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Condemnation of Tiger Woods erratic and dangerous recent behaviour continues to pour in.

Mike Tyson, in a statement to the Associated Press, recalled treasured moments of his childhood spent cracking fire hydrants open at 2am. “In reality it chilled my blood to imagine Tiger ploughing into a fire hydrant at that time. In Bed-Stuy kids and all be out running through the water. Drunks would come over to tell us kids off and we could rob them and beat them unconscious with baseball bats”, Tyson recalled, a tear trickling down his cheek. “Tiger smashing into a hydrant, damn, what about the children? Are the children alright?” A distraught Tyson later ruminated on the importance of being a role model when in the public limelight. “I never rode through no fire hydrant. Never. Leave them muth?!#$!? hydrants alone, okay? Them !?#@?!$@ hydrants were sacred”. Tyson reportedly relieved the AP reporter of both his wallet and his wife before departing for a coke binge in Vegas…

ICE..Bruce Gamble was a goalie for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1966 to 1970, eventually a critical component of the trade that brought Bernie Parent from Philadelphia to Toronto in 1970. On Feb 8^th, 1972, Gamble was tending goal for the Flyers against the Vancouver Canucks. He pitched over during the game and later complained of chest pains (he did not, of course, being 1970 and all, actually leave the game). Bruce Gamble had suffered a heart attack while guarding the twine on that fateful night and he never played in the NHL again. Ten years later, after practicing to play in an old-timers game, Gamble suffered a fatal heart attack. He died on Dec 30^th, 1982 at the age of 44. A cautionary tale, to be sure, for the Toronto Maple Leafs young Monster…the Boston Globe reports the Bruins new 7 year, 28 million dollar deal with Marc Savard is “an absolute steal”. Savard consistently produces in the point-a-game range and seems to have signed a deal well below what he would have garnered as a free agent at the end of the season…the game of “odd man out” is about to be played in Chicago. The organization is anxious to sign Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith (lights out this year) and Jonathan Toews to extensions. That necessary cap space will be cleared by sending Patrick Sharp elsewhere.  Sharp is paid just under 4 million a year and has 8 goals and 14 assists in 26 games this year…Hal Gill has been cleared to return to the Montreal Canadien line-up by the end of the week. Habs coach Jacques Martin told the Montreal Gazette he has no idea who Gill is or when he joined the team…

GRID IRON..ProFootballTalk is reporting that the Buffalo Bills organization has given up on Trent Edwards. Ryan Fitzpatrick is expected to start the remaining games on their schedule…in Pittsburgh, Dennis Dixon probably earned the back-up QB role with an impressive game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. Although Charlie Batch is expected to be healthy within a couple of weeks, NFL.com is anticipating his relegation to third string…the sheer incompetence of Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris has been breathtaking. Morris does nothing well and will be terminated at the end of the season. The Bucs will be in play for one of the big names based on a far better talent base then their record indicates. Brian Billick. Yeah, I said it and I’ll bet it. The Glazers will reach back into their memory banks and recall the success and passion of the days when the Bucs were a powerhouse on defence. Then they’ll call the only man who created a defence in the past decade that was the equal of their own. Billick, winner of a Superbowl with the Baltimore Ravens, will coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010…if the New York Giants lose to Dallas on Sunday I wouldn’t be surprised if they pull the plug on Eli Manning’s season. Manning is nursing a “stress reaction” which could turn to a “stress fracture” with a continued active schedule. If the Giants are alive in the playoff hunt they are obligated to attempt to nurse Manning along…

PUG LIFE..Danny Green destroyed Roy Jones Jr last night, recording an emphatic first round knockout.  Jones was down once and was covering up when the referee called a halt to the proceedings. This should be the end of the line for Jones Jr but he may be tempted to pursue plans to contest a rematch with Bernard Hopkins stateside. Jones has now been knocked out by three fighters (Antonio Tarver, Gen Johnson, Green) while also losing a decision to Joe Calzaghe. During his prime Jones was careful to never leave the States and also eager to avoid the challenges of top fighters like Gerald McClellan, Steve Collins, Chris Eubanks, Nigel Benn, Herol Graham, Michael Watson, any one of whom could have possibly beat him. Instead Jones fought a dreadful collection of part time fighters while recording his most significant wins against an inexperienced Hopkins, a weight drained James Toney and a fat, useless John Ruiz.  Jones was careful to never give Hopkins and Toney rematches as the pair accelerated into their primes. Altogether, a career built on some serious talent but manipulated and massaged to appear far more meaningful than was factually warranted. No one compares Roy Jones Jr to Sugar Ray Robinson anymore, and for that, I am truly grateful…the casual fan may have difficulty understanding the purists continuing devotion to the legacy of Roberto Duran. Sports Illustrated recently named him the greatest lightweight of all time and, further, many polls rank him behind only Sugar Ray Robinson and Harry Greb on the all time pound-for-pound lists. But Duran fought everyone. He could no more have ducked an opponent than go without his daily ministrations with his beloved prostitutes. Duran’s approach was without guile or manipulation. Any opponent who offered big money or big rewards was engaged. You win, you lose, but like Greb and Robinson before him, the boxing fan is appreciative of a career and a life lived with passion and risk. It’s why the legacy of Duran is in full flourish while a Roy Jones is scarcely remembered by the squares who shelled out cash to HBO to watch him dance with a part time janitor…whispers around the casino floors in Vegas (yep, some of my Pinoy mates have still not found their way home) have negotiations between the Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao camps going so smoothly (can anyone possibly disagree on a 50-50 split between the two superstars?) that the March 13^th date has resurfaced as a possibility. The earlier date would allow Pacquiao to pursue his political ambitions in the Philippines (elections are in May). If the date is March, the fight will almost certainly be held in either Dallas or Las Vegas…Bernard Hopkins fights tonight against Enrique Ornelas. Since turning 40, just short of five years ago, Hopkins has built an eclectic resume, scoring huge wins against Antonio Tarver, Winky Wright and Kelly Pavlik while losing a close fight to Joe Calzaghe. Hopkins apparently wants a shot at David Hayes heavyweight belt before retiring…

PONIES.. the 2009 Toronto Thoroughbred season concludes at Woodbine with the Valedictory Stakes on Sunday Dec 5^th. The last week of the season is notorious for big price droppers (who wants to pay either the bills for the next four months or shipping costs to warmer climes?) and outrageous longshots. It’s wild and trippy, so if you have a few bucks lying around you may want to take a shot on a boxcar score…