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Stevie Y made a rare mistake by inviting Dany Heatley to the Team Canada training camp. The public remains revolted by the antics of the scurrilous winger and his inclusion on the squad would be a sour development. Our Olympic team should be both a celebration of our heritage and a joyous occasion. An individual’s character, not pure talent, should be a critical component in the decision to offer a berth. Heatley is a detriment to the squad, a selfish ingrate who should be left to scurry along to his next paid assignment. Let Team Canada hit the moral high note through a selection of great players and admirable people…had fun with Sporting News list of notable absentees from the Team Canada invitation list; Steve Stamkos, Marc Savard, Brian Campbell, Jason Spezza (with you so far, S News) and then, ahem, Chris Osgood and Carey Price(??). Really? Osgood and Price should have been extended invitations? The list of Luongo, Ward, Brodeur, Fleury and Mason strikes me as reasonably solid. Would have thought the Price bandwagon had just about run out of steam and I don’t think Osgood ever was even a top fifteen NHL goalie…the Chicago Blackhawks made a wonderful move yesterday, adding John Madden. The 36 year old will be a steadying influence on a team full of piss and vinegar…Atlanta Thrasher GM Don Waddell believes the addition of Nick Antropov will serve as an inducement for Ilya Kovalchuk to sign a long term contract with the team. No, Don, after Kovalchuk plays a quarter of a season with Shaky Nick, he’ll be singing “The Maple Leaf Forever” while waiting for Brian’s call… the Columbus Blue Jackets opened contract negotiations with star Rick Nash by tossing a lowball five year offer. Nash will be the most sought after free agent commodity next summer if the forlorn Jackets don’t ante up to the ten year/eighty million dollar range. If they won’t brandish that type of coin, Brian Burke most assuredly will…Alex Ferguson has pulled a stunner, bringing Michael Owens to Manchester United. The erstwhile superstar, seemingly on the downside of his career, had been looking for work since playing a part in Newcastle’s inglorious tumble from the Premiership. At Old Trafford Owens will be accorded an opportunity to revitalize his somewhat disappointing career…Serena and Venus Williams have met twenty times on the Woman’s Tour. They have an even 10-10 record but Serena has a critical 5-2 edge in Majors. I’ll buck the trend and make a strong play on Venus in tomorrows Wimbledon final after Serena’s gruelling semi final match…maybe Jeremy Mayfield could enter the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona Saturday night without a car? Let that wild man race!…the Boston Celtics have slammed Stephan Marbury with a pitiful one year 1.3 million dollar contract offer. Clearly, the former champs were not happy with the Starman’s playoff efforts…Epsom Derby winner Sea the Stars faces Breeder Cup Turf Champion Conduit in a delectable showdown Saturday in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes from Sandown. Sea the Stars was scratched from last weekend’s Irish Derby due to the ground conditions, but his form was complimented when the Epsom runner-up, Fame and Glory, romped to an emphatic win. The big challenge Saturday may come from fellow three year old Rip Van Winkle. The Aidan O’Brien runner could have a more emphatic kick cutting back a quarter of a mile…David Goodis’s “The Burglar” remains the best piece of noir fiction I’ve ever read. Give it a try for a thoroughly engrossing read…I sat in a creaky old library in Cork, Ireland for three consecutive days reading Wayne Johnston’s “The Navigator of New York”. The unassuming masterpiece tracks the race to the North Pole while outlining the sallow recesses of the human soul…

Montreal Canadiens fans have a haunted, panicked look these days. There were two big sucker plays lurking around the fringes as free agent mania began. Who would absorb Scott Gomez’s bloated contract? Who would bet on Mike Cammalleri, removed from the bosom of Jerome Iginla? Nice, Habs, nice…Marian Gaborik’s relationship with management in Minnesota was so strained, so unnatural, that there is a strong chance that the mercurial scorer will thrive in a new environment. The New York Rangers are to be commended for taking a chance on a player with enormous upside…the New York Post today states that Dany Heatley has been described as “toxic”, a reason Ranger GM Glen Sather opted for Gaborik…the Heatley contract situation verges on the surreal. The Ottawa Senators are on the hook to ante up 4 million to a player that refuses to play for them? How can that possibly be consistent with contract law? Eugene Melnyk should pronounce Heatley in violation of his contract and refuse to pay. At least the resulting fireworks would be intriguing…the cavernous pit of the ACC was home to excruciatingly indifferent play by the home side last season. So, absolutely, Brian Burke has taken strides to address the paucity of temerity so boldly paraded. Are they a better team? Will they win more games? Debatable. But watching the team will be a far more interesting spectacle, especially with the knowledge that Burke will ultimately prove successful in turning the franchise around…I’m already doing the math, figuring out who will be able to reasonably bid on Rick Nash next year…keeping Marian Hossa hungry, bouncing from organization to organization, has induced the forward to play some excellent regular season hockey. He is a consistent under performer in the play-offs.  These factors mitigate against signing Hossa to a long term deal. With the financial imperative removed I expect a slow, peaceful decline in the interest and persistence of the player. The Chicago Blackhawks, surging based on the play of an outstanding core of young snipers, have just made a serious misstep. Two, three years from now, Hossa will have devolved into an indifferent passenger…the New York Islanders made a very nice move in picking up Dwayne Roloson for two years. Incumbent Rick DiPietro is battling long term injuries and needs to be able to fade into the background for a while. Roloson buys the young goalie time…yo, Detroit Red Wings, minus Hossa and with serious questions in goal, it’s your move…Bryan Colangelo is reportedly on the verge of offering Hedo Turkoglu, ex of the Orlando Magic, a five year 60 million dollar contract. While it would mean the end of Shawn Marion’s days in Toronto, Turkoglu would represent a major upgrade to the sordid Raps…Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed to Goal.com that he felt he needed to leave Manchester United because of the rough play of the Premier League. He states he feared serious injury if he continued to play in the league. Hardly makes me want to rush out and watch a Spanish League game…David Beckham returns to the Los Angels Galaxy on July 16^th for a game against the New York Red Bulls. The Beckham revolution in North America continues, uhhh, right?…jockey Julie Krone is going to be the subject of a Hollywood bio, called The Boys Club…for the last two weeks or so, Woodbine conditioner Terry Jordan has been winning at an 80% clip. His runners bolt from the gate, obtain perfect stalking positions, and then accelerate through the lane. Their past form seems irrelevant. To all the world weary punters out at the Rexdale zoo these days, there is no celebration at Jordan’s amazing run. Everyone is a cynic. Everyone feels the 67 year old conditioner is brandishing some new form of “magic”…I’ve enjoyed reading some of the beautiful reminisces of fight fans concerning the late Alexis Arguello. Legitimate, serious grieving is the result of the loss of the gentlemen. Alexis was brave and committed in his latter day fights with his demons. The demons may have won, but this is not the tale of a pathetic pedophile. He deserves our tears…finally had a chance to view a Cristobal Arreola fight. Very entertaining slugger, probably would be an all time great in the famed Toughman competitions. But bottom line, not a great pugilist, not a threat to the Klitschkos…

Boxing fans were left reeling this morning with the news that the incomparable Alexis Arguello had committed suicide. The ring legend held three belts, at featherweight, junior lightweight and lightweight, and is probably best remembered for his breath taking 1982 fight with Aaron Pryor. Easily one of the greatest fighters in history, Arguello first won over American audience’s with a nationally televised drubbing of Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini. After the fight Alexis was so unassuming and quiet spoken, even offering to help Mancini in the future, that television viewers were smitten. The Nicaraguan was always a picture of class and grace, and his presence in boxing was a blessing for the often sleazy and sordid sport. After his career Alexis was known to have battled some serious personal demons but recent reports from Managua had the 57 year old in fine fettle, reportedly serving as the mayor of his hometown. Take a moment to say a prayer for the great Alexis Arguello…the Houston Chronicle is scathing on the subject of the Toronto Raptors this morning. The paper questions why GM Bryan Colangelo is slow to grasp what is common knowledge throughout the sporting world; namely that Chris Bosh is set to leave Toronto at the end of the following season. If Bosh is traded this summer, the paper notes, the Dinos will at least receive something in return…as I watched the Montreal Canadiens flounder through an embarrassing 100^th anniversary season, here’s what I was not thinking; “this team could really use Scotty Gomez”…Bob Gainey was fleeced by the New York Rangers. Gomez as a top line centre is an absurdity. The Rangers freed up over 5 million in cap space by dumping a player that had proved to be both a deadweight and one incapable of providing meaningful leadership. I’m puzzled by the move and, combined with Gainey’s decision to give away Cristobal Huet in 2008, wonder if the Habs GM is a capable horse trader. Guess this squelches the Vinny to Montreal talk…Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated advises the Toronto Maple Leafs to sign Ty Conklin. No, I’m serious, you can look it up…the silver lining to the Sedin’s decision to remain in Vancouver? The Leafs can retain ample cap room for a run at a much more significant prize; Rick Nash in the summer of 2010…there is so much excitement percolating out of Buffalo these days as the Bills look to Terrell Owens for inspiration and big stats. The thrill is not going to last long. The Bills open the season against the New England Patriots and the coaching ineptitude of Dick Jauron will, again, be front and centre…Lance Armstrong has announced he is fit and ready for Saturday’s start of the Tour de France. Armstrong will be attempting to win the race for the eighth time…apparently Real Madrid, in Toronto in August for a game against the FC, have a contractual obligation to play Kaka and Ronaldo for at least 45 minutes. This will be a very big moment in the T Dot summer, I only hope we’re not all festering under a pile of garbage by that point…NASCAR, this morning, conclusively stated that suspended driver Jeremy Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamines. It’s going to be fascinating to watch the impact this revelation has on the sport. Is Mayfield alone in his abuse of drugs? Did he use the substance while racing? Many disturbing questions will be posed as Mayfield moves to have his suspension revoked on the usual grounds of improper testing procedure…what has happened to Toronto handicapper Jennifer Morrison’s site? In the past the blog was full of insight and opinion, but now Jen just seems to cut and paste crappy articles about West Coast racing. She’s just mailing it in for now, I hope this turns around as the site used to be a daily favourite…just finished Raymond Chandlers, “The Big Sleep”. Brilliant read. The book made Time Magazine’s 100 best books of the 21^st century and is very deserving of its spot…

The NHL Draft proved a bore for Toronto Maple Leaf fans as GM Brian Burke was unable to arrange any deals. Burke is going to face real pressure to alter the team’s current line-up when the free agent signing period gets underway tomorrow. The pressure in Toronto to do something, anything, has been stoked by Burke’s promises and hyperbole. After tantalizing fans with the prospect of adding a Tavares or a Kessel, Burke will find it difficult to lead the franchise through yet another year of mediocrity, even if that is the prudent thing to do. It has been such a long and painful experience since John Ferguson walked through the front door that I would gladly suffer through another year of stagnation if it leads to a top pick and necessary organizational restructuring. The worst thing would be a foolish signing, like a long term deal for the Sedins, or even a commitment to a Mike Cammalleri type, bandage moves which do not address the underlying rot…best quiet signing of the off season thus far; the Pittsburgh Penguins inked Bill Guerin to a one year two million dollar contract…some interesting free agent types that are seemingly below the radar; Mike Knuble, Brian Gionta, Mattias Ohlund, and Francois Beauchemin. If cap room considerations lock out teams after the big names are signed (Gaborik, Havlat, Bouwmeester and Hossa), wouldn’t any of the aforementioned four look nice if available for a reasonable cost?…I think the Leafs should also consider adding the class and leadership of John Madden.  The New Jersey Devils have opted to not pursue Madden in the free agent sweepstakes…Nik Antropov apparently asked the New York Rangers for a six year, 31 million dollar deal. Nik will be looking for employment elsewhere starting Wednesday…Vancouver GM Mike Gillis flew over to Stockholm following the draft to continue negotiations with Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Could the Canucks be creeping closer to acceding to the Swede’s extraordinary twelve year demands?…covering the NBA Draft last week, the Sporting News commented the Toronto Raptors have possibly the best management team in basketball. What, exactly, provides the impetus for such a glowing statement?…retired QB Trent Green has certainly ignited a fireball of excitement with his assertion that at least ten QB’s will throw for over 4,000 yards in the NFL this year. The previous record was seven, but a stunning array of healthy and eager arms have Green predicting a glorious season for high octane offense…the Sporting News is reporting that former Jacksonville Jags pivot Mark Brunell is fighting it out for the back-up role in New Orleans…big rumbles in NASCAR have Dale Earnhardt Jr leaving Hendricks in 2010 to drive for his own JR Motorsports. Replacing Earnhardt? The lovely Danica Patrick…Juan Manuel Lopez continued to storm up the boxing pound for pound rankings with a facile demolition of Oliver Lontchi Saturday night in Las Vegas. Boxing needs to finds a way to highlight the most exciting champ in the game. Lontchi, by the way, entered the ring to “Thriller”…the talk will begin soon. Klitschko vs. Klitschko, Vitali vs. Vladimir. There’s not a single compelling fight left in the heavyweight division, so why not the ultimate freakshow?…it’s just a shame a race between Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra cannot be arranged. Though Rachel boasted a better fig from their respective weekend performances, Zenyatta toted 129 lbs and seemed well within herself as she mowed down front runners. It would be a spectacular moment for a gasping sport but the financial incentive does not yet exist for a showdown…I’ll admit to spending an inordinate amount of time reading about the late Michael Jackson. A grim picture emerges if you carefully sift through the various sources; a lonely, drug addled sexually ambiguous man desperately attempting to project an image in direct contrast to the life he was actually leading. All so unnecessary. I’ll say it again, I don’t believe Jackson was inordinately talented and I think he knew it. Have you taken the time to actually listen to his songs? Or even view the famous Motown show from the eighties? He was a master at hype, at spin, but I don’t see evidence of any life-work that will endure…

Okay, I like having NHL teams throughout the United States. I like Gary Bettman’s efforts to find new audiences for the great game. I would not mind a second NHL team playing out of the ACC in Toronto, but I sure don’t want a team playing out of Hamilton, or Kitchener, or London. Do I need to surrender my Canadian passport?…sports viewing should be approached like an investment portfolio; don’t put all your egg’s in the North American basket. This morning, thanks to Justin TV, the stunning second Test match between the British & Irish Lions and South Africa was available for your perusal. Sport at its absolute finest. The Lions tour is a once every four years affair. The best British (England, Scotland and Wales) and Irish players form an all star team and they then engage, on a rotating basis, either South Africa, New Zealand or Australia. In other words, the Lions will not play in South Africa again for twelve years! The historical implications of the event are staggering and the players chosen for the matches consider it a career highlight. All that passion and desire was poured onto the field today as the Lions desperately sought the win which would still allow them a chance to annex the series. In the lead throughout, the Lions sagged after Leinster star Brian O’Driscoll left the match, after dishing out a hellacious hit, and eventually lost on a last second penalty 28-25. The Lions have now lost the first two Test matches and, with only one game remaining, the series. Still, the final match is on Saturday July 4^th, y’know, the one where pride is at stake, why not head out to the Rose and Crown or Scallywags, or hit up Justin TV, if you want to have a taste of a sporting experience miles apart from the posed histrionics of the North American millionaire set…I’m finally free of my hardcore adherence to boxing and horse racing. Boxing’s current rating systems have turned into the grossest misuse of power and funds in the sordid history of the sport. Today thoroughbred fans are meant to rejoice as female superstars Zenyatta and Rachel Alexander race..just not against each other. European racing has eclipsed North American in terms of both talent and compelling spectacle. Yeah, I’m no longer sick at heart as these two fine sports implode through greed and short term, self serving thinking. New technologies mean we can preserves the best of the past (and a recent highlight for me was watching the first Marciano-Walcott fight, thanks to a crystal clear print bought by my nephew) while engaging the new and vibrant in the future. That means, to this world weary slug, more rugby, English Premier League, Gaelic sports as well as devotion to the NHL and NFL…after the brilliant Lions - South Africa match I stayed on Justin TV to watch some of their classic boxing stations. First fight up? Antonio Margarito - Kermit Cintron 2. It was like you find out your friend (Margarito) is sleeping with your wife, you remove him from your life and then, a year later, you come across a video of the good old days. Margarito tramps through Cintrons heavy blow and applies relentless pressure. His win sets up what will be his finest moment, an explosive KO of Miguel Cotto. Watching the fight, you smile, you instinctively reach for a cold beer…and then, wtf? You recoil. The greasy bastard is likely utilizing gloves with the consistency of concrete! The sense of betrayal and embarrassment floods the consciousness anew. I was a defender of Margarito. I expressed disbelief that the Mexican could violate the “warrior code”. Thanks for the memories, but it is clear that the Mexican should be handed a lifetime ban. His inexcusable inactions have caused more friends then I care to count to announce they will no longer watch the sport…at the end of the day, I could listen to one Michael Jackson song, “Billie Jean”, a work I suspect was more the product of Quincy Jones genius than Michaels. The rest of his material is execrable. As a performer Jackson is easily the most overrated in musical history. His shows were terrible, silly affairs. As an avid concert attendee, I rank Michael’s shows as among the worst I ever saw. He had no presence, no desire or ability to connect with his fans. He’d squeak through his insubstantial, annoying ditties while quickly devolving into a colossal bore. His moment of glory was clearly the Motown 25^th anniversary television special. But the rest of his career was an assortment of disappointments for all but the weirdo’s and freaks that followed him. My sadness at Michaels passing is that he never had the chance to redeem himself. To behave like an adult. To face head-on his illness’s, particularly his unseemly attraction to children. I have little doubt his fear of the famous 50 shows in London, which would have slammed shut the door on his career after exposing an array of infirmaries, caused inordinate stress and lead to an increase in his drug usage. A cautionary tale for the rest of us, nothing more. Repent and atone. Stop having your personal physician pump drugs into your butt. Rest in peace, King of Pop…

Isn’t it a bit strange to hear Brett Hull being hailed as one of the greatest American players ever inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame? The petulant Hull was born in Belleville, Ontario…Stevie Y, of course. Brian Leetch, no doubt. Hull, naturally. But Lucky Luc Robitaille, Hall of Famer? Did someone have their head up a stats book as opposed to actually watching Robitaille play? Wonderful player, tremendous longevity, exceptional performer, but not deserving of a spot in the Hall of Fame….I don’t know who the New York Islanders will take with their first overall pick in the NHL draft Friday but, due to Brian Burke’s antics, for the first time in ages I plan to watch. Burke has injected life and controversy in the moribund Toronto hockey scene and it is possible he will engineer a meaningful deal during the draft process. During my travels among the fine citizens of this planet my mantra is consistent; Brian Burke will turn this franchise around…Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli has also announced his intention to trade up in Fridays draft…Chicago Blackhawk GM Dale Tallon has, gulp, expressed interest in Chris Chelios. The forty seven year old Chelios has been handed his walking papers by the Detroit Red Wings…thirty nine year old goaltender Dwayne Roloson is holding out for a long term deal from the Edmonton Oilers. There is the real possibility the Oilers star, off a sensational year, will be allowed to walk after July 1^st…Marat Safin’s surprising first round exit from Wimbledon yesterday doubtless had men in gray suits agitated. Tennis has been the background for a series of “fixed match” allegations and Wimbledon promised to be exceptionally vigilant this year monitoring gambling activity on sites such as Betfair. Interesting to see if many gambled on the 14 seed losing to number 133…so, all those who yapped at me for suggesting Rachel Alexandra should have started in the high profile, nationally televised Belmont Stakes; have you made plans to watch the filly in the Mother Goose on Saturday? Didn’t think so…Tony Dungy and Mike Ditka have questioned the maturity of new Chicago Bear pivot Jay Cutler. I’m delighted. With a torrent of negative press converging on the young man, I’m set to slam a Bears “over” for the upcoming season. Cutler is going to have a dramatic impact in Chicago, giving the defence time to rest and focus as he runs a dramatically improved attack…conferred with the Pinoys today and have been updated on Manny Pacquiao’s business approach to his upcoming fights. Manny has told the press back home that he compromised financially to make both the Oscar De La Hoya and Rickey Hatton fights happen. Now his expectation is that other fighters will have to bend to create a fight with him. He will not step off a 50-50 split for a Floyd Mayweather Jr fight, nor move from a lions share approach to the proposed Miguel Cotto fight…hmmm, Thomas Hauser tosses an interesting aside in his current Seconds Out column. Hauser mischievously notes the Klitschko brothers have physiques that would be envied by “baseball players who hit seventy home runs”. Now, we all know about those players, the Bonds, Sosa’s and McGwire’s. Is Hauser suggesting, by comparing the Ukrainian brothers to known steroid abusers, that their bods come from a bottle?…Sammy Sosa was also caught using a corked bat in 2003. A tad funny to realize the juicer went for an even further edge…I’ll be up early Saturday to watch the British and Irish Lions contest their second Test match against world champs South Africa. Rugby seems to represent the best of the NFL - ball control and violent ground skirmishes. Count me increasingly interested in the game…after a trip to Ireland I’m also staggering to my local at ungodly hours to watch the Gaelic Football and Hurling. Imagine, amateur sport, juice free, contested with overwhelming passion and intensity…out at the Queen’s Plate on Sunday, I implored my companions to join me in never mentioning the name of the 2009 Kentucky Derby winner. It’s a protest against a result that still turns my stomach…

The Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers are in hot pursuit of disgruntled Ottawa Senator Danny Heatley. The kid’s a malcontent, not a winner, and he’ll be a disappointment wherever he ends up…the town of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, is the birthplace of Peter Forsberg, the Sedin twins and, now, young sensation Victor Hedman…you can just feel the fear emanating from Dallas as the Cowboys ask Roy Williams to be their number one receiver and most potent offensive threat. Albert Breer, in the Sporting News, notes that Williams never lead the Detroit Lions in receptions while snagging balls in that cesspool for three years. The stupendous price (first and third rounder, 20 million guaranteed) paid for a player who reported this week he has never lifted weights is particularly worrisome as the team flounders under the purported leadership of QB Tony Romo and Head Coach Wade Phillips. While the Cowboys still ooze talent, they don’t appear to have the organizational smarts to be considered a top tier Superbowl contender…the Minnesota Vikings open their season Sept 13^th in Cleveland. Is there anyone left who does not believe their starting pivot will be Brett Favre?…Dale Earnhardt Jr’s 26^th place finish at Sonoma last weekend effectively ends any chance of the circuit’s most popular driver making the Chase. The flame out of Junior while driving for Hendricks has been one of the most puzzling and disappointing sports stories of the last couple of years…has it really been eight years since David Duval won a tournament? The world’s former number 1, currently ranked 882, earned a piece of second place at the recently concluded U S Open. No word on if the troubled golfer celebrated with a phat spliff……Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra will start in the Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont this Saturday. Evidently putting the filly in this easy spot has more merits than an attempt at the Belmont Stakes. Horse racing is dying. This is why…Vladimir Klitschko pulled 61,000 for his heavyweight tilt in Germany on Saturday. The glass jawed bore pawed at the bloated Ruslan Chagaev for a while and, well, I turned it off, like just about every other fan of boxing. The heavyweight division has become unbearable, a gross festering sore…the Manny Pacquiao brain trust is asking for a 70-30 purse split for the proposed Nov 14^th match with Miguel Cotto. He’s going to get his way, or at least a 65-35, as Cotto needs the fight to restore the lustre lost when he dropped the Margarito battle. Cotto needs a big win to develop crossover appeal and the resulting pay per view sales. His courage in choosing to fight the formidable but largely unknown Joshua Clottey was admirable, and a rumble with the decidedly smaller PacMan has to be an encounter he feels he can dominate. Has the Filipino finally pushed it too far? The Puerto Rican could be 15-20 lbs heavier by the time the bell rings…

The Racing Meridian is heading to Ireland for a one month gambling sojourn in the land of dark ale, bad beef and loud lunatics. I’ll post if I can stay sober for an hour or two…

Mats Seldom called me last night, pulsing with frenetic energy. “It’s over! I did it!” Yes, I replied, you certainly did. It was Seldom at his most magnificent, and all this delivered at the advanced age of thirty eight. His monumental achievement? He simply disappeared in the third period of every loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. On the phone he was cackling with glee. “I AM Harry Houdini! Not even my teammates could find me!” he giggled. And, of course, I mumbled, your eight points, meaningless points, will have the mouth breathers lauding your contribution. (”I know!” he squealed). You’ll get another contract. They’ll blame the Sedins. They’ll blame Luongo. But you, the bland, invisible Swede, you’ll  gather up your little collection of three goals and five assists, and trundle down the road to your next contract. No one could find you at any critical juncture, I complained. (”I don’t need the stress” he gasped, before erupting into laughter). And then, he became serious. Very serious. “I told you I could do it. I can float, and never give a damn about your Stickley Cup…and they will love me. They will love me. Give me my money and you can all go to hell”. I hung up and arranged to have my phone number changed…the Anaheim Ducks played a five man unit last night; Scott Neidermayer and Chris Pronger on defence supporting Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Getzlaf. The unit was deadly and a major factor in the Duck’s surprising Game Six win…stretching back to 2006, the Carolina Hurricane franchise has won three straight Game Seven’s. They should be ultra tough Thursday night after a pair of embarrassing efforts. They’re too good, and too tough, to exit so mildly…Marc Andre Fleury will have his first taste of a Game Seven tonight. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is blunt in their assessment of the Pittsburgh Penguin goalie. His .874 save percentage against the Washington Capitals has prolonged the series and endangered his clubs chances at making it back to the Stanley Cup final. Fleury needs a big game tonight to calm disquieting rumbles about his play…the Caps are -145 faves tonight. The Penguins are +125. I have Steeltown bet to win the series (as well as the Blackhawks, cha-ching, and the Hurricanes) but I intend to raise the stakes with additional funds. Sid the Kid has, to this jaded observer, demonstrated he is the best player in the game and tonight can serve as the punctuation point…I’ve been out and about watching as much hockey as possible these past couple of weeks. The reaction of the average dude to the Penguin - Capitals series has been amazing. One bar hound loudly proclaimed the series the best hockey since the 1987 Canada Cup. Y’know what? No one at the bar disagreed…can’t make this stuff up; Roger Clemens is now stating a family history of heart problems precluded him from ever considering steroids. Cited by the Rocket Man? The medical records of his stepfather…Thomas Hauser has a fascinating piece on Manny Pacquiao currently available on the Seconds Out website. The Pac Man apparently ran away from home as a child, never to return, after his father cooked and ate his dog. Pacquiao lived on the streets, using cardboard boxes as protection from the elements. Despite the harshness of this early existence, Manny is feted for his humble and welcoming disposition. He is not a bitter Tyson clone, angry at the world. Instead he speaks of being an inspiration for the poor and downtrodden…Hauser also challenges some of the silliness on the net which seems unaware of the depth and dimensions of the PacMan’s accomplishments. He has achieved greatness since bursting into the consciousness of North Americans fight fans with his stoppage of legend Marco Antonio Barrera. His decision loss to Erik Morales was avenged in two subsequent meetings. Dumb guys love to claim Juan Manuel Marquez deserved decisions in both their encounters, but nothing could be further from the truth. While Marquez was marvellous in their first fight, perhaps deserving of a draw, the second fight was a straightforward Manny victory, certainly by a margin of three or four points. Manny hit the high publicity double with savage performances against Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, and is now on the cusp of one of the biggest fights in history, a showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr…Rachel Alexandra could hook the speedball Big Drama in the early stages of Saturday’s Preakness. This will be a test of the filly’s ability to relax and rate. A couple of runners, Papa Clem and Pioneerofthe Nile, should get perfect stalking trips. I’ll stand against the filly and the Derby winner in an attempt to get a square price…

The Sporting News reports John Elway played his 1997 and 1998 Superbowl seasons with a completely torn biceps tendon. A quarterback is in more pain and discomfort with a partially torn tendon but not impacted when the tendon is completely severed. This explains why Brett Favre has not had an operation on his arm this off season, and why the Minnesota Vikings will not base their decision to sign/not sign the QB on his purported injury… an establishment with two 52 inch TV’s, side by side, in hi def, was the righteous answer on how to handle two critical games in the NHL last night. The hockey was simply outstanding. The Carolina Hurricanes are huge and fast, buoyed by outstanding goaltending. They are going to be very tough to beat, by any team, and should have the measure of the Bruins in a long series. There is very little between the Penguins and Capitals. Last night Fleury botched the first goal, allowing Alex Ovechkin an empty net to shoot at, and it was a remarkable display of resiliency as they maintained their poise and gutted out a win. I still think the Penguins can pull this series out, especially if they get an edge, as they did last night, in the critical offensive “secondary” battle between Malkin and Semin…these remarkable playoffs continue tonight with two more critical games. Chicago (-160) and Detroit (-150) need wins. The Red Wings are not receiving the requisite goal scoring punch from Pavel Datsyuk and Marian Hossa. Osgood, much pilloried, has been solid. The Vancouver Canucks are receiving inspiration from the Sedin twins, both of whom are free agents at the conclusion of the season. The Sedins have never looked so good, and it is a stark reminder of the reality that players in the last year of their contracts are almost always motivated to play their very best hockey. Mats Seldom, fat and cozy, is nothing but a rumour in the series thus far…if the Red Wings lose tonight their chances of defending the Cup are severely compromised. Take the Red Wings tonight despite the stiff price. In the other match, I find the Hawks unpredictable and can’t risk at the current odds…mark down Wednesday May 27^th on your calendar. Manchester United and Barcelona will contest the Champions League final in a classic from Rome. The Red Devils were lead by the inimitable Ronaldo on Tuesday while Barcelona scored the crucial goal in the 93^rd minute yesterday at Stamford Bridge. There is no doubt with this one; elastic off the wallet, lads, United will scorch the Spanish club in what may be one of Ronaldo’s final high profile appearance for Manchester…with the Derby winner having raced at Woodbine last year, you’d think we could find some local yokels who ventured a couple of bucks on the  horse. Nope. It seems like people who took a shot on the runner are those who had never seen him run! Believe me, to see him compete last fall and then envision success in Kentucky, was not feasible. The one positive, and it’s a stretch, might be that runners like El Brujo that were competitive with the Derby winner might be indicative of an above average local crop. El Brujo is two for two this season, annexing a couple of sprint stakes, and is a solid favourite for the June 21^st Queens Plate. The wiseguy’s are all over Southdale, an inexperienced runner who was smashing while romping in Rexdale on Sunday. Square Eddie, the winter book favourite, has arrived, very quietly, in Toronto and is on the Woodbine backstretch. He is still recovering from a micro fracture and is only 50-50 to start in the Plate. I’m still bullish on Active Duty despite what I thought was a fairly indifferent effort in Saturday’s Queenston. Active Duty was winter raced so, despite the seven furlong distance, it was felt he could be competitive for the win. He ran slowly, and evenly, for a third place finish. Important preps still on the horizon include the Marine and Plate Trial Stakes…Tampa Bay Downs jockey Ricardo Valdes has been indicted by a Grand Jury on race fixing charges. Mr Valdes should be so lucky as to be a resident of the great province of Ontario. When jockey Simon Husbands was caught red handed throwing a race he ended up being feted by his cronies and praised by the Ontario Racing Commission as a hard working prince-of-a-guy…you go Jen! Toronto handicapper Jennifer Morrison takes a time out from her rather earnest approach to have a laugh at ex jock (and living legend) Gary Stevens. Stevens, in a magnificently stupid statement, said he expects the Derby winner to be 6-5 in the Preakness. Jen gives him a nice slam for his ignorance…Canonero II, until last Saturday easily the most improbable winner of the Kentucky Derby, did go on to win the Preakness. In 2009, ain’t going to happen. Toss the Derby winner and scour the Form for some fresh entrants. That Churchill track appeared to be tiring and deep, so some of the Derby horses may need a freshening period before returning to the top of their form cycle…the Michael Katsidis camp let the cat out of the bag, revealing that Ricky Hatton’s people had agreed, a while back, to a November fight in England. Whether the fight will remain on the schedule is a mystery in the wake of Hatton’s brutal loss to Manny Pacquiao. If I was a betting man, oh wait, scratch that. People, the fight will go on, Ricky’s not going to leave the ring off a brutal training camp where he discovered the man he entrusted his future to was a browbeating idiot…do you think Oscar De La Hoya is revisiting his retirement plans after watching Pacquiao’s performance? The Golden Boy will have to ponder a lucrative match with the hapless Julio Caesar Chavez Jr after discovering his drubbing last year may have been due to Pac Mans brilliance more than his own decrepitude…