The Hazies - The Champs & The Chumps

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

We're starting off today's post with this week's Hazies. For those of you who haven't been here before, we start each week off by taking a look back on the week that was in the world of sports and highlighting some of the more notable performances - to those who have risen above the others, they have the title of "Hazel's Hero" bestowed upon them and are awarded an honourary "Hazie". To those that have distinguished themselves for all the wrong reasons...keep reading. While Hazel hasn't officially approved this week's list, we'd like to think she give a thumbs up.


HAZEL'S HEROES - THE CHAMPS

NHL
Anaheim Ducks C Andy McDonald's contribution to the Ducks win over the Tards didn't get enough attention during the Stanley Cup Finals. Lost in the performances put in by J-S Giguere, Scott Niedermayer, and the checking line of Rob Niedermayer, Sammy Pahlsson, and Travis Moen, was the play of McDonald. As one would expect, the focus of the coverage up here in hockey country was how the Tards big guns couldn't get untracked against the Ducks checking, with a variety of explanations/excuses given - McDonald fought through the Tards checkers and managed to score four goals and assist on two others. McDonald didn't complain about the tight checking - he just found a way to get it done when his team needed him...that's what champs do.


MLB
Florida Marlins 3B Miguel Cabrera was named the National League Player of the Week. In five games last week, Cabrera hit .476 with three home runs, eight runs batted in and a slugging percentage of 1.048 - it was the second time this season Cabrera has been named the National League's PoW. Guess what team has him in our yahoo pool?

Detroit Tigers DH Gary Sheffield shared the American League Player of the Week. Sheffield got off to a slow start but has really been coming along of late - he finished the week hitting .417 with four home runs and eleven runs batted in. Sheffield moved into 39th place on the all-time RBI list passing former Pirates 1B Willie Stargell.

ARod shared the award with Sheffield this week - but since trading him in the yahoo pool, we can go back to hating him and ignoring his good weeks.

Boston Red Sox P Curt Schilling came within one out of pitching a no-hitter last week against Oakland - pretty good for a guy that came into this season with questions about how much he has left in the tank. We'd tell you more about it - but why not let Curt tell you on his blog?

Nice to see Albert Pujols finally coming around - but it is going to take a lot more than one good week to give Albert a Hazie. Pujols resurgence has helped us charge up the standings in one of the yahoo pools (we have three...don't ask).


HAZEL'S ZEROS - THE CHUMPS

NHL
We'd like to nominate the entire Ottawa SenaTards organization for their behaviour during and after the Stanley Cup playoffs - their flat out refusal to acknowledge that the Ducks were full value for their win is pretty unsportsmanlike, especially from an organization that likes to talk about how classy they are. After losing in five games to the superior Ducks, the Tards organization floated out a bunch of stories about how banged up their team was, about how a lot of them shouldn't have been playing. They obviously didn't pass out Tards-approved media lines to their players.

When asked about how injured he was during the final - Dany Heatley told reporters that he was ok and not to believe everything they were hearing. This of course led one of the only smart hockey writers in this city to ask "If he wasn't hurt - what excuse does he have for him performance?" The writer correctly surmised that if he wasn't hurt in the finals - then his only plausible explanation for his poor performance was that he refused to compete...Leafs Nation agrees.


NFL
We haven't yet hit pre-season and Miami Dolphins QB Daunte Culpepper makes the list (he has been a regular here since we started this entry). Culpepper walked out during a drill session last week when he was asked to do individual drills - newly acquired Trent Green was taking snaps with the offence. Culpepper asked to be release and told teams around the league to "sit tight. I'm not going to be traded." If you have read this page for a while, you know we think he is the most over-rated player in the NFL - always has been. Somewhere along the way, he got a rep for being a great QB in the league - easy when you were throwing to a motivated Randy Moss and super intense Chris Carter...hell, Hazel could have made the Pro-Bowl throwing to those two. It has been all downhill since Moss left - god help me, Tilt's prediction that Culpepper winds up in Dallas better not happen.

An abbreviated list this week - but all truly deserving of their awards/raspberries.

Good night in MLB last night - Red Sox West beat the Mets by a 5-3 count last night, its about time they came up with some timely hits; another lights out night for the bullpen. In the category of not surprising, Blue Jays P Josh Towers lost another last night in San Francisco. Towers was pulled after giving up four runs (three earned) in four innings of work.


MONDAY'S THREE STARS
Chicago Cubs P Carlos Zambrano got it done yesterday, both with his arm and his bat. The man who refers to himself as Big Z was dominant over eight innings yesterday, limiting the Astros to one run on three hits and a walk while striking out eight. Zambrano also hit a home run to help his cause - for those wondering, catcher Michael Barrett didn't catch yesterday.

Seattle Mariners LF Raul Ibanez had four hits, including two home runs, and drove in five of Seattle's eight runs in a win over the Tribe. Bad for yesterday's three play.

Los Angeles Dodgers LF Luis Gonzalez had two doubles last night, giving him 561 for his career and moving him into 19th place on the all-time doubles list.


TUESDAY THREE PLAY
Good night last night going 2-1, the Tribe almost came all the way back to make it a perfect night. We start the day at + $45. Today's suggestions

Tampa Bay over San Diego - Greg Maddux has never been a fan of interleague play - he'll really hate it against Tampa's offence; go with Scott Kazmir today who should overpower a weak hitting Padres lineup. Lay $100 on the DRays - $115.

Boston over Colorado - Tim Wakefield has been having a tough time of late, but we still like him against Aaron Cook and the Rockies. Lay $100 on the Giants - $180.

Los Angeles Angels over Cincinnati - the love affair with rock star Bronson Arroyo is just about over in Cincy - he's getting pounded by everyone; former Blue Jays P Kelvim Escobar takes the mound of the Angels...good enough for us. Lay $100 on Los Angeles - $135.

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

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world.

I'm Out.