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ICE…I’ll say it - I was so impressed with the way the Toronto Maple Leafs stepped up their game last night in the face of the tragedy that has enveloped Brian Burke and his family. Class guys like Kessel, Giguere, Phaneuf and Kaberle, they know what to do; you do what you can. Everything at this time is a gesture, nothing more. But I love people with the fortitude and respect to at least make that gesture…a salute to Brendan Burke. The man displayed enormous courage in facing down the prevailing norms of the cloistered hockey culture and is deserving of accolades and praise. R I P, young man…

GRID IRON…New Orleans plus the points (look around, it ranges from 3.5 to 5.5 as I write; no 6’s to be found) and the over…Bill Simmons of ESPN, in the name of god, get off your knees! After his embarrassing over-the-top profession of love for LeBron James, Simmons bizarrely proclaims Peyton Manning’s work against the 9-7 New York Jets in the AFC Championship as the QB’s defining moment. Slow down, cowboy. There was no “great” defense in football this year; Manning was very good, sure, but the top moment of his career? Is Simmons losing it? Could he have possibly mentioned in his column that Drew Brees had a better year than Manning and should have received the NFL’s MVP? Or is he too busy mythologizing the Colt pivot?…Simmons mail bag, however, is absolutely killer. The last two letters are among the funniest he’s published…

PONIES…lovely Rachel Alexandra had her second work of 2010 at the Fair Grounds yesterday, loping an easy half mile in 50.3. Media hacks are putting pressure on her owner Jess Jackson to commit to an April 3^rd showdown with Zenyatta, but that date is too early for the champ. Oaklawn staged a publicity coup with their 5 million dollar offer but Jackson must stick to his guns and do what is in the best interests of Rachel…Quality Road accounted for the Donn yesterday at Gulfstream in emphatic fashion. The four year old has always been touted as one with immense talent and the key to a successful year will be his ability to remain healthy. The Road runs the way a good horse should; up front with a gallop ferocious enough to burn off the speed yet with enough class to withhold the late movers. After Rachel dispatches the California Cow this summer, a showdown with Quality will likely become the most anticipated race of the year…Santa Anita was washed out yesterday, causing a cancellation of the Robert Lewis Stakes. Punters were eager to get a glimpse of Bob Baffert’s Tiz Chrome, a highly regarded colt looking to impact the Road to the Roses…

PUG LIFE…quite an interesting night for fight fans; lightweight champ Edwin Valero (27-0, 27 KO’s), unbeaten and spectacular, looked like Charlie Manson as he devoured Antonio DeMarco in Mexico. Valero is under the radar in the U S, largely due to medical issues and matters of “moral turpitude” (dude likes to drink and drive), but he is astonishing when in the squared circle…Tomasz Adamek (40-1 27 KO’s) had a nice twelve round win over Jason Estrada in New Jersey. Adamek is replete with heart and courage and also, strangely, an absolutely ripped 220 lb body. The former light heavy has retooled and will certainly demolish fat bastard Chris Arreola if their rumoured fight comes off. After that, in a division bereft of contenders, a title shot of some sort would be inevitable…Canada has an interesting slugger in David Lemieux (21-0 20 KO’s). The brawler went the distance in Montreal with Jason Naugler yesterday, but that can actually be a good development. The first time a bomber is extended it is beneficial if the opponent is limited. The experience is of enormous assistance in evaluating stamina and heart and, it appears, Lemieux is, at the minimum, an interesting newcomer to the Montreal scene. He’s in good hands and has been handled with care and caution…bad management makes fights like this; Kelly Pavlik has signed to fight fast, crafty Sergio Martinez on April 17^th. No upside for Kelly here, but the real possibility of being beaten if he is not at 100%…