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ICE…Teemu Selanne was very effective for the Anaheim Ducks last year, registering 48 points in 54 games. Selanne has not made a decision yet on whether he will retire or come back for one more season…

…hey, Mr Tim Thomas, goalie with the Boston Bruins, did not realize you are a nutter. In a recent interview Thomas confessed to affection for Glen Beck and offered he would like to swap places with Barack Obama for a day so he could “restore the constitution of the United States to its rightful place” (code for a Tea Party member). A friend kindly printed out some of the political objectives of leading members of the Tea Baggers for my perusal. Astonishing stuff abounds, like the abolition of the Department of Education, withdrawal from the United Nations, an end to the Federal Reserve, a ban on all abortions, harsh sentences for all drug offences, a ban on all same-sex marriages etc etc. I hope my American friends continue voting Democrat…

GRID IRON…the many punters I meet who tell me New Orleans will fall apart this year need to review the Saints cozy and welcoming 2010 schedule. The Saints have three tough games this year. Three, mon amis (Minnesota, Dallas and Baltimore). There is no chance of the Brees Express being derailed anytime soon…

…Dez Bryant, rookie Dallas Cowboy wideout, deserves props for refusing to partake in some idiotic hazing rituals. Bryant refused to carry Roy Williams shoulder pads after practice and really, can you blame him? Mrs Williams would probably have the rookie washing his bras and girdles and painting his toenails if he had his way…

…the consensus states Matt Leinart is the NFL QB most under the gun as we prepare for the upcoming season. The fifth year pro is charged with replacing Kurt Warner and leading a still talented offence. But what about Jay Cutler? With a losing record as a starter (24-29), Cutler needs to silence critics before his stay in Chicago devolves into a debacle. New offensive co-ordinator Mike Martz has improved every team he joins by about six points a game. Cutler will surely benefit from the new mentor, but who on the Bear roster represents an enticing target for the new airborne attack? Shouldn’t the Bears be at least ruminating on Terrell? Devon Hester as your top receiver is very troubling…

PONIES…Rachel Alexandra notched her second win of the year (from four starts) with a win in the Lady’s Secret at Monmouth yesterday. It was a fairly easy win, but Rachel still didn’t flash the fire that made her the top performer of 2009. It’s spit or get off the pot time for the filly now, with her next start certain to be in a Grade 1…

…we’re seldom delighted with a race where we didn’t cash but the win of Golden Moka in the Prince of Wales Sunday represented exactly that circumstance. The colt, an 8k yearling, had not raced since a Nov 2009 sprint in Panama. The horse had never run two turns and was parachuted into a very tough spot for his North American debut. Under a heady ride by Fort Erie jock Anthony Stephens, the colt set relaxed fractions before finding another gear late and dusting a field of Canada’s preeminent three year olds. It was very exciting and a thrill to watch such a mysterious animal prove his mettle with such aplomb. Okay, here are the feel good aspects of the win; the jock, Anthony Stephens, is a journeyman who struggles with bills caring for his two deaf children. One of the owners of the colt is ex-jock Rene Douglas, paralyzed from the waist down after a horrific fall. Denis Savard is also a part owner. Best of all, we don’t have to endure forced “Triple Crown” talk concerning the very average Big Red Mike, the lumbering winner of the 2010 Queens Plate…

 PUG LIFE…James Toney, preparing for an Aug 28^th MMA fight with Randy Couture, has undergone eight weeks of tutelage concerning the fine art of grappling. Toney is taking the fight very seriously and, somewhat surprisingly, expects to get a fight with Brock Lesnar with a win. With “Lights Out” using four ounce gloves, it’s likely he represents the hardest puncher ever to engage in the theatrics of the MMA. If he lands it will be quite interesting to assess the resulting damage (to the unconcious Couture)…

…Ricky Hatton seems to be inching closer to accepting a mega-bucks fight with Amir Khan.  I’m not sure if this fight will be the roaring success expected by promoters. A rusty, shop-worn Hatton poses little threat to the young junior welterweight, and I expect most punters are not keen on watching the pride of Manchester City absorb another drubbing…

…Pedro Fernandez, at Ring Talk, has an interesting take on the upcoming Manny Pacquiao - Antonio Margarito fight; he believes the pair deserve each other. Fernandez has long posited that the PacMan is juiced, making him the perfect companion for El-Cheato. Margarito is still is not licensed in the United States, fall-out after being caught with plaster inserts in his gloves prior to his January 2009 fight with Shane Mosley…