racingmeridian.com

GRID IRON..if Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams has instructed Jeff Fisher to start Vince Young on Sunday, then I would expect the coach to comply. Fisher is refusing to name a starter for “competitive” reasons but these dice are loaded. For the record, I would stick with Kerry Collins…dodged a major bullet in my Suicide Pools last weekend. My initial selection was the N Y Giants, at home, to topple Arizona. It was put down on paper but, thankfully, not etched in stone. What gnawed at me was the G-Men having their arch enemy, the Philadelphia Eagles, on deck (Dallas in same position this Sunday, so be careful). A last second revision had the Meridian breaking a personal rule by taking a road team; the Indianapolis Colts. Still breathin’, baby…Suicide Pools are still plump with contestants as the NFL has, from a “straight up” perspective, never seemed so formful. The only genuine jaw dropper of the season, thus far, was the Oakland Raiders upending of the Eagles…ICE..caught the Capitals-Flyers game last night. Alex Semin returned after going MIA for two contests and played a magnificent game, notching the winner and assisting on another. The Caps appear to have the scoring depth this year to play a top line of studs Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Semin, and still retain offensive punch while that combo rests. Ovechkin lobbied coach Bruce Boudreau for a return of the deadly troika and was granted his wish with one caveat; the trio must commit to stout play in their own end to remain a unit…Buffalo Sabre goalie Ryan Miller is boasting a .940 save percentage and 1.69 GAA as he leads his team to the top of the North East division. The Sabres meet Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils in a very interesting contest tonight…early season goat appears to be the ineffective Alex Tanguay, currently plaguing his mates in Tampa with shoddy play. The Lightning are moving Tanguay through their top three lines in an effort to find a spot where he can contribute. Nothing so far. Tanguay has yet to score this season…HOOPS..the Toronto Raptors are listed at 100-1 to win the 2009/10 NBA Championship. That’s a bit of a kick in the teeth after Bryan Colangelo’s active off season. The L A Lakers are favoured at a paltry 2-1 with Cleveland at 3-1 and Boston at 9-2. Not much value there though Boston would be the savvy play (Shaq hype has crushed the Cavalier price). Orlando and San Antonio at 10-1 should attract the attention of those looking for a price…PONIES..the Breeders Cup entries were released today. It’s a bit like Christmas when a horse racing enthusiast peruses the fields. The downside this year includes 1) they are racing on plastic 2) the two best runners of the past decade, Rachel Alexandra and the majestic Sea The Stars, will not be present 3) the opening day of racing, a Friday, severely curtails the ability of the working stiff to watch & wager. The upside includes 1) fantastic, large fields 2) the presence, apparently, of unbeaten Zenyatta in the Classic 3) for Canadian fans, the enticing prospect of a set down Fatal Bullet running in the sprint…a surprise must be the decision of Aidan O’Brien to enter Mastercraftsman in the Dirt (Plastic?) mile. He had been expected to race in the Classic (his second choice) but it appears O’Brien feels he has a loaded hand with the brilliant Rip Van Winkle running in the feature. This is a very powerful tip of the hand from the Irish genius. He obviously feels Rip is approaching November 7^th in top order and does not require the entry of a back-up…I saw Mastercraftsman win the Guineas at the Curragh in May. The poor performance by European star Look Here in the Canadian International last Saturday was a reminder that these animals are vulnerable, at this time of the year, to the effects of an arduous campaign. Mastercraftsman has been a superb runner in 2009 but is his move to the Dirt Mile an indication he may be over the top (the field is very soft for a top rated European) or, as speculated above, a major nod of confidence concerning the chances of Rip Van Winkle? Hmmm..based on a lifetime of following O’Brien, I’ll stake on the latter…MEDIA..hard to figure out what to watch tonight. With the Raptors kicking off their season (7pm, The Score), the Leafs red hot (smoking!!!) and in Dallas (TSN, 8pm), and the World Series opener (FOX 8pm), there is a wonderful set of options for sports fans. Liverpool and Arsenal are available at 3.45pm and, of course, Woodbine features a night of racing under the lights. I’m out of the office at 3.30 and it looks like it’s going to be a very good night indeed…LOOKING BACK..it’s been 16 years since the Toronto Blue Jays bested the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. The casual sports fan in Toronto lost tangible interest in baseball on Aug 12^th 1994, so soon thereafter, when Major League Baseball initiated a work stoppage. With the cancellation of the 1994 World Series, fans in the Big Smoke could lay claim to the title for an extra year. But, trust me, by the time 1995 rolled around, most people no longer cared…