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 picks.

HAZEL'S HEROES - THE CHAMPS MLB
Boston Red Sox P Daisuke Matsuzaka was named the American League Player of the Week. Matsuzaka pitched his first complete game at Fenway last week against the Tigers; Dice K posted two wins with an ERA of 2.12 and eleven strikeouts in seventeen innings of work. Roger who?

Houston Astros OF Hunter Pence and Arizona Diamondbacks closer Jose Valverde were named co-winners of the National League Player of the Week. Pence finished a great week hitting .591 with two HRs, five RBI, with a slugging percentage of 1.091. Valverde pitched four scoreless innings on his way to recording four saves last week - bad news for Red Sox West who are in the midst of a pretty nasty tailspin.

Red Sox West SS Rafael Furcal deserves a Hazie for a three game stretch last week in which he had four hits in each game - Furcal who started the season on the DL has recovered nicely from a slow start; he finished the week hitting .500.

New York Mets 3B David Wright had his first good week of the season - hitting .409 with four HR and ten RBI. I'm sure Red Sox Nation would be down with this selection considering who the Mets played last weekend.

New York Yankess RP Kyle Farnsworth makes the cut this week - not for anything he did on the field, but for what he did off it. Farnsworth was rather outspoken in a radio interview last week where he had the stones to call out the Yankees and Roger Clemens for the deal that was signed. I'm sure you have all heard what Farnsworth said...so we won't re-hash it; but I'm giving him credit for having the guts to say what many of his current and former teammates have though to themselves.


NHL
Anaheim Ducks G Jean-Sebastien Giguere is the main reason the Ducks went into tonight's game against Detroit up 3-2 and in position to close out the series. Giguere has been unbelieveable in this series as evidenced by the game he had on Sunday against. Anaheim had no business winning that game - but Giguere kept his team in the game and gave them a chance to win. I heard a stat that he was 12-1 in his last 13 overtime games...that qualifies him as a Champ in my books.

EUROPEAN FOOTBALL
Chelsea Striker Didier Drogba scored with five minutes left in extra-time to give Jose Mourinho and the Blues a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup final played at Wembley Stadium. While we were happy to see Mourinho pick up some hardware - it was tough seeing Cristiano Ronaldo missing out on two trophies this season.

SPECIAL ADDITIONS
I've got to give special mention to two guys - not for sports related accomplishments...but for being damn good men.

My man Ottawa_Tilt came up big for me. My tickets to see the Sox vs Yankees at Fenway in June came in - these are once in a lifetime tickets that cost more than I expected to pay...but hey, they were for a milestone birthday so what the hell. Well, Tilt postponed a trip to Spain to go down to Fenway with me when I told him two other donkeys I expected to come down crapped out on me. Tilt always has my back...and for that he's a damn champ!

For those of you who have read the page for a while, you have undoubtedly seen reference to a Hazelspeeps Poolie who goes by the name of "Hubie" (the Fantasy Baseball Pool's resident Steinbrenner) - when Hubie found out that I scored tickets; he told me that he would take care of my accomodations...Hubie came up huge for Tilt and I and got a an unbelievable deal on a three night hotel stay. Hubie, if you are checking in...Tilt and I have your bill on Sunday when we go down to Fenway...drinks before and after the game for you my man.


HAZEL'S ZEROES - THE CHUMPS

NHL
For those of you wondering how I could loathe the SenaTards with every fibre of my being, I give you this to consider. Fresh off a series win against the Sabres, the SenaTards fans and management, along with the Ottawa media, decided to focus on the absence of love they are feeling from Canadian hockey fans. Yes, instead of focusing on the Holy Grail of Hockey - these clowns instead choose to use the time to whine and beg for support as "Canada's lone remaining hockey team." Man-up you bunch of whiners...get over it. You'd have to experience this nonsense to truly understand my disgust with this bunch of retards...Anaheim in five.

NBC "Analyst" Brett Hull expert analysis after Detroit's loss to Anaheim last Sunday amounted to "don't worry...you'll be fine, you'll win games six and seven and it will be ok". Hull trashed the Ducks and basically dismissed them in the series - Hull must have went to the Jeremy Roenick school of analysis. Hull must have forgotten that every team that wins a Cup gets at least one win like that - but why would he? He has never played a significant role on any of the Cup winning teams he's been on.

NFL
We could go into a long and extensive list with these jokers - so we'll just post the links if you don't know why they made the list.

Brett Favre - go in peace, but for God's sakes just go.
A.J. Nicholson - obviously he didn't get the memo from Bengals management about "players of good moral character".

David Kircus - at least he has options and a resume to hand out as he exits the NFL

Clinton Portis and Chris Samuels - Mike Vick has the support of some of the NFLPA.

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 - now playing

All Good Things - Nelly Furtado

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!