Day: July 11, 2007

      What exactly did the lockout accomplish again?

      July 11, 2007 /

      I know we at the Scores Report don’t do a ton of puck-talk (or any at all for that matter), but I had to chuckle when I saw that the New York Rangers doled out $4.25 million to retain goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

      Just like baseball, hockey has always been about teams that spend, and teams that don’t. Teams like the Rangers and Red Wings would go out and spend butt loads of money for free agents every offseason, while organizations like the Penguins, Oilers and Lightening tucked away their cash like parents saving for a child’s college fund. Part of the reason for the 2005 lockout was so that a salary cap could be put into place and it could even out the spending.

      Well, here we are just two offseasons later, and in efforts to save space – there are still teams that spend, and teams that don’t. The Lundqvist deal – although well deserved for Henrik – proves what I’m talking about. I would love to see a cap in MLB, but something tells me the Yankees and Red Sox would still push the spending, while the Pirates, Marlins and Devil Rays sit on their ass and do nothing.

      NHL

      Congrats Oregon, you won the ’05 Holiday Bowl!

      July 11, 2007 /

      The football program at the University of Oklahoma is in rough shape these days. Turns out that the Sooners will have to forfeit all eight of their 2005 wins because two students got paid from a car dealership job in Norman, yet didn’t actually put in any work.

      The Sooners went 8-4 and beat Oregon in the Holiday Bowl to end the 2005 season. Records from that season involving quarterback Rhett Bomar and offensive lineman J.D. Quinn must be vacated, the NCAA said, and coach Bob Stoops’ career record will be amended to reflect the forfeitures, dropping it from 86-19 in eight seasons to 78-27.

      Seriously, how bad does Stoops and the rest of the ’05 Sooner team want to throw an ass-beating party for Bomar and Quinn right about now? Not only did they get paid for doing nothing, they also botched an entire football season in the process. At least Tulsa and Baylor are happy – whoever said they could never beat OU looks pretty silly right about now.

      College Football

      That lovable loser Pacman making news again

      July 11, 2007 /

      Adam “Pacman” Jones has shockingly found trouble again, this time for being pulled over early last month in a routine traffic stop. Pacman apparently didn’t have his registration and insurance on him, not too mention license plates that didn’t matched his orange Lamborghini.

      So let me get this straight, Pacman. You are currently being questioned in a multiple shooting at Las Vegas strip club, were suspended the entire 2007 season by the NFL, and have been involved in a series of other legal issues dating back to 2004.

      So why, oh why than, are you driving around without your car insurance and registration? Not only that, but you’re in a freaking bright orange Lamborghini with plates that didn’t even match the car? Did it ever occur to you that you might attract some attention? Plus, you had enough time to actually find plates for the car, just not enough time to made sure they matched? Wow, momma has to be proud of this one.

      NFL

      Hey Tony, forget someone?

      July 11, 2007 /

      Anyone who tuned into the Midsummer Classic last night saw a lot of exciting things, such as Ichiro’s inside the park home run (first ever in ASG history), Ken Griffey’s laser to throw out A-Rod at the plate, and a bases loaded situation in the bottom of the ninth.

      What you wouldn’t have seen, however, is any sign of Albert Pujols because his manager, Tony La Russa, left his ass on the bench the entire game. La Russa tried to explain afterwards that in case of extra innings, he wanted to have the versatile Pujols to come off the bench, but his first basemen wasn’t having it.

      “If I wasn’t expecting myself to play, I wouldn’t come up here,” he said. “Believe me, if I couldn’t play, I wouldn’t show up here. I’d rather stay home with my family. But that’s the way it is.”

      I get how La Russa would want to have Pujols come off the bench if the game went extra innings, but the contest was 5-4 with two outs left in the ninth and the NL was the home team – so go for the win Tony. Not to take anything away from Aaron Rowand, but we’re talking about Albert Pujols, bottom of the ninth, bases loaded and he’s completely fresh. You take your shot in the ninth because at that point, there is no extra innings. Pujols has ever right to be pissed.

      MLB

      Mo Williams’ big decision

      July 11, 2007 /

      It might just be agent-speak in order to drive the Bucks’ price up, but Mo Williams is apparently considering taking less money to play with Shaq and Dwyane Wade instead of re-signing with the Bucks. The Heat are over the cap, so all they can offer is their mid-level exception, which works out to about $30 million over five years. The Bucks have reportedly offered $40 million over the same span.

      So will Williams turn down $10 million in guaranteed money to play for a “contender”? Usually, players talk about wanting to play for a good team, but it’s mainly the grizzled vets like Karl Malone and Gary Payton who become underpaid mercenaries in their quest for a ring, not 24 year-olds who are signing their first big contract. That said, the money the Bucks are offering isn’t that much more than the Heat, so Williams could very well bolt.

      I wonder how a Wade/Williams backcourt will work. Both players dominate the ball, but Wade is more of a slasher, while Williams is a better outside shooter.

      The Bucks are an up-and-coming team, and if they can re-sign Williams and get Yi Jianlian on board, they would be poised for a big leap in the East this season and could become a consistent power in the conference. If they lose Williams, they’re going to have a big hole at PG with no real backup plan.

      I think Williams will take the money and re-sign, but as a Bucks fan, I’m a little worried.

      NBA, NBA Draft

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