News Makers, Rumors, Champs & More Chumps

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by Digger

It's been a wild week in sports news with much to discuss. It's been a week of good, bad and ugly. Let's begin with good stuff today before taking aim at the rest.

Good:College Basketball season is winding down... and what a season! Current #1 is University of Connecticut. Are they here to stay? Apparently so. After taking over as our nations top ranked team UConn is streaking... 12 wins in a row! It's been a team effort (stats) top to bottom spreading the ball around.

NBA All Star Weekend will entertain basketball fans around the world. In my eyes, it's the pre-game festivities which rule the day. Highlighted events include: All Star Celebrity Game, Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam, Playstation Competition, 3 Point Shootout, H-O-R-S-E competition, Rookies game and Slam Dunk Contest. Most will be televised by TNT. Then, on Sunday, it's the NBA All Star Game. The skills competitions have been great over the years. Days of old featured tremendous Slam Dunk contests starring the likes of Dr. J, George Gervin & Michael Jordan highlight reel dunks. One of my favorite contests used to be the 3 point shootout. It's a relatively new cast of characters entering this years events ushering in a changing generation of players. It will be fun to watch when I finally get to see it (my viewing time will come via tape delay... it's Valentine's Day Saturday... so NBA will have to take a back seat to my sharing a wonderful night with my special girl).

Celtics vs Lakers rivalry shows no signs of slowing down after a very physical 1 point LA win in Boston. These two teams are my odds on favorites to meet up again in the Finals. Madison Square Garden is still buzzing after back to back stellar performances by LA's Kobe (set MSG scoring record) and Cleveland LeBron James who delighted fans anxiously awaiting is arrival as a NY Knick. NY fans can finally hold their heads high after turbulent years under Isiah. NY is now playing inspired basketball for the first time in years. Amazing how quickly things come around when someone who knows what they are doing is placed in charge of day to day operations.

NHL: NBC will televise NY Rangers vs Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. This is one of the NHL's classic rivalries which is always a heavy hitting game. I used to love going to MSG to see them bloody the ice back in the 70's. Back in the day, the best games in MSG used to be Rangers vs Philly and Rangers vs Boston. Once the Islanders started playing good hockey, NY vs NY was 2nd to none for many years. Heck, in MSG the "Potvin Sucks" chant still echoes from the rafters!

NFL: Retired again... Brett Favre! Is it for real this time? I'm guessing if new Jets coach Ryan wanted Favre, he'd still be a Jet. Favre took most of the heat for NY failing to make the playoffs. While he had ups and downs, Favre was not the problem. Poor coaching and play calling doomed this team. 2009 will have many new faces, perhaps even NFL future HOF LB Ray Lewis?
Rumors: Manny Ramirez is still unsigned! Many of baseball's stars remain unsigned free agents with only 12 days before Spring Training officially begins. Interestingly enough.. not many rumors surrounding who might be pursuing the games greats. The biggest baseball rumor surfaced today. Bud Selig may suspend Alex Rodriguez, might re-crown Hank Aaron as baseball's home run king in the wake of steroids. Steroids issue will not go away. Funny, now Selig says ridding the game of substances has been a top priorty for 10 years. Really? Bull____!

Champs; Sadly, none to report this week.

Chumps: Plenty. Where to begin? Former MLB and famous spitter Roberto Alomar is being sued by his former girlfriend who claims Alomar knowingly had AIDS while they had unprotected sex in spite of his denials. No one said Alomar was a good guy. If these charges hold true, hopefully he'll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Another week filled with negative Alex Rodriguez news. Now he's fessing up to having used steroids. Give him slight credit for owning up (even after years of denials). However, Selig will hang him out to dry... and has all but stated he's about to.

Selig... MLB's most incompetent Commissioner in the history of baseball. Now? he wants to take action against players the league encouraged to continue juicing so he and his boys club of owners could make hundreds of millions of dollars. Selig acts as if widespread usage is new news. I'll be hitting this topic hard again very soon in days leading up to Spring Training.

Olympic swimmer Phelps. Why in the world are local SC authorities wasting so much time investigating whether or not Phelps took a bong hit? He was photographed taking a hit of an illegal substance. While I do not condone his actions one bit the question begs to be asked... who cares? Why waste taxpayers dollars with a full blown investigation? Funny how things work. It's ok not to investigate admitted pot and cocaine users who run for public office but lets attack a 23 year old Olympic hero. Little to no investigation has taken place by public authorities into the validity of our current President being a U.S. citizen... an unvetted leader of the free world... but, hey... lets make life hell for Phelps. Arrests have already been made in this case (not Phelps) as a desperate prosecutor tries making a name for himself.

Stay tuned for next weeks edition of News, Rumors, Champs & Chumps.... plus much more from the world of sports.