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I don’t know about Brad Pitt, leaving that beautiful wife to go hold orphans for Angelina. I mean, how long is that going to last?   - Actor Michael Douglas, trashing Brangelina in GQ Magazine, circa 2006 

My friends are very cheeky and the inebriated imps saucily queried why, since the book was called “Brangelina”, I wrote only about the lovely Angelina Jolie with scarce mention of her other half.

Well, look, the book’s title is misleading in that Jolie is the sole object of author’s Ian Halperins attention. She’s sexy, smart, devious, ambitious, sexy, determined, exceptional and sexy. And she is oh-so-sexy. Brad Pitt is as interesting as Angelina’s wine colored nose ring; that is, only when dripping with Angelina.

Pitt is universally lauded as a nice guy. Bizarrely, according to the book and the infamous “Queens of the Round Table”, he is that one in four leading man who is actually heterosexual (George Clooney, fer instance, likes to lay rumours, not ladies. Tom Cruise likes to plant innuendo, not women folk). He is, by all accounts, including his own, addicted to pot. He has never, never, had to ask a woman out. They have always flocked to him. All of this adds up to someone who is not particularly intriguing.

In this instance, it is the woman, the commanding Angelina, who has sought out a mate as an accessory.

How sexist. I’m sure all men feel demeaned.

Jolie is the driving force in the decisions made by Brangelina. She decides where they live, how many kids they adopt, and who Pitt gets stoned with. She sliced Pitt from Jennifer Aniston and then made him stand by as she spun lies about his ex-wife that created false impressions. Cojones? Angelina has the bigger pair.

She takes roles that are created for the benefit of the Academy. Have you seen A Mighty Heart or Changeling? They are not movies designed to entertain - they are blatant attempts to get Jolie that second Academy Award, this time for the lead role. Jolie really kicks ass in Wanted, an underrated thriller that shows her at her best (athletic and sexy), but does nothing for her awards cabinet. She has control of her career and expertly picks role that increase her visibility and popularity, but also roles designed to foster critical and high brow appreciation.

She is, to conclude, pretty amazing. And sexy..oh-so-sexy.

‘Kay, pals? Answered your questions? And no, I’m not obsessed with her (Madonna wouldn’t allow it)…

ICE…tonight’s Canada - USA game will crown the Group A winner and ensure a bye into the quarter-finals. Canada is a slight favourite at -135 with the Americans at +115. Like me, I doubt if you need even a nickel on this game to be transfixed. After their customary shaky start, Canada should be rolling in their third off the bench…I received 100% support for my assertion on Friday that Mike Babcock must up Sidney Crosby’s ice time. Double shift “The Kid” if you must; this is his team, his Olympics, his chance to prove he’s the best player in the world…my favourite poem of all time is as follows - I was looking for you yesterday/ but here you come today/ you got your mouth wide open/ but what you got to say?  I dedicate it wholeheartedly to S I’s Kostya Kennedy, who waited until after Canada’s first two games before declaring that Martin Brodeur should be Canada’s starting goalie. Thanks, Kostya, you insufferable eunuch. I’m sure we can have your prediction on tonight’s game-after the second period…has Jaroslav Halak been the best goalie in the Olympics thus far? How long can the Montreal Canadiens continue with the Carey Price charade?… 

PUG LIFE…Mike Marley reports that Antonio Margarito is very much in the mix as Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent should he defeat Joshua Clottey on March 13^th. That is an insulting and degrading prospect. In the fight game there is virtually no one that believes a fighter would be unaware of what was placed in his wraps. Therefore, there is virtually no one that believes Margarito was not aware of the grave risk he exposed his opponents to by using hard, plaster inserts. He should not be rewarded for his malfeasance with a multi-million dollar payday… 

PONIES…we begged for spectacular performances from a dull-as-dishwater group, and, yesterday, we got them. The current three year old crop burst to life with some remarkable accomplishments. The star was Eskendereya, who romped to a sublime eight length win in the Fountain of Youth Stakes. Eskendereya had a bad start on the plastic in California but now has consecutive impressive outings on the dirt. He will be pointed to the Florida Derby on March 20^thand appears to have every reason to continue his advancement…the highly regarded Buddys Saint beat only one horse in the FoY, spitting the bit after a couple of hard jostles on the first turn. His timidity is not a good sign for a horse pointing to the madhouse that is the Kentucky Derby…the other horse that caught my eye was Dublin, the runner-up in the one mile Southwest Stakes. Winner Conveyance went wire to wire on a track generally conducive to speed. Dublin was far back initially but made a sustained rally from the half mile pole to the wire. Wide on the final turn, he resolutely charged through the lane and fell only three quarters of a length short of the win. Had the race been even 50 yards further he would have nailed the leader. All this from a colt making his three year old debut and returning from throat surgery. Dublin is for real and his trainer, the legendary D Wayne Lukas, is back on the Derby Trail…the Risen Star Stakes featured a clunky  three quarters in 1.13 and change and appears to have done more to undermine contenders credibility than bolster their prospects. Winner Discreetly Mine merely did what a good horse should; battle stoutly late after carving out pedestrian fractions. As predicted, Canadian Hotep was not good enough to hang with this crowd, but he certainly remains the favourite for the Queens Plate. High profile contenders Ron the Greek and Tempted to Tapit did not look good enough…Connemara went from last to first in the El Camino Real Derby, tossing his name in the hat as an interesting prospect. Like Eskendereya and Discreetly Mine, Connemara is trained by Todd Pletcher. Along with Rule, Pletcher’s top three contenders all have speed tendencies. Connemara offers Pletcher an interesting change-up with a determined come from behind animal. He will likely get his acid test in the San Anita Derby on April 3^rd, though Pletcher would be wise to ship the horse east so he can prep on dirt, not that abominable plastic…