer - owned by Hubie who has given up hope of winning the league this year - and is now looking forward to the Hazelspeeps Fantasy Football pool.

59.5 - Hazel Mae's Hackers - owned by El Presidente (me) who has not yet given up hope - but is happy to be on top of Renee again this week.

55.5 - Naughty Girls - owned by Renee who rebounded big time this week moving up three spots - I think she just likes being under El Pres.

54.0 - Tina's Team
- owned by Tina who has been pretty quiet lately.

49.0 - GB Steam Boys - owned by George who is still missing - he must be making a lot of steam these days.

44.0 - Banana Peels - owned by the Golden Banana who actually got into bed with Hubie (so to speak) and made a trade.

43.0 - Fighting Bobcats - owned by Commish Drisc who announced that football is his game and is getting ready for the NFL pool.

27.0 - Leprachauns - owned by Irish who is still plotting his move up the standings.

That's about it for tonight. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - for a post made by Renee on yahoo

Pretty Fly For A White Guy - The Offspring

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Americans In Europe

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

Americans were making news in Europe this weekend. Eldrick Woods won his 11th Major Championship by winning the British Open this past weekend, more on that a little later - remind me to relate a Jim Rome story to you. The French must have thought that this would finally be the year that they wouldn't have to watch an American win the Tour de France - well, Floyd Landis of the US won the tour yesterday.

This is way late today...blogspot has been down a good part of the day today. Back later.

Hope it was a great one for you peeps.

HAZEL'S MONDAY HOROSCOPE
You can start something new and present what you have to offer with confidence today. Getting together with someone you care about will result in making your relationship stronger. Don't base a decision on hearsay. 5 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - just because

White City - The Pogues

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Sunday, July 23, 2006

The Longest Yard III

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

The off-season off the field troubles continue for the Cincinnati Bengals; this time it was DT Matthias Askew who resisted arrested after being stopped for a parking infraction. Matthias proved to be quite the handful as police had to use a Taser to subdue him. Funny thing about this incident is that it comes a little over a week after Bengals' owner Mike Brown issued a statement that his team has standards for its players - expecting them to be good citizens and abide by team and league rules. I guess Matthias must have been partying with
Chris Henry, A.J. Nicholson, and Frostee Rucker when Brown handed out the memo.

Fret not Bengals' fans, coach Marvin Lewis is committed to "red flagging" players who have had trouble with their coaches or teammates in the past - LB Ahmad Brooks, who was kicked off Virginia's football team, wasn't red flagged when they drafted in the supplemental draft. Mike Brown was quick to point out that while Brooks has had past issues, there were no allegations pending against him. That's a ringing endorsement huh?

So to lineup (no pun intended) the 2006 Cincinnati Bengals, you have:
  • an alleged drunk driver, who has also been charged with providing alcohol to underage girls...oh yeah, and carrying a concealed weapon (Chris Henry);

  • an alledged burglar who broke into the apartment of a former teammate - and who is charged with grand theft and vandalism (A.J. Nicholson);

  • an alledged wife beater who is charged with spousal battery and vandalism (Frostee Rucker - feel free to invert initials in his name); and

  • a guy who freaks out over a parking infraction - I wonder how long before "more details" of this one comes out.
So NFL Fans - watch for the premiere of The Longest Yard III, when the Bengals open up against Hazel's Kansas City Chiefs - betcha some of you didn't know that huh? Some of us are trying to convert her into a Dallas Cowboys' fan.

LAYING DOWN THE LAW ON DEFENCE
Speaking of Hazel and the Chiefs - Kansas City announced that they have reached an agreement with former Patriots DB Ty Law. Law, who led the NFL with 10 INTs last year, signed a five year deal with the Chiefs. No word on whether or not former Head Coach Dick Vermeil cried tears of joy when he heard about the signing.

While I think it is a good signing - for a horrible defence (sorry Hazel) - I would worry about those 10 INTs last year; it means that teams around the league are throwing at Law...something they wouldn't have done a few years back. I heard talk today on Fox that at this point in his career, Law might be better off as a safety - interesting. I wish Ty all the best.

NOT JUST RICKY'S ARM IN A SLING
Word is that the Canadian Football League's sixth leading rusher will undergo surgery on his broken arm. Ricky Williams, who serving his NFL-imposed year long suspension by playing for Hazel's hometown Toronto Argonauts, broke his arm in Saturday in a game against Saskatchewan. The Ricky Experiment has, for all intents and purposes, been a bust - in 4+ games he has rushed for 231 yards on 57 carries, with 1 TD. Not exactly the numbers Argos' big guy Keith Pelfry had envisioned when he signed Williams' to a $500,000 contract. To add insult to injury for Pelfry - Doug Flutie turned down the Argos' offer to have him join the team. I hope Keith is comfortable sitting in that sling.

That's about it for tonight - time to head over to yahoo to let everyone know the Hazelspeeps Fantasy Football pool is being set up. Wanna join? Head on over to yahoo. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the night on Hazelspeeps - for the Cincinnati Bengals...the theme song of COPS

Bad Boys - Inner Circle

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Barry Is In It - Again

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

Just when you thought it was safe to be Barry Bonds - suddenly something happens. Yesterday, Barry told the media he was relieved to hear the grand jury may not indict him on charges of tax evasion and perjury - today comes word that the feds have his medical records. Stay tuned, this promises to get better.

I've got to book today - lots to do, but I will check back in later. Have a great one peeps.

HAZEL'S SUNDAY HOROSCOPE
You aren't likely to impress anyone in your family with your decisions today. No one will realize what you are trying to do, so just do your own thing and see where it leads. A change at home may alter the way you feel about someone. 2 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world - even if today's horoscope bites.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - a just because song

Don't Ever Say Goodbye - Kyprios

Peesth Out...Buh Bye

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Scrambled Thoughts

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

Slow motion Saturday here - woke up too early after a great night. A few things caught my eye this morning and I couldn't pick one to elaborate on - so I'll do that later - but here's what is making news this cloudy (not just in my head) Saturday morning.

  • The Chunky soup loving momma's boy Donovan McNabb is taking shots are Terrell Owens again - is it just me or is Donovan really mouthy now that T.O isn't there to kick his can?

  • The Chickenhawk managed to find a taker for Shea Hillenbrand - he is going to fit in great with the Asterisk in San Francisco...they thought Jeff Kent was bad, wait til Shea pulls up in his trailer.

  • The Informer, Jose Canseco, fresh off of winning the HR derby at the Golden League's Inaugural All-Star game found himself involved with police after being in an argument with a woman outside a hotel in Chico California...how the mighty have fallen.
That's about it right now gang...I need a freakin pot of coffee right now...have a great one.

HAZEL'S SATURDAY HOROSCOPE
Don't make a move or a promise today. You will find yourself in the middle of a squabble if you try to take sides or complain. An older relative will give you good advice. 4 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - it is more of a last night kind of song...but I have to admit, I'm really feelin' Madonna's latest effort. Its worth the pick up - it'll surprise you.

Forbidden Love - Madonna (a great track...especially in a basement night club)

Peesth Out...Buh Bye

Friday, July 21, 2006

Only In The CFL

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

If you aren't a fan of the CFL - you really should be. While I am more of an NFL fan, the CFL does offer some exciting football and comic relief as we wait for the NFL to get starter. I submit this for your reading enjoyment this morning - something that could ONLY happen in the CFL - in a game between Winnipeg and Edmonton.

There is 1:38 seconds left in the game, Winnipeg is on their 35+ yard line, leading 19-16 - facing a 3rd and inches. Winnipeg decides to go for it with a QB sneak - they pick up four yards and the first down only to see the QB fumble it and have Edmonton recover and run it down to Winnipeg's 25 yard line (or so). Edmonton proceeds to score a touchdown with 14 seconds left on the clock, with a failed two-point conversion...score is 22-19 Edmonton. Winnipeg starts on their own 10 yard line with 10 seconds left - their first pass is incomplete, and they know have four seconds on the clock. Kevin Glenn hits Milt Stegall at the Winnipeg 30+ yard line, in between two Edmonton defenders - Edmonton safety Malcolm Frank misses the tackle and Stegall goes 100 freakin' yards on the last play of the game. Only in the CFL.

That's about it for this morning - have a great one peeps.

HAZEL'S FRIDAY HOROSCOPE
Take a closer look at what's going on in your own back yard. As long as you keep an eye on things, everything will be fine. If you let others think and do for you, it's likely that you will have to redo a few things yourself. 4 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world - have a great weekend.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - just because

Everything is Automatic - Matthew Good

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Thursday, July 20, 2006

A Whacked Wednesday Indeed

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

I go away for one night, a Wednesday no less, the epitome of a Weird & Whacked Wednesday story comes to light; I am in the eye of the storm so to speak and no computer to update the happenings. For those of you who haven't been here before, Wednesday entries are used to take a look back on some of the more "interesting" stories making the headlines in the world of sports. Some of the stories fall under the category of weird - where you wonder how this could happen; some of the stories fall under the category of whacked - where you wonder what they were thinking when they did this; and the truly outstanding newsmakers and their stories fall under the category of "just plain dumb" - where you don't even try to understand it. I will let you decide where each fits.

SHOWDOWN AT BIG SKY(DOME)
As I mentioned yesterday, I was in Toronto to see the Jays and the Rangers and news broke that Shea Hillenbrand had had a confrontation with Manager John Gibbons and had been subsequently asked to leave the team - in baseball speak that "Designated for Assignment".

Hillenbrand has been unhappy as the Jays DH this year, preferring to be a full-time position player. In his initial statement, Hillenbrand ripped Jays' management for berating players and pointed to that as one of the main reasons the Jays can't win. As he continued to rip the Jays, Hillenbrand pointed to the fact that none of the team's management offered any congratulations on the adoption of his second child.

John Gibbons spoke about the incident, saying that Hillenbrand had been the author of a clubhouse board message that read "This ship is sinking". Gibbons neither confirmed or denied that he challenged Hillenbrand in front of his teammates and coaching staff.

Oh yeah, if you are wondering, yes I booed Eric Hinske - because I can't stand him and because he is the Chickenhawk's (J.P. Ricciardi) boy.

File this one under "whacked" - your team is fighting for a chance at the wild card and you are joking about a sinking ship? On the other hand, your team is fighting for a chance at the wild card and you get rid of your DH...and you want to fight him? I have to think a guy like Terry Francona would have handled this in a much better fashion. John, I know you are an "in your face kind of guy" - but Hillenbrand would have kicked your can all over that clubhouse...down boy. Speaking of Gibbons, you have to get a hold of some video of him - he sounds like Boomhauer on King of the Hill. This is pretty much the beginning of the end of the 2006 Blue Jays (even with Vernon Wells' walk off HR tonight). It's time for the folks at Rogers to say goodbye to J.P.

Unfortunately, its too late for them to bring Hazel back. A final thought on this one - they should have brought in Robbie Robertson to sing the anthem at tonight's game - Showdown at Big Sky.


WE ARE THE WORLD
The Cartel (aka FIFA) finally spoke today in the case of Marco Materazzi vs Marseille's Mad Minator. The verdict is in for single dumbest action ever to take place during a World Cup final game - and to no one's surprise the single dumbest verdict was handed down.

FIFA decided to punish both parties involved in the headbutting incident. For his part, Materazzi was fined about $5,000 and suspended for two games; so for the first time ever, a player has been fined and suspended for saying something...so now we know - no such thing as free speech in international football.

Where it gets really good is with Zidane's punishment - he was fined about $8,000 and suspended for three games. As everyone knows, Zidane retired from international football - so FIFA has accepted his offer of penance; Zidane will devote three days of his time to work with children...on behalf of FIFA.

FIFA provided no details of what was said to provoke the attack - but they did state that the remarks by Materazzi were not racist.

File this under "just plain dumb" - all the way around. The fines were a joke, especially in the case of Zidane who is a multi-millionaire and probably spends $8,000 on a suit. The suspensions were a joke too - Materazzi becomes the first player suspended for something he said, but something that no one can ever know about; and Zidane is suspended for games he will never play. I wonder if the theme song of Zidane's mission will be We Are The World - I'm sure Wacko Jacko would offer to sing a duet with him.


STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU

I mentioned yesterday that the New York Islanders fired GM Neil Smith after only 40 days on the job, and replaced him with their goalie Garth Snow. Is it just me...or does this have Mike Milbury written all over it? The fire a GM who has won a Stanley Cup, who was starting to put together a team that might compete - adding Brendan Witt, Tom Poti and Chris Simon; and replace him with a second string goalie who wanted the job. I think the person I feel bad for is Ted Nolan - a guy who should be coaching in the NHL and top get his foot back in the door his has to deal with these clowns. Can't you hear Ted singing now? "Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right..."

File this one under "whacked" - you own a team that has been a joke for well over a decade - so you try to do the right thing and hire a GM with a proven track record. The new GM makes some good acquistions and by all accounts had a good draft, and he gets fired for doing a good job. Not only does he get fired, he gets fired for a backup goalie with NO EXPERIENCE. These guys make the Bruins and Maple Leafs front offices look like geniuses. One other funny thing - during the press conference Charles Wang referred to Garth working with the management team, including Pat LaFontaine. Lafontaine resigned right after the announcement. I know Mike Milbury is behind this, the last thing he wants is for his successor to be successful.

That's about it for tonight - I've got to get on over to yahoo to see what happened there while I was gone...in other words, I have to get in a shot or two on my pal Renee before I call it a night; though lately I've been agreeing with her a lot. We are both very worried with this recent trend. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world. I would have posted your horoscope - but if goes poof in 30 minutes.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - for the Toronto Blue Jays and "the sinking ship" - what else could it be?

Six Months In A Leaky Boat - Split Enz

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Things That Make You Go Huh?

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

Quick post this morning - word from Long Island yesterday that the Islanders had fired new hired GM Neil Smith after only 40 days on the job and replaced him with goalie Garth Snow - that's right, the Islanders promoted their goalie (who interviewed for the job this summer) to the role of General Manager. The fallout was that Pat (La La La La) Lafontaine resigned as the team's Senior Advisor - he hadn't been on the job much longer. Somewhere, Harold Ballard has got to be looking down (or up) at this mess and smiling.

Still liking the Michael Peca signing.

Ok peeps - I'm out. I'm on my way to Toronto to see the Jays - look for me in the stands with my circa 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers Pedro Guerrero jersey. You know I'm going to be booing Hinske tonight.

HAZEL'S WEDNESDAY HOROSCOPE
Don't get angry, get moving. Only you can say no to the demands being put on you. Size up your situation and, if things don't appear to be fair, rid yourself of whoever or whatever is causing the added pressure. 3 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world. Congratulations on the extension at NESN.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - for the Islanders

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm - C & C Music Factory.

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Good Day For Leaf Nation

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

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced yesterday that they had re-signed C Kyle Wellwood to a two-year deal, as well as re-signing defencement Carlo Colaiaccavo, Brendan Bell and Jay Harrison to one-year deals. Four young players being signed in one day - Leaf Nation hasn't seen this in years; two of the three aforementioned defencemen are expected to lock up the last two spots on Toronto's blue line.

Toronto is also expected to announce that they have reached a one-year deal with C Michael Peca that will pay him approximately $2.5 M. The signing of Peca likely means the end of the Jason Allison experiment in Toronto, which is a good thing for all involved. Reports indicate that Eric Lindros has reached an agreement with the Dallas Stars - I am going to miss Lindros, it was kind of nice to see a player that wanted to wear the uniform as much as he did. Lindros was a factor when he was in uniform, the unfortunate thing was that he spent a lot of time on IR.

That's it for this morning's update - Hazel, Leaf Nation hopes that we can still count you amongst the faithful. Have a great one peeps.

HAZEL'S TUESDAY HOROSCOPE
Your future looks bright if you continue down the path you have been pursuing. You do, however, have to figure out a way to spend less. Once you have your finances in order, you will feel much better about your future. 3 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - Michael Peca coming home to Toronto...

Gold Lion - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

The Hazies

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

Monday nights are usually reserved for the Hazies - tonight, we are going to do things a bit differently. For those of you who haven't been here before, the Hazies are awarded to those who have put in notable performances over the last week or so; to those lucky few, they get a Hazie and have the title of Hazel's Hero bestowed upon them. While Hazel hasn't officially approved the week's nominees, we'd like to think she'd give her trademark smile and thumbs up.

Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves had his streak of 14 straight games with an extra base hit snapped tonight against St. Louis. Jones tied the mark set in 1927 by Pittsburgh's Paul Waner - he had eight doubles, one triple and seven home runs during the streak. You know what they say "Chick dig the long ball".

Cliff Floyd of the New York Mets hit two home runs, including a grand slam, driving in five runs against the awful Chicago Cubs on Sunday night. Floyd who has been having a tough season has started to pick things up - if he keeps this up, he may be invited to join Hazel Mae's Hackers in the Yahoo Hazelspeeps Fantasy Baseball Pool.

Adam LaRoche of the Atlanta Braves also hit two home runs and drove in five runs on Friday night against San Diego.

Mark Texeira of the Texas Rangers had three home runs and drove in seven runs against Baltimore on Thursday night. I know I mentioned it last Friday...but hey, I've got to give my Portuguese boys credit.

Back to international soccer for this week's final winner - Portugal's coach Luiz Felipe Scolari agreed to a contract extension that will see him lead the Quinas into Euro 2008. Portuguese fans are breathing a collective sigh of relief with that news.

This week's update on the Hazelspeeps Fantasy Baseball Pool - the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same. Things are pretty much were they were last week - with Tina sneaking up the standings, leaving me on top of George (it was a lot more fun being on top of Renee). Standings for the week ending July 16th.


83.0 - The Bronx Zoo - owned by Sparky, who continues to stay the course and not tinker too much with his winning lineup.

69.5 - Shuggysux - owned by Pogue (the other Pogue) who remains for the most part silent on the board.

65.0 - Tom Sawyer - owned by Hubie who has gone back to being the league's resident Steinbrenner - he is burning up the waiver wire.

60.5 - Tina's Team
- owned by Tina who traded in a spot on top of Renee for a run at the big boys.

59.0 - Hazel Mae's Hackers
- owned by El Presidente (me) who has come out of the World Cup fog.

51.5 - GB Steam Boys - owned by George who is still missing - but makes his debut in the top half of the standings.

51.0 - Naughty Girls - owned by Renee who has hit a bit of a round patch - and misses being under me.

42.5 - Banana Peels - owned by the Golden Banana who turned likes his pitching too much to trade with me.

41.0 - Fighting Bobcats - owned by Commish Drisc who announced that he and his much better half are expecting an addition to their family.

27.0 - Leprachauns - owned by Irish who is still plotting his move up the standings.

There you have it. The baseball season isn't over yet - and we are already talking about the NFL pool. Why not sign up on yahoo? Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the night on Hazelspeeps - just because

Brother Down - Sam Roberts

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Monday, July 17, 2006

What Are The Freakin' Odds?

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

Not much to talk about this morning (day 1 of my vacation) - but I read that Dallas Cowboys' safety Keith Davis was shot twice early Sunday morning while driving home from a family vacation. The authorities have not provided a theory or explanation for why he was shot - the weird thing here is that this is the second time in three years that Davis has been shot. In the first incident, he was an innocent bystander - what are the freakin' odds of being shot twice? Unless you are 50 Cent.

Ok, in a non-related sports funny. This goes out to my new friends Armando and Manny, two dudes from New Bedford who were up here yesterday for a Portuguese festival. I met these two fine young gentlemen as we waited patiently in 92 F weather for an icy cold Super Bock. We started talking a little sports - they of course were fans of the Sox, Patriots, Bruins and Celtics...naturally we didn't quite see eye to eye on any of them, but it was still an interesting and spirited discussion nonetheless. While they were crapping all over the Canadian sports scene - more specifically our lack of "hot women doing sports up here" - they asked me, of all people, if I had heard of Hazel Mae...who used to do sports up here.

I nodded that ya, I seem to remember her a couple of years back - they went on to tell me how hot this woman was and how we had no one like her up here (ain't that the truth?). They also told me about this blog about Hazel, "written by some porkchop in Toronto or something - you should check it out. His sports teams are all F'd up, but he is kind of funny sometimes."

Well gents, that was me you were talking to. So to sum things up:
  • Ya, I've heard of Hazel Mae - and she's kinda cute.
  • You got nerve telling me I'm F'd up when you like the Bruins and the Celtics.
  • What do you mean "kind of funny SOMETIMES"???????
Good afternoon dudes - maybe we'll hook up again in September if you guys get back up here. That's about it for this morning peeps...have a great one.

HAZEL'S MONDAY HOROSCOPE
Your energetic attitude will take any competition you face by surprise. Knowing what you have to do and exercising your talents to the fullest will help you gain momentum and put you in a lead position. You have something important to offer. 3 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world - apparently you play with "port-a-gee" all over North America...go figure.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - because it seems like the perfect song to start a vacation with

Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Put Your Hands Together For

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

A quick Sunday morning look at the good, the bad and the ugly from the world of baseball this weekend.

THE GOOD
LA Angels' OF Vladimir Guerrero hits a grand slam and records RBI number 1,000.

Curt Schilling, Justin Verlander, Andy Pettitte, John Smoltz and Brandon Webb all throw seven shutout innings yesterday.


THE BAD
15 games yesterday and not one save; a combination of a few blowout victories, final at-bat heroics, and just plain bad relief pitching.

Ken Griffey Jr., starting OF for Hazel Mae's Hackers, couldn't manage more than a single yesterday against the Rockies - he killed a really great pro-line ticket for me.


THE UGLY
The Philadelphia Phillies send Brett Myers to the mound today - who would have thought that he could conquer his anger management problem in a couple of weeks?

That's about it for this morning peeps...have a great one.

HAZEL'S SUNDAY HOROSCOPE
You'll be feeling anxious, especially if someone is curtailing your freedom or putting demands on you. Rethink what you want and make the necessary adjustments to move in a direction more suitable. It's time to make your life easier. 3 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - morning after the night before song

Whiskey You're The Devil - The Pogues

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Saturday, July 15, 2006

The Weakest Link

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

BIG NEWS FROM ITALY
The verdict came down in the match fixing scandal in Italy - and this is a big one. Juventus of Turin was stripped of their last two league titles and relegated to Serie B, where they will begin the season with a 30 point penalty - meaning it will be a least a few years (if not more) before they get back into top flight Italian soccer, and many more before they get to European club play. Two other teams were relegated to Serie B - Fiorentina starts off the Serie B campaign with a 12 point penalty and Lazio starts with a 7 point penalty.

A.C. Milan, owned by media magnate Silvio Berlusconi, escaped relegation - but they will start the Serie A campaign with a 15 point penalty. A.C. Milan was further informed that they would not be able to compete in European club play this year.

This turn of events is unprecedented and should shake the foundations of the beautiful game in domestic leagues across Europe. Football/Soccer's version of a garage/fire sale is about to begin - if you listen carefully, you can almost hear the pound notes being counted in England as Premiership teams will be quick to swoop in for some of the big name stars.


MICHELLE WIE WITHDRAWS FROM JOHN DEERE CLASSIC
16 year old Michelle Wie withdrew from the John Deere Classic yesterday, suffering from heat exhaustion. The only reason I bring this up here is because her name was the topic of much discussion here on sports radio - outside of Toronto, sports radio up here is all about hockey, football or golf, with baseball being put on the back burner.

Wie's sponsors exemption was the topic of debate on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday - whether it was right to give her a sponsor's exemption or not, "taking away a chance from a man to win the tournament". I was going to write about this last night - but the night got away from me (luckily the server bringing Kilkennys didn't) - I have no problem with her being provided a sponsor's exemption. If you are ponying up big bucks to sponsor a tournament - you should be able to invite a few guests to play - whether they have a shot at winning or not; hell, if I was sponsoring a tournament, you know I'd be giving a sponsor's exemption to a beautiful Asian woman...need I say who?

Back to Wie though - the withdrew on the ninth hole after gutting it through 6 - 9 being sick and in pain. I for one applaud her - I don't think she embarrassed herself and toughed it out; even if her playing partner Jeff Gove (ever heard of him? didn't think so) complained that her actions were inconsiderate as she was holding them up. Michelle should be applauded for being a gamer - and if you have read this page in the past, you know who much I admire and respect "The Gamer".

That's about it for now - I've got to book. I'm hosting a BBQ today with steak and shrimp on the BBQ - with a whole lot of Guinness, Kilkenny and Port! Have a great one peeps...I know I will. Back later to discuss the Friday night that was.

HAZEL'S SATURDAY HOROSCOPE
Don't let things get to you. There is so much energy around you that, with little effort, you can turn a problem into something spectacular. Rely on yourself and don't take what anyone tells you as the gospel. 3 stars

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - because my vacation officially starts today,

Holiday - Green Day

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Friday, July 14, 2006

Friday Morning Rush To Start Weekend

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

Slow night in the world of sports - big story was Texas' Mark Texeira hitting 3 HRs and driving in 7 runs last night against Baltimore. Give the Portuguese kid a Friday morning Hazie. No time to highlight anything else this am - I'm running late for work and I want to get today over with and start my vacation. Have a great one peeps.

HAZEL'S FRIDAY HOROSCOPE
Look inward to discover the truth about your own motives and those of the people around you. If you can't be completely honest with yourself, you will never be honest with others. Soul-searching will get you back on track. 3 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world - have a great weekend.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - wake up song

Upside Down - Jack Johnson

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Thursday, July 13, 2006

I'm Sorry - Thursday Style

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

So continuing on yesterday's theme of "I'm Sorry", its part II of Weird & Whacked Wednesday.

I'M SORRY - I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY
You have undoubtedly heard that Barry Bonds may be indicted on charges of perjury and tax evasion. Barry's former best friend, Steve Hoskins, told investigators that Bonds did indeed use steroids and was prone to fits of "roid rage". Hoskins went on to detail his business dealings with Bonds, telling investigators that among other things, Bonds gave him thousands of dollars to pass along to a couple of Barry's girlfriends. Speaking to MLB.com, Bonds said he wouldn't comment on the case because he didn't know what to say about it; going on to say that he doesn't know why the government is after him. Imagine that, Barry Bonds at a loss for words and not knowing what to say.

File this one under "whacked" - your former best friend, who knows everything about your business dealings, goes to the feds to spill the beans...and you don't know what to say? You were provided with details of his conversation with federal investigators, your former girlfriend is testifying against you and you don't know what to say? You don't know why the government is after you? Why on earth would you speak to MLB.com to say nothing? Barry, have you met Zinedine Zidane?


I'M SORRY FOR WHAT I DID
Oakland A's pitcher Scott Sauerbeck (who just happens to be hanging out in Hazel's stomping grounds tonight - Fenway) was ordered to speak to children about his encounter with police back in May - and the perils of alcohol use. For those of you who didn't know, Sauerbeck allowed a woman who was intoxicated to drive his car - interesting to note that the woman in question was not his wife. These two geniuses tried to flee by parking the car and running into someone's backyard.

File this one under "just plain dumb" - all the way around. First off, is there any explanation needed on the part of Sauerbeck? Second, why would you ask this man to speak to children about alcohol use? What made anyone think that this was a good idea? Someone please explain this to me - its freakin' Scott Sauerbeck here people. What's next? Ask Barry to talk to kids about steroids?


I'M SORRY FOR WHAT I SAID
Toronto Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi (aka the Chickenhawk) managed to lose his team last week because of - what else - his big freakin' mouth. After a loss to the Kansas City Royals, Ricciardi told the Toronto Sun that his team wasn't putting out the effort needed to win. If that wasn't enough, he went on to say that the heart of the Toronto's offence - the 3-4-5 hitters (Vernon Wells, Troy Glaus, and Shea Hillenbrand) - were killing the Blue Jays. Ricciardi, who's ego is bigger than his beak, couldn't leave well enough alone. The Blue Jays are actually playing well, staying within striking distance of the Red Sox, and he decides that it would be a good idea to call out his players right before the all-star break.

File this one under "whacked" - Ricciardi claims the 3-4-5 hitters (two of whom went to the all-star game) were killing his team. He conveniently forgot about his $55M dollar mistake in signing A.J. Burnett - who has been pretty much a bust for his team this year. No, J.P. decides to call out Vernon Wells - who will be a free-agent after next season. Wanna know how bad it was? Even one of J.P.' s free agent signings, reliever B.J. Ryan, said that it was a bad idea. Oh yeah, for those of you counting, the Jays are in year 6 of J.P.'s five year plan to win.

I was going to talk a little NHL tonight - but I'm still watching the Sox and A's, and following the Dodgers/Cards on CBS Sportsline. Back tomorrow with some NHL stuff - and MORE from the world of soccer - FIFA just won't quit. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - for my man Jimmy, who emailed me today to tell me my song choice last night was all wrong. Jimmy correctly pointed out that since Wednesday's big newsmaker was Zinedine Zidane (Marseille's Mad Minator) who said he didn't regret his behaviour...I should have picked

My Way - Elvis

Yes, Elvis - who really should have had plenty regrets for how he wound up.

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

A Ham Sandwich

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

Speculation growing that Barry Bonds may be indicted by a grand jury on charges of perjury or "other crimes". Baseball traditionalists must be wrining their hands with glee - but as I heard Bob Costas say yesterday on the Jim Rome Show "An indictment doesn't mean he is guilty - I can't remember the name of the DA who once said - 'I could get a jury to indict a ham sandwich' - Bonds' lawyers will be quick to point out the difference between and indictment and a charge." Speaking of ham sandwiches - man Barry's head is as big as an Easter Day ham.

Ok gang...I'm outta here. Have a great one peeps.

HAZEL'S THURSDAY HOROSCOPE
You may be up against someone who doesn't want to cooperate today but, if you use your high-spirited enthusiasm, you will eventually get through. You are likely to meet someone who interests you. Love, travel and intrigue should be on your agenda. 4 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - morning wake up song

Crazy - Nels Barkley

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

I'm Sorry - Wednesday Style

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

If you have been here before, you know what Wednesdays are all about here - so you can skip the preamble and move on to this week's entries. For those of you who haven't been here before, Weird & Whacked Wednesday entries take a look back at some of the more "notable" newsmakers from the world of sports. As the title implies, stories range from the weird to the whacked - with some being filed under the category of downright silly...and for those special few who go the extra mile to star in an event that defies understanding, they are filed under the category of just plain dumb. I'll let you decide where each fits.

I'M SORRY - BUT NOT FOR WHAT YOU THINK
Marseille's Mad Minator (aka Zinedine Zidane) finally broke his self-imposed silence to speak about Sunday's event - the infamous headbutt into the chest of Italy's Marco Materazzi. As expected, Zidane gave no details about what exactly Materazzi said to provoke the attack, saying only that Marco insulted Zidane's mother and sister. In his statement, Zidane apologized for reaction - but went on to say he didn't regret it; he went on to say he would appear before FIFA to reiterate what he had just say (which amounts to a big fat nothing). In case you were wondering - no, he didn't offer an apology to Materazzi...but what else would you expect from the French?

File this one under "whacked" - the whole world is waiting to hear your explanation and all you could come up with is "he insulted my mother and sister" - and the old "do you think I would be dumb enough to get kicked out of my last game without a good reason?" excuse. I'm not at all surprised by Zidane's hollow statement - especially after Materazzi threatened to sue Zidane if ZZ lied about what was actually said. To put the cherry on the sundae - Zidane's mother wants Materazzi's balls on a platter...I've heard that its a French delicacy - Italian balls on a platter...I'm guessing they would be have to be "plucked".


WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS?

If the whole Zidane/Materazzi incident wasn't enough for you - Claudio Vigorelli, Materazzi's agent, thinks getting these two together at some point in the future would make for a "nice moment".

File this one under "just plain dumb". I don't think an explanation is needed for just how dumb this is.


THAT'S IT, I'M OUTTA HERE!
Marcello Lippi has resigned as coach of the Italian team; taking a page out of the book of George Costanza, Lippi leaves the Azzurri and their fans on a high note after winning the World Cup Final (to be forever referred to as The "Running" of the Bull). Lippi had originally hinted that we would step down after being questioned by police in the Italian match fixing scandal (he used to coach/manage Juventus)...though he has since said that he told the Italian Federation that he would be stepping down after the game against the Ukraine.

I am going to file this one under "weird" - you win the holy grail of football, you have a country kissing your can for leading their boys to the ultimate prize...and you resign? Why not enjoy it for a while?


I'M SORRY - BUT YOU CAN'T LEAVE YET

In the aftermath of the World Cup Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo went on record as saying he wanted to leave Manchester United. Ronaldo very rightly cited a lack of support from Manchester United's coach Sir Alex Ferguson and team Chairman David Gill, as well as threatening and derogatory statements made by England's players and media as the reason he couldn't return to England.

A few days later, Manchester United issued a statement saying that Ronaldo would not be sold - and that they expect him to fulfill his contract. The statement heaps praise on Ronaldo for his skill and what he brings to the team. Ronaldo, who is pretty well trapped, has since softened his stance on leaving Manchester, saying that he will wait and see what happens.

File this one under "weird" - your country has deemed a 21 year old as public enemy #1; you allow your 20 year old addle-minded pit bull (Rooney) to publicly say he is going to break Ronaldo in half when they get back to England; you offer the young man no support when your media is ripping him; the player doesn't want to stay and has asked for his release - and you STILL insist that he stay. I don't get it.


I'M SORRY - BUT I'M NOT READY TO LEAVE JUST YET
Brazil's quarter-final loss to France wasn't enough to convince 36 year Brazilian defender Cafu to retire from international football. Calls from fans and media for his retirement wasn't enough to convince Cafu to retire; nor was the retirement of defensive partner Roberto Carlos. No sir, Cafu isn't leaving - he refuses to leave after a loss; instead asking fans to remember the Cafu of 2002.

File this one under "just plain silly" - why is this newsworthy? He will be 40 by the time the next World Cup comes around, and 38 when the playdowns for the World Cup start again. He won't be picked on the next go around...so why discuss it? Why antagonize the guy?


I'M SORRY - WE'VE CHANGED OUR MINDS...AGAIN
The Cartel - better known as FIFA - announced their new revised world rankings. The new and improved rankings appears to reward teams for unperforming and losing...though I am sure it has nothing to do with the strength and influence of individual football federations. This latest installment is full of surprises:
  • England and Argentina shoot up the standings to 5th and 3rd respectively - even after bowing out in the quarter-finals of the World Cup;

  • Spain and Holland drop slightly to 7th and 6th respectively - after bowing out in the round of 16;

  • Portugal drops to 8th - after beating England and Holland;

  • Canada who hasn't beaten anyone in years shoots up 29 spots to 54th - while South Korea who made the World Cup drops 27 spots to 56 - Japan, for their troubles, dropped 31 spots down to 49th; and last but not least

  • The U.S.A. dropped 11 spots to 16th - fear not my American friends...Mexico dropped 14 spots to 18th.
File this one under "just plain dumb" - I've given up trying to figure out how the Cartel does things - its all about money and promotion. These are the same clowns that say they are going to review the headbutting incident - with the possible result being Zidane being stripped of the Golden Ball trophy.

That about does it for tonight - we'll look at the NHL the trials, tribulations and tantrums of the Ottawa SenaTards and their faithful. We'll even check in with our old friend the Chickenhawk (J.P. Ricciardi) who publicly slammed his players. Have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - from the Minator to Lippi to FIFA to the crap issued by Manchester United.

Deny - The Clash

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!

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