5 Things To Look Forward To...

You made it through the work week and if you are reading this from Canada you get to enjoy a long weekend. If you are reading from elsewhere, all you can probably think about is only two days until I need to go back to work. So, with that forward thinking, here is what you have to look forward to next week...

1. NFL - Training camps around the league open this weekend. From the circus that will be Cincinnati and NY Jets camps, to the expectations in the Dallas and New England camps or the hope in places like Miami and Kansas City, fans from everywhere will be tuning in to see how their teams are progressing and hoping there are no injuries.

2. The MLB Trade Deadline - Saturday at 4pm is the baseball trade deadline. Even though their aren't many "big" names that will be on the move, there will be lots of movement as contenders try to shore up rotations, bullpens and depth and those out of the playoffs build for next year. Also, interesting will be where the Blue Jays fit into all of this. They are sellers this year and have interesting pieces to move including Jose Bautista, Scott Downs and Lyle Overbay.

3. More LeBron Bashing - It hasn't stopped since "The Decision", everyone has been taking shots at the King. Most recently ESPN pulled an article talking about a day in the life of LeBron while he was in Vegas. As I read the story, I was wishing it was my club experience...Expect more piling on until training camp opens.

4. Rogers Cup - Tennis comes to Toronto and this year it is the men's turn to take the Rexall Tennis Centre by storm. It is your chance to see Rafeal Nadal and Roger Federer. Should be exciting and there is nothing like seeing the action up close and personal.

5. Kanye West on Twitter - Through just 3 days on the site, has 310 000 followers and has been talking jibberish non stop, it's great! Can't wait to read what he says next.

Batman and Robin

I bet NFL Network is wishing they could change their minds on which team to cover for their Hard Knocks training camp series. No matter how good a quote Jets head coach Rex Ryan is, he has nothing on what will happen in Cincinnati this August.

Yesterday, the Cincinnati Bengals signed 36-year-old free agent Terrell Owens to a contract. He will join forces with probably the other most flamboyant wide receiver in the game in Chad OchoCinco (ne Johnson). The two paired together would have given defensive backs fits only 4 seasons earlier, now it will be interesting to see how they produce.

What do the Bengals get with Owens? As mentioned, he is 36 years old and near the tail end of a great career. He was a game changer in his time with the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles. Last season after signing with the Bills it was obvious that Owens had lost a step and wasn’t able to break free of tight coverage and couldn’t outrun defensive backs like he had in the past. Owens did show signs of greatness, running an end around for a touchdown against the Texans and catching a long touchdown pass against the Colts in the regular season finale. The one thing that everyone expected in Buffalo last season, was the thing Owens didn’t deliver on – sizzle. Many fans in Buffalo were excited about the arrival of Owens because he would bring some cache to the Bills, which they haven’t had since the mid-nineties. The popcorn chugging, sit up in the driveway and sharpie in the sock Owens never showed up.

Will that same lame Owens show up in Cincinnati? Probably not. In Cincinnati, Owens will have Chad OchoCinco on the opposite side of the field as his running mate. Chad OchoCinco has been a prolific the last couple of seasons. First with TJ Whosyourmomma on the other side of the field, and then for the last couple of seasons without a real number two wide receiver. OchoCinco has talent and often that is overlooked amongst all his antics. With a second option in Owens, third in the other free agent signing Antonio Bryant and fourth, rookie TE Jermaine Gresham from Oklahoma, the Bengals have some offensive talent to challenge defenses.

The man that has to keep all the talent in line and distribute the ball is quarterback Carson Palmer. He is going to either have lots of fun throwing the ball or be stressed out every Sunday trying to get the ball to all his options and not have them bite his head off.

The fun now starts in Cincinnati. Will we get choreographed first down celebrations, lots of fines and the best press conferences ever? Probably, and maybe, just maybe a playoff team in Cincinnati.

Expos 2 – Blue Jays 0

On Sunday afternoon, the Baseball Hall of Fame inducted its 293rd member, former Montreal Expos Andre Dawson. This gives the now extinct Expos two players enshrined in Cooperstown. Dawson joins former Expos catcher Gary Carter. This gives the Expos a two player to nothing lead in inductees over their Canadian brothers, the Blue Jays.

Unfortunately, the Expos were moved in 2004 to Washington so the chances are slim that future players will be inducted wearing the Expos hat. The Expos are where many great players started their careers, but like Carter and Dawson, got more national exposure when they moved onto bigger clubs, the Mets and Cubs respectively. The likes of Pedro Martinez, Vladimir Guerrero, Randy Johnson, and Tim Raines are all likely additions to the walls of Cooperstown. Like Carter and Dawson though, those four all got their shine and awards with other teams, which makes it likely they will be enshrined wearing the caps of other teams. This is probably the way because the Hall has taken heat from both Carter and Dawson about being enshrined as Expos. They both wanted to be wearing the caps of other teams, but The Hall has the final decision and decided to honour their time Les Expos.

Since Les Expos, don’t have any new players that have the possibility of getting enshrined can Canada’s other team catch them in the Hall of Fame player race. The Jays have definitely had some stars, specifically from their World Series winning teams in 1993 and 1994, but like Les Expos, most of those players made their name before joining the Jays to win a world championship. The likes of Rickey Henderson, Paul Molitor, Dave Winfield, and Roger Clemens are prime examples of players who played for the Jays but will be or have been enshrined wearing the caps of other teams.

So who can the Jays expect to be enshrined into Cooperstown and can they catch the Expos in terms of players in the Hall? Their best chance lies in Roberto Alomar. The 12 time all-star, 10 time gold glove winner and two time World Series champion is best known for his playing days in Toronto, but it was his actions after he moved on that garnered a lot of attention (spitting on an umpire) that may scare some voters off, but based on his play, Alomar deserves to be in the Hall of Fame and be there as a Blue Jay.

The other likely candidates include Carlos Delgado and Roy Halladay. Delgado is the Blue Jays all-time leader in most of the offensive categories including runs, home runs, runs batted in and slugging percentage. With almost 500 career home runs and 1500 RBIs Delgado was the most offensively gifted Jays player ever and therefore if any slugger was going to be enshrined it would Delgado. Since his forced “retirement” last season due to injuries, we will only have to wait another five years to see if the voters feel the same way. Without the magical 500 home run number though, it might be a tough sell for some voters.

Halladay is one of the best of the modern day pitchers and made a name for himself as a dominant starter during his years with the Jays. Although, he wasn’t part of the World Series championship teams, Halladay was the reason the Jays didn’t finish last every year. With outstanding records against the Yankees and Red Sox, Halladay proved he pitches his best when playing the best. Halladay, so far has one Cy Young and 3 other top five Cy Young finishes. Due to playing on some mediocre teams “Doc” is closing in on only 200 wins after 13 seasons, but with the pitching magical number being 300 it doesn’t look like Halladay will get there. The 300 win total for pitchers is about to move downward. The trend for specialty pitchers has put total innings and wins at a premium and Halladay bucks all those trends continually finishing either first or second in innings pitched. Although a good candidate for the Hall, Halladay will have to have some strong seasons with Philadelphia and beyond (a championship wouldn’t hurt) to be a lock for Cooperstown.

Although, the Jays are still playing and the Expos aren’t, it seems like it will be difficult for the Jays to catch the Expos soon…

Snack of the Day

Spicy food in the summer isn't always the best idea. You are already sweating (at least I am) when you are eating, so adding some heat to your meal, not always smart. I really enjoy spice and Indian food so today's snack of the day is a samosa.

These tasty snacks can't be turned down and you can eat plenty of them. Mmmmm....


Also, for a little light entertainment on a Sunday, have a look at this...

Blue Jays on the Move

The second half of the baseball season has started and even though the Toronto Blue Jays aren’t mathematically eliminated from contention yet, the odds are shrinking daily and being in the American League East doesn’t help.

So what is a team that is hovering around .500 for the season to do? They play in a very difficult division where the chances to win are very slim. With the trade deadline looming, the Jays can either be sellers or buyers.

Becoming buyers in the AL East wouldn’t be prudent. The Jays have a very good farm system and have acquired some good prospects in trades during the past two seasons. It would not be worth risking the long-term development of the franchise to make a run at the title this year when they are already 12 games out of first place in the East and 9.5 out in the wild card. Especially since the Yankees are a class to themselves and will spend to win. They don’t need much, but will probably go out and get another elite starter anyways. The Tampa Bay Rays have all the pieces in place and are primed to make another World Series run. The Boston Red Sox are on the outside looking in at the moment, if for no other reason than they have the injury bug this season. Their stars will return soon and make a return for a run at the playoffs.

So that leaves the Jays as potential sellers this August and with contenders trying to shore up fielding, offense and pitching the Jays just might have what some people are looking for. They have already moved one piece – Alex Gonzalez to the Braves, so who else would teams be interested in?

John Buck – a good catcher is hard to find. Buck is having a career year after being released in the off-season by the Kansas City Royals. He is on a one year deal with the Jays which makes him very attractive to potential suitors. Although it would be sad to see him go after a very good season, GM Alex Anthopolous should be able to get a good prospect for an every day catcher.

Scott Downs – With a 1.02 WHIP over 39.1 inning, Downs has been a lock down in the middle innings for the Jays. He has been so lights out that the Yankees have expressed interest in him. Another player with a manageable contract that would be easy to move to a contender, but it would be a blow to the Jays bullpen. If everyone was healthy was Dirk Hayhurst to Dustin McGowan it might not be so difficult to have him leave, but with the uncertainty of their return to form next season, it would be a shame for him to leave town.

Jason Frasor – The closer in waiting might have to get his saves in another uniform. Frasor was beaten out in spring training by the newly acquired Kevin Gregg. Although, Gregg has been shaky as of late, and Frasor is great to have on hand, but Frasor is still the pitcher that more teams would covet.

Lyle Overbay – The elder statesman of the Jays might be a good piece for many contenders. He is a great fielder, which is always nice for a team in contention. A former gold glover who can not only be a defensive replacement in the 7th inning, but he can also swing the bat. A consistent hitter, who makes contact is never a bad thing for a team trying to win the World Series.

So who do you think the Jays should move, if anyone?

Thierry Henry > David Beckham

Once considered a minor sport in America, soccer has begun its ascent into becoming one of the big 4 sports. While NFL, NBA and MLB will always dominate the headlines, the recent FIFA World Cup shed light on the growing popularity of soccer in America.

With record numbers of fans tuning into watch the games (and not just the ones the US team was involved in) the sport is beginning to get a foot hold with the public that started with the arrival of David Beckham in 2007.

The arrival of David Beckham from Spanish giant Real Madrid was supposed to ignite the passion for soccer in the States. There was a lot of pressure on the Englishmen to deliver brilliance every time he stepped on the field. He was not only supposed to carry his new team, LA Galaxy to a MLS championship, but he was saddled with the duties of being the face of the league in all their marketing. That marketing wasn’t just for the league it was also for his other sponsors.

As a player, Beckham could still create on the field and off the field as a spokesman he was everywhere, but fans still wanted more. There was so much pressure on him from every angle; there was no way for him to live up to the hype. When Beckham struggled initially on the field because of injuries and because he was part of a team with no real talent, he became the target of fans and the media. He turned it around sufficiently to earn a loan to AC Milan and make the England World Cup team only to suffer a torn Achilles months before the FIFA World Cup and forcing him to watch from the sidelines in South Africa. Beckham may eventually return to play for the LA Galaxy (he is still under contract), but he accomplished what he could in North America and for him, the place to end his career is back playing for a European team.

A “new” Beckham has joined MLS to take his place – former Arsenal, Barcelona and French international star Thierry Henry. At 37 years old Henry will join the NY Red Bulls and will no doubt be expected to contribute right away. He will be able to do so because even at 37, Henry still has his scoring touch, great pace and vision to make a difference in the MLS. He will also end up making more of a difference than Beckham.

Henry will have a far greater impact than Beckham on growing the game in the States because he scores goals. Beckham is a great player with excellent touch on the ball, no one can deny this, but the Americans love the glory players. Whether you hit home runs, score touchdowns or score goals that is what is valued in American sports. Therefore when Beckham didn’t put the ball in the back of the net he was vilified. Henry won’t have this problem. There isn’t the same expectation on him to be the face of the league and he scores goals. He will light up some teams and be a constant threat to defences.

With soccer now being a recognized sport in the States that has a following much greater than three years ago when Beckham joined, Thierry Henry has an advantage to be considered a much better player than Beckham in the eyes of the American soccer public.

Here is a short clip from Jimmy Fallon last night - Thierry Henry was the guest...

Enjoyable/Aggravating Travel Notes

With a tip of the cap to SI Peter King, here are my enjoyable/aggravating travel notes during this busy summer travel season.

Most of my travel recently has been short trips to destinations not far away. This means I have been able to travel light and carry my bags on instead of checking. This is a big plus for any traveler, especially with most airlines now charging for checked bags and no one likes to wait at the other end for luggage when your vacation is so close.

The annoying part of everyone bringing carry ons onto the plane these days is the lack of room in the overhead compartments. These storage areas were not meant to hold a bag with a weeks worth of clothes. Some of the carry on bags the airlines are letting on look like you could travel for 6 months in them. With out a doubt the jackass that has this huge carry on bag is the last guy on the plane and can’t find an overhead compartment to store his enormous bag. This brings in 3 flight attendants who have to move everyone’s back around to accommodate the ugly flyer.

As an aside, this is similar to my thoughts on busy movie theatres. I got there early to get a good seat. Since you got here during the previews, you have no right to ask me to move down so you can fit your Goober eating ass in a great seat location.

So airlines, if you could deliver luggage to the right destination, get it off the plane in a efficient amount of time, travelers might not have to bring giant carry on bags on the plane and you could collect more checked bag fees.

On most of my flights, I like to be entertained by the in flight system. I read men’s magazines online now, so buying the newest GQ or Esquire before getting on the plane really isn’t that useful for me anymore. I will bring a book and my ipod, but the lure of watching a movie or TV show on the plane is just too great. This is especially true now that planes have personal TV’s and have them turned on from the second you sit down to the moment you de-plane. This gives you maximum viewing time and no need to interact with the smelly guy next to you (or am I the smelly guy, ahhh).

The one issue I do have with this is the passenger announcements that interrupt your viewing. Once the flight attendants start talking your screen shuts off while they babble on about flight safety (I know how to do up a seat-belt, thanks) or to let me know they are bringing the beverage cart around. Once you think they are done and you can get back to movie watching, wrong – they now do them in French as well. If you are on a short flight to say Montreal, you only have an hour and 10 minutes and you need all the viewing possible. Airlines – fix it so your passenger announcements don’t interrupt my on-board entertainment.