The Hazies - The Champs & Chumps

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

For those of you who haven't been here before, The Hazies take a look back at the week that was in the world of sports and single out some of the outstanding performances. The lucky few are awarded a Hazie and have the title of "Hazel's Hero" bestowed upon them - which is better than any recognition they may have gotten elsewhere. While Hazel hasn't officially approved this week's winners, we would like to think that she'd give her trademark smile and thumbs up to our nominees.

HAZEL'S HEROES - THE CHAMPS

NHL
Dallas Stars G Marty Turco has often been criticized for sub-par performances in the NHL Playoffs after having stellar regular season - the Stars are in the midst of Game 7 of their first round series against the Vancouver Canucks and Turco is one of the main reasons. Turco has matched Canucks superstar Roberto Luongo save for save in this series and has posted three shutouts in the first six games. No matter what the result tonight, Turco deserves some credit for how he has played and can't be held responsible if Dallas doesn't get it done tonight.

The Pittsburgh Penguins didn't get it done against the SenaTards - getting bounced in five games, but Sidney Crosby deserves some mention in the opening round loss. Crosby was asked to play for Team Canada at the IIHF World Championships and had to decline; the Penguins announced that Crosby had played the first round with a broken bone in his foot. To their credit, the Penguins (nor Crosby for that matter) used the injury as an excuse for the first round exit. We've given Crosby some grief here for being a flopper and a whiner - but he deserves some credit for showing up and playing through the pain.

Honourable mention goes to Flames G Miikka Kiprusoff who stood on his head against Detroit and was the main reason Calgary managed to win two games.


MLB
New York Mets OF Carlos Beltran was named the National League Player of the Week. Beltran hit .448, connecting for two home runs and driving in nine - with 27 total bases, Beltran's slugging percentage was .951...his on-base percentage was .484. A big money player putting up big numbers.

Chicago White Sox P Mark Buehrle threw the first no-hitter of the season last week against the Texas Rangers, facing the minimum 27 batters in the process. A walk spoiled a perfect game for the lefty - he struck out eight for good measure.

Boston Red Sox P Josh Beckett showed me something last Saturday against the Yankees. Beckett has had great starts to the season in previous years - when he was with the Marlins, you could almost count on him to start 3-0 - but his great starts would normally come undone when he faced some adversity. Beckett didn't have his best stuff to start the game last Saturday against the Yankees, giving up four runs early in the game, but he kept battling and found his game and was untouchable in the middle innings - keeping the Red Sox in the game and giving them a chance to come back and win. I've often criticized him for being Nuke LaLouche - but he really seems to have matured this year; this might be the year he puts it all together and walks away with a Cy Young.

Honourable mention goes to Los Angeles Dodgers C Russell Martin who hit a walk-off grand slam home run in the 10 inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates last weekend. Martin has had a so-so start to the season - so Dodger fans were happy to see that. Plus, he's a local boy to boot.

I know Red Sox Nation doesn't want to hear about ARod right now - but you know we'll have to give him some play next week when he is awarded the American League Player of the Month. He's one of the main reasons the Maeple Leafs are in first place in the yahoo pool.


EUROPEAN FOOTBALL



This morning we posted a picture of Manchester United Winger Cristiano Ronaldo - he's been soccer's answer to Big Papi on this page. The Portuguese international didn't score in the Red Devils 1-1 draw against Middlesborough on Saturday - but he walked away with the Professional Football Association's Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year; the awards were voted on by players, the ultimate sign of respect from your peers. While the British media keeps referring to incident at the World Cup and blaming Ronaldo for having England's Wayne Rooney sent off - he has put it all aside and had a great season for Man U. He should be in the running for World Player of the Year and European Footballer of the Year as well - not bad for a kid from an island off the coast of Portugal huh? We think Hazel would be down with kids from an island.


HAZEL'S ZEROES - THE CHUMPS

NHL
I'm sure Canadian hockey fans are going to hate me for this one - but former Bruins coach and current Hockey Night in Canada personality Don Cherry makes the list this week. When New Jersey's Cam Janssens laid out Toronto's Tomas Kaberle last month - Cherry was right there on his Coach's Corner segment to say that Kaberle should have been more aware of his surroundings and not admired his pass before being laid out by Janssens - Cherry didn't care that the hit came three to four seconds after Kaberle had dished off the puck.

Last week, Dallas Stars C Mike Ribeiro (another good Portuguese kid) absolutely destroyed Vancouver's Lukas Krajicek - Krajicek had dished off and was looking back at the puck when Ribeiro flattened him. There was Cherry on Coach's Corner showing the hit, comparing it to Janssens hit and saying the NHL wouldn't do anything because Ribeiro is a "dancer". He condemned the NHL for punishing Janssens and not suspending Ribeiro. Two things Don

1) Ribeiro's hit came less than two strides after Krajicek dished off, it wasn't even close to the Janssens hit;

2) We all know you didn't mind Janssens hit because Kaberle is a "Euro" - we also know that had Ribeiro's name been "Rivers" or any other Anglo name, you'd be creaming yourself over a good Canadian boy taking out a fancy Euro. By the way Don...Ribeiro was born in Montreal...you dumb old jackass.

Calgary Flames G Jamie McLennan lost his mind against Red Wings on Saturday, after coming in to replace Miikka Kiprusoff. McLennan has wielding his stick like an axe on Saturday afternoon and it culminated with a vicious slash to Red Wings forward Johan Franzen. Way to go Jamie...you should them huh?

New York Islanders D Sean Hill was suspended for twenty games for violating the league's substance abuse policy - details of the violation weren't made public, so we'll hold off on ripping him until we find out what it was about.


CYCLING
Remember Floyd Landis? His "B" sample tested positive for testosterone - so now, while maintain his innocence, he is on to blaming the US Anti-Doping Agency. Go away Floyd...please.

That's it for tonight gang - have a great one peeps.

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

Song of the Night on Hazelspeeps - for Cristiano Ronaldo, who is tearing up England's Premiership, we'll do a little Euro Techno/Dance from the FIFA 2006 World Cup video game

Destroy Everything You Touch - Ladytron

You only have to look behind you
At who's undermined you
Destroy everything you touch today
Destroy me this way

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!