Canada beats U.S.

It's Thursday, so that means the a.m. links are all-blog:

Canada beats the U.S. at the World Limited Overs Baseball Classic, Adam Stern the big star as the Canadians take a 7-0 lead and hold on. I'm afraid I'm not quite of the same opinion of ace blogger James Mirtle on this -- "the country's biggest baseball triumph since the Blue Jays won the World Series in 1993", he calls it -- but it has pumped some life into this dog, and made me take notice. When I'm not contemplating JFJ's The Plan, anyway, the fast-approaching Real Baseball League draft, or how I'm going to walk the dogs in this rain.

More from the blogs on NHL trade deadline day (if you're bored at work, tune in to the  waymoresports.com website and send along any John Ferguson Jr. sightings, favourite JFJ speeches and your interpretation of The Plan as Damien Cox and I live-blog T.D. time, 12 noon to 3:30 pm or so):

JFJ gone wild! Leafs acquire Luke Richardson, trade Ken Klee and I don't get it either. Somebody dust off The Plan and let me know. Meanwhile, the big one has the Avs acquiring Jose (Shaggy) Theodore for David Aebischer, and I don't get that one either.

I'll have more ranting on this a little later in the day, having sat through another Sam Mitchell last night at the ACC, but for now, the Basketball Jones has the calculator out to figure how close the Raptors are to being a .500 team. File it in the "lies, damned lies and statistics" folder. And while you're at it, the Cavs guy who hit the game-winning shot is in trouble.

Arsenal knocks Real Madrid out of the Champions League after a scintillating night at Highbury (for a Spanish-language perspective, with a headline even I can understand, go here).

Pat Quinn's recent endorsement deal needs some possible prizes now -- a seat on a park bench? An early spring golf game? A guide to Hamilton?

It's Hammertime, the former A's bat boy posting to Barry Bonds: "You are loved by many. I love you. You have brought me so much joy in your mastery of the game of baseball. Don't let the bloodhounds win. Finish the mission."

Leafs win, JFJ talks

The morning links, bigger than usual, but not associated with BALCO, any of its agents, or any performance enhancers other than a bowl of Raisin Bran and a cup of coffee:

Leafs win!

Now for the fun part. Someone has to explain to me again how one game can be so important, the pregame angst and postgame celebrations in print and on the airwaves likening it to the seriousness of open-heart surgery, or at least a Cheney birdshoot. Explain how JFJ would base an entire deadline-day "strategy" -- stop snickering! -- on one outcome among 84. Explain how their season is somehow on again now, or extended, at least until the next game, after this, their first win in 28 days.
Aw, skip it.
Regardless, this caught my eye. It's the usual boilerplate, but on JFJ's verbosity scale, it's The Aristocrats:

"Our overall strategy hasn't changed ... we're not going to sacrifice future assets and good young players for short-term Band-Aid fixes," Ferguson Jr. said during last night's game. "The club's play thus far doesn't demand that. It did in the past. Times have changed. Our skills have changed and the ability to go out and add payroll at this time has been compromised.
"We're going to stick to our plan, at the same time, this same club was nine games over .500 in what seems like a long time ago now.
"We're not that now. We have to do some things that will not only put us in a better situation to win down the stretch here but also in the future.
"Our performance since early January has fallen way below standard. We need to address that. The club hasn't changed a great deal since that time. We've got to better and be a tougher team to play against and, obviously, more successful on the ice."

So there's "the plan." Deconstruct away, kids! Put some meat on those meagre bones! Now back to our regular blogging.

As the Cavs beat the Raptors (they'll meet again tonight at the ACC, and I'll be there, part of Scott Carefoot's Raptorblog group), Dave Feschuk makes the case that LeBron James is burning out.

A new book has it that Barry Bonds juiced big after he was eclipsed by the '98 McGwire-Sosa homer duel.

Canada barely beats South Africa, while the US barely beats Mexico, and today it's Canada-USA as the World Limited Overs Baseball Classic moves on.

Before Arsenal and Real take over the stage today, Barcelona knocks a listless Chelsea out of the Champions League, although it's a costly victory, Lionel Messi out for a month after a thigh injury. The Specious One sounds as out of ideas as his side: "Barcelona haven't won against 11 players, so that's all I can say."

LotN, NHL: None other than the Leafs' Tomas Kaberle, with a goal and three assists. NBA: Really want to pick Andres Nocioni's 24 in 22 minutes off the bench, but have to go with Joe Johnson, playing every minute and checking in with 42, nine assists and 10/10 FT makes in Atlanta's win over GS.

And normally I might save this till Friday. But I'm in an expansive, BALCO state of mind, so here it is, via Kottke: the Simpsons opening credits, performed by real people.

Nothing to concede

After a long weekend cleaning house -- hey, maybe the Leafs will take note -- it's the morning links:

Two days till NHL trade deadline, JFJ has a story and he's stickin' to it: "We're not ready to concede anything." So let's get this straight -- 11th place in the conference, and an NHL-worst (outside of Pittsburgh) five wins in 2006, but they're not conceding. At least, perhaps not until tomorrow.

Kirby Puckett is dead at 45.

The World 65-pitch Limit Baseball Classic starts on this continent, Canada facing South Africa while the world scratches its head.

Chelsea is on the ropes, Jose Mourinho is taking some stick, and Barcelona is ready to deliver the final KO to their Champions League hopes.

LotN, NHL division: On Oly the Goalie's milestone night, it's Alex Ovechkin (again), two goals and an assist as the Caps beat the Islanders. NBA: Although Jared Collins (0 points, 10 rebounds) takes some beating, I'll go with Carmelo Anthony's 35 on 15-22 shooting.

Getting friendly

Morning links + Thursday =  All-Blog Edition.

Who looked good, who didn't in yesterday's rack of World Cup friendlies. (Who looked great/awful? Italy/Germany. And just like that, Juergen Klinsmann is a dumbkopf). UPDATE: Canada beats Austria 2-0.

Kai-Uwe Knoth/AP File Photo

The World Cup must be close - Klinsmann is falling down.

With the trade deadline one week away, the Leafs may deal away Bryan McCabe (and judging from the Star's latest poll and my email basket during the Olympics, there won't be too many wet eyes).

The Blue Jays open their spring schedule today, and Is it a Flyball or a Seagull? has some words that are heavy with nothing but trouble, Hosken to Rico to Rance: it's the new dad's guide to the worst Jay names.

More baseball: Batter's Box interviews Charlie Wilson, a Blue Jays' front office back officer.

Now this is one oily deal: Field of Schemes notes Indianapolis's new publicly funded football stadium with the private naming rights deal (um, don't they have a stadium?)

Golf in space -- cute stunt or safety hazard? (thanks to Robot Wisdom).

An American perspective on the Turin Olympics -- or at least, what Americans saw.

Raptors HQ has some questions out of the Bryan Colangelo hiring. And if you're playing along at home, here's a handy list of NBA salary commitments for the next few years.

Farewell, Bret Boone, and better get that quivering lip attended to (As Flash notes, that's one less name on our upcoming Do-Not-Draft-Ever-Ever!-EVER! list)

And we started with futebol, we'll end with futebol: an oldie but a goodie.

The move they always wanted to make

The morning links, in like a Lion (More Detroit than Nittany):

Bryan Colangelo introduces himself to Toronto and for now, everyone's job is safe.

NATHAN DENETTE/CANADIAN PRESS

For their next move (hopefully), Peddie fades out of the picture.

(Down in Arizona, the question now is when the elder Colangelo departs the Suns, an unthinkable notion up until recently).
Two things about this: Colangelo over and over referred to the Raptors as a well-respected franchise, a model -- that was your finely-honed message track yesterday, and given the barracking the Raps have received over the past couple years and the decline in the ACC house, hardly surprising. He was rock steady throughout and quite successful, and the media response was in step, amounting to a virtual standing O.
As to the puzzling timing of the firing of Boy GM in January, yesterday provided the answer: the ensuing "search" Richard Peddie talked about then had only one focus. As Colangelo said himself yesterday, looking around and saying "I hope I'm not speaking out of turn here", Colangelo was contacted 19 months ago during the run-up to Babcock's hiring. Colangelo was the Raptors' guy all along, and given his deteriorating relationship with the Suns' new majority owner, they pounced, tossing Boy GM over the side after he kept the seat warm for 19 months. Over at Raptorblog, Scott Carefoot takes a closer look at this angle.
The sole fly in the optics yesterday was Richard Peddie sitting next to Colangelo. Peddie has sounded contrite of late. Now he has to step back -- way back -- and let the new guy do his job.

We now return to our regularly scheduled linkage: Leafs lose to the Capitals, and in a classless finish, Jason Allison runs Alex Ovechkin into the boards from behind.

LotN, NHL: Joe Thornton's goal and three assists as the Sharks beat Detroit.

LotN, NBA: Kirk Hinrich's 30-13-9  (and no turnovers) as the Bulls beat Minny.

I should have updated this yesterday but didn't get the chance: Michael Ballack has, er, Ballacked reports he will sign with the most hated club in the world.

From Boy GM to Colangelo

The morning links, in throwback socks:

Raptors sign their new GM today. And on the subject, Bill Simmons hosts the Atrocious GM Summit (including Zeke, K-Mac and of course, the Boy GM).

LotN, NBA: Tough call Pau Gasol, but I'll take Jason Kidd (19 pts, 17 reb, 11/12 FT, 9 ast), and note PopcornMachine's second half/OT splits, even if the Nets lost this one.

Remember the NHL? Counting down to the end of the regular season (and the Pat Quinn era) it's back tonight, including the Leafs hosting the Matrix.

According to reports, Chelsea's going to sign Michael Ballack this summer for 240K a week, although his agent denies a deal is done. And in Madrid, Florentino Perez resigns as president of Real.

Heartwarming baseball story: Son takes Dad deep, Dad throws one at the chin of Son.  (Only three days till the World Baseball 65-Pitch Limit Classic opener, can you feel the buzz?)

On to Vancouver

The morning links. Aging, but effective:

It's on to Vancouver, visions of Saturday's Cindy Klassen-Clara Hughes show still making me all goosebumpy.

Line of the Night, NBA division (LotN NHL returns Wednesday morning): Shaquille O'Neal goes 15 of 16 from the field as the Heat beats Seattle on Saturday. (Two things: Shaq is back, as Dave Feschuk notes -- and that accompanying 1-of-6 from the FT line sure looks like additional evidence to me -- with the Raptors in Miami tonight, still on hold with GM candidate Bryan Colangelo; and a scheduling note -- March 12 and 31, Kobe against Seattle's league-worst defence).

Another NBA: The "silent game" in Orlando, televised without announcers. (How quiet was it? It was so quiet you could hear 'em yelling We Want Darko!)

The Glazers have some new silverware, as Manchester United wins the Carling (nee League) Cup.

Samuel Eto'o walks off the pitch saying "no more" after racist chants were directed at him by Zaragoza fans. He went back after his Barca teammates interceded, but after earlier incidents that were tolerated by Spanish league officials this is clearly reaching the breaking point:

Ewerthon's fellow black Brazilian Ronaldinho, the leader of Barcelona in all but the captain's armband, had, however, said something that should hit home to the complacent soccer administrators like a bullet.
"We all heard it," he said of the relentless chants, hisses and whistles directed at Eto'o. "And if he leaves, then I go as well."

And in celebration of Sweden's taut win over Finland in a splended gold-medal hockey game, here's a couple of items: Sweden's Top 60, a (long) list of Abba tribute bands, and from the archives of the relocated J.E. Skeets, Ikea and Sheed. (Bloggin' pal Damien Cox figures the Swedes embarrassed themselves in tanking an earlier game -- but c'mon. The only thing the Swedish coach was guilty of was daring to speak what is not uncommon practice in these kind of short time-frame competitions.).

Women of the world

Morning links, pret a porter edition:

Breaking down the Olympic numbers: I've always felt this to be true - Canada's women are No. 1 in the world (as for the men, Brad Gushue rocks on today, going for gold with all of Newfoundland and Labrador taking the afternoon off).

Nearly three months after its season was over (and three months before a new one begins), and in the middle of the Olympics, the CFL hands out its Coach of the Year award, otherwise known as Anyone but Pinball.

A few NBA trades on deadline day, but the big one overshadowing them all was Isiah Thomas's latest brainwave (Scottie Pippen's take on it -- "I'm pretty much befuddled by what New York has done" -- is sort of like a default setting with Isiah, isn't it?), pitched the day after as part of a high stakes play for Kevin Garnett (All together now: !?).

The yammering out of Wednesday's Chelsea-Barcelona continues, Lionel Messi lobbing back at Jose (The Incredible Sulk) Mourinho and the Blues staff reacting to referee-threatening messages on the club's website.

We're all curling fans now

The morning links, Thursday all-blog edition:

Canada (and Slovakia) lose. Friday's semifinals: Sweden vs Czech Republic, Finland vs Russia (so does this mean we're all Swedes now, or Finns, or Czechs? Anyone but Russia, right?)

Cindy Klassen wins gold, so that's a record four medals. And I guess we're all curling fans now, with the Brad Gushue rink into Friday's gold-medal rocker.

Raptors breathing heavily for Bryan Colangelo to fill the GM spot.

Isiah adds another guard, Steve Francis coming to the Knicks, cue the Pearl-Clyde reminisces even if it's going to end up "more like Ali-Frazier".

Chelsea lose at Barcelona as the Champions League rolls on.

They're pitchin' and catchin' among the grapefruits and cactuses. Fantasy baseball isn't far behind.

Finally, from Off Wing Opinion, it's Slap Shot, the Romania cut.

Runs, Hits, Erin

No morning links today, being snowed under a little with all this Olympic stuff. I'll return with an all-blog edition tomorrow, so send in any good stuff you've noticed and would like me to consider.

DAVE THOMPSON/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Not only is Henry good, he levitates, too.

Oh, okay, pipe down, here's a couple links, Arsenal looking like finally making something out of their inconsistent season as they beat Real  in Madrid -- now maybe Thierry Henry will stay. Big one today has Chelsea vs Barcelona.

The Raptors are back, losing to the Grizzlies as Spain's finest face off for the last time this season.

And I did this one as a draft a couple of days ago, and forgot to post it. A little late, but hey:

I wasn't up to speed on this, and I reckon my occasional soccer-watching pal John Doyle may not be either, but: Ireland not only has a national baseball team, they're the subject of an upcoming movie.
This is welcome news, demonstrating once again that, in matters of sport, the Irish have it all over most everyone. Have you ever seen hurling? It's like hockey meets lacrosse meets a fractured skull. And if you were going to rank the footy crowds for parties instead of FIFA's formula, Ireland would be top 5 in my book. Nor would you ever hear an Irishman deprecate baseball as "American rounders", as a number of (Brit) expats used to tauntingly describe it to me during my days nearly two decades ago, working in a  semitropical paradise.
So I have a new team to root for, even if they're not among the cannon fodder lined up at next month's World Baseball Classic. Many thanks to Irish Eagle for pointing it out.