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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…