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GRID IRON..Warren Sapp and Chris Collinsworth have echoed my sentiments from yesterday; if Dwight Feeney is hobbled or out, the New Orleans Saints are bolstered immensely in their chances of winning Sunday. Both Sapp and Collinsworth pick the Saints to win outright if Feeney is hobbled. It is a fascinating development and one that requires a great deal of thought. How will the Colts pressure Brees without their demonic heart? With DB Bob Sanders long gone, can a defence, in these days of caps and parity, be effective without their two best players? Reflect on how the vaunted Pittsburgh Steeler defence floundered with the absence of their heart, Troy Polamalu…is it possible that close calls will go to the new “America’s Team”, the Saints? Do referees, either with malice or just because of the enormous emotion of the event, influence the outcome? Anyone bet Seattle against Pittsburgh a few years back? Still grumbling?…here’s the skinny - the New Orleans Saints changed their offense during the latter stages of the 2009 season in order to maximize protection of Drew Brees. The Saints staggered as players repeatedly blew coverage and seemed uncomfortable with the conservative bent. With Feeney out, and the rest of the Colts line as amiable as puppies (slap your groin if you just said Robert Mathis), Brees can find his swagger again. Flood lanes, look deep, exploit mismatches - a slugfest looms in Miami with an emancipated Brees able to slam the Saints into full throttle. This one is going over, and we’ll make the dastardly, and potentially unwise, decision to change our pick. Feeney’s out, Brees struts, take the 5.5 points…

ICE..despite notching a shutout in his first start as a Toronto Maple Leaf, J S Giguere will be on the bench tonight as Jonas Gustavsson gets the start against the New Jersey Devils…the addition of Ilya Kovalchuk to the Devils line-up makes tonight must-see TV…Don Waddell has been the General Manager of the Atlanta Thrashers for their entire existence, nine wretched seasons. He has a consistent record of mediocrity and his bounty for moving Kovalchuk, amazingly, is even skimpier than the bucket of soap shavings he received for Marian Hossa two years ago. Waddell’s cronies in the media are putting on a brave front, but how could you expect Kovalchuk to sign with a team that has made the playoffs only once in their existence and, further, considered the addition of Nik Antropov an inducement for Kovalchuk to stay in the South? Lou Lamoriello looks like a genius with this move. He moved an above average defenseman for a superstar, meaning even if he fails to gets Kovalchuk’s signature on a contract he still wins the deal…

PONIES..Andrew Beyer’s decision to become a part time writer a few years back dealt horse racing coverage in North America a blow it has never quite recovered from. The only writer covering the ponies with the integrity to call out the drug cheats and the courage to challenge outlandish management decisions, Beyer now writes sparingly. No one his filled the immense vacuum his departure from full time writing left. As an extravagance, check out his contribution in the Washington Post today. His elegant writing is a long way from the frat boy fun of a Bill Simmons, but his poignant reflection on Hialeah racetrack is evocative and moving. Beyer being Beyer, he can’t help slipping in a devastating shot at Frank Stronach, a potent punch that had me longing for the day when we could count on a regular Beyer contribution…