Into the weekend: Grey Cup libations

Lots to ponder as we head into a strenuous weekend of armchair sports, chief among it this proposition up on the JABS odds board: Kobe Bryant's points tonight vs. Frank Thomas's RBIs next season vs audience for the MLS expansion draft live on ESPN4.

Shot of beer nuts? Check.

It's the Friday roundup. But you knew that already. And while you mull over that last bet, which is almost lifelike, a little treat arrived in the email basket this week: The Gibson's Kicker, billed as the official cocktail of the Grey Cup: "Part smoke and part fire with a hint of fresh lime and paired with a shot of beer nuts". Sounds a bit like a Flaming Mo. I'll pair it with the fish sticks and get back to you.

Meantime, better make do with that Kobe vs Hurt vs. MLS expansion draft prop, because the government gambling shop has done it again. The Grey Cup line is B.C. -7 1/2 in the books, a little light according to my original reckoning. But folllowing along with the theme of almost lifelike, you won't be able to play it on Pro-Line's Point Spread game. Biggest game of the year, one that even casual fans notice, and there's no betting against the line. They're looking out for us. Everybody, now, raise your Flaming Mo or your Kicker or your Champale and toast 'em. Toast 'em good.

One last read. From the Guardian's Sports Blog, the best thing I've read on world footy since all those Zizou rumours. It's Marcela Mora y Araujo (no relation to Haffa, I presume), hanging with Boca's la Doce:

The thrill of the terraces and the beauty of the display of affection hardcore fans offer their team is not unique to Boca, nor indeed to Argentina. But it has an intensity there that has few equals. I once met a Malvinas war veteran in the Boca terraces and asked him if he thought there was a connection between the intoxication and loss of self of the terraces, and the atmosphere of a battlefield. No, he said. "Nobody hates war more than a soldier," he explained, before surveying the scenes on the terraces and concluding: "This is about love."
Later that same day, after Boca had lost 2-0 to River Plate, two River fans were shot dead. Around the city the following graffiti appeared: River 2-2 Boca.

One last piece of blogosphere news. Congratulations and good luck to Raptorblog ringmaster and footstool regular Scott Carefoot, on the move to Sympatico MSN's Sports Channel. That means, of course, that he'll have access to a press pass, poor guy.

One last curling update. George at the Curling News sends along this on those blog-favourite rockin' Norbergs.

One last view. This has been around a bit, but if you've missed it: Aries Spears does Mike and Shaq. (And if you liked that, check out this one sent over from TBJ.)

One last James Bond namedrop. Not much time for Bond. But I do like this.

One (two) last sponsorship deal. An English footy club has signed a marketing deal with Motorhead which includes an all-black uniform with the skull logo (which is just a cheap excuse, really, to revisit this QT-friendly video). And a link to Tom Benjamin for exposing this new NHL award for the runny nose that it is: "Is there anything Bettman won't do to squeeze out a few extra dollars?"

One last warning. This is pigskin freakout weekend, so if you find yourself on the couch a lot this weekend, do try to build in short breaks between the cheezie nibbling. It all starts with the CIS semifinals starting at noon Saturday. That OSU-Michigan thing goes midday (it'll be DVR'd in my house, so please, no giving away the ending before Saturday night). NFL all day Sunday and of course, the Grey Cup Sunday night.

One last Sam Mitchell laff. Two, actually, from TBJ, who I should just hand over the Friday roundup to, because it seems like every one of these has something from them -Coal Region Recipes with Sam Mitchell, and Searching for Sammy Mitchell. I'll miss this stuff when he's gone.

Sports around town. If you can tear yourself away from the couch - and you really should - U of T got its game on last weekend, and now it's York U's turn to start the party Saturday night. The Lions (got it right this time) host Waterloo up at the arena on the edge of forever, a doubleheader with the women at 6 p.m. and the men at 8. Bring your own pajamas. Honest.

Pooch punts. It's true - Jinks the Vizsla really is just as bad as all the other public handicappers out there. After another 2-3 weekend, here's the latest set of kibbles or cookies picks (bonus points, though, for the Grey Cup gobble):

Montreal (+7 1/2) over B.C.
St. Louis (+6 1/2) over CAROLINA
St. Louis-Carolina OVER 44
PHILADELPHIA (-13) over Tennessee
CLEVELAND (+ 3 1/2) over Pittsburgh

Have a great Grey Cup weekend.

MLS expansion draft fever!

Just a reminder that Friday afternoon, just when you're trying to decide on your Grey Cup party options (CC or Champale?

REUTERS PHOTO

DeRosario: Protected.

Always a tough call, that), Toronto FC will be picking its team by adding 10 players from the existing MLS lineup (and no more than one from any of them. For the full list and rules, go here). It's the MLS expansion draft - catch the excitement!

With 2005 MLS MVP Dwayne DeRosario of Scarborough the apple of T'Citeh's eye, champions Houston have protected him - not much of a surprise there. If they want him, they're going to have to deal to get him. Won't be cheap, either.

Another Canuck, Adrian Serioux, is available (the only Canadian on the list, by my count), if they're interested.

AP PHOTO

Serioux: Available.

I'm no expert at all here, but after going down the list I'm going to hazard a guess that Nate Jaqua is high on their list - 25-year-old forward, proven scorer, a starter with Chicago, and how often do those kinds of prime candidates come along in these kind of drafts? - although Jamaican international Andy Williams will also attract attention. Colorado left open U.S. international Clint Mathis and Fabrice Noel. From the greybeard file, there's Tony Meola  and Cobi Jones.

As usual when there is precious little mainstream info out there, the blog world is the place to go for more. Heartening words here from The Crossbar, who's a lot more up on this stuff than I am:

Looking over the list of players, Toronto could build an incredibly good team; especially if they start from the back. It is safe to say that they will snatch any Canadian on the list. At the time being, it appears that Adrian Serioux is the only Canadian available in Friday's draft. So with Serioux and Brennan on the backline how will Toronto proceed?

Well, there's the question of the day.

Photo of the Day: Best fiver

PETER MORRISON/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Dickie Best, father of the late George Best, shows off new bank notes in Belfast.

Related: Rush for Bestie fivers begins today (Belfast Telegraph).

Best notes prompt auction fever (BBC News).

Lions by how many?

Some things from the weekend you might have missed while you were tearing up those "Run Ricky Run" signs:

From dome sweet dome to Winnipeg's great outdoors for next Sunday's Grey Cup, it's B.C. and Montreal. Lions should be clear favourites - let's see what's posted, but I make it 9 points. Arland Bruce, meantime, won't be there.

MLS - better start boning up - has enacted the "Beckham Rule" to allow teams to go over their salary cap to sign foreign stars, while Manchester United have called young  Freddy Adu in for a trial training session: "MLS — which owns his registration, as it does for all US-based players — it seems to be annoyed by the whole thing. One league official, quoted anonymously in the US, said: 'This is the same old Freddy bulls***.'"

Oh yes, Houston Dynamo won Sunday's MLS Cup on penalties with former Canadian international Pat Onstad making the winning save and a couple of Canucks - Dwayne De Rosario and Adrian Serioux - converting their spot kicks.

Brazil wins the beach soccer World Cup (at least a couple of fans found a way to jump the queue to get in), and are into the semifinals and strong favourites to win it all at the women's world volleyball championship. That'll sure ease the pain of Germany '06.

Followups from the Friday file: The U of T Blues men's ballers, whose battles with four-peat national champion Carleton this season will be must-see, will get a boost in the rankings after home-opening with a 34-point mauling of No. 7 McMaster on Saturday. And courtesy of Neate, here's your CIS football semifinal matchups: Acadia vs Laval, Saskatchewan vs Ottawa.

From the good reads department:

Jason Whitlock has something to say to all you ref-baiting David Stern haters:

Stern took the appropriate step to eliminate the problem. He acted in the best interest of his players. Not surprisingly, the players have reacted like Stern stripped them of some constitutional right or outlawed tattoos and strip-club visits. The players union considered suing the league. NBA player groupies in the media blasted Stern, and some even suggested that Stern is an old white man who can’t relate to his predominantly young black players.
Hmm. Young people in general, and young black men in particular, don’t need leaders who can relate to them. They need leaders who see their unlimited potential and have the courage to demand that they reach it.

Charlie Pierce in Slate on the Awfulness of NFL contracts (thanks to Peter for the link):

All football players are in some ways constantly in rebellion against the teams for which they play. The team makes the player play when he shouldn't and then ruthlessly disposes of him when the consequences of that coercion become obvious on the field. One of the great diplomatic triumphs Tom Brady has is that he has managed to become the public face of the Patriots without becoming perceived as a management mouthpiece among his primary constituency in the locker room.

Say it ain't so, 'Zou

France's media is rushing to his defence, after rumours and questions about whether national icon, headbutter and family man Zinedine Zidane is having an affair with French pop star Nadiya have hit the newsstands. This from The Times Online:

VSD WEBSITE

Nâdiya, who is of Algerian origin, as is Zidane, angrily denied the tale, which had been circulating in Paris and on the internet for weeks. “This has to stop. I am a mother and I want people to respect my integrity . . . All those people can go and jump in the lake,” she told Fogiel. She had met the footballer only once, at a charity event, she said.
The chat show, on the M6 channel, enabled other media to bypass the usual French taboo over private life. They have resorted to an old ploy — devoting space to decrying the rumour while adding fuel.
“Fogiel — hands off Zidane,” screamed the front page of France Soir, which was relaunched this year as a British-style tabloid. Denouncing Fogiel’s “nasty tackle”, the newspaper said that the host had “asked a question which has frightened the media world for several months and which no one dared ask”.
The tale was then given a boost by Voici, a celebrity weekly. Its cover said that it was impossible that Nâdiya could be involved with “our national icon, whose discretion and legendary modesty matches his role as exemplary father and family man”. But Voici published without explanation photographs showing a disguised Zidane and Nâdiya entering the same Paris apartment building minutes apart last month. Nâdiya lives in the building, in the prosperous 17th arrondissement of Paris, according to Switzerland’s La Tribune de Genève.

Related: Bangladesh president offers Zidane a job.

France coach not angry at Zidane but still bitter: "He cracked up, that's only human."

Nadiya's official website.

Book Review Week: The World Cup, a Verse Chronicle

The limerick: Maligned. Under-appreciated, or not appreciated at all. Tossed off.

Ray Skyrme, a retired University of Toronto professor of modern languages, believes in the lure of the limerick, and in this self-published book that arrived at the Mansion last month, he collects all his five-line rhymers from the summer’s World Cup (and a few from friend and colleague John Kay).

Readers of the blog during its relocation to Germany for the tournament may well recall, a couple of weeks in, the daily hits from Ray that started arriving (somehow I got on his e-mail list) – Sarky Ryme, according to one blog reader who thought the whole thing was a put-on – and here they all are, the prematch previews, the postmatch postmortems, all of them laid out in the familiar aabba scheme.

A labour of love, for sure, but no off-the-cuff production. As Skyrme explains in the introduction, the genesis of the project came during the 2002 Mundial, gathered with his friends watching at his local Toronto pub, and then again for the 2003 Rugby World Cup. This was far more ambitious. There was a fair amount of pre-tournament research to do, including team and players’ names, history, geography and culture:

I tried, especially in the pre-match verses, to built a limerick on a sustained image (the AD 711 Moorish invasion of Spain in KSA vs ESP, or Julius Caesar’s campaigns in Gaul in FRA vs ITA). I also tried, within the limits of general understanding, to inject a foreign flavour into the verse, where the context warranted it and made it comprehensible. (In a few limited cases I felt the need to add an explanatory note). So there are words and expressions in French, German, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Spanish, Trinidadian patois, and Strine (Australian English), which, I hope, all add spice to the mixture.

Some examples now. Here’s the very first one, written before the draw nearly a year ago:

FIFA World Cup next June in Westphalia,
Match-by-match verse I’ll emailia.
Will Brazil win again?
Or their hope be in vain?
Will Deutscheland once more meet with failia?

Later on, setting up Japan vs Brazil:

Hirohito invades Ipanima.
(For this conflict can I find a rima?)
Though it wasn’t her ball
Brazil may well recall
How the Marines fared at Iwo Jima.

And one more, this little gem recapping the tournament’s roughest match (I'd take you to the last one, but it's not really fair game to give away the ending, is it?):

Second half the Dutch lose Boulahrouz,
Then goes Deco: the game’s a rough house!
That head butt by Figo,
Não é futebol, amigo!
Lisbon wins (with her head in a noose!)

This is a cute and altogether unique way of revisiting the tournament in little bite-sized pieces. Like eating potato chips, it is. You won't find it in any bookstore, though. If you’re interested in getting a copy, let me know and i'll send you along to Ray (and no, if you're wondering, I'm not getting any cut out of this).

Our chance to line up opposite Becks

A trio of items that crossed the radar screen this afternoon, all of them (sort of) connected:

First, and it comes as no surprise, but the L.A. Galaxy are running up a little more than the usual trial balloon. This from the Guardian reads more like Monty Hall screaming "Come on Down!":

"A move for Beckham is not something we need to discuss at this point because he's under contract with Real," admitted Galaxy president and general manager Alexi Lalas. "But if that changes, and there's an opportunity, of course we'd be interested. There are thousands of clubs out there that would love to have a player of his calibre and the Los Angeles Galaxy is certainly one of them. For many people the Los Angeles Galaxy are looked upon as the jewel of MLS. We play in the best stadium, we have had incredible success over the history of the league and we have had great individual players and great teams. There is a tradition of excellence."

So, you're asking, after you pause to choke back the giggles. Where do I fit with this great tradition, this great (oh, stop it, you're killing me!) "jewel of MLS"? Here's your chance, as Toronto FC have announced - open tryouts! (Failing that, we're all invited out for drinks at Wegz). Well, actually, they're $110, these open tryouts. I don't know if The Star would let me expense it, but I'll try to measure up to the requirements listed:

    *  Players currently registered with a Professional Club will need to bring a waiver from their current club allowing them to attend Toronto FC Open Tryouts. (I am on top of the Here in the Colonies Fantasy League thanks to the GREAT Ashley (No relation) Young, and I will get my trailers to sign something).
    * Tryouts will be on Astroturf and therefore players will have to have appropriate foot attire. (That's bad. I don't do Astroturf. Messes with my varicose veins.).
    * Only accepting payment by credit card ($110 CDN + $6.60 GST). (Like I said, I'll have to ask The Star. But times are tough, so I dunno.).
    * Names will be entered into a database. (Hopefully not Interpol's).
    * Legal info waving liability and lost items. (I lost my free-pizza ticket stub from last Friday's Raptors game. I guess I can't get that back either).
    * Please note that if you are not a Canadian citizen, you will need to have health insurance coverage from your home country. (OHIP sure ain't what it used to be).

So there we are. Bring on Beckham!

And oh, via Pension Plan Puppets, a superb look back at a dressing-room rant for the ages - Leyton Orient's John Sitton sitton-ing into his useless players. A reminder that there is indeed hope for us 200-quid-a-week types, at least the way he fragrantly puts it.

We're No. 2!

A new old tradition revived for Mondays, anyway, here's a few things you might have missed over the weekend while you were busy planning the Stanley Cup parade:

Live from the Italian Alps, it's the world foosball championships:

On Saturday night, Mr. Collignon and his doubles partner, Ismael Saban, also of Belgium, won the doubles championship, besting a Canadian doubles team in a hard-fought overtime match.
(snip)
As for the event, despite a brief flare-up between the Austrian men’s doubles team and the Canadians in the semifinals, the event seemed a warm and familial affair. But that is not to say that there was no opportunity for foul play.

Flare-up. Foul play. Canada loses in OT. Sounds like there's a story there, somewhere.

Germany, You Have a Problem, or, whatever happened to the Summer of die leibe?

That FIFA World Cup final game ball up for weekend auction? Sold for $2.4 million U.S., or $100,000 less than the Ferrari.

James Mirtle, getting a deserved callup to the Globe on Hockey team, wonders where's  the love for Rod Brind'Amour:

Despite all his accomplishments, he doesn't have a Joe Sakic/Steve Yzerman aura about him, and his Ray Bourque style Stanley Cup win really didn't tug the hockey world's heart strings the way it probably should have. (Then again, he's got a ways to go before calling it a career.)
I guess the thing I'm wondering is why no one's talking about Brind'Amour this season. As it stands now, he's an early candidate for the Hart Trophy.

Into the weekend: Low-def football, High-def racing

Time to wrap things up around here in the usual manner, starting with a television note: The Breeders' Cup is available only in High-Definition this weekend, while the Argos-Bombers east semifinal is not going to be broadcast in HD.

So the Breeders' Cup, horse racing's highest-end TV product, watched by a devoted but marginalized audience, gets pushed a little further into the edges.

AP FILE PHOTO

Look at the bright side. At least he's not out there making records.

As for the Argos, low-definition is them. Here they have the seemingly complimentary Ricky Williams (when he's not lining up on the kickoff coverage team) and John Avery in the backfield. They have a receiver in Arland Bruce who can break a game open if he gets the ball - pay attention to those last five words - and a supporting cast filled with Sowards, Talbots and (perhaps, if he's healed) Miles. They have football's all-time leading pitcher. And for all that, their offence is ranked seventh in an eight-team league. Is it Damon Allen? Adam Rita? Pinball? What gives here? This is the Argos' last hurrah at home, so it'll be the last day of pro playoffs here until the spring -- or perhaps even next fall.

One last read. Elliotte Friedman on the Argos:

Let’s bring up another scenario: that Toronto’s offence is seriously overrated, frightening for a group that is the CFL’s worst. In the aftermath of Saturday’s collapse, the frustration came pouring out of Arland Bruce. “All week long, I said I would do whatever it takes. I must have told D.A. 15-16 times that I would do whatever it takes. I was open in the second half. The ball just didn’t come my way.”
Now, there are two ways to look at this diatribe. One: Bruce is a selfish player pulling a Keyshawn Johnson bitchfest moments after the Argonauts lost the right to host the East Championship. Two: Bruce is a fierce competitor who badly wanted to win, just giving honest answers to a question.
I choose the second version.

One last email. Chris Flynn liked the post on Paul Maurice's Wednesday night coaching. Until he got to the part about Glenn Healy:

"Are you a Scotsman or something? ... I just cannot agree on the Healy comment, I find him to be purely obnoxious and he really tries to slam the Leafs."

I'll continue liking Healy, Chris. Even as a non-Scotsman. I must confess another thing: I think Pierre McGuire has done good work this season (There, I said it. I mean it. Let the e-mail blizzard begin.).

One last sign that playing a lot of golf can ruin lives. Kenny G tops Golf Digest's Top 100 musicians who golf. Dweezil Zappa is No. 20 and Bob Dylan is No. 63 (and on the subject of Bobby Z, don your finest biohazard gear and, if you dare, check this out).

One last view. Via kottke, vintage Youtube video of a daredevil trying to fly over the St. Lawrence River in a Lincoln Continental. You fear to watch, but you cannot look away.

One last auction. One of 20 game balls from last July's World Cup final, autographed by Italy's championship team, go up for auction on Saturday in Qatar. Sadly, though, no Materazzi-butted jersey.

One last game: Pong meets the seesaw. (Another find from kottke.)

Sports around town. U of T men's basketball Blues (7-2 for the preseason) tune up for next weekend's regular season with their final exhibition game, 4 p.m. Saturday at the Sports Gym against Humber College.

Watching. Lots to choose from but the Breeders' Cup is it, even if it's only on TSN HD, Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Bernardini is the best horse I've seen since Cigar - and you remember what happened to Cigar on BC day, right?

Pooch punts. Football plays worth the paper that Jinks the Viszla whittled on. Here's his kibbles-or-cookie picks, and keep in mind the boy went 5-0 two weeks ago and 3-2 last week, so he's one hot dog:

Atlanta -5 over DETROIT
BALTIMORE -3 over Cincinnati
SAN FRANCISCO +5 over Minnesota
SAN DIEGO -12 1/2 over Cleveland
Oakland +7 1/2 over SEATTLE

Photo of the Day: Sand trap

BRUNO DOMINGOS/REUTERS

Argentina-Nigeria, at the FIFA World Cup of Beach Soccer at Copacabana Beach in Rio.

Related: Tournament website.

Canada opens play Friday against Iran.

A great movie scene at the Copacabana Club.