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The Toronto Blue Jays currently have five players batting over .300, Aaron Hill, Adam Lind, Scott Rolen, Lyle Overbay and Travis Snider. The Jays face the best rotation in the A L thus far when they challenge the Kansas City Royals to a four game set, commencing tonight…the Chicago Blackhawks are at  +120, seeking an end to their series with the Flames tonight in Calgary. I’m biting at that price, I thought Keenan’s lads looked just about done Saturday…everyone associated with motor racing must be overjoyed that the protective fencing held at Talladega yesterday. Carl Edwards airborne 99 car must have hit the mesh at close to 200 miles an hour, a brilliant end to a fantastic Nascar race…the highs and lows of Kentucky Derby futures wagering were encapsulated with the announcement that Quality Road will not start in the May 2^nd classic. For those who put money on the precocious colt, today is a day of misfortune. Now, ahem, for the rest of us, particularly those sitting on PioneeroftheNile at 12-1, well, it’s disingenuous to suggest this is not a pleasant development. It was very easy to envision Quality Road wiring this field and the colt may yet prove to be the dominant runner of his generation…middleweight John Duddy suffered a shock loss Friday night in New York. The previously unbeaten Irishman, who was known as much for his ability to attract large boisterous crowds as for his fistic abilities, is done as a serious prospect. Most people had a shocked reaction upon watching Duddy fight for the first time. While an exciting offensive force, he could not get out of the way of right hands. The strategy was clearly to keep Duddy unbeaten until his team could cash out with a high profile, big money fight. The immensely likeable and personable young man is left with the unenviable task of starting life anew…hot junior middleweight prospect James Kirkland has been removed from the undercard of this weekends Manny Pacquiao - Rickey Hatton fight. Kirkland, a convicted felon, is in jail after being caught in possession of a firearm. Bloody moron…available on You Tube, Shawn O’Sullivans 1984 Olympic Gold Medal fight against Frank Tate. Shawn deserved the decision in a fast paced competitive brawl. Little did we know that O’Sullivan’s career, he was the 1981 amateur light middle World Champion, had essentially peaked. His professional endeavours were marred by a decision to remain in Toronto, not exactly a fistic hotbed, and to reduce weight to compete as a drained welterweight. After carving out an 11-0 record he was thrown to the wolves and pitted against future champ Simon Brown. Shawn damaged his right hand in the first round and, unable to hold the Jamaican off, was blitzed en route to a third round stoppage. His career fizzled thereafter, with losses to Luis Santana and Donovan Boucher cementing his reputation as only a fringe competitor. He would later lose slugfests to Alex Hilton and Kevin Watts. His most notable win was a decision early in his career over Al “Bumblebee” Long, thin gruel, for sure. Shawn once told me his biggest regret was not turning professional in 1981. At the peak of his abilities, he instead opted to wait for the Olympics. The heartbreak he encountered in Los Angeles forever dimmed his passion for the sport and he is remembered today as primarily a great amateur fighter…Shawn’s victory over Armando Martinez for the world amateur title in 1981 was captured by Alan Gibb in his memorable “Cabbagetown Kid”. The documentary broke ground by “miking” the fighters corners, a practice now part of the fabric of the sport, but a revolutionary step at the time. Alan went on to a long and storied career at the CBC and, today, fufills his most treasured goal, being mentioned within the hallowed halls of The Racing Meridian…Mike Trainer, who managed Shawn, achieved his success in boxing through his association with Sugar Ray Leonard. An insufferable egotist, Trainer applied the same development template that had worked with Leonard to a series of prospects. Whereas Leonard had thrived when competition was steeply increased, Trainers next series of fighters were given difficult assignments before they had proper preparation and seasoning. Andrew Maynard was ruined by a knockout loss to Bobby Czyz, Kenny Baysmore never recovered when slaughtered by Roger Mayweather, and, of course, Shawn was bludgeoned by Simon Brown. The idea of a “sink or swim” fight will motivate the all time great fighters (duh!), but the aforementioned lads, just very solid prospects, deserved far better treatment as they sought to carve out what could have been productive and profitable careers…very sad to hear of the passing of heavyweight Greg Page. Page was from Louisville and was initially billed as a successor of sorts to Ali. The fighter defeated Gerrie Coetze in 1984 to lay claim to the WBA title, but lost in his very next fight to Tony Tubbs. Page had been confined to a wheelchair since suffering serious injuries in his last fight in 2001, a knockout loss to a limited pug…